Star Trek: Discovery: Season 1, Episode 7 "Magic to Make the Sanest Man Go Mad"

 Star Trek: Discovery: Season 1, Episode 7 "Magic to Make the Sanest Man Go Mad"

October 29, 2017

“Magic to Make the Sanest Man Go Mad” is a fun episode! As Star Trek is wont to do, this episode deals with the temporal process. I like these kinds of episodes/films. There is always so much to explore with Groundhog Day-esque plotlines. After Harry Mudd (played brilliantly by Rainn Wilson) appeared earlier in the season after Lorca failed to rescue him from the Klingons, he is back to execute a plan of delicious revenge. The ending is a bit of a letdown especially considering how Mudd’s wife is portrayed here but leading up to that is fun. Some people complained because this episode touches more on the humor than previous installments. This is Rainn Wilson we are talking about. Let him Let him play into the comedic world. The best scenes are the multiple ways he comes up with to kill Lorca. Fortunately for the captain, time is repeating itself. For once, Stamets is given work where he does not come across as irritable and annoying. We learn more about him as a person and about his love life. Apparently, Tilly is a hoot at parties. Did you know that Burnham works on the bridge now? I am curious to see what type of love/relationship she will stir up with Tyler. Especially as she confides with Stamets, here big secret is that she has never been in love before.

This episode begins with the crew of the U.S.S Discovery finding time to let loose at a party. Tilly is quickly the epicenter of fun. Stamets lets down his guard. Is there a chance that Tyler and Burnham can hook up? Well, the arrival of Harry Mudd answers those questions in a hurry. He has a time loop device in which time resets itself after thirty minutes. His mission? To take over the Discovery and sell it to the Klingons. And, of course, killing Lorca and the crew time after time. Burnham and Stamets are somehow not affected, so they need to work together if they are going to stop Mudd.

Overall, there was plenty to enjoy especially for those time-travel geeks in which I will admit I am. The writers did a good job with the actual time travel, where it does not become tedious yet it happens enough to know the stakes and move along the story. There is more comedy than anticipated from a Star Trek episode, but does it really matter? The ending is weak but that is forgivable.

My Grade: A-


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