With Sundays fifth episode, Choose Your Pain,Discoverycontinued to loosen up, albeit in small ways.
Now that the show has introduced key players and themes, episodes can revolve around characters and smaller-scale stories.
(Characters now seem to conveniently label the technology an s-drive.)
Credit: Jan Thijs/CBS
As becomes increasingly evident in Choose Your Pain, each jump exacts a heavy toll on Ripper.
The episode begins with examinations of the relationships between two primaryDiscoverycharacters and Ripper.
Subsequently, we observe a meeting between Lorca and some of his Starfleet superiors.
Focus on obtaining more tardigrades to get to duplicate the technology, she instructs.
In private, Cornwell carries another stern message for Lorca.
Having Burnham Starfleets only convicted mutineer aboard the Discovery harms morale.
Why give everyone another reason to judge you?
But when pressed, he has a starker answer.
Its my ship, he says at the scenes conclusion.
Back aboard Discovery, Lorcas capture heightens tensions in multiple ways.
The more you hurt someone, the less helpful they become, she warns her former Shenzhou colleague.
Considering their icy relationship since Burnhams mutiny, Saru declines her advice and tells her to drop the issue.
Unsurprisingly, Burnham ignores the instructions.
In engineering, the pair tells Stamets that theyve concluded each jump causes the creatures brain to deteriorate further.
Stamets and Burnham next discuss the tardigrade issue with Tilly.
She apologizes, but Stamets placates her: No, cadet.
As Discoverys officers continue their fing cool science experiment, Lorcas situation has gone from bad to worse.
Upon his transfer to a Klingon prison vessel, he meetsHarcourt Fenton Mudd(Rainn Wilson).
Wilsons character Harry, for short revives some of the old-fashioned zaniness that definedStar Trekiterations of yore.
The only crime Im guilty of is loving too much, he laments to Lorca.
Wilsons acting predictably stands out, but his characters presence is refreshing in and of itself.
Mudd isnt quite so enjoyable for Lorca, though.
You look conspicuously free of bruises, Lorca retorts.
(Stuart has boundary issues, Mudd jokes.)
Then Mudd begins to indict the Federations stated objective of boldly going where no one has before.
What did you think would happen when you bumped into someone who didnt want you in their front yard?
he asks, citing Starfleet arrogance.
Have you ever bothered to look out of your spaceships down at the little guys below?
Buran, when it was ambushed by Klingons, and was the only survivor.
Mudds efforts ultimately backfire.
Lorca and Tyler then escape as Mudd screams that theyve havent seen the last of him.
Eugenics experiments are forbidden, Saru reminds her.
The acting captain orders the spore drive back online and confines Burnham to quarters.
Her message has resonated with other Discovery officers, though.
Stamets says hell comply, though that commitment doesnt exactly come to fruition.
Saru and the Discovery find a formation of five Klingon raiders flying through space.
Hes unconscious and appears severely wounded, but quickly returns to life.
The falling action of the episode provides fascinating endpoints for two sets of characters.
Burnham follows the order and, along with Tilly, releases the tardigrade into space.
Meanwhile, viewers discover something about Stamets personal life.
Ahead ofDiscoverys debut, news broke that Stamets would be thefirst openly gay characterin aStar Trekiteration.
The episode concludes in his personal quarters along with Culber, the ships doctor.
You may not care about you, Culber notes, but I do.
