Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

Review

[REVIEW] STAR TREK: SHORT TREKS “The Brightest Star”: What Are Little Kelpiens Made Of?

[REVIEW] SHORT TREKS "The Brightest Star": What Are Little Kelpiens Made Of?

Star Trek: Short Treks “The Brightest Star” Review

The decision to make a mini-season of mini-episodes between seasons one and two of Star Trek: Discovery might have cast doubt on how well these episodes could function as storytelling devices. But the team behind these Short Treks have shown us that 15-minute installments can indeed work, and can in fact provide some excellent insight into new and existing characters. Saru, one of the most notable characters from Discovery thus far, gets his own spotlight episode in “The Brightest Star.” Not only is this a spotlight episode, but an origin story, likely delighting many fans of the timid Kelpien.

Fans are introduced to Kaminar, Saru’s homeworld, and various aspects of the Kelpien life. This includes the all-important Great Balance – the relationship between Kelpiens and their world – as well as their pre-warp culture and ritualism. Doug Jones settles back into Saru without effort, once again exuding emotion and personality through the subtlest motions. We also get an expansion of Saru’s character, with his curiosity and technical adeptness being the catalyst for him wanting to leave his homeworld – a forbidden thought, as Saru finds when he clashes with his father.

Doug Jones as Saru in "The Brightest Star"

Doug Jones as Saru in “The Brightest Star” | Credit: CBS All Access

While still produced on a noticeably tight budget like its predecessors, “The Brightest Star” seems to be smarter with where it uses its resources. Fans are treated to a great wide-angle view of Kelpien settlements, and the fine detail in these settlements bring out the realism Discovery touted in season one. Few cast members share the stage with Doug Jones, but those who do strike a good balance between giving Saru some foundation and interactivity, while letting the story be totally his own.

Doug Jones as Saru in "The Brightest Star"

Doug Jones as Saru in “The Brightest Star” | Credit: CBS All Access

“The Brightest Star” is a competent entry in the Short Treks season, and while it somewhat lacks the supreme economic direction of the previous Short Trek, “Calypso,” this latest addition to the Star Trek franchise shows that these short entries can perfectly fill a need in the franchise we didn’t realize we needed. Plus, the end of the episode tugs at the heartstrings of any Star Trek fan, what with the brief reprisal of the original Star Trek theme amid Saru’s first steps into a brave new world. And, who didn’t smile when that character made a surprise appearance? Knowing that we see Saru’s homeworld in the upcoming season two, hopefully we’ll learn more about how Saru’s family reacted to his disappearance, considering Saru has been unable to contact them in the years since leaving the planet. And, who exactly are the Ba’ul? In the years since joining Starfleet, has Saru learned who his people are sacrificing themselves to?

With three consistently good episodes under their belt, the Star Trek: Short Treks experiment is on a role. Let’s see what Rainn Wilson delivers in his own Short Trek, “The Escape Artist,” coming on January 3, 2019.


Connect with us on social media: @TrekNewsNet on Twitter, @TrekNews on Facebook, and @TrekNews on Instagram.

[amazon_link asins=’B07G2D87C1,B07BDMVY9X,B01M70T4WU,B01IG0H9JU’ template=’ProductGrid’ store=’treknenet-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’1ba140eb-b068-11e8-a0c7-a19c0f8f92ee’]

Written By

Kyle Hadyniak has been a lifelong Star Trek fan, and isn't ashamed to admit that Star Trek V: The Final Frontier and Star Trek: Nemesis are his favorite Star Trek movies. You can follow Kyle on Twitter @khady93.

1 Comment

1 Comment

  1. bgoo2

    August 22, 2019 at 8:31 pm

    Didn’t this short seem a bit contradictory to what was briefly mentioned about Kelpians in season 1? “My people only know only fear”. “We live to be hunted” “We sense death”

    In this episode seems to be an extraordinarily relaxed environment relatively speaking to what I was expecting.

    In the scant minutes we saw…. they wade around in the water a bit…. chill out in the tent…. and when it’s time for a group to make a sacrifice, everyone sure seems clinically lackadaisical.

    Am I alone here?

    Debate seemed limited to … “Saru… dude… this is just the way it is. So stop with the questions.”

    Then Saru is able to send a message out in the most nonsensical device I’ve seen in Star Trek yet.

    A device with 5 LCD screens each containing a single letter… WHICH he can manage to send out in English no less… and that these Ba’ul’s can’t seem to track the transmissions of.

    I know they want to show that Saru has a unique special intelligence…. but we’re being asked to make some quantum leaps as seasoned viewers.

    But that’s ok. It’s almost like the episode is written by glorified new grad interns with no previous screen credits.

    Awesome way to handle Star Trek. I’m not trying to be overly negative despite my sarcasm…. but c’mon. These plotlines are extraordinarily flimsy. Is there no writers room? Just used to a little less requirement to suspend disbelief… even in the context of Star Trek.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Facebook

More



Trek Geeks Podcast

Shop LLAP

Trending Articles

Preview

With the launch of the final season of Star Trek: Discovery right around the corner, Paramount+ has released an official trailer for the series’...

News

An article celebrating the longevity of the Star Trek franchise has given us our first look at Michelle Yeoh’s upcoming Star Trek: Section 31...

Books

Back to the Stars: Rediscovering Star Trek’s Legacy with Captain to Captain – A Retro-Review There are near-countless Star Trek novels out there. Unlike...

News

Production has begun on Star Trek: Section 31 The 14th Star Trek film has now begun production, as Paramount+ announced the start of production...

AboutContactTip UsTerms of UsePrivacy Notice

TrekNews.net, the website, the promotion thereof and/or any exhibition of material created by TrekNews.net is not endorsed or sponsored by or affiliated with CBS/Paramount Pictures or the STAR TREK franchise.


© 2011–2024 TrekNews.net