REVIEW || Star Trek: Discovery 1x07: Magic To Make the Sanest Man Go Mad

Can I get a round of applause for posting a Star Trek: Discovery episode review on the day that it is released on Netflix? Thank you, thank you. I might as well be on time once because I won't be on time next week because I will be travelling. That instalment will be postponed until the following week when it'll be a double-whammy. I'm warning you now. 

First off, the title. Discovery has a penchant for using overly dramatic titles and we're only seven episodes in. I'm not the biggest fan of long, poetic episode titles. Two to three words are sufficient, to be honest. With this episode title, I was intrigued by what it could mean and wondered what it had to do with Star Trek. If you're new to my Discovery reviews, you may not know that I don't watch teaser trailers between episodes so I had no idea what this episode was about going into it beyond they have a party.

And party they did. I initially thought that the party was going to be the main focus of this episode. I'm so thankful that it wasn't. It was enjoyable. I laughed when I heard a remixed/updated/futuristic version of Saturday Night Fever by the Bee Gees. I loved seeing the crew actually party, flirting and drink real alcohol. In previous incarnations, the crew typically drink synthehol when throwing a party and the get-togethers are typically a very sober affair (unless you're Seven of Nine drinking synthehol). I loved seeing the crew playing drinking games (a variation of beer pong) and the guys trying to their chances of getting a drunken kiss. It made them very relatable and fallible because yes, they're soldiers and officers, but they are people too and they need a little R & R. 

As I said, I had no idea what was going to happen in this episode so I was pleasantly taken aback when Mudd appeared. I had wondered if he was going to make another appearance in Discovery since his debut a few episodes ago. I loved his appearance in this episode. I adore Rainn Wilson's characterisation of Mudd. Wilson really brings Mudd to life, complete with mannerisms, colloquial language and little quirks. I adore him. I loved the way he interacted with each character; he kept insulting Saru and calling him names (and let's face it, we've all thought them), dismissing the 'unnamed' characters when an extra becomes involved referencing back to tried and true Star Trek tropes and thinking like he knew everything. He was just a natural in Mudd's shoes. 

This episode was Star Trek's version of 'Groundhog Day'. I wasn't expecting that. It's not a storyline that I've seen often in Star Trek. 'Cause And Effect' in The Next Generation and I suppose 'Relativity' from Voyager can get a shoulder in under that umbrella. With that in mind, I was very intrigued to see how this was going to unravel. Would they stop Mudd? Will Stamets get through to everyone what was happening?

The one thing that I adored above everything in this episode was the sequence were Mudd details the various methods he used to kill Lorca in each loop. I thought that was genius how the editors stitched the scenes altogether so that they were seamless. It was just incredible and extremely creative. What I love about Discovery is how creative it is. It isn't the storyline (though I do like it), it's the creativity of it. The camera angles are very creative and unlike anything that has been previously seen in Star Trek - even Abrams-verse. I love it. 

Stamets. Stamets has become an enigma. Since he became a human pin-cushion for the spore-drive, he's been acting strangely. He appeared high in 1x06 and he seemed wasted the first time Stamets and Burnham interact in 1x07. He hugged her and then commented to Tyler, " You're a very tall man." I would love to know more about what is going on with him and why he suddenly he exists outside of normal space-time. Has that got something to do with how the jump technology ultimately works?

Tyler. Tyler is a curiosity too. I don't know if he is trustworthy or not. I don't really know what to make of him but I am enjoying finding out. I will say that I'm not a huge fan of the whole Tyler and Burnham sittin' in a tree, k-i-s-s-i-n-g, storyline. They are undeniably cute together. However, I feel like Discovery is going by at warp speed. They're throwing so much at the audience in every episode. I feel like I've had three seasons worth of storylines already and we're only on the seventh episode. I feel like this could've waited until later in the season or early season 2. That being said, just because they're admitted it doesn't mean that they're going to act on it immediately. Who knows how slowly this will simmer or whether or not it'll go straight to the boil. 

Did anyone else immediately associate Stella with Jessica Rabbit when she materialised? Just me? Okay. I was the colours she wore and she had red hair.

For me, this episode was a strong 8 out of 10. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I loved the Groundhog Day aspect of it. I loved Mudd. I loved Tilly being all adorable and as subtle as a sledgehammer. I loved the story. I loved the unravelling and the ultimate solving of the puzzle. I thought that that was amusing. I was surprised that it didn't pick up where 'Lethe' left off because that was a bit of a cliff-hanger. I look forward to what happens with that storyline. 

Let me know your opinions of episode seven, 'Magic To Make The Sanest Man Go Mad' and remember, there won't be a review next week so it will be the following week when I will be reviewing episodes 8 and 9. See you then.

** ALL GIFS USED ARE FROM TUMBLR.