They Went There: If Memory Serves S02 E08

If you've only just managed to clean yourself up after last week's pant-wettingly incredible twist ending then you'd better keep a towel handy.

Continuing their escape from Section 31, Burnham and Spock arrive at the prohibited world of Talos IV after one of the most imaginatively clipped together "Previously On's" ever. For those doubting that Discovery exists in the same universe as The Original Series et al then this will really widdle all over your chips in 30 seconds. 

Hoping to cure Spock of his mental frailty, Michael meets a familiar face to Star Trek audiences in the form of Vina (Melissa George) who wears seriously inappropriate footwear but puts her and the ailing Vulcan in contact with the Talosians. Burnham is desperate to get the heart of the issue and has the native people assist in cracking the problem in return for her allowing them access to view the flashpoint that led to her and Spock falling out.

The journey into Spock's mind throws out the fact that he is not a murderer and means that Burnham and her brother have to relive one of, if not the, most paintful moment of her life.

On Discovery Pike is having to handle the circling Section 31 ship as well as their observer Tyler while trying to assist the fleeing shuttle containing Burnham and Spock. This and the A plot are interwoven tightly with Vina even appearing to Pike to offer guidance and you can sense the loss that both of them is experiencing. The emotions are quite raw and it's an almost glum precursor to their reunion in The Menagerie which chronologically takes place after this episode.

Also on Discovery, Tyler and Culber meet up for the first time since the part-Klingon killed the doctor. Their confrontation is highly charged with a raging fist fight taking place through the mess hall but leaving neither with any form of victory since both are men who do not understand who they have become. Is it right for Ash to be tried for murder? Does he deserve the vitriol Culber gives him? Potentially not since it wasn't Tyler that did the deed mentally.

If Memory Serves... oh man, what an episode and another one where the bar has just been raised that little bit higher. Season two continues to amaze and inspire at each turn with Dan Dworkin and James Beattie's script packing just about everything you could ever wish from a Star Trek episode. 

As mentioned, there's strong emotion sparking on the screen in the two fleeting opportunities that Pike gets to speak to Vina and the Mount/George pairing seems to be very effective with the Vina actress actually holding her own really well in a role that is intrinsically linked to the very origin point of the franchise. Her attire is very close to her clothing in The Cage and they even took the risk of showing the extent of showing her injuries and indicating that life since Pike left Talos IV has not been a bed of roses. George suits the part really well, being both a guide and a victim concurrently.

Pike does play a key part here while still on the Discovery and Anson Mount shows an unusual amount of weakness here clearly led by the emotion of returning to Talos IV and the woman whom he has fallen for. Such is his feeling for her that it affects his decisions for better or worse during If Memory Serves... and leaves the viewer wondering just how fragile he might be.

The re-imagining of the Talosians is extremely well handled with CG effects showing their brain activity now rather than air bladders being handled offscreen to show the cerebral work. Their appearance is perhaps minor in the big scheme of the episode but to bring back such a iconic set of aliens over 50 years since they were last seen and at such a prominent point in franchise history was a brilliant, bold and some might say risky mood. On the plus side they manage it perfectly even recreating the essence of the planet, the sounds and those strange blue vibrating plants.

Trying something like this so long after the original and after such a monumental piece of Star Trek history is a big line in the sand for Discovery but they handle it with respect and honour rather than turning it into something akin to the 30th anniversary stories from Deep Space Nine or Voyager.

Then there's Spock. So now it appears he's all fixed and we even get to see what exactly happened to lead Starfleet to hunt him down on charges of murder. Back aboard the Discovery after some nifty Talosian dealings we finally get to see the real, cooler, more logical Spock rather than the one seemingly ranting incoherently. There's still a Spock we've not met in here. A younger and slightly more emotional Vulcan who for the time being is getting along with his sister although retrofitting the story into canon would suggest that this won't be the case for long.

Discovery firmly plants its flag in the Prime Universe and within that states that it fits with The Original Series and all that came after (except JJ's trilogy of movies). The past is acknowledged, reconciled and utilised wonderfully to not only fill a little bit of nostalgia but also to further this ever advancing Red Angel story...

Is this the best episode of Discovery ever as many have suggested? I'd put it top three of which all three would be coming from the eight stories we've had released to date from the second season. Another ground-breaking hour of Star Trek that leaves you wanting more from the show. Can it deliver again next week?

What are your feelings on If Memory Serves...? Comment below!

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