That was unexpected

Valerie, I'm so happy to hear that I helped you to like a bit more about that episode! Goes both ways, you (and Glenn) often help me to appreciate aspects about Disco which I either overlook or feel meh about :)

As for Burnham, I know what you mean. I guess I simply see her as a hero who's still growing; that since we're catching her at the start of what I hope will be a long and dramatic hero's journey, I can chalk up her mistakes to inexperience rather than permanent character flaws. A bit of a cop out, maybe. But she's definitely giving me enough to admire, that I can trust she'll continue to impress me more than disappoint me.

Thanks to everyone for their thoughts here, and especially to BionicDave for giving me some much-needed perspective! Typically Glenn and I serve that function for each other - one of us will see something really special in an episode and help the other find it. This time, we got a bit stuck, and reading your post pulled me out of my somber mood and helped me to appreciate and understand some of their choices. I honestly hadn't considered that the ep might have some extra long fight scenes because, well, Michelle F--king Yeoh. What's next? Guest host BionicDave when we need a pick-me-up?

Regarding Burnham - I still find myself torn between loving what she brings to the show as a non-traditional character/a fantastic actress and the frustration I feel in reaction to her often ill thought-out and personally motivated choices. I suppose one could say the same thing about Kirk, but for some reason I expect more from Burnham. You mentioned that you'd follow her character anywhere they take her. Do you ever experience this conflict?

I'll have more to say about this on tonight's episode, but I'm excited to hear your thoughts.

Agreed, Kev. I'm sure that whatever is in store next is going to be compelling and exciting, and there's still a lot to be resolved with Tyler. I'm looking forward to tonight's episode!

I agree that this episode seemed to rush to a resolution of the mirror universe far too quickly and whilst there were some great moments there were also many missed opportunities. I wonder how much the storyline of these late episodes were affected by cast issues as to who could come back, who had committed to other projects which clash etc. Certainly some of those could account for some of the strange choices. I surmised that Lorca was just back to pursue his coup as one option but I was hoping that there would be more to the show than that. I think just about anyone would have been better to bring back than Georgiou especially Mirror Voq but the showrunners have made some great decisions in the past so I am not prepared to slate them until I see what they are up to. I too think that the speed prevented some very good dialogue being explored and that would have enabled us to explore and understand the motivations of the protagonists as well as understanding the broader implications.

All in all I think I will have to withhold ultimate judgement until I see where they are going with this. I had the same with Westworld and found that it was arguments and disagreement in between producers and the station that messed up some of the show, and that may be what is going on here.

BionicDave,

I love these comments. I'm on team Green Culber Spore, for sure! And I'm glad Elizabeth and I weren't the only ones who thought it was significant. I also thought "nine months" was interesting. Are you thinking metaphorically, or do you predict there's a significant baby out there? Cornwall and Mirror Lorca? Half-Mirror, Half-Prime, all Kwisatz Haderach?

And I remain excited to see what happens next. Presumably, Emperor Georgiou will play some role in wrapping up the Klingon War arc, and I'm almost obnoxiously curious about what the writers have cooked up. I'm also still not really sure where the L'Rell/Voq story is going, and I can't wait to find out. Moreover, I'm realizing that I have a real alternate-universe addiction: I'm fascinated by what a Klingon-occupied Federation will look like! On this note, the trade of TNG: Mirror Broken is available for pre-order ... so I've taken care of that, and I can't wait to talk it over.

P.S I, too, hate that transporter move. And the inconsistencies of the transporter in general. I mean, most of the time the transporter acts like a sophisticated 3D printer and not a teleporter, which means that there's a copy of Dr. Culber in the Discovery computer that they could just print again. But we don't do that ... but we also don't talk about why we don't do that.

P.P.S. Keep it secret. Keep it safe.

Wow, this episode has POLARIZED the multiverse!

Or at least, Trekkie fandom!

Or at least, Lower Decks fandom?

Nevertheless, like a good pair of sunglasses, there is some degree of polarization here.

I confess, I was really surprised to hear that Valerie & Glenn both didn’t care for this episode. I suspected Glenn would have a tough time with Lorca’s death, yes. But frankly, I was so entertained by so many things in “What’s Past Is Prologue” that I thought for sure we’d all be raving about it this week. Huh.

Don’t get me wrong. I do have notes. Lol

For one, many of these Disco episodes are clocking in way under 50 minutes. And when I feel like an episode very much could’ve used at least one or two more scenes to round things out, then short shows bug me. In “WPIP,” I’d have liked at least ONE Voq/L’Rell scene. It’s strange that Disco felt their story was so hot it could end “Vaulting Ambition” with its cliffhanger tag - yet then didn’t even mention Voq/L’Rell this week? Also, while I do love my plot-driven drama (and Disco burns through story like a barn on fire) I felt like “WPIP” needed one more quiet talking heads scene with two or three members of Disco’s crew. These people had been going through so much weirdness even before they plunged into this crazy Mirror Universe… I need to see more of them coming to grips with it, if I’m to suspend my disbelief that it could happen.

And yeah, like Valerie & Glenn, I was a bit surprised that Lorca’s long and mysterious plan was simply to get back to his Mirror Universe and overthrow the Emperor. And I was surprised that he was killed, and that’s that.

However? I loved everything else!

Sonequa Martin-Green is such a wonderfully nuanced actor. Her final scene with Jason Isaacs pulled at my heart as it pulled me to my seat's edge. When she looks at him after all the death and manipulations and trouble he has caused, and she deadeyes him “we would have helped you get home, if you had asked!” - I felt her stinging sadness and anger and fear, all trussed up in tight Vulcan self-control. It was like a subdued version of Obi-Wan lambasting fallen Anakin “you were the chosen one!” I’m sold on this character. I’ll follow Michael Burnham through as much Disco as we’re lucky enough to get.

And while Burnham’s later choice to abduct/save Mirror Georgiou confounds me, it does so in a good way. Was it smart of Burnham? Hell no! Would it have been better thematically if Burnham now had to let Georgiou die, after spending months regretting how she caused Georgiou’s death? Maybe! But I can understand why Burnham’s emotions got the better of her. And I can totally understand how much great drama the Disco writers will be able to milk from this. (However - I still don’t buy that you can grab someone and force her to be beamed up with you! In my mind, a transporter locks onto your specific body/clothes/held objects, and would never beam up a secondary lifeform without the Transporter Chief’s knowledge.)

As for Mirror Georgiou, I dug hearing her rationale on things, and I love her weird relationship with Burnham(s), and I love her awesome art deco Emperor’s uniform. But most importantly? I LOVED watching her fight! This is Michelle F--king Yeoh - the greatest action heroine of all time - and anytime we are treated to seeing her kick ass, I am over the moon. We got a taste of it in Disco’s pilot but I enjoyed it way more here. So yeah. Happy camper!

And Saru’s speech!! Woohoo, go Starfleet! On AfterTrek, “WPIP” writer Ted Sullivan confided that that speech was his favorite thing he’s ever written. I loved it. Like you guys said during the podcast, I’d be delighted if Acting Captain Saru gets made regular Captain of the Discovery.

I realize this episode wasn’t a perfect wrap-up to the first (or at least, a major) story arc of “Star Trek: Discovery.” But while that ruined it for Valerie & Glenn, I dunno… I guess I just wasn't quite as invested in Lorca as they were? I'm more into Disco for Burnham and Voq/L'Rell and the Discovery crew, and where this series can go. Hopefully it'll only improve. But in the meantime, I found enough of “WPIP” to be fun and thought-provoking. It gets a thumb’s up from me. I am super curious to see where the show goes next.

P.S. So do we all agree that the green spore molecule which landed on Tilly will lead to Dr. Culber’s return?? :) :) :) Writer Ted Sullivan is a big DC Comics fan, and this beat reminded me of how DC brought Green Arrow back from the dead, by having The Spectre Hal Jordan pluck a hidden molecule of Oliver Queen's dead body from Superman's cape! Then again... Wilson Cruz has been working out hard with a new trainer (and posting pics of his sexy body on Instagram) which is something actors do when they’re looking for new work :-/

P.P.S. Do we think the writers picked nine months as the length of time for the ship’s future jump because it takes nine months for... a baby to be born? #hmmmmm

Oh, that's a great point, and very likely was a part of it. I know that at the last minute CBS ordered two extra episodes that the producers had planned on doing, so these last few might have some unusual constraints because of that sort of thing.

(Also, Daniel, a huge thanks!)

I wonder if they ran into actor contract stuff they couldn't control.

Agreed on all counts. It really felt like the writers had built up this fantastic story arc and then gotten bored with it and moved on without finishing it properly.

This is a comment I have posted elsewhere. Spoilers ahead...

If this show was a book I would be thumbing back looking for 2 missing chapters. Stamets trying to save the network from inside and deal with Culber is one. A longer preamble to the revolt by Lorca is the other. They cut A lot of stuff to get to the action. That being said.

The action was well done, but that massive ship feels empty everytime it's shown.

Lorca would have killed emperor right off, no speech, so kinda goofy ending third of episode and his death.

The writers pushed through hard to get back to prime universe. I think they went too fast and left alot of great story on the table.

Saru's speech and full Federation Discovery crew was highlight of the episode. Reducing Lorca to one note villain was the low point.