Star Trek: Discovery Review: That Hope is You, Part 1 (Season 3 Episode 1)

After an 18-month absence, Star Trek: Discovery returns to go boldly where no Star Trek show has gone before: sending Commander Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) and the Discovery crew 930 years into the future. 

On Star Trek: Discovery Season 3 Episode 1, “That Hope is You, Part 1,” we find Burnham coping with her new reality as she lands in the future. Her plan to defeat the evil AI Control worked, but her triumph is short-lived when she realizes she’s nowhere near Terralysium or the Discovery crew. 

The premiere focuses primarily on Burnham, giving Martin-Green a chance to showcase her ability to carry solo outings apart from the crew. More importantly, the episode takes the viewer along on her journey of understanding the future she’s arrived in. 

The episode devotes the right amount of time to letting both viewer and protagonist acclimate to the new world while also proving Star Trek: Discovery is more than ready to add to the Star Trek canon. The first two seasons may have run into restrictions due to existing canon, but revelations throughout the episode prove that won’t be the case this season.

The plot really heats up with the arrival of new addition Cleveland “Book” Booker, played by David Ajala. A courier who gives off serious Han Solo vibes (he’s even smuggling stolen goods), Book assumes Burnham is an enemy as she mysteriously appeared right in the middle of his heist.

They have a very unconventional meet-cute that involves hand-to-hand combat, double-crosses, and some hard truths. At the same time, you immediately root for them due to their chemistry. Watching them dance the line between enemies and allies is the highlight of the episode. 

To make the time jump work, Star Trek: Discovery needed to add a guide character to help them navigate the future. Making Book a counterpart for Burnham who is unafraid to challenge her, and casting an actor Martin-Green has so much chemistry with, adds a lot of potential excitement to the season based on that relationship alone.

And as a bonus, Book owns an adorable scene-stealing cat named Grudge who he calls “a queen.” 

Beyond the fun of seeing Burnham and Book provoke each other, the episode provides a satisfying emotional journey. It takes the time to sit with the enormous consequences of the Discovery crew’s sacrifices. 

Early on, Burnham receives a shock learning about the fate of the Federation from Book and how it collapsed. She expresses her disbelief and grief but also holds on to her hope. 

Burnham: No. No, the Federation isn’t just about ships and warp drive. It’s about a vision and all those who believe in that vision.

Burnham’s undying optimism never comes off as insincere or overbearing because of Martin-Green’s ability to imbue such nuance in these speeches. Yes, she believes in the Federation and its mission, but there’s also an undercurrent of sorrow and fear in what she says, which humanizes her. 

Martin-Green proves her range again in a much more humorous scene after Andorian and Orion guards capture Burnham and spray her with truth gas. The performance starts a little goofy as she rapidly cycles through all her thoughts but quickly veers into the hysterical as Burnham processes all the trauma and sacrifice. She really did “save all the things,” and we see the impact it has on her. 

Make no mistake, Burnham is a hero. But the show takes as just much care in showing she’s also a human who is not immune to the emotional toll of what she does. 

The plot surrounding Burnham and Book’s escapade in the Mercantile relies a little too much on action sequences; however, it does give the episode a chance to show off future tech, such as a portable transporter and Book’s ship. 

Book revealing his powers and true mission adds a nice twist to the episode and also adds to the character’s depth. Unlike Burnham, he doesn’t wear his bleeding heart on his sleeve but his motivations are just as pure. 

The successful inclusion of Book in the show adds to the excitement over new characters that have been announced for later in the season. Hopefully, they are just as interesting and nuanced.  

The episode’s decision to end on a cliffhanger feels like a smart move, as it’s still early in the season with lots of time left to find out what happened to the Discovery ship. 

Even though the future seems slightly bleak without the Federation’s presence, the premiere creates a message of hope and sets the tone for the season. Burnham and crew may have their work cut out for them, but the future they sacrificed so much to save has potential. 

Star Trek: Discovery Season 3 Episode 1, “That Hope is You, Part 1,” reveals just enough about the future to hook viewers while leaving plenty of unanswered questions to explore this season. 

Other Thoughts 

• The bird alarm clock at the beginning of the episode is cool but also a little creepy. Not sure how I feel about this future tech. Also, my cat would hate it. 
• Speaking of cats, I love that Book is such a cat dad. It makes even more sense when we learn about his connection to wildlife. When the other courier threatens to roast Grudge and Book tells him to get her name out of his mouth, I cheered. 
• Burnham could probably use a break from romantic relationships after what happened with Ash Tyler, but it’s hard to not already ship her and Book. 
• We know based on the season trailer that the Discovery crew is not dead, but I’m surprised we didn’t get more of a hint about their whereabouts on the premiere. 
• I’m still laughing at the line delivery of, “Do not call me rocket girl.” Lighter moments like this help balance some of the more serious themes on Star Trek: Discovery. 

What did you think of this episode of Star Trek: Discovery? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Star Trek: Discovery airs Thursdays on CBS All Access.

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