Star Trek: Discovery review, Episode 306: “Scavengers”

The Discovery and its crew get some futuristic upgrades and Georgia Phillipa continues to prove she’s the real franchise MVP in “Scavengers.”

After journeying through time and space, “Scavenger” finally gets Burnham, Saru, and the rest of the Discovery crew back in the Federation. “Scavengers” is an action-heavy affair filled with stylish visuals. It’s a memorable rogue mission featuring two franchise favorites, all of it started by a cat named Grudge.

Star Trek: Discovery has hit warp speed, with the third season picking up and slowing down anytime soon. This episode gets many things right and flaunts the show’s rebellious side, which is one of the many things that set it apart from other Star Trek series.

We start with the Discovery getting refit with all the latest future tech, which not only gives it a sleek new look but also makes it even more of a force to be reckoned with, and given its reputation, that’s saying something. The crew also get new badges that work as holo-pads, tricorders, and personal transporters.

“Scavengers” — Ep#306 — Pictured: Oyin Oladejo as Lt. Joann Owosekun and Emily Coutts as Lt. Keyla Detmer of the CBS All Access series STAR TREK: DISCOVERY. Photo Cr: Michael Gibson/CBS ©2020 CBS Interactive, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

After that, the Discovery is put on emergency reserve duty due to their warp capabilities. During a mission briefing, Saru learns just how sorry a position Starfleet is now in. Things aren’t like they were before the Burn.

Not long after, Book’s ship arrives (sans Book but with Book’s cat Grudge) at Starfleet’s cloaked headquarters with a message: Book has a lead on a black box that could contain valuable information about the Burn. The ship was supposed to deliver it to Burnham if Book didn’t return in 24 hours. It was recorded three weeks prior.

Wanting to save her friend and find out more about the Burn, Michael asks for permission to take the Discovery and save Book. Saru denies the request, saying that they must stay put in case they are needed, which of course leads Michael to enlist Georgiou Phillipa to go on an unsanctioned rogue mission, putting her crew and captain at risk.

“Scavengers” — Ep#306 — Pictured: Oded Fehr as Admiral Vance, Doug Jones as Saru, and Vanessa Jackson as Lt. Willa of the CBS All Access series STAR TREK: DISCOVERY. Photo Cr: Michael Gibson/CBS ©2020 CBS Interactive, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Phillipa and Michael take Book’s ship to Argeth, where he was looking for the Blackbox. During the trip, Phillipa starts to see visions of herself standing over a dead body again, causing her to freeze in an almost catatonic-like state.

But Georgiou snaps out of it when an Orion hails them, and uses her charm to get them access to scrapyards where Book might be; Michael finds that out after fiddling with Grudge’s tracking beacon.

They are allowed access in exchange for Dilithium, and are given a personal tour by Osyraa, who owns the facility. He shows off by making a prisoner who stole a water ration run into a skull-exploding laser forcefield that keeping people from leaving.

“Scavengers” — Ep#306 — Pictured: Mary Wiseman as Tilly of the CBS All Access series STAR TREK: DISCOVERY. Photo Cr: Michael Gibson/CBS ©2020 CBS Interactive, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Back on the Discovery, Ensign Tilly learns of Michael’s mission when she finds Grudge in her quarters. As it ends up, she is definitely not a cat person. She tells Captain Saru that that he has no choice but to report her to the Admiral, which he does. It doesn’t exactly help him endear himself and his crew to the new Starfleet.

On Argeth, Michael makes contact with Book, who is being forced to work in the scrapyards. They make a plan, but after making a Macgyver-like device that can somehow take down that impenetrable perimeter fence from earlier, Phillipa and Michael are captured and taken to Book’s ship, where the Orion quickly discovers the Dilithium.

Phillipa gets flashbacks again during the scuffle, but is able to pull out of it just in time to deactivate the fence, and a bunch of prisoners escape. In the end, they all make it out.

Burnham confronts Phillipa about the flashbacks. Phillipa says she doesn’t know what is wrong with her and swears Burnham to secrecy. She also has an emotional goodbye with Book before getting chewed out by the admiral and finally demoted by Saru.

This episode feels like it’s parting ways with the Star Trek: Discovery formula, and indeed to the old Federation in general. “Scavengers” paves the way for the series to continue to reinvent itself. It’s a gripping experiment.

Any episode that goes big on Michelle Yeoh is always a win, and there’s no question she deserves her own Trek spinoff. If she leaves and there’s room on the Discovery, it seems very likely we’ll see Book in a Federation uniform this season is over.

As we approach the halfway point, it seems the Emerald Chain is getting set up as the adversary to beat. Fans should be on red alert.

Episode Grade: B+

To stay up to date on everything fantasy, science fiction, and WiC, follow our all-encompassing Facebook page and sign up for our exclusive newsletter.

Get HBO, Starz, Showtime and MORE for FREE with a no-risk, 7-day free trial of Amazon Channels