Review: Star Trek: Discovery returns and risks it all in “All In”

After a month-long break, season 4 of Star Trek: Discovery returns today with the episode “All In.” When we had last left the officers of Starfleet, the Federation and other galactic non-members had voted in favor of Captain Burnham’s plan to engage Species 10-C with diplomacy and peace, which upset more than a few people. One of them is Booker, who along with Tarka want to attack and destroy 10-C’s Dark Matter Anomaly, and the pair set out to see to it even without the Federation’s approval. To stop them, Michael will have to risk it all in…”All in.”

The episode starts with the Federation in a panic after it is discovered that Booker and Tarka have taken off with the newly invented Spore Drive Prototype. However, things aren’t hopeless, since in order to build the weapon they hope to use against Species 10-C they will need isolynium, a rare element sold only on the black market. The Federation sends squads to all known vendors of the substance, but Michael, knowing Booker won’t be that obvious, takes off with Commander Owosekun to where she thinks he will go: Karma Barge.

Resourceful and clever as ever, Burnham’s hunch turns out to be correct. They quickly find Booker and Tarka and reunite with a mutual old friend: Broker Haz (I’m guessing at the spelling there), the seedy proprietor of the black market barge.

Star Trek: Discovery loosens its collar for “All In”

I really enjoyed this episode, for the most part. The story sets up a showdown between Michael and Booker, who compete to earn the Iselinium from Haz. Michael’s task is to win enough latinum to buy it, while Booker’s is to catch enough card counters and cheats. Each task is properly sketchy, and it’s fun to finally see our main characters interact with non-Federation/stuffed shirts type people. With the exception of the prisoners they rescued a couple of episodes back, I don’t think we’ve seen StarFleet members go down to a planet and interact with the populace much this season. The change in atmosphere really appeals to me.

Unfortunately, we don’t meet many interesting characters, although to be fair, the story has other priorities. Haz at least is a fun one. I get the sense that he’s a recurring character, because he is very familiar with Booker and Burnham. Anyway, I like him. He has a laid back yet vaguely threatening vibe, speaks rather nonsensically (in a fun way), and acts as an interesting intermediary between our feuding couple. He’s out for himself, and both Michael and Booker have to please him in order to win their game. Yet underneath that, Haz seems be emotionally invested in their relationship, which makes him endearing.

In some ways, this episode has a strong sense of progression and purpose, but in other ways leaves me wanting. For instance, Michael and Booker are obviously competing against each other this episode. They each have a task to do, but the story very cleverly forces them to cooperate in order to accomplish it, as when Michael helps Booker catch the cheat in the casino (well, technically Tarka delivers the final blow). I wish the show had underlined the parallel by having Booker help Michael in her task too.

In order for Michael and Owosekun to win enough latinum, Owosekun enters the battle ring, losing twice but triumphing the third time. In retrospect, I wish Booker had had some involvement in Owosekun’s ultimate victory, maybe quickly teaching her a finishing move or something like that. As it is, Owosekun just sort of wins, and the writer in me thinks that there should be some plot beat that explains why this third attempt has a different outcome.

Now, to be fair, Booker does technically help Michael: when the bruisers they just beat try to steal their winnings, Michael and Booker defeat them as a team. That works, but it’s still after Michael and Owosekun already completed their objective. It’s not that perfect symmetry I’m looking for, but maybe I’m just splitting hairs.

“All In” misses a few opportunities, but is mostly a good time

There are a few other lackluster things  I’d like to mention. Going back to my point of wanting to meet more of the shady characters that hang out in this black market, the show actually gives itself the opportunity to do so during the climatic poker match. These two rando characters come in to win the prize, and naturally Michael and Booker target them. These minor characters are useful in that our rival main characters must join forces against them, but couldn’t the show have given them a little personality? Make them funny, make them angry, make them speak at the very least! It’s so strange to me that they just sit there in mean-faced silence while Michael (very obviously) tries to manipulate them. Wouldn’t experienced criminals know she’s trying to con them and, I don’t know, tell her to shut up, or even play along to try and turn the tables? Why leave them as quiet props when you can do more?

Last note: we get a single scene back on the Discovery of Paul comforting Hugh, who feels guilty that he didn’t do enough to comfort Booker in his anguish. In substance, I have nothing negative to say about the scene. However, given that it is just this one scene, I have to wonder, why put it in the episode? It comes across as an afterthought to me, like the editor just scratched their head over where exactly to put it in the season. It’s a bit distracting in that way. Having a B story is one thing, but this is literally just one scene with no bearing on anything else in the episode.

So a few missed opportunities here and there, but overall I stand by this episode being quite fun. Definitely a good show to return from a break with. It picks up right where we left off, pushes the drama further, and is a fun episodic adventure in and of itself.

Grade: B+

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