It’s been established as far back as TOS that M’Benga specializes in Vulcan medicine, so it’s surprising they didn’t even mention it in this episode

I want to see the Spock/Pike dream dance!

I’m 99% sure that the “sandwiches from Purmantee with the fries inside the sandwich” are a reference to Pittsburgh sandwich chain Primanti Bros.

I thought this episode was a lot of fun. Haven’t really been feeling this season of SNW as much for some reason, but I think this is my favorite episode yet. Managed to fit some character development in around all the craziness, and the post-credits scene with Patton and Ethan was great.

The part about the officers’ ethical decision should have been the A-plot, but the episode basically forced the documentary angle on us as the A-plot. I think that’s the fundamental problem; if this had just been an episode about them wrestling with the ethical ramifications of using a sentient creature as a weapon, it would have been top-tier Star Trek.

I feel like there was a kernel of a good episode in there, or maybe kernels of several episodes. I’m not opposed to the documentary angle per se, and it fits in with SNW’s general willingness to experiment, but I have a difficult time imagining that a documentarian would actually edit the finished product that way, on top of the other stuff. There’s definitely room to critique Starfleet and the Federation, but this episode really feels like it was missing some important chunks.

To me it feels like a callback (call forward?) to Wrath of Khan, where he has to come to terms with having never faced defeat before.

Writers’ Room: “We need a name for a mineral these scavengers could be looking for.”

“Uh… (glances at Italian takeout) aldentium!”

I would not have released Patel into Pike’s custody after how she lost control when confronted with “Gamble”. Like, clearly the being inhabiting his body was malevolent, but “the enemy of my enemy” doesn’t make it ok that she basically got taken over by a consciousness besides her own. Leaving her alone with the captain of the ship feels especially dangerous (and letting her captain her own ship again, for that matter).

Finally! I feel like this has been “about to come out” for years