Episode:301
That Hope Is You, Part 1

Jack's Rating:

Arriving 930 years in the future, Burnham navigates a galaxy she no longer recognizes while searching for the rest of the U.S.S. Discovery crew.

Features: Time Travel
Stardate:
Air Date: 10/14/20
Director: Olatunde Osunsanmi

Jack's Review
A great start to the season. I haven't said anything about Sonequa Martin-Green's acting until now, so here we go. She has a very strange range. Stoic and maddeningly superior one moment, crying like a teenager in another. She plays the character well, but I am not sure if I am a fan of her acting style. The superfast talking gets on my nerves too. Now, that is out of the way, so I need to give her huge props on this episode. The way she acts after getting hit with that gas is hilarious and overall the episode is a blast.

Episode:302
Far From Home

Jack's Rating:

After the U.S.S. Discovery crash-lands on a strange planet, the crew finds themselves racing against time to repair their ship. Meanwhile, Saru and Tilly embark on a perilous first-contact mission in hopes of finding Burnham.

Features: Time Travel
Stardate:
Air Date: 10/21/20
Director: Olatunde Osunsanmi

Jack's Review
Oh man, Jake Weber is terrific. He will always be John Campbell from Hell on Wheels and Hirsch from U-571 to me...but I will be adding Zareh to that list now. This is a great Western-style episode which is probably why he is so good in the Zareh role. He is the perfect menacing bully.

Episode:303
People of Earth

Jack's Rating:

Finally reunited, Burnham and the U.S.S. Discovery crew journey to Earth, eager to learn what happened to the Federation in their absence.

Features:
Stardate:
Air Date: 10/28/20
Director: Jonathan Frakes

Jack's Review
And we get another Hell on Wheels alum here in the form of Christopher Heyerdahl - AKA The Swede. Another amazing actor. Great to see him pop-up here. I am always expecting the Norwegian accent when I see him, however. This is a fun episode. Frakes makes it feel very TNG and I salute him for that.

Episode:304
Forget Me Not

Jack's Rating:

Burnham and Adira visit the Trill homeworld in hopes of unlocking the secrets trapped within Adira's mind. Back on the U.S.S. Discovery, Saru's efforts to help the crew reconnect with one another take a surprising turn.

Features:
Stardate:
Air Date: 11/04/20
Director: Hanelle M. Culpepper

Jack's Review
I know a lot of fans went crazy over this episode. A non-Trill joining with a Symbiont? Just because we hadn't seen it before doesn't mean it couldn't happen. I actually like that Adira doesn't have full access to the Symbiont's memories and personalities.

Episode:305
Die Trying

Jack's Rating:

After reuniting with what remains of Starfleet and the Federation, the U.S.S. Discovery and its crew must prove that a 930 year old crew and starship are exactly what this new future needs.

Features:
Stardate:
Air Date: 11/11/20
Director: Maja Vrvilo

Jack's Review
This one has a nice creepy feel to it. Overall an unusual episode - and not the last unusual one for the season. Nice filler here that moves the plot about The Burn along.

Episode:306
Scavengers

Jack's Rating:

After receiving a message from Book, Burnham and Georgiou embark on a rogue mission to find him, leaving Saru to pick up the pieces with Admiral Vance. Meanwhile, Stamets forms an unexpected bond with Adira.

Features:
Stardate:
Air Date: 11/18/20
Director: Douglas Aarniokoski

Jack's Review
I really enjoyed this one - with one minor exception. Why do the Orions need face prosthetics? They are green. That's it. Just lightly spray them with green makeup and enhance in post. Pretty simple from where I'm sitting. Still, overall another fun episode.

Episode:307
Unification III

Jack's Rating:

While grappling with the fallout of her recent actions, and what her future might hold, Burnham agrees to represent the Federation in an intense debate about the release of politically sensitive - but highly valuable - Burn data.

Features:
Stardate:
Air Date: 11/25/20
Director: Jon Dudkowski

Jack's Review
This episode kind of jumps the shark. Burnham's mother works with the Vulcans? Seems a tad contrived to me. I know they were trying to show that although Gabrielle is her birth mother Burnham really has more in common with Vulcans. *shrug* it kind of works, but the episode feels weak compared to the rest of the season before it.

Episode:308
The Sanctuary

Jack's Rating:

Burnham and the U.S.S. Discovery crew travel to Book's home planet to help rescue it from Osyraa, the formidable leader of the Emerald Chain. Meanwhile, Stamets and Adira continue their search for valuable information on the origin of the Burn.

Features:
Stardate:
Air Date: 12/02/20
Director: Jonathan Frakes

Jack's Review
I don't know what the writers were doing here. This one is pure filler. I really like Booker and this one really is a classic stand-alone Trek story - but it's closer to "The Way to Eden" than "The Apple".

Episode:309
Terra Firma, Part 1

Jack's Rating:

The U.S.S. Discovery crew journey to a mysterious planet in hopes of finding a cure for Georgiou's deteriorating condition. Stamets and Adira make a stunning breakthrough with the newly acquired Burn data.

Features:
Stardate:
Air Date: 12/09/20
Director: Omar Madha

Jack's Review
This one is actually terrific. I was annoyed that they were taking us back to the mirror universe again, but the reasoning is sound and the story is really good.

Episode:310
Terra Firma, Part 2

Jack's Rating:

Georgiou uncovers the true depths of the plot against her, leading her to a revelation about how deeply her time on the U.S.S. Discovery truly changed her.

Features: Time Travel
Stardate:
Air Date: 12/16/20
Director: Omar Madha

Jack's Review
This is a polarizing episode. A TOS character makes a pretty grand appearance here and while shocking I know many fans thought it was pure fan service. I enjoyed it - and it actually did surprise me.

Episode:311
Su

Jack's Rating:

Discovery ventures to the Verubin Nebula, where Burnham, Saru, and Culber make a shocking realization about the origin of the Burn as the rest of the crew faces an unexpected threat.

Features:
Stardate:
Air Date: 12/23/20
Director: Norma Bailey

Jack's Review
Now we get to the first of the two things I disliked about season 3. Su'Kal's ability was stolen right out of the "The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas" by Ursula K. le Guin. If she were alive she would sue CBS into oblivion - she was nearly as grouchy as Harlan Ellison.

Episode:312
There Is A Tide...

Jack's Rating:

After capturing the U.S.S. Discovery, Osyraa seeks a meeting with Admiral Vance while Burnham and the crew must overcome unimaginable odds as they attempt to regain command of their ship.

Features:
Stardate:
Air Date: 12/30/20
Director: Jonathan Frakes

Episode:313
That Hope Is You, Part 2

Jack's Rating:

As the Emerald Chain tightens its grip and the mystery of the Burn is finally solved, Burnham and the crew have one last chance to save themselves - and the Federation.

Features:
Stardate:
Air Date: 01/06/21
Director: Olatunde Osunsanmi

Jack's Review
Okay - a fun and fitting end to the season. However....it does contain one of my biggest complaints - a hobby of mine - in all of modern Trek. The turbolifts. For the love of anything and everything holy someone make the writing team actually watch episodes of Star Trek! The turbolifts are elevators that operate in a shaft like the vacuum tubes at your local bank. They can go up, down, left, right, etc....but they still operate within the confines of the bulkheads of the ship. So....why do we have some city-sized empty space with the turbolift flying around like a shuttlecraft? It's basic physics. The USS Discovery is about the size of your local shopping mall. Add in all of the corridors, rooms, labs, equipment, and materials that make up the ship and guess what you don't have? A city-sized empty space within the walls for a turbolift to fly around in like a shuttle. Other than that....it was a fun ending.