9. 'Beta Test'
The second episode does have an important moment for the series. It introduces Tarima Sadal, who will become a vital character. From the start, she and Caleb Mir connect with the actors carrying a wonderful chemistry that enlivens their scenes. That’s needed as the overall episode is on the dull side. There’s too much debate on Betazed possibly rejoining the Federation, and the political double-talk is often too deep to connect with.
The connection between Caleb and Tarima is beautiful to watch. The two get along perfectly from the start, and touches like Caleb showing Tarima whales humanizes both. There is the obvious dramatic turn of Tarima thinking Caleb is only using her to find his mother, yet he comes through in the end.
It’s important to introduce Tarima and the War College, and the message of reaching out to Betazed is well done to delve more into the 32nd-century landscape. It’s not a bad storyline, it simply doesn’t have the stakes as other episodes.
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