Reminder: Star Trek: Discovery Ep. 5 “Choose Your Pain” Debuts Tonight

Star Trek: Discovery debuts its fifth episode tonight. The episode has a focus on the Klingons’ efforts win the war by capturing captain Lorca, and we’re introduced to a certain rogue by the name of Harry Mudd.

Preview: “Choose Your Pain”

Star Trek: Discovery – Season 1, Episode 5

While on a mission, Lorca unexpectedly finds himself in the company of prisoner of war, Starfleet Lieutenant Ash Tyler, and notorious intergalactic criminal, Harry Mudd.

The episode will be available in the US on CBS All Access at 8:30 pm ET (5:30 PT). In Canada it airs on the Space Channel at 8:00 pm ET (5:00 pm PT).  And it will be available on Netflix outside the USA and Canada on Monday at 8 am BST.

Promo video

Photos

Followed by ‘After Trek’ episode 4

The third episode of the Discovery after-show After Trek streams live on CBS All Access tonight at 9:30 pm ET. Both co-showrunners Aaron Harberts and Gretchen J. Berg are guests along with actors Mary Chieffo and Kenneth Mitchel. If you tweet questions to @startrekcbs with the tag #AfterTrek they may be answered during the show.

After Trek also airs on Space in Canada at midnight ET and will be available on Netflix on Monday.

What say you?

TrekMovie will be posting a full review of “Choose Your Pain” later. But you don’t have to wait to offer your views in the comments below.

 

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My biggest concern with this episode is the writers mishandle Mudd in such a way that it breaks fan opinion in two. Will find out shortly if this ep is a huge mistake for DSC, or a great entry to the canon.

Looking forward to this one.
Letsts get down and dirty with the Mudd!

Bring on some Mudd wrestling!

so f@!king cool!

Spoilers! pretty awesome, love the swear word and relationship and performance between doctor and Stammets. Happy the tardigrade is free, at the end did Stammets reflection in mirror linger and hint at mirror universe? Very obvious Tyler is a Klingin spy and im sure Lorca knows this. Cool to see Robert April and Christopher Pikes name show on panel when Suru was looking for best captain traits dead and alive.

Yes his reflection lingered. Very cool. This was by far the best episode so far

they gonna def win some awards the story telling and acting, fx and directing has been fantastic always looking forward to sundays

Yeah it was also cool to see Archer’s name as well. Maybe he is still alive too?

Quick reactions with spoilers: great episode. Good moral dilemma with Stamets providing a selfless solution. Nice to learn more of Lorca’s backstory. Loved the references to Pike, April, and Decker. Rainn Wilson nailed Harry Mudd. That was NOT a D7 battlecruiser!

Agreed on all points.

Yes that office guy nailed Mudd, this Lorca capture by the Klingons was a ruse to plant Voq turned human to learn more about Discovery and its secrets. Poor Burnham keeps getting reminded that she started the war and how curiosity killed the cat.

The title choose your pain works on many levels with Saru choosing to use the sentient tardigrade to rescue his captain and Stammets selfless act to Voq aka tyler turning human to be the Klingon spy.

I absolutely hate the idea of Voq being Tyler. However this episodes doesn’t kill this idea either. Too bad as I don’t like the idea of them creating a character to discuss being a POW/PTSD only to have said character turn out to be a klignon. It would absolutely ruin any discussions that would happen with said character because it would all be him acting a part. Much too serious of topic for them to do a potential cop out. Staments finally got something to do other than complain and with his new abilities who knows where it might go. The ending of the episode with him being shown out of sync with time was interesting although I wished it would have focused on something else. For example Tyler coming back on the ship. Surely there must be a way to test for the Klignon augment virus. I know I would be suspicious about that. Saru is still complaining about Burnham but maybe we have finally turned a corner with that idea. I do like the backstory about Lorca.

I tend to think that isn’t the case but you never know.

@Steph — remember Arne Darvin was surgically altered to look human, augment gene or no — he did not look like the rest of he Klingons. Indeed, his internal organs and temperature, etc., is what ultimately gave him away. So it’s not like they need a test for the augment gene, just a good med scan. If DISC chooses to embrace this bit of canon in this case, just based on what we already know, they’re going to have to do something about that. Tyler was injured, and he would have gone to sick bay first stop.

Lorca even said to Tyler the Klingons kept you alive for 7 months? Lorca is suspicious of Mudd and Tyler. Lorca knows no way Tyler is alive after 7 months of Klingon captivity. Tyler was at the battle of binary stars as Voq lol If this is true this would make for awesome drama. Cat and mouse games ala departed.

Honestly UNTIL I read this it never occurred to me Tyler could be Voq. But then so much of it wouldn’t make sense, like how he can just speak perfect English? They made it clear, even with this episode Klingons still sound like Klingons when speaking English. He sounds like he’s been speaking it all his life. I know thats just a minor thing (especially since the speaking English thing has been a cheat in Trek on every show) but after showing Klingons speaking mostly Klingon it would be hard to believe they can sound so normal if they haven’t been around other humans like these haven’t.

Anyway interesting theory. And yes if true it will probably tie into the augment genes.

I’m not sure if he’s Voq, but the idea of Tyler being a Klingon agent is intriguing! However, I think it maybe clear now why Lorca has a Tribble in his ready room.

LOVED tonight’s episode. And I have the tease for the eventual reveal of ****spoilers**** mirror universe in the last scene.

I don’t think the reflection lingering was a mirror universe thing. It was a direct reflection and the delta on his PJ’s was the regular universe insignia.

I think it just hints at some weird time stuff.

Thats what I’m guessing too. Some weird temporal anomaly.

We didn’t see enough of the ship to make that call. It looks like we just saw the “head” of the ship close up. Wanted to see the entire ship.

@Capt. ransom — either way, I don’t think I enjoyed the Klingon fighters with tail feathers. WTF?

I know!!! Furious!!!

This was an interesting ,character driven episode. I liked how the ‘heroic’ characters were just good people under the stress of war not always making good decisions,people who tried to live up to what they should be. Saru trying to be the best captain. Stamets and Burnham trying to balance the life of the Ripper with Captain Lorca’s life. Mudd was the most interesting in this because you are not sure if he actually believes anything he says,after all he has been the one who was complicit in torturing others to keep himself in one piece. The humor was neat ,especially with Cadet Tilly who grows more and more each week. I like this episode and cannot wait for more.

would be cool to see pike make a tv appearance

I loved how they made a mention of Matthew Decker as one of the most decorated captains in Starfleet. It is good to know that he was a great officer before the events of TOS’ The Doomsday Machine

yes they did their home work love the references

Pity they didn’t list Erika Hernandez, though. (Although perhaps they’re trying to leave room to canonize the DESTINY novels?)

Nice to see a canonical reference to Robert April too.

Loved this episode!!

I’m bothered that they don’t show any glory shots of the Klingon ships. It’s nearly impossible to get a sense for what they look like because they never show them for more than a couple of seconds and the lighting is so much darker. I’d really like to get a better feel for what all the ships lo K like. Hopefully that’s coming.

The ships don’t look like Klingon ships, which is a pointless divergence. I can accept that the Klingon makeup and sets and costumes needed a refresh. The ships did not, and it is aggravating that they had the nerve to call the generic ship in this episode a D7.

We didn’t see the whole ship. Looks like we just get a close up. As for the shuttles… I don’t think we have ever seen a Klingon shuttle in any of the shows before tonight.

@TF67 — don’t think I cared for it.

We saw the whole ship. 22 minutes in. Totally changed the design. Like I said, I’ll accept the makeup and sets and costumes needed a refresh. The basic ship designs did not.

Nope. I played it back and paused it. Not the whole ship.

ive learned not to use shuttle crafts in this time period lol between burnham and lorca both facing disasters riding in one

Spoiler!!! F-bombs really.

That made me laugh out loud. How many of us travelling in a starship wouldn’t make a similar remark at some point?

The end of the ep. I have a feeling that was the mirror universe.
Like a big hint for a later ep.

Yeah it was. I had to watch it a second time, because at first I didn’t catch that Stamets reflection was the last to move. Hype!

Finest one yet, although once again I can see it leaving some fans cold. Loved it from top to bottom. Show’s really finding the groove now. Every element harkened back to classic Trek dilemmas and solutions. Wilson was surprisingly – reassuringly! – perfect as Mudd. It’s no stretch to envision him as the same character. Interesting to see where that’s going to go. As is the case with Stamets. Methinks there’s some Gary Mitchel-litis in his future…? Fantastic. Absolutely fantastic.

Some awesome Easter eggs in there too but no joke, the finest moment for me was Saru and Burnham’s exchange at the end. The episodic nature of the storytelling can be jarring watching it once a week but I’m glad they broke some ground with their relationship.

L’Rell’s gonna need a serious make-up kit too. Damn…

Yeah, ouch

What about Stamets recent experience makes you think of Gary Mitchell?

Well, I’d assumed his injecting himself with the magic travel goo means he’s going to end up with weird mutant powers. BUT I’VE FIGURED OUT WHAT THAT LAST SHOT MEANT! What does the last scene linger on…? Why are there no “scenes from next week’s”?

Mirror.
Universe.

Here we go!

I agree that they may have hinted at the mirror universe.

But, there is a promo for next week and it doesn’t look like they are going to the mirror universe just yet.

I believe that you can find the promo for the next episode at CBS All Access.

Weird. It usually plays automatically over the end credits. Not tonight though.

the promo played for me before the end credits.

Mineine played after, Go figure.

No promo played for me, but it sounds like I can manually find and play it. Is this correct?

This show gets better with each episode. Incredibly well written. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. The pacing was great and had some great character moments. I wanted more when the show ended. I really like Lorca.

SPOILER ALERT!!

I loved seeing Captains Archer, Pike, Decker and April’s name pop on the screen. Nice touch. Mudd was done very well… loved the mention of his wife Stella. lol. The writers are doing their homework. Can’t wait until next week!

I liked that, too. But I wish they’d thrown in an unfamiliar name or two. We didn’t need to recognize ALL of the names.

Best episode yet, regardless.

That was a really good episode. It’s really hitting its stride.

Wilson was great as Mudd also.

And they hooked me with the cliffhanger.

Hmm something is wrong with tonight episode. It shows that most decorated captains as
Robert April
Jonathan Archer
Matthew Decker
Philippa Georgeiou
Christopher Pike

if we are following prime timeline Matt Decker dies after kirk takes command and is on his 5 year mission for the enterprise so why is he dead before kirk takes command. Also same with Pike as we have seen in TOS.
Now if “DIS” is saying that they are alive then fine but i wonder if they are the most decorated officers before kirk was in command still seems off.

Saru asks the computer to list dead or alive captains

Of that list, only Georgiou is dead during the Discovery timeline

curious if Georgiou is alive in the Kelvin time line. Wont be surprised if Michelle makes it to the next movie.

I wouldn’t hold my breath. Looks like both productions are doing everything possible not to look very connected.

No one said they were dead. He asks for the most decorated Captains.

Loved this ep! Nice Easter Eggs, including Rura Penthe! I would loved to have seen more than just those names on the list. Maybe some other names that we haven’t seen before? Maybe someone from the NX-01 that got promoted, like Captain Travis Mayweather? How about Captain Richard Robau, (young) Captain Cartwright or Captain Marcus?

I’m afraid that the uncalled for swearing “F Sharp” (twice) really spoiled the episode for me. Probably just me, but I won’t continue watching if it becomes a regular feature of the show.

I think their attempt to make show modern and cool, it caught me by surprised but I was thinking same phrase in my head this show is fking cool!

I think it’s just you. Didn’t bother me.

The F bomb didn’t bother me.
I knew it was coming.

oh please the F bomb has lost a lot of its luster in the millennial age. It’s used as an excited remark a lot more rather than a curse at someone. Also there is the fact this show is now TV MA so they can use it.

Live long and F-bomb. Loved it. Then stop watching. The real world (and Star Trek) are not Sunday school that has to be made polite, boring and fake because you are as silly prude. Deal with it. :)

Diarrhea is real workd as well – however I do not consider it to be entertainment.

It’s incredibly out of place, but I can learn to roll with it.

A franchise that has generously used “shit,” “bullshit,” “goddamn,” “horseshit,” and “son of a bitch” is not gonna suddenly put me off with 2 “f-bombs” in 51 years. It’s not like that word is gonna magically disappear in 2 centuries.

Again I find these rules funny. Its ok to drop curse words but only CERTAIN curse words? Why? Whats the difference between the F word and the S word? I was actually taught growing up the S word was the ‘worst’ to use and yet that one at least gets past PG 13 ratings. The F bomb is all the same. OMG, someone used the f@cking f word, how will my children go on now?

Thats why some of us LOVE that its a streaming show and not a network one. It was F@cking cool to me.

This D-7 reminded me of some of the Designs seen in the Klingon Academy PC game back in the late 90s/early 2000s. Perhaps a proto D-7 before the neck is added.

However this design brings a thought to the surface, what if the ship designs are so different is because Paramount is holding onto the TOS likeness of ships?

Can’t be. CBS owns everything except perhaps rights to explicitly JJ Trek creations. The toy licenses belong to CBS, everything from the TV shows they can do with as they please, barring licensing fees to certain talents. I highly doubt any designers working for Paramount at the time had contracts giving them any rights or ancillary profit participation from the use of their ship designs.

The ships are being redone (badly – look at those awful designs in the first two episodes) just for the sake of it, with Federation ships keeping familiar outlines because I’m sure there was sentimental attachment as well as knowledge that we really would flip our lids if they messed with them too much as well.

It was an off the cuff thought but yeah that sounds more right.
Lets see if the ships at least evolve.
Looks like season 2 has been secured.

Really great writing. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. So very solid. Loved it.

Wow. Klingon D-7 according to this episode is HUGE. And it looks like the Ent E. NOT COOL

Either Tyler is Voq or they just gave us a hell of a red herring.

I thought Captain April was Pikes Captain. Could be wrong though. So much canon!

At least we know the Enterprise is out there…I think.

I did not even make the connection between Tyler and Voq until I read this thread. Holy crap! Tonight’s episode just got better if that theory holds.

Great episode. BUT: The iconic D7 is now another green blob ship? I hope not. Also, Lorca’s previous command, the “USS Buran” is ostensibly named after the Soviet space shuttle/orbiter program “Buran” from the 1980’s & 90s.

The Buran thing caught my attention, too. Lovely. Now, I’m wishing for a Komarov or a Leonov.

They were going to call it the Titov, but people fall out of favor. (10 billion points if you get the reference.)

2010?

I am starting to get a feeling we saw two Klingon capital ships. We saw the bottom of a D7 and then the rear quarters of a Prison ship.

Just gonna leave this here: Displacement Activated-Spore Hub Drive. So, “DASH Drive”… ;)

I like

This episode has so many problems. A “sentient” being is any animal. A chicken is a sentient being. Please look it up in the dictionary STD writers. For the doctor to refuse orders on the grounds that the Ripper may be ‘sentient’, especially when the captain’s life is on the line, is ridiculous.

For the doctor and then, again!, Burnham, to disobey orders, just wouldn’t happen. On a ship, a military ship no less, such behavior would quickly spell disaster and wouldn’t be tolerated for a moment. Therfore, for Saru or whatever his name is, to apologize to Burnham at the end just takes the cake for unbelievable character behavior – a quality that is becoming a hallmark of STD. And for Burnham to free the Ripper against orders …. another unbelievable action, at least if she is to remain free and not be put into solitary for the rest of her life.

Also, in his last command Lorca escaped from the Klingons and then destroyed his entire ship crew and all? So not only is he a coward, but he’s a mass murderer? And we are supposed to like this guy on some level? He’s a horrific human being. And Starfleet was OK with this and gave him another ship?

The whole show is just off the wall unbelievable.

well said i felt burnham, tilly and doctor the weakest actors in star trek discovery . im not sure what cbs casting department has done or what weed they are on. they clearly cant act for gods sake!! #savestartrek

Does nobody care that Lorca Killed his crew but saved himself?
Selfish narcissist.

Picard loses the STARGAZER and doesn’t get another command for years, but they put this guy back to work in a couple months? I know wartime makes for fast advances, but there’s got to be a LOT more behind the story this guy’s last command.

I liked the episode generally, in particular the Archer and Pike references. However the F-bombs were a HUGE negative for me – completely unnecessary and completely un-Starfleet. There would surely have been a better way to convey the character’s awe. I tried to imagine Picard or O’Brien, for example, saying those expletives. I don’t think they would. (I know Riker says B*****ds in Insurrection but that too was jarring).
It would’ve been slightly more forgivable if Stamets had reprimanded Tilly for her language but instead he joins her! I hope this was just a one off and the writers have got it out of their system.