Cozying Up to "Ko'Zeine"

After the action, suspense, and heartbreak of episode six, episode seven delivers a quieter character study in "Ko'Zeine." Making good use of the A story/B story format often used in the 90s Star Trek shows, "Ko'Zeine" focuses on the personal struggles of four cadets during the "All Worlds Day" break. Darem and Jay-Den wind up on a Kionian moon, which is to host Darem's long-arranged marriage. Meanwhile, Careb declines to leave the Academy for the holidays, and for duplicitous reasons on her own, Genesis returns to the Academy rather than visit her father, a Starfleet admiral. 

What follows is a fairly laid-back, somewhat predictable hour of character development. It's perhaps the weakest episode of the season so far, but it's nice to see an hour exploring issues that have caused teenage angst since time immemorial: lying for stupid, fear-based reasons and freaking out over the idea of being caught, not knowing how to reconnect with a girlfriend after you've had a fight, and being forced to make decisions very early in life that will impact your path for decades to come. 

Tig Notaro is the highlight of this episode, as she often is, just by playing a version of herself. I'm so glad she came over from Discovery. 

There's really not much to say about this one. The actors do their usual credible job, the stakes are relatable, and several interpersonal relationships move forward in a way that feels organic. It's not a memorable episode; nor is it objectionable.