“The Escape Artist” is exactly what I wanted from these Short Treks, and now I want nothing more than to be sipping jippers on a beach somewhere.
Behind the Camera
Rainn Wilson is sitting behind the camera in “The Escape Artist” for his first time directing a Star Trek episode. He only has three other episode credits on his resume, all for episodes of “The Office.” It’s exciting to see him as a director, but what really interests me? The writer.
This is our first exposure to Mike McMahan. He’s probably most famous for his work on more than a dozen episodes of “Rick and Morty,” and this is his first contribution to Star Trek. But that won’t be for long. He’s been hired as the show runner for a Star Trek adult animated series called “Lower Decks.” The fact that this episode was entirely different than anything else in the Star Trek universe, but also maintaining a distinct Star Trek vibe? This episode has get me pretty ecstatic about “Lower Decks,” when I was kind of lukewarm before this.
In Front of the Camera
- Rainn Wilson returns for his third episode as Star Trek’s favorite scoundrel. We got introduced to Harcourt Fenton Mudd back in the episode “Choose Your Pain” aboard a Klingon prison ship. He came back a few episodes later seeking vengeance in “Magic to Make the Sanest Man Go Mad” and was equally fun.
- Harry Judge plays the unnamed Tellarite, which seems to be kind of his thing. He also played a Tellarite in “Will you Take My Hand?,” “The Wolf Inside” and “The War Without, the War Within.” He’s apparently a type.
- Barbara Mamabolo plays the bounty hunter who can’t remember where she parked her ship, and she’s won me over.
- Dan Abramovici is the lovable oaf of an Orion guard.
Listen in as your hosts, Jason and Joe, review the happenings of each episode on our Star Trek Discovery podcast! You might wanna subscribe to Disco Night: A Star Trek Discovery Podcast in iTunes. It’ll improve life and happiness.
Also, check out our other Star Trek podcast that has us going through the franchise in stardate order. It’s fun.