In the first scene we see a desert planet with indigenous humanoids. I immediately though, "Please not more Tatooine! I'm already sick of Star Wars set on Tatooine!" Actually, it turned out to be more Arrakis, with "god" bringing the rain to them! Of course, the use of music, light and sound to communicate with aliens was a theme of Close Encounters of the Third Kind. I have a block of flats nearby with a squeaky gate hinge that makes, by sheer coincidence, that five-note extra-terrestrial tonal phrase every time it is opened.
So, while this was a little derivative, it was much better than last week, and while we were introduced to far too many new crew last week, this week only focused on introducing Uhura and the CE. Sam Kirk spent most of the episode unconscious. I also do hope they are going to move on from Pike obsessing about the future, his accident, and the cadets that he saves. I expect it would be something I would obsess upon too, but then I'd go and get some help, because I would be aware that it was unhealthy. In that respect, Number One isn't helping him by telling him it can be changed, as she is only making him think about it all even more.
