RTR Blog: Andrew's Away Mission To Boreth

One of the more divided episodes this past season on Star Trek: Discovery was episode number twelve; "Through the Valley of Shadows". Captain Pike travels to Boreth, previously seen in the Next Generation episode "Rightful Heir", to bargain for a much needed time crystal. Although it wasn't one of my top five episodes in season two, I did think that the Klingon monastery and the digital renderings of the religious community were beautiful. My favourite part of Star Trek is the visiting of strange new worlds, and Discovery does it sparingly, so I was happy to see it!

When I discovered that it was filmed just a couple subway stops south of where I live, I made an afternoon of tracking it down and taking some pictures. It turns out that they filmed the Boreth scenes at Knox College on the University of Toronto St. George campus downtown. With lots of movies and TV being filmed in Toronto, the neo-gothic architecture of Knox College is used a lot; this is where Edward Norton's Bruce Banner infiltrates "Culver University", where Tom Cruise registers for school in Cocktail, and where Chris Farley flunks out in Tommy Boy just to name a few. 

For Star Trek's time crystal temple, some low lighting and shoulder high candles gives the impression of an eerie desolate planet where Captain Pike learns and accepts his fate. One surprising thing that you realize when you there, is how camera placement, movement and angles can make a very small space feel really large.

In reality the areas where they filmed amounts to a 15-20 m hall way and a very small receiving area with a balcony. ST: Discovery's cinematographer and director Doug Aarniokoski did a really great job of making Boreth feel like a massive religious sect, with lots of members and hallways, when in reality it was filmed in a very tight space.  Knox College is often used for large gatherings, parties and weddings, I happened to just miss one when I visited on a random Saturday in May, and wasn't surprised to see that the balcony where we meet the head monk is also where a lot of couples do wedding photos and ceremonies. 

As always, I really can't recommend enough that fans of Star Trek check some of these locations out if they are ever in Toronto or California. Production teams on Star Trek do such a great job of blending real world spots with digital effects, mat paintings and props, they create strange alien worlds that capture the imagination of people from around the world. When you get to walk around in these filming locations, it gives you a glimpse into not just how things are filmed and shot, but also makes you feel at least a little bit like you're in those same strange locals you see on you're television!

For more great Star Trek analysis, check out RTR's most recent review of the Voyager episode "Tattoo" here: https://bit.ly/2YNfmuJ