While the quality of SNW is generally above par for the rest of the Paramount/Kurtzman Trek offerings, the writing has generally been strong. This installment, however, needed to bake quite a bit longer.
The story has an interesting premise - no spoilers here - but it fails to develop to any degree of feasibility. But you can see that the writers are really trying to write something good, but they need a bit more practice to make it gel. Seriously - there's interpersonal relationships, regret, growth, change, and redemption, and some very very good acting going on.
But the logic of the situation is untenable - although they do try - it just couldn't unfold the way it's depicted.
At it's core this is an Ortegas story - as she is the one who introduces the main story through her personal log entry, and she's excited that she's getting to go on an away team mission - something she's never been able to do. But, there's a problem - the planet has a dense debris field that only she can navigate the Enterprise through and prevent disaster - so she must remain behind after all. The other story involves the Pike returning to Rigel VII to investigate and remove apparent Federation cultural contamination committed when Pike was first there five years earlier (and detailed somewhat in the TOS first pilot "The Cage.") When on Rigel VII the landing party undergoes some strife that is also afflicting the Enterprise crew. We see Ortegas suffer through personal trauma where she must overcome and rise to the occasion, and quite literally save the day. This does not rise to the level of a Mary Sue - but it is a local maximum.
So, all the elements of a good story are here, and the writers are trying hard but can't assemble the pieces together properly to make it great.
I'm continuing to find the Ortegas character grating if not outright annoying. I do not like her attitude, quips, or appearance - which in this episode is on full display. The writers either need to calm her down or give some explanation for why command tolerates her obvious and frequent insubordination. She lacks the restrained charm of a Chloe O'Brian - so some character development (as opposed to revelation) would help. If we understood why she acts the way she does, the we might build empathy for the character - but as it is she's just annoying.
It would also help greatly if the writer's took a science class (or two) to understand how space works, because right now it's apparent they have no clue. It spoils the buzz when the story is going well and then they fumble the science.