“I had to apply concentrated force to your neutral zone.” LOL
But we didn't get to see Boimler's new room...
Solid start solid start solid start
Disappointment in not getting to see Boimler's mutually imagined fantabulous new room on the USS Titan aside, this hat tip and nod to TOS episode, "Where no Man has Gone Before", while not having life altering consequences, nor being as dramatic as the original, did allow the "venting" of the pent up, but unspoken attitudes and (pretty much) petty jealousies, of several of the crew members, which upon further consideration, was probably a better idea than letting them fester for several episodes. This way , we get a semi-reset back to the beginning of last season, with Beckett being a thorn in the side of her Captain Mom, rather than partner / besties, which would have gotten rather old, fairly quickly.
On the same shizz different galaxy tip however, it also means a revert back to another of Beckett's hairbrained schemes once again gone awry, resulting in mayhem played up for comedic purposes, rather than the chaos and death that would actually result from her misguided choices. All in good fun I suppose, especially if the female instigator of the carnage gets to repeatedly kick her male superior officer victim in the nads multiple times to "save" him, until the feline "Bones" can crush him with a boulder. (in another nod back to the original)
Meanwhile, the Green hued chick as to deal with the "green eyed monster", as Ensign Tendi, un-admittingly but obviously jealous of Ensign Rutherford's budding relationship with another (more attractive?) crew member, concocts a psychotic scheme to convince him he's dying, and she needs to remove his brain to save him. (hide the bunnies and the big pots, cuz this chicks lost it) But, I guess all can be forgiven for the sake of BFF's.
While over on the Titan, it's not all adventures, roses and unicorns, as Boimler comes to grips with the reality of life on the bridge of an "A-Team" Starship, rather than the leisurely confines of the lower decks of a support vessel.
All in all, an OK episode.
Review by Andrew BloomVIP 9BlockedParentSpoilers2021-08-12T22:47:43Z
[7.3/10] A nice start to the new season. As Star Trek riffs/spoofs go, doing a Gary Mitchell-esque “regular crewmember gets god-like powers” premise is a good one. The show has fun with taking the concept to absurd places, like a superpowered Ransom turning a local planet into a gym or becoming a giant head that tries to literally chew on the Cerritos. I especially enjoyed Dr. Tiana referencing old solitons and deciding that the proper way to deal with this deified Ransom is drop a boulder on him.
But of course the thing that makes Lower Decks a cut above is that it doesn’t just poke fun at the familiar trope or use it for a comical adventure, but instead uses it as an excuse to explore the relationship between Captain Freeman, Ensign Bariner, and even Ransom himself. The way that both Mariner and the captain are trying their best to act like their newfound team-up is something they’re both happy with, when really they both dislike working with one another, is fruitful emotional territory.
It makes sense that both of them are trying to make this thing work after their contentious relationship in season 1. They’re even successful together given the bin-load of thank you trinkets they have from side missions. But they both are who they are, and can’t pretend that their own “strange energies” mesh as well as they like. Let’s be honest. This is a way to restore the status quo of Mariner and her mom being at least a little at odds again. In that way, it’s a bit of a reset. But it’s also a believable one given their different temperaments and views on Starfleet, which gives the show an opportunity to show some evolution in their relationship, without resolving every issue the two had with one another.
It’s also a character study for Ransom, albeit a more humorous one. His hurt feelings over no longer being the captain’s “number one” are amusing but also a little sympathetic. Ransom’s still a bit of a diet Zapp Brannigan, but there’s a touch more humanity to him, so you buy his bummedness at not being the captain’s right hand man anymore. (Plus hey, the resolution to his whole godhood trip being a swift kick in the balls is amusing in its directness.)
The Tendi/Rutheford storyline isn’t bad, albeit a little less successful. There is, again, a relatable core to Tendi worrying that Rutheford’s implant reset changed his opinions and personality to the point that he wouldn’t want to be friends with her anymore. It’s an outsized dramatization of that idea, but that’s bread and butter Star Trek storytelling. The show gets a little over the top with it, especially when Tendi is racing through the corridors trying to shoot Rutherford with medical venom, but the combo of understandable insecurity about losing a friend (slash crush) and a reconciliation based around trying to solve emotional issues with science works.
Last but not least, I like the glimpse we get of Boimler freaking out aboard the Titan. The idea that Riker is off having Enterprise-like adventures that would test the mettle of any officer, at the same time Boimler’s realizing he’s bitten off more than he can chew makes for a funny scene and a promising excuse for Bradward’s inevitable transfer back to the Cerritos.
All-in-all, this one does all the things fans have come to expect from Lower Decks, and while more of a single than a homerun, shows that the series hasn’t lost its touch in its first sophomore outing.