The second episode of “Lower Decks” offers us a new version of a zoo this time. And a few other things we’ll look at in the spoiler review.
As is well known, there was a double feature at the start of the fourth season. The second episode is entitled “I flee, even if I have no bones” – at least if you follow the German subtitle again. In the overview at Paramount+ there is instead a more direct translation: “No bones, but still have to escape”. Well, you can choose the correct title again, it seems…
Badgey’s Revenge?
Right at the beginning, the cliffhanger from episode 1 is continued: A Klingon ship was shot down by an unknown attacker. The Klingons were portrayed quite accurately – aggressive but honorable.
And the same applies here to the Romulans, who are also plotting on their ship. Here, in typical “Lower Decks” style, things are exaggerating a bit, but it fits the context better here than in the previous episode. Just like the Klingons, the Romulans are simply blown away here. Is the unknown attacker the same ship or another one of the same design?
The question therefore arises: Will there be some kind of common thread in the season? We will see. I’m afraid that this could be Badgey’s revenge teased at the end of Season 3, but unfortunately I’m not in the mood for that at all.
In the space zoo
This episode can also score points with some Easter eggs. Mariner, Ransom and a newbie go to a menagerie. This is, of course, a reference to both “The Animated Series” and the original TOS pilot “The Cage.” Crew members of the Enterprise ended up in a space zoo there too.
But here people are a little wiser and now know that people don’t belong there, which is why Cerritos should pick them up too. The premise is immediately reversed, because this time it is the away team that becomes the hunted.
Please demote me!
Before that, Mariner can reflect on her promotion again. Because Ransom and Shaxs are talking about her, which she notices. Funnily enough, this scene is a reference to TNG, as Deanna and Beverly also train there in appropriately strange-looking suits.
As is typical of “Lower Decks”, Mariner gets everything wrong and wants to sabotage the mission so that she is demoted again. Ransom only wants to awaken the best in her. As the episode progresses, the two finally talk to each other, which works quite well given their problematic relationship in the past. The typical redshirt ensign is rather annoying. But it’s good that he at least survives.
So you can see that you can still incorporate character moments into humorous scenes, but that has always (mostly) worked well with “Lower Decks” anyway.
Trouble in the space zoo
In the menagerie itself there are of course numerous Easter eggs in the form of creatures that have been seen in previous episodes. Again, there are quite a few, so you can spot the usual “Lower Decks” references. But the main monster is the sweet Moopsy, who quickly turns out to be a dangerous eating monster. This may not be new either, but at least it’s fun to watch the characters escape.
One can certainly criticize the fact that a station certainly doesn’t crash so easily. But the fact that Ransom has to be “groomed” in the truest sense of the word is perhaps a little over the top. However, this can be overlooked in the context of the otherwise good episode. The “Lower Decks” charm works here also (or precisely because of) this exaggeration.
In the end, the two imprisoned people turn out to be real criminals – and therefore definitely deserve their punishment.
Neighborhood search deluxe
Of course there is a subplot on the Cerritos. Because Boimler’s squad, which has just been promoted to lieutenant, is looking for quarters.
Here, too, it was almost a bit too much for me that he comes to an area where he is basically blinded. In the end, this is put into perspective again by Rutherford, who activates the filter. But I had asked myself before why this wasn’t just done. And Boimler of all people should have known that.
Of course, this leads to some funny scenes when Boimler takes up quarters near a holodeck and notices a little too much there. Or he takes refuge in the Jeffries tubes. He takes his collection with him, which is somehow typical of Boimler.
However, there was no need for competition for Rutherford. Because even Billups should know by now that he has enough on him. So Livik just seems like an unnecessary disruptive factor that is only there because of the script. At least there is a nice character scene between Tendi and Rutherford at the end (will there be more in the future?) as well as a promotion for Rutherford.
Here, too, we managed to tease out new accents, which, as mentioned, was sorely needed.
2023-09-11 18:00:18
#Episode #review #Star #Trek #Decks #Episode #4×02
