Star Trek: Strange New Worlds
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First, its probably worth taking a moment to appreciate the level of difficulty at work in this episode.
ButLower DecksandStrange New Worldsare shows with extremely different tones and performance styles.
The difference should be so jarring to make any merging of universes impossible.
The solution: Those Old Scientists leans into the clash.
They talk too loud.
They make, as Una points out,weirdlyspecific references toStar Treklore.
Quaid runs like a cartoon character.
Newsome even keeps Mariners mischievous grin as her characters default facial expression in this new environment.
Anyone who doesnt know whats coming might at first think theyve tuned into the wrong show.
The episodes animated opening is set on theUSSCerritos, the underachieving California-class starship theLower Deckscharacters call home.
And, also inLower Deckstradition, things quickly start to spin out of control.
Like any visitor from another time, he could screw up history.
Its Laans own addition and one she understands all too well.
Then again, history isnt always right.
Mariner knows Uhura for her ability to enjoy life and not be on duty all the time.
But its Boimlers encounter with Spock thatreallyweirds him out.
Pike assumes they are before Boimler tips him off thatthisOrion vessel might be peaceful.
But Boimler knows what awaits other characters too, just as we do.
I never assumed that I would get to influence him forever, Chapel says through tears.
Sometimes its best not to know where youre going.
They do, though it means giving up some grain badly needed by some hungrycolonists.
And with that, they gain the ability to send Boimler back to his own time.
Or it would be if the attempt didnt result in Mariner traveling through the portal and joining them.
For Mariner, this is no problem at all (especially if she gets to meet Uhura).
But for Pike and the others, it means their troubles have doubled.
But Mariners admiration for Uhura and her future accomplishments only stresses Uhura out more.
Mariners suggestion, perfectly in keeping in character, is to slack off.
Meanwhile, Boimler discovers that Spock has figured out whats troubling him, having spoken to an upset Chapel.
But logic also suggests to Spock that he just needs to roll with it.
If he tries to be less human after speaking to Boimler, that itself will alter history.
Whatever will end his relationship with Chapel, its not this.
Its a short-lived plan, thanks to Laan discovering them before they can take off.
(He had to contour the hell out of the jawline, Mariner notes.)
One Live long and prosper from Spock later, theyre on their way home.
Or they would be if there werent Orions in the way.
Fortunately, they arrive at a compromise by letting the Orion scientists take credit for the discovery.
(Tendi was right after all!
This was a fun one, and fun in the same self-aware-but-not-too-self-aware style ofDeep Space Nines Trials and Tribble-ations.
Heres hoping this becomes a tradition, no matter how tricky it is to pull off.
Hit It!
The animated credits are a nice, unexpected touch.
Memorable lines:But flipping it opens the best part.Funny captain.
Whats happening?I was thoroughly unprepared for how hot Young Spock was going to be.
Nowtheresa potentially fun time-travel episode.
Thanks for going back to theTOSera.
Its a clever title in a couple of ways, isnt it?
In an additional behind-the-scenes crossover, its directed by Jonathan Frakes.
