All the action remains aboard Cerritos this time in a technique normally reserved for cutting the budget by not going on location. In an inversion of the TNG episode that inspired this series, we get to see a day in the life of the senior officers as some of the junior officers attempt to herd space whales/cows, er tardigrades, er buhgoons (that still look like tardigrades); carve pumpkins; and help with engineering repairs.

A low-key episode that’s greater than the sum of its (already good) parts, Lower Decks gives us a day-in-the-life glimpse of ship-board life that focuses on the upper decks. We don’t see anything especially new or profound, but rather amusing reinforcement of all the bridge crew’s characteristics we already know well.

Shax battles PDSD and we see that his meditation allows him to astral project to do battle with his inner demons. T’Ana somehow is a masochist (?), but still a total cat. Freeman demonstrates her affinity for her entire crew, and we see her Yeoman, Lt. Cdr. Stevens, attempting to keep her on schedule that starts with the morning briefing and includes attending poetry and tuba recitals. She’s made sure he knows to keep her evening free as she needs a few hours to herself.

Meanwhile, a visiting scientist wants to study the buhgoons so one is lured into the shuttle bay. Pandemonium follows, as do a bunch of the buhgoon’s friends, who it turns out can all turn invisible. Ransom is by far the funniest of the senior staff, as he shows there’s a method to his madness of being a total jerk and ostensibly a bad officer. He gets the Delta and Beta shift crews to focus their hostility at him, and work together to remove the buhgoons from the shuttle bay. That plotline – although humorous – begs the question as to why they don’t simply toss the rock the buhgoons want to eat back into space. One of the ensigns catches Ransom, but – as a backhanded compliment of his skill at acting like an idiot – promises not to tell as no one would believe her anyway.

In a twist that harkens back to the morning briefing regarding aliens who can’t stand compliments, it turns out the scientist who wants to study the buhgoons is one of them and they want to take over the ship. Their plan goes awry thanks to Shax, the tuba player, and others in the crew but especially Freeman who in a nice bit of cleverness, praises them into submission and ultimately fleeing.

In a sweet ending, Freeman reveals she wanted the free time to call her husband for their anniversary. Stevens reminds her she has one more meeting first that she can’t miss, but it turns out that her husband Admiral Freeman has snuck aboard to celebrate their anniversary with her.

Verdict: A cute, funny episode. Lower Decks returns to good form. 7/10

Rigel Ailur

http://www.BluetrixBooks.com