Spoilers Star Trek: Lower Decks 1x04 - "Moist Vessel"

[Trekker4747]

I officially hate Mariner now. The yawning is just way too annoying
Punishment by skipping-a-rank-promotion XD
Leafblowers are still a thing -.-
What the hell was that ascension thing? Seemed a bit like V'Ger's ascension XD
New ship class coming next week: USS Vancouver

... Are those windows on the nacelle pylons?

 

[fireproof78]

Star Trek did it first.

Was thinking the same thing.

 

[Bad Thoughts]

Star Trek did it first.

Of course it did. The ascension was straight out of TMP.

 

[Bad Thoughts]

This was easily my favorite episode so far. I loved the references to For the World Is Hollow, Wrath of Khan, and The Motion Picture. I think that the "promotion," although irregular, does fit in line with a lot of TNG episodes where a problematic crewmember was given more repsonsibilities to deal with a lack of discipline. The graphics in this episode were top notch, epsecially the towing of the generation ship and the Decker-like ascension scene. I really liked how they animated Mariner's frustrations at the responsibilities of being part of the senion staff.

One thing that bugged me: I believed that the mystical crewmember said "decorporation" to describe his journey. The usage made no sense, although it could have been a means by the writers to make fun of his cliched spiritualism. (Or maybe I misheard.)

 

[ToddCam]

We’ve had about 90 minutes of screen time, thus far. Why the rush?

As for Culber, we didn’t find out that he and Stamet’s were together until about the end of the 5th episode, no? 33% of the way into the season, and 4-5 hours of content.

In a rush? Not really. But given the opposite sex attraction has filled up our entire primary cast (the four lower decks kids), and implied in 2 of the supporting cast, it means opportunities are dwindling. See below for further on that.

I will say just because we know that all of the four main ensigns are attracted to the opposite sex, it doesn't mean that any or all of them couldnt be bi.

As to the bridge crew, we don't really know anything about the proclivities of Shaxs and T'ana yet.

Yes, they could be bi. Given how bisexuality is not commonly depicted, I am not going to hold out my hopes much. I would be happy to be wrong.

Not every show needs to have a homosexual in it. It’s not like there’s a quota they need to follow

Disagree. Every show with a large ensemble cast should have LGBTQ+ representation at this point. I've heard this all my life, and it's tiresome. I remember talking about how we shouldn't have quotas when discussing affirmative action when I was in high school. Does anyone ever say, "Not every show needs to have a white man in it." Even here, in an animated show, 3 of the 8 principal characters are white men. We should have limited it to Boimler. But you know there are complaints over "overrepresentation" of Black women.

Maybe we should have quotas.

 

[Shon T'Hara]

• I am mildly concerned with how the episode ended bumping Mariner back down to ensign. Mostly because this is really the first time the series has suggested to me use of a "reset button." While it would immediately blow up the initial premise of the show, it would have been interesting if they left Mariner as a Lieutenant for at least a few episodes.

The pilot implied that she's been a lieutenant before, so this is presumably a regular thing for her. She's saving money to buy herself a little farm on Fiji, where she'll keep a sheep and a cow and breed horses. She doesn't want this to become a career.

 

[Romulan_spy]

She's saving money to buy herself a little farm on Fiji, where she'll keep a sheep and a cow and breed horses.

 

[Hythlodeus]

except when we want to buy a baseball card for our father and have to trick our Ferengi friend into paying for it...

 

[thribs]

The next episode seems to imply Beckett is jealous of Brad because he has a girlfriend. I’m sure there is more to it.

 

[Bad Thoughts]

A person who is striving to become a shepherd does not strike me as someone driven by wealth.

 

[TrickyDickie]

Gave it a 10. Funny thing is, my wife watched it first and then handed the phone to me without spoiling anything. Before I started watching it, I had this big yawn. So then....

Very reminiscent of Space Seed and TWOK, with the sleeper ship and Genesis goo.

During the ascension, there was quite a callback to Burnham and the red angel.

 

[thribs]

Of course it did. The ascension was straight out of TMP.

The meditating part of it was very Stargate.

 

[Tim Thomason]

The two-step promotion (and subsequent two-step demotion) is a little alarming, but I'll just assume it was a temporary field promotion, a la Tom Paris, and she was reassigned to an important position (relief Ops?) in addition to her duties as a general senior staff officer. When she was reassigned back to the Lower Decks, her temporary promotion was void.

 

[Shon T'Hara]

Rich kids always go through a socialist phase. Picard's just lasted longer than usual.

 

[Jadeb]

The ascension storyline started out dull but built to a surprisingly funny conclusion. All the eps so far have paid off in the end.

That said, this episode tested my tolerance for Mariner's obnoxious behavior. I liked the exploration of her relationship with her mom, but I hope the episodic nature of the show doesn't mean we keep returning to outright insubordination.

 

[Trekker4747]

I've a feeling we're going to be right back to her obnoxious and insubordinate behavior. We ended the episode with her lying on the bed a little to pleased with herself. And she spent two days in the brig for it and her sleeves are still rolled up!

And it's a comedy/just a TV show and I should relax but it seems like the work they had her do should be stuff that be either automated or until needed.

I mean, the holodeck turns energy into a form,of matter and back again but there's "waste" because of what people use it for? The best way to clean the filters is to fire phases at them and let residue fall to the floor? This stuff seems crude and out of place. Oh, and the turbolift doesn't have a maintenance key to turn it off or even just a detector to know someone is on it and to not move?

Over thinking, I know.

 

[Gepard]

Ok that damn Koala cracked me up.

The ascension storyline started out dull but built to a surprisingly funny conclusion. All the eps so far have paid off in the end

The show is really good at scribbling nutty ideas in the margins. Whats-his-face's ascension was definitely the highlight of the episode for me.

It's too bad that they don't have the same level of invention for the plots and character arcs. I knew from the start of the montage of Mariner being driven crazy that she'd figure out the plan and then push back and then there'd be some crisis that would force her to be responsible etc etc. I was hoping they'd do something more inventive, like have Mariner get so bored during one of the meetings that she ascends (to Ascension Guy's chagrin). Just....do something unexpected.

 

[Jadeb]

I've a feeling we're going to be right back to her obnoxious and insubordinate behavior. We ended the episode with her lying on the bed a little to pleased with herself. And she spent two days in the brig for it and her sleeves are still rolled up!

And it's a comedy/just a TV show and I should relax but it seems like the work they had her do should be stuff that be either automated or until needed.

I mean, the holodeck turns energy into a form,of matter and back again but there's "waste" because of what people use it for? The best way to clean the filters is to fire phases at them and let residue fall to the floor? This stuff seems crude and out of place. Oh, and the turbolift doesn't have a maintenance key to turn it off or even just a detector to know someone is on it and to not move?

Over thinking, I know.

My inner nerd objects to Mariner's behavior less because it's obnoxious than because I don't think it would be tolerated by Starfleet.

 

[Campe]

8/10. My favorite so far. And yes, "Moist" is cringeworthy. That's kinda the point, methinks.

 

[Photoman15]

Yes. "Moist vessel" makes me think of "moist towel". Why is the Cerritos like a moist towel?

A towel is not the moist vessel that came to mind.