Spoilers Star Trek: Lower Decks 2x01 - "Strange Energies"

Yep. Supposedly, "Jennifer" was an adlib by Tawny Newsome, who didn't realize the character she was speaking to was going to be an Andorian. So they're going with it anyway, and making Jennifer more of a character.

It matches various human-sounding names for aliens, including Lt. Barnes (Trill) elsewhere in the episode, and Drew Pratchett (Rigellian) and Ottessa Warren (Trill) from Season 1.

 

He carries a security blanket.

 

That's a weird way to say "excessive and disgusting nasal mucus."

 

Episode summary and a gallery of nearly 400 screencaps now online for your viewing pleasure.

See:
https://www.cygnus-x1.net/links/lcars/epsd-LD2-1.php

 

I gave it a 6. It was funny but not that funny. It was kind of base humor this episode and parodying things that have been done.

 

The script didn't say what her species was, Tawny just adlibed the name Jennifer while recording Season 1.

 

The giant head biting the ship was, specifically, the part where i very nearly laughed. There were a few other funny lines ("I know we're not supposed to have interpersonal conflicts...") that got a smile at least.

Found the Tendi/Rutherford thing too weird to be funny or touching.

6/10 feels about right. It was fine!

 

I liked it. Lower Decks is a little zanier than would be ideal for me and there are too many references for the sake of them, but it’s the trek series I enjoy most of the new Trek era. It’s the only one that feels like home in the way TNG does.

 

Is there a particular reason why an Andorian can't have a human name? Human cultures have been cross pollinating names for ever. We take them from places, people and things as well as other cultures. I don't see why in a cosmopolitan Federation all members won't do the same.

 

in the real world there are probably several Spocks by now..,

that sounds sweet.

By the way, I’ve had an epiphany this morning on how exactly Boimler is going to get back to the Cerritos: Riker will send him there once he realises that the Cerritos is where is hearth is, at least for the time being, just like the enterprise was his place for many years.

This way he would be back as lieutenant, though, outranking Mariner, which might be interesting in their relationship.

 

Trek fans assuming aliens had human-sounding names goes back many years. Before FC confirmed once and for all that Zefram Cochrane was indeed a human from Earth there was lots of noncanon information that he was a native of the Alpha Centauri system even though his name sounded remarkably Terran, both in first name and surname. Had Cochrane turned out to be an alien from more than 4 light-years away he would have had a pretty human-sounding name.

 

8 out of 10.
A solid entry, and a good start to the new season.


***/// MILD MOSTLY KIND OF WELL YEAH IT'S SPOILERS SO DON'T COME CRYING TO ME IF YOU KEEP READING \\\***

The opening semi-fakeout of Mariner on the holodeck worked for me. I mean, aside from just being hilarious what with the "they keep showing me lights!" from holo-Boimler, Mariner's a hell of a lot of fun to watch. I love how she tends to engage in therapy sessions while in the heat of battle, because it's just the *worst* place to do it and yet she still works out her problems while kicking so much holo-ass.

Seeing Ensign Tendi (yay!) and Rutherford felt good, as I adore Tendi, and like Rutherford (not much for cyborg stuff). Boimler wasn't really missed, though it's clear Mariner feels a little lost without him, and if Tendi doesn't have a serious crush on Rutherford I'll eat my hat, and I love my hat.

The story itself was pretty standard fare, though how it all develops shows where the fun is, because who knew acid washing an obelisk might set off a chain reaction that results in the resurgence of strange magics (name drop!) and a demi-god in the form of Jack Ransom, or Gary Mitchell 2: Electric Boogaloo?

Dr. T'ana, as always, is a lot of fun, she's just so damned funny, and she's my version of McCoy if he was a female cat doctor. You know, not a cat doctor, but a doctor who is a cat, though I'm sure T'ana can diagnose cats probably, most likely.

Anyway, good fun, it all wraps up, and we even get to see Boimler for a few moments at the end, and I have to say, the special Captain cameo at the end gave it an extra point. I adore that man. I simply adore him and will follow him anywhere.

So, yeah 8 out of 10. The show's off to a good second season, I think.

 

As a curly headed guy named Casey, with stubble, I appreciated learning from the close captioning that the curly headed officer with stubble is also named Casey. That may have been the highlight of the episode for me.

 

I enjoy all of Star Trek for various reasons.
Lower Deck has lovely character moments, some great action, amazing easter eggs and little references (I'm going to look for a rock), but most of all..... It's so much fun!!

This wasn't my favorite episode, but it was still (again) a lot of fun. I suppose my favorite moment would be when Tendi and Rutherford were both completely ignorant of the giant head trying to eat the ship, which ment for me how invested they both were in each other someone the other one cares for. I really liked that.

 

Are you sure you’re not falling for the Can’t Please Fandom fallacy, which is based on converting a nuanced issue into two simple extremes that fit a tweet, neither of which is acceptable? Who exactly asked this and in what context?

 

Gary Larson was a prophet.

 

So how much of this story has been verified as factual by Starfleet historians in the 26th century?