Spoilers Star Trek: Lower Decks 2x09 - "wej Duj"

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Second contact ships are the ones that do the brunt work. Setting up diplomatic relations/consulates, providing any assistance (food/clothing/education).

Then why does LD make 'second contact' sound so boring and bureaucratic?

I mean, the Cerritos crew (particularly Freeman) don't seem to think their work is that important in the grand scheme of things. Otherwise, why would they all be trying so hard to get assigned to a ship of the line, like the Titan?

 

[matthunter]

Unimportant work doesn't necessarily mean it doesn't need lots of manpower or equipment.

What Freeman et al. are railing against is that their work isn't glamorous. Discovering strange new worlds is, coming in and building them a comm array or ferrying ambassadors/diplomats around isn't.

 

[Orphalesion]

Oh no. We still haven’t seen it. It’s gonna be the ongoing show gag that we NEVER GET TO SEE IT

This! We really need to see Catacean Ops! With the dolphins just swimming around and acting like normal dolphins, and doing nothing useful whatsoever....and still being of a higher rank than the Lower Deckers.

 

[Sakonna]

We are all envisioning Cetacean Ops as a bunch of dolphins that are full-fledged officers, right? Or is that just me?

I mean, I guess I also picture some Alien Cetacean officers as well. Which look exactly like earth dolphins, but with a few ridges above/around the eyes.

Maybe there are some whales. That could explain why the ship is so big -- they need space for all the whales.

 

[Orphalesion]

Yeah I imagined it as mostly dolphins, but now that you say....maybe there's some mermaid aliens?

 

[NCC-73515]

1. Tendi is quite the cutie in her Lara Croft outfit on El Capitan.

T'Ana has nice legs and those shorts also suit her

That's no ordinary Excelsior. It looks like one of those Star Trek Online upgrades. In the teaser you can see the neck shape is different, the windows arranged differently, pylons and nacelles differ etc. Check out the size difference between the TOS and Disco Enterprises, it could be a case of that.

That's the one from the spacedock chase sim last week:

This! We really need to see Catacean Ops! With the dolphins just swimming around and acting like normal dolphins, and doing nothing useful whatsoever....and still being of a higher rank than the Lower Deckers.

I'm pretty sure we'll see it next week

 

[fireproof78]

Maybe the TAS aquatic aliens will show up.

 

[Orphalesion]

Maybe the TAS aquatic aliens will show up.

The ones that gave Kirk "fish fingers"?

Oh god...I saw a rerun of that episode when I was like 4 and I still remember that line of dialogue. I don't remember anything else of that episode, but I do remember that line.

 

[Amaris]

Laughed my ass off.

See? It's right there on the floor.

10/10.

Especially the post-credits.

 

[XCV330]

Laughed my ass off.

See? It's right there on the floor.

10/10.

Especially the post-credits.

I kept waiting for something to happen, hoping that it wouldn't and it didn't

 

[Amaris]

I kept waiting for something to happen, hoping that it wouldn't and it didn't

It's funny how the little things end up being so hilarious.

Seriously, though, this may be my favorite episode of the season, and there have been some great ones. The Vulcan lower decks scenes were getting legitimate gut laughs from me, I swear.

 

[Charles Phipps]

Then why does LD make 'second contact' sound so boring and bureaucratic?

I mean, the Cerritos crew (particularly Freeman) don't seem to think their work is that important in the grand scheme of things. Otherwise, why would they all be trying so hard to get assigned to a ship of the line, like the Titan?

I think that even in-universe, Captain Freeman is a unsatisfied glory-hound. She has done some amazing things but feels like Starfleet repeatedly snubs her like kicking her off that Cardassian conference and refusing her to the Afterparty. Which, from what we see, is in fact something they're doing.

It's why she was so excited about being sent to negotiate with the Pakleds. Who assumed they were negotiating with Janeway (I totally believe she cancelled and they delegated it down to Freeman).

 

[ThreeEdgedSword]

Spoiler

Captain Freeman Day, lol.

I'm suddennly suspicious they might kill her off in ep 10.

Unless they really kill of Shaxs, again... or maybe both?

 

[Therin of Andor]

T'lyn is Mariner's Vulcan clone. A lot of references to TUC.

Including a Valeris-style headband.

 

[Sakonna]

Suddenly just had these very vivid memories of being a kid and finishing "The Inner Light" or "Timescape" or "Duet" or "Tribunal" -- fantastic penultimate episodes of their Trek seasons -- and then being just ON THE EDGE OF MY SEAT to see what the finale would be the next week. I could not wait!

I'm feeling it again now for Lower Decks! I never actively anticipate TV in this way anymore, but I am actively anticipating the LD finale. "God, I wish it was Thursday!" keeps popping into my head. Meanwhile I'm about to watch this episode for a fourth time.

This show is such a delight.

Maybe the TAS aquatic aliens will show up.

The ones that gave Kirk "fish fingers"?

Oh god...I saw a rerun of that episode when I was like 4 and I still remember that line of dialogue. I don't remember anything else of that episode, but I do remember that line.

And a Xindi Acquatic in with the Aquan on this visit to the Cetacean Ops, and we might have the ultimate in continuity porn background jokes...

I am also amazed to realize TAS named their fish aliens Aquans.

 

[Charles Phipps]

I like how even Rutherford finds Boimler's ass kissing off-putting in that trailer.

 

[TimeIsAPredator]

Yeah I imagined it as mostly dolphins, but now that you say....maybe there's some mermaid aliens?

I always assumed it's where the guild navigator lived

 

[fireproof78]

I am also amazed to realize TAS named their fish aliens Aquans.

Yeah, it wasn't the most original race name. I think the macguffin was named similarly to whale ambergris.

 

[Nerys Myk]

Well this was the show that gave us the catlike Caitians.

 

[Charles Phipps]

Well this was the show that gave us the catlike Caitians.

T'Ana will eat the fish aliens.