Star Trek series that came before it. Not only does Lower Decks tell fun and unique Star Trek stories, but it also acts as a love letter to the franchise as a whole and the TNG era in particular.
Realistically, Brad Boimler (Jack Quaid) and Beckett Mariner (Tawny Newsome) may know a bit too much about Star Trek's history, but the references and jokes they make rarely fail to land. Because of its place in the Star Trek timeline, Lower Decks has brought back numerous things that were first introduced on Star Trek: The Next Generation. Not only have characters like Captain Will Riker (Jonathan Frakes) and Counselor Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis) popped up on Lower Decks, but the show also contains much more subtle references to Star Trek's TNG era.
10 Blue Font & Episode Titles
Lower Decks Feels Straight Out Of Star Trek's TNG Era
In 1987, Star Trek: The Next Generation ushered in a golden era for Star Trek, leading to multiple spin-offs and feature films, and establishing the style of Star Trek moving forward. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Star Trek: Voyager followed in TNG's footsteps, using a similar style for their title cards and credits. For this reason, Star Trek's TNG era shows feel more connected and cohesive than any other era.
Star Trek: Lower Decks Season 5 - Everything You Need To Know
Star Trek: Lower Decks to the franchise where it had never been before with five seasons of comic antics, but sadly the show went off the air as well.
Star Trek: Lower Decks brought back the classic blue typeface that was used for the episode titles and credits throughout the TNG era. This particular style of lettering has become synonymous with the Star Trek franchise, and Lower Decks capitalizes on that nostalgia. While Lower Decks references every Star Trek series, it feels most like a successor to TNG. The use of the blue font and title card style from TNG may seem like a small thing, but it truly makes the show feel like part of the TNG era.
9 Tamarians
Dathon & Kayshon Are Star Trek's Only Named Tamarians
The first and only time the Tamarians had appeared on screen prior to Lower Decks was in Star Trek: The Next Generation season 5, episode 2, "Darmok." In this episode, Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) finds himself stranded on a planet with a Tamarian captain named Dathon (Paul Winfield). Because the Tamarians speak in metaphors only recognized by their own people, Picard and Dathon spend much of the episode searching for ways to communicate.
Lower Decks season 2, episode 2, "Kayshon, His Eyes Open" introduced Lt. Kayshon (Carl Tart), the second named Tamarian to appear on screen. Kayshon was the first of his species to serve in Starfleet, and he temporarily served as the head of security on the Cerritos. Although the Universal Translator now works with the Tamarian language, some metaphors still don't translate, which occasionally causes confusion.
8 Mark Twain
Star Trek's Favorite American Author Makes A Return (Sort Of)
Several real historical figures have popped up on Star Trek throughout the franchise's history, including Samuel Clemens/Mark Twain (Jerry Hardin). Mark Twain first appeared in the Star Trek: The Next Generation two-parter "Time's Arrow," when Lt. Commander Data (Brent Spiner) and the TNG crew traveled back in time to the late 19th century. Mark Twain even paid a visit to the Enterprise-D before returning to his period.
While Lower Decks, season 4, episode 4, "Something Borrowed, Something Green," focuses on Tendi's trip to Orion for a wedding, a subplot finds Lts. Boimler and Sam Rutherford (Eugene Cordero) channel their inner Mark Twain. Since Boimler and Rutherford have been rooming together, they have begun to argue, so they go to the holodeck to work through it. Boimler and Rutherford find a compromise while dressed as Mark Twain and speaking in exaggerated Southern accents.
7 Pakleds
TNG's Dumb Aliens Make A Major Comeback
The Pakleds made their Star Trek debut in Star Trek: The Next Generation season 2, episode 17, "Samaritan Snare." The Pakleds had a reputation as being one of the least intelligent species in the galaxy, but that did not mean they never posed a threat. They were physically strong and sometimes intentionally allowed other species to underestimate them. Rather than experiment with technology on their own, the Pakleds gained their technology by stealing or trading with other species.
Star Trek’s Pakleds: TNG’s Dumb Aliens Explained
TNG's Pakleds aren't the most intelligent aliens in the Star Trek canon, but Lower Decks proved that Starfleet underestimate them at their peril.
In Star Trek: Lower Decks season 1, the USS Cerritos engaged the Pakleds after a group of Pakled Clumpships destroyed the USS Solvang. Although the Cerritos took heavy damage, Captain Will Riker (Jonathan Frakes) and the USS Titan arrived just in time to save the day. The Pakleds continued to be a nuisance to the Federation until they destroyed their own planet in an attempt to acquire a new planet from the Federation.
6 Cetacean Ops
Star Trek Has Always Loved Whales
First mentioned in background dialogue during the classic Star Trek: The Next Generation episode, "Yesterday's Enterprise," Cetacean Ops became a bit of a running joke during the TNG era. According to the Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual, Cetacean Ops was home to both dolphins and whales who helped with the Enterprise's navigation. Because dolphins and whales are accustomed to moving in three dimensions, they proved to be great navigators.
Star Trek: Prodigy season 2 revealed that the USS Voyager-A had a Cetacean Ops facility, which housed a Humpback whale named Gillian.
In the Star Trek: Lower Decks season 2 finale, the lower decks visited Cetacean Ops on the Cerritos, marking the first time this department has been seen on screen. The Cerritos has two Beluga whales, Lts. Kimolu and Matt, who not only wear Starfleet uniforms but can also communicate with their humanoid crew mates. Whales have been important to Star Trek since Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, and it was incredibly fun to finally see Cetacean Ops on screen in Lower Decks.
5 Excomps
The Return Of TNG's Sentient Little Robots
Star Trek has a long history of telling stories that involve robots and artificial intelligence and Lower Decks continues that trend. Star Trek: The Next Generation season 6, episode 9, "The Quality of Life" introduced utility robots known as excomps that were designed to perform basic maintenance tasks. When Lt. Commander Data was testing the excomps, he discovered that they had become sentient.
By the time of Lower Decks, excomps were recognized as sentient beings. An excomp named Peanut Hamper ed the crew of the Cerritos, initially serving alongside Ensign D'Vana Tendi (Noël Wells) in sickbay. Peanut Hamper eventually abandoned the Cerritos and later found herself on Areore, before she revealed her cruel and manipulative ways. Peanut Hamper was later sent to the Self-Aware Megalomaniacal Computer Storage area on Daystrom Station.
4 Armus
TNG's Infamous Black Goo Alien Makes A Hilarious Return
Star Trek: The Next Generation season 1, episode 23, "Skin of Evil" remains one of the series' most controversial episodes because of the way it handled the death of Lt. Tasha Yar (Denise Crosby). When the Enterprise-D visited Vagra II, the crew encountered an alien creature resembling a pool of black sludge. This creature, named Armus, was created after a so-called "race of Titans" purged all of their negative emotions.
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In "Skin of Evil," Armus killed Tasha Yar for no reason other than to show that he could. In Lower Decks season 2, episode 6, "The Spy Humongous," Mariner, Boimler, and Tendi use a casting stone to hilariously prank Armus. The lower deckers taunt Armus, who reacts with confused and angry bluster. This moment acknowledges the absurdity of Armus, while still making him feel potentially dangerous.
3 Holodeck Episodes
Lower Decks Brought Back A Star Trek Classic
Since its introduction in Star Trek: The Next Generation season 1, the holodeck has provided a playground for Star Trek to experiment with different genres. Throughout TNG, DS9, and Voyager, holodeck episodes offered a break from the regular sci-fi stories and allowed the characters to act out a detective novel or an old western. Lower Decks brought back holodeck episodes in a big way, as the lower deckers created holodeck movies full of references to past Trek.
Animation already allows Lower Decks to incorporate characters and elements that would be difficult to do in live action, and the holodeck opens the show up to even more possibilities. George Takei even makes an appearance as Captain Hikaru Sulu in Lower Decks, season 3, episode 8, "Crisis Point 2: Paradoxus." Lower Decks is one of the only current Star Trek shows to embrace the full potential of the holodeck and it definitely pays off.
2 Space Station Deep Space Nine
The USS Cerritos Paid A Visit To Deep Space Nine
The Cerritos pays a visit to Star Trek's most recognizable space station in Lower Decks season 3, episode 6, "Hear All, Trust Nothing." When Captain Carol Freeman (Dawnn Lewis) is ordered to lead negotiations with the Karemma, the lower deckers get to spend some free time on Deep Space 9. Colonel Kira Nerys (Nana Visitor) makes an appearance, as does Quark (Armin Shimerman) and his eponymous bar.
Boimler goes on an impressive Dabo winning streak at Quark's bar, while Tendi encounters a fellow Orion named Mesk (Adam Pally). "Hear All, Trust Nothing" not only contains plenty of nostalgic references to DS9, but it also reveals more about the Lower Decks characters. Lt. Shaxs (Fred Tatasciore), for example, used to serve in the Bajoran resistance alongside Kira, and Tendi opens up about her past as an Orion pirate.
1 USS Voyager
The Cerritos Escorts Voyager Back To Earth
The USS Voyager made a triumphant return in Star Trek: Lower Decks season 4, episode 1, "Twovix." After its historic journey through the Delta Quadrat, Voyager was decommissioned and converted into a museum ship. As the USS Cerritos escorts Voyager back to Earth, Chief Engineer Andy Billups (Paul Scheer) and Dr. T'Ana (Gillian Vigman) end up being fused into one being in a transporter accident, just like Tuvix (Tom Wright).
This new being names himself T'Illups and, in an act of self-preservation, soon begins merging other Cerritos crew. While the other Cerritos crew work to get this sorted out, several holodeck characters from Star Trek: Voyager begin wreaking havoc. In the end, Voyager makes it back to Earth and a new exhibit is added to the ship featuring some of the Cerritos crew. The TNG-era setting of Star Trek: Lower Decks has become one of the series' greatest strengths, allowing it to check up on many fan-favorite locations and characters.
Star Trek: Lower Decks
- Release Date
- October 24, 2024
- Franchise(s)
- Star Trek
Cast
WHERE TO WATCH
- Seasons
- 5
