We're back with the ninth and penultimate episode of Season 1 of Star Trek: Lower Decks, titled Crisis Point. This episode was written by story editor Ben Rodgers and directed by Bob Suarez, who also directed S1E3 Temporal Edict and S1E6 Terminal Provocations. Joining us this week is a special guest, LT from NC!
The cold open starts with a scene where we see Mariner violating the Prime Directive. She takes charge but avoids rules she shouldn't. It really sets up the end of this episode. However, Freeman offers a compromise that effectively ends the reptiles (Selay?) overthrowing the rats (Anticans?) by offering food replicators. I did get a laugh out of the lizards wanting to bask, and how they taste delicious.
Boimler goes out of his way to kiss butt. LT made a really good observation during the podcast on how Boimler seems to be able to handle interactions with the other ensigns but clams up whenever someone has a higher rank. Boimler, as usual, tries to come up with the perfect answer for Freeman by studying how she reacts to answers, instead of doing what he should be doing, and answer for himself.
Of course, when Mariner discovers this is a "perfect" simulation, she re-programs it to become a movie, with her as the villain. This movie turned out to be better therapy than the food metaphors spouted from Dr. Migleemo. She ends up facing off with herself. This was both interesting and shows how messed up she is. I hope that she worked out things like it seemed she did. She really is the only one that casts herself as the villain. She really is capable of being an exemplary officer if she applies herself and stops taking short cuts.
The Rutherford/Billups scenes were funny. There was a budding bromance, reminiscent of Laforge and Data, or O'Brien and Bashir, but unrequited at this point. I think they could have explored that a bit more in real life.
Some Orions haven't been thieves for over five years! So I guess Orion is not part of the Federation, but some have left to join Starfleet. Mariner did program her to be the stereotypical Orion, something she didn't appreciate, but she appreciated Mariner getting into this movie even less.
I thought it was funny when Boimler ran out of the Captain's Ready Room screaming like a ninny, as Freeman says he came in unprepared. In actuality, he clammed up after discovering the big secret about Mariner, that she is Captain Freeman's daughter. What he does with that secret is anyone's guess. It seems like we'll know in a few days.
We all agreed that Crisis Point was the best episode of the season. It did go heavy on the references again, almost exclusively from the movies, but they were appropriate both to the story and the situation. This season really seems ready to end on a high note. Will they stick the landing? Tune in next week!
00:00:00 STLDP 009 - Crisis Point (S1E9)
00:00:21 Intro
00:02:26 Feedback for Previous Episodes
00:07:22 About Crisis Point
00:08:39 Ratings
00:11:29 Yeses
00:28:55 Nos
00:33:37 Not Good Enoughs
