Star Trek: Lower Decks just wrapped up its fourth season a few days ago, and what a joy it was from start to finish. I will freely admit that I’m an unbridled Star Trek fan, but Lower Decks really goes out of its way to be accessible and entertaining to Trekkies and the uninitiated alike. This latest season ramped up the series’ trademark cleverness and knack for Trek storytelling to new heights while also demonstrating that our core characters are growing up. It’s fun, engaging, heart-warming, cringey, and unabashedly Star Trek.
Right away we get to see the fruits of our heroes’ labors from the end of season three and how this new twist propels them forward into each of their character stories. We learn a lot more about Mariner (Tawney Newsome), Tendi (Noel Wells), and T’Lyn (Gabrielle Ruiz) especially. Mariner’s long-standing struggle with promotion, rank, and command structure in general is brought into sharp focus. Tendi’s history is given more context and expands the lore of the franchise in an immensely satisfying way. T’Lyn gets to take center-stage for a bit and we get to see what really makes her tick. Boimler (Jack Quaid) and Rutherford (Eugene Cordero) both continue to shine as their respective characters. Whether they’re on the holodeck resolving intergalactic conflicts as Mark Twains or just talking about their past cave mission experiences, they are wonderfully fun and demonstrate the value of positivity and tenacity to a fault.
The main conflict of the season is interesting and keeps you guessing right up to the end. A strange new starship seemingly capable of destroying anything it comes in contact with is taking out ships left and right across the quadrant. Who could it be? Why would they be doing this? How does this relate to our loveable lower deckers?! So many questions! The writers were able to tie everything together in a perfect bow that long-time Trekkies will certainly appreciate and resonate with.
There are some subtle, and several not-so-subtle, references to Trek’s past, and they fill out the world well. Lower Decks also isn’t afraid to poke fun at things from previous Treks, and that is honestly just as much fun. You can absolutely tell how much the writers love and appreciate Star Trek as a whole. The attention to detail is outstanding. I’ll freely admit that I was waaaaaaaay too happy while watching S4E6: ‘Parth Ferenghi’s Heart Place’ for these reasons.
When it comes to animation, things continue to look perfectly wacky and on-brand for Lower Decks. That blend of a cleaner Rick and Morty-style character design mixed with sleek CG models all layered together makes for a crisp and eye-catching viewing experience. All of the locations and settings are visually distinct and have their own character, color palettes, and tones to them while all fitting into the series’ style very well. Top-notch work from the art and animation departments. The music and SFX all sound great too. The seventh episode ‘For a Few Badgey’s More’ stands out here for its stellar sound work. Kudos all around!
Lower Decks‘ fourth season takes our favorite ensigns and shows us just how much they’ve all grown since their first missions together. It’s bittersweet and surprisingly wholesome at the same time. T’Lyn might be a Vulcan who doesn’t want to party, but she can prove to be much more when her friends need her. Boimler is still neurotic and overachieving, but he’s also coming into his own and gaining some real confidence. Mariner, while still definitely in need of long talks with Dr. Migleemo, can allow herself to experience the opportunities in front of her. Tendi still loves science, and maybe there’s more to her than we all thought. And Rutherford might, technically, be a dad to a god-figure, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t love going on missions with his friends. I can’t wait for the next season of Lower Decks just so I can spend some more time on the Cerritos with this loveable bunch of misfits. Catch ya next time, Lower Deckers.
Star Trek: Lower Decks is now available to stream on Paramount+.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCQwncbQx04]
I’ve worked my whole life to become a comic book illustrator, writer, and stand-up comedian. Batman and Captain Benjamin Sisko helped put a good head on my shoulders. I spent most of my childhood saving Hyrule and the Mushroom Kingdom and seeing the Justice League save all of creation time and time again. I live in Johnson City, TN with my wife Kary and daughter Laila enjoying the beautiful mountain scenery and occasional show. Three puppies round out the family and take up the rest of the time that isn’t spent debating which Wes Anderson or Studio Ghibli movie to watch. I spend an inordinate amount of time binge watching SVU, Futurama, and Letterkenny, and when I’m not watching I’m listening to “My Brother, My Brother, and Me” or playing the occasional game of D&D. If there’s a nerdy endeavor out there, I’ve probably at least tried it.
