Strange Energies: Lower Decks S02 E01

How I've waited for the return of Lower Decks and episode one was well worth it.

Following up on the events of the first season finale, Mariner is now best buddies with her captain mum and given virtual free reign over her own side missions whenever she wants. Tendi is concerned that Rutherford's implants aren't working correctly (he has an obsession with eating pear now) and Boimler... well he's over on the USS Titan with Captain Riker.

Revisiting the second contact mission structure that we were introduced to in season one's starter, Ransom is sent to finish off the mission while Captain Freeman allows Mariner to do some jet washing of their buildings and ignore the first officer's orders.

Tendi spends the episode trying to prove that there's something up with Rutherford which is very similar to the time when Mariner was convinced something was all weird with Boimler's girlfriend.

The opening scene is fantastic. Mariner is apparently captured by the Cardassians and attempts an escape, leaving Boimler (still not forgiven him for leaving) chained up. Taking her own torturer with her, the pair board a conveniently parked Miranda Class ship and head out, only for us viewers to discover it's all a holodeck "workout" simulation for Beckett Mariner.

The attention to detail is immense. Mentions of lights, the registry on the Miranda Class ship, the appearance of Hideki fighters and the classic movie era bridge replete with pink chairs is more than enough to hook you in from the first minute. Lower Decks is back and proving straight off that this season is business as usual.

Mariner's good intentions with the Apergosians do, of course, take a comical turn for the worst when she manages to activate an ancient system that turns Commander Ransom into a god-like being. Another great call out here to Gary Mitchell and Where No Man Has Gone Before even down to how the first officer is ultimately stopped. 

The pacing of Strange Energies is superb. We're into the action and the twists right from the start and it runs right the way through. There were more than a couple of laugh out loud moments but they tended to be on the more Star Trek in jokes that perhaps more seasoned fans would get. Casual Lower Decks viewers might also find this first episode a little confusing since there are several nods to the events of season one so it would be well worth a quick refresher on those ten episodes. I for one am glad that I've done a run through in the last week or so as there were things I'd clearly forgotten.

With Boimler out of the picture for a good 99% of the episode, Mariner s very much on her own and the way in which the character has turned does suggest that Brad was an anchor to keep her level in the same way Rimmer was for Lister in Red Dwarf. Boimler is her conscience and sensibility an without it Mariner really is out of control. 

This means we also see Tendi and Rutherford paired up again and while it was great, we were told that there would be less of these distinct pairings for season two - but clearly not in episode one. Not that it distracts from the story which is absolutely spot on.

Parodying every time some form of unknown powers crop up, Strange Energies is both poking that little bit of fun at the franchise and an early overused concept plus honouring and hat-tipping to the classics. Lower Decks has dipped a little bit of continuity in here with links to No Small Parts plus a call back to Rutherford’s date from Second Contact but it feels more welcome development than ongoing storyline.  However I’ve been more impressed that it has, for the most part, stayed away from overly huge story arcs that have pervaded Discovery and Picard. Yet, these are early days and there’s no certainty that season two won’t start to build on Lower Decks’ place in the galaxy. 

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ALSO check out our full set of season one reviews HERE!

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