Last week on Star Trek: Lower Decks, we caught up with ensign Peanut Hamper to see what she was up to after she abandoned the USS Cerritos in its time of need. On the most recent episode, we have yet another call back to the first season.
In “Crisis Point 2: Paradoxus,” we return to Boimler’s holodeck program allowing the young ensigns to live out a cinematic experience as fictional members of Starfleet. In the middle of their simulation, Brad gets called into Commander Ransom’s office and hears some disheartening news. He is so affected, that he goes off script into his own adventure.
The episode suffers from airing the week after “A Mathematically Perfect Redemption” because it also references events from season one. The nostalgia factor isn’t as effective the second time around considering they run back-to-back. It makes it difficult not to compare the two despite they each have a different feel. In addition, Peanut Hamper has an entire arc she goes through while here, the use of Crisis Point is more a device used to explore Boimler’s psychological state rather than receiving any development itself.
This week’s Lower Decks also spends much of the time wandering with no clear destination or direction. Boimler and Mariner aimlessly go about searching for meaning while Tendi and Rutherford chase after a MacGuffin. There is a lot of activity and constant movement but it lacks depth and real purpose most of the time. It’s the equivalent of having an episode filled with a bunch of car chases and not much else.
On the bright side, we continue to see how bad ass Tendi can be. After watching her take control on Deep Space Nine, it’s no surprise that she can seamlessly fit into a leadership role. She is made of fine captain material and would be a welcome addition to the legacy of Star Trek after a full career next to the likes of Kirk, Picard and Janeway.
There is some potential in the ending reveal and it feels it’s the beginning of a significant storyline on Star Trek: Lower Decks. However, the way it is introduced makes it seem like a joke and the overall lackluster execution of the episode takes away from the moment as well. What should be an intriguing development is met with apathy instead.
“Crisis Point 2: Paradoxus” stumbles in trying to recreate the season one magic. Not even a surprise ending can compensate for a meandering and shallow episode.
New episodes of Star Trek: Lower Decks are released Thursdays on Paramount+.
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