Star Trek: Lower Decks: Hear All, Trust Nothing

September 29, 2022 7:33 AM - Season 3, Episode 6

The crew finds out what they left behind at Deep Space Nine: a huge bar tab at Quark's.

Someday, when I'm awfully low
When the world is cold
I will feel a glow just thinking of you
And the way you look tonight

- Nana Visitor and Armin Shimerman reprise their roles as Kira and Quark, respectively.

- The franchising of Quark's refers to appearances of the bar in other places on other worlds in some of the latter-day Trek series.

- I don't think that there really is such a thing as a "brown hole."

- ...yes, that's your cue. Don't say that I never set you up with a line.

"Tacky Cardassian fascist eyesore."

- Shaxs, about the station

"I've been looking forward to you tearing them a new one. Go destroy them."

- Jennifer to Mariner

"..."

- Morn

Poster's Log:

I'm so damn happy to be back on the station.

The Mistress of the Winter Constellations has done some stuff.

posted by Halloween Jack (23 comments total)

This was so much fun. I really hope this visit to DS9 wasn't a one-off.
posted by mrjohnmuller at 3:07 PM on September 29, 2022 [8 favorites]

I've decided this show is not for me. I think "references as gags" are entirely unfunny. The only thing that made me laugh in this episode (me, a huge fan of DS9) was "just pretend you're in awe of the pylons" recreation of the DS9 opening credits - and that was already in the season trailer! Oh well.
posted by crossoverman at 7:48 PM on September 29, 2022 [1 favorite]

Tendi being all pirate-y with the multi-tool was a lot of fun. They've hinted before at her being more than just a science officer, but I didn't expect her to be into ad hoc dentistry.
posted by fifteen schnitzengruben is my limit at 8:16 PM on September 29, 2022 [7 favorites]

I found that VERY entertaining.
posted by suelac at 10:21 PM on September 29, 2022 [5 favorites]

Yeah I loved this episode completely

The DS9 fan pandering obviously hit me directly in the nostalgia, but they got some great character moments and gags in there too, like Shaxs and Kira’s insistence that the other one one-upped them. The plot felt DS9-y in a way that feels hard to put my finger on, but I liked it.

Also the other guy is basically just the Orion version of Worf then, I guess?
posted by DoctorFedora at 11:05 PM on September 29, 2022 [7 favorites]

One thing Star Trek has always taken on, with varying degrees of success, is the struggle of the visible minority or interracial half-minority between assimilation and embracing their minority identity. Spock struggled with it, Worf struggled with it, lots of characters have. The whole Borg "thing" was about how much we lose when we take those options away, even if we're more productive and effective. It's nice to see Lower Decks nodding at that too. While also nodding at "god it's so scary to meet your girlfriend's friends".

So amused Boimler spent this whole episode getting rich at the craps table and happily settled for a gift card. Love that guy lol
posted by potrzebie at 11:59 PM on September 29, 2022 [13 favorites]

Those first few minutes were fascinating - who steps in when a ship of the line is called to action? Obviously the California class support vessels and probably all those Nebula class that were ostensibly space redshirts (I know statistically it's goldshirts who die most often in TOS, but the concept isn't called goldshirting)

Having not seen the season preview and recently completed what will be my last ever full rewatch of DS9, the pylon circling had me guffawing and rewinding. Almost as good as the cinematic reveal of the Cerritos in "Crisis Point" - and I realise both times it's the music that makes the majesty of the scene.
posted by Molesome at 2:01 AM on September 30, 2022 [4 favorites]

The title of this episode is Ferengi Rule of Acquisition #190, first mentioned at the end of DS9 season 5.

I've decided this show is not for me. I think "references as gags" are entirely unfunny. The only thing that made me laugh in this episode (me, a huge fan of DS9) was "just pretend you're in awe of the pylons"

Not too many episodes of LD have made me laugh less than this one, too. I still loved it, of course, but:
1- Maybe it should have happened in season 2, when the LD style was fresher?
...But it's possible they had difficulties lining up the guest voices.

2- This might be the most careful/reverent that we've yet seen LD poke at Trek's past.
...But that could simply be because DS9 is maybe the least goofy of all Treks?

3- And related to #2, the Karemma are an oddly bland choice for this storyline's antagonist when the Dosi are right there.
...But maybe they really wanted Brian Thompson and he wasn't available.

4- The tiny number of returning characters simply serves as a bittersweet reminder of DS9's finale, which is always difficult (in a good way) to watch.
...But that's not LD's fault.

Still!: a solid outing. Good Hemingway joke, and the B-story was both sweet and funny. "There's no right way to dance it": classic LD.
posted by CheesesOfBrazil at 4:16 AM on September 30, 2022 [3 favorites]

Mariner continues to be awesome, if kind of irresponsible. "Did you know you use way less oxygen when you're unconscious? *phaser stun*"

Also, after this episode I think I might be a little in love with Tendi now. I'm not sure what that says about me.
posted by Mr. Bad Example at 5:02 AM on September 30, 2022 [2 favorites]

Well, thank god Morn is still around, keeping it real.

I enjoyed this one a lot, but there was almost too much going on. They probably could have skipped the scenes with Boimler, since that added the least to the episode. It is great that Mariner and Jennifer (Marinnifer?) are official, but I want there to be a little tension between them because they're both kind of defensive people.

Also, I think I am developing a crush on Tendi. She is the best.
posted by briank at 6:01 AM on September 30, 2022

That's just the Orion Pheromones talking...
posted by Just this guy, y'know at 6:15 AM on September 30, 2022 [6 favorites]

Just keeeeeep circlin'.
posted by kyrademon at 9:45 AM on September 30, 2022 [8 favorites]

Armin Shimerman brought his Quark teeth to the recording booth.
posted by Servo5678 at 1:44 PM on September 30, 2022 [20 favorites]

the Karemma are an oddly bland choice for this storyline's antagonist when the Dosi are right there.

Yeah, that face paint of theirs would be a good choice for animation. (Plus a possible joke when they take it off to show that they usually look pretty drab.) Personally, I hope that they do a DS9 episode once every ensuing season so that we get some more DS9 content in StreamTrek, because it's mostly been missing except for those Quark's mentions.
posted by Halloween Jack at 2:57 PM on September 30, 2022 [1 favorite]

Group shouted greeting, á la Cheers: MORN!
posted by bartleby at 3:02 PM on September 30, 2022 [4 favorites]

Servo5678, I was totally wondering about that! Thanks
posted by potrzebie at 4:48 PM on September 30, 2022 [4 favorites]

Group shouted greeting, á la Cheers: MORN!

And, of course, Morn's name is a reference (and anagram) of Norm from "Cheers".
posted by crossoverman at 4:06 AM on October 1, 2022 [2 favorites]

Servo5678: I was wondering about that, too! He wore them in the read of the fan-written Alone Together, so I figured he was probably wearing them here (and that they're probably integral to Quark's voice).
posted by The Great Big Mulp at 8:12 AM on October 1, 2022 [3 favorites]

Felt the absence of Odo, but it was a great episode.
posted by zadcat at 7:29 AM on October 2, 2022 [4 favorites]

Also, after this episode I think I might be a little in love with Tendi now. I'm not sure what that says about me.

It makes me wonder if there are certain traits that all of our multiversal variants share.
posted by MrBadExample at 10:23 AM on October 2, 2022 [2 favorites]

I had had a week and was pretty distracted when we finally put this episode on this weekend, enough that I was looking at something else and didn't even register the DS9 theme as being out of place when it started playing. Thankfully my wife then paused it to say "they clearly made this episode specifically for you so the least you can do is pay attention to it."
posted by Navelgazer at 12:57 PM on October 3, 2022 [8 favorites]

Also, as a reminder, this is not the first sighting of Morn on Lower Decks (he was also on the Space Station in "An Embarrassment of Dooplers," first almost run over by Mariner and Boimler in the epic car chase, then later passed out at the bar.)
posted by Navelgazer at 9:31 PM on October 5, 2022 [1 favorite]

Oh! And I just realized that Mariner's line about not having "Phaser your friends" on her Bingo card is a reference to the "Enterprise Bingo" played by the ensigns in "Strange New Worlds."
posted by Navelgazer at 9:26 AM on October 7, 2022 [4 favorites]