Lower Decks: Caves

In its latest episode, Star Trek: Lower Decks jettisoned many elements (the senior officers, the season-long story about the "mystery ship," T'Lyn) to focus specifically on how the promotions of the lower deckers has affected their friendship. Well, that, and the fact that "one-third" of all Star Trek missions take place in caves.

Mariner, Boimer, Rutherford, and Tendi become trapped in a cave while on an away mission, leading them to recount tales of other cave-bound missions. Boimer remembers being trapped with conspiracy-minded Levy. Rutherford tells of being trapped with Dr. T'Ana... and giving birth to an alien child! Mariner confesses to bonding with Delta shift during a cave ordeal. And Tendi just wants to talk about her non-cave story.

I've commented before that I think Lower Decks is at its best when its able to still be a legitimate Star Trek episode even as it's cracking jokes. This episode was that, the best it's been this season. First, they hit every joke about Star Trek's infamous "cave set" that you'd expect -- including the fact that the background is illustrated to look exactly like the set that appeared on multiple series. But then they move on to actually play several of Star Trek's "greatest hits" on the way to a wrap-up that makes a lovely, sentimental point.

Lower Decks has pulled elements from the original animated series before -- including the Vendorians specifically -- but using them here to do a take on the classic "alien morality test" plot line felt especially inspired. And spending time with the previously-mentioned conspiracy theorist Levy yields a bunch of fun jokes both about Star Trek specifically and the "do your own research, man" crowd generally.

"Having a surprise alien baby" is another juicy nugget of Star Trek past; playing that out in a cave, where it can be combined with the classic Horta "its protecting its young" ending, is yet another inspired writing choice. So is playing with the "sudden aging/de-aging" trope, in Mariner's story. And because these are all deliberately recycled plot elements, they very cleverly don't need any more screen time than they get, allowing this episode to be full to the brim without overflowing.

The real writing trick, though, is anchoring it all with Tendi's emotionally genuine story at the end, about recognizing the moment where she "found her people" aboard the Cerritos. It's a feeling so many in the audience will appreciate; I certainly did.

"Caves" is my favorite episode of the season so far. (Yes, even more than the Deep Space Nine cameos.) I give it an A-.