Lower Decks season 5

[CharlesPhipps]

I really liked the episode for multiple reasons.

1. Jennifer and Mariner broke up obviously but as a multi-arc relationship and Star Trek’s second on-screen queer relationship (barring Jax’s one off), it deserved a conversation. At least IMHO. Jennifer also was a character many of us liked
for being as awful as she was. Plus more Andorians are awesome.
2. Jet becoming worse and more Boimler like while Boimler becoming more Riker-like is a cool arc even if it kind of throws Jet under the bus. Then again, Jet is the kind of guy who probably would do fine in astrometrics or retiring to a science base. I love the Redshirts homage at least. It inspired one of my book series (Space Academy)
3. What do you have to do to be demoted as an Admiral in Starfleet? Visit the Genesis planet? The guy needed to be cashiered.

Refresh my memory please: which guy specifically?

The Admiral who went AWOL in this episode.

[TGLS]

3. What do you have to do to be demoted as an Admiral in Starfleet? Visit the Genesis planet? The guy needed to be cashiered.

I mean, I guess there should have been some punishment for Admiral Kurtz here, but at the same time, Boimler wasn't punished for his (brief) desertion after the admiral won him over (though I can see Ransom and Billips being bros and letting him slide a little). After all, how often do people get punished at all in Star Trek? It usually comes down to fiat.

[Nobody700]

3. What do you have to do to be demoted as an Admiral in Starfleet? Visit the Genesis planet? The guy needed to be cashiered.

I mean, I guess there should have been some punishment for Admiral Kurtz here, but at the same time, Boimler wasn't punished for his (brief) desertion after the admiral won him over (though I can see Ransom and Billips being bros and letting him slide a little). After all, how often do people get punished at all in Star Trek? It usually comes down to fiat.

Starfleet punishments are weird

Kirk breaks the prime directive and gives a primitive planet guns to fight in a proxy war? Not a peep
Sisko gasses a whole planet? Let go
Sisko and the gang stay on DS9 to fight Bajoran militia who legally own the station? Good job there!

Harry Kim has consensual sex with a lady? PUNISHED TO SUCH A DEGREE HE MAY STAY AN ENSIGN FOREVER!
Worf open fires on a ship in the middle of active combat? COURT TO DECIDE IF KLINGONS WILL EXECUTE HIM!
Go to a planet with weird headed guys? EXECUTION!

[MightyDavidson]

3. What do you have to do to be demoted as an Admiral in Starfleet? Visit the Genesis planet? The guy needed to be cashiered.

I mean, I guess there should have been some punishment for Admiral Kurtz here, but at the same time, Boimler wasn't punished for his (brief) desertion after the admiral won him over (though I can see Ransom and Billips being bros and letting him slide a little). After all, how often do people get punished at all in Star Trek? It usually comes down to fiat.

Starfleet punishments are weird

Kirk breaks the prime directive and gives a primitive planet guns to fight in a proxy war? Not a peep
Sisko gasses a whole planet? Let go
Sisko and the gang stay on DS9 to fight Bajoran militia who legally own the station? Good job there!

Harry Kim has consensual sex with a lady? PUNISHED TO SUCH A DEGREE HE MAY STAY AN ENSIGN FOREVER!
Worf open fires on a ship in the middle of active combat? COURT TO DECIDE IF KLINGONS WILL EXECUTE HIM!
Go to a planet with weird headed guys? EXECUTION!

Given that the ship was said to be a civilian one at the time, a court case is hardly unusual. The only weird thing is the claim not being laughed out of court when the Defiant's sensor data punched giant holes in their story. After all a Klingon Bird of Prey is hardly a civilian vessel.

[Nobody700]

3. What do you have to do to be demoted as an Admiral in Starfleet? Visit the Genesis planet? The guy needed to be cashiered.

I mean, I guess there should have been some punishment for Admiral Kurtz here, but at the same time, Boimler wasn't punished for his (brief) desertion after the admiral won him over (though I can see Ransom and Billips being bros and letting him slide a little). After all, how often do people get punished at all in Star Trek? It usually comes down to fiat.

Starfleet punishments are weird

Kirk breaks the prime directive and gives a primitive planet guns to fight in a proxy war? Not a peep
Sisko gasses a whole planet? Let go
Sisko and the gang stay on DS9 to fight Bajoran militia who legally own the station? Good job there!

Harry Kim has consensual sex with a lady? PUNISHED TO SUCH A DEGREE HE MAY STAY AN ENSIGN FOREVER!
Worf open fires on a ship in the middle of active combat? COURT TO DECIDE IF KLINGONS WILL EXECUTE HIM!
Go to a planet with weird headed guys? EXECUTION!

Given that the ship was said to be a civilian one at the time, a court case is hardly unusual. The only weird thing is the claim not being laughed out of court when the Defiant's sensor data punched giant holes in their story. After all a Klingon Bird of Prey is hardly a civilian vessel.

The fact the civilian ship came INTO a battle, cloaked and than decloaked... honestly, who knows what it was doing there. Theirs a fan theory that the Federation only did this to throw Worf under the bus so the Klingons could come back as an ally. I don't agree, but like... Sisko comes off super weird in his rant to Worf at the end, and I LOVE Sisko, he's awesome and one of the best written characters in Trek. But I refuse to believe HE'D ever say that, after shit he did at THAT point. Picard, and even Kirk, I can buy. But Sisko? No way.

[Fuzzy Necromancer]

Loved the closure on the Beckiffer ship and wow, Jennifer is MESSED UP. That's some next level mind games.

Also loving the progression of Boimler's shitty little beard.

[Nealithi]

The fact the civilian ship came INTO a battle, cloaked and than decloaked... honestly, who knows what it was doing there. Theirs a fan theory that the Federation only did this to throw Worf under the bus so the Klingons could come back as an ally. I don't agree, but like... Sisko comes off super weird in his rant to Worf at the end, and I LOVE Sisko, he's awesome and one of the best written characters in Trek. But I refuse to believe HE'D ever say that, after shit he did at THAT point. Picard, and even Kirk, I can buy. But Sisko? No way.

I kinda think Sisko's talking to Worf was less a don't shoot civilians. And more, don't be so predictable that you can be setup so easily. The klingons had deliberately made an attack pattern then sent in the 'innocent' ship knowing Worf would spot the pattern and shoot.

[Durandal_1707]

I get that they couldn't actually use the Katamari Damacy theme due to copyright, but they should have at least worked a few "na na na"s into the music when that giant By Any Other Name thing was rolling around collecting everything in the city

[MightyDavidson]

The fact the civilian ship came INTO a battle, cloaked and than decloaked... honestly, who knows what it was doing there. Theirs a fan theory that the Federation only did this to throw Worf under the bus so the Klingons could come back as an ally. I don't agree, but like... Sisko comes off super weird in his rant to Worf at the end, and I LOVE Sisko, he's awesome and one of the best written characters in Trek. But I refuse to believe HE'D ever say that, after shit he did at THAT point. Picard, and even Kirk, I can buy. But Sisko? No way.

I kinda think Sisko's talking to Worf was less a don't shoot civilians. And more, don't be so predictable that you can be setup so easily. The klingons had deliberately made an attack pattern then sent in the 'innocent' ship knowing Worf would spot the pattern and shoot.

And their scam was so patently transparent that it ought to have been laughed out of court in a couple minutes. The only way it could have been more obvious is if the Klingon lawyer walked in carrying a neon sign with FALSE FLAG OPERATION emblazoned on it. I mean sensor data alone would've made it clear that it wasn't a civilian vessel.

I mean okay I get what the episode was trying to do and it did have good moments, but I don't think it set up the conflict of the story terribly well.

[CharlesPhipps]

And their scam was so patently transparent that it ought to have been laughed out of court in a couple minutes. The only way it could have been more obvious is if the Klingon lawyer walked in carrying a neon sign with FALSE FLAG OPERATION emblazoned on it. I mean sensor data alone would've made it clear that it wasn't a civilian vessel.

I mean okay I get what the episode was trying to do and it did have good moments, but I don't think it set up the conflict of the story terribly well.

Starfleet is like that Good Place line on negotiation by Ted Danson, "I will give them everything they want and then they'll have to respect me."