This is the same guy who directed the Black Mirror’s Star Trek homage episode “USS Callistor”

I honestly think that Lower Decks has the potential to be the longest running Star Trek show.

I assume they are cheaper to produce than the live action shows so less risk for the executives but still decent return on investment.

I would love for them to do a cross over show again but Roger Rabbit style.

I would love for my food metaphors to come back

The title is a play on the TNG episode “The Inner Light”

But why? I don’t see a storyline connection/similarly between this episode and “The Inner Light”.

I think the episode is just about Mariner’s inner fight about being in Starfleet, and the similarity in title is just coincidental.

Mariner always has the funniest way of being annoyed or angry

Currently weighing up whether to get my partner to watch First Duty and Lower Decks before we watch it together later.

Both. The answer to that is both. Two of the finest TNG episodes.

This was actually funny (unlike the previous ones which were quite cringey).

T’Lyn’s voice always reminds me of the Alexa or Google Home, and it’s hilarious.

Also relevant: When Kate Mulgrew surprised everyone at an AOC campaign speech before she got elected.

I have a Volante Next Gen-style Trek jacket. It’s awesome, high quality. It’s subtle enough that non-Trekkies don’t notice other than it being nice-looking, but Trekkies will recognize its homage to TNG. I’ve been stopped on the street multiple times already by random Trekkies asking me where I got it, lol.

It’s really expensive though (315 USD)

In between the first watch earlier this week and a rewatch tonight, I’ve listening to and humming the songs over and over again. I don’t know why people say the songs aren’t catchy. “Status Report” is sooo catchy, and it even has a little reprise with the “Apologies” at the beginning of the “Private Conversation” which is also very catchy actually.

“How Would That Feel” is beautifully rendered. I’ve started to listen to other Christina Chong’s songs now, and they are pretty good (listen to her “Twin Flames”).

Also, in the last seconds of the episode we had Uhura humming a theme. The closed caption says “Uhura humming ‘Keep us connected’”, which I believe is incorrect. She is humming the opening of Chapel’s “I am Ready” and Spock’s “I am the X”, not Uhura’s “Keep us Connected”.

YouTube Music Link

She has written a heart-wrenched, tragic letter about this experience and grief. It was very moving/difficult to read and gained me a lot of respect for her:

https://www.talkhouse.com/an-actor-a-helmsman-and-my-brian-boldly-going-where-no-widow-has-gone-before/

Can confirm that it’s unavailable for me in the US as well, but if you VPN somewhere else, you can play it back.

Given that the subspace rhapsody spread to many other ships in the area, they could do a parallel episode from the point of another the ship, say the Farragut but it won’t be the same primary cast.

Gooding and Chong came from musical theatre though.

This is one of the Elle Cordova Technobabble songs being referred to for the uninitiated. It’s pretty funny.

If you watch the entire “The Ready Room” episode on this, you’ll also have Wil Wheaton sing his intro speech for a bit.

This week’s barrage of show tunes kind of makes sense, given that this is a series that, Mr Benn-style, has been trying on a different genre every week.

I think this is one of the reasons SNW is so good.

The pick ’n’ mix approach of Strange New Worlds is a welcome palate cleanser, even if it means any overarching story arcs seem rather secondary.

And that is totally fine and even welcome!