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Star Trek: Lower Decks - Season 1 |OT| The Final Space Frontier
- Thread starter Spectromixer
- Start date
- OT
Rutheford's moments were the best part of the episode just like in the first one and the Janeway Protocol line was nice but you have your standards set way too low.
You can't say it has no heart especially when the first episode someone breaks protocols to help indigenous people in need and in the latest episode one of the characters intentionally makes themselves look stupid in order to bolster the self-esteem of crewmate. Plus all the senior chain of command being accommodating of Rutherford changing his mind each time. Cmon now.
Yeah, between Mariner not actually being a terrible person and all the senior crew basically encouraging Rutherford to find himself every time he decides to quit a ship discipline, it's actually a pretty wholesome and nice environment. I really appreciate Mariner having a chat with her actually-totally-normal Ferengi friend at the end of the episode, it honestly made me feel a lot better after the terrible Ferengi stereotyping earlier.
re: Janeway Protocol, I watched that section again and I think either I'm dumb or the editing is weird; probably a bit of both. I didn't get the joke because Rutherford's all "let's use the Janeway Protocol" and the crew's like "are you sure" and then he says "uhh... yes?" and then IMMEDIATELY afterwards the whole ship is on fire and it's not even clear the crew executed his order, so I was like "wait did they even do the Janeway Protocol also what the hell is it."
Based on other articles speculating on what the Janeway Protocol is, I actually think Tukarrs had the right idea and also no one reviewing the show remembers that line. I definitely didn't, and only after looking up the line and watching the video does it make sense. The whole "there's a tiny asteroid RIGHT IN FRONT OF US" seems like a really big flag in hindsight, but only if you remember that random line from the Voyager's PILOT episode. (It probably lands a lot better for people who've rewatched the series lately.)
I feel like just a single quick edit of someone putting in a helm command would've made this work a lot better, even if you don't know what the Janeway Protocol is. On the other hand, this is not the first time I've been in a Star Trek thread complaining about some random minor inconsistency or missed explanation, only for someone to remind me that actually they fully explained the thing I was complaining about and I just missed it because I'm a dumbass. So I'll probably just take the L here, since everyone else got the joke just fine.
And that's it for another episode of "chrominance Totally Ruins a Joke Through Overanalysis," see you all next week!
re: Janeway Protocol, I watched that section again and I think either I'm dumb or the editing is weird; probably a bit of both. I didn't get the joke because Rutherford's all "let's use the Janeway Protocol" and the crew's like "are you sure" and then he says "uhh... yes?" and then IMMEDIATELY afterwards the whole ship is on fire and it's not even clear the crew executed his order, so I was like "wait did they even do the Janeway Protocol also what the hell is it."
Based on other articles speculating on what the Janeway Protocol is, I actually think Tukarrs had the right idea and also no one reviewing the show remembers that line. I definitely didn't, and only after looking up the line and watching the video does it make sense. The whole "there's a tiny asteroid RIGHT IN FRONT OF US" seems like a really big flag in hindsight, but only if you remember that random line from the Voyager's PILOT episode. (It probably lands a lot better for people who've rewatched the series lately.)
I feel like just a single quick edit of someone putting in a helm command would've made this work a lot better, even if you don't know what the Janeway Protocol is. On the other hand, this is not the first time I've been in a Star Trek thread complaining about some random minor inconsistency or missed explanation, only for someone to remind me that actually they fully explained the thing I was complaining about and I just missed it because I'm a dumbass. So I'll probably just take the L here, since everyone else got the joke just fine.
And that's it for another episode of "chrominance Totally Ruins a Joke Through Overanalysis," see you all next week!
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well if you want to think about the in-story dynamic of the events probably calling the protocol resulted into the ship ramming the asteroid, but the joke was pretty self-explanatory in Janeway's being infamous for many questionable choices ranging from the highly destructive to ridiculously immoral without ironing out all the details
Yeah the Janeway joke was confusing for me too. Like it was probably something in the vein of "being overly aggressive with regard to the current situation", but like you said it wasn't clear if the crew actually had time to implement the Janeway protocol - so what exactly was it? Just kinda fell flat for me.
In the simulation, the Janeway Protocol seemed to specifically result in the ejection of the kindergarten areas.
Perhaps it's the purpose of the protocol is to perform a 'safe' emergency ejection of civilians/children in a no win-scenario that would result in the destruction of the ship.
Thus the first scenario, this would hopefully save the children etc from the temporal rift thingy.
However in the second scenario, perhaps those areas were ejected directly into the asteroid, resulting in their simulated deaths before ultimately also destroying the ship.
Perhaps it's the purpose of the protocol is to perform a 'safe' emergency ejection of civilians/children in a no win-scenario that would result in the destruction of the ship.
Thus the first scenario, this would hopefully save the children etc from the temporal rift thingy.
However in the second scenario, perhaps those areas were ejected directly into the asteroid, resulting in their simulated deaths before ultimately also destroying the ship.
Ransom then says that's never happened before in 1000 simulations. That's the joke, Rotherford is so unsuited to any other role than engineering that even when provided with the solution he still messes it up - the protocol is unknowable.
<Rutherford using the simplest of commands destroys the ship>
Ransom - "Hey next time just use the Janeway Protocol"
Rutherford says "What's that?"
Ransom "ha good one!"
Rutherford "Use the Janeway Protocol"
<still ends in choas (Kindergarden being ejected into space) even though he was given the answer>
<Rutherford using the simplest of commands destroys the ship>
Ransom - "Hey next time just use the Janeway Protocol"
Rutherford says "What's that?"
Ransom "ha good one!"
Rutherford "Use the Janeway Protocol"
<still ends in choas (Kindergarden being ejected into space) even though he was given the answer>
the Janeway Protocol was specifically for the scenario in the previous simulation
Ah I must have missed that, it's been a long week lol. But still doesn't alter my main point. The joke isn't the protocol, it's that he messed up again. The edit is an intentional smash cut I reckon as when the person asks him if he's sure he says... yes even though he has no clue what the protocol is, and then it results in chaos. It is intended to emphasis that it was the wrong thing to do.
What it actually is could be anything, Voyager had those episodes where they went back to the 1990s, then there's the stuff in finale with the klingon time crystals (but then that timeline was technically wiped out cos this is set after they got home).
As noted in a post above i think this is the correct source of the Janeway Protocol (Episode Parallax)
The old Star Trek cartoon is way funnier than anything I've seen in the new one yet.
Probably. But I think the confusion means the joke probably could've been executed better.
Also the casualness with which Ransom brings up the Janeway protocol maybe ruins the fan theory that Janeway killed his dad.
I thought they were alluding to a reset like what would happen regularly in voyager. Year of hell etc.
There's literally no clue as to what it could be, and that's so that people will speculate what the Janeway protocol is. They set it up with Ransom not telling Rutherford (and the audience).
Yeah the joke is that Rutherford messed it up regardless, first by maintain course when he obviously should have done the janeway protocol (or literally anything else lol) and then by using the over the top janeway protocol (regardless of what it actually is) in a basic scenario as an asteroid.
OP
OP
Pretty on the mark for a cartoon for 10 year olds.The old Star Trek cartoon is way funnier than anything I've seen in the new one yet.
It wasn't!
Although there was less of a focus on romance or sexy stuff, the animated series was always intended to be for all ages. Most of the episodes were written by the show's normal writers.
Either way, I would have preferred they went with the Sealab 2021 or Venture Bros approach.
Problem was, it wasn't supposed to be.The old Star Trek cartoon is way funnier than anything I've seen in the new one yet.
The shape shifter in the bar was also the kind of shape shifter that was seen in Star Trek: The Animated Series (as opposed to the more popular DS9 "Changeling", or that one girl who was into Wesley, and her nanny who was into Worf, or the supermodel Iman from Star Trek VI).one episode later
😻
Edit: This one.
This is where I'm at. Hopefully Rutherford and Tendi have more of a focus in future episodes.
Honestly my biggest bugbear with this episode is that it feels either... too soon, or that it somehow should have come before the pilot? Like, Boimler having a brief crisis of faith on whether or not he's cut out for Starfleet, immediately after an episode questioning whether or not Mariner was a good fit for Starfleet just felt... odd. Like, if anything, that would be the premise to start the series on, with total ensign newbie running face-first into the 'real world' and all, when implicitly he was supposed to have been decent enough for the Captain to even bother with him previously.
Otherwise... yeah, serviceable episode, works better to simply have the absurdist angle on the mundanities of the universe. Boimler breaking down about how he'd be better off dying and making a final log after some stock incident breaks out had me snickering.
Otherwise... yeah, serviceable episode, works better to simply have the absurdist angle on the mundanities of the universe. Boimler breaking down about how he'd be better off dying and making a final log after some stock incident breaks out had me snickering.
I'm rewatching it now and Boimler's line about "Its to conserve energy, Section 31 does this" is just a fun little bit of worldbuilding. Like it implies the existence of an article he's totally read called "11 Top Techniques to Optimize Your Way Up the Command Path" or something
It's certainly been better than that dreadful trailer made it seem like, but I'm not all that amused. It's like a 5/10 for me right now; easily my least favorite modern Trek production. But in fairness, this sort of "genre" has never done much for me.
I'll keep watching. But I probably won't comment much in here. I don't want to overwhelm the thread with negativity if my mind doesn't change.
I'll keep watching. But I probably won't comment much in here. I don't want to overwhelm the thread with negativity if my mind doesn't change.
My initial impression, personally, is that Star Trek fans would not like this as it's a bit of a change in tone, and it wouldn't drag any new fans into the franchise. However, seeing the reaction in this thread from people who like Star Trek, let's see how this goes. If it's actually good, it will be amazing, but if they've misjudged it and it's a bit rubbish, it's going to really seen with some disdain. It's a bold move, though. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
I mean the flip side is that (some) Trek fans pretty much see Galaxy Quest and to a lesser extent The Orville as honorary Trek shows, so it's not that there's anything necessarily working against a comedy. And for better or for worse, this show is the closest we've gotten to "old" Star Trek since Enterprise went off the air.
Yeah, so far this is the closest we've had in terms of episodic, 'everyday' adventures, even at two episodes in.
What if one of them is actually the chosen one and there's a dark season-long plot full of unanswered questions and mysteries? lol
I'm not unwilling to try this later but it lost me basically in the first five minutes. I'm all for things being a little amped up for comedy sakes but it felt like some of these characters belonged in a totally different universe.
It'd be different if they were incompetent and likable but obnoxious and incompetent is a bit too much for me. Also I'm not a fan of the super-bro-y officers and of the smarmy officer who tells the new girl to "Move It Along, Lower Decks." It'd be nice if they attempted to mine comedy from the difference between the uptight seriousness of Starfleet and the weirdo ensigns instead of it making everyone a caricature.
It'd be different if they were incompetent and likable but obnoxious and incompetent is a bit too much for me. Also I'm not a fan of the super-bro-y officers and of the smarmy officer who tells the new girl to "Move It Along, Lower Decks." It'd be nice if they attempted to mine comedy from the difference between the uptight seriousness of Starfleet and the weirdo ensigns instead of it making everyone a caricature.
I'd say at least watch episode 2, it calms down from the opener.
Episode 2 is better, as noted above. But if you tune out the command ensigns Mariner and Boimler a little bit and focus on Rutherford and Tendi, it becomes a much better show almost immediately.
Because Alex Kurtzman is now in charge of everything. You know, one of the geniuses behind the reboot original series films.
I don't have much to say other than I am thoroughly enjoying the show and I'm glad there's already a second season coming cause this is so much better than the boring pointless garbage that was Picard.
yeah i'm really enjoying it a lot more than PIC or DiscoI don't have much to say other than I am thoroughly enjoying the show and I'm glad there's already a second season coming cause this is so much better than the boring pointless garbage that was Picard.
episode three is the best yet
The Cat Doctor reminds me most of Pulaski
I'm seriously expecting Cat Doctor to be pen pals or something with Pulaski.
Like the two of them are actually legendary trouble twins whenever they get together.
Like the two of them are actually legendary trouble twins whenever they get together.