Beam us up and away from spoilers. This text discusses main plot developments from the newest episode of “Star Trek: Decrease Decks.”
“Decrease Decks” has been getting a complete lot of mileage out of alternate universe antics throughout its fifth and remaining season, beginning with the premiere episode that threw our Cerritos crewmembers alongside their mirror selves and kickstarted Ensign Boimler’s (Jack Quaid) obsession with rising out that fugly-looking facial hair. That sample continues in episode 7, titled “Totally Dilated.” The motion kicks off when Boimler and Rutherford (Eugene Cordero) clumsily drop their obnoxious martinis everywhere in the delicate transporter controls, dooming the away staff to months (if not years) on the floor of a close-by planet presently present process extreme time dilation. Whereas Ensigns Mariner (Tawny Newsome), Tendi (Noël Wells), and T’Lyn (Gabrielle Ruiz) are trapped indefinitely, they proceed to research the rationale they launched into the mission within the first place: a purple-colored, alternate universe model of the Enterprise-D crossed over into this actuality, inadvertently left behind some mysterious tech, and returned via the space-time fissure.
It is right here the place our staff encounters maybe the most important cameo in all of “Decrease Decks” — Brent Spiner reprising his fan-favorite function because the android Information. This return is hardly a monumental one when wanting on the massive image of the franchise, contemplating that the actor performed Information as lately as the ultimate season of “Picard,” however it’s actually a giant deal that the animated collection stays dedicated to going out with a bang. And, in fact, Trekkies at all times have a tendency to reply enthusiastically each time a beloved solid member decides to lend their abilities to a different iteration of “Trek.”
This time, followers will inevitably be abuzz over the return of Spiner as Information — alternate universe, purple, and disembodied although he could also be.
How Decrease Decks introduced Information into the combo
Thank goodness for space-time fissures. “Star Trek” has returned to this sci-fi properly numerous occasions over the course of the franchise to make method for all kinds of alternate universe hijinks, and “Decrease Decks” lampoons this trope another time for good measure. The tip outcome, after handwaving away the particulars of precisely how a purple-colored Enterprise-D appeared of their universe within the first place (it has one thing to do with Tasha Yar and evil clones, apparently), is a cameo look by Information and the newest crossover between the animated collection and one of the vital well-liked “Trek” exhibits ever.
And, as at all times, Information’s mere presence provides loads of logic and humor to the episode. The shuttlecraft crash that stranded Information on this planet has additionally left him with no functioning physique, form of like Michael Fassbender’s artificial David within the remaining act of “Prometheus.” Fortunately, Tendi finds him buried within the wreckage and promptly takes him again to their hideout to see if she will be able to deliver him again to life. When she lastly wakes him up, he rapidly adjusts to his uncommon scenario (this is not the primary time he is solely been only a head earlier than, a sly reference to the “Subsequent Technology” episode “Time’s Arrow”) and provides his assist to Tendi for her desired promotion to science officer — a noble ambition that Information is properly acquainted with himself.
It is simply the newest instance of the “Decrease Decks” writers discovering a neat and healthful method to usher in immensely well-liked figures from “Trek” canon and have them affect these newer characters. On any given week, we simply by no means know who would possibly pop up subsequent — from making jokes about Robert Duncan McNeill as Tom Paris/Nick Locarno to canonizing Miles O’Brien (Colm Meany) as an important individual in historical past. And, for another episode, the collection gave viewers one other pleasant journey with Brent Spiner and Information.
New episodes of “Star Trek: Decrease Decks” premiere Thursdays on Paramount+.
