![]() ![]() So, it’s Jack Ransom ( Jerry O’Connell) who gets to supervise Mariner for the foreseeable future. “We hope you make a ‘first contact’… with fun!”įreeman, exasperated by Mariner’s continued unfiltered service in Starfleet, determines her daughter can no longer be under the supervision of her mother. Thus, Freeman is cleared of her crime, but it’s not exactly a happy ending for Mariner. A team of stealthy investigators, led by Captain Morgan Bateson (unvoiced here, but played by Kelsey Grammar in the TNG episode “Cause and Effect”) and involving Tuvok (unvoiced here, but played by Tim Russ in Star Trek: Voyager), determined it was the Pakleds who destroyed their own planet to try and get the Federation to relocate them to a more resource-rich planet. Normally, we might think Starfleet “investigating” the trial of a beloved captain would be detrimental to the captain (think of TNG’s “The Drumhead”), but in this case, Starfleet actually pulled through for Freeman. You see, while the Freeman trial was ongoing, Starfleet was investigating the destruction of the Pakled planet. Much to the ensigns’ surprise, it’s Freeman and the rest of the senior officers who return to greet the rebellious ensigns, and what follows is a prime example of how this show tries to subvert audience expectations. After unsuccessfully trying to leave her friends behind to protect their innocence, she tries to steal the Cerritos to venture off and gather more evidence that would help her mom, but Starfleet ultimately catches up with the wayward ship. ![]() Onboard the Cerritos, the proof that Mariner was hoping would prove her mother’s innocence – Biomler’s re-recorded versions of the senior officers’ logs – turns out to be useless (for reasons we won’t spoil here), and Mariner gets a bit desperate. Zefram Cochrane as the Phoenix launches into space. Oh, before I forget… Let’s rock and roll!” “All right, buckos, prepare for your trek amongst the stars. Mariner and Rutherford with Zefram Cochrane aboard a replica of the Phoenix ![]() The ensigns’ visit to Montana showcases this show’s deep knowledge of its lineage, and will surely put a smile on the face of anyone who knows and love this classic TNG movie. What follows is a hearty and hilarious tribute to Star Trek: First Contact, complete with plenty of imagery and music from that movie, and a guest appearance from the legendary James Cromwell as a tour-guide version of Zefram Cochrane. So, they play the role of tourists and travel to Bozeman, Montana – the site of the historic first contact between humans and Vulcans – to steal a replica of the Phoenix and get off Earth that way. Thanks to a migrating mass of verugament (space bugs) moving through Earth’s space, and thanks to their grounded status, the ensigns can’t just beam or take a shuttle to the drydock where the Cerritos is being repaired. Sam Rutherford (Eugene Cordero) and D’Vana Tendi (Noel Wells) are traveling together and visiting Sisko’s Creole Kitchen (as seen in Deep Space Nine), but their time in New Orleans is cut short when Mariner, with a recently recruited Boimler, shows up and the crew hatches a plan to get on board the Cerritos to try and prove Freeman’s innocence. Brad Boimler ( Jack Quaid), hilariously, is tending to his family’s raisin vineyard, where he inexplicitly is a ladies’ magnet as he tends to the raisins. Mariner enlists the aid of her fellow ensigns, who are spending time on Earth in their own way. Mariner visits Boimler at his family’s raisin vineyard With the Cerritos in drydock after the explosive second season finale and the crew killing time on Earth, for the time being, Mariner isn’t content with waiting around while her mother is on trial. It’s a serious charge, indeed, but one of Freeman’s crew, including her daughter, Beckett Mariner ( Tawny Newsome) knows can’t be true. The second season ended with Captain Freeman ( Dawnn Lewis) arrested for supposedly destroying the Pakled’s homeworld. But how do you follow up on a fantastic season finale that showcases how and why this show works so well? The answer: “Grounded.” This season three premiere returns to the same level of quality, heart, self-reflexive humor, and deep respect for the Star Trek franchise that this show is known for, and we’re so happy Lower Decks is back. Review Star Trek: Lower Decks Season 3 Episode 1 “Grounded”Īfter knocking its second season out of the park, Star Trek: Lower Decks returns for its third outing. ![]()
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