itt we talk about STAR TREK: LOWER DECKS. No, the cartoon.

sorry for non-use of spoiler tags above, i think i felt it was a “check in when you’ve seen the ep” vibe but see everyone else is being far more discreet - hope nobody had their experience messed up

I wonder if this is vindication for the writer of the original lower decks episode who got shafted out of Locarno money because of Voyager's cynical "this Tom Paris guy, he's totally different from Nicky, well only different enough so we don't have to pay $5 an episode." - different guys, Locarno was in Cito's previous episode (the writers of which were made madder by the lower decks episode, because it game Sito a redemption, while Locarno's irredeemable nature was the "reason" given for why they had to create a new character)

Ferenghi putting a paywall on a bomb = chef's kiss.

I truly don't enjoy being Debbie Downer on all the Star Trek stuff but while I really love that Lower Decks getting more ambitious I found both the resolution of this and Freeman's big "going against Starfleet" moment very unTrek.

I'm never going to be sympathetic to a storyline where the villain is the person pointing out the system is rotten, but even within that: it's made clear Locarno is an egotistical asshole, ok, but he's not even launching an attack on anyone, just staking out a territory for his group and using a deterrent - we don't even get to see any potential inhabitants he might be colonizing. I appreciate Mariner does everything possible for him not to get killed, but it still feels like there should've been at least a little "both sides"ing suggesting that maybe some of these young officers of various regimes, some of them p absolutist, might have a point? And the big "fuck yeah, she's going against starfleet" moment is severely undercut by Starfleet's actual concerns being that people might die.

I had a good time an' all, don't get me wrong.

I think the thumb is already on the scales there tbh - Locarno is the guy who leads kids astray.

Lower Decks seems more about being fan commentary about Trek than earnestly inhabiting it which oddly out of all the nu-Trek series, the cancelled kids show seemed to be the most serious (and successful!) about carrying the optimistic humanism of Trek/Federation banner.

Also, was Wil Wheaton deliberately doing a Morty impression as Cadet Crusher?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3sHSDkxivvo

Talking loud and fast is just an animation thing, apparently!

Frakes asked me, “Do you change your voices for the animated show?” And I was like, “No, we yell and we talk fast and it’s just how animation works.” You don’t have your face and body to emote with so you have to do so much more, there’s just so much more energy and effort that has to go into your voice.

https://trekmovie.com/2023/11/29/interview-tawny-newsome-on-mariners-growth-in-lower-decks-season-5-wants-more-star-trek-crossovers/

Seeing how Tawny Newsome delivered rapid-fire Mariner dialogue was one of the things I was curious about the live-action episode.

Also, that quote sound a lot like the story Kristen Schaal related about when Kevin Kline showed up for the first time to record his lines on Bob’s Burgers and was talking about doing a vocal warm-up or prep. Schaal and Eugene Mirman just responded “what? No! We just yell at scream at each other!”

fifth season will be its last

Ugh, sad.

bummertown usa