If you buy only one physical media set of an animated sitcom action-adventure sci-fi streaming-service series that parodies a franchise that is stronger than ever nearly 70 years after the OS premiere (and that has the enthusiastic support of the keepers of the flame) make it either the July 12, 2022 CBSHE Blu-ray or DVD release of the Paramount Plus series "Star Trek: Lower Decks" S2. This one exceeds the "one more" test by prompting outrage regarding this season not having more than 10 episodes. Today is a good day to become a sofa spud.
The better news is that Paramount Plus is premiering S3 on August 12, 2022.
Much of this not-so-youthful enthusiasm for this release is due to the talent of "Lower Decks" creator Mike McMahan. This guy who out Kevin Smiths Silent Bob astonishingly amps up the irreverent sci-fi humor of his must-see animated series "Rick and Morty." That cult classic does to for the "Back to the Future" franchise what "Lower Decks" does for "Trek."
Although your not-so-humble reviewer is very happy with his review DVD copy that he watched on a Sony 4K player on a Sony Bravia set, the motion-picture quality video and audio support buying the Blu-ray set. This also makes one wonder why CBSHE did not release a 4K version.
On the subject of sound, the home-video special feature "A Sound Foundation" evokes memories of a similar version that UPN ran during the original broadcast era of "Star Trek: Voyager." A scene that compared a "Voyager" door silently sliding open and then doing the same accompanied by the sound that is very familiar to Trekkies and Trekkers alike illustrates the importance of that enhanced production value.
Other outlets consistently praising S2 for being even better than S1 validate that belief by your not-so-humble reviewer. Each episode so expertly blends "Trek" references, "Dilbert in Space" elements regarding the woes of those on the bottom of the corporate food chain, and clever variations of tried-and-true sitcom tropes that doing the season justice within the confines of this site is virtually impossible. Not even trying to fully address the perfection of S2 is apt regarding the half-assed attitude of our lovable lower decks losers.
The following S2 trailer nicely conveys the above. The infectious elan of the second-tier peons who keep their second-tier support ship operating will make you laugh and cheer.
An aptly obscure reference to "Lower Decks" is to the 2014 Fox failedcom "Enlisted." That one focused on a group of misfits doing the grunge work at a Florida army base that supported high-profile overseas combat heroes. Our main doofus with a heart-of-latinum is Brad Boimier, who is voiced by Jack Quaid. The art-imitates-life aspect of this is that Jack is the son of one-time matinee idol Dennis Quaid.
S2 starts out strong with "Trek" god Jonathan Frakes voicing Star Fleet god Riker in an episode that has Boimier serving on the ship of that space stud. Very true to the hilarious fanboy hero-worship personality of Boimier, he takes a WWWRD approach to extricating himself from a perilous situation. This leads to realizing that where there is a Will there is a way. In true "Lower Decks" style, this direct homage to "Star Trek: The Next Generation" leads to a wonderfully cynical outcome.
The TNG homage continues with S2E2. This one finds the universal translator that allows natives of scores of planets to communicate not being so universal. New crew member Kayshon has a hilariously frustrating time conversing with his new crew. Team McMahan doubles down by having this newbie discover that he is no more than a Star Fleet puppet.
The next episode revolves around Boimier finding that he don't get no respect on his return to support ship U.S.S. Cerritos. This time, he is geeking out over an impending visit by defiant (of course, pun intended) "Voyager" stud Tom Paris. Paris portrayor Robert Duncan McNeill joins Frakes in fully embracing the "Lower Decks" spirit. Borrowing from another legendary sci-fi franchise, this episode illustrates that the McNeil with one "l" is the one with no sense of humor.
S2 E5 turns its humor phaser on the OS by expertly parodying a classic episode, which receives similar love in a "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" episode, of that series. Instead of having trouble with tribbles, the Cerrritos crew is overrun with a rapidly growing population of duplicates of an uber-whiny alien. McMahan chooses wisely by having Richard Kind voice this animated version of the well-known Kind persona.
S2 E6 indisputably includes the most humorous S2 scene. The element of Boimier ditching his "crew" to hang with the "cool kids" already provides strong laughs. This leads to the predictable sitcom lesson that Boimier is more compatible with the "junior varsity." Sublime hilarity ensues when our ensigns use future tech to hilariously verbally pulverize one of the most odd villains of all "Trek" lore. This TNG big bad is at the center of indisputably one of the top 10 episodes of that seven-season (and four movies) series that literally launched Troi and figuratively 1,000 ships. The rest of this story is that this episode is the first that shows that any star of any series is a red shirt.
The "and the rest" S2 "Trek" moments include having a crew member transform into a god, giving us a look at the lower decks of Klingon and Vulcan ships, and having Boimier fully channel his inner toddler by organizing his version of "Captain Picard Day" from TNG. Team McMahan also includes a car chase that is straight out of the 1996 Arthur Hiller film "Carpool."
The bottom line this time is that resistance to the timeless humor of "Lower Decks" is futile. Folks already assimilated into the "Trek" 'verse will be giddy, and "virgins" will gleefully join our collective.
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