Star Trek: Lower Decks
"Something Borrowed, Something Green"
Air date: 9/21/2023
Written by Grace Parra Janney
Directed by Bob Suarez
Review by Jamahl Epsicokhan
"Something Borrowed, Something Green" opens with an Orion support ship being destroyed by the powerful Mystery Vessel that attacked the Klingons and Romulans in the season's first two episodes. It's a scene that's exactly as the other two were — completely divorced from the rest of the episode and advancing this supposedly "serial" plot in no real way because it provides no additional information, but merely more of what we already know. If this is supposed to be some sort of poker-faced parody/commentary on bad serialization, then mission accomplished, but that doesn't seem like the intent.
This scrap of plot does, I suppose, ever so loosely tie into the main plot, as it provides Freeman with slightly more reason to insist Tendi return home for her sister D'Erika's wedding, which she's reluctant to do because she wants to keep her Orion past buried rather than in full view of her friends. ("D'Erika" — I love how we're now just adding consonants and apostrophes to the beginnings of regular names to make them "alien.")
So, return home Tendi does, where we learn that her family is loaded, and that Tendi was the "prime" daughter who was supposed to carry the mantle in following the Orion-ist of the Orion-isms before she decided to run away and follow her own path in joining Starfleet. To provide this story with meat, we learn that D'Erika may have been kidnapped before her imminent wedding — which is in accordance with Orion custom — but her return is overdue, making it suspicious. So we embark on a journey through Tendi's abandoned past life in her search for her sister.
This leads us to a couple of nightclub encounters, including one with a drinking game that includes a poisonous scorpion-like creature, and a venture into a "hump dungeon" where female pheromones rule the day (in a commented-upon callback to "Bound," one of Enterprise's worst episodes). The episode is at its best and most relaxed when it's just hanging out with the girls and doing a bachelorette party comedy (minus the bachelorette), featuring hijinks and knife-throwing. The best gag, albeit not hilarious, is probably Mariner getting repeatedly stabbed by daggers thrown in her general direction — as well as those not thrown at her at all.
Eventually, we learn D'Erika kidnapped herself (as the Dude would say), and is lying low in an old childhood hiding spot, where she and her sister resolve their family differences over a swordfight. The Tendi/Orion backstory (Tendi was a fully trained assassin, but ran away from her life because she never wanted it, resulting in D'Erika having the role thrust upon her instead) is layered into the hangout premise and makes for some breezy, inconsequential LD fun.
On the other hand, the whole business aboard the Cerritos, where Boimler and Rutherford calm their roommate tensions with a holodeck scenario where they both play the role of Mark Twain (reference: TNG's "Time's Arrow") is one of those things that seems like it wants points purely for oddness, rather than actually clever or effective humor. Extending this idea to the Hard-Headed Alien of the Week is a predictable turn. What's not predictable, because it's so pointlessly random, is the alien's decision to eat Boimleford's bonsai tree. Funny? I can't say so. It's a joke with no setup or punchline. Or in other words, not a joke.
Bottom line: This outing is a middle-of-the-road affair that's passable, but pretty far from inspired.
Previous episode: In the Cradle of Vexilon
Next episode: Empathological Fallacies
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22 comments on this post
Thu, Sep 21, 2023, 5:22am (UTC -6)
Tendi is a more interesting character with a bit more of her backstory spooled out, but now that they've gone there I hope to see these contradictions built into her character a bit more. The writers should let her embrace it! At least a little. Seems like the obvious direction to go for character growth.
My big laughs for the episode were Mariner copping the unexpected second knife and failing to dodge the expected third knife š
Thu, Sep 21, 2023, 5:24am (UTC -6)
I can much relate to Tendiās anxiousness about her Orion backĀground, as I have seen similar attiĀtuĀdes with imĀmiĀgrants from Third-World counĀtries. Itās frusĀtratĀing to either have to deĀnounĀce or deĀfend oneās home culture on a reĀguĀlar scheĀdule (currently, RusĀsians are most afĀfectĀed). This segĀment was much imĀprovĀed by TāLyn, whose obĀserĀvaĀtions were always corĀrect but didnāt help at all (which is so true to life). Also, the conflict between the two sisters, short as is was on screen, felt very real ā proĀgress vs. traĀdiĀtion is an issue that has split many faĀĀmiĀĀlies beĀfoĀre, and itās nice to see both sides treatĀed fairly.
For the second time in a row, the subplot on the ship left me cold. By this point we have seen so much of the daily chaos on the CerĀriĀtos that it has ceasĀed to be funĀny. For the record, I had to look up the bonĀsai-āeatĀing ChalĀĀnoth species, I abĀsoĀluĀteĀly didnāt reĀmemĀber them (for those with an equally bad meĀmory, I drop the hint āAllegianceā).
It is now acknowledged that StarĀfleet is aware of ships getting lost, so I hope the plot around the mysĀteĀry ship is ready for the forĀward.
I award 2½ stars to this episode. And the most funny quote: āSo whatās gonna spill first ā your mouth or your guts? (pause) Um, I heard that in a holo-movieā. Thus spake Tendi, prime daughĀter, trained asĀsasĀsin and StarĀfleet science geek girl.
Thu, Sep 21, 2023, 5:39am (UTC -6)
Also noted the continuing tradition of giving human names to non-humans (e.g., Jennifer the Andorian) D'Erika and B'Rt. I suppose it's to be expected, since the Ferrengi named one of theirs after the human name for a type of subatomic particle.
Thu, Sep 21, 2023, 6:07am (UTC -6)
I was grateful to finally get a proper peek into Orion cultural, and the way they managed to blend what was essentially a sex comedy with the anthropological and respectful elements of Star Trek was impressive. T'Lyn continues to be an invaluable straight man to the cast and pairs especially well with the more dynamic women of the cast.
What I love so far this season is that the show is letting the characters properly mature and grow closer, and as a young person making his way through a frankly bonkers time in the film industry it's nice to see the characters age with me and struggle with ridiculous situations. What worries me is that as the show and characters have gotten olden, they also seem to be losing a lot of the internal conflict that characterized the best episodes of the early seasons. I really hope the external conflicts they're setting up can match those emotional stakes, but the fact that we're arriving at another TNG-type "let's all never argue and only set up fake conflicts" crew is frustrating.
Thu, Sep 21, 2023, 6:11am (UTC -6)
Thu, Sep 21, 2023, 10:01am (UTC -6)
Thu, Sep 21, 2023, 2:08pm (UTC -6)
I would rate this as 3.5 stars, 4 stars for the A-story and 2 stars for the unnecessary B-story (heavier weighting for the A-story).
Thu, Sep 21, 2023, 4:03pm (UTC -6)
Thu, Sep 21, 2023, 4:11pm (UTC -6)
Regarding the A-plot with Tendi, there was a lot to like here. T'Lyn has immediately fallen into a great dynamic with the Lower Deckers, and works great here as a straight man of sorts, whose deadpan wryness works with the much zanier, over-acted level of Mariner and Tendi. If I had any criticism of this section, it's that the character beats for Tendi seemed very "by the numbers." It's not as if a 25-minute episode can have any huge plot twists, but nothing here surprised me, from start to finish, which meant the episode didn't really have a chance at greatness.
The "B-plot" with Boimler and Rutherford was just filler. The whole dueling Mark Twains thing was actually pretty damn funny (particularly once the Chalnoth was also involved), however in that it was such a random aside. Still, I can't help but feel that the episode could have been better if they were entirely absent, and it used that runtime to deepen the exploration of Tendi's character.
Thu, Sep 21, 2023, 4:46pm (UTC -6)
Had a good chuckle a couple of times and enjoyed both the stories. The Orion trip was much more fun. I really like the addition of T'Lyn as well. I like that she has embraced the friendship of the Lower Deckers while at the same time looking thoroughly bemused, if a Vulcan can be bemused. Again. I am happy to give this a 3.
Thu, Sep 21, 2023, 9:42pm (UTC -6)
Fri, Sep 22, 2023, 1:39pm (UTC -6)
"I agree with Jammer, these last two episodes have been very āmeh.ā Pretty average and forgettable fare in the two star range."
I don't know about forgettable, but it seems we've found a grounding for LD.
For awhile there everything they put out was a smash.
I guess it had to slow down a bit.
I'm still not sorry I watched it. 2.5 stars is about right.
We got some neat backstory for Tendi and I enjoyed Mariner and our new Vulcan tagging along.
2 knives to the shoulder! HAHA.
The Rutherford/Boimler story could have been left out though.
I eagerly look forward to my Lower Decks experience every week.
Fri, Sep 22, 2023, 2:32pm (UTC -6)
Fri, Sep 22, 2023, 3:18pm (UTC -6)
A show like Deep Space Nine (or even the later seasons of TNG) would have added some more layers to Orion society.
But I got some laughs and admittedly and this show isn't usually meant to be taken seriously. The Chalnoth in the B story was a welcome callback as well.
2.0 - 2.5 seems right.
Fri, Sep 22, 2023, 4:41pm (UTC -6)
Whether you consider this fortuitously coincidental or clever forethought on the part of the writers and the show's creator is subjective but I'd argue the latter. Part of growing up is learning to compromise and avoid conflict. The "internal conflict that characterized the best episodes of the early seasons" is exactly what one would expect of a maturing cast of characters. And whether that benefits the show or not is subjective as well. Personally I have had fewer qualms with the show as it has progressed.
Fun and funny. I am consistently impressed with how the show is written. A whole galaxy provides plenty of conflict for narrative, and comedy.
Fri, Sep 22, 2023, 4:43pm (UTC -6)
Fri, Sep 22, 2023, 4:49pm (UTC -6)
Fri, Sep 22, 2023, 5:12pm (UTC -6)
Their callback to ENT: Bound was funny too, Archer had a lot of explaining to do after that I'm sure.
And they are trying to develop Orion society and culture in meaningful ways which is appreciated, moving beyond the one note "animal women" (from the Cage) and pirates; the Ferengi got that treatment in DS9, Orion was overdue. Apropos of that, Tendi's reference to "photos of all of us in our belly dancer outfits" was laugh out loud funny.
On another note, lots of folks here have said this is Star Trek's first trip to the Orion homeworld, but wasn't there a DS9 episode where O'Brien went udercover on Orion? Sort of a Donnie Brasco-esque episode where O'Brien actually made friends with a member of the Orion Syndicate? But that Orion was human. I suppose other species can work for Orions. I guess the Orion Syndicate pirates are a criminal organization, not representing all Orions, like saying all Italians and Italian Americans are in the Mafia.
Fri, Sep 22, 2023, 6:22pm (UTC -6)
Tue, Sep 26, 2023, 1:46am (UTC -6)
Tue, Sep 26, 2023, 7:49pm (UTC -6)
Thu, Sep 28, 2023, 3:36pm (UTC -6)
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