Man, I’ve been waiting for a Boimler/T’lyn episode ever since they confirmed she was going to be a recurring character! It’s cool how having an extra member unlocks new sub-group to bounce ideas off each other.

A little let down by this one if I’m being honest. The setup is pretty fun and Vexilon is a charming character. I feel like there was nothing unexpected in Boimler’s plotline though. He’s stressed and sweaty just like we (and his friends) expect, he screws up a little, pep talk from T’lyn, he’s got his confidence and is a good boi leader. Sure, him questioning why he’s fit to lead is interesting, but the little “get your shit together Boimler!” moment is basically what we’ve seen in something the hunt vs Kranch and the resolution isn’t that much different.

I think the only bit of the episode that landed for me was the Dirk/Ransom bit at the end. Sure it feels a little mean and un-Starfleet but the past couple episodes have built up why Ransom’s actually a good superior officer/Mariner’s attitude about him is wrong, and it’s fun to peel back the reasons that he’s not so above it all.

“I’ve dreamed of doing this for so long…eject.”

25th century. Too late for at least two of the sentient holograms we’ve seen who really could’ve used em.

It’s from Lower Decks. A simulation of the Borg Queen says this to Boimler while he’s taking a test on a mini-holodeck.

“A remarkable creature. Your design nearly passes as human.”

“…I am human?”

“Ew! well, then you need to drink more water.”

Poor Sonya Gomez. She can grow to be the badass captain of an Obena-class cruiser and slated to go on first contact missions, but that’s not how we remember her.

Spill cocoa on the captain of the flagship, though…

Canonically one of his strengths, Boimler said it and he’s got access to the history books. (Boimler wouldn’t just butter up Pike by complimenting his hair, right?)

Picard, his face mortified.

Star Trek Prodigy had Janeway acknowledge being turned into a salamander. Does she know about/remember the lizard babies? it leaves only more questions unfortunately.

You’re not wrong in practice, but on paper Data worked Ops.

I mean, different shows focus on different officers, besides captain no position is truly sacred. As important as Spock was, the TNG crew didn’t highlight their Chief Science Officer.

Stamets: Put mushrooms in it. It made it work better, but Reno made fun of him anyway.

Billups: Took 30 years just to spend extra time away from his mother’s royal consorts.

Jankom Pog: What, you think Trip acted alone?

Boimler: “Has everyone on this ship time traveled?!”

I question the inclusion of Gavin the Botanist as the Lower Decks entry–doesn’t Boimler at least man the helm when he’s on the bridge, including the season 1 and 3 finales?

(While federation ships have some variation on which front console is main ops vs. helm, the Cerritos’ ops is stage left, mostly indicated by Ensign Barnes’ occasional presence there.).

Y’know the retroactively craziest role that never gets mentioned here is that Majel Barret voiced Spock’s mother Amanda Grayson in TAS.

Just dropping that for the benefit of the people making the Chapel==Una==Computer jokes.

SNW has spoillers for Discovery. Discovery has spoilers for the Menagerie. It’s all just an unending ouroboros of spoilers.