‘Star Trek: Lower Decks’ Recap – ‘Something Borrowed, Something Green’

9/22/2023

Written by John Edward Betancourt

L-R) Gabrielle Ruiz, Tawny Newsome, and Noël Wells as Lieutenant T’Lyn, Lieutenant Beckett Mariner, and Lieutenant D’Vana Tendi in Episode 404 of ‘Star Trek: Lower Decks’ – ‘Something Borrowed, Something Green’. (Photo Courtesy of Paramount+.)

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 404 of ‘Star Trek: Lower Decks’. To revisit the previous episode, click here. Also, this piece was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, the series being covered here wouldn’t exist.

Something that is genuinely fascinating, and wondrous, about the Paramount+ series, Star Trek: Lower Decks, is that it continues to expand upon the future that Gene Roddenberry created in the most imaginative and organic ways possible. A feat that the story accomplishes really, by focusing on a ship that isn’t on the frontlines, week after week, fighting evil enemies or making great discoveries. Because that allows for the crew of the U.S.S. Cerritos to follow up on iconic stories that Picard, Kirk, and Janeway put forth back in their glory days… and it even allows for the show to dig deep into the various cultures that make up the Alpha and Beta Quadrants.

Because this is a show about life amongst the stars in the 2380s and never was this more evident than during this week’s tale. For ‘Something Borrowed, Something Green’, used tragedy as a springboard to dig deep into a culture that has remained quite the mystery since The Original Series. For an Orion frigate was destroyed by the mystery vessel that’s been terrorizing the major superpowers of the galaxy, and an in effort to keep the peace, since the Orions wanted answers and something worth their while… Lieutenant D’Vana was asked to return home. In part because her sister was getting married and went missing, but also because… a trouble free, Starfleet sanctioned trip to a world that rubbed the Federation the wrong way would go far diplomatically and that led… to quite the exploration of this mysterious world.

Wherein we came to learn, that Orion, is basically a 1980s Scorsese gangster movie come to life. With starships though, and Moopys out there in the void. Because everyone belonged to a syndicate family of some sort, and this world basically functioned on chaos and everything that would be illegal in the 24th Century… and the 20th for that matter as well. But the people of this world were doing just fine, and the system did work for them, so who are we to judge? Sure, Mariner might have taken four or five knives to the shoulder… but that’s just how life goes on Orion. But while it was amazing to finally learn more about this world and see how it functions and what drives its people, there was one other aspect of this exploration that was quite amazing for certain. Simply because, the voyage home allowed for us… to learn all about Tendi’s past.

(L-R) Fred Tatasciore, Jack Quaid, Eugene Cordero, and Dawnn Lewis as Lieutenant Shaxs, Lieutenant Bradward Boimler, Lieutenant Samanthan Rutherford and Captain Carol ‘Mark Twain’ Freeman in Episode 404 of ‘Star Trek: Lower Decks’ – ‘Something Borrowed, Something Green’. (Photo Courtesy of Paramount+.)

As it turned out, Tendi was raised to be a super badass assassin. One who held like nine fancy titles to go with her name, and evoked fear in the hearts of anyone she encountered. Because that was the gravity of her title and standing on this world, and it still held strong despite her being a Starfleet officer. But what mattered more about this exploration, is that also helped us to understand why Tendi left such spoils behind, and truly… it was because… she was born into a life where she didn’t belong. For science called to her, not stabbing, and exploration ignited her imagination, not what someone’s insides looked like. So, she left it behind to find her own path, her own happiness and being cognizant of that, helped her to find her sister, and make peace with her, since she was mad about being thrust into Tendi’s role without consultation… and wrap up the wedding with Mariner and T’Lyn at her side.

All of which made for a fascinating story, one that really did put the Orions on display like never before and now we know the majesty of this world and its people, and we have this series to thank for it. But of course, what would an episode of Lower Decks be without some wild humor, and that was handled by Boims and Ruthy back on the Cerritos. Who came into a bizarre disagreement over who should water their beloved Bonsai plant. Which led to an equally bizarre and wonderfully hilarious solution to their problems. By talking out their issues as a pair of Mark Twains from ‘Time’s Arrow’ Parts I and II, accents, and all. Because when in doubt and when in argument, be the historical figure, use their wisdom and use that holodeck program to save the day, as they… sort of… okay… didn’t do. At least not right away. But to their credit, their ‘Twaining’ did inspire a solution at least. All of which made for good laughs in the end, as did the Mozart piano-off this duo engaged in the next time they had a disagreement.

In the end, this was just… another delightful episode of this amazing show. Because it was funny for certain, beyond the Twain-off. Since there were plenty of quirky moments and events that took place on Orion that brought forth some good laughs. Not to mention… it did something that Star Trek fans genuinely love. In that… it expanded the STU in a brilliant and magnificent manner. Not to mention, it also continued to build up the mystery regarding that mystery ship. Since it’s obviously searching the galaxy for something, and it is eager to blast anyone that gets in its way. And… it is catching the attention of Starfleet Command, and it is only a matter of time before a Federation vessel has an ugly encounter with it, and that will move that plot forward. But for now, I do declare, we can indeed relish in the majesty of one very fine episode. One that can easily be compared to the robust flavor of a cigar from the beautiful lady that is Havana herself, courtesy of this show’s adoration for a franchise that means the world to us. Until next time.

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