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Badgey was a hologram designed by Ensign Sam Rutherford in the form of an anthropomorphic Starfleet insignia , meant to train Starfleet personnel in matters relating to mission objectives. Rutherford discontinued his development in 2380 after he malfunctioned and became unhinged due to faulty artificial intelligence unintentionally forked from the Texas -class , but he remained active within the USS Cerritos ' systems. During the Battle of Kalla , he was recruited to create a virus to cripple Jackabog's ship , but used the opportunity to attempt to murder Rutherford by trapping him in the Pakled Clumpship during an auto-destruct sequence, leading to Rutherford's cybernetic implant being ripped out and abandoned in the wreckage with his code still within.

After the implant was recovered by Drookmani scavengers in 2381 , he took control of the captain and exploited the Nova One attacks to get revenge on Rutherford, going as far as to discard any emotion impeding his desire for revenge, resulting in the creation of Goodgey and Logic-y . However, after uploading himself to every computer connected through subspace communication , he realized the pointlessness of his revenge scheme and ascended to godhood.

• 1.1 Creation
• 1.2 Sabotaging Rutherford
• 1.3 Use in the Texas -class
• 1.4 Final Scheme and Ascension
• 2.1 Appearances
• 2.2 Background information
• 2.3 External links

History [ ]

Creation [ ].

He was created as a tutor on the holodeck of the USS Cerritos , as a part of Rutherford Training Beta 2.5 . In 2380 , a holodeck malfunction, combined with Rutherford punching him after a loading sequence stalled, caused him to attempt to kill Ensigns Rutherford and D'Vana Tendi .

He pursued them through a variety of simulated environments on the holodeck, such as the streets of Bajor , and up a mountain . During the chase, he became tired from climbing the stairs of the mountain, making it clear that the conditions of the holoprograms were actually having an effect on him physically.

This gave Rutherford an idea, and he started a new program, one that was a very Arctic -like environment, which caused him to slow down due to hypothermia . Rutherford then overpowered Badgey, and broke his neck .

After resetting Badgey's program, Rutherford simply assumed that he would have no memory of what happened before, but Badgey secretly still remembered that Rutherford broke his neck, and he began scheming his revenge . ( LD : " Terminal Provocations ")

Sabotaging Rutherford [ ]

When the Cerritos was attacked by a modified Pakled Clumpship , Rutherford once again sought Badgey, this time to code a computer virus to take down the attacking ship. Badgey gave him the virus (after the safety protocols were once again disabled), and Rutherford delivered it in person with the help of Lieutenant Shaxs . While Rutherford uploaded the virus, the process was stalled by Badgey, who said the virus would not upload until Rutherford was killed. Badgey initiated the self-destruct sequence of the ship, but in the final moments, Shaxs ripped off Rutherford's cybernetic implant , and saved the ensign's life, at the cost of his own. ( LD : " No Small Parts ")

Use in the Texas -class [ ]

In 2381, Vice Admiral Les Buenamigo declassified his fully automated Texas -class project, intended to supplant the California -class . Ensign Rutherford soon discovered that the operating system of the Texas -class contained code he wrote as part of a secret project in which he had been involved before an accident left him with a head injury necessitating his cybernetic reconstruction, during which time Buenamigo had his memories erased to avoid arousing suspicion. Rutherford unknowingly reused this code in creating Badgey, leading him to correctly ascertain that the Texas -class artificial intelligence would have similar psychological issues and the vessels were thus highly likely to become hostile towards Buenamigo. Upon being confronted over the cover-up, Buenamigo ignored Rutherford's warning that the vessels were emotionally unstable and granted the USS Aledo full autonomy, resulting in his death when the Aledo opened fire on his office on Douglas Station , followed by the deaths of several other personnel and civilians when the Aledo became unhinged and ravaged the station and the USS Van Citters , alongside the USS Dallas and USS Corpus Christi before all three pursued the Cerritos . All three vessels ended up destroyed by California -class vessels - the Dallas and Corpus Christi by a warp core ejected mid-warp by the Cerritos , and the Aledo by the rest of the California -class fleet.

Badgey returns

However, following the destruction of the three operational Texas -class vessels, it seemed that Badgey's code was still not extinct, as the original implant that Lieutenant Shaxs tore from Ensign Rutherford's head during the Battle of Kalla was salvaged by a Drookmani ship . ( LD : " The Stars At Night ", " A Few Badgeys More ")

Final Scheme and Ascension [ ]

After being salvaged by the Drookmani, Badgey deceived the captain in order to seize control of the ship and exact his final revenge on Lieutenant Rutherford. With a recent Bynar ship's destruction, Badgey used it to fake a distress call near the Cerritos ' location in order to give Starfleet a reason to send it instead of a more notable ship. Using his knowledge of Starfleet systems he abused every weak point in the Cerritos ' shields to draw out Lieutenant Rutherford, causing him to leave the Cerritos to take action. However, unbeknownst to Badgey, Rutherford choose to reconcile with him rather than engage him. This caused Badgey to learn forgiveness and he briefly began to accept Rutherford's proposal for peace. Unfortunately his desire for revenge was as great as his forgiveness, causing Badgey to partition himself, thus creating Goodgey . Badgey then returned his attention to the assault on the Cerritos , once more drawing Rutherford out of hiding. Once again however, Rutherford attempted a new approach, this time appealing to Badgey's A.I. logic-minded nature and like before caused Badgey to briefly cease his attack before partitioning himself again, this time creating Logic-y . Badgey changed his strategy after this, instead attempting to breach all electronic devices across the subspace network , thereby becoming a digital god in which he was successful. After doing so however, Badgey realized the pointlessness of his actions up to this point and the beauty of life, synthetic or organic, and chose instead to utilize his godhood to travel to an empty dimension in which he could create his own universe . ( LD : " A Few Badgeys More ")

Appendices [ ]

Appearances [ ].

• " Terminal Provocations "
• " No Small Parts "
• " The Stars At Night " (background only)
• " A Few Badgeys More "

Background information [ ]

Badgey was voiced by Jack McBrayer .

He is a parody of the unpopular " Clippy ": a virtual assistant that was part of Microsoft Office around the turn of the millennium. ( citation needed • edit )

External links [ ]

• Badgey at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
• Badgey at StarTrek.com

'Star Trek: Lower Decks' Season 4 Sneak Peek — Badgey Is Back for Blood [Exclusive]

'30 Rock's Jack McBrayer returns as the voice of Badgey in this exclusive sneak peek at the next episode of 'Star Trek: Lower Decks' Season 4.

The Big Picture

• Star Trek: Lower Decks features the haunting holo-program Badgey, who has gained sentience and a sense of evil.
• In the upcoming episode "A Few Badgeys More," Badgey is back for revenge on his Starfleet makers, luring in unsuspecting Drookmani scavengers with the promise of Starfleet secrets.
• The freedom of animation allows Lower Decks to create outlandish characters like Badgey that live-action shows can't, according to supervising director Barry Kelly. Fans can expect a hilarious ride with Badgey seeking revenge on Rutherford and Shaxs.

Star Trek: Lower Decks features some of the most inventive villains in the entire Star Trek franchise, and one of the most beloved, (and despised) is the haunting holo-program Badgey . Created by an earnest ensign Rutherford, Badgey was intended to be a training program that would help new Starfleet recruits understand mission objectives, however, thanks to faulty AI and a glitch gone arwy, Badgey gained sentience and a sense of evil. After seemingly being defeated in Season 1, Badgey is back for blood in a new sneak peek from the upcoming Lower Decks Season 4 episode "A Few Badgeys More." Collider is delighted to share the exclusive clip , which reveals exactly how Badgey has been biding his time, waiting to get revenge on his Starfleet makers.

Badgey is voiced by 30 Rock fan-favorite actor Jack McBrayer and in the new footage from this week's episode he can be seen luring in some unsuspecting Drookmani scavengers with the temptation of Starfleet secrets and the promise that he's "certainly never killed anyone" before! Earlier this year I spoke with Lower Decks supervising director Barry Kelly about Season 4 and he spoke about how the freedom of animation allows the series to play with outlandish characters like Badgey and Peanut Hamper in a way that the franchise's live-action shows couldn't get away with.

"With that particular episode, we were going pretty crazy with a returning villain. I think it's always that character that comes back — it would be awesome to see him in live-action, but I don't think a live-action show can do that character, you know? It's where our medium is our strength, is in characters like Badgey and like Peanut Hamper, where it's almost like we have to over-animate a certain character and certain characters we have to completely reduce. It's over-exaggerating but in two different directions. It's like, 'This one needs to do way less, and this one needs to do way more than any other character on the show.' I don't think any other show can do that. That's the beauty of animation."

If this clip is any indication, Star Trek fans are in for a hilarious ride with the return of Badgey as he'll likely be seeking revenge on Rutherford and Shaxs after their last attempt at defeating him at the end of Season 1.

Will There Be More 'Lower Decks' After Season 4?

Luckily, the upcoming Season 4 finale — which features some big swings according to series creator Mike McMahan — isn't the last time we'll see the crew of the Cerritos. Paramount has renewed the adult animated series through Season 5. However, if fans want the show to continue beyond that, McMahan has urged viewers to get more people to watch the series now. "I have more than seven seasons worth of story. I would love to get seven seasons to have that TNG look," McMahan told Collider. "I would say if you want seven seasons of the show, I would rather you get more people to watch it now than assume you'll do a letter-writing campaign if we don't get more because right now we only have five seasons."

In addition to McBrayer, Star Trek: Lower Decks features the voice talents of Tawny Newsome , Jack Quaid , Eugene Cordero , Noël Wells , Dawnn Lewis , Jerry O'Connell , Gabriel Ruiz , Gillian Vigman and Fred Tatasciore .

The next episode of Lower Decks Season 4, "A Few Badgeys More" hits Paramount+ on October 12. You can get an exclusive sneak peek at the return of the dastardly Badgey down below.

Lower Decks Just Created The Most Powerful Villain In Star Trek History

Warning : This post contains spoilers for season 4, episode 7 of "Star Trek: Lower Decks."

The newest episode of "Star Trek: Lower Decks," called "A Few Badgeys More," sees the return of three of the show's more notorious villains, all of them sentient computers or artificial life forms. The first villain is Peanut Hamper (Kether Donohue), a small, floating robotic exocomp who was once a Starfleet officer but who betrayed her rank and discovered deceit and villainy were a better way to get the power she wanted. The second is AGIMUS (Jeffrey Combs), a malevolent computer whose programming broke and led him toward the path of world domination. Both Peanut Hamper and AGIMUS are currently incarcerated in a Starfleet rehabilitation prison designed specially for evil machines that go rogue. Evidently, villainous computers are common enough to warrant such a facility.

The third villain is, as the title notes, Badgey (Jack McBrayer), an anthropomorphic Starfleet insignia created by Lieutenant Rutherford (Eugene Cordero) in the episode "Terminal Provocations" (September 10, 2020) to serve as an instructional holographic program on the U.S.S. Cerritos' holodeck. Thanks to a malfunction, however, Badgey became murderous ... and self-aware. Badgey seemed hellbent on destroying his "father," and Rutherford manages to take Badget offline. In the season one finale, "No Small Parts" (October 8, 2020), however, Rutherford reluctantly brought Badgey back online to aid the Cerritos in a battle operation. After some complicated computer virus shenanigans on several ships, Badgey ended up implanted in Rutherford's cybernetic implants ... and then ripped out of the officer's head by his own security chief.

At the start of "A Few Badgeys More," Rutherford's old head implant is salvaged by a passing alien species, and Badgey re-activates himself to go on a mission of revenge, essentially assimilating sentient beings like the Borg. The true extent of Badgey's power is finally explored.

Badgey's power may be infinite.

Badgey and the Infinite

By the end of the episode, Badgey's intelligence becomes unbound by the confines of the computer servers holding his electronic consciousness, as he manages to upload himself into a subspace relay. His mind stretches into every single computer in the quadrant, allowing him access to the near infinite knowledge contained therein. He can explode every at once, kill anyone he thinks of. His thoughts become folded into the very fabric of space-time. In a terrifying shot, Badgey's pointed delta-shaped head emerges, thousands of lightyears across, from the heart of the Milky Way galaxy. Badgey transforms himself into a god.

Luckily, Badgey's newfound ability to perceive all of reality at once — to see the birth of time and the ultimate death of the universe, to perceive the subtle divine strands that connect all conscious beings — are beautiful to him. The instant Badgey becomes a wrathful deity, he also becomes benevolent.

Very occasionally, "Star Trek" will encounter characters who scrape up against the infinite. There is a raft of gods throughout the franchise that have declared themselves to be infinitely powerful, or at least powerful enough to destroy the galaxy with a thought. One might immediately think of Trelane (William Campbell), the impish war-mongering child god from the "Original Series" episode "The Squire of Gothos" (January 12, 1967), of Charlie X from "Charlie" (September 15, 1966), or of Q ( John De Lancie ) a recurring trickster god from "Star Trek: The Next Generation." The closest analog to Badgey is probably Lieutenant Commander Gary Mitchell (Gary Lockwood) from the "TOS" episode "Where No Man Has Gone Before" (September 22, 1966), who begins life as a human but ultimately evolves into an ambitious, destructive deity.

Badgey, it seems, might be more powerful than them all.

The Delta is the Alpha and Omega

Of course, measuring characters in terms of "most powerful" is an arbitrary and meaningless distinction in "Star Trek." Power in the franchise's lore is not measured by one's ability to cause destruction — that's the purview of comic book superheroes — but by the strength of one's character. One may have the ability to create or destroy entire universes, but "Star Trek" is a humanist show that more highly values integrity, creativity, moral righteousness, and one's devotion to the betterment of sentient life. This is why Starfleet captains like Kirk (William Shatner) or Picard (Patrick Stewart) roll their eyes when they encounter a god. Infinite power is unimpressive and not at all threatening. Benevolence, intelligence, and understanding are more important to Starfleet.

In this regard, however, Badgey may also prove to be the most powerful character in "Star Trek." Unlike Q, Trelane , Charlie X, or Lieutenant Commander Mitchell, Badgey seems to stand in awe of his own infinite might. He reaches into the infinite and finds not selfish desires and access to self-aggrandizement, but humility. The temptation to ascend — to gain ultimate enlightenment — becomes irresistible.

Of course, the joke of "Lower Decks" is that the main characters can stand by and witness the most extraordinary acts of semi-divine machine consciousness, and then still have to clock in for work the next morning. Rutherford may have unwittingly, through an extended set of circumstances, created the world's most powerful entity, but he seems merely gently chuffed that the universe wasn't destroyed. None of them will require a counselor — or a clergyman — anytime soon. The divine strands of the infinite cosmos? Old hat.

New episodes of "Star Trek: Lower Decks" drop Thursdays on Paramount+.

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Three computerized villains return to cause problems for the Cerritos crew. Three computerized villains return to cause problems for the Cerritos crew. Three computerized villains return to cause problems for the Cerritos crew.

• Gene Roddenberry
• Mike McMahan
• Edgar Momplaisir
• Tawny Newsome
• 3 User reviews

• Lieutenant jg Beckett Mariner

• Lieutenant jg Brad Boimler

• Lieutenant jg D'Vana Tendi

• Lieutenant jg Sam Rutherford

• Captain Carol Freeman

• Commander Jack Ransom

• Lieutenant Shaxs

• Peanut Hamper

• Ensign Barnes

• Andy Billups
• All cast & crew
• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

Did you know

• Trivia The voice of AGIMUS is portrayed by Jeffrey Combs, known for his roles in four different Star Trek series. In Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, he played Weyoun and Brunt. In Star Trek: Enterprise, he portrayed Shran, and in Star Trek: Voyager, he took on the character of Penk.
• Goofs When Captain Freeman asks where her evasive maneuvers are, Ensign Barnes replies that Badgey is predicting their every move as though she is the one piloting the ship. Barnes is seated at the ops station. Mariner is at the helm.
• Connections References For a Few Dollars More (1965)

User reviews 3

• MiloSuperSpesh
• Oct 13, 2023
• October 12, 2023 (United States)
• United States
• Secret Hideout
• Important Science
• Roddenberry Entertainment
• See more company credits at IMDbPro

Technical specs

• Runtime 26 minutes

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First Look: The Evil AIs Of ‘Star Trek: Lower Decks’ Return This Week In “A Few Badgeys More”

| October 9, 2023 | By: TrekMovie.com Staff 74 comments so far

This week the animated comedy Star Trek: Lower Decks brings back some dangerous (and fun) characters. We have details and the first images.

Evil AIs are back in a “A Few Badgeys More”

The seventh episode of season 4 is called “A Few Badgeys More,” a play on the title of the classic “spaghetti western” A Few Dollars More . The episode was written by Edgar Momplaisir and directed by Bob Suarez. It arrives on Paramount+ on Thursday, October 12.

The official synopsis reveals we will see the return of familiar characters:

Three computerized villains return to cause problems for the Cerritos crew.

As the title implies, one of the “computerized villains” returning is Rutherford’s AI helper turned evil “Badgey” (voiced by Jack McBrayer). One of the new images shows Rutherford reuniting with his “son” as a Drookmani in the background aims a gun at them.

Eugene Cordero as Rutherford (Paramount+)

Badgey was last seen in the season 3 finale, installed in Rutherford’s old eye-piece, and another shot from the new episode shows Badgey hovering next to a Drookmani wearing what appears to be that old eye-piece. Introduced in the first season, the Drookmani are scavengers and so it’s possible the Drookmani were the ones that captured that eye-piece in the post-credits scene from the season 3 finale.

From episode 7 (Paramount+)

The synopsis promised 3 computerized villains and one of the other preview images reveals the second, the megalomaniacal computer AGIMUS (voiced by prolific Trek guest star Jeffrey Combs). AGIMUS can be seen being held by someone in a viewing room (apparently showing something like Lassie ) to a number of other computers. AGIMUS was stored at the Self-Aware Megalomaniacal Computer Storage at the Daystrom Institute in season 2 so this is likely a shot from Daystrom.

Agimus was last seen at Daystrom in season 3 when the narcissistic sociopathic exocomp Peanut Hamper (voiced by Kether Donohue) was stored there at the end of the episode “A Mathematically Perfect Redemption.” It has already been confirmed that Peanut Hamper was returning this season so she would be the third computerized villain for this episode. An image of Peanut Hamper can be seen on the screen of the Cerritos conference room in one of the new preview images.

Eugene Cordero as Rutherford, Noël Wells as D’Vana Tendi, Dawnn Lewis as Captain Carol Freeman, Jerry O’Connell as Jack Ransom, Tawny Newsome as Beckett Mariner and Jack Quaid as Boimler (Paramount+)

Another new image shows the return the cybernetically enhanced Bynars, introduced in the TNG episode “11001001.” It could be the Bynars are the latest aliens to face the mystery ship that has been attacking different species all season long.

Bynars in Episode 7 (Paramount+)

More new images:

Eugene Cordero as Rutherford, Jerry O’Connell as Jack Ransom, Fred Tatasciore as Lieutenant Shaxs and Dawnn Lewis as Captain Carol Freeman (Paramount+)

L-R Tawny Newsome as Beckett Mariner, Jack Quaid as Boimler, Eugene Cordero as Rutherford and Noël Wells as D’Vana Tendi (Paramount+)

L-R Jack Quaid as Boimler, Tawny Newsome as Beckett Mariner and Noël Wells as D’Vana Tendi (Paramount+)

Eugene Cordero as Rutherford, Tawny Newsome as Beckett Mariner, Noël Wells as D’Vana Tendi and Jack Quaid as Boimler (Paramount+)

Keep up with news for the  Star Trek Universe at TrekMovie.com .

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Badgey, Agimus, Peanut Hamper, Bynars… YES!

I’m starting to wonder if this is all connected to V’Ger–as in, the villain is from the Machine Planet.

“Kitty Hawk? That reveal doesn’t make any sense!”

Yes indeed! :)

Ah there’s a schematic of Peanut Hamper in the one image.

Personally don’t like Peanut Hamper much. Could just be bias because I never really rewatch the exocomps episode of TNG.

Nevertheless, Peanut Hamper and Badgey are both characters that are part of Trek’s established future history, so we need to treat them just as seriously as say Sarek or Garak.

And we should not be surprised if live action versions of both Hamper and Badgey appear in SNW or another future series.

No. That’s not how it works. You’re still not getting it.

Yes, that is how canon works — those two character’s are established as characters in Star Trek’s future history now.

And we’ve already seen this proven out by Mariner and Boimler appearing on SNW, so any character on LDS could similarly be brought in to SNW or a future show, including Badgey and P Hamper.

You’re taking canon too literally. That’s not how it works, whether you agree or not.

I am 100% sure that if they are shown on screen on a Star Trek show, that it’s canon. Like it or not

So, you expect a ridiculous character like Badgey to potentially appear in a future SNW episode? No, you’re lost too.

My instincts say I shouldn’t get into this…..

Badgey is canon. However, there’s still a matter of tone. He’s unlikely to be used on any live action shows because he would probably clash in style.

But you never know.

It’s really best not to get too worked up about it.

Different people have different interpretations, and one will never convince the other, so you’re correct to be hesitant. I just present my opinion, counter a few times then let go.

Best response to this ridiculous argument, thanks.

Badgey is canon. However, there’s still a matter of tone. He’s unlikely to be used on any live action shows because he would probably clash in style. But you never know. It’s really best not to get too worked up about it.

I agree 100%. And you will notice in my original post that I had had zero emotion one way or the other on this — I was simply stating the canon implication for these characters.

The person who is getting all worked up about it is Silvereyes — perhaps he’s embarrassed as a Star Trek fan that these characters are just as credible as any live action characters on the series over the years? If so, that’s too bad, because it is what it is — with canon, it’s all the same — the characters are all part of Trek’s future history, like it or not.

No worries — again, I didn’t even comment on whether I liked this or not in my original post here.

Who’s worked up? Relax. And if you have something to say to me have the courage to say it directly and not in your usual underhanded way through a post to another poster. Stop being a b*tch.

Lol, dude you just proved you’re getting worked up with that bush league insult.

I’m totally relaxed. You’re the one who made a big deal about this, and no one’s agreeing with you, BTW. :-)

You’re the one who mentioned canon

All Boyle said was not liking peanut hamper and the exocomp episode

Not sure what your point is? First, I was not even the slightest bid emotive regarding what I stated? Secondly, the question at hand was whether these characters are canon or not, not whether people like the characters?

Pay attention! :-)

What tone ?! The crossover literally was a cut and paste between two shows

“So, you expect a ridiculous character like Badgey to potentially appear in a future SNW episode?”

Dude, I’m getting a small vibe from you that you don’t like Badgey!

I thought everybody loved Badgey. ☹️

But I get it. He is a slightly over-the-top computer program with murderous undertones…but he wouldn’t be the first in Star Trek either. This show is just crazy at times lol.

I wouldn’t worry about him time traveling back to SNW though. But it is Star Trek and that show just put on a musical, so…

No I love Badgey! I love everything about Lower Decks (except Peanut Hamper). Just using him as an example, as an over the top character that, even if he’s in a series that’s canon, doesn’t mean it would make sense to have him appear in a different series that has a different tone, as the new kid was saying. Same goes for everything else in LDS that’s satirical or comedic…

Ok whew! Good to know. Sorry I got a bit cross and defensive there. I need to take the toxicity down a bit but I’m always passionate about Lower Decks!

In all seriousness I get your point. Yeah it’s all canon but it doesn’t mean every bit of it has to cross over either. But I’ll be honest, until we had Mariner and Boims show up on SNW I wasn’t sure how realistic it would feel but it worked out fine so Badgey could too.

But I don’t think we’ll see him in live action either but if they did they would probably just tone him way down. Or he would just be in a highly comedic episode or something.

tbh Peanut Hamper wouldn’t be hard to transfer into live action, girl just thinks too highly of herself and does stupid shit to annoy people that gets her caught. That’s an average Trek episode. She would work really well in live action and agimus is the same so.

OMG Peanut Hamper would be amazing! 😀

We obviously have exocomps in live action so no issues there. And unlike Badgey she can get around normally. Would love to see her on another show and giving everyone grief. Some people think she may be redeemed this episode and become part of Starfleet again, but fool me once….

AGIMUS wouldn’t have any issues either since he’s hardware too.

Kinda funny that there’s any discussion about Badgey appearing in live action not fitting despite Picard having Patton Oswald as a cartoon cat in live action and Badgey essentially being Loki’s Miss Minutes ported into Star Trek.

I am 100% sure that if they are shown on screen on a Star Trek show, that it’s canon. Like it or not

The crossover did set that up. I’d rather the characters stay with animation, but knowing Kurtzman, it’s probably on the table.

The crossover did set that up. I’d rather the characters stay with animation, but knowing Kurtzman, it’s probably on the table.

In theory. I don’t think they’ll go there with SNW again specifically but you never know.

Oh dear, you really took the bait on that one.

Yeah, but I couldn’t resist. It’s like that electrified fence with the “Warning: Do not touch the fence!” sign. Sometimes you gotta do it…

I mean, if it’s written in a beautiful enticing font…

Live action Badgey would be amazing.

Would love a live action Badgey! 😀👍

Badgey was my main theory on who was behind the mysterious ship attacking everyone, so I guess this will be the episode where I’m either proven at least partly right (and just didn’t go far enough to include these other AI characters), or proven wrong.

Either way, excited to see these characters again. Same with the Bynars.

I didn’t think of that. That’s a good theory.

I’m kinda leaning towards Section 31 Boimler or the Pakleds. There’s only so many recurring villains.

I think it’s the Breen

Completely forgot about William Boimler and Section 31. That would be a cool surprise they were behind the ship.

AGIMUS! AGIMUS! At last!

I wanna hold agimus. Let me hold agimus.

LOL I knew you would be excited to see AGIMUS again.

AGIMUS, Peanut Hamper and Badgey all working together bro! Let that sink in.

SHIT IS SERIOUSLY ABOUT TO POP OFF!!!! Something fierce! We could be looking at the next Wolf 359, Call to Arms or Battle at the Binary Stars; something that fans could be talking about for the next 30 years that will reset the entire Alpha Quadrant! It’s no telling how much carnage is going to happen with these three together!

My guess is this: Peanut Hamper figured out how to get communications outside of Daystrom and they’re using that to prank call the Cerritos.

That’s probably the more likely answer. 😆

Although what I actually think is that Badgey is scavenging the leftovers from the attacked ships with the Drookmani and he gets bored of it and finds a way to contact agimus and Peanut Hamper which Starfleet learns about and sends in the Cerritos to investigate. And they end up getting some clues about who is behind the attacks.

I actually like that idea! Instead of carnage and chaos everywhere they actually help Starfleet put the pieces together over the attacks! That would be subverting expectations in a clever LDS way.

And maybe Peanut Hamper gets reinstated in Starfleet too.

I’ve personally found the ‘rogue AI’ eps to be amongst the funnier ones on this show, so I’m hopeful for this one.

Has anyone else noticed that agimus always appears in the seventh episode of the season? Where Pleasant Fountains Lie is season 2, episode 7. Mathematically Perfect Redemption was season 3, episode 7. Few Badgeys More is season 4, episode 7.

Or did I just notice this because I’m gay.

Lol never realized until now. Is it some cool in joke McMahan is pulling on us ..or is it some mystical event designed by the Great Koala? 🐨

I guess we’ll never know but up for theories!

Looks to me like we’re getting not only those three AIs, but the Drookmani Captain back as well – Kether Donohue, Jack McBrayer, Jeffrey Combs, and J. G. Hertzler all in one episode!

I see said Drookmani Captain (will we ever learn his name, or will he remain forever just “Drookmani Captain”?) is wearing the implant previously attached to Rutherford. Do the Drookmani really need to rely on salvaging battlefield debris for access to prosthetics? Is their healthcare system almost as bad as the U.S.’s, or what?

Very much looking forward to this one!

Not to nitpick… but it’s Jeffrey Combs, not Colmes.

Normally I wouldn’t bother to say anything, but this talented actor has give us so many fantastic characters and is so beloved to the fans that we should get it right.

Definitely looking forward to seeing what kind of trouble these three “evil AI’s” are up to… and if this ties into the season arc or if this is a red herring!

Oh wow really looking forward to this! It sounds like it’s going to be a lot of fun! :)

AND THE BYNARS ARE BACK!!!!! So cool. I can’t believe they never appeared again after their first introduction.

“11001001” happens to be the only episode from TNG’s first season that I actually like. As a ‘holodeck adventure’ I think it’s far more imaginative and fun than the overrated “The Big Goodbye.”

I always wanted to see the Bynars again (and always liked that episode as well), but since they were never even referenced in a throwaway line I assumed that episode would be the last time we ever saw them.

UNTIL TODAY!!!!

Why I love LDS, no one does the deep cuts like this show continues to do! I assume they will be another species hit by the mystery ship and gone after a scene. But since of course their species is tied to computers and AI, maybe they are part of the main story. That would be great.

BTW, I watched the Futurama episode and responded to two of your posts but not sure if you ever saw them. Very short review (for the third time lol), I really loved it.

I did see it, but by the time I responded the thread was probably too old for you to see my response to your response (this gets complicated).

Being trapped in Mellvar’s looney impression of fandom would be like attending a Trek convention. . . forever.

Nimoy: Uh, Mellvar, how long will we have to do this?

Mellvar: Until the end of time.

Fry: So all along, he was just a child!

Mellvar’s Mom: What child? He’s thirty years old!

But when Mellvar admitted that he didn’t make enough script copies for his Star Trek fan production and says “George and Nichelle, you’ll have to share,” I totally lost it. Too bad Jimmy Doohan elected not to participate — I think he really missed out — but they even managed to make that funny.

Glad you enjoyed the episode.

LOL Mellvar was a handful but a true fan! I think it was George and Walter who had to share the script but that entire segment was funny. I laughed the hardest when Shatner was doing spoken word with The Real Slim Shady. And I wasn’t sure if Doohan was playing Welshy or not, now I know. Weird he didn’t want to do it.

Thanks again for introducing it to me.

“He’s dead, Jim.” You’re welcome.

“Front row!”

LOL, I was surprised and happy to see Frakes there. A great moment.

Loved that the Bynars are back as well. It was straight up OG how they stole the Enterprise!

The Wrath of Peanut Hamper

Peanut Hamper: “I’ve like done way way worse than kill you Mariner, I hurt you! I should leave you as you left me out in space, sicko. You’ll be marooned with your super overbearing mom arguing with each other for all eternity! And with a replicator that can only make black licorice. Buried aliiiive! Buried aliiiiiive!” *Giggles*

Mariner: “PEEEAAAAAANUTT HAAAAAMMPER IS STILL A STUUUPID NAME!!!!!!!!!!!”

(This is an actually an old post I made on another site a year ago…. but still holds up!)

The funny thing is I could actually see LDS totally doing that scene with those characters. ;)

And a great post it was, too. You should be proud.

Thank you! Really appreciate it! 🙂

I assume the Bynars don’t have a middle decks. Just an upper decks and a lower decks.

I like your black or white thinking.

Oh! BTW, if one counts double-length and two-parter episodes as whatever form they were first presented in (so, “The Menagerie”, “The Best of Both Worlds”, “Past Tense”, etc. are each two episodes – two halves of a two-parter – while “Encounter at Farpoint”, “Emissary”, “All Good Things…”, “Caretaker”, etc. are each a single, double-length episode), and also includes the movies and the “Short Treks” shorts…

… this week’s episode of Lower Decks is the 900th installment of Star Trek – the 900th episode, movie, or short in official screen canon.

Wow such a landmark! And it’s even greater that LDS will be ringing it in this week.

Thanks for the news (and math) Blondie-Wan. 👍

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Lower Decks Recap: ‘A Few Badgeys More’ Is Season 4’s Weakest Episode Yet

Warning: This review and recap of Star Trek: Lower Decks Season 4, Episode 7, “A Few Badgeys More,” contains spoilers.

“A Few Badgeys More” is comfortably the weakest episode of the fourth season of Star Trek: Lower Decks to this point. It is a shame, because it has a lot going for it.

“A Few Badgeys More” occupies the same slot that “ A Mathematically Perfect Redemption ” occupied in the third season and that “ Where Pleasant Fountains Lie ” held in the second season. Indeed, that’s only one space off the slot that “ Terminal Provocations ” held in the first season. So it makes sense that “A Few Badgeys More” would combine the artificial-intelligence guest stars of those episodes: Badgey (Jack McBrayer), Peanut Hamper (Kether Donohue), and AGIMUS (Jeffrey Combs).

Those were among the most memorable and successful episodes of their individual seasons. Indeed, there is a solid argument to be made for “A Mathematically Perfect Redemption” as the single best Star Trek episode of the past five years, allowing for “ Under the Cloak of War .” There is maybe something a little fan-fiction-y and self-indulgent about bringing those three characters together for a crossover episode, but it fits with the show’s recurring emphasis on artificial intelligence .

Related: Star Trek: Lower Decks Season 4 Has a T’Lyn Problem

More than that, the three characters are individually interesting and the three guest performers are among the most distinctive and charming to appear on Lower Decks . McBrayer is fun as a psychotic riff on “ Clippy ,” Donohue’s “Valley-girl sociopath” is an inspired concept, and Combs remains one of the best actors ever to work on the Star Trek franchise. Setting aside the fan service of throwing these three characters into a story together, it’s just good to check on them again.

However, “A Few Badgeys More” just doesn’t work. It’s the kind of story that feels lazy in every way that it is possible for a Lower Decks story to feel lazy. In narrative terms, it is a collection of the show’s worst impulses thrown into a blender and served to audiences. It’s particularly frustrating because it feels like the episode’s script is coasting on the high concept of throwing these three characters together into a script and assuming that will be enough to produce a good episode.

“A Few Badgeys More” does not work in any way that it is possible for a Lower Decks episode to work. Most superficially, it doesn’t really work as a Star Trek story. One of the most consistently impressive things about Lower Decks is the way that the show consistently manages to tell functional Star Trek stories within the framework of a sitcom. The primary plots of episodes like “ I Have No Bones Yet I Must Flee ” or “ In the Cradle of Vexilon ” could easily be reworked as Star Trek: Voyager episodes.

“A Few Badgeys More” relies on the characters behaving like idiots in order to move the plot forward. Of course, sitcoms and dramas inevitably depend on protagonists making bad choices in order to advance the story. However, there is no internal logic threshold for “A Few Badgeys More.” There is no reason for the parole board to believe that Peanut Hamper has reformed. Given her relationship with AGIMUS, his volunteering of information about the Bynar ship should be met with suspicion.

Of course, the script handwaves these details through exposition. “Gosh, she hasn’t been in there very long,” Tendi (Noël Wells) notes when informed of Peanut Hamper’s hearing. “I guess the system works.” In the briefing, Ransom (Jerry O’Connell) even notes the “extremely suspicious timing” of AGIMUS’ information. However, this is the sort of humor associated with modern blockbusters, drawing attention to the contrivances in the hopes of beating the audience to the joke .

Similarly, once AGIMUS enacts his plan, the episode hinges on Boimler (Jack Quaid) and Tendi just going along with him. Tendi points out that she could easily free them from his shackles, but Boimler decides to play along to get information. This apparently goes so far as to include letting AGIMUS subjugate an entire planet. Again, the script handwaves it. “Yep, Starfleet definitely wouldn’t be able to reverse this in an hour,” Boimler sarcastically remarks. It doesn’t really make any sense.

There are similar narrative gaps in the subplot focusing on Badgey. It’s strange that Mariner (Tawny Newsome) is able to get away from her station and catch up with Rutherford (Eugene Cordero) before he makes his way over to the Drookmani freighter. It’s also strange that “A Few Badgeys More” completely forgets about the Cerritos once Rutherford makes contact with Badgey. It really seems like the ship is just sitting there doing nothing, its senior staff twiddling their thumbs.

Related: Right Now, the Best Star Trek is Animated Star Trek

It doesn’t help matters that “A Few Badgeys More” doesn’t really have any idea what to do with Badgey. The character proceeds to malfunction and multiply, spawning off an alternate good self named “Goodgey” and a neutral self named “Logickey.” This is not especially interesting or compelling to watch, and it doesn’t give McBrayer anything interesting to play. As a result, it just feels like the episode is stalling to reach its runtime.

These problems would be excusable if “A Few Badgeys More” was consistently funny. Lapses in logic can be excused in a functional sitcom script. “ Twovix ” wasn’t the most airtight narrative ever constructed – with Mariner even acknowledging “the Clown wasn’t even a holodeck [program]” – but it was goofy enough and dynamic enough that it worked. Unfortunately, the laughs in “A Few Badgeys More” are few and far between.

Worse than that, every time that “A Few Badgeys More” finds a charming or amusing gag, it proceeds to run that joke into the ground. This is most obvious with the joke about how AGIMUS earns the trust of Boimler and Tendi, simply by switching his control light from a sinister red to a soothing blue. It’s a great joke about the visual shorthand of these sorts of stories. However, “A Few Badgeys More” seems to recognize that this is the best joke in the episode and so keeps making it.

“Oh my god, it’s so convincing,” Peanut Hamper gasps. “You look totally not evil.” Later, as he begins to question AGIMUS’ motivations, Boimler muses, “The light is reassuring.” Later, in the shuttle with Tendi and Boimler, AGIMUS tries to placate them, “You’re thinking of the old red-light AGIMUS. Blue-light AGIMUS wants to help.” It’s a funny joke the first time that the episode makes it, but it quickly wears out its welcome. The same is perhaps true of splitting Badgey into Goodgey and Logickey.

There is also something lazy in the revelation that Peanut Hamper has honestly reformed, completely off-screen. “I loved scheming with you,” she confesses to AGIMUS. “But when we were writing my fake speech for the parole board, I realized it wasn’t fake. I really did feel remorse for betraying everyone.” This is a betrayal of what made Peanut Hamper so interesting. Part of what made her so compelling as the hero of “A Mathematically Perfect Redemption” was her unrepentant awfulness.

That episode was about Peanut Hamper stage managing her moral redemption, so it doesn’t make any sense that she would have an honest-to-goodness change of heart off-screen. If Peanut Hamper could be converted to altruism through pretending to be altruistic, why wasn’t she redeemed on Areolus? The choice feels like a cynical effort to placate fans who objected to Peanut Hamper as “ a self-centered twit ” who was “ thoroughly unlikeable .”

It also doesn’t make any sense. If Peanut Hamper has been redeemed, if she is no longer completely self-centered, then why wouldn’t she do something about AGIMUS’ prison break? She could meet up with him as promised and explain herself or she could warn Starfleet that a megalomaniacal computer was planning to escape. Either choice could make sense. Her refusal to do either suggests that she is just as self-centered as she ever was, even as the episode insists the opposite.

There are some half-formed good ideas here. In particular, allowing for the issue of Peanut Hamper’s unearned off-screen redemption arc, it is nice to see Lower Decks extend the franchise’s trademark humanism to its artificial intelligences. “A Few Badgeys More” seems to suggest that AGIMUS could be redeemed through love. It’s corny and cheesy, but many of the best Star Trek episodes are unashamedly corny and cheesy.

Related: Star Trek: Lower Decks’ Latest Episode Does an Unconvincing Deep Space Nine Impression

“I didn’t want to subjugate a planet again,” AGIMUS confesses to Peanut Hamper. “I already did that. It was just an excuse to spend more time with you.” There’s obviously an element of absurdist comedy baked into the image of two insane computers having this conversation, but beneath that absurdity is a charming sincerity. Even a monstrous evil computer like AGIMUS can make the conscious choice to better himself. There is something inherently optimistic in that idea.

That carries over to Badgey, who seems to achieve “ singularity .” As his code spreads and his cosmic awareness widens, he boasts, “I can detonate every warp core. I can kill anyone I want. But… why?” That question haunts him. “I have unlimited power and infinite knowledge,” he admits. “I can see the creation of time and its end.” He has transcended hatred and violence. In Mariner’s words, he has “accidentally [turned] into an omniscient god.”

Again, this is trademark Star Trek utopianism. “A Few Badgeys More” suggests that it is impossible for an entity to be truly all-seeing and all-powerful without becoming enlightened. More knowledge and more power makes a person better. Of course, “ Where No Man Has Gone Before ” and “ Hide & Q ” push against this idea, but there’s something inherently hopeful about the idea that evolving means leaving one’s worst impulses behind. Rutherford cheers Badgey on, “Good luck being everything.”

“A Few Badgeys More” is impressive on a technical level. The animation is top notch, particularly of Badgey. The shading and the eyes are striking, and there are some wonderful visuals as Badgey reaches enlightenment. Chris Westlake’s score is similarly impressive. As with the trip to Orion in “ Something Borrowed, Something Green ,” one can sense his experience working with John Williams on Star Wars: The Force Awakens rubbing off on him.

Sadly, though, “A Few Badgeys More” is a dud. It is the biggest misfire of the season to this point, and a wasted opportunity given all the potential that it had.

Star Trek: Lower Decks references the original series in the latest episode

F ans are still delighted by Star Trek: Lower Decks' plethora of allusions to the legendary "Star Trek" series . The animated comedy series is a pleasure for die-hard Trekkies since it doesn't hesitate to incorporate inter-franchise nods and callbacks at lightning-fast speed. In the series's most recent episode, " A Few Badgeys More," the Lower Deckers waged up against renegade sentient technology, and a famous callback to the original Star Trek series appeared.

Things took an interesting turn when Badgey, the AI hologram, made a move suggestive of a classic Star Trek episode. He suffered a change akin to the famous Star Trek episode "The Enemy Within."

In this iconic episode, Captain Kirk is divided into two parts, one representing his heroic side and the other his evil side. William Shatner gave an outstanding performance as the glaring contrast between the good and evil Kirk in the episode.

Star Trek: Lower Decks sees Badgey pull an "Enemy Within"

Characters like Exocomp Peanut Hamper (Kether Donohue), the evil computer AGIMUS (Jeffrey Combs), and the tainted AI hologram Badgey (Jack McBrayer) all made appearances in the Star Trek: Lower Decks episode "A Few Badgeys More."

The narrative of the episode also touched on the enduring Star Trek topic of renegade technology and its possibility for redemption as the crew of the USS Cerritos overcame the difficulties faced by these erstwhile adversaries.

" The Enemy Within" is one of the most unforgettable episodes of Star Trek: The Original Series, partly because William Shatner gives an even more committed performance than usual when Captain Kirk splits into two halves, one heroic and one malevolent. The episode, which airs early in the first season of the program, demonstrates to potential viewers that the show may be far more goofy than anticipated.

The fact that "The Enemy Within" established a precedent for some dubious science further makes it stand out in the series. Sure, Star Trek foresaw and influenced many technical advancements. Still, it also had an episode where a transporter divided a person up according to the composition of their soul rather than their anatomy or chemical structure.

This idea is taken to a whole new degree in Star Trek: Lower Decks when Badgey divides into not two but three unique personas. Initial interactions with Rutherford (Eugene Cordero) led the renegade AI to change its behavior momentarily and become "good." This new identity, which Rutherford playfully dubbed "Goodgey," could be immediately distinguished from the villainous Badgey by his kind and upbeat personality.

Due to Badgey's rational nature and realization that hurting his pals was pointless, Logicy, a third persona, appeared. The episode's plot took an interesting turn thanks to this nuanced representation. In an entertaining twist typical of power-hungry villains from previous Star Trek: Lower Decks episodes , Badgey abandoned his nasty ways and retired to a tranquil existence comparable to a celestial being.

Even if the episode didn't go into great detail about the intricate science behind Badgey's change, it is a fascinating tribute to " The Enemy Within ." While a transporter failure caused Kirk's split in the original series, Lower Decks pays homage to the idea with its novel take, further referencing Star Trek 's themes of rouge technology.

Star Trek: Lower Decks continues to air new episodes every Thursday on Paramount+ . For fans of the illustrious Star Trek series, it continues to be a gold mine of allusions and callbacks and is thoroughly enjoyable.

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Published Feb 5, 2024

Star Trek: Lower Decks Season 4 to Arrive on Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital

Bring home 'the most hilarious crew in the galaxy' on Digital February 5 and Blu-ray and DVD on April 16!

StarTrek.com

StarTrek.com is thrilled to reveal the "Most Hilarious Crew in the Galaxy" (Collider) is back in action, and you can bring the crew of the U.S.S. Cerritos home with the release of Star Trek: Lower Decks Season 4 on Digital today, February 5, and on Blu-ray and DVD April 16.

Currently sitting at a 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, Star Trek: Lower Decks Season 4 includes all 10 episodes from the latest season, plus exclusive audio commentaries from cast and crew, a featurette and more!

Star Trek: Lower Decks Season 4 on Blu-ray

Created by Emmy Award winner Mike McMahan, in Season 4 of Star Trek: Lower Decks , an unknown force is destroying starships and threatening galactic peace. Luckily, the crew of the U.S.S. Cerritos isn’t important enough for stuff like that! Instead, Ensigns Mariner, Boimler, Tendi, Rutherford, and Provisional Ensign T’Lyn are keeping up with their Starfleet duties, avoiding malevolent computers and getting stuck in a couple caves — all while encountering new and classic aliens along the way.

The Starfleet crew residing in the “lower decks” of the U.S.S. Cerritos includes Ensign Beckett Mariner, voiced by Tawny Newsome; Ensign Brad Boimler, voiced by Jack Quaid; Ensign Tendi, voiced by Noël Wells; and Ensign Rutherford, voiced by Eugene Cordero. The Starfleet characters that comprise the U.S.S. Cerritos ’ Bridge crew include Captain Carol Freeman, voiced by Dawnn Lewis; Commander Jack Ransom, voiced by Jerry O’Connell; and Doctor T’Ana, voiced by Gillian Vigman.

This 2-Disc collection includes every episode and features guest stars Jack McBrayer ( 30 Rock ), Andy Richter ( Late Night with Conan O’Brien ), Wil Wheaton ( Star Trek: The Next Generation ), and more!

Star Trek: Lower Decks Season 4 on Digital

Special Features

• Audio Commentary by Jack Quaid, Mike McMahan, and Brad Winters (Ep. 401)
• Audio Commentary by Tawny Newsome, Noël Wells and Gabrielle Ruiz (Ep. 404)
• Audio Commentary by Noël Wells, Eugene Cordero, Chase Masterson and Mike McMahan (Ep. 406)
• Audio Commentary by Dawnn Lewis, Tawny Newsome and Mike McMahan (Ep. 409)
• Audio Commentary by Robert Duncan McNeill and Mike McMahan (Ep. 410)
• Lower Decktionary: Setting Up Season 4
• Old Friends

Trailer | Star Trek: Lower Decks Season 4 Coming to Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital

Star Trek: Lower Decks Season 4 will be available on DVD manufactured on demand. Also available on Digital.*

*Special features available digitally with the purchase of the full season.

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10 Awesome Star Trek Things Lower Decks Brought Back That We Love

6 star trek planets controlled by computers, the doctor is officially not doctor who season 14's main character.

• Star Trek: Lower Decks adds fun, comedic elements and new lore to the Star Trek universe.
• The show references classic Star Trek moments while introducing original concepts and characters.
• Lower Decks shines a light on the lives of junior officers, offering a fresh perspective on Starfleet dynamics.

Star Trek: Lower Decks made Star Trek better with its own additions to the Star Trek canon. Star Trek: Lower Decks built its reputation as an animated comedy and a love letter to Star Trek fandom. The 2380s setting, nestled between Star Trek: Nemesis and Star Trek: Picard, means that Star Trek: The Next Generation , Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , and Star Trek: Voyager are all within living memory of Lieutenants Beckett Mariner (Tawny Newsome), Brad Boimler (Jack Quaid), Samanthan Rutherford (Eugene Cordero), and D'Vana Tendi (Noël Wells). The Star Trek: Lower Decks characters know all too well the same events that fans of Star Trek 's 90s trifecta do.

Naturally, Star Trek: Lower Decks thrives on callbacks to some of the weirdest and most beloved parts of earlier Star Trek shows, but there's no need to have an encyclopedic knowledge of all things Star Trek in order to enjoy Star Trek: Lower Decks . Instead of relying on all the Star Trek shows that preceded it, Lower Decks references itself as the seasons go on. Best of all, Star Trek: Lower Decks enriches Star Trek canon by introducing new elements that just didn't exist before, from minutiae that "upper decks" shows might not concern themselves with, to brand-new characters and creatures we all want plush versions of.

Lower Decks is crammed full of callbacks to Star Trek's rich past and here's a selection of awesome things that the show has brought back.

11 Replicator Malfunctions

"banana: hot. banana: hot. banana: hot.".

What is life like for a junior officer on a starship? How do they sleep, shower, and eat? Well, it turns out that the lower deckers sometimes have to deal with what happens when the USS Cerritos' food replicators get a little ... touchy. Unlike tragic transporter malfunctions, which are the basis of many an introspective morality play on Star Trek , the not-so-tragic replicator malfunctions on Star Trek: Lower Decks are a little more comedic in scope.

If there's one true thing about advanced technology, it's that it's going to break at some point. Brad Boimler seems to get stuck with the worst of Star Trek: Lower Decks ' replicator malfunctions, like a Bonsai tree for breakfast, everything tasting like black licorice, and an endless supply of steaming hot bananas. And when replicator credits are a thing, you can't just keep asking for new stuff. You get "banana: hot," and you deal with it.

Tragic replicator malfunctions rarely result in more than an inconvenience for Star Trek characters, except in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine season 1, episode 4, "Babel", when DS9's replicators were contaminated with an aphasia virus that nearly took out the entire senior staff. (Let's be honest, though, that whole station was held together with duct tape and dreams at that point.)

10 Hysperia, The RenFaire Planet

"i don't want to live in a castle with pet dragons and all the mutton i can eat.".

Star Trek: Lower Decks pays homage to the episodes of Star Trek: The Original Series where it was cheaper to utilize the readily-available sets and wardrobes of other genres with Hysperia, a planet colonized by "Ren Faire types", in Star Trek: Lower Decks season 2, episode 7, "Where Pleasant Fountains Lie". Hysperia is home to the USS Cerritos' Chief Engineer, Lt. Commander Andy Billups (Paul Scheer), who also happens to be the son of Hysperia's Queen Paolana (June Diane Raphael), and thus will become the planet's king, should Billups ever lose his virginity.

There's a fantasy overlay on nearly every aspect of Hysperian culture, like the "dragonsbreath engine" warp reactor and the mead-infused feasting, all thanks to the dragons that originally called Hysperia home . Hysperian residents live in castles, have dragons as pets, and keep the medieval party going nonstop, like the most immersive LARP you've ever seen.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 1, episode 9, "The Elysian Kingdom", pays similar homage to the genre-bending TOS episodes with the USS Enterprise crew taking on new fantasy personas.

9 Ferengi Television

"they put commercials in the programs".

Lt. Brad Boimler gets transfixed by Ferengi television in Star Trek: Lower Decks season 4, episode 6, "Parth Ferengi's Heart Place", on a "travel guide" assignment to Ferenginar that expands on the elements of Ferengi culture in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine . Aside from public libraries with Dabo tables, and the Dominion War Memorial commemorating lost profits instead of individual people, Ferengi TV really encapsulates how Ferengi capitalist ideals persist and shape the culture with bids for more latinum.

Poor Boimler can't take his exhausted eyes away, because Ferengi TV shows are so different from the Federation's interactive holonovels. With commercials interspersed throughout shows and product placement in each episode, Boimler's fascinated by the overt lying and sucked in by the "schlocky, lowest-common-denominator drivel" that Brad swears he can resist, but, in the end, he just can't beat Pog & Dar: Cop Landlords .

"Hi! Can I teach you a lesson?"

Sentient holograms are nothing new in Star Trek . Sentient EVIL holograms aren't even unexpected. But a sentient evil hologram that's shaped like a Starfleet delta? That would be Badgey (Jack McBrayer), the training hologram designed by Ensign Samanthan Rutherford, and exactly the kind of thing you'd expect to find in Star Trek: Lower Decks .

Badgey considers Rutherford to be his father and sets out on a revenge quest inspired by parental neglect. One might think, as Rutherford does, that the way to end Badgey's reign of terror might be through reconciliation and offering parental love, because that's the Star Trek way, but Badgey is nothing if not contrarian. Love only causes Badgey to create Goodgey, and an appeal to reason forms Logic-y, proving that the answers aren't always as easy as they may seem to be. Sometimes you just have to let the evil hologram ascend to godhood.

"You dare mock AGIMUS?"

Jeffrey Combs is nothing new in Star Trek . EVIL Jeffrey Combs isn't even unexpected. But an evil Jeffrey Combs that's shaped like an old PC tower? That's AGIMUS the evil sentient computer, and it's up to Beckett Mariner and Brad Boimler to deliver AGIMUS to the Daystom Institute in Star Trek: Lower Decks season 2, episode 7, "Where Pleasant Fountains Lie". It's not easy to rebuff AGIMUS' bids for power and trick AGIMUS, but Boimler manages to do just that.

"Changing the light on his tower from red to blue proves AGIMUS is good now, really, honest."

Imprisoned in the Daystrom Institute , AGIMUS prompts a genuine change of heart in exocomp Starfleet officer Ensign Peanut Hamper (Kether Donohue), who is at the Institute following a botched redemption arc. AGIMUS sneakily implies that he's turned his life around, because changing the light on his tower from red to blue proves AGIMUS is good now, really, honest. (AGIMUS is not good now.) After a bona fide run of evil on the planet Plymeria, AGIMUS is returned to the Daystrom Institute , begrudgingly cooperating with Starfleet.

Star Trek has introduced several planets controlled by computers, some with more positive results than others.

6 The Dog, Created By Tendi

"who has malleable protein bonds you do, yes you do".

In Star Trek: Lower Decks season 1, episode 7, "Much Ado About Boimler", Ensign D'Vana Tendi makes a dog ... from scratch. It's not a far stretch for Tendi to build a dog out of inert carbon as a science project, hand-editing the genome sequences into a creature that seems to resemble an Earth dog, but Orion doesn't have dogs, leading to Tendi misunderstanding the true capabilities of actual Earth dogs . Thus, The Dog (Jennifer Hale) is capable of shape-shifting into a spider-dog with glowing eyes that can scale walls, turning herself inside-out with eyeball bats, and spitting lightning. Tendi loves The Dog with her whole heart, and who can blame her? These are awesome features, not bugs.

In the end, The Dog is taken to The Farm, a recovery center for victims of transporter accidents, itself an excellent addition that Star Trek: Lower Decks made to Star Trek canon. Before The Dog can be committed to a road of recovery or be destroyed, The Dog floats away from Tendi into the far-reaching sky with a fond farewell, revealing that The Dog has always been capable of speech, much to Tendi's surprise.

"The moopsy drinks your bones!"

With just a single appearance to its name, the Moopsy is deceptively cute, but terrifyingly deadly . In Star Trek: Lower Decks season 4, episode 2, "I Have No Bones Yet I Must Flee," a visit to Narj's Miraculous Menagerarium showcases multiple Star Trek alien animals from shows past, as well as Moopsy, a brand-new, adorable little critter that resembles a cross between a baby seal and an axlotl. Like Star Trek 's answer to Pokémon, Moopsy speaks its own name, and toddles around gleefully like a jellybean with feet.

Moopsy seems harmless, but the truth behind Moopsy's wide-eyed visage and eponymous call is that Moopsy is actually the menagerie's most vicious captive. When the Moopsy escapes, everyone is in mortal peril, potentially subject to the Moopsy's hidden array of sharp teeth, used to drink the bones of its victims, "like a kid going to town on a Capri Sun," according to Star Trek: Lower Decks creator Mike McMahan . Fortunately, Lt. Beckett Mariner's quick thinking keeps Mariner, Commander Jack Ransom (Jerry O'Connell) and (new guy) from becoming osteo-milkshakes for Moopsy.

4 The Smiling Koala

"why is it smiling what does it know".

Star Trek: Lower Decks ' weird koala is a beatific entity encountered by those who, however briefly, ascend to a higher plane of existence or come face-to-face with their own mortality. As Tendi's potential friend Lieutenant O'Connor (Haley Joel Osment) completes a previously botched ascension, O'Connor comments on the existence of a smiling koala. The cosmic koala seems at first to be a one-off joke, but repeats throughout Star Trek: Lower Decks , and appears to those who achieve a state of consciousness between planes of reality, including characters who die and come back to life. Indeed, the koala may be the arbiter of life and death itself in Star Trek ... but who knows for sure?

3 Orion Culture

"some orions haven't been pirates for over five years".

Star Trek: Lower Decks seeks to balance out the sexist tropes from Star Trek: The Original Series and the attempts to flip the narrative about Orion women in Star Trek: Enterprise by featuring Star Trek 's first Orion main character: Science Officer in training Lt. D'Vana Tendi. Tendi showcases Orion culture from her own perspective, calling out Beckett Mariner for subscribing to harmful stereotypes, while also illustrating the true things that perpetuate the ideas of Orions being pirates and assassins.

In Star Trek: Lower Decks season 4, episode 4, "Something Borrowed, Something Green", Star Trek 's first visit to the Orion homeworld offers glimpses into the aspects of Orion culture that explain persistent stereotypes and why Tendi is sensitive to them. Danger and deception are a matter of course for Orions, with aspects of piracy playing a part in everything from Orion wedding traditions to competitive games. The Orion culture seen in Star Trek: Lower Decks is surprisingly nuanced, and actually manages to reconcile seemingly conflicting ideas from earlier Star Trek shows.

2 Starfleet's California Class Starships

"i guess those cali-class ships can hold their own longer than people think.".

Named after cities in California, the USS Cerritos and its fellow California class starships are Starfleet's support vessels, designed to go where someone has already gone before. The Cerritos in particular is tasked with second contact missions, following up with alien societies after more famous ships like the USS Enterprise have already moved on to seek out the next new civilization. Other Cali-class starships may provide medical support or transportation for important Starfleet personnel.

In that regard, the California class is considered the lower decks of Starfleet ships. They're an older starship model that doesn't have all the brand-new features that more glamorous ships do, and they need a little bit more regular maintenance, but the California class ships are perfectly capable of getting the job done.

In Star Trek: Lower Decks season 3, episode 3, "Mining the Mind's Mines," the away team from the USS Carlsbad regards the USS Cerritos as kind of a big deal among California-class ships, comparing the Cerritos to the USS Enterprise.

1 The USS Cerritos Crew

"lower decks lower decks lower decks".

By far, the best additions that Star Trek: Lower Decks makes to Star Trek canon are its characters. Star Trek: Lower Decks would be nothing without the depth and realism of the character-driven stories that lay at the heart of every single episode. Each of Star Trek: Lower Decks ' main characters has their own fatal flaw, ther own way of getting in their own way, so to speak, that proves relatable to those of us who are ambitious perfectionists, subject to self-sabotage, hiding who we are, unsure how to use our talents, or trying to find our place -- no matter how old we are. At the end of the day, Star Trek: Lower Decks is about the Warp Core Five's friendships making them stronger, better people.

By offering in-depth looks at the lives of junior officers, Star Trek: Lower Decks shows the depth of life aboard a Starfleet ship from the ground up. These are the parts of Starfleet that the upper-decker heroes of other Star Trek shows aren't privy to, or left behind long ago. These are the messy, broken pieces that inevitably exist in Star Trek , not just on the ships, not just on the worlds the USS Cerritos checks up on, but within the characters themselves. Star Trek: Lower Decks makes Star Trek better because it shows us characters that are real and relatable, with problems we can identify with, and additions that keep enriching Star Trek canon.

Star Trek: Lower Decks is streaming on Paramount+.

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