Star Trek: Lower Decks Season 1, Episode 5 recap: Cupid’s Errant Arrow

Meet Boimler’s girlfriend on Star Trek: Lower Decks Episode 5?

In the Star Trek franchise, romances are a dime a dozen. Some last an episode, others become favourite pairings that live on beyond the screen. On Star Trek: Lower Decks Episode 5, Boimler is the latest to fall prey to the affairs of the heart.

When the USS Cerritos rendezvous with the Vancouver, members of the two ships become intricately entwined in a battle to save one planet’s civilization, and themselves.

Star Trek: Lower Decks Episode 5 – Tendi and Rutherford’s Side Quest

Ever since the premiere, Rutherford and Tendi have formed a fierce bond. They spend an inordinate amount of time together – in fact, we rarely see Tendi in the medical bay, despite being posted there.

On Star Trek: Lower Decks Episode 5, the two of them complain bitterly about how the Cerritos is falling apart. When they tour the Vancouver, they’re bowled over by the ship’s excellent condition and advanced technology.

So much so, that when they meet the Vancouver’s Lieutenant Commander Ron Docent, they’re more than happy to take on an easy task since it means winning a fancy new T-88 (some kind of cleaning tool). Tendi and Rutherford are so desperate for the trophy, they even try to sabotage each other.

Docent, impressed by their work, promises to hand them both a T-88, which they can use on the Vancouver. Wait, was that the plan? Docent insists that he’d informed Tendi and Rutherford that the win would come with a transfer to the Vancouver.

The two friends debate leaving the wreck that is the Cerritos for the plush life aboard the Vancouver but foregoes that dream. The Cerritos has their friends. When they broach the topic to Docent, he loses his mind. Apparently, Docent is so stressed by the Vancouver’s activities that he’s secretly trying to swap places with Tendi and Rutherford for a quiet life off his ship.

Tendi and Rutherford cancel the transfer order and steal two bags full of T-88s to surprise each other with. Now that’s what I call real friendship.

Star Trek: Lower Decks Episode 5 – Saving a Civilization

Captain Freeman and Commander Ransom board the Vancouver to settle an issue with the local aliens being affected by the moon plummeting to their planet, Mixtus III. The Vancouver’s captain is condescending and believes Freeman should aspire to captain a ship like the Vancouver. But in the end, Freeman proves to be the better officer.

Freeman is faced with a conference room full of purple aliens, each one decrying the destruction of their moon. If the Vancouver leaves the moon as it is, it’ll destroy the aliens’ planet. But this lot is tough to deal with. They argue that the moon is a religious symbol; it is the home of many generations; it affects the crops; some people don’t believe the moon is headed to destroy their planet. It’s all very prescient of the real world we live in, and the endless—silly—arguments people continue to make to remain selfish.

Freeman adeptly handles each argument. Tons of moon dust can be moved to the aliens’ planet for them to worship, people’s homes can be moved to the next closest moon and technology can sort out the farmers’ issues. In one swift move, Freeman has saved the day.

Until a thorn gets stuck in her side. One alien from Mixtus II calls Freeman a murderer for destroying the moon. Its destruction will send all the pollution to his planet.

This alien throwing a tantrum is perhaps a reflection of how petulant some politicians seem when they don’t look at the bigger picture. It takes all of Freeman’s patience to get to the heart of the matter – this alien and his wife have bought the entire planet. And they don’t want to move.

Freeman adheres to the old Star Trek saying, ‘the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few’. She blows up the moon.

Star Trek: Lower Decks Episode 5 – Boimler’s Girlfriend

We’ve all met Boimler, he doesn’t scream heartthrob. He’s not hot nor smart. So how in all of Starfleet does he bag a girlfriend who is smart, at the top of her game, presentable and a Lieutenant aboard the Vancouver? Well, that’s what Mariner wants to know.

The moment Mariner sees Barbara Brinson (Gillian Jacobs), she’s certain this woman is an alien out to kill Boimler. A long time ago, on another ship, Mariner saw her friend Angie get eaten by a shape-shifting alien masquerading as Angie’s boyfriend.

Worried that Boimler is headed for the same fate, Mariner does everything in her power to decipher what Barb really is. She goes through every possible permutation and combination, but Barb comes across as little more than a lovely human woman.

When Mariner finds a parasite, Mariner interrupts Boimler’s romantic tryst. During their confrontation, Boimler hits his head and Mariner begins tussling with Barb. Both women are convinced the other is out to hurt Boimler; they eerily had the same suspicions as the other.

Finally, the two women start joking about Boimler’s stupid antics and finally calm down. They have too much in common to fight. Barb tells Mariner to scan her and to no one’s surprise, Barb is 100% human. Boimler on the other hand…

Turns out, a parasite had attached itself to Boimler, making him alluring to others around him. Soon after, he met Barb and she was affected by him. Barb quickly breaks off her relationship with Boimler. Well, at least he has a fierce friend in Mariner.

Star Trek: Lower Decks Episode 5 – Final Thoughts

I scoffed at the thought of romance being at the center of Star Trek: Lower Decks Episode 5, but the writers managed to surprise me anyway.

Not so long ago, Mariner’s actions would have stemmed from her jealousy of Barb, and her latent affections for Boimler. We don’t yet know if the Star Trek: Lower Decks will go down the romantic route for these two characters, but as of now, Mariner is simply over-protective of her naïve friend.

My favorite part of the episode was the tertiary story with Captain Freeman. This character grows with each episode. She’s highly intelligent and not afraid to show it. I love this character!

This episode will be memorable for the many asides about the ridiculous goings-on aboard the Enterprise. This show is not afraid to laugh at the franchise and some of its ludicrous plotlines.

Are you cheering on any romances after Star Trek: Lower Decks Episode 5? Let us know in the comments below.

New episodes of Star Trek: Lower Decks are available every Thursday on CBS All Access.