Lower Decks was the series that finally got me into Star Trek. I had seen TOS as a kid when Sci-Fi Channel would regularly rerun episodes, and while I enjoyed it I never had any interest in checking out any of the TNG era of the franchise. But I'm an animation fan and Lower Decks looked fun. I watched the first episode, immediately fell in love and had to start a deep dive on the Trek that's come before. Currently halfway through the TNG era of shows and I'm loving it.
Honestly one of the most resounding counters to the "it's just a bunch of references" critique -- if that were all it was, it wouldn't have such a profound draw towards people with little to no prior Trek fandomry.
I went a similar way, but I saw Season 1 of Discovery and felt a little lost, and I was aware that it was very different from other Star Treks, so I wanted to see what the original flavor was like, but I was like "This cartoon looks good" and then I still felt lost because there were references I did not understand, so then I watched TNG. I'm going to rewatch Lower Decks soon.
36:10 Talking about Tendi as an Orion Pirate, and knowing how to do stuff that you wouldn't think she would know, it works so well with what we know about her, like when she and Mariner went to pick up T'ana's scratching post and had to get it fixed and she got to act all tough, to the time she was "The Cleaner" for the SpecOps group in the Truth Horn Trial episode. She's very capable, and the whole series is about showing that to herself that she's both a good officer, and pretty amazing, and she shouldn't have to be shy or quiet because she IS a good person for the job. And then there was that one time she was a scorpion-centaur.
That moment where were Mariner quietly says "They took her away in handcuffs" always gets me. There's so much emotion in that performance! It's one of my favorite line reads, right up there with Lapis Lazuli in Steven Universe saying '"Did you even wonder who I used to be". I wish you could give multiple likes to a video. One doesn't feel like enough.
Well, as a sex positive ace I can say that I am glad Billups is the way he is here. Aces are all different and I am glad to see a character so similar to me. Our representation is limited on TV and I just hope other aces don't look at Billups negativily just cause he is a different asexual.
Right? It’s not like he joined in, he just enjoyed their “kissing hello” and the weather and cocktails. Ransom was the one who was all “control yourself!”, which fits with his jock personality.
And there's the question of how much of his Aceness is tied into what it means (the whole ascending the throne) vs his innate personality; would he enjoy/seeking ja'ma'haron if he wasn't concerned with avoiding his royal duties and/or thought he could without his mother/her court knowing.
@@Sephiroth144 yeah, when stuff like that is tied-up with lifelong anxieties it can be very difficult for even the person to know where the difference lies. Eg even after he thought his mother died he was still caught-up with those anxieties, and he couldn’t really tell you how he’d be if he’d grown up in a different environment.
I'm one of the ten people who watched Lower Decks and I'm all on board for this video! I mean, I'd be all on board for basically any video you do, I love your channel, your writing, your much more centered (in the zen way) approach to presenting arguments. But still, I'm glad this is about Lower Decks because, honestly, the world needs more positivity in it. Thanks, Jessie! You're freakin' amazing
My mom had a Quark standee She put him on display in the window to the street That's the story why the nosy neighbours stopped looking through our windows
I adore your star trek rants so much! As a neurodivergent woman who is just starting the adventure with star trek universe, I feel truly inspired by your work! Your jokes never disappoint too, I really vibe with your sense of humor! Never change Jessie! You're an icon!
I love hearing you talk about Lower Decks. Because this and the reviews show me things I've missed. Or help me find the words for my own feelings about the show. And make me love the show all the more for it.
The first half of the finale had me rewatch Captain Mariner’s character arc. Because it recontextualized all the times Mariner was sent to the brig, all the ships she was kicked off. Like, wasn’t Ensign Mariner’s first ship the Titan? Where she initially thrived at, right until the trauma of losing her lover to a shapeshifter alien attack. With that context in mind two of her other three assignments were under her parents whom both assumed she was a “failure unworthy of starfleet.” While I don’t know what went wrong in that last ship she was on before the Ceritos… Mariner went from “starfleet royalty” to “mom and dad’s greatest shame” prior to Lower Decks. And upon rewatching in that mindset, Mariner’s parents did her dirty every step of the way. Instead of getting her the therapy, love and care she needed… Captain Mariner simply disregarded her daughter’s truamas and steps to improve, and instead kept sending her to the brig and overall sabotaging her daughter every chance she got. Mama Mariner is surprisingly abusive and neglectful
I've been thinking about Mathematically Perfect Redemption, and ultimately my problem with it wasn't that Peanut Hamper turned out evil all along, it's that spending an entire episode on her arc meant taking precious time away from our four favorite dorks. It's okay to contrast a main cast member with a guest star, but ultimately we tune in every week to follow the lower deckers of Beta Shift.
episode 1: I like the idea of Tendi and Rutherford on a date at Sisko's Creole Kitchen, but to me they either seem like platonic friends, or (and this is my headcanon because I want a QPR with them) a queerplatonic relationship. I like that it's unspecific enough to interpret it different ways.
episode 10: not just human beings, all kinds of sentients. One thing I've really disliked about the new stuff (post-Enterprise) is that it's too human-centric. I've liked all of the new shows for the most part (everything but Picard season 2, really), but too few non-humans all around.
Honestly, one of the things that made me feel great about the finale in particular is that all the Cali Class ships that were named are all 'forgotten' cities and communities in the state of California. The USS Vallejo, to me, was a great shout-out. Especially since I named my first STO ship after my home city as well.
Is San Diego considered forgotten? That was one which stood out to me as an internationally recognisable name, which none of the other ones are. (That said I recognised Burbank too because of Chuck.) Though I think they missed a chance for some famous yet ill-regarded cities too, like Compton, which also lack funding and prestige. But they’re certainly not obscure, and obscurity is part of the class’s characteristics too.
Late to the party with this video, but my boyfriend and I finally caught up on Lower Decks between Denver Fan Expo and SDCC. It holds such a special place in our hearts and already one of our favorite series. Our first Hall H panel was Star Trek Universe and we were SO HAPPY to see our Boims and Mariner in live action! This show is such a source of joy and I'm so excited to go back and watch all your Lower Decks videos now that I've seen it all :)
My Mum and I absolutely adore Lower Decks. It is, bar none, my favourite Star Trek. Also, I'm glad I wasn't the only one who saw a lot of parallels between Tendi's experiences with her Orion heritage and trans people's experiences with their assigned identities. Also, I was really happy to see you post this video on your main channel! Much as I appreciate the hard work you put into your more serious video essays, I really enjoy your more casual videos like this one.
They are killing us with T'lyn. I waited all season for a glimpse of her. The character development Cliffhangers are just driving me mad. I can't wait for another season. Help. Send a team down here. I need help.
Same! Though with hindsight I’m glad they wrapped up some of the arcs from the first couple seasons before seeing-to these, feels less bloated that way.
As one of the ten people that watched the whole season of reactions along with you, it was really great to just hear you geek out about this series. I've mentioned this countless times in countless places, but I'll mention it again lol Lower Decks is what truly got me to love Star Trek. I've always been around it since my Dad is a massive Trek fan. This show (along with Strange New Worlds) allowed me to finally connect with my dad on this aspect of fandom that I hadn't been able to fully connect with him on. Beyond that, Lower Decks is just great. Incredibly great. And being reminded of how great all of the episodes this season were reminded me again of how much I truly love this show. Thanks for this not-algorithmically-friendly video Jessie!
Absolutely love the caring and friendship in this show. I've had a pretty long-standing issue with Mariner's character in that she always ultimately seemed to have her actions, no matter how egregious, condoned by the narrative. Just once I wanted her to really mess up or be held accountable (thought that was where this season was going for there at the end) But I do think making her mature is a more satisfying outcome in the long run, so I'm glad they're going with that route.
Same. This is why I HATED season 1 Mariner and I think this show has shocked me by not only having her grow but holding her accountable in ways I didn’t see coming. But also in a way that makes other characters re-evaluate her. In a way, Mariner’s bad reputation is her own fault. But at the same time seeing her friends recognize a change in her and her mom see her daughter isn’t just a problem making troubled child is a way better path for the story then I could have seen coming.
Thank you for coming to my Tendi talk!! 🤣😍Jessie, this was just the palate cleanser I needed in my life. I love Lower Decks, and your thoughtful and loving takes on it. Great job as always for you.
I think the references in Lower Decks also really makes it feel like it fits into the larger universe. We reference things that happened in the real world all the time, so Trek characters really should be doing it too. And like you said it also builds on those references, making the whole story feel richer and more real. Also I had no idea peanut hamper's episode was controversial lmao, I LOVED that it showed redemption has to be honestly worked for, not cynically plotted.
Very true. I think some people who are happy with far stronger references in live action Trek react stronger to it in Lower Decks as well. Eg there’s very little of blatant fan service along the lines of Bus Punk, yet background character details in this show are regarded as being on the same level.
If nothing else Lower Decks has the best writing of modern trek. It feels like a show where the writers thought about what they wanted to do and then they did it.
Soccer Mom Jessie. Berman Sherman. Thank you for coming to my Tendi Talk. You are absolutely brilliant in this video, even while turning into the skids.
I still haven't watched lower decks, but it is truly amazing seeing you talk passionately about a tv show which gives you so much good vibes. Really uplifting!
I honestly thought Bold Boimlers story line was going to lead to him sacrificing himself for the crew at the end. Next season I'm going to be paying attention to his badge colour incase there is a bait and switch moment.
Bold Boimler! I love his arc this season. This season was so great! The return of Peanut Hamper and I am really excited to see what craziness it evolves into!
The Peanut Hamper thing is really a callback to the original TNG episode, which is all about the exocomps exhibiting self preservation against orders. So it never seemed weird to me that an exocomp in this series might have the same tendencies. The show continues to get better and better, it's a shame i see people trying and get into it, then bounce off the first two episodes, not realising it gets way better.
Like, literally every show- seriously, I can think of maybe one show that hits it out of the park in their first episode, (and even that one was preceded by a pilot movie)...
You make an excellent point about the characters possibly getting promoted. While I could see writers or producers being like "but if they're promoted they won't be on the lower decks anymore", but look at _Scrubs,_ which basically did for hospital dramas what _Lower Decks_ does for Star Trek. "Scrubs", of course, is a slang for "newbies", but the show let the central characters finish their internships and move on with their careers as doctors. _Lower Decks_ could definitely do something similar, and follow our lovely ensigns as they climb up the ranks. (Ooh, what if the series finale was about them getting to the point in their careers where they have to leave the _Cerritos_ for other ships? That would probably end up being the most emotional finale of the franchise...)
Just the dose of positivity that I needed on a sick day. ❤️ Also, I was a bit on the fence about whether or not to watch Lower Decks... but now you've won me over. 👍🤗 This was a fun video. Nice work, Jessie.
I appreciate your Lower Decks videos and will watch them no matter how long you want to make them. I like seeing a fellow fan so into an aspect of Star Trek, and your videos help me understand what the show is trying to do better. I'm also autistic, and I think parts of it are getting lost in translation for me.
This is great!! The world needs more nerdy rants like this haha. I’m autistic too, my special interest is dolls and I could LITERALLY talk about them for hours! Take care, Jessie, you’re so incredibly awesome and honestly such an inspiration to me (:❤
I actually rewatched the whole series in anticipation of Season 4. I never noticed it but it was wonderful to watch all the characters genuinely learning from their mistakes. Also, isn't this like the 3rd time that Starfleet gets a bad AI? We saw it in TOS with the M-5 computer, and then y'know, that whole Lore thing? It's wild that they thought they could just give it another shot.
With regards the Billups critique I feel he enjoyed that planet as he'd finally found a culture capable of expressing themselves physically without it necessarily having sexual connotations.
Re: The comment at the top about Jessie's writing Hey Jessie, if ya read this, your videos made me love Star Trek again. I was already hip to Lower Decks, but because of you I'm rewatching and enjoying older Trek even more than I did and ravenously consuming new Trek like a Doomsday Machine. Your unstoppable enthusiasm shines through in your presentation and writing, but more than that you're really helping me nail down what feels weird about old Trek in 2022. Seriously, Sex in Star Trek is up there with the best video essays I've ever seen. My only gripe is that I didn't find your channel years ago (stupid algorithm), but Ive been enjoying the hell out of binging your videos. You're great at your job, and you make this wacky star trek thing better.
Lower Decks is such joy. Thank you for getting me to watch it. I wasn’t able to watch the modern trek shows when they came out due to a lot of things, but, upon finding out how many shows have come out and hearing how much joy lower decks brought you, these past few months I watched through all of the modern Trek shows and then Lower decks in time to watch season 3 as it came out and to follow your reviews. Thanks for sharing the joy.
at approximately 26 minutes in, shaxs knew mariner, tendi and boimler were in the holodeck when he told the computer to freeze the program after t'ana told the computer to remove the safety protocols. that's why he lied to her about not telling any1 how he came back from the dead. it was something he said to cover for them while they made their way out.
Mine is longer and the un-shaved middle goes down the back too, but otherwise it’s very similar. But then I had it before the show came out. Regardless, and despite being biased, I think you should absolutely get it.
I would happily watch a ten hour video of you gushing about Lower Decks. The show is amazing, and you are even amazing-er. No algorithm is strong enough to stop me watching your nerdy videos!
Most lol line of the season for me was when Mariner said to Tendi, “You’ll become a bridge officer in no time and I’ll probably get drummed out of Starfleet for calling Ransom a piece of shit.” 🤣🤣🤣
ahhh i love these reviews so much! so many plot throughlines and things i wouldve missed otherwise. and theyre so dang fun :D very much in the lower decks spirit
Hearing a nerdy girl rant about a topic that they love is always awesome. It's even better when you do it because I share a passion for that topic. Love your work.
I *finally* finished Season 3 - I was saving it for a rainy day when I needed something that would make me smile - and came over from Nebula to say thank you for geeking out about it! It's one of my favorite series as well, and I love the way it brings together my favorite elements from every other series but gives it its own spin and infuses it with warmth and a sense of humor. I do want to know who these people are who don't like Lower Decks. All the Trek fans in my life love it to bits!
I'm going to be honest here: I hadn't seen season 3 of Lower Decks yet, because a certain bearded youtuber who gets a shout out towards the end of this video, and who is otherwise a great and insightful person, was so down on it that I let that affect my enjoyment of the show. I am so glad that, after the intro, I watched Season 3 so that I could listen to you commentary in context. Because Season 3 of Lower Decks was so freaking good and I loved every minute of it.
Steve had said he finds the references too distracting, so I think that gets in the way of seeing the rest of it. His brain is so tuned-in to making those details, from his recaps and podcast, that he just gets distracted recalling which each one is from rather than letting it wash over him or focusing on the rest.
@@kaitlyn__L Steve is a wonderful person and I get why Lower Decks distracts him to the point he can't enjoy it (as much as some others can). I meant no shade on him. If anything, I somewhat experienced the same with season 1 of Lower Decks (not enough to ruin my enjoyment, but enough that Steve talking about it made me recall that it was sometimes distracting to me too). I feel like Season 3 really toned that down and that's why I'm glad this video by Jessie prompted me to watch it despite my reservations.
@@RvEijndhoven oh yeah, I didn’t mean any shade either :) this was based on some conversations I’d had in his streams when he talked about it a little. He readily admits he just can’t tune out of it. You’re definitely right that each season has reduced their reliance on those references, though. The first half of season one especially leans on them quite heavily (it’s why I often like to start people on the horn of candour trial, since that episode knows what it’s doing and where the series is going).
(TL:DR wonderful video, I love Lower Decks and your unabashed enthusiasm for it. i think i have a thesis in all this, but i don't have it in me to fully bring it together here). I think only Star Trek could have a show like Lower Decks. there are hundreds of ships in Starfleet, and each is full of characters worth telling stories about. every other Trek series has something that makes it extra special ("this is the Federation Flagship!" "this is a space station next to the only stable wormhole!" "this a the only ship with the spore/protostar drive!"). Every other franchise has something that makes the character we're following extra specialness ("They're sexy rebels with a girl who can kill people with her brain/a pop-culture quoting Earth guy/a baby yoda" "it's the last diplomatic space station and war is brewing!" "it's Star Wars, everything has to deal with fathers!"). but Lower Decks is about an ordinary ship with an ordinary crew, and it's about the junior officers doing the unglamorous work. and they are just as inspiring and heroic and the senior officers on any Enterprise of whatever letter of the alphabet you want to name.. it's a common retort by people who feel a sense of entitlement "if everyone is special, then that means no one is special." i prefer to look at it from the opposite perspective, "If no one is special, then that means EVERYONE is special." . the crew of Lower Decks are nobody special, they don't have destinies, they aren't the chosen ones, they don't have any unique powers. they're just common people. and THAT's what makes them special. When i met a new friend for the first time, she knew i was a Trekie but didn't know anything about it so she asked me to explain Star Trek in one sentence. i thought for a moment and said "Star Trek is about found families of outcasts and nerds solving problems with Science and the Power of Friendship." and i think Lower Decks hits that ideal more purely than anything. here's too looking forward to Lower Decks season 4! LLAP!
44:08 I just noticed Mariner has to step over the letterboxing from the holomovie. I love this show more than I can express. I also wanna say I love the overall detail in the movie sections, there’s some light damaging effects, the colours are a bit more saturated to make it look closer to actual film. It’s gorgeous.
Thanks so much for this video, dear Jessie! I don‘t know why, but I have avoided Lower Decks until like 3 days ago - when I saw this hommage of yours. So naturally, I now binged all 3 seasons in almost one go, and I LOVE IT! Would not have dived in without your honest enthusiasm. Thank you!
One thing about Lower Decks... My sister and her husband watch it together -- my sister is (like me) a lifelong Star Trek fan since the TNG era, and her husband has only a passive knowledge about the series. And both of them have been able to enjoy it together -- the references don't seem to hold anything back from enjoying the core of the show if you don't get it, and give a fun thing to dig into or talk about after watching any given episode. Or you can do what I did and use it as a prompt to go back and rewatch the entirety of the franchise from 1966 onward =D
I've been holding off on finishing the new season so my boyfriend and i can watch it together. He hasn't seen all of DS9 yet, so it'll be some time. He actually corrected me on some character facts recently. Another one bites the ion dust. We got him, folks. 🤣🤣
Every Thursday I'd check youtube and see your lower decks episode review and remember that a new episode is up. Every episode I watched of season three was followed up with your vids!
I'm in the 'person who just likes watching someone passionately talk about a media I know little about' demographic, but I genuinely love seeing you enjoy yourself after a lot of stressful projects! Great video and please take care 💕
The way you have Dax angled she is looking directly at the camera and it's freaking me out. Also I love Lower Decks and I love this video! Thank you for sharing your joy ❤️
Hmm. You're right. Lower Decks is one of the few bright spots in the world. And, as a bonus, it's far from being pure escapism. It really does give us an important message of who we can be be. Uh. So. Yeah. Keep on singing everyone's names...
Aww, Jessie. You made this cranky old Dr. T'Ana type fan cry there at the end. Lower Decks is a desperately needed ray of sunshine and joy and has become my favorite new Trek series.
I know you probably won’t see this, but your last segment really got me. I teared up. All of your reasons for loving Lower Decks mirror my own. I just started watching Star Trek this year having never seen it before, and I’ve had a lot of personal struggle over the last couple years and Star Trek in general, but especially lower decks has been something that I just needed in my life. Sometimes you just need optimism and laughter to at least temporarily hide a bad situation. I even made my husband watch the end of this video to try to give him an idea of why I love this show. I’m glad I found your channel. ❤
Glad you're able to do videos on more fun topics for your mental health. 46:00 or so - While not Trek - or a visual medium for that matter - my favourite use of the concept of duplicates/clones is probably Mark Vorkosigan in the Vorkosigan Saga. He starts out as a clone of the protagonist in... Most... of the works in the series, Miles Vorkosigan, trained and conditioned from birth to want to assassinate and replace Miles in a political scheme against Miles's father. And then the series takes him in directions I don't recall seeing duplicate/clone storylines go before or since. 53:00 - Eh. I figure Starfleet just realized he was evil and jump-promoted him straight to Admiral. Starfleet's got to keep up their Evil Admiral quota somehow.
OH MY GOD I NEED THE STARFLEET RECRUITER GOING THROUGH HIGH SCHOOLS. 15 year old Dezzy would have signed up ON THE SPOT! I would have *run to the desk, knocking people out of the way* (I was a pulling guard on our high school football team, so I know a thing our two about clearing holes!)
I have many fond memories of watching Star Trek NG and Deep Space Nine with my grandmother... watching you nerd out about what is legit my favorite new Trek series for an hour was wonderful. Thanks ^_^
Loved this season! Love this show! I wouldn’t have watched it without your glowing reviews, so thank you for that! I relate so much to the characters and love the sense of community and aspiration in the show. I just started a new job, at a difficult, low-level position and watching these characters grow and become bold has really been an inspiration. I can’t wait for season 4 and ohh gosh I am unbelievably excited for the crossover episode in SNW!!!!
Thsnk you. Thank you for introducing me to Lower Decks! I started watching last year, and fell in love. I fully agree, one of, if not THE, best Trek show in the franchise, ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜
As someone who used to be an armchair "have only seen a few dozen episodes way back in the day, but my dad likes this and I like it too I guess" Trekkie: I can't even begin to describe how obscenely happy I am every time you make a bizarre reference that I understand. Pre-evolved salamanders? Ghost sex candle? Hell yes! My pandemic-era binges have paid off, I've graduated nerd school, and I can speak Jessie's language. Trek references are basically Tamarian.
Between the firehose of good shows I "need to catch up on" and working absurd hours, I pretty much never rewatch anything. I think I've rewatched all of LD like three times already. 😅
29:27 Do I think there's a Starfleet recruitment at high schools that's awkward and weird? Yes. And I think it's Reg Barclay standing up there and telling everybody he was on the Enterprise before he helped rescue Voyager from the Delta Quadrant, and nobody is sure just how seriously to take him.
LOWER DECKS! LOWER DECKS! LOWER DECKS!
LOWER DECKS! LOWER DECKS! LOWER DECKS!
LOWER DECKS! LOWER DECKS! LOWER DECKS!
@@HimitsuHunter BELTALOWDA! Sorry, I mean, LOWER DECKS, LOWER DECKS, LOWER DECKS!
SPIRIT, COMMUNITY, LOWER DECKS LOWER DECKS
LOWER DECKS LOWER DECKS LOWER DECKS
Lower Decks was the series that finally got me into Star Trek.
I had seen TOS as a kid when Sci-Fi Channel would regularly rerun episodes, and while I enjoyed it I never had any interest in checking out any of the TNG era of the franchise.
But I'm an animation fan and Lower Decks looked fun. I watched the first episode, immediately fell in love and had to start a deep dive on the Trek that's come before. Currently halfway through the TNG era of shows and I'm loving it.
Lower Decks and Prodigy got me into it
DS9 is my current binging obsession! Quark x Odo forever
@@TurbopropPuppy hell yeah!
Honestly one of the most resounding counters to the "it's just a bunch of references" critique -- if that were all it was, it wouldn't have such a profound draw towards people with little to no prior Trek fandomry.
I went a similar way, but I saw Season 1 of Discovery and felt a little lost, and I was aware that it was very different from other Star Treks, so I wanted to see what the original flavor was like, but I was like "This cartoon looks good" and then I still felt lost because there were references I did not understand, so then I watched TNG. I'm going to rewatch Lower Decks soon.
Sweet!
36:10 Talking about Tendi as an Orion Pirate, and knowing how to do stuff that you wouldn't think she would know, it works so well with what we know about her, like when she and Mariner went to pick up T'ana's scratching post and had to get it fixed and she got to act all tough, to the time she was "The Cleaner" for the SpecOps group in the Truth Horn Trial episode. She's very capable, and the whole series is about showing that to herself that she's both a good officer, and pretty amazing, and she shouldn't have to be shy or quiet because she IS a good person for the job.
And then there was that one time she was a scorpion-centaur.
Beware the Quiet Ones, for They Know How to Get Shit Done. (And occasionally ruin your whole world.)
That moment where were Mariner quietly says "They took her away in handcuffs" always gets me. There's so much emotion in that performance! It's one of my favorite line reads, right up there with Lapis Lazuli in Steven Universe saying '"Did you even wonder who I used to be".
I wish you could give multiple likes to a video. One doesn't feel like enough.
My one beef with lower decks is it’s always over too soon! I need more!
Check out Inside Job. If you like LD, you might like that show as well.
@@jeremyusreevu237 I absolutely will! Thank you!
@@jeremyusreevu237 Inside Job? Where can we find it?
@@Donnagata1409 its only on netflix as far as I know
Well, as a sex positive ace I can say that I am glad Billups is the way he is here. Aces are all different and I am glad to see a character so similar to me. Our representation is limited on TV and I just hope other aces don't look at Billups negativily just cause he is a different asexual.
Right? It’s not like he joined in, he just enjoyed their “kissing hello” and the weather and cocktails. Ransom was the one who was all “control yourself!”, which fits with his jock personality.
And there's the question of how much of his Aceness is tied into what it means (the whole ascending the throne) vs his innate personality; would he enjoy/seeking ja'ma'haron if he wasn't concerned with avoiding his royal duties and/or thought he could without his mother/her court knowing.
@@Sephiroth144 yeah, when stuff like that is tied-up with lifelong anxieties it can be very difficult for even the person to know where the difference lies. Eg even after he thought his mother died he was still caught-up with those anxieties, and he couldn’t really tell you how he’d be if he’d grown up in a different environment.
Hey there fellow ace!!
What they said. You said. Er, me too!
I'm one of the ten people who watched Lower Decks and I'm all on board for this video! I mean, I'd be all on board for basically any video you do, I love your channel, your writing, your much more centered (in the zen way) approach to presenting arguments. But still, I'm glad this is about Lower Decks because, honestly, the world needs more positivity in it. Thanks, Jessie! You're freakin' amazing
My mom had a Quark standee
She put him on display in the window to the street
That's the story why the nosy neighbours stopped looking through our windows
I adore your star trek rants so much! As a neurodivergent woman who is just starting the adventure with star trek universe, I feel truly inspired by your work! Your jokes never disappoint too, I really vibe with your sense of humor!
Never change Jessie! You're an icon!
I love hearing you talk about Lower Decks. Because this and the reviews show me things I've missed. Or help me find the words for my own feelings about the show. And make me love the show all the more for it.
The first half of the finale had me rewatch Captain Mariner’s character arc. Because it recontextualized all the times Mariner was sent to the brig, all the ships she was kicked off. Like, wasn’t Ensign Mariner’s first ship the Titan? Where she initially thrived at, right until the trauma of losing her lover to a shapeshifter alien attack.
With that context in mind two of her other three assignments were under her parents whom both assumed she was a “failure unworthy of starfleet.” While I don’t know what went wrong in that last ship she was on before the Ceritos… Mariner went from “starfleet royalty” to “mom and dad’s greatest shame” prior to Lower Decks. And upon rewatching in that mindset, Mariner’s parents did her dirty every step of the way. Instead of getting her the therapy, love and care she needed… Captain Mariner simply disregarded her daughter’s truamas and steps to improve, and instead kept sending her to the brig and overall sabotaging her daughter every chance she got.
Mama Mariner is surprisingly abusive and neglectful
Lower Decks is a show that brings me such unbridled joy.
I've been thinking about Mathematically Perfect Redemption, and ultimately my problem with it wasn't that Peanut Hamper turned out evil all along, it's that spending an entire episode on her arc meant taking precious time away from our four favorite dorks. It's okay to contrast a main cast member with a guest star, but ultimately we tune in every week to follow the lower deckers of Beta Shift.
episode 1: I like the idea of Tendi and Rutherford on a date at Sisko's Creole Kitchen, but to me they either seem like platonic friends, or (and this is my headcanon because I want a QPR with them) a queerplatonic relationship. I like that it's unspecific enough to interpret it different ways.
episode 10: not just human beings, all kinds of sentients. One thing I've really disliked about the new stuff (post-Enterprise) is that it's too human-centric. I've liked all of the new shows for the most part (everything but Picard season 2, really), but too few non-humans all around.
Honestly, one of the things that made me feel great about the finale in particular is that all the Cali Class ships that were named are all 'forgotten' cities and communities in the state of California. The USS Vallejo, to me, was a great shout-out. Especially since I named my first STO ship after my home city as well.
Is San Diego considered forgotten? That was one which stood out to me as an internationally recognisable name, which none of the other ones are. (That said I recognised Burbank too because of Chuck.)
Though I think they missed a chance for some famous yet ill-regarded cities too, like Compton, which also lack funding and prestige. But they’re certainly not obscure, and obscurity is part of the class’s characteristics too.
@@kaitlyn__L, well, my thinking on San Diego is that it's a little less well known than Los Angeles or San Francisco.
Late to the party with this video, but my boyfriend and I finally caught up on Lower Decks between Denver Fan Expo and SDCC. It holds such a special place in our hearts and already one of our favorite series. Our first Hall H panel was Star Trek Universe and we were SO HAPPY to see our Boims and Mariner in live action! This show is such a source of joy and I'm so excited to go back and watch all your Lower Decks videos now that I've seen it all :)
My Mum and I absolutely adore Lower Decks. It is, bar none, my favourite Star Trek. Also, I'm glad I wasn't the only one who saw a lot of parallels between Tendi's experiences with her Orion heritage and trans people's experiences with their assigned identities.
Also, I was really happy to see you post this video on your main channel! Much as I appreciate the hard work you put into your more serious video essays, I really enjoy your more casual videos like this one.
They are killing us with T'lyn. I waited all season for a glimpse of her. The character development Cliffhangers are just driving me mad. I can't wait for another season. Help. Send a team down here. I need help.
Same! Though with hindsight I’m glad they wrapped up some of the arcs from the first couple seasons before seeing-to these, feels less bloated that way.
As one of the ten people that watched the whole season of reactions along with you, it was really great to just hear you geek out about this series. I've mentioned this countless times in countless places, but I'll mention it again lol Lower Decks is what truly got me to love Star Trek. I've always been around it since my Dad is a massive Trek fan. This show (along with Strange New Worlds) allowed me to finally connect with my dad on this aspect of fandom that I hadn't been able to fully connect with him on. Beyond that, Lower Decks is just great. Incredibly great. And being reminded of how great all of the episodes this season were reminded me again of how much I truly love this show. Thanks for this not-algorithmically-friendly video Jessie!
0:05 * sings * We don't talk about "Theshold", no, no, no, we don't talk about "Threshold"...
Don’t worry, they all find their way to The Farm ;)
Lower Decks and Strange New Worlds are fast becoming my favorite Star Trek series of all of them.
You'd be stoked about the new Strange New Worlds trailer, then.
100% yes
Absolutely love the caring and friendship in this show. I've had a pretty long-standing issue with Mariner's character in that she always ultimately seemed to have her actions, no matter how egregious, condoned by the narrative. Just once I wanted her to really mess up or be held accountable (thought that was where this season was going for there at the end) But I do think making her mature is a more satisfying outcome in the long run, so I'm glad they're going with that route.
Same. This is why I HATED season 1 Mariner and I think this show has shocked me by not only having her grow but holding her accountable in ways I didn’t see coming. But also in a way that makes other characters re-evaluate her. In a way, Mariner’s bad reputation is her own fault. But at the same time seeing her friends recognize a change in her and her mom see her daughter isn’t just a problem making troubled child is a way better path for the story then I could have seen coming.
I'm always delighted when other people are just as delighted by how wonderful Lower Decks is. This was such a fun happy listen.
Thank you for coming to my Tendi talk!! 🤣😍Jessie, this was just the palate cleanser I needed in my life. I love Lower Decks, and your thoughtful and loving takes on it. Great job as always for you.
20:20 I didn't know that having Tendi and Jazdia in a room together would get me as excited as I did, but here we are.
Amen, sister. I love this show so much. I can't wait until you review season 4!
I think the references in Lower Decks also really makes it feel like it fits into the larger universe. We reference things that happened in the real world all the time, so Trek characters really should be doing it too. And like you said it also builds on those references, making the whole story feel richer and more real. Also I had no idea peanut hamper's episode was controversial lmao, I LOVED that it showed redemption has to be honestly worked for, not cynically plotted.
Very true. I think some people who are happy with far stronger references in live action Trek react stronger to it in Lower Decks as well. Eg there’s very little of blatant fan service along the lines of Bus Punk, yet background character details in this show are regarded as being on the same level.
If nothing else Lower Decks has the best writing of modern trek. It feels like a show where the writers thought about what they wanted to do and then they did it.
Soccer Mom Jessie.
Berman Sherman.
Thank you for coming to my Tendi Talk.
You are absolutely brilliant in this video, even while turning into the skids.
I still haven't watched lower decks, but it is truly amazing seeing you talk passionately about a tv show which gives you so much good vibes. Really uplifting!
I honestly thought Bold Boimlers story line was going to lead to him sacrificing himself for the crew at the end. Next season I'm going to be paying attention to his badge colour incase there is a bait and switch moment.
Bold Boimler! I love his arc this season. This season was so great! The return of Peanut Hamper and I am really excited to see what craziness it evolves into!
The Peanut Hamper thing is really a callback to the original TNG episode, which is all about the exocomps exhibiting self preservation against orders. So it never seemed weird to me that an exocomp in this series might have the same tendencies. The show continues to get better and better, it's a shame i see people trying and get into it, then bounce off the first two episodes, not realising it gets way better.
Also, a call on the recurring theme of TOS about computers taking over cultures. Love the AI prison in Lower Decks!
Like, literally every show- seriously, I can think of maybe one show that hits it out of the park in their first episode, (and even that one was preceded by a pilot movie)...
You make an excellent point about the characters possibly getting promoted. While I could see writers or producers being like "but if they're promoted they won't be on the lower decks anymore", but look at _Scrubs,_ which basically did for hospital dramas what _Lower Decks_ does for Star Trek. "Scrubs", of course, is a slang for "newbies", but the show let the central characters finish their internships and move on with their careers as doctors. _Lower Decks_ could definitely do something similar, and follow our lovely ensigns as they climb up the ranks. (Ooh, what if the series finale was about them getting to the point in their careers where they have to leave the _Cerritos_ for other ships? That would probably end up being the most emotional finale of the franchise...)
Hear hear!
Just the dose of positivity that I needed on a sick day. ❤️ Also, I was a bit on the fence about whether or not to watch Lower Decks... but now you've won me over. 👍🤗 This was a fun video. Nice work, Jessie.
I appreciate your Lower Decks videos and will watch them no matter how long you want to make them. I like seeing a fellow fan so into an aspect of Star Trek, and your videos help me understand what the show is trying to do better. I'm also autistic, and I think parts of it are getting lost in translation for me.
This is great!! The world needs more nerdy rants like this haha. I’m autistic too, my special interest is dolls and I could LITERALLY talk about them for hours! Take care, Jessie, you’re so incredibly awesome and honestly such an inspiration to me (:❤
I love Lower Decks! It is such an amazing show and I cannot wait for Season 4. And I hope that we get to see the crossover from both perspectives.
Here from the future to say: Crossover from both perspectives, unlocked! Yeehaw! 😂
All praise the Smiling Koala for giving us lower decks!
Glad this is holding on bettter than The Orville. This is much needed space comedy haha. Never ending stories and possibilities.
I actually rewatched the whole series in anticipation of Season 4. I never noticed it but it was wonderful to watch all the characters genuinely learning from their mistakes. Also, isn't this like the 3rd time that Starfleet gets a bad AI? We saw it in TOS with the M-5 computer, and then y'know, that whole Lore thing? It's wild that they thought they could just give it another shot.
With regards the Billups critique I feel he enjoyed that planet as he'd finally found a culture capable of expressing themselves physically without it necessarily having sexual connotations.
Re: The comment at the top about Jessie's writing
Hey Jessie, if ya read this, your videos made me love Star Trek again. I was already hip to Lower Decks, but because of you I'm rewatching and enjoying older Trek even more than I did and ravenously consuming new Trek like a Doomsday Machine.
Your unstoppable enthusiasm shines through in your presentation and writing, but more than that you're really helping me nail down what feels weird about old Trek in 2022. Seriously, Sex in Star Trek is up there with the best video essays I've ever seen.
My only gripe is that I didn't find your channel years ago (stupid algorithm), but Ive been enjoying the hell out of binging your videos. You're great at your job, and you make this wacky star trek thing better.
Fuck yea, I am going to start watching this show tonight! I am glad you love this show.
Lower Decks is such joy. Thank you for getting me to watch it. I wasn’t able to watch the modern trek shows when they came out due to a lot of things, but, upon finding out how many shows have come out and hearing how much joy lower decks brought you, these past few months I watched through all of the modern Trek shows and then Lower decks in time to watch season 3 as it came out and to follow your reviews. Thanks for sharing the joy.
Yes, one hour of joy!
With the bird people reminds me of the So'na from Insurrection or very much like Chozo from Metroid.
at approximately 26 minutes in, shaxs knew mariner, tendi and boimler were in the holodeck when he told the computer to freeze the program after t'ana told the computer to remove the safety protocols. that's why he lied to her about not telling any1 how he came back from the dead. it was something he said to cover for them while they made their way out.
I had a TOS phaser toy back in the 1970s. I lost it in the woods when I was 8. I never got over it.
I've got an appointment at the hairdresser tomorrow, and watching this has me wondering if I should maybe get a Tendi haircut...
Mine is longer and the un-shaved middle goes down the back too, but otherwise it’s very similar. But then I had it before the show came out. Regardless, and despite being biased, I think you should absolutely get it.
I would happily watch a ten hour video of you gushing about Lower Decks. The show is amazing, and you are even amazing-er. No algorithm is strong enough to stop me watching your nerdy videos!
Can't stop the signal...
Most lol line of the season for me was when Mariner said to Tendi, “You’ll become a bridge officer in no time and I’ll probably get drummed out of Starfleet for calling Ransom a piece of shit.” 🤣🤣🤣
I’ve been worried about starting Lower Decks when I heard about the adult humor cartoon Star Trek series, but I may have to actually try it out!
ahhh i love these reviews so much! so many plot throughlines and things i wouldve missed otherwise. and theyre so dang fun :D very much in the lower decks spirit
Hearing a nerdy girl rant about a topic that they love is always awesome. It's even better when you do it because I share a passion for that topic. Love your work.
Ok ok FINE you’ve finally done it, I’m gonna start watching Lower Decks. Thank you!
I *finally* finished Season 3 - I was saving it for a rainy day when I needed something that would make me smile - and came over from Nebula to say thank you for geeking out about it! It's one of my favorite series as well, and I love the way it brings together my favorite elements from every other series but gives it its own spin and infuses it with warmth and a sense of humor.
I do want to know who these people are who don't like Lower Decks. All the Trek fans in my life love it to bits!
Love Lower Decks! Also, nice “Sub Rosa” reference in the intro
I did love this season, this show just keeps getting better and better!
I'm going to be honest here: I hadn't seen season 3 of Lower Decks yet, because a certain bearded youtuber who gets a shout out towards the end of this video, and who is otherwise a great and insightful person, was so down on it that I let that affect my enjoyment of the show.
I am so glad that, after the intro, I watched Season 3 so that I could listen to you commentary in context. Because Season 3 of Lower Decks was so freaking good and I loved every minute of it.
Steve had said he finds the references too distracting, so I think that gets in the way of seeing the rest of it.
His brain is so tuned-in to making those details, from his recaps and podcast, that he just gets distracted recalling which each one is from rather than letting it wash over him or focusing on the rest.
@@kaitlyn__L Steve is a wonderful person and I get why Lower Decks distracts him to the point he can't enjoy it (as much as some others can). I meant no shade on him.
If anything, I somewhat experienced the same with season 1 of Lower Decks (not enough to ruin my enjoyment, but enough that Steve talking about it made me recall that it was sometimes distracting to me too).
I feel like Season 3 really toned that down and that's why I'm glad this video by Jessie prompted me to watch it despite my reservations.
@@RvEijndhoven oh yeah, I didn’t mean any shade either :) this was based on some conversations I’d had in his streams when he talked about it a little. He readily admits he just can’t tune out of it.
You’re definitely right that each season has reduced their reliance on those references, though. The first half of season one especially leans on them quite heavily (it’s why I often like to start people on the horn of candour trial, since that episode knows what it’s doing and where the series is going).
(TL:DR wonderful video, I love Lower Decks and your unabashed enthusiasm for it. i think i have a thesis in all this, but i don't have it in me to fully bring it together here).
I think only Star Trek could have a show like Lower Decks. there are hundreds of ships in Starfleet, and each is full of characters worth telling stories about. every other Trek series has something that makes it extra special ("this is the Federation Flagship!" "this is a space station next to the only stable wormhole!" "this a the only ship with the spore/protostar drive!"). Every other franchise has something that makes the character we're following extra specialness ("They're sexy rebels with a girl who can kill people with her brain/a pop-culture quoting Earth guy/a baby yoda" "it's the last diplomatic space station and war is brewing!" "it's Star Wars, everything has to deal with fathers!"). but Lower Decks is about an ordinary ship with an ordinary crew, and it's about the junior officers doing the unglamorous work. and they are just as inspiring and heroic and the senior officers on any Enterprise of whatever letter of the alphabet you want to name..
it's a common retort by people who feel a sense of entitlement "if everyone is special, then that means no one is special." i prefer to look at it from the opposite perspective, "If no one is special, then that means EVERYONE is special." . the crew of Lower Decks are nobody special, they don't have destinies, they aren't the chosen ones, they don't have any unique powers. they're just common people. and THAT's what makes them special.
When i met a new friend for the first time, she knew i was a Trekie but didn't know anything about it so she asked me to explain Star Trek in one sentence. i thought for a moment and said "Star Trek is about found families of outcasts and nerds solving problems with Science and the Power of Friendship." and i think Lower Decks hits that ideal more purely than anything.
here's too looking forward to Lower Decks season 4! LLAP!
A mathematically perfect RUclips comment:
Peanut Hamper!
44:08 I just noticed Mariner has to step over the letterboxing from the holomovie. I love this show more than I can express. I also wanna say I love the overall detail in the movie sections, there’s some light damaging effects, the colours are a bit more saturated to make it look closer to actual film. It’s gorgeous.
This is a beautiful video. Yes, I know I'm a month behind, but I've been saving this up, and I'm glad I did. Thank you, Jessie!
Love this and love you, Jessie. Believe in the good, caring people....we're out there for each other.
I hope Steve was watching! Love you both!
Sending you so much love and fortitude. My heart beats alongside yours in regards to Lower Decks and where it lives in Trek canon.
I'm glad I found your videos! They're great!
Thanks so much for this video, dear Jessie! I don‘t know why, but I have avoided Lower Decks until like 3 days ago - when I saw this hommage of yours. So naturally, I now binged all 3 seasons in almost one go, and I LOVE IT!
Would not have dived in without your honest enthusiasm. Thank you!
One thing about Lower Decks... My sister and her husband watch it together -- my sister is (like me) a lifelong Star Trek fan since the TNG era, and her husband has only a passive knowledge about the series. And both of them have been able to enjoy it together -- the references don't seem to hold anything back from enjoying the core of the show if you don't get it, and give a fun thing to dig into or talk about after watching any given episode.
Or you can do what I did and use it as a prompt to go back and rewatch the entirety of the franchise from 1966 onward =D
Star Trek Soccer Mom Jessie needs a Mini-Van Spacecraft, like a Type-7 from TNG!
I really like the series and honestly it does help and intrigues me into watching other series plus its just a lot of fun with a cool story
I've been holding off on finishing the new season so my boyfriend and i can watch it together. He hasn't seen all of DS9 yet, so it'll be some time. He actually corrected me on some character facts recently. Another one bites the ion dust. We got him, folks. 🤣🤣
Watched it all and loved it too. Also loved the open mic start!
What a beautiful video! Clearly a labor of love :)) Please make more like this, Jessie!
Yes please!
Every Thursday I'd check youtube and see your lower decks episode review and remember that a new episode is up. Every episode I watched of season three was followed up with your vids!
I'm in the 'person who just likes watching someone passionately talk about a media I know little about' demographic, but I genuinely love seeing you enjoy yourself after a lot of stressful projects! Great video and please take care 💕
The way you have Dax angled she is looking directly at the camera and it's freaking me out.
Also I love Lower Decks and I love this video! Thank you for sharing your joy ❤️
What a great love letter to a great season of a great show.
Hmm. You're right. Lower Decks is one of the few bright spots in the world. And, as a bonus, it's far from being pure escapism. It really does give us an important message of who we can be be. Uh. So. Yeah. Keep on singing everyone's names...
This show has so much heart. I love it and can’t wait for S4
I will forever be greatful to you for reminding me how much i loved trek as a kid and rekindling that love with this show
Aww, Jessie. You made this cranky old Dr. T'Ana type fan cry there at the end. Lower Decks is a desperately needed ray of sunshine and joy and has become my favorite new Trek series.
The Lower Decks is the star trek sequel we needed. Thank you for talking about it!
I know you probably won’t see this, but your last segment really got me. I teared up. All of your reasons for loving Lower Decks mirror my own. I just started watching Star Trek this year having never seen it before, and I’ve had a lot of personal struggle over the last couple years and Star Trek in general, but especially lower decks has been something that I just needed in my life. Sometimes you just need optimism and laughter to at least temporarily hide a bad situation. I even made my husband watch the end of this video to try to give him an idea of why I love this show. I’m glad I found your channel. ❤
Glad you're able to do videos on more fun topics for your mental health.
46:00 or so - While not Trek - or a visual medium for that matter - my favourite use of the concept of duplicates/clones is probably Mark Vorkosigan in the Vorkosigan Saga. He starts out as a clone of the protagonist in... Most... of the works in the series, Miles Vorkosigan, trained and conditioned from birth to want to assassinate and replace Miles in a political scheme against Miles's father. And then the series takes him in directions I don't recall seeing duplicate/clone storylines go before or since.
53:00 - Eh. I figure Starfleet just realized he was evil and jump-promoted him straight to Admiral. Starfleet's got to keep up their Evil Admiral quota somehow.
OH MY GOD I NEED THE STARFLEET RECRUITER GOING THROUGH HIGH SCHOOLS. 15 year old Dezzy would have signed up ON THE SPOT! I would have *run to the desk, knocking people out of the way* (I was a pulling guard on our high school football team, so I know a thing our two about clearing holes!)
I have many fond memories of watching Star Trek NG and Deep Space Nine with my grandmother... watching you nerd out about what is legit my favorite new Trek series for an hour was wonderful.
Thanks ^_^
Loved this season! Love this show! I wouldn’t have watched it without your glowing reviews, so thank you for that!
I relate so much to the characters and love the sense of community and aspiration in the show. I just started a new job, at a difficult, low-level position and watching these characters grow and become bold has really been an inspiration.
I can’t wait for season 4 and ohh gosh I am unbelievably excited for the crossover episode in SNW!!!!
Thsnk you. Thank you for introducing me to Lower Decks! I started watching last year, and fell in love. I fully agree, one of, if not THE, best Trek show in the franchise, ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜
Lower decks is the only trek my son will stay for an entire episode.
As someone who used to be an armchair "have only seen a few dozen episodes way back in the day, but my dad likes this and I like it too I guess" Trekkie: I can't even begin to describe how obscenely happy I am every time you make a bizarre reference that I understand. Pre-evolved salamanders? Ghost sex candle? Hell yes! My pandemic-era binges have paid off, I've graduated nerd school, and I can speak Jessie's language. Trek references are basically Tamarian.
This video felt like a warm hug and thank you for making it. Stay awesome.
your face playing with that phaser toy needs to be a gif. idk how to make gifs, but i want it in my discord favorites
Thank you for saying that about DS9, we NEED a Gamma Quadrant reconstruction arc.
Between the firehose of good shows I "need to catch up on" and working absurd hours, I pretty much never rewatch anything. I think I've rewatched all of LD like three times already. 😅
I really enjoy your fandom of Star Trek. You've encouraged me and I've been a fan since way back when
29:27 Do I think there's a Starfleet recruitment at high schools that's awkward and weird? Yes. And I think it's Reg Barclay standing up there and telling everybody he was on the Enterprise before he helped rescue Voyager from the Delta Quadrant, and nobody is sure just how seriously to take him.
I love Lower Decks and it's always great seeing your thoughts on a Trek series. LLAP & much love from the UK x
Can confirm, Lower Decks saved lives.