In Review: Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (S2 – EP7) – Those Old Scientists

Synopsis: In Those Old Scientists, An accident while investigating a time portal sends Ensign Brad Boimler through time from the twenty-third century, and Captain Pike and his crew must get him back where he belongs before he can somehow alter the timeline.

The Story

In this much-anticipated crossover between Star Trek’s animated Lower Decks and Strange New Worlds. Ensign Boimler gets thrown back through time to the 23rd century while he is on assignment to study a time portal, which was originally discovered by Captain Christopher Pike and the crew of Enterprise NCC – 1701. Initially shocked at finding himself in a situation where he is meeting some of his heroes. Boimler struggles to keep his enthusiasm and his habit of dropping information about events that haven’t happened yet in check. Indeed his reactions to the various crew of Enterprise are confusing for Number One as Boimler seems somewhat intimidated by her.

As the episode develops. We see Pike, Spock and the crew members of the Enterprise trying to get Boimler back to his own time, and as they come close to succeeding. They wind up with a second-time traveler in the form of Ensign Beckett Mariner who leaps through the time portal at the exact moment that Pike’s crew activates it in her effort to save Boimler. Now with two-time travelers to deal with. The crew of the Enterprise must figure out another way of getting them home, which sees them having to broker a deal with some Orian scientists.

The Acting

Jack Quaid and Tawny Newsome insert themselves into the world of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds with very little effort. Their portrayals of Boimler and Mariner are consistent with how the pair act in the animated series. Their manic antics are cause for a few chuckles as are some of the scenes that Boimler gets. Particularly the scene when Boimler is working with Spock (Ethan Peck) on a device to help them get home is rather fun as this version of Spock, who is experimenting with emotion does not fit the version that is recorded by Starfleets 24th Century records. As Boimler is expecting a stoic and serious Spock and not the smiling and somewhat socially awkward version we are currently seeing.

Overall

As you all know. This episode got released early on Saturday. So we are playing catch-up with this one but will be back on the regular schedule for the next episode. So look for that review later on.

All the actors do a great job in their respective roles and provide some chuckles despite my feeling that the two shows just did not gel too well. For me personally. This episode might have worked better with a couple of the SNW characters being animated and transported to the future setting of Lower Decks. Those Old Scientist has a little fun with some of the characters and has a few fun nostalgic moments. But overall I didn’t feel the crossover gelled to well as tonally the two shows felt too far apart for it to work.