WHY WE LIKE IT: The Deep Space Nine flyby.
WHY WE DON'T: The Deep Space Nine pace.
REVIEW: The Cerritos goes to Deep Space Nine, which should be a cause for celebration 'round these parts, but I'm a little underwhelmed. Maybe the writers were afraid of making too many jokes at that particular show's expense (perhaps because so many Trekkies seem to have failed to watch it back in the day, maybe because they view it as a sacred cow), but the joke-to-minute ratio is way off compared to the usual episode of Lower Decks. There's character humor, certainly, as this IS a Quark-centric episode, but its comedy can a little broad (Kira chasing Quark around the bar, Rutherford absolutely off his nut with enthusiasm, the Kira-Shaxs "rivalry"). There are still some nice gags - the loving flyby of the station, Bold Boimler winning all the latinum but having no need of it, Shaxs' entirely natural reaction to Terok Nor - but it's really more about the plot.
That plot? The Karemma (the merchant arm of the Dominion from Starship Down) are back and Starfleet want to open trade routes, but they have a hidden agenda: Arresting Quark for stealing their replicator technology, the basis for his franchise's success. But it looks like a kidnapping, and with the Karemma setting off an EMP, the only people in a position to prevent their escape via Wormhole is Tendi who is delivering gifts to their ship with Rutherford and another Starfleet Orion from DS9. Mesk has been talking big about Orion pirating, but when push comes to shove, he has to admit he has no pirating skills whatsoever, he just puts up a front (an obnoxious one) because that's what people expects from him. He was born in Ohio and raised by humans so it's all an act. Tendi hates all the stereotypes he evokes, but she WAS raised as a pirate, and super-competent Tendi quickly takes control of the ship. It's a very fun sequence, and when Tendi takes a guy's latinum tooth out, you think it's on instinct, but even that has a function in her hijacking.
The visit to DS9 also allows fans to see a bit of what has happened to the place since the series ended. We get a nice quiet moment with Kira looking at the Wormhole open and imagine she's thinking of Sisko. We note that Ops is entirely manned by Bajorans now, though there are Starfleet personnel elsewhere on the station. And the question of Quark's success is addressed (his franchises have appeared on Picard, which is in this series' future). Morn is still on his stool. One wishes some reference to the cast and events in the DS9 II novels might have been included as Easter Eggs or something, but at this point, with ANY series being possible, Trek isn't going to commit to too much if it doesn't have to. One thing about DS9 I was sad wasn't included though is Mariner. She gets one scene there at the end, but the fact that she served on the station at some point and chooses to stay on the Cerritos during this adventure feels like a missed opportunity.
Nevertheless, her subplot is the most "Lower Decks" story in the episode, and follows the theme also manifested by Mesk: To thine own self be true. She finally has to meet her girlfriend's friends, and they're quite the pill. They hold "salons" and do slam poetry, put "intention" in their candle-making, and spout psychobabble (no wonder they prefer "Betazoid casual"). To add insult to injury, they think Boimler is sexy. But Mariner wants to make a good impression because she cares about her relationship (awww), so she plays nice. But when the EMP goes and the girls are all trapped in the room with oxygen-devouring candles, Jennifer confesses that she likes Mariner exactly BECAUSE she doesn't take crap from anyone (and here she was looking forward to her tearing her friends a new one - they really were meant for each other), which allows Bossy Mariner to show up and, well, phaser everyone unconscious. If you think a phaser selfie is romantic, this one's for you.
But even if longer shots, slower scenes, and more plot than jokes, the episode still runs a little short. The last scene features too many recaps and characters mentioning the lessons they've learned. I'm missing the show's normal edge, and it's not exactly replaced with Deep Space Nine's either.
LESSON: There's more than one way to speak your truth.
REWATCHABILITY - Medium: Could be the low point of the season, but as a DS9 stan, I'm still glad for the visit.
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