We’ve had two decent episodes written by women, it must be time to go back to all men for the rest of the season. Ben Rodgers, Ben M Waller, and Mike “Not a Ben” McMahan are taking us home for the next three weeks. I wonder if McMahan will pull out another “No Small Parts” or “First First Contact.” The truth is that “The Stars at Night” is highly praised but I think Ben Rodgers’ “Crisis Point 2: Paradoxus” is the last episode I’ve seen. I’d watched a majority of season 3 as it was released last year but was too busy to finish it off until now.

Brad has been pulling a Disney/Lionsgate/Warner/Paramount/Netflix/Sony/Amazon and green-lighting a sequel to a thing you watched once and thought was alright. Yes, we’re talking about a sequel to “Crisis Point: The Rise of Vindicta” from “Crisis Point” back in season 1. Specifically, the episode where we found out that Beckett is Captain Freeman’s daughter. Adding to the Vindicta-verse, we get a boring man’s idea of an exciting movie. No, the other boring man, Shatner didn’t write and direct this one.

In their downtime, our lead four are playing through Brad’s movie idea that is very inspired by 60s Trek, right down to the big-chested blonde bent over a table in her introduction. Throwing herself at Captain “Dagger” and the Top Secret film that plays like a 1960s PSA reel are the tips at that. Though during the credits Brad is called away by Ransom for something personal and comes back dejected. Eventually, he hands over Command to Tendi. Sorry, Meena Vesper.

Summarizing the plot here is simple, as from there it is mostly set pieces and character points for the rest of the episode. In fact, it is difficult to talk too much about “Crisis Point 2: Paradoxus” because it is that simple. Evil Romulans want to take a time travel MacGuffin somewhere to do something. Usually, that would be my quick-hand way of skimming the plot but it is quite literally played as a joke that their goal changes. We’re heavy on poking fun at the films this week.

The thing is, the film and its messy plot are just the backdrops for our two character points. When Brad was called away he was told William is dead. As a refresher, William was the clone from “Kayshon His Eyes Open.” Meanwhile, shock among shocks, Tendi and Rutherford are our grouping for the B plot, all as Tendi struggles with the fact she wants to become captain but Rutherford isn’t taking this simulation seriously. With insecurities all around, we’re back to the stories about friendship. Unlike “Room for Growth” and “Mining The Mind’s Mine,” it isn’t another group of friends.

It would be exactly what I want from Lower Decks, but something is unsatisfying about Ben Rodgers’ latest animated tale. Not just because the ending is a joke on cliffhangers that don’t get resolved and we cut to William being offered a Section 31 badge. Everything moved well, there wasn’t a lull in the middle and I can’t say the ending was rushed either. Yet despite everything ticking along well, it truly felt like an algorithm plotted the majority of “Crisis Point 2: Paradoxus.”

There was one little joke that caught me off guard and I wished I didn’t laugh at it. Mariner is shouting at Brad for taking a quest from an NPC, saying they are random extras, and a weird little guy runs by shouting “I am Knicknac!”. It is stupid and breaks the tension wonderfully, but is also something so simple that I tut at myself for finding it slightly funny. I at least found it funnier than the Captain Sulu addition and the horse or the romance subplot subversion.

Ultimately, “Crisis Point 2: Paradoxus” is a fun colorful romp through Ambassador Koro’s Octopath timeline turned foiling an attempt to blow up the Federation’s founders. It is not an episode you’ll come back to time after time, but it might be a fun brain switch-off episode. If I liked the adventures of Captain Snogs-A-Lot more, I might like the play on The Wrath of Khan more. I don’t though and the forgettable nature doesn’t help Rodgers in his latest episode.

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Star Trek: Lower Decks "Crisis Point 2: Paradoxus"

7

Score

7.0/10

Pros

• Mariner stepping over the 2.39:1 aspect ratio bars.
• I am Knicknac!

Cons

• Oh Section 31 can get in the bin.
• A generally forgettable episode.