The only TOS episode that’s a perfect 10. Of course “Those Old Scientists” had to be the one directed by Jonathan Frakes, which means it is not only beautiful but makes a lot of visual sense because Frakes knows how to do some good direction. Rejoining us from “Wej Duj” in Lower Decks and “Charades” this season of Strange New Worlds, Kathryn Lyn is joined by Bill Wolkoff. Wolkoff did “Ghosts of Illyria” and “Lift Us Where Suffering Cannot Reach” last season, with the upcoming “Subspace Rhapsody” being his only other Trek episode thus far.

Before we get into the episode proper, I need to point out that I’m not going to talk too much about the conversation in Pike’s quarters. It is not my place to say why exactly, though once you see the episode you can surmise and make an assumption that logically makes sense. There is a line in there that just hit a little too close and did everything it was supposed to do. I’m not begrudging Bill Wolkoff and Kathryn Lyn for that at all. It is a great line, a great scene, and one that breaks my facade of being angry about everything. I sobbed.

This is a strange thing to say about one of the funny episodes, as it was as much a Lower Decks episode as it was Strange New Worlds. Not just because we started on the Cerritos and followed Boimler into the 3D world, but it was something that I said “The Broken Circle” could have done but much quicker and presumably cheaper. It has an animated intro, a great bit of storytelling not only for our crossover crew but also continuing and expanding on Enterprises’ current problems, oh and it has all the heart, the very best of it from the core.

Strange New Worlds is also one of the prestige series I’d say, though not so far up itself that it becomes Discovery. We got a lot of TNG/DS9 references because this isn’t long after “Hear All, Trust Nothing.” It feels weird to say, but I don’t think this episode could be any different. You can’t change Boimler and Beckett too much, but you have the wiggle room for the SNW crew. It doesn’t overstay its welcome and it doesn’t under-deliver, it dances the fine line of serious Trek with its outlandish self. I mean, we finally got a reason why Lower Decks is animated, they are off their heads on brandy.

Plot-wise the episode is fairly simple and I think it is a tale of two halves. You have the very Lower Decks first half, then the Strange New Worlds solution to get both kids back home. Our main four from Lower Decks are sent to check in on a Stargate that has been used a little too much and has become warped. In their usual playing around with the sci-fi toy Boimler is sent back through the portal while Una and co investigate it. The Lower Decks crew were talking about this very occurrence moments ago on the Cerritos.

I think the standout straight away has to be the costume department, putting together a brilliant version of a costume we haven’t seen used in live-action yet, at least I don’t think we have. Don’t quote me on that. Lower Decks has commented on how quickly the colors and ranks change between ships, shows, and films, and this was one of the interesting ones to see how it comes across. It is a costume designed for animation. The question was going to be whether it would look cartoonish against the solid two-tone numbers and simple designs of this pre-TOS era.

You can see when Boimler is on the bed in the med bay that he has the boots with the red soles, the delta, and everything. Not only that but we have him saying “Riker” as he sits on Pike’s saddle, geeking out about all the details, regretting the slip-ups about the future, and all of it. It is a little bit of silliness that’s common in Lower Decks that we don’t see elsewhere without being annoying. Not only from Boimler and Beckett, but the solution involving the NX01, not to mention seeing Ortegas and the likes being similarly “oh my god, this is amazing” just humanizes everyone a little bit more.

Of course, talking about humanizing is impossible without saying Spock gets a bit of screen time and so too does his mouth in close-ups. I’ve said that if he smiled again as he did in “Charades,” I’d believe he swallowed frozen children whole, it was that creepy with the slight change to his hair and rougher look. This time it was supposed to be unsettling, as Boimler doesn’t get it. This isn’t the Spock he knows, this isn’t the TOS Spock, this is the Chapel-influenced Spock and he is growing on me. How long that lasts, we don’t know, it is hinted he reverts a bit.

That’s what I think really makes “Those Old Scientists” stand out overall. You have an episode of Lower Decks that’s full of references while a thing happens. More importantly, you have an episode of Strange New Worlds that is basically just moving along while these kids are in the way. Maybe “in the way” isn’t a nice way to put it, but it is a couple of non-regulars jumping in to cause trouble while also reassuring our stable crew that they are great. They’ll go on to be wonderful people, what they do now might feel like it is nothing but they’ll go on to inspire and influence lots of people to do wonderful things too.

I don’t want to go on about the Pike scene with Boimler and Beckett, but also the piece with Una did something similar. It is just another little bit of Brad being weird until Mariner gets involved, but it is another one of those pieces where the heart shines through again. It is an episode made with love, not just for one character but for everyone and the franchise as a whole. Better yet, it does so consciously with the knowledge of the previous episodes. I’ve already said it countless times, but I’ve thought that Una has just been there and not done much.

As far as character goes, you can’t think of Una sitting down to read a book, watching a film, or doing anything. She’s just the Illyrian that caused friction. We know that Uhura speaks languages because of where she’s from, we know Chapel has liked Vulcans before Spock, we know M’Benga misses his daughter, and we know Pike likes horses. There is a hint of off-screen/off-duty time spent enjoying things for these characters that fit their character. That one line about Ad Astra Per Aspera being her legacy and the fact that she’s the pin-up for recruitment despite being Illyrian did a lot to fix her as someone important.

I think it is no surprise that an episode titled “Those Old Scientists,” about the fandom for the fandom, is about legacy. It is about the fact that you might not understand it in the moment, but you are great. There are quite a bit of self-fulfilling prophecies, which can sometimes be a bit crap. However, I think that’s lost somewhere in the shuffle as you freak out about the NX01, the fact Pike doesn’t want the birthday but has it for others anyway, Uhura becoming freer, and just everyone having fun. Yes, Spock had this foreign concept of fun thrust upon him, and it is great.

Racism is a weird thing too. Usually, with these time travel pieces (especially within sci-fi) we pretend it doesn’t happen. Of course, those who scream that everyone else is so sensitive probably shouted “woke” before turning it off, but it was only natural for someone young going back through time to say, “not everyone is a pirate, you know, it is a bit offensive to presume as such.” Though it isn’t only that, you have Boimler saying that offensive stuff to Tendi before he goes to TOS. It is as much a learning experience for these old scientists as it is for our Lower Decks crew.

Ultimately, I am going to say “Riker!” before cocking my leg over a chair and sitting down from now on, and I quite enjoyed “Those Old Scientists” both times I’ve watched it this week. Wonderful direction that isn’t flashy, simple storytelling, and a whole lot of heart brings not only one of the best series of Star Trek together with the comedy one but does so nearly perfectly. After the week I’ve had and the week we’ve all had here at the site, this was a nice hug that was desperately needed.

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SNW "Those Old Scientists"

10

Score

10.0/10

Pros

• "Riker!"
• Pike and Una's scenes, showing them how important they are.
• NX01!
• A beautiful blend of two shoes coming together to make something wonderful.
• I did what Boimler did when playing Stage 9.

Cons

• I'd have maybe allowed Boimler or Beckett to swear but be bleeped like Lower Decks...
• Please don't revert Spock too much!