IR TV Review: STAR TREK - LOWER DECKS - EPISODE 4 (“Mugato Gumato”) [Paramount+]

The aspect of Star Trek lore paints heavily into "Lower Decks" with certain details even more interesting (or disturbing) if you go further in. One of the skeletons in a Collector's spaceship earlier this season was downright eerie in a way. With Episode 4 of the 2nd Season: "Mugato, Gumato", the angle turns to a creature that Kirk encountered many years ago in TOS. The aspect of the horned beast had its interesting beats but basically looked like a big fat guy in a Halloween costume. As is a motif this season, the gags are getting a little more borderline and crude, which of course is pushing the boundary of how much Trek fans are willing to bend. This episode also continues to mix it up having different parts of the core 4 interact in different ways.

This episode involves an illegal trade operation of Mugatos much like a rhino or elephant with their tusks; the moral of the story being, never judge a book by its cover. The key is the notion of also that Mariner is not who she seems to be. The ideal also pokes fun at the barman/woman being all knowing, much like Guinan was, instead of a general gossip machine offering up more misdirects. The different stories ike this one can become more layered with 4 stories moving at once, dictating that the writing team is getting more adept at knowing what they can do with their characters. That said, one sequence, though primal with Boimler and Rutherford hiding from Mugatos in the woods crosses the line a bit. Though funny, it is also too adolescent even for "Lower Decks". But then again, it is about how perceptions can be made as mistakes but end up working out in the end with a lesson learned. B-

By Tim Wassberg