IR TV Review: STAR TREK - LOWER DECKS - EPISODE 5 ("Cupid’s Errant Arrow") [CBS All Access]

The tonal structure of "Lower Decks" continues to understand its audience quite well even if it is very specific. The great aspect resides in its fact to make it approachable. Episode 5: "Cupid's Errant Arrow" works well in this since it uses the aspects of a rom-com combined with an action film to find that effective balance of a clueless optimist always being saved by a pessimist who says she doesn't care. That balance continues to be why the tone works. Mariner and Boimler are fated for each other. When he shows up with a new hot lieutenant girlfriend (voiced with aplomb by Community's Gillian Jacobs), she knows something is up. While his bumbling attempts to sashay up to his girlfriend get more and more dumb, Mariner's attempts to uncover the textures that serve to undo why this is happening, it culminates in an interesting solution which makes undeniable sense and levels the playing field yet again. Meanwhile Tendi and Ratherford, the true geeks at heart, are also seemingly made for each other. The question becomes as time goes on, when something truly dire happens...and it will, how will these characters react. Granted that will be a pin drop in the narrative but will be interesting to see. Per usual, the easter eggs with monsters work well but also some of the technological jumps when Mariner gets more and more frantic definitely up the stakes. While the bridge crew for the most part takes the back seat in this episode, the looming destruction of a planet moon (in what turns out to be an interesting quandary played for extreme comedic effect) gives the right balance to push the ineptive awkwardness of the Lower Decks along with intrepid cadence. B

By Tim Wassberg