Generally, I’m a big fan of how Star Trek: Lower Decks handles its humor, but the seventh episode of season four called “A Few Badgeys More” left me feeling neither over- nor underwhelmed. Is whelmed a possibility? As it turns out, whelmed is a word, but it refers to being submerged or buried, and I felt neither emotion. I adore the deliciously evil Peanut Hamper, and really Jeffrey Combs can do nothing wrong as Agimus or any of the other eleventy-billion Star Trek characters he has played. However, their storyline felt rushed in favor of the Badgey plot, and the Badgey plot simply did not hold together for me.

While I certainly understand and appreciate the way the showrunners chose to reintroduce Badgey and that the overarching concept of the episode was redemption, the story didn’t hit the beats it needed to hit squarely. Badgey’s fragmentation into the various parts of himself serves as a great metaphor for the necessary deep dive we all have to do in order to grow. We get the juxtaposition of Peanut Hamper having a far quieter and more realistic self-realization showing us how such things more frequently look, but we hardly get enough time with these characters for their changes of heart (programming?) to feel believable or earned.

With Agimus, we do get that time, but his transformation seems to have more to do with his feelings for Peanut Hamper, which sure, could be a legitimate response. However, it’s more believable that he simply got tired of being evil, which the show does a decent job of portraying. There’s something there that I wish had been developed; evil is fundamentally not sustainable. Agimus managed to enslave a planet, but once that was done, what else was there to do? Plus, given that, as Boimler points out, Starfleet could restore the planet in a handful of hours, there’s just…no point. I love that the show touches on this, but I really wanted them to build on it a bit more.

There’s an obvious link between this realization that Agimus doesn’t quite make and Badgey’s enlightenment and subsequent ascension, but y’all, it all happens so quickly that if you blink, you’ll miss even the humor of Badgey’s conversion that the show tried so desperately to sell.

The episode does provide us a particularly subtle nod toward Boimler’s character development, though, which I appreciated. His utter lack of panic is not so much out of character as it is indicative that he’s growing into his pips. Boimler has begun to learn when to panic and when to go with the flow, and that’s so, so huge for his character.

I just wish the episode had been funnier.

Rating:

Three cups of tepid Earl Grey Tea

Stray Thoughts From Behind the Keyboard

1. I have to admit that I loved how much Tendi adored sand. That was precious. Now, I need her to experience the discomfort of getting sand under her uniform.
2. Yes, there were the usual Easter Eggs, but I just wasn’t terribly captivated by them.
3. Also, yes, I realize that humor is a uniquely personal thing; what works for me may not work for you. The reverse is also true. It’s a big universe folks, so remember your IDIC.