It’s the beginning of the end. The return of Star Trek: Lower Decks for its fifth and final season is right around the corner, and we’re here to give you a taste of what to expect from Mariner (Tawny Newsome) and her crew’s last hurrah. Season 5 kicks off with a bang and does not let up for the first five episodes, which were made available for review. While Tendi’s (Noël Wells) shipment off to Orion at the end of Season 4 is certainly felt, Season 5 jumps right into action with a brand-new mystery that sets the beloved and chaotic crew of the Cerritos on a journey packed with character growth and top-notch comedy.

While Season 5 is slated as the last, it feels as though Lower Decks could go on forever. The upcoming episodes continue to push the boundaries for what we’ve seen so far in this vast franchise in ways that simply aren’t possible in live-action. Going into the final season, Lower Decks isn’t holding anything back, making sure that its final run is both outlandishly hilarious and classically hopeful in the way that is ingrained in the very fabric of Star Trek.

‘Star Trek: Lower Decks’ Is Going Out on Top in Season 5
Image via Paramount+

While some shows can get tired as they go on, with storylines and characters running out of room to grow, the opposite seems to be the case for Lower Decks. In Season 5, each of the core characters appears to be finding their stride and coming into their own like never before. Gone are the nervous ensigns and (overly) reckless attempts to either advance (Boimler) or get kicked out (Mariner). Instead, our favorite Lower Deckers are finally embracing their roles and moving forward with the confidence that they do belong in Starfleet.

Now, this newly acquired confidence doesn’t come out of nowhere, and it certainly doesn’t mean the outrageous adventures you’re used to seeing on Lower Decks are over. In Season 5, series creator Mike McMahan and the incredible team of writers and animators behind this series continue pushing the franchise forward with ideas that would be costly and near-impossible to achieve in live-action but play beautifully — and hilariously — in animation. From a giant icosagon gobbling up everything in sight (as seen in the trailer) to the exploration of both new and obscure alien cultures, Lower Decks Season 5 takes advantage of its medium in delightful and impressive ways.

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With both the benefits of animation and the new character growth across the board, Lower Decks Season 5 also goes to some unexpected places, upending our expectations and keeping the show fresh. This does not feel like a show that is ready to go off the air. Lower Decks has a virtually endless well of potential, and Season 5 makes it clear that this show could keep going for seasons upon seasons. From the side-splitting laughs to the Cerritos crew’s increasingly weird and wonderful shenanigans, Lower Decks can and should go down as one of the most innovative and uplifting shows within the Star Trek franchise.

We’re Not Ready To Say Goodbye to the Crew of the USS Cerritos
Image via Paramount+

As the characters we’ve come to know and love over the first four seasons of Lower Decks come into their own, they show some tremendous growth while going on some genuinely wild missions in Season 5. McMahan told us last year when the Lower Deckers got promotions at the start of Season 4 that it was never his intention to keep them at the bottom of the Starfleet ladder for the entire duration of the series. That is all the more evident this season as Mariner and Boimler (Jack Quaid), especially, continue to grow beyond what we’ve come to expect from their characters. Mariner is finally ready to accept that she is just a giant nerd at heart and embrace her place in Starfleet and her genuine desire to explore and make the galaxy a better place. Meanwhile, Boimler gets the confidence boost he’s been looking for all this time, and in loosening up a bit, he’s able to do things that would’ve sent Season 1 Boimler running for the hills (or the Vasquez Rocks).

Tendi also gets some major character development as her stint on Orion, fulfilling her duties as the Mistress of the Winter Constellations, allows her to create more of a bridge between her two worlds. Before Season 4, Tendi had tended to avoid mixing her life on Orion with her life in Starfleet. Now, the Season 5 opener sees her return home and use the skills she’s honed on the Cerritos to serve her sister and protect her culture while fulfilling her promise. Thankfully, her time away from the Cerritos is brief, but it serves to further enrich her character beyond her enthusiasm for science and her love for her friends.

Meanwhile, Rutherford (Eugene Cordero) and T’lyn (Gabrielle Ruiz) also get a few outstanding moments to shine and even have some exceptionally heartwarming scenes together in Tendi’s absence. However, across the first five episodes, these two do fall to the back of the ensemble a bit, and it would be great to see them each earn the spotlight for an episode in the back half of the season. For those fans who spotted the return of Mariner’s Andorian girlfriend Jennifer (Lauren Lapkus) —who was inexplicably absent for Season 4 — in the trailer, there is a resolution coming for that relationship. While it’s delivered in a very comedic Star Trek fashion, your mileage may vary as far as satisfaction.

All in all, Star Trek: Lower Decks is going out at the very top of its game. While it’s devastating to see this series come to an end, it is, at the very least, satisfying to see the series coming to a close on a high note, leaving the audience wanting more. McMahan, the cast, the writers, and the animators are not resting on their laurels as they deliver another out-of-this-world season. Everyone who had a hand in the creation of this series should be proud of their work — not just on Season 5, but across the show’s entire run. The first five episodes of Season 5 only serve as a reminder of what a joyful series Lower Decks is, and should the remaining episodes stick the landing, it should be remembered as one of the most creative and perhaps the series that has most clearly executed the Star Trek that Gene Roddenberry first envisioned all those years ago.

Star Trek: Lower Decks Season 5 premieres on October 24. You can stream the first four seasons now on Paramount+.

Star Trek: Lower Decks is heading into its fifth and final season at the very top of its game.ProsThe characters continue to grow in ways that are both surprising and organic.Mariner and Boimler especially shine in the first five episodes.Lower Decks takes advantage of its medium by pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in Star Trek.The series is still exceedingly funny and thrillingly heartfelt. ConsRutherford and T’lyn fall to the back of the ensemble despite getting a couple solid hero moments.

Release Date August 6, 2020 Seasons 4 Story By gene roddenbury Writers Gene Roddenberry Network Paramount Streaming Service(s) Paramount+ Expand

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