This publish incorporates spoilers for the newest episode of “Star Trek: Decrease Decks.”
“Star Trek: Decrease Decks” season 5, episode 5, “Starbase 80?!,” follows the united statesS. Cerritos because it turns into stranded in house attributable to a mysterious navigational malfunction. With solely impulse engines operational, the ship has no selection however to go to Starbase 80 for assist. Starbase 80 had beforehand solely been talked about in hushed tones among the many Cerritos’ crew, as it’s mentioned to be cursed. On the very least, it is the worst place to work in all of Starfleet, even worse than the Cerritos.
When the crew arrives, they discover the “Star Trek” equal of a long-ignored truck cease. Starbase 80’s crew members put on uniforms which can be two centuries outdated, whereas the station’s diplomatic liaison, Cassia Knox (Nicole Byer), reveals that its know-how hasn’t been up to date for the reason that 2260s. That, Trekkies may immediately acknowledge, was the last decade the unique “Star Trek” sequence happened. (“Decrease Decks” takes place within the 2380s.)
After all, having that a lot older “Star Trek” know-how mendacity round offers the creatives behind “Decrease Decks” whole license to drop in no matter Easter eggs they need. The facility core of the station, to web site one notable instance, is surrounded by massive, boxy management panels which can be lifted straight from the bridge of the united statesS. Enterprise because it appeared in 1966. There are additionally quite a lot of multicolored buttons and switches, whereas the exteriors are painted crimson, similar to within the unique present. Furthermore, as seen within the image above, the denizens of Starbase 80 do not use chest-worn communicators; somewhat, they discuss utilizing wall-mounted phone units … similar to Captain Kirk as soon as used. They even emit the identical naval whistle noise when activated.
These are however a number of of the numerous particulars that Trekkies will discover. There are lots of extra.
Starbase 80?! has a number of references to Star Trek: Enterprise
With a view to go to Starbase 80, the crew of the united statesS. Cerritos has to deconaminate. This includes coming into a big decontamination chamber, stripping all the way down to their underwear, and slathering their our bodies with a shiny antibacterial gel. Boimler (Jack Quaid) even notes that he is being “a complete T’Pol” with the gel. The decontamination chamber was, Trekkies will recall, one of many extra infamous particulars in “Star Trek: Enterprise.” On that sequence, characters must decontaminate after away missions in an an identical trend, giving the showrunners an natural excuse to get the actors of their skivvies. T’Pol (Jolene Blalock) was the comely Vulcan Subcommander on “Enterprise.”
When the Cerritos crew arrive at Starbase 80, the latter’s crew remains to be dressed within the indigo jumpsuits seen on “Enterprise.” The uniforms are clearly an anachronism, even on “Star Trek,” though it is attainable the crew of Starbase 80 adopted the 200-year-old uniforms merely for fun.
Starbase 80 itself is, because of an previous treaty, partially managed by a species generally known as the Acamarians, which followers of “Star Trek: The Subsequent Era” can let you know had been featured within the episode “The Vengeance Issue.” This has been the primary time Acamarians have made an look on “Star Trek” since that episode. They do not issue into the central plot of “Starbase 80?!,” however it’s good to see them once more all the identical.
Elsewhere, early within the episode, Lieutenant Tendi (Noël Wells) visits a uniform retailer, and a fast perusal of their wares reveals Kirk’s jacket as seen in “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan,” in addition to one other crimson uniform from that period. There’s additionally that bizarre, white dentist-looking uniform from “Star Trek: The Movement Image,” a Klingon costume from the unique “Star Trek” sequence, a really revealing outfit worn by the Edo within the “Subsequent Era” episode “Justice,” and, most hilarious, a giant pile of bloody crimson shirts.
The various Star Trek uniform Easter eggs in Starbase 80?!
Different Easter eggs from that very same costume store embrace Kirk’s Nazi hat (!) from the “Star Trek” unique sequence episode “Patterns of Drive,” these bizarre leathery “helmets” worn by safety officers in “Star Trek: The Movement Image,” and different props and tchotchkes that solely essentially the most hardcore Trekkies will have the ability to determine.
There’s additionally a scene the place Captain Freeman (Dawnn Lewis) and Commander Ransom (Jerry O’Connell) should journey in a turbolift, they usually notice that it’s the previous twist-handle sort, generally seen within the unique “Star Trek.” The twist-handles on the Enterprise’s turbolifts had been solely sporadically used, nonetheless.
Likewise, the station’s physician is an expert named Harrison Horseberry (Liam McIntyre), and half of his physique has been altered by alien DNA, making his pores and skin a deep indigo with glowing blue veins snaking throughout him. He does clarify that he was as soon as contaminated with an alien parasite. This can be a reference to the DNA-altering Tarchannen parasite that contaminated Geordi La Forge (LeVar Burton) within the “Subsequent Era” episode “Id Disaster.” That is a fairly straightforward one to identify for Trekkies, although.
Notably, Cassia Knox is an El-Aurian, the species of Guinan (Whoopi Goldberg) on “Subsequent Era.” Dr. Soren (Malcolm McDowell) in “Star Trek Generations” additionally belonged to the species. El-Aurians can reside for a lot of centuries, however Knox is just 30, making her the youngest El-Aurian ever seen on “Star Trek.” That, too, nonetheless, is a reasonably straightforward one to identify.
Chime in, Trekkies. What else did you see?
New episodes of “Star Trek: Decrease Decks” premiere Thursdays on Paramount+.