Star Trek Resurrects Another Beloved Enterprise Character, Rivalling Trip's Return

Warning: SPOILERS for Star Trek: Lower Decks Season 4, Episode 5 - "Empathalogical Fallacies"

Summary

In recent episodes of Star Trek: Lower Decks, there are two shout-outs that pay homage to Lt. Malcolm Reed from Star Trek: Enterprise. In the episode "Empathalogical Fallacies," Boimler encounters various "sacred security officer challenges," one of which involves a jigsaw puzzle featuring Malcolm Reed from Enterprise.

The increasing references to Star Trek: Enterprise in Lower Decks highlight the growing appreciation and recognition that the show has gained within the Star Trek franchise.

Star Trek: Lower Decks and Star Trek: very Short Treks pay homage to another beloved character from Star Trek: Enterprise, aside from Commander Trip Tucker (Connor Trinneer). Despite the show being cancelled 18 years ago and Trip Tucker meeting a tragic end in the controversial series finale of Enterprise, Connor Trinneer reprised his role as Trip in the Star Trek: very Short Treks episode "Holograms All The Way Down." Surprisingly, another member of the Enterprise crew also received mentions in two different Star Trek animated series within the same week.

Star Trek: Lower Decks Has An Enterprise Malcolm Reed Homage

- The B-story of "Empathalogical Fallacies," episode 5 of Star Trek: Lower Decks season 4, follows Lieutenant Brad Boimler (Jack Quaid) as he is mentored by Lieutenant Shax (Fred Tatasciore) and the security team of the USS Cerritos. Initially, Boimler believes that Shax will toughen him up, but he is pleasantly surprised to discover that the Cerritos' security squad practices slam poetry and employs holistic approaches to maintain their mental and emotional well-being. Although skeptical at first, Boimler eventually recognizes the value of Shax's methods, but not before facing two humorous and significant security officer challenges, one of which pays homage to Star Trek: Enterprise.

In Star Trek: Lower Decks season 4, episode 5, Boimler's unique security officer challenges involve a set of tarot cards and a 1000-piece jigsaw puzzle featuring Lieutenant Malcolm Reed from Star Trek: Enterprise. Dominic Keating portrayed Reed, who served as the Armory Officer on Captain Jonathan Archer's NX-01 Enterprise in the 22nd century. Despite a difficult beginning, Reed and Commander Trip Tucker developed a close friendship when they found themselves trapped together in the memorable episode "Shuttlepod One" from the first season of Enterprise. As a crucial figure on the trailblazing NX-01 Enterprise, Armory Officer Reed paved the way for renowned Starfleet Security Chiefs like Lt. Worf from Star Trek: The Next Generation, Lt. Tuvok from Star Trek: Voyager, and Lower Decks' very own Lt. Shax.

Star Trek’s Increasing Enterprise Callbacks Explained

The appearance of Malcolm Reed in both Star Trek: Lower Decks and Star Trek: Very Short Treks was an unexpected and pleasant surprise. It was equally surprising to see Reed alongside Trip Tucker in "Holograms All The Way Down," a Very Short Treks episode. In this episode, Reed is briefly seen in the background on the NX-01 Enterprise's bridge, along with T'Pol, portrayed by Jolene Blalock in Star Trek: Enterprise. These back-to-back appearances mark the first confirmed sightings of Lt. Malcolm Reed in Star Trek since the conclusion of Enterprise in 2005, and they showcased his character in two different animated styles.

Once considered an underdog within the Star Trek universe, Star Trek: Enterprise faced scrutiny as it marked the conclusion of the Rick Berman era after just four seasons. However, the series has experienced a resurgence in popularity in recent years, thanks to its availability on streaming platforms like Netflix and Paramount+. Furthermore, as Paramount+'s various Star Trek series have paid homage to the franchise's earlier shows, Enterprise has gained renewed credibility. In a crossover episode of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, Captain Christopher Pike (played by Anson Mount) expressed his admiration for Captain Archer and the NX-01 Enterprise, further solidifying its significance.

Star Trek: Lower Decks is incorporating delightful Easter eggs from Star Trek: Enterprise. In season 1, there was a joke about a sundae named after Kirk and sprinkles reminiscent of Trip Tucker. In season 4, episode 2 titled "I Have No Bones Yet I Must Flee," they referenced "Tucker Tubes" in Engineering. Adding a crossword puzzle featuring Malcolm Reed would be a fun homage for Lower Decks. Bringing back characters from Star Trek: Enterprise would be the ultimate tribute, and the animated series has a better chance of doing so compared to the live-action shows. At the very least, Dominic Keating should be considered to voice Lt. Malcolm Reed. In the meantime, fans can listen to Connor Trinneer and Dominic Keating discussing Star Trek on their podcast, The Shuttlepod Show. You can catch Star Trek: Lower Decks season 4 streaming on Paramount+ every Thursday.