Unveiling the Hilarious Gems: 15 Epic Lines from the Star Trek Crossover in Strange New Worlds

Summary

"Those Old Scientists" episode from Star Trek: Lower Decks Season 2 offers a delightful and sincere homage to the Star Trek universe and its dedicated fans.

The hyper-kinetic humor of Lower Decks blends flawlessly with Strange New Worlds, creating an exceptional comedic episode. This crossover installment features uproarious moments, respectful references to Star Trek's enduring history, and a clever combination of comedy and beloved characters.

The crossover episode between Star Trek: Strange New Worlds and Star Trek: Lower Decks is filled with hilarious and memorable lines. Directed by Jonathan Frakes and written by Kathryn Lyn and Bill Wolkoff, along with consultation from Lower Decks creator Mike McMahan, season 2, episode 7 of Strange New Worlds, titled "Those Old Scientists," pays tribute to the generations and fandom of Star Trek in a heartfelt manner. Combining live-action and animated sequences, this crossover episode successfully delivers comedic elements to the Star Trek universe.

Any initial doubts about whether the hyper-kinetic comedy style of Star Trek: Lower Decks would blend well with Strange New Worlds were quickly dispelled when Ensign Brad Boimler (Jack Quaid) from the 24th century accidentally traveled through a time portal and encountered the crew of the USS Enterprise. Although Strange New Worlds had already showcased its comedic abilities, the infusion of Boimler and Ensign Beckett Mariner's (Tawny Newsome) unique brand of chaos elevated the crossover to a new level of Star Trek humor. Many of the humorous moments pay homage to the beloved characters and traditions of Star Trek, cleverly acknowledging the tropes and principles cherished by both the fans and the officers of Starfleet. Presented here are 15 of the funniest quotes from Strange New Worlds' crossover with Star Trek: Lower Decks.

15 “But flipping it open’s the best part."

After being transported onto the USS Enterprise in the beginning of Strange New Worlds' crossover, Ensign Boimler receives a briefing from Number One (Rebecca Romijn) about his 24th century Starfleet delta, which acts as both a universal translator and a communicator. However, Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount) expresses his disappointment with the simplicity of Boimler's communicator compared to the 23rd-century 'flip phone' style communicator, stating, "But flipping it open's the best part." Number One agrees, adding, "I also prefer ours."

14 “Computer, end program.”

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Upon awakening in the Enterprise's Sickbay, Boimler's abrupt command to the computer, "End program," perplexes Captain Pike, Dr. Joseph M'Benga (Babs Olusanokun), and Lt. La'an Nooien-Singh (Christina Chong). Boimler's assumption that he might be trapped in a holodeck program compels him to verify his time-travel experience. However, since holodecks are several decades away from reality, Captain Pike and his crew remain baffled by Boimler's request to terminate a program.

13 “Worf’s honor.”

12 “Riker.”

As the Enterprise's Security Chief, La'an was the most suitable person to advise Ensign Boimler on time travel protocol. This was due to her recent personal encounter with time travel. One important rule of time travel protocol is to refrain from revealing any knowledge of the future. Unfortunately, Boimler immediately breaks this rule by referencing Captain Worf with the phrase "Worf's honor." Captain Worf is widely known as the most famous Klingon in the 24th century and had a legendary career in Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and Star Trek: Picard. Given La'an's background as a Klingon War veteran, she would likely be shocked to hear about Captain Worf's existence as the first Klingon in Starfleet.

Ensign Boimler eagerly awaited in the Enterprise's conference room, unable to resist the temptation of sitting on Captain Pike's legendary seat. With a mischievous smirk, Boimler effortlessly swung his leg over the saddle and playfully uttered "Riker," channeling the unforgettable 'Riker Maneuver'—Commander William T. Riker's iconic seating style in Star Trek: The Next Generation. To add an extra touch of brilliance, Jack Quaid masterfully incorporated this homage to the episode's esteemed director, Jonathan Frakes.

11 “Explode, you said?”

10 “What would come after the dash?”

Boimler enthusiastically geeked out over Dr. M'Benga's "classic TS 122 tricorder" while joining Lt. Spock (Ethan Peck) to examine the time portal on the planet Krulmuth-B. He couldn't help but compare it to the smaller tricorders of the 24th century, admitting that they were "less likely to explode." Dr. M'Benga humorously responded, "Explode, you say?" Babs Okusanmokun had fewer lines compared to the rest of the cast in Strange New Worlds' crossover, but his delivery always left a lasting impact.

When Ensign Boimler stepped onto the bridge of the USS Enterprise, he felt like every Star Trek fan's dream had come true. With sheer excitement, he proudly announced the call sign of the original Constitution Class Enterprise, "NCC 1701-dash-nothing!" This left La'an puzzled, who turned and curiously questioned, "What comes after the dash?" Evidently, the era of legacy lettering starships depicted in Strange New Worlds was still far away, considering that the USS Enterprise-A would not be commissioned until 2286, a staggering 27 years after the events of Strange New Worlds.

9 “Do you have jetpacks or what?”

8 “No, but I’m going with it.”

Upon learning of the presence of a time traveler on board, Lt. Erica Ortegas (Melissa Navia) and Nurse Christine Chapel (Jess Bush) wasted no time in amusing themselves with "Future Boy." Spotting Boimler in the Port Galley, Chapel immediately began to play mind games, inquiring about "uncontrolled vomiting." Erica and Christine then indulged in a delightful exchange, questioning Boimler about the existence of smaller jetpacks in the 24th century compared to the 23rd century.

In order to track the stolen time portal, taken by the Orion science vessel, Boimler proposed reprogramming the computer system of the Enterprise. Despite objections from Pike and his crew due to time violations, Boimler suggested simply disregarding them. Left with no other alternatives, they allowed Boimler to proceed. Number One questioned the wisdom of their decision, to which Pike, resignedly, responded, "No, but I'm going with it."

7 “Sorry, I thought the span of the room would, uh…”

After taking a break from negotiations, Captain Pike and the Orions, Boimler, eager to share his opinion, found himself promptly dismissed by Pike. Brad swiftly turned to Spock, seeking help in conveying his solution to the captain. However, before he could proceed, Pike, clearly exasperated, interrupted, "You know I can hear you. I'm right here." Boimler, attempting to salvage the situation, humorously quipped, "I thought the span of the room would, uh..." in a knee-slapper that left everyone in laughter.

6 “Look, I’m gonna keep this like 100% profesh, but I was thoroughly unprepared for how hot young Spock was going to be.”

Ensign Beckett Mariner's arrival in the 23rd century brought an extra level of hilarity to the Strange New Worlds crossover. She repeatedly inquired about "Uhura's whereabouts" before joining Boimler in the Enterprise conference room, where she couldn't help but comment on "the irresistible charm of young Spock." Meanwhile, Spock and Number One discreetly eavesdropped on the displaced Ensigns, mutually acknowledging their peculiar and oddly specific references.

5 “It is a poster that is pinned up. Are we saying the same thing?”

Number One, concerned about her future, confronted Ensign Mariner regarding Boimler's unusual behavior and tendency to abruptly leave her presence. (Boimler, in fact, hurriedly departed utilizing a swift walking technique reminiscent of Section 31.) Mariner clarified that Boimler has a poster of Number One prominently displayed in his sleeping quarters, and when Una inquired if it was a "pin-up poster," Mariner, perplexed, responded with, "It is merely a poster that is affixed to the wall. Are we referring to the same thing?" It appears that the notion of pin-up posters featuring enticing models did not endure into the 24th century.

4 “I love grapplers.”

Boimler had an epiphany after conversing with Captain Pike and successfully persuading him to attend his birthday celebration. The realization centered around Captain Jonathan Archer's (Scott Bakula) NX-01 Enterprise and the whereabouts of the required horonium for activating the time portal. In a briefing with Pike and the senior staff, Mariner and Boimler recounted their trip to the NX-01 Starfleet History Museum, where Brad became engrossed with the Enterprise's grapplers. In an unexpected turn of events, La'an interjected with a declaration: "I have a fondness for grapplers." The unexpectedness of La'an expressing her love for grapplers added a comedic touch to the situation.

3 “It is surprising because she normally does not pay attention.”

When Mariner proudly claimed that she had absorbed invaluable knowledge from her visits to the Starfleet History Museum, pinpointing the exact location on the Enterprise where a batch of horonium from the iconic NX-01 was stored, Spock astutely remarked, "This is quite surprising since she typically does not demonstrate such attentiveness." Spock's presence in this particular episode was undeniably comedic, leaving Mariner and Boimler unsettled by his intriguing smiles and peculiar experimentation with human behavior. Without a doubt, Spock skillfully assessed both Ensigns who had traversed through time, proving his evaluations to be accurate.

2 “They put that on the poster?”

The moment when Boimler and Mariner finally clarified that Brad's pin-up poster of Number One was actually a Starfleet recruitment poster, featuring Una as the literal poster girl for Starfleet, was both amusing and heartwarming. Boimler further shared that the slogan "Ad Astra Per Aspera" had inspired him to join Starfleet, leaving Number One utterly shocked: "They actually put that on the poster?" This particular incident stood out as one of the most endearing moments in the entire Strange New Worlds crossover episode.

1 “My arms don’t normally do this.”

The opening titles of Strange New Worlds were animated, adding an extra treat to the crossover. In the Lower Decks style, the entire cast of Strange New Worlds was animated. The crew enjoyed authentic Orion Hurricane cocktails that gave them a "two-dimensional" feeling. Captain Pike's birthday party took a strange turn when Spock's arm unexpectedly stretched and flopped around. This served as the perfect conclusion to the crossover between Star Trek: Strange New Worlds and Star Trek: Lower Decks, making it a timeless episode. Season 2 of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds can be streamed on Paramount+ every Thursday.