Those Old Scientists

"Those Old Scientists" is the seventh episode of the second season of the television series Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, and was released on Paramount+ on July 22, 2023. In this crossover episode, characters from the animated series Star Trek: Lower Decks are sent back in time to the 23rd century setting of Strange New Worlds. Captain Christopher Pike and the crew of the have to work with Ensigns Mariner and Boimler to return them to their proper time. "Those Old Scientists" was written by a combination of Lower Decks and Strange New Worlds writers, and directed by longtime Star Trek actor and director Jonathan Frakes. Lower Decks voice cast members Tawny Newsome and Jack Quaid play their characters in live action for the first time; the cast and crew paid special attention to translating their animated portrayals to a more realistic medium. The episode was positively received by critics, who praised the humor, acting, and celebration of Star Trek as a franchise. Plot In the 24th century, an away team from the Federation starship USS Cerritos arrives at the planet Krulmuth to perform routine scans on a portal found there. While Ensign Brad Boimler excitedly says that it was discovered by the crew of the USS Enterprise, led by Captain Christopher Pike, D'vana Tendi insists it was found by an Orion vessel that her ancestor was stationed on. When Boimler has his picture taken at the portal, it unexpectedly activates and he is sucked through to the 23rd century, meeting the Enterprise crew. While the crew tries to figure out how to send Boimler back to his time, Boimler tries (and fails) to avoid divulging knowledge of future events, nervous around the historical figures he considers heroes. An Orion ship arrives in orbit; Boimler convinces Captain Pike not to fire on the ship, but it steals the portal from the surface and warps away. Boimler helps the crew track the Orions, and they trade the grain supplies destined for a colony they were carrying in exchange for the portal. The Enterprise crew transports the portal back to Krulmuth. Before Boimler can step through, Ensign Beckett Mariner emerges from the other side, exhausting the portal's power supply and trapping them in the past.