Starbase 80 is different, a space station so riven with neglect that many officers believe it's cursed. Starbase 80 has been mentioned on several previous occasions in "Star Trek: Lower Decks" — Mariner was temporarily exiled there,

It's hard to believe any human being in the 24th century would still believe in curses, but that didn't stop Ned Quint with that damned Howard sex candle. Anaphasics aside for a moment, Mariner had good reason to feel that things were a little jinxed this episode, confronted as she was with a return to the galaxy's most infamous starbase.

Lower Decks faced fan skepticism, then won over many with its wacky love-letter to the Trek universe. Season 5 explores deeper themes and relationships while adding familiar faces for more laughs. Despite the series ending after season 5,

"Starbase 80?!" plays a long game, taking a gag from the season premiere and turning it into a pivotal moment for our learning heroes to tackle.

We talk a lot about Star Trek beyond the scope of the series and films that the franchise makes. Though, we don't talk about it enough. Today, we're angling to make up for some of that. We've touched on toys,

We'd forgive you for forgetting, since the alien species only made one "Trek" appearance before showing up on the new episode of "Lower Decks" season 5, an