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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.
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- Overview
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An accident while investigating a time portal sends Ensigns Beckett Mariner and Bradward Boimler through time from the 24th century, and Captain Pike and his crew must get them back where they belong before they can alter the timeline.
Teaser
"Ensign's log, stardate 58460.1. The Cerritos has just entered the orbit of Krulmuth-B, home of the Krulmuth-B portal, one of my all-time favorite portals. We're taking routine portal readings and making sure the portal area is free of any portal problems." In 2381, the USS Cerritos arrives on the planet Krulmuth-B, home to a portal discovered by Captain Pike and the USS Enterprise. Ensign Brad Boimler, a self-described "history buff", is excited at the prospect. His friend Beckett Mariner is less so, saying it will just be like any other portal, they are only there to run routine scans, and it hasn't done anything in 120 years. Boimler's enthusiasm is undampened, expecting that perhaps something will happen, and imagines what it would have been like to be part of "Those Old Scientists", saying it would be the closest they would get to Spock or "Numero Una" (which Mariner says no one called her), and standing in the same spot as Uhura. Mariner admits she thinks Uhura "cool as hell", mainly because she had a life outside of work, and suggests Boimler try it. Sam Rutherford shows a similar enthusiasm for "scanning teleron radiation", saying he enjoys scanning new things for his collection, and shares a high-five with D'Vana Tendi for "science". Mariner urges them to head down, and she will brief them on the way; Commander Ransom has placed her in charge of the mission, because he figured it would "bum [her] out" because she finds portals boring. Beaming to the surface, Mariner points the away team to the "ancient inactive thingy" and tells them to check that it is still non-functional. Boimler and Tendi begin arguing its origins; while Boimler stands by its being discovered by the Enterprise, Tendi insists it was actually found by an Orion science vessel, and her great-grandmother had been a member of the crew. Boimler questions whether the Orions were actually "doing science stuff" in the 23rd century, inadvertently offending Tendi with the implication that all Orions were pirates. "Some Orions might surprise you," she says with a glare before walking off. Mariner suggests that maybe Boimler, despite knowing "everything about everything", should listen to Tendi. Rutherford gets their attention by detecting traces of horonium, an element not recorded for centuries. Boimler points out that the NX-class used horonium in its hull, which gave it the "right shade of gray". He imagines Spock standing in front of the portal, and earns an unwanted laugh from his impersonation of the famous Vulcan. Mariner tells him to try "living in the now", but Boimler wishes he could have lived in that era. Mariner thinks otherwise, saying it's "no big deal" with disappointing people in their current time, but in that era, she would be disappointing Uhura. Boimler thinks that would be "cool", and Mariner emphatically does not. Rutherford asks Boimler to do his best "Spock pose" for a picture; as he does, the portal unexpectedly activates, pulling Boimler through. Boimler is thrown out of the portal, right at the feet of Spock, Una, and La'an. Looking up at them, he tells them they look "very realistic", before passing out. Una calls the Enterprise and reports they might have a problem.
Act One
"Captain's log, stardate 2291.6. En route to deliver a crucial shipment of grain to a colony on Setlik II, we encountered something more pressing: a time traveler." The Enterprise is conducting a routine survey of Krulmuth-B on its way to deliver food supplies to Setlik II. Una shows Boimler's combadge to Pike, explaining that it is also a communicator as well as insignia. Pike thinks flipping open the communicator was the best part, and Una agrees she likes theirs better too. Upon seeing Pike standing over him as he comes to in sickbay, Boimler calls for the computer to end the program, thinking he is in a holodeck simulation. When nothing happens, he reaches out tentatively to poke Pike on the shoulder, and realizes it is not a simulation; he is actually aboard the Enterprise, speaking to the real Pike. He asks for the stardate, and upon hearing the lower number, tries to give some kind of evasive answer to mask his actual origin, but Pike reveals to Boimler's relief that they already know he is from the future. He explains he is from 120 years in the future, to which Pike jokes he doesn't look a day over one hundred. Boimler laughs hysterically at the idea of a "funny captain", then all but jumps off the biobed when Una hands him his combadge, staring at her in shock. Pike introduces him to her and to La'an, the latter of whom escorts him through the ship. Una wonders about the "weird" reaction, thinking he knows something about her future. Pike begins to give a negative answer, then stops, unsure himself. Boimler excitedly notices the classic S/COMS operating system of the ship's computer, but La'an stops him from pushing any buttons before reminding him of temporal protocols: Firstly, no getting involved in past events; secondly, no sharing knowledge of the future (Boimler promises not to reveal any further information, "Worf's honor", then realizes what he just said); and thirdly, no making attachments. Boimler is unfamiliar with the last, wondering if it is a new addition. La'an admits it is more from her own time travel experience. A small change wouldn't be noticable to them in the present, but it could alter Boimler's future. Boimler paces in Pike's ready room, seeing the saddle from Pike's horse. He muses to himself that touching it can't possibly change the future. After laying his hands on it, he decides to do the "Riker Maneuver" to haul himself up into it. He looks up to see Uhura looking at him curiously, and he soon realizes who she is, mentioning that Mariner would be "freaking out" at that. Uhura is unsure what to make of this, but says only she needs the space to work to decipher an entire ancient language. Just then, La'an calls Boimler to the transporter room to return to the surface. Down below with Spock and Dr. M'Benga, Boimler cannot help but stare at men who are legends in his time, and Spock happens to notice. Boimler also notes M'Benga's "classic" tricorder and asks to hold it. Boimler marvels at how they never truly improved on the design in his time, the only differences being that the kind he was used to was smaller and less likely to explode (which worries the doctor somewhat). Spock calls their attention back to business, asking what Boimler was doing when the portal activated. Boimler moves to where he had been standing, explaining how Rutherford had found horonium traces, which Spock confirms; Rutherford had taken a holo-image with his camera, which emitted radioisotopes that activated the portal, which makes him think it was "dumb luck". To his absolute shock, Spock laughs at the idea, considering the idea of assigning intelligence to chance "ridiculous". Boimler quietly asks M'Benga if Spock always laughs, or if that was new, to which M'Benga tells him it is definitely new. Pike then calls from the ship, saying there is a situation; an unidentified ship is closing in, and he wants the landing party back aboard and summoned to the bridge. Ortegas thinks the ship might be Orion, and Pike calls for yellow alert, shields up. Una reports that the Orion ship's shields are still down, weapons inactive, though La'an knows some Orion ships are designed to fool sensors. Just then, Spock, Uhura, and Boimler step out of the turbolift. Boimler becomes incredibly excited at standing on the bridge of the Enterprise, "NCC-1701-dash-nothing" (leading La'an to wonder what would come after the dash). As Boimler reaches for the controls on Pike's chair, the captain stops him and has him stand by the nearby railing. Seeing the vessel on screen, he instantly recognizes the ship as a "classic" Orion scout ship, having built one as a ship in a bottle. Uhura reports no response to hails, and Boimler becomes alarmed when Pike orders a photon torpedo spread. Remembering what Tendi told him, he tries to convince Pike it is in fact a science vessel, and that he "happens to know" the ship is peaceful. The Orions finally hail them; it is Captain Harr Caras of the science vessel D'Var. Pike explains they have come to the sector to aid Federation colonies attacked by Orion pirates, and Caras agrees that the pirates give Orions a bad name. Just then, however, Spock detects a transporter signal – the Orions have beamed up the portal. Caras says the science officer is mistaken, but cuts the communication… and the D'Var then goes to warp. Pike turns to glare at Boimler, who looks distinctly embarrassed.
Act Two
In his ready room, Pike confesses to Una that he may have made a mistake in listening to Boimler, admitting that it was rare to meet someone who was a fan of his. Una thinks Boimler is terrified of her for some reason, but for Pike, seeing someone looking at him like Boimler made his future not seem so bad (knowing full well what his future will be), but with Boimler now altering time, he feels like he's "trying to stop a toddler from knocking over the furniture". He asks where Boimler is now. At that moment, Boimler is in the crew lounge, picking up a PADD to input some warp field equations, when he is approached by Ortegas and Nurse Chapel, who startle him. Ortegas jokes that she hopes he is not inputting any future knowledge, before making clear she is joking. Chapel asks whether he is at the point of "uncontrollable vomiting" from exposure to chroniton radiation, but Ortegas' barely-suppressed laughter makes it clear that they are both joking with him. Ortegas asks what the future is like, like if they had jetpacks – which Chapel points out they had in their time, but Ortegas wonders if they were smaller. Boimler turns the tables by asking what life is like on the Enterprise, if it is non-stop excitement, meeting new alien races that are actually "alien" to them. He calls their time the "golden age of exploration", and is jealous of the fact that they got to live it. Chapel asks about where Uhura is, and Ortegas notes she is probably working as usual; she didn't even attend their movie night. Ortegas suggests Boimler attend the next one. Boimler wonders if this is something for Pike's birthday, mentioning that in the future, Pike's Birthday is a United Federation of Planets holiday, before again realizing what he said and asking them not to tell La'an. Ortegas and Chapel, however, are taken with the idea of giving Pike a birthday party, and promise to give Boimler all the credit. Chapel rises to leave, and Boimler looks up to see Spock in the doorway… with a big smile on his face. Boimler chases Chapel down the corridor, saying he needs to tell her about Spock. The Spock he's read about is "legendary" for never smiling, laughing, or joking, and he is concerned he did something because he made Spock laugh, and is worried about something he might have done. As Boimler babbles on about what he knows about Spock's history, Chapel stops him short and assures him that it is not his fault; Spock was acting that way before Boimler arrived. Boimler wonders if it is just a "phase" and he would be back to his "real, serious" self soon; the look on Chapel's face makes him realize that it was she who was influencing him. Chapel realizes that Boimler is implying that her relationship with Spock will not last. Boimler is mortified, and knows he has to get off the ship before he creates any more problems. On the bridge, Spock explains that he is unable to track the Orion ship, but Boimler offers his assistance. He knows he is not supposed to provide future information, but suggests that he does so, but they just "don't look". Una laughs incredulously at the idea, but exchanging looks with the others, she wonders if maybe they can… and they proceed to do just that, with Boimler at work under the science panel. He successfully brings the Enterprise to the location of the D'Var. Taking a risk, Boimler pleads with Pike for a diplomatic solution, and reveals what Tendi told him about her great-grandmother being a member of the D'Var's crew; any hostile action could possibly erase Tendi from existence. He knows diplomacy is one of Pike's many strengths, along with patience, forgiveness, benevolence, and "really great hair". Mustering his aforementioned patience, Pike orders hailing frequencies to the Orions. Spock warns the D'Var is charging its warp coils, and Una orders La'an to lock phasers on their engines. Caras answers, calling it a "remarkable coincidence" for them to be meeting there. Pike explains they may have "accidentally" beamed an ancient portal onboard, and requests its return. Caras makes clear he will not be made to negotiate with weapons locked on his ship, and Pike orders La'an to stand down phasers. Caras wants Pike to "persuade" him to return the portal, and Pike asks how he would like to be persuaded. The Orion asks for a moment to consider, before closing the channel. Pike asks for ideas, immediately shooting Boimler down when he is the first to offer. Boimler speaks in a low voice to Spock, telling him to suggest offering a trade, which Orions would recognize as a gesture of respect, but Pike can hear him clearly despite the span of the room. Spock reports the D'Var is scanning their cargo bay. Then Caras is back on screen, mentioning that he has detected a cargo of tritriticale grain in the Enterprise's hold; giving it to him would be "persuasive". Pike glances over at Una, who gives a slight nod of her head. Pike agrees, to Boimler's relief. Boimler, Pike, Spock, and La'an return with the portal to Krulmuth-B. Spock's scans show it is nearly depleted of horonium, but has enough for one more trip. Boimler admits the situation didn't turn out to be ideal (indeed, potentially reality-threatening), but he considers meeting them one of the greatest experiences of his life. Pike concedes it had been an "unexpected day" for all of them, but advises for the sake of the future that he not come back. As he steps onto the portal, it activates, and he looks back one last time at the legendary figures. But just as he prepares to step through, Mariner barrels through it and right into him, having leapt through the open portal from the other side to try to rescue him. Remembering what Spock just said about being only enough for one trip, Boimler is horrified. But Mariner, much like Boimler had been when he first came through, looks excited as she realizes she has just traveled through time, seeing the old uniforms, and asking if Uhura is actually there. An exasperated Pike pulls out his communicator, calling for five to beam up.
"You guys look… very realistic."
- Boimler, upon seeing Spock, Una, and La'an
"Look, I recognize this future knowledge is so boring, the chances of it changing history are low, but let's review temporal protocols regardless, okay?"
"Mm-hmm."
"One, no interfering with past events."
"Got it."
•Ensign's log, USS •Captain's log, USS Enterprise (NCC-1701), 2259
Production
•22 July 2023: Premieres at 2023 San Diego Comic Con. Subsequently, the episode was given its world premiere at 4 p.m. Pacific/7 p.m. Eastern the same day on Paramount+ and Crave.
Title
•The title originates from the Star Trek: Lower Decks episode "No Small Parts", in which Jack Ransom refers to a period of time in the 23rd century as the TOS era, "TOS" standing for "those old scientists."
Cast and characters
•Tawny Newsome (Beckett Mariner), Jack Quaid (Brad Boimler), Noël Wells (D'Vana Tendi), Eugene Cordero (Sam Rutherford), and Jerry O'Connell (Jack Ransom) reprise their Star Trek: Lower Decks roles. Newsome and Quaid play their characters in live-action in addition to voicing their animated versions, marking the first time a voice actor whose characters originated in animated form portrayed their characters in live-action.
Starring
•Anson Mount as Christopher Pike •Ethan Peck as Spock •Jess Bush as Christine Chapel •Christina Chong as La'an Noonien-Singh •Celia Rose Gooding as Nyota Uhura •Melissa Navia as Erica Ortegas •Babs Olusanmokun as Joseph M'Benga And •Rebecca Romijn as Una Chin-Riley
Special guest stars
•Tawny Newsome as Beckett Mariner •Jack Quaid as Brad Boimler •Noël Wells as D'Vana Tendi (voice) •Eugene Cordero as Sam Rutherford (voice) •Jerry O'Connell as Jack Ransom (voice)
Guest starring
•Greg Bryk as Harr Caras And •Carol Kane as Pelia
Jul 22, 2023 · Those Old Scientists. An accident while investigating a time portal sends Ensigns Beckett Mariner and Bradward Boimler through time from the 24th Century, and Captain Pike and his crew must get them back where they belong before they can alter the timeline.
- (8.1K)
- Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
- Jonathan Frakes
- 2023-07-22
Jul 22, 2023 · A recap of ‘Those Old Scientists,’ episode seven of season two of ‘Star Trek: Strange New Worlds,’ streaming on Paramount+.
Jul 26, 2023 · In Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' "Those Old Scientists," an accident while investigating a time portal sends Ensign Brad Boimler through time from the 24th Century, and Captain Pike and his crew must get him back where he belongs before he can somehow alter the timeline.
Jul 22, 2023 · ‘Those Old Scientists’ is available to watch right now. daniel cooper. Senior Editor. Sat, Jul 22, 2023 · 6 min read. Paramount+. Ever since Strange New Worlds’ second season was announced, the...
Jul 23, 2023 · In a Comic-Con twist, the latest episode of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds has dropped a few days early. It’s streaming now on Paramount+! The rest of the season has been moved forward as well. This week’s Strange New Worlds – “Those Old Scientists” was the long-awaited crossover episode with animated comedy Lower Decks. Going […]
