Star Trek: Lower Decks Season 4 Episode 8 Review: Caves
Star Trek: Lower Decks Season 4 Episode 8, “Caves,” finds the Beta Shifters trading stories in a cave. It’s a simple premise and a lighthearted palate cleanser compared to last week’s more intense fare. Plus, we finally get all four Beta Shifters embarking on a fun adventure for the first time in several episodes. Needless to say (but this reviewer will say it), it’s a blast.
A Contained Story
With the mystery of the elusive alien vessel and Badgey in our narrative rearview mirror, the series returns to more contained episodic arcs. Where that takes us for the remaining two episodes remains to be seen. However, “Caves” feels like a warm hug — a nice grounding point before the show forges into potentially new storytelling territory.
BOIMLER: Please let us go! I thought you were just a paranoid anxiety made up by people who needed an imagined enemy to simulate order on unrelated disasters so life doesn’t feel so random and chaotic!
There’s some conflict, which is understandable, given how much time our core four has spent apart this season. Boimler and Mariner make new friends outside their group, and Rutherford gives birth to a secret alien baby. That could be enough to tear any friendship crew asunder.
Thankfully, if there’s anything we’ve learned from this show, it’s that nothing can rip the Lower Deckers apart. Their bond strengthens throughout “Caves,” and it’s lovely to witness. Throw in an unexpected Vendorian morality test as a delightful twist regarding why they’re trapped in a cave and some sentient moss, and you’ve got a recipe for TV success.
Found Family
Additionally, we fans are blessed with a flashback sequence to Tendi’s first day and the precise moments that bonded the crew for life. It’s a balm for the soul, a heartwarming scene that gets to the crux of Star Trek: Lower Decks. Strip away all the Cerritos hijinks and breathless, zany action, and you’ll see this series is about found family. It’s about finding your people.
TENDI: I’m glad you guys are my friends.
Even in a highly advanced, technologically reliant society thousands of years into the future, companionship is the connective tissue between species. “Caves” returns to that universal truth while throwing in some signature Star Trek: Lower Decks insanity.
Every one of these vignettes, for lack of a better term, could fill an entire episode as a primary arc. Who wouldn’t want to see more of Rutherford and T’Ana raising the cave baby? Mariner and the Delta Shifters? Boimler bonding with the conspiracies-obsessed Levy? There isn’t a weak side story in “Caves.” Each one is just as entertaining as the last.
Beta Shifter Love
If anything, this proves we need more cave episodes. Joking aside, there’s nothing better than an outing with our four lieutenant junior grades at the epicenter of whatever disaster unfolds. They’re the glue that holds everything together.
RUTHERFORD: I think that was the best time I’ve ever had being stuck in something.
“Caves” is just plain fun. It is a whimsical, hilarious, fast-paced episode that does its job: it provides escapism for 20ish minutes or so. It’s also proof positive that Star Trek: Lower Decks can tell exciting stories on a smaller scale, without epic space battles and an all-encompassing, intricate plotline. At the end of the day, it’s about these characters, and this show takes good care of them.
Stray Observations:
- Vendorians first appeared in the Star Trek: The Animated Series episode “The Survivor.”
- Levy would 100 percent be a fan of the dark web. Probably QAnon, too.
- I desperately need to watch scenes featuring the Beta Shifters seeing themselves in that cave. Tendi left us hanging there.
- Rutherford as a dad might be one of the cutest things I’ve ever seen. Gird your loins, Tendiford shippers.
- More of T’Ana’s involvement with our lieutenant junior grades’ escapades, please, and thank you.
- Watching this episode got me thinking — how cool would it be to have a narrative similar to this one but with the senior officers? We could have Freeman, Ransom, Shaxs, etc., reminiscing about their younger days in Starfleet or their various adventures sans the Lower Deckers. Please give it to me now.
- Where’s T’Lyn? We could use some of her defiance and inability to control her emotions. This season is underutilizing her and Gabrielle Ruiz’s talents.
What did you think of this episode of Star Trek: Lower Decks? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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Star Trek: Lower Decks streams new episodes every Thursday on Paramount+.
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Melody McCune
Hello! My name is Melody and I love TV! Maybe too much. I'm the Managing Editor for a small entertainment site called Geek Girl Authority and an Independent Contractor for Sideshow Collectibles. Additionally, I have bylines in Culturess, Widget, and inkMend on Medium. I love cheese. I love lamp.