The WORST episodes of Star Trek: Lower Decks

Every episode of Star Trek: Lower Decks ever, ranked from worst to best by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The worst episodes of Star Trek: Lower Decks!

Focusing on the support crew serving on one of Starfleet's least important ships, the USS Cerritos, in 2380. Ensigns Mariner, Boimler, Rutherford and Tendi must keep up with their duties and their social lives, often while the ship is being rocked by a multitude of sci-fi anomalies. The ship's bridge crew includes Captain Carol Freeman, Commander Jack Ransom, Lieutenant Shaxs and Doctor T'Ana.

Last Updated: 6/17/2025Network: Paramount+Status: Ended
A Mathematically Perfect Redemption
star
7.24
662 votes

#1 - A Mathematically Perfect Redemption

Season 3 - Episode 7 - Aired 10/6/2022

A wayward Starfleet ensign struggles to find a path to redemption.

Directors: Jason Zurek
Writer: Ann Kim
Watch Now:Apple TV
Second Contact
star
7.31
1327 votes

#2 - Second Contact

Season 1 - Episode 1 - Aired 8/6/2020

Ensign Tendi has her first day of work on Starfleet's U.S.S. Cerritos, where she meets fellow support crew members, Ensigns Mariner, Boimler and Rutherford. Meanwhile, Boimler is tasked with a secret special assignment and Rutherford attempts to keep his dating life intact while a sci-fi disaster strikes the ship.

Directors: Barry J. Kelly
Writer: Mike McMahan
Watch Now:Apple TV
Terminal Provocations
star
7.35
931 votes

#3 - Terminal Provocations

Season 1 - Episode 6 - Aired 9/10/2020

The lovable, but awkward, Ensign Fletcher makes work difficult for Mariner and Boimler. Rutherford introduces Tendi to a holodeck training program he created.

Directors: Bob Suarez
Writer: John Cochran
Watch Now:Apple TV
Envoys
star
7.40
1121 votes

#4 - Envoys

Season 1 - Episode 2 - Aired 8/13/2020

After a high profile mission goes awry, Boimler is further plagued with self-doubt when Mariner proves herself to be a more naturally talented sci-fi badass than he. Rutherford quits his job in engineering and explores other departments on the U.S.S. Cerritos.

Directors: Juno Lee, Kim Arndt
Writer: Chris Kula
Watch Now:Apple TV
A Few Badgeys More
star
7.42
527 votes

#5 - A Few Badgeys More

Season 4 - Episode 7 - Aired 10/12/2023

Three computerized villains return to cause problems for the Cerritos crew.

Directors: Bob Suarez
Watch Now:Apple TV
Shades of Green
star
7.44
436 votes

#6 - Shades of Green

Season 5 - Episode 2 - Aired 10/24/2024

Tendi races to stop a conflict while Boimler & Mariner race to stop capitalists.

Watch Now:Apple TV
Of Gods and Angles
star
7.46
389 votes

#7 - Of Gods and Angles

Season 5 - Episode 6 - Aired 11/21/2024

Mariner teams up with a troubled ensign while the Cerritos hosts peace talks between civilizations.

Watch Now:Apple TV
The Best Exotic Nanite Hotel
star
7.46
410 votes

#8 - The Best Exotic Nanite Hotel

Season 5 - Episode 3 - Aired 10/31/2024

The Lower Deckers hunt nanites on a resort...in space?!

Watch Now:Apple TV
Strange Energies
star
7.46
804 votes

#9 - Strange Energies

Season 2 - Episode 1 - Aired 8/12/2021

Approximately three months later, the U.S.S. Cerritos is dispatched on a mission where it ends up in a sci-fi event resulting in "strange energy," which Commander Ransom inadvertently absorbs.

Directors: Jason Zurek
Writer: Mike McMahan
Watch Now:Apple TV
Moist Vessel
star
7.46
970 votes

#10 - Moist Vessel

Season 1 - Episode 4 - Aired 8/27/2020

Captain Freeman seeks the ultimate payback after Mariner blatantly disrespects her in front of the crew. A well-meaning Tendi accidentally messes up a Lieutenant's attempt at spiritual ascension and tries to make it right.

Directors: Barry J. Kelly
Writer: Ann Kim
Watch Now:Apple TV
Temporal Edict
star
7.47
1013 votes

#11 - Temporal Edict

Season 1 - Episode 3 - Aired 8/20/2020

A new work protocol eliminating "buffer time" has the Lower Decks crew running ragged as they try to keep up with their tightened schedules. Ensign Mariner and Commander Ransom's mutual lack of respect comes to a head during an away mission.

Directors: Bob Suarez
Watch Now:Apple TV
Starbase 80?!
star
7.47
398 votes

#12 - Starbase 80?!

Season 5 - Episode 5 - Aired 11/14/2024

Ransom uses too much disinfectant gel while Mariner gets paranoid about curses.

Watch Now:Apple TV
A Farewell to Farms
star
7.48
417 votes

#13 - A Farewell to Farms

Season 5 - Episode 4 - Aired 11/7/2024

Dr. Migleemo cooks up some hot dishes while Mariner prefers hers served cold.

Watch Now:Apple TV
Cupid's Errant Arrow
star
7.48
934 votes

#14 - Cupid's Errant Arrow

Season 1 - Episode 5 - Aired 9/3/2020

Mariner becomes suspicious of Boimler's new girlfriend Barb. Tendi and Rutherford grow jealous of the USS Vancouver's more-advanced gear.

Directors: Kim Arndt
Writer: Ben Joseph
Watch Now:Apple TV
Mining The Mind's Mines
star
7.49
645 votes

#15 - Mining The Mind's Mines

Season 3 - Episode 3 - Aired 9/8/2022

On a remote science outpost, stone orbs are bringing fantasies to life. Tendi starts her first day as a Senior Science Officer Trainee.

Watch Now:Apple TV
Much Ado About Boimler
star
7.50
906 votes

#16 - Much Ado About Boimler

Season 1 - Episode 7 - Aired 9/17/2020

Mariner tries to impress her best friend from Starfleet Academy who is now a visiting Captain. Boimler is sent to a Starfleet medical ship after a transporter accident puts him “out of phase.”

Directors: Barry J. Kelly
Writer: M. Willis
Watch Now:Apple TV
Upper Decks
star
7.51
390 votes

#17 - Upper Decks

Season 5 - Episode 8 - Aired 12/5/2024

The Lower Deckers have a pumpkin carving party.

Watch Now:Apple TV
Mugato, Gumato
star
7.51
731 votes

#18 - Mugato, Gumato

Season 2 - Episode 4 - Aired 9/2/2021

The U.S.S. Cerritos is dispatched to a planet to investigate an unexplained sighting of a dangerous Mugato.

Directors: Jason Zurek
Writer: Ben Rodgers
Watch Now:Apple TV
Room For Growth
star
7.53
642 votes

#19 - Room For Growth

Season 3 - Episode 4 - Aired 9/15/2022

Mariner, Boimler and Tendi clash with their arch-rivals: Delta Shift. The Cerritos engineers go on mandatory relaxation leave.

Directors: Jason Zurek
Writer: John Cochran
Watch Now:Apple TV
Veritas
star
7.54
894 votes

#20 - Veritas

Season 1 - Episode 8 - Aired 9/24/2020

Mariner, Boimler, Tendi and Rutherford are caught off guard when aliens force them to testify about a series of seemingly unrelated events.

Directors: Kim Arndt
Watch Now:Apple TV
Caves
star
7.56
524 votes

#21 - Caves

Season 4 - Episode 8 - Aired 10/19/2023

The Lower Deckers go on a classic cave mission.

Directors: Megan Lloyd
Writer: Ben Rodgers
Watch Now:Apple TV
We'll Always Have Tom Paris
star
7.56
754 votes

#22 - We'll Always Have Tom Paris

Season 2 - Episode 3 - Aired 8/26/2021

Assigned a special task by Dr. T'Ana, Tendi enlists Mariner for help. On the U.S.S. Cerritos, Rutherford is consumed by a bridge crew mystery.

Directors: Bob Suarez
Writer: M. Willis
Watch Now:Apple TV
The Spy Humongous
star
7.57
706 votes

#23 - The Spy Humongous

Season 2 - Episode 6 - Aired 9/16/2021

Anomaly consolidation day on the U.S.S. Cerritos leaves the Lower Deckers with mixed emotions. Captain Freeman attempts to negotiate peace on the Pakled home world.

Directors: Bob Suarez
Writer: John Cochran
Watch Now:Apple TV
In the Cradle of Vexilon
star
7.57
544 votes

#24 - In the Cradle of Vexilon

Season 4 - Episode 3 - Aired 9/14/2023

Boimler leads his first away mission on an alien megastructure.

Directors: Brandon Williams
Watch Now:Apple TV
Empathalogical Fallacies
star
7.59
547 votes

#25 - Empathalogical Fallacies

Season 4 - Episode 5 - Aired 9/28/2023

A trio of Betazoids cause chaos on the Cerritos.

Directors: Megan Lloyd
Writer: Jamie Loftus
Watch Now:Apple TV