10 Greatest Star Trek In-Jokes
7. Rrrrrriker!
I mean, how could we not?
There are plenty of reasons to love Lower Decks, and top amongst them are the Easter eggs, in-jokes, and altogether weirdly specific references. In a similar vein, Strange New Worlds has delighted fans by returning to the roots of Star Trek, all the while pushing the franchise forward. As Seán well knows for Cetacean Observations, one episode alone of Lower Decks could have filled this list, but we're here for the SNW crossover 'leg-over'!
The episode's title is itself an in-joke — Those Old Scientists — a phrase first used by Commander Ransom to describe the 23rd century in No Small Parts. Then, when Boimler and Mariner are flung through a time portal to said century, they both basically become two excited fans at the greatest-ever Star Trek convention. Actors Jack Quaid and Tawny Newsome even took selfies on set 'during their own time'.
It's Ensign Boimler with the Riker manoeuvre in the ready room, however, that will surely go down (up and over?) as the in-joke to end all in-jokes. In universe, Boimler briefly served with the animated Riker on the Titan; on the set of Those Old Scientists, Jonathan Frakes was directing and Quaid improvised the Riker-leg-swing-Pike-saddle moment in front of him.