7 Ups & 1 Down From Star Trek: Lower Decks 5.1 — Dos Cerritos
3. LATINUM UP — Purple Bearded, Alt. Brad Been, On The Cover Of A Magazine
There's stiff competition, but for some of the best detail ever put to PADD(s), this thoroughly deserves a LATINUM UP. An in-universe 'Official Starfleet Magazine' — short name 'Fleet' — is an inspired idea in the first place. Then, of course Prime purple hair wanted to feature! This was a bumper volume of hilarious references, and that just on the front cover(s).
Jack Quaid recently gave our Seán his own LATINUM UP during an interview. As Boimler briefly brandished Fleet magazine to Mariner and T'Lyn towards the start of Dos Cerritos, was he really saying, 'Have this for your Cetacean Observations, TrekCulture'? Either way, if you've ever wanted to know more about "Klingon Kouture," go pick up a copy! More on that later.
In the end, our Boimler was bumped from the "30 Under 30" piece, whilst Naomi Wildman was in at barely 10. Cleverly, the episode bookends Boimler's disappointment by counterposing his issue — no. 47 (the ultimate reference!) — with his bearded alternate's no. 48 (special issue). That Boimler was not only in it, but he was also on it as the cover star. The 'Boimler Effect' must mean something quite different in his universe, quote: "BRAD: "We just wanna explore and study f***ing quazars [sic]."