'Star Trek: Lower Decks' Season 1 Episode 2 Preview: Is romance brewing between Tandi and Rutherford?
Things are about to turn tumultuous for the crew of the USS Ceritos, but since when is that new? What is new, however, are the sparks of romance that may be sparking between Ensigns D'Vana Tandi (Noel Wells) and Sam Rutherford (Eugene Cordero). He may have a Vulcan implant suppressing his emotions attached to his, but how long can Rutherford ignore his own heart, especially when Tandi has no such restrictions on her feelings?
The next episode, entitled 'Envoys' will see Tandi and Rutherford spending some alone time together on the USS Ceritos. We've already see the pair share a mutual passion in the series' pilot episode — when it comes to technical geekery and the pursuit of scientific knowledge, their mutual passion is undimmed. Scientific passion shared with Tandi may just be the one loophole in Rutherford's Vulcan implant — but what happens when his feelings turn back towards the more illogical realm of the heart?
Meanwhile, Beckett Mariner (Tandy Newsome) and Brad Boimler (Jack Quaid) are on a shuttle mission to a Klingon compound — possibly the most dangerous situation that Ensign Boimler has seen in the field if you don't count the brief zombie infection featured in the pilot episode. At least he's had some experience with the wrong side of a Bat'leth, but that's unlikely to provide him any sense of comfort as he heads into the compound of one of the most warlike species in the galaxy.
They may be the bureaucratic ship in charge of Second Contact missions, but there's nothing in the galaxy that can't go bad, and from bad to worse, at the drop of a phaser. Boimler might soon wish he'd stayed behind on the ship acting as the third wheel to the budding romance between Tandi and Rutherford, but Mariner is likely going to be right at home no matter what comes next.
All is fair in love and war, and Ensign Mariner has never been one to play fair. Tune in for an all-new episode of the very first animated comedy series in the 'Star Trek' universe. This episode of 'Star Trek: Lower Decks' airs August 13, on CBS All Access.
