Warning: SPOILERS for Star Trek: Lower Decks Season 5, Episode 6 - “Of Gods and Angles”
Star Trek: Lower Decksseason 5, episode 6 has Lieutenant Bradward Boimler (Jack Quaid) unexpectedly name-drop the comic Joe Piscopo played inStar Trek: The Next Generationseason 2 back in 1988. Crossing the midway point ofStar Trek: Lower Decks’final season on Paramount+, the crew of the USS Cerritos takes a break from investigating rifts in space that lead to alternateStar Trektimelinesto broker peace between warring factions of aliens who are cubes and spheres.
However, Lt. Brad Boimler remains obsessed with becoming more like the alternate universe bearded Boimler he met inStar Trek: Lower Decks' season 5 premiere, “Dos Cerritos.“Boimler has been growing a beard, and he’s obsessed with the bearded Bradward’s files in the PADD he swiped from the parallel universe. When his roommate, Lt. Sam Rutherford (Eugene Cordero) asks to borrow Brad’s alt-universe PADD, a flustered Boimler feigns ignorance and says,“Alt-universe? Good joke. We got a regular Ronald B. Moore over here! Working on your stand-up, huh?”But wait, who is Ronald B. Moore?
Star Trek: Lower Decks Remembers Joe Piscopo’s TNG Comic Ronald B. Moore
Of Course, Boimler Knows About Star Trek: TNG’s Holographic Comic
In another ofStar Trek: Lower Decks' fabled deep cuts references,Lt. Brad Boimler name-drops Ronald B. Moore AKA the comic played by Joe Piscopoin Star Trek: The Next Generationseason 2, episode 4, “The Outrageous Okona.” Along with guest-starringBilly Campbell as Captain Thadiun Okonaand Teri Hatcher as transporter Chief B.G. Robinson, “The Outrageous Okona” features Joe Piscopo as a holographic stand-up comedian at Charnock’s Comedy Cabaret that Lt. Commander Data (Brent Spiner) consults to learn more about humor. However, Data only calls the tuxedoed hologram"Mr. Comic"on-screen.
Star Trek: Lower Decks Season 5 Cast Guide: Who Voices Each Character In The Final Season
Meet the Lower Deckers and bridge crew of the USS Cerritos as Star Trek: Lower Decks warps into its fifth and final season on Paramount+.
Joe Piscopo’sStar Trek: The Next Generationcomic is named Ronald B. Moore, which is listed in the USS Enterprise-D’s holographic program, but it’s a detail that only hardcore Trekkers would know. Lt. Brad Boimler is just that hardcore an aficionado of Starfleet history. Of course, Boimler would somehow have known that Data once met with a holographic comedian named Ronald B, Moore to try to understand what humans think is funny. It’s also very Boimler that Joe Piscopo’s comic is who he instantly thought ofwhen referencing a comedian.
Star Trek’s 3 Ronald Moores Explained
How Can One Sci-Fi Franchise Have 3 Ron Moores?
Incredibly, there are three people involved inStar Treknamed Ronald Moore.Ronald B. Moore, the comedian Joe Piscopo played inStar Trek: The Next Generationis named after the real-life Ronald B. Moore,the Emmy Award-winning visual effects supervisor. The flesh-and-blood Ronald B. Moore worked onStar Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek Generations, Star Trek: Voyager,andStar Trek: Enterprise.Moore even appeared on a computer screen as Commander Ronald Moore inStar Trek: Enterprise’s series finale, “These Are The Voyages.”
In 2023, Ronald B. Moore was a guest onThe Shuttlepod Showpodcast hosted byStar Trek: Enterprise’s Dominic Keating and Connor Trinneer.
Both the holographic and real-life Ronald B. Moore predate the Ronald MooreStar Trekfans are most familiar with:Ronald D. Moore, the legendary writer and showrunner.Ronald D. Moorewrote forStar Trek: The Next Generation,Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: Voyager, and co-createdFor All Mankind,but Moore might be most acclaimed as the creator and showrunner ofBattlestar Galactica. Ronald D. Moore also co-wroteStar Trek Generations, Star Trek: First Contact, andMission: Impossible IIwith Brannon Braga.Star Trek: Lower Decksshouting out Ronald B. Moore can be considered a nod to the incredible triple threat legacy of Ronald Moores inStar Trek.
