Star Trek: Lower Decks brings back old tech Episode 307

Peanut Hamper, an old friend gone rogue, reappears from the infinite void of space. After betraying the Lower Decks crew in a dire moment back in season 1, the inorganic ensign finds her way to a planet populated by a race of anthropomorphic bird people who worship her as a god. Could life with these simple beings inspire a change of heart in the heartless android? Find out in this episode of Star Trek: Lower Decks, “A Mathematically Perfect Redemption.”

If you haven’t seen past seasons, “A Mathematically Perfect Redemption” does a great job of filling in the uninitiated; it opens with one of the climatic scenes from the episode that originally introduced Peanut Hamper. Not only do we quickly get her concept and character, but the show gives longtime viewers some new context. Her dismissiveness and decision to leave the Lower Deck crew for dead was played for laughs at first, but is not a vital part of her character.

I also appreciate the writers daring to shift focus from our familiar characters and doing something more unique. It makes the season feel free even deep in.

Peanut Hamper: Whiny android Star Trek villain

My only problem is Peanut Hamper herself. Frankly, she’s rather irritating. And I know, to a certain extend that is very much the point. She is full of herself, conceited, and looks down on pretty much everyone, organic life forms especially. It’s a standard personality for an antagonist AI character to have.

However, while I can think of times this archetype has worked well (off the top of my head I get GLaDOS from Portal or AM from I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream), Peanut Hamper is much harder to enjoy. I think there are two reasons for that. One, she really is meant to be an antagonist. Putting her in a protagonist role, while interesting, is like putting a glove on a foot. Now that the show has made her into an unambiguous villain, I’m hoping she’ll be more enjoyable. That is, if they tone down the other thing I don’t like about her, which is her whininess. The ego, the greater-than-thou attitude, I think those work for her, but the constant complaining gets grating and isn’t as funny as it might be.

Okay, getting past Peanut Hamper, I did enjoy this episode’s story. It has an Avatar bent to it, with Peanut Hamper getting more attached (or so we think) with the bird people, which goes to some…interesting places. Finally, a bird makes love to a robot. The episode strings you along to think that everything will turn out well and Peanut Hamper will complete her character arc; even the title is in on it. April Fools! The episode twists it all around and reveals that Peanut Hamper’s seeming growth was but a ruse, a means to a nasty end . I really liked that. The show knew we expected a redemption story and played with that. It lays down some fine ground work for Peanut Hamper as a threat going forward.

And those are my thoughts on “A Mathematically Perfect Redemption.” While the title sits on a throne of lies, I appreciate the odd leg pulling every now and then, and this episode definitely took me by the ankles.

Grade: C+

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