YMMV / Star Trek: Lower Decks S1E03 "Temporal Edict"

• Growing the Beard: Often seen as the episode where the show really found its footing, moving away from the anarchic chaos and bitter cynicism of the first few episodes and into the funny but still ultimately optimistic Affectionate Parody storytelling the series would become beloved for. Splitting up the Bully and Wimp Pairing of Boimler and Mariner lets each of them flex their comedic and characterization muscles without falling back into a formula from another show and, as Rutherford's B-plot in the last episode implied, the bridge crew of the Cerritos (and the aliens of the week in fact) turn out to be far more intelligent and capable than the bunch of stupid weirdoes they seemed. For fans who'd written the show off as Rick and Morty IN SPACE! (well, more in space anyway), it was a welcome sign that the show might be something for them after all.