Warning: SPOILERS for Star Trek: Lower Decks Season 5
Lieutenant Bradward Boimler (Jack Quaid) growing facial hair inStar Trek: Lower Decksseason 5 is hilarious, and it’s a running joke that parodies how Captain Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks) gradually changed his appearance onStar Trek: Deep Space Nine. InStar Trek: Lower Decks' final season on Paramount+, the USS Cerritos investigates dimensional rifts that lead toalternateStar Trektimelines. Meeting his confident, bearded doppelgangerinspired Boimler to grow a beard of his own.
WhenStar Trek: Deep Space Nineintroduced Commander Benjamin Sisko, he had a full head of hair and was clean-shaven.Avery Brooks' most famous prior role was the bald, goateed Hawk inSpenser for HireandA Man Called Hawk. Paramount Studios didn’t want their 24th centuryStar Trekleading man to resemble a modern-day character so Brooks was given a mandate to adjust his look. Yet Avery was uncomfortable with his appearance. Although it took 3 years,Brooks was able to change Captain Sisko to be bald and sport a goatee.
Star Trek: Lower Decks’ Boimler Is Hilariously Evolving His Look Like DS9’s Captain Sisko
Boimler’s Beard Is A Work In Progress
Star Trek: Lower Decksmade Lieutenant Brad Boimler’s quest to grow a distinguished beard a hilarious ordeal (for the audience to watch) that stretches throughout season 5. Starting with a few whiskers, Boimler’s beard is coming in fits and patches instead of evenly.Bradward can’t seem to grow a five o’clock shadow, and inStar Trek: Lower Decksseason 5, episode 4, “A Farewell To Farms,” Boimler sports a ratty, pencil mustache while his chin is covered in splotches of hair. It’s incredibly funny to look at.
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+.
Starting inStar Trek: Deep Space Nineseason 3, episode 22, “Explorers,” Commander Sisko suddenly appeared with a goatee.Avery Brooks instantly seemed more relaxed and self-assuredwith his new facial hair. By the end ofDS9season 3, Sisko was promoted to Captain and given command of the USS Defiant, which gave Benjamin even more spring in his step. WhenStar Trek: Deep Space Nineseason 4began, Captain Sisko was bald and his iconic look was complete. Sisko andDS9never looked back.
Other Star Trek Characters Have Changed Their Appearance
New Star Trek Looks Are Usually An Improvement
Star Trek: Lower Decks' Lt. Brad Boimler is only the latest character to evolve his appearance.Boimler’s beard is obviously inspired by Commander Will Riker(Jonathan Frakes), who grew a beard betweenStar Trek: The Next Generationseasons 1 and 2. Scotty (James Doohan) was clean-shaven inStar Trek: The Original Seriesbut had a mustache in theStar Trekmovies. Geordi La Forge (LeVar Burton) lost his iconic VISOR and got robotic eyes inStar Trek: First Contact, whileCaptain Kathryn Janeway’s (Kate Mulgrew) hairstylechanged throughoutStar Trek: Voyager.
Star Trek: Picardseason 3 aged Data after it could no longer pretend that Brent Spiner still looked the same as he did 35 years ago onStar Trek: The Next Generation.
Most instances whenStar Trekcharacters change their appearance are sudden. The difference withStar Trek: Lower Decksseason 5 isseeing Boimler’s facial hair grow in a comical fashion over time.Star Trek: Deep Space Ninefans also got to gradually witness Captain Sisko’s look evolve. Thanks toStar Trek: Lower Decks' season 5 premiere, audiences already know what Boimler will look like when his beard is fully grown, but getting there is the fun part.
