Star Trek is having a major TV comeback. First with Discovery, followed by Picard, and now the slew of upcoming shows including the newly announced Strange New Worlds. And while most of those new entries take the franchise seriously, that doesn’t mean CBS isn’t willing to poke fun at it. Meet Star Trek: Lower Decks, an upcoming animated series coming this August.
Here’s the official synopsis:
Developed by Emmy Award winner Mike McMahan (Rick and Morty, Solar Opposites), Star Trek: Lower Decks focuses on the support crew serving on one of Starfleet’s least important ships, the U.S.S. Cerritos, in 2380. Ensigns Mariner, Boimler, Rutherford and Tendi have to keep up with their duties and their social lives, often while the ship is being rocked by a multitude of sci-fi anomalies. The Starfleet crew residing in the “lower decks” of the U.S.S. Cerritos, includes “Ensign Beckett Mariner,” voiced by Tawny Newsome, “Ensign Brad Boimler,” voiced by Jack Quaid, “Ensign Tendi,” voiced by Noël Wells and “Ensign Rutherford,” voiced by Eugene Cordero. The Starfleet characters that comprise the ship’s bridge crew include “Captain Carol Freeman,” voiced by Dawnn Lewis, “Commander Jack Ransom,” voiced by Jerry O’Connell, “Lieutenant Shaxs,” voiced by Fred Tatasciore and “Doctor T’Ana,” voiced by Gillian Vigman.
Given Mike McMahan’s other work, I’m not sure how raunchy or dark the show will go, but it will definitely poke some fun at Star Trek tropes and probably have quite a few inside jokes for fans. The departure from the typical tone is a great way to bring in new fans who might find the franchise just a little too sincere.
Star Trek: Lower Decks premieres on CBS All Access on August 6, 2020.
