The information has been scant on the upcoming CBS All Access animated comedy Star Trek: Lower Decks since the first images and details were revealed at Comic-Con last summer. But CBS has finally released a couple more photos and the creator is dropping some more details.
New images and details from Star Trek: Lower Decks
This morning, Entertainment Weekly published the first looks at some new images from Lower Decks. The first shot is of an action scene with Captain Freeman (Dawnn Lewis) and Ensign Mariner (Tawny Newsome) on the front line, phasers drawn.
Pictured (l-r): Eugene Cordero as Ensign Rutherford, Jack Quaid as Ensign Boimler, Fred Tatasciore as Lieutenant Shaxs, Dawnn Lewis as Captain Freeman, Ensign Barnes played by Jessica McKenna, Tawny Newsome as Ensign Mariner, Gillian Vigman as Dr. T’ana (CBS All Access)
The above scene shows members of the bridge crew along with the four primary “lower decks” ensigns, who are the primary focus of the show. This looks to be a shot from inside the USS Cerritos (described as a “city-size starship”) with the crew possibly dealing with some kind of intruder, resulting in some of the characters getting covered in either oil—or in Boimler’s case—some kind of purple slime.
Creator Mike McMahan gave EW some more details on Captain Freeman:
“She is sort of trying to do this balancing act that all captains do, where they demand respect and are admired and trusted by the crew, but then they also kind of have to be the bad guy. And a thing we play with a lot is that the Lower Deckers don’t always get all the information they’re delegated to, but they don’t get to have a voice and they don’t get to know the context a lot of the time.”
The second image released features the four ensigns in a more relaxed moment.
Pictured (l-r): Tawny Newsome as Ensign Mariner, Noel Wells as Ensign Tendi, Eugene Cordero as Ensign Rutherford, Jack Quaid as Ensign Boimler (CBS All Access)
It looks like the replicator on the USS Cerritos makes a good margarita. McMahan explains how the show balances the bridge crew plot stories with the character stories of the Lower Decks ensigns:
“The big stories are happening in the bridge crew and there’s more kind of social-emotional stories happening to the Lower Deckers. So it’s like their job and the world they’re in get affected by these sci-fi stories. But the funny thing too is that whatever menial job you have to do in Star Trek, it might be something that they do every day, but it’s still sort of a fascinating look into stuff that happens onboard that haven’t been highlighted in another series. So instead of being on the turbolift — the elevators in Trek — our guys are repairing the turbolift. We also spend a lot of time in the bar. You’ll also see the Lower Deckers go on away missions doing things that the bridge crew doesn’t have to deal with.”
TNG-era cameos?
Star Trek: Lower Decks is set in the TNG era, shortly after the film Star Trek: Nemesis. While not coming out and confirming it, McMahan hints to EW that we Lower Decks will not shy away from drop-ins:
“There are a lot of recognizable characters in the galaxy at that point. Next Gen is my favorite era. And as a huge Trek fan, I would definitely want to try to use some of them so that I could not only build out the world, but also work with some of my heroes. But I can’t get more specific than that. You’ll have to wait and see.”
The Entertainment Weekly article is the first significant promotional effort from CBS about Lower Decks since last summer. This could mean that we could see more soon. We still don’t have a release date beyond the info that the first season is expected to arrive sometime in 2020, and we are still waiting for the first trailer.
Keep up on all the Star Trek: Lower Decks news here at TrekMovie.com.
As-long there is a Cameo or a Crossover with Rick and Morty that would be Fucking Awsom I love Rick and Morty So much and giving this guys a chance to make an Animated Trek Series is the best thing EVER!!!!!
Indeed, better than a coronavirus vaccine, even.
I’ve never been much of a fan of Rick and Morty. Its just a bit too cynical for me.
“Oh gosh, geez Rick…we must be in a universe where Star Trek is real! Let’s go to the bridge! I want to fire the phasers!!!”
“Morty…no…what the…? Come back!”
Put me down for one vote against that.
Finally some news. I was thinking about this show not even 5 minutes ago, open Trekmovie and ta-dah!
I’m looking forward to this one, looks fun.
My gawd, I cannot wait for this. I’m so so excited. I’m also excited to get a release date so I know what number to assign to my mental countdown.
Just count forward rather than backward and you can start now.
I assume – and hope – that some of the more obscure characters from TNG, DS9 and VOY might drop by along with whatever bigger names they get.
Can we start a wish list please?
Here’s mine (without saying obscure)
TNG
– Reg Barclay
– Sonja Gomez
– Dr. Pulaski
DS9
– Brunt
– Jake Sisko
– Morn!!!
Voyager
– Vorik (and can it be finally confirmed that he is Taurik of the Enterprise-D’s twin)
Pulaski is a good one. I’ll endorse that one. Maybe Brunt, but much of the Ferengi stuff on DS9 didn’t work for me.
And yes, they need to go to some bar somewhere and we need to see Morn sitting there like Norm. :)
For me Star Trek’s most underused character ever: DR SELAR!
Oooo, good thought odarek.
I loved Suzie Plakson as K’leyhr, mother of Worf’s son Alexander, but she was excellent as Dr. Selar too.
The TNG EPs were really hypercautious about including Vulcans at all, so we never got to see Selar again even though the episode suggested she might be a recurring character.
Wesley’s girlfriend? The one with the rules? Only Reg if he’s had his personality cured…
I enjoyed the growth in Reg Barclay’s character in Voyager.
It would be interesting to see him come on board as some kind of expert from Starfleet Communications long range branch.
I had to look up who Vorik was on Voyager but yes I agree. I completely forgot about that guy.
I’m open to frankly any TNG, DS9 or VOY characters we get but I would actually be excited if we get some DS9 characters the most.
And I just thought about this but since it’s all animated, nothing really stops them from doing things like just going to visit DS9 in an episode. I’m not saying it will happen but they no longer have to think about budgets and building sets so its possible now. :)
If they treat this show like how Clone Wars is done for Star Trek, we could get tons of background canon from all the shows and films in a way the other shows can’t really do.
I meant Star Wars.
Those sound good, I’m with ya.
I’d add Ro Laren to the list. Wasn’t one of the bridge crew in the cartoon a Bajoran?, there might be a connection from there.
Yes one of the main characters is a Bajoran.
I think a nice nod would be if Ömer the Tourist appears to greet turkish fans.
In the Relaunch novels, after the Maquis are wiped out, Ro returns to Major and eventually becomes the station commander of DS9.
It would be cool to see her there.
Begging for a Trailer! I have a feeling Star Trek will resume in September. And Lower Decks will begin after Discovery.
Lower Decks could begin before Discovery
I’m looking forward to this. I have a feeling it will be more true to the canon than disco or picard
Bring us a trailer please!
The images are incredible. Lower Decks got me excited for a second.
Very much thinking about skipping the Trailer. Just want to watch the Show asap.
I continue to think this is a ridiculous, excessively hyped series that will contribute to the oversaturation of Star Trek.
First off, we’ve heard this premise before: a show that focuses on lower-level characters with workaday lives. Problem is, workaday lives make for workaday entertainment. The WEST WING planned to show the president once every couple of episodes in a cameo; Martin Sheen turned out to be the big star, not to mention Jimmy Smits and Alan Alda.
DISCOVERY similarly told us it was going to focus on the lower decks; it turns out that the captains (and senior staff, like Saru) were the best part of DISCOVERY, and I say that as someone who’s positive on the Michael Burnham character.
So here, we’re told we’re getting a series that focuses on ensigns (not enlisted, of course) who fix elevator shafts and conduct planetary surveys. This plotline sounds as interesting as watching grass grow. The authors know it, too. The promo shots aren’t of fixing turbolifts, but of an action standoff on the bridge. Which means that the ensigns are going to work alongside the captain and Caitian CMO routinely. Dollars to donuts they get promoted by season two, or at least put on “Ensign Fasttrack” status, like Chekhov, Ro, Kim, or Sato. And even more dollars that the Captain ends up being featured a lot more as time goes on.
TNG’s “Lower Decks” episode was interesting enough — for one episode. It is not a premise that carries a series. It worked considerably less well in VOY’s “The Good Shepherd,” whose neurotic characters seem a lot closer to the “misfit ensigns” we’re getting here. The dude with the purple hair even looks like an animated version of the hypochondriac ensign from that episodes
Second, on those “misfit ensigns” — what a cliched premise, just like the “lawless teens” of the Nickolodeon series for the kiddie set. Hawkeye Pierce versus the regular army this is not. Even TNG “Lower Decks” featured *well-adjusted* characters.
This series is a strategic goof for the Star Trek franchise.
I think this premise will work fine as a sitcom. I agree that watching a bunch ensigns would get boring in a typical Trek show, but I’m sure that these guys will get up to lots of zany hijinks.
If it’s mainly a comedy, then a workaday environment can definitely work. I mean, there have been quite a few comedies that have focused on everyday “lower decks” kind of people. Cheers and The Office come to mind.
Speaking of The Office, the guy who created the unauthorized German version of The Office (he was later successfully sued by Ricky Gervais) also came up with a concept quite similar to Lower Decks. “Der Tatortreiniger” is a show loosely set in the universe of Germany’s most successful crime series “Tatort”. It centers around a dude who cleans up murder crime scenes and has run ins with some bizarre characters. When they said Lower Decks is about the people who clean up the holodecks, I had to think of this show. People who are interested, might find it on international Netflix. I find it quite funny and smart. The actor who plays the German version of Dwight Schrute is also the lead here.
I dont know what what we heard… Are we a collective like the borg?
And discovery never told “us” it would Focus on the lower Decks…
Hardly a goof. Look at a pic of an aircraft carrier, 99% of the people you’ll see there are under 25. Professional on the clock, and kids off the clock. A starship in the future isn’t going to be crewed by a bunch of 22 year old Picard clones, so, yeah, this’ll humanize the show just a bit. Could be fun.
Discovery never said it was focusing on the lower decks.
Bryan Fuller said something along the lines of a Lower Decks perspective back in early presentations or interviews.
But then Bryan Fuller said a lot of things before he was replaced that we don’t hold the later showrunners accountable for.
Bottom line… If it’s funny, it will work for me.
Worst case serenio is it lasts a season and is vaguely remembered as that “other” Trek cartoon.
As far as the concept I don’t think they have said how many episodes they are planning per season but I suspect its no more than 10 half hour episodes for the first season. I think there is more than a enough “gold in them there hills” to mine for at least a couple seasons if that’s the case. I mean look how many years they got out of the regional office of a second rate paper company.
If Star Trek can survive the first season of TNG I don’t see this having any negative impact to the franchise.
“Worst case serenio is it lasts a season and is vaguely remembered as that “other” Trek cartoon.”
It was actually green lit with a two season order and they are in fact working on season 2 now. But you’re right, it is ten episodes per season so we’re getting 20 episodes no matter what.
But none of these shows are getting canceled in one season, I don’t care how badly they actually do because it’s not just about how well the show does in one season, they are thinking years down the line. They are building an entire Star Trek library for future fans. And with the international deals for these shows probably help pay for their early seasons. That’s exactly why Picard was renewed for season 2 before season 1 started because it sound like Amazon basically paid for the first season with the deal and they know it will drive viewers to platform for years to come and wants to build up enough episodes.
I think we just have to see what they do first. End of the day, it’s a comedy, it’s suppose to be fun. The premise isn’t going to really matter to most people, simply if its a good show or not.
And since we already know senior officers will be part of the show and most likely in every episode, then clearly it’s not going to just be all based on ensigns anyway. Jerry O’Connell is probably the most known actor in the cast and he plays the First Officer of the ship and described as a Riker type. If its such a known actor playing him, then it probably suggest he’s going to be an important character too. All its suggesting is ensigns will have a bigger part to play than previous shows and the main character is an ensign.
WELL SAID !!!
Cerritos. City sized. Get it?
All looks great!
Glad we are getting some appearances by TNG era actors. Not a shock but nice its confirmed. Of course it would be nicer we got an actual trailer at least but maybe that will come sooner than later now.
I’m not interested.
Me to bro. I’m too old for animated shows.
I used to feel the same way about musicals……..
Right now it sounds interesting, however I am taking a ‘wait & see’ stance. I cut the cable some time ago, I’m going back to my Star Trek novel. Waiting for Discovery season 3, Picard season 2 & Top Gun: Maverick…. Regal Cinemas reopen July 10th 2020.
Yikes! This looks absolutely abysmal.
And since this is canon I guess they will have to explain why old characters turn into cartoons with giant heads. Interdimensional transporter accident? Who knows. Just more stuff to overlook.
Are you that rigid in your thinking that you won’t be able to overlook the stylization of the animated characters?
I don’t get the giant heads thing he keeps bringing up as if it breaks the 4th wall.
Does he expect 2D animation to be in exact proportions? Or even recognize that television sets, especially pre-HD were designed with perspective tricks.
Big heads certainly has been a thing in television, although HD has moderated that.
Clearly bassmaster7 didn’t have the privilege of meeting many pre-HD television news anchors or actors. Preference for individuals with heads and hair notably larger than the human norm seemed to be a thing for a couple of generations.
The same way the transporter turned people into spiders, good/evil twins, Klingon werewolves, childern, old timers, and also stood in as a doctor to cure something that needed to be pulled out of a buffer. They’ll make it up.
Sit back and enjoy it, now….
I’m a tech geek, I want to see a picture of the ship…