More than anything, I was curious about this show when it was first announced. I love the idea that each Trek series can be something completely different and I'd like to think that I'm pretty open minded, so an "adult animated comedy" immediately piqued my interest and I honestly though it sounded fun. But I was also confused as to just how it would function, or even fit in with the Trek framework. I didn't want Rick and Morty with a Star Trek skin.
That's not what this is at all. Lower Decks is clearly made by people who both love Star Trek and are intimately familiar with it. Each episode is a joyous exploration of various Trek tropes that are turned inside out and then made to provide us with pure entertainment. And yet they still manage to stay true to Trek's ideals, and they send the characters on a journey of discovering themselves and what they want out of their lives.
Mostly, the show is genuinely funny. This is a case of the producers not showing off their best stuff in the trailers and really saving the surprises for the broadcasts. The season continues to steadily improve and settle down as it goes on, but even out of the gate I was enjoying it. There's a fast pace in the early episodes (maybe too fast) that gets smoothed out, and any questions we have about how these characters are supposed to fit into their roles get answered. It slots very nicely into canon and works as a continuation of the '90s era of Star Trek shows.
The show is a deep dive into Trek lore and even the most die hard fans will find references to their most obscure favourite things. And yet it's not overdone, it's just FUN. I don't think it's even off putting for viewers who may not be all that familiar with Trek's past, as a friend of mine with only a passing knowledge of the franchise really got into the series (I shall now continue my mission to get her to watch more!)
The voice cast do excellent work, and the characters really came to life for me over the course of the season. Notably, Mariner is a fascinating and complex character who gets explored in detail and has probably emerged as my favourite. Over the course of the season, these characters genuinely made me feel things and fall in love with them. And I can't help but notice how much each actor looks like the character they play - could this be an intentional move to facilitate live action appearances down the line?
Star Trek returns to animation with the satiric comedy Star Trek: Lower Decks. Season 1 follows a group of ensigns as they go about the menial tasks and grunt work of the USS Cerritos and get into adventures. While it’s set on the post-TNG era, the show incorporates references and call-backs to all the previous shows; from the original Star Trek to Enterprise. And it does a pretty good job at satirizing the tropes and clichés of Star Trek. Plus, the characters are likable and fun, and make for a solid crew (better than some of the live-action ones in fact). A couple of the jokes are a little risqué, but for the most part the comedy stays light, with a lot of physical humor. Entertaining and full of laughs, Star Trek: Lower Decks delivers an impressive first season, especially considering the dreck that the franchise has been putting out lately.
Shout by ElliotVIP 6BlockedParent2021-02-07T12:45:20Z
I felt it took a few episodes to find its feet but Lower Decks is a great and completely different addition to the Trek franchise. Arguably, for those bitching about Discovery and Picard not being "proper" Trek, Lower Decks (while obviously an animated comedy series rather than a straightforward sci-fi drama) taps into the rich back catalogue of Trek lore with all its callbacks and references - not to mention some great cameos by some familiar faces, something I hope we see a lot more of in future seasons.