Following the success of Star Trek: Discovery’s first season, CBS has been moving ahead on expanding their Star Trek offerings. This is all under the watchful eye of Alex Kurtzman who, as Kervyn told us a few months ago, would “supervise the expansion of CBS’ Star Trek franchise for television, developing new series, mini-series and other content opportunities, including animation.”
The first fruits of his labour were announced a couple of months ago when Nick told us that Patrick Stewart’s iconic cap Captain Jean-Luc Picard would be returning to lead his own show, following after the events of Star Trek: The Next Generation. He tried to tell me about it but I wasn’t paying attention because I was thinking about something else.
Well now we know how the Star Trek universe will be expanding once more, and it’s with two words from the aforementioned quotation – “including animation”. As per Deadline, CBS have given a two-season order to Star Trek: Lower Decks – an adult animated comedy “which will focus on the support crew serving on one of Starfleet’s least important ships, the USS Kardashian*.” Making it so will be Rick and Morty writer Mike McMahan, who’s also worked on South Park and Drawn Together, so I think we can safely assume he knows something about adult animated comedy.
*Don’t panic, they didn’t say that part.
McMahan first got involved in the Star Trek universe officially in a bit of an odd way. He started a Twitter account in 2011 where he posted episode plots for a fictitious season of Star Trek: The Next Generation. This in turn lead to publisher Simon & Schuster hiring him to write a guide to this fictitious season titled ‘Star Trek: The Next Generation: Warped: An Engaging Guide to the Never-Aired 8th Season’. He’s also currently the writer for Star Trek: Short Treks, a series of four mini-episodes set in the Star Trek: Discovery universe featuring characters from the show, and which began airing on CBS All Access earlier this month.
Kurtzman said when announcing the new show and the tapping of McMahan to oversee it:
“Mike won our hearts with his first sentence: ‘I want to do a show about the people who put the yellow cartridge in the food replicator so a banana can come out the other end.’ His cat’s name is Riker. His son’s name is Sagan. The man is committed.He’s brilliantly funny and knows every inch of every Trek episode, and that’s his secret sauce: he writes with the pure, joyful heart of a true fan. As we broaden the world of ‘Trek’ to fans of all ages, we’re so excited to include Mike’s extraordinary voice.”
McMahan added:
“As a life-long Trekkie, it’s a surreal and wonderful dream come true to be a part of this new era of Star Trek. While Star Trek: Lower Decks is a half-hour, animated show at its core, it’s undeniably Trek – and I promise not to add an episode at the very end that reveals the whole thing took place in a training program.”
Good, making the entire show exist in the stupid holo-deck would make me flip all the tables. I’m pretty curious to see what a modern adult animated comedy series set in the Star Trek universe looks like, because up until the movies and TV series that have reinvigorated the franchise over the last few years, I’ve always considered Star Trek to be a bit on the stuffy side – which does make it ripe for a series poking fun at itself. I suspect we’re in for a bit of a wait though, I’d be surprised to see this before late 2019 the earliest.
What do you think?
Last Updated: October 26, 2018
Kromas
October 26, 2018 at 13:16
It will be better than Discovery. Then again I story where klingons watch paint dry would technically be better than Discover. Also Drawn Together!
MaSeKind
October 26, 2018 at 13:18
So basically they’re remaking Futurama with a Star Trek theme?
Kromas
October 26, 2018 at 13:26
Have you ever seen Drawn together and Rick and Morty?
Futurama you can show your kids for the most part.
Raptor Rants
October 26, 2018 at 13:29
Star Trek: Future(-e ama)
Captain JJ
October 26, 2018 at 13:26
Please, not the holodeck
Raptor Rants
October 26, 2018 at 13:27
Jokes about how they have to clean up after the mess of pilots flying where they shouldn’t imminent.
Captain JJ
October 26, 2018 at 13:31
This Trevor guy seems to know a thing or two about stuff.
Weanerdog
October 26, 2018 at 13:37
I concur. His knowledge about stuff is very knowledgable.
Raptor Rants
October 26, 2018 at 13:44
Some say that he burns his meat on a braai. So not so sure how accurate your assumption is.
Weanerdog
October 26, 2018 at 13:52
Some being that scallywag Nicholas Reay?
Raptor Rants
October 26, 2018 at 15:54
No, Trevor himself will admit it I believe 😀
Weanerdog
October 26, 2018 at 15:57
That’s just because of the effect of the grooming.
Alien Emperor Trevor
October 26, 2018 at 15:57
The difference being that it’s not burned, it’s cooked properly.
Raptor Rants
October 26, 2018 at 15:59
I really hope there’s an episode about the guy who works on the replicators who complains about people ordering meat well done
Alien Emperor Trevor
October 26, 2018 at 16:00
I really hope there’s an episode where a raptor escapes from the holodeck, and they hunt it down and eat it. BOOM!
Pariah
October 26, 2018 at 16:01
At least they’ll know to cook it rare to medium rare, not charcoal. We’ve already got fossil fuels. 😛
Raptor Rants
October 26, 2018 at 16:18
hahahahahhaha
Captain JJ
October 26, 2018 at 16:11
XD
Raptor Rants
October 26, 2018 at 16:18
That sounds awesome!
Captain JJ
October 26, 2018 at 16:26
Turkey bacon!
Captain JJ
October 26, 2018 at 15:59
You tell them! You know things!
RinceThis
October 26, 2018 at 16:16
he knows nothing. He’s a dim light in a bright world.
Kromas
October 26, 2018 at 13:41
As a side note. Ask google assistant for “Tea Earl Grey Hot”.
My pleasure.
Captain JJ
October 26, 2018 at 13:43
I’ve never used or….I don’t think I’ve heard of google assistant
Weanerdog
October 26, 2018 at 13:53
But when does the Narwhal bacon?
G8crasha
October 26, 2018 at 14:03
Well, I wasn’t expecting that!
RinceThis
October 26, 2018 at 16:15
Awesome!
RinceThis
October 26, 2018 at 16:17
Remember that Seth show, what’s it called, the Awful? Is that supposed to be funny too?