Watch Star Trek: Lower Decks

Star Trek: Lower Decks is an American adult animated television series created by Mike McMahan for CBS All Access. The show is set onboard the USS Cerritos, one of the least important ships in Starfleet that mostly deals with second contact missions, which are not as glamourous as first contact missions that we usually see in Star Trek franchise.

The main characters of the show are the lower deck crew of the USS Cerritos. They are Ensign Beckett Mariner (voiced by Tawny Newsome), Ensign Brad Boimler (voiced by Jack Quaid), Ensign D'Vana Tendi (voiced by Noël Wells), and Ensign Rutherford (voiced by Eugene Cordero). The four of them are best friends who are dealing with their everyday lives, work, and Starfleet bureaucracy on the USS Cerritos.

Ensign Beckett Mariner is the protagonist of the show, a rebellious and experienced officer who does not follow the rules. Ensign Brad Boimler, on the other hand, is by-the-book and wants to be more like the legendary Starfleet captain, Captain Freeman (voiced by Dawnn Lewis). Ensign D'Vana Tendi is a new recruit who is excited to be on the USS Cerritos and wants to make the most out of her Starfleet career. Ensign Rutherford is a brilliant engineer who is facing challenges about his recent memory loss.

The show is set in the 24th century, ten years after the events of Star Trek: The Next Generation. The USS Cerritos is one of the many ships tasked with maintaining peaceful relations with other species. While the USS Cerritos is not as glamourous as other notable Starfleet ships like the USS Enterprise and the USS Discovery, it plays a crucial role as support in the United Federation of Planets' mission.

Star Trek: Lower Decks is a combination of comedy, action, adventure, and sci-fi. The show has an episodic format that works great for the Star Trek franchise, as each episode has a unique plot that focuses on one mission the crew of the USS Cerritos is undertaking. The show also has a great balance between comedy and sci-fi. It does not take itself too seriously, and the humor is crafted expertly, which will make you laugh out loud many times.

The animation of the show is excellent. The characters have a unique design that differentiates them from each other. The USS Cerritos has a distinct look, too, that sets it apart from other notable Starfleet ships. The show's animation has a great sense of timing and detail, making it a great joy to watch. The show is colorful and vibrant, with enough action and explosions that are often a staple in sci-fi shows.

One of the aspects that sets Star Trek: Lower Decks apart from other Star Trek shows is that it focuses on the lower deck crew. While previous Star Trek shows have always focused on the bridge crew, we get a fresh perspective in Lower Decks. We see the everyday lives of the little-known crew and how they deal with their mundane but necessary tasks. The show also brings in themes like friendship, loyalty, and personal and career growth.

One of the highlights of the show is the numerous Star Trek references and easter eggs that are scattered throughout the episodes. Fans of the Star Trek franchise will have plenty of reasons to smile and laugh throughout the episodes as the show references everything from Star Trek: The Original Series to Star Trek: Discovery.

Another notable aspect of Star Trek: Lower Decks is the voice acting. The show has a fantastic cast with experienced actors who have lent their voices to various characters. Tawny Newsome, Jack Quaid, Noël Wells, and Eugene Cordero do an excellent job of bringing the characters to life, breathing humor and heart into them. The guest stars that show up on the show are noteworthy too. John de Lancie, who played Q in Star Trek: The Next Generation and Ben Stiller, are among the notable actors that lend their voices to the show.

In conclusion, Star Trek: Lower Decks is a great spin-off to the Star Trek franchise. The show's combination of humor, action, and sci-fi works great, and the voice acting and animation are top-notch. The show adds a fresh perspective to the Star Trek franchise by focusing on the lower deck crew. There are ample references and easter eggs throughout the episodes that will surely delight Star Trek fans. Whether you're a Star Trek fan or not, Lower Decks is worth watching.

Star Trek: Lower Decks is a series that ran for 5 seasons (57 episodes) between August 6, 2020 and on CBS All Access