Our wait for new Star Trek to watch is only a month away. The crew of the USS Cerritos, featured in the animated series Star Trek: Lower Decks will be returning with ten new episodes on Paramount+ starting on August 25, 2022.

For those unfamiliar with the series, Star Trek: Lower Decks, unlike other Trek series that focus on the command crew, follows the various missions and adventures of the “lower deckers” (low-ranking officers with menial jobs) on the USS Cerritos, one of Starfleet’s least important starships. While ships like The Enterprise may do First Contact with new species, the Cerritos does “Second Contac”, which involves getting paperwork signed, making sure Starfleet and The Federation have the planet’s correct spelling, as well as finding all the great places to eat.

The Lower Deckers of the series includes Beckett Mariner (voiced by Tawny Newsome) a rule breaking ensign, who has the know how to move up the ranks, but is just not interested. She’s also serves aboard the same ship her mother is captain of. Ensign Bradward “Brad” Boimler (voiced by Jack Quaid) who tries to do his best, and do things by the book, though he stumbles and winds up involved in one of Mariner’s schemes. Ensign D’Vana Tendi (voiced by Noel Wells) is an Orion, assigned to the medical bay, who is a huge fan of Starfleet, and thrilled to be a member of the crew. Rounding out the Lower Deckers, is Ensign Samanthan “Sam” Rutherford (voiced by Eugene Cordero), who has a cyborg implant, and though he may be an amazing engineer, is still learning and does not always solve the problem.

The series was created by Mike Mahan (co-creator of Solar Opposites), and the episodes are chock full of humor, as well as references to Star Trek episodes and films. Various Trek aliens have appeared in episodes, including Klingons, Ferenghi, Cardassians, and the dreaded Pakleds.

Season two of the series ended on a cliffhanger, with Mariner’s mother, Captain Carol Freeman (voiced by Dawnn Lewis) was arrested for allegedly detonating a bomb on the Pakled Planet. Season three picks up from there, with the trial of Captain Freeman. The third season, according to Mahan, will also explore the Deckers taking different paths to move up the ranks to where they need to be by the end of the season. Brad Boimler’s lessons in the first two seasons would lead him down a new path, while D’Vana Tendi starts a new job in the sciences division after McMahan felt there was no room for her to grow in the medical division. Also, Sam Rutherford’s issues with his cybernetic implants will also be further explored. There will even be a visit to Deep Space Nine.

Also returning for the new season will be Jerry O’Connell as Commander Jack Ransom, first officer of the Cerritos, described as being like William T. Riker……if he was on speed and had less shame. Fred Tatasticore as the Bajoran Tactical Officer, Shaxs, who did die, but came back by unspeakable methods (we doubt we’ll find out those methods), and Gillian Vigman as T’Ana, the Caitian (cat person) Chief Medical Officer.

The first two seasons of Star Trek: Lower Decks is streaming on Paramount+. The first episode of the third season will be available on August 25, with following episodes premiering weekly after that.

But Wait, There’s More

A little surprise was dropped at ComicCon in San Diego, when Tawny Newsome and Jack Quaid crashed the Star Trek: Strange New Worlds panel

As announced in the video, we’ll be seeing, at least, Mariner and Boimer in live action in an episode of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. At present, all we know is what was announced on the video, not sure if the other Lower Decks cast will be appearing in live action. However, we do know that the episode will be directed by Jonathan Frakes.

Stay tuned, Fellow Trekkies, there WILL be more.

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