In an abrupt and unceremonious announcement, Star Trek.com, the official website of the great sci fi franchise, has on July 12 announced that following on from the strength that was the first and second season of the delightful Star Trek Lower Decks, season 3 will premiere on August 25th, just over a month from now.
Star Trek Lower Decks is the Mike McMahon helmed animated spin-off to 1966’s Star Trek. It is the 2nd animated spin-off (sandwiched neatly between Star Trek: The Animated Series and Star Trek Prodigy) and overall, it is the 8th released spin-off of the 10 so far. It eschews the traditional Star Trek loose format which follows the bridge crew for the entire course of the show, this instead has the senior staff featured, but in supporting roles.
Instead, we follow Boimler, Mariner, Tendi, Rutherford, and sometimes Badgey and Peanut Butter Hamper. These are very low-ranked crew, not long in Starfleet. So new to the organisation that they likely did not experience the Dominion War of 2373 - 75. And this show picks up in the year 2380.
The animated series here is very much aimed at adults and in my opinion, long-term fans of the franchise as a whole. HOWEVER, it must be noted many newer fans are joining this great franchise and enjoy the show immensely, perhaps even more than this die-hard Trekkie. One of whom is the editor of this website and is quite frankly, almost more awesome than this franchise itself.
Something noticed immediately is one of the Easter Eggs that the show positively revels in. The poster for the season 3 announcement follows the precedent set in season 2 where the season poster is a loving parody of the same numbered film in the Star Trek franchise. Season 2’s cover parodied the second film Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan and three parodies Star Trek III: The Search For Spock. I am not huge on gambling myself, but I will happily put 400 Quatloos that the announced fourth season’s cover will parody the absolute gem that is Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home).
Given the Star Trek franchise only has 13 films (the long-running joke is one more if you include Galaxy Quest (1999), but I’d also add Denise Crosby’s Trekkies duology). Although there is ample evidence that the show could definitely work around this problem, it is worth noting that the three longest-running Star Trek shows are The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine and Voyage, clocking in with seven seasons apiece.
Since Star Trek resumed at the end of 2021 with Star Trek Discovery season four the second season of Star Trek Picard the first half of Star Trek Prodigy season one and the first season of
Star Trek Strange New Worlds, we have had 43 episodes. Season two of Lower Decks was not exactly long before this stretch either. It’s no secret I love Star Trek and even though I enjoyed most of the recent bounty of episodes and quite especially the debut season of Strange New Worlds, I am enjoying the brief hiatus between Trek shows.
Now we know it will only last a few weeks, it is a disappointment but in my opinion, out of the current shows under executive producer Alex Kurtzman, it is perhaps the best one to lead another run. This is compounded by the fact that the days of Star Trek having lengthy seasons died in the summer of 2005. Each current Star Trek will only have ten episodes per season and in the case of Lower Decks, episodes are quite bite-sized, clocking in at the half-hour mark a piece.
As was previously stated, Lower Decks will also get a fourth season. The airing date is not forthcoming at this moment and in all likelihood, that will remain the case for a while but with season 2 ending on a cliffhanger, perhaps that story will last the full duration through seasons 3 and 4 or perhaps hit the notion of time travel.
In other, rather sad news, Eaglemoss, the holder of multiple licences to produce models of Starships including those hailing from the Star Trek franchise, has seemingly gone into administration. Although a cursory glance at their website does leave the impression that rather than completely ceasing to be, Eaglemoss are conducting a sudden firesale prior to a reorganisation. Many will join me in hoping more for this than the company going into administration, however, the company’s recently announced intent to appoint an Administration Officer does not exactly suggest our wish is coming true.
Many wallets (including my own) will metaphorically be relieved of a significant source of pressure, their works were not exactly cheap as chips. But hopefully as can be seen below from my own modest collection (to which I wanted to add an Enterprise E, Cerritos, Stargazer II and La Sierrena), little was sacrificed in the realm of quality, if at all.
I think I speak for everyone here at Robot Republic when I wish all those facing a job loss due to this all the best in the future. Thank you for your hard work and devotion to multiple franchises. Your work will be missed.
At the time of writing, it is unclear who (if anyone) will pick up these seemingly now owner - less licenses.
I would hope this final news story is a bit more jolly. Kathryn Janeway actress Kate Mulgrew, a very under-utilised person in the Star Trek Universe (my tongue is so in cheek that the wallpaper is positively draped in saliva) has not only been talking to her fellow Star Trek Voyager alumni about possibly returning to the Star Trek fold (something Jeri Ryan, Robert Beltran and Robbie McNeil have already done).
Also when asked if some characters from the series Star Trek Prodigy could make the leap to live action, Mulgrew affirmed this and said there is a good chance, something which when coupled with the possibility of a new era Trek crossover, sent the minds of fans across the internet positively abuzz.
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