A Star Trek Animated Comedy? Make It So
CBS has been a bit more daring with the content of its All Access streaming service — although it’s still stodgy ol’ CBS, so not TOO daring. At least they’re willing to monkey around with their valuable Star Trek brand to the point where they’d approve something like this.
Its name is “Lower Decks,” and it’s the second-ever Star Trek cartoon (the first aired on NBC in 1973, and was a straight adaption of the Kirk series with the original stars supplying their voices). This cartoon, however, won’t be following a hotshot starship captain….instead, it’ll focus on the lives behind the scenes, the unsung nobodies who keep everything running.
Mike McMahan, who previously wrote for Rick & Morty, pitched the show to CBS execs with this line: “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.” Producer Alex Kurtzman couldn’t be happier about McMahan’s credentials. “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.”
At best this will turn out like Marvel’s “Damage Control,” at worst it’ll turn out like NBC’s “Powerless.” But if you don’t like it, you don’t have to pay for it.
[Source: Variety}