Star Trek: Lower Decks
Series, 2020, After Nemesis, Set in 2380 onward
Star Trek: Lower Decks is #22 of 26 in release order and #20 of 26 in chronological order in the Star Trek.
The story
The lives of the support crew serving on one of Starfleet's least important ships, the U.S.S. Cerritos, in 2380. Ensigns Mariner, Boimler, Rutherford and Tendi have to keep up with their duties and their social lives, often while the ship is being rocked by a multitude of sci-fi anomalies.
Star Trek: Lower Decks recap
An animated comedy aboard the USS Cerritos, a Starfleet ship that handles second contacts, following four junior ensigns: the rule-breaking Beckett Mariner, the anxious Brad Boimler, the cheerful Orion medic D'Vana Tendi and the cyborg engineer Sam Rutherford. In season 1, it emerges that Mariner is the daughter of the ship's captain, Carol Freeman, and the season ends with a Pakled attack that kills the security chief Shaxs and with Boimler joining Riker's Titan. In season 2, Boimler returns to the Cerritos, Shaxs comes back, and the season ends with Freeman arrested for the destruction of the Pakled homeworld. In season 3, the crew proves Freeman was framed and the Cerritos faces being replaced by automated ships. In season 4, the ensigns are promoted to lieutenant junior grade, mystery ships keep attacking vessels across the galaxy and Mariner's former Academy friend Nick Locarno turns out to be behind them. In season 5, rifts to parallel universes keep opening, and alternate versions of the crew turn up.
Star Trek: Lower Decks ending explained
The rifts become a huge field of possibility that threatens every universe, and Mariner builds a dam that contains it but leaves it open forever. Starfleet starts a mission to explore the multiverse, overseen by Freeman, Ransom becomes captain of the Cerritos, and Mariner and Boimler become first officers, with the crew set out for more adventures.
Where to watch Star Trek: Lower Decks
Star Trek: Lower Decks is streaming on Paramount+ in the US. You can rent or buy it on Amazon, Apple TV, and Google Play.
Ratings
IMDb 7.8/10, Rotten Tomatoes 93%
Where it fits
- Release order: after Star Trek: Picard, before Star Trek: Prodigy.
- Chronological order: after Star Trek: Nemesis, before Star Trek: Prodigy.
What to watch before Star Trek: Lower Decks
In release order, 16 Star Trek essentials come before Star Trek: Lower Decks (2020), from Star Trek: The Original Series (1966) to Star Trek: Picard (2020). Star Trek: Lower Decks itself is optional in the Star Trek order.
Cast
- Tawny Newsome as Beckett Mariner (voice)
- Jack Quaid as Brad Boimler (voice)
- Noël Wells as D'Vana Tendi (voice)
- Eugene Cordero as Sam Rutherford (voice)
- Dawnn Lewis as Carol Freeman (voice)
- Gillian Vigman as T’Ana (voice)
- Jerry O'Connell as Jack Ransom (voice)
- Fred Tatasciore as Shaxs (voice)
- Paul Scheer as Andarithio 'Andy' Billups (voice)
- Jessica McKenna as Barnes / Starbase 80 officer 2 (voice)
- Gabrielle Ruiz as Castro (voice)
- Nolan North as Lars Lundy /Borg Head (voice)
Created by Mike McMahan.