CBS All Access, in its ongoing effort to expand the
Star Trek universe, has made an ambitious two-season order for
Star Trek: Lower Decks. The show will focus on the support crew serving one of Starfleet's least important ships.
The project will be produced by the newly-launched CBS Eye Animation Productions and marks CBS All Access' first animated series.
The series hails from Alex Kurtzman's CBS TV Studios-based Secret Hideout, which has been overseeing the expansion of the
Star Trek franchise, and Roddenberry Entertainment.
Secret Hideout’s Alex Kurtzman and Heather Kadin, Roddenberry Entertainment’s Rod Roddenberry and Trevor Roth as well as former Cartoon Network executive Katie Krentz will executive produce alongside McMahan. Aaron Baiers, who brought McMahan to the project, will serve as a co-executive producer.
Alex Kurtzman said the following regarding McMahan's vision for the show:
“Mike won our hearts with his first sentence: ‘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.’ 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. As we broaden the world of ‘Trek’ to fans of all ages, we’re so excited to include Mike’s extraordinary voice.”
McMahan Expressed his enthusiasm for the project in the following statement:
“As a life-long Trekkie, it’s a surreal and wonderful dream come true to be a part of this new era of Star Trek. While Star Trek: Lower Decks is a half-hour, animated show at its core, it’s undeniably Trek – and I promise not to add an episode at the very end that reveals the whole thing took place in a training program.”
Star Trek: Lower Decks will be the first Star Trek cartoon since 1973's
Star Trek: The Animated Series.
Are you looking forward to this show? Share your thoughts in the comments section.