The beauty of Star Trek has long been in its ability to inspire and bring people together. Since the very beginning, it has been a vehicle for inclusion and diversity in a way that was at times controversial, but also groundbreaking. So when Star Trek: Lower Decks premiered on Paramount Plus, there were two ways this could have gone: very bad or very good.
Luckily for all of us, Lower Decks was a hit. There was something so refreshing about this animated series as it focused more on the rarely seen crew members. These are the crew members that keep these massive space shifts working, but that we either rarely see, never get to know or are cannon fodder for the movies and TV shows that came before it.
One of the biggest reasons that Lower Decks really worked was because it did not take itself too seriously. We had serious moments, as we would on any classic Star Trek series, but the purpose of the show was also to point out the ridiculousness that can also be prevalent in the live action programs. (Our own site name points to a ridiculous theme in the Star Trek universe that even Lower Decks has touched on.)
We need more shows like Lower Decks that give us a new look at the universe that Star Trek has built
The thing is that as fans of Star Trek, we need more programs like Lower Decks. We need a more comedic series that still understands that it is a Star Trek program, but that can also poke fun at the things that the more serious programs and movies cannot or will not. We also need something that doesn't consistently focus on the action.
Perhaps what we need is a series about the clean up crews. The people and teams who have to come behind the Captains and clean up whatever mess has been left behind. Are they finishing up the diplomatic aspect of a mission? Are they helping to rebuild after a phaser shot gone wrong? A series around the people who have to come behind the Jean Luc Picards and the James T Kirks of the Federation has the potential to be brilliant.
Another series idea could revolve around the sick bay. The idea of seeing that guy who always ends up injured on missions for no reason or the dude who learned after the fact that he is actually allergic to space dust wouldn't be hysterical. Not only would a series revolving around the sick bay give us a new team of crew members to appreciate, like the Lower Decks crew, but it has the potential to give us the perfect blend of overly serious episodes and downright comedic ones as well.
Honestly, there is so much untapped potential in the world of Star Trek and I think Lower Decks was just the tip of the iceberg for what we could have. And with Lower Decks ending, we need to fill the gap left behind. We need a series that gives us the comedy and ridiculousness of Lower Decks, while also giving us what is the very essence of Start Trek: the camaraderie, unity, diversity and exploration.