“Engage the core!”
Creator Mike McMahan gifted the Star Trek franchise an incredible animated series when his inventive and not-to-be-missed Lower Decks debuted back in the summer of 2020. Sadly, the must-see show only lasted five seasons, but McMahan wrote on Bluesky last month that he “had at least two seasons more in" him. And Lower Decks actor Jerry O’Connell sounds ready to beam back aboard the USS Cerritos himself. O’Connell said while attending this year’s San Diego Comic-Con (per TrekMovie.com):
“Whenever I see Mike McMahan, I just say, ‘Dude, whenever you’re ready, we will be there.’ He is such a talent, Mike McMahan. He’s our showrunner on Lower Decks. He is such a huge fan of The Next Generation."
O'Connell continued by saying:
"When I took the train down with Michael Dorn yesterday, I was like, ‘Mr. Dorn, I got to get a photo with you,’ and I sent it immediately to Mike McMahan, and he wrote ‘Starfleet heroes’ […] He’s not he’s not done with Starfleet. Mike McMahan: it’s in his blood.”
O’Connell portrayed the first officer of the Cerritos, Jack Ransom, when Lower Decks debuted. And while the rebellious Mariner (Tawny Newsome), by-the-book Boimler (Jack Quaid), and hilariously “illogical” Vulcan T’Lyn (Gabrielle Ruiz) are my three favorite characters, O’Connell portrayed by far and away the most entertaining member of the bridge crew, in my opinion.
O’Connell, who coincidentally starred in Jerry Maguire, “had me at hello” when Ransom referred to TOS as Those Old Scientists, during Lower Decks’ first season, as opposed to what it actually stands for: The Original Series.
I could not stop laughing the first time I heard him say that. However, I also enjoyed how Ransom’s character arc allowed him to develop from an ambitious commander to the captain of the Cerritos once the show’s run came to an end.
I also find it ironic that Captain Ransom went out — and by choice — flanked on either side by the most unlikely of provisional first officers: Beckett Mariner and Brad Boimler! Ransom saw their true potential, though.
Would you be game for more of Mike McMahan’s Lower Decks? Is there anyone else out there who is “Cerritos strong?” Sound off and “engage the core” on the Redshirts Always Die Facebook and X pages.
Live long and prosper, Trekkies! Oh, and... "Lower Decks, Lower Decks, Lower Decks!"
Add us as a preferred source on Google