The half-hour animated series, 'Star Trek: Lower Decks,' will be the streaming service's first.
The Star Trek universe is expanding.
CBS All Access has given a two-season order for a new half-hour animated Star Trek comedy series, titled Star Trek: Lower Decks, ET has learned. This will be the streaming service's first animated project.
The series, of which details and plot are being kept under wraps, will be spearheaded by Rick and Morty head writer Mike McMahan, who is a longtime Star Trek fan and will serve as executive producer. In 2011, McMahan began a Twitter account where he posted episode plots to a fake season of Star Trek: The Next Generation, which prompted him to get hired to write a fictitious reader's guide to the "unaired" eighth season.
“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,” said executive producer Alex Kurtzman. “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.”
“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,” said executive producer McMahan. “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.”
“We couldn’t have imagined a better creative team to work with on CBS All Access’ first original animated series than Mike McMahan, Secret Hideout and Roddenberry Entertainment,” said Julie McNamara, Executive Vice President of Original Content at CBS All Access. “Star Trek: Lower Decks is a fantastic complement to our growing lineup of original series and our ongoing expansion of the Star Trek universe on CBS All Access.”
This is just the latest Star Trek series to be greenlit at CBS All Access, which in August ordered a new drama centered on Patrick Stewart's iconic character, Jean-Luc Picard, to its already rich universe. Currently, the streaming service is home to Star Trek: Discovery, which launches its sophomore season on Thursday, Jan. 17, and is rolling out four Star Trek: Discovery shorts, titled Star Trek: Short Treks, as a lead-up to the mothership's return.
RELATED CONTENT:
