Rent Star Trek: Lower Decks: Series 3 (2022)

Star Trek: Lower Decks: Series 3 review by Mark McPherson - Cinema Paradiso

By its third season, it’s impressive how engrossing Lower Decks has become as a Star Trek show. Long shed are those irrational fears of this being a Rick-and-Morty-smeared animated comedy taking liberties with the Star Trek brand. It’s a show that feels like a Star Trek show with a fascinating story and characters that continue to build and engage with the audience. With the addition of the series embracing humor by poking fun at its lore, it’s also one of the more refreshing Star Trek shows for how it dives head-first into questioning its tropes while playing up what makes this franchise so great.

This third season begins with the Cerritos in a splintered state. After Captain Carol Freeman is arrested by Starfleet, the rest of the crew tries to find new jobs on Earth. Boimler attends to his family’s vineyard (almost intentionally ignoring the sexual advances of his workers), Mariner continues to rebel, and Tendi and Rutherford find more stuff to geek out on while lodged on Earth. The premiere episode returns the Cerritos to normal, but not after a notable ode to Star Trek: First Contract. That’s the Lower Decks show I know and love.

The rest of the season stays the course of the type of stories that make Lower Decks an intoxicating dose of Star Trek love. There’s a Dungeons and Dragons-style episode that is adorably geeky while addressing the assertiveness of Boimler. There’s a mission on a nightmare planet that leads to such wild visions as Klingon clowns. Some team-building episodes are essential for better getting to know and love the Lower Decks crew.

This season, more than any other, is a love letter to previous Trek. This is true in no other episode than “Hear All, Trust Nothing,” where the Cerritos visit Deep Space Nine. All the familiar and surviving characters are there, complete with a commanding Kira and a conniving Quark. Watching the crew geek out and connect with this classic entry in Trek history was so unbelievably adorable that even those who have never watched the show have got to appreciate the love and energy coursing through this episode.

There are also the continuation episodes of what Lower Decks has already established. This includes the Holodeck episodes meant to play off the Star Trek movies, the developing arc of the rogue machine Peanut Hamper, and Mariner’s conflict about staying on the Cerritos. All of this comes together in the highly explosive climax, which will no doubt delight the Trek fans hoping to glimpse every California-class starship.

Star Trek: Lower Decks continues to be a strong showcase of Star Trek at its best. The animation continues to dazzle here and there, the character dynamics are stellar, and the nods and winks to Star Trek lore are genius. I dare say this may be my favorite season of the show yet for its perfect balance of building on its storylines while still having a blast referencing everything from The Next Generation to Deep Space 9. It’s one of the most delightful Star Trek shows I’ve seen in years, and there’s a big dumb smile on my face with every episode this season.