Writer Mike McMahan reveals that Star Trek: Lower Decks' cast became fast friends with those from Strange New Worlds during their upcoming crossover. McMahan is the creator and writer of the ongoing Star Trek animated comedy series Lower Decks. Season 3 of the series debuted on Paramount+ on August 25. A lighter take on the long-running sci-fi franchise, Star Trek: Lower Decks welcomes fans aboard the USS Cerritos, but goes far from the command bridges and crews the franchise typically centers on. Instead, the animated series focuses on lower-ranking crew members who help maintain the starship through its missions across the galaxy with menial, more trivial tasks.
For two seasons, Lower Decks has stood apart from other ongoing Star Trek series with its bold humor and loving jabs at many of the franchise's elements, but the animated series will soon venture into new frontiers. Lower Decks will crossover with Strange New Worlds in an upcoming episode of season 2 of the prequel series. Stars Jack Quaid and Tawny Newsome will get the chance to play their animated characters in live-action. As the Lower Decks crew prepares to board the Enterprise, the animated series' creator teases how the casts of both shows interacted.
In an exclusive interview with Screen Rant, McMahan reveals that the casts of both Lower Decks and Strange New Worlds quickly built a firm friendship when working on the crossover episode. Though they come from vastly different shows, a true camaraderie was born. Check out McMahan's recollection below.
I kept getting teasing texts from Tawny [Newsome], Jack [Quaid], and Jonathan Frakes [who directed the crossover.] With photos they were taking of each other on set, having a blast.
Jack and Ethan [Peck] just are thick as thieves. They were just such great friends. And it's so funny seeing them hanging out at Comic Con and stuff afterwards. They call themselves "Spoimler." And Tawny and Celia [Rose Gooding]? I just know that Tawny has so much respect for Celia and vice versa. And it's just awesome to see these kinds of Star Trek friendships grow.
In the same interview, McMahan explains how the Lower Decks and Strange New Worlds crossover idea was conceived in the first place. It was born out of a mutual admiration, which stemmed from McMahan and fellow Lower Decks writer Kathryn Lyn helping out with Strange New Worlds' early humor. With such pleasant, mutual respect between the shows' creatives, it's rather sweet to know that companionship stretched to the actors as well. Though few might've predicted a Star Trek crossover like this one, it sounds like it became a perfect opportunity for new friendships to emerge.
With future Star Trek crossovers being considered, Lower Decks' ambitious Strange New Worlds story may give fans a good taste of what modern crossovers within the franchise could look like. With Lower Decks not only being animated but also varying in tone and storytelling style from Strange New Worlds, the episode is sure to be a standout story of season 2. While fans will have to wait to see the episode, it is clear that the relationships between the casts is a strong, supportive bond.
Star Trek: Lower Decks releases new episodes Thursdays on Paramount+.