EAS Today

EditorialEAS CommentsEAS @ TwitterEAS UpdatesEAS @ DeviantartEAS Random Page & ImageJörg Hillebrand @ MastodonEAS @ Facebook

 

The latest posts and comments on this site and on the social media pages of EAS. See Trek Feeds for feeds from other important sites.

Editorial
21 Oct 2024

Adiós Cerritos

When a still unnamed new animated Trek series was announced in October 2018, I was cautiously optimistic. I could imagine that the Star Trek Universe was big enough for an animated comedy. Well, the first Lower Decks trailer from July 2020 with its focus on swearing, farts, slime, zombies and similarly lame jokes temporarily discouraged me. Still, I was never really concerned that the show could damage the continuity or harm the franchise in any way. This is in part because I underestimated Lower Decks and didn't expect it to be more than a side show, a light-hearted companion to live-action Trek. I never imagined how relevant it would become for the franchise and the fandom and how well it would stack up against the live-action series (irrespective of its canon status).

Lower Decks embraces the traditional optimism of Star Trek like no other recent series in my book. It is free from dystopian aspects as they pervade the settings, the characters and the stories of the modern live-action shows. And as much as Lower Decks loves to comment on the downsides, especially concerning the underappreciation of low-ranking personnel, the series successfully establishes Starfleet as a family. Tendi, Rutherford, Boimler and Mariner may have their disagreements, but they are in it together, and so is the bridge crew - largely without narcissistic solo efforts or hidden agendas. The feeling of camaraderie is as strong here as it hasn't been since 2005.

Character arcs are the spice of modern series of any genre, and the ones of Lower Decks are more consequentially developed and stronger in some regards than those in live-action Trek. Take Mariner's survivor guilt (as revealed in "The Inner Fight") or Rutherford's gloomy back story (that finally comes to light in "Reflections"), which for me work better than Burnham's or Tilly's developments in Discovery. And even though their faces consist of just a few lines, Boimler and Tendi feel almost as real as Stamets or Saru (no offense meant).

I have probably mentioned it in many of my reviews, but I wish to reemphasize how faithfully Lower Decks recreates the world of the 24th century (in-universe) and of the Golden Age of 90's Trek (in real life). Starships, sets and props are reproduced or newly created with loving attention to established details, although everything would be possible. In many ways, this animated series is more authentic than multi-million dollar productions that strive to "update" Star Trek to something more bombastic and sometimes hardly recognizable on the visual side.

In light of its authenticity and of its countless in-jokes it is almost ironical that Lower Decks is the one among the recent Star Trek series that explores the most strange new worlds and overall relies the least on nostalgia.

Lower Decks does have its share of stories or lines of dialogue that are seen by some as mockery of Star Trek, but I think it is in line with how fans have been talking all along. Lower Decks is made by fans (the creators leave no doubt about that), it is made for fans (casual viewers don't get half of the jokes), and it is about fans on a meta level (because Mariner, Boimler, Tendi and Rutherford are into everything Starfleet). It has its heart in the right place. Thank you very much to Mike McMahan and his team for bringing us this show!

Much of my above praise applies to Prodigy likewise, but Lower Decks has a special place in my heart - because of the characters and the kind of humor that has grown on me. I admit it took a while. Also, Lower Decks helped me through a difficult time in my life when I was recovering from a serious injury and didn't know whether I would be able to return to a normal life again.

Season 5 of Lower Decks will be the last one. I can't imagine this of all series was canceled due to low ratings, to negative feedback or to a lack of story ideas. Maybe we just have to accept that nothing is supposed to last longer than that in an ever-changing media landscape. Still, I am sad to see Lower Decks of all series go. Although I can keep telling myself that Strange New Worlds isn't bad, that Starfleet Academy will not suck and that Section 31 perhaps just isn't for me, I will miss the endearing crew of the Cerritos and I will miss the authentic Trek feel and spirit of the show.

Bernd Schneider

Archive

Latest Comments on EAS Articles (Overview)
  • 12 Jun 2025
    Strange New Worlds will end after its fifth season, consisting of only six episodes. Although I usually don't extrapolate but strictly base my assessment on canon evidence, it is just too tempting to speculate how the direct prequel to TOS will end in a few years. Also read further news and thoughts on the upcoming season 3.
  • 08 Jun 2025
    Numerous improvements and some new findings in the two old articles Observations in TNG: "The Schizoid Man" and Observations in TNG: "Loud as a Whisper".
  • 07 Jun 2025
    Everything is set at EAS for Strange New Worlds season 3, which will begin on July 17 with two episodes, "Hegemony II" and "Wedding Bell Blues". See the rest of the episode titles and some previews.
  • 31 May 2025
    On another technical note, the Follow-it newsletter doesn't work any longer (it is a paid plan now). If you have subscribed and you are getting annoying e-mails from them instead of the EAS feed, I am sorry there is nothing I can do. Please unsubscribe.
  • 31 May 2025
    Twitter/X has cut all ties with the outside world and doesn't allow me to auto-post EAS news any more. I won't post site updates manually over there, but I'm not planning to leave the network either. Going somewhere else is currently not very tempting and would force me to work on tedious technical issues for several days when I would much rather like to create content.
  • 31 May 2025
    Several new entries and many other improvements in another article: Observations in TNG: "Identity Crisis".
  • 29 May 2025
    Two more old articles by Jörg are up to date now. Here are Observations in TNG: "Elementary, Dear Data" and Observations in TNG: "The Outrageous Okona".
  • 25 May 2025
    The recent Red Alert! Experience at Universal Studios featured the Enterprise-D bridge from PIC season 3 as the main attraction. Here is a report by our reader Uli, with impressions and side-by side comparisons of the sets.
  • 24 May 2025
    Two more Voyager season 6 retro reviews, of "One Small Step" and "The Voyager Conspiracy".
  • 18 May 2025
    After working on it for ten years, I have reached an important milestone. All EAS articles are now free from hideous old Frontpage formatting and ready for the future. While I was going to recode it anyway, I combined the three parts of our big survey of Planets in TOS and TOS Remastered to one.
  • 17 May 2025
    Continuing the update of old articles in season 2. Here are Observations in TNG: "The Child" and Observations in TNG: "Where Silence Has Lease".
  • 15 May 2025
    Here are two more Voyager season 6 retro reviews, of "Riddles" and "Dragon's Teeth".
  • 12 May 2025
    Two more old articles have been expanded and upgraded: Observations in TNG: "Conspiracy" and Observations in TNG: "The Neutral Zone". Each of them includes about 40 new or enhanced images.
  • 10 May 2025
    There are numerous supplements and improvements in Jörg's article Observations in TNG: "Night Terrors", with some 60 new or improved images. I have also added a small "Section 31" gallery.
  • 03 May 2025
    Final update with images from the Official Starships Collection in the galleries about the Nebula Class, Abramsverse Federation Vessels and Abramsverse Alien Vessels.
  • 26 Apr 2025
    I have reworked two more of Jörg's TNG season 1 observation articles: Observations in TNG: "Symbiosis" and Observations in TNG: "We'll Always Have Paris". Both now include references from the latest Trek series.
EAS Favourites @ Deviantart
  • 20 May 2025

    Model by

    JLStudio

    thumbnail
  • 11 May 2025

    The Arrow class Runabout "Spirit of Proxima" escorted by two Kestrel class fighter. (Alternate view of this image: Escorting the Arrow)

    In 2379, a medium-sized dispute broke out between the Kromsapiods and the Talarians over two planets in the Goliana system. The Talarians wanted to found a new colony there, unaware that the two planets serve as traditional hunting grounds for the Kromsapiods. Starfleet agreed to serve as a neutral mediator for the two parties, but due to the repeated outbreaks of violence on both sides, they wanted to play it safe and sent a small fighter escort with the diplomatic ship.

    Rendered in 3ds Max 10

    No Post Work

    Arrow Class Runabout Designed by Malcolm Lu (Galen) and Andrew Gillespie (Kaden)

    Kestrel class Fighter model parts (Typ 2 Shuttlecraft & Peregrine fighter) by David Metlesits

    Similar Star Trek artworks:

    thumbnail
  • 06 May 2025

    Someone once asked me to make a display looking like someone from TNG or beyond was researching older starship designs. This is what I came up with

    thumbnail
  • 18 Nov 2021
    This was done for a good friend StarfleetShipyards . He suggested I do something in the TAS Klingon Uniform style for the Dahar Masters, and also in hair styles that reflected by Worf's hair styles throughout his tenure in Trek.
    thumbnail
Jörg Hillebrand @ Mastodon
  • 13 Jun 2025

    No wonder Barclay is a little nervous when Doctor Crusher treats him in sickbay after the opening credits in 's "The Nth Degree"⬇️: she is holding one of the new morgue PADDs from "Night Terrors"⬆️, still displaying the autopsy report... ;-)

  • 13 Jun 2025

    I remember how surprised I was when I first noticed the sickbay red alert indicator in 's "Remember Me"↗️. Here, it is seen again in "The Nth Degree"↘️. The red alert lights in front of the CMO's office can also be seen in "Remember Me"↙️ and "Suddenly Human"↖️.

  • 13 Jun 2025

    This moment in 's "Coming of Age" is interesting: we hear Commander Riker speak this line and see his reflection in the window ⬆️, his mouth doesn't move at all, however. It's because the footage was taken from later in the scene when both Riker and Picard ponder the decision ⬇️.

  • 13 Jun 2025

    These screenshots of the port Ten Forward entrance from season 3's "The Vengeance Factor"⬇️ and season 4's "The Nth Degree"⬆️ (redressed as the ship's theatre) clearly show how the lights to the left and right of the two Ten Forward entrances were mixed up between seasons 3 and 4. ;-)

  • 12 Jun 2025

    's "The Nth Degree"↙️↘️ is another episode where we see the bridge engineering station turning on when Geordi enters the bridge. In season 2 ↖️↗️⬅️➡️, Geordi had to turn the station on by voice command, as mentioned earlier.

  • 12 Jun 2025

    The casual blue knitted outfit Dr. Crusher wears during Barclay's second theatre performance in 's "The Nth Degree"⬆️ will be seen again one episode later during her shared breakfast with Captain Picard in "Qpid"⬇️.

  • 12 Jun 2025

    's "Coming of Age" is the first of several times Picard is looking out the ready room window when we see the reflection of somebody entering the room, in this case Riker. Picard even talks to Riker and the Commander responds while only his reflection is visible in the same shot. 😊

  • 12 Jun 2025

    These screenshots from 's "Sarek"⬇️ and "The Nth Degree"⬆️ show that the modification made to the Ten Foward set (!) to turn it into the ship's concret hall in "Sarek"⬇️ are similar to the modifications made for "The Nth Degree"⬆️. This time, no additional chairs are present.

  • 11 Jun 2025

    In the season 4 episodes "Galaxy's Child"↗️ and "The Nth Degree"↙️, the Jefferies tube set still was open ended and didn't have small airlocks, like in season 5's "Disaster"↘️. It definitely looks different from the spacious season 3 Jefferies tube in "The Hunted"↖️.

  • 11 Jun 2025

    's "Coming of Age" is the first episode in which we see the "regular" Captain Picard look out the ready room window, pondering a tough decision. It's also the first time the camera is located outside the window. I also love this shot because we see the stars through the bridge main viewscreen.

EAS Timeline @ Facebook

Important notice Part of the above feeds, videos and galleries are not under the control of the EAS webmaster. EAS is neither responsible for the correctness and legality, nor for the safety and correct display of the external content. In order to preserve the visitors' privacy, EAS does not include any kind of "social plug-ins" anywhere, the only exception being the above gallery and video players.

 

TopShare
View as gallery