star trek rick and morty

Star Trek Rick and Morty Easter egg creates an amazing canon twist

Wait. Does Star Trek exist inside of Star Trek?

Star Trek just got really meta. In Star Trek: Picard Season 2 Episode 3, one hilarious Easter egg might break the entire canon. Or it could perfectly explain everything. Here’s why a very specific shoutout to Rick and Morty is not only perfect, but also creates a rip in the space-time continuum that might make your brain hurt. Spoilers ahead.

Rick and Morty exists in Star Trek canon

Toward the end of “Assimilation,” Rios (Santiago Cabrera) finds himself in a hospital. Because of a transporter malfunction, Rios didn’t beam onto solid ground, but instead appears in mid-air before hitting the ground hard. After passing out, he’s picked up by a non-profit doctor name Teresa (Sol Rodriguez), who we later learn is also a single mother. While trying to get her son to do as he’s told, Teresa threatens her son by saying, “or no Rick and Morty !”

This means that Teresa’s son, a character in the year 2024 in the Trek timeline, watches some version of Rick and Morty . This is dizzying for several reasons.

Mike McMahan in 2021.

Ricky and Morty and Lower Decks

One writer for Rick and Morty , Mike McMahan, is also the creator and showrunner of the animated series Star Trek : Lower Decks , which canonically occurs in the decade (2380s) before the first season of Picard . But before getting hired by CBS/Paramount to do Lower Decks , much of Mike McMahan’s writing, including some of his writing on Rick and Morty, was inspired by Star Trek, especially The Next Generation .

So if Teresa’s son watches Ricky and Morty in 2024, and we assume this is pretty much the same version of Rick and Morty that exists in our universe, then that not only implies the existence of the Star Trek media franchise in the canonical Star Trek timeline, but it also implies the existence of The Next Generation specifically. McMahan was influenced by The Next Generation , which surely shaped his career as a writer for Rick and Morty .

The point is, Rick and Morty getting name-checked in Trek canon seems to imply some version of various Trek shows exist within Trek canon itself. But how?

The real Enterprise in the opening credits of Enterprise .

The Ouroboros of Star Trek

Oddly, this has happened before. In the opening credits of Enterprise , we see NASA’s space shuttle Enterprise , which wouldn’t have been named that if Star Trek fans hadn’t mounted a letter-writing campaign. So, the Enterprise series already suggested that some form of Trekkies exist within the actual timeline of Star Trek itself.

Mike McMahan has noted that “people in Star Trek watch Star Trek,” which mostly manifests itself in holographic programs running simulations of old missions. The (non-canon) Gene Roddenberry 1980 novelization of Star Trek: The Motion Picture also suggests that some kind of 23rd-century entertainment industry exists, and the adventures of Kirk and the Enterprise had been dramatized for mass media consumption.

But the idea of a future -tense dramatized version of Star Trek existing among Starfleet folks is one thing. The notion that a TV show called “Star Trek” can exist within the culture of Earth that eventually results in the literal Star Trek future is bonkers. It would be like if Daniel Craig’s James Bond read Ian Fleming novels in his films, or if Robert Pattinson’s Batman was a fan of the Adam West TV show as a kid. The whole paradox suggests that Star Trek’s future can’t exist without a fictional version of Star Trek happening first.

So, for the rest of Picard Season 2, keep an eye out for what people are watching on TV in 2024. It may give you a hint at future seasons of Rick and Morty , or even future Trek seasons. What’s next, someone in Picard Season 2 watching Picard Season 3?

Star Trek: Picard airs new episodes on Thursdays on Paramount+.

• Science Fiction

There's an Interesting Connection Between Star Trek: Picard and Rick and Morty

Star Trek: Picard just confirmed that Adult Swim's Rick and Morty exists in the Star Trek Universe.

This article includes spoilers for the most recent episode of Star Trek: Picard , released for streaming on Thursday, March 17th, 2022. In the third episode of Star Trek: Picard , "Assimilation," a line of dialogue revealed that the animated Adult Swim series Rick and Morty exists in Star Trek's timeline. While the Easter egg is amusing in and of itself, it also highlights some major connections between the two shows! (Remember, this episode of Picard takes place in 2024.)

The dialogue takes place during the third act of "Assimilation," after Cristobal Rios ( Santiago Cabrera ) has been taken to Clinica Las Mariposas to receive treatment from Doctor Teresa Ramirez (Sol Rodriguez). Present at the clinic is the son of Dr. Ramirez, Ricardo (Steve Gutierrez), who becomes interested in the new patient thanks to his enigmatic (but clearly futuristic) communicator badge.

During the episode's third act, Dr. Ramirez says to her son (in Spanish), "And finish your homework or no Rick and Morty ." The line confirms that the series, co-created by Dan Harmon and Justin Roiland, exists in the 21st century on Star Trek's timeline. However, this isn't the first connection between the animated comedy and one of TV's most fantastic science-fiction franchises!

The Black Mountain is Mike McMahan's Brainchild

One of the currently ongoing animated Star Trek shows, Star Trek: Lower Decks , was created by Rick and Morty alum Mike McMahan. In the third episode of the second season of Lower Decks , "We'll Always Have Tom Paris," a reference to Rick and Morty may have already occurred.

In that episode, Ensign Samanthan Rutherford (Eugene Cordero) is confounded by a mystery: if Lieutenant Shax (Fred Tatasciore) died during the events of the first season finale, how is he alive and walking around the U.S.S. Cerritos ? While Ensigns Beckett Mariner (Tawny Newsome) and Bradward Boimler (Jack Quaid) assure Rutherford that "bridge crew always comes back" and therefore he shouldn't question the resurrection, Rutherford won't rest until he has answers.

Eventually, he confronts Shax, who explains the events leading up to his return in excruciating detail. While the audience isn't privy to most of the conversation, the opening of the explanation is audible, and Shax states that after death, you go to "The Black Mountain," a spiritual battleground.

This line recalls dialogue from Rick and Morty season four episode five, "Rattlestar Ricklactica," during the time at which McMahan was an executive producer on the series. Morty (Roiland) is bitten by a venomous extraterrestrial snake in the first act of that episode. As the venom works its way through his system, he tells Rick (Roiland), "I'm dying, Rick! I can see the Black Mountain!"

In an interview with Geek Girl Authority , McMahan offered an explanation for the Black Mountain: "Everything I've ever written on, every show I've ever written on when a character is either dead or dying or being brought back to life, they reference the Black Mountain. It's like my Stephen King's Dark Tower."

Childe Elnor to the Black Mountain Came?

After being shot to death in the third episode of Picard , Elnor (Evan Evagora) may be visiting the Black Mountain as we speak! Will he be resurrected by the conclusion of the season (like so many bridge crew members before him)? New episodes of Picard are available for streaming on Paramount+ on Thursdays.

We earn a commission for products purchased through some links in this article.

Picard's Rick and Morty Easter egg blows up Star Trek canon

This was not the multiverse we expected.

Picard spoilers follow.

Apart from both being sci-fi shows where we explore strange worlds, there's not much that connects the wild and foul-mouthed animated adventures of Rick and Morty with the largely grounded action of Picard or the rest of the Star Trek shows.

It's only the comedic Star Trek: Lower Decks that shares any DNA with Dan Harmon and Justin Roiland's adult animation, but as it turns out, they're all part of the same twisted web.

In Picard 's 'Assimilation', we went back to the future when Jean-Luc and his motley crew were blasted through a wormhole to 2024. A malfunction with Chris Rios' (Santiago Cabrera) transporter meant he woke up in a facility for undocumented immigrants.

There's a blink-and-you'll-miss-it reference where an irate mother scolds her son and says: "– or no Rick and Morty ." We've already seen Q meddling in the past, and instead of creating a new timeline, he's directly altering the Prime timeline.

More than this though, the Rick and Morty nod has even bigger repercussions for the Trekverse. With Rick and Morty already commissioned for multiple seasons , we're pretty sure the show will still be airing in 2024 anyway.

Star Trek is known for its wild collaborations, and once there was even a comic-book crossover where Captain Kirk and co met the X-Men. Let's also remember that Star Trek has been referenced in Rick and Morty , with Morty mocking the way that Michael Dorn's Worf looks.

Confirmation that Rick and Morty exists in this world is even more mind-blowing and sets up a chicken-and-egg scenario. The creator of Lower Decks is Mike McMahan, who is known for his work as a writer and producer on Rick and Morty . Speaking to CinemaBlend , Picard executive producer Akiva Goldsman confirmed the connection to McMahan and explained: "It is. We are all one big, strange, bizarre Star Trek family, and whenever we can do that, we do."

It further connects Picard , Rick and Morty and Lower Decks , thanks to the fact the latter was influenced by an episode of The Next Generation . 1994's 'Lower Decks' left Picard and the rest of the officers behind to focus on four young Enterprise ensigns, serving as the premise for McMahan's cartoon.

This isn't the first time we've had our headcanon blown apart, with NASA's real-life Enterprise shuttle appearing in the credits of the Scott Bakula-led Enterprise . The thing is, the shuttle wouldn't have been named that if not for the popularity of Star Trek and fans campaigning to NASA to name a ship after the famed starship.

We also know characters from Star Trek actually watch Star Trek . In an interview with Inverse , McMahan said, "People in Star Trek watch Star Trek ," citing the finale of Enterprise where Riker took part in a holographic recreation of an Enterprise adventure that happened 200 years before he was born.

Leaning into the idea that some adventures have been serialised for entertainment, McMahan added: "So, that was a big deal for me. It was very helpful."

The season one finale of Lower Decks had Riker make a joke about watching "Archer and those guys" on the holodeck – as a nod to his divisive appearance in Enterprise . It's an odd concept, a bit like Robert Pattinson's Batman kicking back after a day of saving a rain-soaked Gotham to watch the Adam West series.

The Rick and Morty mention also feeds into the wild theory that Harmon and Roiland's show itself is just a show that's being watched on the popular Interdimensional Cable.

In some bizarre way, it makes it actually possible for Rick Sanchez to cross over into an episode of Lower Decks . Due to licensing, we doubt this will happen, but still, it's a mind-boggling idea to conceive.

Finally, if you remember Rick and Morty was born as a parody of Back to the Future , does this also mean Doc and Marty's time-hopping adventures exist in Star Trek canon? Considering Christopher Lloyd starred in 1984's Star Trek III: The Search For Spock , that throws up problems of its own.

It could be time to go for a lie down in a darkened room.

Star Trek: Picard season 2 airs Thursdays on Paramount+ in the US and Fridays on Amazon Prime Video in the UK.

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Tom Chapman is a pop culture-loving writer and NCTJ-accredited Broadcast Journalist with over seven years of experience covering the small and silver screen. 

Starting his career with a post at Movie Pilot in Berlin, Tom took on freelancing full-time with regular stints at Digital Spy, Screen Rant and Comic Book Resources .

These days, you can still find him covering all things Marvel and Star Wars at Digital Spy, while dipping his toe in bylines at Yahoo! and IGN . 

Tom likes to think his spirit animal is a cross between Gale Weathers and Olenna Tyrell.

.css-15yqwdi:before{top:0;width:100%;height:0.25rem;content:'';position:absolute;background-image:linear-gradient(to right,#51B3E0,#51B3E0 2.5rem,#E5ADAE 2.5rem,#E5ADAE 5rem,#E5E54F 5rem,#E5E54F 7.5rem,black 7.5rem,black);} Star Trek: Picard

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Picard's 'Rick and Morty' Easter Egg May Have Just Blown Up 'Star Trek' Canon

• Oops! Something went wrong. Please try again later. More content below

Picard spoilers follow.

Season two of Paramount+'s Picard is boldly going where no fan has gone before. Patrick Stewart's Starfleet legend is back in action to save the day – just like all those years ago, aboard the Enterprise with Riker, Troi, Worf and all the rest. The show has proved to be a deep dive into Trekkie lore thanks to nods and Easter eggs galore, but now, it's also bizarrely added Rick and Morty to Star Trek canon.

Apart from both being sci-fi shows where we explore strange worlds, there's not much that connects the wild and foul-mouthed animated adventures of Rick and Morty with the largely grounded action of Picard or the rest of the Star Trek shows.

It's only the comedic Star Trek: Lower Decks that shares any DNA with Dan Harmon and Justin Roiland's adult animation, but as it turns out, they're all part of the same twisted web.

In Picard 's 'Assimilation', we went back to the future when Jean-Luc and his motley crew were blasted through a wormhole to 2024. A malfunction with Chris Rios' (Santiago Cabrera) transporter meant he woke up in a facility for undocumented immigrants.

There's a blink-and-you'll-miss-it reference where an irate mother scolds her son and says: "– or no Rick and Morty ." We've already seen Q meddling in the past, and instead of creating a new timeline, he's directly altering the Prime timeline.

More than this though, the Rick and Morty nod has even bigger repercussions for the Trekverse. With Rick and Morty already commissioned for multiple seasons , we're pretty sure the show will still be airing in 2024 anyway.

So let’s just be clear on this. Rick and Morty, a cartoon that started life as a Back to the Future parody, is now in Star Trek canon because Marty’s mum directed the episode that sent Picard and crew back in time to the 21st century. #StarTrekPicard is messing with my head. — Krys 🖖 (@KeiranMacDuff) March 18, 2022

Star Trek is known for its wild collaborations, and once there was even a comic-book crossover where Captain Kirk and co met the X-Men. Let's also remember that Star Trek has been referenced in Rick and Morty , with Morty mocking the way that Michael Dorn's Worf looks.

Confirmation that Rick and Morty exists in this world is even more mind-blowing and sets up a chicken-and-egg scenario. The creator of Lower Decks is Mike McMahan , who is known for his work as a writer and producer on Rick and Morty . Speaking to CinemaBlend , Picard executive producer Akiva Goldsman confirmed the connection to McMahan and explained: "It is. We are all one big, strange, bizarre Star Trek family, and whenever we can do that, we do."

It further connects Picard , Rick and Morty and Lower Decks , thanks to the fact the latter was influenced by an episode of The Next Generation . 1994's 'Lower Decks' left Picard and the rest of the officers behind to focus on four young Enterprise ensigns, serving as the premise for McMahan's cartoon.

This isn't the first time we've had our headcanon blown apart, with NASA's real-life Enterprise shuttle appearing in the credits of the Scott Bakula-led Enterprise . The thing is, the shuttle wouldn't have been named that if not for the popularity of Star Trek and fans campaigning to NASA to name a ship after the famed starship.

@MikeMcMahanTM I think #StarTrekPicard created a paradox. How can the show reference #RickandMorty , if you are one of the creative minds behind that show and #StarTrekLowerDecks , but Lower Decks exists in the same universe as Picard??? pic.twitter.com/TxEf0oraLz — WDiM TV and Movie Breakdowns (@WhatDidiMiss6) March 17, 2022

We also know characters from Star Trek actually watch Star Trek . In an interview with Inverse , McMahan said, "People in Star Trek watch Star Trek ," citing the finale of Enterprise where Riker took part in a holographic recreation of an Enterprise adventure that happened 200 years before he was born.

Leaning into the idea that some adventures have been serialized for entertainment, McMahan added: "So, that was a big deal for me. It was very helpful."

The season one finale of Lower Decks had Riker make a joke about watching "Archer and those guys" on the holodeck – as a nod to his divisive appearance in Enterprise . It's an odd concept, a bit like Robert Pattinson's Batman kicking back after a day of saving a rain-soaked Gotham to watch the Adam West series.

The Rick and Morty mention also feeds into the wild theory that Harmon and Roiland's show itself is just a show that's being watched on the popular Interdimensional Cable.

In some bizarre way, it makes it actually possible for Rick Sanchez to cross over into an episode of Lower Decks . Due to licensing, we doubt this will happen, but still, it's a mind-boggling idea to conceive.

Finally, if you remember Rick and Morty was born as a parody of Back to the Future , does this also mean Doc and Marty's time-hopping adventures exist in Star Trek canon? Considering Christopher Lloyd starred in 1984's Star Trek III: The Search For Spock , that throws up problems of its own.

It could be time to go for a lie down in a darkened room.

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The Rick And Morty Easter Egg You Likely Missed In Picard

Few television shows have cemented themselves in today's cultural zeitgeist with the same firmness as "Rick and Morty." From the minds of "Community" creator Dan Harmon and his creative partner Justin Roiland, the outlandish animated show about the adventures of a mad scientist and his grandson quickly became an adult animation (and sci-fi) mainstay, shocking and delighting audiences as the pair hop between universes and become embroiled in hijinks, catastrophe, and inappropriate interludes. 

But, for all its inventiveness, "Rick and Morty" is forever indebted to the science fiction entertainment of the past, which the show both draws on and mocks with a combination of nostalgia and ferocious parody. While the basic premise of "Rick and Morty" draws large inspiration from "Back to the Future" and the iconic British series "Doctor Who" (both feature an experienced adventurer taking on a younger, more naïve protégé), the Adult Swim show owes a debt to "Star Trek" as well. For example, in the Season 2 episode "Look Who's Purging Now," Rick and Morty (both voiced by Justin Roiland) visit a planet on the eve of an event known as "The Festival," in which laws are suspended, and the townspeople engage in a night of riotous bloodlust. While the episode pokes fun at the "Purge" movies, it more closely resembles the "Star Trek: The Original Series" episode "The Return of the Archons," in which Captain Kirk (William Shatner) and his crew also find a planet celebrating an event called "The Festival." Of course, the "Rick and Morty" version takes the premise way too far , with darkly hilarious results.

It seems that the current creators of one "Star Trek" franchise show have possibly noticed the parody "Rick and Morty" has leveled at the veteran sci-fi TV franchise and are tipping their hat in response. In a recent Season 2 episode of "Picard," a sly Easter egg references the madcap animated series.

Even in an alternate version of 2024, Rick and Morty exists

Season 2 of "Picard" takes its titular Admiral Jean-Luc Picard ( Patrick Stewart ) and his new crew back in time to the year 2024 with the mission of averting a change in the timeline that has caused Earth's future to mutate into an intergalactic fascist empire rather than the quasi-utopian society "Star Trek" fans know and love. In Episode 3, "Assimilation," after crash-landing on present-day Earth, Captain Chris Rios (Santiago Cabrera) suffers an accident while transporting from the vessel. Injured, he is brought to a free clinic, where he meets Doctor Teresa Ramirez (Sol Rodriguez) and her young son, Ricardo (Steve Gutierrez). Rios attempts to charm Ricardo, who has found the captain's communicator badge and refuses to give it back without a bribe. He is interrupted by Teresa, who tells her kid that if he doesn't get back to his homework, he won't be allowed to watch "Rick and Morty" later. The line of dialogue is simple, but it confirms that even in this somehow altered version of "Star Trek" history, "Rick and Morty" exists.

It's a fun Easter egg, though it does introduce some puzzling questions. For instance, "Star Trek" the TV show obviously doesn't exist in the "Star Trek" version of the 2020s, so we can assume all the moments in "Rick and Morty" that parody the iconic, spacefaring franchise doesn't exist in that series, either. It's probably best not to go too deep down that rabbit hole and instead simply enjoy the reference for what it is: one of science fiction's greatest franchises giving a well-deserved nod to a beloved show it helped inspire.

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‘Star Trek: Lower Decks’ Trailer: ‘Rick and Morty’ Alum Mike McMahan Leads Animated Series

Ryan lattanzio, deputy editor, film.

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While “ Star Trek ” and “animated workplace comedy” might seem like an unlikely hybrid, that’s exactly what’s coming to CBS All Access on August 6 with “ Star Trek: Lower Decks .” The 10-episode first season is created by Mike McMahan, formerly the head writer of the Adult Swim phenomenon and Emmy-winning series “ Rick and Morty .” McMahan also co-created the Hulu series “Solar Opposites.” Check out the first trailer for “Star Trek: Lower Decks” below.

McMahan already has plenty of experience in the “Star Trek” universe as the mastermind behind the popular TNG Season 8 Twitter account , which imagined what “Star Trek: The Next Generation” might’ve looked like had the series continued, and it even spawned a spinoff book of its own in 2015. (Hypothetical episode logline for that non-existent Season 8: “A subspace rumple disables the Enterprise and blinds the crew. Data & Geordi’s plan to build the perfect girlfriend backfires explosively.”) “Star Trek: Lower Decks” is now the third spinoff to debut exclusively on CBS All Access out of the sci-fi franchise, including “Star Trek: Discovery” as well as “Star Trek: Picard.” There are more shows to come from the renaissance, including “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.” CBS All Access also hosts an anthology of short films related to the “Star Trek” world called “Short Treks.”

According to the official synopsis, “Lower Decks” will focus “on the support crew serving on one of Starfleet’s least important ships, the U.S.S. Cerritos, in 2380. Ensigns Mariner, Boimler, Rutherford, and Tendi have to keep up with their duties and their social lives, often while the ship is being rocked by a multitude of sci-fi anomalies.” The voice cast includes Tawny Newsome, Jack Quaid, Noël Wells, Eugene Cordero, Dawnn Lewis, and Jerry O’Connell. The series will air on CBS All Access on Thursdays.

CBS All Access already has ordered a second season of “Lower Decks,” and back in March, production on the series went remote amid the pandemic. Development on “Lower Decks” began as early as 2018. It’s the first animated series from “Star Trek” since “Star Trek: The Animated Series,” which ran briefly in 1973 through 1974.

“Star Trek” franchise executive producer Alex Kurtzman said , “If you watch ‘Rick and Morty’ you will see that it is deeply influenced by ‘Star Trek,’ which is really wonderful. It’s just a very different tone. The key is to laugh with ‘Star Trek’ and not at ‘Star Trek.’ And it will skew slightly more adult.”

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Is Star Trek: Lower Decks Made by Rick and Morty’s Creator?

‘Star Trek’ is a name that has long endured in the hearts and minds of sci-fi fans. The franchise is known for its ahead-of-its-time storytelling and creative flare. One of the newer additions to the franchise’s legacy is the animated series ‘Star Trek: Lower Decks,’ which provides a new and fresh take on the Starfleet by taking a look at one of its lower-ranking ships and its less than popular crew members.

However, this allows the show to honor the franchise’s rich mythology and tell heartfelt and hilarious stories . The show’s subversion of sci-fi tropes, lack of continuity, and nuanced humor make it reminiscent of another hit cartoon show: ‘ Rick and Morty .’ Are there similarities because the two shows share the same creator? Let’s find out!

Is Star Trek Lower Decks Made by Rick and Morty’s Creator?

To simply answer the question, no, ‘Star Trek: Lower Decks’ is not created by the same creators who brought ‘Rick and Morty’ to life. The two-time winner of the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program, ‘Rick and Morty’ is the brainchild of Justin Roiland and Dan Harmon. Roiland is known for his work on the animated series ‘Fish Hooks,’ which ran from 2010-2014, while Harmon is the creator of the acclaimed sitcom ‘ Community .’

Harmon and Roiland are not involved with ‘Star Trek: Lower Decks’ in any capacity. The series is created by Mike McMahan. While not officially credited as a creator for ‘Rick and Morty’ McMahan has been one of the strongest creative voices behind it and served as writer and story editor on the show. McMahan was one of the first writers hired to write ‘Rick and Morty.’ He went on to pen a total of six episodes for the show and acted as a story editor on ten episodes. McMahan also served as an executive producer and writing assistant for some episodes of the show before departing in 2019.

‘Star Trek: Lower Decks’ was officially given a series order in October 2018, with McMahan attached to the project. McMahan also created the animated series ‘ Solar Opposites ‘ along with Roiland. The series premiered in 2020 and has received critical acclaim, much like the writer’s other works. McMahan’s creative ingenuity is evident in his work on ‘Rick and Morty’ with episodes written by him such as ‘ Edge of Tomorty: Rick Die Rickpeat ,’ ‘ The Rickshank Rickdemption ,’ and ‘ The ABCs of Beth ‘ becoming some of the most enjoyable episodes of the show . Likewise, ‘Star Trek: Lower Decks’ itself has etched a place for itself in the hearts of sci-fi lovers with a similar brand of humor that has equal proportions of absurdism, emotion, and darkness.

Took a wrong turn and was stuck at the world’s longest red arrow with my own dang ensigns looking right at me. pic.twitter.com/JgbZxcCWBU — Mike McMahan (@MikeMcMahanTM) September 8, 2021

Despite the similarities in the tone of ‘Rick and Morty’ and ‘Star Trek: Lower Decks,’ McMahan has noted that the two shows are different because the former is told through a nihilistic lens while the latter upholds the richness of its sci-fi mythology. While that is true, fans of both cannot stop comparing and digging up similarities between them. Ultimately, that only serves as a testament to the love and appreciation fans have for McMahan’s works.

Read More:  Where to Stream Star Trek: Lower Decks Season 2?

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‘Lower Decks’: Watch First Trailer for ‘Star Trek’ Animated Comedy Series

• By Daniel Kreps

Daniel Kreps

The Star Trek franchise enters a Rick and Morty -like universe in the new trailer for Star Trek: Lower Decks , an animated comedy series heading to CBS All Access this summer.

The show, developed by Rick and Morty vet Mike McMahan, “focuses on the support crew serving on one of Starfleet’s least important ships, the U.S.S. Cerritos, in 2380. Ensigns Mariner, Boimler, Rutherford and Tendi have to keep up with their duties and their social lives, often while the ship is being rocked by a multitude of sci-fi anomalies.”

Unlike every Star Trek series that proceeded it, Lower Decks puts the emphasis on humor, with the cartoon set up as a class comedy between the “bridge crew” — the main focus of every Star Trek series — and the workers in the “lower decks” of the spaceship.

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The voice cast for Lower Decks features Tawny Newsome, Jack Quaid, Noël Wells, Eugene Cordero, Dawnn Lewis and Jerry O’Connell. The first episode of Season 1 premieres August 6th, with the remainder of the 10-episode first season to follow every Thursday after that.

Star Trek: Lower Decks is the third spinoff from the sci-fi franchise to stream exclusively on CBS All Access, following Star Trek: Discovery and Star Trek: Picard , with a few more in the works, including Star Trek: Strange New Worlds and another, more kid-friendly animated series set for Nickelodeon. The streaming service also hosts the Short Treks anthology of short episodes .

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Rick and Morty

• View history

Rick and Morty was a 21st century television cartoon .

In 2024 , Teresa Ramirez warned her son , Ricardo , that she would not allow him to watch Rick and Morty if he did not finish his homework . ( PIC : " Assimilation ")

Appendices [ ]

Background information [ ].

Rick and Morty has also referenced Star Trek numerous times .

Star Trek: Lower Decks creator Mike McMahan worked on this show as a writer, producer, story editor and – for the fourth season – showrunner.

Additionally, several voice actors from Rick and Morty have voiced characters on Lower Decks , including Troy Baker , Eric Bauza , Brandon Johnson , Jennifer Hale , Jess Harnell , Echo Kellum , Tom Kenny , Maurice LaMarche , Phil LaMarr , Nolan North , Kevin Michael Richardson , Ryan Ridley , Lauren Tom , Paul F. Tompkins , and Kari Wahlgren .

Christopher Lloyd , whose character Doc Brown from Back to the Future became the inspiration for Rick also appeared in three live-action teasers that aired before the fifth season finale as a Rick from another dimension who's known as Rick C-132. [1]

External link [ ]

• Rick and Morty at Wikipedia

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• Entertainment

‘Rick and Morty’ writer hired for new Star Trek animated series

Morty! Morty! There’s going to be a new Star Trek animated series!

CBS has given a two-season order for  Star Trek: Lower Decks , an animated series from  Rick and Morty  writer and executive producer Mike McMahan that will focus on the support crew serving on one of Starfleet’s “least important” ships. The series will feature half-hour episodes airing on the CBS All Access streaming platform.

The series gets its name from a 1994 episode of  Star Trek: The Next Generation that chronicled a mission from the perspectives of several junior officers working in less prominent roles aboard the USS Enterprise.

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“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.'” said  Star Trek: Discovery executive producer Alex Kurtzman, who will also executive produce  Lower Decks , in a statement. Kurtzman currently oversees the expansion of the Star Trek franchise for CBS.

“[McMahan’s] cat’s name is Riker. His son’s name is Sagan. The man is committed,” continued 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.”

Star Trek: Lower Decks will be the first original animated series for CBS Eye Animation Productions, the recently launched animation studio for CBS Television. It joins several Star Trek projects currently in the works, including the ongoing, live-action series  Star Trek: Discovery  — which returns for its second season in January 2019 — and an upcoming live-action series featuring Patrick Stewart’s iconic starship captain Jean-Luc Picard from Star Trek: The Next Generation .

“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,” McMahan said in a statement. “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.”

Lower Decks will be the second animated series based on the Star Trek franchise, following 1973’s short-lived (but appropriately titled)  Star Trek: The Animated Series .

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Paramount+ is the USS Enterprise for Trekkies, as the streaming service continues to produce entertaining and well-received Star Trek programs. There are multiple Star Trek TV shows to choose from that span a variety of genres. Star Trek: Lower Decks is an animated comedy for adults, Star Trek: Prodigy is geared toward families, and Star Trek: Discovery and Star Trek: Picard are dramas. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds falls into the drama category, but it's a throwback to the original Star Trek and a treat for all fans.

Created by Akiva Goldsman, Alex Kurtzman, and Jenny Lume, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds follows the adventures of Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount) and the crew of the starship USS Enterprise as they traverse to new worlds within the galaxy. The series takes place ten years before Star Trek: The Original Series. After a critically-acclaimed first season in 2022, Strange New Worlds returns for its second season this summer. Below is information about the release date, time, channel, and plot for the first episode of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2. When does episode 1 of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2 release?

For as long as both entities have existed, fans of science fiction and fantasy have debated the merits of Star Trek and Star Wars. But for most of the 45 years that the two franchises have overlapped, Star Trek and Star Wars haven’t actually had much in common, apart from their cosmic setting. Star Trek is an aspirational sci-fi series set in humanity’s future, while Star Wars is a bombastic fantasy adventure that takes place in a far-off galaxy. One has primarily lived on weekly television, while the other has broken big-screen box office numbers. However, in recent years, both Star Trek and Star Wars have become tentpoles for their parent companies’ subscription streaming services, Paramount+ and Disney+, respectively, each pumping out a steady stream of content in an ever-widening array of formats. This has led them to encroach further into each other’s territory than ever before. Star Trek vs. Star Wars is no longer an apples-to-oranges comparison — they are directly competing products, sharing some of the same ambitions and struggling against the same environmental forces. We will likely never settle on which space franchise is the greatest of all time, but we can take a moment to ask: Which is better right now?

Star Trek and Star Wars have both leaned heavily into fan service

Crossovers are nothing new for the Star Trek franchise. That tradition began in 1987 when original series star DeForest Kelley reprised his role as Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy in the first episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation. But in the upcoming second season of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, there's a unique crossover coming between this series and the animated program Star Trek: Lower Decks. For the first time in Star Trek history, two characters from an animated series will appear in live-action, and they will be portrayed by the same performers who provide their voices. As seen in the new Strange New Worlds trailer below, Tawny Newsome and Jack Quaid are reprising their respective roles as Beckett Mariner and Brad Boimler.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds | Season 2 Official Trailer | Paramount+

• Entertainment /

Rick and Morty’s head writer is making an animated Star Trek series

Star trek: lower decks is part of the franchise’s new five-year mission.

By Devon Maloney

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Back in June, CBS Television Studios announced it had signed a five-year deal with Star Trek: Discovery co-creator and executive producer Alex Kurtzman, who would develop a number of future entries in the utopian TV franchise. At the time, it was reported that those shows would include a soapier Starfleet Academy show from the creators of Gossip Girl and  Marvel’s  Runaways ; two limited series, including one based on The   Wrath of Khan ; and an animated series. Today, the studio announced more details on that animated project: it’ll be an adult cartoon called Star Trek: Lower Decks , created by Rick and Morty head writer Mike McMahan.

Described as focusing on “the support crew serving on one of Starfleet’s least important ships,” the new series takes its name from a seventh season episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation , in which the actions of the senior staff (and stars of the show) are seen through the eyes of the ship’s junior crew members. McMahan, in addition to being a “life-long Trekkie,” is the creator of @TNG_S8 , the parody Twitter account that imagines a spirited final season of Next Generation involving lots of the same schtick that no doubt will populate Lower Decks . (McMahan’s Twitter adventures were adapted into a book in 2015.) He’s also been writing for Short Treks, the interim mini-episode series designed to expand the Star Trek: Discovery universe and hold fans over until the show returns in January 2019.

“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,” Kurtzman said in a press release. “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.”

Lower Decks will be produced by CBS Television’s new animation arm, CBS Eye Animation Productions. It joins the Jean-Luc Picard sequel series the studio (and actor Patrick Stewart) confirmed was in the works back in August.

While actual plot details are TBD, McMahan does offer one assurance in the press release: “I promise not to add an episode at the very end that reveals the whole thing took place in a training program.”

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Star Trek comedy Lower Decks' No. 1 rule: Don't make fun of Star Trek

Star Trek: Lower Decks creator Mike McMahan talks Trek and the mind-bending challenges of his other job, Rick and Morty.

Boldly going nowhere with the Lower Decks crew.

Mike McMahan has a question for Star Trek: Lower Decks star Tawny Newsome . "What's our No. 1 rule whenever we're doing Star Trek jokes?" he asks. Newsome tries to remember. "Let's eat lunch first?" 

"No," laughs McMahan, writer and producer of  Rick and Morty ,  Solar Opposites and  Star Trek: Lower Decks , which premiered Thursday on streaming service  CBS All Access .

"It's don't punch down on Star Trek."

McMahan is keen to insist that although  Star Trek: Lower Decks may be a Rick and Morty-esque animated comedy set in the Trek universe, it doesn't make fun of Trek. In fact, both Newsome and McMahan nerd out about their love of all things Star Trek on a Zoom call before its Aug. 6 release. (Disclosure: ViacomCBS is CNET's parent company.)

McMahan describes Star Trek as "the baseline of sci-fi." It's been around all his life, and he's inspired by Trek's utopian vision of a human race acting in harmony to explore the cosmos. 

"It's almost like sci-fi comfort food," he says. 

The utopian ideals of Gene Roddenberry's long-running creation are certainly an interesting contrast to a previous show McMahan worked on: Rick and Morty. Fans love to dissect whether Adult Swim's sci-fi comedy about mad scientist Rick and his long-suffering nephew Morty is a study in nihilism. But the creative process starts in a similar way: "Rick and Morty and Lower Decks [episodes] both start in a very sci-fi place and then they spiral off from there," McMahan says.

Rick and Morty is a harder show to write, McMahan admits. "Every episode has to be, y'know, the most brain-twisting mind-fucking episode ever... [And on top of that] Rick has a portal gun that can take him anywhere so you're always trying to figure out reasons he left it on the toilet."

Emmy-nominated Rick and Morty is available to stream in the US on HBO Max.

Although he's in command of Lower Decks, others were at the helm of Rick and Morty. The show was created by Dan Harmon and Justin Roiland, and the writing staff had to think of things that would make these two laugh. But do they like Star Trek?

"Harmon is a huge Trek fan," McMahan says. "He's the kind of guy who's consumed so much media and stored away all these different iconic mythologically broad ways to tell a story and make TV and make people laugh. I don't know Justin had as much of a relationship with Star Trek, I think that he was more into horror movies ... I know he loves Sliders and Farscape for some reason."

Lower Decks certainly has a dash of Rick and Morty's anarchic spirit. When the show opens with a main character's leg sliced open by a drunk colleague waving a Klingon bat'leth, you know you're not on the Enterprise. When you're following a group of galactically hapless losers on a lesser starship, you're even in for some un-Starfleet language (bleeped, of course).

"I thought that was gonna be cut out," Newsome says. The star of Netflix's Space Force and the podcast Yo, Is This Racist? had fun providing the voice for Ensign Mariner, possibly the wildest character in Starfleet ("I've got to get that on a T-shirt," she laughs.)  

Ensign Mariner (right) boldly goes too far.

When he had the opportunity to pitch a Star Trek show, McMahan immediately opted for the Next Generation era familiar from his youth. "I remember watching Data and Geordi," he remembers, "like, these are my guys." As much as he loves the characters and campiness of The Original Series, the '90s era of Trek shows felt like home  -- and also proved it was possible to tell stories beyond the Enterprise. "With Voyager and Deep Space Nine, it became like a genre," says McMahan. "The TNG era is kind of a genre of Star Trek, and [for creators] it's just a playground."

For the look and feel of the show, McMahan nerded out over hundreds of variants of the uniforms and the starship USS Cerritos. But although the animated format allows a lot of freedom in depicting this fantastical future, it comes with certain limits. 

"Everything you see on screen is not only a choice, it's got to be painstakingly tracked and drawn and moved," McMahan says. "That's why when you watch those old Looney Tunes the background just repeats over and over when they're running. And the special effects are handled differently -- beaming in a cartoon doesn't quite look as magical as it does in live action. But then you can meet alien races that don't have to have an actor sit for 13 hours to apply a prosthesis."

CBS All Access  will release Lower Decks on the streaming service on Aug. 6. The first season will span 10 episodes, available each Thursday. 

Lower Decks joins a slate of live-action Trek shows on CBS All Access , including  Star Trek: Discovery ,  Star Trek: Picard  and the upcoming  Star Trek: Strange New Worlds .

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Den of Geek

Star Trek: Lower Decks Got Good When It Stopped Trying To Be Rick & Morty

People still compare Star Trek: Lower Decks to Rick and Morty, but it’s evolved into something much more and much better.

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One would think the biggest shadow Star Trek : Lower Decks would have to escape is Star Trek itself. An animated comedy set in the Trek universe already has a lot of baggage, not least of which shifting the franchise from drama to adult comedy. It certainly does deal with that but even more so it has to escape the shadow of one of the biggest adult comedies in recent memory: Rick and Morty .

Star Trek: Lower Decks owes a huge debt to Rick and Morty , not least of which because its creator, Mike McMahan, was a writer on that show first. Even the visuals of Lower Decks take inspiration from Rick and Mort y. At first, Lower Decks seemed to really be playing into this, featuring gross out humor, body horror, and even a Rick and Morty like dynamic between Lower Decks leads Mariner and Boimler. And it was not great.

Confession time. When Star Trek: Lower Decks first premiered in 2020, I watched the premiere and quickly gave up on it. It really did feel like a wannabe Rick and Morty with added “we said the Trek thing you know” humor and that’s not what I wanted from Star Trek . I held onto that view until just recently when I saw a clip from a later episode that featured a joke that was not only a reference to TNG and DS9 but also just a funny joke about conspiracy theories.

This, plus a friends undying love for the show, got me to dip my toe back in. I rewatched the first episode and it still didn’t work for me… but as I kept watching it slowly got better and better. By the end of first season, I was really digging it and, by the middle season two, I was in love with the show. What changed? Well, it stopped trying to be Rick and Morty and it just leaned into all the potential that comes with doing a comedy in the Trek universe. And it’s so much better for it.

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That first episode is the least successful of all the shows outings. It relies on elements that, while they usually work in at least early Rick and Morty , don’t work here. Chief among them was the dynamic between Mariner and Boimler. Mariner, the hot shot does whatever she wants lead was contrasted with Boimler, the neurotic over achiever who never wants to get into anything too dangerous. It was just Rick and Morty but in the Trek universe. The key thing that didn’t work was how it treated Mariner.

In Rick and Morty , much of the humor of the Rick character comes from the fact he’s a hollow shell of a person who ends up being the cause of his own problems. He may act like he’s perfect and smarter than anyone in the room but he’s his own greatest enemy. Mariner in Lower Decks , at least in the first episode, is just a kick butt action lead who’s seemingly perfect aside from disobeying orders for the right reason.  It’s like if in Rick and Morty , Rick was actually shown to be perfect all the time and never had flaws. It’d make him annoying and all his horrible actions would be perfectly justified, losing their dark comedic edge.

L ower Decks quickly realized this wasn’t the way to go and throughout the first season filled in Mariner’s back story, making her a major screw up that wasn’t always right. Boimler could one-up her at times and she could go too far, like in  “Cupid’s Errant Arrow” where her insistence that Boimler’s new girlfriend must be an imposter is proved wrong.

The show also took the time to flesh our her back story, giving her genuine trauma that’s mostly played for comedy but still fills in why she acts the way she does. We also get a softening of her friendship with Boimler. While in early episodes the relationship felt incredibly mean spirited on Mariner’s part, later on the two genuinely grow to like each other but still have an edge that provides some fantastic comedy.

The gross out humor of the first episode, in particular an extended sequence where Boimler is suckled on by an alien, is mostly gone from later episodes. They still do “gross” gags but they aren’t as overplayed and tend to come more from the characters.  In “We’ll Always Have Tom Paris,” medical officer Tendi has to travel with Mariner in order to find a libido post for T’ana, the ship’s chief medical officer (who’s basically a cat person.) After a series of madcap adventures the two accidentally break the post but T’ana doesn’t care. All she wanted was the box to play in, just like a real cat. The subversion is just perfect.

Lower Decks could still be accused of relying too much on the “we said a Trek thing you know” and the first episode is guilty of it. In its closing moments Mariner just lists off characters from other Trek shows and the joke is mostly that she’s just listing them off. Later episodes also rely on Trek references but, like the Wolf 359 joke, it’s done in a way that uses the Trek universe the same way a regular comedy might use a pop culture reference.

Season 2 introduces a Tamarian crewmember (remember the race from the TNG episode ‘Darmok’?), Kayshon, who speaks in metaphors. The way the show plays these jokes, like when Kayshon is tracking down a spy and says, “you getting ‘Bazinti when he pulled back the veil’ vibes from this guy?” is a perfect callback to “Darmok” and also hilarious because he says it like it’s something everyone else knows. This isn’t just name checking Spock for a joke, this is the kinda humor that plays on deep cut references but is funny in its own right.

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And of course there’s Badgey, the maniacal hologram who’s clearly based on Microsoft’s Clippy who wants to kill engineer Rutherford, his “father.” If you’re unsure about Lower Decks , check out clips of Badgey from the episode ‘Terminal Provocations.’ He’s a sight to behold.

Lower Decks has evolved into a hilarious comedy with a lot of heart. I’d even argue it’s transcended its Rick and Morty roots. While that series has somewhat floundered after its breakout early seasons, Lower Decks has quickly grown into something really special that works as a love letter to Trek , a fun comedy, and has a group of characters that you love and want to root for.

Shamus Kelley | @ShamusWrites

For more from Shamus including original TV scripts visit www.ShamusKelley.com. He’s been a TV writer since 2009 when he created and executive produced the 21 JSR…

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A new Star Trek animated comedy is coming from a Rick and Morty writer

Star Trek: Lower Decks is already set for two seasons at least

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A new Star Trek animated comedy series is on its way to CBS All Access, Variety reported on Thursday morning.

The animated comedy series, which was given an order for two seasons, will be called Star Trek: Lower Decks and will be developed by Rick and Morty writer Mike McMahan. While “Lower Decks” is also the name of an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation — in which junior officers vie for a promotion, this series won’t be much like previous Star Trek shows. Rather than the traditional Star Trek format of following the captain and key crew members, this series will follow the forgotten members of the United Federation of Planets working on one of the least important ships in Starfleet.

According to Star Trek: Discovery creator Alex Kurtzman, whose Secret Hideout production company will also be producing Lower Decks , McMahan, who has written five Rick and Morty episodes including the season 3 opener, “The Rickshank Rickdemption” pitched the series by saying, “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.”

This will be the first animated show for CBS All Access, and will be produced largely by the company’s new animation studio, CBS Eye Animation Productions. The new animated Trek series, which will be the first in the series since Star Trek: The Animated Series back in 1973, looks to be a part of the four upcoming Star Trek series that Variety reported were in development for CBS All Access back in June. These shows include the upcoming return of Captain Jean-Luc Picard, who will be played once again by Sir Patrick Stewart .

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How Similar Is Star Trek: Lower Decks To Rick and Morty?

Writer Mike McMahan helped shape Rick and Morty, and created Star Trek: Lower Decks, but how similar are the two animated sci-fi comedies?

• Rick and Morty and Star Trek: Lower Decks have very little in common beyond the connection to writer Mike McMahan.
• Both shows have family-centered main characters and take place in a galaxy with aliens that cause tension and conflict.
• Both shows aim to evoke laughter from audiences while also telling stories with depth and meaning.

It's a great time for animated science fiction comedy, and while there are plenty to choose from, the best of the bunch are associated with one deeply nerdy writer: Mike McMahan. The co-creator of Solar Opposites , he was one of the first people hired for Rick and Morty . However, he also created Star Trek: Lower Decks , the series that mines Gene Roddenberry's universe for comedy and casts serving on a Starfleet vessel as just a really strange workplace. Given their connection to McMahan, just how similar are Rick and Morty and Star Trek: Lower Decks ? The short answer is that Lower Decks and Rick and Morty have very little in common beyond McMahan and science fiction tropes.

One series is a cynical look at humanity through the lens of science fiction in a vast multiverse where nothing really matters. The other series is firmly planted in one of the most humanist science fiction universes ever created , with stories that are committed to aspirational tales of how everything matters. Yet, the shows do share some commonalities beyond the humorous sensibilities of Mike McMahan, who served as the showrunner for both series. The central characters of each series are family, whether by blood or by bond. The shows take place in a galaxy where aliens, both horrifying and ridiculous, are "real," and often serve as the source of tension and conflict. Lastly, each series tries to both evoke uproarious laughter from their audiences while also telling a story with depth and meaning.

What Rick and Morty Is and How Mike McMahan Added to It

Rick and morty season 8 gets a surprisingly far release window.

Originally conceived as an X-Rated Back to the Future parody, Adult Swim's Rick and Morty follows the adventures of the smartest man in the multiverse and his grandson as they travel to different planets and realities. The show was co-created by Dan Harmon and Justin Roiland, the latter of whom is no longer with the show after sexual misconduct allegations . During the first season's production, Mike McMahan was brought on the staff as a writer's assistant.

McMahan quickly earned a spot with his first Rick and Morty script, Season 1, Episode 9, " Something Ricked This Way Comes ." He was promoted to Story Editor in Season 2, and Story Producer by Season 3. McMahan was promoted to showrunner by the fourth season. McMahan's skill as a comedy writer is obvious, but he also recognizes that luck was involved because a writer's assistant job is difficult to come by. Producers "usually go to the assistants of the lit agents… because the agent's assistant tends to be responsible. They set up meetings and manage the calendar so they should be able to handle the responsibility" of a writers room, he said in 2017 at the New York Film Academy .

McMahan credited his success with how well he did the job rather than his specific title. "It’s kind of different depending on what room you’re in. It’s an insanely amazing job to get, particularly if you want to be a comedy writer," he said at NYFA. "You’re kind of like [the writers'] babysitter," he joked. His job was throwing out trash, preparing the room for the next day, and other menial tasks. Yet, by being in the room at all, he got the chance to "prove [my] voice as a comedy writer." In the room, he noted that he was "the sci-fi guy," developing the high-concept scenarios that Rick and Morty would find themselves mixed up in each week.

Rick and Morty

The fractured domestic lives of a nihilistic mad scientist and his anxious grandson are further complicated by their inter-dimensional misadventures.

Lower Decks Is a Workplace Comedy and McMahan's 'Dream Star Trek'

Has star trek's sexiest show become a touchstone for asexual representation.

Long before he was employed by Paramount, Mike McMahan was already writing Star Trek in a different capacity. He created a parody account on Twitter/X that imagined an unproduced eighth season of Star Trek: The Next Generation . When given the chance to pitch a series to Alex Kurtzman at Paramount, the producer bought the show in the room. "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," Kurtzman told TrekMovie.com .

Based on the Season 7 TNG episode, Lower Decks follows characters who rarely sit on the bridge and never take command of the ship. Whereas a hallmark of Rick and Morty is that the characters don't care about much beyond themselves, these Starfleet Ensigns (promoted to Lieutenant in Season 4) truly care about the mission and the ideals of the Federation. Whereas Rick and Morty are cynical, Brad Boimler, Beckett Mariner, Sam Rutherford and N'Vana Tendi are earnest, true believers. In early seasons, the crew were all mostly screwups. By Season 4, Lower Decks is still a workplace comedy but has truly earned the name "Star Trek."

The show is replete with references to the past series and films, with characters, settings and even props popping up in every episode. Lower Decks gets away with making the characters "fans" of Star Trek , because, to them, it's just their real-life history. As a self-proclaimed Trekkie, he was over the moons of Rigel to just chat with Kurtzman, who asked what kind of Star Trek story he wanted to tell. "I literally just laid out exactly what Lower Decks was off the top of my head, not even preparing," he told The Hollywood Reporter in 2022, adding "I didn’t know I was allowed to have that dream … I don’t think I really realized I had the show until like episode eight of the first season."

How Star Trek Lower Decks and Rick and Morty Are Similar

Star trek: lower decks' tawny newsome dishes on making season 4.

Perhaps the biggest similarity between Star Trek: Lower Decks and Rick and Morty is found in the writing. Specifically, each show features characters who talk very quickly and tell a lot of jokes while doing so. The characters in each series have equal moments of ridiculous humor and examples of cleverness and wit. The jokes also often stem from high-concept elements of science fiction, though Lower Decks characters don't treat them as absurd as Rick and Morty characters do.

These series share another writing similarity, likely attributable to McMahan's sensibilities and lessons learned from the way Harmon approaches storytelling: while densely comedic, the audience come to care about what happens to the individual characters. The distance between laughter and tears can be crossed without a portal or warp speed, and these stories can surprisingly move viewers who thought they were just in for some dirty jokes and animated adventure.

There are also some visual similarities between Rick and Morty and Lower Decks , thanks to both being animation. Alien creatures are often designed in such a way that realizing them in live action would be nigh impossible. Similarly, there are elements of body horror, cartoonish orgies and gross-out humor. For example, the Lower Decks Season 4 crewmembers who were "Tuvix-ed," share some similarities with Rick and Morty 's "Cronenberg" monsters. While the commonalities between the shows are close to the surface, the differences run deep into the DNA of both shows.

Star Trek: Lower Decks and Rick and Morty Couldn't Be More Different

Rick and morty season 7 reveals why rick treats summer bad.

Two foundational elements of Rick and Morty are how the show deconstructs (to the point of ridicule) science fiction concepts and the nihilism of the central characters. Lower Decks also has fun with tropes, such as Star Trek 's penchant for "dangerous" games. Yet, the characters react in the opposite way to Rick, Morty, Summer or the rest of the gang. To them, every bit of sci-fi weirdness is just part of a normal day at the office. In Season 4's "Caves," Lower Decks makes fun of Star Trek 's oft-reused cave sets and how they stymie Starfleet's advanced technology. Yet, the jokes are just winks and nods to fans, while the stories in the episode are taken seriously and surprisingly heartfelt.

The biggest difference between the two series are the tone and the underlying themes in each universe. Gene Roddenberry created Star Trek as a vehicle for allegories about how humanity can be better. Rick and Morty , however, never miss an opportunity to highlight the ugly side of humanity, and how people fail each other. Despite its over-the-top humor, Lower Decks can stand alongside the highest-minded episodes of shows like Star Trek: Deep Space Nine or Star Trek: Strange New Worlds . Lower Decks is a series that celebrates not just sci-fi but the genre's ability to inspire its fans to dream of a better future.

Both Rick and Morty and Star Trek: Lower Decks are excellent shows that tell engaging stories with plenty of humor. There is little doubt Mike McMahan is a big reason why on both counts. However, through his time on Lower Decks , McMahan was able to create a hilarious group of characters who still embody everything that Roddenberry hoped the humans who watched his series might one day become. Rick and Morty pokes fun at the science fiction elements genre fans love, while Lower Decks embraces them with Starfleet earnestness.

Rick and Morty is currently streaming Max, while Star Trek: Lower Decks streams on Paramount+ .

Star Trek: Lower Decks

The support crew serving on one of Starfleet's least important ships, the U.S.S. Cerritos, have to keep up with their duties, often while the ship is being rocked by a multitude of sci-fi anomalies.

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‘Star Trek: Lower Decks’ Animated Series From ‘Rick and Morty’ EP & Secret Hideout Ordered By CBS All Access

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The expansion of CBS All Access ‘ Star Trek universe continues with a two-season order to  Star Trek: Lower Decks , a half-hour adult animated comedy series from Rick and Morty head writer and executive producer Mike McMahan, a long-time  Star Trek fan. Star Trek: Lower Decks, which will focus on the support crew serving on one of Starfleet’s least important ships, marks CBS All Access’ first original animated series and the first project to be produced by CBS Eye Animation Productions, a newly launched animation arm of CBS Television Studios.

It hails from Alex Kurtzman’s CBS TV Studios-based Secret Hideout, which had been spearheading the Star Trek franchise expansion, and Roddenberry Entertainment. Secret Hideout’s Alex Kurtzman and Heather Kadin, Roddenberry Entertainment’s Rod Roddenberry and Trevor Roth as well as former Cartoon Network executive Katie Krentz will executive produce alongside McMahan. Aaron Baiers, who brought McMahan to the project, will serve as a co-executive producer.

“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,” Kurtzman said. “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.”

In 2011 McMahan started a Twitter account where he posted episode plots to a fake season of Star Trek: The Next Generation.  They were such a hit that Simon & Schuster hired him to write a readers’ guide to a fictitious eighth season of TNG  titled Star Trek: The Next Generation: Warped: An Engaging Guide to the Never-Aired 8th Season. At All Access/CBS TV Studios, he also is a writer on the Start Trek: Short Treks  series of shorts.

“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 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.”

McMahan is head writer and executive producer on Adult Swim’s hit animated series Rick and Morty , sharing in the show’s Animated Program Emmy win last month. He also co-created and executive produces with  Rick and Morty  co-creator/executive producer Justin Roiland alien animated comedy series Solar Opposites , which has a two-season order at Hulu via 20th TV.

“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, EVP, Original Content, 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.”

Star Trek: Lower Decks joins CBS All Access/CBS TV Studios’ Star Trek: Discovery,  returning for Season 2 in January, Star Trek: Short Treks, a series of four short stories tied to Discovery and the overall Star Trek universe , as well as an upcoming untitled Star Trek  series featuring Sir Patrick Stewart reprising his iconic role as Jean-Luc Picard.

This is return to the animated space for Star Trek following the 1973 Star Trek: The Animated Series.

Overseeing CBS Eye Animation Productions via her 219 Productions is Krentz who signed an overall deal with CBS TV Studios in early 2018 following five years at Cartoon Network. This is CBS TV Studios’ second animated series overall, following Our Cartoon President for Showtime, which is an extension of the animated segments on Late Show with Stephen Colbert .

McMahan is repped by ICM Partners, Mosaic and Morris Yorn.

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Star Trek: Picard’s Akiva Goldsman On Q Altering The Prime Universe, And That Rick And Morty Reference

There's a lot of crossover goodness to discuss.

Warning! The following contains spoilers for the Star Trek: Picard episode “Assimilation.” Read at your own risk!

Star Trek: Picard certainly delivered a lot to think about this week, and while fans mourn Elnor ’s death and wonder whether or not he’ll come back to life once the timeline is corrected, there are other exciting things to consider. I spoke to creator and executive producer Akiva Goldsman about the massive revelation regarding Q 's altering of the Prime Universe ( and he has many possible motives for doing so ). We also had a chance to chat about that Rick and Morty reference, which might’ve casually slid under the radar.

For those who missed it, Picard realized that Q’s reality-altering move wasn’t quite what some originally thought. Specifically, Picard realized that Q altered the events of the past rather than create an alternate reality, which means Q directly meddled in the Prime Universe timeline. The only problem with that is Star Trek: Picard isn’t the only show currently operating in the Prime Universe timeline, as there are several shows set to air in 2022 that feasibly would feel the impact of Q altering the timeline with a massive event in 2024. 

I asked Akiva Goldsman (who shared some awesome insight with us about Season 2’s premiere ) if we could see the events of Picard play out across multiple shows and got an interesting answer in response. 

[laughs] I am not at liberty to share anything about those!

Akiva Goldsman wasn’t willing to comment further on the matter, but it’ll be interesting to see if the Confederation or any other timeline-altering activities that happen in Season 2 of Star Trek: Picard play out on other shows. After all, stuff like this is commonplace in the MCU, so why wouldn’t Star Trek get in on the fun? 

Speaking of crossovers, it’s worth noting that Star Trek: Picard had another exciting moment in Episode 3 when the on-call physician threatened her son Ricardo that if he didn’t finish his homework, he couldn’t watch Rick and Morty . I asked Akiva Goldsman if that was a small nod to the work of current Star Trek: Lower Decks showrunner Mike McMahan , who worked on Rick and Morty prior to joining the franchise :

It is. We are all one big, strange, bizarre Star Trek family, and whenever we can do that, we do.

Rick and Morty canonically exists as a show in Star Trek , and while I’d need to consult Mike McMahon on this one, I think that could mean the actual Rick and Morty universe is canon? There’s a popular fan theory that the show’s fourth wall breaks are a result of Rick and Morty being a show the characters watched on interdimensional cable, so I’m just saying there’s a path for the actual Rick and Morty to be canon in the Trek universe. 

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We all have Star Trek: Picard to thank for this, and of course, potentially any other weirdness that might impact the show’s timeline. Perhaps Q’s timeline meddling will inadvertently lead to Rick Sanchez on Lower Decks ? I doubt it with licensing rights between companies, which McMahan and Justin Roiland talked about when asked about a crossover between Lower Decks and Solar Opposites . 

Star Trek: Picard streams new episodes on Paramount+ on Thursdays. It’s just one of many Star Trek shows coming in 2022 , so be sure to snag a Paramount+ subscription to get in on all the fun.

Mick Joest is a Content Producer for CinemaBlend with his hand in an eclectic mix of television goodness. Star Trek is his main jam, but he also regularly reports on happenings in the world of Star Trek, WWE, Doctor Who, 90 Day Fiancé, Quantum Leap, and Big Brother. He graduated from the University of Southern Indiana with a degree in Journalism and a minor in Radio and Television. He's great at hosting panels and appearing on podcasts if given the chance as well.

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The Hilarious ‘Star Trek: Lower Decks’ Will End With Season Five

The animated science fiction comedy Star Trek: Lower Decks is sailing off into the sunset/exploding nebula. Variety reported that the show’s upcoming fifth season will be its last.

Lower Decks , which premiered in 2020, followed the interstellar adventures of the low-ranking junior officers of the USS Cerritos . These “lower deckers” include Beckett Mariner (Tawny Newsome), Brad Boimler (Jack Quaid), D’Vana Tendi (Noël Wells) and Sam Rutherford (Eugene Cordero). 

Executive producer Alex Kurtzman (a.k.a. the Kevin Feige of Paramount+’s expanded Star Trek universe) and executive producer/showrunner Mike McMahan ( Rick and Morty ) released a statement saying,

“We remain hopeful that even beyond Season 5, Mariner, Boimler, Tendi, Rutherford and the whole Cerritos crew will live on with new adventures, … While five seasons of any series these days seems like a miracle, it’s no exaggeration to say that every second we’ve spent making this show has been a dream come true.”

While we’re very sad to see the hilarious series end, it was only natural given that our core four all received promotions in season four . After all, you can’t have a Lower Decks show from the bridge, am I right?

In brighter Trek news, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds has been renewed for a fourth season. SNW is currently in production on its third season starring Anson Mount as Captain Christopher Pike leading the USS Enterprise with younger versions of legacy characters Spock (Ethan Peck), Uhura (Celia Rose Gooding), and Kirk (Paul Wesley).

Season 3 of Strange New Worlds will premiere in 2025, while the final season of Lower Decks will premiere this fall. Both shows and their previous seasons are available to stream on Paramount+.

(featured image: Paramount+)

RICK AND MORTY Creator Dan Harmon Is Writing ONE PUNCH MAN Movie

I narguably, it was director Justin Lin who turned the Fast and Furious franchise into the juggernaut it is. He directed entries three, four, five, six, and nine. But after departing the upcoming tenth installment a week into filming, no one was sure what Lin would do next. Until now! According to Deadline , Sony has tapped Lin to bring manga and anime powerhouse One Punch Man to the big screen. Scott Rosenberg and Jeff Pinkner, who wrote Venom and Jumanji: The Next Level , will write the screenplay for this One Punch Man movie adaptation, and Avi Arad (who produces a million things, including the Spider-Man movies) will produce.

Lin’s movie will also include a familiar name on the writing front. According to The Hollywood Reporter , Rick and Morty creator Dan Harmon and writer Heather Anne Campbell are currently writing the One Punch Man live-action movie. This totally makes sense considering the tone and general weirdness of both properties.

One Punch Man debuted in 2009 from mangaka ONE and quickly shot to prominence in the manga community. An anime series followed in 2015 and became a behemoth around the world. It follows a regular guy named Saitama who becomes the most powerful superhero of all time. The problem is, his power is that he can defeat any foe with only one punch. He gets immediately bored with no one able to even give him a challenge. The story parodies superhero and Shonen media alike, indulging in all the excess and ridiculousness of both.

Lin is not a stranger to bringing a beloved franchise to the screen. In addition to Fast and Furious (which wasn’t really anything until he took over), Lin also directed the criminally underseen Star Trek Beyond . Easily the best of the Kelvin Timeline Trek movies; it had the unfortunate problem of coming out after Into Darkness . He has also directed episodic television, including True Detective and Community . Lin certainly has the chops to bring the enormous battles and hilarious awkwardness to live action. Here’s hoping Sony has learned the lesson from other recent western manga adaptations that have been…well, bad.

No word on a release date or anything else as of yet for this One Punch Man movie adaptation. But we shall keep you all up to speed.

Kyle Anderson is the Senior Editor for Nerdist. You can find his film and TV reviews here . Follow him on Instagram and Letterboxd .

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Sony's live-action One Punch Man movie is getting a rewrite from... Rick and Morty co-creator Dan Harmon?

Wouldn't have been my first choice.

Sony is still developing its live-action adaptation of One Punch Man , and it's brought on Rick and Morty writers Dan Harmon and Heather Anne Campbell.

With superhero movies not being as popular as they used to be, the two next big things that Hollywood is trying to tackle are video game and anime adaptations. Both The Last of Us and Fallout have proven successful on the games front, and One Piece was a massive hit for Netflix too. Anime is obviously massively popular these days, and while One Punch Man isn't on people's minds as much as it used to be (even if season 3 is finally on the way ), it's still getting a live-action adaptation from Justin Lin, the very same director that's being eyed up for Spider-Man 4 . Now, according to The Hollywood Reporter , Lin's One Punch Man film is getting a rewrite - from Rick and Morty co-creator Dan Harmon, and writer on the animated series Heather Anne Campbell no less.

Lin makes sense as a choice to handle a live-action One Punch Man film, given his experience with blockbusters like Star Trek Beyond and multiple Fast & Furious films, though I'd have to assume Harmon and Campbell's involvement is mostly due to their history of working on comedy animated series. It would actually be a reunion of sorts for Harmon and Lin, though, as the filmmaker did actually direct a few episodes of Community, which Harmon also created.

Production was originally expected to start at the end of 2022, with Lin supposedly working on a rewrite with other writers at the time, though clearly that didn't pan out for whatever reason. Outside of that, long-time Sony producer Avi Arad will be producing the film alongside his son Ari Arad. Details on the film's plot and how closely it will follow the original manga/ anime aren't clear right now, and there's no word on a release date, so in the meantime you'll just have to wait until season 3 drops.

Screen Rant

One-punch man live-action movie update confirms rewrite by rick & morty creator & writer.

A One-Punch Man live-action movie update confirms a rewrite by the creator of Rick and Morty and another writer for the show as production continues.

• The live-action One-Punch Man script is getting rewritten by Rick and Morty creatives Dan Harmon and Heather Anne Campbell.
• The writers chosen for the adaptation have strong comedy backgrounds, which could match the original manga's style.
• Uncertainty surrounds the release date of the movie, but there's potential for success if it remains true to the source material.

One-Punch Man 's live-action adaptation has received a new update, revealing the script is getting a rewrite from the co-creator of Rick and Morty , alongside a writer from the animated comedy. The original manga created by One is a superhero comedy series about Saitama, a man who can defeat his enemies with a single punch. It was adapted into an anime beginning in 2015, with season 3 also confirmed. An American film adaptation was also announced in 2020, though little has been revealed since its announcement.

Now, The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed the live-action One-Punch Man movie is getting a rewrite from Rick and Morty co-creator Dan Harmon and fellow writer on the animated comedy Heather Anne Campbell . Harmon and Campbell replace Scott Rosenberg and Jeff Pinkner, who were announced to be writing the film in 2020. The two comedy writers now in charge are a reflection of what to expect from the upcoming adaptation.

Would One-Punch Man Be A Good Live-Action Movie?

The two writers in charge have a history with comedy that makes them strong choices to be in charge of the One-Punch Man movie. Beyond his work on his current show, Harmon has created other comedic series like Community , HarmonQuest , and Krapopolis . Campbell was a writer for The Eric Andre Show and the sitcom Corporate , where she briefly appeared as a character. Due to the pair's extensive work in comedy, it makes sense why they would be chosen to bring the manga to life in a new format.

The news follows a trailer in February for One-Punch Man season 3 . Both pieces of news are indicative of how much the series has been growing as of late, and how it will continue to maintain traction in the public eye for the future. However, given the number of superheroes featured in the comedy, coupled with massive action sequences, a live-action movie could be a downgrade compared to the manga. The film will also undoubtedly be compared to the anime, whose strong writing and flashy animation make it difficult to measure up to.

One-Punch Man season 3 is being produced by J.C. Staff.

However, Netflix has proven with their adaptation of One Piece that anime and manga can be translated into live-action when done properly . This means One-Punch Man 's writers could create a memorable movie if they stick to what makes the original so beloved. With Harmon and Campbell possibly also focused on Rick and Morty season 8 , it's unclear when the movie is coming out. However, if they keep the spirit of the source material alive in their version, the movie could be a worthwhile companion to the manga and anime.

The One-Punch Man anime is available to stream on Hulu.

Source: THR

One-Punch Man