Star Trek: Lower Decks returns to Paramount+ with the same silly sensibilities and love for the long-running franchise as it did in its debut season. However, Season 2 also brings a new layer of confidence in its handling of the core cast, providing a light-hearted and fun take on Star Trek that can appeal to animation fans regardless of their Trekkian knowledge.
Lower Decks picks up where Season 1 left off, with the crew of the U.S.S. Cerritos doing their best to survive their journies across the cosmos as well as their own minor mistakes that quickly cascade into unexpected emergencies. Beckett Mariner (Tawny Newsome), D'Vana Tendi (Noël Wells), and Sam Rutherford (Eugene Cordero) are still some of the lower-ranking crew members of the U.S.S. Cerritos, doing their level-headed best to survive and thrive despite whatever chaos their low-ranking positions within Star Fleet throw at them.
Even if the status quo has shifted due to Season 1's conclusion -- Beckett's mother/Cerritos Captain Carol Freeman (Dawnn Lewis) elevating Beckett to a higher position, an infuriated Jack Ransom (Jerry O'Connell), and Brad Boimler (Jack Quaid) briefly leaving the ship to join William Ryker (Jonathan Frakes) on the USS Titan -- the series quickly returns to the free-form sci-fi/comedy adventures that defined its first season. Creator Mike McMahan's irreverent but loving take on the Star Trek franchise remains consistently charming. Filled to the brim with Star Trek references, the series is able to mine all that history to populate the show with a lived-in feeling that benefits the show's silly and unpredictable tone.
All these deep-cut references are used to propel the cast into new adventures or complicate their missions. At times, they're clever easter eggs for fans, but to the credit of the creators, this obvious love for Star Trek never feels distracting or disingenuous -- thanks in part to the detailed attention paid to Lower Decks' characters. The cast is uniformly strong in their roles, bouncing off each other with a natural ease that grounds the otherwise goofy sci-fi adventures. The occasional hints at their internal struggles don't detract from the overall experience of the series, and instead, give the cast some well-executed character beats to explore.
With much of the world-building and character establishment completed in Season 1, the show's Season 2 has time to focus on the assorted adventures of its cast. The strength of the writing and acting -- coupled with consistently solid animation -- make the show an enjoyable sci-fi romp for even non-Trekkies. While it's not the most revolutionary project -- effectively fusing the tone of something like Archer with the sci-fi trappings and commentary of Rick & Morty -- the clean animation allows for a fluidity of motion and acting that benefits its universal-spanning adventures well. Star Trek: Lower Decks' action bursts with a kinetic energy that contrasts well against its dialogue and character-based humor.
A confident improvement on an already solid first season, Star Trek: Lower Decks Season 2 is a fun sci-fi romp for hardcore Trekkies and non-believers alike. It serves as a more optimistic and energetic answer to other major adult animations of today's era.
Streaming on Paramount+, Star Trek: Lower Decks Season 2 premieres Aug. 12.