Summary

  • Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 4 needs to have another crossover with Star Trek: Lower Decks.
  • More opportunities for the casts to meet include Lt. Spock meeting fellow Vulcan Lt. T'Lyn.
  • Strange New Worlds season 4 is the best chance to see the Lower Decks cast again in a further mix of animation and live-action.

Star Trek: Lower Decks. Strange New Worlds season 2, episode 7, “Those Old Scientists,” saw Lower Deckers Ensign Beckett Mariner (Tawny Newsome) and Ensign Brad Boimler (Jack Quaid) time travel to encounter Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount) and the USS Enterprise crew in the 23rd century. The exciting and emotionally resonant Star Trek crossover was lauded by fans of both shows and provided important character and narrative development.

The renewal of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds for season 4, alongside the news that Star Trek: Lower Decks will not be renewed after season 5, is a bittersweet reality check for fans but may also present an opportunity to capitalize on the success of the first crossover between these two shows with another one in Strange New Worlds’ season 4. The growing prominence and influence of Tawny Newsome over Star Trek’s modern shows and Strange New Worlds showrunners’ interest in further collaboration suggests that another crossover may be a possibility.

Tawny Newsome is a writer on Paramount+'s Star Trek: Starfleet Academy series as well as voicing Mariner on Star Trek: Lower Decks.

The cast of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 1.
Related
Strange New Worlds Season 2 Cast Guide — Every New & Returning Star Trek Character

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' cast of USS Enterprise legends grows in season 2, including the additions of Scotty and Lt. James T. Kirk.

Strange New Worlds Season 4 Needs Another Star Trek: Lower Decks Crossover

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 2, Episode 7 - "Those Old Scientists"

Star Trek: Lower Decks’ Tawny Newsome says there's no crossover episode in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3, but the possibility of reuniting the USS Enterprise and USS Cerritos casts remains open. Ensigns Beckett Mariner and Brad Boimler visited the Starship Enterprise in Strange New Worlds season 2's crossover, but a sequel could see additional USS Cerritos officers’ involvement or even fully bring the live-action USS Enterprise crew into the world of animation, allowing fan-favorite characters like Lt. D’Vana Tendi (Noël Wells) and Lt Samanthan Rutherford (Eugene Cordero) to interact with other Star Trek characters.

Imagine Lieutenant Spock (Ethan Peck) meeting Star Trek: Lower Decks’ Vulcan Lieutenant T’Lyn (Gabrielle Ruiz).

Imagine Lieutenant Spock (Ethan Peck) meeting Star Trek: Lower Decks’ Vulcan Lieutenant T’Lyn (Gabrielle Ruiz) or a live-action Dr. Migleemo (Paul F. Tompkins) showing Dr. Joseph M'Benga (Babs Olusanmokun) the finer points of food-metaphor psychiatry. The dynamic between characters like Lt. La’an Noonien-Singh (Christina Chong), Lt. Shaxs (Fred Tatasciore), and Dr. T’Ana (Gillian Vigman) could also create engaging storylines, allowing options for additional animation. With the success of the first Strange New Worlds crossover and both shows’ strong fan base, another t-venture episode in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds’ season 4 seems a natural progression, continues important character developments, and, most importantly, allows for a continuation of Star Trek: Lower Decks.

Strange New Worlds Season 4 Is The Best Chance To See Lower Decks Again

Strange New Worlds can bring the Enterprise and Cerritos crews back together.

When Star Trek: Prodigy was canceled by Paramount+, an online fan campaign successfully saved the show, with Netflix acquiring it for a second season. This suggests a similar option exists for Star Trek: Lower Decks to continue with a new streaming provider. However, with Lower Decks having already completed a five-season run and fans not responding with the same umbrage and ion that saved Star Trek: Prodigy from cancelation, the likelihood of this happening remains uncertain. Nevertheless, there are still avenues – and interest – for the USS Cerritos crew to embark on new adventures.

Star Trek: The Next Generation icon and Commander William Riker actor Jonathan Frakes directed the Strange New Worlds & Lower Decks crossover episode, "Those Old Scientists."

A second crossover with Star Trek: Strange New Worlds offers the most promising chance to see Lower Decks again after it ends with season 5. Given how well-received Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2, episode 7, “Those Old Scientists" was, there is scope and precedent for further development of this collaboration. Strange New Worlds season 4 presents the best chance for Star Trek: Lower Decks to make a triumphant return. Both Star Trek: Strange New Worlds and Star Trek: Lower Decks' diverse creativity and genre-blending offer numerous possibilities for an engaging and innovative second crossover, including the potential for a multiple-episode story arc.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds and Star Trek: Lower Decks are available to stream on Paramount+.