For a very long time, the world of Star Trek merely wasn’t that humorous. Positive, there have been the occasional moments of humor; the Enterprise changing into overrun with furry alien balls, Checkov asking about “Nuclear Wessels,” Dr. Crusher being delivered to climax by the inexperienced Irish cloud monster that used thus far her grandmother.
However then got here Star Trek: Decrease Decks, from Rick and Morty producer Mike McMahan, which, considerably unusually, poked enjoyable at Star Trek from inside the Star Trek franchise itself.
Clearly the pivot to comedy was a profitable one, as a result of now the Star Trek franchise is seemingly going to offer us a straight-up sitcom.
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In the course of the weekend’s Star Trek Universe panel at San Diego Comedian-Con, it was introduced that Justin Simien, of Expensive White Individuals fame, and comic Tawny Newsome, who voices Decrease Decks’ Ensign Mariner, are presently creating a “new live-action Star Trek collection for Paramount+.” “Tawny and I are pregnant… with a Star Treok present,” Simien instructed the group.
Based on the studio, the present shall be about “Federation outsiders who’re serving on a gleaming resort planet. Not solely that, their day-to-day exploits are being broadcast to your complete quadrant.” So it’s a office comedy, and it’s mainly the sci-fi equal of a mockumentary. Sources instructed The Hollywood Reporter that it’s going to have comparable tones to The Workplace and Parks and Recreation.
Whereas the concept of doing The Workplace set within the fictional universe the place Holodecks and Klingon mating rituals exist might sound doubtlessly horrible, the truth that Simien and Newsome are behind the venture makes it appear promising. And Decrease Decks, which begins its ultimate season later this yr, actually proved that the Star Trek universe has room for overtly comedic tales.
However this received’t be the primary time that creatives have tried to crack the “Star Trek sitcom” nut. It’s occurred earlier than, albeit in an unofficial capability. Take Buck Henry’s Quark, which had nothing to do with Deep House 9’s Ferengi bartender of the identical title, however was a ‘70s sitcom in regards to the commander of an Enterprise-like “sanitation” ship, tasked with cleansing up the galaxy’s rubbish. It solely lasted for eight episodes.
Extra not too long ago, Seth MacFarlane’s The Orville, seemingly tried to be a dramatic, but legally-dissimilar, remake of Star Trek: The Subsequent Technology, whereas additionally throwing in wacky characters just like the Norm Macdonald-voiced inexperienced goo alien Yaphit, presumably for viewers who had been anticipating one thing extra according to Household Man or American Dad.
The most effective proof in favor of mashing up the world of Star Trek with the world of sitcoms simply is likely to be the time the forged of Frasier took over the bridge of the U.S.S. Voyager for 5 superb minutes throughout Star Trek’s thirtieth anniversary particular.
So long as we’re making Star Trek comedies, perhaps the forged of Frasier would reunite for a sci-fi spin-off that by no means includes having to cope with Kelsey Grammer?
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