Latest news with #LowerDecks
Geek Girl Authority
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Girl Authority
STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS: Paramount Announces Fifth and Final Season
Paramount+ has renewed Star Trek: Strange New Worlds for a fifth and final season. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds The news comes shortly before Season 3 arrives on the streamer. Season 5 will only have six episodes. Paramount+ has announced that Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 5 is on its way. However, it will be the final season of the popular cross-genre series. So far, only two seasons have been released. The first debuted in May 2022, while the second arrived in June 2023. Here's what we know about the show's final season, as well as what you can expect from the Franchise in the meantime. Cover photo credit: Marni Grossman/Paramount+. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 5 Currently, Strange New Worlds Season 3 is just around the corner. The first two episodes will stream on Paramount+ on July 17, 2025. And the season will make its debut on Saturday, June 14, at Tribeca Festival 2025. RELATED: Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 3 Will Debut at Tribeca Festival 2025 Back in April 2024, Strange New Worlds Season 4 was announced. This news came concurrently with the news that Star Trek: Lower Decks would conclude with its fifth season. And it also came as Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 was airing its fifth and final season. However, there is one major distinction between the final seasons of Lower Decks and Discovery and the final season of Strange New Worlds . The cast and crew of both Lower Decks and Discovery didn't learn they were canceled until they were deep into making their respective fifth seasons. By contrast, Strange New Worlds Season 4 is currently in production. This means that they will know Season 5 is their final season when they begin work on the episodes. RELATED: Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 3 Trailer Promises Romance, Action and Exploration However, there is a catch. Strange New Worlds Season 5 will be comprised of only six episodes. This is unlike previous seasons, which were comprised of 10 episodes each. Considering the variation between episodes is a key component of the show's success, fewer episodes in the final season is disappointing. Meanwhile, Star Trek: Starfleet Academy Season 1 is set to arrive for streaming on Paramount+ in 2026. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Seasons 1 and 2 are currently available for streaming on Paramount+. STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS Season 3 Releases Episode Titles and More Posters Avery Kaplan is the author of several books and the Features Editor at Comics Beat. She was honored to serve as a judge for the 2021 Cartoonist Studio Prize Award and the 2021 Prism Awards. She lives in the mountains of Southern California with her partner and a pile of cats, and her favorite place to visit is the cemetery. You can also find her writing on Comics Bookcase, NeoText, Shelfdust, the Mary Sue, in many issues of PanelxPanel, and in the margins of the books in her personal library.
Geek Girl Authority
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Girl Authority
Geek Girl Authority Crush of the Week: Jennifer 'Jen' Sh'reyan
Welcome to this week's installment of Geek Girl Authority Crush of the Week , wherein we shine a spotlight on strong women who inspire us. These ladies are a prime example of female empowerment and how crucial it is for youth to have said example to follow. DISCLAIMER: The following article contains spoilers for Star Trek: Lower Decks. RELATED: Looking for another strong female crush? Check out our Geek Girl Authority Crushes of the Week here! Jennifer 'Jen' Sh'reyan Photos: PARAMOUNT+ Fast Facts Jennifer 'Jen' Sh'reyan (Lauren Lapkus) is an ensign aboard the U.S.S. Cerritos on Star Trek: Lower Decks. Initially, she is a background character. She can be spotted in the Cerritos bar in Season 1's 'Envoys.' Later in the season, in 'Cupid's Errant Arrow,' she is unceremoniously shoved aside by Beckett Mariner (Tawny Newsome). Jen continued to appear in the background throughout the first season. This includes taking part in the Chu Chu Dance at the Zebulon Sister's Concert in 'Cupid's Errant Arrow.' And in the Lower Decks Season 2 premiere, 'Strange Energies,' she confronted Mariner on the holodeck. On the occasion, she also stated that she exercised by taking part in yoga. RELATED: Geek Girl Authority Crush of the Week: Carol Freeman Like many other Cerritos crew members, Jen could regularly be seen performing her duties on the bridge of the ship. However, she was prone to becoming annoyed by the antics of Beta Shift. An example can be seen in Season 2's 'We'll Always Have Tom Paris.' In this episode, she grows annoyed while waiting for Bradward Boimler (Jack Quaid) to get his food from the Cerritos bar replicator. In Season 2's 'The Spy Humongous,' Jen was seen to be a part of the 'Redshirts' club. Other members of the club included Ensigns Casey (Neil Casey), Taylor (Fred Tatasciore) and Jen's friend Castro (Gabrielle Ruiz). And in the episode, Boimler joined as well. The club's purpose was to help one another gain promotions to a higher rank, with the goal of reaching captaincy. However, after Boimler set an example by rescuing D'Vana Tendi (Noël Wells) from her transformation into a giant praying mantis, the Redshirts club was disbanded. 'Jariner' In the Lower Decks Season 2 finale, 'First First Contact,' Jen's relationship with Mariner reached a new plateau. This takes place as the Cerritos is undertaking a high-stakes mission to traverse the Laaperian debris field, which requires the bridge viewscreen to be removed. An impact against the ship causes Mariner to fall through the open viewscreen and into space. Fortunately, a fast-acting Jen is able to seize her before she drifts too far away. Later in the episode, Mariner and Jen reunite in the Cerritos bar. After apologizing for the way they've treated one another for the past year, they each admit that they have feelings for one another. Soon Mariner is introducing Jen to the rest of Beta Shift. RELATED: Geek Girl Authority Crush of the Week: D'Vana Tendi In Lower Decks Season 3, Jen and Mariner are seen to be in a relationship. In the episode 'Mining the Mind's Mines,' we get several hints that their relationship is growing more serious. And later in the season, in 'Hear All, Trust Nothing,' Jen invites Mariner to one of Castro's 'salons.' At first, Mariner goes to great lengths to be on her best behavior. But when Jen reveals she had hoped Mariner would raise hell with her friends, Mariner obliges. However, 'Jariner' was not meant to last. In the Season 3 episode 'Trusted Sources,' Mariner is transferred to Starbase 80 after being falsely accused of spreading malicious rumours about the Cerritos crew. When Mariner appeals to Jen, Jen refuses to believe Mariner is innocent of the charges. However, it seemed as though Jen might be receptive to making amends with Mariner in the Season 3 finale, 'The Stars At Night.' But this was curtailed by Mariner's disinterest in speaking with Jen. The Real Deal Jen is the real deal. In the Season 5 episode 'The Best Exotic Nanite Hotel,' it is revealed that Jen has been transferred to the U.S.S. Manitoba. Jen states that this Parliament class ship is crewed entirely by Andorians, and suggests that it could be a good place for her earn her long-desired promotion. But before she is transferred, Jen joins Mariner on a final mission. RELATED: Geek Girl Authority Crush of the Week: T'Lyn At first, Jen pretends that she doesn't realize her relationship with Mariner has ended. While initially confused, Mariner eventually comes to realize she never spoke with Jen about the breakup. When Mariner finally confronts Jen about the situation, Jen admits that her behavior was a subterfuge to get back at Mariner for silently breaking up with her. By the end of the episode, Mariner and Jen have made amends with one another. And Jen is delighted that Mariner is the first ex with whom she's managed to maintain a friendship. Why She Matters Why does Jen matter? In fitting with the theme of Lower Decks as a whole, she shows us that everyone has their own story, even the 'side characters.' She demonstrates that we can achieve our dreams, even if it's a long road getting from there to here. And she proves that women don't have to be flawless in order to find romance or succeed in the workplace. So, be like Jen. Stick with your friends while working towards shared goals, but don't be afraid to walk away if you aren't getting the results you want. Try to work on communication with those closest to you, even if you face some stumbling blocks along the way. And always remember: even the nastiest breakup doesn't have to be the end of our story. Star Trek: Lower Decks is currently available for streaming on Paramount+. Geek Girl Authority Crush of the Week: DOCTOR T'ANA Avery Kaplan is the author of several books and the Features Editor at Comics Beat. She was honored to serve as a judge for the 2021 Cartoonist Studio Prize Award and the 2021 Prism Awards. She lives in the mountains of Southern California with her partner and a pile of cats, and her favorite place to visit is the cemetery. You can also find her writing on Comics Bookcase, NeoText, Shelfdust, the Mary Sue, in many issues of PanelxPanel, and in the margins of the books in her personal library.
Geek Girl Authority
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Girl Authority
STAR TREK: THE ANIMATED SERIES: 5 Characters and Species Introduced by the Show
For many years, Star Trek: The Animated Series was overlooked by many Trekkies. However, in more recent years, interest in the show has been renewed. This is thanks in part to Star Trek: Lower Decks, which has included many characters and species originally introduced by The Animated Series in modern continuity. For this week's Trek Tuesday, we're sharing five characters and species that were originally introduced by The Animated Series. Did we include your favorite? Caitians Photo Cr: Best Possible Screen Grab CBS ©2020 CBS Interactive, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Perhaps the most well-known of the species introduced by Star Trek: The Animated Series is the Caitians. Originally, these catlike people were introduced through The Animated Series' M'Ress (Majel Barrett Roddenberry). While M'Ress spoke in a soft and purring voice, later examples proved that this was not the only demeanor possessed by Caitians. RELATED: Star Trek : Answering Your Questions About Caitians In the intervening years, many Caitians have appeared onscreen. First, we saw a few in the background in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home. And then in Star Trek: Prodigy Season 1, a young Caitian character appeared multiple times in the first half of the season. But perhaps the biggest role for a Caitian yet is Doctor T'Ana (Gillian Vigman), the Chief Medical Officer of the U.S.S. Cerritos on Lower Decks. Plus, Caitians have also appeared in Star Trek Into Darkness and were mentioned in dialogue in Star Trek: Discovery Season 2. Edosians Photo: PARAMOUNT+ ©2022 CBS Interactive, Inc. All Rights Reserved The Edosians are a three-armed species of aliens. They were first introduced through Arex (James Doohan). In The Animated Series, Arex is a helmsman for the U.S.S. Enterprise. This seems like a suitable role, since a third arm is probably helpful for steering a starship. And as you'll see, many Edosians have jobs that make sense with their third limb. Since Arex, several Edosians have appeared on Lower Decks. In Season 1's 'Much Ado About Boimler,' we meet an Edosian medical specialist (Fred Tatasciore). He is the commanding officer of the Division 14 ship the U.S.S. Osler. And in Lower Decks Season 3's 'Room for Growth,' we meet Toz (Mary Holland). She is the commanding officer of the 'spa ship' the Dove. Finally, the trailer for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 3 suggests we'll get to see an Edosian bartender in live action in the show's third season. Kzinti Photo: PARAMOUNT+ ©2021 CBS Interactive, Inc. All Rights Reserved Another particularly interesting species introduction from The Animated Series is the Kzinti. Notably, these catlike creatures are unique because they originally came from outside Star Trek. As far as the Franchise goes, they first appeared in The Animated Series episode 'The Slaver Weapon,' written by Larry Niven. But the Kzinti had previously appeared in Niven's non-franchise sci-fi prose stories. RELATED: Star Trek : The Curious Case of the Kzinti However, for many years, the Kzinti were discussed, but not utilized. In fact one writer, Jimmy Diggs, repeatedly lobbied for their return. But the Kizinti never appeared in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , Star Trek: Voyager or Star Trek: Enterprise . Plus, the movie Diggs pitched featuring the Kzinti sadly never took off. Finally, in Star Trek: Picard Season 1's 'Nepenthe,' the Kzinti are briefly mentioned in dialogue. And on Lower Decks, a recurring crewmember, Ensign Taylor (Tatasciore), is Kzinti. Robert April Photo Cr: Marni Grossman/Paramount+ Robert April has a long history with the Franchise, his name having been taken from the original pitch for Star Trek. And in keeping with that pitch, April is recognized as the previous captain of the Enterprise before Christopher Pike. But he made his first onscreen appearance in The Animated Series' final episode, 'The Counter-Clock Incident.' Like many other characters on the show, in that episode, he was voiced by Doohan. In recent years, April became a live-action recurring character on Strange New Worlds. In this ongoing series, he is portrayed by Adrian Holmes. Pandronians Photo: PARAMOUNT+ ©2021 CBS Interactive, Inc. All Rights Reserved **Best Possible Screen Grab** The Pandronians are a species of humanoid colony creatures. And thanks to this biological characteristic, they can effortlessly divide their bodies into multiple pieces. On The Animated Series, they were first introduced in the episode 'Bem,' through the titular Ari bn Bem (Doohan). Bem was an 'independent observer' aboard the Enterprise. However, he clandestinely made the situation harder for the Starfleet crew in order to observe how they coped. RELATED: Watchlist: Celebrating 50 Years of Star Trek: The Animated Series And then, decades later, a Pandronian drill instructor visited the Cerritos in the Season 2 episode 'I, Excretus.' Shari yn Yem (Lennon Parham) was a Starfleet drill instructor sent to test the mettle of the California class crew. However, just like Bem, Shari rigged the tests to make them harder for the crew than they might have been otherwise. But Shari got her comeuppance when the Cerritos crew figured out her plan and thwarted it. Most of the Star Trek episodes discussed above are currently available for streaming on Paramount+. However, Star Trek: Prodigy is currently available for streaming on Netflix. 5 STAR TREK Meme Source Episodes Avery Kaplan is the author of several books and the Features Editor at Comics Beat. She was honored to serve as a judge for the 2021 Cartoonist Studio Prize Award and the 2021 Prism Awards. She lives in the mountains of Southern California with her partner and a pile of cats, and her favorite place to visit is the cemetery. You can also find her writing on Comics Bookcase, NeoText, Shelfdust, the Mary Sue, in many issues of PanelxPanel, and in the margins of the books in her personal library.
Geek Girl Authority
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Girl Authority
STAR TREK: LOWER DECKS: 16 Returning Franchise Characters
In many ways, Star Trek: Lower Decks was built on the Franchise shows that preceded it. True, the show did break new ground by showing us a new side of Starfleet. But it also brought back many characters who had previously appeared in other shows and movies. For this week's Trek Tuesday, we're sharing X Star Trek characters who debuted elsewhere in the Franchise and returned on Lower Decks. Did we include your favorite? Riker and Troi Photo Cr: Best Possible Screen Grab CBS 2020 CBS Interactive, Inc. All Rights Reserved. The first major returning Franchise character appeared in the Lower Decks Season 1 finale, 'No Small Parts.' In this episode, the U.S.S. Cerritos came under attack by the Pakleds in the Kalla system. But just when the California class ship is about to succumb to the Pakled party, some familiar heroes show up to lend a hand. RELATED: Unpacking Star Trek: Lower Decks Opening Battle Scene Through the Seasons These are William T. Riker (Jonathan Frakes) and Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis). Both characters were originally introduced in the series premiere of Star Trek: The Next Generation, 'Encounter at Farpoint.' Riker (or at least his transporter clone) would later appear on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, while both Riker and Troi appeared on Star Trek: Voyager and Star Trek: Picard. And both characters appeared in all four The Next Generation era Star Trek movies. Tom Paris Photo: PARAMOUNT+ ©2021 CBS Interactive, Inc. All Rights Reserved One of the great things about Lower Decks is that it takes place after the final The Next Generation era movie, Star Trek: Nemesis. This means that it is also set after the Voyager finale, which means that it takes place after the U.S.S. Voyager has returned to the Alpha Quadrant. Lower Decks took advantage of this chronology in Season 2's 'We'll Always Have Tom Paris.' In this episode, Tom Paris (Robert Duncan McNeill) from Voyager visits the Cerritos. This is a during a handshake tour which Paris is undertaking in the wake of Voyager's return to Earth. Sonya Gomez Photo: PARAMOUNT+ ©2021 CBS Interactive, Inc. All Rights Reserved In the Lower Decks Season 2 finale, 'First First Contact,' Carol Freeman (Dawnn Lewis) reunites with one of her old friends, Sonya Gomez (Lycia Naff). Now, Gomez is the captain of the U.S.S. Archimedes. RELATED: Star Trek: Lower Decks : 8 Big Bradward Boimler Episodes But when we first met Gomez, she was just an ensign aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise-D. She appeared in The Next Generation Season 2 episodes 'Q Who' And 'Samaritan Snare.' But in those episodes, Gomez held the rank of ensign. The character's appearance as a captain in Lower Decks emphasizes that even the higher ranking officers originally start off on the lower decks. Quark and Kira Photo: PARAMOUNT+ ©2022 CBS Interactive, Inc. All Rights Reserved The Lower Decks Season 3 episode 'Hear All, Trust Nothing' sees the Cerritos visiting Deep Space 9. Since Beckett Mariner (Tawny Newsome) previously served on the station, she's less enthusiastic than the other beta shifters. However, the rest of the Cerritos crew encounters Quark (Armin Shimerman) and Kira Nerys (Nana Visitor). Both characters originally debuted in the Deep Space Nine series premiere, 'The Emissary.' According to the commentary track for the episode, Shimerman found it necessary to wear his prosthetic Ferengi teeth while recording his voice over lines. Leeta and Rom Photo Credit: Paramount+ In Lower Decks Season 4's 'Parth Ferengi's Heart Place,' the Cerritos visits Ferenginar. Once again, the visit opens the door for several Deep Space Nine alums to make an appearance on the animated show. RELATED: Star Trek: Lower Decks : 9 Essential D'Vana Tendi Episodes Due to the nature of their mission, this brings Freeman in contact with the leaders of Ferenginar. Thanks to a narrative development from the climax of Deep Space Nine, there are now Grand Nagus Rom (Max Grodénchik) and his wife, Leeta (Chase Masterson). Nova Squadron Photo Credit: Paramount+ Over the course of Lower Decks Season 4, ships throughout the quadrant have been disappearing. In the penultimate episode of the season, 'The Inner Fight,' the person behind these disappearances is revealed. It's Nick Locarno (McNeill). Locarno originally appeared in The Next Generation Season 5's 'The First Duty.' That episode also introduced the rest of Nova Squadron, which includes Wesley Crusher (Wil Wheaton). Several other members of the squadron appear in a flashback in the Lower Decks Season 4 finale, 'Old Friends, New Planets.' These are Sito Jaxa (Shannon Fill) and Crusher. The Anaximander Crew Photo credit: Paramount+. In the penultimate episode of Lower Decks fifth and final season, several legacy characters return. These characters comprise the crew of the U.S.S. Anaximander, under the command of William Boimler (Jack Quaid). These include T'Pol (Jolene Blalock) from Star Trek: Enterprise , Garak (Alexander Robinson) and Julian Bashir (Alexander Siddig) from Deep Space Nine and a plethora of Harry Kims (Garrett Wang) from Voyager . Later, the crew meets a variant of Lily Sloane (Alfre Woodard) from RELATED: Star Trek: Lower Decks : Who's Who on the Anaximander 's Bridge Crew Technically, these characters aren't returning characters. Instead, they are multiversal variants of characters we've met in Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: Enterprise and Star Trek: First Contact. But it is never the less exciting to see these familiar faces return, even if they are coming from another timeline. These Star Trek: Lower Decks episodes are currently available for streaming on Paramount+. STAR TREK: LOWER DECKS: 5 Merchandising Ideas for Paramount's Profit Avery Kaplan is the author of several books and the Features Editor at Comics Beat. She was honored to serve as a judge for the 2021 Cartoonist Studio Prize Award and the 2021 Prism Awards. She lives in the mountains of Southern California with her partner and a pile of cats, and her favorite place to visit is the cemetery. You can also find her writing on Comics Bookcase, NeoText, Shelfdust, the Mary Sue, in many issues of PanelxPanel, and in the margins of the books in her personal library.
