Posted in: Paramount+, Star Trek, TV | Tagged: Jerry O'Connell, lower decks, star trek

Star Trek: Jerry O'Connell on LD/SNW Crossover & "Lower Decks" Future

Star Trek: Lower Decks star Jerry O'Connell spoke with us about the "Strange New Worlds" crossover, his favorite Ransom moment, and more.

Jerry O'Connell and Rebecca Romijn are relatively late adopters as actors and as husband and wife in Star Trek as both made their franchise debut on Paramount+ with Romijn's debut in 2019 as Cmdr Una Chin-Riley of the U.S.S. Enterprise in Discovery season two before starring in the spinoff Strange New Worlds in 2022. O'Connell made his debut as Cmdr. Jack Ransom on the Mike McMahan animated comedy series Lower Decks in 2020, currently in its fifth and final season. Both shows were able to crossover in the SNW season two episode "Those Old Scientists," which would see LD stars Tawny Newsome and Jack Quaid make their live-action debuts on SNW. O'Connell spoke to Bleeding Cool about what he learned from his Stand by Me (1986) co-star and The Next Generation star Wil Wheaton about acclimating to Star Trek. In addition, he discusses not being able to share a scene with his wife in the crossover episode, his favorite Ransom scene, and a possible continuation should Lower Decks land elsewhere (or should Paramount+ have a change of heart).

Jerry O'Connell: Feeling "Protected" by Star Trek: Lower Decks Creator Mike McMahan, 'Strange New Worlds' Crossover, and Franchise Future

Bleeding Cool: When you dove into the Star Trek universe and around the same time Rebecca also did in 'Discovery' and 'Strange New Worlds,' did you guys have a crash course in the franchise together? Did you talk with Wil about any form of orientation to get a feel for the franchise, and immersing yourself with the fanbase?

You know what? Mike McMahan, the creator of 'Lower Decks, protected me with anything and everything that Star Trek. I don't know how many thousands of hours of Star Trek out there, but Mike has seen all of it probably twice. I feel protected because, admittedly, I don't know a lot. It's interesting because I work on 'Lower Decks,' so I get that 'TNG' time frame. Since my wife works on 'Strange New Worlds,' that's a more 'TOS' time frame. It's almost like I'm in the past and in the future with Star Trek now, and I'm taking a Starfleet history course. I feel protected working with Mike, and he's extremely well-versed.

Did you regret not sharing a scene with your wife on the 'Lower Decks'-'Strange New Worlds' crossover episode 'Those Old Scientists?

I got to comment on my wife in the crossover episode, but I would have loved to have done some live-action stuff but the "powers that be" at Paramount+ have a plan for me and I'll have trust in that. Listen, I'm a humble servant of Starfleet. I go where they told me to go, and I take orders.

Do you have a favorite Ransom scene?

My favorite Ransom scene comes in the finale. It's good, and people are going to be satisfied with it. I love this episode of 'Lower Decks' because it's a bridge episode that takes place on the bridge, getting out of the, getting out of the musty, moldy lower decks and coming up to the bridge where all the action is, finally! [We're] giving the people what they want, no more hanging out in those…I got to tell you, I've been on the lower decks. Everybody smells like feet down there. You don't want to be hanging out down there. Come up to the bridge! It smells great! We have candles lit.

You built a lot of rapport with the Lower Deckers, like Jack Quaid's Boimler and Tawny Newsome's Mariner, throughout this series. How do you feel Ransom's relationship with them evolved?

It's so fun working off Tawny Newsome's Mariner and Jack Quaid's character, Boimler. It's funny since Ransom mostly interacts most with those two lower deckers, less with Eugene Cordero's character [Sam Rutherford] and Noël Wells' character [D'Vana Tendi]. It's funny. We must remember Star Trek has its roots in the hierarchy, you know what I mean? There are people of rank, and it's been fun playing that. I did a play where I played the captain, but it's also fun to play someone who is highly ranked. IRL [in real life], I don't have any military experience. I don't outrank anybody so it's fun to get to play make-believe, a high-ranking officer. How often could somebody say that?

After talking to Fred [Tatasciore] and Dawnn [Lewis], I heard Mike [McMahan] has two more seasons' worth of stuff. I hope you guys find a new home, or Paramount tells you, "You know what? We change our minds. It's not the final season. We're going to let you finish this off."

It might happen. We'll see. Either way, we've been very grateful for these five seasons. It's been a great run, I got to tell you, and I have no hard feelings about this one. The fans will be happy.

The final two episodes of Star Trek: Lower Decks, which also stars Gillian Vigman, Paul Scheer, Gabrielle Ruiz, Kari Wahlgren, Paul F. Tompkins, Phil LaMarr, and Carl Tart, stream December 12th and 19th on Paramount+.

Enjoyed this? Please share on social media!

Stay up-to-date and support the site by following Bleeding Cool on Google News today!