Posted in: Paramount+, Star Trek, TV | Tagged: lower decks, star trek

Star Trek: Tawny Newsome on LD/SNW Crossover Inspiring New Project

Tawny Newsome (Star Trek: Lower Decks) on the possibilities that the Star Trek series Newsome and Justin Simien are developing could offer.

Make no mistake, the only Star Trek shows still in production currently are the pre-The Original Series era Strange New Worlds, preparing for its third season, and Starfleet Academy, set in the 32nd century, which was previously explored by Discovery. Discovery and Picard wrapped their runs, Netflix's Prodigy is facing an uncertain future without an official renewal for season three, and the animated Lower Decks is wrapping after five seasons (premiering soon). Lower Decks star Tawny Newsome made her live-action franchise debut on SNW in the season two episode "Those Old Scientists" alongside co-star Jack Quaid, who plays Brad Boimler. While Newsome is on the writing staff for Starfleet Academy, she's still awaiting word from Paramount+ about greenlighting the live-action Star Trek comedy series she's developing with Justin Simien – and now, opening up to Cinemablend about its status and inspiration starting with the LD-SNW crossover episode.

How Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Crossover with "Lower Decks" Helped Inspire/Influence Newsome's Live-Action Series

"I mean, I always wanna work with my friends. So yes, without being able to, like–there's not even anything to spoil– I can definitely say that part of my and Justin's idea for setting it in the 25th century was so that everybody that we've come to love in the franchise, like everyone in the 'Picard' era, all of our friends here from 'Lower Decks,' like the possibility is definitely there," Newsome said. "That was why I was like, this is the time period I want so that we don't have to [de-age] Jonathan Frakes' face [laughs]. Like, let everybody kind of be vaguely the ages they are. We have nothing actually planned, so this isn't a spoiler, but that was definitely the promise of setting it in that time period."

Star Trek: Lower Decks premiered in 2020 chronicling the antics of Mariner, Boimler, and their friends D'Vana Tendi (Noël Wells) and Sam Rutherford (Eugene Cordero) as they do not only the bulk of the grunt work but also some of the U.S.S. Cerritos most dangerous missions. They're also largely underappreciated to boot.

Season four represented a watershed moment for the lower deckers as they all got promoted to junior-grade lieutenant. While promotion isn't something new for Mariner, the added responsibilities and social awkwardness never sat well with her, so she would constantly self-sabotage herself to her superior officers, often resulting in a demotion back to ensign. Perhaps, things are different as her friends got promoted with her, and maybe things will stick this time. Lower Decks season five premieres on October 24th on Paramount+. For more, you can check out our interview with Fred Tatasciore (Lt. Shaxs) about how much creator Mike McMahan has left in the tank should Lower Decks land elsewhere or Paramount has a change of heart ending after five seasons.

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