“That’s Just Not the ‘Lower Decks’ Way To Do It”

Star Trek: Lower Decks has completed its five-year mission, but this week’s series finale left fans of the animated comedy clamoring for more. Series creator Mike McMahan would certainly love to continue the series, and he’s got some advice for fans looking to see the further adventures of the USS Cerritos. In a new interview with Collider’s Samantha Coley, McMahan talked about his hopes for more Lower Decks:

“I’ll say, I’ve been saying this, the way to get more Lower Decks is to be enthusiastic and hopeful and celebratory. It’s not to say, ‘What moron canceled this show?’ It’s not to say, ‘How dare you not give us more? You have to give us more.’ The more people celebrate and want more in a way that’s respectful and joyful, I can show that to people and say, ‘Look at this fandom. Look at who’s going to show up.’ These are people who are going to get more eyes on this show.

Nobody watches a show that somebody goes, ‘I’m so mad!’ You know what I mean? So, I’ll be working on my side to try to get to do more. There’s a lot more Star Trek coming on Paramount+, which I’m looking forward to, as well. If the fandom wants to help me get stuff going, do it in a joyful way. That would be really helpful. Just don’t don’t demand it like anybody owes us anything. That’s just not the Lower Decks way to do it.”

Which Star Trek Series Have Had Fan Campaigns Before?

After two low-rated seasons, Star Trek: The Original Series was set to be canceled in 1968. A massive letter-writing campaign from the show’s devoted fanbase ensued, as NBC was inundated with mail demanding its return. The cancelation was ultimately reversed, but the show ended a season later. When the animated Star Trek: Prodigy was abruptly canceled and pulled off Paramount+ in 2023, the fanbase campaigned Paramount to release the nearly finished but unreleased second season; it was ultimately released on Netflix, to great acclaim. However, a fan campaign for Star Trek: Legacy, a series spinning out of the final season of Star Trek: Picard, has yet to bear fruit.

Although Lower Decks has reached its final frontier, McMahan is correct in saying that there’s more Star Trek to come on Paramount+. Star Trek: Section 31, the first-ever streaming original Star Trek movie, will debut on the service on January 24, 2025. The third season of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is set to follow later in the year. Further off in the future is the all-new series Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, which has yet to set a release window.

All five seasons of Star Trek: Lower Decks are now streaming on Paramount+. Stay tuned to Collider for future updates and check out our full conversation with McMahan below.