Showrunner Mike McMahan confirms that “legacy” characters will appear in Star Trek: Lower Decks
"Second Contact" -- Pictured (L-R) Ben Rodgers as Lt. Commander Stevens and Jerry O'Connell as Commander Jack Ransom of the CBS All Access series STAR TREK: LOWER DECKS. Photo Cr: Best Possible Screen Grab CBS 2020 CBS Interactive, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
With the first season of Star Trek: Lower Decks set in the year 2380 - one year after the events of Star Trek: Nemesis - acknowledging “current events” within the Star Trek universe seems likely in the new series. But what about seeing characters we already know from previous Trek? Nearly two months ago, Lower Decks creator Mike McMahan suggested the possibility of seeing familiar characters from the Next Generation era in his new animated series. While that has led to much speculation from fans, a recent Inverse.com interview with McMahan and series star Tawny Newsome confirmed what many Star Trek fans have been hoping for. Star Trek: Lower Decks will definitely be seeing a few friendly faces!
Upon hearing speculation about Newsome’s character, Ensign Mariner, possibly showing up in the flesh on Star Trek: Picard, McMahan let the news slip, replying, "That’s interesting, because we do have legacy actors who show up in the first season of Lower Decks, and we have gotten to have a little bit of ‘where are they now’ sort of vibe, through a Lower Decks lens.” He went on to suggest that if the Mariner character were to appear in Star Trek: Picard, Tawny Newsome is a must for the role.
While McMahan did not confirm who exactly these “legacy actors” are, it’s likely they would be characters from era-specific Star Trek, produced throughout the 1990s. That would include Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Voyager and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Who knows? Maybe the crew of the U.S.S. Cerritos will stop by for a drink at Quark’s Bar while docked at Deep Space 9...
The first episode of Star Trek: Lower Decks, “Second Contact”, premiers tomorrow, August 6th, on CBS All Access.
Chris Peterson is a contributing writer for Daily Star Trek News on the Roddenberry Podcast Network. An outdoor enthusiast and a fan of film and literature, he is also an actor, singer and musician with stage credits including CATS, Fiddler on the Roof, The Rocky Horror Show and The Producers.
