Image Credit: CBS Interactive, Inc.

WARNING: SPOILERS ABOUND. Tread lightly….

Happy frickin’ Thursday! The only day better than Wednesday (new comic-book day, for the non-readers) is New Star Trek Episode Day!

Yay!!! Woo hoo!!!

*crowd goes wild*

So, if you’ll graciously allow me a few, infinitesimal presumptions: either you rose from your nightly slumber a tad earlier than usual this morning because you couldn’t wait to watch the first episode of Star Trek: Lower Decks, or, you are currently being smothered within the clutches of its awesomeness.

Or you’re shamefully not a Trekkie, or remotely curious about our beloved universe, and should be phasered out of existence (I’d personally prefer you being ripped in two by a Gorn, but that’s just me).

Totally kidding, by the way.

Okay, just a little.

Forget it, I’m not.

Someone find me a Gorn stat!

I’ve digressed. Back to Lower Decks….

It’s been years since we’ve had an animated series, so seeing these new characters all duded up in Starfleet uniforms, moving about on my Samsung 55-inch, in cartoon-like form, was such a fantastic way to begin my day (I was totally an hour late for work…sshhh, shut your piehole).

The first epiphany / realization / “Aha!” moment that I was struck with while watching is, Lower Deck’s look and feel curiously resembled the look and feel of Next Generation. Well, upon watching the after-show, The Ready Room, hosted by none other than Wesley Crusher himself, Mike McMahan (Creator, Executive Producer, and Showrunner) confirmed that, yes, the show looks and feels like Next Generation because it takes place during the same time-period (Saaa-weet!). Additionally, according to McMahan, the show also draws inspiration (in every way, including the series name) from the seventh season Next Generation episode “Lower Decks,” which also followed a group of junior officers who were interestingly enough not unlike our non-bridge crew of the U.S.S. Cerritos.

Being a huge fan of Rick and Morty, Star Trek: Lower Decks is one of the best hybrids to come along in quite a while. Mashing up Trek with some “Rick Sanchez” type of humor was a stroke of genius on the part of Kurtzman and McMahan. It’s like when George Lucas gave us the Star Wars Holiday Special. Kidding. No, really. I’m totally joking. Don’t hit me. *cowers in fear*

I haven’t scoured the Interwebs for all the Easter Eggs, homages, and shout-outs that McMahan gave us in this inaugural episode, but the one that stood out the most was this gem right here:

“Mirror, Mirror” Spock makes a quick cameo (CBS Interactive, Inc.)

Nicely done, sir.

I know we’ll eventually be getting a more kid-friendly Star Trek animated series on Nickelodeon, but Lower Decks is the perfect jumping-on-point for your wee lads and lasses. The show is “adult” enough for longtime fans, yet silly and visually stimulating enough to hold the attention of a kiddo. Gotta hook ‘em while they’re young, is what I always say. If your progeny isn’t throwing up Vulcan salutes at school, your parenting skills leave much to be desired.

Until next time, Kirk out….