Strange New Worlds’ Cast Talks ‘Wonderful Dessert’ of ‘Lower Decks’ Crossover

[These interviews were conducted prior to the SAG-AFTRA strike authorization.]

It’s been about a year since it was announced that Star Trek: Strange New Worlds would be crossing over with the animated Lower Decks, and now, it’s almost time for the fun. We don’t know much about what to expect, other than Tawny Newsome and Jack Quaid will be showing up on the Enterprise as Mariner and Boimler, and the Strange New Worlds cast was hesitant to reveal anything when TV Insider asked — but the consensus was it will be very fun.

“Strange New Worlds is so serious, but there’s also a lot of room for levity and smirks and winks,” Ethan Peck (Spock) noted. “Our showrunners Henry Alonso Myers and Akiva Goldsman do such a great job of maintaining that balance between the dark and the light. Obviously Boimler and Mariner bring this really goofy, bright energy and it balances super well with us.”

Celia Rose Gooding (Uhura) echoed that sentiment, sharing that the animated series is one of her favorite iterations of Trek in this generation. “I love lighthearted silliness and giggles for giggles sake, and especially after having such a hard episode in 206, having the next episode be the one that is light and lovely but still very serious and still very in the drama world as Strange New Worlds,” she explained. “There’s a lot more comedy and a lot of Lower Decks-style comedy in this episode. After a real meal of an episode like 206, I think 207 is wonderful dessert.”

But it’s not all fun for Chapel, Jess Bush revealed. While she enjoyed bringing the animated series’ tone to the show, calling it “really invigorating to see our characters interacted with people from a completely different world tonally,” she shared, “it doesn’t exactly get lighter for her. Let’s say that the crossover episode is not a walk in the park for Chapel.” She wouldn’t say much more other than, “She’s just going to have to make some big moral decisions for herself.”

The Strange New Worlds stars raved about Newsome and Quaid as well. Peck noted they “were such a wonderful additions to our cast and to our chemistry” and confirmed the bromance between “Spoimler” (as coined by director Jonathan Frakes) — which he’s especially excited for fans to see — is on and offscreen. “Jack and I actually are both born and raised in Los Angeles and grew up in very similar worlds. So to find each other at this point in life and on set was just such a blast and so comfortable.”

Gooding called them “incredible actors and incredible people to play opposite,” with Bush adding, “those two are an absolute barrel of energy and laughs.”

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, Thursdays, Paramount+