Buffer time is definitely the episode where I stopped doubting they knew how to handle trek.
Having grown up with the original series and TNG, I think star trek works better as a cartoon.
this post was submitted on 25 Jun 2026
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The Animated Series has a few good episodes and include the sort of thing you simply couldn't do in live action at the time.
I was disappointed in the episode called "The Soft Weapon". Its based on a short story by Larry Niven. They had Kzinti in the episode, but replaced the Peirson's Puppeteer with Spock. Cowards. Animate a three legged alien with two heads and an impossibly sexy human female voice.
Renamed as "The Slaver Weapon"
Haven't read the story. The episode had an interesting concept, but was just kinda goofy. Might have been cool to see them get more recognition in one of the newer series.
Lower decks was absolutely lovely, I enjoyed every moment
I get why long-time Trek fans can be mixed on it. The significant deviation from the traditional style into a comedic cartoon really alters the tone and vibe, and if that's not your thing, it's not your thing.
But I'll also say this. No media in all of Trek loves Trek and Trekkies more than Lower Decks. It expands on the lore respectfully while still hitting tongue-in-cheek, self-referential meta humor that rewards long time fans. It manages to succeed as a comedy that stands on its own, while also having some of the most quintessentially introspective, thought-provoking Trek episodes in the entire canon.
If you're a holdout Trek fan who isn't completely unable to enjoy a cartoon, I seriously encourage you to give it a chance. For all the praise it gets, the show never comes across as though it's trying to prove it's the "next great Trek." Instead, it feels humbly grateful to be part of the series. It's a love letter to Trek and all its fans, and if you love Trek, it's hard not to be won over by the end.
Boimler's rant is forever in my top ten trek moments
"The Doctor didn't spend 7 years in the Delta quadrant for you fuckers to question his agency! He's got rights!"
Buffer time is definitely the episode where I stopped doubting they knew how to handle trek.
Interesting, I almost gave up on the show after the buffer time episode. Watching a Starfleet captain create a timesheet-obsessed toxic work environment made it seem like the show would be too much "The Office in space".
I'm glad I gave it a little more time, though, it definitely picks up for me after the first half-season or so.
Excuse me. I have to return some holodeck programs.
I was hoping for more Barkleys but I ended up with a Mary Sue in a corrupt nepotism story line instead.
Still, a delightful show. Gotta watch for S02 DVD sales.
This gets my upvote for "applied phlebotinum"
And I got viciously downvoted elsewhere for saying that Trek teck was just plot contrivances stacked on top of each other.
I found it to be just too not ST, I didn't like it, less of the socialist utopia and cartoonist characters.
I never got past or even possibly through the first episode.
The first episode feels pretty different from the rest, I also don’t really like it. It finds its footing super quickly compared to other shows though.
They brought over a writer from Rick and Morty, so it definitely shows through the first season. It finds its own identity by season 2.
Dude. You bailed a TREK series during the first season? Rookie.
I'd say the characters stay cartoonish up to the end, but it's not any bit less of an utopia (in fact, it's less militaristic and more social than TNG).