Created by Emmy Award winner Mike McMahan, Season 3 of STAR TREK: LOWER DECKS challenges the U.S.S. Cerritos ensigns in (hilarious) ways they could never imagine, starting with a shocking resolution for Season 2’s epic cliffhanger finale. This 2-Disc collection includes every episode, along with over 45 minutes of special features. Also featuring guest appearances by Nana Visitor (“Star Trek: Deep Space Nine”) and Armin Shimerman (“Star Trek: Deep Space Nine”).
For previous thoughts on Star Trek: Lower Decks, check out our reviews of Season One and Season Two.
For thoughts on Star Trek: Lower Decks – Season Three, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:
Video Quality
Star Trek: Lower Decks – The Complete Third Season comes to Blu-Ray with a gorgeous transfer that brings this series to vivid life throughout these ten episodes. Colors are bright and bold with some excellent variety from episode to episode due to places this season takes us. The series keeps elevating itself every year in terms of execution and creativity. This presentation is free of any digital anomalies or debris, which you would hope for from a brand new series. Fine lines and details are crisp and maintained well without any bleeding. We did not spot any issues with banding or crush in the deep blacks. While the series does not look bad on streaming, having a physical HD release allows you to experience it without nasty streaming compression.
Audio Quality
The Blu-Ray comes with a dynamic DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio lossless soundtrack that brings this show palpable energy. Dialogue is forefront in the track with a flawless presentation in the center speaker which spreads into the surrounds during necessary moments. Music adds so much to the show’s identity as it immerses you with certain cues in the side and rear channels. The show deploys a fantastic array of environmental effects that are directionally precise within the mix. Some sound effects and various intensive moments provide a notable texture to the low end. This audio presentation knocks it out of the park. This release comes with optional English SDH subtitles.
Special Features
- Audio Commentaries
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- Grounded: Creator Mike McMahan and Actors Tawny Newsome and Jonathan Frakes
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- Hear All, Trust Nothing: Creator Mike McMahan and Actors Nana Visitor, Armin Shimerman, Tawny Newsome, Noël Wells, Jack Quaid and Eugene Cordero
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- A Mathematically Perfect Redemption: Creator Mike McMahan and Actors Barry Kelly and Kether Donohue
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- Crisis Point 2: Parodoxus: Creator Mike McMahan and Actors Tawny Newsome, Noël Wells, Jack Quaid and Jerry O’ Connell
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- The Stars at Night: Actors Jack Quaid, Dawnn Lewis and Fred Tatasciore
- Docking at Deep Space 9: A nearly 13-minute piece in which the creative team discuss their love for Deep Space 9, the care they put into bringing their own version of this universe to life, the characters they were excited to explore and more.
- Lower Decktionary – Season 3: A great 33-minute featurette in which the cast and creative team discuss the direction of the story in season three, the place of conflict between the characters, the themes they attempt to tackle through comedy, the notable character growth and more.
Final Thoughts
Star Trek: Lower Decks continues to prove itself as one of the strongest entries in the franchise going right now. This is one of the only iterations which truly takes pains to honor what came before without feeling the need to radically upend things. Lower Decks lovingly has fun with everything that came before, and this only continues to be the case with the third season. There is an even greater focus on serialized storytelling, but there is no sense that any of the elements we loved previously have been diminished. This is a series for both new fans and longtime loyalists alike. CBS Home Entertainment has provided a Blu-Ray for this season that sports a stellar A/V presentation and some really engaging special features. If you are a fan of Star Trek or just a fan of adult animation in general, this show is worth your time. Highly Recommended
Star Trek: Lower Decks – The Complete Third Season is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray and DVD.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: CBS Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.