Maybe it’s better to let humor come from those outside a serious sci-fi show than those within.
“Robot Chicken,” for instance, has offered plenty of skewered takes on a laundry list of sci-fi classics to pretty great comedic effect.
And although the new animated comedy “Star Trek: Lower Decks” is written by a “Trek” outsider, “Rick and Morty” vet Mike McMahan, “Lower Decks” still counts four “Trek” veterans among its roster of executive producers. Who knows if they’re the reason the show isn’t funny, but, wow, it’s not often funny.
Now streaming on CBS All Access, “Lower Decks” is set in the “Star Trek: The Next Generation” era of the series and follows lowly ensigns rather than focusing on the executive officers aboard the USS Cerritos.
Strangely, much as “Star Trek: Voyager” abandoned the dramatic possibilities of “we’re alone in the Delta quadrant without supplies” within its first few episodes, “Lower Decks” hangs its plots on traditional sci-fi tropes (an alien virus turns the crew into vampires; a trans-dimensional energy creature wreaks havoc) more than it does the low social standing of its lead characters in early episodes.
“Lower Decks” introduces do-right Ensign Brad Boimler (voice of Jack Quaid); rule-breaking, ADHD-addled Ensign Beckett Marriner (Tawny Newsome), partially cybernetic Ensign Rutherford (Eugene Cordero) and green-hued Ensign Tendi (Noel Wells).
Yes, the ship’s top officers are also featured — Capt. Carol Freeman (Dawnn Lewis), Commander Jack Ransom (Jerry O’Connell) — but as Mariner notes, “all they care about is getting mentioned in history books.”
“Lower Decks” has its occasional chuckle-worthy moments, but too often the show opts for wild chaos as a substitute for actual comedy.
‘Shark Week’ returns
Discovery Channel’s annual “Shark Week” returns Sunday (and continues through Aug. 16) with one of its more intriguing titles airing on night one: “Tyson vs. Jaws: Rumble on the Reef” (9 p.m. Sunday), which claims alternately that Mike Tyson will “try to score a TKO” on a massive shark while also promising no sharks were harmed (or bitten) in the making of the program.
Shaquille O’Neal returns to “Shark Week” for “ShaqAttack” (9 p.m. Monday) as the basketball great attempts to determine which shark has the perfect predatory attack.
“Will Smith: Off the Deep End” (9 p.m. Tuesday) follows the actor as he confronts his fear of sharks in the open seas.
In a crossover episode “Naked & Afraid of Sharks 2” (8 p.m. Aug. 16) follows five “Naked and Afraid” vets as they compete with sharks for the same food.
Lifetime explores ‘Epstein’
Timed to coincide with the anniversary of his death and following on its “Surviving R. Kelly” programs, Lifetime debuts the two-part “Surviving Jeffrey Epstein” (8 p.m. Sunday, 9 p.m. Monday), which offers a platform for the victims of the disgraced financier and alleged sexual predator.
During a Monday panel that was part of the virtual TV critics summer press tour, producers of “Surviving Epstein” said they filmed in recent weeks following the arrest of Epstein’s accused accomplice, Ghislaine Maxwell.
“Ghislaine’s arrest [elicited] in many ways, for survivors, a very mixed reaction,” said “Surviving Epstein” filmmaker Annie Sundberg. “I don’t think there will be viewer fatigue with the Epstein story. I think people felt very robbed of an opportunity to see a final stab at justice run its course. [Following] Epstein’s death, the trial, the criminal charges, everything went away. We finally have that chance again, and I think if you look at the response and the interest when Ghislaine was picked up in New Hampshire, it’s overwhelming. People really want to see justice happen here.”
Kept/canceled/revived
Amazon renewed “Hunters” for a second season.
TruTV ordered a 13-episode third season of “Tacoma FD.”
E! canceled “E! News,” “Pop of the Morning” and “In the Room.”
Freeform canceled mermaid drama “Siren” after three seasons.
Hulu canceled “High Fidelity” after a single season.
“Fixer Upper,” which aired its last original episode in April 2018, will return with new episodes when Chip and Joanna Gaines’ Magnolia Network launches in 2021, replacing DIY.
A “Who’s the Boss?” sequel series with Tony Danza and Alyssa Milano reprising their roles from the ’80s sitcom is in development. Co-stars Judith Light and Danny Pintauro are not yet signed for the proposed show. Series regular Katherine Helmond died at 89 in 2019.
Comedy Central will revive cult classic “Ren & Stimpy” with a new creative team reimagining the series.
Channel surfing
CBS’ “The Young and the Restless” returns Monday with new episodes after a pandemic-forced production shutdown. … ABC’s “American Idol” will host its first-ever virtual auditions for ages 15-28. Sign up for a virtual audition at www.americanidol.com/auditions. … WPXI’s 2020 Holiday Parade has been canceled due to COVID-19 on what would have been its 40th anniversary. Channel 11 plans to air a parade retrospective celebrating its four decades later this year. … Discovery’s “Alaskan Bush People” returns for a new season at 8 p.m. Aug. 23. … Tyler Perry’s “The Haves and the Have Nots” returns for new episodes on OWN at 8 p.m. Aug. 25. ... CBS reality competition “Love Island” returns for its delayed-by-COVID-19 second season with a two-hour premiere Aug. 24. The show is no longer set on an island but filmed in a sequestered bubble at a Las Vegas hotel. ... Don’t hold your breath for returning scripted TV series this fall: Film LA reports filming in Los Angeles County is at just 34% of what would normally be expected this time or year and most of what’s filming is commercials and a few reality shows.
Tuned In online
Today’s TV Q&A column on the blog responds to questions about “Pittsburgh Today Live,” Jeff Verszyla and morning traffic coverage. Read online-only TV content at http://communityvoices.post-gazette.com/arts-entertainment-living/tuned-in.
TV writer Rob Owen: rowen@post-gazette.com or 412-263-2582. Follow RobOwenTV on Twitter or Facebook for breaking TV news.
First Published: August 6, 2020, 12:28 p.m.
