Lower Decks: Can anyone tell me what I'm missing?

I really don’t like Lower Decks. Before you downvote, I would never tell anyone it’s bad or that they shouldn’t like it. I just really can’t figure out why most people seem to like it so much.

Similar to what I’ve heard many fans of LD say, I don’t like Discovery or Picard either but I love Strange New Worlds. That seems to be pretty common among the Lower Decks fandom. Yet no matter how many times I try to watch LD I always end up borderline hating it. I don’t even like the crossover episode with SNW.

For reference, the things I specifically dislike are: I don’t find it funny; I think that the characters are too cynical, hyperactive or doe-eyed; and I’m normally a big proponent of 2D animation but I don’t like LD’s art style either.

It’s cool that they have brought back so many characters, actors and details from the old days, but to me that’s not enough to get over the things I don’t like. I’m also not one to notice that they faithfully recreated a minor detail from the classic series without it being pointed out to me.

Is it just that my sense of humor and other tastes are too different, despite sharing a lot of other opinions with fans of LD? Or is it the deep Trek references that people love so much but often go over my head? Or is it something else entirely that I’m not getting that makes so many people love this show?

Whatever it is that’s lost on me, I’m glad so many people are getting their joy from LD. I just need to convince my coworker to stop recommending it to me. :P

(I also spent over an hour editing this before posting it to make sure it sounds as diplomatic as possible, so hopefully I don’t still manage to piss everyone off with my heresy.)

roofuskit,

It’s not your bag. Not everything needs to be for everyone.

Acamon,

I’m totally the same, but star trek fan, love all the older stuff and have given the new stuff a try but only really love SNW. So many friends are raving about LD but I could get through more than a few episodes. I just didn’t like the characters, or find the plots interesting, and most importantly found it completely unfunny.

I’m super jealous of all the people who love it, and I’m not criticising it. But I just didn’t connect with the humor, and like most comedies, if you don’t find them funny then characters and plots seem dumb.

I’m going to persevere and try to make it through the first season, just because I WANT to like it. But humor is personal, and even a good show can’t connect with everyone. I wish I heard more comments saying “it gets better after…” but the people who like it seem to just like it, so I’m not hopeful.

GregorGizeh, (edited )

Nah I get it. I’m just not interested in adult cartoons, Rick and morty is similarly dead to me.

When it was first released it was refreshing to watch a show that’s done with the tropes and storytelling, but the novelty wore off pretty quick and now I’m tired of jaded, unfazed, snarky cynics who take nothing serious. Get off the screen, get a fucking therapist you dysfunctional asshole.

I much prefer real Trek, things that inspire hope and wonder, things that make me think of philosophical dilemmas, things that make me dream of a mankind not doomed to destroy itself.

rhadamanth_nemes,

I also bounced off of LD at first… The first few eps are tough, seems like they were still getting their footing.

I enjoy the references, and bringing back monster of the weeks, expanding lore, etc. Also the characters are actually pretty great when you start to get to know them.

CrayonRosary,

I couldn’t even watch for 10 minutes because of the hyperactive characters. I hate that kind of show.

Facebones,

My favorite part of LD is Star Trek™ shit going on in the background as they’re messing around with menial crap. It’s not always the funniest show but it kills me that there’s always like a proper ST episode going on in the background 😂

psion1369,

I love it simply because it’s a Trek show that stopped taking itself seriously. Star Trek always had an amount of stoicism about it, and LD takes it away and points out all the stupid stuff fans have just taken. And the whole thing works because it isn’t a crew at the edge of being heroes. My two cents.

agamemnonymous,

Yeah this is it. Trek has always had such a grandiose atmosphere, but life isn’t like that all the time. It’s refreshing to see the principles of the Federation shine through its imperfect aspects. I love second contact, I love maintenance duties and bureaucratic bullshit and all the other details that makes a fictional universe feel “lived in”.

acow,

I don’t think you’re missing anything. I didn’t like the first episode as I found the humor somewhat jarring, and didn’t like Mariner. I kept at it as a show I watch while exercising, though, and it grew on me. While Mariner still annoys me at times, there’s a warmth and enthusiasm in LD that is quite infectious. I think they do a great job at teasing Trek while still loving it, and I am there for it.

Venat0r,

I like lower decks but have never been able to sit through a whole episode of any of the serious star treks. I think it’s kinda made for a completely different audience?

Fallingfiddle,

As someone who can only tolerate LD when highly inebriated, ty. I wish I could like it but gosh darn it’s really anti-trek in so many ways. I love the callbacks but hate how they dump on trek philosophy.

keefshape,

This is really it for me too. It reminds me of those old late night drunk cartoons, like Duckman. It works, but only for a certain state of mind, for me at least.

Acamon,

Interesting… Going to have to try it drunk!

c0mbatbag3l,
@c0mbatbag3l@lemmy.world avatar

Not liking the art style makes sense, it’s the same “kidney bean for a head” style that’s been taught at all animation schools for the last half decade now and it’s so overused that it just looks bad.

It’s the Rick and Morty style, essentially. Everyone’s copied it now.

Facebones,

I love LD but would agree with this.

ieightpi,

Everyone is entitled to their opinions if they like the show or not. I know you opening up and I don’t want to com off mean in any way. I think its pretty awesome you feel comfortable come out with opinion.

But objectively, the characters are far from cynical. You might look into reevaluating what you consider to be cynical in life. Maybe you used just used the wrong word to describe what you meant.

MamboGator,
@MamboGator@lemmy.world avatar

Cynical is probably the wrong word for what I was thinking of. I’m mostly referring to Mariner and her “too cool for school” attitude and teasing Boimler. She comes across as too negative to me.

jmdatcs,

I’m not trying to tell you “keep at it, it gets better”, because it doesn’t. It starts out awesome and stays that way, in my opinion.

But if you had watched more you’d see Mariner’s persona is a front. She might be the most Starfleet motherfucker in the show.

Facebones,

Mariner is Starfleet as fuck

ieightpi,

I can see where your coming from.

Facebones,

If you’re not enjoying it, you probably won’t enjoy it. That being said, your complaint is basically the show. Mariner is Starfleet as fuck, but LD is her growing into that and realizing that.

angrystego,

I think it’s the different humor and visual style case. And that’s ok. I don’t think you need to understand the many Trek injokes to like it- I know people who don’t know Trek and enjoy LD.

What I find interesting is that you feel the characters are cynical. I was quite suprised how endearingly idealistic the characters were, despite being written as flawed. They always make sure to do the right thing and they try very hard to better themselves. There’s a lot of character growth involved, which I much appreciate.

During the first two episodes, I also found the characters hyperactive. By the third one I adapted.

TetraVega,

I get where you’re coming from. Definitely different, but I’m have an affliction that I like everything Trek. Heck, my least favorite is Discovery, but I still like Discovery. For LD, yeah there are some episodes I don’t think seem very Trekkish somehow, but I think the series overall is good. It’s like Trek and Rick and Morty had a baby, so maybe you don’t like Rick and Morty either

OhStopYellingAtMe,
@OhStopYellingAtMe@lemmy.world avatar

I’m with you, OP. I tried to watch LD but found the hyperactive characters and cynicism were just too much.

I’m glad it has a following, but I do kinda wish people would shut up about it on occasion. All of the trek fan sites are overwhelmingly about LD anymore, like it’s the only trek show out there.

TheSambassador,

Do you have an example of cynicism in the show? I guess the Ceritos being a lower class ship gives some of the characters a bit of a chip on their shoulder and they talk a lot of crap about command, but the characters themselves still have a pretty positive outlook overall.

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