Lovingly mocking something while also making a true and earnest version of that thing should be impossible. Imagine if someone said Austin Powers was one of the best James Bond movies and, somehow, James Bond fans everywhere almost unanimously agreed. That’s what Star Trek: Lower Decks is to the rest of the Trek franchise and Trek fandom at large. And, as it embarks upon its third season, what began as the riskiest new Star Trek show isn’t an underdog anymore, it’s now top dog.
