Star Trek: Lower Decks Clip Promises A Pie-Eating Contest In Space [Exclusive]

The final frontier is about to get a whole lot ... messier. Over fifty years after first arriving on the scene and changing the landscape of sci-fi forever, "Star Trek" keeps chugging along with new shows for every kind of fan out there. Those used to the frills and thrills of modern television have the continuing adventures of "Discovery" to look forward to, more old-fashioned viewers have the episodic and throwback charms of "Strange New Worlds" to occupy their imaginations, and audiences looking for a burst of colorful energy and irreverent zaniness get to look forward to the animated series "Lower Decks."

Just when many may have thought they'd seen it all by now, the currently ongoing season 3 has gone even further to broaden our horizons and truly explore the unknown in the universe. As /Film's Jacob Hall wrote in his season review:

"Lower Decks," the silly comedy show, is able to run wild on a grand scale. There's a lovely irony to the smallest "Trek" show using its medium to its advantage, and telling small stories with enormous scope. And in season 3, "Lower Decks" leans into the animation more than ever, creating vast worlds and strange cultures ... and sometimes rebuilding favorite locations and characters out of digital ink and paint, pulling off what live-action "Trek" can't get away with right now.

With all that promise and potential going for it, it can be easy to forget that "Lower Decks" is ultimately a story about the dregs of Starfleet and their silliest problems. Thankfully, /Film can exclusive reveal a brand-new clip from "Trusted Sources," the upcoming ninth episode of the season, to help remind us what it's all about: Pie-eating contests, naturally. Check it out below!

Ensign Beckett Mariner (Tawny Newsome), Commander Jack Ransom (Jerry O'Connell), and Captain Carol Freeman (Dawnn Lewis) all star in this humorous clip, titled "Loud And Clear." With a news reporter descending on the USS Cerritos to tag along and chronicle the crew's adventures while on an important away mission, the indefatigable Captain finds herself at a loss over how to rein in the unpredictable chaos of her unruly daughter Mariner and keep the California-class starship's reputation intact. An imminent pie-eating contest that would expose the crew's typically ridiculous and absurd routines is just what the doctor didn't order.

"Star Trek: Lower Decks" comes from creator Mike McMahan ("Solar Opposites," "Rick and Morty") and stars the voice talents of Jack Quaid as Ensign Brad Boimler, Eugene Cordero as Ensign Samanthan Rutherford, Noël Wells as Ensign D'Vana Tendi, Gillian Vigman as Dr. T'Ana, Fred Tatasciore as Lieutenant Shaxs, and more. The series has always found time and space for unexpected cameos, deep-dive lore references, and also some much-welcomed sincerity amid all its hijinks.

The next episode will undoubtedly be more of the same, and it's set to stream on Paramount+ tomorrow, October 20, 2022.