Star Trek: Lower Decks creator and showrunner Mike McMahan recently appeared for a two part interview with popular Star Trek YouTube host Ketwolski that included a wide-ranging discussion looking back at Season One of the popular animated Star Trek show, and ahead to provide some hints about the direction the show will take in Season Two.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic having altered plans for many of the live action Star Trek productions, it is uncertain — after Discovery ends in January 2021 — when the next Star Trek show will air. But it appears that Lower Decks is continuing full steam ahead towards a 2021 return

McMahan said about Season Two production:

I can tell you right now, we are so deep in production. Not only is it all written, but I’ve got Episode 209 to watch over this week in animatic format — and we have already sent the first 4 episodes to coloring departments.

Of course, many international fans are still waiting for Season 1 to premiere outside of the USA and Canada, and like his comments on the matter back in August, McMahan offered some hope to frustrated international fans that CBS is still working on getting international distribution deals in place.

I was very surprised with how long [international distribution] has taken, but we are aware of it.

It is clearly something we want to have happen and there should be news about it fairly soon… but these are conversations that I’m involved in, but not in charge of.

We totally hear you, we are desperately working on it and we are completely invested in getting it done.

In addition to the return of Jonathan Frakes next season — continuing to voice USS Titan captain Will Riker — McMahan also indicated that the villains from “No Small Parts,” the Pakleds, would also be returning to the show. According to McMahan, the Pakled battle ships seen in the season finale are called “Battle Harpies,” and that they’ll be highly involved in the world-building in next season’s story.

And what of our four main characters: Mariner (Tawny Newsome), Boimler (Jack Quaid), Tendi (Noel Wells), and Rutherford (Eugene Cordero)? McMahan says that he wants to give more time in the spotlight to Tendi and Rutherford, giving the show a feel that “there are four leads, instead of two leads — and two sidekicks.”

He also indicated that the writers room felt freer in Season 2 to let their imaginations run wild, given they were not tied down to the responsibility of having to set up and explain to the audience what the show was about.

In the second season, because we weren’t having to explain what the show was to ourselves or to an audience you get some really fun Dr. T’Ana [Gillian Vigman] episodes… even a funny Billups [Paul Scheer] episode.

He’s a secret favorite of the writers.

McMahan also teases what to expect from the new security chief aboard the USS Cerritos, following the death of Shax (Fred Tatasciore) in “No Small Parts.”

The new head of security is… [pauses] I’m really just excited for (everyone) to see who it is. I’m really proud of everything we did with the character there.

All in all, McMahan says to prepare for Season 2 to be even better than Season 1.

Our animators are taking everything they did in the first season and are making it even more beautiful and rich with new lighting and color.

When that all comes together, with the new score by Chris Westlake, everything is going to be such a party. I cannot wait for you guys to see it.

To watch the both parts of the interview between Ketwolski and Mike McMahan, including more discussion about the first season of Star Trek: Lower Decks, head over to Ketwolski’s YouTube channel.