Unironically, I think Star Trek: Away would be a fun Lower Decksian concept that covers an away team, but only while they are on mission.
The episode starts once they have left the ship (whether by transporter, shuttle or otherwise), no context, and the show builds the premise of the mission over the course of the episode. We never actually get a good view of the inside of the ship and all the nonsense that goes on there (mission related or not) has to be relayed through coms, dialogue, or the away team’s outside perspective.
It’s ripe for all sorts of ongoing gags: red shirt death toll, or a red shirt that gets horribly maimed but comes back from sick bay every episode South Park style. Plenty of room for plot twists and narrative shifts because neither the MacGuffin nor the true nature of the setting are revealed at the beginning.
Open planet-side. The away team beams in and starts taking readings and such.
Away 1: So, how many tentacles do you think the transporter chief actually has?
Away 2: At least 30, but that depends where in the branching you start counting.
Away 3: 30‽ More like 2,030!
Away 2: Oh I don’t count the little ones. I think of them as tiny fingers.
Away 1: Or octopus suckers.
Away 4: I think they are more like…tongues?
Away 1: Wait! So every time they shook my hand…
Away 4: Uh huh.
Away 1: Honestly, I’m not sure if I’m disgusted or aroused…
Away 3: dis-groused?
Away 4: I always thought they were 1 multi pronged tentacle, like… a hand… or, or, a starfish!
Away 1: A starfish? do you think if they were cut in half they’d become twins?
Disembodied voice: Away One, your communicator is still on.
Away 1: Ugggh! Not again! If I get another reprim…
Blaster fire hits a nearby red shirt and plot ensues
Unironically, I think Star Trek: Away would be a fun Lower Decksian concept that covers an away team, but only while they are on mission.
The episode starts once they have left the ship (whether by transporter, shuttle or otherwise), no context, and the show builds the premise of the mission over the course of the episode. We never actually get a good view of the inside of the ship and all the nonsense that goes on there (mission related or not) has to be relayed through coms, dialogue, or the away team’s outside perspective.
I would love to see this as a series of shorts
It’s ripe for all sorts of ongoing gags: red shirt death toll, or a red shirt that gets horribly maimed but comes back from sick bay every episode South Park style. Plenty of room for plot twists and narrative shifts because neither the MacGuffin nor the true nature of the setting are revealed at the beginning.
Open planet-side. The away team beams in and starts taking readings and such.
Away 1: So, how many tentacles do you think the transporter chief actually has?
Away 2: At least 30, but that depends where in the branching you start counting.
Away 3: 30‽ More like 2,030!
Away 2: Oh I don’t count the little ones. I think of them as tiny fingers.
Away 1: Or octopus suckers.
Away 4: I think they are more like…tongues?
Away 1: Wait! So every time they shook my hand…
Away 4: Uh huh.
Away 1: Honestly, I’m not sure if I’m disgusted or aroused…
Away 3: dis-groused?
Away 4: I always thought they were 1 multi pronged tentacle, like… a hand… or, or, a starfish!
Away 1: A starfish? do you think if they were cut in half they’d become twins?
Disembodied voice: Away One, your communicator is still on.
Away 1: Ugggh! Not again! If I get another reprim…
Blaster fire hits a nearby red shirt and plot ensues
A star trek: away with the charm of early RvB would be wonderful, you are right