{ "id": "ep13p1weq5", "slug": "star-trek-very-short-treks", "title": "Star Trek: Very Short Treks", "updated": "2026-11-01", "topic_path": [ { "id": "culture", "label": "Arts and culture", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture" }, { "id": "culture.performance", "label": "Screen and stage", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen", "label": "Film and television", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.series", "label": "Series and fictional screen worlds", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.series" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.series.series_scripted_tv", "label": "Scripted television and comedy series", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.series.series_scripted_tv" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.series.series_scripted_tv_adapted", "label": "Adapted and franchise screen series", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.series.series_scripted_tv_adapted" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.series.series_scripted_tv_adapted.space_sf_franchise_tv", "label": "Space and science-fiction franchise television", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.series.series_scripted_tv_adapted.space_sf_franchise_tv" } ], "geo": [ { "id": "geo.us.t2021.culture.performance.screen.series.series_scripted_tv_adapted", "label": "United States · 2021 and later: Adapted and franchise screen series", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.culture.performance.screen.series.series_scripted_tv_adapted", "path": [ { "id": "geo.us", "label": "United States", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021", "label": "United States · 2021 and later", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.culture", "label": "Arts and culture", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.culture" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.culture.performance", "label": "Screen and stage", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.culture.performance" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.culture.performance.screen", "label": "Film and television", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.culture.performance.screen" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.culture.performance.screen.series", "label": "Series and fictional screen worlds", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.culture.performance.screen.series" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.culture.performance.screen.series.series_scripted_tv", "label": "Scripted television and comedy series", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.culture.performance.screen.series.series_scripted_tv" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.culture.performance.screen.series.series_scripted_tv_adapted", "label": "Adapted and franchise screen series", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.culture.performance.screen.series.series_scripted_tv_adapted" } ] } ], "excerpt": "Star Trek: Very Short Treks (2023) is a series of five animated promotional comedy shorts by CBS Studios, led by Casper Kelly, marking the 50th anniversary of Star Trek: The Animated Series, with franchise voice actors and a companion IDW comic.", "snippet": "Star Trek: Very Short Treks (2023) is a series of five animated promotional comedy shorts by CBS Studios, led by Casper Kelly, marking the 50th anniversary of Star Trek: The Animated Series, with franchise voice actors and a companion IDW comic.", "node": "culture.performance.screen.series.series_scripted_tv_adapted.space_sf_franchise_tv", "markdown": "# Star Trek: Very Short Treks\n\n**Star Trek: Very Short Treks** is a series of five animated promotional comedy shorts produced by [CBS Studios](https://www.edgepedia.org/cbs-studios) in 2023 to mark the 50th anniversary of *Star Trek: The Animated Series*, the franchise's first animated series. The shorts parody different eras of [Star Trek](https://www.edgepedia.org/star-trek) in a deliberately irreverent comic tone, using a visual style inspired by the 1973 animated series, and feature franchise actors reprising their voice roles.[1](https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-studios/releases/?view=108419-star-trek-celebrates-50-years-of-animation-with-the-launch-of-star-trek-very-short-treks) • [2](https://www.comicmoviedb.com/tv-series/star-trek-very-short-treks/)\n\n| Key fact | Detail |\n|---|---|\n| Format | Five animated promotional shorts, each roughly 3 to 5 minutes, in the style of *Star Trek: The Animated Series*[1](https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-studios/releases/?view=108419-star-trek-celebrates-50-years-of-animation-with-the-launch-of-star-trek-very-short-treks) • [2](https://www.comicmoviedb.com/tv-series/star-trek-very-short-treks/) |\n| Occasion | 50th anniversary of *Star Trek: The Animated Series*, launched as part of Star Trek Day on September 8, 2023[1](https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-studios/releases/?view=108419-star-trek-celebrates-50-years-of-animation-with-the-launch-of-star-trek-very-short-treks) |\n| Creative lead | Casper Kelly, creative consultant, known for *Too Many Cooks*, *Star Trek: Short Treks*, and Adult Swim work[3](https://www.startrek.com/news/star-trek-very-short-treks-announce) |\n| Release | First short on September 8, 2023, exclusively on StarTrek.com and the official Star Trek YouTube channel; four more weekly on Wednesdays through October 4[3](https://www.startrek.com/news/star-trek-very-short-treks-announce) |\n| Voice cast | Jonathan Frakes (Will Riker), [Doug Jones](https://www.edgepedia.org/doug-jones-actor) ([Saru](https://www.edgepedia.org/saru-star-trek-discovery)), Armin Shimerman ([Quark](https://www.edgepedia.org/quark-star-trek)), Ethan Peck (Spock), Gates McFadden (Dr. Beverly Crusher), Celia Rose Gooding (Uhura), Connor Trinneer (Trip Tucker), Bruce Horak (Hemmer), Noël Wells (Tendi), and George Takei (Sulu)[1](https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-studios/releases/?view=108419-star-trek-celebrates-50-years-of-animation-with-the-launch-of-star-trek-very-short-treks) |\n| Canon status | Playful, non-canon celebrations rather than essential timeline chapters[2](https://www.comicmoviedb.com/tv-series/star-trek-very-short-treks/) |\n| Companion comic | *Star Trek: The Animated Celebration Presents The Scheimer Barrier*, with IDW Publishing, debuting digitally on September 8[3](https://www.startrek.com/news/star-trek-very-short-treks-announce) |\n\n## Spoilers\n\n### Episodes and release\n\nThe first short, \"Skin a Cat,\" debuted on [Star Trek Day](https://www.edgepedia.org/star-trek-day), September 8, 2023, at 10:00 am PT / 1:00 pm ET, exclusively on StarTrek.com and the official Star Trek YouTube channel, with four additional spots rolling out weekly on Wednesdays through October 4.[3](https://www.startrek.com/news/star-trek-very-short-treks-announce) The full schedule ran:[9](https://www.space.com/star-trek-day-2023-very-short-treks)\n\n- September 8 – \"Skin a Cat\"\n- September 13 – \"Holiday Party\"\n- September 20 – \"Worst Contact\"\n- September 27 – \"Holograms, All the Way Down\"\n- October 4 – \"Walk, Don't Run\"\n\n\"Skin a Cat\" centers on a parody captain whose colloquial, unintentionally offensive speech repeatedly lands him in trouble with his bridge crew, including the Caitian lieutenant M'Ress from *The Animated Series*.[7](https://trekcentral.net/review-star-treks-very-short-treks/) • [10](https://www.dailystartreknews.com/read/review-star-trek-very-short-treks-was-a-puzzling-mess) \"Worst Contact\" brings back [Jonathan Frakes](https://www.edgepedia.org/jonathan-frakes) and [Gates McFadden](https://www.edgepedia.org/gates-mcfadden) as Will Riker and [Beverly Crusher](https://www.edgepedia.org/beverly-crusher) for a first-contact meeting with a new alien species whose customs prove unappealing for Federation membership.[11](https://gizmodo.com/star-trek-very-short-treks-episode-3-riker-dr-crusher-1850858830) The finale, \"Walk, Don't Run,\" features an exclusive musical duet from two of Star Trek's most beloved characters and appearances from crews past and present, which StarTrek.com describes as a celebration across generations.[12](https://www.startrek.com/news/very-short-treks-walk-dont-run-animated-celebration)\n\n## Purpose and context\n\nThe shorts formed the video centerpiece of *Star Trek: The Animated Celebration*, a salute to the 50th anniversary of *Star Trek: The Animated Series*, which ran for 22 episodes over two seasons from September 1973 to October 1974 on NBC.[4](https://www.startrek.com/animated-celebration) • [5](https://sandlershandlings.substack.com/p/star-trek-very-short-treks-animated-shorts) According to StarTrek.com, the series pays tribute to the show that kicked off Star Trek's animated legacy while incorporating all corners of the Star Trek universe in a fun and irreverent manner.[6](https://www.startrek.com/news/very-short-treks-skin-a-cat-comic-chapter-one)\n\nThe project was first announced in July 2023 at [San Diego Comic-Con](https://www.edgepedia.org/san-diego-comic-con)'s Star Trek panel.[7](https://trekcentral.net/review-star-treks-very-short-treks/) According to its [Shorty Awards](https://www.edgepedia.org/shorty-awards) entry, the series aimed to depict every era of the Star Trek franchise in the distinctive [Filmation](https://www.edgepedia.org/filmation) look of the original cartoon, filtered through Casper Kelly's offbeat comedic perspective, while stretching what counts as humor and remaining faithful to Star Trek's central characters and values.[8](https://shortyawards.com/16th/very-short-treks)\n\n## Production\n\nCasper Kelly, an [Adult Swim](https://www.edgepedia.org/adult-swim) veteran best known for the viral short *Too Many Cooks*, served as creative consultant and is credited by Comic Movie DB as director.[3](https://www.startrek.com/news/star-trek-very-short-treks-announce) • [2](https://www.comicmoviedb.com/tv-series/star-trek-very-short-treks/) He wrote the shorts alongside *Saturday Night Live* writer Claire Friedman and Aaron Waltke, who wrote on *Star Trek: Prodigy*.[13](https://www.awn.com/animationworld/casper-kelly-talks-star-trek-very-short-treks-funny-celebration-humanity) The animation was produced with the creative team from Awesome Inc.[14](https://www.startrek.com/videos/making-of-star-trek-very-short-treks)\n\nKelly had a personal connection to the source material: as a young boy in the 1970s he was among the viewers upset when *The Animated Series* ended in 1974 after two seasons.[13](https://www.awn.com/animationworld/casper-kelly-talks-star-trek-very-short-treks-funny-celebration-humanity) In the behind-the-scenes feature *The Making of 'Star Trek: very Short Treks' with Casper Kelly* he acknowledged that he was not \"that conscious\" about celebrating the original series and \"just focused on what's funny.\"[15](https://whatculture.com/trekculture/star-trek-10-episodes-that-wasted-an-incredible-premise-2?page=9) He compared the approach to Adult Swim reimaginings of older [Hanna-Barbera](https://www.edgepedia.org/hanna-barbera) cartoons such as *Space Ghost* and *Sealab 2021*, and said the series takes even more risks than the animated series that came before it.[13](https://www.awn.com/animationworld/casper-kelly-talks-star-trek-very-short-treks-funny-celebration-humanity) According to TVLine, Star Trek franchise head [Alex Kurtzman](https://www.edgepedia.org/alex-kurtzman), a fan of Kelly's work, specifically wanted him to get strange with the series.[16](https://www.tvline.com/2076788/star-trek-animated-tv-shows-ranked/)\n\n## Reception\n\nFan and critical reception was divided. Comic Movie DB gave the series a 6/10 editorial score, writing that its value lies in seeing Star Trek laugh at its own history and animation legacy while experimenting with a deliberately exaggerated tone, and that the shorts are designed for fans who understand the references being twisted.[2](https://www.comicmoviedb.com/tv-series/star-trek-very-short-treks/) Gizmodo's review of \"Worst Contact\" argued the anthology was drifting from knowing Trek humor toward low-brow gross-out comedy, noting that *Star Trek: Lower Decks* had already proved Star Trek comedy could also be really good Star Trek.[11](https://gizmodo.com/star-trek-very-short-treks-episode-3-riker-dr-crusher-1850858830) Daily Star Trek News called the run \"a puzzling mess\" and quoted fan criticism on Twitter describing the shorts as redundant, pointless, and incoherent.[10](https://www.dailystartreknews.com/read/review-star-trek-very-short-treks-was-a-puzzling-mess) The Shorty Awards stated that the project succeeded in surprising fans and creating lively digital conversation around what the Star Trek universe can offer.[8](https://shortyawards.com/16th/very-short-treks)\n\n## Relationship to Short Treks\n\nDespite the similar name, *Very Short Treks* is distinct from *Star Trek: Short Treks*, the 2018 to 2020 anthology of 10- to 15-minute standalone stories tied to *Star Trek: Discovery* and the broader Star Trek universe.[17](https://www.paramountplus.com/shows/star-trek-short-treks/) Kelly had previously worked on *Short Treks*, and the new series reuses the short-form format for promotional comedy rather than canon storytelling.[3](https://www.startrek.com/news/star-trek-very-short-treks-announce) • [2](https://www.comicmoviedb.com/tv-series/star-trek-very-short-treks/)\n\n## References\n\n1. [\"STAR TREK\" CELEBRATES 50 YEARS OF ANIMATION WITH THE LAUNCH OF \"STAR TREK: very SHORT TREKS\", Paramount Press Express](https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-studios/releases/?view=108419-star-trek-celebrates-50-years-of-animation-with-the-launch-of-star-trek-very-short-treks)\n2. [Star Trek: Very Short Treks – Review, Cast & Trivia, Comic Movie DB](https://www.comicmoviedb.com/tv-series/star-trek-very-short-treks/)\n3. [Celebrate 50 Years of Star Trek Animation with the Launch of 'Star Trek: very Short Treks', StarTrek.com](https://www.startrek.com/news/star-trek-very-short-treks-announce)\n4. [Star Trek: The Animated Celebration, StarTrek.com](https://www.startrek.com/animated-celebration)\n5. ['Star Trek: very Short Treks' Animated Shorts Coming On Star Trek Day, Sandler's Handlings](https://sandlershandlings.substack.com/p/star-trek-very-short-treks-animated-shorts)\n6. [Star Trek: The Animated Celebration Kicks Off with First 'very Short Treks' and Comic Chapter, StarTrek.com](https://www.startrek.com/news/very-short-treks-skin-a-cat-comic-chapter-one)\n7. [REVIEW – Star Trek's 'Very' Short Treks, Trek Central](https://trekcentral.net/review-star-treks-very-short-treks/)\n8. [very Short Treks \"Walk, Don't Run\", The Shorty Awards](https://shortyawards.com/16th/very-short-treks)\n9. [Warp into Star Trek Day today with new animated 'very Short Treks', Space.com](https://www.space.com/star-trek-day-2023-very-short-treks)\n10. [REVIEW: 'Star Trek: Very Short Treks' Was a Puzzling Mess, Daily Star Trek News](https://www.dailystartreknews.com/read/review-star-trek-very-short-treks-was-a-puzzling-mess)\n11. [The Latest Star Trek Short Is... Certainly Something, Gizmodo](https://gizmodo.com/star-trek-very-short-treks-episode-3-riker-dr-crusher-1850858830)\n12. [The Old Guard Meets the New in Star Trek: very Short Treks' 'Walk, Don't Run', StarTrek.com](https://www.startrek.com/news/very-short-treks-walk-dont-run-animated-celebration)\n13. [Casper Kelly Talks 'Star Trek: very Short Treks': A Funny Celebration of Humanity, Animation World Network](https://www.awn.com/animationworld/casper-kelly-talks-star-trek-very-short-treks-funny-celebration-humanity)\n14. [Behind-the-Scenes of Star Trek: very Short Treks, StarTrek.com](https://www.startrek.com/videos/making-of-star-trek-very-short-treks)\n15. [Star Trek: 10 Episodes That Wasted An Incredible Premise, WhatCulture](https://whatculture.com/trekculture/star-trek-10-episodes-that-wasted-an-incredible-premise-2?page=9)\n16. [Every Animated Star Trek TV Show, Ranked, TVLine](https://www.tvline.com/2076788/star-trek-animated-tv-shows-ranked/)\n17. [Star Trek: Short Treks, Paramount+](https://www.paramountplus.com/shows/star-trek-short-treks/)\n\n---\n*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Series and fictional screen worlds › Scripted television and comedy series › Adapted and franchise screen series › Space and science-fiction franchise television*\n\n*Initially written Oct 3, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*\n\n*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*\n\nLicense: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license\n", "same_as": [], "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/star-trek-very-short-treks", "markdown_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/star-trek-very-short-treks.md", "license": { "name": "Edgepedia Community License 1.0", "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license", "summary": "Free with credit, commercial use included. AI training is open to everyone. For other uses, organizations over USD 100M in revenue or 100M monthly users license separately.", "spdx": "LicenseRef-Edgepedia-Community-1.0" }, "credit": "\"Star Trek: Very Short Treks\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/star-trek-very-short-treks. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "credit_md": "\"[Star Trek: Very Short Treks](https://www.edgepedia.org/star-trek-very-short-treks)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), [https://www.edgepedia.org/star-trek-very-short-treks](https://www.edgepedia.org/star-trek-very-short-treks). [Edgepedia Community License 1.0](https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license).", "credit_html": "\"Star Trek: Very Short Treks\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/star-trek-very-short-treks. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "speakable": "Star Trek: Very Short Treks is a series of five animated promotional comedy shorts by CBS Studios, led by Casper Kelly, marking the 50th anniversary of Star Trek: The Animated Series, with franchise voice actors and a companion IDW comic." }