Star Trek: Strange New Worlds showrunner teases Lower Decks crossover

gamesradar.com:

"There's some surprises in there…" Akiva Goldsman tells SFX magazine of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2 in the latest issue (which features the show on the cover). Luckily for all the spoilerphobes among us, he's not giving up anything too major. "Yeah, there are more Gorn in season two," he's happy to reveal. 

"I think one of the big swings is out there, right?" he laughs when SFX tries to push for more hints and teases. "We do a crossover with Lower Decks and that's fun. We had a really good time doing that and got to work with our extended family from the other show, both on camera and off. And of course Jonathan Frakes directed it. So in many ways it's a Star Trek melting pot, that episode. And there are more, but far be it for me to spoil…"

Frakes, we tell Goldsman, did reveal details of the animation and live-action episode in SFX earlier this year. "Here’s the thing: Jonathan should never ever, ever have a state secret. There's not a thing Jonathan won't tell you. I would say it's because you could ply him with drink, but really, no plying required. I will say to you that there are full-on animated pieces of the episode. But the hero portion of the episode is on Enterprise, in the Strange New Worlds universe."

Not only are they faced with the challenge of blending animation with live-action, they're also mixing two different styles of show. Is it difficult to integrate drama with comedy? 

"Yes!" Goldsman laughs. "It is! It's also difficult to integrate anime with non-anime because tonally they're different. Really, it's a credit to Tawny [Newsome, as Mariner] and Jack [Quaid, as Boimler], because the way you play a character in animation and the way you play a character in live action requires a different