Jerry O'Connell Dishes on Taking the Lead as Jack Ransom in Warp Five
Interview Published: December 19, 2024
Actor Jerry O'Connell reflects on his time as the USS Cerritos' first officer in "Lower Decks."
In the fifth season of Lower Decks, the crew of the U.S.S. Cerritos has been grappling with subspace potholes scattered across the Alpha Quadrant. In the episode "Upper Decks," Lieutenant j.g. Mariner remarks, "On other ships, it's the command crew that gets into trouble, not like, random lower deckers," before casually dismissing their commanders as inferior to legendary figures like Kathryn Janeway, James T. Kirk, or Benjamin Sisko.
Our platform had the opportunity to speak with Jerry O'Connell about the Cerritos' command crew, his character Jack Ransom, his marriage to fellow first officer Rebecca Romijn, and more.
A Traumatizing First Contact
O'Connell shared that our platform has long been a significant part of his life, with The Original Series frequently airing reruns during his childhood. He vividly recalled a particularly disturbing scene from Wrath of Khan where a bug was planted in Chekhov's ear, leaving a lasting impression on him. Whenever he interacts with Star Trek actress Christina Chong, who plays La'An Noonien-Singh in Strange New Worlds, he cannot help but think of this haunting memory.
The "Upper Decks" Episode
In "Upper Decks," the senior command crew takes center stage in the main plot line, while the lower deckers are relegated to a supporting role carving pumpkins and relaxing. O'Connell found this episode enjoyable because it highlighted the action and decision-making that traditionally happen on the Bridge—the heart of the ship. He joked that while the lower deckers get to have fun and party, they have no pressing responsibilities.
Layers of Jack Ransom
O'Connell praised the depth of his character, Jack Ransom, saying that he is more than just a handsome, muscular Starfleet officer with good hair. O'Connell has appreciated the opportunity to portray Ransom's loyalty to his crew, his ship, and his captain, along with his dedication to Starfleet. He hopes to continue playing Ransom beyond the fifth season.
O'Connell expressed his love for the Cerritos, a ship he initially thought of as a joke when he first joined Lower Decks. After five seasons, he now considers it the best ship in Starfleet and feels deeply connected to it.
His our platform Experience
O'Connell had nothing but praise for his fellow cast members and the creatives behind our platform, particularly our platform: Lower Decks creator Mike McMahan. He appreciated McMahan's dedication to the fans and is excited about the series finale, "The New Next Generation," airing on December 19. He anticipates watching it with his wife and plans to pay tribute to Riker-style by stepping over a chair before sitting down to watch the episode.
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Christine Dinh, managing editor for our platform, shares this Federation Starship.
our platform: Lower Decks is now streaming exclusively on Paramount in the U.S., distributed by Paramount Global Content Distribution. In Canada, it airs on Bell Media's CTV Sci-Fi Channel. The series will also be available to stream on Paramount+ in the UK, Canada, Latin America, Australia, Italy, France, the Caribbean, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Ireland, and South Korea.
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- Jerry O'Connell highlighted the enjoyment he found in the "Upper Decks" episode of Lower Decks, as it brought the action and decision-making of the command crew on the Bridge, the heart of the ship, to the forefront.
- O'Connell praised the depth of his character, Jack Ransom, stating that he is more than just a handsome, muscular Starfleet officer, and he hopes to continue playing Ransom beyond the fifth season.
- O'Connell expressed his appreciation for the creatives behind our platform, especially Lower Decks creator Mike McMahan, and he anticipates watching the series finale with his wife while paying tribute to Riker-style by stepping over a chair before sitting down.
