Star Trek: Discovery aftershow After Trek confirmed; Matt Mira to host

Just in case you needed confirmation that CBS was all in on Star Trek: Discovery, the aftershow After Trek is proof.

Two days before the first episode is going to premiere both on CBS proper and the CBS All Access streaming platform, it has now been confirmed that you’ll be getting a weekly aftershow hosted by one of our favorite people in the podcasting world: Matt Mira of the Nerdist Podcast / James Bonding / The Goldbergs (where he is a writer) / many other things. He’s got an encyclopedic knowledge of all things Star Trek, and the Nerdist Podcast featuring LeVar Burton is quite possibly the funniest thing we’ve listened to in our entire lives. It’d be wrong to spoil much of it here, but let’s just say that it has to do with Mira’s reaction to a surprising statement Burton makes regarding his own show Star Trek: The Next Generation.

The first episode of After Trek will stream on CBS All Access Sunday at 11:00 p.m. Eastern, after the conclusion of the second episode on the platform. (The second episode will be available on All Access, the show’s exclusive post-premiere home, immediately following the premiere airing.) The first guests include Sonequa Martin-Green (First Officer Michael Burnham), James Frain (Ambassador Sarek), and Star Trek: Discovery Executive Producer and Co-Showrunner Aaron Harberts. Starting on October 1, After Trek will be available weekly at 9:30 p.m. Eastern.

For those wanting a bit more information regarding what the aftershow will entail, the CBS synopsis below offers a little more insight:

“After Trek will serve as the ultimate weekly forum for Star Trek fans with in-depth discussions and recaps of the latest Star Trek: Discovery episode. Each After Trek episode will feature host Matt Mira talking in-studio or via video feed with Star Trek: Discovery cast members and crew along with past Star Trek talent and celebrity fans. While watching, fans will be able to “engage” with the show via social and other interactive elements by using the hashtag #AfterTrek.”

Ultimately, think of this as the Star Trek version of Talking Dead, except here with even more history given the TV franchise has been around forever and there’s such a rich pool of possible guests out there. Mira’s presence should keep things fun even when things get a little serious on the show itself, and hopefully this encourages people more to sign up for All Access in order to be a part of the viewing experience. This series is a big gamble for the streaming platform, which to date has been used mostly for The Good Wife spin-off The Good Fight coupled with Big Brother live feeds — given that this season just concluded, maybe Discovery will encourage some of these viewers to stick around.

This has been a very exciting week for us as a longtime Nerdist fan, given that Kumail Nanjiani was just booked to host Saturday Night Live.

What do you think about the idea of After Trek as a Star Trek: Discovery aftershow, and are you glad to see CBS’ streaming platform make this move? Be sure to share in the comments! (Photo: CBS.)