A comedic animated series with half-length episodes focusing on a few ensigns who work in menial positions on an obscure Starfleet ship not long after the events of Star Trek Nemesis (and thus well before Star Trek: Picard).

Episodic or serial?

I’m gonna be real with you: I don’t know, because I could not get through even two episodes of this show. I managed to get through the first episode but had to bail halfway through the second. So I can’t say how much continuity there actually is.

Idealistic or cynical?

Cynical. To the core. Based on the first-and-a-half episodes, it’s obnoxiously cynical and thinks you’re a dork for liking Star Trek’s ideals in the first place and you should learn to be cool and cynical like it is.

Worth watching?

Only if you wish Star Trek were more like Rick and Morty.

Anything else that should be watched first?

It’s loaded with references, but you can probably get by with just a passing familiarity with The Next Generation, which seems to be the dominant point of inspiration.

What should be watched after this?

There are no direct followups, but the next series to come out is also animated with half-length episodes: the kid-focused Star Trek: Prodigy.

If you want a palate cleanser that still targets adults, you could always watch the not-officially-Trek-but-more-Trek-like-at-heart take on the idea of a semi-comedic show featuring the flawed crew of a mid-level ship: The Orville.