I have to thank the upcoming CBS All Access series Star Trek: Discovery for one thing already: it’s got me watching Star Trek: The Next Generation again. It’s been quite a few years since I boldly went where no ship and its over-powered, almost omnipotent android Data followed, and I am loving it. It does bring up some concerns about ST:D though – other than the abbreviation I mean. For example, this series is set a decade before the exploits Captain Kirk and his crew in the original show/movies, a choice that didn’t work all too well with the last Star Trek series, Enterprise. However, one thing I am not concerned about are the actors themselves.
And courtesy of TrekMovie we now have our first look at the new cast together as a team. Admittedly they’re not actually in character, but rather just getting together to celebrate actor James Frain’s birthday, but we’ll take what we can get!
It’s made up of the very talented Jason Isaacs (on the left) who’ll be the star ship Discovery’s captain, Lorca. However, unlike ST:NG he won’t be the actual lead character (if you can pin that on Picard). That falls to Sonequa Martin-Green (middle right) who plays Rainsford in the role of Number One. To the left of Issacs is Michelle Yeoh, who will play Captain Georgiou of the Shenzhou; then Chris Obi who plays a Klingon (oh yes!). To the right of Sonequa is Kenric Green, who will play her husband, then Discovery’s Science officer Doug Jones. Next up is James Frain who will pay the famous Sarek, father of Spock. Lastly we have Shazad Latif who will play Kol, a commanding officer of the Klingons.
I am sure they will all bring something new to the show and hope these names become as household as Patrick Stewart and Johnathan Frakes’. One thing I note are the number of Klingon characters sitting around that table (where is the bIreQtagh dish I ask you!?). In this era in Star Trek lore the Federation and the Klingons are not on the best of terms and a ‘shoot first, and then again’ policy works wonders. It will be interesting if they explore this more. That being said, the show is called Star Trek: ‘Discovery’ and venturing into the socio-political landscape of this war would not really encompass this. It would also be a bit too similar to Star Trek: Deep Space 9, a show that was gripping, but also very heavy with its war themes. In fact DS:9 was so heavy some didn’t enjoy it.
I am growing more optimistic about Discovery, so far they haven’t made a rubbish Trek series and I hope they don’t start now! I mean they are even being topical having the first openly gay, permanent character.
Last Updated: March 28, 2017
Dutch Matrix
March 28, 2017 at 14:10
Ahem. Sulu in Star Trek Beyond was gay.
And an Obi in Star Trek?
Disney must have their lawyers on speed dial. 😛
RinceThis
March 28, 2017 at 14:25
He has never been ‘openly’ gay about it until now, and that is also in another universe.
Captain JJ
March 28, 2017 at 15:52
Sulu wasn’t gay in the original series, only in the Kelvin Timeline.
Original Heretic
March 28, 2017 at 15:54
I still find it a bit strange that Takei didn’t like the change. I mean, I’m all for staying true to the source material and all that, but really now, something like changing the character’s sexuality isn’t going to break the story.
Captain JJ
March 28, 2017 at 15:55
Yea. In a way I can see where he’s coming from. He played this character for years, a character that he built and grew to know as a straight person. So maybe it felt like they were messing with the character.
Original Heretic
March 28, 2017 at 15:56
I think it’s kinda funny, because they did it to honour him. And he didn’t feel honoured! HA!
Captain JJ
March 28, 2017 at 16:03
Yea, that’s true 😀
Dutch Matrix
March 31, 2017 at 10:09
Uhhh… real world? 🙂
Captain JJ
March 31, 2017 at 11:33
Yea, and Henry Cavill can’t really fly 😛
Dutch Matrix
March 31, 2017 at 15:52
Steek jou tong uit vir jou hond man!!!!
XD
Original Heretic
March 28, 2017 at 14:13
Wow, loving the cast. Jason Isaacs, James Frain and Doug Jones? All VERY underrated actors, Jones especially.
And of course, MORE STAR TREK!!
Captain JJ
March 28, 2017 at 15:28
Star Trek!
Alien Emperor Trevor
March 28, 2017 at 14:16
So if it’s set before TOS does that mean no stupid holodeck rubbish?
Dutch Matrix
March 28, 2017 at 14:20
You get a holodeck! You get a holodeck! You all get a holodeck!
Come on! Voyager had a brilliant two episode holodeck story. Aliens in Nazi garb, and Seven of Nine singing whatever type of music was popular that time?
Well okay. Seven of Nine could be running around the ship screaming handale handale ariba! and it would be the sexiest thing ever!
Alien Emperor Trevor
March 28, 2017 at 14:21
That’s precisely the kind of stuff I’m talking about.
Dutch Matrix
March 28, 2017 at 14:30
Nope. That was brilliant. Rest of the holodeck stuff was rubbish, I’ll admit.
Original Heretic
March 28, 2017 at 15:36
Hmmmm, Seven of Nine….
RinceThis
March 28, 2017 at 14:24
You take that back!
Alien Emperor Trevor
March 28, 2017 at 14:25
#fiteme
RinceThis
March 28, 2017 at 14:27
To the holodeck!
Alien Emperor Trevor
March 28, 2017 at 14:29
Okay red
apronshirt.RinceThis
March 28, 2017 at 14:30
Want me to post a pic from Sat?! You take that back you hypocrite!
Alien Emperor Trevor
March 28, 2017 at 14:30
I wear a blue
apronshirt, which means I’m in medical.RinceThis
March 28, 2017 at 14:31
I’d rather DIE than be in medical, which is apt! EDIT: Also, you don’t care enough to be medical…
Alien Emperor Trevor
March 28, 2017 at 14:31
You will die. Red shirt.
RinceThis
March 28, 2017 at 14:35
Yes, ‘apt’ 😛
Alien Emperor Trevor
March 28, 2017 at 14:41
‘Don’t care’ 😀
RinceThis
March 28, 2017 at 14:45
Called it!
Alien Emperor Trevor
March 28, 2017 at 14:45
That’s not an achievement, apathy is my default state.
Captain JJ
March 28, 2017 at 15:22
Someone say red apron?
Alien Emperor Trevor
March 28, 2017 at 15:43
Nope, it was crossed out because it was completely accidental. 😀
Captain JJ
March 28, 2017 at 15:48
Oh. Okay. My senses picked it up, but when I got here I couldn’t find where it was written, because it was crossed out and therefor unreadable.
Alien Emperor Trevor
March 28, 2017 at 15:51
That was not the word you were looking for.
Wait… wrong franchise.
Captain JJ
March 28, 2017 at 15:54
Oh sorry. I used the schwartz!
miaau
March 28, 2017 at 14:24
10 years before the events in Enterprise, which is were they made a big deal about Vulcan help to get mankind out to explore, you mean? So, they tossing the canon of Enterprise, or was mankind lying to the Vulcan’s and could go hyperspace before?
Crock of shit, they limit themselves in such massive ways with this point in time. First few episodes, find feet and stuff is ok, but going forward, the writers cannot bring in new tech, or Aliens or whatever. Really, quite poor initial idea.
Set events as Janeway brings home the Voyager, for example, start out there.
RinceThis
March 28, 2017 at 14:27
I am pretty sure that the Vulcans made first contact much more than 10 years before? That was mid-21st century and Enterprise is mid 22nd.
miaau
March 28, 2017 at 14:31
At the start of Enterprise series, they helps mankind get the stupid hyperdrive working AND mankind met the klingons for the first time.
They made a big deal about sending an ambassador with the Enterprise, to “help” mankind with meeting new speciies that the vulcans already knew.
Big speeches made about this being the first explorer ship and all that jazz.
RinceThis
March 28, 2017 at 14:34
Well the Vulcans made first contact (as in the movie of the same name) mid 21st century. Enterprise is mid 22nd, which means humans have had warp tech for nearly a century. Ass for their ‘helping’ I think that was their point of view, green-blooded goblins! As for the Ambassador wasn’t she placed there because they didn’t trust the humans not to start a war with everything?
Alien Emperor Trevor
March 28, 2017 at 14:35
https://media.giphy.com/media/3oz8xZvvOZRmKay4xy/giphy.gif
RinceThis
March 28, 2017 at 14:40
You get out!
Alien Emperor Trevor
March 28, 2017 at 14:42
No! I’m learning far too much to leave now.
miaau
March 28, 2017 at 14:37
I seem to recall it was about getting a ship built, big enough and strong enough to go outside and properly explore, and the vulcans helped with power systems or something. Dammit, been years. I remember they helped with some tech, grudgingly, to build the Enterprise
Captain JJ
March 28, 2017 at 15:25
The Vulcans were very reluctant to help the humans with any tech.
RinceThis
March 28, 2017 at 14:34
Also, read this 🙂 http://imgur.com/gallery/wpZ4w
miaau
March 28, 2017 at 14:42
cute.
ST:D is still a crock of shit, with a premise that promises to have each subsequent episode feel more forced than the previous. Or next, knowing Star Trek tech and time travel.
RinceThis
March 28, 2017 at 14:44
It isn’t out yet, so I hold my thoughts in hope…
miaau
March 28, 2017 at 14:48
yeah, I hold little hope. Maybe I am wrong. I hope I am
RinceThis
March 28, 2017 at 14:49
I’ll watch the first few and do a review, let you peeps know.
Captain JJ
March 28, 2017 at 15:47
As far as I recall from Enterprise the Vulcans refused to help them with warp tech, saying they had to get there themselves. But they did give them “advice” as far as I recall. I think. I can’t remember XD
Captain JJ
March 28, 2017 at 15:22
Hype!
Captain JJ
March 28, 2017 at 15:33
Star Trek has always been excellent with being topical. As far as I know Nichelle Nichols was one of the very first African American women (if not the first) on television who wasn’t in a “servant” role. I’ve always loved that about it and how it included many different cultures.
miaau
March 28, 2017 at 15:36
also first kiss
Original Heretic
March 28, 2017 at 15:37
Kirk boinked a green one!
Captain JJ
March 28, 2017 at 15:38
Oh yes, that too. I remember that episode
Original Heretic
March 28, 2017 at 15:39
At the time of the initial series, Chekov was seen as being them “taking a chance” as well. A Russian character in an American show that started while the Cold War was on and he’s portrayed a good guy?
Ballsy move on their part.
Captain JJ
March 28, 2017 at 15:41
Yea. It only took other movies and series 30-40 years to get to that point of actually putting people of colour and non-stereotypical characters in their shows. 😛
Original Heretic
March 28, 2017 at 15:45
Precisely!
I remember watching a documentary (jeez, a good ten years ago, at least) where they went into all the changes that Star Trek had made on the real world.
It was amazing to see!
Right now, we’re living the science fiction that was written 50 years ago.
Which makes me wonder where the world is going to be 50 years from now.
I mean damn, I read this yesterday (see link below). Mind boggling to think of what is coming.
https://www.sott.net/article/346375-5G-AI-and-graphene-Three-developments-that-will-drive-us-into-a-technocracy
Captain JJ
March 28, 2017 at 15:49
Oh, interesting read… *returns to article*
Original Heretic
March 28, 2017 at 15:52
Love that site. Always find interesting stuff there.
Banana Jim's Final Form!
March 31, 2017 at 11:56
As a Trekkie, I approve of this series.. and it’s been far too long since we’ve had another Trek TV show…. THIS IS STAR TREK!!!!