Currently filming its first season, with an eye on a 2025 launch date, is the latest series in the Star Trek franchise, Star Trek: Starfleet Academy. Some kind of Starfleet Academy project has been rumored since the ’80s, for both film and TV. But one is finally happening at last. Starfleet Academy is the fourth Paramount+ Star Trek live-action series, and the ninth live-action Star Trek series overall. Here’s everything we know so far about the upcoming Star Trek: Starfleet Academy series.

Title

The official title of the upcoming Paramount+ series is Star Trek: Starfleet Academy. Although, we think that most fans will simply refer to it as Starfleet Academy without the brand name attached. We also imagine in the greater Star Trek fandom the name of the show will be shortened even further to ST:SA.

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy’s Plot

The new series is a spin-off of Star Trek: Discovery, and will take place in the 32nd Century, some 800 years after the time of Star Trek: Picard. After a period of 100 years where the Federation dwindled to a handful of worlds, and Starfleet was a small operation, Starfleet Academy will introduce the first class of cadets in a century. Below is the official description from Paramount+:

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy will introduce us to a young group of cadets who come together to pursue a common dream of hope and optimism. Under the watchful and demanding eyes of their instructors, they will discover what it takes to become Starfleet officers as they navigate blossoming friendships, explosive rivalries, first loves and a new enemy that threatens both the Academy and the Federation itself.

Behind-the-Scenes

Alex Kurtzman and Noga Landau will serve as co-showrunners for Starfleet Academy. Gaia Violo wrote the series pilot. Kurtzman of course is the head honcho for all things in the Star Trek universe on Paramount+, including Discovery, Strange New Worlds, and Picard.

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy’s Cast

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy has a robust cast, headlined by Academy Award winner Holly Hunter. She’ll be the captain and chancellor of Starfleet Academy, presumably still located in San Francisco. She’s the third woman to headline her own Star Trek series, after Kate Mulgrew and Sonequa Martin-Green. The series’ main villain is none other than Paul Giamatti, who plays “A man with an ominous past connected to one of our cadets.”

Speaking of the cadets, in the roles of the student body we’ve got Karim Diané, Zoë Steiner, Kerrice Brooks, Bella Shepard, George Hawkins, and Sandro Rosta. Legacy actors from Star Trek: Discovery joining the series include Tig Notaro, Oded Fehr, and Mary Wiseman. The biggest surprise in terms of legacy Trek actors is Star Trek: Voyager‘s Robert Picardo. He returns as the Emergency Medical Holographic doctor.

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy Release Date

There is no release date yet for Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, but it’s expected in the latter half of 2025 on Paramount+. Presumably, it will drop some months after Star Trek: Strange New Worlds wraps up its third season.

The post Everything We Know About STAR TREK: STARFLEET ACADEMY appeared first on Nerdist.

For a while there, it certainly seemed like we would never get a Star Trek 4. But in February of 2022, another Star Trek film was announced. Since then, though, we haven’t heard very much about the progress of the potential fourth movie that would reunite Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana, Karl Urban, and more. And updates, both good and bad, have been slight. Still, it looks like the fourth Star Trek film remains in the works, even though some recent comments about it were not wholly positive. The latest piece of news on it even names a writer for the movie. Here’s everything we know about the progress of a possible Star Trek 4 movie.

The Latest Updates on Star Trek 4: A New Writer Emerges

Variety has revealed that Star Trek 4 officially has a new writer onboard. Steve Yockey, the co-creator of Max’s series The Flight Attendant, will now pen the next (and last) movie in this version of Star Trek‘s world.

Recently, Variety also reported that “the fourth installment of the rebooted ‘Star Trek‘ film series remains in development, with the studio describing it as the ‘final chapter.'” We guess that’s good news. But we’ll wait for something a little more concrete to celebrate properly.

Chris Pine on the Status of Star Trek 4

But if Star Trek 4 is still alive, Captain Kirk doesn’t seem to know. Recently, Chris Pine spoke about Star Trek 4, but he didn’t really have much to say. When chatting to Comicbook.com, Pine was asked about any updates about the movie. Pine responded, “Not that I know of.” And when asked if Pine had potentially read any Star Trek 4 scripts, he responded very plainly with “No, of course not.” Hopefully, he’ll hear about it soon, now that a new writer is involved.

Pine also expressed surprise that a new writer was involved with Star Trek 4. He shared with Business Insider, “I honestly don’t know. There was something in the news of a new writer coming on board. I thought there was already a script, but I guess I was wrong, or they decided to pivot. As it’s always been with “Trek,” I just wait and see.”

While all of that that doesn’t inspire much hope in the status of the movie, Lindsey Anderson Beer, who was initially involved in the writing of the Star Trek 4 script, noted to Collider in September of 2023 that the project was still moving forward. She shared, “It is, it’s still on the tracks. I love that project, and it was another one that I had to hop off of to direct this movie, and that was a hard thing to do. But I love that everybody involved with that project.”

The Initial News About Another Trek Movie

These updates come a few years after the initial burst of news we received about Star Trek 4. According to Deadline‘s February 2022 article, negotiations were underway with the intent to bring back all of the mainstays in the rebooted franchise. That includes getting Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana, Karl Urban, John Cho, and Simon Pegg to return for Star Trek 4. It was just one of the many major developments to arise out of the ViacomCBS Investor Day call in 2022. J.J. Abrams appeared on the call, confirming the reports that the fourth movie was a go.

WandaVision‘s Matt Shakman was originally on tap to direct Star Trek 4 but has since bowed out of the project. We will wait and see who may replace him. Josh Friedman and Cameron Squires were slated to write the script at the time. According to Deadline, their version is based on a script from Lindsey Beer and Geneva Robertson-Dworet. Now, of course, Steve Yockey has come aboard. Depending on how it goes, this film might have a lot of credited scribes.

Star Trek 4‘s Plot

Naturally, other details about Star Trek 4 remained under wraps, including the plot. It’s been a turbulent last several years for Star Trek 4. Back in 2018, plans for another film with the cast stalled, reportedly after Chris Pine and Chris Hemsworth, who played George Kirk in the 2009 reboot, walked away over pay disputes. But Hemsworth later told Variety he wasn’t completely on board with the script.

Over the last several years, several people, from Noah Hawley to Quentin Tarantino, have tossed around ideas for a Star Trek film. (The Once Upon a Time in Hollywood writer-director really wanted to make the first R-rated Star Trek project.  Mark L. Smith, who wrote The Revenant, even wrote a draft.)

Still, though, many, including John Cho, held out hope that the fourth film in the rebooted franchise would eventually happen and that the Enterprise crew would get back together—save one very important cast member.

Anton Yelchin, who played Chekov in the first three films, sadly passed away in 2016. Abrams confirmed at the time that the role would not be recast. He told the Toronto Sun, “I would say there’s no replacing him. There’s no recasting. I can’t possibly imagine that, and I think Anton deserves better.” We’d imagine this sentiment remains in place. And we can’t wait to see how they pay tribute to the late actor.

Danai Gurira Would Have Starred in 2018’s Version of Star Trek 4

As mentioned, in 2018, Star Trek 4 would have starred Chris Pine and Chris Hemsworth, but also another big name. Danai Gurira was in talks to star in the film as well. Gurira hasn’t shared which role she was slated for, but notes, “I was in talks… I don’t know how far along they were, but that was looking to happen. I was quite excited about it, but then that entire film didn’t happen.” And additionally, “I was very excited to do it. She was going to be very different from me in many ways. You know, it’s Star Trek, man. It was cool… It was a very exciting idea and story and I was excited about the character.”

According to TrekMovie.Com, Gurira remains interested in a Star Trek role. We’ll cross our fingers she can appear should Star Trek 4 ever actually happen.

Where We Stand with Star Trek 4 Right Now

For now, Paramount has removed Star Trek 4 from its release schedule. And that’s about all we know for sure. One way or the other, we’ll be keeping our eyes peeled for more Star Trek 4 developments and any glimpse of Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, and the rest.

Originally published on June 8, 2022.

The post STAR TREK 4 Names New Writer for ‘Final Chapter’ of Series appeared first on Nerdist.

Star Trek: The Motion Picture celebrates 45 years this year and Paramount Home Entertainment is releasing director Robert Wise’s film in a limited edition 4K Blu-ray Steelbook edition. This new 4K Blu-ray Steelbook will have the same contents as the now out-of-print Director’s Edition and limited-edition collector’s set entitled “The Complete Adventure” that came out back in 2022. The Steelbook comes with an exclusive booklet with behind-the-scenes images and info from the film, and the cover features the iconic original movie poster artwork.

Star Trek: The Motion Picture was a very expensive movie for its day and was a famously troubled production. The effects took so long to complete, they finished them literally days before the movie premiere. Although reaction to the film from audiences and critics was mixed at first, it launched a feature film franchise that’s still going today. And these days, Star Trek: The Motion Picture has many loyal fans who cite this installment as their favorite, especially for its grand ambition. It also gave us the best version of the starship Enterprise yet.

Here are the new special features for this disc of Star Trek: The Motion Picture, only available previously via the exclusive limited edition version from 2022.

Star Trek: The Motion Picture 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Disc Contents:

Audio Commentary with David C. Fein, Mike Matessino, and Daren R. Dochterman
Audio Commentary by Robert Wise, Douglas Trumbull, John Dykstra, Jerry Goldsmith, and Stephen Collins
Text Commentary by Michael and Denise Okuda

Star Trek: The Motion Picture Blu-ray Disc Bonus Features:

The Human Adventure—An all-new 8-part documentary detailing how the Director’s Edition came to life
Preparing the Future – How the remastering began
A Wise Choice – The storied history of Robert Wise
Refitting the Enterprise – How the Enterprise design shaped future federation starships
Sounding Off – Exploring new dimensions of sound in Dolby Atmos
V’ger – The conception and restoration of an iconic alien antagonist
Return to Tomorrow – Reaching an already high bar with new CGI effects
A Grand Theme – Behind the iconic, influential music score that shaped the franchise’s future
The Grand Vision – The legacy and evolving reputation of this classic movie
Deleted Scenes
Effects Tests
Costume Tests
Computer Display Graphics
Additional legacy bonus content

Star Trek: The Motion Picture 4K UHD Steelbook, Blu-Ray, and Digital Copy arrives on November 19, and is already available for pre-order on Amazon.

The post STAR TREK: THE MOTION PICTURE Get 4K Ultra HD Blu-Ray Steelbook for 45th Anniversary appeared first on Nerdist.

Although Star Trek: Discovery will soon end with season five, a new live-action StarTrek series will arrive to replace it. After years of rumors, Paramount+ has officially announced a series order for Star Trek: Starfleet Academy. This show will follow an all-new class of Starfleet cadets. And we’ll get to see students coming of age in one of the most legendary places in the galaxy. Alex Kurtzman and Noga Landau will serve as co-showrunners. Gaia Violo wrote the series pilot.

The series just began production in August 2024 and shared a photo of its new cadets at work.

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy Series Casts Its New Cadets

In the latest piece of casting news for Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, another new actor has joined the series as a cadet. This time, it’s Sandro Rosta who enlists in the Academy.

He joins a slew of actors already announced as cadets in Star Trek: Starfleet Academy. These include Karim Diané (One Of Us Is Lying), Zoë Steiner (Significant Others), Kerrice Brooks (My Old Ass), Bella Shepard (Wolf Pack), and George Hawkins (Tell Me Everything).

All these actors will play the newest cadets in the Star Trek universe. But for now literally all we know about them is that they are “cadets.”

Right now, we don’t know any more about their individual characters than that. But since the series is all about “a new class of Starfleet cadets as they come of age in one of the most legendary places in the galaxy,” we bet they’ll be very important. We can’t wait to learn more about these Starfleet Academy characters soon.

Paul Giamatti Joins Starfleet Academy as the Series’ Villain

Paul Giamatti has also come aboard the cast of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy. Giamatti will play Starfleet Academy‘s villain. A release shares, “Giamatti will play the season’s villain, a man with an ominous past connected to one of our cadets.” Very ominous indeed.

Giamatti will be a recurring guest star.

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy Casts Holly Hunter as Its Captain

In an exciting turn of events, Star Trek: Starfleet Academy revealed that it has cast Holly Hunter as the captain and chancellor of Starfleet Academy. A release reiterates that, “The series will follow the adventures of a new class of Starfleet cadets as they come of age in one of the most legendary places in the galaxy.”

Co-showrunners Alex Kurtzman and Noga Landau share, “It feels like we’ve spent our entire lives watching Holly Hunter be a stone-cold genius. To have her extraordinary authenticity, fearlessness, sense of humor, and across the board brilliance leading the charge on STARFLEET ACADEMY is a gift to all of us, and to the enduring legacy of STAR TREK.”

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy Synopsis

You can read the official description of the new Star Trek: Starfleet Academy series right here:

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy will introduce us to a young group of cadets who come together to pursue a common dream of hope and optimism. Under the watchful and demanding eyes of their instructors, they will discover what it takes to become Starfleet officers as they navigate blossoming friendships, explosive rivalries, first loves and a new enemy that threatens both the Academy and the Federation itself.

Paramount+ also released a special “recruitment announcement” from the legendary institution itself:

Admission is now open to Starfleet Academy! Explore the galaxy! Captain your destiny! For the first time in over a century, our campus will be re-opened to admit individuals a minimum of 16 Earth years (or species equivalent) who dream of exceeding their physical, mental and spiritual limits, who value friendship, camaraderie, honor and devotion to a cause greater than themselves.

The coursework will be rigorous, the instructors among the brightest lights in their respective fields, and those accepted will live and study side-by-side with the most diverse population of students ever admitted. Today we encourage all who share our dreams, goals and values to join a new generation of visionary cadets as they take their first steps toward creating a bright future for us all. Apply today! Ex Astris, Scientia!”

The mention of the Academy opening up for “the first time in over a century” suggests the new Star Trek: Starfleet Academy series will be a spinoff of Discovery. We learned in recent seasons that because of a terrible galactic incident, the Federation was reduced to just a few worlds by the 32nd century. But by the end of Discovery season three, Starfleet began the climb back, and the Academy reopened.

Recently, Doug Jones seemed to confirm this, noting of a possible Star Trek return, “It would be a character by character, case by case, kind of a thing. Just as an actor in general, if I’m presented with a story I want to help tell, a character that I would really love to play, you know, it’s a case by case thing. So yeah, never say never, yes. And if Saru were to be invited back to another, let’s say Starfleet Academy, that’s the right timeline for him, he could do. I’m absolutely game to do so.”

Many fans crossed their fingers and hoped that Starfleet Academy might take place in the post-Picard timeline. We would have loved to see characters from The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, and Voyager as instructors. But it seems more likely we’ll see characters from Discovery instead. We do also hope the new Star Trek series won’t be completely Earthbound. It would be amazing to see cadets training on starships, as we did in The Wrath of Khan.

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy Release Date

Speaking to Collider, Executive Producer Alex Kurtzman shared Starfleet Academy is  “halfway through the writers room now” and preparing to film this summer. He additionally noted, “It could end up not airing until 2026. We don’t know. But by starting [shooting in late summer], just building the sets alone is a massive endeavor, then six months of shooting, then six to eight months of post.” The publication additionally notes, “While he confirmed they ‘haven’t started casting the kids,’ it sounds like some of the adult roles have already been filled.”

A recent article from Variety additionally notes that “this summer, the first Star Trek YA series, Starfleet Academy, will start production on the largest single set ever created for Star Trek on TV.” The article also describes “plans for the series’ central academic atrium, a sprawling, two-story structure that will include a mess hall, amphitheater, trees, catwalks, multiple classrooms and a striking view of the Golden Gate Bridge in a single, contiguous space. To fit it all, they plan to use every inch of Pinewood Toronto’s 45,900 square foot soundstage, the largest in Canada.” But rest assured, the article notes, there will be starships. Although since Starfleet Academy “is set in the 32nd century, an era so far into the future Kurtzman and his team need to invent much of its design language.”

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy will likely debut on Paramount+ sometime in 2024 or 2025, but we guess 2026 is also on the table.

Originally published on March 30, 2023.

The post STAR TREK: STARFLEET ACADEMY Begins Production and Welcomes Its New Cadets appeared first on Nerdist.

A few years ago, there were many rumblings about a Star Trek movie with Quentin Tarantino as its director. We at Nerdist tried to imagine how this film would play out considering it is rather far from Tarantino’s typical wheelhouse. We came up with a few ideas but now it seems that none of that matters anymore. During a podcast interview with Bill Maher, Quentin Tarantino confirmed that his Star Trek movie will never, ever happen. Oh well. (Thanks to Comicbook.com for bringing this to our attention.)

“It’s never going to happen,” said Tarantino. “There’s been so much misinformation about what it was going to be—nothing but misinformation. I live in a special zone and part of my zone is because I’m not on Instagram and Facebook, I’m not creating this constant dialogue with the world with what’s going on with my life.” 

Tarantino continued and basically said that it’s easy for a reporter to take some news/rumor and run with it because he’s minding his own business off the internet. It was something he had an interest in at one point, but that’s simply not the case anymore. Honestly, that’s awesome for him. A Quentin Tarantino Star Trek is not happening but that doesn’t mean we don’t have plenty to look forward to. Star Trek: Section 31 is coming to Paramount+ in 2025 and it looks awesome. And there’s still yet another Star Trek film coming to continue the film series starring Chris Pine as a young Captain Kirk.

The post A STAR TREK Movie By Quentin Tarantino Is Not Happening appeared first on Nerdist.

The upcoming film Star Trek: Section 31, starring Oscar Winner Michelle Yeoh, will bring back Emperor Philippa Georgiou, a character introduced in Star Trek: Discovery season one. Yeoh first played Captain Philippa Georgiou in the first part of Discovery, a decorated Starfleet Captain who died in the pilot episode. She then portrayed the version of that character from the darker Mirror Universe for much longer. Now stranded in the mainline Star Trek universe, she began working for the mysterious Federation spy cabal Section 31.

Star Trek: Section 31‘s trailer premiered during SDCC 2024 and it is a blast.

Here’s everything we know about Star Trek: Section 31 so far.

Title

Although many refer to it as simply Section 31, the proper title is, of course, Star Trek: Section 31.

Star Trek: Section 31’s Plot

Although originally planned as a series, it has since morphed into a film for the Paramount+ streaming service. The plot for Section 31 is unknown at this time. All we know is that it’s likely set in the same timeframe as Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. This would be some time after Discovery season two, and still several years before the events of the original series. At the end of Discovery season two, Phillipa Georgiou was sent to the far future with the Discovery crew. Not long after, the powerful Guardian of Forever sent her back to when she left. This leaves room for her Section 31 story to take place in that time period. The official description is as follows” “Tasked with protecting the United Federation of Planets, [Georgiou] also must face the sins of her past.”

The franchise introduced Section 31 as a concept in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. They were an organization so secret, they were not an official part of the Federation or Starfleet. However, they acted on their behalf. Many in Starfleet saw Section 31 and their covert and often immoral ways as against what the Federation stood for. They attempted genocide on the shapeshifting Changeling race behind the Dominion during the later seasons of DS9. In Discovery, we learn they were more of an official part of Starfleet a century before the events of DS9. Perhaps the Section 31 movie will reconcile how this covert group went from a known part of Federation intelligence to something of a galactic myth a century later.

Kacey Rohl will play “a young Rachel Garrett, a character first introduced on Star Trek: The Next Generation as the older fearless captain of the USS Enterprise-C.” Garrett appeared as captain of the Enterprise-C in Star Trek: The Next Generation‘s episode,  “Yesterday’s Enterprise.”

Behind-The-Scenes

Olatunde Osunsanmi will direct and executive produce the film, with Craig Sweeny serving as writer and executive producer. Alex Kurtzman and his production company Secret Hideout, which is behind modern Star Trek shows like Discovery, Picard, and Strange New Worlds, is also behind Section 31.

Although we don’t yet have a release date for Star Trek: Section 31, we recently learned that movie wrapped filming. Cast member Robert Kazinsky revealed the news on his Instagram. On the heels of this Variety also shared our very first look at the Star Trek film. Hopefully that means we’ll see even more movement on the movie sooner rather than later.

Star Trek: Section 31’s Cast

Aside from Michelle Yeoh, also in the cast are Omari Hardwick, Kacey Rohl, Sam Richardson, Sven Ruygrok, Robert Kazinsky, Humberly Gonzalez, and James Hiroyuki Liao. No word yet on any known Star Trek franchise actors from Discovery or Strange New Worlds, but we expect to see at least some of them.

Star Trek: Section 31 Release Date

There’s no release date yet for Star Trek: Section 31, but we expect it no earlier than late 2025.

Originally published on February 2, 2024.

The post Everything We Know About STAR TREK: SECTION 31 appeared first on Nerdist.

It’s a hefty Star Trek day at the ol’ San Diego Comic-Con this year. In addition to news about Strange New Worlds season three, Starfleet Academy, and Section 31, fans also learned about another, as-yet-unannounced series. During the section of Saturday’s Hall H panel about Lower Decks, Paramount announced a new live-action comedy series from Tawny Newsome and Justin Simien. Newsome, of course, plays Mariner on Lower Decks while Simien, who moderated the panel, wrote Dear White People and directed last year’s Haunted Mansion.

In the series, “Federation Outsiders” serving “a gleaming resort planet” learn all of their exploits are video fodder for the entire quadrant. They call it “25th Century appointment viewing,” meaning we have a time period and little else.

This is obviously in the very early stages Kurtzman, Simien and Newsome executive produce alongside Aaron Baiers, Rod Roddenberry and Trevor Roth. The project comes from the studio behind the Star Trek universe, CBS Studios, where Kurtzman’s Secret Hideout is based. In addition to her role in Lower Decks, Newsome also serves as a writer on Star Trek: Starfleet Academy.

Kyle Anderson is the Senior Editor for Nerdist. He hosts the weekly pop culture deep-dive podcast Laser Focus. You can find his film and TV reviews here. Follow him on Instagram and Letterboxd.

The post New STAR TREK Comedy Series in the Works from Tawny Newsome and Justin Simien appeared first on Nerdist.

We understand why some Star Trek fans are still upset. They thought Michelle Yeoh’s Emperor Philippa Georgiou was getting her own spinoff series. Instead she’s getting her own spinoff movie. We were also excited to watch her memorable Discovery character for an entire season (or more) rather than just for a single film. But for those still disappointed by the change we have good news and more good news. Paramount+ and CBS Studios released Star Trek: Section 31‘s first teaser trailer during Star Trek‘s Hall H panel at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con. It is absolute fantastic. Doubly good is that it’s so fantastic we won’t be surprised if Georgiou eventually does get her own show anyway.

If she does, though, we’re not sure which version of the Emperor we’ll see. Because this trailer also provided fans their first look at Miku Martineau as young Georgiou, and she’s just as riveting.

Section 31 stars Omari Hardwick, Sam Richardson, and Kacey Rohl joined director Olatunde Osunsanmi and executive producer Alex Kurtzman on Hall H’s stage to update fans on the film. But the real highlight came when Yeoh made a surprise visit via video. She introduced the movie’s first incredibly fun trailer.

It suggests we’ll get Georgiou’s backstory from the evil Mirror Universe where she once ruled as Empress. Martineau will bring that younger version of the character to life.

Her bloody history will come back to haunt her when she sets out on a “secret division of Starfleet” which tasks her “with protecting the United Federation of Planets” on a mission that will also make her “face the sins of her past.”

If you’re unfamiliar with Section 31 this trailer only teases its covert operations. You can read more about the group with our in-depth primer on Star Trek‘s secret organization.

Written by Craig Sweeny, Section 31 also stars Sven Ruygrok (One Piece), Robert Kazinsky (Pacific Rim), Humberly Gonzalez (Ginny & Georgia), and James Hiroyuki Liao (Barry). How many of them will survive their mission with Emperor Philippa Georgiou? We’ll find out in “early 2025” when the film debuts on Section 31.

After that we also hope to find out those who do make it will also star on a Georgiou spinoff series.

The post STAR TREK: SECTION 31 with Michelle Yeoh Shares First Action-Packed Trailer at SDCC appeared first on Nerdist.

When Star Trek: Starfleet Academy debuts on Paramount+ it will introduce a whole new generation of wannabe Starfleet officers to the franchise. How many of them will make the cut and who will flame out? More importantly, which ones will join the ranks of our favorite Star Trek characters? It might end up being “all of them” after watching a new behind-the-scenes video. CBS Studios shared a moving montage of showrunners welcoming their young actors to the show during a Hall H panel at this years San Diego Comic-Con. But that wasn’t the only insight we got into the show. Starfleet Academy also announced four Star Trek alums will return to help teach those cadets.

Star Trek: Discovery might have ended, but some its stars are sticking around for more space fun. Tig Notaro, Oded Fehr, and Mary Wiseman are all headed to Starfleet Academy. As is the universe’s most beloved hologram. Star Trek: Voyager‘s Robert Picardo is also back.

Fittingly, generations of Star Trek characters will come together once again. Notaro (Jett Reno) and Picardo (The Doctor) are both joining Starfleet Academy as series regulars. Fehr (Admiral Vance) and Wiseman (Sylvia Tilly) will also reprise their previous franchise roles as guest stars. They’ll star opposite previously announced series regular Holly Hunter and recurring guest stars Gina Yashere and Paul Giamatti.

Seeing Discovery stars show up isn’t a surprise (especially not Wiseman’s Tilly who is a Starfleet instructor). The timelines of the two show’s matchup. But Picardo was serving on Voyager 900 years prior to the start of Starfleet Academy. Holograms obviously age very well!

The casting news came during a Star Trek Hall H panel featuring executive producers and co-showrunners Alex Kurtzman and Noga Landau. That’s where they also shared a video of them telling the show’s young stars and Star Trek newcomers the interview process was over. It was over because Karim Diané, Zoë Steiner, Kerrice Brooks, Bella Shepard, and George Hawkins were officially Starfleet cadets.

For a series that will introduce “a young group of cadets who come together to pursue a common dream of hope and optimism,” this short casting montage is the perfect promo for the series. It is all of that and more.

After seeing their emotional reactions, we really hope all of them graduate from cadet to officer and then to being among our favorite Star Trek characters ever. That won’t be easy, but we know they’ll have some great, experienced teachers help them on their travels.

The post STARFLEET ACADEMY Announces Four STAR TREK Alums Joining Series, Shares Moving New Cadet Casting Video appeared first on Nerdist.

San Diego Comic-Con Log, stardate 07272024: Paramount+ and CBS Studios boldly traveled to Hall H at the year’s premier pop culture event. They arrived there with some big news about its many returning and upcoming Star Trek projects. That jam-packed panel included an early look at season three of Strange New Worlds. In addition to images and and the reveal that the latest member of the cast will play a character with ties to the original show, Paramount also shared a very funny clip from season three. It will make Vulcan enthusiasts very happy.

That is unless you are a half Vulcan/half human Star Trek icons.

This clip from Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is a total reversal of season two’s absolutely hilarious “Charades.” In that episode Spock had his Vulcan DNA briefly removed. His brief time being entirely human was a season highlight.

This time around the human crew of the Enterprise needs to become even more Vulcan than its “only half” Vulcan crew mate. That leads to a highly successful, highly efficient mission. But when the serum that should change them back doesn’t work, Spock’s left in his own personal hell.

Click To View Gallery

While we can’t wait to see how that very storyline plays out, we’re even more intrigued by Paramount+’s casting news. The streamer announced Cillian O’Sullivan is joining the show as Dr. Roger Korby.

The character first appeared on the original Star Trek series in the episode “What Are Little Girls Made Of?” It introduced him (played by Michael Strong) as Nurse Chapel’s fiancee who’d been missing for years.

Strange New Worlds seems poised to show us how the two met and started seeing one another. Considering she is currently dating Spock at this point in the show, his arrival should add some personal drama to the show. Especially because O’Sullivan will appear as a series regular in season three.

His arrival could make dealing with his new fellow Vulcans seem easy for Spock by comparison.

The post STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS Shares Season 3 Clip, First-Look Images, and New Cast Member appeared first on Nerdist.

Star Wars and Star Trek are very different sci-fi franchises. However, they share more than a few key similarities. Both have giant galactic governments made of hundreds of worlds. The Klingons in Star Trek and the Mandalorians of Star Wars have similar warrior culture traditions. One other thing modern Star Wars has leaned into in recent years is that the Jedi are extremely similar to Mr. Spock’s alien race, the Vulcans. That’s especially true ever since George Lucas fleshed out what the Jedi were truly like during the prequel trilogy. Now with The Acolyte, we’ve seen the Jedi at perhaps their most Vulcan-like.

When audiences watched the original Star Wars trilogy, we only ever saw two fully trained Jedi Knights—Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda. Both were in exile, decades after their order had fallen. So neither character really explained how the Jedi were meant to behave. The term “knights” suggested to most viewers that the Jedi were probably dashing, romantic knights in the Arthurian tradition, and not warrior monks in the Eastern sense. With the release of the prequels, however, we started to see the Jedi in large numbers. We learned that not only were they warrior monks, we also discovered how much they were like Star Trek‘s Vulcans.

For Star Trek’s Vulcans, Emotional Detachment Is Key, Much Like Star Wars‘ Jedi

In Star Trek, our reference point for Vulcans as a species was usually Leonard Nimoy’s Mr. Spock. We also saw other prominent Vulcans in the original series, like his father Sarek. Over the years, we met Lt. Saavik, Tuvok, and T’Pol. Throughout many movies and TV series, we learned these pointy-eared aliens actually had very deep emotions, only they learned to suppress them. Simply put, their emotions got in the way of their mental disciplines and adherence to logic, hindering their ability to mind meld and use their other psychic powers. They can only achieve these powers through total serenity, bypassing all emotion. Their genetically identical (and passionate) Romulan cousins couldn’t access the same powers, because emotion rules them.

Mental Discipline and Training Is Crucial to Both Vulcan and Jedi Alike

Vulcans undergo intense emotional training as small children, just as Jedi do. As adults, Vulcans also go through different disciplines and rituals to purge remaining emotion. Spock goes through the Kolinahr discipline in Star Trek: The Motion Picture, although he fails to purge his emotions. Those who do so achieve a higher status within Vulcan society. In The Acolyte, we see Torbin partaking in something called the Barash Vow, where they go into deep meditation. Despite their logic, the Vulcans are very tradition-bound, and function in temples of different varieties. In these temples, we often see them wearing hooded robes. The Vulcans and Jedi definitely share an aesthetic.

In Star Wars, we learned that for Jedi to truly access the Force, they must let go of emotional attachments. That’s why the Jedi Council forbids those in the order to marry or have children (with few exceptions). Although Jedi don’t totally suppress all emotions, they do crack a smile and make jokes here and there. Especially younger Padawans, who have not achieved knight status. Most Vulcans don’t even do that. But the Jedi are otherwise cold and aloof, seeing their emotions as an impediment, not a strength. The Jedi live a sparse lifestyle, essentially as monks in the Jedi temple. Vulcans in Star Trek also believe owning things for the sake of it is “illogical.” Vulcans, like the Jedi Knights, are pacifists, but both have superior fighting skills if need be (see “Amok Time” from the original series). Of course, to the Jedi, fighting skills are far more important.

Both Vulcans and Jedi Have Incredible Mental Powers

There are big differences, however. Jedi and Vulcans have mental powers, but Vulcans need physical contact to make a psychic connection, or mind meld. They can’t just read thoughts from a distance, or command people to do things by merely thinking it, like the Jedi do. Vulcans can marry, even if their emotional attachments are very limited. It’s more about procreation and perpetuating the species, hence all the arranged Vulcan marriages. The Jedi are not allowed to have children, with rare exceptions. The biggest difference between the Jedi and the Vulcans is the most obvious—the Vulcans are a race, while the Jedi is a religion composed of many races.

Vulcans Are the Glue Holding the Federation Together, Like the Jedi Are for the Republic

Yet the Vulcans are the backbone of the Federation, providing the organization with logic and guidance. The Jedi served the same function for the Republic for generations. In the recent seasons of Star Trek: Discovery, we learned that the Federation falls apart quickly without the Vulcans. And we know what became of the Republic without the Jedi, despite their failings. Without a doubt, it was never intentional for the Vulcans and the Jedi to become so similar. Nevertheless, it’s remarkable to see how much the Jedi have paralleled the Vulcans over the last few decades of both franchises. May the Force be with the Jedi, and may they also live long and prosper.

The post How Jedi in STAR WARS Have Become Like Vulcans in STAR TREK appeared first on Nerdist.

A few months ago, the cancellation of Star Trek: Prodigy made fans righteously angry. Despite having a mostly complete season two, Paramount+ pulled the plug on the popular series anyway. To make things worse, the streaming service took the show off of its platform entirely. So, what did fans do? They took to the skies, literally flying a “Save Star Trek: Prodigy” banner over the offices of other streaming services, including Netflix. It’s a wild gesture but apparently one that resonated with the hearts of Netflix’s decision makers. Star Trek: Prodigy has a new streaming home with Netflix and will move forward with a second season, which has officially hit streaming as of July 1, 2024. 

In a world with a lot of annoying streaming updates, this is some pretty refreshing and welcome news. Season one of Star Trek: Prodigy will hit Netflix before the end of this year. Season two will make its debut sometime in 2024. The crew of Protostar and Kathryn Janeway are getting the second shot that they so richly deserve with more Star Trek: Prodigy at Netflix. Speaking of Janeway, actress Kate Mulgrew released a brief statement about the fandom’s awesomeness. 

“I’ve always held that the Star Trek fan base is among the strongest and most intelligent in the world.  They have shown their collective passion, and we’re happy to be able to celebrate Prodigy once again,” said Mulgrew. 

Star Trek: Prodigy executive producer Alex Kurtzman and co-showrunners Dan and Kevin Hageman also had a few words to add. “Thank you to our incredible Star Trek: Prodigy fans, who championed not just a show, but a community that’s always been connected by the belief that we build a better future together. We set out to inspire you, but you inspired us. The team is still hard at work on the second season, and we can’t wait to share it with the amazing fans around the world.”

We love to hear it! Fandom is at its best when everyone works together for the greater good.

Originally published on October 11, 2023.

The post STAR TREK: PRODIGY Season 2 Is Now Streaming On Netflix appeared first on Nerdist.

Star Trek: Picard’s third season was one of the best Star Trek seasons in years, maybe even decades, by the fans. And a big part of the reason why is showrunner Terry Matalas. The lifelong Trekker made Picard season three an incredible tribute to not only The Next Generation, but also incorporated major elements from both Deep Space Nine and Voyager. And although the third season was Picard’s final one, they left room for more. And potentially, that series could be one called Star Trek: Legacy.

Matalas has said on various occasions it’s his desire to continue the story of the 25th-century Star Trek universe in a Picard spin-off series called Star Trek: Legacy. Paramount+ has not greenlit this series, and it’s just an idea right now. But it’s an idea that fans desperately want to see come to fruition. All we know about the potential series is that it would continue stories of new characters introduced in Picard, along with legacy characters from Star Trek’s trio of ’90s series. Here’s what Matalas had to say at his recent Inglorious Treksperts GalaxyCon panel appearance (via TrekMovie)

“Look, I love this time period in Star Trek, the 25th century. I always view it as the present day in Star Trek for me. It’s where we all left off. And the way we leave this season is a passing of the torch from the last generation to the next… I would certainly love [Star Trek: Legacy] to happen. We certainly leave it so that you can do that.

Celebrating the ’90s, Star Trek’s Golden Age

So why do fans clamor for this era of Trek so much? Because the ’90s was when Star Trek ruled. Despite first airing in the ‘60s, Star Trek wasn’t a culturally dominant franchise until the ‘90s. The original series was a cult show, albeit with quite a large and vocal following. The feature films of the ‘80s were successful, but nowhere near as popular as Star Wars or other Spielberg-era blockbusters. And TNG was a ratings hit right out of the gate in 1987, but struggled with the fans. The the Borg captured Captain Picard in the third season TNG cliffhanger “The Best of Both Worlds” in the summer of 1990…and Star Trek as a franchise began to own the decade.

“The Best of Both Worlds” pushed TNG into the stratosphere, and the show became a legit fan and critical hit after that. For the rest of the show’s run, TNG was appointment television, and the most popular syndicated drama on TV. It led to spin-offs Deep Space Nine and Voyager, and three high-profile feature feature films that decade. Thanks to the success of the various shows and movies, Star Trek toys and merchandise began to really take off, after many failed attempts in prior decades. And many lifelong fans of the franchise were made that decade. And yet, until Picard season 3, they have not been served particularly well.

Ending Star Trek Prequel Fatigue

Almost all Star Trek media since 2001 has been a prequel (Enterprise), an alternate timeline prequel (the J.J. Abrams films), and yet more prequels (Discovery, Strange New Worlds). All of these have their merits, especially the excellent Strange New Worlds. But fans of Trek’s heyday have wanted to see the continuing story of the 24th (now 25th) century characters. Or, at the very least, the galaxy they inhabited. Picard has finally given us that in season three, and fans are clamoring for more. And Matalas has hinted at just who and what we might see, should Legacy ever happen.

Boy, wouldn’t you want to check in with the Klingon Empire? Wouldn’t you want to check in with Deep Space Nine and the Doctor [from Voyager] and everything that went on with the Berman-verse? So that’s kind of where I see it, to explore the galaxy and sort of get back to the Next Gen roots of storytelling is what I would see as a kind of version of Star Trek I’d like to see, with this group of characters that we’re seeing. I don’t want to talk too much about them, although I think you could guess as to who I would like to see.”

Other characters Matalas has mentioned as potentially appearing on Star Trek: Legacy are Deep Space Nine’s Major Kira (Nana Visitor), Worf’s now adult son Alexander, and bigger roles for Jonathan Frakes as Captain Riker. We imagine the crew of the U.S.S. Titan, featured prominently in Picard season three, would factor in too. Fans have really fallen in love with Todd Stashwick’s Captain Shaw, and Geordi’s daughter, Ensign Sidney La Forge (Ashlei Sharpe Chestnut). Seeing these new characters interact with Trek legends from the ’90s shows would put fan excitement into maximum warp. It’s the perfect recipe for a fan-favorite series.

CBS CEO Discusses the Star Trek: Legacy Delay

Recently, Vulture asked George Cheeks, the president and CEO of CBS and chief content officer for news and sports at Paramount+ about the possibility of Star Trek: Legacy directly. The interviewer noted, “A lot of fans, myself included, are trying to understand why there’s been no greenlight for Legacy, the proposed spinoff built from characters introduced in Picard. Is [Star] Trek still a priority for the company?”

To this, Cheeks responded:

Star Trek remains one of the most important franchises for Paramount Global, and Paramount+ specifically. There’s so much great opportunity with the franchise, and it’s really about the cadence and the timeline of it. We don’t want to offer up all these amazing premium drama series at once. We want to time it out appropriately. Luckily, we have this incredible partner in Alex Kurtzman, and we all work together to sort of manage long-range planning across many years, to figure out what’s the right cadence for dropping new Star Trek series. So there’s a lot we’re focused on, but it should not suggest to you [a scaling back]. There is a tremendous amount of focus and prioritizing of the Star Trek franchise.

While Cheeks does not address Star Trek: Legacy directly in his response, it does feel like a hopeful answer.

Star Trek Executive Producer Alex Kurtzman and Others Chime In on the Fate of Legacy

Speaking with Den of Geek, Star Trek executive producer Alex Kurtzman also touched on the current lack of greenlight for Star Trek: Legacy. He noted, “If I had a magic button, a magic ‘greenlight button,’ for Star Trek: Legacy, and it was all on me, I’d push that button today. Right now, it’s beyond my paygrade.”

Meanwhile, Jonathan Frakes shares his continued hopes for a Star Trek: Legacy series, noting, “I certainly have hopes and thoughts. Updates? I don’t have, but I do know that the franchise is in great shape. I do know that this ‘Starfleet Academy’ series is going to be an entirely different animal, and I think that the success of what I’m imagining, the success of ‘Section 31,’ Michelle Yeoh’s movie, is only going to catapult us further into the future, and my hope, obviously is that we’ll find a place then to continue the ‘Legacy’ story.”

At least it sounds like everyone is pulling for the potential series.

Star Trek Fandom Has Always Made Things Happen

For the last few years, Paramount+ has had three concurrent live-action Trek shows running; Discovery, Picard, and Strange New Worlds. A Starfleet Academy series is spinning-off from Discovery, so now we need something to satiate the fans of Picard. Star Trek has a very long history of organized fandom making things happen with the franchise. Once again, it might be time for the fans to rally and manifest this new Trek show.

In the ’60s, a letter-writing campaign saved Trek for a third season. More recently, when fans responded to the new versions of Pike and Spock on Discovery, Paramount+ responded to demand and gave us Strange New Worlds. And it’s been wildly popular. Hopefully, Paramount+ listens again. Next First Contact Day, we hope we hear about Star Trek Legacy as an actual series, and not just an idea or a social media hashtag. It’s definitely the series loyal Star Trek fans have been waiting years for.

Originally published on November 24, 2023.

The post A Potential STAR TREK: LEGACY Series Would Be a Fan’s Dream Come True appeared first on Nerdist.

The Star Trek: Starfleet Academy series is starting production soon, with Holly Hunter attached as the lead. The Paramount+ show will take place in the same timeframe as Star Trek: Discovery’s third through fifth season, in the 32nd century. This is some 900 years after the time of Picard, Seven of Nine, and other familiar characters from the franchise’s glory days. So why set Starfleet Academy in this time period, instead of one more familiar, and frankly, more popular? Here’s what Star Trek TV’s head honcho Alex Kurtzman had to say to Variety when asked about why this timeframe:

There’s a specific reason for that. As the father of a 17-year-old boy, I see what my son is feeling as he looks at the world and to his future. I see the uncertainty; I see all the things we took for granted as given are not certainties for him. I see him recognizing he’s inheriting an enormous mess to clean up and it’s going to be on his generation to figure out how to do that, and that’s a lot to ask of a kid.

My thinking was, if we set Starfleet Academy in the halcyon days of the Federation where everything was fine, it’s not going to speak to what kids are going through right now. It’ll be a nice fantasy, but it’s not really going to be authentic. What’ll be authentic is to set it in the timeline where this is the first class back after over 100 years, and they are coming into a world that is only beginning to recover from a cataclysm — which was the Burn, as established on Discovery, where the Federation was greatly diminished. So they’re the first who’ll inherit, who’ll re-inherit, the task of exploration as a primary goal.

In Discovery, “The Burn” occurred in the 31st century, when warp capability was neutralized for a century for unknown reasons. The crew of Discovery solved the mystery, allowing the Federation and Starfleet to return to their glory days. Discovery established that Tilly (Mary Wiseman) was an instructor for this new Academy. So we imagine she’ll appear in the series at some point. Kurtzman also confirmed that the show would take place on Earth (in San Francisco) as well as in space. (Yes, this means the show is going to focus on space cadets). Kurtzman also confirmed that the primary set “is the biggest we’ve ever built.” Will the Academy grounds look very different from the days of Wesley Crusher on TNG? Hey, Cambridge University has some buildings built in 1290, so you never know.

The post STAR TREK’S Alex Kurtzman Explains Why STARFLEET ACADEMY Is Set in the 32nd Century appeared first on Nerdist.

The U.S.S. Discovery has made its final journey. The streaming series of the same name has come to an end after five seasons. With Star Trek: Discovery now over, showrunner Michelle Paradise and star Sonequa Martin-Green spoke with Variety about the series grand finale. The finale was originally not meant as a farewell at all. Most importantly, Paradise revealed how the series’ flash-forward coda with an older Michael Burnham, shot after the show wrapped, referenced what was to be the main plotline for season six. And it all ties into an episode of Short Treks called “Calypso,” which dropped back in 2018.

The second Short Trek episode, “Calypso” was co-written by novelist (and future Star Trek: Picard producer) Michael Chabon. It centered on a character named Craft, played by future Hawkman Aldis Hodge. Discovery rescues him after the ship sat in space vacant for 1,000 years, at the same fixed coordinates. “Calypso” never answered how Discovery got there. Season six was going to be a season-long build-up to getting the titular ship to that point. Michelle Paradise didn’t want to leave that plotline dangling, so she wrapped it up in a few minutes of screentime. She wrote an older Michael Burnham delivering the ship to the coordinates (now retrofitted to its original 23rd-century configuration) as her final mission.

Paradise said, “We always knew that we wanted to somehow tie that back. We never wanted ‘Calypso’ to be the dangling Chad.” If they had never tied up that particular dangling thread, we know Star Trek fans would have never stopped asking about it. Kudos to Michelle Paradise for remembering to bring it all back to an episode that wasn’t even a part of the main series, that came out nearly six years ago. Not only is that the sign of a good showrunner, but a true diehard Trekker.

The post Here’s What STAR TREK: DISCOVERY Season 6 Would Have Been About appeared first on Nerdist.

After five seasons and 65 episodes, Star Trek: Discovery has landed in dry dock. The first ever Star Trek streaming series has released its final episode, “Life, Itself.” And the finale has a coda that ties off the journey of Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green). What a journey it has been. In the first episode, set in the 23rd century, Burnham (Spock’s adopted sister) is a mutineer whose actions landed her in the Starfleet prison. She joins Discovery‘s crew, and serves under several captains. Then, after time-traveling 900 years into the future, Michael Burnham becomes the Captain of Discovery herself. And now, we see where her life takes her decades later.

Michael Burnham met the man who would be the love of her life, the Kwejian Cleveland Booker (David Ajala), when she arrived in the 32nd Century. This was at the start of season three. The two became partners when Burnham became stranded in this strange future. She became a space courier with Booker, or “Book” for short. Eventually, they became romantically involved, even after she became Captain of Discovery. Over the course of the last three seasons, the pair had their ups and downs. They even split up for a time. But in the series finale, the two recommitted their love for one another. This was at the wedding of Captain Saru (Doug Jones) and the Vulcan President T’Rina (Tara Rosling).

Admiral Burnham Is Married to Booker, and They Have an Adult Son in Starfleet

Then, Star Trek: Discovery drops a bombshell on us. We flash forward decades into the future. We see that Burnham and Booker are now married, living in a country home on a remote alien planet. As Michael wakes up to get her morning coffee, Book follows her, and in their conversation, it’s revealed that today is a big day for her. She’s now Admiral Burnham, and a shuttle is coming to take her to a special ceremony. When the shuttle arrives, a young man beams down, played by Sawandi Wilson. He reveals himself as the son of Burnham and Booker. He’s also in Starfleet, and is about to get his own command and starship. He appears as “Captain Leto” in the credits, although they never refer to him by name. He looks about thirty, meaning she and Booker have been married for at least three decades or more in these scenes.

Michael Burnham Takes Command of Discovery One Last Time

Booker stays behind on the alien world, and mother and son go to Starfleet HQ together. In typical Trek fashion, they have a new uniform design. They talk together on the shuttle about Burnham’s friend Tilly, who is now the longest-tenured instructor at Starfleet Academy. We don’t really find out what became of the rest of Discovery’s crew, although we see a montage of them together in younger days. Once they get to Starfleet HQ, we see that they are reverting Discovery to its original 23rd-century mode, with the letter “A” removed from its registry number.

Michael Burnham beams aboard Discovery, now an empty ghost vessel, and talks to Zora, Discovery’s sentient AI system. They embark on one final mission together. It’s a secret “Red Directive” mission, where Discovery will await a ship of unknown origin for a thousand years. Upon reaching the coordinates, Burnham will disembark, while Zora awaits the mysterious vessel. Zora realizes that after this mission, she and Burnham won’t ever see each other again. Burnham says her famous catchphrase one last time as they go to warp — “Let’s fly.”

Will Michael Burnham Return in Star Trek: Starfleet Academy?

Will we follow up on this future version of Michael Burnham? It depends on exactly when the new Starfleet Academy series takes place. It might happen concurrently with the elder Michael Burnham we see in the Discovery epilogue. What we do know is that after many hardships, Admiral Michael Burnham led a fulfilled and fruitful life, something she could never have foreseen for herself in the series’ original episode, when she was an outcast mutineer, shunned by almost every member of Starfleet. Admiral Michael Burnham has had a journey unlike any Starfleet commander, or Star Trek series lead, before her.

The post STAR TREK: DISCOVERY Series Finale Epilogue Reveals the Fate of Captain Burnham appeared first on Nerdist.

After seven years and five seasons, Star Trek: Discovery has ended with the episode “Life Itself.” As the series headed into the homestretch, the writers decided to reveal one prominent character on the series has actually been around for a lot longer than most Star Trek fans watching ever knew. While the main overarching plotline this season has ties to Star Trek: The Next Generation, the final episode revealed that a character who has been on Discovery since season three has ties to the prequel series Star Trek: Enterprise. And that character is Dr. Kovich, portrayed by legendary film director David Cronenberg.

At the climax of the last episode, Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) solves the season-long mystery of the Progenitors. These are the ancient beings that seeded life in the galaxy. Burnham decides their advanced technology is too dangerous to be in the hands of any sentient beings in the galaxy to study, including the Federation. She has a meeting with the bespectacled Dr. Kovich, who has been a mysterious figure since Discovery’s third season, when the crew arrived in the 32nd century from the 23rd. It is unknown what his exact position is within the Federation or Starfleet. Yet he was able to issue a “Red Directive” this season, supplanting the authority of even the highest Starfleet admiral.

Dr. Kovich Is Really Agent Daniels From Star Trek: Enterprise

Kovich, not the warmest person in the cosmos, congratulates Burnham on a job well done. As she looks around his office, she sees many historical items familiar to Star Trek fans. There’s a bottle of Jean Luc Picard’s family wine, and Geordi La Forge’s original visor. A baseball, presumably belonging to Deep Space Nine’s Captain Ben Sisko, is also among the items. He had previously mentioned a love of history in previous episodes. Burnham then realizes something — Kovich is a code name. She asks him to reveal who he is, and he says he’s lived “many lives.” He tells her that his name is Agent Daniels, of the U.S.S. Enterprise, and “other places.” This reveals him as an older version of a character who played a key role in Star Trek: Enterprise, which ran from 2001-2005.

Star Trek: Discovery Addresses the Temporal Wars From Enterprise

One of the main plot points in the early seasons of Enterprise was the Temporal Wars. Although Enterprise took place in the late 22nd century, it was a key period for this conflict. The Temporal Wars were a conflict that spanned centuries, with different factions fighting to control their version of the timeline. Agents from many sides appeared in different key moments in history, hoping to bend events to their preferred outcomes. These factions had to abide by the Temporal Accord, although more than once, they broke the Accord.

Daniels is a temporal agent from the 31st century who appears aligned with Earth/the Federation. The time-traveling Daniels appeared in eight episodes across four seasons, first posing as a crewman on the Enterprise NX-01 in the 22nd century. After several fakeout deaths, he eventually reveals to Captain Jonathan Archer (Scott Bakula) that he is from 900 years in the future. They sent him back in time to make sure history flows properly, as an agent of the Temporal Wars. Among these tasks is assuring Captain Archer helps guide events toward the formation of the United Federation of Planets, among other things.

Discovery Shows What Became of Dr. Kovich After the Temporal Wars

Daniels was portrayed as a man in his thirties, and the time period of his birth was given as the 31st century. It’s implied that the 31st century is the launch point of the wars. The only mention of the Temporal Wars on Discovery came early in season three. It’s revealed to Burnham that time travel is now banned, as a fallout of the Temporal Wars a century earlier. So they couldn’t simply travel back in time to their era, they were stuck now in the 32nd century. It’s during this era that the Discovery crew met the elderly gentleman and Starfleet representative named Kovich, who sent them on several missions. Now we know that Kovich is really an older version of Daniels, who survived the Temporal Wars to help guide the Federation into a new era.

Will Dr. Kovich Appear in Starfleet Academy?

Although Kovich looks like a man in his seventies or eighties, he is clearly much older. We’re not sure what this reveal means for the future of Star Trek, if anything. It may just be a fun Easter egg for fans of Enterprise. However, it does tie in the two series in a neat way. It also addresses a plot point from Enterprise many had believed forgotten. With Starfleet Academy taking place roughly in this time period, who knows, we might see Daniels/Kovich again. That is, should David Cronenberg choose to reprise the role. There is still much we don’t know about the Temporal Wars, and maybe we’ll learn more in Starfleet Academy. Maybe the Temporal Wars are a course the students take? If Kovich is an instructor, then sign us up for class.

The post How the STAR TREK: DISCOVERY Series Finale Ties Into STAR TREK: ENTERPRISE appeared first on Nerdist.

Paramount is making yet another attempt at a Star Trek feature film. The studio confirmed the news at CinemaCon 2024. Toby Haynes, who directed episodes of Andor, will direct this newest Trek film, with screenwriter Seth Grahame-Smith providing the script. Now, via The Hollywood Reporter, we’ve also learned that Simon Kinberg, writer/director of X-Men: Dark Phoenix is coming on board as a producer. In terms of plot, all we know is that it takes place decades before the events of J.J. Abram’s 2009 Star Trek, technically the eleventh Trek feature overall, which launched a trilogy.

The original report says the new Star Trek film will take place “Likely around modern times.” It will involve the creation of the Starfleet, and “humankind’s first contact with alien life.” Sound familiar? That’s because that’s what Star Trek: First Contact and the TV series Enterprise were about. So most Trek fans find themselves baffled at this news. The plan is for the new Star Trek movie to release in 2025. Abrams’ Bad Robot will remain as producers. A fourth Star Trek film featuring Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, and the rest of that cast remains in the works, too.

The last Star Trek feature film to hit theaters was 2016’s Star Trek: Beyond. Whenever this new Trek movie arrives, it will be the longest gap between Star Trek films since the long-running franchise launched with 1979’s Star Trek: The Motion Picture. The longest gap until now was between 2002’s Star Trek: Nemesis, the fourth and final film in the saga of Captain Picard’s crew, and the 2009 reboot. Although Star Trek has been missing in movie theaters all these years, it has been thriving on streaming television, with series like Discovery, Picard, Lower Decks, and most recently, Strange New Worlds.

When Will This New Star Trek “Origins” Movie Release?

No word yet on when production is meant to commence on this film, but as mentioned, the film has a release window of 2025. Hopefully, it will fare better than those other announced Star Trek movies that never got off the ground.

Originally published on January 10, 2024.

The post STAR TREK ‘Starfleet Origin Story’ Movie Will Feature Humankind’s First Alien Contact appeared first on Nerdist.

Chances are you have a nerdy coffee mug of some kind—or probably a few. Maybe you have one with a Game of Thrones House Stark symbol or a Star Wars Rebel Alliance emblem. But what if you had some actually nerdy coffee to pour into those coffee mugs? Pop Culture Coffee has you covered. They are introducing several brands of coffee based on some very beloved properties, starting with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. They’re arriving just in time for their big 40th anniversary. You can read the details and check out the first flavors and packaging images for all of these coffee brands below, starting with the Turtles.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Pop Culture Coffee

The Turtles’ new “mutated” coffees are 100% organic, ethically sourced, and arrive in artificially flavored ground coffee bags. Each depicts a Turtle in the style of the classic 1980s animated series that helped launch an enduring Turtle empire. Two weeks later, PCC is offering up four cold brews, each themed with 16bit pixel art from the four-player arcade game by Konami, which debuted in 1989. You can purchase them individually or in a four-pack featuring each of the Turtles.

TMNT: Shell-Shocked Sugar Cookie

A combo of sugar cookies and almonds featuring team leader Leonardo.

TMNT: Cowabunga Caramel

A wonderful caramel and coconut team-up with the loveable Michelangelo on the bag. It’s totally “Booyakasha!”

TMNT: Half-Shell Hazelnut

A nutty hybrid of hazelnut and sweet crème, adorned with Donatello.

TMNT: Turtle Power Peanut Butter Cup

A delectable peanut butter cup combination, depicting Raphael.

The folks at Pop Culture Coffee also have other amazing flavors recently revealed, based on Star Trek and Ghostbusters:

Star Trek Pop Culture Coffee

The first classic Star Trek coffee brand out of spacedock is Captain’s Choice, a smooth medium roast featuring Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) on the bag. Following that up is Vulcan Vanilla, a Madagascar vanilla roast featuring the enigmatic Mr. Spock (Leonard Nimoy). The U.S.S. Enterprise adorns the back of both bags. You’ll want to beam these down into your standard Starfleet issue coffee mug right away.

And soon dark Klingon Raktajino will arrive, a brown sugar roast, featuring The Next Generation’s Worf. This was a favorite drink at Quark’s bar on Deep Space Nine. To celebrate First Contact Day, there will be the Federation French Roast, featuring Captain Jean-Luc Picard, and a light Borg Blend roast highlighting the Borg Queen from Star Trek: First Contact on the bag. More Trek coffees will release throughout the year. Hopefully, we’ll get one for Voyager’s Captain Janeway, a big-time coffee connoisseur.

Ghostbusters Pop Culture Coffee

Click To View Gallery

Back on Earth, New York to be exact, Pop Culture Coffee is offering a new series of Ghostbusters blends, timed for the release of Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire. Among the flavors is Ecto-Espresso, a caramel-chocolate blend featuring everyone’s favorite green ghost, Slimer. Puftmellow is a vanilla-marshmallow manifestation depicting the Mini Stay-Pufts, seen in both Ghostbusters: Afterlife and Frozen Empire. Not pictured, but coming soon, is Death Chill, a chocolatey-minty libation best served iced. There’s also Ray’s Occult, with the blend said to be among the bookstores’ “best-kept secrets.” And finally, there’s Stay S’Mored, evoking the campfire favorite, only now with a Ghostbusters twist. These will get your proton packs at full power on any given morning.

For more information, head on over to Pop Culture Coffee’s official site.

Originally published on April 2, 2024.

The post Pop Culture Coffee Brings the TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES to Your Morning Ritual appeared first on Nerdist.

For almost as long as there has been Star Trek on TV, there have been Star Trek comics. And these days, IDW Entertainment has been carrying the flag of Starfleet proudly. Now, the landmark 500th issue of Star Trek is arriving. This oversized anthology comic will feature seven stories from different eras of Star Trek. It will even be a prelude to a big Trek universe crossover event planned for 2025. It’ll include creatives like Patton Oswalt, Chris Cantwell, Mags Visaggio, and more. Here’s the official solicitation for the 500th IDW Star Trek issue, going on sale September 4, 2024:

Celebrate IDW’s 500th issue of Star Trek comics (and an early Star Trek Day!) with this landmark oversized anthology issue! This collection of seven short stories spans through fan-favorite eras of the beloved franchise from Lower Decks to Strange New Worlds, legacy characters from The Next Generation and the original series, written and illustrated by Star Trek comics veterans and new voices alike. Plus, don’t miss out on the prelude to 2025’s big Star Trek and Defiant comic crossover event written by Jackson Lanzing, Collin Kelly, and Christopher Cantwell!

Star Trek #500 has four different variant covers. They showcase the crews from 58 years of Trek, since the days of Kirk, to Strange New Worlds. Cover A is by Joëlle Jones, with Cover B by Jake Bartok. JK Woodward provides Cover C, with a Cover Variant by Chris Fenoglio. You can preview them all down below, along with quotes from the various Star Trek #500 creators.

Here’s what Heather Antos, IDW group editor, had to say about the upcoming special issue of Star Trek:

The sending to print of any single comic is a feat in and of itself. To hit a landmark like 500 issues with any franchise is a true accomplishment to be celebrated. This Star Trek Day IDW is excited to present not only a look back at some of our favorite characters and series from over the years, but also a look forward on what is to come in the future for our Eisner-nominated Star Trek and Defiant series. If you’re only getting one Star Trek book this year, this is not one to miss out on!

In addition, Jackson Lanzing, Chris Cantwell, and Collin Kelly, who are co-writing the prelude for the big Star Trek event coming in 2025, shared the following sentiments.

Jackson Lanzing: “In Star Trek #400, we began a journey that changed the face of Star Trek comics and carved out a whole new line for readers of every generation. I don’t think any of us could have imagined what would follow. From all the incredible interlocked series to the first Star Trek summer event to the first Eisner nominations in Starfleet’s history. Now, one hundred issues later… it’s time to push things even further.”

Christopher Cantwell: “Just like our prelude story in the Star Trek Free Comic Book Day issue last year, #500 promises one hell of a tease of things to come next summer in 2025. Both books are building to a crossover event that will truly redefine the Star Trek universe from within its very DNA. There are a boatload of reasons why you’ll want to pick up #500, but the little ticking time bomb Jackson, Collin, and I have planted in its pages will get you anxious for what’s to come.” 

Collin Kelly: “We’ve been planting the seeds of this event since the very beginning, a culmination and conflagration that will ignite the cosmos in a crisis of galactic proportions. Not only crossing our titles, but linking to both Nemesis and Star Trek: Picard. Our aim is nothing less than creating the single greatest challenge that Sisko, Worf, and their respective crews have ever faced; a mission that starts when the universe ends.”

Professional nerds (and professional jokers) Patton Oswalt and Jordan Blum are also beaming aboard. With tongues firmly planted in their cheeks, they had this to say about their contributions to Star Trek #500. Oswalt joked “I can’t wait to begin writing this story. Sitting down to watch at least 3 of the original episodes and 2 of the movies. I’m so excited to experience this world for the first time!”

Meanwhile, Blum added “It’s an honor to be a part of this historic Star Trek moment. I’ve been a diehard fan ever since Luke Skywalker first flew the Enterprise into the trenches of Arrakis. Our story will obsessively investigate the psychology and physiology of Tribbles in a way no one has ever deemed worth it. It’s like Mr. Spock always says ‘There is no spoon.’ Truly.”

Star Trek #500 beams down to your local comic shop on September 4, 2024.

The post STAR TREK 500 from IDW Sets Up Massive Trek Crossover Event for 2025 appeared first on Nerdist.

If Star Trek 4 can get out of development hell and into production, we might soon see more of Chris Pine’s Captain Kirk on our screens. But he’s not the only Captain Kirk who could be making a comeback. Recently, William Shatner spoke to Canada’s Global News about a potential return to the Star Trek world as Captain Kirk.

He shared, “It’s an intriguing idea… It’s almost impossible. But if was a great role and so well-written and if there were a reason to be there not just to make a cameo appearance, but if there were a genuine reason for the character appearing, I might consider it.” The publication shares that Shatner mused on returning as a younger Captain Kirk through the use of deaging technology.

Though Shatner’s Captain Kirk was killed in 1994’s Star Trek Generations, Shatner notes that perhaps Kirk’s body and brain could be noted to have been frozen and then revived. He shares, “We’ve got Captain Kirk’s brain frozen here.’ There’s a scenario. ‘Let’s see if we can bring back a little bit of this, a little salt, a little pepper. Oh, look at that. Here comes Captain Kirk!’”

The post William Shatner Open to STAR TREK Return as De-Aged Captain Kirk appeared first on Nerdist.

From Mickey Mouse horror movies to streaming shenanigans to the Minecraft live-action movie casting news, here are some of our favorite odds and ends from pop-culture news that bubbled up in the last little while.

Odds & Ends in Entertainment News

Jump to:

• Jack Black Will Play Steve in Live-Action Minecraft Movie, Jennifer Coolidge and More Join Cast
• Adam Driver Is Done with Star Wars, His Kylo Ren Will Not Return
• Oppenheimer and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse are Heading Back to IMAX Theaters
• What If…? Season 3 Is Coming Soon, Meanwhile Season 2 Almost Had a Truly Dark Spider-Man Story
• John Wick Director Would Make a Star Wars Movie “If Disney Could Survive Me,” Wants a Swing at the MCU’s Blade
• A Second Steamboat Willie Horror Movie Is on the Way
• The MCU’s Echo Series Will Be Dubbed in the Choctaw Language
• The First 10 Star Trek Movies Are Moving to Max

Jack Black Will Play Steve in a Live-Action Minecraft Movie, Jennifer Coolidge and More Join Cast

Who doesn’t love a good live-action adaptation of a beloved game? According to Deadline, Jack Black, who recently had a well-received turn in the animated adaptation of Super Mario Bros., will take on the character of Steve in a live-action Minecraft movie. Steve, of course, is one of Minecraft‘s original player characters. He is made of blocks and has no official backstory. Thus, we’ll be extra interested to see how he, and the game, get adapted. Jack Black also recently confirmed that he will be singing in the Minecraft movie and doing so alongside co-star Danielle Brooks. The actor additionally confirmed his role as Steve in the live-action Minecraft movie with an Instagram post.

Additionally, The White Lotus star Jennifer Coolidge has also joined the cast of the Minecraft movie, according to Deadline. There is no word yet on the role she will play. Jason Momoa is currently set to star in the Warner Bros. movie.

Finally, it is reported that Kate McKinnon and Jemaine Clement have also come along the now star-studded movie.

Check out Jack Black performing the hit song “Peaches” from The Super Mario Bros. Movie.

Adam Driver Is Done with Star Wars, His Kylo Ren Will Not Return

Daisy Ridley’s Rey will soon be back in a new Star Wars movie. But those hoping to see Adam Driver’s Kylo Ren strike back may end up disappointed. In a recent interview with the SmartLess podcast, which we saw via GameSpot, Driver revealed that more Star Wars content may be happening “but not with me.” Driver also noted, “I’m not doing any more.” Alas, we would say, never say never… But Driver seems pretty set in his thoughts for now.

It also turns out that Kylo Ren’s redemption arc wasn’t planned.

Oppenheimer and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse are Heading Back to IMAX Theaters

‘Tis the season for movies that are in contention for awards to head back to theaters. Two such movies, Oppenheimer and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse will be doing exactly this in a big way. Both of these incredible movies will return to IMAX for a limited run. Oppenheimer will be back on IMAX theater screens beginning on January 12.

Meanwhile, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse will hit IMAX on January 19. Both these movies are well worth watching on a huge screen, so don’t delay in getting your tickets.

Here’s what we thought of Oppenheimer and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse:

What If…? Season 3 Is Coming Soon, Meanwhile Season 2 Almost Had a Truly Dark Spider-Man Story

What If…? season two only just released, but Marvel Studios has revealed that season three will be “streaming soon.” Although we don’t know exactly when soon is, we do already have a full clip from the next season of the animated show. In it, Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier, voiced by Sebastian Stan, teams up with Red Guardian, voiced by David Harbour, and the pair go on an odd-couple road trip. Per Empire, Bill Foster/Giant Man, voiced by Laurence Fishburne, and a character named Ranger Morales also feature. We’ll take it.

Meanwhile, when it comes to season two of the show, What If…?‘s writer A.C. Bradley revealed there was almost an incredibly dark episode revolving around Spider-Man. Bradley noted, “I did write an episode, which is forever going in a drawer, that was very, very dark. I was calling it ‘Children of Men with Spider-Man.’” We can only imagine what on earth that might have entailed.

If you haven’t seen What If…? season two yet, you can check out its trailer below.

John Wick Director Would Make a Star Wars Movie “If Disney Could Survive Me,” Wants a Swing at the MCU’s Blade

Chad Stahelski, director of the John Wick franchise, recently discussed whether he’d make a Star Wars or MCU movie. Speaking with the Happy Sad Confused podcast, Stahelski had quite a few thoughts. When it comes to Star Wars, the director had mixed feelings. He noted, “I’m a Star Wars guy. The first Star Wars changed my life path. Maybe someday out there, Disney if you’re listening, hit me in a couple of years. I have a couple of takes for Star Wars. I’d take a swing at that, see if Disney could survive me.” Of course, he also discussed the difficulties of not having creative control in franchise situations, but ultimately, he’d want to take a swing.

Meanwhile, when it comes to the MCU, the John Wick director shared, “Of all the things out there, I would take a swing at Blade in a second. Like that’s one that gets under my skin, like ‘Ah! I’d take a swing at that one.'” And further offered, “We’ve talked about it, but look they’ve got a good formula… they have their thing going and I think they’ve got the right people involved in Blade now… I’m not in the Inner Circle but we’ve had talks… Just for whatever reason things come together, and there’s a good fit for everything out there. But for what they’re doing they’ve got a great thing going, but if that thing doesn’t work out, in five years from now… maybe on the fourth reboot of Blade or the fifth reboot of Blade… Maybe I can pull back Wesley and jump in.”

Hey, you never know.

For now, though, it seems like John Wick 5 is slowly becoming a reality.

A Second Steamboat Willie Horror Movie Is on the Way

To no one’s surprise, a second Steamboat Willie horror movie is on the way. This one doesn’t have a trailer yet, but it does have some creepy art. And bonus, it actually takes place on a boat. That feels right. According to Variety, this public domain Mickey Mouse movie comes from director Steven LaMorte, who also directed The Mean One, a horror take on the Grinch. This Mickey movie, meanwhile, is an “untitled horror-comedy based on Mickey’s cartoon debut. In it, a sadistic mouse will torment a group of unsuspecting ferry passengers. Production is set to begin in the spring.” We’re sure this will not be the last Steamboat Willie/Mickey Mouse movie we’ll see whistling to life in the coming months.

The first announced Steamboat Willie horror movie, Mickey Mouse’s Trap, already has a trailer.

The MCU’s Echo Series Will Be Dubbed in the Choctaw Language

The MCU’s upcoming Echo series features a main character who is Native American. Maya Lopez (Alaqua Cox) a.k.a. Echo is a member of the Choctaw Nation. And so we are incredibly happy to hear that Marvel Studios will honor this aspect of the show by dubbing it in the Choctaw language. Director and executive producer Sydney Freeland shared the following with Entertainment Weekly:

In the process of working and collaborating with the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, in working with the Choctaw language experts and consultants, it became very apparent that we needed to do a dub in Choctaw as well. And we’re incredibly proud of it.

Placing the story of Echo in the actual Choctaw language helps make our character more authentic to her heritage, because we get to delve into the specifics of Choctaw culture and traditions. I’m indigenous, I’m American, but I’m Navajo. And the Choctaw language and the Navajo language are completely different from each other; they’re as different as Portuguese and Polish. And so one of the things that was important for us was making sure that we had people who were experts in Choctaw language. But a lot of really great things came out of that collaboration — specifically, in the second episode of our series, we actually get to see a portion of pre-European contact America that I can genuinely say has never been seen on film before. That came as a direct result of our collaboration with the Choctaw Nation in trying to tell a more authentic story.

We can’t wait to see and hear the results of this incredible collaboration in full.

Before Echo arrives, you can get to know Maya Lopez with our character explainer.

The First 10 Star Trek Movies Have Moved to Max

What is life in the streaming age except constantly working to keep track of where your favorite movies can be watched? For a little while, all of Star Trek‘s films were on Paramount+. But now, as we saw via Comicbook.com, the first 10 Star Trek movies have moved to Max. Only the three Chris Pine-era movies remain on Paramount+. All we can say to those just trying to keep up is: live long and prosper.

More streaming shenanigans happen every day. The latest includes ads coming to Prime Video this January.

The post Jack Black Confirms His Role in the Live-Action MINECRAFT Movie appeared first on Nerdist.

One beloved series in the Star Trek franchise is set to continue boldly going, while one is coming to an end. Paramount+ revealed that Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, currently in production for its third season, will return for season four. The streamer also announced that the animated series Star Trek: Lower Decks will conclude its run with the upcoming season five. Season five, the final season of Lower Decks, premieres this fall. This means two Trek series are ending this year, as Star Trek: Discovery is also wrapping up at the end of the current season.

In a statement, CBS Studios President David Staff said the following:

Lower Decks and Strange New Worlds are integral to the Star Trek franchise, expanding the boundaries of the universe and exploring new and exciting worlds. We are extraordinarily proud of both series as they honor the legacy of what Gene Roddenberry created almost 60 years ago. We are so grateful to work with Secret Hideout, Alex Kurtzman, Mike McMahan, Akiva Goldsman, Henry Alonso Myers and the cast, crews and artists who craft these important and entertaining stories for fans around the world.

Right now, it feels like the Star Trek franchise is contracting and not expanding. Both Discovery and Lower Decks are ending after five seasons. In the modern streaming era though, most view five seasons as a decent run. Paramount+ canceled Prodigy, but its second season found a home on Netflix. A third season remains in doubt. Section 31 went from series to film. Picard ended on a high note with season three. Yet there has been no news about a proposed follow-up series, Star Trek: Legacy. The only other live-action Star Trek series going into production soon is Starfleet Academy. All of this may have more to do with Paramount’s financial uncertainty than anything else. However, if Star Trek has proven to be anything over nearly 58 years, it’s that it will survive any studio downturn.

The post STAR TREK: LOWER DECKS to End with Season 5 appeared first on Nerdist.

Star Trek: Discovery has embarked on its final season, presenting Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) and her crew with a new mystery that links directly to a classic episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation from 1993 that Jonathan Frakes directed. It’s a mystery that Star Trek canon hasn’t touched on in over 30 years. Let’s unpack how these two stories separated by 800 years connect.

Discovery’s Final Season Ties Directly into The Next Generation Episode “The Chase”

In the sixth season of Star Trek: The Next Generation, a storyline changed everything we knew about the Trek universe. The episode “The Chase,” written by Joe Menosky and Ronald D. Moore, introduced us to Professor Richard Galen (Norman Lloyd). He was a mentor to Captain Jean-Luc Picard when he was a cadet at Starfleet Academy, and Picard’s professor of archaeology. Galen hoped his star pupil would follow in his footsteps and become an archaeologist himself. However, Picard chose a life in Starfleet instead, forcing a wedge between teacher and student. But in this episode, Professor Galen reunited with Picard, who had become captain of the Enterprise. Galen hoped his former protégé would help him solve one last riddle—one with galactic implications.

Picard was thrilled to see his old mentor after so many decades. Galen told Picard he made a profound archaeological discovery that would change what everyone knew about intelligent life in the Milky Way galaxy. He requested Picard’s help, as he was too elderly to complete the cross-planet mission alone. But Jean-Luc couldn’t bring himself to leave his command and chose to remain on the Enterprise-D, infuriating Galen. When Galen attempted the mission alone, he died in the process because of hostile forces trying to steal his research. A dying Galen tasked Picard with finishing his work, leaving Jean-Luc with a mission and with a series of number blocks discovered by Galen to decipher.

Captain Picard Discovered All Humanoid Races in Star Trek Share DNA

After Picard studied the mysterious number blocks, he realized the fragments were all compatible DNA strands, discovered on different worlds across the known galaxy. Picard eventually believed it was an embedded genetic pattern across several different species—human, Vulcan, Romulan, Cardassian, and many others. Captain Picard realized an early interstellar race that pre-dated all other known civilizations by billions (perhaps trillions) of years left the DNA strands on various worlds.

Eventually, the Klingons, Cardassians, and Romulans joined the hunt to solve the riddle of the DNA fragments, thinking it the solution would lead to some powerful weapon. They all convened on a remote, uninhabited world and agreed to link their findings. This triggered a holographic message by an extremely ancient humanoid race, who revealed they seeded most worlds in the galaxy with their genetic code. This advanced species’ DNA exists in all major Star Trek races. That’s why they are all (mostly) humanoid and can cross-breed. The Klingons and Cardassians scoffed at the revelation. But Picard and the Romulan Captain realized how monumental the discovery was. Sadly, Star Trek: The Next Generation never mentioned this huge revelation again, nor did any later Star Trek series. Until now, that is, because it’s come up on Star Trek: Discovery.

Discovery Must Find the Technology of the Ancient Progenitors

In the first episode of Discovery‘s final season, “Red Directive,” we learn that centuries after Picard completed Galen’s work, a Starfleet probe finds an 800-year-old Romulan vessel. Starfleet sends Discovery on a top-secret mission to retrieve the ship. Even Captain Burnham doesn’t know what is in the ship that Starfleet needs her to retrieve. But scavengers get there first, and steal a Romulan puzzle box stored in a cloaked vault on the ship. After a wild goose chase across the quadrant, Discovery finds the contents of the puzzle box, the findings of a long-dead Romulan scientist. His holographic message says no one must find what his research has led him to.

Eventually Starfleet’s Dr. Kovich (David Cronenberg) reveals the classified nature of Burnham’s mission to her. The ancient Romulan scientist was Dr. Valec. He was on the landing party with his crew in The Next Generation episode “The Chase.” Dr. Valec was one of only a handful of beings present for Picard’s discovery. Valec eventually found the technology of the Progenitors, as they were now called by Starfleet, and the advanced science they used to design humanoid life in the galaxy.

When the Romulan scientist’s location was lost 800 years prior, all access to that tech was thought lost too. Clearly, Starfleet chose to keep Picard’s findings classified for centuries. But now Starfleet has to find it before it falls into the wrong hands. Whoever has the technology of the Progenitors could reshape life in the galaxy to their liking. And this new chase will serve as the main storyline in Discovery’s final year, finally addressing something Star Trek canon seemingly forgot about. Here’s hoping this long-lost bit of Trek storytelling leads to a truly compelling season of Discovery.

The post How STAR TREK: DISCOVERY’S Final Season Continues a Classic NEXT GENERATION Story appeared first on Nerdist.

The card game UNO has been the staple of many a late night party since 1971. Over the decades, they’ve spun off into various special editions, video games, and soon, even movies. Now in 2024, they’re about to get a little bit nerdy, with a new series of premium collectible decks designed to celebrate all fandoms. We’re talking fandoms from across the spectrum, including TV and film, sports, and pop culture in general. Among the first batch of UNO Fandom releases are decks featuring Disney Villains, Star Trek, Masters of the Universe, Harry Potter, Avatar: The Last Airbender, the NFL, and more.

Each UNO Fandom deck includes a special rule specific to that deck theme and one collectible foil card. The plan is for UNO Fandom to continue to expand with new decks that celebrate everyone’s favorite pop culture icons. So if your favorite fandom isn’t included in this first batch, they just might show up for round two. Here are some highlights from the first wave of releases.

UNO Fandom Disney Villains Deck

This Disney Villains UNO fandom deck is inspired by Disney’s most fabulous Villains and scenes, including Ursula, Cruella de Vil, Maleficent, and more. The deck includes a special “Maleficent’s Gift” rule letting any player give 4 extra cards to a player or players of their choice and a collectible foil version of the Wild “Maleficent’s Gift” card.

UNO Fandom Monster High Deck

This UNO Fandom deck celebrates the characters from the spooky (yet fashionable) franchise. It includes a collectible card and a special “Frankie’s Hand” rule. This enables a player to look at another player’s hand, take the card of their choice, and replace it with one of their own.

UNO Fandom Star Trek Deck

You can help the fandom live long and prosper with this Star Trek UNO deck. It includes the special “Mirror, Mirror” rule. This is a nod to Star Trek’s twisted Mirror Universe. This rule forces a chosen player to draw cards until they have as many in their hand as the player with the most cards. The Star Wars UNO Fandom deck is definitely one we can’t wait to get our hands on.

UNO Fandom Avatar: The Last Airbender Deck

This Avatar: The Last Airbender UNO deck shows off all four nations’ bending abilities and includes a premium foil card and the “Avatar State” rule. This rule allows a player to take a turn anytime they want, provided they have all four colors in their hand.

UNO Fandom Masters of the Universe Deck

“By the Power of Grayskull!” This UNO Fandom deck showcases artwork from the classic fantasy toy franchise, Masters of the Universe. It has a special “Armory of the Grayskull” rule that lets a player take Action cards from other players to build up their arsenal.

When Can You Buy the UNO Fandom Decks?

UNO Fandom decks have an SRP of $12.00. They will be exclusively revealed on the MattelCreations.com website starting Thursday, March 21st at March 21st at 9:40 am PT / 12:40 pm ET. At that point, the UNO Fandom decks will officially be released for your buying pleasure.

The post UNO Fandom Decks Celebrate Disney Villains, AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER, STAR TREK, and More appeared first on Nerdist.

It’s the end of an era. Star Trek: Discovery, which launched the Star Trek franchise into the streaming era, is ending after five seasons and seven years. Now we have our final trailer for this last adventure, which features the crew saying their goodbyes. Like previous seasons, the final year of Star Trek: Discovery will focus on a season-long mystery; a mystery that Captain Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) and her crew must solve. You can watch the trailer for the last season of Star Trek: Discovery, which begins on April 4, right here:

In this trailer, we see that Starfleet director Dr. Kovich, played by the iconic David Cronenberg, has a new galactic mystery for the Discovery crew to solve. It’s another cosmic puzzle that unlocks some kind of ancient power. The Star Trek Discovery final season trailer gives us some Indiana Jones vibes, only in space. We think we might see the symbol of the Terran Empire on board one of the ships in this trailer. Star Trek fans know the Terran Empire as the “evil Federation” from the Mirror Universe. Yes, that’s the same Mirror Universe that Michelle Yeoh’s Phillipa Georgiou is from. It seems they might play a part in Discovery‘s final season.

Since season three, Discovery has taken place in the 32nd Century, nearly a millennium from where the show started. In the first two seasons, Discovery was a prequel to the original Star Trek, taking place a decade before the adventures of Kirk and Spock on the Enterprise. The spin-off series Star Trek: Strange New Worlds still occupies this timeframe. But the future Star Trek: Discovery now takes place in is a galaxy where the Federation dwindled to a few core worlds after a disastrous cosmic event, and Starfleet is in rebuilding mode. We’ll see if by the end of the series, Discovery takes the Federation back to its full glory.

The first chapter of the final season of Star Trek: Discovery drops on Paramount+ on April 4.

The post STAR TREK: DISCOVERY Final Season Trailer Showcases a Bittersweet Goodbye appeared first on Nerdist.

The intergalactic journey of U.S.S. Discovery is coming to an end. Paramount+ has revealed that it is ending Star Trek: Discovery with the upcoming fifth season of the show. The fifth and final season of series will officially release on April 4, 2024. At the fan convention CCXP, we saw a clip from the upcoming final season—a season that will see Captain Burnham and the crew of the U.S.S. Discovery uncovering a mystery that will send them on an epic adventure across the galaxy to find an ancient power whose very existence has been deliberately hidden for centuries. But there are others on the hunt as well … dangerous foes who are desperate to claim the prize for themselves and will stop at nothing to get it.

Discovery‘s fifth season wasn’t necessarily meant to be the end. But according to The Hollywood Reporter, additional filming was set to help craft a conclusion for the series. Discovery was historic for many reasons. Debuting in 2017, it was the first streaming series in the franchise’s history. It was also the first Trek series since the cancellation of Enterprise some 12 years earlier.

Discovery launched a whole world of Trek in the streaming world, first on CBS All Access, then on its successor, Paramount+. This lead to Picard, Lower Decks, Prodigy, and most recently, Strange New Worlds. Of course, it was also the first Star Trek series with an African-American woman in the lead, and the Trek series with its first regular trans character.

Discovery was unique in Trek canon for several reasons. It began as a prequel to the original series, set some ten years before the time of Kirk on the Enterprise. But at the end of season two, they propelled the starship Discovery over 900 years into the future. This allowed the show to explore a completely different era in the Star Trek timeline. It was also unique in that the lead character was not a Captain or Commander. But she eventually evolved into taking command of the ship by the end of the third season. It will be interesting to see if Star Trek remains in this time period for future series, or returns to the past.

When Will Star Trek: Discovery‘s Fifth and Final Season Release?

As mentioned, the final season of Star Trek: Discovery has set its Paramount+ release date for April 4, 2024.

Originally published on March 2, 2023.

The post STAR TREK: DISCOVERY Sets Release Date for Final Season appeared first on Nerdist.

Nicolas Cage has revealed his sci-fi loyalties. They lie with Star Trek’s United Federation of Planets, and not Star Wars’ Galactic Republic. Cage recently said “I’m not in the Star Wars family, I’m in the Star Trek family” expressing his love for Gene Roddenberry’s seminal franchise. And even shared he dreams of acting on the Enterprise. Cage has chosen his weapon, and it is a phaser instead of a lightsaber.

This, of course, has us wondering what we have to do to get some Nicolas Cage in our Trek. Anson Mount, who plays Captain Pike on Strange New Worlds, seems to want this to happen too. Here are the Star Trek characters we think Nicolas Cage would simply excel at playing, should they wisely choose to beam him on board the Enterprise.

Sybok

Spock’s older half-brother was introduced in the much-maligned film Star Trek V: The Final Frontier. A full-blood Vulcan (Sarek was his father, but his mother was a Vulcan princess), Sybok became a heretic for embracing emotion. The Vulcan High Council exiled him from his home planet, and he became a cult leader. He only appeared in that one Star Trek film.

Star Trek never spoke of Sybok again for over three decades, until the first season of Strange New Worlds mentioned him. They even showed his head from behind. We think when he’s properly introduced, Cage should play him. We think Cage as a Vulcan who embraces emotion and also leads a cult would be genius casting. Just imagine the impassioned speeches! Please, just let us see Cage in the Star Trek universe with pointed ears.

A Classic Era Klingon (Kor/Koloth/Kang)

If Nicolas Cage is a Trekker, then on some level he must be dying to play a Klingon. But we don’t think he should just be any old Klingon. We think an appearance by Nicolas Cage on Star Trek: Strange New Worlds as one of the three main Klingon antagonists from The Original Series era is in order, Kang, Koloth, or Kor. After all, we have no idea if any of these warriors met with Captain Pike before meeting Kirk. He could also play one of these Klingon Dahar Masters in a Kelvin timeline movie. This is all we ask. In the Strange New Worlds era, all three of these Klingons don’t have forehead ridges. This was thanks to a mutagenic virus that made them look human. Keep the continuity intact!

Trelane

Before there was Q on The Next Generation, there was the character of Trelane in The Original Series. His only appearance was in one episode, “The Squire of Gothos.” There, they introduced him as an omnipotent being who was bratty, petulant, and wielded godlike powers. He also loved to dress in 18th-century clothing. So yes, he was absolutely the prototype for Q decades later. We never saw Trelane again—although non-canon novels explained him as a member of the Q continuum. But it would be fun to see Nicolas Cage show up as this Star Trek character and chew some scenery.

Captain Matt Decker

When we met Commodore Matt Decker in the classic episode “The Doomsday Machine,” he had gone a wee bit mad after losing his entire crew to an ancient planet killer. Actor William Windom gave an unhinged performance as the grieving and revenge-driven Commodore. Well, during the Strange New Worlds era, Commodore Decker would probably still be Captain Decker. We think it would be fun to see Cage play the same Star Trek character at an earlier point in the timeline, maybe giving us a hint of his madness that we’d see come to the surface later.

Gary Seven

Gary Seven was a “Class 1 Supervisor,” a human being altered by aliens to guard the timeline at various points in history. His only appearance took place in the 1968 episode of The Original Series called “Assignment: Earth,” which saw Kirk and Spock travel to the 20th century. There, they met Mr. Seven and learned about the existence of these timeline watchers. Paramount intended for Gary Seven to have a spinoff show, but it never happened. But it would be fun to see Nicolas Cage inherit the role. Who’s to say he’s not alive 1,000 years after the Pike/Strange New Worlds era?

The President of the Federation

The original series gave us no hints as to who the President of the Federation was during the time of Kirk’s first tour of duty on the Enterprise. It wasn’t until the movies that we saw two different Federation presidents, a human male in Star Trek IV and an alien in Star Trek VI. Who better to play the leader of galactic democracy than one Nicolas Cage? Since this is not a pre-existing character, yet someone we know exists in the timeline, we say let Cage run wild with a performance of the Star Trek galactic leader. You just know he’d do something special.

Originally published on January 9, 2023.

The post STAR TREK Characters We’d Love to See Nicolas Cage Play appeared first on Nerdist.

Lifelong Trekker Nicolas Cage has long professed a desire to actually be in Star Trek. Last year, when he was asked about being in Star Wars, he fully showed his allegiance to Starfleet. At the recent Saturn Awards, at which Cage won best supporting actor for his roles as Dracula in Renfield, Screen Rant asked again about his desire to be a part of the Star Trek galaxy. Judging by his response, which you can read below, he has not changed his stance. He does have one condition, however. He wants to be on the bridge of the starship Enterprise.

There were a couple of phone calls. I don’t know, I’d have to see a script. It would have to be something that I could really add my flavor to; have some pop and some spark. I wouldn’t want to just do anything, because I have so much love for the franchise. I want to be on the Enterprise. Ideally, I’d have to be on the Enterprise in some capacity. I don’t want to be floating in space on a satellite! I want to be on the bridge, but they have to bring it to me.

We can’t say we blame Mr. Cage here. If we were going to be in a Star Trek film, we’d want a role on the Enterprise too. Besides, Nicolas Cage is too big a star to just get the part of “random Klingon #4” in the background. We think there are plenty of established roles in the canon that Cage could play in a Star Trek feature. We assume it’s a film he wants and not a Trek TV series, as the actor has gone on record that he’s not a “TV guy” but a film actor. Now, someone just beam this guy up already.

The post Nicolas Cage Dreams of a STAR TREK Role That Puts Him on the Enterprise appeared first on Nerdist.

Anne Rice’s seminal Gothic horror novel, Interview with the Vampire, was published in 1976. Almost immediately, Hollywood optioned the rights, hoping to turn it into a film. However, no studio made it for 18 years for various complicated reasons. But an interesting factoid that few ever knew has recently resurfaced. In a 1977 New York Times profile on Star Trek legend Leonard Nimoy, he revealed he was lobbying hard to snag the role of Lestat, the undead French aristocrat who becomes a vampire. The man who played Spock nearly traded in pointed ears for pointed fangs. Here’s what Nimoy told the Times, via The Trekker Scrapbook:

Paramount owns the movie rights, and I want that role. I had my agent call, I had my publisher call, telephone calls and memos have been going back and forth, and you would think someone at the studio would put two and two together and hire me. I could create interest. I am right for that vampire.

It’s hard to imagine Nimoy in the part of the androgynous, French vampire. But it’s entirely possible that he viewed the part as the chance to play an outright villain. When Interview with the Vampire was first published, Lestat was undoubtedly the bad guy in the story. He wouldn’t become the “sexy antihero” until book two, The Vampire Lestat, where he took center stage. But that came out nine years later. Maybe he could have pulled it off? After all, no one thought Tom Cruise could play Lestat, including Anne Rice herself. When she saw his performance, she issued a public apology. Sometimes casting against type works. Especially with the right hair and makeup people. (Or in Michael Keaton’s case as Batman, the right rubber muscle suit).

We will say that Nimoy would have played a terrific Louis, the novel’s protagonist vampire. And we know this because for several years, Leonard Nimoy played Spock on Star Trek as a character who struggled with integrating both halves of his personality, the Vulcan and the human. Louis similarly struggled with his human and vampire duality. Honestly, Nimoy would have nailed that particular role. All we know is we want a little peek into the alternate universe where Nimoy got to play Lestat—if only to see him in a blonde wig and wearing billowy pirate shirts.

The post Leonard Nimoy Lobbied to Play Lestat in INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE appeared first on Nerdist.

Michelle Yeoh’s Star Trek return is officially underway. Paramount+ has announced that production on Star Trek: Section 31—which will see her reprise her memorable Discovery role as Emperor Philippa Georgiou—has begun. And now we also know who else will join the Oscar-winner on her journey of redemption. The studio has also shared the rest of the cast that will be a part of her secret Starfleet group in the Star Trek: Section 31 movie.

Star Trek‘s fan-favorite Terran isn’t heading back to the 32nd century. She’s not even heading back to Star Trek: Discovery, where she made her franchise debut. Instead, she’s on set in this century filming her previously announced spinoff movie. (Which at one time was set to be an entire spinoff series.) Star Trek: Section 31 has officially begun principal photography.

While we don’t yet know when we’ll see the movie on Paramount+, we do have an idea of what to expect from the story. Here’s the film’s official synopsis from the streamer:

In Star Trek: Section 31, Yeoh will reprise her fan-favorite role as Emperor Philippa Georgiou – a character she played in Star Trek: Discovery’s first season – who joins a secret division of Starfleet. Tasked with protecting the United Federation of Planets, she also must face the sins of her past. 

Read More: What Is Section 31? Star Trek’s Secret Organization, Explained

In addition to this production update, the streaming site also shared Yeoh’s co-stars. Cast-wise, Star Trek: Section 31 will also feature: Omari Hardwick (Power), Kacey Rohl (Hannibal), Sam Richardson (Ted Lasso), Sven Ruygrok (One Piece), Robert Kazinsky (Pacific Rim), Humberly Gonzalez (Ginny & Georgia), and James Hiroyuki Liao (Barry).

Star Trek: Section 31 comes from director Olatunde Osunsanmi and writer Craig Sweeny. The latter also serves as an executive producer alongside Alex Kurtzman, Aaron Baiers, Olatunde Osunsanmi, Frank Siracusa, John Weber, Rod Roddenberry, Trevor Roth, and Michelle Yeoh. CBS Studios is producing the film in association with Secret Hideout and Roddenberry Entertainment.

The post Michelle Yeoh’s STAR TREK: SECTION 31 Begins Production appeared first on Nerdist.

Did the genius of one Walt Disney Imagineer just bring us one step closer to Star Trek’s holodeck? Well, not quite. But we’re getting pretty close. Thanks to Kotaku, we’ve learned that celebrated Imagineer Lanny Smoot, recently inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame, has created something called a “HoloTile.” So what does this HoloTile do exactly? As seen in the video from the Walt Disney Company below, this HoloTile is an omnidirectional treadmill-like floor. One that multiple people can use at the same time. And it can simulate a virtual reality space better than anything else ever made to date.

What makes the HoloTiles work is essentially a flat layer of small, circular rollers. They have the ability to move and rotate around while people walk on them while automatically adjusting to different walking speeds and directions. Yet the users never move more than mere inches from the HoloTile floor. With a proper VR headset, you’re looking at a rudimentary version of Star Trek’s holodeck come to life. This all seemed like pure science fiction back in 1987 when Star Trek: The Next Generation first aired. But now, it’s almost a reality. Hopefully, it doesn’t malfunction as much as the one on Star Trek.

Since the creative geniuses at Disney Imagineering are the people developing this technology, expect it to appear in a Disney theme park before anywhere else in the world. It’s wild to think that in just a few years, folks might be able to walk around on Coruscant or Dagobah while having fun in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. Although we admit, it will be a bit weird if a holodeck appears first in a Star Wars land in a theme park and not one themed to Star Trek. Someone out there needs to make a Star Trek theme park now.

The post Disney Imagineer Creates VR Tech That’s Close to STAR TREK’s Holodecks appeared first on Nerdist.

We’ve barely ever seen any winter holiday celebrations in the 23rd-century future of Star Trek. If they do celebrate, we hope they would keep the memory of Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Who Stole Christmas alive. They certainly do in this video from YouTube user John C. Worsley, via Geeks Are Sexy. In this clip, footage from Star Trek: The Animated Series as well as audio clips from various classic episodes combine to reframe our favorite Vulcan Mr. Spock as the holiday season’s infamous “Mean One.” At least, that’s how Dr. McCoy sees him. You can watch the full Grinch parody “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Spock” pieced together with Star Trek clips right here:

We’ve actually never seen a true Christmas celebration in the Star Trek future… or any Earth holiday really. Ok, Captain Kirk mentioned a Christmas party once in the original series. But he referred to it in past tense. Captain Picard encountered a Victorian holiday fantasy while inside the Nexus realm in Star Trek: Generations (don’t ask). However, there are no Christmas trees in the Ten-Forward lounge of the Enterprise, or any holiday lights decorating the mess hall on Voyager. Gene Roddenberry believed in a totally secular future. Still, I think he underestimated how celebrated the season was to even non-religious folks.

In addition to this Grinch parody about Spock being “mean,” John C. Worsley has a few other Star Trek holiday songs on his YouTube channel. We like the Star Trek: The Next Generation take on Mariah Carey’s iconic “All I Want for Christmas Is You.” Except it’s “All I Want for Christmas is Q.” Yes, as in the annoying cosmic entity played by the great John de Lancie. And “Simply Having a Wonderful Deep Space Nine” parodies the Paul McCartney Christmas classic, only now with more Captain Benjamin Sisko. Hey, we know the cast of Strange New Worlds can sing, they did a musical this year. How about they get a turn next?

The post This Grinch-Inspired STAR TREK Parody Turns Spock Into ‘The Mean One’ appeared first on Nerdist.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds continued its excellent exploration of different genres in its second season, giving us more of the layered characters we got to know in season one. The Paramount+ original series accomplished notable firsts for Star Trek—a musical episode and a crossover with Star Trek animated series Lower Decks—while never compromising story. During a panel for the SAG-AFTRA Conversations at Home program, I talked to the ensemble cast of Strange New Worlds about those firsts, significant character moments, the Gorn, and more. Joining the panel were Anson Mount (Christopher Pike), Rebecca Romijn (Una Chin-Riley), Ethan Peck (Spock), Celia Rose Gooding (Nyota Uhura), Christina Chong (La’an Noonien-Singh), Jess Bush (Christine Chapel), Melissa Navia (Erica Ortegas), and Babs Olusanmokun (Joseph M’Benga).

The Musical Episode

“Subspace Rhapsody” claimed a piece of our heart from the first viewing. The U.S.S. Enterprise encountered an entity that caused the crew to share their deepest feelings and thoughts in the form of uncontrollable song and dance. It required an extra commitment for the cast, as they needed to squeeze in time to practice and record. Christina Chong, a singer herself, was ready for it. She said, “I mean, I was incredibly excited. It was one of my dreams to do that, to be in a film or TV musical. So for me, it was literally my career coming 360 and living out a dream.”

Anson Mount said they’d been lobbying the showrunners to do something like the musical episode for a while. “Not because I’m a singer,” he said. “I’m definitely not, as you can see, but just I like, ‘Oh, no’ situations. They’re really good for creativity. The way that they scheduled it was even better because it came towards the end of a very long shoot seaso, and everybody was—it was a really hard episode to do, as you can imagine. It required a lot of work on the weekends between recording the album and choreography. But everybody was super psyched to be at work every day.”

The Lower Decks Crossover

In “Those Old Scientists,” Ensigns Boimler and Mariner went through a time portal and traveled into the past. There, they encounter the Enterprise crew. The Lower Decks characters brought a different kind of energy to the ship—extra energy. The Cerritos crew seemingly operates on buckets of caffeine. But Mount noted with Jonathan Frakes directing, it was smooth sailing. “The episode really could not have happened without Jonathan Frakes, who directs on both series. So he was really the perfect person. With the deep knowledge of Trek to be able to come in and help meld those two tones together, it was really important that he was there at the helm.”

Rebecca Romijn agreed, saying, “Obviously, the energy on an animated show voice-wise is going to be different than on our show. So watching them figure out how to massage that with the help of Jonathan Frakes was crucial.”

The Gorn

The Gorn have become a recurring foe for the Enterprise. From first hearing La’an talk about them in season one to the haunting Strange New Worlds season two finale, the Gorn have proven themselves formidable.

“I love it because every time La’an, every time Chrissy [Christina Chong] said ‘the Gorn,’ I got goosebumps on set because only none of us had seen the Gorn. The only character that’s seen them is her,” Melissa Navia said. “That fear is already instilled in the writing and in the plot that you don’t want to be caught by this thing that you hear just the most horrible stories about. But then in the back of my mind, I would sometimes think, but wouldn’t it be great after all this, when we finally see them, they are TOS Gorn?”

Mount added that the show didn’t go for the kitschy take and complimented the special effects team and CG artists. A Gorn on set in the season two finale sounded horrifying. Ethan Peck pointed out, “It’s such a complex mechanism, a very brave and durable stunt person wears this enormously heavy suit. Then there’s a team of technicians that are controlling its expressions, and it was crazy to look into his face and it be expressing and looking at you. It felt very present. One of the amazing things about our show is that so many of the effects are practical and that for us, because you don’t have to, again, fill in so much with your imagination. That Gorn was freaky”

Season three of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is in the works, with production underway. We cannot wait. In the meantime, you can watch the entire conversation with the Star Trek: Strange New Worlds cast here.

_{This post has affiliate links, which means we may earn advertising money if you buy something. This doesn’t cost you anything extra, we just have to give you the heads up for legal reasons. Click away!}

The post STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS’ Cast Reflects on Season 2 appeared first on Nerdist.

For over 57 years, the Star Trek franchise has thrived, often against impossible odds and an ever-changing TV landscape. To date, there have been nine live-action series and three animated shows. That’s not even talking about the 13 feature films. But with 900 episodes of Star Trek, spread over 46 seasons of television, which are the best of the best? Here are our picks for the best seasons of Star Trek. They’ve earned the Starfleet Medal of Valor, and will be remembered into the 23rd century and beyond.

10. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Season 4 (1995-1996)

Much like The Next Generation before it, the first couple of seasons of Deep Space Nine were creatively all over the place. It wasn’t viewed by many as a worthy successor to The Next Generation. In season three, the increased threat of the Dominion, as well as the addition of Deep Space Nine’s own starship, the Defiant, immeasurably improved the series. But these improvements didn’t really move the needle ratings-wise. So in season four, producers pulled out their secret Next Generation weapon. They hired Michael Dorn to join the cast as the Klingon Lt. Commander Worf.

Of all the Enterprise-D crew members, no one fit on Deep Space Nine, home of so many outcasts, more than Worf. His presence added the extra sauce that elevated the show to the next level. Maybe his presence spurred the writers to bring their A-game. Whatever it was, season four of Deep Space Nine contained some of the best episodes of the series to date. Among them are the heartbreaking time travel story “The Visitor,” and the hilarious send-up of Roswell UFO mythology in “Little Green Men.” Also fantastic was the gripping two-part paranoid thriller homage “Homefront” and “Paradise Lost.” And “Rejoined” was decades ahead of its time display of LGBTQ representation on broadcast TV. A truly stellar year overall.

9. Star Trek: Enterprise, Season 4 (2004-2005)

Enterprise is often seen as the most unloved series of the entire Star Trek franchise. It came after 15 solid years of Star Trek, with 21 seasons and over 500 episodes spread between them. After Voyager ended in 2001, there was definitely franchise fatigue. Trek could have used some time off. Instead, Paramount went ahead with a prequel series called Enterprise. Not Star Trek: Enterprise, as they felt the brand name was “too nerdy,” and they really wanted casual viewers to watch. (in season three they added the Trek name). They also hoped Quantum Leap star Scott Bakula being a known face as Captain Archer would bring viewers in too.

At first, they did. But this series, which was set only 150 years into the future and therefore more contemporary, tried too hard to not be Star Trek—starting with the infamous theme song. For a prequel to the original Trek, it didn’t do much prequeling, and ratings dropped like a stone. So in the show’s fourth and final season, writers like the late Manny Coto decided to finally make Enterprise a true prequel, with extremely fun episodes that finally connected to Trek lore. We learned why the original Klingons looked human, why Vulcans went from mildly emotional to totally logical, and even how the Mirror Universe got its start. Yes, the series finale is famously dreadful, focusing more on The Next Generation crew. But overall? Enterprise’s last season was what we always wanted from a Star Trek prequel series. It just came too little too late.

8. Star Trek: The Next Generation, Season 6 (1992-1993)

By The Next Generation’s sixth season, the series was a cultural phenomenon, and was creatively firing on all thrusters. Season six episodes like “The Chase” were fun mysteries that finally explained why every species Starfleet encountered looked humanoid. “Second Chances” saw Jonathan Frakes portray a version of Riker who lived another life. “Face of the Enemy” pushed Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis) into having to go undercover on a Romulan ship against her will, in one of the best episodes featuring her often-underserved character. “Rightful Heir” put Worf in a crisis of faith, while “Starship Mine” let Patrick Stewart play Picard like Die Hard’s John McClane, fighting bad guys on an empty Enterprise.

But the true reason for The Next Generation‘s sixth season ranking so highly has to do with three episodes that were acting showcases for Sir Patrick Stewart as Jean-Luc Picard. The first was “Chain of Command, Parts I and II” which shows Captain Picard kidnapped by Cardassians and tortured for weeks. Studying the cases of real POWs, Stewart gave a performance that would have normally earned him an Emmy. Sadly, the Television Academy ignored sci-fi shows at the time. And then came “Tapestry,” where Picard, thanks to eternal frenemy Q, had to relive his life as a young man. It was a life he regretted, but he came to realize it was crucial in forming the adult he became. All of these great episodes helped make The Next Generation year six one of the record books.

7. Star Trek: Voyager, Season 4 (1997-1998)

Star Trek: Voyager had a lot riding on it from the start. Unlike The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine, which were syndicated, Voyager had to carry a whole network, the fledgling UPN. During the first several seasons, much like The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine before it, the show struggled. It was often too much like The Next Generation episodes we’d already seen, and the new aliens of the distant Delta Quadrant, where Voyager was voyaging home from, were forgettable. So, much as Deep Space Nine added Worf in their fourth season to spice things up, Voyager did something similar. They added a new cast member, Jeri Ryan, to play Seven of Nine, the first Borg ever in Starfleet. And the addition of Seven finally made the show click with fans.

With Voyager season four, Captain Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) now had a surrogate daughter, whom she had to teach the ways of humanity, much as Picard did with Data. This led to a lot of great stories, and the show’s core emotional character dynamic. To be fair, the show leaned too heavily on Seven of Nine stories, to the detriment of other cast members. But undeniably, it worked. Season four of Voyager had several of the series’ best episodes, including “Year of Hell,” a two-parter that showed Janeway leading her ship through its worst-case scenario, and “The Killing Game,” another great two-parter that showcased alien big game hunters forcing the crew to play prey in World War II holodeck recreation. Episodes like “Living Witness” were also just some great sci-fi TV. All of this elevated Voyager season four above the rest.

6. Star Trek, Season 2 (1967-1968)

After the excellent first season of Star Trek, the show was a bonafide cult hit. No, it couldn’t compete with the westerns and sitcoms of the day in terms of Nielsen ratings, but Star Trek‘s ratings were respectable, and the fanbase was vocal and loyal. Very loyal. In season two, Gene Roddenberry and producer Gene L. Coon stepped up their game, producing almost as many all-time classic episodes as the first season, building upon what worked so well. That it nearly matched the quality of the first season is a testament to everyone involved.

In season two, we journey to Spock’s homeworld during Vulcan mating season in the fan-favorite “Amok Time,” giving fans the iconic “Kirk vs. Spock” battle. We got the proto-Gremlins in “The Trouble with Tribbles,” and the Enterprise encountered an unstoppable planet killer in “The Doomsday Machine.” And we finally met Spock’s parents, the Vulcan Sarek and the human Amanda, in “Journey to Babel.” The “evil alt universe” story “Mirror, Mirror” taught us goatees on doppelgängers meant you were evil. However, season two has more stinkers than in season one, which is why it’s not as much of a home run. But it’s still great enough that fans literally wrote close to a million letters to NBC to ensure Star Trek was renewed for a third season. It worked, and the rest is history.

5. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, Season 1 (2022)

Modern streaming era Star Trek has had its ups and downs. From the start, Star Trek: Discovery has been trying to figure out what it is, and just how much classic Star Trek it does or does not want to emulate. Despite a great cast, it’s a show that seemed to try to pull a reboot each season, which worked to varying degrees. But one thing that did work was when the starship Enterprise appeared in Discovery season two. The modern versions of Captain Pike (Anson Mount), Mr. Spock (Ethan Peck), and Number One (Rebecca Romijn) instantly landed with Trek fans, who demanded they get a spinoff. In 2022, the characters finally did with Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.

Far more like classic Trek than anything from either Star Trek: Picard or Star Trek: Discovery, this series was episodic and old-school, although with more serialized connective tissue with the character arcs. From the start, every member of the crew had a well-defined personality, from Uhura (Celia Rose Gooding) to Chapel (Jess Bush) to Doctor M’Benga (Babs Olusanmokun). They were all instantly realized in a way not seen since the original series. Strange New Worlds somehow juggled being both retro and super modern, better than Discovery and even JJ Abrams’ reboot movies. Sometimes the continuity with the original series is… wonky. But when a show is this good, who even cares? Here’s hoping that Strange New Worlds gets to have what the original series never did: a complete five-year mission.

4. Star Trek: Picard, Season 3 (2023)

The first two seasons of Star Trek: Picard were wildly uneven. (As you can see, that’s a common modern Trek problem). From the start, Sir Patrick Stewart was always impressive as Jean-Luc Picard, a role he slipped back into with ease. That alone made it worth watching. But like the series Enterprise, the makers of Star Trek: Picard were often trying too hard to not be Star Trek. Too many things about it just reeked of attempting to replicate darker, modern sci-fi shows. Season one had its moments, but the end of that season faltered with a very dumb plot twist. The less said of season two’s cheap-looking time travel journey to 2023 Los Angeles, the better.

But then, showrunner Terry Matalas (12 Monkeys) took over for the show’s final year. And he pulled off a minor miracle. Not only did he reunite the entire main crew of The Next Generation, but he also gave them a fitting swan song their movies never did. Somehow, Picard’s third season managed to tell classic Trek stories, and pay off lingering plot threads from both Deep Space Nine and Voyager. It did so all while paying homage to the ‘80s Star Trek films. We dare anyone who ever loved The Next Generation to not cry when Picard and friends set foot on the old Enterprise-D bridge again. Almost everything about Picard’s final season is pitch-perfect. Now, if only Paramount+ could give fans the Star Trek: Legacy spinoff everyone is begging for.

3. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Season 6 (1997-1998)

Seasons four and five of Deep Space Nine were uniformly excellent. However, the season five finale changed the status quo of the series drastically. Starfleet’s shapeshifting enemy from distant space, the Dominion, along with their Cardassian ally Gul Dukat, had taken over the titular space station. This forced Captain Sisko (Avery Brooks) and his Starfleet crew to flee. Meanwhile, the non-Starfleet personnel like Major Kira (Nana Visitor) had to stay behind, forced to work for their dreaded enemies. The first six episodes of season six ran with this concept, in an extended storyline of our heroes fighting off Dominion from both sides. The serialized storyline was way ahead of its time for TV sci-fi.

Season six also saw the logical conclusion to the relationship of Worf and Dax (Terry Farrell), as the two were married on board the station in an elaborate Klingon ceremony. Season six saw a lot of fantastic standalone episodes as well. There was “Far Beyond the Stars,” which saw Captain Sisko living a life as a sci-fi writer in the racially segregated 1950s. Another all-timer was “In the Pale Moonlight,” which dealt with Sisko having to make extreme moral compromises in wartime—compromises that went against the lofty ideals of the Federation. The season ended with the death of a main crew member, showing how on this series, no on was safe. All of these episodes aren’t just among the best Deep Space Nine episodes, they are among the best Star Trek episodes, period.

2. Star Trek: The Next Generation, Season 3 (1989-1990)

To say the first two seasons of Star Trek: The Next Generation were riddled with problems is a bit of an understatement. Although a ratings hit right out of the gate, The Next Generation struggled creatively, with enormous cast and crew turnover in the first two years. Any other show without the brand name attached might have called it a day. But thank goodness The Next Generation didn’t. When Michael Piller came on board as showrunner in the show’s third season, he made drastic changes, both creatively and aesthetically. In addition to hiring future superstar creators like Ronald D. Moore, the show received new opening credits, and the crew got brand new uniforms. From the get-go, season three visually let us know things would be different.

Under Piller’s direction, the series became less about the “space anomaly of the week,” and focused on character first. This yielded some of the best episodes of the entire series run. Stories like “The Offspring,” dealt with Data (Brent Spiner) creating a child. Worf’s Klingon heritage was truly explored in “Sins of the Father,” leading to a multi-season arc. “Yesterday’s Enterprise” gave season one cast member Denise Crosby a proper send-off to her character Tasha Yar. Almost every episode was solid. But the pièce de résistance came at the end. In “The Best of Both Worlds,” the Borg collective captured Picard, turning him into Locutus. Was our Captain lost forever? Fans everywhere were on the edge of our seats. It was Trek’s first-ever season-ending cliffhanger. It cemented The Next Generation season three as one of the best seasons this franchise had ever seen.

Honorable Mentions

Before we hit the number one entry, here are some faves that almost made the cut. The Next Generation’s fourth season, which saw the Klingon Civil War and more, was almost as great as their third season. Discovery’s third season saw the show shift into the 32nd century, providing a fun look into Trek’s far future. Both Lower Decks and Prodigy’s first seasons showed different ways that you could tell Star Trek stories in animation. All of these seasons are worthy of a watch.

1. Star Trek, Season 1 (1966-1967)

Few shows have come roaring out of the gate as well-crafted and as sure of itself in their first season as Star Trek did in 1966. Creator Gene Roddenberry tapped into something really special that first year, which had 29 episodes. Roddenberry wisely hired actual sci-fi authors to write several episodes, names like Richard Matheson and Robert Bloch. Aside from one pretty terrible episode, “The Alternative Factor,” every episode was a gem. From the moment William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, and DeForest Kelley stepped on screen, their characters were perfectly defined. Unlike most shows which can take years to find their sea legs, Star Trek’s space legs were there from day one.

How good was season one? In the 1966-67 season, we had classics like “Space Seed,” which introduced Ricardo Montalban’s Khan, “Balance of Terror,” a pitch-perfect homage to WWII submarine thrillers, and “The Devil in the Dark,” which explored human shortsightedness when confronted with aliens who don’t fit our ideas of what a lifeform is. And then there’s the original Trek’s only two-parter, “The Menagerie,” which used footage from the series’ unaired pilot, “The Cage,” and repurposed it into a story about loyalty and betrayal. Trek’s first season was so good that a single episode, “The Return of the Archons,” essentially inspired the entire The Purge movie franchise.

We can’t talk about Star Trek’s first season without mentioning the time travel tragedy that was “The City on the Edge of Forever.” This episode is often touted as the best episode of the entire Star Trek franchise. We’re not sure we’d say that ourselves. However, this episode, written by sci-fi legend Harlan Ellison, is certainly a true classic that never gets old. It exemplifies everything Star Trek is about. Without a doubt, the entire reason Star Trek is still beloved to this day is because of the uniform excellence of the show’s first season.

The post The 10 Best STAR TREK Seasons, Ranked appeared first on Nerdist.

Giving presents is fun, but picking them out can be really stressful. So because we like our readers to feel relaxed, we’re here to make the end of your year as easy as possible. We put together another holiday gift guide for you, our fellow pop culture lovers. This list celebrates some of our favorite properties with everything from ideal stocking stuffers and perfect Secret Snowflake options, to must-have collectibles and impressive big ticket items. There’s something here for everyone in your life.

We’ve highlighted a few, but you’ll find plenty of gift ideas under each entry. Make sure to check them out to find the right present for the special people in your life. And, let’s be honest, to probably also pick out a couple for yourself.

Star Trek: Picard – Delta Magnet ($29.95)

This year saw us say farewell to Captain Jean-Luc Picard. Again. But we can always keep the iconic Starfleet commander close by with this Picard elegant Delta Magnet. Based on the insignia seen on the spinoff series, it measures 2 ¾-inches tall and has a bright silver delta over a matte finish black nickel.

Looking for more Star Trek gift options?

• Star Trek Tridimensional Chess Set ($174.95) – Whether you want to play the legendary game or simply add a stunning Star Trek collectible to your home, you can do both with this gorgeous set.
• Star Trek: The Next Generation Replicator Color-Changing Mug ($19.99) – This mug is the best way to know your tea, Earl Grey, is still hot.

Ted Lasso – Roy Kent Funko Pop! Vinyl Figure ($14.95)

Sometimes we all need a little motivation to be our best. Other times we need someone to yell knock off the f***ing bull****. (We tend to really need both during the holiday season.) That’s why we could all use a little Coach Roy Kent in our lives, and you can get just that with this Funko Pop! of the breakout Ted Lasso star.

Looking for more Ted Lasso gift options?

• Mackenzie Limited Ted Lasso Biscuits with the Boss Shortbread Cookies ($29.95/$49.95/$69.95) – Live every day like Rebecca by having your very own Coach Lasso-style shortbread cookies.
• Ted Lasso Believe Dartboard ($99) – We believe in two things—believe and barbecue sauce—so this dart board is perfect for those who feel the same way.

Batman – McFarlane 1989 Batmobile Set ($74.99)

There’s never a shortage of great Batman memorabilia, but we’re partial to anything that celebrates the greatest live-action Batmobile ever. That’s what this special McFarlane set does, with a replica of Tim Burton’s 1989 car. It also comes with a figure of Michael Keaton’s Batman.

Looking for more Warner Bros. icons gift options?

• Little People Collector Barbie: The Movie Special Edition Set of Four ($24.99) – We love Fisher Price’s Little People line, and this four figure set is an ideal gift for anyone of any age who loved Greta Gerwig’s Barbie movie. It’s more than Kenough.
• Funko Pop! Rides Deluxe Aquaman And Storm ($30) – Know how Aquaman riding a giant seahorse is the best part of the Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom trailer? Well it’s just as amazing in giant Funko Pop! form.

Star Wars – Chatter Back Chopper Animatronic ($79.99)

Ahsoka introduced a whole new audience to Star Wars‘ sassiest, prank-loving droid. Now you (or, you know, your kids) can also get the full Chopper experience with Hasbro’s interactive Chatter Back Chopper droid. With more than 40 different sound and movement combos it will beep your ear off. We wouldn’t want it any other way with old Chop.

Looking for more Star Wars gift options?

• Star Wars: The Deck-Building Game ($37.99) – Baylan Skoll would love this. This new head-to-head tabletop game will let you fight for the Rebel Alliance or the Empire, bu without worrying any Jedi or Sith will get involved in the outcome.
• Obi-Wan Kenobi Legacy Lightsaber Collectible Set ($249.99) – Sometimes you just need a super fancy replica of your favorite Jedi’s lightsaber. That’s just how it goes sometimes. Santa gets it.

Super Mario Bros. – Fire Breathing Bowser ($29.99)

Jakks Pacific’s Super Mario Bros. collection was already one of the best in the toy business before the franchise’s animated film hit theaters. Since that blockbuster premiered Jakks’ Super Mario. Bros. collectibles have only gotten better, like with this fantastic fire-breathing figure of Jack Black’s Bowser. It’s so good even Peach would love unwrapping one.

Looking for more kids’ pop culture toy gift options?

• Sonic the Hedgehog Death Egg Playset ($44.99) – This clever set is basically a final battle come to life. Fair warning: your kids will be angry how much you play with it.
• Jurassic Park and Jurassic World Dinosaur Toys and LEGO Sets ($50-80) – It might be 30 years since Steven Spielberg brought moviegoers back to prehistoric times, but there’s never been a better time for Jurassic Park merchandise. There are almost too many, especially when it comes to fun toy dinos and iconic scenes recreated in LEGO.

The Lord of the Rings – Horn Of Gondor ($184.99)

You don’t need to be in the kingdom of Gondor to hear its legendary horn. You can let anyone anywhere blow it with United Cutlery’s screen-accurate replica of the one Boromir used in Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Rings. This is more than just a collectible, though. It can be buried with you when you die. It’s like a double gift! (Maybe don’t mention that during the holidays.)

Looking for more fantasy world gift options?

• Dungeons & Dragons Young Adventurer’s Guides Series ($13/14 per book) – Longtime D&D fans who nab a copy of the incredible new upcoming special edition Lores & Legends box set should remember every . For them pick up Dungeons & Dragons Young Adventurer’s Guide books, which help them learn all about the role-playing world.
• Game Of Thrones: Paper Models ($24.99) – Let Game of Thrones‘ fans bring the the world of A Song of Ice and Fire to life without needing a loan from the Iron Bank of Braavos.

Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory – Bluetooth Train Set ($449.99)

The priciest item on our list is a big item for big fans of an all-time classic. Lionel’s new bluetooth-enabled Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Train set celebrates the beloved 1971 movie. Not only can you control this five-piece locomotive with your voice, you don’t even need to be a train person to run it. It includes it’s own track, making it the perfect present to chugga chugga chugga chugga choo-choose.

Looking for more food-inspired gift options?

• Thames and Kosmos Rainbow Gummy Candy Lab ($19.95) Any kid (or adult) who watches Willy Wonka wants candy, but why not play with your food and create your own with this set?
• Heroes of Barcadia ($60) – “Candy is dandy, but liquor is quicker,” and this clever tabletop game from Rollacrit turns a board game into a drinking game.

Marvel – The Folio Society’s The Avengers Collection ($135)

This massive new 328-page collection from The Folio Society combines some of the most famous, most important Marvel Comics’ stories of Earth’s mightiest heroes. Whether a comic book newcomer or longtime fan this set is a beautiful addition to any library. Plus it also comes with a replica issue of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby’s 1963 The Avengers #1. Excelsior!

Looking for more MCU gift options?

• Guardians of the Galaxy Groot Alarm Clock ($31.99) – A loud little machine waking you up? The worst thing ever. Baby Groot waking you up? I am Groot.* (*The best.)
• Marvel Studios The Marvel Cinematic Universe An Official Timeline ($50.00) – We’d have included the new official timeline of the MCU anyway, but this one is extra special to us because our very own Editor-in-Chief Amy Ratcliffe is one of the authors.

Salute Your Shorts – Camp Anawanna Sherpa Blanket ($59.95)

Being a kid is obviously way better than being an adult, with one major exception. Adults can buy themselves stuff, including stuff they would have loved to have as kids. So why not do that for your fellow ’90s kids by getting them a blanket that celebrates Salute Your Shorts‘ Camp Anawanna. It will literally warm you with notalgia.

Looking for more nostalgic Nickelodeon gift options?

• Retro Rugrats 12-Inch Reptar Plush (20.99) If you haven’t noticed we’ve tried to find lots of gift ideas that work for both adults and children, that way grownups can justify buying them. Thus…REPTAR!
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Shell Backpack With Character Masks ($79.99) – Is this the greatest backpack ever made? That’s an impossible question to answer, but yeah, probably.

Parks and Recreation – Swanson Pyramid of Greatness Poster ($26.95)

Don’t settle for just buying a great gift for someone. Strive to climb the Ron Swanson Pyramid of Greatness introduced on Parks and Recreation. This 18×24 premium print comes on satin photo paper. It’s one of our favorite options for an office swap, especially because there’s a chance your colleague will hang it up at your place of work. Then you’ll get to see Nick Offerman’s face and remember the importance of “Cabins.”

Looking for more beloved NBC show gift options?

• Law & Order: SVU “Dun Dun” Fleece Hooded Sweatshirt ($44.95) – Never before has a piece of clothing made an audible sound without actually making any noise.
• The Office Metal Sign ($34.95) – Simple, clean, and absolutely perfect for both fans of The Office and for any situation where you might have to give a gift blind.

Cinema Science – DIY Retro Film Projector ($79.99 $32 Black Friday Special)

If you want to help inspire the next generation of filmmakers this DIY Retro Film Projector from Cinema Science is a great way to get them excited about how stories get on screen. This 86-piece STEM set designed for kids eight and up will let youngsters safely build their own camera to learn how they work. It also comes a shark-themed film strip to watch. Our only complaint is this didn’t exist 30 years ago so an adult could have given it to us.

Looking for more interactive story-telling gift options?

• Create-A-Story Paper Center ($59.99) Even the youngest kids can learn how to tell a story with nothing but pictures thanks to this adorable set.
• Zu3D Complete Stop-Motion Animation Software Kit and Set ($72) Once your favorite child is ready to go a little more high tech they can not only learn about stop-motion animation they can shoot their own films. We really love this set and would have guessed it costs way more.

The post Holiday Gift Guide for Pop Culture Lovers – 2023 appeared first on Nerdist.

I don’t want to sound dramatic, but the thought of Captain Jean-Luc Picard with hair is the worst thing I’ve ever heard. Patrick Stewart’s perfectly shaped bald head is as iconic as the USS Enterprise. No, check that: it’s more iconic. I wouldn’t trade his scalp for any ship in the Federation’s fleet. But that doesn’t mean I don’t love everything from a story in his new memoir about how he auditioned for the legendary Star Trek role while wearing a toupee. It’s not just amazing that executives originally wanted to see him with hair. It’s amazing because the wig he wore for them traveled from the UK to Los Angeles all by itself on an airplane.

Patrick Stewart’s new memoir Making It So continues to provide delightful tales from his long and lustrous career. The latest tidbit (which we first learned about at Insider) gets into the follicle aspect of his Star Trek audition. (The one that led to the role Ian McKellan advised him not to take.) In the book Stewart says that while he was already flying to Los Angeles to audition for Jean-Luc Picard his then wife Sheila Falconer got a call from his agent. “Paramount people had been in touch, asking if I owned a hairpiece, and if I did, could I bring it to the audition?” he wrote.

He did, so she boxed up what Stewart calls his “audition wig.” She then put it on a British Airways flight to LA. Stewart doesn’t know if the toupee flew first class, but we’d like to think it did.

What he does know is what happened when it arrived. Patrick Stewart picked up his wig at LAX when it landed. He then wore it during audition where he only did a single scene before executives dismissed him. He thought that was not a good sign. But in a truly beautiful ending to this story, it was the hairdresser at the audition who realized he’d aced it.

After he finished three executives came by Stewart’s dressing room, where he’d already removed the wig, to say goodbye. He believed that meant his audition had gone poorly, but his overjoyed hairdresser said it was the opposite. She told him they wanted to see him without the wig and clearly liked what they saw.

She was right. And thank goodness she was. It’s delightful to imagine Patrick Stewart auditioning with a wig that flew solo across the Atlantic. But the thought of Jean-Luc Picard with hair is anything but.

The post Patrick Stewart’s STAR TREK ‘Audition Wig’ Flew Across the Pond appeared first on Nerdist.

In season three of Star Trek: Picard, production designer Dave Blass made the dreams of millions of fans come true. He achieved this when he meticulously recreated the bridge of the Enterprise-D from Star Trek: The Next Generation. Not only did he recreate the old Enterprise, but he introduced us to a new starship, the former U.S.S. Titan. With the Picard complete collection set to arrive on Blu-ray soon, we caught up with Blass to chat about the monumental task of delivering for the fans in Picard’s final season.

Nerdist: You joined Picard in the second season, which was filmed back-to-back with season three. What was your relationship with the franchise before that?

Dave Blass: Star Trek was the reason I got into filmmaking. So, famously I shared in my little talks at Comic-Con, I put up my photo of myself at age 16 in my Spock outfit. That was really, for me, the visual idea of “I want to go to Hollywood to do Star Trek.” So to follow that goal and then achieve the goal was something pretty amazing. And especially with Picard season three. To really stick the landing on putting a closure on The Next Generation storyline was pretty amazing.

The Blu-ray special features for the third season of Picard show the incredible reproduction of The Next Generation’s Enterprise-D bridge. You went out of your way to stick to details from back in the day—many that 99% of viewers wouldn’t notice. Was it important for you that it looked exactly like the The Next Generation era bridge?

Blass: 100%. I mean, when you’re doing something, especially if you’re building it from scratch, there’s no reason not to do it properly. And I think that what we tried to do was to inspire the team to our level of creating a museum-quality replica. Again, a lot of times it’s just using a term like “museum-quality replica.” And rather than say we’re recreating the set, it’s like, no, we’re building a museum-quality replica of the Enterprise-D. From TNG season seven. And then we would just paper the walls with these details.

By doing that, it inspired all the artisans to rise to that level of detail. They would say “Oh, can I match the wood grain exactly the way it was?” Because each one of them is an artist in their own right. So can we get them to elevate their craft and to say, “Okay, this is what we’re doing with the carpet, guys, can you do this?” The upholstery guys would say “Here’s what we need to do, and here’s finding this exact right leather and the exact right carpet.” Just going down the rabbit hole of trying to be where it isn’t just “Oh, it’s a red carpet, it’s fine.” It’s like, “No, it’s not fine. Fine’s not good enough. It’s got to be perfect.” And then once everyone got that, then it became exciting. Then they knew they were working on something special.

In the Blu-ray, we see how emotional it was for the actors to step foot on that bridge again after almost 30 years. Knowing what it would mean for those seven actors, did that add pressure to make sure it was as identical as possible to the TNG era Enterprise?

Blass: Yeah, a friend of mine was prop master on Curb Your Enthusiasm, and they did a season where they did a Seinfeld reunion. And for the show, they rebuilt the diner and Jerry’s apartment. He said that he was on set when they came walking in, and he said that they sat down in the booth and they started crying, because they realized how much that set and that show had changed all their lives. We knew it was going to be powerful for us in that way, and that was why we were so detail-oriented about all the different things. For example, there’s no scene in which Geordi (LeVar Burton) goes and sits in his chair in his station. So we could have easily skimmed and not built the chair that pulls out. But that’s the first thing that LeVar Burton went and did.

He’s like, “Oh look, the chair even pulls out!” It was so important to us just to be there on the day and to share in that moment. They thanked us for all the hard work, it was pretty amazing. I’ll tell you, standing on that bridge, especially having that unique experience? As the person in charge, to stand there on the empty bridge of the Enterprise alone? I don’t want to say it’s a religious thing, but it’s like going to the Parthenon and being like, “Wow, there’s history there.” And it was powerful. You felt it was something different.

We spend most of our time in Picard season three on board the Titan. Which was a redress of the Stargazer from season two. Which elements did you feel you needed to keep from the Stargazer? And which ones did you bring into the Titan that you felt made it unique?

Blass: The main thing was upgrading. We realized that the actors needed busy work. And if you look at the Stargazer, the captain and the command officers didn’t really have consoles to play with, and we added those in. Little computers for them to be playing with at any time. So that was the main difference in adding a bit more eye candy. Some more screens, and things that people can touch and play with. Unfortunately, we really had eight days from when it was the Stargazer to when it was the Titan. So we barely had time. We didn’t even have time to repaint the floors. There were still scratch marks from the finale of season two on the floors when we hit season three.

Another ship you designed for Picard season three was the enemy ship the Shrike. Spoilers, but eventually we learn that Captain Vadic and crew are changelings. Aliens that are part of Deep Space Nine lore. Did you go back and look at the Dominion ships at all when designing that ship?

Blass: We ignored it because there was an initial concern of going, “Okay, do we go Dominion?” And then as soon as you see the ship, you’d know. “Oh, they’re Changelings.” So, it was the idea that this ship was not specific to a race that they had acquired. And it’s also the idea that if you’re going to go out and do something sketchy, you don’t drive the company car to do it. It was the whole idea of they were out there doing this, they would find a ship that would be unique. One they could do whatever they wanted in, but be on the down low.

M’Talas Prime is the planet that we spend the most time on in Picard’s third season. Without a feature film budget, you designed a fully realized world. Can you talk about the influences that went into designing it?

Obviously, you can’t really do a dystopian world without talking about the original Blade Runner. And years ago, I was designing an episode of ER and I was shooting on the back lot of Warner Bros. And then I realized that was one of the main Blade Runner streets that was in the show. All of a sudden, I realize I’m decorating the Blade Runner street. But also it was like we were shooting in the Iraqi village from American Sniper. So it was a backlog studio set that was out in the desert. So it was finding this thing, taking the elements that we wanted to add. It’s at night, so the lights, the neon, the smoke, and then just give it an alien world type of feeling.

You designed the “Nu Borg” ship, or should we say the Jurati-Borg ship, in season two. And also the new but more classic-looking Borg ship from season three. These are two different Borg, so how did you approach designing them differently?

Blass: Yeah, the funny thing is when [Picard showrunner] Terry Matalas came to me for season three, he said, “Okay, so we want a Borg ship completely new, something I’ve never seen before.” I reply “Dude, you just said that to me like six months ago [for the end of season two] and I just gave it to you.” So we did that for season two, and I think that I feel that the Borg singularity ship that we did for that, it’s cool, it’s different. It looks like a Borg but not. But then when we came back, it was the whole idea of how do you do a Borg cube but don’t do a Borg cube? But also, there was the idea that we wanted it to be decaying, but then if you go back to season one, they had a decaying Borg cube in season one.

So it was the whole idea of going, “It’s got to look like a Borg ship. It can’t look like season two’s, it can’t look like season one’s.” And then we looked at all the different variations of Unimatrix Zero [in Voyager] and what else had been done and how do we do that? And we had dozens of different ideas. In the end, Terry’s like, “What if it’s a cube?” I’m like, “Good idea. Let’s just go with a cube.” But it’s like a super cube. And then he came up with the idea that this box is sending out antennas and signals. So the spikes on it just gave it a little bit more of a mean look. And that was something that Doug Drexler and John Eaves developed, and Igor Knezevic also worked on that. So a lot of people doing some great work on that.

Was there anything you really wanted to do in the third season that either time or money just didn’t let you do?

Blass: I would’ve loved to change the Titan around a little bit more. It’s like, thank you to the audience for not giving me a ton of shit on Twitter for the Titan looking exactly like the Stargazer bridge. I would’ve loved to, because also we learned stuff after seeing how it shot. And if I had painted the walls a little bit brighter, going with something different on the floors or something. But we didn’t have time. And again, we knew that we had to budgetarily focus on a lot of stuff. But [I/m] really, really pleased with how season three ended up.

Star Trek: The Picard Legacy Collection Blu-ray set arrives on November 7 from Paramount Home Entertainment. It contains seasons 1-7 of Star Trek: The Next Generation, 4 feature films, and seasons 1-3 of Star Trek: Picard.

_{This post has affiliate links, which means we may earn advertising money if you buy something. This doesn’t cost you anything extra, we just have to give you the heads up for legal reasons. Click away!}

The post PICARD Production Designer on Recreating the Enterprise appeared first on Nerdist.

Makeup artist James MacKinnon has been a part of the Star Trek family since the early ’90s. In recent years, he’s served as makeup department head on Star Trek: Discovery, Star Trek: Short Treks, and all three seasons of Star Trek: Picard. With the latter series now wrapped, we caught up with MacKinnon to talk about the challenges of creating new looks for the celebrated final season, and on being part of the Trek family for decades.

Nerdist: Definitely the most regular prosthetic makeup on a single character you got to do in Picard season 3 was on Worf (Michael Dorn). Obviously, Worf has white hair now, so that’s a visual change. But this was the first time Michael Dorn was in his iconic Klingon makeup in 20 years. He looked like the Worf we remember, but were there any subtle changes you made to his look that the average viewer might not notice? Beyond just the white hair?

James MacKinnon: I think we’re elevating what we did in the past, so still keeping to the core of his character. The sculpture is a little different. Our Klingon prosthetics are a different material. They were foam latex back then, and now they’re silicone, so there’s a weight difference. The paint job is different. Back in the foam days, it was opaque, so you had to paint all that detail, and now you kind of see through it.

We splatter this type of skin texture on there to have more realism, because that 8K camera can now see all the sculptures and all the paint. As an artist, you actually have to fine-tune where you don’t see my little paint splatters from an airbrush that looks realistic. That’s my job, to make sure that you look at him as Worf, not as Mike Dorn in makeup. But the sculpture is a little different, similar, but again, it’s different because the material is different and the flow of it is elevated, but still super close.

Your very first professional work was on Star Trek: The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine back in the day, and then later the film First Contact. Even though you’d already worked on modern Trek shows like Discovery and the first seasons of Picard, with the original cast of The Next Generation back, did it feel like this season was like coming full circle for you?

MacKinnon: Oh yeah, but I was already seeing Jonathan Frakes in Toronto on Discovery, because he was directing a couple of episodes, so it was just great. They’re kind of my family now. It’s been so long. That relationship is there, and I can call them friends now, because we go to dinner, and I do little side projects with Jonathan for his TV show that he’s doing, Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction. But we have a little personal connection there, as well, which happened way back then. We were much, much younger, and they were a little bit older than me. Not by much, I’ve just aged well. (laughs) But it’s really nice to have friends that long and have a career expand with such an iconic TV show that is part of everybody’s life.

The makeup on the Borg Queen in Picard season three is the coolest and creepiest she’s ever looked. There was an HR Giger influence on her look going back as far as First Contact. But now it’s full-blown horrific. Was there ever any concern from the showrunners that she was maybe too horror-esque, or did they encourage you to take that far?

MacKinnon: Well, I think [Picard showrunner] Terry Matalas wanted it to be like that. Neville Page is our alien designer, so that starts with Terry and Neville, and that magic happens. After that, it goes to Vincent Van Dyke, where he has to figure out how to make that one-dimensional photograph sculptural, put it on her face, and how is that going to break down into pieces that I’m going to have to put on. There is subtle changes after that.

The process from the design, to the makeup, to the building, to the foam latex, to all the stuff; it all has to work for me on set as well. That’s the best combination of a team that this makes between me, Vincent, and Neville, because they know what they want, and who knows what happened underneath that swirly pool of goop that they fell in [in First Contact], because obviously, Data popped out and he was a little effed up, melted. He came out like that, so what is she going to look like? That’s been 20-some-odd years, so there’s a rotted zombie mess to it. That took five hours to do that makeup, too, which was fun. At 1:30 in the morning, we would start and at 7:00 in the morning she would go to set. Everybody’s sleeping while we’re working.

Speaking of the Borg, we saw a new incarnation of the Borg in the Picard series finale with the young Starfleet officers. Those all leaned into the zombie more and less into the robotic prosthetics. What kind of changes did you implement to make sure they still read to fans as Borg?

MacKinnon: Yeah. That was more of that nanobot type, that nanobot stuff that we did in a previous season. It was a little more showing where that is taking over their skin, so the veins are coming through. There’s a depth in there. There’s that possible roboty-type material too. It was a layering effect before they were to get to become true Borg, where their missing parts are put together. Right before they’re almost completely Borg instead of human. There was a little bit of a play of, how do we do that transition before they become the Borg? I agree with you, it’s a little rotty, veiny, and gross.

One place that had the most aliens in season 3 was the planet M’Talas Prime, where we met Ferengi crime lord Sneed. We hadn’t really seen Ferengi in a long time in Trek, at least not any with significant screen time. What was it like to do classic Ferengi makeup after so long, only now for a 4K world?

MacKinnon: It has been decades. It was amazing. Our Ferengi, Sneed, his makeup, and the actor underneath it were amazing. Obviously, we elevated that so you didn’t have the piece of carpet around the back of the head [like on The Next Generation] and that most likely was there because sculptures then were different. You didn’t have to have a complete sculpture back there, and you could have that hide all the seams and the edges. Now we got to actually see that, see the detail, what it would look back behind his head. It’s just an elevation. You still kept that core classic Ferengi look. But with those new materials, it can just be softer and more organic of a makeup now, yeah.

We saw Vulcans in this season of Picard too, who are very different from previous Vulcans. These were gangsters. How did you approach them, as opposed to the cousins, the Romulans? They’re almost the same, but not quite.

MacKinnon: Yeah. I mean, that’s a difference in the pointing of the eyebrows. The ears are shaped a little bit different and have a little bit of ridges. Kind of like the Romulans from the South [of the planet Romulus] had ridges. The Romulans from the North didn’t have forehead pieces. That’s a long story. That might’ve been more of a budgetary thing, anyway.

You actually got to have an on-screen role in the final episode of Picard as a Starfleet officer. Before that, you played a Borg drone in season one, and appeared in Discovery too. Was it fun to be on the other side of the camera, and did you get a bit of the acting bug at all?

MacKinnon: I do! I like to get a SAG day out of it so I can get some residuals [laughs]. No, but I like a little bit of acting. I’m not an actor at all, but I like to put my face on there. On Discovery, Airiam, the robot girl, I was the guy who unplugged her and turned her off. I got to create her, and then kill her, basically.

Now that Picard has ended, what was the highlight of all three seasons for you? And what was your favorite of the metric ton of different makeups you got to do over the course of the series?

MacKinnon: It was to walk around that corner to see that legacy cast on the ship from The Next Generation. Yes, half of our makeup budget and everybody’s makeup budget went to build that ship. Not that I’m happy about that, but it was worth penny-pinching a little bit. Unfortunately, we penny-pinch for this kind of thing. Just to see those cast members again, after I saw them a hundred years ago in that same situation. They’re a couple of days older, but not by much. They’re what, 27 now? Yeah, it’s fun. It’s a fun relationship to have and grow with, and be part of. I’m sad it’s over with.

Star Trek: The Picard Legacy Collection Blu-ray set arrives on November 7 from Paramount Home Entertainment. It contains seasons 1-7 of Star Trek: The Next Generation, 4 feature films, and seasons 1-3 of Star Trek: Picard.

The post PICARD Makeup Master on Creating Aliens for Season 3 appeared first on Nerdist.

With his appropriately titled memoir Making It So out now, Sir Patrick Stewart has shared many anecdotes of relevance to Star Trek fans in its pages. Thanks to Slashfilm, we learned he talks at length about his three conditions for returning to his most iconic character after 18 years away from Starfleet in 2020. By the end, when Star Trek: Picard wrapped after its third season, the story met two of those conditions. One of them though? Not so much.

In the book, Stewart recalls how producer Alex Kurtzman, Star Trek novelist Kirsten Beyer, and screenwriter James Duff approached him about the Picard project. Although he flat-out turned them down at first, after a little coaxing, he was more open to listening to their ideas. Once sold on the possibility of his return, here’s how he laid out his conditions for playing Jean-Luc Picard once more.

“1. The series would not be based on a reunion of The Next Generation characters. I wanted it to have little or nothing to do with them. This was not at all a mark of disrespect for my beloved fellow actors. Rather, I simply felt it was essential to place Picard in entirely new settings with entirely new characters. Perhaps Picard might encounter Riker or Dr. Crusher in the second season, but such encounters were not to be the series’ raison d’être. 2. Picard would no longer be serving in Starfleet, and he was not to wear any kind of uniform or badges. 3. The series would run for no more than three seasons.”

Star Trek: Picard was greenlit by Paramount+, and the streamer two of those rules. Well, mostly. After the first season, Picard had his Starfleet status reinstated, even if he’s technically a retired admiral now. He did wear a uniform for the Starfleet Academy graduating class commencement speech that season, but he’s not in uniform throughout the series. So we’re going to say Paramount basically adhered to that rule. Also, Picard only ran for three seasons. So that’s two out of three.

However, the veto on a Star Trek: The Next Generation reunion? Clearly, that went out the window. Even in Picard season one, Riker (Jonathan Frakes), Troi (Marina Sirtis), and Data (Brent Spiner) all appeared. Data in particular had a significant role in season one. Whoopi Goldberg’s Guinan also played a big part in the second season of Picard. By year three, it was a full-on Star Trek: The Next Generation reunion series. Even the Enterprise-D came back! All of this was much to the delight of fans everywhere. So as much as we love Sir Patrick, we’re all collectively glad he relented on at least one of his three rules.

_{This post has affiliate links, which means we may earn advertising money if you buy something. This doesn’t cost you anything extra, we just have to give you the heads up for legal reasons. Click away!}

The post Patrick Stewart Set 3 Conditions for Returning to STAR TREK appeared first on Nerdist.

This year saw the incredible ending to Star Trek: Picard’s third season, which brought a close to the saga of the crew of the starship Enterprise from Star Trek: The Next Generation. But in his new memoir, Patrick Stewart reveals he’s not necessarily done with Jean-Luc Picard. He also revealed that they dragged him back into the 24th century kicking and screaming in the first place. In an excerpt published in Time magazine from his memoir Making It So, Stewart revealed he initially refused to take part in any revival of his iconic character. But after a meeting with producers Alex Kurtzman and Kirsten Beyer, they sold him on the idea of playing Captain Picard again.

However, they had to meet certain demands first. Number one, Picard wouldn’t be in Starfleet, so no uniforms. The show could only last three seasons. And it would absolutely not be a Star Trek: The Next Generation reunion series. Well, they stuck to the first two. As we all know, the final season of Picard was a full-blown The Next Generation reunion. And it was the best-reviewed season of Star Trek: Picard by both fans and critics alike. After a less-than-stellar fourth film, Star Trek: Nemesis, the crew of the Enterprise-D got to go out on a high note, 35 years after they debuted on television. But the Picard ending, with the crew playing poker, was almost not the ending. Stewart actually pitched a different one, that nearly happened. Here’s what he had to say in his memoir:

“What I’d like to see at the end of the show,” I told them, “is a content Jean-Luc. I want to see Picard perfectly at ease with his situation. Not anxious, not in a frenzy, not depressed. And I think this means that there is a wife in the picture. The writers came up with a lovely scene. It is dusk at Jean-Luc’s vineyard. His back is to us as he takes in the view, his dog at his side. Then, off-screen, a woman’s loving voice is heard: ‘Jean-Luc? Supper’s ready!’ Is it Beverly Crusher’s voice? Laris’s? Someone we don’t know? It isn’t made clear. But Sunny [Stewart’s real-life wife] was set to record the lines. Heeding his wife’s call, Jean-Luc turns around, says to his dog, “C’mon, boy,” and heads inside. Dusk fades to night, and Picard fades into history.”

The studio didn’t think it was necessary, and the scene didn’t make it in. But perhaps, there’s still a chance. Because Stewart also revealed in his memoir that he has pitched Paramount on a Star Trek: Picard movie. He said this would not be a fifth Star Trek: The Next Generation movie. Instead, “This would be an expansion and deepening of the universe as we’ve seen it in Star Trek: Picard. I’ve discussed this with Jonathan, Brent, and LeVar, and they are all game. Jonathan [Frakes] is my first choice to direct it.”

While we think the ending of Picard’s third season is the best send-off that the cast could hope for, if there’s a really good idea for a film there, then why not? If we get both a Star Trek: Legacy series and a Picard feature, then the future of the 25th century might be bright after all.

_{This post has affiliate links, which means we may earn advertising money if you buy something. This doesn’t cost you anything extra, we just have to give you the heads up for legal reasons. Click away!}

The post Patrick Stewart Reveals Original STAR TREK: PICARD Ending and Hopes for a PICARD Movie appeared first on Nerdist.

Recently, we learned that a newly discovered type of snake was named after Indiana Jones. Well, after the actor who portrayed him. Now, we’ve got that topped. Because that’s just one snake after all. Thanks to the folks at Gizmodo, we’ve learned that Brazilian scientists from the Emilio Goeldi Paraense Museum have found three new species of spiders, which they are naming after the “Big Three” of Enterprise bridge crews from Star Trek—Captain James T. Kirk, Mister Spock, and Doctor Leonard “Bones” McCoy. The spiders belong to the Roddenberry genus, which is of course named after Star Trek’s creator Gene Roddenberry.

The scientists discovered these spiders across different locations in Latin America. They found R. kirk in Costa Rica, while they discovered R. spock in Campeche, Mexico, and R. mccoy in Big California Sur, also in Mexico. Co-authors Alexander Sánchez-Ruiz and Alexandre B. Bonaldo identified both a male and female specimen of the spider R. kirk. However, they only discovered a female R. spock and male R. mccoy. Unlike Indiana Jones, they named these spiders after the characters, not the actors. So no R. shatner or R. nimoy in this bunch, sadly.

The original Star Trek series inspired researchers after noticing how the arachnid anatomy resembled that of various starships seen in the iconic franchise. We’re not really sure we see that ourselves at all. Maybe the Enterprise saucer section a bit? But we guess they kind of look like some Klingon ships we’ve seen in the series. We bet these scientists were just super big Star Trek fans, and wanted to immortalize their favorite characters for eternity. We can’t say we blame them. Hey, maybe they discover some new species as time goes on, and we got a few spiders with names like R. uhura, R. sulu, R. scotty, and R. chekov. Get the whole Enterprise bridge crew their own arachnid counterparts.

The post New Spider Species Named After Classic STAR TREK Characters appeared first on Nerdist.

Star Trek is in the midst of a golden age, with multiple series in production, and more on the way. But back in the ’70s, it seemed like Star Trek might never return. It might have gone down in history as a show that ran three years in the ’60s, got canceled, and got a cartoon. During that time, the Star Trek Convention was born. These cons kept the fans entertained during the “lost years” of the franchise. Before Star Trek: The Motion Picture relaunched the series. Often, the highlight of those cons, and the only “new” Star Trek material shown at them, was an 8MM reel of bloopers from the original show. Which you can watch right here:

These The Original Series gag reels showed William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, Nichelle Nichols, and the rest of the Enterprise crew walking into doors and flubbing technobabble lines. And, of course, cursing up a storm and cracking each other up at any given moment. They’re both goofy and hilarious. Now you can watch a full twenty minutes of these classic bloopers from Star Trek in their entirety, thanks to the YouTube channel Pop Culture Curator.

Although these The Original Series blooper reels were popular at cons, not every Star Trek cast member was happy about them. Someone originally edited them together for the cast and crew for wrap parties at the end of a season. They were never intended for public consumption. According to William Shatner’s memoir Movie Memories, Leonard Nimoy was particularly unhappy about this—especially as Trek creator Gene Roddenberry took these reels to conventions and made money from them.

Nimoy, in a very non-Vulcan move, wrote an impassioned letter to Roddenberry asking him to please stop showing the blooper reels at conventions. It put a rift in their relationship for years. Some believe it’s why Nimoy was the sole hold-out for the proposed 1977 continuation series, Star Trek: Phase II. But, once the blooper cat was out of the bag, it was too late. But as true Star Trek fans, we can’t lie. These The Original Series Star Trek bloopers are fun to watch now and a wonderful time capsule of the franchise’s early years.

The post These Classic STAR TREK: THE ORIGINAL SERIES Bloopers Are Still Hilarious Decades Later appeared first on Nerdist.

September 8 is officially Star Trek Day, as it is the anniversary date of the original series premiere in 1966. However, this year’s Star Trek Day is celebrating another milestone for the venerable franchise, as it marks 50 years since Star Trek: The Animated Series hit the Saturday morning airwaves. To celebrate, Paramount is releasing a series of animated very Short Treks. The very first comes from critically acclaimed writer and director Casper Kelly, who folks might remember from the viral internet phenomenon Too Many Cooks. He’s also worked on the live-action Short Treks.

In the first very Short Treks, “Skin A Cat,” poor word choice complicates a dire Klingon attack. To see what that actually means, watch the full Star Trek: very Short Trek episode down below:

The first very Short Trek features Ethan Peck (Spock), Pete Holmes (Captain), Cristina Milizia (Knickersonian, Dream Woman, and M’Ress), Bonnie Gordon (Computer), and Eric Bauza (Antedian, Ass Face, Screwhead).But the episode isn’t all we’re getting to honor this iconic series. There’s also a new Star Trek: The Animated Series web comic, also from writer Casper Kelly. This one’s called “The Scheimer Barrier,” no doubt an homage to Filmation Studios founder Lou Scheimer, producers of the classic animated series. He also produced shows like He-Man and the Masters of the Universe.

Hopefully, thanks to these new shorts, people will rediscover the classic cartoon show. Although the animation was rudimentary—and that’s being generous—the classic Star Trek cartoon ran for two seasons. And it reunited much of the original voice cast, and they had some impressive stories to boot. Star Trek: The Animated Series was the first official “revival” of Star Trek. It kept the Trek fires burning during the decade between the original show and 1979’s Star Trek: The Motion Picture. So today, let’s raise a glass of Romulan Ale to the ever-groovy Star Trek: The Animated Series.

The post First STAR TREK: VERY SHORT TREKS Episode Lovingly Pokes Fun at the ’70s Cartoon Show appeared first on Nerdist.

One of the most infamous episodes of Star Trek: Voyager got a sequel in the season four premiere of Star Trek: Lower Decks. The episode, entitled “Twovix,” is a play on the Voyager season two episode “Tuvix,” which first aired in 1996. Both the Voyager and Lower Decks episodes focus on a storyline where a transporter accident fuses two crew members into one being. That new being wants to live its life, while the respective Captain tries to forcibly separate them to get their friends back. On Voyager, those characters were Tuvok (Tim Russ) and Neelix (Ethan Phillips), who became Tuvix. On Lower Decks, it was Dr. T’Ana (Gillian Vigman) and Andy Billups (Paul Scheer) who fused into T’illups.

So why was the classic Voyager episode controversial? Well, it still divides the fans over whether Captain Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) was an actual murderer. When the characters of Tuvok and Neelix fuse into Tuvix, thanks to alien orchid mucking up the transporter, this new Vulcan/Talaxian hybrid wants to live. Then, a method of extracting both the original DNA patterns of Tuvok and Neelix emerges. Janeway chooses to restore her crew members even if though it means death for Tuvix. And Tuvix pleaded for his life. This was a great example of Star Trek using sci-fi metaphors to shed light on ethical dilemmas. But many fans continue to believe that Janeway forcing Tuvix into two people again was an execution.

Besides the reference to the Tuvix plot, the episode had a lot of other fun Easter eggs for longtime Voyager fans. First off, we briefly hear Jerry Goldsmith’s Voyager theme. Also, the U.S.S. Cerritos got to tow Voyager to Earth, where they said it would be “on display before permanently going into orbit.” This was a reference to Picard season three, where we learned that in the early 25th century, the U.S.S. Voyager was in orbit in the Starfleet Museum. And Mariner and Boimler even reference “the Pike thing” from the recent Strange New Worlds crossover episode. We guess the events of that episode took place right before the start of Lower Decks’ fourth season.

Other surprises for Voyager fans include the Borg alcoves for the freed drones from Voyager season six. Also, the giant microorganisms from the third season episode “Macrocosm” are seen flying about. We even saw replicas of the amphibian creatures that Janeway and Tom Paris devolved into. That is, of course, from what many consider the worst episode of Voyager ever, “Threshold.” The Holodeck also brings back characters from Voyager’s past, like the villainous Dr. Chaotica, from the episode “Bride of Chaotica.” Also, the evil Clown from season two’s “The Thaw”, and Michael Sullivan, Janeway’s 19th century holographic love interest from many episodes. With all the Star Trek: Next Generation references on Lower Decks, we’re just happy Voyager got a similar amount of love at last.

The post STAR TREK: LOWER DECKS Pays Homage to Controversial VOYAGER Episode appeared first on Nerdist.

The Star Trek franchise is currently flourishing on Paramount+, with shows like Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. But Paramount+ recently canceled one of the very best Treks, the animated Star Trek: Prodigy, after only one season. Even with its second season almost completed. They even unceremoniously pulled the Prodigy season off the streamer in a cost-cutting move, much to the anger of Trek fandom. Well, according to The Hollywood Reporter, those fans are making their voices heard. Via a plane flying a “Save Star Trek: Prodigy” banner near the offices of every major streaming service.

All of this began when Star Trek fans galvanized and gathered 33,000 signatures in a petition on Change.org, along with raising money via GoFundMe. From there, loyal Trekkers contracted a plane to fly a “Save Star Trek Prodigy” banner over the Los Angeles offices Amazon, Hulu, and Apple. But most notably, they circled for ten minutes over the Netflix offices on Sunset Blvd. Given that before Paramount+ became the sole home of the franchise, it was found on Netflix for many years. So that streamer makes the most sense to become Star Trek: Prodigy’s new home. Certainly, the crew of the Protostar and Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) deserve another shot.

Co-showrunners Dan and Kevin Hageman took to social media to thank the fans for their support. Fans also joined co-executive producer Aaron Waltke and actress Bonnie Gordon outside Netflix. Truth is, the entire reason we have Star Trek as a franchise today is because of fan efforts. When cancellation loomed for the original Star Trek in its second season in 1968, fans sent thousands of letters to NBC. They guaranteed the series a third season, which gave it enough episodes for syndication. And that’s where Star Trek really took off in pop culture. So these fan efforts are not in vain. In the meantime, fans who want to watch the first season of Prodigy can purchase a Blu-ray of the series, which arrives on September 26.

The post ‘Save STAR TREK: PRODIGY’ Banner Flies Above Netflix and Other Streamer’s Offices appeared first on Nerdist.

Part of the fun of watching Star Trek: Strange New Worlds over the past two seasons is how the series connects to the overall Trek canon. Especially the original Star Trek, for which the storylines on Strange New Worlds are barreling towards. So far, Strange New Worlds has five regular and recurring cast members who were part of the classic ‘60s crew—Spock, Uhura, Chapel, M’Benga, and on occasion, James T. Kirk. In the season two finale, “Hegemony” they introduce us to yet another iconic member of the Enterprise crew, Montgomery Scott. Played originally by James Doohan, then Simon Pegg, Scotty is played now on Strange New Worlds by 29-year-old Scottish actor Martin Quinn.

Mr. Scott Joins the Strange New Worlds Cast

We meet Scotty in “Hegemony” as a brilliant young engineer who becomes stranded on the planet Parnassus Beta when the reptilian Gorn ravaged the colony world. A lieutenant junior grade, Scotty encounters Pike and his landing party on a rescue mission. Pike’s away team then falls into a Gorn “trap” he set, while sheltering in an abandoned building. We learn he was assigned to the U.S.S. Stardiver, a solar research vessel. The Gorn ambushed the Stardiver in a surprise attack, and Scotty escaped in a shuttle he jury-rigged to increase its warp capacity to Parnassus Beta.

Much like Ellen Ripley in Alien, he was the sole survivor of this attack on his ship by an aggressive non-humanoid species. With his technical know-how, Scotty was then able to help Pike and the Parnassus survivors beam back to the Enterprise. There, he meets the Enterprise’s current Chief Engineer Pelia (Carol Kane), and we discover the two actually have quite a history. When Pelia was an instructor at Starfleet Academy, she was Scotty’s professor. In fact, she describes Mr. Scott as “one of my best students, who sadly received some of my worst grades.”

Does Scotty’s Appearance on Strange New Worlds Line Up With Star Trek Canon?

We don’t know a whole lot about Mr. Scott’s past before becoming Captain Kirk’s chief engineer on the Enterprise. In the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode “Relics,” an elder Scotty explained to Captain Picard that in his 51-year career, he served on 11 different ships. Some were cruisers, others freighters, and of course, some Federation starships. He mentioned that he only served as Chief Engineer on two vessels—the U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701, and its successor ship, the Enterprise NCC-1701-A. However young he may appear on Strange New Worlds, he’s likely already served on nine other ships besides the Stardiver.

Will Martin Quinn Join Strange New Worlds as a Regular Cast Member?

We think it’s likely Martin Quinn will join the cast of Strange New Worlds in season three, probably as a junior officer working in engineering. Although, nothing has been confirmed so far. Given his prickly relationship with Pelia, that would result in a lot of interesting stories. We could see her training him for his eventual role as the Enterprise’s Chief Engineer under Kirk. Although we imagine that would still be several seasons away from happening. The arrival of Scotty to Strange New Worlds leaves only three major crew members from classic Star Trek who have yet to appear in the series. That’s Dr. Leonard “Bones” McCoy, Hikaru Sulu, and Pavel Chekov. Hopefully, though, we don’t see all of them on Strange New Worlds.

Chekov was a very young ensign who joined Kirk’s crew in season two of Star Trek. So it wouldn’t make sense to see him at all. As for Sulu and Bones, we hope that if we do see them, they don’t become part of Pike’s crew. Kirk needs to have some officers of his own choosing when he takes over the Enterprise from Pike. It would be a disservice if all his main crew were just holdovers from Pike’s days. Still, we can’t wait to see Scotty meet his future commanding officers Spock and Kirk in season three. We have a feeling even the young Mr. Scott will earn his reputation as an engineering “miracle worker” early on.

Originally published on August 10, 2023.

The post Scotty Just Joined STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS appeared first on Nerdist.

Sometimes an actor is perfect for a role. For example, most MCU fans would agree that they cannot imagine anyone else besides Robert Downey Jr. playing Tony Stark/Iron Man. I’d argue that this is the same for Star Trek fans when it comes to J.J. Abrams’ Trek trilogy and its leading man Chris Pine. He truly makes a perfect young and brash Captain Kirk. (And Chris Pine seems like a cool dude who minds his business. Love it.) But there was another awesome actor who auditioned for that part and didn’t get it. Timothy Olyphant revealed that he auditioned for the role of Captain Kirk in the Star Trek movies but ultimately lost the Captain-ship to Chris Pine.

According to Entertainment Weekly, Timothy Olyphant recently talked about his near-Kirk experience on Josh Horowitz’s Happy Sad Confused podcast as he reminisced about his auditions for Star Trek. Olyphant said auditioning for Abrams was wonderful but the director decided to go with the younger Chris Pine instead. Interestingly, Timothy Olyphant went in to audition for the role of Dr. Leonard McCoy, not Captain Kirk. However, Abrams said they already had a guy. That random guy was someone named Karl Urban. He sounds vaguely familiar. But the director did encourage him to read for Captain Kirk because they were still searching for their leading Star Trek man at the time.

“I believe it was one of those things where it’s like they might have been prepared to hire me, but they wanted somebody younger, and [Abrams] was having a hard time finding somebody younger,” Olyphant said. “And somewhere along the line, J.J. called and said, ‘I found a guy, younger, who’s really good.’”

Of course, Timothy Olyphant has no hard feelings about not joining the Star Trek universe. He later met Chris Pine and praised him for being a great guy and an awesome actor. As we know, Timothy Olyphant did very well after not getting the role of Captain Kirk. He nabbed a starring role as Deputy US Marshall Rayland Givens in Justified and its recent revival, Justified: City Primeval. He also made his way to the Star Wars universe as Cobb Vanth. Now, we can only imagine a Star Trek world with him as the captain of the U.S.S. Enterprise.

The post Timothy Olyphant Was Almost Captain Kirk in J.J. Abrams’ STAR TREK Trilogy appeared first on Nerdist.

This season of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds gave us everything. A musical episode. An episode about post-war PTSD. An amazing courtroom drama. And a time-traveling crossover where the crew of Lower Decks met the crew of Pike’s Enterprise. That episode was definitely a highlight of the season, and it got us thinking. What other famous starships could meet Pike and his crew in some Star Trek time travel crossover?

While Strange New Worlds is episodic for the most part, we don’t see anything stopping the creators from doing a multi-part story where the Enterprise encounters her namesake starships via time travel shenanigans. What those shenanigans are, we’ll leave that to the writers. But here are some other crews we want to see interact with the Anson Mount’s Captain Pike and his Enterprise crew in future seasons of Strange New Worlds.

The Kelvin-Timeline Enterprise Crew

Look, we get it. This one’s a long shot. But as every year passes, it seems less and less likely that we’ll get a final Star Trek movie in the Kelvin timeline. How many directors has Paramount announced only for nothing to happen? We’ve lost count. But at a recent Star Trek convention, both modern Spocks, Strange New Worlds’ Ethan Peck, and the Kelvin timeline’s Zachary Quinto, appeared on stage together. The two seemed very chummy, and it got us thinking. Why couldn’t Pike’s Enterprise encounter the alt-universe’s Enterprise?

Not only would an episode like this provide closure for the Kelvin timeline Enterprise crew, but it would give us a glimpse into their future. Since it might be cost-prohibitive to bring back the entire cinematic Star Trek crew, particularly Chris Pine and Zoe Saldana, maybe just limit it to characters who have counterparts on Strange New Worlds. For all we know, John Cho’s Sulu is Captain Sulu 10 years after Star Trek Beyond. This is one that’s least likely to happen, but also the one we’d want to see the most.

The Enterprise-B, from Star Trek: Generations

Ah, the Enterprise NCC-1701-B. We only encountered this Excelsior-class starship once, at the start of the 1994 film Star Trek Generations. In the year 2293, we saw her on her maiden voyage under the command of Captain John Harriman—the first Enterprise in 30 years without Kirk in command. An earnest but clearly inexperienced guy, Alan Ruck portrayed Captain Harriman. Sadly for Harriman, his guest of honor, Captain Kirk (William Shatner) died on the Enterprise-B’s first mission. Well, at least to the galaxy at large he did.

So, what was it like being the Captain of that particular Enterprise? Canon tells us that the Enterprise-B had a long and successful voyage. But no matter what accomplishments he made, could her Captain ever live down being the guy who lost a Starfleet legend on his first day on the job? This is a character study we want to see! Let’s be real, the Enterprise-B probably won’t ever get its own movie or series, but a fun time travel adventure where Captain Pike gives his eventual successor a much-needed pep talk? We’re there. Especially if that Captain is Alan Ruck.

The Enterprise-G Crew from Star Trek: Picard, with Captain Seven of Nine

We encountered the newest Federation flagship, the Enterprise-G, at the end of the final season of Star Trek: Picard. Captained by Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan), with first officer Raffaela “Raffi” Musiker (Michelle Hurd) and with Sidney La Forge (Ashlei Sharpe Chestnut) and Jack Crusher (Ed Speleers) as officers, fans are dying for them to get their own series—one Picard showrunner Terry Matalas has called Star Trek: Legacy. But nothing is officially in development, and sadly, we may never see that series come to life.

But we need at least one adventure of the crew of the Enterprise-G with Captain Seven at the helm. Why not a time travel adventure, where Captain Pike gets to see how far into the future his legacy goes? Star Trek famously did a “backdoor pilot” in the ‘60s for a show that never happened. Hopefully, an episode like this could be a backdoor pilot for an eventual Star Trek: Legacy. If nothing else, we’d have at least one adventure with Captain Seven and her gallant crew.

Captain Worf and the Enterprise-E

The Enterprise-E was under the command of Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) in the films Star Trek: First Contact, Star Trek: Insurrection, and Star Trek: Nemesis. Eventually, when Picard became Admiral, Worf (Michael Dorn) became her new Captain. Her final fate was shown as “classified.” In Picard’s final season, all we know about what happened to the Enterprise-E was that it was nothing good, and Worf said, “That wasn’t my fault.” Could this classified mission be a time travel one? Not only would this episode finally give us a Captain Worf adventure (long overdue), but it would solve one mystery left dangling in Picard’s final season. Besides, who doesn’t want to see Worf and La’an (Christina Chong) be badasses together?

The Enterprise-C from Star Trek: The Next Generation’s “Yesterday’s Enterprise”

We only ever encountered the Enterprise-C in one episode, in the Star Trek: The Next Generation adventure “Yesterday’s Enterprise.” In that fan-favorite story, the Enterprise-C, while trying to save a Klingon outpost from Romulan attack, is thrust 22 years into their own future, where they meet Picard and the Enterprise-D crew. The C was under the command of Captain Rachel Garrett, played by Tricia O’Neil, the first female Enterprise Captain in the franchise’s history,

We eventually discover that the Enterprise-C must return to its own time and fulfill its destiny, which is to be destroyed while saving the Klingons. But presumably, that Enterprise had many adventures before that. Obviously, you’d have to recast Captain Garrett, but we’d love to see a proper Enterprise-C adventure where it doesn’t end in her death. And to anyone who says more than one time-traveling journey for this Enterprise is too much, I remind you of every time both Kirk and Picard time-traveled on their starships. Multiple time travel incursions just come with the name Enterprise.

George Takei as Captain Sulu on the U.S.S. Excelsior

In the film Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, we learned that Hikaru Sulu was the Captain of the U.S.S. Excelsior. He helped Captain Kirk on his final mission, which saw the peace treaty form between the Federation and Klingon Empire. We later saw Captain Sulu in the Voyager episode “Flashback,” which took viewers back to those events. But George Takei is a national treasure. He may be 85 now, but as anyone who follows him on social media knows, he has not lost a step. Who’s to say he’s not still in command of the Excelsior decades later? Although we hope by this time he’s at least Admiral Sulu. Let Strange New Worlds give Sulu a victory lap around the stars.

The post The STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS Time Travel Crossovers We Want to See appeared first on Nerdist.

In its first season, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds reinvented one of the franchise’s oldest alien adversaries, the Gorn. They gave this classic antagonistic species an upgrade by injecting some blood from two of cinema’s most deadly extraterrestrials. We’re talking about Gorn inspired by the xenomorph from the Alien franchise and the Predator. In the season two finale of Strange New Worlds, “Hegemony,” the Gorn returned. And these aliens destroyed a Federation starship, along with most of a human colony. So how did Strange New Worlds update this alien race once thought of as a silly product of its 1960s time? First, we’ll tell you all about Star Trek‘s Gorn and why they haven’t appeared much for five decades.

Who Are the Gorn, Star Trek‘s Race of Reptilian Aliens, and Where Have They Been?

First appearing in the original Star Trek series episode “Arena,” the Gorn Hegemony was a warlike reptilian race who decimated a Federation outpost on the planet Cestus III. When Captain Kirk chased the enemy Gorn ship deep into space, an advanced species called the Metrons forced Kirk and the Gorn captain to fight for survival on a remote world. This fight scene, with a man in a very fake-looking alien lizard suit, became the subject of parody. It was even parodied in Bill and Ted’s Bogus Journey. Perhaps because of that, Star Trek has seemingly almost totally avoided the Gorn, beyond cameos and name drops across different series. The Gorn popped up briefly in CGI form on Star Trek: Enterprise in 2004 and in the 2013 Star Trek video game, for which the Gorn and William Shatner reunited for a silly promotion.

Strange New Worlds Reinvents the Gorn

But Strange New Worlds changed everything about these aliens, making the Gorn intergalactic boogymen. In the episode “Memento Mori,” we learned that La’an Noonien Singh (Christina Chong) had some serious PTSD based on her childhood trauma of surviving a Gorn massacre. During her childhood, the Gorn attacked and captured the SS Puget Sound, a colony ship, and left its crew on a Gorn breeding planet. The survivors, including La’an, were hunted for sport or eaten alive by their newborn hatchlings. Only a young La’an Noonien-Singh survived and told her tale to Starfleet. This was the first documented encounter with the Gorn on Star Trek, although it was not considered an official first contact. As La’an says, “Many people have seen the Gorn, but few live to tell about it.”

In “Memento Mori,” the Gorn only appeared in their Star Trek space vessels. We don’t actually see them in the reptilian flesh. Their vicious ways were only spoken of by Lt. Noonien Singh. In fact, they are described and treated as the shark in Jaws. When La’an described her childhood encounter with the Gorn and their lifeless eyes, it’s almost like hearing Quint talk about the shark that killed his crewmates on the U.S.S. Indianapolis. But in Strange New Worlds season one, episode nine, “All Those Who Wander,” we truly saw the Gorn for the first time in this Star Trek series. And they owe their newest incarnation to two classic sci-fi adversaries, the Xenomorph and the Predator.

The Gorn Become Terrifying Foes in Star Trek‘s World

When the Enterprise responded to a distress beacon from a crashed Starfleet vessel, the U.S.S. Peregrine, they found the ship in shambles on an ice world and the crew of 99 officers dead. The logs showed that they had picked up three stranded refugees, all infected with Gorn eggs. They found a human girl (shades of Newt in Aliens) and an unknown alien in the wreckage. Despite initial scans showing nothing unusual, the Gorn eggs were hatching inside one of the aliens.

Just like in Ridley Scott’s Alien, the hatchling busted out of the victim’s body and scampered off. Two others then emerged from the body of another victim. The four hatchlings quickly became two as they killed the others and fought for dominance. The POV shots of the Gorn hatchlings looked extremely similar to the heat signature vision of the alien hunters from the Predator franchise. Their reptilian appearance was also like the Predator, although that predates the movie, as the Gorn first appeared in 1967. Like the Xenomorph from Alien, the Gorn matured at an exponential rate, but the Enterprise crew managed to kill it before it grew to full size.

But the Enterprise crew took a heavy casualty when they fought the Gorn. The Gorn hatchling spit a type of venom onto Chief Engineer Hemmer (Bruce Horack), similar to the Dilophosaurus in Jurassic Park. But this was more than venom. La’an revealed that this is how the Gorn lay their eggs. Hemmer took his own life before allowing the Gorn to take hold of him. In the two separate episodes of season one, they did not show a full-grown Gorn.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season Two Reveals a Full-Grown Gorn

In season two’s “Hegemony,” the Gorn attack the human colony world Parnassus Beta, and decimate most of the population. Only a few survive. They also destroy the U.S.S. Cayuga. The episode shows that the Cayuga’s Captain, Marie Batel, has been infected with Gorn eggs. We finally see an adult Gorn in this episode, in a space suit no less. Unlike their Star Trek: The Original Series counterpart, this Gorn has a tail. Although Spock kills this particular Gorn, at the end of the episode, the Gorn Hegemony has the upper hand over Pike’s Enterprise, leaving us with a massive cliffhanger ending.

Of course, this sets up certain continuity issues. Technically “Arena,” the episode where Captain Kirk fights the Gorn in The Original Series, takes place about eight years after Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. Spock and Uhura don’t seem to know anything about the Gorn in The Original Series, which doesn’t make much sense. You’d think with their experiences in these Strange New Worlds episodes, they would have a few thoughts about this particular enemy. But it’ll be interesting to see how Strange New Worlds deals with this all of this, as we are no doubt going to see the Gorn continue to be a significant threat to Pike and his crew as the show continues to unfold.

Originally published on July 1, 2022.

The post How STRANGE NEW WORLDS Transforms the Gorn, an Old STAR TREK Enemy appeared first on Nerdist.