A message loud and clear from Starfleet Command: Give the people what they want.
With CBS All Access initiating new Star Trek shows with the frequency of a fertile Tribble, many fans were left wondering why there was no movement on a series just itching to leave space dock. On Friday, actors Anson Mount, Ethan Peck, and Rebecca Romijn announced via social media that thrusters were on for “a Pike and Spock show” (which will be called Star Trek: Strange New Worlds).
After a tumultuous first season, Star Trek: Discovery settled into a nice groove in season two. Having a consistent showrunner helped, as did the steady hand of Mount’s Captain Pike coming in, mixing optimism and humor. Pike, who held the center seat of the USS Enterprise prior to William Shatner’s Captain Kirk, has been a part of the show’s history since the beginning, but has never been the focal point of a series or film. Mount’s portrayal, alongside Peck’s young Spock (step-brother of Discovery lead Sonequa Martin-Green’s Michael Burnham) and Romijn’s steely “Number One” were quickly embraced by fans. With regular announcements of new Star Trek programs (Patrick Stewart’s Picard, Section 31 focused on Michelle Yeoh’s Emperor Georgiou, two animated series, and more still under wraps) many puzzled over why Trek majordomo Alex Kurtzman wasn’t nurturing Discovery’s already clicking B-story. Turns out the suits were listening.
To one not initiated in Trek lore, yes, this might all be a tad confusing. Luckily, visiting professors from the Vulcan Science Academy are here to answer questions.
Ethan Peck is playing Spock? Is this a Star Trek original series remake?
No. It can, however, be considered a Star Trek: Discovery spin-off, as it will be set during the same time period as the first two seasons (but not the forthcoming third!) of that show, and it was on Discovery where these actors were introduced in these roles. Discovery is set about ten years prior to the events seen in classic 1960s Star Trek. The main characters of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds were all originally introduced on that show, played by Jeffrey Hunter, Leonard Nimoy, and Majel Barrett.