Star Trek: Strange New Worlds brings some of the franchise’s most celebrated characters back to the small screen, but creatives were still mindful not to let that influence the actors in the series.
The crew of the Enterprise has become iconic since first appearing in 1966. The relationship between William Shatner's Captain Kirk and Leonard Nimoy's Mr. Spock became a cultural touchstone and remained a large reference point for canon. J.J. Abrams' Star Trek movie reboot focused primarily on the close bond, casting Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto in the roles. But when Star Trek: Strange New Worlds rolled around, creatives didn’t want to lean into what was done before. Instead of Kirk in the captain’s chair, the series revolved around Captain Pike (Anson Mount) and his years on the ship. Rounding out his crew were Spock (Ethan Peck), Uhura (Celia Rose Gooding), and Nurse Chapel (Jess Bush).
Paul Wesley eventually appeared in the season 1 finale as Kirk, an alternative version and captain of the Farragut. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds held back on this reveal for the benefit of this series. Creative forces behind the series didn’t want Wesley's portrayal to be a caricature of Shatner, something he had inquired about initially. "They said, 'Please just do your own thing,'" Wesley acknowledged to UPI. "He's not the Kirk we know yet. He's still figuring it out. He's not this sure-footed captain. He's a lieutenant. He's still kind of this boy and he's still figuring out his place.”
Unlike returning characters from the original Star Trek series, like Spock and Uhura, Kirk is not a common sight in Strange New Worlds. He was not part of the main cast, and when he did appear, he was largely a different person. His first appearance as the Farragut captain was a projected future where Pike had saved some members of Starfleet who were meant to die, causing a cataclysm of events that resulted in a war with the powerful Romulan Empire. But as Pike decided to keep tabs on the rule-bending famous captain, the audience understood that would not be his last appearance. His future will lead to the Enterprise, but there is a long road. Until then, leaning away from previous portrayals was the right choice.
As much as Strange New Worlds is a love letter to Star Trek: The Original Series, it is also empowered to take its own path to get where it needs to go. When Kirk appeared in season 2, it was always different. From the timeline-changing Star Trek: Strange New Worlds episode featuring young Khan to reappearing in La'an's (Christina Chong) life in her timeline, there were all variations of the captain fans know. The fun of the series is that even if the audience understands where Kirk will end up, the journey is even more entertaining. Seeing him meet Spock and Uhura pleases longtime fans, but it also allowed newer viewers to come along for the ride.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is airing on Paramount Plus.
Source: UPI