Season 1 of Star Trek: Discovery was a bit of a mixed bag. There were moments of genius and some interesting looks at traditional Trek material, but it didn’t quite manage to achieve the mainstream TV re-invention of the franchise that the producers hoped for. That might all change when season 2 airs in January 2019, though. At least, if this awesome looking trailer is anything to go by.
Perhaps the most notable new element here is Anson Mount’s Captain Christopher Pike, who’s taken command of the USS Discovery under orders from Starfleet. Throughout the trailer, he comes across as a no-nonsense presence, albeit one with a subtle sardonic wit that looks a good fit for the series. Of course, Trekkies will know that Captain Pike was the captain of the USS Enterprise immediately before Kirk (his command sadly ended with him being crippled and disfigured).
The tie-ins to the original series continue with hints that Doctor Spock’s set to play a key role in the season – with an SDCC panel confirming that he’ll make an appearance in person. This immediately raises the question of whether we’ll see a cameo by Zachary Quinto or whether they’ll recast for the small screen. Also of note is an appearance by one of my favorite comedians, Tig Notaro. She plays new character Reno, who from the brief look we get at her in the trailer seems to have a rather devil may care attitude towards danger.
If January seems like a long time to wait for new episodes, then you’ll be pleased to hear that there’s going to be four Short Treks being released from September. These 10-15 minute long shorts will focus on specific characters from the show, with Sylvia Tilly, Harry Mudd and Saru being confirmed as having mini-episodes centered around them.
Beyond even that, Alex Kurtzman has signed a five-year deal with CBS to create several new Star Trek projects, saying the following about his partnership with the network:
“CBS has also allowed us the great pleasure of reintroducing the world of Star Trek audiences new and old. We are very excited to keep working alongside them to expand that world.”
Perhaps even more excitingly, there are persistent rumors that one of the shows could see Patrick Stewart reprising his role as Captain Jean-Luc Picard. The future is clearly bright for the franchise, then, and as soon as more on Star Trek: Discovery emerges, we’ll be sure to let you know.
