CBS All Access has big, big plans for the Star Trek franchise, and don’t we know all about it.
In the immediate future, we have the second season of Discovery to look forward to, which will bring with it the introduction of new versions of Spock, Captain Pike and more, while also promising a lighter tone and more cheerfulness amongst the crew, after the grim and dark rookie outing.
But before that, the network will be rolling out Star Trek: Short Treks, four standalone stories that will premiere on October 4th and focus on characters from Discovery. We’d heard about the project a few months ago but now, we’ve got all the details, and it certainly sounds exciting.
From what we understand, the individuals who’ll take the spotlight in these shorts are Mary Wiseman (Tilly), Doug Jones (Saru) and Rainn Wilson (Harry Mudd), along with a new character named Craft (Aldis Hodge). And for more, here’s how CBS outlines what’s to come:
Runaway – Thursday, Oct. 4
Onboard the U.S.S. Discovery, Ensign Tilly (Mary Wiseman) encounters an unexpected visitor in need of help. However, this unlikely pair may have more in common than meets the eye.
Written by Jenny Lumet & Alex Kurtzman. Directed by Maja Vrvilo.
Calypso – Thursday, Nov. 8
After waking up in an unfamiliar sickbay, Craft (Aldis Hodge) finds himself on board a deserted ship, and his only companion and hope for survival is an A.I. computer interface.
Teleplay by Michael Chabon. Story by Sean Cochran and Michael Chabon. Directed by Olatunde Osunsanmi.
The Brightest Star – Thursday, Dec. 6
Before he was the first Kelpien to join Starfleet, Saru (Doug Jones) lived a simple life on his home planet of Kaminar with his father and sister. Young Saru, full of ingenuity and a level of curiosity uncommon among his people, yearns to find out what lies beyond his village, leading him on an unexpected path.
Written by Bo Yeon Kim & Erika Lippoldt. Directed by Douglas Aarniokoski.
The Escape Artist – Thursday, Jan. 3
Harry Mudd (Rainn Wilson), back to his old tricks of stealing and double-dealing, finds himself in a precarious position aboard a hostile ship – just in time to try out his latest con.
Written by Michael McMahan. Directed by Rainn Wilson.
So, lots to look forward to then, and with the wait for Discovery‘s second season still quite a long one, these bite-sized outings should no doubt help hold fans over until the premiere in early 2019. An exact date for when the show will be back on the air still hasn’t been announced, but if nothing else, we can take comfort in the fact that there will be plenty of Star Trek content to keep us occupied for the next little while.