Kokomo Tribune Entertainment NOW
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Entertainment Now | June 10 - 16, 2023 By Jay Bobbin TV Media A prequel series in one of sci-fi's most iconic fran- chises is ready to go, boldly, back to the roots of the saga. "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds" begins its 10-episode second season Thursday, June 15, on Paramount+, as it contin- ues the exploits of the starship Enterprise when it was under the command of Capt. Christopher Pike (Anson Mount, "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness," 2022), the predeces- sor of the vessel's legendary lat- er skipper, James T. Kirk (played by "The Vampire Diaries'" Paul Wesley, who reprises the recur- ring role in Season 2). Spun off from another prequel show, "Star Trek: Discovery," "Strange New Worlds" has even more in store for fans: A third season al- ready has been ordered, ahead of the premiere of Season 2. "We have tried to harken back to some of the values and styles of the original series that got those of us who are a little older ignited on our 'Star Trek' jour- neys," explains executive pro- ducer Akiva Goldsman. "In doing so, we've tried to look back and interpolate some parts of the original series that might not have made it to the screen, some things that might have hap- pened just before Jim Kirk took over the Enterprise. And, as such, some familiar faces are finding new life." Mount brought his Pike por- trayal over from "Star Trek: Dis- covery," which also featured Ethan Peck ("In Time," 2011) as Spock and Rebecca Romijn ("X- Men," 2000) as Number One be- fore they made the journey to "Strange New Worlds." Nurse Chapel (played by Jess Bush, "Playing For Keeps") and Ensign Uhura (Celia Rose Gooding, "Broadway Whodunit: Escape From Camp Eerie," 2020) are among other long-familiar char- acters who make their "Strange New Worlds" presence known. The second season of "Strange New Worlds" also includes Carol Kane ("Hunters") in a recurring role. "There was something about 'Star Trek' that was so far off the radar for me," reflects "Hell on Wheels" alum Mount, who also is the character Black Bolt in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. "It wasn't even on my bucket list. I just never thought I would end up captaining the Enterprise. It's insane when you think about it. And every single day I'm on the set — I'm not exaggerating — is both disbelief and a feeling of tremendous gratitude." A particularly intriguing cross- over story is part of Season 2 of "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds," which will merge temporarily with "Star Trek: Lower Decks" ... an animated show. Franchise veteran Jonathan Frakes ("Star Trek: The Next Generation") di- rected that story, which features the voices of Tawny Newsome ("Space Force") and Jack Quaid ("The Boys") in their "Lower Decks" parts — and challenges traditional "Star Trek" boundar- ies by combining live action and animation. Still, Goldsman maintains that he and his staff "are, by nature, people who like coloring books, and we sort of like staying within the lines as much as we can. We're 'Star Trek' fans, so (adher- ing to established) canon is al- most always delightfully chal- lenging, except when it's really a pain in the a—. But within rea- son, we still try to skew as closely to it as possible." "I think anyone who has ever traveled in the world of 'Star Trek' knows they're inheriting canon," adds Goldsman, who also has helped oversee "Discov- ery" and "Picard" among other "Trek" shows. "We have writers on all the staffs that keep track of it. We have a frequent meeting where the showrunners of all the shows get together in advance of the scripts they're about to write as they're starting to break seasons. And they all share ideas and information about what they're doing so that we can stay ahead of any problems that may come up, so we're not stepping on each other's toes." For Romijn, "Star Trek" has become a family affair, since hus- band Jerry O'Connell ("Stand By Me," 1986) voices one of the main characters on "Lower Decks." She appreciates what "Strange New Worlds" enables her to represent, reasoning that "there is a little bit of being a mom, especially of daughters, that plays in. A lot of it, I don't have control over, obviously. I re- ally consider my daughters a lot of the time, because the female characters in this genre are fan- tastic and strong and they ap- peal to my daughters. And if I'm going to be spending time away from them, I want them to be able to see what I'm doing and appreciate it. And they do." Peck (the grandson of screen legend Gregory Peck, who played Atticus Finch in "To Kill a Mockingbird," 1962) similarly likes interpreting Spock in his own way, explaining that he en- joys "the kind of infinite possibil- ities of him and his life. It's a re- ally delicate dance that we're at- tempting, and I think a lot of it is done in the writing. I show up to work and I get a new script, and suddenly I'm faced with some- thing that's totally unfamiliar to me in my work as Spock. So, the sky is kind of the limit, in my opinion … but there definitely are rules." The adventure continues when Season 2 of "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds" premieres on Para- mount+ Thursday, June 15. Ethan Peck in "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds" Boldly going: 'Star Trek' prequel explores 'Strange New Worlds' again 2 | Cover story Grindstone Charlie's 1 x 4" Moore's Home Health 5 x 2"