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Classic Stories and New Frontiers with Bob Picardo

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April 24, 2017

The first time Bob Picardo and I met, I interviewed him about his interest in fan productions. This time, I had the good fortune of moderating Bob at last month’s Fan Expos Toronto Comic-Con and the experience was even more fun than our first encounter.

In front of an audience, Bob demonstrated his urbanely funny wit and his fearlessness in poking fun at himself. It was an hour of reflection into the personal history of a talented performer who has entertained his legions of fans, and I was having a great time asking the questions, touching on the various aspects of his past that manifested in Picardo’s role as The Doctor in Star Trek: Voyager.

I joined Picardo on-stage in Toronto for his fan panel last month.

His origin story: Bob studied pre-med at Yale University. His hobby was performing on stage, but then he was in a production that got a lot of attention and forced him to make a decision about his future. A young conductor at the time – John Mauceri – received the first non-professional rights to one of Leonard Bernstein’s shows “The Mass.”

It was at Yale where Bernstein titled Bob with the honorific, “The Great Picardo” and asked him about his performing future. Picardo replied that he was going to be a doctor, to Bernstein’s surprise.

He told me that I had such great natural energy on stage and I said to him: ‘would you tell my mother?’ And at the opening night party, Leonard Bernstein told my mother that he thought that I should be in show business!

And that’s what sprung me out of pre-med, folks!

Picardo’s musical predilections have been hinted at on Voyager, as any loyal fan can attest, but he’s also created a number of albums and even performed an old-style variety show on this year’s Star Trek: The Cruise that included patter and musical numbers that was well-received by the fans on board.

I have an old friend who performs on cruises. I think we open the act with singing the lyrics to the original ‘Star Trek’ theme.

Not many people know that Gene Roddenberry actually wrote lyrics to the theme – which is good, because they stink! (laughter) So we wrote a show and it went over so well that they booked us for the next two cruises!

Picardo has a talent for dry comedy. His delivery is very smooth and his transitions about events from his past easily blend into the next. This wasn’t a panel; this was an intimate conversation shared by almost four hundred people. I asked Bob to bring us back to his audition for The Doctor.

I was in tech week for a play I was in. My agent had sent me a script to read for Voyager and asked me to do the audition. I told him that I couldn’t do the pilot because I was in the middle of performance and he said ‘don’t tell them that!’

Agents – they’re really great for teaching you how to lie. I went and auditioned, and I read the script and it said: a computer program of a doctor – a hologram, colourless and humourless. Didn’t that just sound like a bucketful of fun?

I actually wanted to read Neelix instead! However, then I found out about the three and a half hours of make-up and I didn’t know that my competition was my dear old friend, Ethan Phillips!

Picardo went on to describe the audition.

So after I read Neelix, they called my agent and said that they wanted me back to try the for the part they originally wanted me to read- the Doctor. I knew they wanted someone funny, but I couldn’t see how this character could be funny.

So I did something you never do for a Star Trek audition – I ad-libbed. I scanned the casting director with a medical tricorder and said ‘your injuries are not serious; you can return to Casting.’ I broke the fourth wall and everyone cracked up.

Then, the last line in the script was preceded by the direction that everyone had left Sickbay and failed to terminate my program. So I turned to all the people – there are about eighteen people in the room – and with a deadpan look said ‘I’m a doctor, not a night-light.’

When I met De Kelley I told him that I didn’t know I was paying homage to his character. He replied to me: ‘Ah, you mean you steal from me!’

I asked Bob what Star Trek had brought him.

It’s brought me this – it’s given me loyal ‘Star Trek’ fans who love to watch me perform in other things; a legacy of fans who are happy to see me wherever I show up. I love to travel and I get to go to all sorts of places and meet great people.

But it’s brought me a signature role, which is something that every actor wants to have. I have reached a global audience and I don’t think I could have had that without ‘Star Trek.’ It’s an honour and I’ll forever be grateful.

We turned our attention to new areas Bob was exploring, namely The Planetary Society. It was strangely appropriate that Bob should find himself involved in promoting a scientific organization after leaving the study of science at Yale. His acting had brought him full circle. We talked a little about The Planetary Society.

What I didn’t expect from ‘Star Trek’ is the opportunity it has allowed me to meet real people in science fields that are doing all the things we pretend to do on ‘Star Trek’: science, technology, exploration.

I’ve sat on stage with five people who actually walked on the moon; I sat in the control center of the Mars Rovers – I hang out with these guys – Mohawk Guy (Bobak Ferdowsi). I was a biology major – I love science.

I can’t honestly say I was a space enthusiast, but now we have all this possible evidence of microbial life on Mars, or what’s going on Europa, or the four planets that are in the ideal conditions for life.

I’m proud that I’ve been associated with the world’s leading non-profit space advocacy organization started by Carl Sagan – The Planetary Society for twenty years.

Led by Bill Nye and featured prominent scientists like Neil DeGrasse-Tyson, The Planetary Society aims to bring news of staggering space and other relevant scientific discoveries to the forefront of the public eye.

I’m the least credentialed person at that table and I’m just impressed that I’m there! My mission is to inform sci-fi fans like you guys about this organization, to bring you into the real science fold.

In fact, I put out a monthly video post called The Planetary Post, which you can subscribe to for free. My guest star this month is a guy called Tim Russ.

Tim is an avid astronomer and he goes to the Griffith Observatory once a month to take part in the astronomy gathering there called ‘Star Party Nights’. We do a bit of a comedy bit there for the video. I hope that you guys are willing to support science because it needs your help right now!

We were approaching the end of the panel and talked about Bob’s latest stage performance, co-starring Doctor Who alumnus Sylvester McCoy.

Yes – along with Richard Oliver, Sylvester and I will be performing in a play called A Joke at the Edinburgh Theatre Festival in Scotland. The whole town is taken over by actors! Every minute of the day!

It’s a new play about an Englishman, a Scotsman and an Irishman and believe it or not, I’m the Scotsman! It’s a real treat and if you follow me on Twitter – and I KNOW YOU DO – you’ll be able to see cartoons of the play and see some of the humour there.

As loyal Star Trek fans, we all know the Doctor. But this particular evening at Toronto’s Comic-Con was a chance to meet Bob Picardo and get to know him better. The audience peppered him with more questions on space, his relationship with other film professionals and previous roles.

While the Doctor may have conquered space — the final frontier — it was good to see the other frontiers, like music, comedy and space advocacy that Bob Picardo now currently explores and that he invites you to explore with him.

Just make sure that you keep his program running.

Quinto Hopeful for TREK 4, But ‘No Guarantees’ for Sequel

TrekCore Staff

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April 22, 2017

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Quinto Hopeful for TREK 4, But ‘No Guarantees’ for Sequel

Kelvin Timeline actor Zachary Quinto hit the media circuit this week promoting the release of his new film Aardvark, where he was asked about the status of the yet-unnamed Star Trek 4 sequel announced by Paramount last summer.

ROKER: “Any insight as to what’s coming up [with ‘Star Trek’]?”

QUINTO: “I don’t know, Al – we’re waiting. I know they were working on a script for another [film], and we’ll see how that all plays out.

But the nice thing about that experience is that the timing between those big tentpole films allows us to go out an cultivate a lot of different creative experiences for ourselves. Being back on stage, doing independent films, and things like that that I love that I’m able to do.

So, I’m hopeful that we’ll do another one, but there’s no guarantees.”

It’s been several months since we heard anything about the supposedly-planned sequel; Trek actors Chris Pine and Zoe Saldana both expressed their desire to return to the series, and Thor actor Chris Hemsworth – who appeared in the 2009 film as George Kirk – spoke to MTV News about the “amazing pitch” for the fourth film in January.

Pine also expressed his lack of knowledge about Trek 4 several weeks ago at the annual Cinema-Con movie theater owner trade event, indicating that he’s “the last to know” about when the films move forward to production.

PINE: “I am literally one of the last people to find out — costume designers find out before me; prop people find out before me.

I can’t wait to make the film. I love everyone in the film, you know that. I love the world and will be back as many times as they ask me. I love the tall man they call Thor.

I’ll do this film. If you can talk to J.J. [Abrams] for me, let him tell me – I’d like to find out so I can plan my life!”

As of yet, however, there’s been no further word on the status of the Kelvin Timeline from Paramount Pictures.

Trek Comics Review: “Boldly Go #7”

John Kirk

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April 14, 2017

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If you were looking for one word to describe the nature of Star Trek: Boldly Go #7, it would have to be “frantic.”

I mean, IDW’s production staff must have been working at warp speed to get this issue out a week after the last one, and I found the pace of this book to be fairly rushed, and you can see it in the dialogue and the transitions. It really had an influence on the book.

The story so far: the Borg are the real threat in the quadrant and the combined action with the Romulans offers the promise of peace with them. The Endeavour is slated to pick up diplomatic delegates to meet at a planet designated Babel for a peace conference to discuss an alliance to defend against future possible offensive actions.

During this time, the Endeavour has a group of cadets on board, to assist in the capacity of diplomatic aides at the conference: the cast of last year’s Starfleet Academy series, along with Star Trek Beyond’s newest recruit, Jaylah. In short, the conference does not go off as planned, and even Kirk’s captured Romulan first officer is present… though not in the role that Kirk would have preferred.

The initial re-introduction to the cadets happens very fast, assuming readers have already read the Academy miniseries. Scotty addresses them; Kirk arrives to greet them and Jaylah is briefly reunited with him. They also meet the disapproving Andorian Ambassador – one of the delegates to Babel, and father to one of the cadets. In three pages, we see three subplots quickly set up that all have bearing on the main storyline in this book. it’s quite a feat of story-structuring by Mike Johnson and Ryan Parrott.

It’s a lot to for the dialogue to carry. The dialogue around these events is pretty choppy and brief. Cadet Shev’s father clearly disapproves of his son’s role in Starfleet, but the underlying problem with this is then why is he there in the first place? This was a little more complicated a subplot than the dialogue allowed for, and I feel that it needed more attention than a dismissive and curt admonition to not embarrass his family.

The setting was a combination throwback to both “Journey to Babel” and Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country. While this can be considered a salute to these worthy Trek presentations, it was also a bit expected. To be fair though, if anyone were to think of a diplomatic setting for a Trek story, then Babel would clearly be the first thought. However, I found that the main plot seemed very similar to Undiscovered Country, particularly with the similarity between Chancellor Gorkon and the Romulan Ambassador.

This issue is literally crammed with events. It felt like there was a lot to happen in this story, but there had been a lesser amount of issues allocated for the story arc. That’s just my opinion, but that’s what it felt like to me.

With so much going on in this book, it must have been difficult to keep track of everything. I found a slight editing error. The new communications officer’s name was misspelled from the last time we met him. Is it Lieutenant Murica, or Murcia? While this is a minor issue, it also adds credence to the hurried nature of this issue. It’s almost as if this book had to get out this week for some scheduling reason.

I was also introduced to a new artist: Megan Levens. I’m not familiar with her work, but on first glance, I found it a little too cartoony. Don’t get me wrong – it’s not that I didn’t like it; but a property like Star Trek has a certain gravitas to it and the art needs to be less informal.

I don’t know if that makes sense but I feel that when you are dealing with characters referenced from film, likenesses and exact dimensions need to be applied. Perhaps I’m being too fanboy-reverential or spoiled by Tony Shasteen’s incredible work, but the art seemed very whimsical and carefree, and not within the character of the franchise. Even the Romulan Ambassador’s facial expressions seemed out of place for the situation. I’d venture the opinion that it wasn’t the art for this book.

Looking at the covers, I also have to admit that I wasn’t overly impressed with the diversity of choices for this book.

The only notable exception was Cryssy Cheung’s work on the ‘B’ retailer-incentive cover (above, far right); what a shame that it will be only published in limited quantities. A stunning portrayal of Zoe Saldana’s Uhura, this is by far the best cover out of the four choices IDW has provided for us.

George Caltsoudas’s regular cover is a fairly unexciting one of Kirk and Spock, flanked by cadets in the background. I describe Caltsoudas’s style as art deco, though in my limited art appreciation, I may be slightly inaccurate. Still, there is a very definitive flavour to his work that is extremely personalized and recognizable.

The subscription cover by Garry Brown is a little rough and undefined. I find it to be somewhat rushed – strangely in tempo with the nature of this issue, ironically, – though possessing of a dramatic flair.

The ‘A’ retailer-incentive is simply a photo of Zachary Quinto’s Spock and really has no place on a comic cover.

All in all, it was a passable issue that had a tremendous amount of story events and background plots but I couldn’t help but get the sense that it was rushed and had a sense of imperativeness in its execution — and I can say that I am eagerly looking forward to Tony Shasteen’s return to this title.

Hopefully the next issue will slow down a bit and return to its usual level of excellence.

REVIEW: Deep Space Nine – “The Long Mirage”

Rich Schepis

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April 12, 2017

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REVIEW: Deep Space Nine – “The Long Mirage”

More than two years have passed since the destruction of the original Deep Space 9.

In that time, a brand-new, state-of-the-art starbase has replaced it, commanded by Captain Ro Laren, still the crew and residents of the former station continue to experience the repercussions of its loss.

For instance: Quark continues his search for Morn, as the Lurian—his best customer and friend—left Bajor without a word and never returned. Quark enlists a private detective to track Morn down, and she claims to be hot on his trail. Yet the barkeep distrusts the woman he hired, and his suspicions skyrocket when she too suddenly vanishes.

At the same time, Kira Nerys emerges from a wormhole after being caught inside it when it collapsed two years earlier. She arrives on the new DS9 to discover Altek Dans already there.

While inside the Celestial Temple, Kira lived a different life in Bajor’s past, where she fell in love with Altek. So why have the Prophets moved him forward in time…and why have They brought him and Kira together?

Scorecards might be needed for readers to keep track of everything that is happening as David R. George III over-stuffs his latest Deep Space Nine novel, The Long Mirage.

The ongoing, serialized adventures of post-television Star Trek continues as Vedek Kira returns, Nog searches for Vic, Quark for Morn and Captain Ro for meaning in her life.

Clocking in at 386 pages, The Long Mirage is not a light read. George seemed to have a checklist of items he needed to include in the novel to catch readers up on the whereabouts of their favorite DS9 characters.

It’s been almost a year since the last DS9 novel — as Pocket Books mainly focused on the Original Series during last year’s jubilee celebration — and the book can be overwhelming and confusing at times with the amount of characters the novel touches on. In this sense, the book very much reads like one of DS9’s later season episodes, especially when the crew was separated during the Dominion War.

Readers who have been reading the DS9 books since the beginning of the post-series saga will no doubt enjoy The Long Mirage. Vedek Kira returns from the Bajoran wormhole after being trapped within… only to discover the man she loved as another person in Bajor’s past is alive and well at the station. it turns out that he’s developed a relationship with Captain Ro, leading to a very awkward moment when the Vedek arrived at Ro’s quarters.

Meanwhile, the station’s resident Ferengi are starring in an episode of Leonard Nimoy’s In Search Of… as Quark continues to look for Morn, who disappeared after the destruction of the original station – all while Nog makes an exodus into the holodeck in an attempt to once again fix Vic Fontaine’s program before his holo-friend is lost for good.

Juggling so many characters and story threads can be a difficult task, and George has demonstrated that he’s more than up to the challenge. With so much going on, the author does a terrific job with pacing the story, allowing characters — as well as readers — the time needed to breathe and reflect.

Ro Laren, the Bajoran captain of DS9 has always been an enigma to fans: originally written into The Next Generation to serve as a bridge between the two series, Michelle Forbes passed on the opportunity to reprise her role as a full-time cast member when DS9 was being cast, and it’s fascinating to see how those real-life decisions appeared to mirror those of the character.

Nog’s quest is also of interest as he once again attempts to help Vic, who may very well have replaced Jake Sisko as the Ferengi’s best friend. Nog’s relationship with the sentient hologram – much like Voyager’s EMH – is fascinating. The station’s science officier, John Candlewood, provides a perfect foil to Nog’s search, grounding the story for readers who might not understand Nog’s attachment to the fictional character (as if they are all not fictional characters).

Overflowing with story, Ro and Nog’s journeys throughout the book are the most interesting — save perhaps for Kira’s return, and the continuing aftereffects of her decision to upload the Ohalu prophecies for all of Bajor to read (all the way back in 2003’s Avatar).

Her determination to let the people of Bajor decide for themselves the validity of the religious documents has had serious ramification on the Prophets’ faithful, and this story itself deserves its own novel to explore these all ideas.

The Long Mirage is an enjoyable next chapter in the DS9 saga, and is perfect for readers who watched the show and have followed the new adventures since its relaunch — though new readers looking to get reacquainted with the characters or who have just discovered them through digital streaming will most likely be more than a little lost if this is their first foray into Deep Space Nine‘s print afterlife.

Luckily, a scorecard won’t need player numbers for readers to figure out who’s who.

RUMOR CONTROL: Don’t Count on Dorn in DISCOVERY

TrekCore Staff

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April 11, 2017

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RUMOR CONTROL: Don’t Count on Dorn in DISCOVERY

Entertainment news site SciFi Pulse reported what seemed like an exciting development from Star Trek: The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine actor Michael Dorn today – that the former Klingon would return to the Trek fold as an ancestor of Worf in this year’s Star Trek: Discovery series:

Dorn [said] that Trek fans would in fact get to see him appear as a guest star in the upcoming Star Trek: Discovery, as a Klingon ancestor of Lt. Commander Worf.

Well, after sparking some attention on social media this afternoon, it turns out that report isn’t accurate: TrekCore confirmed with Dorn’s publicist this evening that a statement made by the actor at a public event held in Orlando this weekend had been misquoted, and there are no current plans for Dorn to appear in the series.

While Dorn appears to be out of the running, fans have continued to speculate whether any former Star Trek cast member will appear in Discovery‘s pilot episode, continuing the now-ongoing tradition carried through the four previous spin-off series.

The Next Generation bridged the divide with possible Original Series hold-outs when DeForest Kelley appeared as Admiral McCoy in “Encounter at Farpoint,” and each successive series launch included a similar crossover role.

Patrick Stewart appeared as Captain Picard (and Locutus of Borg) in Deep Space Nine’s “Emissary,” Quark (Armin Shimerman) tried to swindle young Harry Kim in Voyager‘s “Caretaker,” and Star Trek: First Contact star James Cromwell appeared in an archival video as the father of warp drive – Zefram Cochrane – in “Broken Bow,” the pilot of Star Trek: Enterprise.

As of yet there’s been no indication of any crossover appearance planned, but our hope is that tradition continues in some form when Star Trek: Discovery arrives this fall.

Trek Comics Review: “Boldly Go #6”

John Kirk

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April 6, 2017

7

Mike Johnson and Ryan Parrott combine their literary talents to bring us this next installment of the ongoing saga of the crew of the USS Endeavour under the command of Captain James T. Kirk.

As Boldly Go #6 begins, we see the Endeavour holding station at Starbase K-4 after the battle with the Borg; repairs are effected, casualties transferred and crew assignments are re-organized. Kirk offers the First Officer’s position to Mr. Sulu while Spock and Uhura have returned to Vulcan.

We are also introduced to some completely new characters and Kirk plans to retrieve Commander Valas, the former Romulan first officer of the Endeavour from her captors back on Romulus.

Romulan first officers, different starship and brand new crew members – sounds like completely unconventional Trek, doesn’t it?

Of course, it does – that’s the point. When working on an iconic franchise like Star Trek, sometimes the only way to make a story stand out is to put an unfamiliar and uncomfortable twist on it. New characters, new assignments and even a new ship all work together to make this issue really stand out as Star Trek that fans haven’t seen before.

Of course, that also has the effect of making the story really belong to Parrott and Johnson. The inclusion of Science Officer Ellix, Lieutenant Darwin and the enigmatic Lieutenant Murica is their own contribution to the Trek Universe; well, at the very least, to the Kelvin Timeline.

There is, however, a bit of a rushed pace to this story. It’s clearly a bit of a transition issue in which the characters are established in their various positions and locations while minor event occurs that sets the readers up for a major arc that is yet to occur. There is a lot happening in this issue that, in my humble opinion, seems could have been stretched out a bit. Still, a lot happening means that the reader does not suffer from a lack of boredom.

But the Kelvin Timeline offers writers like Johnson and Parrott the chance to push themselves to the limit. The exploration of this alternative universe is the perfect playground for writers of Trek to push their creativity to the limit and create a story that not only reflects new perspectives of this alternative Star Trek but also reflect parts of their own personalities.

For example, it’s easy to recognize Johnson’s skill with meaningful character dialogue in the exchange between Kirk and Sulu in the aftermath of the Borg’s abduction of Sulu’s family. I particularly enjoyed the brief respectful moment between Hikaru Sulu and his former commanding officer, Captain Terrell. In this reality, Terrell seems to fare a bit better.

Unfortunately, the art doesn’t fare as well. Perhaps it’s a factor of being spoiled by the amazing art of Tony Shasteen or J.K. Woodward and their precision and attention to detail, but for me the art from Chris Mooneyham seemed somewhat rushed and not as polished as I’ve grown accustomed to on this book.

If there’s anything that Shasteen does well, it’s capture likenesses and expressions. In fact, in a conversation I had with J.K. Woodward, he expressed how easy Shasteen makes it look, but in any event, there is a definite absence of expression and detail in this issue and these are things that I have come to expect when I read this book.

Speaking of art, we turn our attention to the variety of covers that IDW is known for when releasing a book.

The regular cover is a fanciful design by George Caltsoudas in which we see our favourite ship’s surgeon, Dr. Leonard McCoy indulging in a bit of the night-life. Caltsoudas’s art has a somewhat art deco appeal which gives the cover somewhat of a flair.

The subscription cover is by Tony Shasteen and definitely exemplifies what I was mentioning earlier. This is another of his crew assignment covers and this time features Hikaru Sulu and his assignment posting to the USS Miranda. With respect to the detail he is known for, what’s really cool about this image is that he even catches John Cho’s hair style.

His natural pompadour is certainly recognizable and Shasteen manages to capture that to make the likeness instantly recognizable and accurate. This certainly has to be my favourite cover out of the four.

The retailer incentive “A” cover is another photo cover, this time featuring Simon Pegg as Montgomery Scott. I wish someone would explain the appeal of a photo on a comic cover to me because I honestly don’t get it. It must be a collector’s thing…

Retailer incentive “B” cover is another of Marc Laming’s cut-out dolls. Featuring Mr. Scott once more (along with his pint-sized alien accomplice), this is a fun cover that definitely is attention-getting. Complete with a leather jacket, equipped devices and another accomplice, this is a fun cover to collect.

Unconventionality is the name of the game when it comes to this book. Johnson and Parrott have made their own impression on the Trek universe and it’s a great story to follow.

The Kelvin Timeline is a new frontier for this franchise and there’s a lot to encounter and discover… and isn’t that what Star Trek is about?

Martin-Green Talks DISCOVERY Casting, New Perspectives

TrekCore Staff

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April 5, 2017

206

After finally being named by CBS to lead Star Trek: Discovery this fall, actress Sonequa Martin-Green has shared her thoughts on her role of Michael Burnham, and joining the Star Trek franchise across several new interviews arriving this week.

Speaking with Vulture‘s E. Alex Jung, Martin-Green spoke at length about leaving The Walking Dead, and her personal relationship with Trek:

I’m used to being on a show that reaches a lot of people in such a huge way, and it’s definitely one of those things that you hope for and dream about. So [like being on ‘The Walking Dead’], I have experienced it before.

I mean, the ‘Star Trek’ universe is so vast. There’s a lot of it I still have to catch up on, and a lot of new experiences even with what I already have under my belt as well.

I love the original series. It’s my favorite out of all of them, and I just love the dynamic between Kirk and Spock. All the characters on the show had rich relationships. I found myself just keeping it on in the background when I was doing a lot of my work when I first started.

SMG, LLAP: Martin-Green flashes the Vulcan salute on ‘Talking Dead.’ (AMC)

She also shared thoughts on the new role with The Hollywood Reporter’s Lesley Goldberg on Monday, where Martin-Green commented on the timing of leaving The Walking Dead and signing up for Star Trek.

‘Star Trek’ was nowhere in the picture [when I learned I was leaving ‘The Walking Dead’]… Star Trek came way later, after this was all said and done. We were shooting the [‘Walking Dead’] finale before the opportunity for ‘Star Trek’ came about.

There was a little time [off between the two shows], but not too much! It was pretty back-to-back. There were the holidays, which were nice. There were definitely the holidays to sit and think a little bit about it.

On how her ‘Michael Burnham’ character brings a different angle to Discovery:

Being the first officer on the ship [as the lead character] is going to be a wild ride because we haven’t seen that happen before in the ‘Star Trek’ canon, we haven’t seen the story be told from the perspective of the first officer rather than the captain.

It’s going to open up so much potential for new storylines because not being the captain automatically gives you a different perspective.

It’s going to be a wild ride and everybody on board — in front of the camera and behind — I’ve been floored by the performances on ‘The Walking Dead’ from the beginning and I’m going to be astounded again by the people we’ve got assembled on ‘Star Trek.’ I’m really excited.

Lastly, the actress spent time discussing the new position with TV Line‘s Charlie Mason, as well as the pressure that comes with being the lead on a Star Trek series with the franchise’s lengthy history.

There’s definitely a lot of responsibility to being the lead of any show, and obviously to be the lead of this, [an offshoot of] one of the most popular, if not the most popular, television series of all-time… you can certainly get lost in it if you allow yourself to, and just sort of be frozen.

[I’m] swimming with the gratitude of it, and that’s carrying me through. I’m still blinking to see, ‘Is this real? Oh my goodness.’ But I hope that I can bear the weight, if you will, of this legacy and of this story, because I certainly want to do it justice.

She also added some additional thoughts to the tone of the series, in line with several past statements from those involved in Discovery pre-production.

This iteration of ‘Star Trek’ is going to have a different take than the others in the Star Trek canon. It’s going to be bigger, rawer and grittier… and the story’s going to build on itself. It’s going to be a tremendous journey.

We look forward to learning more about the show – and Michael Burnham – as we approach Star Trek: Discovery‘s debut later this year.

REVIEW: “Star Trek Cats”

Jim Moorhouse

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April 4, 2017

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You know exactly what to expect when you pick up a book titled Star Trek Cats. Lots of Star Trek — and lots of cats!

No matter how much you expect to find regarding either of those two worthy subjects, you’ll get even more in this tight, new 64-page hardcover from Chronicle Books.

Featuring big, bold artistic interpretations of many a famous Star Trek scene, except with, well, uh, cats, the book is rewarding for both an episode-quoting Trekkie and your favorite crazy cat lover. And if you happen to be both of those things, it’s most certainly an item you will want to add to your collection.

Created by artist Jenny Parks with confidence and panache, the books drawings are vibrant and detailed, with a surprising layer of screen-accurate authenticity. From Spock’s wool cap covering his pointy (and fluffy) ears in “The City on the Edge of Forever” to a close-up of Scotty working the transporter controls with his paws, Parks’ art is extremely rewarding in unexpected ways.

With text pulled straight from 17 different Original Series episodes featured in the book, the deep Star Trek knowledge hidden in its pages is extensive.

“Captain, although your abilities intrigue me, you are quite honestly inferior,” says Khan Cat to Kirk, portrayed as a tough orange tabby cat in a scene from “Space Seed.” And from “Charlie X,” in much the same vein, the lean black-and-white cat portraying Spock tells Kirk “Your illogical approach to chess does have its advantages on occasion, Captain.”

And there is nothing better than seeing Scotty portrayed as a Scottish Fold (natch!), especially when the cat’s fluffy rump and tail is all you can see climbing into a Jefferies Tube to get to work.

Those types of hidden gems seem to never end: a kitty napping on a pile of tribbles, Spock paw-melding with a Horta, and scruffy ol’ Bones proclaiming, “I’m not a magician, Spock, just an old country doctor,” as he tries to catch a flashing triangle dancing up-and-down on the biobed readout in sickbay. Good kitty!

And don’t look now, but there’s alley cat Cyrano Jones with a front row seat for the impending catfight between Scotty and Korax: “Laddie, don’t you think you should…rephrase that?”

Some of the other episodes featured include “The Gamesters of Triskelion” (don’t touch the green section, kitty!), “The Naked Time” (a foil, but no foil ball), and “Arena” (I weary of the ‘cat-and-mouse’ chase).

And for dog lovers, there’s a quick cameo from Spock’s unicorn dog, albeit getting some serious side-eye monitoring on the surface of Alfa 177 from the all black shorthaired cat portraying Sulu.

Any list of favorites from the scores of pictures in the publication will likely include the amazing image of the entire bridge crew struggling to maintain their balance as the ship ‘shakes’ from a phaser blast. It’s yet another winner among a bevy of special images.

Star Trek Cats is way more fun and interesting than it has any right to be. It not only makes a great coffee table book, but also a great gift for friends and family. From the deep cut Trek knowledge to the big bold drawings from Jenny Parks, the book is an absolute steal at its sub-$15 price point.

Live long and pros-purr, indeed!

It’s (Finally) Official: Sonequa Martin-Green Announced as DISCOVERY’s ‘Michael Burnham’

TrekCore Staff

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April 3, 2017

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After months of third-party reporting – as well as some social media photography from March – CBS has finally, officially announced the casting of Sonequa Martin-Green as the lead in Star Trek: Discovery, taking on the central role of First Officer Michael Burnham, per StarTrek.com today (and not the previously-rumored “Lt. Commander Rainsford,” as some other outlets have previously reported).

The long-delayed “reveal” of Martin-Green’s involvement coincides with her departure from AMC’s The Walking Dead, where – spoilers! – her character Sasha met her fate in this past Sunday’s season finale episode.

We’re looking forward to learning more about the character as production continues!

Takei Partners with IDW Publishing for Graphic Novel

Comics
News

TrekCore Staff

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April 1, 2017

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Longtime Star Trek comic publisher IDW announced today a partnership with Trek icon George Takei, to develop a forthcoming graphic novel based upon his family’s time in the infamous Japanese-American internment camps of the 1940s.

Takei has been a longtime, outspoken critic of the camps, and has spoken publicly on many occasions about his experiences; the actor also recently completed a run in Allegiance, a Broadway musical centered around similar themes.

Graphic Novel To Tell The True Story of the Japanese American Internment Camps Through The Lens of the Star Trek Actor/Activist

San Diego, CA (March 31, 2017) – Pop culture icon and man of the people, George Takei, has signed a book publishing deal with IDW Publishing. Together, they will produce a graphic novel, developed under Takei’s guidance, re-examining the Japanese American internment camps during WWII through his family’s firsthand experience.

Perhaps best known for his beloved role as Hikaru Sulu in the original Star Trek television and movie series, Takei was only five years old when President Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066 shortly after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, authorizing the internment of Japanese Americans. As a result, 120,000 innocent citizens, including Takei and his family, were rounded up without any charges or due process—they were guilty of nothing but looking like the people who bombed Pearl Harbor.

This graphic novel will explore these events through the eyes of young George, and how this shaped him to become the humanitarian he is today; a proud American and a vocal activist against intolerance in all its forms, lending his influential voice to the voiceless.

“I have spoken publicly on numerous occasions during my life on the unjust internment of Japanese Americans in my ongoing mission of spreading awareness of this disgraceful chapter of American history,” said Takei. “I do this, and will continue to do so, in the hope that my personal experience can serve as a cautionary reminder of our past leaders’ mistakes, and that as a society, we can learn from those transgressions and not repeat them.

When the opportunity to tell my story in the form of a graphic novel presented itself, I recognized the value in making it easily accessible for our youth to discover and digest the material, bringing attention to an important and relevant issue, while preserving it for generations to come.

We live in uncertain times, and if stories such as mine can inspire us to do better and encourage positive change, I want to share it with as many people as possible, no matter who they are, or where they come from.”

Acting as narrator, Takei guides readers through memories of his family’s confinement within the internment camps, the aftermath of starting over with nothing after their release, his rise to stardom as helmsman of the USS Enterprise on Star Trek, and how these life-changing events led him down his chosen path of activism and championing human rights.

Justin Eisinger and Steven Scott (IDW’s Senior Book Editor and PR Manager, respectively) will handle scripting duties with an artist to be named at a later date. The as-of-yet untitled graphic novel will be released in 2018.

We look forward to next year’s graphic novel when it’s ready for release!

Graphic Novel To Tell The True Story of the Japanese American Internment Camps Through The Lens of the Star Trek Actor/Activist