'Star Trek' Discovery News: Female to Command The Space Ship, Cast, Plot and Spoilers
Captain Kirk's USS Enterprise will temporarily take the sidelines as USS Discovery takes a journey into the cosmos in a television reboot of our beloved Star Trek. The franchise will return with ten episodes to home screens under the new tagline "Star Trek: Discovery this January".
Show producer Bryan Fuller initially withheld few details about the timeline USS Discovery will follow, leaving fans with questions if this is a prequel to Star Trek: Original Series or within parallel timeline. He also gave no details about the mission of USS Discovery, prompting fan debates that hyped up the TV series.
Missions led by female lieutenant
Get Our Latest News for FREE
At any rate, Fuller's tone changed during the Television Critics' Association Press Tour and he revealed that USS Discovery embarks on a mission ten years before The Original Series happened, as earlier guessed based on the ship's registry NCC-1031. Fuller also disclosed that USS Discovery missions are led by a female Lieutenant Commander, a rank that is synonymous to Captain.
As for the ship itself, USS Discovery will look very similar to the famous USS Enterprise, but the only difference is casting more alien race in the interior.
Another information that Fuller disclosed is the plot of the series that will diverge from the Romulan Federation conflicts which was prominent in the previous TV versions. Presumably, Discovery is a totally different Star Trek atmosphere, although Fuller is quick to say that there are considerations about the inclusion of TOS casts like Captain Spock.
Fuller then closed the press tour by saying that he is not allowed to reveal too much information, especially when leading to the series plot itself.
Coming of a gay character
Meanwhile, another unexpected twist to the Star Trek: Discovery plot is the inclusion of a gay character. Fuller, who is openly-gay, said that the show will serve as a platform for advocacy on fair rights regardless of sexual preference. This idea wasn't a surprise since the showrunner has been floating it during the San Diego Comic-Con when Fuller served as a moderator for Star Trek's 50th year panel.
Now for CBS' part, president Glenn Geller repeatedly said that the network needs to do better in showcasing diversity in television shows. This is because media giants are also subject to gender sensitivity issues. He called Discovery a timely addition since the network is criticized for the heavy casting of white stars and little "color" diversity. The casting of a female leader is also indicative of CBS' amenability to adopt to the audience's taste, Geller added.
