Revealed: New Star Trek Discovery series will have a female lead... but she won't be the captain
- First show in franchise history not to be told from captain's POV
- Lead will be a human female, though her title is unknown
- Will 'absolutely' have a gay character
- There will be robots, and more aliens than previous series, including new races and ' re-imagining ' of old ones
- Set between events of 2001 series Enterprise and 1960's Original Series
- Will depict an event discussed in Star Trek lore but never explored on the show — possibly the Earth-Romulan War
- May introduce younger versions of characters from the Original Series
It's boldly going where no Star Trek has gone before.
The new series Discovery will have a female lead — but for the first time in the franchise's history, the lead will not be a captain.
Executive producer Bryan Fuller revealed new details about the 13-episode show at a Television Critics Association meeting in Beverly Hills on Wednesday.
Bodly going: Star Trek Discovery Executive Producer Bryan Fuller revealed details of the new series on Wednesday including the fact it will have a female lead, but she won't be the captain
Given that previous Star Trek series were all from the captain's point of view, giving the woman different duties will allow for a new dynamic in both relationships and storytelling, Fuller said, but didn't specify her title.
His disclosures also included that that the story will feature a gay character, there will be robots, and lots more aliens.
The series takes place in an era that bridges the original 1960s Star Trek and Star Trek: Enterprise, the 2001-05 series set about a century before.
But Discovery will be much closer in time to Capt. James T. Kirk's world, so it will be able to play with the design 'iconography' of those spaceships and uniforms, Fuller said.
Iconic look: The new show will be set just before the era of Capt. James T. Kirk's, so it will be able to play with the design 'iconography' of those spaceships and uniforms
This also meant the potential to introduce young versions of familiar characters like Dr. McCoy - but not in season one - and perhaps the inclusion of Amanda Grayson, Spock's mother (played by Winona Ryder on the big-screen).
The show will incorporate an event in Star Trek lore that's been talked about but not explored, one which will allow for a serialized story that takes its protagonist on a journey of self-discovery.
Although Fuller wouldn't say which event, fans speculate it will be the Earth-Romulan War, which lead to the creation of the United Federation of Planets depicted in all later series.
Before the Enterprise: The series takes place in an era that bridges the original 1960s Star Trek and Star Trek: Enterprise (pictured) the 2001-05 series set about a century before
Diverse: The new show will have robots (such as Data from The Next Generation, L) and lots more aliens, but not just the usual 'one person with a bumpy forehead'
He said the aliens will be new and improved, and probably in greater numbers than typical for Star Trek.
'You usually have one person with a bumpy forehead and seven other people who look relatively normal,' Fuller said.
The series will feature both newbies and the re-imagining of familiar aliens; Fuller acknowledged some Trekkies resist change; although Trekkies more than anyone know resistance is futile.
Finally, Fuller said There will 'absolutely' be a gay character.
First: The Star Trek universe already had a female lead in Kate Mulgrew's Kathryn Janeway in Voyager, but has never been shot from a non-captain POV
Take that: Fuller also said the new show will 'absolutely' have a gay character, something he vowed to do in response to hate mail he received following rumours Jeri Ryan's Seven Of Nine (M) was gay
The big screen iteration - which canonically does not always match up with the TV series - recently hit headlines when Mr Sulu was revealed to be gay, a move that was opposed by the most unlikely source in George Takei, the openly gay actor who originally played him.
'I still have in my garage the hate mail that Star Trek: Voyager got because of a rumor that Jeri Ryan's character (named Seven of Nine) was going to be gay,' Fuller, who was a writer on Star Trek Voyager revealed.
He resolved that if he ever did another Star Trek series it would introduce someone who is gay.
Changes: The big screen iteration - which canonically does not always match up with the TV series - recently hit headlines when Mr Sulu (John Cho, R) was revealed to be gay, a move that was opposed by the most unlikely source in George Takei (L), the openly gay actor who originally played him
Casting for the series set aboard the U.S.S. Discovery has yet to be announced.
'We want to arc out the information so you'll get a little information today, you'll get a little more information in October, and we'll keep building the evolution of the 'reveal' as we go,' Fuller concluded.
Star Trek Discovery will premiere on CBS in January 2017, before moving to its permanent home, online video service CBS All Access.
Canon: The show will incorporate an event in Star Trek lore that's been talked about but not explored. Although Fuller wouldn't say which event, fans speculate it will be the Earth-Romulan War (The Enterprise pictured facing the Romulan Scimitar in the 2002 movie Nemesis)
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-3734237/New-Star-Trek-series-lead-A-woman-not-captain.html#ixzz4H6s8GTwQ
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