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Star Trek: Discovery

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Star Trek: Discovery is the seventh series set in the Star Trek universe. Created by Bryan Fuller and Alex Kurtzman , Discovery was originally set roughly a decade before Star Trek: The Original Series , set primarily aboard the starship USS Discovery , before jumping from the 23rd century to the 32nd century .

The series was announced by StarTrek.com on 2 November 2015 . According to the press release, " The brand-new Star Trek will introduce new characters seeking imaginative new worlds and new civilizations, while exploring the dramatic contemporary themes that have been a signature of the franchise since its inception in 1966 . " [1]

It is produced by CBS Studios and Secret Hideout ; the executive producers are Fuller, Kurtzman, and Heather Kadin .

The first series to be developed for the CBS All Access subscription platform, it began airing on 24 September 2017 , with a preview broadcast of the premiere episode, " The Vulcan Hello ", on the CBS network ; the second episode being released on All Access on the same day. In the US, subsequent episodes were released exclusive to CBS All Access. The first season ran for a complete fifteen episodes, being released on successive Sundays, finishing on 11 February 2018 , with a mid-season break between November and January. [2] [3] The second season ran for fourteen episodes, between 17 January 2019 and 18 April 2019 , again released via CBS All Access, this time on successive Thursdays. The third season ran for thirteen episodes, also on Thursdays, from 15 October 2020 to 7 January 2021 .

Outside the US, the series was available on Netflix from 25 September 2017 and ending on 16 November 2021 , except in Canada, where Space and Z carry the series in English and French, respectively. The series was slated to begin a global rollout on Paramount+ in 2022. [4] However, on 24 November 2021 , it was announced that the program would instead release beginning on 26 November 2021 with the first two episodes in all markets where Paramount+ is currently available, with new episodes releasing weekly. In those markets still without the service, it will be made available on the free ad-supported streaming service Pluto TV on the same timetable. [5]

CBS aired the first season of Discovery on terrestrial broadcast, beginning on 24 September 2020 , exactly three years after " The Vulcan Hello " first aired. [6]

Discovery was the first official Star Trek live-action production the former franchise owner, Paramount Pictures , neither owned nor was involved with on any level (although since Viacom and CBS re-merged to form ViacomCBS in 2019 , Star Trek television is once again under the same corporate umbrella as Paramount – a distinction made even less significant after ViacomCBS rebranded itself as Paramount Global in February 2022 ).

On 2 March 2023 , it was announced that the series' fifth season would be Discovery 's last and will air in 2024 . [7] [8]

• 1.1 Special guest star
• 1.2.1 32nd century
• 1.2.2 23rd century
• 2.1 Season 1
• 2.2 Season 2
• 2.3 Season 3
• 2.4 Season 4
• 2.5 Season 5
• 3.1 Writing
• 3.4 Casting
• 3.5 Participation interest
• 3.6.1 Tie-ins
• 3.6.2 Products
• 4 Reactions
• 5 Related topics
• 7 External links
• Sonequa Martin-Green as Michael Burnham
• Doug Jones as Saru
• Anthony Rapp as Paul Stamets
• Mary Wiseman as Sylvia Tilly
• Wilson Cruz as Hugh Culber (2019–)
• Shazad Latif as Ash Tyler (2017–2019)
• Rachael Ancheril as D. Nhan (2020)
• Blu del Barrio as Adira Tal (2021–2024)
• Tig Notaro as Jett Reno (2021–2024)
• Callum Keith Rennie as Rayner (2024)
• Jason Isaacs as Gabriel Lorca (2017–2018)
• Anson Mount as Christopher Pike (2019)
• David Ajala as Cleveland Booker (2020–2024)

Special guest star

• Michelle Yeoh as Philippa Georgiou / Philippa Georgiou (mirror) (2017–2020)

Recurring characters

32nd century.

• Ian Alexander as Gray Tal
• Andreas Apergis as Xi
• Noah Averbach-Katz as Ryn
• Avaah Blackwell as Ina
• David Cronenberg as Kovich
• Orville Cummings as Christopher
• Luca Doulgeris as Leto
• Shawn Doyle as Ruon Tarka
• Oded Fehr as Charles Vance
• Rothaford Gray as Tareckx
• Eve Harlow as Moll
• Ache Hernandez as Kyheem
• Chelah Horsdal as Laira Rillak
• Vanessa Jackson as Audrey Willa
• Hiro Kanagawa as Dr. Hirai
• Janet Kidder as Osyraa
• Ian Lake as Tolor
• Alex McCooeye as Lee'U
• Linford Mark Robinson as L'Teis Kardashev
• Seamus Patterson as Harral
• Katherine Trowell as Bandra
• Tara Rosling as T'Rina
• Phumzile Sitole as Diatta Ndoye
• Giovanni Spina as Sta'Kiar
• Elias Toufexis as L'ak
• Jake Weber as Zareh
• Annabelle Wallis as Zora
• Adrian Walters as Taahz Gorev

23rd century

• Jayne Brook as Katrina Cornwell
• Mary Chieffo as L'Rell
• Conrad Coates as Terral
• Emily Coutts as Keyla Detmer
• Raven Dauda as Tracy Pollard
• James Frain as Sarek
• Riley Gilchrist as Shukar (mirror) / Shukar
• Harry Judge as Gorch (mirror) / Gorch
• Mia Kirshner as Amanda Grayson
• Patrick Kwok-Choon as Gen Rhys
• Clare McConnell as Dennas
• Kenneth Mitchell as Kol , Aurellio
• Sara Mitich and Hannah Cheesman as Airiam
• Sara Mitich as Nilsson
• Ali Momen as Kamran Gant
• Chris Obi as T'Kuvma
• Oyin Oladejo as Joann Owosekun
• Ethan Peck as Spock
• Rebecca Romijn as Una Chin-Riley
• Ronnie Rowe, Jr. as R.A. Bryce
• Christopher Russell as Milton Richter
• Damon Runyan as Ujilli
• Sonja Sohn as Gabrielle Burnham
• Hannah Spear as Siranna
• Alan van Sprang as Leland
• Terry Serpico as Brett Anderson
• Rekha Sharma as Ellen Landry / Ellen Landry (mirror)
• David Benjamin Tomlinson as Linus
• Sam Vartholomeos as Danby Connor
• Chris Violette as Britch Weeton
• Romaine Waite as Troy Januzzi
• Bahia Watson as May Ahearn
• Rainn Wilson as Harry Mudd

Episode list

DIS Season 1 , 15 episodes:

DIS Season 2 , 14 episodes:

DIS Season 3 , 13 episodes

DIS Season 4 , 13 episodes

DIS Season 5 , 10 episodes [9]

Development

William Shatner claimed that a " 3 movie deal and then a new series [has] been in the cards since 2007 - 2008 . " [10] After the release of the Star Trek reboot in 2009 , Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci pitched an animated series to CBS, similar to their series Transformers: Prime for The Hub (now Discovery Family). [11] However, Orci said the success of the first film did not indicate whether a new show would be viable, explaining, " One movie doesn't make a trend. Two movies starts to indicate that there is a trend and it's viable. It will become more real as the year goes on. " [12]

By 2009, Bryan Fuller desired to produce a new live-action Star Trek series. " I told my agent and told the people of J.J. Abrams ' team I want to create another Star Trek series and have an idea that I'm kicking around, " he explained.

" I would love to return to the spirit of the old series with the colours and attitude [...] [of] the '60s fun and I would love to take it back to its origin [...] Star Trek has to recreate itself. Otherwise, all the characters start to feel the same. You always have a captain, a doctor, a security officer, and you have the same arguments based on those perspectives. It starts to feel too familiar. So all those paradigms where it takes place on a starship have to be shaken up. " [13]

In 2013 , after the release of Star Trek Into Darkness , a CBS Broadcasting representative reiterated interest in reviving Star Trek for television, in response to a comment from Abrams that he had heard the studio was not interested. [14] On 19 January 2014 , Fuller stated he "would drop everything" in order to become the showrunner for a Star Trek television series, commenting,

" I think it's finding a philosophy about it [that would be important], and I think there is such an interesting philosophy happening now with our identity as a planet and taking responsibility for what's happening on the planet, and I think I would make it about identity, in a specific way. " [15]

Meanwhile, however, Brannon Braga mentioned "the word on the street" was that " they probably won't do one until the movies have run their course, " while Rod Roddenberry concurred with this by saying he believed there would not be another series until after the conclusion of the films. [16] [17] In an October 2015 interview, comics writer Mike Johnson suggested the Tholians might "cause major trouble for the Federation" in the next Star Trek television series. ("Top 50 Alien Species!", Star Trek: Ongoing issue #50, " Live Evil, Part 1 ") Another idea for a new live-action Star Trek series, conceived by Worf actor Michael Dorn , would have focused on Worf as a captain . As early as 7 November 2015 , Dorn confirmed the newly announced series will not be the concept he had wanted. [18]

Netflix , Amazon , and Hulu all offered money to distribute the show, [19] but CBS Corporation President and CEO Leslie Moonves opted to develop the series as CBS All Access' first piece of original content, anticipating that millions would subscribe to watch the show. He also revealed,

" Our international distribution guy is going crazy; he can't wait to get out to the marketplace and sell [it]. Right away, we're more than halfway home on the cost of the show from international alone. The risk is small in seeing the track record. " [20]

Robert Hewitt Wolfe speculated the decision also " allows for good budgets so it makes sense for Star Trek." [21]

On 9 February 2016 , it was officially announced that Bryan Fuller would serve as showrunner on the new Star Trek series. David Stapf, President of CBS Television Studios, explained,

" When we began discussions about the series returning to television, we immediately knew that Bryan Fuller would be the ideal person to work alongside Alex Kurtzman to create a fresh and authentic take on this classic and timeless series. Bryan is not only an extremely gifted writer, but a genuine fan of Star Trek . Having someone at the helm with his gravitas who also understands and appreciates the significance of the franchise and the worldwide fan base was essential to us. "

Fuller himself said, " It is without exaggeration a dream come true to be crafting a brand new iteration of Star Trek with fellow franchise alum Alex Kurtzman and boldly going where no Star Trek series has gone before. " Added Kurtzman,

" Bringing Star Trek back to television means returning it to its roots, and for years those roots flourished under Bryan's devoted care. His encyclopedic knowledge of Trek canon is surpassed only by his love for Gene Roddenberry 's optimistic future, a vision that continues to guide us as we explore strange new worlds. " [22]

On 26 February 2016 , it was announced that Nicholas Meyer would be joining the show as a consulting writer and producer. [23] In an interview conducted the next day , Meyer expressed hope in getting to write some episodes, but was not yet sure how big the writing staff would be. Still to begin work on the show, Meyer said he was waiting to be notified when to do so. He did, however, have some ideas about what the new show would entail. Meyer elaborated,

" I think it's going to be a different Star Trek . It will go in a different direction. And I think that is probably good. Because the thing that mainly troubles me about Star Trek is the fear of it being maybe re-treads of itself [....] And I think that Bryan [Fuller] – who is a very clever fellow – has ideas – some of which I’ve heard – that are innovative and different. Different is what got me interested. "

Meyer also said Fuller considered Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country to be his touchstone for the new series. [24]

On 3 March 2016 , it was announced that Rod Roddenberry and Trevor Roth would be joining the show as executive producers. [25]

On 17 March 2016 , two photographs apparently showing behind-the-scenes test shots surfaced, but were later proven to be from an unrelated project. [26]

On 22 April 2016 , Pop Goes The News reported that it would be filmed in Toronto, Canada, saying CBS had booked studio space back in September 2015. [27] According to CBS' VP of communications Kristen Hall, however, CBS hadn't yet confirmed the shooting location by this point. [28]

Also in April 2016, Mark Worthington was confirmed as the series' production designer. Worthington's resume, in addition to confirming his own involvement, also revealed that Alex Kurtzman would direct the pilot episode. [29]

On 30 April 2016 , it was reported that the show would be filmed at Toronto's Pinewood Toronto Studios . [30] On 2 May 2016 , the Toronto location was confirmed in a tweet by CBS. [31] This marked the second time (after Star Trek Beyond ) that a Star Trek live-action iteration was not to be produced physically in Hollywood, [32] in itself a further indication of the diminishing relevance of Hollywood as a motion picture production hub, a trend that had set in in the early 2000s. [33] [34]

On 3 May 2016 , it was reported that the show would be available in weekly installments rather than a whole season all at once. Its premiere would simultaneously air on CBS' TV network and All Access, with subsequent episodes exclusive to All Access (for US viewers). [35]

On 18 May 2016 , the first teaser trailer, along with the logo for the show, was released, simply naming the series as " Star Trek ". [36]

On 6 June 2016 , it was reported that the project's code name might be "Green Harvest". [37] The Canadian industry union IATSE 873 confirmed the working title as "Green Harvest" and dated the filming between 26 September 2016 and 15 March 2017 . [38]

In a red carpet interview at the Saturn Awards on 22 June 2016 , Fuller revealed that the first season would be comprised of a thirteen-episode story arc. Filming was scheduled to take place from September 2016 to March 2017 . [39] This was to be the second season-long story arc in Star Trek history, the first having been in season 3 of Enterprise .

Fuller noted, " We are not subject to broadcast standards and practices. So we can have profanity if we choose – not that I want to see a Star Trek with lots of profanity. But we can certainly be more graphic than you would on broadcast network television. " [40] That also meant episodes could be longer than a typical broadcast show. [41]

On 18 July 2016 , Netflix was announced as the international broadcaster for the series in countries where it is available outside the US and Canada. In Canada, the series would air on Space in English and on Z in French. [42]

On 1 August 2016 , Bryan Fuller suggested that the series would be set prior to The Original Series , stating that the registry number of the Discovery was a clue as to the placement of the series in the timeline. He also stated that it would be possible to read a connection, "or not", to Section 31 in some aspect of the first season. [43]

On 8 August 2016 , Bryan Fuller tweeted a picture on Twitter for a makeup test for Discovery which was possibly a hint for the inclusion of an Andorian . [44]

On 10 August 2016 , Bryan Fuller announced that the series would take place in 2255 . [45] According to Fuller, the basis for the first season would incorporate "an incident in the history of Starfleet that had been talked about but never fully explored." [46]

In a radio interview on 27 August 2016 , Fuller revealed more details. The female lead would be the first officer of the Discovery and referred to as " Number one ", honoring Majel Barrett-Roddenberry 's character from TOS : " The Cage ". [47]

On 9 September 2016 , Fuller tweeted that the events of TOS : " Balance of Terror " would provide the "touchstone" for the series' story arc. [48]

On 14 September 2016 , Fuller announced that the series premiere would be delayed until May 2017, in order to ensure the quality of the show was not compromised. CBS agreed with the move. [49]

Variety reported, on 26 October 2016 , that Bryan Fuller would no longer oversee day-to-day operations on the show, but would remain executive producer. He was to remain involved in breaking stories and providing support for showrunners Gretchen J. Berg and Aaron Harberts . Sources indicated that CBS, while satisfied with the materials he had created, was concerned that Fuller had too much on his plate with his involvement in other work. This included Starz's then-upcoming drama American Gods . [50] Akiva Goldsman joined the show to provide additional support. [51] Fuller later clarified with Newsweek , on 2 December 2016 , that he was no longer involved with the production. [52]

According to issue #1 of the 2017 Emmy Magazine (p. 21), Star Trek: Discovery has a reported budget of US$6 to US$7 million per episode. [53]

At the CBS upfront presentation on 17 May 2017 , it was announced the first season had been extended to fifteen episodes. Talking Trek (now After Trek ), a post-episode discussion show, was also announced. [54]

The premiere date for the series was announced on 19 June 2017 , when it was revealed that the first season would be split into two airing blocks. [55]

On 23 October 2017 , it was announced that the series had been renewed for a second season, which began filming in April of 2018. [56] [57]

On 27 February 2019 , it was announced that the series had been renewed for a third season, with Michelle Paradise becoming co-showrunner with Alex Kurtzman . [58]

The renewal for the series' fourth season was announced on 16 October 2020 ; the renewal for the fifth season was announced on 18 January 2022 . [59] [60]

Aaron Harberts and Gretchen Berg have said the characters will be more conflicted and not as perfect as characters from previous Star Trek series. Harberts said they would hold true to Gene Roddenberry's idealised view of future Humans with " how we solve those conflicts. So we do have our characters in conflict, we do have them struggling with each other, but it's about how they find a solution and work through their problems. " [61]

Having the female protagonist be given the traditionally male name of Michael is one of Fuller's signature motifs: other examples include Chuck in Pushing Daises and Jaye on Wonderfalls . [62]

In contrast to previous shows, the writers are ready to kill off characters even if their actors aren't planning to leave the series. [63]

Due to Gene Roddenberry 's belief religion would die out by the 23rd century , writer Kirsten Beyer felt references to God should be avoided, quipping to Jason Isaacs when he ad-libbed on set "for God's sakes", that "for f–'s sake" would be more likely. [64] Gretchen Berg later clarified, " I don't necessarily agree with [Isaacs'] quote. On a show about diversity and with different points of view, I feel like you have to accept that some people believe in God, some people want to worship a potato, and some people don't want to believe in anything. I think there is room for that on Star Trek . " [65] Harberts later confirmed that the incident had been taken out of context and was specific to Lorca at that juncture, not the show in general. He also expressed interest in exploring the issue of faith or lack of it in later episodes. [66]

Even when the series was yet to begin airing, a second season had already been mapped out, with a third season beginning to be mapped out. [67]

The writers regularly consult Memory Alpha. According to Harberts, the series' writing team are themselves "fanatical" about fact-checking the information they discover on the wiki. For example, they sometimes rewatch, or ask researcher Anthony Maranville to rewatch, an entire episode based on a single detail from one of Memory Alpha's many entries. [68]

Writing for Season 2 began in January of 2018. [69]

In August 2020 Kurtzman said that writing for Discovery had continued during the COVID-19 pandemic, with the writers' room meeting via Zoom. [70] On 16 October 2020 Season 4 was officially announced.

The teaser title card for Discovery

Bryan Fuller was adamant the Klingon make-up be updated for the show. Aaron Harberts noted, " In the different versions of Trek , the Klingons have never been completely consistent. We will introduce several different houses with different styles. " [71] According to Neville Page , who also designed the Klingons for Star Trek – though the Klingon scenes were cut from that film as released – and Star Trek Into Darkness , Fuller mandated most of them should be bald. [72] Page, and fellow lead designer, Glenn Hetrick  continued to identify the baldness as an enduring part of Fuller's intentions for the Klingons, allowing them to reveal what was on their heads (such as in AT : " Lethe ").

The lead costume designer is Gersha Phillips . The Starfleet uniforms were originally similar to those in the original series. [73]

The teaser clip presented at the San Diego Comic-Con on 23 July 2016 was scored by Fil Eisler as an audition for the show. At the following year's panel, Jeff Russo was announced as the series' composer, and it was revealed that he had already completed work on the Discovery theme. [74] Russo recorded the theme, along with the score for the first episode, with a sixty-piece orchestra in Los Angeles on 27 July 2017 . [75]

Russo returned for Season 2. [76]

The show was announced to have a female lead. [77] The first cast member, Michelle Yeoh , was revealed by Nicholas Meyer in an interview on 22 November 2016 . [78] Anthony Rapp and Doug Jones were confirmed the following week. [79]

Bryan Fuller commented that the cast should be diverse. "Star Trek is a show of firsts. And in researching the characters for this new iteration of Star Trek , I've been talking to Mae Jemison , who's the first black woman in space, and who saw Star Trek in the '60s and who saw Nichelle Nichols on the bridge of a ship and said, 'I see myself in space.' So there's something wonderful about the legacy that Nichelle Nichols represents as giving a gift to people who weren't previously able to see themselves in the future. We are going to be continuing that tradition of progressive casting and progressive character work to be an inclusive world. " He also said "eventually, eventually" there will be appearances from previously established characters. [80]

On 24 May 2016 , it was reported that some fans wished to see Castle and Firefly alumnus Nathan Fillion in the series. [81] It was even suggested that this was why Fillion ended his commitment to Castle . [82] Bryan Fuller ideally wanted Angela Bassett and Rosario Dawson ; Bassett declined due to prior obligations, and there is no evidence Dawson was ever approached for consideration. [83]

Star Trek alumnus Tony Todd also expressed interest in working on the new series and even confirmed he is on a casting list of the studio. [84] [85]

In late October, it was reported the cast would feature, in addition to the female lead, an openly-gay male lead, a female and a male admiral , a male Klingon captain, and a British male doctor. [86]

Early news stories of Sonequa Martin-Green's casting in December 2016 identified her character as "Lieutenant Commander Rainsford"; [87] CBS' official announcement on 3 April 2017 changed the name to "Burnham".

On 28 April 2017 , it was announced that Shazad Latif had been re-cast as Lt. Tyler, being replaced in the role of Kol by Kenneth Mitchell. Three other cast members were also added: Rekha Sharma as Commander Landry, Clare McConnell as Dennas, and Damon Runyan as Ujilli. [88]

Wilson Cruz's casting as Dr. Culber was revealed at the San Diego Comic-Con panel on 22 July 2017 .

Participation interest

Marina Sirtis has expressed interest in reprising her role as Deanna Troi in a phone interview with MZNOW , saying, " I loved playing her... It would be interesting to me to go back now, twenty years later and kind of go 'who did she become? Who is she now?' I would find that very interesting, and I would love to do that. " [89]

Both Kate Mulgrew and Jeri Ryan have expressed interest in reprising their roles as Kathryn Janeway and Seven of Nine respectively. In an interview with the TODAY show, Mulgrew said, " I want to be the admiral and I want to boss them around. " Ryan, in an interview with Digital Spy , said, " My understanding is that it's in a very different world from any of the previous shows – but never say never. It'd be fun to just drop in and revisit her – not that I want to revisit her all the time! " [90]

Scott Bakula , Jonathan Frakes , and Nichelle Nichols have also expressed interest in appearing on the series. [91] [92] [93]

In an interview with "Variety", Martin-Green's Walking Dead co-star Andrew Lincoln expressed his desire to appear on the show, possibly with alien make-up on. [94]

According to Michael Dorn 's publicist, brief discussions were held between Discovery producers and Dorn about a possible role on the show, but that there are no plans for him to appear on it at this time. An Orlando Sentinel writer expanded on the publicist's statement by stating that Dorn was offered less than one percent of what he had been paid for his last appearance as Worf. [95]

Robert Duncan McNeill has stated that he had to turn down the chance to direct an episode of Discovery due to being unavailable but that he would "love to do it". [96]

The show's title was revealed by Bryan Fuller at the San Diego Comic-Con on 23 July 2016 with a clip of the title ship, the USS Discovery (NCC-1031). [97] [98] The promo was produced in three weeks and scored by Fil Eisler as an audition for the show. It greatly resembled the Ralph McQuarrie concept art for the canceled film Star Trek: Planet of the Titans , which the staff could not confirm at the time for legal reasons. [99]

Fuller also announced, at a press junket immediately thereafter, the show would be set in the prime timeline, though Fuller declined to say exactly when in that timeline it would be set.

↑ John Van Citters has chosen "DSC" as the series' official abbreviation. [100] This is consistent with the studio's use of "VGR" for Star Trek: Voyager , but MA will use the abbreviation "DIS" for Discovery , for consistency with using "VOY" for Voyager .

On 31 January 2017 , a trailer was released, showing behind-the-scenes footage of early filming. [101]

Ahead of the CBS upfront presentation on 17 May 2017 , the first official promotional image of the series was released, featuring Yeoh and Martin-Green in character on location in Jordan. [102] At the presentation, Martin-Green appeared to debut the first full trailer for the series, which was released online immediately afterward. [103] A trailer featuring the same footage recut was released by Netflix at the same time. [104]

The first official teaser poster for the series was released alongside the trailer, with a second released to accompany the announcement of the season premiere date. Two further limited edition posters were released at San Diego Comic-Con in July 2017 . At the Discovery panel on 22 July 2017 , a second full trailer debuted, featuring the first footage of Isaacs' Captain Lorca and Wilson's Harry Mudd. The trailer was released online shortly after the panel. [105] [106]

The overall first year publicity efforts of CBS Television Studios on behalf of Discovery were coordinated by its Vice President Communications Kristen Hall , [107] which earned her an industry award nomination in 2018, the ICG Publicists Award; she did not win, however. [108]

Season 3 title card

At the Mission New York convention in September 2016 , it was announced that IDW Publishing would produce comics (written by Mike Johnson ) and that Gallery Books would produce novels (the first by David Mack ) tying into the series. Both tie-in lines are coordinated with the events of the series, and are supervised by Discovery writer Kirsten Beyer. [109]

In August 2017 , it was announced that Star Trek Timelines would be updated to include characters and ships from Discovery , including Philippa Georgiou, Michael Burnham, and Saru. [110] [111] In October 2017 , more Discovery characters were added to the game including Gabriel Lorca, Ash Tyler, and Harry Mudd. [112] A month-long event, Discovery: A New Frontier , gave players the opportunity to acquire other characters and ships from the series. [113]

In September 2017 , to mark the start of the series, Perfect World made Discovery 's Starfleet uniform available to players of Star Trek Online for a limited period. [114] In January 2018 , the publisher announced that the " Discovery Lock Box" would be added to the game, giving players the chance to win ships, weapons and equipment based on those of the series, including the Crossfield -class , the Sarcophagus , and the Walker -class . [115] Starting in the autumn of 2018, Age of Discovery allows players to create a character from the Discovery era. [116] Later additions include the uniforms worn by the crew of the ISS Charon and ISS Shenzhou and several weapons used by the Emperor .

Under Eaglemoss Collections ' Hero Collector imprint, Penguin Random House published the Star Trek: Discovery Designing Starships volume of the Designing Starship reference book series on 3 September 2019 . From an in-universe perspective, a number of DIS ships are also covered in the Star Trek: Shipyards - Starfleet Ships 2151-2293 volume from the Shipyards series. Starfleet ships from the show's third season will also be covered in the second edition of the Star Trek: Shipyards - Starfleet Ships 2294 to the Future reference book . [117]

Anovos produced a phaser pistol prop replica in December 2017 [118] and released a phaser rifle late in 2018. It began to retail Starfleet uniforms (replica costumes) in the summer of 2018 [119] and markets upscale "Studio-Scale Filming Miniatures" of the USS Discovery , USS Shenzhou , and USS Enterprise ( as seen in DIS ) along with a number of Eaglemoss and QMx products. [120] [121] Rubie's Costume Company also produces DIS costumes.

In January 2018, Eaglemoss Collections ' Hero Collector brand premiered the Star Trek: Discovery The Official Starships Collection partwork , featuring starship miniatures , dedication plaques , and a figure from the series. Other ships from the series were also released as larger models within the Star Trek: The Official Starships Collection , and polyresin busts of DIS characters were featured in the company's Star Trek: The Official Busts Collection . Following the release of its 33rd (numbered) issue in 2021, the company's DIS starships will be marketed as part of the Star Trek Universe: The Official Starships Collection .

QMx debuted its magnetic DIS Starfleet insignia badges at the San Diego Comic-Con in July 2017. FanSets launched its first wave of collectible Discovery pins in August 2017. [122]

Hallmark released a Keepsake Christmas ornament depicting the USS Discovery in July 2018. Another DIS ornament that featured Commander Saru and Michael Burnham was released a year later.

Beginning in August 2018, McFarlane Toys began to retail a series of seven-inch articulated figures which will eventually feature characters from DIS. [123] [124] [125] Toy weapons and accessories for role-play were planned but the production of phaser pistol toys was halted after regulatory issues (and the ensuing retailer reticence) came to light, due to the toys' perceived resemblance to real firearms.

Titan Merchandise debuted DIS "Titans" vinyl figures at a 2018 convention and planned to put them into wide retail release during 2019. [126]

Gentle Giant released a Saru bust in the summer of 2018, followed by figurines of Michael Burnham and the Torchbearer. Its toy division, Gentle Giant Toys , announced that it planned to release Fleet Flyers "starship danglers" in the autumn of 2018 but they did not reach retail and had been placed "on hold" as of February 2019. [127] [128] [129]

Branded as Polar Lights products, Round 2 began to release plastic model kits (and display models) of DIS starships in early 2019. [130]

Ukonic/Robe Factory released a USS Discovery pizza cutter in 2021.

On 13 July 2021 , ViacomCBS Consumer Products and Playmates Toys jointly announced that the latter had acquired new licensing for " action figures, vehicles and ships, role play and other toy categories ", and slated the first of these products for retail release in 2022. Among other Star Trek series and films, this licensing encompasses Star Trek: Discovery , Star Trek: Lower Decks , Star Trek: Picard , and Star Trek: Prodigy . [131]

Rick Berman responded to the new series with cautious optimism. On his Twitter feed, he tweeted, " I wish them nothing but good luck and smooth sailing. Just hope it stays true to Gene's vision. " [132]

Brannon Braga likewise wished the new series well, commenting on his Twitter feed, "Star Trek is a vast canvass with many artists. Constantly evolving. Godspeed to Mr Kurtzman. " [133] Braga additionally remarked, " Hopefully with the new series they can get back to more meditative storytelling. " In Braga's opinion, the new series is vital to ensuring Star Trek continues for another fifty years. He stated, " It's all about making sure the next television show is really good and finds a new generation of viewers to keep it going. " ( SFX , issue 270, p. 68) He later commented, " With Discovery , I am honestly as excited to see it as any other Star Trek fan. I devour each new trailer the moment it comes out. " [134]

Robert Hewitt Wolfe admitted to not knowing anything about the new series, apart from having read about it online, and stated he is currently too busy to write for it. He also commented, " Sounds like it could be great though. " As for the way the new series will be released, he stated, " Subscription streaming is an extremely successful model & allows for good budgets so it makes sense for Star Trek." Wolfe tweeted a "congrats" message to Bryan Fuller, upon him being named as the series' showrunner, adding, " You have the conn. Do us proud. " [135] [136] [137]

David A. Goodman reacted to news of the series by saying, " Hope it's good, will watch it even if it's bad. " [138]

As for whether he and wife Denise Okuda will be involved in working on the new series, Michael Okuda remarked, " We'd love to be involved. Kurtzman already has a talented, experienced team from the last two films, but who knows? " [139] Regarding the announcement that the series will be run by Bryan Fuller, Michael Okuda stated, " Congrats, Bryan! Go boldly! " [140]

Rene Auberjonois dismissed the notion that the new series will feature himself and Nana Visitor portraying their respective Star Trek: Deep Space Nine characters of Odo and Kira Nerys . [141]

On Seth MacFarlane 's Twitter feed, he recommended, " Let's make this new Star Trek series optimistic, eh? I think we're all dystopia'd out. " [142] MacFarlane incidentally, actually put his money where his mouth was, as he is the creator/star/producer of the Star Trek: The Next Generation inspired science fiction series The Orville , adopting the former's upbeat tone and which almost simultaneously premiered with Discovery in September 2017 on FOX TV, thereby de facto becoming a competitor for the latter, as it has inevitably led up to many fans and reviewers making head-to-head comparisons between the two. The overlapping airings continued when the respective second seasons of both series started their run in January 2019.

Former Star Trek , but now- The Orville , science consultant André Bormanis has stated, " When it comes back to TV, I hope they do something more in the spirit of the original. Everybody in Hollywood who has ever had even the smallest association with Star Trek I'm sure has a 'How would you do the next Star Trek ?' answer. I would probably do something a little more like Captain Pike's adventures. Go back to that era where it was a little more rugged, a little more fifties' sci-fi sensibility. " ( The Fifty-Year Mission: The Next 25 Years , p. 39)

Press reactions to the series' announcement pondered how Star Trek could appeal to a new generation and compete against darker, more mature shows of the 21st century, like Game of Thrones , The Walking Dead , and Ronald D. Moore 's reboot of Battlestar Galactica . [143] [144] [145] [146] National Post felt there was no need for a new series, arguing Star Trek had become a quaint retrofuture series akin to Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers . [147] The Independent was one of the few to argue the optimistic future of Star Trek would make a welcome antidote. [148]

Other articles concentrated on the decision to produce the series for streaming, with some expressing deep cynicism over the idea. [149] [150] [151] Others noted the decision was a win-win in terms of keeping the series going. [152] [153] [154] [155]

Den of Geek and io9 noted most fans would prefer the show be set after The Next Generation , Deep Space Nine , and Voyager instead of in the same timeline as the film series. [156] [157] UK magazine SFX reported that was the most wanted request for the series. Other requests, in order of most desired, included: having the new crew undertake a multi-year mission in a starship rather than having them occupy a space station; focusing on controversial social issues; retaining a sense of fun; and introducing new alien species and technology. The magazine also determined that their readers' "dream cast" for the series included Dan Stevens as the captain, Rooney Mara as the first officer, Gina Torres as the doctor, Nick Frost as the engineer, and Wil Wheaton as the Federation President . ( SFX , issue 270, pp. 36-37) USGamer expressed hope that the series' success could revive interest in Star Trek video games after the failure of the movie tie-in . [158]

During an interview given at CinemaCon (11-14 April 2016), Brent Spiner commented that "looking at such a pedigree" working for the show, he thinks it is going to be fantastic. He also remarked that J.J. Abrams allegedly just became a producer of the show. [159] In an interview with SFX magazine (issue 275, p. 67) that was published around the same time, Spiner remarked, laughing, that all the new series had to do in order to work in the 21st century was simply "to be there." He added, " And just be entertaining [....] And I think there's a good chance it'll work. There's a really great bunch of people attached to that project, really talented people. I have no doubt that's going to be a really huge success. "

A lawsuit alleging that elements of Discovery had been copied from an unreleased video game called Tardigrades was filed on 19 August 2019 , and dismissed on 20 September 2019 . The judge found that Discovery "is not substantially similar to [ Tardigrades ] as a matter of law." Memory Alpha was cited in the finding. [160] The case was appealed, but on 17 August 2020 the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit affirmed the lower court's decision. [161] [162]

In April 2021 , the third season of Discovery won the GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Drama Series. The show had previously been nominated in 2018 and 2019 for each of the first two seasons. [163]

As of 2021, Discovery has been nominated for ten Emmy Awards , mostly in "technical" categories such as visual effects and makeup. It has won two: "Outstanding Prosthetic Makeup for a Series, Limited Series, Movie or Special" and "Outstanding Special Visual Effects In A Single Episode".

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Season 1 – Star Trek: Discovery

Where to watch, star trek: discovery — season 1.

Watch Star Trek: Discovery — Season 1 with a subscription on Paramount+, or buy it on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, Apple TV.

What to Know

Although it takes an episode to achieve liftoff, Star Trek: Discovery delivers a solid franchise installment for the next generation -- boldly led by the charismatic Sonequa Martin-Green.

Audience Reviews

Cast & crew.

Sonequa Martin-Green

Michael Burnham

Jason Isaacs

Captain Gabriel Lorca

Shazad Latif

Lieutenant Ash Tyler

Anthony Rapp

Paul Stamets

Michelle Yeoh

Captain Philippa Georgiou

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Published Sep 23, 2017

A Discovery Premiere Primer

Your primer for Season One of Star Trek: Discovery

Just starting season one of Star Trek: Discovery ? We've got you covered with a premiere primer to thoroughly prep you for the experience.

The Setting

Discovery unfolds about a decade before the time in which Kirk and Spock from Star Trek: The Original Series did their thing aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise . So, we’re talking roughly the 2250’s. That puts the show in the Prime timeline, during which everything from Enterprise, The Original Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine and Voyager , as well as the TOS and TNG features occurred.

Discovery follows characters aboard two ships, the U.S.S. Shenzhou , captained by Philippa Georgiou (Michelle Yeoh), and the U.S.S. Discovery , led by Gabriel Lorca (Jason Isaacs). Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) – a human raised since childhood as the ward of the Vulcan, Sarek --  is the series’ protagonist, a real first for Trek , as the tale will be told through the eyes of someone who is not the captain.

Add into the mix, the Klingons, who serve as the antagonists, but will not necessarily be demonized.

Starfleet Characters

Viewers will meet a wide variety of Starfleet characters over the course of Discovery ’s 15 first-season episodes. Here’s a quick look at several of the Starfleet figures:

First Officer Michael Burnham Is A Woman Of Two Worlds On Star Trek: Discovery

Michael Burnham is First Officer on the U.S.S. Shenzhou . Through her Vulcan upbringing, she has cultivated a razor-sharp logic and intellect. Discussing the character with StarTrek.com, Sonequa Martin-Green said, “You are entering this world through the eyes of a first officer who has this aspiration to be greater, and to be more, and to be captain, of course. And so, you get to see me on that journey, but you get to see all of the pitfalls, and you get to see the turmoil, and you get to see the failures. You get to see the mistakes. You get to see the triumphs. I think that it is an incredible.”

Captain Philippa Georgiou of the U.S.S. Shenzhou is a strong, seasoned leader. Unpretentious and charismatic, you'd follow her anywhere. “Georgiou, she is a war veteran,” Michelle Yeoh told StarTrek.com. “She has seen the horrors of war. But she is a very compassionate person. As I look into her, she, by heart, is an explorer. She loved the universe. She loved the ability and possibility of seeing new stars, new novae being born. She's always awed by that. That's what I love about this character. She's not cynical. She's not jaded by all the things. She firmly believes in the hope and the goodness of humanity.”

Captain Gabriel Lorca , The captain of the U.S.S. Discover is a formitable leader with a decisive charisma that hides many secrets. "This is a very interesting, messed-up guy with a bunch of things going on inside," Jason Isaacs confirmed to StarTrek.com. "And it's not apparent when you first meet him. He's got all kinds of agendas that are involved. You just look for meat and potatoes, something to act. If I thought, 'Oh, do I want to be Bill Shatner or Patrick Stewart?'... I would have run crying and hidden in a cupboard.

Lt. Saru , a Starfleet Science Officer and Lieutenant Commander on the U.S.S. Shenzhou , is Kelpien, an alien prey species that have biologically fostered the ability to sense threats. “Lt. Saru is a species of alien you've never seen in any Trek canon before,” Doug Jones explained to StarTrek.com. “That's the exciting part, that I get to help develop him. I would’ve been terrified to take on a species that had already been established because the fans are watching every move, jot, and thing you do. It's also daunting because I want to get this right, so that he becomes one of those characters that can be beloved and appreciated and can be emulated in later incarnations down the road through someone else.”

Cadet Sylvia Tilly , A Starfleet Academy cadet in her final year of study, Tilly is assigned to the U.S.S. Discovery and becomes roommates with Michael Burnham. "I get to live so close to my own experience,” Wiseman said, referring to the fact that she, like Tilly is a rookie. "That makes it really easy. Some crazy sci-fi thing happens and I’m like, ‘Oh, my God! That’s so cool!’ And that ‘s how it feels. Plus, I have really warm, wonderful, capable people around me, which makes that even better.”

Sarek , a formidable Vulcan, is a beloved character who has appeared often throughout the Star Trek franchise. He is also, of course, Spock’s father. “It seems really interesting, the whole Vulcan ideal, where (Vulcans) basically come to the conclusion that emotion, all emotion, is a problem,” James Frain noted to StarTrek.com. ““And that is just so alien to us. Ultimately, is it really achievable? And who is this guy who is like a U.N. Ambassador who marries a human being? I mean, how did that happen? Who is this guy? That's what I feel like I'm doing every day when I come to work.”

The Klingons

The Klingons, as noted earlier, really get their due in Discovery . There’s an effort to unite the two dozen long-divided Klingon houses, and rapprochement doesn’t come easy, even with a common enemy.

"The show is often told from both points of view,” writer-producer-director Akiva Goldsman said at San Diego Comic-Con, referring to the Klingons and Federation. “It is certainly about the Federation but there are significant sections of the narrative that are purely from the Klingon point of view – and in Klingon. It's a real piece of the show. It will allow the audience to participate in who is right and who is wrong."

"It's been super-fun to take a species that feels well-established,” writer Kirsten Beyer noted at Comic-Con, “and to imagine what a certain period in their history may have produced. It has given us all kind of new ways to talk about and experience Klingons."

L’Rell is a Klingon and the battle deck commander of T’Kuvma 's Klingon ship. Speaking about the character during an interview with StarTrek.com, actress Mary Chieffo enthused that, “This exploration of ‘the other’ is exciting, and I think we really are going to get a great window into both sides. I'm speaking to this because it really did strike me that how the Federation perceives me, L'Rell, is very different from how, say, Kol perceives me within the Klingon world. Who I am, to him, is very different. That’s something we haven’t seen.”

Kol is a Klingon warrior from the House of Kor. “He’s… the leader,” Kenneth Mitchell revealed to StarTrek.com. “You first meet him in holograph form, and he's an alpha Klingon amongst the house leaders, amongst the 24 house leaders. He has these disagreements and conflicts with T'Kuvma and his house, and it launches that relationship throughout the rest of the season. Kol is on a bit of a path to power, and he also wants to protect his people, not only amongst the Klingon houses, but also amongst the Federation.

In a cool, bold move, the Klingons speak Klingon. As such, viewers at home will mostly hear Klingon and see their dialogue translated into English. “I love it,” Mary Chieffo said, detailing how the Klingon actors pull it off on set. “I've reached the point now where I can read and write it pretty well. I’m still not fluent, because the syntax is opposite of anything I know, but it's a really ultimately liberating process. Often in film and TV, it’s, “OK, we're going to show up on the day, and we're just going to find it and capture that lightning in a bottle." We can’t do that because we have to memorize the meaning of each word and the structure of each sentence, and make sure you really understand it logically, so that you can then inhabit it emotionally. I spend a lot of time with our dialect coach, Rea. We have these two-hour sessions where we go through and she helps me refine the sounds.”

U.S.S. Discovery NCC-1031: Traverses the galaxy under the command of Gabriel Lorca, a man who rarely settles into his captain’s chair, as he prefers to be in the heart of the action at all times. The ship boasts a viewscreen, but holographic projections are the preferred method of communicating. StarTrek.com was on the set recently and reported that the bridge is sleek and colorful, and more modern-looking to the eye than the TOS or Enterprise bridges. That said, there were actual buttons and knobs on the assorted consoles. Conversely, the transparent screens at the crew stations are uber-high-tech.

U.S.S. Shenzhou NCC-1227: A Walker Class ship captained by Philippa Georgiou.

Klingon Sarcophagus Ship: According to writer Ted Sullivan, per an interview with SFX Magazine , it “is a 200-year-old ship. In the past, Klingons have not really cared about their dead – they’re not like marines. But these Klingons are. The outside of the ship is covered in thousands of coffins. Some are 300 years old, some are just two days old. Downstairs is the death room, where they prepare their dead; then the coffins get raised up and put on the outside.”

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Star Trek: Discovery Seasons 1-4 are streaming exclusively on Paramount+ in the U.S., the UK, Canada, Switzerland, South Korea, Latin America, Germany, France, Italy, Australia and Austria. Seasons 2 and 3 also are available on the Pluto TV “Star Trek” channel in Switzerland, Germany and Austria. The series streams on Super Drama in Japan, TVNZ in New Zealand, and SkyShowtime in Spain, Portugal, Poland, The Nordics, The Netherlands, and Central and Eastern Europe and also airs on Cosmote TV in Greece. The series is distributed by Paramount Global Content Distribution.

Star Trek: Discovery

Series premiere. While patrolling Federation space, the U.S.S. Shenzhou encounters an object of unknown origin, putting First Officer Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) to her greatest test yet. Starring Sonequa Martin-Green, Michelle Yeoh, Doug Jones.

Face to face with Klingon vessels, the U.S.S. Shenzhou prepares for the possibility of war if negotiations fail. Amidst the turmoil, Burnham looks back to her Vulcan upbringing for guidance. Starring Sonequa Martin-Green, Michelle Yeoh, Doug Jones.

Burnham finds herself aboard the U.S.S. Discovery where she quickly realizes things are not as they seem, including the mysterious Captain Gabriel Lorca (Jason Isaacs). Starring Sonequa Martin-Green, Jason Isaacs.

With tensions and stakes high as Starfleet continues in their efforts to end the war with Klingons, Burnham begins to settle in to her new position aboard the U.S.S. Discovery.

While on a mission, Lorca unexpectedly finds himself in the company of prisoner of war, Starfleet Lieutenant Ash Tyler (Shazad Latif) and notorious intergalactic criminal, Harry Mudd (Rainn Wilson). Burnham voices her concerns about the repercussions of the spore drive jumps on "Ripper". Starring Sonequa Martin-Green, Jason Isaacs, Doug Jones, Anthony Rapp, Mary Wiseman, Shazad Latif. Guest starring Rainn Wilson.

The U.S.S. Discovery crew is intrigued by new addition, Lt. Ash Tyler. Sarek seeks Burnham's help, rekindling memories from her past. Admiral Cornwell questions Lorca's tactics.

Bonus Content

Cast & crew.

Sonequa Martin-Green

Captain Michael Burnham

Jason Isaacs

Gabriel Lorca

Shazad Latif

Anthony Rapp

Paul Stamets

Darker, more violent Trek still has positive messages.

Information

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S5 e3 - jinaal, s5 e2 - under the twin moons, s5 e1 - red directive, where does star trek: discovery rank today the justwatch daily streaming charts are calculated by user activity within the last 24 hours. this includes clicking on a streaming offer, adding a title to a watchlist, and marking a title as 'seen'. this includes data from ~1.3 million movie & tv show fans per day..

Streaming charts last updated: 1:11:48 PM, 04/17/2024

Star Trek: Discovery is 53 on the JustWatch Daily Streaming Charts today. The TV show has moved down the charts by -12 places since yesterday. In the United States, it is currently more popular than Game of Thrones but less popular than Reacher.

Follow the voyages of Starfleet on their missions to discover new worlds and new life forms, and one Starfleet officer who must learn that to truly understand all things alien, you must first understand yourself.

Streaming Charts The JustWatch Daily Streaming Charts are calculated by user activity within the last 24 hours. This includes clicking on a streaming offer, adding a title to a watchlist, and marking a title as 'seen'. This includes data from ~1.3 million movie & TV show fans per day.

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Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 Boldly Goes Out On A High Note

The Trek series that relaunched the franchise is going out on an upbeat note.

To say that Star Trek: Discovery is not everyone’s cup of tea is perhaps the biggest understatement in all of Trekkie history. But, if you’re a knee-jerk Disco -doubter, consider this: Seven years ago, there was zero new Star Trek on TV, making the debut of Discovery in 2017 easily one of the most important science fiction events of the past 20 years. And, if you’re still not convinced that Discovery matters, then there’s a good chance that you haven’t watched it in a while. Perhaps more than any other Trek series, Discovery has changed dramatically from season to season, so much so that the brooding 2017-2018 Season 1 of the series hardly resembles where we are now.

Season 5 of Discovery — which debuts with two episodes on April 4 on Paramount+ — will conclude the series with a total of 10 episodes. And, somewhat refreshingly, these episodes represent (mostly) what makes this series unique and watchable. From the beginning, Discovery was never one thing, and now, at the end of the road, the show is comfortable enough to celebrate its myriad identities all at once. Is this the best Discovery season yet? It’s hard to say. Season 2 is still amazing, and Season 3 represented one of the boldest reset buttons in all of Trekdom. But Season 5 may have something on all of its predecessors: It’s really fun.

Few sci-fi thingamabobs can boast prequel and sequel status simultaneously. And yet, because Season 1 and Season 2 of Discovery took place from 2256 to 2258, the show was very much a prequel to The Original Series . (It’s also a midquel between Enterprise and TOS if you really want to get technical.) But then, in 2020’s Season 3, Discovery brought the entire crew 930 years into the future, meaning that a show that took place before all of the Trek series and movies suddenly took place after all of them. While the first two Disco seasons experienced a degree of canon tap-dancing, Seasons 3 through 5, are, essentially, set in Trek’s very distant future. The fact that the crew are time-displaced old-timers in this brave new future is still a part of the Discovery ethos in Season 5, but in this batch of episodes, it doesn’t create angst, but instead, serves to simply make the gee-shucks optimism of the crew a little more explicable.

This may be Discovery ’s greatest trick: Although Captain Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green), Saru ( Doug Jones ), Dr. Culber ( Wilson Cruz ), Tilly ( Mary Wiseman ), and Stamets (Anthony Rapp) are from our future, they feel like they’re from our present. Broadly, by sending them into an even more distant future, the series made the Disco crew into ciphers for how we feel about something as inherently old-fashioned and upbeat as Star Trek. Making a Star Trek post-2016 was always going to be a tough proposition, and over the last seven years and five seasons, Discovery has gone from grimdark to almost pathological kindness. This pivot has been a bit of a slow burn, but by the time we arrive at Season 5, the future-tense setting has finally let the crew loosen up a bit.

There will be hugging.

Some might say this kind emotionalism has gone too far in previous seasons, and whether that’s true or not isn’t really the point. At the end of the day, Discovery will always be the Trek where people talk about their feelings more than the other shows ever did, and for that, it will always be the most realistic of the various series, at least on the character level.

What makes Season 5 feel fresh, though, is that the characters are, at this stage, fairly well-adjusted to their trauma and angst. When emotional chaos comes toward Adira (Blu del Barrio), you’re not worried it’s going to break them. Ditto Michael Burnham, who is not only at her most captain-ly of any previous Disco seasons, but also manages to surprise the viewer with her decisions. The journey of Burnham has been an emotional roller coaster since 2017. But what Martin-Green does this season is arrive at a place of coolness and wise compassion, which appropriately reminds you that she is canonically Spock’s human sister.

But what makes Season 5 exceptional isn’t the big Easter eggs — of which there are many. Instead, this final voyage of the starship Discovery comes across as something that has always been there, under the surface: It’s sweet. And because Discovery is now devoted to being the gentler, kinder Star Trek, fans of the show that have been with it from the start will feel like this is a big hug.

Yes, this season is more action-packed. And yes, there are new characters, including Battlestar Galactica ’s Callum Keith Rennie in the refreshing and surprising role of Captain Rayner. But, as Discovery jumps into what will become the last mission, the series solidifies its legacy. It may not have started as a warm and cuddly Trek, but it’s certainly ending that way, which means that even the show’s harshest critics may no longer have any reason to doubt that this was real Star Trek all along.

Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 debuts on Paramount+ on April 4.

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Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 Episode 3 Ending, Explained

Star trek: discovery.

Release Date: 2017-09-24

Genres: Action, Adventure, Drama

Rating: 7.1/10

Creator: Bryan Fuller, Alex Kurtzman

Network: CBS

Number of Episodes: 55

Streaming Service(s): Paramount+, Paramount+ with Showtime, fuboTV, Spectrum

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What happened in star trek: discovery episode 3, how does star trek: discovery episode 3 end.

Episode 3 of Star Trek: Discovery continues on Paramount Plus , after airing with the first two episodes last week. The sci-fi spin-off series will consist of ten episodes, and will continue to air once a week for the rest of the fifth and final season. The show began in 2017, and Season 5 will bring the successful series to an end. Star Trek: Discovery stars Sonequa Martin-Green, Callum Keith Rennie, Doug Jones and Anthony Rapp.

The third episode of Star Trek: Discovery 's final season sees the team arrive on Trill, and Captain Burnham, Book, and Culber must pass a dangerous test to prove themselves worthy of discovering the next clue. Elsewhere, Adira reconnects with Gray and Saru's first day as ambassador is complicated by his engagement to T'Rina.

Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 Episode 2 Recap

In Star Trek: Discovery episode 3, the crew prepare to travel to Trill to seek out the next quest clue. Culber and Book brief Captain Michael Burnham on the potential threats, with some new background details on Moll courtesy of Book. Burnham’s criminal ex is trying hard to get his life back, and he wants in on the Trill landing party even though he isn’t a Starfleet member.

Adira and Tilly identify a Trill spot pattern on the map puzzle piece, and it leads them to a 24th-century Trill named Jinaal. (the name of this episode) Captain Rayner comes aboard, and Burnham orders her new first officer to get to know the rest of the crew. Stamets is focusing on trying to unlock the secrets of Dr. Vellek’s old tricorder, and he ignores Adira’s clear stress after seeing Gray again. Things are running relatively smoothly until the crew arrive on Trill, and Burnham solves the riddle quickly and heads down to the Caves of Mak’ala with Adira, Culber, and Book, and they meet an old Trill.

Jinaal reveals that the next clue is close by, and takes Burnham and Book with him. Upon their arrival at the canyon, Jinaal tells the group about how he, Dr. Vellek and four other scientists found the Progenitor technology, but they decided it was too dangerous to hand over to the Federation in the middle of the Dominion War.

Burnham and the team end up being hunted by giant “Intronok” predators, and once they arrive at the location of the clue, a monster gets in their way.

Back at Starfleet, Ambassador Saru is settling into his new office with the help of his fiancé, T'Rina. They plan to make their wedding announcement before heading into a resource meeting, where Saru argues for more allocations to the small worlds he represents, which successfully ends in a compromise with others who are concerned.

T’Rina’s aide, Duvin tells Saru that he is concerned about how the wedding announcement will affect the Ni’Var politics, but when Saru raises the issue with T'Rina, she doesn’t react well.

Back on Trill, Book attempts to use his glowing forehead empathy connection, but all he gets from the monster is that it’s rather annoyed. Book then tries some distracting techniques, while Burnham heads to the rock with the clue symbol on it to retrieve the big prize. However, things do not go as planned, and they get hit. They are subsequently pinned down as a second monster shows up to cause havoc.

Burnham holsters her phaser, showing the utmost respect to the Intronoks, who are now calming down somewhat. Book does the same and communicates that they just want to leave as they slowly back off. Sonn after, they find Dr. Hugh Jinaal on a rock, quipping, “I see you survived.”

Turns out, Jinaal drew them to the nest after suggesting they arm their phasers. By connecting them instead of shooting, they have passed another test. Jinaal was willing to let them die just to see if there was “goodness” in them. However, they did survive, which results in them winning the prize: the clue and the second map piece, which was hidden under a different rock.

After Culber gets swapped back, he heads back to the ship to recover from being possessed. When Burnham catches up with him in the lounge, they contemplate the spiritual implications of the journey they are on, and they seek the technology of the gods.

Back at HQ, Saru apologizes to T’Rina for all the politics that were getting in the way, and they make up with one another.

The episode ends in the Trill caves with Bix returning to the symbiont pool and Adira and Gray saying farewell. Turns out, Moll is disguised as a Trill, and she puts something onto Adira’s sleeve before the ensign beams back to the Disco.

Star Trek 4: Paramount Needs To Let This Sequel Die

Star Trek: Discovery (2017)

Star Trek: Discovery is an entry in the legendary Sci-Fi franchise, set ten years before the original Star Trek series events. The show centers around Commander Michael Burnham, assigned to the USS Discovery, where the crew attempts to prevent a Klingon war while traveling through the vast reaches of space.

Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 Returning Cast & New Character Guide

As Burnham seeks the universe's greatest treasure in Star Trek: Discovery season 5, she'll need help from a host of new and returning characters.

Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 Trailer Reveals 3 New Characters

Star trek: discovery season 5, episode 3 ending explained, star trek’s last 2 live-action shows are discovery sequels, star trek: discovery, star trek: discovery’s progenitor technology is far more powerful than wrath of khan’s genesis device.

Star Trek: Discovery season 5 is hunting for the Progenitors' life-giving technology, which has more power than Wrath of Khan's Genesis Device.

5 Seasons Of Star Trek Is The New 7, Unfortunately

Star Trek: Discovery and Lower Decks ending at 5 seasons seems to be a Star Trek show's new standard instead of the TNG era's 7 seasons.

Discovery’s Moll & L’ak Are “The Coolest Couple In Star Trek History”, Say Season 5’s New Actors

Exclusive: Star Trek: Discovery is full of love stories but season 5's new stars Elias Toufexis and Eve Harlow say Moll and L'ak are the best couple.

Did Star Trek: Discovery Secretly Reveal An Unseen DS9 Alien?

Star Trek: Discovery's next clue is in Tzenkethi space, meaning we may finally meet DS9's unseen space dinosaurs, but what if we've already met them?

Book’s Family Link To Star Trek: Discovery’s New Villain Moll Explained

Star Trek: Discovery season 5's new villain, Moll, has an unexpected family connection to Cleveland Booker that could have major implications.

9 Star Trek Characters Who Can Hide Discovery Season 5 Treasure Hunt Clues

The race is on for Star Trek: Discovery season 5's treasure hunt, and the remaining clues could be hiding with characters from Star Trek's past.

Star Trek: Discovery Writer Teases “Ramifications” For Dr. Culber’s Season 5 Trill Takeover

Dr. Hugh Culber was taken over by a Trill named Jinaal Bix, and his experience will resonate further in Star Trek: Discovery season 5.

10 Star Trek Worlds Discovery’s AR Wall Needs To Recreate

The Star Trek franchise has a state-of-the-art AR Wall they can use to render alien landscapes. What classic Trek planets should they recreate next?

How Star Trek: Discovery's Trill Ritual Connects to DS9's Dax

The next clue in Star Trek: Discovery season 5's treasure hunt relies on a Trill ritual connected to Jadzia Dax on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.

Star Trek: Discovery Series Finale Will Be A Longer Episode Confirmed By Sonequa Martin-Green & Showrunner

With Star Trek: Discovery's series finale just weeks away, Sonequa Martin-Green and Michelle Paradis confirm it will be a longer final episode.

Star Trek: Discovery Reminds Us DS9 Made Dax Cool Because Trills Are Weird

Star Trek: Discovery's Trills are weird and secretive, in sharp contrast to the cool and charismatic Jadzia and the charming Ezri Dax in DS9.

Star Trek: Discovery Reveals Another Iconic DS9 Connection

Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 3, "Jinaal" reveals that Nog isn't the only Ferengi to make a positive impact on Starfleet in the 32nd century.

Star Trek Points Out What’s Off About Discovery’s Starfleet Uniforms

The Trill Jinaal makes an offhand remark about Star Trek: Discovery's 32nd-century uniforms that pinpoints something different about the costumes.

5 Great Lessons Star Trek: Discovery Learned From Picard Season 3

Star Trek: Discovery season 5 learned all the right lessons from Star Trek: Picard season 3, and seems poised to end the show on a high note.

Wilson Cruz Killed It Playing Star Trek: Discovery's Trill

Wilson Cruz got to play a different character in Star Trek: Discovery season 5, and he absolutely nailed the performance as an 800-year-old Trill.

Star Trek: Discovery Season 5's Trill Clue Is a TOS Throwback

The next clue in Star Trek: Discovery season 5's treasure hunt waits for Michael Burnham and Cleveland Booker behind a dilemma going back to TOS.

Star Trek: Discovery Never Knew What To Do With Adira & Gray

Star Trek: Discovery was never able to get Adira and Gray's relationship right, making the evolution of their romance in season 5 inevitable.

Star Trek: Discovery Finally Reveals What Happened After TNG’s “The Chase”

Star Trek: Discovery season 5 provides new details on what happened after Captain Picard saw the Progenitor in Star Trek: TNG's "The Chase."

Why I'm On Rayner's Side In Star Trek: Discovery Season 5

Commander Rayner is ordered to "connect" with the crew in Star Trek: Discovery season 5, but Tilly and Burnham are wrong to force him to fit in.

Star Trek: Discovery Is A Sad Reminder DS9’s Dax Is Long Dead

Burnham meets Jinaal Bix in Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 3, a Trill host who reminds us that DS9's Dax is long dead in the 32nd century.

What Is Star Trek: Discovery's Spore Drive and How Does It Work?

The spore drive on Star Trek: Discovery is the universe's most fantastical technology that works in the show but should never replace warp engines.

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How does the spore drive work in star trek, why the uss discovery is the only starfleet ship with a spore drive, is the spore drive faster than warp speed, why star trek should probably stop using the spore drive.

With Season 5, Star Trek: Discovery embarks on the final mission for its dynamic crew and one-of-a-kind starship. There are many things about this series that diverged from past series or films in the universe created by Gene Roddenberry six decades ago. How the spore drive that powers the USS Discovery works is perhaps the most fanciful concept in Star Trek . When piloted by Ripper the "space tardigrade," Lieutenant Paul Stamets or Kewijan empath Cleveland Booker, this organic propulsion system is one of the most powerful technologies in all science fiction and fantasy.Despite the universe's reputation for somewhat grounded science-fiction, the displacement-activated spore hub drive is squarely in the realm of fantasy. This is not new territory for Star Trek , however.

Vulcan mind-melds, the concept of "subspace" and Star Trek's ubiquitous transporters are all, to varying degrees, magical nonsense. What helps sell these far-out technologies to skeptical audiences is the (lovingly named) technobabble that accompanies them. Vulcans use innate psychic abilities to connect to another consciousness like file-sharing over wifi. Transporters break people down into atoms and beam them to another physical location, where they are reassembled just as they were. Subspace allows communications to travel faster than speed of light, as well as any number of anomalies that create workarounds to the immutable laws of physics. USS Discovery's spore drive is equally able to break the laws of physics and travel on a "mycelial network" that exists outside of regular spacetime .

'Bittersweet and Shocking': Star Trek: Discovery Star Addresses the Series Getting Canceled

Former Star Trek: Voyager producer Bryan Fuller was tapped to bring the universe back to television, and he co-created the series with Alex Kurtzman. He left early in pre-production, but many of the concepts he introduced remained, such as the controversial Klingon redesign . The spore drive was one such concept, which drew from the research and philosophy of real-world mycologist Paul Stamets. This is why Anthony Rapp's character has that name, after all.

Next to engineering, the USS Discovery has a room where Lieutenant Stamets grows the spores needed to power the drive. He created it with his friend Straal, and Starfleet "co-opted" the technology once the Klingon-Federation War broke out. It was Straal who figured out the spore drive needed a pilot with compatible DNA to pilot the ship. He used a creature which Michael Burnham called a "tardigrade." Eventually, Stamets injected himself with tardigrade DNA which made him the only person capable of successfully using the spore drive. Later, Cleveland Booker was also able to serve as a navigator because of his natural empathic abilities.

Through their connection to the spores, the navigator is able to pilot the ship using invisible connections on a galactic mycelial network. In Star Trek: Discovery this network is represented much like the Quantum Realm in the Marvel Cinematic Universe . Like the Avengers, the ship is able to travel through this lower dimension and emerge in real space anywhere. However, the network the ship can travel on is limited to the Milky Way galaxy. Put another way, the spore drive allows the USS Discovery to teleport anywhere in the galaxy in an instant.

Star Trek: Discovery's Mary Wiseman, Wilson Cruz and Blu del Barrio Hype Finale

Despite existing a decade before the time of Star Trek: The Original Series , the USS Discovery was a bleeding-edge scientific vessel before the war. Once the USS Glenn and Straal were killed in their accident, Lieutenant Stamets became the only person in the universe to understand how the spore drive worked. While he sent his designs to Starfleet, none of their scientists could get it to work. Once the ship time-traveled to the 32nd Century, Starfleet was able to build a working prototype, but it was destroyed when it was stolen by Booker in Season 4 .

Even if Starfleet's scientists and engineers were able to replicate the machinery that made the spore drive function, they still lacked a crucial element: a navigator. Without the tardigrade or a compatible human, the spore drive could only safely travel a few hundred kilometers. Stamets can only serve as the navigator because of the tardigrade DNA he injected into himself. Since the creatures are sentient, difficult to catch and the Federation is against genetic modification, no one else can use his method. Booker's natural empathic abilities allowed him to serve as navigator, but his gifts are unique to Kwejian, which was destroyed in Season 4 .

In the first episode of Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 , Stamets is depressed because Starfleet has abandoned its efforts to recreate his technology. He wanted the spore drive to be his legacy. Instead, Starfleet and the Federation committed to a technology called the "pathway drive," an unknown method of faster-than-light travel that doesn't require dilithium crystals like warp engines. This means that the USS Discovery will be the only serviceable Starfleet vessel capable of traveling via the mycelial network, at least so long as Stamets or Booker are willing to serve as navigator.

How Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 Connects to TNG's Biggest Open Mystery

While it's natural to compare the spore drive to Star Trek 's famous warp drive, the USS Discovery isn't traveling at speed when it jumps. In fact, it's closer to Star Wars ' hyperspace , a dimension that exists underneath spacetime. Yet, unlike the Millennium Falcon, the USS Discovery is able to enter and exist the mycelial network in mere seconds. Ships traveling through hyperspace still take time to get from one point to another. The USS Discovery's spore drive flies through the network far faster than warp drive, but it's a completely different method of travel .

Of all the sci-fi Star Trek inventions, warp drive is one of the more plausible ones. Einstein's Theory of General Relativity established that the speed of light is as fast as anything can go through space, but not how fast spacetime itself can go. Thus, while Starfleet vessels travel faster than light, they do it by slipping through a loophole in the laws of physics. Warp engines create a bubble that bends spacetime itself. The ships ride it like a wave and are able to go faster than Einstein's universal speed limit. However, with the spore drive, the USS Discovery is able to just pop out of reality and emerge at a different physical location in the galaxy.

While there are some actual scientific concepts behind both the spore and warp drives, the latter is far more sound . Physical travel via the mycelial network is as plausible as trying to use tree roots as a subway. Still, even though the math works for warp drive, there are countless other effects that would make traveling at those speeds unsurvivable. This is why bridge and engineering officers in Star Trek are always talking about "inertial dampers." Similarly, travel via the mycelial network is not without risk, specifically from "Hawking radiation." This theoretical energy somehow turned the crew of the USS Glenn inside out after a test jump in Season 1, Episode 3, "Context is for Kings."

Star Trek: Discovery Wasn't Originally Going to End With Season 5, Reveals EP

All science fiction requires some level of suspension of disbelief, and there are many technologies in Star Trek that are just as magical as the spore drive. Still, the concept was met with a lot of criticism from fans that goes beyond the typical reluctance to embrace new iterations of this universe. "Although physically implausible, warp drive isn't laughably ridiculous. The [spore] drive is, " scientist Steven Sazlberg wrote for Forbes . Of course, Star Trek is full of ridiculous concepts like Thomas Riker, Will Riker's "transporter clone. " The fantastical nature of the spore drive isn't why it should stay on the USS Discovery.

The USS Voyager-J was revealed to be the first ship set to test the new pathway drive, whatever it is. However, if the spore drive existed and worked in the 24th Century, the original USS Voyager could've used it to get back from the Delta Quadrant before Captain Janeway's coffee got cold . Everything about the USS Discovery was classified at the end of the show's second season, which explains why the spore drive was never even considered as a means to rescue the USS Voyager. They also lacked a compatible navigator. But more importantly, the spore drive would have made the seven seasons of Star Trek: Voyager unnecessary.

The spore drive is a fun conceit for Star Trek: Discovery , but in truth it is simply too powerful a technology. The purpose of Starfleet is, after all, to explore the unknown. If every vessel in every Star Trek universe had a spore drive, at least 500 of its 900 total episodes wouldn't have happened. That Stamets is the only person truly able to crack this technology also speaks to the unique nature of humanity. Even with all of Starfleet's brilliance, there is an irreplaceable human contribution to make its most magical technology work.

Star Trek: Discovery debuts new episodes Thursdays on Paramount+.

Star Trek: Discovery

"Star Trek: Discovery" makes a case for Michael Burnham as the last great Starfleet captain

Our "discovery" protagonist was never going to have it easy. the start of her last run solidifies her greatness, by melanie mcfarland.

Michael Burnham's " Star Trek " journey was destined to be among the franchise's toughest and most complex. Some of us knew this from the moment Sonequa Martin-Green was cast to play her, especially Black women who are sci-fi geeks. We have never been few, but until recently, we were far less visible than we are now.

To some, this visibility symbolizes everything that has supposedly gone wrong with this franchise and others. The reach of " Star Trek: Discovery " goes even further by assembling a truly inclusive cast that blew apart the original series' longstanding heteronormativity.

All this further angered culture war trolls and self-appointed arbiters of what is so-called "real" "Star Trek." These people have a vested interest in downvoting any such divergences from what has gone before.

Mainly it was — as it continues to be — the purists who wrote off "Discovery" as "not Trek" during  its first season in 2017 . Looking back from its final season — and from the perspective of Burnham's 900-year journey — we can say that despite how its thematic shading looked to us then , "Discovery" never abandoned Gene Roddenberry's optimism . It has simply evolved its interpretation.

In the first season, not even Burnham would believe this to hold true. A human raised on Vulcan by Spock's  father, Sarek, and as his sister, Burnham earns her first officer role through superior conduct and logic, divorcing herself from sentiment.

Burnham's smug sense of rectitude gets her superior officer killed. She is charged with mutiny, stripped of her rank and sentenced to life in prison.

From there, she stops a rogue galactic A.I. from annihilating the Federation and leaps nine centuries into the future (thereby largely freeing herself and the show from restrictive canon) to find a universe where Starfleet as it used to be is a dream, and the Federation and its ideals are broken.

"Discovery's" swansong season finds Burnham in the year 3191, with enough of the Federation's trust to take on a highly classified mission alongside Captain Rayner (Callum Keith Rennie), who has already earned the same commendations as Kirk and Picard. His reputation precedes him, in other words. Their quest relates to a Picard-era discovery that Starfleet fears can be used to eradicate all humanoid life in the universe.

"Discovery" never abandoned Gene Roddenberry's optimism. It has simply evolved its interpretation. 

Their success should place her on par with the greats, an honor that showrunner Michelle Paradise and the show's co-creator Alex Kurtzman have been driving toward all this time.

Some indicators of that goal aren't as obvious as others, like the sequence in which Rayner defies Burnham during an away mission, trusting in his overconfidence instead of her strategic acumen. His snap judgment endangers a planet's civilian population, leaving her to fix the crisis he has created.

Women watching this — especially Black women, I would wager — might have experienced a slight rage triggering in their soul that was mollified by Burnham pulling the very Obama-esque move of asking Rayner to replace her trusted friend Saru (Doug Jones) as her first officer. (The job was coming open, anyway; Saru is shifting into diplomacy mode and getting married.)

This is the move of a great leader. Then again, like Kate Mulgrew's long underappreciated Captain Janeway, it may not be appreciated by the fandom for many, many years.

Burnham's arc contradicts what we know about the great Starfleet captains profiled in this franchise, most of whom are white and male.

Burnham's arc contradicts what we know about the great Starfleet captains profiled in this franchise, most of whom are white and male, though if that were the extent of what differentiates her from the rest, it would barely be worth mentioning.

Records of their histories come to us as snippets of dialogue from secondary characters or contextualizing conversations from what the official logs have to say about past missions. We hear about who served under whom, granting legitimacy to the likes of, say, Christopher Pike to claim the captain's chair long before Anson Mount made us ecstatic to see that happen.

Burnham's path to the helm's command begins with what should be a life- and career-ending mistake. It's constantly defined by humility and doubt. No one is harder on Burnham than she is on herself — and nobody takes as many risks with their career or reputation to keep their crew alive. Her optimism is one guided by the hope that all obstacles can be overcome and all outcomes are possible, including for herself.

Despite all of this, it will take a lot of convincing for some people to consider Burnham among the top ranks of Starfleet captains in those occasional fan polls that tend to place Jean-Luc Picard or James T. Kirk in the top positions, though Captain Pike has offered stiff competition since "Strange New Worlds" first aired.

But our relatively newfound love of Pike and that show wouldn't be possible without "Discovery" venturing into the unmapped asteroid field that is the public's willingness to boldly go back to a dormant franchise in a wildly disunified era.

This doesn't merely refer to the role of "Discovery" introducing Mount's Pike, in addition to launching every other new "Trek" spinoff along with the streaming service currently known as Paramount+ . It did all this along with shouldering the more precarious mission of serving as the franchise's vanguard in a cynical age.

If you love "Lower Decks" and "Strange New Worlds," this is in part due to the producers' listening to the fandom's programming desires accordingly. Notice, for example, how unlike the first season of "Picard"  is from the third . Initially, "Picard" tried to do something different with the beloved character. It ended his adventures by reassembling the band for the spectacular last ride their films denied them. The new "Star Trek" series have a goal of delivering something for everyone, including kids. "Discovery" helped its custodians figure that out.

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And if you love "Discovery," its devotion to showcasing those who long felt unseen in this franchise may kindle that affection. "Discovery" gave us an Asian woman as a Starship captain in Michelle Yeoh's Philippa Georgiou and a happily married duo to root for in Wilson Cruz's Dr. Hugh Culber in Anthony Rapp's Paul Stamets.

It introduced Tig Notaro in its second season as Jett Reno, a decision for which everyone should be grateful. The third gave us the franchise's first transgender and non-binary characters in Ian Alexander's Trill Gray and Blu del Barrio's Adira Tal.

Through it all, we have also entirely fallen for Mary Wiseman's Sylvia Tilly, a woman who also knew a few things about self-doubt and, therefore, values being understood.

What some would cite as humanizing traits, others might write off as maudlin, along with the fact that Burnham was able to experience a fully realized love affair that began with a partnership of equals with a courier named Booker (David Ajala).

Want a daily wrap-up of all the news and commentary Salon has to offer? Subscribe to our morning newsletter , Crash Course.

It's only one of the many ways that "Discovery" is consciously disparate from "Star Trek" as we have long known it, daring to change everything from the look of the Klingons to its star character's role in igniting a war between them and the United Federation of Planets.

That was then. Hundreds of years after that moment, Captain Burnham has figured herself out, proving to the many who doubted her that she deserves to be there.

She has traveled the longest road through imposter syndrome of any Starfleet captain — most of a millennium, actually — and we have witnessed every major moment that forged her. Burnham may never win the major "Star Trek" popularity contests for favorite captains, but without a doubt, she's the last great one we may ride with in this universe.

New episodes of "Star Trek: Discovery" stream Thursdays on Paramount +.

stories about "Star Trek"

• "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds" considers the weight of Khan's wrathful legacy
• How "Strange New Worlds" uses Rebecca Romijn's Number One to place prejudice on trial
• "Pike made jambalaya": How "Strange New Worlds" Captain Pike expresses care and diplomacy with food

Melanie McFarland is Salon's award-winning senior culture critic. Follow her on Twitter: @McTelevision

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Watch CBS News

Sonequa Martin-Green bids farewell to historic role on "Star Trek: Discovery"

By Analisa Novak

April 4, 2024 / 12:07 PM EDT / CBS News

As "Star Trek: Discovery " ventures into its fifth and final season, Sonequa Martin-Green is preparing to say goodbye to her groundbreaking role as Captain Michael Burnham, the first Black female captain in the franchise's storied history.

Martin-Green recalls the weight of realizing she was making television history. 

"It was overwhelming at the time. And I it was heavy, but God really blessed me with it, and I learned so much from it. I learned so much about who I am as a Black woman. And I learned that I don't have to fight for my value or my worth, because I definitely felt that way," she said.

When she first started in the role in 2017, Martin-Green said she still had a lot of internalized racism she had to navigate. But just like the show, Martin-Green said she has always been about pushing forward with hope. 

"At the time, I thought, 'This is all about hope.' Hope is at the center of this franchise. It's our responsibility to keep that moving forward. People can think what they want to think but they need a chance to grow," she said.

In addition to her on-screen achievements, Martin-Green has also made significant strides behind the camera, ascending from lead actor to executive producer. Her dual role has allowed her to shape the series' direction.

Martin-Green said that the final season of "Star Trek: Discovery" will go "bigger than we had ever done before." Despite not knowing it would be their last season, the team, led by showrunners Michelle Paradise and Alex Kurtzman, fought for and received the opportunity reshoot the series' finale.

As "Discovery" comes to a close, Martin-Green hints at the possibility of continuing the story through a feature film.

"We love these characters. We love the people. We love the story," she said. 

Analisa Novak is a content producer for CBS News and the Emmy-award-winning "CBS Mornings." Based in Chicago, she specializes in covering live events and exclusive interviews for the show. Beyond her media work, Analisa is a United States Army veteran and holds a master's degree in strategic communication from Quinnipiac University.

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Star Trek: Discovery (2017–2024)

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