Even though it’s Thanksgiving week, there are still some Star Trek: Discovery bits of news to catch up on, including actors talking possible spoilery fan theories, more details on the original design for Saru, and George Takei comparing Discovery to the J.J. Abrams Star Trek movies.
[WARNING: ARTICLE AND VIDEO CONTAINS POSSIBLE SPOILERS]
Isaacs and Latif talk theories
There is yet more from the recent UK press tour to cover. Actors Jason Isaacs and Shazad Latif spoke to Games Radar about various fan theories about Discovery, with each taking a different view. Isaacs said he “really loved” some of the fan theories even though he thought some of them were “really bonkers,” and noted:
“Some people get some bits right, no one has got the whole thing right.”
As for Shazad Latif, who has been the subject of most of the fan theories, he too admitted “some of them they get right.” However, he didn’t seem as keen as Isaacs in indulging the theorizing, saying:
“I like to retain mystery. I don’t like to analyze something before…I find that very strange. Why would they want to know before it?”
When asked specifically if his character of Lt. Tyler was secretly actually the the Klingon Voq, Latif would only say:
“Let’s just watch the show and retain some mystery.”
10-eyed Saru
In a profile on actor Doug Jones on Buzzfeed there are some more details on the original design for his character Saru.
When he showed up for his first makeup test for Saru, the brand new alien [Bryan] Fuller had concocted for him to play on Discovery, Jones recognized some pivotal issues with the initial design of the character. The biggest example: Saru had 10 eyes, which rose up in giant crescent shapes above his head. The hefty design had to be held up by a helmet underneath the makeup, which kept slipping forward any time Jones looked down.
“In order to make it not slip so much, it would have to be tightened to a degree where, you know, I would need ibuprofen every day,” said Jones. “I could do it if it was a two-day role — I would gut through that. But looking at a multiple-year contract, well, that’s a lot.”
Discovery writer Bo Yeon Kim actually posted her personal doodle of the original Saru on Twitter earlier this month.
Did you know that Saru was initially conceived as having 8 to 10 eyes? Here's one of my first doodles in the @StarTrekRoom, before I got to see any official designs for Saru. #StarTrekDiscovery pic.twitter.com/B8ljV7AbcG
— Bo Yeon Kim (@extspace) November 1, 2017
Takei: Discovery is return to Roddenberry’s Star Trek
Speaking to the Edmonton Journal, original Star Trek actor George Takei had some nice things to say about Discovery:
It’s getting back to Gene Roddenberry’s idea of infinite diversity in infinite combinations — and the use of sci-fi as a metaphor for current issues. With J.J. Abrams’ (films), we got way off the tracks — great space operas, all that running through corridors, zipping through space. And I envied John Cho getting that skydive. But that was it — you didn’t have that other dimension, the real throbbing heart of Gene Roddenberry’s Star Trek.
Jason can keep a secret
And finally, here is Jason Isaacs on Instagram making a joke about the secrecy surrounding Discovery.
Star Trek: Discovery is available on CBS All Access on in the US and airs in Canada on the Space Channel. It is available on Netflix outside the USA and Canada.
Keep up with all the Star Trek:Discovery news at TrekMovie.
I’m guessing Latif isn’t really familiar with the Trek fan base. If quoted correctly it was kind of submissive.
If it was submissive, then I guess L’Rell has some ideas too about the fan base.
Biggest tidbit that went unnoticed, Jones admitting he has a multi year contract.
Well, no Star Trek show has ever been cancelled in the first year, it would be likely he assumed he’d be on the show for several years. And that outfit would be too much for one year even.
Didn’t go unnoticed by me. :)
Here’s a good write-up on tv contracts:
The Series Option will usually be structured as a sequence of options to employ the actor for successive seasons. (often as many as 6 or 7) Each season after the first, the producer will need to exercise its option by mid-June (after the Networks announce their series renewals for the coming TV Season.
That’s not news. Every American TV show you automatically sign up for 6-7 year contract in the first season. It obviously doesn’t mean either the show or actors will last that long on it but they sign it knowing they plan to be committed to the show as long as they want them.
And George Takei comments? Really?
He always has to whine about something…
What was your issue with Takei’s comments? As a fan of Discovery (and pretty big critic of the Abrams films), I would have thought you’d be pretty happy with them.
Given the serious allegations made, I’d have avoided quoting him, at least for awhile.
As a gay guy, the allegation (singular), seemed to me like frivolous drama, at best.
There’ve been some actual assaults revealed in all this. This, if it even happened, doesn’t sound like one of them.
Takei often annoys me — but it’s troubling to destroy a reputation based on just an allegation, even in the midst of what’s happening.
Word.
I agree! That’s Why I’m voting for patriotic Roy Moore in Alabama. There’s no evidence of those baseless allegations.
The testimony of nine women, plus various officials, waitresses and mall workers who say that they were well aware of Moore’s reputation and predilections at the time in question. Moore, meanwhile, would seek to criminalize the very kind of loving relationship depicted between Stamets and Culber on Discovery. You’re an idiot.
All substantiated hearsay. No evidence whatsoever!
Damn autocorrect. Meant “unsubstantiated”
Takes a special kind of creep to be placed on a mall watch list. But even without those allegations, he’s still unfit for office. I mean, if he couldn’t follow the rules as a judge, don’t be surprised when he’s eventually investigated for corruption in the Senate.
There is no evidence of a mall watch list with him on it. With him in office, he’ll help Trump make America great again. As a Southern Baptist Christian conservative from Alabama, I’m proud to get a chance to vote for Roy Moore, a true American Patriot with impeccable moral values and character.
Oh I get it. Satire!
I devoutly hope it is satire on Shilliam’s part
Otherwise, wame on Shilliam.
There is the testimony of those who knew him by reputation at the time. Plenty of people have been sent to prison for decades on evidence that was less substantive than the multiple witnesses who have spoken out against Roy Moore. And yes, I can’t wait for you to have to explain to your personal Savior how you chose to vote for a credibly accused pedophile over a decent (albeit conservative) Democrat, a former prosecutor, because he doesn’t hate gay people enough for your taste. I think you’re in for a great surprise, in that respect. But then, you’re a fool.
I suspect that Mr. Watner is jerking your chain a bit. That said, there is something disturbing about how our selective purity standards are being applied. Society doesn’t object to the tarting up of little girls for Halloween. The p0rn industry makes billions peddling ‘barely legal’ teens. Multiple millions of tickets and books are sold marketing the virtues of the (consenting) submissive woman. Setting aside the outlier of the 14 year old, we are supposed to be offended by the man in his 30’s, dating a 16 year old, when we understand that if this were just a couple of guys in a bar, the same guy would be getting high fived by his buddies for scoring? You’ll get no argument from me that Moore is a creep, but considering this apparent double standard society seems to practice, it’s not his dating habits we are condemning, but watching a pious conservative @$$hat get his that keeps the media piling on. Guys need to own their own share of the blame for a culture that permits harassment….I’m not sure we are at that tipping point, yet.
The testimony is hearsay! Nothing is based in fact.
If someone repeats something they heard from another person, that’s hearsay (hence the word, as in heard someone say). If it’s a firsthand account, that’s something else, and is admissible as evidence.
Don’t expect your precise legal definition to carry weight with this fool, any more than the fact that people have gone to prison, including death row, with far less in the way of corroborating witnesses than is the case with Roy Moore. All he cares about is that tribal signifier “R” after Moore’s name, and probably even a photograph of a dead girl or live boy in his bed wouldn’t make a difference at this point. Just more proof positive that a steady diet of Fox and Limbaugh is worse for the mind than heroin or crystal meth.
Isaacs the absolute madman!
Glad they didn’t go with that Saru design, that’s gross.
I agree, with George’s take on Discovery — I feel that there’s still mysteries to explore in ST:Discovery. Like why Klingon characters have what look to be “claws?” And let’s figure-out why they look like steroid-driven reptilian Romulans with head-ridges? Did they mess with genetics too much? And this was a brief “burp” in the Empire?
I love the characters, and like that Discovery is a science ship — mysterious and very advanced for the pre-TOS era. I wish they’d make the interiors like pre-TOS instead of ST:Enterprise / JJ era — we see some of the “familiar set design” in the phaser which I love and the sickbay bed’s data transceiver, which is familiar. But some of the other designs are not so familiar and make me look around and not finding more similar designs.
I thought Star Trek was just find in TOS where the set design was round or linear and intermixed — it was a great design for the time. But compared to the movie-era TMP onward, the elegant smooth curves which fit form and function seem too blocky in ST:Discover. It can be very painful running and snagging the side of your head or hip or even a leg or who knows a shoulder on those aweful right-angle blocky corridors and alcoves and even the doors — like the turbo-lift doors in TMP era, the linear line of the door accents the smooth and not to thick look of the rounded corners of the turbo-lift access location — it flows neatly — I’d love to see an upgrade to Discovery that makes it look a little more pre-TOS – not ENTERPRISE and less like JJ era or TMP era star trek design…
Use the phaser for example — I love that design. Take that and do the same with the ship and the sets… a retro-modern look and feel. There is a graphic on Deviant Art which redoes the TOS Cage Era bridge and it was like how the bridge changed from ST: III to the bridge at the end — smooth flush consoles but they looked very similar to the TOS and TMP look but had a touch-panel console and controls… It shows the similar layout of controls and looks the same on the basic framework, but it was very modern and advanced looking — but you still were very familiar with what where who’s stations were who’s and very familiar with control and button placement and who does what where to do which thing they need to do — it’s salient when we are familiar… Don’t change it too much — but if you do, keep the basic framework of the original design and try to make it more flush and fitted as if it were upgraded to enhance functionality and familiarity, not feeling lost in the design or as we don’t have a common framework to map out the new changes to find what we want to find or do…
Change it too much and people will pull away from it, because it’s not anything close to the “common ground” of set design they know from previous eras – it’s like the bridge — it’s shape — we know what it generally looks like it’s round at the top of the saucer and inside it is circular with a command level lower than the stations… or very similar…
If you put a bridge design that looks like an inverse opposite of what is familiar then people won’t suspend their disbelieve to find it redeeming enough to believe…
But ST:Discover has that “magic.” And you guys need to be really careful on what you do with it or face the Wrath of Trekkers and not embrace it for what it’s worth…
I absolutely love the story-lines and the backstory of the characters — this is exactly the spirit I feel that Gene envisioned way back when… Use alien characters to represent certain aspects of the injustices and ills of society compared and contrasted to the true way of justice and freedom to explore the unknown. To Boldly Go eh? Indeed.
Best,
Trekwebmaster
The big and blocky set design interiors and the klingons with romulan claws reminding me of Gorny retilian features with head ridges, and oh of course, the spore drive was a stretch… But the storyline allowed me to accept it the fact it needs a host to make it work — runs a good risk of not being practical and over-used as a plot device — as the transporter was seen — too easy to pop in and phaser the bad guys and beam out with the hostages or any old similar song and dance story — keep it very unique and special to the spirit of star trek — this is a very special era — it’s not mapped out until you get to Pike — There is a HUGE area of time between ENTERPRISE and PIKE… use it very wisely — you’re making canon here…
Best,
Trek
Sorry, but I am passionate and a TREKKER… I’ve never been a Trekkie… And I find that singular expression of my gratitude and participation offensive, by definition. (In Seven of Nine’s classic matter-of-fact voice.)
With that said, Star Trek: Discovery is the REDEMPTION of Star Trek.
To quote a famous Captain that once said:
” They used to say if man could fly, he’d have wings.
But he did — fly. He discovered he had to.
Do you wish that the first Apollo mission hadn’t reached the moon, or that we hadn’t gone on to Mars, and then to the nearest star? That’s like saying that you wished you still operated with scalpels and sewed your patients up with catgut like your great great great great grandfather used to.
I’m in command. I could order this.
But I’m not because Doctor McCoy is right in pointing out the enormous danger potential in any contact with life and intelligence as fantastically advanced as this.
But I must point out that the possibilities, the potential for knowledge and advancement is equally great.
Risk.
Risk is our business.
That’s what this starship is all about.
That’s why we’re aboard her.
-AND-
Another famous Captain which said: “FLY HER APART, THEN!”
All the Best,
Don’t take the critiques personally, just take it and RUN WITH IT!!
All I ask is a tall ship, and a star to steer her by…
There ya go… Feel that explorer spirit with the wind at your back…:):)
I note your observations, but you’re trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. They said repeatedly, even Bryan Fuller was saying it back in 2016 that Discovery, although set in the continuity of events in the Prime timeline, WILL have a redefined (or rebooted) visual style. I don’t understand why some are just not getting this or are wanting to make it fit with an obsolete 1960’s aesthetic. They said they were updating the style for this AND future Treks for the 21st century. They’ve also said as time goes on, they will adopt more TOS-like things like colour schemes etc.
Quickly, you’re not going to get ‘reasons’ for the Klingons, the design goes back to what Gene was planning in the 70’s – a more alien, crustacean look. He would not have offered any explanation. If anything, the Klingons have become alien again and restored to honour. By the late 80’s/early 90’s, the Klingons were increasingly a joke and parody, a bunch of headbanging, grunting morons. Now they are a believable, varied culture, alien looking and sounding and a worthy foe of the Federation.
But you ARE correct, Discovery is the redemption of Trek. Away from the oft-negative internet, people I speak to offline LOVE the new show and I’m finding people who never liked Trek before saying how great the new show is. Sure, it’s going to be hard for some of us long-timers to accept, but this is growth and change can be painful even when it is for the better.
As a great, visionary Klingon Chancellor said:
“If there is to be a brave New World, our generation is going to have the hardest time living in it.”
Love the Original design of Saru- that is the kind of CGI/Alien make up we would expect from a 6-8 Million budgeted show.
But what di we get? some lame basic make up.
Obviously the money is going somewhere else.
I love George Takei, I just saw him in Australia last week but he is a bit off on his praise for Discovery- It doesn’t embrace Science Fiction any more than the JJ films, but at least they had the spirit of Star Trek alive behind all the action. Discovery has nothing of value.
No great effects, no space battles, no unique extravagant aliens, no believable or exciting science, no science fiction story- nothing but a couple of interesting performances & an overdue almost redundant Gay male/Male kiss.
I don’t know what you’ve been watching.
Discovery has had all the things you say it hasn’t had, yet you focus on a minor and insignificant kiss. Really? That’s all you’ve taken away from Discovery? I think it says more about you than DSC, to be honest.
My theory is that they aren’t exactly in the TOS/TNG timeline. This gives the authors and designers some independence. But this is only a slight iteration, let’s say to show new design and so on, the history should be almost the same.
And so Lorca is not really evil, because we won’t see a hard dark mirror universe here. Lorca got exchanged between two universes on the destruction of the Buran (maybe she is still alive in another universe?)
This is a Multiverse, endless permutations… in some of the other universes starships have analog blinking switches and crew members wear funny colorful 60ies uniforms.
Lorca tries to exchange himself with the other universes to bring each version of him back to the right timeline, maybe he also tries to save the Buran.
Oh, and at the last jump we saw two Discoveries dividing. Could it be that a TOS version of the Discovery is brought to the DISCO universe?
My version is definitely wrong and I’m looking forward how mindblowing the rest of the season will be ;)