Madeline Gearheart | October 31, 2017
Everything You Need—and Want—to Know about Star Trek: Discovery
Star Trek fans, rejoice! Star Trek has returned to television, sort of, this fall season with the new Discovery series. If you’ve seen the premiere and want to know more about this show or you’re just wanting more information on this space-age series, read on. We’ll give you all the details below.
What’s Star Trek: Discovery About?
No spoilers—promise, especially if you’ve already tuned into the debut episode. Star Trek: Discovery is a prequel to the original series that featured Spock, Captain Kirk, and the USS Enterprise. In Discovery, the crew, per usual, explores new worlds and meets an array of alien life forms. The new series can be thought of as a coming-of-age story: it largely focuses on a single Starfleet officer who seeks to understand a universe much larger and stranger than they ever thought or imagined possible.
When and Where Does Star Trek: Discovery Air?
The first episode aired on CBS on September 24, and the following episodes will be available for US citizens on CBS All Access every Sunday. To watch the show, you will need an internet plan that supports streaming. If you choose to use DISH® as your internet and television provider, you can even upgrade your equipment to get the most out of your viewing experience.
People outside the United States will be able to watch Discovery on CBS All Access or Netflix. It remains to be seen how viewers will respond to the network’s monopoly on the show, but they presumably could subscribe to the service, especially with CBS’s one-month-free offer. And, if you think Netflix subscribers will one-up you, think again: Netflix will release Discovery episodically, not all at once.
How Many Episodes Are in Star Trek: Discovery?
Star Trek: Discovery spans fifteen episodes, with the episodes released in two chunks that CBS calls chapters. The first episode was an invitation to subscribe to CBS All Access. All episodes, including the first one, will reside on CBS All Access after the premiere. The first eight episodes will release every Sunday, beginning September 24 and ending November 5. The second set of episodes will release in January 2018.
What Score Does Star Trek: Discovery Have?
Actual scores won’t be out until the fall, but anticipation continues to grow. On Rotten Tomatoes, 88% of people want to see the show. IMDb reveals a similar trend, with popularity for Discovery resting at an encouraging 94%.
How Could the TV-MA Rating Affect Star Trek: Discovery?
In August, CBS revealed Star Trek: Discovery would be rated TV-MA. Lest you worry the show will betray its Roddenberry roots, read what one of the show’s producers said to Entertainment Weekly.
Every writer’s impulse when you get to work on the streaming shows with no parameters is to go crazy. But then you look at things like: How does nudity play on Trek? Eh, it feels weird. How does a lot of [profanity] on Trek? Not so great. Are there moments where it merits it that we’re trying to push here and there? I would say we’re trying to push more by having the type of complicated, messed-up characters who aren’t necessarily embraced on broadcast.
If the statement holds true, Discovery will grapple with the political and social issues of today—the same as Star Trek has always done.
Who Captains (Produces) Star Trek: Discovery?
Several people work together to captain Star Trek: Discovery, including Bryan Fuller, Alex Kurtzman, Aaron Harberts, Gretchen J. Berg, Akiva Goldsman, and Heather Kadin. Fuller acted as showrunner but left to give more attention to American Gods and Amazing Stories. Harberts and Berg have since stepped into his role, sharing showrunner duties. Kurtzman is the executive producer for the show, which he’s well positioned for—he produced the first two recent Star Trek movie reboots.
Who’s in the Cast of Star Trek: Discovery?
Discovery’s cast is stellar and maybe a little surprising. It claims not only a female lead but also a female lead who isn’t a captain. And, you’ve likely never seen a cast as diverse as this one. Because Discovery relies on many actors to get their starships traveling at warp speed, the ones listed below are ones you’ll primarily see in the season’s two chapters:
- Sonequa Martin-Green as First Officer Lieutenant Commander Michael Burnham
- Jason Isaacs as Captain Gabriel Lorca (USS Discovery)
- Michelle Yeoh as Captain Philippa Georgiou (USS Shenzou)
- Doug Jones as Lieutenant Saru
- Shazad Latif as Lieutenant Ash Tyler
- Maulik Pancholy as Chief Medical Officer Doctor Nambue
- Anthony Rapp as Lieutenant Paul Stamets
- Kenneth Mitchell as Commander Kol (Klingon)
To see the characters in action, watch the official trailer.
What Ship Will Star Trek: Discovery Use?
Prepare yourself. Star Trek: Discovery will feature not one, but two, ships: the USS Shenzou and the titular USS Discovery. The two ships intersect by way of leading lady Sonequa Martin-Green.
What Can Viewers Expect from Star Trek: Discovery?
You can expect a much edgier version of Star Trek. Characters want to uphold the Roddenberry ideal, but we will see how they struggle. Will they choose to win by any means possible or will they do what’s right regardless of the consequences? Harberts told TV Insider that this vision informed their decision of who to make the lead character. “We wanted someone at the center not yet fully formed, someone still discovering who she is and what she stands for as she fights the good fight.”
What Scenes Should Viewers Expect to See in Season One of Star Trek: Discovery?
You can expect at least a couple of scenes with Klingons due to the ongoing war between them and the Federation. However, these Klingons have been redesigned. You also won’t see a one-sided villain or hero in Discovery. You will traverse two ships, too, thanks to First Officer Michael Burnham. And, she, of course, is Spock’s adopted sister, so you might visit Vulcan in flashbacks.
Is Star Trek: Discovery Gear Available Yet?
Four uniform-style shirts are available for purchase on Amazon. With your apparel, you can command the crew or serve as a medical, engineering, or science crew member.
What excites you most about the new Star Trek series? Share your thoughts on social media with the hashtag #StarTrekDiscovery.
