We all know that 2020 was a dumpster fire, but for Star Trek fans, one thing that made the year of hell more palatable was getting new Star Trek nearly every single week of the year. 32 out of 52 weeks in 2020 had a new episode of Star Trek. 2021 is shaping up to be a Trek-filled year as well. Here are a few of the Star Trek things I’m excited about coming down the pike.
Q is Joining Picard!
We all knew it was coming, but with the confirmation of John de Lancie’s casting in Star Trek: Picard, we are getting ready for the reunion of the 24th century! The long adversarial, frenemy-ish relationship between Q and Picard opened and closed Star Trek: The Next Generation. John de Lancie reprised his role in both Deep Space Nine and Voyager and even had a brief cameo in Lower Decks this past year, so it’s only logical that Q would make his appearance in Picard. This reunion should prove interesting, as [SPOILER ALERT FOR SEASON ONE OF PICARD] in the past, Captain Picard has in some ways served as the advocate for humanity against Q. Picard is now an android. How does this change the dynamic between Picard, humanity, and the Q Continuum? As Q says in the teaser, “The trial never ends,” and then adds in his signature maniacal laugh. These are the questions that keep me up at night.
Another Q reunion I want to see? I’d love to see Whoopi Goldberg reprise her role as Guinan and face off with Q. In TNG, it is mentioned that Guinan is the only person that Q ever feared, though we’re not given a clear explanation as to why. Last year when he went on The View to talk Picard, Sir Patrick Stewart formally invited Whoopi Goldberg to join season 2. While there has not been official confirmation of her casting, Goldberg seemed to be thrilled at the proposition. Let us hope and pray!
Lower Decks
While we’ve only gotten a tiny tease at the next season of Lower Decks, there are all sorts of possibilities at hand. Boimler is now on Riker’s ship. How has the dynamic between the crew and Mariner changed now that everyone knows her mother is Captain Freeman? Admittedly, it took me a couple of episodes to get into Lower Decks last year, but once I did, I appreciated its tongue-in-cheek approach to Trek lore, its deep-cut references for more seasoned fans, and the interactions between the part of the crew that we seldom see–the lower decks.
Strange New Worlds and Prodigy
We’ve only gotten announcements and a few teaser images for Strange New Worlds and Star Trek: Prodigy, but my excitement for these upcoming series is driven by two of my favorite characters in the Star Trek universe–Spock and Captain Janeway.
There is a certain segment of Star Trek fandom that hated on Ethan Peck’s portrayal of potentially the most beloved character in the Star Trek universe–Spock. I could not agree less with this segment of the fandom. (To be honest, most of the hate I saw was that Spock was bearded…seriously?). Agree or disagree with me, but Ethan Peck is no slouch. In a Star Trek Day interview last year, Peck cited the research he did to honor Leonard Nimoy’s legacy as Spock. Peck did not just simply watch The Original Series, but he also read Leonard Nimoy’s biographies–I am not Spock and I am Spock. He also read philosophical works that Spock referenced in The Original Series. That’s some serious method acting. I can’t wait to see him reprise his role as everyone’s favorite Vulcan, as well as Anson Mount and Rebecca Romijn helming the leads as Captain Pike and Number One in Strange New Worlds. Look for this series in 2022.
Star Trek: Prodigy is the first Star Trek series specifically for children since Star Trek: The Animated Series. This animated series is being produced for Nickelodeon and Paramount+. While I’m thrilled to have a Star Trek series that I can enjoy with my niece and nephew, I literally screamed when I learned that Kate Mulgrew would be reprising her role as Captain Kathryn Janeway. Captain Janeway is my Captain. I would happily follow her into the Delta Quadrant and anywhere else she would lead. This series focuses on a crew of renegade teenagers who have taken a derelict Starfleet vessel to explore the galaxy. I can’t wait to see how this series plays out and for further adventures with my Captain. Star Trek: Prodigy will premiere later in 2021.
Discovery
As much as I love all this new Trek, I am most excited for Star Trek: Discovery. The little teaser we got did not give away much, but we do get enough for me to get hype and start asking questions! What is this gravitational anomaly that seems to be moving willy-nilly across space with no way to track it? Who is this new person we see giving a “Live long and prosper” to T’Rina, the leader of Ni’Var? I spy new types of uniforms! Will we be going back to Kaminar to get Saru and Su’Kal? MORE GRUDGE! Will the king of body horror, David Cronenberg reprise his role as the mysterious Kovich? I want to see more of the confident Tilly we got last season. There are so many things I have questions about and want to see! We don’t have a hard date yet, and due to a “Zone A” person’s potential COVID-19 exposure, production on Discovery has been halted for the next 14 days. In the meantime, I’ll be waiting with bated breath until we get new episodes of Discovery.
Are you as excited for all this new Star Trek as I am? Which series are you most looking forward to seeing? Until then, let’s fly into a rewatch while we wait.
All episodes of all Star Trek series are available now on Paramount+.
