First the bad:
“Star Trek Discovery,” once slated to premiere this month before moving to May, won’t be premiering in May either. CBS All Access is now saying in a statement it doesn’t know when it will premiere.
Now the good:
James Frain -- who played recently both Mayor Galavan and Azrael on “Gotham” and recurred on numerous other series, among them “24,” “Empire,” “Invastion,” “The Tudors,” “The Cape,” “The White Queen, “Grimm,” “Orphan Black,” “The Tunnel,” “Intruders,” ““True Blood,” “Agent Carter” and “True Detective” -- will play Sarek, father of Spock, on “Star Trek Discovery.”
Actor Mark Lenard first played the character of Sarek on the 1967 “Star Trek” episode “Journey to Babel,” and reprised the role on the 1973 animated episode “Yesteryear,” two episodes of “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” and the third, fourth and sixth Star Trek movies.
Younger versions of Sarek were played by Jonathan Simpson in 1989’s “Star Trek V” and by Ben Cross in 2009’s “Star Trek.”
Bryan Fuller, co-creator and former showrunner of “Star Trek Discovery,” hinted that he wanted Winona Ryder, who played Spock’s mother in the 2009 movie, to reprise the role in the upcoming series.
While I’m been mighty impressed with Frain’s work over the years I’d be lying if I said it’s not a disappointment that they’re not bringing back Cross.
“Star Trek Discovery,” which will stream on CBS All Access (likely later this year), is set 10 years before the Kirk-Spock series broadcast in the 1960s. It is not excpected to focus on Kirk, Spock or any other familiar character, though familiar characters will pop up from time to time.
(I wonder if Spock is already serving aboard the Enterprise with Captain Pike.)
