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Published Mar 14, 2023

Dr. Beverly Crusher's Guide to Saving the Enterprise

The good doctor saved the day on more than one occasion, let's give her some credit!

StarTrek.com

As the Chief Medical Officer aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise -D in Star Trek: The Next Generation , Dr. Beverly Crusher dealt with an abundance of diverse challenges that would have been far too much for most surgeons to bear. From the common cold to Borg encounters, Crusher needed to prepare contingency plans for every possible situation. The doctor’s experiences extended well beyond medical matters, as she served as both a valued senior staff member and a trusted advisor for Captain Picard.

While Crusher worked marvels in Sickbay, her compassion and humanity shone through in many other ways. We may not be able to dive into each miracle that the doctor performed, but let’s rank the most prominent instances where Crusher’s actions ultimately proved vital to “saving the day.”

Outwitting Invaders in “ Conspiracy ”

When parasitic aliens attempted to infiltrate the Federation, the mysterious beings dispatched an infected Admiral Quinn to bring one of their kin to Crusher so it could assume control over the doctor. The plot demonstrated Crusher’s vital position on the flagship, but Riker’s interference threw a wrench in the invaders’ efforts and provided the doctor with the opportunity to study Quinn. After identifying the tell-tale gills that marked the officers who were infested by the creatures, Crusher warned the captain about the dangerous situation. Most importantly, the CMO devised the scheme wherein Riker pretended to succumb to the parasites in order to rescue Picard. The doctor’s plan represented a superb combination of her medical prowess and Starfleet’s standard tactical training. Without Crusher’s ingenuity and quick-thinking, the aliens might have overtaken the Enterprise and undermined the Federation.

Countering Terrorism in “ The High Ground ”

Crusher’s dedication to treating citizens wounded in a terrorist attack resulted in her being captured by Ansata separatists on Rutia IV, but the doctor faced her imprisonment with bravery and stoicism. Kyril Finn, the group’s leader and Crusher’s impromptu jailer, accused Starfleet of allying itself with the Rutian government, but the CMO repeatedly emphasized her mission’s merciful nature. Despite the cruel circumstances, Crusher willingly diagnosed the Ansata who suffered from an illness caused by dimensional shifting and sought to ease their pain.

Although the doctor acknowledged Finn’s perspective, she refused to give in to the notion that fear and violence were viable solutions, even when the Ansata launched an assault on the Enterprise that could have killed Wesley. Crusher’s voice of reason failed to fully penetrate Finn’s harsh exterior before he perished at the hands of the Rutian police, but the doctor’s pleas did convince an Ansata boy to lower his weapon. While the outcome was far from ideal, Crusher’s commitment to her ethics saved the young man’s life.

Rehabilitating a Race in “ Transfigurations ”

The theme of valuing the treatment of individuals continued when the Enterprise rescued an enigmatic patient dubbed “John Doe” in the Zeta Gelis star cluster. Crusher devoted her skills to the apparently hopeless case, and, with assistance from the alien’s regenerative abilities, was granted the chance to get to know John in the process. Star Trek ’s wonderous 24th Century medicine often restores victims so swiftly that they depart Sickbay almost immediately after enduring horrific injuries, but “Transfigurations” offered a much-needed glimpse of a doctor collaborating with her patient through a more prolonged rehabilitation.

The episode underlined the concept that Crusher’s medical proficiency consisted of much more than simply relaying technobabble and waving a device over a wound to treat her wards. What began on a small-scale soon yielded an unexpected conclusion, as John remembered that he had fled Zalkon to avoid persecution and become the first of his kind to undergo a natural metamorphosis. Crusher’s kind acts opened the door for an entire species to enter a new realm of existence. How’s that for a day at the office?

Taking Command in “ Descent, Part I ” and “ Descent, Part II ”

A certified Bridge officer, Crusher assumed control over the Enterprise when Picard and the majority of the crew beamed down to search for Data after the ship encountered an unorthodox band of Borg drones. The CMO orchestrated an emergency extraction while under fire from a Borg vessel and retreated long enough to send a buoy to notify Starfleet about the situation. Crusher valiantly elected to return for her comrades, masterfully overseeing a ragtag command structure that included both novice personnel and veteran officers. The doctor gained the temporary Bridge staff’s trust as she outmaneuvered the enemy and executed a risky strategy within a star’s corona to destroy the Borg ship. Her tactical genius aside, Crusher exuded a well-earned degree of confidence, guided those who looked to her for leadership, and kept the Enterprise safe from harm.

Finding Oneself in “ Remember Me ”

As crew members began disappearing from the Enterprise due to a seemingly rogue warp bubble, a perplexed Crusher learned that only she recalled that those particular individuals had even existed. The CMO confronted doubts about her sanity from all corners, yet she exhibited a level-headed approach to the problem and brilliantly deduced that she was actually the one who was trapped in the warp bubble. With the problem uncovered, Crusher applied a scientific train of thought to hypothesize that a vortex she observed had been a gateway opened by Wesley and La Forge to allow her to return to reality. The ship itself might not have been in mortal danger in this episode, but Crusher’s mental fortitude and problem-solving capabilities lead to her own freedom. As the old proverb says, “Physician, heal thyself.”

Cracking the Case in “ Suspicions ”

Data’s interest in Sherlock Holmes garnered significant attention, but Crusher displayed her own aptitude as a detective following the alleged suicide of Ferengi scientist Dr. Reyga. Impressed by Reyga’s work with metaphasic fields, the doctor took it upon herself to act as a “scientific diplomat,” and gathered experts together to confer about the Ferengi’s research. Reyga’s death did not sit right with the CMO, prompting her to investigate the case and perform an unauthorized autopsy on the Ferengi. Crusher’s willingness to go against the grain and disobey the captain’s orders spoke to the doctor’s devotion to the truth, regardless of the cost to her own career. Crusher even put her life on the line to test Reyga’s metaphasic shielding, a course of action that exposed the Takaran Jo’Bril as the actual murderer. The lesson here? Don’t stand in the doctor’s way when she believes in a cause and ventures out to pursue justice.

Voicing Humanity in “ I, Borg ”

In an intriguing twist, Crusher’s brightest moment only slightly related to her medical training. When an away team located the wounded Borg known as Hugh in the Argolis Cluster, the CMO strongly advocated on the drone’s behalf on multiple occasions. Crusher overcame protests from both Picard and Worf about the dangers of even treating Hugh to begin with. Upon hearing that the captain intended to infect the drone with an invasive program to disrupt the Collective, the doctor immediately objected and accurately described the plan to be a form of genocide. Crusher emphatically pointed out that they were discussing an injured boy, not a weapon. The doctor’s steadfast declarations served as the crew’s moral compass and evinced the very values that the Federation claimed to uphold. Picard and the crew eventually came to agree with the CMO’s assessment, but Crusher’s conscience had been true from the start. Without the doctor’s ardent defense, Picard’s destructive strategy would have haunted the captain for the rest of his life and spelled doom for Hugh.

This article was originally published on March 30, 2020.

Jay Stobie (he/him) is a freelance writer and consultant who has contributed articles to StarTrek.com, Star Trek Explorer, and Star Trek Magazine, as well as to Star Wars Insider and StarWars.com. Jay can be found on Twitter and Instagram at @StobiesGalaxy.

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M’Benga was an expert on Vulcan physiology and stepped in to serve as acting chief medical officer when Dr. McCoy was away from the Enterprise.  The character appeared in two Original Series episodes (“A Private Little War” and “That Which Survives”), and while he had no first name identified on screen, he did get one in the Star Trek: Vanguard novel series (there called “Jabilo M’Benga.”)

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Star Trek: Strange New Worlds  debuts on Thursday, May 5 on Paramount+ in the United States, Australia, Latin America, and the Nordics, as well as on CTV Sci Fi Channel in Canada. Additional international distribution has not yet been announced.

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Dr. Phil Boyce was a male Human Starfleet officer who lived during the mid- 23rd century . He served in the sciences division aboard the USS Enterprise under Captain Christopher Pike . He served as the ship's chief medical officer in 2254 .

Boyce was an acerbic realist who did not hesitate to tell Captain Pike when he thought Pike was wrong. He was known to carry a portable martini kit with him, reasoning that, " sometimes a man will tell his bartender things he'll never tell his doctor. " In this capacity, Boyce counseled Pike to remain in the service when Pike confided in him, in 2254, that he was considering retiring . Boyce realized that Pike's sentiment was stemming from a recent incident on Rigel VII in which three Enterprise crewmembers, including Pike's own yeoman , Zac Nguyen , were killed, an incident on which Pike blamed his own complacency.

Shortly thereafter, Boyce was a member of a landing party which investigated the apparent existence of survivors of a crashed survey expedition on planet Talos IV . As such, he reported to Pike on the extraordinary health of the survivors, despite them having supposedly been stranded for eighteen years . Later, when it became clear that the existence of survivors was an illusion created by the Talosians for the purpose of abducting Pike, Boyce participated in a staff briefing, cautioning the crew as to the dangers posed by the Talosians' mental powers. ( TOS : " The Cage ")

By 2259 , Boyce was superseded as chief medical officer by Dr. Joseph M'Benga . ( SNW : " Strange New Worlds ")

Footage of his experience aboard the Enterprise under Captain Pike during the original visit to Talos IV, from thirteen years prior, was transmitted from that planet during Spock 's fictional court martial aboard the same ship in 2267 . ( TOS : " The Menagerie, Part I ", " The Menagerie, Part II ")

Memorable quotes [ ]

" Sometimes a man'll tell his bartender things he'll never tell his doctor. "

" We both get the same two kinds of customers. The living and the dying. "

" Eve? As in Adam ? " " As in all ship's doctors are dirty old men. "

Appendices [ ]

Appearances [ ].

• " The Cage "
• " The Menagerie, Part I " (archive footage)
• " The Menagerie, Part II " (archive footage)
• DIS : " If Memory Serves " (archive footage)

Background information [ ]

Phil Boyce was played by John Hoyt .

Dr. Phil Boyce, Spock , and Captain Christopher Pike are the only characters shown in the first pilot episode " The Cage " to have an alternate reality counterpart.

Boyce was the first ship's doctor conceived for Star Trek . In Gene Roddenberry 's original pitch for the series, the following was written about Boyce:

Ship's Doctor – Phillip Boyce, an unlikely space traveler. At the age of fifty-one , he's worldly, humorously cynical, makes it a point to thoroughly enjoy his own weaknesses. Captain April 's only real confidant, " Bones " Boyce considers himself the only realist aboard, measures each new landing in terms of relative annoyance, rather than excitement.

Some of the ideas about Dr. Boyce subsequently influenced a character biography that appears in The Making of Star Trek . Written during a time when Robert April was still being considered as the name of the Enterprise 's captain, the biography stated:

Ship's Doctor . Phillip Boyce, M.D. , is a highly unlikely space traveler. Well into his fifties, he's worldly, humorously cynical, makes it a point to thoroughly enjoy his own weaknesses. He's also engaged in a perpetual battle of ideas and ideals with Jose. Captain April's only real confidant, "Bones" Boyce considers himself the only realist aboard, measures each new landing in terms of the annoyances it will personally create for him.

In the script of "The Cage", a description of Dr. Boyce stated, " A highly unlikely looking space crewman, Boyce is pushing middle age, something of a worldly cynic. "

At one time, David Opatoshu was considered for the role of Doctor Boyce. [1] Malachi Throne was also considered for the part. He was called into audition for it by Gene Roddenberry, as well as Herb Solow and Oscar Katz , who were running Desilu , at that point. ( Starlog #190, p. 52) After Throne was turned down for the role of Spock during the meeting, the subject of conversation changed to the possibility of Throne portraying the character of the doctor. " Gene says, 'Is there anything else you want to do, because we want you to play the ship's doctor.' I said, 'No, no, no. [The doctor] is the third man through the door, and a friend of mine wrote a book called, 'Don't Be The Third Man Through The Door In Hollywood', because you will end up that way' [....] I said to Gene and the others, 'Well, I don't want to do that, either. I don't want to play Bones. It's not my idea to play a doctor in space. I mean, my mother would like it, but nonetheless, I don't want to do that...' " ( Star Trek Magazine  issue 180 , pp. 43 & 44) Throne concluded, " I said, "No thank you, I'm late for unemployment.' So, they immediately fell on the floor laughing. " ( Starlog #190, p. 52) DeForest Kelley was likewise considered for the part of Boyce. Though Roddenberry was insistent that Kelley be cast in the role, Director Robert Butler opposed that idea, preferring John Hoyt, an option Roddenberry ultimately agreed with. ( The Star Trek Interview Book , p. 98) After Hoyt portrayed Boyce in "The Cage", he was disappointed not to be asked back to reprise the role. ( Starlog #113)

The text commentary of " The Menagerie, Part I " regarded Dr. Boyce as being the first of numerous "bartender-confidantes" throughout Star Trek history, also counting Guinan in Star Trek: The Next Generation and Vic Fontaine in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine as fitting this mold.

His first name was spelled "Phillip" in the Star Trek Encyclopedia .

Starlog issue 113 mistakenly referred to Boyce's first name as "Joseph".

Apocrypha [ ]

According to the novel Enterprise: The First Adventure , by Vonda N. McIntyre , Boyce was the CMO of Starbase 23 following his tenure aboard the Enterprise .

His mirror universe counterpart ( β ) appeared in the short story "The Greater Good" by Margaret Wander Bonanno , which was contained in the anthology Shards and Shadows . He was depicted as the chief medical officer of the ISS Enterprise , then under the command of Captain Christopher Pike , in 2264 .

Star Trek II: Biographies incorrectly gives his first name as "Joseph".

External links [ ]

• Phil Boyce at StarTrek.com
• Phillip Boyce at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works

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Comedy crystallizes special times in our lives. It vividly captures moments like no other art form, even as far removed as a different timeline, era or galaxy. It feels good to laugh, and laughing makes those special moments we treasure more enjoyable and memorable. Laughter is healing – the best medicine. One only has to look at Dr. McCoy’s jovial bedside manner. Enterprise’s Chief Medical Officer makes medicine fun. Bones is a physician who knows how to laugh.

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The classic bit has the ever innocent Lou Costello being schooled on a baseball team’s positions by his street smart buddy, Budd Abbott. Costello can’t handle those wacky baseball player names, and of course, Budd offers no clarity. Though the beloved American comedy team never intended to document a Starfleet crew roster with the routine, it’s a fitting comedy performance for an unsung part of Star Trek mythology – First Officers.

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Who’s on first in the Star Trek universe?

Leonard Nimoy as Spock on Star Trek: The Original Series | Photo: CBS Home Entertainment

Mister Spock – Leonard Nimoy

Live long and prosper, oh iconic Enterprise First Officer.

Spock, as befits his mixed racial heritage, impresses us as the exception. While his Captain may still get more of the galactic press, randy reputation and nova spotlight, the half Vulcan, half human first officer – and also Enterprise science officer – garners his fair share of accolades. Indeed, in the classic theatrical films, Spock is even promoted to Captain, so this son of Sarek knows what it’s like to come out of the shadow of James T. Kirk. Back in the day, Nimoy would often get the most fan mail out of the original cast of star trekkers.

How’s Spock measure up in recent Trekdom? In the J.J. Abrams theatrical reboots, Zach Quinto’s Spock, although still respectful of his Chris Pine Kirk, appears more flustered, frustrated or even combative than Leonard Nimoy’s too cool for school portrayal. Maybe it’s all the stress he’s under over romancing the beautiful human Uhura played by Zoe Saldana? Whatever the ultimate evolution of this legendary first officer, he’s a model in professionalism for all other Number Ones to follow.

Jonathan Frakes as Commander Will Riker on Star Trek: The Next Generation | Photo: CBS Home Entertainment

Commander Will Riker – Jonathan Frakes

“What am I still doing here?” It’s a question which defines William T. Riker and his career trajectory.

Riker asks his on again, off again, on again Imzadi Counselor Troi (Marina Sirtis) this loaded question in “The Best of Both Worlds”, Star Trek: The Next Generation ‘s Borg epic. It’s the final episode of the 3rd season, as the two relax in Ten Forward, Riker can only talk promotion – or, more precisely, why he’s not taking Captain promotions offered by Starfleet.

Perhaps no other episode neatly captures the dynamic of a Captain and his right hand – his first, his Number One. Will Riker wasn’t the first to be called Number One. In Trek’s first pilot, “The Cage”, Majel Barrett played the enigmatic Number One, technically the first, first officer in Star Trek. After the show was restructured and recast, she became known for her role as the Vulcan loving Nurse Christine Chapel.

One of the jewels in the Michael Piller scripted “Best of Both Worlds” is Riker vs Shelby. Commander Riker tangles with Commander Shelby – played by the magnificent Elizabeth Dennehy – on loan to help Enterprise battle the rampaging Borg. Shelby’s ambitious. She makes no doubt about what she wants in her career. Shelby doesn’t mull over promotions, she takes them. This Shelby quote nicely encapsulates Riker’s unique dilemma, “You’re in my way. All you know how to do is play it safe. I suppose that’s why someone like you sits in the shadow of a great man for as long as you have – passing up one command after another. If you can’t make the big decisions, Commander, I suggest you make room for someone who can.” Ouch, Willie boy!

Nana Visitor as Major Kira on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine | Photo: CBS Home Entertainment

Major Kira – Nana Visitor

She’s the first officer who’s not really a first officer. She’s not Starfleet and so she owes no real allegiance to the Federation nor her superior, once Commander, ultimately Captain Benjamin Sisko. When it counts, however, Major Kira excels in her duties as a Number One.

Where do her loyalties really lie? Kira has worn many hats over her career and she’s pledged loyalty to a variety of organizations. While fighting against the Cardassian occupation, Kira was a top operative in the Bajoran Resistance. Now she’s a Major in the Bajoran military – and serves alongside Captain Sisko on Deep Space Nine and on the starship Defiant. She’ll come to be deeply loved by the Channeling, Odo, and that complicated romance will become a test for her as both a military professional and a woman.

Deep Space Nine logged many firsts for a TV Trek, and the fact that Major Kira wasn’t a Starfleet officer was among the more intriguing and complex character traits.

Robert Beltran as Chakotay on Star Trek: Voyager | Photo: CBS Home Entertainment

Chakotay – Robert Beltran

Can a former member of a group pledged to stop and resist Federation authority become a functioning and valuable first officer to a Starfleet Captain? We found out in Star Trek: Voyager .

Chakotay had a respected career in Starfleet, but he abandoned the group for the Maquis – a paramilitary organization committed to stopping Cardassia and Federation assisted expansion to convert more worlds into the Cardassian Union. When Janeway first encountered Chakotay, he wasn’t a man who saw much equality or fair play given to his fellow resistance fighters coming from Starfleet – the Federation’s enforcers of its peace treaty with Cardassia.

Though in many ways, Captain Janeway had no choice but to enlist Chakotay into her fold – after Voyager lost crew members during pursuit of him and his Maquis into the Badlands – the choice proved a beneficial one for the whole crew. Janeway and Chakotay worked closely together, and this often can make for more than just a professional based relationship. Although they experienced physical attraction to each other during their long tour of duty on Voyager, it would be former Borg drone, Seven of Nine (played by Jeri Ryan), who would eventually romance Voyager ‘s first officer.

Jolene Blalock as T’Pol on Star Trek: Enterprise | Photo: CBS Home Entertainment

T’Pol – Jolene Blalock

With the prequel series, Star Trek: Enterprise , Vulcans seem to gravitate to being first officer. Here, in the now defunct UPN network prequel show which sought to fill in the backstory of classic, original Trek, T’Pol is Subcommander – and although not officially at first a first officer, it’s the role she mostly assumes.

She’s initially placed onto the starship by the Vulcan High Council as a kind of observer. After her tenure impresses Captain Jonathan Archer (Scott Bakula), she’s given the title of Commander and is cleared for having to take standard Starfleet training – bypassing the usual process for an officer of her rank and status.

Sonequa Martin-Green as Michael Burnham on Star Trek: Discovery | Photo: CBS All Access

Michael Burnham – Sonequa Martin-Green

As of this writing, little is known about Michael Burnham – played by Sonequa Martin-Green of The Walking Dead fame, other than she’s a human and will be the first officer, serving aboard the U.S.S. Shenzhou.

A few additional facts known about this first officer: Deliberately given a male name and she has a close relationship with Spock’s father, Sarek. As for the First Officer connection, this is why Discovery was written with more of a focus on the second in command, not having the usual preoccupation with the ship’s Captain, “to see a character from a different perspective on the starship—one who has different dynamic relationships with a captain, with subordinates, it gave us richer context”.

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Will is an Emmy Award nominated screenwriter, book author and content producer. He's written for magazines, the web and for several highly respected TV shows, most notably for the Star Trek franchise. Will penned episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine , and he was one of the few freelancers to work on episodes for both landmark Hollywood series, born of visionary Gene Roddenberry. He's pitched to Star Trek: Voyager , Deep Space Nine & for USA Network's show, Stephen King's The Dead Zone . His articles & celebrity interviews appear in national magazines, websites, newspapers and he's written extensively for publications such as: Yahoo! News, McCall's Quilter's Home, American Chronicle, Bayonne Style, OMG, Shine, Hudson Reporter, The Last Reel & Sci-Fi Pulse. His new book, Star Trek Sex: Analyzing The Most Sexually Charged Episodes Of The Original Series , is published by Bearmanor Media. You can follow Will on Twitter @willstape and @LaughTrek .

Markus McLaughlin

July 10, 2017 at 4:15 pm

Zachary Quinto’s Spock wasn’t mentioned, but he too deserves to be on that list… 🙂

July 11, 2017 at 4:17 pm

He’s mentioned under Leonard Nimoy’s original portrayal.

July 11, 2017 at 12:56 pm

Seeing the new first officer listed alongside the other five really brought it home … at last – after a gap of 12 years – we’re finally getting some more Star Trek.

July 20, 2017 at 10:42 pm

It’s changeling Odo, not channeling.

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Star Trek: 10 Best Starfleet Medical Officers

Star Trek's Starfleet has had a diverse cast of medical officers. Here are some of the more memorable figures.

Gene Roddenberry's Star Trek sees the benevolent Starfleet travel the stars in search of new life. These multi-year missions are led by a captain, like Kirk or Picard, and most are undertaken willingly. Others, such as the USS Voyager 's return from the Delta Quadrant, are conducted on a less voluntary basis.

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No matter the motivation, one thing is constant in Star Trek 's universe: danger. The marked-for-death redshirt has become enough of a trope to inspire independent novels, and those who are lucky enough to survive are often in need of medical care. Luckily, Starfleet is home to brilliant doctors. Some are abrasive, some are romantic, but each is a master of their craft.

10 Phil Boyce

Doctor Phil Boyce (John Hoyt) makes only a fleeting appearance in the Star Trek mythos, in the unused pilot "The Cage". Nonetheless, Boyce does make an impression, although it may be at odds with his role as a doctor. Rather than relying on medicine to comfort a morose Captain Pike , Boyce instead offers the captain a martini.

There is method to Boyce's madness—he reasons that playing bartender will make Pike open up to him. Unfortunately, the failure of "The Cage" means that Boyce is a footnote in Star Trek history, although footage of the doctor is reused in The Original Series two-parter "The Menagerie", and the character appears in John Jackson Miller's The Enterprise War , a 2019 Star Trek: Discovery novel.

9 Beverly Crusher

While Doctor Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden) is a prolific character, the chief medical officer of the Enterprise -D cannot be said to be one of the franchise's most compelling characters. This is less an issue with McFadden's performance as it is with the scripts, which prefer to treat Crusher as an expository device and occasional Picard love interest.

While there are some strong Crusher-centric episodes ("Remember Me", "The Host"), she carries the burden of starring in one of the franchise's worst: ghostly gothic romance "Sub Rosa". That Crusher is a competent doctor is hardly up for debate, but neither the writers of TNG nor its feature films seemed especially interested in developing her beyond that. Luckily, this was rectified somewhat in the third season of Star Trek: Picard .

8 Hugh Culber

While Star Trek: Discovery has certainly divided the franchise's fanbase in terms of continuity, tone, and writing quality, it cannot be denied that the show has made great strides in LGBT representation. This is exemplified in the romance between Doctor Hugh Culber (Wilson Cruz) and Paul Stamets (Anthony Rapp). Not even death (followed by a fungi-fueled resurrection ) can tarnish the relationship between the amiable doctor and uptight mushroom scientist.

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While Culber's role in Discovery has proven hugely meaningful to representation-hungry fans, the show's intrinsic focus on a single character, Michael Burnham, means that there has been little time to develop the character. This may be an issue with the series rather than the character, but it is Culber himself who suffers.

7 T'Ana

The irascible Doctor T'Ana (Gillian Vigman) is an appropriate chief medical officer for the ramshackle USS Cerritos . The Caitian is a far cry from the polite, conflict-free doctors of other shows in the Star Trek franchise; indeed, her speech is punctuated with expletives. Perhaps this is understandable, as working with the frequently inept Cerritos crew surely tries her patience.

Although an apparently competent doctor, T'Ana's bedside manner is enough to have any Starfleet officer wishing to go to warp in the other direction. However, despite her attitude problems, T'Ana has a softer side, enjoying holodeck assignations with Shaxs, the starship's chief of security.

6 Joseph M'Benga

Doctor Joseph M'Benga first appeared in The Original Series , played by actor Booker Bradshaw, and Roddenberry hoped to develop the character in a spin-off series set aboard a Starfleet hospital ship. While this series never saw production, M'Benga would return in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds , now played by actor Babs Olusanmokun.

The latest iteration of the character explores his past as part of Starfleet special forces and his role in the Federation–Klingon War. Despite his medical skills, M'Benga is unable to develop a cure for cygnokemia, a rare disease that affects his daughter, Rukiya. By the time of TOS , M'Benga has stepped down from the chief medical officer position but continues to serve aboard the Starship Enterprise .

5 Christine Chapel

The Spock-loving Christine Chapel (played by Majel Barrett and Jess Bush in The Original Series and Strange New Worlds , respectively) bears a striking resemblance to Number One from "The Cage". Roddenberry planned to make Barrett the star of his show; when producers derailed this plot, Roddenberry changed Barrett's hair and snuck her aboard the Enterprise as a nurse.

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Chapel serves as an assistant to both Doctor M'Benga and Doctor McCoy throughout her time aboard the ship, and is a certified doctor by the time of Star Trek: The Motion Picture . Nor are Chapel's talents limited to the field of medicine—she takes command of the Enterprise during "The Lorelei Signal", an episode of The Animated Series that sees the starship's male crew members hypnotized by a race of space sirens.

4 Julian Bashir

Actor Alexander Siddig initially plays Doctor Julian Bashir as an overeager nerd who attempts to woo Deep Space Nine's glamorous science officer, Jadzia Dax. While Bashir's flirting is unsuccessful, he does form a touching bond with The Next Generation 's Miles O'Brien in one of the franchise's most well-realized friendships.

Over the course of Deep Space Nine , Bashir develops from a lovestruck young man into a world-weary secret agent, often working for Starfleet's nefarious Section 31. This shift is facilitated, in part, by his relationship with Elim Garak, a former member of Cardassia's Obsidian Order , but is enhanced by Bashir's unique physique—as a child, the doctor was genetically modified.

3 Katherine Pulaski

Although actress Diana Muldaur appeared in two episodes of The Original Series , she is best known to Star Trek fans for playing Doctor Pulaski in the second year of The Next Generation . Pulaski joins the Enterprise -D to fill in for an absent Beverly Crusher, and she brings a welcome sense of sass to the all-too-perfect Starfleet crew.

Pulaski's brusque nature is particularly evident when dealing with Brent Spiner's Data , and some fans consider her treatment of him to be prejudiced. However, Pulaski is allowed to develop over the course of her year aboard the Enterprise (a rarity on TNG ) and soon learns to value the android as a friend.

2 The Doctor

Starship medical officers come in all shapes, sizes, and attitudes, but only one can claim the distinction of being non-organic. Voyager 's Emergency Medical Hologram (Robert Picardo) is intended to supplement a human doctor. However, when the starship is stranded far from home, the EMH, now calling himself the Doctor, must take on full-time healing duties.

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Voyager 's seven-year journey home to the Alpha Quadrant sees the Doctor search for a name, learn to sing opera, start a family, and live for several centuries on another planet. Nor does the hologram have an easy job: from turning into lizards to the Vidiian Phage , Voyager 's crew are always finding strange new ways to require medical help.

1 Leonard "Bones" McCoy

Doctor Leonard McCoy (DeForest Kelley) is a key ingredient in the Kirk–Spock–McCoy trifecta that makes The Original Series so enduringly popular. Many of McCoy's catchphrases have entered the popular lexicon, and his playfully antagonistic relationship with the green-blooded Spock elevates both characters into cultural icons. McCoy may not be the hero, but he is the spice that makes the series work.

Yet there is also a quiet nobility to Doctor McCoy, exemplified in the hidden gem "The Empath". When aliens experiment on Kirk, Spock, and McCoy, the doctor knocks his two friends out so that he undergoes a life-threatening procedure in their place. Leonard McCoy is not only an excellent Starfleet doctor—he is also an excellent friend.

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Doctors in Star Trek: Dr. Helen Pulasky in Star Trek: The Next Generation

Affiliation.

• 1 Paediatric Department, Mater Dei Hospital, Malta. Electronic address: [email protected].
• PMID: 32107114
• DOI: 10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2020.104991

Dr. Helen Pulaski served as Chief Medical Officer aboard the Starship Enterprise in the 24th century (in the second season of Star Trek: The Next Generation). She was depicted as a grumpy and curmudgeonly character in the mould of Dr. "Bones" McCoy in the original series from the 1960s. Like all other Star Trek Doctors, her skills are legion and she is an excellent medic with a highly evolved sense of ethics.

Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

• Motion Pictures*
• Physicians*

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Interview: Wilson Cruz On Dr. Culber’s Arc In ‘Star Trek: Discovery’ Season 5 And Who Is Chief Medical Officer

| March 14, 2024 | By: Joe Andosca 77 comments so far

The fifth and final season of Star Trek: Discovery arrives on April 4. Paramount+ held a world premiere event at SXSW in Austin on Monday, where TrekMovie had a chance to speak to star Wilson Cruz on the red carpet about what’s new for Dr. Hugh Culber this season.

Culber has been through so much—including death—but this season, he seems super chill. What do you see as his arc in season 5 or has he achieved ultimate Culber-ness?

I think at the end of season 5 he has achieved ultimate Culber-ness. Because I think his whole journey has been about owning the life that he deserves, right? And I think when we see him at the beginning of this season, he’s getting there. You see that he’s in a different place. He’s ready for whatever comes at him. But a big existential question does come to him during the season. And I think it’s the final key to his anxiety, to his view of how he fits into the world. And I can talk about that later on in the season, I guess. But yes, I think at the end of the season he really is completely in his skin in a way that he’s never been, even before he died.

A lot of season 4 was dedicated to Culber counseling Book. Who in season 5 needs the good doctor the most?

I think my husband [Paul Stamets] does need me a little bit because he’s going through a bit of a crisis, but he handles it. I think everybody needs me, which is part of Culber’s anxiety. But I do end up spending a lot of time with Book this season in a friendship way. Like we develop a real friendship that’s beyond our counselor and a patient, if you will. Like we get to the point where we see him counseling me a bit this season, so it’s great.

David Ajala as Book and Wilson Cruz as Culber in season 4 of Star Trek: Discovery (Paramount+)

Okay, this is a nerdy question: Who is the Chief Medical Officer of the USS Discovery?

[Laughs] Trick question! I think at this point I could probably own the fact that I am the Chief Medical Officer. But nobody has actually said that yet. Also, the fact that there was some controversy over whether Paul and Hugh were actually married or not. Which we were kind of confused about as well. But [co-showrunner] Michelle [Paradise] said, “You’re definitely married.” So, I’m going go ahead and go out on a limb—whether these f—ers want to support me or not —I am the head motherf—er in charge. [laughs] What are they going to do, fire me now? [laughs]

Well, will we see Culber again?

Oh, I think we will. They know that. How do you not bring me back? [laughs] I’m just kidding.

There’s the Academy  show…

I have no comment [laughs]

We know the season starts with an 800-year-old Romulan ship . Did you do any research to bone up on canon connections?

What did you watch?

If I told you that, it would be spoiling. But yes. I did the appropriate research for how this season is connected to Star Trek lore, I’ll say that.

Wilson Cruz as Culber and Mary Wiseman as Tilly season 5 of Star Trek: Discovery (Paramount+)

More to come from SXSW

TrekMovie has more interviews and coverage from the SXSW 2024 premiere and panel discussion so check back later for more exclusives. See our previous interview with Sonequa Martin-Green .

The fifth and final season of Discovery debuts with two episodes on Thursday, April 4 exclusively on Paramount+ in the U.S., the UK, Switzerland, South Korea, Latin America, Germany, France, Italy, Australia, and Austria. Discovery will also premiere on April 4 on Paramount+ in Canada and is also expected to be broadcast on Bell Media’s CTV Sci-Fi Channel in Canada. The rest of the 10-episode final season will be available to stream weekly on Thursdays. Season 5 debuts on SkyShowtime in select European countries on April 5.

Keep up with news about the Star Trek Universe at TrekMovie.com .

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Early on in the show I think they were trying to give the impression that there was a lot of stuff going on on the ship, so that’s why they were coy about titles and implied there was a chief engineer that we just didn’t see and stuff like that. But we’re past the time were we should have met all senior staff (think of all the crazy stuff that has happened, they would have to have been involved in those things happening!), so they just go with it being the established characters. Its a minor thing and not a big deal though. It just isn’t a show that is concerned with defining all the roles and job titles.

I’m excited for the new season, I’ve always enjoyed the show despite its flaws.

Or defining any of the characters.

In the future, the science will likely dictate a completely different division of work. The producers could have really used that to their advantage.

The fact we never met the chief engineer is another reason why this show is so bad. They should’ve just made Statements the chief engineer long ago.

Him or Jett Reno. In fact when she was introduced on the show I thought she was going to be the new chief engineer. Instead they had her reporting to him too although we never saw him. Why not put her or Staments in the role?

This show is truly mind boggling at times).

The show was actually pitched to the fans as a “lower decks” sort of thing- sure, we knew who the captain was, but he wasn’t the major character, who was of course Burnham. So the other characters are people like Stamets- who obviously isn’t the chief engineer but a sort of scientist/engineer in charge of an experimental technology- and Culber, who’s sort of a junior doctor, and Tilly, who’s a cadet, etc. Except they started Burnham as a senior officer, which meant it was probably only a matter of time before she was one again (and, within about two seasons, the commanding officer), and they made the spore drive a regular thing, which bumps Stamets up, etc. etc. So yeah, you’ve got Dr. Pollard out there, and a whole bridge crew we barely know, and presumably some engineer, and so on. It’s just a bit weird we don’t know them.

It doesn’t *have* to be this way- after all, in Lower Decks we know the names and stories of all the senior officers as well- but it’s how Discovery ended up.

When people question why I criticize this show’s writing, I can now offer this article as an example: the fact that we’re five years in but still don’t know what role Culber–a main character–holds is proof that this show is too broadly and arbitrarily written. The writers spend all their time writing needlessly melodramatic cry-and-emote scenes, when they should have spent more time actually defining the characters.

Was Culber the chief medical officer? Was Stamets the chief engineer? We didn’t know for several seasons. But if not, why were they the ones who always made the decisions? It’s just bad writing–and those are only two examples of how poorly defined Discovery’s characters are.

Meanwhile, Michael Burnham was raised on Vulcan and first showed up almost computer-like in her emotionlessness, yet now she cries more than a televangelist’s triple-mascara-painted wife. And Tilly’s characterization has been all over the place, changing from one episode to the next. The writers (and, to some extent, the actors) have never really had any clear plan about how to approaches these characters, and it shows.

We’re at year five; they should have gotten better at it by now. They haven’t. And before all the Comic Book Guy types attack me for this, this is **my opinion.** Yours may vary, and that’s fine. I’ll vehemently respect and defend your right to love this show, so I’ll thank you to show me the same courtesy.

I agree about the arbitrarily written character roles. They could have done a lot better job with that. It only takes a few minutes for them to define those roles and then have someone in the writers room make sure they stick to it. I just don’t think it was ever a priority for them. Some fans don’t even require them to. I was always one of the ones where it bothered me they didn’t. But to each their own!

Burnham’s role has changed quite a bit on Discovery but it’s worth mentioning all of the backstage issues may have contributed to this. Every season they have made the choice to revamp, most likely due to ongoing criticisms, but it has lead to a sense of unevenness where some characters are concerned. It’s unfortunate because their hearts have always been in the right place but the execution is what falters for me. For example, Wilson shouldn’t have to ask if Paul and Hugh are married. The show should have already addressed that on screen. Ultimately, Discovery is what it is at this point! As a critic, I think in order to find any enjoyment in the show you have to know this will happen and move on. Otherwise I think a viewer will get bogged down by it.

I do agree that their hearts have always been in the right place, despite the poor execution. These are great idea people, but not great writers, and they’re very sloppy in how they do things. The same was true on Picard–there were some excellent ideas on that show, but also a lot of bad writing.

It seems like the Discovery writing team just throw ideas at a dart board, then never bother to develop them once they hit. I offer Gray Tal as an example. That character was utterly pointless and did nothing of consequence, despite how important the IDEA behind the character was. Same goes for Adira.

Characters who could be really cool, such as Nhan and Airiam, are given precious little to do. And most of the people on the bridge are so blandly written that even after five years and two full viewings, I can’t remember all their names. This is the only Star Trek show for which I can’t name the bridge crew. LOL.

For me, the biggest indicator that they’ve not done this show justice is that many of the most entertaining characters on Discovery–Pike, Spock, Number One, Harry Mudd, Sarek, Amanda, Stella Mudd, and Vina–all originated on TOS. At least half of the characters who originated on Discovery pale in comparison to them. When Stella freakin’ Mudd is more interesting than a main cast member, that’s a writing failure.

Every season they have made the choice to revamp, most likely due to ongoing criticisms…

Not so much after season 1 (with the exception of dialing back the Klingons a bit), but starting with S2, yeah, and it was most likely due to those criticisms. They should have stayed the course and just lived with the fact that a very loud subset of fans was never going to like it, but keeping faith in all of the new younger and diverse fans that the show was bringing to the table.

He’s the ship’s counsellor is he not?

This was a fantastic post and pretty much the reason I stopped watching the show at the end of season two. And it’s not lost on me that I’m posting too much about a show I don’t watch anymore, but honestly I still feel bad. DSC is the only Trek show I’d ever quit watching, at the time. Now sadly, quitting Trek shows has become commonplace for me. But DSC started it, so it’s a sore spot. Anyway, well put.

Danpaine I really wish I had your will power. Would’ve save me seasons of disappointment and pain.

But every season I always stayed hopeful it would get better since every Star Trek show prior always improved. I had faith this one would too …couldn’t have been more wrong.

And despite it all I’m still hopeful season 5 will be good, especially with the glowing reviews about it, but I’m a sucker for punishment I guess.

I stopped watching it as well. I’m pretty sure many did. Why keep watching something you know you think is bad? I don’t know if I will watch season 5 either.

Nearly all of the issues you mention were either started, or exacerbated starting with S3, when they made the mistake of “listening to the fans” and then continually over S3 and S4 (and it sounds like again in S5) — made changes and wholesale setting/purpose revisions and implemented tone differences, etc. etc. etc.

“In my opinion” there was very little wrong with the great S1 and S2 — with the one significant issue being the moronic changes to the Klingons that the overated Bryan Fuller stuck us with. The issue was it was a different type of Star Trek, with a different model for the lead character that some fans have never warmed up to. S1 had the awesome Prime Lorca/Mirror Universe storyline, and S2 had the Enterprise Arc that gave us the best Trek spinoff since DS9, with SNW. For me, those two seasons of DSC are right up there with SNW S1 and Picard S1 — for me, those are the four best seasons of Star Trek that I have watched since DS9 S7.

So, in my opinion, those of you who unnecessarily ragged on this here and on other fan sites (simply because you didn’t want a different kind of Star Trek show) bear some responsibility for the lackadaisical constant changes in S3 and S3 that your post above complains about — but Kurtzman and company are predominantly responsible for listening to all than underserved fan BS and then substantially changing the show to respond to it. If they had simply ignored all of you and continued the series without all of those changes I think we’d have already seen S5 and right now S6 would be in production.

I will say this for LDS — a show which I cannot stand — Mike McMahan heard a lot of fan criticism early on for his juvenile cartoon sitcom, but ignored all that and kind of doubled down on his approach. I gotta respect that, and the result is the series is still going strong today, whether I like it or not. So I think it’s unfortunate that Kurtzman, Goldsman and Paradise didn’t have the balls that McMahan had to ignore the internet fanboy critiques and stay the course for LDS after its early seasons.

Interesting. I completely agree with your 2nd paragraph but I won’t accept that the blame for S3 and S4 are all on the fans. How do you know it is in fact the result of the showrunners listening to the fan criticism? I for one don’t recall specific complaints about the show not having enough emotions or diversity or too rigorous a military structure pertaining to the Discovery crew. All this is completely on Paradise’s and Kurtzman’s shoulders.

And the reason why McMahan didn’t listen to the fans is moreso because the critics were complaining about the show being a cartoon and a comedy and you can’t change either of those as they’re integral to the foundation of what the show is.

It’s hysterical that the fans are being blamed but not the bad writers or show runner who is being paid a lot of money to make this show.

And BTW, fans complained about all the previous Trek shows. The producers listened and made changes to those too. And fans ended liking them more because they had competent writers who came up with better ideas and characters. TNG is the best example. Fans hated the first two seasons like many hated Discovery first two seasons. So they brought in a brilliant show runner and made the show awesome in third season listening to the complaints.

But with Discovery it got the opposite. 🙄

And I don’t remember anyone saying Discovery doesn’t have enough crying and hugging or that they have lame endings like a child crying that crippled the galaxy.

The blame goes to the people making a bad show even worse.

Yeah that burn thing. It still hurts thinking about it. I would really like to know who came up with that. Surely someone who has no understanding of science fiction or logic. Probably the same genius who thought out the tardigrade and the mycelium network.

The Burn was actually a very interesting concept but the people making this show clearly have no science fiction background when you land on such a ridiculous explanation for it. It’s insulting people’s intelligence.

It’s truly insane not only did someone come up with that but no one told them it was a bad idea.

Don’t get me started on the tardigrade nonsense. And having a spore drive in that era was just more stupid. It belonged in the 25th century, not the 23rd. It was obvious the people making the show just didn’t care about canon or basic consistency of the universe.

If you can’t write a proper prequel then maybe don’t make your show a prequel then.

They got away with their inability to stay within the confines of a prequel and the logic and canon of Star Trek by escaping to the far future. It’s no longer a prequel and if it doesn’t feel like Star Trek well that’s because it’s 700 years in the future!

In line with your last sentence I’ll add that if you can’t write a proper Star Trek show don’t call it Star Trek, but of course they wanted the fan base…

They got away with their inability to stay within the confines of a prequel and the logic and canon of Star Trek by escaping to the far future.

Yes, exactly. There was no reason for it, but they obviously were feeling the heat from the incessant Trek internet fanboy types who post 20+ negative comments on every single article evening remotely referencing DSC

Which was proof why it never should’ve been a prequel. I will never understand why not just put the show in the 25th century?? Did they just want to name drop Spock that badly? Or was it just having a war with the Klingons? Since that never even happened in canon it was even more nonsensical to do it

Discovery may have still been a bad show if they put it in another time period but it wouldn’t have felt so jarring either like it’s first two seasons. 🙄

Again you have to blame Fuller on that one. He was really into the idea of redoing TOS since he said that was his favorite era. But then you see what we got and I have no idea how Discovery felt anywhere close to TOS?? It felt nothing like it. It could’ve been ANYWHERE else and you lose absolutely nothing outside of TOS references.

And most fans wanted to go forward again. That had been obvious for years now, especially after the Kelvin movies. People were ready to forge new ground again and come up with new settings. It’s amazing how no one got the message at the time. Well they obviously got it now lol.

Now all that said if Discovery was just a BETTER show then people would’ve been fine it stayed in the 23rd century. SNW obviously proves that. Because it actually feels and LOOKS like a TOS prequel as well.

None of the is black or white. Discovery being a prequel wasn’t the real problem, it was simply its execution that was.

“They got away with their inability to stay within the confines of a prequel and the logic and canon of Star Trek by escaping to the far future. It’s no longer a prequel and if it doesn’t feel like Star Trek well that’s because it’s 700 years in the future!”

I think the real problem was Bryan Fuller. He just wanted to reboot the show in his own image basically and why we got the things we got.

But the show has no business being in the 23rd century IF they wanted to keep it in the prime universe. I will always say that was probably the show’s biggest mistake more than anything and TPTB seem to agree and why they moved it.

But the biggest irony about the spore drive issue is that wasn’t actually Fuller’s idea. He was on the Robert Meyer Barnett show and confirmed that was developed after he left the show. So that can’t be blamed on him at all. It was the new show runner ms who didn’t seem to either take account the time period they were writing for or just didn’t care.

And it goes back to what I been saying about people writing Star Trek, it doesn’t matter WHAT period you put the show in, in the end how consistent it is will simply be up to the writers. And since most of them want to write cool advanced tech then put your show in a period it makes sense in

Well no one can’t say that’s a problem in the 32nd century lol.

And you just said it SNW works because they simply made a show that felt like it belonged in the TOS era. The biggest issue with Discovery is it never did.

And the other reason why they felt they had to move the show because they wanted to keep the spore drive. It made absolutely no sense in canon (and BTW I always thought that was Fuller’s idea as well. Good info!). That was the problem. They made far fetched tech they clearly loved using and didn’t want to let go of it. So what did they do! They not only moved it to a period where it wasn’t breaking canon every episode they also created a premise where they had to constantly rely on it thanks to the Burn. So they knew the show couldn’t stay in that era as long as they wanted to use it. They put themselves in the hole and that was their only solution.

And btw, most fans didn’t even like the spore drive. Many assumed they were going to get rid of it but instead they doubled down on it. They w loved it so much they were willing to move the show just as an excuse to keep it. But yes let’s blame the fans for their constant mistakes. 🙄

It just shows how much the show was in conflict with itself. They put it in a time period no one seemed that interested in writing outside of throwing in TOS fan service. But the show itself felt and looked like it was made for another era altogether because the people making it basically treated like it was in a different period altogether.

And then they were shocked when people complained about it.. Gee…I wonder why?

For the record I loved the spore drive. That was literally the only new concept that came out of season 1. And I NEVER thought they would get rid of it. It’s just too good of a plot device to ignore. You have something that can literally transport you to any part of the galaxy in seconds to tell whatever story you want. Who would give that up lol.

But yes by using it they put themselves in the hole. It made NO sense in the 23rd century. But I always assumed they would just keep it (or why introduce it at all?) but whenever the show ended maybe destroy it then or something. I doubt anyone thought that hard about it lol.

Until the complaints over it rolled in. And instead of destroying it they just put it in another time period. Problem solved.

Discovery just had so many internal issues because they were simply following Fuller’s blueprint but at the same clearly wasn’t in love with the idea. It’s disingenuous to pretend the show was firing on all cylinders when it sounds like it had just as much internal issues behind the scenes as there was external on where to take the show.

These are the same people who stated twice in interviews we would not ever even see Spock on the show just to not only throw the guy in the very next year but give him a season long arc as well. I still believe that came from the very top along with many other things.

And as said Discovery still doubled down on some of its flaws to this day. A lot of the things fans complained about in season 1 they still complained about in season 4.

For example people kept saying let’s not do another galaxy in peril every plotline every season and yet..

So are they listening to the fans there? Obviously not. And these literally drive the entire season.

Now look at SNW. They took EVERY complaint people had over Discovery and just made an inheritly more appealing show. How? A. They were just able to start from scratch and B. I have to think the other showrunner Henry Alonso Meyers just understands the show and its audience better. I want to include Goldsman but he still gave us Picard season 2 and yes Discovery. But again obviously I don’t know.

But the results are obvious. SNW is a more popular show because the people making it truly heard all the complaints and produced a better show overall. It’s certainly not perfect as I have made many complaints about it myself and I know many people, some on this board, don’t like it or think Discovery is better. All valid opinions.

But it can’t be denied the response to it was overwhelmingly positive out of the gate. It still is.

Discovery is in the hole it’s in because admittedly it tried to over ride all the Fuller stuff but the people running it today has still presented a lot of questionable issues on their own LIKE the spore drive.. And questionable decisions keeps happening every season like the galaxy being destroyed. Has SNW had one episode where the galaxy was on the verge of destruction? No. Guess what no complaints about it then lol.

To pretend like Discovery just did a complete turnaround is disingenuous at best. Some of the shows biggest problems NEVER went away. And regardless how people feel about the show personally the people making it ultimately have all the power and makes all the decisions so they will get either all the credit or the blame as they should.

I think why so many people like reading your thoughts is you know how to cut things down in an honest and very analytical way.

The point about the galaxy crisis plotlines is one of the biggest issues this show has had. People complained about it the first season. They complained about it the second season. And then the third season and then the fourth season. This has never went away no matter how many times fans said they just want something simpler and more exploration based.

It’s no different than the constant complaints with the the TNG movies and later JJ verse where fans got sick of Marvel villains trying to destroy the Federation but they just kept doing it anyway. 🙄

More proof at the end of the day they do what they want. They have certainly changed things due to fans complaining but not every time either.

And as said SNW shows the difference of not just listening to fans complaints but actually executing it with good ideas and just better stories. Two things Discovery has been lacking for four seasons now.

For the record the galaxy in peril storyline don’t bother me that much. I didn’t love how they did it season 2 but it was a means to an end so whatever. I loved the Burn idea in season 3. I think most people did. The mystery behind it really soured me, but the basic concept was cool at least.

Season 4 is when I finally rolled my eyes and said enough already. Ironically I think that one was actually done the best lol. Again what is frustrating about Discovery is great concepts but very poor execution and horrible pacing issues. But yeah people complained about them every season, mostly because they never really ended that well.

Anyway I wasn’t trying to turn this into a rag on Discovery thread lol. But I agree with pretty much everyone here. Hopefully season 5 will be better overall.

And to keep this more positive (and on topic lol) the reviews have said Culber is one of the big stand outs this season. I think him and Staments sound like they will have an interesting arc. We’ll see.

To kind of continue on your point about SNW, I think the biggest problem with that show is that the 10 episode format is not working for it. It needs to have more episodes in a season so it can truly balance the sillier episodes with more serious ones.

Budget restraints forced shorter seasons, and Anson Mount may have influenced the decision. Pike was supposed to be only S2 of DSC, then he was finished with Trek. In interviews, he expressed frustration at being in front of a green screen for hours. His previous show, Hell On Wheels, took place in the 1860s. Anson mentioned that he enjoyed filming outside. SNW wouldn’t have happened without Anson Mount, who used this to his advantage when negotiating. On his (excellent) podcast, The Well Pod, Anson made a side comment about having dinner with Bill Shatner before SNW was greenlit. I wouldn’t be surprised if Shatner encouraged him to take the role. So, I’m guessing that budget restraints, negotiating salaries for the stars, and other factors got us ten episodes a season. FWIW, I’d LOVE love a longer season or SNW movie in between seasons…

Agreed. At least 12, but better 14. That way those who want the silly BS get their two gimmicks shows, but then we have at least 10 shows that reflect core Star Trek elments.

Yeah I agree. It would be nice to have more episodes of them ‘boldly going ‘ too. Maybe there are too many comedic or light episodes.

Of course they can just make less of those but people seem to respond to them positively although the musical one was very mixed.

The crying Kelpian kid is truly one of the dumbest things they have done in Star Trek and that’s saying a lot. To this day I don’t understand how anyone thought this was a good idea??? Not only to hang an entire season on but the entire basis of the Federation collapsing.

There were SO MANY better and more logical ways to take it. They were so busy trying to not have anyone guess the mystery they lost the whole plot.

Yes it does hurt thinking about it. A fantastic idea that was trashed over this nonsense. This is truly one of those times I wish they had an experience sci fi writer in charge.

The Burn came in S3 — that aligns with my my point. And again, my point applies to those of us, who I think include you, that either loved or at least were OK with S1 and S2 of DSC — for us fans in that group, the “listening to the fans” thing did not make the series better.

There was no major problem on DSC that needed fixing after S2. They should have stayed the course and let the whiners whine.

The Burn only proved none of these clowns making this show shouldn’t be working on Star Trek period. And here is a secret, season 3 is actually my favorite season but clearly that’s not saying much lol.

The show has been a complete train wreck for four seasons now. I will be fair and say they actually have decent story ideas every season but executing them has been abysmal. At the end of season 2 when the Red Angel thing turned into a bad Terminator rip off was proof this show was simply in the wrong hands.

Well said. Discovery has incompetent writers from the start who didn’t really understand Star Trek. It didn’t even feel like Star Trek either. Even if you didn’t like some of the other shows they all felt like Star Trek. This show felt like it was trying to be something else.

That did improve more in season 2 at least but it was still a dreadful show.

“And BTW, fans complained about all the previous Trek shows. The producers listened and made changes to those too. And fans ended liking them more because they had competent writers who came up with better ideas and characters. TNG is the best example. Fans hated the first two seasons like many hated Discovery first two seasons. So they brought in a brilliant show runner and made the show awesome in third season listening to the complaints.”

A thousand times yes. TNG was considered awful and they knew fans weren’t happy and brought in new blood who not only understood Star Trek but modernized it that appealed to both and new fans. They made the show feel like its own but still inherently Star Trek with strong stories and character development. The show only got stronger and stronger.

With Discovery they improved some things but the bigger issues never went away. Yes they resolved a lot of the canon issues by throwing it in the 32nd century and they gave the show it’s own setting so it won’t be compared to TOS every second of the day. And it no longer mattered it looked nothing like TOS universe anymore.

So there were certainly a lot of positives. But they still double down on Discovery old problems as well, the biggest making it overly serialized and not developing the characters enough. And then ALL the ridiculous plot twists along the way that just made people scratch their heads.

I think the people making the show just couldn’t effectively write a fully connected season and why it just felt frustrating to watch season after season. Michelle Paradise is just a really bad show runner. If you truly believe the show got worse after season 2 like many seem to then it’s not rocket science the blame falls on her since she became the sole show runner after season 2.

She should’ve been fired after season 4 when the show became a true dumpster fire.

Exactly. And most people thought season 1 and 2 royally sucked. It’s again hysterical to believe the show was a fan favorite in season 2 and yet still sitting at a 36% rating audience score. 😂😂😂

Even though people loved Pike many still thought the season itself was mostly terrible. That’s why they gave him his own show and many at least like that one which BTW they ALSO listened to the fans when making that show.

I think the notes on that show was just do the opposite what you did on Discovery and jackpot! 😉

The show has been a disaster from the beginning. That’s literally why they keep trying to change it to no avail.

Season 2 did start off very popular but yeah by the end it was a big disappointment for many so not surprised why the rating is so low. But more proof people wasn’t digging the show and season 2 is my favorite because the first half was very strong IMO.

I always say even though SNW is a spin off of Discovery it almost feels like an anti-Discovery show at the same time.

I guess you could say the same about TNG and DS9. But the difference being DS9 still followed all of TNGs canon and those characters from TNG popped up on that show constantly.

But they didn’t throw TNG 900 years into the future so the crossovers were much easier lol.

I think it’s a very clear deduction that the wholesale change of the show between S2 and S3 was to respond to fan criticism. I can’t definitively prove that though. But it seems incredibly likely to me.

On McMahan, I think it’s also that the dude has more belief and more confidence in his show than Goldsman/Paradise/Kurtzman had in DSC.

How much rebooting is too much? I think at some point you do have to say enough is enough. If the fans aren’t going to like they just aren’t going to like it. Then again how much of a role does the studio play? We know they send their opinions down and expect them to be followed so I am sure this also played a part in the production process. Maybe one day we will know the entire truth of what went on.

As for a season 6, I am not so sure about that because of the studio’s current financial situation. Most streaming series are barely getting 3 seasons so 5 is more than most. I am not surprised that they have made the choice to move on. However, they must like the characters because there is the chance they can come back in the Academy show.

They have rebooted this show countless times and it never improved. Maybe studio interference is part of that but that’s not the only reason it’s bad. The people running it are simply incompetent.

How much rebooting is too much? I think at some point you do have to say enough is enough. If the fans aren’t going to like they just aren’t going to like it. 

Yes, exactly. Stay the course — there were plenty of existing fans, and a lot of new fans who were really into DSC after the first two seasons. They should have had the guts to continue what they were doing and not cave in the subset of Berman-era older fans who were never going to like it.

Who are “all of you?” I never complained about seasons one and two, yet you’re responding to me. I’ve many times said I enjoyed one and two a lot more than three and four.

Also, blaming the fans and not the folks who write these episodes is hilarious, and it shows a total lack of understanding of how television shows are made.

“And before all the Comic Book Guy types attack me for this, this is **my opinion.** Yours may vary, and that’s fine. I’ll vehemently respect and defend your right to love this show, so I’ll thank you to show me the same courtesy.”

So… you’re going to attack and insult other people’s opinions even after you demanded that they respect your opinions because you respect theirs?

Right. Okay.

Yeah, that comes across like: here is my lengthy opinion on this that you must take seriously, but if you disagree then you must be a comic book clown.

OK, sure, if you didn’t complain about S1 and S2 then this does apply to you. But it applied to many of the posters here and elsewhere who have ragged on this series since Day 1.

Regarding your second comments, I clearly stated that the predominant responsibility of the changes were the showrunners and the producers listening the fans . However, some of the fans who were complaining simply because they just didn’t like type of show they were getting and/or because they were just slamming on the Michael Burnham character (some, not with the best intentions) — those fans bear some contributing responsibility for the changes to the show. And I’m not backing down from that opinion — for example I read tons of negative comments here and elsewhere on Michael/SMG — and on top of the other more reasonable negative comments, that all effected the paper thin confidence that the meek showrunners/producers had on this show, unfortunately.

I agree with pretty much everything you just said. The show has been awful for four seasons straight now. The characters are all over the place and while the story arcs start strong in the beginning they become a mess by the end because the writing is so poor with no clear vision. It’s hilarious that Wilson Cruz is still not even sure he is CMO or not after 5 seasons really says it all. 😂🙄

This show can’t end soon enough.

I’m pretty sure Doctor Pollard is the Chief Medical Officer.

The fact he doesn’t know that, a main actor, speaks to how bad this show really is. And I couldn’t even remember her name.

Wrong again tiger. Be better.

You haven’t been right on anything here in six years lol.

This, ^ was funny… 😄

six years ago? I didn’t even know this website existed six years ago. You’re losing the tread again tiger poo.

You’re so pathetic lol. I can’t imagine how much you love to yourself im real life.

He doesn’t know probably because he doesn’t watch the show in its entirety. He’s only really concerned about his own scenes.

If you watch the show you would know Pollard is the chief Doctor. No need to have her sitting on the bridge doing nothing like crusher.

Also Patrick Stewart never watched TNG when he was filming it.

Can you tell me with a straight face Patrick Stewart didn’t know Beverly was the CMO either even though he never watched it? 😂

Don’t kid yourself man, half the viewers have no clue Dr. Pollard is the CMO either because she’s barely there and Culber makes all the decisions on his own. And if he isn’t why would he assume he was then? Did someone tell him that? Obviously not because he just admitted no one has lol. He’s only saying he feels like he IS the CMO because why wouldn’t he since he acts like one now.

Which leads to the bigger question why is she even the CMO? Why not switch the roles and have her under Culber. That would make more sense right. But this is Discovery, making sense has never been this shows strong point lol.

I’m pretty sure I didn’t say that. Are you okay? Are you hearing voices again?

I was only pointing out how ridiculous that excuse is. The guy has been doing this for five years now. It’s pretty sad in all that time he still doesn’t even know his full position. 😂

Most actors don’t watch their work. I never did.

I mean it’s Discovery so I can’t blame the guy. 😂

I’ll take it, Culber is CMO. Honestly the more Culber I can get the happier I’ll be. I hope he is in the academy show because I’m defiantly going to miss Dr. Culber.

People, including me, rightly complain when it seems like Burnham solves every problem on the series, she’s always the one solving everything, and the reason for that is summed up in this article… The rest of the cast just aren’t defined enough to the point where them getting things done actually makes sense.

Culber: Husband apparently, kind of CMO?, friendship with Book, loves opera, randomly adopted two others.

Discovery is such an awful show it nearly made me question my fandom and I been watching it since the original series aired. I still haven’t finished watching the last two seasons. I gave up both times.

I don’t blame the actors they gave it their all. They can’t help they have badly developed characters and awful storylines.

I actually like Culber but the fact the actor is not even sure if he’s the CMO really says it all.

It was a barely conceived show and no matter how many times they tried to improve it never did it any favors in the end.

I had issues with Discovery from the start and still feel season 1 is one of the worst seasons of Star Trek IMO. Not all bad but still pretty bad.

I did have better hope in season 2. It felt like it was not only feeling more like a Trek show, it was just telling better stories in general, but the season still went off track with the whole Red Angel plot line. But I understand it was just to get them in the future, one I was truly excited for and where the show should’ve been on DAY ONE!

But they managed to screw that up too lol.I know there are plenty of people who truly love this show and I really envy them. I want to love it as much as they do. But there has been a lot of missteps along the way. and no one is to blame for that than the people making it. The fact one of the main actors on the show isn’t sure if he’s the chef medical officer or not (note: he isn’t) speaks volumes to me.

Um I guess Cruz didn’t get the memo the ship already has a CMO? The same one he’s been working with since the show started?

When people say the show has serious problems, this is a glaring example of what they mean. The show is now officially over and the actor who has been on it for all five seasons is still confused over his role on it. Imagine how the average viewer feels.

BTW this is also the first time I’m hearing he and Paul are married lol. Was it ever stated anywhere? Maybe I just missed it. This show man.

And…. 1000 years ago marriage was different. 1000 years from now…

Star Trek may have lasted 60 years so far… but 40 years from now? It’s all going to look outdated.

That’s probably true as well. I agree.

i wish SFA was set in the 23rd, 24th or 25th century, that way we could be done with DSC in 3 months. this show is broad, uneven and feels like a CBS action procedural with some ST window dressing. Its unique to DSC and not new ST, because SNW, LD and PIC S3 showed you can tell actual do modern tv sci-fi shows. SFA is gonna be a CW HS drama with the DSC crew showing up periodically to cry and speak in whispers something thats suppose to sound profound.

As someone that has Discovery as their least favorite show I definitely understand why others want the SFA show in a different time period but I am really hoping the show just use it more fully.

I get it you want Discovery erased period but I still think focusing on a new time period is good for the franchise overall. But I know I’m in the minority on that one.

Would anyone let a 12th century physician perform surgery on them? I figure that there would be so much advancement in medical knowledge and training over the course of 900 years that Culber simply wouldn’t be qualified to be CMO. Frankly I’ve been a little surprised that Discovery Crew can function so seamlessly in a 32nd century technoverse…

Nothing about this show makes a lick of sense. It’s like it’s being ran by fifth graders.

This is the same show that made Tilly an XO. The same character that was hiding behind a bar when a fight broke out in the same season lol.

Wait when did Tilly hide behind a bar?

Edit: Nevermind. I remember now.

Oh yeah it happened. And I’m not saying you have to be an expert fighter to be in command but you have to at least show fortitude and courage.

And who is the one person they usually send down on the dangerous away missions? The first officer. Do you really want to follow someone like Tilly on an away mission? Just utterly ridiculous.

I know it was just a temporary position but why her at all??? Sorry for the rant lol. Just so many things about this show bothers me.

Is Culber the CMO? Well, I don’t see any other doctors in the senior staff meetings.

Memory Alpha notes that Dr. Pollard was first seen as part of the crew in 2257, after the Klingon War, while Culber was part of the crew since 2256.

Culber appears in 41 episodes, Pollard only in 15, out of 65 episodes to date.

We haven’t seen either of them interact in a way that suggests one reports to the other, so, while it’s not explicitly stated, we can infer that by time served on the ship, he’s the senior medical officer, until it’s contradicted in canon.

As to whether characters are “loosely defined,” I hasten to remind everyone that audiences (and writers) discover things about characters as a series goes along, and they get better defined the more a show finds its footing.

A lot of stuff is Early Installment Weirdness that gets handwaved away.

The other thing that can be an issue is characters who change very little over time. Someone mentioned CBS police procedurals – characters on those shows are practically cardboard cutouts that barely change, because each one has One Personality Trait that defines them, so you don’t have to think too hard. Real people change and evolve over time.

That said, while I don’t have a bunch of trading-card bullet-points about people’s job titles to help me put them in little pigeonholes, I have never really needed them.

I have no questions about who the characters are, what drives them, and who they are to each other, nor what the stakes are.

Yes, it’s fully within everyone’s rights to like or dislike aspects of the acting, the direction, the SFX, etc. But I feel this is crossing over into needless nitpicking.

I don’t go onto message boards for shows I dislike to dump all over them. I don’t feel like I own the shows I like; I own what I like about them, and feel free to ignore the parts that don’t make sense.

Star Trek Has Finally Revealed the Evil Enterprise's Weird Fate

Watch out for any goatees.

Today, everyone knows what a multiverse is. But back in 1967, parallel universe stories weren’t nearly as common as they are now, even within the sci-fi genre. A classic Star Trek episode, Jerome Bixby’s “Mirror, Mirror,” helped popularize the alternate universe trope, complete with meaner versions of yourself who may rock an evil little goatee like Mirror Spock.

Star Trek’s Mirror Universe also gave us an alternate version of the USS Enterprise in the ISS Enterprise , a ship that served the Imperial Terran Empire, not the United Federation of Planets. Now, in the Discovery Season 5 episode “Mirrors,” the evil ISS Enterprise is back... as a force for good. Here’s what it all means. Spoilers ahead.

The ISS Enterprise returns

Captain Burnham watches the ISS Enterprise warp to Federation HQ.

While pursuing the thieves Moll and L’ak, Book and Burnham take a shuttlecraft into an unstable wormhole and discover the floating, pseudo-derelict ISS Enterprise . One of the clues to the Progenitor’s tech has been hidden on it, but for Burnham, it’s kind of like a bizzaro universe homecoming. Burnham spent a decent amount of time in the Mirror Universe in Discovery Season 1 , and in Season 2 she found herself on the Enterprise with her brother Spock just before jumping from the 23rd century to the 32nd century.

In “Mirrors,” Burnham notes that “crossing between universes has been impossible for centuries,” which means the ISS Enterprise must have crossed over into the Prime Universe well before the 32nd century. Burnham is referencing the events of Discovery Season 3, when we learned that Philippa Georgiou, a resident of the Mirror Universe, couldn’t go back to her home universe because those dimensions had drifted apart. But the ISS Enterprise , which was previously captained by an evil Kirk, crossed over into the Prime Universe well before that moment, and Discovery has now added details connecting The Original Series, Deep Space Nine , and Discovery Season 3.

How evil Spock became good

Spock talking with Kirk in “Mirror, Mirror.”

In the Deep Space Nine episode “Crossover” we learn that after Kirk talked to Mirror Spock and encouraged him to try making the Terran Empire a peaceful power, Mirror Spock did just that. But as Mirror Kira explained, Mirror Spock’s idealism didn’t work out the way he’d hoped:

“Spock rose to Commander in Chief of the Empire by preaching reforms, disarmament, peace. It was quite a remarkable turnabout for his people. Unfortunately for them, when Spock had completed all these reforms, his empire was no longer in any position to defend itself against us [the Klingon-Cardassian Alliance].”

Discovery appears to be referencing this exact event, even if Spock isn’t named outright. When Book learns the ISS Enterprise became a refugee ship for people who’d turned against the Empire, he says, “The Terran High Chancellor was killed for trying to make reforms.”

This likely references Spock, but adds the twist that he was perhaps betrayed by other people within the Terran Empire, even if Earth adopted his reforms. Now, by the end of “Mirrors,” the 23rd-century ISS Enterprise has been moved to the Prime Universe and the 32nd century. It’s an antique by modern standards, but it’s a contemporary of the USS Discovery, so it’s still serviceable. This means that by the end of Discovery Season 5 there will still be a version of the classic Enterprise floating around Federation headquarters, so when the Starfleet Academy series debuts, 32nd-century Starfleet cadets will have access to the classic version of the most famous Enterprise. It may technically be an evil twin, but its historic adventures aren’t over just yet.

Star Trek: Discovery and The Original Series stream on Paramount+.

• Science Fiction

Kirks Starship Enterprise Returns In Star Trek: Discovery - With A Big Twist

Warning: SPOILERS for Star Trek: Discovery Season 5, Episode 5 - "Mirrors"

• The Mirror Universe's ISS Enterprise, last seen in Star Trek: The Original Series' "Mirror, Mirror," makes a shocking return in Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 5.
• Star Trek: Discovery filmed scenes on the USS Enterprise set of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.
• The ISS Enterprise now exists in the 32nd century, offering a new glimpse into the alternate reality of the Mirror Universe.

Captain James T. Kirk's (William Shatner) Starship Enterprise makes a shocking return in Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 5, but with a jaw-dropping twist - it's the ISS Enterprise from Star Trek: The Original Series ' "Mirror, Mirror"! Written by Johanna Lee & Carlos Cisco and directed by Jen McGowan, Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 5, "Mirrors," sees Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) and Cleveland Booker (David Ajala) enter interdimensional space to pursue Moll (Eve Harlow) and L'ak (Elias Toufexis) and the next clue to the Progenitors' ancient treasure. What Burnham and Book never expected to find was the Mirror Universe's derelict ISS Enterprise.

Star Trek: Discovery picked up the mantle of the Mirror Universe from Star Trek: The Original Series , Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , and Star Trek; Enterprise. Discovery 's season 1's game-changing Mirror Universe arc introduced Emperor Philippa Georgiou (Michelle Yeoh), who would enter Star Trek 's Prime Universe and is now headlining Paramount+'s upcoming Star Trek: Section 31 movie. Star Trek: Discovery deepened the saga of the Mirror Universe, but the alternate reality's final appearance was in Star Trek: Discovery season 3. Thanks to Star Trek 's Temporal Wars , it's now impossible for the Prime and Mirror Universes to cross over in Star Trek: Discovery 's 32nd century.

Individuals who both time travel and cross from Star Trek' s Prime and Mirror Universes suffer a lethal medical condition, such as what happened to Emperor Georgiou.

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

Star trek: discovery brings back kirks mirror universe starship enterprise, the iss enterprise last appeared in star trek: the original series' "mirror, mirror".

The Mirror Universe's ISS Enterprise in Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 5 is the same Constitution Class starship from Star Trek: The Original Series season 2, episode 4, "Mirror, Mirror," which was the ISS Enterprise's only prior canonical appearance. The ISS Enterprise was trapped in interdimensional space and abandoned by its crew, who were refugees and freedom fighters attempting to flee the Mirror Universe for Star Trek 's Prime Universe in the 24th century. As Captain Burnham later learned, the refugees made it to the Prime Universe, and one scientist even became a Starfleet Admiral.

In Star Trek: Enterprise season 4's "In A Mirror, Darkly", the 22nd-century Terran Empire gained control of the Constitution Class USS Defiant, which crossed over and time traveled from the 23rd-century Prime Universe.

In Star Trek: The Original Series ' "Mirror, Mirror", the ISS Enterprise was commanded by Captain James T. Kirk who assassinated its prior Captain, Christopher Pike (Jeffrey Hunter). "Mirror, Mirror" saw the Prime Universe's Kirk, Lt. Uhura (Nichelle Nichols), Dr. Leonard McCoy (DeForest Kelley), and Scotty (James Doohan) switch places with their Mirror counterparts due to a transporter accident during an ion storm. Before switching back, Prime Kirk planted a seed with the goateed Mirror Spock (Leonard Nimoy) to take control of the Terran Empire and institute reforms to prevent the inevitable destruction of the Empire.

Mirror Spock's reforms were successful but ultimately weakened the Terran Empire, which was conquered by the Klingon-Cardassian Alliance, as seen in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.

Star Trek: Discovery Filmed Season 5s Enterprise On Strange New Worlds Set

Star trek: strange new worlds was on hiatus after season 2..

Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 5, "Mirrors", was filmed on the USS Enterprise set of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds . When Discovery season 5 was in production in late 2022, Strange New Worlds was on hiatus after completing season 2 filming in June . ( Strange New Worlds wouldn't begin season 3 production until December 2023.) Sonequa Martin-Green, David Ajala, Eve Harlow, and Elias Toufexis shot on Strange New Worlds ' sets, which are located in Toronto where Star Trek: Discovery also filmed.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3 is in production, and the series has been renewed for season 4.

Star Trek: Discovery redressed Strange New Worlds ' USS Enterprise set to become the ISS Enterprise. Scenes were filmed on the Enterprise's bridge, hallways, and medical bay. Interestingly, by using Strange New Worlds ' Enterprise set, which depicts the USS Enterprise before Captain Kirk assumes command, Star Trek: Discovery season 5 establishes that the ISS Enterprise, which crossed into the Prime Universe decades after Star Trek: The Original Series , is the same ship as in "Mirror, Mirror" despite the very different interiors.

Star Trek: Enterprise recreated the sets of Star Trek: The Original Series ' USS Enterprise for the interiors of the USS Defiant.

What Happens To Mirror Universes Enterprise In Star Trek: Discovery?

The 32nd century just got another 23rd-century starship.

Captain Burnham and Cleveland Booker piloted the ISS Enterprise out of interdimensional space and into Star Trek 's Prime Universe with the help of the USS Discovery. Afterward, Burnham assigned Lt. Commanders Kayla Detmer (Emily Coutts) and Joann Owosekun (Oyin Oladejo) to fly the ISS Enterprise to Federation headquarters, so that the Mirror Universe's starship could be put into "storage". However, there are now fascinating ramifications to the ISS Enterprise existing in Star Trek: Discovery 's 32nd century .

Amazingly, the ISS Enterprise is also now the second 23rd-century starship in 3191 along with the USS Discovery itself.

Although the ISS Enterprise is obsolete by 32nd-century standards, it's still a bonanza of Mirror Universe technology that the United Federation of Planets has now acquired . This would certainly be of interest to Dr. Kovich (David Cronenberg). The 23rd-century ISS Enterprise is a window not just to 900 years ago, but also to the alternate reality, especially since the Mirror Universe is now sealed off permanently from the Federation. Amazingly, the ISS Enterprise is also now the second 23rd-century starship in 3191 along with the USS Discovery itself. Perhaps the ISS Enterprise will reappear and play a role in the second half of Star Trek: Discovery season 5.

New episodes of Star Trek: Discovery season 5 stream Thursdays on Paramount+

Cast Blu del Barrio, Oded Fehr, Anthony Rapp, Sonequa Martin-Green, Doug Jones, Wilson Cruz, Eve Harlow, Mary Wiseman, Callum Keith Rennie

Streaming Service(s) Paramount+

Franchise(s) Star Trek

Writers Alex Kurtzman

Directors Jonathan Frakes, Olatunde Osunsanmi

Showrunner Alex Kurtzman

Where To Watch Paramount+

‘Star Trek’: Long-Lost Original USS Enterprise Model Finally Makes the Voyage Home

The model was used for the pilot and credits of the original 'Star Trek' series.

The Big Picture

• The original USS Enterprise model has been found in a storage locker after going missing for decades.
• The model was used for the original unaired pilot and opening credits of Star Trek: The Original Series .
• Rod Roddenberry plans to restore and display the iconic starship model in a museum for public viewing.

The original model of the USS Enterprise from Star Trek: The Original Series has been located, after spending several decades missing — not in some distant region of space, but in a storage locker. The model has been returned to Eugene "Rod" Roddenberry , the son of original Trek creator Gene Roddenberry . ABC News reports that the three-foot-long model was given to Gene Roddenberry after the original Trek series ended in 1969, and graced his desk for several years before he loaned it to the makers of 1979's Star Trek: The Motion Picture . The model disappeared shortly afterward and remained missing until it turned up on eBay last year. It had been discovered in a storage locker by parties unknown, who contacted action site Heritage Auctions. Although the model would fetch an enormous price at auction as a one-of-a-kind pop-cultural artifact, an arrangement was made between the finders and Roddenberry, whose father died at 70 in 1991.

The model in question was the first finished model of the iconic starship; it was used for the series' original unaired pilot episode, "The Cage," which was later incorporated into a two-part episode , "The Menagerie," before it was released in full in the 1980s. It was also used for the shots of the Enterprise seen in the show's opening credits. A larger model was later created for the rest of the series; that model is currently on display at the Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum . Roddenberry intends for the original model to find a permanent home, as well:

"This is not going home to adorn my shelves. This is going to get restored and we’re working on ways to get it out so the public can see it and my hope is that it will land in a museum somewhere."

What Is the USS Enterprise?

The flagship of the United Federation of Planets' Starfleet, the USS Enterprise is a Constitution-class starship from the 23rd century. It was originally captained by Robert April, who appeared on Star Trek: The Animated Series before appearing in live-action for the first time in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds . April later passed on command to Christopher Pike , whose adventures are currently being chronicled in the prequel series Strange New Worlds . After Pike was promoted to fleet command, James Kirk was given command of the ship, taking it on a five-year mission that kicked off one of science fiction's most enduring franchises.

In Star Trek III: The Search for Spock , then-Admiral Kirk stole the Enterprise to journey to the unstable Genesis Planet and reunite his friend Spock's mind with his body; during that adventure, Kirk had the ship self-destruct to prevent it from being seized by the Klingons. It was later replaced by a near-identical ship, the Enterprise-A ; many subsequent Federation ships have borne the name, up to the rechristened Enterprise-J in the series finale of Star Trek: Picard .

The son of Roddenberry and actor Majel Barrett , Rod Roddenberry is the chief executive officer of Roddenberry Entertainment. He currently executive produces the latest generation of Star Trek series, including Discovery , Strange New Worlds , Picard , Lower Decks , and Prodigy .

The original model of the Enterprise is now back in the Roddenberry family. Viewers can see it in action in Star Trek: The Original Series , which can be streamed on Paramount+.

Star Trek: The Original Series

In the 23rd Century, Captain James T. Kirk and the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise explore the galaxy and defend the United Federation of Planets.

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A 57-Year-Old Star Trek Mystery Has Finally Been Solved

The final season of Star Trek: Discovery just solved a franchise mystery that's been left open since a classic episode of The Original Series aired.

• Nearly 60 years ago, Star Trek: The Original Series introduced the Mirror Universe.
• Star Trek: Discovery returned to that parallel dimension in Season 1, showing audiences more of that world.
• In the final season of Star Trek: Discovery, the fate of a key vessel in the mirror universe is revealed.

The following contains spoilers from Star Trek: Discovery , Season 5, Episode 5, "Mirrors," now streaming on Paramount+ .

One of the most interesting concepts in the Star Trek mythology is its "mirror universe," a parallel dimension where almost everyone is evil. Of the universe's dozen series, only four ever explored it, and only two did so more than once. Star Trek: Discovery made the mirror universe key to its first season, and in its final one, the series revealed what happened to the ISS Enterprise 57 years after it was first introduced. When the show first debuted, some long-time fans felt the crew and the captain were not in keeping with the tenor of proper Starfleet officers. However, Season 1 revealed Captain Lorca hailed from that universe , explaining why he seemed more "evil" than the typical starship captain.

Once the USS Discovery traveled through a wormhole to the 32nd Century, Dr. Kovich told Dr. Culber that the Mirror Universe and Prime Universe were too far apart for "crossings" to occur any longer. However, while on the hunt for the clues to the location of the Progenitors' technology, Captain Burnham and Cleveland "Book" Booker find a pocket of interdimensional space housing a vessel from the Mirror Universe. However, it's not any old starship, it is the ISS Enterprise last seen in "Mirror, Mirror" when the Prime Universe's Captain Kirk told Mirror Universe Spock it only took one good man to start a revolution. Once Star Trek: Deep Space Nine reintroduced the Mirror Universe, what happened to the ship was an open question Discovery just answered.

Kirk: What worries me is the easy way his counterpart fitted into that other universe. I always thought Spock was a bit of a pirate at heart.

Spock: Indeed, gentlemen. May I point out that I had an opportunity to observe your counterparts here quite closely. They were brutal, savage, unprincipled, uncivilized, treacherous - in every way splendid examples of homo sapiens, the very flower of humanity. I found them quite refreshing. -- Star Trek: The Original Series "Mirror, Mirror"

Where the Mirror Universe and the ISS Enterprise Came From

Star trek: discovery's mary wiseman, wilson cruz and blu del barrio hype finale.

When Gene Roddenberry put together his pitch for Star Trek 60 years ago in 1964, a loose idea of the Mirror Universe concept was on an early pitch document . The full concept came from writer Jerome Bixby, based on his decade-old short story "One Way Street." The writer said "the universe [he] created was a very savage counterpart" and that "it's arguable...the universe itself might be termed a 'character,'" in The Captain's Logs Supplemental by Edward Gross and Mark A. Altman.

In "Mirror, Mirror," Kirk, Doctor McCoy, Uhura and Scotty are sent via transporter accident to the Mirror Universe. The episode is mostly about them trying to survive long enough to be returned to their own universe. However, Mirror Spock figures out the captain and crew aren't from his version of reality. So, he ends up helping them recreate the accident so they can return home. Tiberius Kirk and the evil versions of the crew are also sent back, but it's strongly implied that Spock will quickly take control from him.

Star Trek: The Original Series "Mirror, Mirror" Official Synopsis: A transporter accident places Captain Kirk's landing party in an alternate universe, where the Enterprise is in the service of a barbarically brutal empire.

In Star Trek: Enterprise , a two-part episode set in the Mirror Universe brought the USS Defiant from The Original Series episode "The Tholian Web" to the past. This helps explain why the ISS Enterprise is so much like the Constitution class vessels from the prime universe. Each starship is also equipped with a Tantalus Field, a mysterious device that makes a captain's enemies vanish. Presumably, Spock used the vessel to start his revolution, and Deep Space Nine reveals how it all turned out. Yet, what happened to the ISS Enterprise remained a mystery, until "Mirrors."

The USS Discovery's Search for Clues Led Burnham to the Enterprise

Star trek: discovery's alex kurtzman & michelle paradise talk final season.

Captain Burnham and the USS Discovery crew are familiar with the USS Enterprise, though Captain Christopher Pike was her commanding officer then. After surviving the Time Bug placed on the ship by Moll, Burnham and Book take a shuttle into an "aperture" of extradimensional space to follow their ship's warp trail. When they enter it, Burnham recognizes the ship, but tells Book that during her time in the Mirror Universe in Season 1, she never saw that particular vessel. The ship has been stuck there for some time, and it's damaged. Not just from the pocket dimension it sits in, but it had been in a battle.

Star Trek: Discovery "Mirrors" Official Synopsis: Captain Burnham and Book journey into extradimensional space in search of the next clue to the location of the Progenitors' power, while Rayner navigates his first mission in command of the U. S. S. Discovery and Culber opens up to Tilly.

When Burnham and Book board the vessel, they discover something surprising. Rather than a Terran warship, they see the ISS Enterprise seemingly serving as a home to refugees . After restoring some power to the ship, they are able to locate Moll, L'ak and the clue they seek by scanning for the quantum signature of people and objects from the prime universe. A short fight breaks out, but circumstances align so that Moll and Booker have to work together to free L'ak and Michael from a security protocol.

When L'ak and Michael fight, she's able to get the clue and she, accidentally, wounds the Breen exile. Moll and L'ak escape in the shuttle Michael and Book arrived on, so they have to figure out a way to get the ISS Enterprise out of the extradimensional space it was marooned in so long ago. Naturally, they succeed with the help of quick-thinking by Commander Rayner on the USS Discovery. What's most interesting, however, is that throughout this adventure no one really wonders just how the clue from the Prime Universe ended up on the flagship of the Terran Empire.

Deep Space Nine Revealed the Fate of Spock's Terran Empire

Star trek: discovery actors doug jones & david ajala prepare for their last adventure.

The first show to return to the Mirror Universe was the first serialized Star Trek , Deep Space Nine in Season 2, Episode 23, "Crossover." Naturally, because that series was set on the space station close to the planet Bajor, this was the corner of the Mirror Universe that the episode (and its many sequels over seven seasons) explored. Rather than the jingoistic rules of the Terran Empire, however, humans were an oppressed class working the ore processing facilities on the Deep Space 9 station. It was ruled by an alliance of Klingons, Cardassians and Bajorans.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine "Crossover" Official Synopsis: Kira and Dr. Bashir are accidentally sent to the Mirror Universe and discover that it is dominated by a ruthless Klingon–Cardassian alliance and Terrans (humans) are slaves.

Kira Nerys met her counterpart, the leader of the station known as "the Intendant." She explained to her what happened after the real Captain Kirk transported back to his universe. Spock used the ISS Enterprise to become Chancellor of the former Empire, all the while making institutional reformations that made the society more peaceful and equitable. However, after years of being oppressed by the Terrans, the Klingon and Cardassian alliance was able to launch a successful campaign against them.

The Klingon-Cardassian Alliance is the dominant power in the Alpha Quadrant and controls the space near Bajor in the Mirror Universe. The alliance is mostly benevolent and a lover of liberty, but the realities of dealing with a foe like the Terran Empire forces them to engage in questionable tactics.

Still, Deep Space Nine left the ultimate fate of the Terran Empire -- and, more specifically, the ISS Enterprise -- an open question . In fact, Intendant Kira never really clarified when the Terran Empire fell, beyond saying that Spock's reforms began "almost a century ago." Still, knowing that the Terran Empire fell under a brutal assault by Klingons and Cardassians , a picture starts to emerge about why the ISS Enterprise would have been a home for refugees and made the perilous, impossible journey across dimensions.

A Terran Refugee Hid the Clue In the ISS Enterprise In the 24th Century

Star trek: discovery's sonequa martin-green embarks on one final voyage.

At the end of "Mirrors," Michael Burnham reveals the scientist who hid the clue on the ISS Enterprise was able to do so because she was, herself, a Terran . Some time before The Next Generation 's "The Chase," she and a group of refugees fled the ISS Enterprise in shuttles and made their way into the Prime Universe. From there, many of them made homes in the Federation, and this particular scientist was the Junior Science Officer on the ISS Enterprise, Dr. Cho.

Star Trek: The Next Generation "The Chase" Official Synopsis: The crew of the Enterprise must race against various rival powers to uncover an archaeological secret that explains the predominance of humanoid life forms in the galaxy.

This means the Terran refugees fled the Mirror Universe sometime before the events of "The Chase." Yet, it was close enough to those events that Dr. Cho was able to make her way back to the ship that carried her and her fellow immigrant in order to hide the clue there. As Booker notes in the episode, the clues to the Progenitors' technology each come with a lesson. In this case, Dr. Cho wanted to subtly teach the searchers who followed her that things can always get better. She went from being a Terran scientist to a Branch Admiral in Starfleet. It's kind of like Starfleet's first mutineer becoming the captain of the first vessel on which she served afterward.

No matter the timeline or universe, the Enterprise is an important, historic vessel. The ISS Enterprise was a warship that brought fear and terror to whomever it visited. At least, until a man named Kirk told a man named Spock there was a better choice to make. In its final season, Star Trek: Discovery has found yet another way to tie its story into the fabric of the universe's past and the message Gene Roddenberry and all those who followed him wanted to give the audience. Things can always be better, but it takes people making the right choices to get there.

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

Star Trek: Discovery

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Screen Rant

What happened to mirror universe captain kirk in star trek.

Star Trek: Discovery returns to the Mirror Universe, which raises questions about what happened to the Terran Empire's Captain Kirk after TOS.

WARNING: Contains SPOILERS for Star Trek: Discovery, season 5, episode 5, "Mirrors".

• In "Star Trek: Discovery", new information about the fate of the Mirror Universe Captain Kirk is provided by the return of the ISS Enterprise.
• Mirror Kirk may have faced execution or plotted violent opposition against Spock's peaceful reforms.
• A planned William Shatner comeback in "Star Trek: Enterprise" involving Mirror Kirk's return was shelved due to financial reasons.

Star Trek: Discovery has just brought back the ISS Enterprise from the Terran Empire, raising the question of what happened to the Mirror Universe's Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) after the end of Star Trek: The Original Series . In Discovery season 5, episode 5, "Mirrors", written by Johanna Lee and Carlos Cisco, and directed by Jen McGowan, the next clue to the Progenitors' treasure is found aboard the ISS Enterprise , trapped inside a pocket of interdimensional space. As Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) and Book (David Ajala) explore the Mirror Universe's version of the starship Enterprise , they learn more about what happened after TOS ' "Mirror, Mirror".

In "Mirror, Mirror", the Mirror Universe version of Captain Kirk switched places with his Prime Universe counterpart. While in the Mirror Universe, Prime Kirk inspired the Mirror Universe variant of Spock (Leonard Nimoy) to embrace the possibility of a more peaceful future. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine revealed that Spock's more peaceful approach led to the downfall of the Terran Empire at the hands of the Klingon-Cardassian Alliance . However, DS9 was vague on what happened to the ISS Enterprise, Spock, and Kirk. While Star Trek: Discovery has now revealed the fate of the ISS Enterprise, the fate of Mirror Kirk is something of a mystery.

Star Trek: Discovery’s Burnham Fight Makes Michael Even More Like Kirk

What happened to mirror universe captain kirk after star trek: the original series.

Star Trek: Discovery reveals that the Terran High Chancellor was killed for trying to make reforms, which is presumably a reference to Mirror Spock . In Star Trek: Deep Space Nine season 2, episode 23, "Crossover", it was confirmed that Mirror Spock rose to the role of Commander in Chief, and the peaceful reforms led to the Terran Empire being unprepared for war with the Klingon-Cardassian Alliance. While Discovery seems to confirm that Mirror Spock was executed for this failure, it remains tight-lipped on the fate of Mirror Kirk after he was beamed off the USS Enterprise at the end of "Mirror, Mirror".

The fate of Mirror Kirk after Star Trek: The Original Series has spawned multiple comic books and novels over the years, including the Mirror Universe trilogy by William Shatner, and Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens.

Many speculated that Mirror Kirk was either imprisoned or put to death by Mirror Spock, even though that doesn't correlate with the Vulcan's attempt to make peaceful reforms . However, career progression in the Mirror Universe is ruthless, so it's certainly possible that Spock would have had Kirk executed, so he could take control of the ISS Enterprise to cement his rise to power. Another possibility is that Kirk survived, and was one of the many Terrans who objected to Mirror Spock's more peaceful reforms, perhaps even being the one who killed him in Star Trek: Discovery 's new version of events.

Mirror Kirk’s Aborted Star Trek: Enterprise Return Explained

Mirror Kirk was an integral part of a William Shatner comeback pitched for Star Trek: Enterprise season 4. In Shatner's pitch, co-conceived with writers Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens, Mirror Kirk was put to death by Spock following the events of "Mirror, Mirror", by being placed in the Tantalus Field. However, it would be revealed that the Tantalus Field didn't kill its victims, it placed them inside a pocket universe, where they would be discovered by Captain Jonathan Archer (Scott Bakula) and the crew of the Enterprise NX-01. Mirror Kirk and his comrades would then launch a hostile takeover of the Enterprise, pitting Shatner against Bakula.

Another pitch for a William Shatner episode of Star Trek: Enterprise would have seen him play the NX-01's unseen chef, who would be revealed as an ancestor of James T. Kirk.

William Shatner's return in Star Trek: Enterprise would have been a ratings smash, but it was nixed by Paramount . The reasons behind Paramount aborting Shatner's Star Trek return were said to be financial, with both Manny Coto and Rick Berman telling "The Center Seat: 55 Years of Star Trek" by Peter Holmstrom that the actor's fee was more than Enterprise could afford. With the Mirror Kirk episode abandoned, the fate of Captain Kirk's Terran counterpart would have to remain a mystery. However, Star Trek: Enterprise did return to the Mirror Universe in a season 4 two-parter involving the USS Defiant from Star Trek: TOS .

Enterprise’s Mirror Universe Episodes Marked The Sad End Of The Star Trek Prequel

Star trek: discovery reveals what happened to mirror captain kirk’s enterprise.

Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 5, "Mirrors" may not reveal the fate of Mirror Kirk, but it does reveal what happened to his Enterprise. Investigating the abandoned ISS Enterprise in search of Moll (Eve Harlow) and L'ak (Elias Toufexis) , Burnham and Book learn about what happened after Spock's reforms. Following the death of the Terran High Chancellor, a group of Terrans boarded the ISS Enterprise in search of the Prime Universe, perhaps inspired by the hopeful words of Prime Kirk in "Mirror, Mirror". The refugees were led by Mirror Saru (Doug Jones), who had become a resistance leader following Discovery season 1 .

Saru is one of the few Star Trek characters to be a good guy in both the Mirror and Prime Universes.

However, the ISS Enterprise became trapped in the interdimensional fold encountered by the USS Discovery in the 32nd century. Forced to abandon ship, the refugees made it through the wormhole into the prime Star Trek universe. One of the refugees was Dr. Cho, who became part of the Federation's team that investigated the Progenitors' technology alongside Dr. Vellek (Michael Copeman) and Jinaal . Dr. Cho is the only named refugee in Star Trek: Discovery , but it creates the fascinating possibility that Mirror Saru, and maybe even Mirror Kirk found their way to the Prime Universe in the 24th century.

Star Trek: Discovery streams Thursdays on Paramount+.

Star Trek: Discovery

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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: The Original Series

Star Trek: The Original Series follows the exploits of the crew of the USS Enterprise. On a five-year mission to explore uncharted space, Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) must trust his crew - Spock (Leonard Nimoy), Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy (Forest DeKelley), Montgomery "Scotty" Scott (James Doohan), Uhura (Nichelle Nichols), Chekov (Walter Koenig) and Sulu (George Takei) - with his life. Facing previously undiscovered life forms and civilizations and representing humanity among the stars on behalf of Starfleet and the United Federation of Planets, the Enterprise regularly comes up against impossible odds and diplomatic dilemmas.