When Star Trek Discovery premiered on CBS last September, then subsequently streamed the next 14 episodes on the network’s new digital platform, CBS All Access, many were skeptical. With production on Star Trek Discovery season 2 steadily under way, however, the fears and doubts of hardcore Star Trek fans and general audiences have largely been forgotten. This is especially true in light of the series’ many behind-the-scenes dramas, including the departure of original showrunner Bryan Fuller and his replacement by Gretchen J. Berg and Aaron Harberts, who were fired by CBS over budget concerns and allegedly abusive behavior.
With co-creator and executive producer Alex Kurtzman serving as the sole showrunner for Star Trek Discovery season 2, practically nothing but good news has been released, teased or discovered ever since. Here’s everything we know so far about that.
Star Trek Discovery season 2 plot details
Season 2 will feature the Enterprise
The first season of Discovery ended with a peaceful conclusion to the bubbling conflict between the Federation and the Klingon tribes. But before Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) and the rest of the crew could pick up their new ship captain, the pre-original series Enterprise hails them with a distress call. As the first trailer for Star Trek Discovery season 2 later revealed, it seems the famous starship and her captain are in need of some assistance.
The Klingons have a new look
If anything, one of the biggest complaints about the first season of Discovery was how it handled (or mishandled) the Klingon story arc. Fuller’s initial episodes did wonders in terms of fleshing out the pre-empire world of the disparate tribes, but later, less-serialized episodes abandoned much of it. And thanks to the ludicrous amount of makeup and prosthetics the actors had to wear, almost everything they said was unintelligible.
Special effects expert Glenn Hetrick and his team received two Emmy Award nominations for their work on“Discovery, but according to recent interview with Syfy, he is not all that complacent. In fact, Hetrick and company are hard at work on a new Klingon redesign. “As we unpack [the story], we’re going to find tons of other reasons for the Klingon look,” he said. “I think people are going to freak out when this unfurls in front of them.”
Star Trek Discovery season 2 cast
Spock and Captain Christopher Pike will show up
Of course, this version of the Enterprise is not yet captained by James T. Kirk. Instead, it’s led by Christopher Pike, a role played by Jeffrey Hunter and Sean Kenney in the original series, and Bruce Greenwood in the rebooted film franchise. Discovery cast “nhumans star Anson Mount as its version of Pike, whose made to look an awful lot like a slightly younger version of Greenwood’s take.
The Enterprise’s original captain isn’t the only iconic character making their Discovery debut, however, as a younger version of Leonard Nimoy’s half-human, half-Vulcan science officer, Spock, will also feature in Star Trek Discovery season 2. In fact, according to the trailer, he figures prominently in the initial story arc, as he has something to do with the strange signals Pike is investigation. Oh, and he’s also Burnham’s foster brother. CBS revealed Ethan Peck will play the character.
Comedian Tig Notaro is in it, too
Aside from the addition of major characters from the franchise’s canon, Star Trek Discovery season 2 will also make a few more lighthearted changes to the show roster. Like comedian Tig Notaro, who will guest star as Chief Engineer Denise Reno of the USS Hiawatha. CBS’ announcement said very little in the way of who Notaro’s character would be, or how she would figure into the season two storyline. Judging by her brief appearance in the trailer, Reno will be a lot of fun.
Star Trek Discovery season 2 release date
Star Trek: Discovery season 2 will premiere in early 2019 on CBS All Access. We’ll update this page when an official release date is announced.
