Strange New Worlds unexpected casting

[Operation:Mego]

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds has cast actor Paul Wesley in the iconic sci-fi role.

The Vampire Diaries actor will join the upcoming Paramount+ series in the show’s second season, which is in production in Toronto. In an unusual move, the second-season casting is being announced before the first season has debuted.

Above is a first-look image of Wesley in character on what’s presumably the U.S.S. Enterprise bridge.

“Paul is an accomplished actor, an astonishing presence and a welcome key addition to the show,” said executive producer Alex Kurtzman and co-showrunners Akiva Goldsman and Henry Alonso Myers in a statement. “Like all of us, he is a life-long Star Trek fan and we are excited by his interpretation of this iconic role.”

[sprytel]

Interesting, but I'm a little confused on the timeline here where they would need to cast someone in the role of James T. Kirk.

[KnightDetective]

Two random opinions.

Those black undershirts really need higher collars, higher than the tunic's v-neck.

Age considerations aside, the Pike actor reads more like Kirk (Shatner). This guy looks more like a younger Pike (Jeffrey Hunter). Too late to swap?

[Nostalgiabuff]

wonder if he'll do the Shatner swagger. i'm curious to see how they play Kirk into this series. there are 3 bands on his shirt sleeve indicating he is Captain. Maybe season 2 will take place after Pike leaves and Kirk takes command of the Enterprise

[Earth 2 Chris]

There was a set picture leaked the day before, so maye Paramount wanted to get out in front of this.

I'm confused by this as well. I wonder how Anson Mount feels about this? His first season isn't even out yet, and now we're announcing his literal replacement. Whether or not Kirk assumes the lead role on the show, obviously the central figure of classic Star Trek looms large in ANY iteration of the franchise he's in.

[Makernaut]

While I was looking around for some more news on the series, I found this article with some interesting details about the uniforms.

https://trekmovie.com/2022/02/28/get...leet-uniforms/

[Earth 2 Chris]

Wow, that's fascinating. I like the designs better now, given all the detailing. It does seem like the tunic is riding up higher than anticipated, covering up too much of the undershirt's collar.

[Makernaut]

I am a little amazed given that some of those details might not even show up or be very noticeable on camera.

[LonnieFisher]

Kirk didn't need shoulder pads back in the day. Makes the uniform look crappy. Doesn't bother me, though. I won't be watching.

[Liu Bei]

Kirk didn't need shoulder pads back in the day. Makes the uniform look crappy. Doesn't bother me, though. I won't be watching.

Nor I. I just can’t get into any of the JarJar Abrams/Bad Reboot garbage.

I’m halfway through DS9, and boy, is the crap being put out today worlds apart from what we had in Trek’s golden age.

I know not everyone likes Rick Berman, but I don’t think anyone can argue that he wasn’t true to Gene Roddenberry’s vision. The crews we got on Berman’s watch were nothing like the nasty, foul-mouthed, miserable, rotten characters being forced down the viewer’s throat these days.

[knight errant00]

It does seem like the tunic is riding up higher than anticipated, covering up too much of the undershirt's collar.

For a classic TOS look, I agree -- the black undershirt approach worked better in the Abrams Trek to suggest the original black collars:

Trek1.jpg

But, honestly, I kinda like the SNW look for Pike and co. because, for me, it recalls the look of the collars on the uniforms in "The Cage":

tos-the-cage-00001.jpg