Rate your best and worst re-castings!

[apepa]

While the Abrams movie franchise has certainly seen a large number of Star Trek characters re-cast, it wasn't the first time a character was re-cast in Star Trek, and wasn't the last either. So I thought it would be fun to see who everyone thinks are the best and worst re-casting decisions throughout the history of the franchise.

Best: Karl Urban as Dr. McCoy in the Abrams Movies

When they first announced that Urban would be playing Bones in Trek '09, my first reaction was "Really? Eomer as Bones?", but it only took a couple of minutes of him on screen to win me over. I seem to recall Urban mentioning at the time that he was a fan of the Original Series and was going to make his performance a straight up tribute to DeForrest Kelley. Well it shows, and he's been a highlight of all three films for me. You can tell he knows exactly who Bones is and loves playing him, and that love translates to the audience.

Honourable mention: Melanie Smith as Tora Ziyal from DS9. I know there were several reasons for the role being recast twice, but even in her first appearance Smith really brought life to the character in a way the other two actors didn't.

Not a re-casting but I'll mention it anyway: David Tristan Birkin as 12 year old Captain Picard in TNG "Rascals". The kid absolutely nailed it and without such a strong performance I don't think the episode would have been as watchable as it is.

Worst: James Frain as Sarek

I've always loved Sarek, and this guy is not Sarek. He grates on me every time he's on screen. He's worse than a normal generic Vulcan, which wouldn't bother me that much except it's supposed to be Sarek for fuck's sake! I have no idea what Mark Lenard ever did outside of Star Trek, but I'm a huge fan of his work as both the Romulan commander in BoT and as Sarek in TOS through TNG. Like Nimoy, he always managed to pull off being very reserved, while letting the audience how he was feeling at the same time. Frain by contrast struggles with just playing a Vulcan, let alone one with the sort of wisdom and aristocratic detachment Sarek possesses.

(Dis)Honourable mention: Robin Curtis as Saavik

What is it about Vulcans eh? Well, this time it's for almost a completely different reason. In Kirstie Alley's Saavik we met a different kind of Vulcan. And then in TSFS she was replaced by a robot.

Not a re-casting but I'll (dishonourably) mention it anyway: Tom Hardy as Shinzon. I must admit, I rather like Tom Hardy as an actor now and would love to see him opposite Patrick Stewart again, but 16 years ago I don't think he quite had the chops just yet.

Looking forward to seeing what others think!

 

[Relayer1]

Best JJverse ? Urban and to a slightly lesser extent Quinto. Worst ? Yelchin, Cho and Pegg.

Curtis as Saavik was bad too.

 

[apepa]

(Just pointing out James Frain is the one who plays Sarek in Discovery)

 

[Marynator]

I really enjoyed Robin Curtis playing Saavik. I felt she was a much better actress than Kirstie Alley.

For the the worst part from Tom Hardy was they made him bald. Didn't Captain Picard have hair when he was younger?

I agree with you about Karl Urban being a really good choice. I was pleasantly surprised by his performance. I felt that Zachary Quinto however was just not working as Mr Spock.

 

[eschaton]

For the the worst part from Tom Hardy was they made him bald. Didn't Captain Picard have hair when he was younger?

Going by Tapestry, he had a full head of hair when he graduated from Starfleet Academy, but we don't know when he lost it in between.

Actually, strike that. In Violations Beverly had a flashback to Picard taking her to see Jack Crusher's body. Picard was balding at that point, but still had hair on top.

Of course, since balding may in part be related to stress, you could argue that Shinzon lost his hair earlier. Although in that movie Picard looks at what is supposed to be a young picture of himself, yet he's a bald Tom Hardy there as well. it's just internally inconsistent.

 

[F. King Daniel]

Going by Tapestry, he had a full head of hair when he graduated from Starfleet Academy, but we don't know when he lost it in between.

Actually, strike that. In Violations Beverly had a flashback to Picard taking her to see Jack Crusher's body. Picard was balding at that point, but still had hair on top.

Of course, since balding may in part be related to stress, you could argue that Shinzon lost his hair earlier. Although in that movie Picard looks at what is supposed to be a young picture of himself, yet he's a bald Tom Hardy there as well. it's just internally inconsistent.

I have an almost full head of hair. But in my late teens/early 20s I went 5 years shaving it off because I liked how it felt.

Whether you accept it as a retcon that, like Patrick Stewart, Picard went bald at 20 or if you choose to think he went though a phase of shaving his head, this is without doubt the silliest continuity non-issue in all of Trek.

 

[Discofan]

I must say the second Tora Ziyal was the cutest of the three! I can understand why Garak would fall for that one.

This thread would have been easier to answer in a James Bond Movies forum, there's a different Felix Leiter in almost all the movies.

 

[drt]

I like Chris Pine, in Beyond he really has a TOS Kirk vibe. I know people don’t like his performance in ‘09/ID, but the character is written much more as a young “80s movie/pop culture expectations” Kirk than young “TOS television” Kirk as originally described on the show, fortunately Pegg and Jung wrote him as a properly matured TOS Kirk for Beyond.

I really enjoyed Robin Curtis playing Saavik. I felt she was a much better actress than Kirstie Alley.

The problem with SFS Saavik is Nimoy directed Curtis as if Saavik was 100% Vulcan, which isn’t how the character was established in WoK, so I see why people were disappointed, even though it really isn’t Curtis’ fault.

I agree with you about Karl Urban being a really good choice. I was pleasantly surprised by his performance. I felt that Zachary Quinto however was just not working as Mr Spock.

i think we can only judge Quinto vs. Nimoy on the 30m or so of screentime he has prior to the destruction of Vulcan, after that traumatic experience I think it’s safe to say Spock would be a changed character from his original TOS incarnation.

 

[apepa]

I have an almost full head of hair. But in my late teens/early 20s I went 5 years shaving it off because I liked how it felt.

Whether you accept it as a retcon that, like Patrick Stewart, Picard went bald at 20 or if you choose to think he went though a phase of shaving his head, this is without doubt the silliest continuity non-issue in all of Trek.

It annoys me in the sense that IRL it was done purely as a way to make him look more like Picard to the audience, as if people wouldn't believe he was a clone if he had a different hairstyle to Picard.

But as far as plausibility goes, I had a friend who had a full on bald patch at the age of 19, and shaved his head to hide it. IIRC Stewart went bald very early too, so it's not inconceivable.

 

[apepa]

i think we can only judge Quinto vs. Nimoy on the 30m or so of screentime he has prior to the destruction of Vulcan, after that traumatic experience I think it’s safe to say Spock would be a changed character from his original TOS incarnation.

I have a hard time deciding whether my issues with Quinto are due to his performance or the dialogue written for him. But one thing I'm sure of is that he's missing that authorative baritone voice that Nimoy had. I had the same issue with Cho as Suki.

 

[apepa]

I have a hard time deciding whether my issues with Quinto are due to his performance or the dialogue written for him. But one thing I'm sure of is that he's missing that authorative baritone voice that Nimoy had. I had the same issue with Cho as Suki.

*Sulu. Damn you auto-correct!

 

[1001001]

I don’t think casting Brent Spiner as Spock was any better, though...

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

I have a feeling that Anson Mount as Christopher Pike will be right up there with the best of the recastings.

 

[FormerLurker]

My biggest problem with Quinto as Spock is he's capable of a stentorian voice similar to Nimoy's, but continuously uses a breathy, quiet tone that doesn't sound right. Other than that, he does rather well in capturing the heart of the character.

And to Discofan, David Hedison is the only actor to play Felix Leiter twice.

 

[JonnyQuest037]

nd to Discofan, David Hedison is the only actor to play Felix Leiter twice.

That used to be true, but it's not any longer. Jeffrey Wright played Leiter in both 2006's Casino Royale and 2008's Quantum of Solace. I hope they bring him back again for Daniel Craig's last Bond film.

 

[XCV330]

I'd like to go with Karl Urban but as much as I like his McCoy, this McCoy is such a different character he's .. well he's a different character. He's as much McCoy as Robin Curtis was Savik. I'll admit it, though: I like Kelvinverse McCoy better than TOS McCoy.

Best recasting for me would be Chris Doohan as Scotty in Star Trek Continues.

Worst?
Robin Curtis. I've heard all the arguments that she played the roll the way Nimoy wanted, and she was closer to what a Vulcan should act like. But Saavik was already an established character and the re-characterization just does not work. If they'd just renamed her she would have been an interesting if forgettable blue shirt.

 

[apepa]

IWorst?
Robin Curtis. I've heard all the arguments that she played the roll the way Nimoy wanted, and she was closer to what a Vulcan should act like. But Saavik was already an established character and the re-characterization just does not work. If they'd just renamed her she would have been an interesting if forgettable blue shirt.

I think one of the reasons they created Valeris was because Nick Meyer didn't like Curtis's performance either. Kim Cattrall played Valeris a lot more like Alley's Saavik, and I preferred her as well.

 

[drt]

I think one of the reasons they created Valeris was because Nick Meyer didn't like Curtis's performance either. Kim Cattrall played Valeris a lot more like Alley's Saavik, and I preferred her as well.

My understanding is Valeris was suppposed to be Saavik, but Roddenberry threw a fit so they made up a new character who was essentially the same person with a different name.

 

[Greg Cox]

I have no idea what Mark Lenard ever did outside of Star Trek

Lenard was also memorable as General Urko in the PLANET OF THE APES tv series and as the main heavy, Aaron Stemple, in HERE COMES THE BRIDES.

 

[apepa]

My understanding is Valeris was suppposed to be Saavik, but Roddenberry threw a fit so they made up a new character who was essentially the same person with a different name.

Aaah...the Great Shitbird of the Galaxy strikes again!