Paul Wesley's incarnation of James T. Kirk

[Kaelef]

My only gripe (if you can even call it that) is that he seems a little old somehow. Even though the actor is only about four years older than Shatner was, he comes across a fair bit older to me.

It's the darker features. The darker, fuller eyebrows in particular. He also has a very square jaw. I think the combination gives him an older look. I'm sure he looked older than Shatner even at the same age.

It doesn't help that he doesn't compare well physically to either Mount or Peck, who are both in fantastic shape.

Unfortunately, I also see the Jim Carrey resemblance. I don't hate Carrey, but it definitely takes me out of it to see that.

I'm hopeful that he'll grow on me more with greater exposure next season.

 

[JRob94]

Eye of the beholder I guess. He looks a lot like Shatner to me. Just thinner and younger. Big difference is the lack of blonde highlights in his hair. Which was probably more due to 60s style lighting on the set. Every where else before and after Shatner’s hair was dark brown.

He plays Kirk closer to the more serious nature Shatner did in early episodes.

I agree. When I first saw the promo pic, I didn’t understand why they cast him. Seeing him in the episode, while he’s not a dead ringer for Shatner, he put me in mind of him at several points. And, as stated up thread, this Kirk missed out on several points that would have shaped him into the TOS Kirk.

 

[Bad Thoughts]

I would encourage everyone to re-watch this part from Balance of Terror:

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Is this the Kirk you saw in Quality of Mercy?

Paul Wesley's Kirk was a cocksure prick. This episode should have been more of an exercise in the style of Tapestry, examining the consequences of rethinking one's life course, and it really did not need Kirk to do so. Nevertheless, they wrote him into the story, perhaps to create contrast. I don't know if the actor or the director or the writers are more responsible for what appeared on screen, but none of the nuance and thoughtfulness came through. I'm not entirely concerned about the lack of physical resemblance. However, the characterization was too dissonant with the original episode.

 

[Relayer1]

I don't think he looks any less like Shatner than Mount, Romjin, Gooding, Peck or Bush look like their predecessors. Certainly no less than Pine or most of the JJ cast do (exceptions for Quinto and Urban).

There's very few close lookalikes been cast.

 

[valkyrie013]

He just looks.. Old.. Sure he's a few years older than Shatner when he started, but we're 6-7 years before that.. So hes playing someone 10 years younger, mid/late 20s and he's what, 38? And he looks it in the face and neck.

As for performance? Not sure, need to see more of him. But did he do like Anson when he first beamed in and sucked out all the oxygen and literally dripped charisma? Nope.

But I'll give him a chance.

 

[DarKush]

I found at certain points he was trying too hard to mimic Shatner's speech patterns. Maybe if he just delivered his lines normally without trying to mimic someone who has admitted he only talked like that because he had trouble remembering his lines he'd be okay.

The portrayal of Pike in Desperate Hours is consistent with how Pike had been written in other Trek novels. Which seems to be a reasonable enough decision since no one at the time was expecting Pike to show up onscreen within the next two years.

I don't agree, especially about Pike. It's been a good while since I've read the book, but I recall him coming off too hawkish for me,

Spoiler

but also putting the Shenzhou between the Enterprise and attacking Juggernaut didn't seem like something Pike would do

. I didn't read other novels with Pike, but I did read the Star Trek: Early Voyages series, and that didn't feel consistent to me. It also didn't feel consistent with Pike from "The Cage" or the Kelvin films.

 

[Awesome Possum]

He just looks.. Old.. Sure he's a few years older than Shatner when he started, but we're 6-7 years before that.. So hes playing someone 10 years younger, mid/late 20s and he's what, 38? And he looks it in the face and neck.

As for performance? Not sure, need to see more of him. But did he do like Anson when he first beamed in and sucked out all the oxygen and literally dripped charisma? Nope.

But I'll give him a chance.

Unfortunately few men can compare to Anson Mount.

 

[blssdwlf]

SNW Kirk seems to behave alot more like the TOS Kirk in "Obsession" which might be more coincidental. He doesn't sound or act like early S1 Kirk, IMHO.

I agree with others that he looks much older and maybe even "worn out" with some of the close-up camera angles used and his particular frown or pout that he does.

Also, the scene after the Farragut is destroyed where Kirk confronts Pike to put blame and vent also felt off and weak. There was no snap or intensity to it - not that Paul Wesley wasn't trying - but it doesn't have the effect of other actors that have portrayed Kirk. When Kirk comes around to admit he underestimated the Romulan it didn't feel like he reflected and came to that conclusion but just ran through the lines. So definitely room for improvement in S2, IMHO.

 

[Captain Jollydark]

My only gripe (if you can even call it that) is that he seems a little old somehow. Even though the actor is only about four years older than Shatner was, he comes across a fair bit older to me.

I thought that too and then wondered if maybe that was a choice for the episode so that when we see him S2 earlier in his life before he's captain, he'll look fresh-faced.

 

[Trekker4747]

He just didn't quite hit the mark with me. A few times he sounded like he was trying to mimic Shatner's stereotypical speech patterns, which reminded me of some of the fan production "Kirks" in a negative way. His physique is just scrawny compared to Shatner or Pine. I'd rather he packed on a freshman fifteen to get that out-of-shape-in-shape 60s guy body. But critically, he just lacked the charm. They went out of their way to SAY he was charming, but they failed to SHOW he was.

I honestly preferred Pine (in ST: Beyond) as Kirk, and I wish he was back. But he's probably too old for this version of Kirk.

That's my big problem they sold us on the Kirk we all know and love "he's a pain in the ass," "he's not afraid to break the rules," "he uses his charisma," that's Jim Kirk! Then they slap us in the face with a wet noodle.

 

[DaveyNY]

However, the characterization was too dissonant with the original episode.

Of course it is, it's a future " ALTERED EVENT " being witnessed in Pike's Mind.

Why is that such a complicated thing for some folks to remember?

This version is a Jim Kirk in name only by the time of this event.

Also, I'm not sure we should take Sam's description of his younger brother completely to heart.
My second older Brother has always said that I'm a PITA as well, but he's the only one because I LUV annoying him.

 

[Nerys Myk]

This is not story about JJ Universe. It is different thing. Pine has blue eyes, and Shatner has brown eyes.

He was hired to play Jim Kirk, not William Shatner. Kirk's eye color is what ever the actor has. Same as any other physical characteristic. I doubt the casting sheet in 1964 gave an eye color.

 

[C.E. Evans]

That's my big problem they sold us on the Kirk we all know and love "he's a pain in the ass," "he's not afraid to break the rules," "he uses his charisma," that's Jim Kirk! Then they slap us in the face with a wet noodle.

One way probably around that is that Sam was talking about Jim while they were growing up. Jim was the kind of kid to steal a vintage car for a joyride, drive it off a cliff, and then try to charm the hoverbike cop that catches him...

 

[fireproof78]

Also, I'm not sure we should take Sam's description of his younger brother completely to heart.
My second older Brother has always said that I'm a PITA as well, but he's the only one because I LUV annoying him.

Exactly! Brothers are not exactly unbiased...

 

[Nerys Myk]

Exactly! Brothers are not exactly unbiased...

One of them was dipping pigtails in inkwells.

 

[Jesse1066]

As far his acting goes I think he's plenty convincing, but if he becomes a regular, maybe even the lead in his own Kirk series, I hope he bulks up a little. Not a superhero body necessarily, just bigger. I think his weight is a big part of why some people have a hard time seeing Kirk in Paul Wesley. I'm a skinny guy myself and don't want to come across as body shaming, but Marvel or DC wouldn't think twice about making an actor gain (or lose) mass for a role.

 

[Markinvirginia]

From every interview I read. He seems to understand the gravity of this role. He has huge shoes to fill. He the 3rd actor in official productions to play Kirk. I am sure he will pull it off. I am willing to give him time to find the character.

 

[F. King Daniel]

Maybe they can put him in a ridiculous muscle suit like in Superman and Lois. Imagine him in the big chair, with watermelons for shoulders.

 

[Trekker4747]

One way probably around that is that Sam was talking about Jim while they were growing up. Jim was the kind of kid to steal a vintage car for a joyride, drive it off a cliff, and then try to charm the hoverbike cop that catches him...

No, sorry. You don't throw an introduction like that out there and then back out of it by saying, "oh he was describing them as kids," "Kirk hasn't experienced the stuff that makes him all of these things yet," "he's in a different state of mind because he's on the Farragut and not the Enterprise." They pitched us James T. Kirk perfectly and delivered us, well, this.

 

[Norsehound]

I felt he gave us the facts of Kirk, but he didn't sell us on the spirit. Not yet.

At this point I wouldn't ask the SNW cast to give us convincing replicas of TOS characterizations. Like the Kelvin universe I feel SNW is a retread, not recreation, of TOS. I feel that Peck lacks the inner world Nimoy brought to Spock, but Peck has developed his own version of Spock I've come to accept. Similarly I'm impressed with Chapel and Uhura a lot more than what Barret and Nichols were allowed to bring to thier roles.

So I'm willing to give Wesley season 2 to show us what kind of Kirk he is.