Could we have an alien Captain?
- Thread starter Yevetha
- Start date
Mackenzie Calhoun from New Frontier is an alien captain, but as lit-only I guess that's not canon.
Maybe a lot of it is about alien captains that are generally humanoid (Bajorans, Deltans) versus alien captains that are *more* alien (Andorians, Cardassians, Klingons)
Maybe a lot of it is about alien captains that are generally humanoid (Bajorans, Deltans) versus alien captains that are *more* alien (Andorians, Cardassians, Klingons)
Shatner felt at one stage during TOS, that he was no longer the star of the show... because of all the attention Nimoy was getting. Depends on how the alien is written and how the actor performs in that role. I don't think a series necessarily has to have a human lead character. That person may have to be seen through the eyes of the crew under him certainly, and that alieness seen from our "normal" perspective.
Jeffrey Combs practically stole the show anytime he appeared on DS9 and ENT. God knows what would've happened if he'd been Shran full-time, assigned onboard the Enterprise and butting heads with naive humans around him, having held the most senior role aboard a starship himself. There's a two-way exchange going to happen, I suppose. New tricks being learned by an old hand. Then times when there's some "I told ya so..." going on.
Jeffrey Combs practically stole the show anytime he appeared on DS9 and ENT. God knows what would've happened if he'd been Shran full-time, assigned onboard the Enterprise and butting heads with naive humans around him, having held the most senior role aboard a starship himself. There's a two-way exchange going to happen, I suppose. New tricks being learned by an old hand. Then times when there's some "I told ya so..." going on.
I think we could have a half-alien captain, but only if he looked more Human than alien--he could have Vulcan-like ears or perhaps white eyes, but I generally think the captain has to be someone even non-Trekkies can easily relate to.
Most Trekkies, on the other hand, wouldn't mind if the captain was a Klingon, an Andorian, or even a Denebian slime devil. But studio execs aren't that far along yet...
Most Trekkies, on the other hand, wouldn't mind if the captain was a Klingon, an Andorian, or even a Denebian slime devil. But studio execs aren't that far along yet...
No he is full human although who knows the Aliens could have made some modifications they are far more advanced then the federation. Although that really is a complicated Story.
Still the answer no never going to happen. At least as the main in a show. Now if they are near human like a Trill, Betazoid, or a Vulcan sure but straight alien no best odds there are a Klingon and they are still fairly near human.
I agree an Asian (anywhere from Saudi Arabia to Japan is fine) and some from South and Central America is a good idea.
Honestly, thing I liked about Voyager was high diversity.
Being non-linear entities, the Wormhole Aliens did have a hand in bringing together his parents in the past so that he would be born. If there were any modifications to Sisko, it would be on a cognitive level rather than a genetic one, IMO.
Sure, why not. I want to see a Cardie Starfleet captain!
An alien captain might make Star Trek a harder sell, but the mass audience is a non-starter for space opera on TV anyway. If it's going to work, it needs to work because it is weird-ass sci fi with crazy aliens, not despite it. The time for half-measures is past.
The people who wouldn't take an alien captain seriously are also the people who wouldn't take Star Trek seriously, so who cares what they think.
The TV business has changed. There's no mass market for Star Trek left. Instead, a new series will need to demand the respect of the audience, by being what it is, and proud of it.
Nobody is going to be interested in some cowardly show that is ashamed of what it is. (And it goes without saying that I'm not talking about this show being on broadcast - that would be an absurd joke. It will have to survive on cable or not at all.)
An alien captain might make Star Trek a harder sell, but the mass audience is a non-starter for space opera on TV anyway. If it's going to work, it needs to work because it is weird-ass sci fi with crazy aliens, not despite it. The time for half-measures is past.
The people who wouldn't take an alien captain seriously are also the people who wouldn't take Star Trek seriously, so who cares what they think.
The TV business has changed. There's no mass market for Star Trek left. Instead, a new series will need to demand the respect of the audience, by being what it is, and proud of it.
Nobody is going to be interested in some cowardly show that is ashamed of what it is. (And it goes without saying that I'm not talking about this show being on broadcast - that would be an absurd joke. It will have to survive on cable or not at all.)
Yevetha
Commodore
I think the next captain has to be female, since we've only had 1 such out of 5 (or 6 if you count nuKirk) and also of non-Caucasian ethnicity (Asian, Hispanic, Black, et cetera).
Another guy or another white is just... yeah, ridiculous. Make the first officer a white guy if you have to, but make the next captain a non-white female.
Ideally, I'd say make both the CO and XO non-white females. Maybe a human non-white female CO and an alien non-white female XO.
I dare say that at least a minimum of 4 of 9 of the crew female as well.
And FYI I'm a whiter-than-snow man saying this. More females, more ethnicity, damnit. We're not in the stone ages anymore!
Frankly, the next Trek series shouldn't have more than a maximum of 1 white guy and 1 white gal on the whole regular cast. We've got Indians and Latinos and Asians and Middle Eastern and black and so on and so forth. Lets see 'em, even if they're playing aliens!
Oh and... yeah, after the snubbing of the 90s? They need two gay characters, one male and one female. Minimum.
Serious on all of this. They need to go the extra twenty miles on diversity next time.
Another guy or another white is just... yeah, ridiculous. Make the first officer a white guy if you have to, but make the next captain a non-white female.
Ideally, I'd say make both the CO and XO non-white females. Maybe a human non-white female CO and an alien non-white female XO.
I dare say that at least a minimum of 4 of 9 of the crew female as well.
And FYI I'm a whiter-than-snow man saying this. More females, more ethnicity, damnit. We're not in the stone ages anymore!
Frankly, the next Trek series shouldn't have more than a maximum of 1 white guy and 1 white gal on the whole regular cast. We've got Indians and Latinos and Asians and Middle Eastern and black and so on and so forth. Lets see 'em, even if they're playing aliens!
Oh and... yeah, after the snubbing of the 90s? They need two gay characters, one male and one female. Minimum.
Serious on all of this. They need to go the extra twenty miles on diversity next time.
I don't think counting Nu Kirk is fair. Not sure counting Kirk is fair either I mean really no one would expect a female captain back in those days.
So 3 White Males, 1 White Female, and 1 Black Male Captains.
I agree on more diversity in crew though. Voyager was a move in the right direction but can get better.
So 3 White Males, 1 White Female, and 1 Black Male Captains.
I agree on more diversity in crew though. Voyager was a move in the right direction but can get better.
Andorian would be cool. I'll take a captian of any race as long as we get a new show
