More Cast and Characters added to Discovery!

[RJDiogenes]

Ah, finally some more news. Both of these actors and characters look and sound interesting. But the most interesting thing is that at least three of the characters so far as Science Officers. I was excited enough that the main character would be a Science Officer, but it's looking more and more like the science-oriented characters will be the focus of the show. And they'll be focusing on the Fungi From Outer Space.

 

[jaime]

I'm renowned for adding some mushrooms to Hamburger Helper Beef Stroganoff.
If you throw in a splash of red wine too, it's really pretty good.

Beef bourguignon?

 

[Captain of the USS Averof]

"Doug Jones will be portraying Lieutenant Saru, “a Starfleet science officer, and new alien species to the Star Trek universe," Michelle Yeoh has in fact beamed aboard of captain of the starship Shenzhou, but her character’s name is Captain Georgiou, not ‘Han Bo, and Anthony Rapp – one of the original cast members of RENT on Broadway – will take on the role of Lt. Stamets, science officer and astromycologist (“fungus expert”)." - taken from "Trekcore."

So, a Greek, an alien and a astromycologist walk into a bar…

 

[sojourner]

And the mushroom says to the girl, "What, I'm a fungi!"

 

[Gary 11's]

Astromycology.. isn't that required study to combat Bowser?

 

[BillJ]

It's definitely an oddly specific role for the character to have, but it bolsters my working theory that Discovery's mission is to find a cure for the Tarsus IV crop blight (which was caused by a fungus mutation, as I recall).

The Tarsus thing took place twenty years before TOS; Discovery is set ten years before TOS.

Could be the Tarsus IV crop blight has redeveloped in the Klingon Empire in the 2250's?

 

[Ghislaine H. B. BRAEME]

The reboot was supposed to debut in January, but they are still filling casting at the end of November, while the shooting is supposed to begin in a few days/weeks??? No wonder they are pushing it back to May!

 

[Blooded]

The reboot was supposed to debut in January, but they are still filling casting at the end of November, while the shooting is supposed to begin in a few days/weeks??? No wonder they are pushing it back to May!

Or, as is more likely if one uses their common sense, they delayed their launch by 4-5 months so adjusted their filming, casting and other production tasks accordingly

 

[Nerys Myk]

Could be the Tarsus IV crop blight has redeveloped in the Klingon Empire in the 2250's?

Or the crop blight is fungal based.

 

[BillJ]

Or the crop blight is fungal based.

That was part of what I was getting at. The Tarsus IV crop blight starts popping up on various Klingon worlds, they accuse the Federation of spreading the blight to their worlds, Federation offers help sends experts aboard the Discovery.

 

[Timby]

Or the crop blight is fungal based.

It's briefly mentioned in The Conscience of the King that this is precisely the case, hence my thinking that Discovery's mission in some way relates to Tarsus IV.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

Ah, finally some more news. Both of these actors and characters look and sound interesting. But the most interesting thing is that at least three of the characters so far as Science Officers. I was excited enough that the main character would be a Science Officer, but it's looking more and more like the science-oriented characters will be the focus of the show. And they'll be focusing on the Fungi From Outer Space.

Hooray for more science-oriented, exploration-oriented Star Trek!

 

[I'dRatherBeOnVulcan]

It seems to me that they won't be the main characters (Saru and Stamets). Maybe Stamets, but considering a big-name actor like Doug Jones (well he's had many popular roles in many cult classics) is already involved in lots of projects already, it seems like he won't stay on as main cast member or at least only as a recurring character (like Garak was on DS9). Considering, too, Michelle Yeoh is only playing a side character (presumably) and a Astromycologist can only be used for so many plots, it's my guess they're only announcing side characters at the moment and we have yet to hear any of the main cast. Just a gut-feeling, I could be wrong .

 

[RJDiogenes]

^^ You may be right. It certainly seems to be the case with Michelle Yeoh. Of course, this is only a 13-episode story, so who knows?

Hooray for more science-oriented, exploration-oriented Star Trek!

Indeed. This is what I've been hoping for for a long time.

 

[F. King Daniel]

A 13 part space epic centering on new fungal discoveries in the far reaches of space? Count me in!

I hope at least three episodes are dedicated to establishing the proper names for new fungi discovered on alien worlds.

 

[jaime]

A 13 part space epic centering on new fungal discoveries in the far reaches of space? Count me in!

I hope at least three episodes are dedicated to establishing the proper names for new fungi discovered on alien worlds.

That doesn't leave mushroom for character development. I hate all this keeping us in the dark and waiting for the ship design to grow on us.

 

[Mad Jack Wolfe]

A 13 part space epic centering on new fungal discoveries in the far reaches of space? Count me in!

I hope at least three episodes are dedicated to establishing the proper names for new fungi discovered on alien worlds.

Now I want to see the shuttlecraft get names like Morel, Shitake, and Cremini.

 

[RJDiogenes]

I hope at least three episodes are dedicated to establishing the proper names for new fungi discovered on alien worlds.

The 23rd-century equivalent of the IAU, in the tradition of demoting Pluto and regressing Alpha Centauri, unilaterally declares that all exo-fungi are merely garnish, and the crew of the Discovery goes rogue to bring those suckers down.

 

[Takeru]

Tarsus IV or not, such a specific role HAS to be some kind of hint of a plot point.

I disagree, it could just be something his character is interested in, every science officer has something he specializes in, you don't study "science", that's why they have an entire department. He could still fill the same role as previous senior science officers. Maybe they just mentioned it to give a little more substance to his character in the few lines they had for the press release.

 

[Kahless the Unforgettable]

I disagree, it could just be something his character is interested in, every science officer has something he specializes in, you don't study "science", that's why they have an entire department. He could still fill the same role as previous senior science officers. Maybe they just mentioned it to give a little more substance to his character in the few lines they had for the press release.

Yeah, that's totally why they did it, because it has no relevance to anything. That's how we know Spock was actually a neuroparasitologist, Data was a cliodynamicist, and Dax was a nutrigenomicist. True story. Just some fun, irrelevant flavor stuff, cause "science officer" is so boring of a title.

That said, and snark aside, I think the character could actually end up being the ship's doctor, and he specializes in the use of various fungi to treat his patients. In much the same way that Phlox liked to use animals and various homeopathic methods whenever he could. His name makes a bit more sense in that context, too.

It'd be weird if "mushrooms" where a running plot thread for the entirity of the show. But a doctor who uses 'shrooms? Sure, that could endure the series' run. Doubly so if one of the crewmates is a sentient fungus, like say, I dunno, Doug Jones' character maybe?