Star Trek

Okay - some weirder takes here but hear me out. I’d love to see a science-vessel focused on anomaly of the week style episodic writing, with moral and ethical quandaries and personal growth and a search for “the meaning of it all” trumping action, adventure, and universe saving.

Accordingly, I’d want that science vessel to be home to a delightfully nerdy crew of pedants, malcontents and misfits, all seeking something outside of the boring federation life or more militaristic vessels.

The list of people that would be amazing to Star or guest:

Neil Patrick Harris as captain

Felicia day as chief science officer.

Aubrey Plaza on tactical, way too smart and capable for her own good (and sardonic style)

William Jackson Harper (Chidi from The Good Place) as first officer

Warwick Davis as chief engineer, with awesome fully custom/adaptive AR controls and a combo of old-man wit and crazy ideas that gets them in and out of jams

With guest turns from David Hyde Pierce (Niles from Frazier), Kristen Bell, Ted Danson, Donald Glover, etc

Just go full nerd with it like discovery tried to, but without the constant intrigue and epic action. Let them be a family growing together and finding a place where they belong, puzzling through each new chapter together. TNG but for 2023 instead of 1988.

I don't think I could pick a single actor, but having anyone from the SG1 series would have a very high chance of making me literally scream in excitement haha.

Shohreh Aghdashloo, the actress of Chrisjen Avasarala https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2znSxzcLvvM

I want Brendon Frazier as a chief O'Brien style character. One that's been through war and head seen things... Things in the transporter room... Yeah .....

I could also see Lucy Liu as a no nonsense Captain.

David Tennant would make a great anything, but it'd be especially cool to see him as a villain again.

Jeffrey Coombs hasn't been in Lower Decks, Prodigy or SNW yet. He needs to get on that!

Keith David. He was great in the outer limits and men at work, and i always wanted to see him captain a starfleet ship.

I would love to see/have seen Sir Ian McKellen and Sir Patrick get a scene together.

Christopher Judge

CCH Pounder. She's amazing in everything! I'd love to see Avery Brooks come back.

I second and third Nic Cage.

I like the idea of a show or even a few one-shots on more science-focused ship.

(This was ostensibly Discovery’s remit in season one, but the plot went quickly in other directions.)

One gets the sense that CBS/Paramount has given direction to avoid too much scientific focus outside of Prodigy, and especially technobabble, but it’s one of the very 90s era Star Trek things that I would like to see one of the new live action shows embrace.

An alternative would be a Starfleet Core of Engineers show focused on a specialized engineering ship along the line of the Relaunch Litverse series of stories/novellas/books. Those dealt with technological problem-solving in response to anomalies and disasters.

Giancarlo Esposito (actor who played Gustavo Fring in Breaking Bad). He make a great charismatic leader. Imagine him as Admiral of Starfleet! 🙌

Seth Meyers as a lower decker, in a "I'm not even supposed to be here today!" series of unfortunate events. Opposite Fred Armisen, who tells him "I told you so!" repeatedly.

Michael Ironside in his younger days. I would have loved to see him as a Trek captain in the style of his Starship Troopers character, ie a grizzled, take-no-prisoners leader, but would do anything for his people. Sort of a Lorca kind of captain, but Michael Ironside.

I think Jack Black would be a good Klingon

Ferengi Joe Pesci

Paul Rudd, just because of how challenging it would be to put his face into Trek without being immensely distracting to the story.

Miley Cyrus would make a good Orion. Fight me.

Richard Ayoade, Matt Berry as an Admeeral, and Sean Bean as a doomed redshirt.

I’d like to throw in some Canadian actor suggestions.

While it’s true that Discovery has drawn its seasonal guests stars and background cast among actors working in Canada, there are certainly others I’d like to see.

Ryan Gosling just seems, like Nic Cage, to be the kind of actor to make a interesting guest turn.

Sandra Oh would be great as a challenging captain or flag officer.

Cara Gee (Drummer in The Expanse) can equally play quirky and delightful characters (as she did in the indie film Red Rover). I’d love to see her get a lighter, comic turn in Trek.

Maurice Dean Winte (British-Canadian) is really compelling as Auggie in Surreal Estate, and would be a great guest alien. In fact, it would be great to see Tim Rozen appear as well.

Academy Award nominee Graham Greene - who recently made an impression in a Last of Us episode.

Some younger actors could include those who’ve graduated out of TVO/PBS productions targeted to kids including actor/writer/producer prodigy Jadiel Dowlin Lewis, Adrienna Di Liello, Addison Holley, Dalila Bella, Anna Cathcart, Issac Kragten.

Last, I’d like to see Samora Smallwood - who placed Lt Amin on the Enterprise in Discovery season two and in the Short Trek Q&A, come back as a guest star. She’s gone onto main cast roles in other shows, and a Canadian Screen Award. Even if they didn’t have a place for her as a regular in SNW, she’s more than able to hold a guest turn.

My vote goes to Shailene Woodley. She would make a great Captain or Number One.

I want to see Ryan Reynolds make a cameo as a #1/XO and just professionally sass the captains orders.

I want to see Henry Cavill play a captain or maybe a klingon movie

Seein him in Peacemaker and how creepy he was in Guardians 3, I would love for Chukwudi Iwuji to show up in Trek. As an antagonist especially.