This past Monday was First Contact Day for us Trekkies. To those uninitiated, First Contact Day, April 5th, 2063, is the day that the scientist Zefram Cochrane used a modified missile to launch a ship into space that was able to break the speed of light. That event was noticed by nearby Vulcans and came to Boseman, Montana to visit the site and initiated First Contact with the human race and officially humans knew they weren’t alone in the universe. Thus, the human race started really pulling themselves out of the remnants of World War 3 and into a whole new society.
Ever year Star Trek fans celebrate this day and this year Paramount+ (the home of all things Trek and more) showcased many videos on their YouTube channel. There was quite a few awesome presentations like one celebrating the 25th anniversary of “Star Trek: First Contact” and the impact of Nichelle Nichols on science and representation. For many fans, myself included, one of the biggest thrills is seeing trailers for new seasons of our favorite shows and there were no disappointments in that department. Here’s a breakdown of the releases:
The sophomore season of the most recent animated series, Star Trek: Lower Decks, will be returning on August 12. The series features the antics of four crew members of the U.S.S. Cerritos and stars the vocal talents of Tawny Newsome, Jack Quaid, Noël Wells and Eugene Cordero. It’s an interesting take on shipboard life since normally we see the actions of the bridge crew and not so much of the rest of the crew. The first season was a fun ride and season two will hopefully keep that playful magic, especially between the primary pair voiced by Newsome and Quaid.
The flagship series of Paramount+, Star Trek: Discovery will be returning for a fourth season later this year. This show has been on fire since its premiere and the new season looks like it’s going to keep it going. The amazing cast includes Sonequa Martin-Green, Doug Jones, Anthony Rapp, Mary Wiseman, Wilson Cruz and Shazad Latif. After going into the future at the beginning of the previous season, their adventures in the 32nd Century continue. Personally, I’m still trying to get a feel for the new uniforms however change is always different. As we hear more on the exact premiere date we’ll keep you updated.
The final trailer released is probably the one getting the most buzz. It is for the sophomore season of Star Trek: Picard, the first series to focus on a prime character from a previous series. Returning as Jean-Luc Picard is Sir Patrick Stewart and he is joined by Alison Pill, Michelle Hurd, Santiago Cabrera and Evan Evagora. While we got no scenes with any cast in it, the narration seemed to focus on time and at the tail end, we heard the voice of one of Picard’s most curious nemeses, Q. Played by the outrageously comedic John de Lancie, the potential premise of the next season is going to be amazing. Set for a 2022 release, Picard will be on Paramount+.