Discovery to introduce Star Trek's first major transgender and non-binary characters. Plus other Trek-TV updates

Discovery, a show that has already pushed Star Trek's representation forward by several lightyears with it's diverse cast of characters, is continuing it's efforts of showing how truly diverse and inclusive Star Trek can be, by introducing the franchise's first regular transgender and non-binary characters.

Continue below for details of these two new characters, plus other updates on the many Star Trek shows currently in production and development.

Ian Alexander, an Asian-American transgender actor know for his role in The OA, will play a Trill character called Gray. Here's how CBS describe him:

Gray is empathetic, warm and eager to fulfill his lifelong dream of being a Trill host, but he will have to adapt when his life takes an unexpected turn.

Blu del Barrio, who seems to be British, is taking on their first major role here, and will play the non-binary character Adira. And here's how CBS describe them:

Adira is highly intelligent with a confidence and self-assurance well beyond their years. They will find a new home on the U.S.S. Discovery and form an unexpected bond with Lt. Commander Paul Stamets (Anthony Rapp) and Dr. Hugh Culber (Wilson Cruz). 

Screen-Trek round-up: Picard and Short Treks home video releases, plus Lower Decks, Discovery and Picard production updates

While things are moving slowly in the world of TV production right now, there are still quite a few updates from all corners of the current on-screen Star Trek universe: Continue below for the latest from Lower Decks, Picard, and Discovery productions. But first, some home video updates:

First up, Amazon now have a listing up for the Picard season one bluray and DVD release. At the moment it's just using the basic poster art, and doesn't even have a date, let alone any details of extra features and the like. You can get pre-orders in already though, and the listing probably indicates it's just a few months away.

Meanwhile the latest home video release came just yesterday, with the US release of Short Treks, which includes all the Discovery and Strange New Worlds related shorts (leaving out the Picard prequel, which will presumably come on the Picard season set instead). Some international release dates for the collection have now been announced too: It will arrive in the UK on the 13th of July, and Australia on the 15th of July.

The collection comes with an assortment of behind the scenes featurettes (see my previous report for a full listing), and CBS Home Entertainment have been busy releasing excerpts from several of them over the last few days. Continue below to check them out:

Beautiful concept art for Picard and Discovery title sequences

Artists who worked on the title sequences for Picard, Discovery, and Short Treks have shared some of their concept artwork for all those show's opening credits, giving us a glimpse of ideas that never made it to screen, and early iterations of many that did.

All the current Trek shows have stunning and creative title sequences, all produced by Prologue Films. Many of these concepts take the ideas even further, with some really beautiful abstraction and visualisation of ideas from the shows. I'm especially taken by the creative ways the Borg Cube has been represented in many of these Picard concept sequences.

This first sequence was shared by Filipe Carvalho on his Instagram who describes the theme as "a journey within Jean Luc through his own memories and obstacles." This seems a much more minimalist approach than the final design, and Picard himself a much more prominent element, with his figure, often minute, in many of shots. The overall effect seems even more introspective than the final version, so seems very fitting for the tone of Picard:

Short Treks coming to Bluray and DVD

CBS have announced first dedicated home video release of Short Treks. Coming in June on Bluray and DVD, Star Trek Short Treks will collect all nine of the Discovery-connected Short Treks episodes to date - That includes the wide range first four episodes (Runaway, Calypso, The Brightest Star, and The Escape Artist), the more recent trio of Pike/Enterprise related tales (Q and A, The Trouble with Edward, and Ask Not), and the two animated episodes (The Girl Who Made the Stars, and Ephraim and Dot).

Only one Short Treks episode is missing from the collection, the Picard prequel Children of Mars, which one assumes will come on the eventual Picard home video releases instead. A couple of of the Disco Short Treks episodes were released on the Disco Season Two home video releases, but otherwise this will be the first time most of these have been available on disc.

At the moment only North American release has been confirmed, but this will surely be coming to the rest of the world too; the first time many of us will be able to watch most of these episodes, which have not been made available to stream outside North America.

The set will also include a bunch of extra features exploring the production of the shorts. Continue below for full details.

Picard previews: Images from The End is the Beginning, character video, and Borg Cube poster. Plus Short Treks behind the scenes.

CBS have released a load of new stills from this week's forthcoming episode of Picard, along with a short video exploring some of the new characters in the show, and a cool Borg Cube travel poster. Continue below to check out all of that and more, including a new behind the scenes look at one of the recent animated Short Treks episodes.

First up, let's take a look at episode three of Picard, The End is the Beginning. The most notable new image shows us flashback Picard and Raffi, in their snazzy new-look Starfleet uniforms:

Tribbles breakfast cereal art prints!

In a gloriously strange product choice the latest offering on the Star Trek Shop is a range of poster prints of the Tribbles breakfast cereal box art, as seen in the post-credits mock-advert from last year's tribble-stuffed Short Treks episode, The Trouble with Edward.

The Tribbles cereal range includes the classic Tribbles: Original Flavour, appealing Hairy Berry, the according-to-the-advert new flavour Spicy Ranch (with sheriff tribble mascot!), and not seen on-screen there also an additional Cinnamon Tribbles ("the non-stop pop") variety! Check out the not-exactly-appetizing jokes in the small print!

Discovery starship production art round-up

The many people who help bring Star Trek to life often share their work with the wider world, given us a great insight into their process and designs. Today let's take a look at some of the latest starship focused art from the makers of Discovery:

First up, from the distant future Short Treks episode Calypso we have a welcome close up look at the V'draysh escape pod. This was shared by modeller Kelvin Tam on their Art Station portfolio, who commented:

Was fun working on this vehicle, because I got to do most of the designs. I even tried to figure out the pod door opening with some keyframe animation but never got in the final cut.

Discovery season 2 bluray and DVD details

CBS have announced details for the home video release of Discovery Season Two. The season will be coming to bluray and DVD in November, including the fourteen episodes of Discovery, plus two episodes of Short Treks, The Brightest Star and Runaway -  Those two of course tie-in strongly to events in the season, but for some reason they seem to have decided to not bother with the other two Short Trek in the first batch, Calypso and The Escape Artist; hopefully they will show up in other home media releases later...

In addition to the episodes, there will also be two hours of extra features, including featurettes, audio commentaries on four episodes (Brother, New Eden, Through the Valley of Shadows, and Such Sweet Sorrow, Part 2), cast interviews, deleted scenes, and a gag reel.

Short Treks and Discovery season 3 previews

At the San Diego Comic Con today CBS announced a whole bunch of new Short Treks episodes, and revealed some new bits regarding Discovery season three. Continue below for more:

First up, without spoiling anything, check out this awesome trailer for forthcoming Short Treks (also on Instagram if geolocked YouTube lets you down):

Trek TV round-up: Discovery previews and behind the scenes, plus other show updates

Got lots of Trek-TV bits to dive into today, includes some little updates on the Picard series and Short Treks, and lots of Discovery behind the scenes goodies (including some great close looks at costumes/props, and a dive into this season's music), plus, bizarrely, a USS Discovery car!

But first, lets check out some new still's from this week's third episode in the second season, Point of Light. This episode brings us the return of both the Klingons and Emperor come Section 31 agent Georgiou. While the Discovery itself also welcomes a familiar face, Amanda Grayson:

Discovery round-up: Point of Light trailer, first Ready Room episode, and more

Lots of Discovery bits to enjoy today, including the first episode of the new companion show The Ready Room, and other behind the scenes bits. But first, check out the trailer for this week's episode, Point of Light:

View this post on Instagram

Seven signals appeared across the galaxy. New Episode 1 February.

A post shared by Star Trek: Discovery (@startreknetflix) on Jan 26, 2019 at 10:01am PST

Amanda back, Georgiou back, Klingons back! This is going to be a busy episode!

Discovery season two behind the scenes photos, and other Disco updates

Lots of Discovery updates today, including the latest promo bits and bobs, and lots of behind the scenes photos.

First up, looking ahead in the season, the title for episode two has now been announced: New Eden, which will be directed by Jonathan Frakes.

And looking further ahead in the season, Michelle Yeoh recently shared this photo of her working on an ADR session in London. Note a new view of one of the new ships in the season on the screen:

Short Treks finally available world-wide, plus latest Discovery images and updates

Lots of Discovery updates in the final day before the new season starts, including new images, a fun billboard, and a personal message from Paul Stamets. But first exciting news regarding tie-ins to the series:

At last, Netflix have made the four Short Treks episodes available to those of not in the US or Canada. It takes a little hunting to find them though, as rather than being listed as episodes of Discovery or a series in their own right they've been hidden away in the "trailers and more" section of the Discovery listings - This does have a benefit for non-Netflix subscribers, as that makes them viewable to anyone as a free preview!

In other tie-in news, TrekMovie and TrekCore are reporting (but damned if I can find any announcement from CBS) After Treks has officially been cancelled (as one might suspect from the complete silence about it until now), but is being replaced by a series of Facebook Live streams featuring cast and creatives discussing the show. These will be aired after each episode is released, starting from the second episode. The first episode will also have a live stream event, but before the episode, in the form of coverage of a red carpet premiere.

Short Treks: Runway trailer

CBS have released a trailer for the first episode of Short Treks, the Tilly focused Runaway. Check it out (and if you can't see the geo-locked Youtube video, see the Instagram version instead).

Short Treks trailer, and titles and dates announced

CBS have announced the full details of the forthcoming four episode run of the Discovery spin-off Short Treks mini-episodes. Continue below for episode descriptions, release dates, and credits. But first, check out the trailer (US geo-locked alas, but the Instagram version should help you if you can't see on YouTube):

Short Treks details and Discovery season 2 bits and bobs

Following the Discovery season 2 newsgasm that was the San Diego Comic Con, more details of the second season and the new Short Treks series of shorts are trickling out.

We have some notable new details on one of those Short Treks, as author Michael Chabon (probably best known for The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay) has been revealed as the writer of an episode called Calypso. Posting on Instagram he talked a little about his experience on the show:

A few weeks ago, I flew to Toronto to be on the set of #STARTREKDISCOVERY for the 3-day shoot of a short film I wrote (one of four making up a new spinoff micro-series called SHORT TREKS). Mine’s entitled “Calypso,” it stars the blazingly talented @aldis_hodge, was directed by the brilliant #OlatundeOsunsanmi, and while all of that is very exciting, the most exciting part of all, personally, was the moment you see here, in this photo. I did not SAY “Ahead, warp factor 4, Mr. Sulu,” or “Make it so!”, because after all I was aboard the Discovery, not the Enterprise. But I THOUGHT both of those things. I thought them very hard.

Discovery season 2 trailer, stills, release date, mini-episodes and casting updates!

The first trailer for season two of Discovery has been released, and it look amazing! Check it out for loads of mystery seeking Captain Pike and Discovery crew goodness:



Continue below for an excessive screencap breakdown. But first, there's loads of other news:

At the San Diego Comic Con the season series has also been confirmed for 2019 release. But we will still be getting some new Trek this year, in a series of character focused mini-episodes called Short Treks. There are four episodes in the works, each 10-15 minutes long, and they will be released monthly this autumn. StarTrek.com gave this summary:

Rainn Wilson will return to play Harry Mudd in a short he will also direct, and Aldis Hodge will star in another as Craft, a man who finds himself the only human on board a deserted ship. Additional episodes will include a deep dive into Saru’s (Doug Jones) backstory as the first Kelpien to join Starfleet, and Tilly’s (Mary Wiseman) journey aboard the U.S.S. Discovery and her friendship with an unlikely partner.