Get a Peek at the New ‘Star Trek: Discovery’ Mini Episodes, Set to Debut Next Month
Star Trek: Discovery won’t be back until sometime next year, but you won’t have to wait until then to return to the U.S.S. Discovery. Four new mini-episodes are on the way next month, and CBS has released the first look and details.
Back at San Diego Comic-Con over the summer, showrunner Alex Kurtzman revealed a handful of new Star Trek shorts were on the way. Now we know those will be weekly episodes, set to debut on CBS All Access beginning October 4. Each episode of Star Trek: Short Treks, expected to be about 10-15 minutes long each (via io9), will explore the backstories of three characters we know and one new addition to the series.
One episode will focus on Mary Wiseman’s Tilly, one on Doug Jones’ Saru, another on Rainn Wilson’s smuggler Harry Mudd – which Wilson will also direct – and a fourth will introduce a new character, Craft, played by Aldis Hodge. The teaser for the new Discovery shorts offers the first look at Hodge’s character. Here’s the details, plot synopses, and air dates for each episode (via Deadline):
Runaway – Thursday, Oct. 4
Onboard the U.S.S. Discovery, Ensign Tilly (Mary Wiseman) encounters an unexpected visitor in need of help. However, this unlikely pair may have more in common than meets the eye.
Written by Jenny Lumet & Alex Kurtzman. Directed by Maja Vrvilo.
Calypso – Thursday, Nov. 8
After waking up in an unfamiliar sickbay, Craft (Aldis Hodge) finds himself on board a deserted ship, and his only companion and hope for survival is an A.I. computer interface.
Teleplay by Michael Chabon. Story by Sean Cochran and Michael Chabon. Directed by Olatunde Osunsanmi.
The Brightest Star – Thursday, Dec. 6
Before he was the first Kelpien to join Starfleet, Saru (Doug Jones) lived a simple life on his home planet of Kaminar with his father and sister. Young Saru, full of ingenuity and a level of curiosity uncommon among his people, yearns to find out what lies beyond his village, leading him on an unexpected path.
Written by Bo Yeon Kim & Erika Lippoldt. Directed by Douglas Aarniokoski.
The Escape Artist – Thursday, Jan. 3
Harry Mudd (Rainn Wilson), back to his old tricks of stealing and double-dealing, finds himself in a precarious position aboard a hostile ship – just in time to try out his latest con.
Written by Michael McMahan. Directed by Rainn Wilson.
That ought to be enough to hold you over until Discovery returns for Season 2 in 2019, and until Ethan Peck, aka Gregory Peck’s grandson, makes his debut on the show as Spock.