Star Trek Is Bringing Back A Forgotten Next Generation Character
A forgotten Star Trek Next Generation character is making a return, this time to a new series that will feature his comedic gifts.
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Star Trek fans have been experiencing a moment these days with the franchise going through something of a resurgence over the last couple of years. Numerous new, and critically acclaimed, shows have hit the small screen and either revisited old storylines or pushed forward new stories (some both at the same time). And while it isn’t as high profile as some of the other new things happening in the world, fans of the franchise will love to know that according to Daily Star Trek News The Outrageous Okona is getting another chance to shine.
Star Trek: The Next Generation fans will remember Captain Thadiun Okona from the episode “The Outrageous Okona”. The character ended up taking on the moniker of the show’s title because it was just so memorable and ridiculous that it not only encapsulated the proceedings but the character as well. Actor Billy Campbell had the honors of playing Okona for the single episode and recently was on the podcast Comic Book Central describing an upcoming role on Star Trek: Prodigy. He let on that Okona will be a character on the show and he’ll be voicing the role.
In his only appearance, Okona nearly incited a planetary war between the Starlet people and the Thesians after stealing a prized jewel. But also as part of the same episode, he helped Data really work to understand the concept of comedy through the former’s delivery of awkward one-liners and jokes. It was a memorable, albeit odd episode.
Star Trek: Prodigy is set to be an animated series premiering on Nickelodeon sometime this year. Alex Kurtzman is on board as an executive producer and the show is an attempt for the franchise to hit a younger audience with a more comedic take on the franchise. According to Campbell, that’s where the Okona character comes in, offering silly comic relief and one-liners which were a big part of his single episode on Next Generation.
And, so far, Campbell isn’t the only Star Trek actor to return as a voice for their previous character. Kate Mulgrew has already been confirmed to reprise her role as Captain Kathryn Janeway from Star Trek: Voyager. While those characters never met within the context of the Star Trek franchise, it appears their paths will cross now. The show will follow a group of teenagers who set about in space on an abandoned starship. Considering the plot description and the channel it’s airing on, this could have a much different feel than anything else we’ve seen from Star Trek before.
Kurtzman is developing Prodigy after signing on with CBS to begin to work on more projects within the universe. It was a show of confidence that the writer and producer was going to be the major voice for the franchise. He’s created and helmed both Star Trek: Discovery and Picard on CBS All Access while also writing and producing 2009’s Star Trek and the follow-up Star Trek Into Darkness.
Again, it’s a great time to be a Star Trek fan with so many new projects hitting the screen. Star Trek: Prodigy is just another in the long list of programs that will appeal to a bigger cross-section of fans. And it’s awesome they are nodding to characters from the past, even the lesser-known ones.
