Lowerdecks.com - The Full Story

February 26, 2003

Deja Vu

Over the course of three and half decades Star Trek has provided us with a number of interesting cast members. From the beginning we witnessed such characters as Kirk, the brash Captain of the USS Enterprise, his stoic Vulcan Science Officer Spock, the jovial miracle worker Scotty, along with reliable favorites like Chekov and Sulu. Through these characters we were able to experience wonder and excitement, anger and tragedy. With the premiere of the Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise we were able to continue these experiences. Part of what some of us learnt in life was experienced through these characters. Yet while the main characters were there to provide our weekly entertaining lessons, there was also the occasional guest character that would pop-up every so often to assist in this endeavor. Commonly known as the ‘recurring character’, they provide a greater depth to an already strong main cast.

The Original Trek series had a few of these ‘recurring characters’. Naturally, as the opening credits dictate, there were only three major characters in the Original Series: Kirk, Spock and McCoy. Yet, the presence of Scotty, Uhura, Sulu and Chekov in almost every episode could easily confuse the viewer into believing they were part of the main cast. These characters could be regarded as the most recurring of any Trek character in its entire history. Even so, the original series did have other recurring characters whose presence weren’t so apparent. Yeoman Janice Rand and Nurse Christine Chapel were two such characters who would be used every other episode to assist in the duties of some of the main cast. While they were not necessarily a focus for entire episodes, it was always comforting to see the faces of these people because it helped create the sense that there was actually a crew aboard the ship that we could care about. It would not instead be just seven senior officers and a bunch of ever-changing no-name extras.

A similar development occurred on the Next Generation. The introduction of Q in the first episode led to a number of further appearances, each more exciting than the last. Characters such as Q, Lursa and Betor, Sela, Tomalok and Admiral Nechyaev were placed in the show to provide a sense of continuity, to show that there was a world outside the adventures of the main cast of characters. Even the use of the same crewmen aboard the Enterprise D such as Ensign McKnight or Lieutenant Barclay helped in this regard. Data’s cat Spot and the regular ensemble of ‘extra’ crewmembers helped with that sense of continuity. This is something that the later series Voyager seemed to dismiss.

While we can all debate the pros and cons of the recurring character, I believe it is essential to have them. I know when I watch an episode, I’m hoping to see a familiar face even if the character only says one line. Voyager started out like this. In the first two seasons we saw recurring characters such as Seska, Maj Cullah, Hogan, Joe Carey, and Michael Jonas. Yet after the second season the only recurring characters we get on Voyager besides an appearance or two of crewman Chell, Vorik, Joe Carey, and Seska, are the Borg children, Naomi Wildman and the Holodeck scenarios. If there was one constant throughout the seven year run of Voyager though, it would have to be Crewman/Ensign/Lieutenant Iolya. Although he didn’t participate in any significant conversation, he was invariably on the ship somewhere. The same can’t be said for other crewmembers as it appeared that there was a new batch of ‘extras’ every week. I thought there were only about 150 crewmembers in total!

If there was one series that showcased an excellent supporting cast, it would have to be Deep Space Nine. From the very first season, a major player in Kai Winn was introduced, as was the spy Garak and the Cardassian we all love to hate, Gul Dukat. Each was given a huge backstory that eventually impacted throughout the series with particular people or events. Even characters such as Nog, Rom, Kasidy Yates, Brunt, Damar, Weyoun, Martok, Gowron, Kurn, Eddington, the Female Changling and even Morn had an impact on the lives of the main characters. A great deal of these characters also affected the course of events. Unlike the supporting characters of the other Trek series, these characters had infinitely more depth. That is not to say those on the other series were bad. Not at all. They had their moments and eccentricities. I mean, you just have to think of Q and Barclay and smile. Yet Deep Space Nine’s supporting cast really did go where no other series had gone before. Here was an ensemble that in some respects outshone the main cast. It was perhaps partly for this reason that Deep Space Nine had so many exceptional dramatic episodes.

While hardly on par with Deep Space Nine’s ensemble cast, Enterprise has managed to start building its on group of recurring characters which on occasion assist in the continuity of the show. Characters such as Admiral Forrest, Soval, Silik, Shran, Future Guy, Crewman Cutler, and time hopping Daniels have all played their part in the development of Enterprise’s storylines. Even though many of those storylines have been fairly dull and insipid, the use of these recurring characters has become one of Enterprise’s few strong points. Only time will tell if this remains so. Loathe though they may be to admit it, Rick Berman and Brannon Braga only have to look at Deep Space Nine to see that allowing the main cast to interact with other characters on a regular basis can be an asset to a show.

Discuss this article at The Observation Lounge BBS.

Star Trek ® is copyright of Paramount Pictures. Copyright © 1966, Present. The Star Trek web pages on this site are for educational and entertainment purposes only. All other copyrights property of their respective holders.

®2002 Lowerdecks.com