With “Star Trek: Discovery” taking flight tonight, its star Jason Isaacs weighs in on the notion that the show’s Klingons reflect the mindset of some President Trump supporters.
The speculation came following showrunner Aaron Harberts’ recent mention that the new series in the Gene Roddenberry-created sci-fi franchise will take cues from the contemporary world, and that the Klingons will “help us really look at certain sides of ourselves and our country.” Although this led many to infer that “Discovery” would be using the warrior species to comment on the Trump mindset, CBS called that a misinterpretation.
“I don’t see that — I think that’s way too reductive,” Isaacs told TheWrap, explaining that the supposition could be a result of trying to sum up a full season in a brief interview. “One of the problems with having to be quoted in the press is, you take what’s really a 15-hour, rich journey, and you condense it into two sentences. And if it could be put into two sentences, we’d be printing bumper stickers instead.”
But Isaacs, who plays Captain Gabriel Lorca, acknowledged that our current world is far removed from the franchise’s ideal of putting aside differences for the overall good.
“One of the great things about ‘Star Trek’ is that it presents a vision of the future, of the way people, species, planets, races might well work together in harmony, which is in such odds, such contrast to the horrible divisiveness that we see every day on the news,” Isaacs said. “It serves a dual purpose: part entertainment, part optimism.”
The “Brotherhood” alum continued: “The original series was borne out of tumult and turmoil in the streets in the civil rights movement and unrest. And, at the moment, these are times when hate-mongering has come to the forum, and there are very powerful people trying to divide us and turn us against each other. And Gene Roddenberry’s vision of the future is very different: We all need to work together in our own group interest.”
Isaacs demurred regarding what exactly viewers can expect for his character. But he did praise this season for delving “deep into people’s inconsistencies and their foibles and their petulance and their integrity.”
“Star Trek: Discovery” premieres Sept. 24 at 8:30/7:30c on CBS.