Star Trek: Decrease Decks‘ last two episodes delivered huge thrills for followers whereas leaving some with hopes for upcoming Trek reveals to proceed acknowledging the sequence’ canon going ahead. Visitor stars from the previous had been throughout each episodes, together with one actor whose solely prior Trek performances could possibly be loved watching Enterprise with a Paramount+ subscription. So how did the sequence snag franchise icon Jolene Blalock to return as T’Pol, and why was she solely credited by her first title? Mike McMahan shared the solutions with CinemaBlend.
I had the distinction to talk with Decrease Decks creator McMahan forward of the finale concerning the wild change he made to the Star Trek universe and, after all, about lastly bringing Jolene Blalock again into this sci-fi fold. Whereas T’Pol is beloved and thought of one of many franchise’s greatest characters, the actress hadn’t returned for any new-era initiatives till now. Under, Mike McMahan defined the way it all got here collectively beginning with a private enchantment:
A giant factor that we made positive with Jolene is that there was tons of communication and tons of respect. I wrote her a letter explaining how vital her work on Enterprise was to me not solely as a fan, but additionally as a author of Star Trek and the way I outlined Vulcans and that T’Lyn is like form of a love letter to her work [as T’Pol] amongst others. I despatched her the script, and he or she learn it, and he or she watched the present, and I suppose she had turned down different Star Trek to be on as a result of I believe she did not wanna be. type of like window dressing, you recognize what I imply? I did not anticipate to get her as a result of we had heard she had mentioned no earlier than. It could have simply been that we bought to her as an alternative of an agent and he or she learn it and was like, ‘Oh, this seems enjoyable,’ as a result of she got here in saying she loves the present.
Although the T’Pol in Star Trek: Decrease Decks was from one other universe, she was largely the identical character portrayed in Enterprise. Mike McMahan has talked previously to CinemaBlend about how T’Lyn is predicated on T’Pol, so it is no shock to me that he and the employees had been capable of write her strains and craft her moments with the right tone.
Whereas T’Pol did not make CinemaBlend’s shortlist of greatest Star Trek characters, she’s well-loved and thought of top-of-the-line characters in Enterprise. As talked about, this was her first franchise look in many years, and Mike McMahan informed us he wished to ensure he fulfilled no matter requests and prerequisites she had, which led to the much-questioned second of how she was credited and not using a surname in the long run credit. The showrunner addressed that beneath:
She mentioned, ‘Would it not be okay if I simply glided by Jolene?’ and we had been like, ‘Jolene, it’s no matter you wish to be.’ I believe a whole lot of instances on this business you’re informed what you are allowed to do. And I actually wished to be sure that she felt like she was answerable for defining stuff as a result of we had been so appreciative of her coming again. She did not inform me why, however she was like, ‘I would favor simply to be Jolene on this,’ and we had been glad to do it.
The creator could not make clear why the request was made, however confirmed they honored it, and that is why Blalock is thought merely as “Jolene” within the Star Trek: Decrease Decks credit. I can solely assume the rationale behind it wasn’t something controversial and it could possibly be one thing so simple as the truth that there hasn’t been one other main “Jolene” in Trek lore.
The massive query I am positive many are questioning is that if “Jolene” will return as T’Pol in different Star Trek reveals. Sadly, we are able to solely speculate and say that T’Pol would probably nonetheless be alive and accessible to seem in Season 3 or 4 of Unusual New Worlds. Additionally, with Robert Picardo reprising his position because the EMH in Starfleet Academy, he might presumably pull in any previous Trek character as a hologram, so she might additionally seem there. Actually, it simply takes a author with the know-how of the franchise to arrange any chain of occasions to make it occur, so let’s hope she’s sport for extra appearances sooner or later.
Star Trek: Decrease Decks is over, however all the sequence is out there to stream on Paramount+. The dialog surrounding the sequence continues nicely after the finale after all, and for individuals who need in on the enjoyable, you should definitely learn what Mike McMahan informed CinemaBlend about that Klingon connection to Discovery.