In reviewing the classic series as they get ready to work on the script for the next “Star Trek” installment, Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman have said they may want to include one recurring character from the first season of “Star Trek.”
And no, we’re not talking about Kevin Reilly.
Orci and Kurtzman tell io9 they are giving serious consideration to having Yeoman Janice Rand appear in the next “Trek” installment.
“It’s possible, for sure,” Kurtzman said. “We’re going back and watching the shows again, just getting a refresher course and training before we jump back in.”
Rand appears in the first dozen classic “Trek” episodes as a female ensign assigned to Captain Kirk. The character, originally played by Grace Leigh Whitney, was written out after her appearance in “Miri.” The story has it that NBC wanted Captain Kirk to be more “free” to pursue relationships with alien women and other guest stars who came onto the Enterprise and having a female ensign who could be a potential love interest would interfere with that.
Whitney has reprised her role as Rand in several “Trek” features including “The Motion Picture” and “The Voyage Home.” She also guest starred on a “Voyager” episode to celebrate the 30th anniversary of “Star Trek.”
No word yet on whether the new version of Rand will have the classic beehive.
It’s a wonder they don’t bring in Nurse Chapel and see what happens with the Spock/Uhura relationship or have Chapel and Uhura fight for Spock (ala “Amok Time”)
Chapel would be the perfect love triangle between Spock and Uhura. Plus Kirk getting a little Rand action since he struck out with Uhura. It’s time for the Captain to earn that salty reputation among the alien races of the galaxy. 😉
I would like to see more original characters return, but it is hard to take an article seriously that misspells “Yeoman” in the title!!!
Obviously spellchecker isn’t always a trusty standby. Thanks for catching that Valerie…and hey, you can take all our articles seriously…especially the serious ones. 😉
Chapel is on the Enterprise in the first film, though you don’t see her: in the sickbay scene with Kirk’s enormous hands, McCoy barks orders to “Nurse Chapel”.
Rand is definitely a good one to bring on. As for other TOS characters… I’m really interested in the idea of bringing in a young Carol Marcus. It’d give Kirk a really dramatic and interesting romantic storyline–that is, if she’s characterised as well as she was in her previous appearance.
I’d be really interested in seeing a young Carol Marcus, too. More than Rand, whom I never thought of as all that interesting of a character. Same really with Chapel. With respect to the late MBR, aside from making moony eyes at Spock, what did she really do?
Reilly might be fun. As long as he didn’t sing.
But really, if we’re going to reimagine recurrent characters, then the name that’s at the top of my list is:
Harcourt Fenton Mudd.
I heard one suggestion that if they ever did bring back Mudd, a good actor for it would be Paul Giamatti. My response is that the word “good” should be replaced with “freaking awesome”.
Ahhhh… springtime and an old fart’s thoughts turn to love – of Yoeman Rand. I had a serious crush way back when Trek was on in the ’60s (I was in high school). The beehive weave was sooo cool.
I do agree about Paul Giamatti!
Paul Giamatti would be freaking awesome as Mudd!
Hmmp! Why not Princess Leah and complete the merger between Star Wars and Star Trek?!!!