In the wake of Picard season two’s premiere, we are once again speculating on more ways to expand Star Trek: The Next Generation into additional series or movies. While you could argue Crusher, Data, La Forge, Troi, and Riker could all be drawn out into stand-alone narratives that Star Trek fans would happily consume, there is something particularly compelling about a modern series based entirely around Worf.

The iconic character played by Michael Dorn is a fan favorite among Trekkies for many reasons. Dorn’s ability to bring a brilliant sense of reserved hostility, earnest emotional range, and a true sense of honor and loyalty to both Klingons and the Federation mark the traits of a true leader and a fascinating character. As a Klingon with a human upbringing, Worf often finds himself at the center of human / Klingon conflicts that are either resolved in combat or strategic political diplomacy. This alone gives the character Spock-level dynamics and relatable mythology for anyone who has ever had to find common bonds between seemingly opposing people.

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While it has been expressed many times before, let us once again support the promise of a serialized Worf show and all the reasons it could be a huge success for Paramount+. From the seemingly endless stable of cameos and plot devices that could be plucked from TNG, Deep Space Nine, and Voyager, to the clear advantage contemporary storytelling in the Star Trek universe provides, proven by Picard, Worf could be the best yet.

Let’s dive into exactly why that is with an overview of Star Trek’s brand, struggles, and resilience in 2022.

Star Trek Is About Moving Forward

     Paramount 

As fun as it is to recast the original series crew and send them on theatrical outings, something feels off about going back to tell prequel stories in the realm of Star Trek. The same problem is found in Discovery, and it started with 2001’s Enterprise, with Scott Bakula and that opening theme song that will forever be a scar on Trek mythology. There is something inherently limiting about choosing a previous time in Star Trek history to tell a story. It’s not a dealbreaker by any means, but it does feel at odds with the story themes of a future-forward franchise. Boldly going where we have NOT BEEN BEFORE. To seek out strange NEW LIFE. Strange NEW WORLDS. Star Trek is about moving forward, not back.

A Worf series could potentially deliver the goods in this regard, even more thoughtfully than Picard is currently doing. Imagining Worf as a first officer or captain on a ship at the edge of the known universe encountering some strange new anomaly that we are all experiencing for the first time is where many Star Trek fans want to be. Who better to lead us on the forefront of a truly contemporary Star Trek story than Worf?

Science Fiction vs. Soap Opera

Many hardcore Trek fans will cite Deep Space Nine as the best of the 1990s series, while others are forever loyal to TNG. Occasionally you’ll find those fans who are incredibly fond of Voyager and have to ‘admit’ it is their favorite. To be fair, it’s all quite good, and Worf was present in most of it. While Enterprise could have done a better job carrying the torch into the 2000s, it still has a lot to love with well-conceived characters and stories. Over time, the balancing act of Star Trek has become a proper blend of science fiction and drama. However, it seems to suffer most when the drama outweighs the science fiction, but not the other way around.

They could write a Star Trek episode entirely around a lab experiment’s trials and errors, and fans would be glued to the screen so long as the experiment is fascinating and challenges the mind. Drama or romance between characters is tricky, however. Unless it’s happening amidst a mind-bending science fiction plot, it can start feeling like a soap opera risking the interest level of their nerdy fan base. Characters that embody science fiction themes, such as aliens or androids, tend to be better at carrying the melodrama storylines. Still, it always runs the risk of losing focus on the core principles of Star Trek, which are entrenched in turning over the stones of the universe to discover strange and bizarre new things.

Star Trek Can Never Be Too Nerdy

While many believe there are no boundaries to how high concept the show can get, a passionate fan base will call out Trek when it tries to be too cool for school. The Kelvin films have divided fans in this regard, as the movies are so aesthetically polished, the most hardcore fans feel slighted in favor of a more broad-spectrum target audience. It could be argued that Discovery was an effort to appease these fans but ultimately overcorrected. The show has struggled to find its voice. Efforts to branch into new tonal territory with more gore and F-bombs were divisive at best. The show has successfully been more inclusive, a core principle of Star Trek, but this can also be a point of contention in today’s heated political climate if dumped on-screen too obviously.

All of this to say, Worf, if considered, has an excellent opportunity to unite the fan base with a Star Trek formula that truly works for Trekkies and casual fans alike. As the second season of Picard unfolds, fans will surely be taking notes on what’s working and what’s not. They will undoubtedly voice their concerns to ensure that Gene Roddenberry’s hopeful vision of the future is held to the highest standards possible.