'Star Trek' Season 2 Will Introduce A New Character To The Famous Franchise

Star Trek: Discovery will continue to go boldly into the furthest frontiers of space when Season 2 premieres on Jan. 17. Characters like Michael Burnham, Saru, Voq, and others are all coming back for more action, but there will be at least one new face, too. As reported by Variety, Tig Notaro's Star Trek: Discovery character, Jet Reno, will make her debut this season as the Chief Engineer of the U.S.S. Hiawatha.

Prior to this role, Notaro made guest appearances on shows like Instant Family, Fresh Off the Boat, and New Girl, along with a starring role on her short-lived Amazon show, One Mississippi, but this marks her first time stepping into the science fiction world. And what better way to start than in the longstanding and expansive Star Trek franchise?

According to her IMDb page, the comedian will first appear in Discovery's Season 2 premiere, titled "Brother." There isn't a lot of information about Jet's background or how long she will be on the series, but dedicated Trekkies will absolutely tune in to see how she fits into the overall narrative. Honestly, it's refreshing when a new character is kept under wraps amid the spoiler-heavy minefield that is the internet.

During an interview with IndieWire, Notaro explained that she just has a guest-starring spot right now but, depending on Jet's arc, she could be bumped to a recurring role or even become part of the main cast. Of course, that all depends on what kind of relationship she forms with the Discovery crew, and whether or not fans want to see more of her story.

The actress also told IndieWire about what it was like to work with Alex Kurtzman, the series' executive producer and her close friend. "In guest-starring on Season 2 of Star Trek, I'm in the hands of Alex Kurtzman, who I've known for a couple of decades, and he knows my voice really well," Notaro said. "My character, I'm telling you, the writing that was done for my character is just spectacular. I followed 'Star Trek' as a child and had the action figures. The whole thing is just ridiculously fun and exciting."

While on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, Notaro revealed that she was handpicked for the part and even named her character, who was originally called Denise Reno. She also joked in her signature deadpan tone that she has no idea what the technical dialogue means in the show. "It is so embarrassing," said Notaro. "I can't even picture what I am talking about. When I am learning lines in other shows or movies or something, I can kind of visualize what I am talking about. On Star Trek, I have to just remember these words." She kept quiet about any further details, but she seemed pretty excited to suit up in the show's iconic uniforms.

So far, Jet hasn't been spotted in any promotional materials or sneak peek trailers, so it's likely that she won't initially be a major character. But the only way to find out for sure is by streaming Star Trek: Discovery every Thursday via CBS All Access.