William Shatner has a complicated relationship with the Star Trek universe and its fans. The franchise wouldn’t be what it is without Captain Kirk, but the star’s comments about Trek, its actors, and more have often caused a divide in the fandom. Such was the case recently at San Diego Comic-Con, in which Shatner claimed Gene Roddenberry would be “turning in his grave” at some of the things happening in the new shows. It was a bold statement that didn’t sit well with a good number of fans, and apparently, Strange New Worlds’ Melissa Navia. After Shatner’s shady comments, the Erica Ortegas actress had some questions for the Captain.
Melissa Navia is quickly becoming a fan favorite of the Star Trek fandom, and not just for her character on Strange New Worlds. Navia took some time on Twitter to speak up on behalf of people who work on or subscribe to Paramount+ for the new Trek shows, and really just wanted to know if William Shatner has ever taken the time to watch them:
Curious: Has Mr. Shatner seen any episodes of DISCO or SNW? Or Lower Decks? Didn’t he not watch himself on TOS? I know actors who can’t watch their own work, but oh boy, not me. “All Those Who Wander” hit me differently after losing my partner. He, too, fixed what was broken. ✨July 26, 2022
It’s a fair question for the actress to ask, especially when one of the faces of the franchise is throwing shade at a show that received near-universal praise for Season 1. Some fans warned Melissa Navia about poking the bear when it comes to Shatner, perhaps because they’re aware of his notorious feuds with other Trek actors like George Takei, or even his alleged past bullying of Wil Wheaton. Navia didn’t seem too concerned about any potential repercussions though, and even saw those as a potential answer to her question:
If he blocks me for asking the question, then at least we’ll all have an answer.July 26, 2022
William Shatner actually hasn't been shy in response to the question of whether or not he has gone out of the way to actually watch Trek episodes. As recently as 2021, he revealed that he hadn’t watched much Trek in his lifetime, and it seems likely that didn't change with the debut of Strange New Worlds earlier this year. That hasn’t really prevented him from sharing his opinion on various decisions or changes in the franchise. After a slew of replies from fans, Melissa Navia felt like she had the answer she was seeking:
General consensus then is…no? Unless the man himself tells me differently. 🖖July 26, 2022
William Shatner didn’t post a response to Melissa Navia’s question, but apparently, some who supported his statement felt a need to respond. Some fans seemed to have some things to say about Star Trek, Navia, and some of what many praise about the new era, but she is relatively unbothered by it:
Indeed. But I find it soothing. Insecure rage tweeting is transparent. No mystery. Like them. So upset they’re even misspelling their favorite word. I’m out here checking off “wroke” trope boxes. I’m also a man, a cow, and a nobody. None of which are insults. C’est la vie! 🥸🐮😎 https://t.co/sdeT0tGJstJuly 27, 2022
Fortunately, both actors can continue to coexist without it impacting Star Trek on a large scale. Paul Wesley is playing James Kirk on Strange New Worlds, so it’s doubtful William Shatner will ever appear on the series. Frankly, it doesn’t seem likely he’ll cameo in any series at this stage in his life, but at least we know we’ll get more episodes of Melissa Navia's Erica Ortegas flying the ship, and maybe even swashbuckling a bit more at some point in the future.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 1 is available to stream on Paramount+. The franchise is on a bit of a break after a long stretch of new episodes every week, but new episodes of Lower Decks should be coming soon.
