<P> Fuller said the series could "push the content envelope since it won't be constrained by broadcast standards", but "it's still Star Trek . It will probably be slightly more graphic content...I imagine we're going to shoot scenes a couple of ways and see what feels more authentic in the editing room ." Harberts ultimately described the series as a "hard PG - 13", saying the series could include "some violent things or (a) tiny bit of language" but they still wanted the show to be for families and to "honor what the franchise is ." On using time travel in the series, a plot device used in at least two episodes of every previous live - action Star Trek season, Fuller said that it had not yet been used for any episode by the end of August 2016, and, "You never know when you want to pull out that device but I am not anticipating an over-reliance on time travel to tell this season's stories ." The series' writers also chose to ignore Gene Roddenberry's longstanding rule that Starfleet crew members not have any significant conflict with one another or be depicted negatively (a rule that Roddenberry himself did not always strictly follow). Harberts explained, "We're trying to do stories that are complicated, with characters with strong points of view and strong passions . People have to make mistakes--mistakes are still going to be made in the future . We're still going to argue in the future...the thing we're taking from Roddenberry is how we solve those conflicts ." Because of the show's position as a prequel to the original series, the producers felt it was more important for Discovery to build towards Roddenberry's ideals, and to show that "you can't simply be accepting and tolerant without working for it, and so this show is about that struggle ." </P> <P> By June 2016, Fuller had met with several actors, and said that "we want to carry on what Star Trek does best, which is being progressive . So it's fascinating to look at all of these roles through a colorblind prism and a gender - blind prism". A month later, Kadin clarified that the series would feature minority, female, and LGBTQ characters . In August, Fuller said the series would feature "about seven" lead characters, and would star a lieutenant commander, rather than a starship captain like previous Star Trek series, to be played by a non-white actress . He said the series would also include more alien characters than other Star Trek series, and would feature at least one openly gay character . Fuller, who is gay himself, had been determined to see this happen since receiving hate mail while working on Voyager when a character on that show was rumored to be coming out as gay . By this time, Fuller had discussed the series' casting with Mae Jemison, the first black woman in space (who made a cameo appearance in an episode of The Next Generation). </P> <P> Fuller anticipated casting announcements in October 2016, but none had been made by the end of that month . The majority of the series main characters were believed to have been cast by then, but no actress had been cast for the series' lead role . This was a source of "some internal stress" at CBS . Several African American and Latina actresses were being looked at for the role, with CBS "not seeking a huge star and (preferring) a fresh face for the part ." In October, the cast was believed to include "a female admiral, a male Klingon captain, a male admiral, a male adviser and a British male doctor", with one of those male leads played by an openly gay actor . The next month, Doug Jones and Anthony Rapp were revealed to be cast, as Science Officers Saru and Stamets, respectively . The former is a Kelpien, an alien race created for the series, while the latter is the first Star Trek character to be conceived and announced as gay . Sonequa Martin - Green was cast in the lead role in December, which was officially confirmed in April 2017, with the character's name revealed to be Michael Burnham . Also in December, Shazad Latif was cast as the Klingon Kol . In March 2017, Jason Isaacs was cast as Captain Lorca of the USS Discovery, and Mary Wiseman joined as Tilly, a cadet . At the end of April, Latif was revealed to have been recast to the role of Starfleet Lieutenant Tyler . In the series, this role is shown to be an undercover persona used by the Klingon Voq, who was initially credited as being portrayed by the invented actor Javid Iqbal to hide the fact that Latif was portraying both Voq and Tyler . </P> <P> Mark Worthington and Todd Cherniawsky served as initial production designers for the series; Gersha Phillips and Suttirat Anne Larlarb designed the costumes; veteran Star Trek designer John Eaves designed starships, along with Scott Schneider; and Glenn Hetrick and Neville Page of Alchemy Studios provided prosthetics, props, and armor . Page previously served as the concept and creature designer on the three "Kelvin Timeline" Star Trek films . The series also employed seven art directors, over nine illustrators, more than thirty - five set designers, and over four hundred and fifty painters, carpenters, sculptors, model makers, welders, set dressers, and prop builders . </P>

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