As a die-hard Trekkie with decades of Starfleet enthusiasm under my belt, I can confidently say that Gillian Vigman‘s portrayal of Dr. T’Ana in Lower Decks has been one of the most delightful surprises in recent years. Her uncensored, unapologetic approach to her character’s swearing habits is not only hilarious but also a refreshing take on the usually buttoned-up Star Trek universe.
2025 TV programming is almost upon us, but before that, we’re looking forward to wrapping up the final season of Star Trek: Lower Decks in 2024. This series has touched many hearts differently during its journey. Some will reminisce about the laughter they shared while watching it on Paramount+, while others will miss their beloved characters. For Gillian Vigman, who played Dr. T’Ana, she’ll particularly miss the swearing, a topic she discussed with TopMob when discussing her character’s cussing habits versus her own real-life experiences.
In an exclusive chat before the airing of “Of Gods And Angles,” an episode from Star Trek: Lower Decks, Vigman graciously spoke to TopMob. In this episode, her character Dr. T’Ana was seen cursing quite a bit, as Boimler attempted to join her book club. The actress portraying the Caitian physician, in fact, revealed that her character swears just as freely as her Starfleet counterpart, and she shared her thoughts on this aspect:
I find swearing – this is such a weird thing to say – delicious. I find it hilarious. I like how you can use it in an emphatic way to really get a point across. And I know that a lot of people would say it’s a sign that you are lacking in intelligence [or] that you don’t know how to express yourself any other way. And I say no. I love it. I’m expressing myself in multiple ways, but this is part of the rainbow of expletives that I would love to use when talking.
Nothing yummier than a nicely salted F-bomb, we say.
In the spirit of classic Star Trek, characters seldom use profanity. However, this rule seems to be bent in newer and presumably future shows as well. The exception is the animated series Lower Decks, where characters often curse for comic relief. This is particularly true of Dr. T’Ana, who frequently uses profanity throughout many of her scenes on the show.
Find it amusing, given that a significant portion of the fanbase reacted strongly when Sylvia Tilly used an explicit word in Star Trek: Discovery some time ago. However, Gillian Vigman’s bold performance during her audition for the role didn’t hold her back, and she fondly reminisced about her time recording lines as Dr. T’Ana, sharing what she’ll miss most about that experience.
When given a chance to try out for Doctor T’Ana, they essentially told me to let loose and be as outrageous as possible. So, with an enthusiastic ‘You bet!’ I threw myself wholeheartedly into the audition in a way that was incredibly thrilling. Whenever I record, it’s like being unleashed and given free rein. What I’ll miss most about this is saying some of the dirtiest things imaginable, unfortunately, many of which have to be censored because if you heard them, I might not get another chance to work again.
Though Gillian Vigman might never work outside the Star Trek universe again, I choose to stay hopeful. There remains a possibility that Gillian Vigman and other Lower Decks actors could rejoin the franchise in the future. Tawny Newsome has confirmed that her live-action comedy series related to Trek is still being developed, and she expressed interest in having Lower Decks cast members join her. While it would require some prosthetic work for Gillian Vigman to transform into her Caitian character, the actress has indicated her willingness to undergo this process for a role.
We’ve reached the endgame for Star Trek: Lower Decks, with the final episodes and the climactic finale on the horizon. Creator Mike McMahan has assured us of a fulfilling conclusion to this humorous series, and judging by fan reactions so far, they’re likely to be thrilled with the final episode. While it would be great if another streaming service could rescue it for more adventures, we’ll have to keep our fingers crossed about the show’s potential future.
Watch fresh episodes of “Star Trek: Lower Decks” every Thursday on Paramount+. As we approach the concluding episodes in the near future, it’s an ideal moment to tune in and follow along with others as we all witness the grand finale together.
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2024-11-22 03:08