() If you’ve only given a passing eye to the first Star Trek series – and haven’t paid attention to the non-canon expanded universe – maybe you won’t recognize the name Number One, as this was the female second-in-command in the original pilot that was turned down by NBC.
As played by Majel Barrett in that initial Star Trek entry, Number One was the First Officer to Sean Kenney’s Commander Christopher Pike, and it’s a character that would have gone far in this franchise had the network not decided audiences would balk at a show with a female lead and an alien lead.
While the upcoming series Star Trek Discovery hasn’t yet fully taken control of public consciousness, diehard fans are paying attention to every little detail that comes out about the franchise’s highly anticipated return to the small screen.
Creator Bryan Fuller, whose involvement makes this show twice as exciting, has unleashed a lot of new details to earn that attention, particularly the lead character’s name: Number One, a moniker that will ring a bell to those familiar with the history of Star Trek: The Original Series.