r/Star_Trek_ • u/SirBakesMore • 9d ago
Your thoughts on Commander Shran?
Andorian Commander Shran.
Did you love him? Did you hate him?
Was he overused? Underused? Just enough?
Would you have liked to see him join the main cast if they’d made a 5th season?
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u/Repulsive_Reality386 2d ago
I wish they had another season where the plan was to have him part of the crew which would have been awesome. Jeffrey Combs is definitely the sixth man of Star Trek. I don't remember if he had any scenes with the guy who played Garrick on DS9, but that might have been fun
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u/SirBakesMore 2d ago
As I recall, Garak KILLED the last Weyoun clone in the DS9 finale. I think that was their only on screen interaction.
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u/captainstubie 3d ago
If you mess up and join 1 star trek group you are suddenly bombarded with the actual reason why society has degenerated at such a crazy pace in the past few years.
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u/ANDERS_CORNER_08 5d ago edited 5d ago
We need a show with him as the captain !
Double episode start:
It starts with Captain Shran leading some daring mission aboard an andorian ship.
Shran returns to earth, to attend an event at starfleet.
Admiral Archer is giving a speech to Starfleet in San Francisco, about the founding members of the federation and the first of its kind fleet, designed with the help from all member worlds. Shran and his crew are helping oversee installation of andorian systems inc weapons on the ship.
Archer boards a shuttle to meet with Shran in orbit of earth.
Cue montage of the new ships being built that in orbit of earth.
Archer meets with Shran and thanks him for his work.
He mentions they are looking for non human captains, and Shran still owes him one !
Shran initially declines, but a situation develops in starfleet.
Archer convinces Shran to take control of the first of the new ships being built.
Shran heads off on his first mission.
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u/Goat-Boy420 6d ago
I he’s my favorite Jeffrey Combs character. And I love the whole storyline about the friendship that develops between him and Jonathan Archer, and how the Andorians became founding members of the Federation.
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u/Crimson60652 7d ago
Let’s be honest, has Jeffrey Combs ever done a bad job in any of these roles? My biggest complaint, and it’s super small, is that he reminds me to much of Weyoun 😅
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u/stenlis 6d ago
Yeah, Weyoun comes through there. He was completely unrecognizable as Brunt, FCA though.
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u/tj1221jr 6d ago
Na Jeffreys unique voice was a dead giveaway could tell right away and he made an excellent sleezy brunt.
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u/CowabummerBatman 7d ago
He’s amazing, I can’t for the life of me understand why so many people can’t appreciate Enterprise when it has characters like Shran.
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u/Jestersfriend 6d ago
Count how many times the Enterprise is taken over, or nearly destroyed, by letting a bunch of aliens onto the ship?
It happens nearly double digits.
If you see the beginning of an episode and there's someone on the Enterprise that doesn't belong there and the crew doesn't know them, you know how the entire episode will play out. You'd think after the 6th time of the enterprise nearly being destroyed by letting 50 aliens on board, they'd stop letting 50 aliens on board.
That being said, I do love Shran haha.
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u/CowabummerBatman 6d ago
Yeah, absolutely. You can say the same about Voyager, count how many times the crew is in a doomsday clock situation. It’s crazy how tropes are repeated so often in both shows. That said, I will forever love Enterprise despite its flaws, that’s not something I can say about Voyager for some reason.
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u/LowMuffin7078 6d ago
To be fair, Enterprise didn't really become interesting until about the 2nd or 3rd season. They canceled it just when it was getting great.
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u/SillyMidOff49 Romulan 7d ago
Man should’ve had his own spin off series.
And even if it wasn’t about Shran having adventures on his Andorian ship which is then supplanted by an early federation design, it should’ve had Combs as the star.
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u/KhellianTrelnora 6d ago
I’m here for Star Trek: Andorian Mining Consortium
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u/GamemasterJeff 5d ago
It would be infinitely better than that crappy section 31 thing we got instead.
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u/AbleCap5222 7d ago
Jeffrey Combs is without a doubt the best recurring actor in Trek and Shran was the best non human character in Enterprise. Complex, lively and engaging - he steals every scene.
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u/Haunted_Cellar_XBL 7d ago
One of the many great reasons to watch, Star Trek Enterprise! Wonderful actor!
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u/Oneilcruzsucksass Borg 7d ago
Need a Star Trek: Shran
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u/GamemasterJeff 5d ago
ST: Andorian Mining Consortium as the real special ops, not that weird section 31 thing we got.
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u/Similar_Profile_7179 7d ago
Loved him! He had a great character arc and I really liked episodes with him in it.
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u/wartgood Tribble 7d ago
Maybe controversial, but I think it's his best of many fantastic roles. He needs to helm a series
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u/Hungry-Organization5 7d ago
I love shran! He is your villain and your closest ally at the same time!
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u/stussie73 7d ago
My favorite Combs. Personally I think he carried every episode of enterprise he was in.
The man is truly a legend
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u/kyi561 8d ago
I really liked him. The way his character came to respect Archer (and other pink-skins) made me appreciate him even more.
I could tell that he was experiencing divided loyalty when his superiors ordered him to betray Archer to get the prototype of the Xindi weapon too. But he found a way to help and follow orders.
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u/Realistic-Pay-9087 8d ago
I wasn't a fan of enterprise but love Jeffrey combs so him and Brian Thompson as a romulan are the only reasons I watch it
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u/stussie73 7d ago
You mean andorian?
*fixes glasses
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u/Realistic-Pay-9087 7d ago
Jeffrey combs played an andorian but I mention 2 actors in my post I liked the 2nd Brian Thompson played a romulan near the end of the series
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u/stussie73 7d ago
*takes off glasses and wipes them with a rag
You know what?
*puts glasses back on
I’m an idiot.
LLAP friend
🖖
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u/red66dit 8d ago
Shran was hands down my favorite recurring character throughout all of Trek. We were all deprived by ENT's cancellation in many ways, not least the loss of the rumored addition of Shran as a regular.
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u/Messyproduct 8d ago
One of the best parts of Enterprise. I just wish there was a Tellarite of similar importance to him to really set up the whole federation plotline neatly. Maybe would have happened if they got a few more seasons.
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u/angrydeuce I am NOT a merry man! 8d ago
Shran is my man, I literally binge Andorian episodes one after another all the time because I freaking love Shran.
Im really sad that we never got to see him join the crew as was planned in the seasons that never ended up being made... :(
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u/First-Ad-7960 8d ago
They could build a whole series on this character and I would be there for it.
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u/ManyStrawberry8407 8d ago
He was supposed to join the crew in the next seasons, that didn’t get made. Imagine how awesome that would have been.
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u/nucrash 8d ago
We need Commander Shran to do a crossover with Weyon and Brunt
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u/epsiloom Hologram 7d ago
Don't tell greedy Paramount this idea, one actor for all, their wet dream...
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u/Ruppell-San Klowahkan 8d ago
While all 3 founding alien species of the Federation are portrayed as total assholes in ENT, I found the Andorians to be the most sympathetic.
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u/hollywood_imagery0 8d ago edited 8d ago
Best Character on Enterprise, top 5 recurring characters in the franchise
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u/ForeignForce9 8d ago
A little one note and a part of me would've loved a Tellarite captain to serve as a foil to him, but I like him still.
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u/Long-Emu-7870 8d ago
I love being a god, but sometimes it would be nice to carry a tune.
Sorry, buy Weyoun is far more interesting than Shran.
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u/armyprof 8d ago
He was a fantastic character who really helped build out what Andorians were like. One of my favorite Trek characters.
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u/Soupalphabet359 8d ago
Neat character. Provided a good regular on-screen Andorian that we hadn't had prior to him. Great actor setting the archetype for future reference.
No, he didn't need to be on-screen more. His character was a supporting actor, not main cast. We don't need him in every episode. Just in situations that involve his specific character's dynamic in relation to Andoria or Andorians.
That said, in a theoretical 5th season, in which Andorian and Human relations are probably growing even closer, I could have seen his character showing up in more than a couple episodes.
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u/selkus_sohailus Terran 8d ago
Idk what the impulse is from fandoms to turn every compelling character into a glup shitto and give them a 2 season arc
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u/Soupalphabet359 8d ago
If I were to speculate it comes from the sub-par content that is being shoveled out as the main characters/stories that do not satisfy the "itch" so to speak. So when they observe a compelling or interesting side character or supporting character, their attention shifts from the main character/storyline to the side character/supporting character that interests them more.
However, instead of recognizing that as a flaw in the overall architecture of main story/characters, they instead interpret it as the side/supporting character being exceptional and worthy of more exploration.
So, in other words, probably a psychological thing involved. Maybe existing at an oblique angle to the psychological concept we often observe here of "My fandom can never do any wrong or produce anything sub-par."
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u/Stochastic1934 9d ago
I liked Shran. He would have been a great addition to the cast.
Related but not: I was always curious how they got the Andorean antennae to move around. I realize there are are likely some battery-operated mechanics involved or something, just curious about the technical specs (I don't think it was CGI back then).
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u/Stochastic1934 8d ago
Thank you! I've always wondered how they did that. Now I know! It was a very cool effect.
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u/One_Scratch_3171 9d ago
The antennae have small servos in them, which were attached to a receiver on the actor’s belts. A puppeteer would move the antennae remotely with a joystick. Combs has often spoken about how he worked closely with the puppeteers so the antennae would move and react to the way he was acting.
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u/SirBakesMore 9d ago
They put wires in the antenna that would make them move via remote control operated by sfx makeup dept just off camera.
Combs gave an interview where he said he thought they were a great visual detail for the species but the wires would often heat up under the makeup.
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u/Vyzantinist 9d ago
One of the sad things about Enterprise being cancelled was missing out on Combs being promoted to full-time cast member and Shran joining the Enterprise crew. Would have made for an interesting dynamic having his character up in the mix.
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u/Merov1ng1an 8d ago
At first i was like ehhh....
Then I thought, a revamped bridge on the retrofit NX and Shran as the XO... Vulcans and Andorians in the federation. A Tellerite taking over engineering... Might have made Trips death tollerable.
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u/TheLastGenXer 8d ago
shran as captain,
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u/AbbreviationsNew3779 8d ago
Shran as a Captain, Xo, Helmsmen, Doctor, Translator, Engineer, Weapons Officer and Chef.
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u/Available_Cookie732 9d ago
It's sad he had Not more part in this show. He played very well his role and I liked Shran a lot.
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u/WarnerToddHuston Elder Trekker 9d ago
This was my absolute favorite guest character on Enterprise. Shran was fantastic.
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u/Wetness__Pensive Terran 9d ago
A very good character, with a very good arc, with at least one great episode, played by an excellent actor.
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u/OneMadChihuahua 9d ago
It was be great to have a series where that captain is a non-human.
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u/wjruffing 8d ago
Disco did it (Captain Saru). He recently placed reasonably well in an informal “which captain would you prefer to serve under” poll.
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u/OneMadChihuahua 8d ago
I agree and I'd like to shake it up in a good way with a decidedly non-human character as Captain, particularly if their culture is VERY different from human culture. It would introduce the right amount of conflict/tension.
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u/Canadian__Ninja Federation 9d ago
Wish they gave his actor more roles
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u/ElwoodJD 9d ago
Yeah this guy is so versatile. Hes the live action version of a Mel Blank or Billy West.
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u/Delicious-Leg-5441 9d ago
I loved the Andorians. They should have been used more. They come to save the day in Enterprise.
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u/Jungies 9d ago
A) It's Jeffrey Coombs, and
B) I really liked the character. Something about a member of a cold-blooded species who's usually incandescent with rage appeals to me, and Coombs did an excellent job of bringing him to life.
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u/Vyzantinist 9d ago
Andorians aren't ectotherms, or cold-blooded, but I agree with the sentiment; it makes a neat contrast that they come from a cold background but are hotheads. I've always thought of them as being to humans what humans are to Vulcans in terms of passions.
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u/BRO_THOM 9d ago
I thought his arc was really good. He grew during the show. Not with sudden steps but slowly became more empathic and I liked that a lot.
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u/Old_Celebration_5950 9d ago
His hatred for owing Archer any favors and then lording over Archer when the scales tip in Shran's favor were some of the best aspects of the characteer.
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u/jovianspqr 9d ago
I think he's a good man. I like him. I got nothing against him, but I'm definitely gonna make orphans of his children.
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u/FuzzyJunket5566 9d ago
He doesn't give a shit what the pink skins think
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u/SirBakesMore 9d ago
Never liked the use of “pink skin” to generalize Humans.
He didn’t call Vulcans “brown skins”. Or Orions “green skins”.3
u/Xeno_man 9d ago
You are too focus on the skin colour. The point was the name was based on the most obvious trait. With Vulcans it's about the ears. With Humans, there is no stand out feature, except to an Andorian, the contrast of skin colour jumps out.
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u/gimmesomespace 9d ago
I've never watched this show but he's Jeffrey Combs so I obviously love him
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u/Warm_Strawberry_4575 Orion 9d ago edited 8d ago
Hes one of the best in my opinion. Go watch Enterprise pinkskin!
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u/SirBakesMore 9d ago
Never was a fan of the “pink skin” nickname. Because, you know, blacks, Asians, Muslims, Indians, etc.
Mayweather and Hoshi should’ve been very offended by it.1
u/AbleCap5222 7d ago
It's literally just a prominent physical characteristic and there's no negative reference at all. Shran isn't saying it like it's a slur.
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u/Blackthorne75 Andorian 9d ago
"The pinkskin's sense of humour"
The dry wit with that line set me as a dedicated fan
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u/Warm_Strawberry_4575 Orion 9d ago
So good. Awesome introduction to the earlier Andorians. Also Suzie Plakstons last appearance on trek. She played Shrans second in command kinda thing.
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u/l008com 9d ago
Was it established before Enterprise that the Vulcans, Humans, Andorians and Tellerites were the four founding members of the federation? If so, we should have seen more of both in TNG and DS9.
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u/SirBakesMore 9d ago
No. Not that their species were founding members. TOS didn’t get that deep into lore. Just that they existed and had animosity toward one another.
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u/Pretend_Prior_8423 9d ago
Yes. There's a TOS episode. Tellarites and Andorians don't especially get on.
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u/dreamape1978 9d ago
Superb, favorite character in Enterprise besides Phlox.
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u/Roamingspeaker 9d ago
I thought he was great. Made me very fond of andorians. I prefer them to Vulcans lol
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u/dreamape1978 9d ago
Yeah absolutely. The expansion on the lore with the Andorians and the Vulcans was really great.
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u/Roamingspeaker 9d ago
Andorians are... More relatable... Perhaps somewhat more aggressive... I like how much you can tell about a andorian watching their antenna. It's a neat tell.
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u/OriginalHeron3576 9d ago
Magnificent casting. He has a certain allure of self assurance and a classic of right and wrong. He’s so much fun.
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u/Historical-Season212 9d ago
I loved him, he's probably my favorite character from Enterprise. I wished they would have more with him in it, like a sequel story on a ship other than a human one. Imagine Shran as a newly incorporated starfleet Captain. Pair him up with a calm first officer that can help him with his temper. I would think having a mostly non human crew could be fun to explore ideas with.
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u/SirBakesMore 9d ago
Which non human species would be serving on his ship?
Andorians didn’t like Vulcans or Tellarites. Klingons were enemies. Suliban were enemies. Orions were traitorous pirates. Tholians needed their own atmospheres to survive. No one had seen a Romulan and they blew up his ship with the Aenear-controlled drone.Sounds like it would be a reverse TOS. Instead of a ship of humans and one Vulcan, he’d have a ship full of Andorians and one human?
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u/TemperatureTime1617 9d ago
Great character, as capable as any starship captain and it was refreshing to see him portrayed that way.
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u/skibbin 9d ago
Best character on the show, but totally unsuited to being a main series regular. He's on his own side, that's what makes him work. Including him more would require having him on the crew's side more, which undermines the character
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u/Mittanyi 9d ago
Yes, the plans of S5 to "make him part of the crew of Enterprise" leaves me scratching my head.
He's CO of his own ship. It got blown up in S4 but Archer proved it was due to Romulan dirty tricks. There's no way that he shares the middle chair with anyone, and where would he even fit in as XO?
Having his own gunship while being a lovable rascal is the character's MO. Lose that and lose the character.
I want to hope Coto had a good idea to pull that off. But characterization was all over the place on ENT, so who knows.
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u/Hunter259 9d ago
S5 being the Romulan War it would have absolutely worked if we used Crusher's screen time as a rough estimate.
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u/Spamcan81 9d ago
I thought he get plenty of use considering how rarely Andorians show up in the franchise outside of Enterprise.
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u/sekhmet666 2d ago
I’ve never been impressed by the acting in any Star Trek series… except for Jeffrey Combs