Star Trek: 10 Characters Who Must Return (2023)

Let's get the Tuesday jokes out of the way, folks!

Revisiting this character is a must for several reasons. Harriman was the first in the long line of illustrious captains of the Enterprise post-Kirk (Will Decker did try, before the uncomfortable demotion). Not only was Harriman stepping into some pretty big Starfleet-issue boots, for all he knew his ill-fated shakedown cruise killed the very legend he was replacing. It's perfectly possible, however, that Harriman was still alive in 2371 for the Veridian III re-emergence, and so learnt he wasn't responsible for Kirk's demise after all.

Harriman's captaincy of the Enterprise-B also marks the start of the 'Lost Era,' defined in the series of books that originated the term as beginning with Kirk's 'death' in 2293 and ending with the launch of the Enterprise-D in 2363 and/or with the Cardassian withdrawal from Bajor in 2369.

An ideal way for 'Lost Era' Enterprise-B and its captain to return to our screens, maybe even before Tuesday, would be to focus on the Tomed Incident of 2311, leading to the Treaty of Algeron and the quasi-disappearance of the Romulans for over 50 years. The Lost Era novel Serpents Among the Ruins puts Captain Harriman and crew of the Enterprise-B at the forefront of these events.

Alan Ruck, who played Harriman, is evidently still working (a little show called Succession you might have heard of) and previously reprised the Generations role in the Tim Russ directed fan production Star Trek: Of Gods and Men. He may not be averse to doing so again, therefore, in a more official capacity.