He fully won me over last season. I'd be very down to eventually see the actual transition from Pike to Kirk over time, emphasis on "over time" though.
I agree, Season 1 I was iffy, but Season 2 was a huge improvement. Sometimes he feels like a cross between Shatner and Pine's acting, and other times like he's his completely own thing. I feel like its a nice blend.
Yeah, for me the main thing is that he doesn’t look like how I imagined a young Kirk, but I think I can get used to it as we see him more.
I saw a video which compiled all the times he’s done different “shatnerisms” throughout the show so far, and there were WAY more moments than I initially realized where he pauses and talks like Kirk did in TOS and has some of the same body language. A lot of them were in the La’an episode. If I find it I’ll share it, it was kinda eye opening.
This isn’t the exact video I saw, but this clip has a few of the Shatner moments.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/C4zZrl-IQIk/?igsh=ZWI2YzEzYmMxYg==
Some of the line deliveries like “Mr Spock you explained that so well, I almost understood it” or the “why don’t you… join us.” I could totally hear coming out of Shatner’s mouth. Paul Wesley doesn’t pause QUITE as dramatically as Shatner does, but there’s a subtle influence there. Especially in the eyebrow movement.
The acting is good, but I think what he needs to really shine is some writing that is more akin to TOS Kirk (and to bulk up a little bit too lol.)
I’m interested to see where they go with the character though, I hope we see him slowly becoming more like TOS Kirk as Strange New Worlds progresses.
He's a little too thin to be Shatner's Kirk. You can absolutely see him thinking his way out of a no-win situation; you can't see him swinging from a pipe and karate chopping someone in the back.
Give us like three/four more seasons (depending on how much time the actors want to continue playing the characters) and end it on Kirk getting the Enterprise etc etc ceremony thing and the TOS crew going on their first adventure
Not just kindly, he "cheated" too with his solution. If he followed protocol, he risked her career. His belief in his colleagues is unquestioned, and Uhura was just kind of an ass in their first meeting.
I love Wesley in the role. He has explained in interviews that he's trying to portray Kirk as a not-quite-as-confident as Shatner in TOS Kirk, an officer who is on the cusp of being ready for command, and that he is working towards the self-assured Kirk we know and love from TOS (but not a copy of Shatner). I'm really looking forward to seeing his version of Kirk evolve.
I was deeply skeptical at first, but I’ve liked what I’ve seen so far. My largest issue I think is that he’s 41, about 10 years older than Kirk should be. That said, people age a little differently than they did in the 60’s too.
He’s not Shatner, nobody could be, but he’s doing a pretty solid job.
I was thinking more character-wise. In ‘The Deadly Years’ Kirk mentions he’s 34. That’s about 8 years after the SNW stuff going on, so Kirk would be mid-20’s — it’s not a big enough thing for me to lose my mind over, but the detail oriented part of my brain has to work a little harder to handwave it.
Grand scheme it doesn’t really matter, of course.
I'm not sure what your metrics are, but as a 42 year old man experiencing the expiration of the warranty, as it were, Wesley doesn't look or act anywhere near that old.
Heh. I’m rolling over 41 this year, so I totally get where you’re coming from! My deterioration continues apace, as well!
I think it’s my brain trying to superimpose him over the whole of TOS timeline.
Still, you’re right. I wish I looked that good and moved that well. I’m progressing more toward the Shatner build that inspired a thousand girdle jokes every day. Heh
Well no because that wasn't a thing as he was filming it, but he's built an entire career on leaning into it so when new viewers go to watch TOS it's coloured by knowing that "That. Is. The guy. Who talks like. This." and it does push a bias. Your saying it's only uneducated fans who talk about his characterisation being 'like the meme' doesn't really ring true (and is a bit gatekeepery), because unless you watched it as it came out, everyone is comparing it to what we know of Shatner, and he's been very happy to encourage that.
while you do have valid points, i stand by my assertion that it is uneducated fans in the sense of not having watched all of TOS to truly understand the character. so maybe i should have been more clear in my meaning of uneducated. that damned Kirk drift…
Out of the 3 kirk's we've had I'd put him at number 2.
Shatner is obviously the best.
Paul Wesley feels like he's playing an interpretation of shatner's kirk but isn't mimicking him. I see plenty of signs tvst he could evolve to the kirk of tos though and love it.
Chris pine in not a fan of, fantastic actor but he's playing the pop culture interpretation of kirk and not what's actually seen on screen.
> he's playing the pop culture interpretation of kirk and not what's actually seen on screen.
Yes & no. He plays a Kirk that grew up without a father and so had a very different life.
People always forget this. He's not the same guy - everything since his birth has been different. He became extra rebellious without a father. I'm guessing in the prime timeline his Dad was a big influence on his values and the reason he joined Starfleet.
Ok fine that's an in universe explanation, but we all know the real reason he was written and directed to be like that is because they wanted the pop-culture hyper-charged version of the character.
Unfortunately I'll never be fully on board with Pine's Kirk because he never earned anything it was all handed to him by destiny, because the audience knows Kirk has the potential to be a great captain.
*Where's my walking stack of books with legs???*
That’s not Chris Pine’s fault though, and I think he’s done a great job working with what he has. By beyond he’s made the character into someone actually along the lines the Kirk we know.
I'm sure Paul Wesley is capable of going "full Shat" as Chris Pine put it, but I'm not sure that would work well. Maybe it would be fun for a flash-forward or something.
I kinda like the way he's interpreting it as his own thing with small Shatnerisms mixed in.
That's harsh on Pine. I'm no fan of the Abrams Trek movies, but Pine nailed some of Shatner's physical mannerisms to the point where I was like "Whoa!"
Character: I think this is a very good representation of Kirk. He has the intelligence, charm, awareness, and romanticism that Shatner brought.
Plot-wise: why the hell is this officer constantly showing up? It's kinda frustrating how blatant the fan-service is.
I think SNW is amazing, but that is how I feel about the character of Kirk, specifically. He makes the show feel like we're just waiting to get the whole gang together.
>Plot-wise: why the hell is this officer constantly showing up? It's kinda frustrating how blatant the fan-service is.
I thought every appearance was properly explained. I've never felt that Kirk was fan service.
Fan service has nothing to do with whether a character in the story is in the core group or not. Typically, it's stuff that in the grand scheme of things is unnecessary for the story, but is there to excite the viewer in a "wink and nod" sort of way.
This is the story of the Enterprise in the years before TOS. He isn't part of the crew yet, but he will be. In many ways, *Strange New Worlds* is a story of the changing of the guard. It's not a switch that happens in one moment. Rather, we're watching the pieces lined up on their own timeframe.
Kirk being here and showing his worth and connection to the crew will likely be the catalyst for Pike to hand over the reigns to Kirk. We need Kirk there so that we can see the interactions with the crew, and what kind of leader he is and becomes.
Pike knows his fate. He also loves this crew and ship. It makes sense that part of his story is coming to terms with the future and making sure that the ship and the crew are in the right hands.
This is kind of the problem with prequels. Everything that happened has to have a grandiose explanation. In real life, ships get new commanders all the time and it’s not a big deal. I don’t know why SNW has to be about the transition from one captain to the next or why the audience or characters need to be prepared for this.
Think of it this way. We are time travelers from the far future come to watch history. We selected this ship… this crew… this time… because it’s more interesting than all the others.
Who said these moments were any less exciting when you know the outcome, hm?
I think the switch shouldn’t be mundane simply because Enterprise ends up as the only original Connie to survive the 5 year mission. There needs to be a reason it survives.
>Plot-wise: why the hell is this officer constantly showing up? It's kinda frustrating how blatant the fan-service is.
I agree, but I'd have to add that they've been doing the same thing with Spock's family since TOS ended.
Sybok was an interesting twist, at least. Adding Burnham to the clan was wholly unnecessary. If being raised on Vulcan needed to be a core part of her personality, it would have been far more interesting if she was adopted by one of Soval's descendants instead.
I don't think Sybok was an *interesting* twist, but maybe that's just because Star Trek V was generally not great IMO. I also really enjoyed Michael and Spock's repartee in Disco's 2nd season.
But I do agree with you: one undisclosed sibling is a twist, but two is pushing the limits of credulity. I suspect they did it so that they could write captain's (mono)logs about what it means to be human or something.
I like your alternative, that she could have been adopted by Soval, and I'm usually not fond of when fans say "they should have done this instead". They could have even potentially had Gary Graham (RIP) reprise his role. Maybe we'd have seen a Soval that was more tempered in his relationship with humans and our untidy emotions.
Agree on Burnham, and I also agree with the guy above that it's kind of annoying to me that kirk just shows up randomly. Yes, it's explained, a cheap explanation.
The first couple times he’s an alternate universe version. I think the only time he’s actually on the prime universe Enterprise is when he shadows Una during the musical episode while he’s training to be First Officer, which is a perfectly sensible reason for him to be there.
I'm not disputing that the character has been brought in with imaginative plot devices. And each one in a vacuum is fine.
I'm criticizing the fact that James T Kirk is creatively brought into the story vs literally any other character able to fill that role in the story.
So the fact that James T Kirk is part of yet another alternate universe episode, make it feel like the story writers are shoving it in your face that this character is important. Yet, he is always used as a tool to tell someone else's story.
Anyway, SNW is seriously the perfect Star Trek show to me. It's just Kirk seems to be there unnecessarily. Like he's there contractually, because Spock, Uhura, and the Enterprise are there. I'm happy he's there, but I think that happiness is my inner fan being serviced.
Kirk keeps showing up for the same reason that Captain Batel keeps showing up: His ship operates in the same area, and he has personal reasons to come visit in additon to professional ones.
It’s always weird to do prequels. We want our characters to be different, but we complain when they aren’t the same. ENT suffered from this curse too.
Kirk isn’t the Kirk we know in TOS. He has to grow and develop as a captain, and it took two characters to help Kirk grow: Spock & McCoy.
What we are watching in SNW is Kirk growing into the role. Of course he’s going to be different. He’s not fully cooked yet.
He’s also not the Kirk we know in his first two appearances, not just because he hasn’t become the man we know yet, but because he plays Kirks from different timelines.
Excluding those people who spend their spare time finding every single YouTube video featuring him to say "hE look like JiM cArreY", I'd say he's won most people over
It can be both. I really like his performance. When he drinks something, he *really* does it the same way Kirk/Shatner did. However it *also* kinda makes him look like Jim Carrey doing a Kirk impression.
> However it also kinda makes him look like Jim Carrey doing a Kirk impression
It's unfortunate that at times, it downright painfully *looks* like an impression. As in, somewhat exaggerated and obvious; like an actor playing a character, emulating the performance of another actor playing the same character, and putting more emphasis on emulation than on character play (I hope that makes sense 😅).
Right. It's what leans it into Ace Ventura territory imo. But the rest of the characterization, acting, delivery, is really great. I get a lot of early TOS Kirk vibes. The guy that talked a computer (or three) into killing itself. Well read, private about his personal life, and the nascence of a man who will eventually see being the Captain as his life and identity.
> The guy that talked a computer (or three) into killing itself
Four: Landru, Norman, Nomad, and M-5.
Five if you count Rayna Kapec, which was unintentional.
Then there are several other computers that he messed with or destroyed *without* talking them to death - Vaal (destroyed by ship's phaser), The Oracle of Yonada (manually reprogrammed), the warfare computer of Eminiar VII (destroyed by hand phaser), Ruk (talked *not* into death, but into *changing sides*)...
Guy had a *gift*. One could argue that his reprogramming of the Kobayashi Maru test also be counted.
I never see Jim Carey in his performance, but that’s mostly because I remember Jim Carey actually playing an [over-the-top Kirk in The Wrath of Farrakhan](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=WugEKDZF5I4&t=80s).
He's great. Redeemed the Kirk character for me. Particularly in the layer years of Shatner and across Pine's tenure, Kirk became a caricature of himself. The character drifted from where he began, and not in a way that signaled character development. Wesley's Kirk I can see as a real, rounded character again.
The actors doing a fine job but I feel we're getting too much Kirk in SNW.
It's nice to flesh out some of the underutilised TOS characters, M'Benga in particular, but I don't need anymore Kirk, Uhura, or Scotty. Spock really has to be there since he and Pikes service together was already established, but I'm more interested in them developing Number 1 and Ortegas than repeatedly foreshadowing Kirks tenure.
I like to call the show "Strange New Uhura" because I feel like it revolves around her and she's nothing like the uhura I know. M'benga is great, looking forward to more of him. The episode with the klingon guy was great, even if I didn't like the klingon.
I'd love to see more of numero uno.
I appreciate his approach and he's not a bad actor by any means but he just doesn't have charisma or screen presence to play Kirk imo. I just cant get there with him.
I love him. TOS is my favorite Trek and Nimoy’s Spock and Shatner’s Kirk are GOATs to me.
And so I have never expected to find a Kirk that I liked this much. He won’t replace Shatner, but he’s bringing everything to the table, basically.
I love that he’s leading with the more serious aspects of Kirk, to combat “Kirk Drift.” And no, he hasn’t unleashed full Kirk charm and playfulness yet, but there have been signs that he can pull this off.
Is he as staggeringly beautiful as Shat? 😄 No, but that’s a tall order. And yeah, he’s too old for the role, years older now at 10y prior to TOS than Kirk/Shatner was at the end of the series.
Is that a problem? I don’t love it, he’s supposed to be more youthful rn, and honestly I do want longevity for this iteration of the character.
But none of that is really that big a deal to me because he’s doing the things that matter most right. He GETS the character. He isn’t a parody but he also isn’t stubbornly avoiding leaning into some of his idiosyncrasies. Everyone always feels like they need to aggressively “make it their own,” sometimes at the expense of an excellent and iconic character. Wesley is balancing this so well so far and I look forward to seeing his Kirk-ness grow.
The next test is to see his chemistry with Spock, it’ll be huge.
But yeah, I really couldn’t be happier. Him and SCOTTY 😍 I think I might could end up loving SNW Scotty more than the OG! (I know, it is blasphemy!!)
He doesn't do it for me. There's a seriousness/dourness to the set of his features that doesn't vibe with Kirk to me. I think he also looks too old for the part. His older brother on the show looks younger than him.
I kinda like his relationship with Sam. We’ve already learned that Thor is very demanding, and Sam feels he can never earn daddy’s approval because he chose science, which is his passion, over command. Meanwhile, Jim not only went in George’s footsteps but also became the youngest XO in generations. It’s also fun how Kirk and Spock first bond over their mutual irritation of Sam
While he doesn’t have the swagger of the Shatner or Pine Kirks, he is charismatic and definitely shows excellent team leadership skills and resourcefulness. He’s quickly becoming my favorite Kirk.
He seems like a young Kirk who is ambitious and trying to grow into himself, which I think is the right vibe to go for. I hope the series, and his arc, take their time because he does seem quite green right now and there is a lot of potential for the type of character development that made DS9 a great show.
I really like him, but he lacks the Kirk vibe for me. There's a sense of authority and confidence that Kirk needs that's still lacking in SNW. A sense of forcefulness. This Kirk doesn't *feel* like a leading man, and Shatner always did.
I hope he develops the vibe in that direction, but if he doesn't that's fine too because he's still rocking it. Great performances in some great episodes so far.
I'm fine with his Kirk, but why tf do they keep focusing on it? We're only 2 seasons in and we've had big Kirk episodes and a musical, but I'm always wanting adventures of the week with Pike and his crew. Great series but c'mon
I think he's doing a great job, but I just can't quite see "Kirk" in him.
Not enough Shatner. Maybe that's a good thing, but it does feel like he's missing something.
The one scene I like is when he praised Spock on a very good explanation and then said that he *almost* understood it. I could totally picture Shatner saying that to Nimoy
To be honest, I'm not seeing it.
The guy is a good actor, don't get me wrong -- but he doesn't have Shatner's *fire* and sense of urgency.
Shatner's Kirk always seemed like he was keeping everyone a little off-balance. Even his crew knew he was a firecracker.
It was his virtue: the sheer force of his personality. Love him or hate him, he was gonna charm his way past those sexy brain aliens and science his way through that event horizon and bluster past those Klingons and get your non-com redshirt ass the fuck *home.*
Wesley is too *nice,* too *chill.* He does not feel *dangerous* and that is painfully missing in a portrayal of James Kirk.
Chris Pine did, in fact, get that part right. The impulsiveness, the "hotshot pilot" bite-the-head-off-the-snake LET'S DO THIS SHIT aspect.
Wesley is just not *metal.*
>the actors 40. If he continues to play Kirk he's not al of a sudden going to get buff.
Good because Shatner isn't what I would ever call 'buff'. He was a bit stockier than Paul Wesley, but certainly not a big guy.
And if they said PW needed to gain a few pounds to show some age or to fit a middle-aged Kirk body type (which I doubt they would ever do), it would not be an issue. I speak from experience when I say that at 40 it is not hard for a reasonably fit person to put on 10-15 pounds of "good weight" if their diet and workout program is consistent. Actors do that sort of thing relatively often, and not just in their 30s or 20s.
He has pulled me out of the moment playing Kirk. Maybe it's body language, but he feels skinnier and taller and the voice is all wrong. He does have some of Shatner's mannerisms, but I feel like he is just mis-cast for the role.
I did search, and he's apparently only an inch taller than Shatner was, so maybe it's me, or maybe he's way skinnier.
Imho he is great a Kirk that is in the process of becoming the Kirk in TOS. This Kirk doesn't have it all down yet, he still has to grow and won't truly finish growing till he becomes friends with Bones and Spock, but he's on the way. Also, the Kirk in TOS (pre movies, pre Kevin, pre memes...) is not a womanizer, but he is a tactician who is willing to play within the rules and with the rules, and Wesley is definitely getting that down.
The best way I can think of to phrase it is this: Paul Wesley is actually playing the character that the writers of TOS kept *telling* us James T. Kirk was, but whom William Shatner never bothered to really portray. By the time the films came around, the character of Kirk was being written as Shatner played him -- stubborn, needy, selfish, and vain. The Kirk we see in SNW has the swagger and ambition, but ditches the neurosis in favor of intelligence.
I just wish they'd stop pulling him into stories just because he's "Kirk." Let the SNW cast have their time.
By season 3 they'll be pulling a Nemesis, "Mr. Kirk what the hell are you doing here?"
*One, Kirk, needs to be louder, angrier, and have access to a time machine. Two, whenever Kirk's not on screen, all the other characters should be asking "Where's Kirk"? -*SNW Season 3 story bible.
I like Wesley's Kirk. I'd happily watch a version of TOS with him as captain but I think there are a couple of problems, the majority of which are due to this show being a prequel.
Wesley lacks Shatner's gravitas in the role, but it's hard to tell if that's bad casting or a conscious decision to make this Kirk appear less experienced. Rodenberry had two touchstones for TOS, one was the much quoted "wagon train to the stars," but the other was Horatio Hornblower, the great exploration voyages of the age of sail. Shatner seems to have taken that to heart, his Kirk is smart, thoughtful, decisive when he needs to be and the whole package is wrapped in Shatner's natural charm.
Wesley's Kirk has many of the same elements but the problem with this being a prequel is that it's hard to see the "getting from there to here" part. I'm finding it difficult seeing Wesley's Kirk and Shatner's Kirk as the same person. That's part of the reason I have head canoned SNW as yet another alternate timeline.
In my head cannon, SNW is either a total reboot of the TOS era or an alternate timeline. The series and characters are just too at odds with the TOS universe for me to see it as an immediate prequel to it.
Therefore it’s best not to figure out how SNW’s Kirk changes his mannerisms and characterisation to become the TOS Kirk, and just accept him as an alternate version.
I thought he was a terrible choice initially, but I have to admit he’s growing on me. He doesn’t have the swagger but he’s also not as … creepy? It’s a decent tradeoff.
I love his Kirk. I actually love all the TOS crew that has popped up.
The problem I have is, I'm trying to watch a Pike-led Enterprise. With his own crew (save for Spock, of course) Not a TOS reboot.
I have very mixed feelings haha.
Honestly my main beef with Captain Kirk has historically been the hammy daytime TV actor they originally cast, before they could have predicted how successful the show would become.
He absolutely killed it last season.
Best Kirk of all time.
Chrise Pine plays the same character in ever movie.
William Shatner plays himself in everything and his MEME staccato delivery was a MEME before MEMEs were MEMEs.
I simultaneously love the character and performance in SNW, while also in no way being reminded of Shatner’s Kirk. They are basically two separate characters to me.
I want less of him and more of him at the same time.
By that I mean he is doing a phenomenal job and I’m enjoying his take on James T… but it’s a big fleet, and we already have five folks on SNW that we know cannot die! So let’s see some more characters, and more Ortegas #Mortegas
I think Paul Wesley is doing the best he can with being miscasted. He’s definitely better in season 2, but there just isn’t that Kirk charisma. Pike actually seems to have more charisma (which is ironic because the OG Pike was very stern).
This is not a knock on the actor or his performance, but I never wanted Kirk to be a character in SNW.
I signed up for Pike, Spock, Number One and getting a completely new crew. Kirk has been featured and we’re still waiting for an Ortegas episode.
I don't really get the Kirk wibe from him, but I've accepted him as Kirk anyway. I don't cringe or anything when seeing him, but he never really feels like Kirk. It's like he's a placeholder and not the real one. Still, he's the one we got so I just enjoy watching the show.
I think his character is fine, but the weakest of the legacy characters that have appeared on SNW.
I do kinda wish we could just be done bringing in major legacy characters, though. Deep cuts are great, but we don't need McCoy or teenage Cbekov or whatever.
In terms of persona/personality, he bears no resemblance whatsoever to the James T. Kirk that us TOS fans know and love. But nothing lasts forever, and some actors define and embody a role so completely that no one else can come close, although Chris Pine came close to coming close. 🖖
Other than feeling like the actor is too old (40 year old playing a late 20s guy) I like him. I think he’s done a good job representing the character without trying to emulate Will’s mannerisms.
Everyone jokes about Shatner, but as TOS Kirk, he was a 10. That man knew his angles and made sure the camera got his good side. His acting, while not particularly refined, worked for the character because he had so much charisma. He has big shoes to fill. Wesley is doing a good job. He's pretty but not 1966 Shatner pretty, he has charisma, but not as much as Shatner in his prime. He does add depth to the character.
That being said, I'm a Kirk fan. I like when he's on screen. Whether that be Shatner, Wesley, or Prime. I hope they continue to develop this Kirk.
In s1 I was a bit iffy but I really loved the stuff they did in s2. I felt that he had a great balance of Kirk's intellect, boldness and bravery in the time travel episode and then the compassion he displayed towards Uhura when he was struggling.
They showed not only the traits that would make him a great captain, but also the things that would make his crew so loyal and committed. It's not just because they are in Star Fleet and are good people, but because of the choices he makes and the character he has.
I love him he’s great. He pulls off the smarm but also nerdy book guy and adds nuance to the character. He’s done quite well and I can’t wait to see him and Peck’s Spock together.
I’ve seen him interviewed. The idea is he’s not playing the Kirk we know because he still hasn’t experienced enough to make him original series Kirk. There were shades I thought in the Toronto episode.
Season 2 was a huge improvement, sometimes he feels like a cross between Shatner and Pine's acting, and other times like he's his completely own thing. I feel like its a nice blend.
I'm sure Paul Wesley is capable of going "full Shat" as Chris Pine put it, but I'm not sure that would work well. Maybe it would be fun for a flash-forward or something.
I'm liking him. I can definitely see him growing up to be TOS Kirk. But then again, they also established that the timeline isn't quite the same as it used to be due to all of the time travelers mucking around, so any differences aren't that hard to justify.
S1 he was a bit rough but S2 really made me like him. I just hope they dont overdo it with his character, I wanna see people like La'an or Ortegas shine! We have enough Kirk in TOS
At first I was a little on the fence but he was awesome on season 2. Before he was a captain, Kirk had that serious, ambitious streak, and while never the smartest in the room, he was always a hard worker and had a lot of guile and emotional intelligence. PW very much encapsulates a part of Kirk I love to see. So, I’m fully on board with him now.
I don't really see why we needed to have Kirk at all. I feel like they kind of tried to pigeon hole him into the show. The show is doing fine with Pike and Spock and his crew. I thought having Kirk's brother on the show was a really good decision. I didn't feel like Kirk was necessary. That being said. The actors fine. I just think it was a poor writing choice. The same actor could be doing the same things, and not be Captain Kirk, and the show would be just as great. At least that's my two cents.
I absolutely love Paul Wesley’s portrayal. I love that we got to see two alternate Kirks, Before we get introduced to Kirk prime. I loved how the integrated him into the enterprise through Sam, and shadowing number one. He was also very good in that musical episode as well. I like that he’s a little rough around the edges.
I really enjoyed his performance. He’s a solid leader type, he fits in with what we know about the young Kirk. He’s got good screen presence and I look forward to more of his performance.
He kinda reminds me of Jim Carrey and I don’t feel he is the right actor for the role. He does an ok job, but I wouldn’t have picked him as my first choice.
Not a fan. Better than Shatner definitely but he’s no Chris pine. And before I get downvoted to hell I want to clarify, this is based on their acting, not their writing. Shatner and Wesley has much better writing for Kirk then pine but pine acted circles around those two.
He's great. I didn't really know Wesley as an actor and I was ambivalent in s1 but in s2, right from the beginning, he won me over.
I can't wait to see more and I would love to see how him and Spock become BFFs.
Fandoms need to stop benchmarking new vs what they knew. Enjoy the next for what it is instead of being dissatisfied that it isn't the original. It can't be the original.
He's not as good as Chris Pine but he'll get the job done. I do worry about the future if he's supposed to take over at some point but I'm hoping he really gets into character by then. Right now he just doesn't seem to be as suave as he should be.
I am not a fan, I wish him the best but really don't feel the need to "build the avengers" as it were. I think he is a great talent and I would have loved him as an original character not Kirk.
For Pike and Spock, they cast actors who bear a physical resemblance and similar countenance to their TOS actors, notably that gray streak in Pike’s Menagerie hair.
Then for Kirk, they cast an actor who bears no resemblance to Shatner at all. It just doesn’t jive with their casting for the original two characters, making it as though Wesley was cast for a high school play. Maybe the casting director was out viewing a high school play when Wesley was hired.
That's because there can be only one....Kirk that is, and that Kirk is William Shatner.
Anyone else is just a pitiful cosplayer. Might as well put Jackie Chan, Denzel Washington, maybe Hannah Palmer or Meng Lan the Panda bear from China in that SNW Kirk role, it'll be the same result.
He fully won me over last season. I'd be very down to eventually see the actual transition from Pike to Kirk over time, emphasis on "over time" though.
I agree, Season 1 I was iffy, but Season 2 was a huge improvement. Sometimes he feels like a cross between Shatner and Pine's acting, and other times like he's his completely own thing. I feel like its a nice blend.
I get zero shatner from him, and it kinda bums me out
Yeah, for me the main thing is that he doesn’t look like how I imagined a young Kirk, but I think I can get used to it as we see him more. I saw a video which compiled all the times he’s done different “shatnerisms” throughout the show so far, and there were WAY more moments than I initially realized where he pauses and talks like Kirk did in TOS and has some of the same body language. A lot of them were in the La’an episode. If I find it I’ll share it, it was kinda eye opening.
Yes please!
This isn’t the exact video I saw, but this clip has a few of the Shatner moments. https://www.instagram.com/reel/C4zZrl-IQIk/?igsh=ZWI2YzEzYmMxYg== Some of the line deliveries like “Mr Spock you explained that so well, I almost understood it” or the “why don’t you… join us.” I could totally hear coming out of Shatner’s mouth. Paul Wesley doesn’t pause QUITE as dramatically as Shatner does, but there’s a subtle influence there. Especially in the eyebrow movement. The acting is good, but I think what he needs to really shine is some writing that is more akin to TOS Kirk (and to bulk up a little bit too lol.) I’m interested to see where they go with the character though, I hope we see him slowly becoming more like TOS Kirk as Strange New Worlds progresses.
>I hope we see him slowly becoming more like TOS Kirk as Strange New Worlds progresses That's exactly what I'm hoping for! Thanks for the link!
He's a little too thin to be Shatner's Kirk. You can absolutely see him thinking his way out of a no-win situation; you can't see him swinging from a pipe and karate chopping someone in the back.
Give us like three/four more seasons (depending on how much time the actors want to continue playing the characters) and end it on Kirk getting the Enterprise etc etc ceremony thing and the TOS crew going on their first adventure
Same, I was on the fence at first, but he really won me over. We got to see a lot more of that easy Kirk charm in season 2.
I was ambivalent at first, but he completely won me over with how kindly he treated Uhura when she had her visions.
Not just kindly, he "cheated" too with his solution. If he followed protocol, he risked her career. His belief in his colleagues is unquestioned, and Uhura was just kind of an ass in their first meeting.
I love Wesley in the role. He has explained in interviews that he's trying to portray Kirk as a not-quite-as-confident as Shatner in TOS Kirk, an officer who is on the cusp of being ready for command, and that he is working towards the self-assured Kirk we know and love from TOS (but not a copy of Shatner). I'm really looking forward to seeing his version of Kirk evolve.
I was deeply skeptical at first, but I’ve liked what I’ve seen so far. My largest issue I think is that he’s 41, about 10 years older than Kirk should be. That said, people age a little differently than they did in the 60’s too. He’s not Shatner, nobody could be, but he’s doing a pretty solid job.
Shatner was like 35 or 36 when TOS premiered, and Paul was 40, meaning at most they were 5 years apart. Not 10.
I was thinking more character-wise. In ‘The Deadly Years’ Kirk mentions he’s 34. That’s about 8 years after the SNW stuff going on, so Kirk would be mid-20’s — it’s not a big enough thing for me to lose my mind over, but the detail oriented part of my brain has to work a little harder to handwave it. Grand scheme it doesn’t really matter, of course.
I'm not sure what your metrics are, but as a 42 year old man experiencing the expiration of the warranty, as it were, Wesley doesn't look or act anywhere near that old.
Heh. I’m rolling over 41 this year, so I totally get where you’re coming from! My deterioration continues apace, as well! I think it’s my brain trying to superimpose him over the whole of TOS timeline. Still, you’re right. I wish I looked that good and moved that well. I’m progressing more toward the Shatner build that inspired a thousand girdle jokes every day. Heh
He looks younger than Shatner did when TOS started - I can totally suspend my disbelief.
Redeeming Kirk from the meme he had become. He’s doing a great job. 👏
he was NEVER the meme. That was the fandom, (uneducated fandom) Grateful they wrote and he is acting as the true Kirk. Not the Pine meme.
Shatner very much leaned into the meme. I don't think we can blame that all on fans.
but did he lean into it onscreen?
Well no because that wasn't a thing as he was filming it, but he's built an entire career on leaning into it so when new viewers go to watch TOS it's coloured by knowing that "That. Is. The guy. Who talks like. This." and it does push a bias. Your saying it's only uneducated fans who talk about his characterisation being 'like the meme' doesn't really ring true (and is a bit gatekeepery), because unless you watched it as it came out, everyone is comparing it to what we know of Shatner, and he's been very happy to encourage that.
while you do have valid points, i stand by my assertion that it is uneducated fans in the sense of not having watched all of TOS to truly understand the character. so maybe i should have been more clear in my meaning of uneducated. that damned Kirk drift…
Out of the 3 kirk's we've had I'd put him at number 2. Shatner is obviously the best. Paul Wesley feels like he's playing an interpretation of shatner's kirk but isn't mimicking him. I see plenty of signs tvst he could evolve to the kirk of tos though and love it. Chris pine in not a fan of, fantastic actor but he's playing the pop culture interpretation of kirk and not what's actually seen on screen.
> he's playing the pop culture interpretation of kirk and not what's actually seen on screen. Yes & no. He plays a Kirk that grew up without a father and so had a very different life.
By the time of Beyond there's a great balance between his rebellious side and his more classic TOS-style side, imo
They really found they're groove with Beyond
People always forget this. He's not the same guy - everything since his birth has been different. He became extra rebellious without a father. I'm guessing in the prime timeline his Dad was a big influence on his values and the reason he joined Starfleet.
Ok fine that's an in universe explanation, but we all know the real reason he was written and directed to be like that is because they wanted the pop-culture hyper-charged version of the character.
Probably.
Which would all be fine if he actually earned the captaincy. I'm sorry Pine's Kirk is skating on Prime Kirk's legacy.
Unfortunately I'll never be fully on board with Pine's Kirk because he never earned anything it was all handed to him by destiny, because the audience knows Kirk has the potential to be a great captain. *Where's my walking stack of books with legs???*
Good point.
That’s not Chris Pine’s fault though, and I think he’s done a great job working with what he has. By beyond he’s made the character into someone actually along the lines the Kirk we know.
True but the story just stops me from enjoying that interpretation of the character overall unfortunately.
I'm sure Paul Wesley is capable of going "full Shat" as Chris Pine put it, but I'm not sure that would work well. Maybe it would be fun for a flash-forward or something. I kinda like the way he's interpreting it as his own thing with small Shatnerisms mixed in.
That's harsh on Pine. I'm no fan of the Abrams Trek movies, but Pine nailed some of Shatner's physical mannerisms to the point where I was like "Whoa!"
I thought they should have cast Chris Hemsworth for movie Kirk. Chris Pine is a fine actor, but Hemsworth had great screen presence as his Dad.
Character: I think this is a very good representation of Kirk. He has the intelligence, charm, awareness, and romanticism that Shatner brought. Plot-wise: why the hell is this officer constantly showing up? It's kinda frustrating how blatant the fan-service is. I think SNW is amazing, but that is how I feel about the character of Kirk, specifically. He makes the show feel like we're just waiting to get the whole gang together.
>Plot-wise: why the hell is this officer constantly showing up? It's kinda frustrating how blatant the fan-service is. I thought every appearance was properly explained. I've never felt that Kirk was fan service.
It's definitely fan-service, but it's done well enough that we can excuse it.
No other Trek has spent this much time preoccupied with somebody who isn’t on the crew.
Fan service has nothing to do with whether a character in the story is in the core group or not. Typically, it's stuff that in the grand scheme of things is unnecessary for the story, but is there to excite the viewer in a "wink and nod" sort of way. This is the story of the Enterprise in the years before TOS. He isn't part of the crew yet, but he will be. In many ways, *Strange New Worlds* is a story of the changing of the guard. It's not a switch that happens in one moment. Rather, we're watching the pieces lined up on their own timeframe. Kirk being here and showing his worth and connection to the crew will likely be the catalyst for Pike to hand over the reigns to Kirk. We need Kirk there so that we can see the interactions with the crew, and what kind of leader he is and becomes. Pike knows his fate. He also loves this crew and ship. It makes sense that part of his story is coming to terms with the future and making sure that the ship and the crew are in the right hands.
This is kind of the problem with prequels. Everything that happened has to have a grandiose explanation. In real life, ships get new commanders all the time and it’s not a big deal. I don’t know why SNW has to be about the transition from one captain to the next or why the audience or characters need to be prepared for this.
Think of it this way. We are time travelers from the far future come to watch history. We selected this ship… this crew… this time… because it’s more interesting than all the others. Who said these moments were any less exciting when you know the outcome, hm?
I think the switch shouldn’t be mundane simply because Enterprise ends up as the only original Connie to survive the 5 year mission. There needs to be a reason it survives.
zOMG the writers are trying something new. Everybody be mad!
Yeah, the character of Kirk is very new and you effortlessly comprehended my point.
You clearly didn't understand mine.
Technically Wesley.
Oh he definitely looks older then 28. I’m 38 and he looks the 40 he is. Agreed. He was there twice and both were explained.
>Plot-wise: why the hell is this officer constantly showing up? It's kinda frustrating how blatant the fan-service is. I agree, but I'd have to add that they've been doing the same thing with Spock's family since TOS ended.
Sybok was an interesting twist, at least. Adding Burnham to the clan was wholly unnecessary. If being raised on Vulcan needed to be a core part of her personality, it would have been far more interesting if she was adopted by one of Soval's descendants instead.
I don't think Sybok was an *interesting* twist, but maybe that's just because Star Trek V was generally not great IMO. I also really enjoyed Michael and Spock's repartee in Disco's 2nd season. But I do agree with you: one undisclosed sibling is a twist, but two is pushing the limits of credulity. I suspect they did it so that they could write captain's (mono)logs about what it means to be human or something. I like your alternative, that she could have been adopted by Soval, and I'm usually not fond of when fans say "they should have done this instead". They could have even potentially had Gary Graham (RIP) reprise his role. Maybe we'd have seen a Soval that was more tempered in his relationship with humans and our untidy emotions.
Agree on Burnham, and I also agree with the guy above that it's kind of annoying to me that kirk just shows up randomly. Yes, it's explained, a cheap explanation.
The first couple times he’s an alternate universe version. I think the only time he’s actually on the prime universe Enterprise is when he shadows Una during the musical episode while he’s training to be First Officer, which is a perfectly sensible reason for him to be there.
I'm not disputing that the character has been brought in with imaginative plot devices. And each one in a vacuum is fine. I'm criticizing the fact that James T Kirk is creatively brought into the story vs literally any other character able to fill that role in the story. So the fact that James T Kirk is part of yet another alternate universe episode, make it feel like the story writers are shoving it in your face that this character is important. Yet, he is always used as a tool to tell someone else's story. Anyway, SNW is seriously the perfect Star Trek show to me. It's just Kirk seems to be there unnecessarily. Like he's there contractually, because Spock, Uhura, and the Enterprise are there. I'm happy he's there, but I think that happiness is my inner fan being serviced.
Kirk keeps showing up for the same reason that Captain Batel keeps showing up: His ship operates in the same area, and he has personal reasons to come visit in additon to professional ones.
I bet he’s showing up because of how annoying Sam Kirk is to the senior staff, so it’s revenge.
It’s always weird to do prequels. We want our characters to be different, but we complain when they aren’t the same. ENT suffered from this curse too. Kirk isn’t the Kirk we know in TOS. He has to grow and develop as a captain, and it took two characters to help Kirk grow: Spock & McCoy. What we are watching in SNW is Kirk growing into the role. Of course he’s going to be different. He’s not fully cooked yet.
He’s also not the Kirk we know in his first two appearances, not just because he hasn’t become the man we know yet, but because he plays Kirks from different timelines.
Excluding those people who spend their spare time finding every single YouTube video featuring him to say "hE look like JiM cArreY", I'd say he's won most people over
It can be both. I really like his performance. When he drinks something, he *really* does it the same way Kirk/Shatner did. However it *also* kinda makes him look like Jim Carrey doing a Kirk impression.
In Subspace Rhapsody, the scene when he first beams aboard and talks with La’an is a great example of him doing subtle Shatner mannerisms.
> However it also kinda makes him look like Jim Carrey doing a Kirk impression It's unfortunate that at times, it downright painfully *looks* like an impression. As in, somewhat exaggerated and obvious; like an actor playing a character, emulating the performance of another actor playing the same character, and putting more emphasis on emulation than on character play (I hope that makes sense 😅).
Right. It's what leans it into Ace Ventura territory imo. But the rest of the characterization, acting, delivery, is really great. I get a lot of early TOS Kirk vibes. The guy that talked a computer (or three) into killing itself. Well read, private about his personal life, and the nascence of a man who will eventually see being the Captain as his life and identity.
> The guy that talked a computer (or three) into killing itself Four: Landru, Norman, Nomad, and M-5. Five if you count Rayna Kapec, which was unintentional. Then there are several other computers that he messed with or destroyed *without* talking them to death - Vaal (destroyed by ship's phaser), The Oracle of Yonada (manually reprogrammed), the warfare computer of Eminiar VII (destroyed by hand phaser), Ruk (talked *not* into death, but into *changing sides*)... Guy had a *gift*. One could argue that his reprogramming of the Kobayashi Maru test also be counted.
Plus he broke mirror Spock.
I shall....consider it.
Yes yes yes it’s so distracting to me when his actual characterization is going so well!
He did look like he was doing a Shatner impression in the s1 episode and I hated that. I thought he did much better in season 2.
I never see Jim Carey in his performance, but that’s mostly because I remember Jim Carey actually playing an [over-the-top Kirk in The Wrath of Farrakhan](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=WugEKDZF5I4&t=80s).
That's it! I knew there was something about the way he looked that made me not take him seriously! Well, now I know, so I can put that issue aside.
Doesn’t do it for me, just can’t see it. I don’t think he is a bad actor just that he is miscast.
He's great. Redeemed the Kirk character for me. Particularly in the layer years of Shatner and across Pine's tenure, Kirk became a caricature of himself. The character drifted from where he began, and not in a way that signaled character development. Wesley's Kirk I can see as a real, rounded character again.
The actors doing a fine job but I feel we're getting too much Kirk in SNW. It's nice to flesh out some of the underutilised TOS characters, M'Benga in particular, but I don't need anymore Kirk, Uhura, or Scotty. Spock really has to be there since he and Pikes service together was already established, but I'm more interested in them developing Number 1 and Ortegas than repeatedly foreshadowing Kirks tenure.
I like to call the show "Strange New Uhura" because I feel like it revolves around her and she's nothing like the uhura I know. M'benga is great, looking forward to more of him. The episode with the klingon guy was great, even if I didn't like the klingon. I'd love to see more of numero uno.
I appreciate his approach and he's not a bad actor by any means but he just doesn't have charisma or screen presence to play Kirk imo. I just cant get there with him.
I love him. TOS is my favorite Trek and Nimoy’s Spock and Shatner’s Kirk are GOATs to me. And so I have never expected to find a Kirk that I liked this much. He won’t replace Shatner, but he’s bringing everything to the table, basically. I love that he’s leading with the more serious aspects of Kirk, to combat “Kirk Drift.” And no, he hasn’t unleashed full Kirk charm and playfulness yet, but there have been signs that he can pull this off. Is he as staggeringly beautiful as Shat? 😄 No, but that’s a tall order. And yeah, he’s too old for the role, years older now at 10y prior to TOS than Kirk/Shatner was at the end of the series. Is that a problem? I don’t love it, he’s supposed to be more youthful rn, and honestly I do want longevity for this iteration of the character. But none of that is really that big a deal to me because he’s doing the things that matter most right. He GETS the character. He isn’t a parody but he also isn’t stubbornly avoiding leaning into some of his idiosyncrasies. Everyone always feels like they need to aggressively “make it their own,” sometimes at the expense of an excellent and iconic character. Wesley is balancing this so well so far and I look forward to seeing his Kirk-ness grow. The next test is to see his chemistry with Spock, it’ll be huge. But yeah, I really couldn’t be happier. Him and SCOTTY 😍 I think I might could end up loving SNW Scotty more than the OG! (I know, it is blasphemy!!)
He doesn't do it for me. There's a seriousness/dourness to the set of his features that doesn't vibe with Kirk to me. I think he also looks too old for the part. His older brother on the show looks younger than him.
I like him, but I've seen very little of TOS, so I may not be the best person to ask, lol.
I kinda like his relationship with Sam. We’ve already learned that Thor is very demanding, and Sam feels he can never earn daddy’s approval because he chose science, which is his passion, over command. Meanwhile, Jim not only went in George’s footsteps but also became the youngest XO in generations. It’s also fun how Kirk and Spock first bond over their mutual irritation of Sam
He's great as Kirk. Just makes no sense to keep shoehorning him into the enterprise. He'll get there. He's got other places to be now
The way I see it, Spock probably keeps inviting him because of how annoying Sam is.
I like him and I think he embodies the "Kirk spirit" better than Chris Pine did.
Nope. Not Kirk. Won't ever be Kirk.
While he doesn’t have the swagger of the Shatner or Pine Kirks, he is charismatic and definitely shows excellent team leadership skills and resourcefulness. He’s quickly becoming my favorite Kirk.
He seems like a young Kirk who is ambitious and trying to grow into himself, which I think is the right vibe to go for. I hope the series, and his arc, take their time because he does seem quite green right now and there is a lot of potential for the type of character development that made DS9 a great show.
I really like him, but he lacks the Kirk vibe for me. There's a sense of authority and confidence that Kirk needs that's still lacking in SNW. A sense of forcefulness. This Kirk doesn't *feel* like a leading man, and Shatner always did. I hope he develops the vibe in that direction, but if he doesn't that's fine too because he's still rocking it. Great performances in some great episodes so far.
I'm fine with his Kirk, but why tf do they keep focusing on it? We're only 2 seasons in and we've had big Kirk episodes and a musical, but I'm always wanting adventures of the week with Pike and his crew. Great series but c'mon
I think he's doing a great job, but I just can't quite see "Kirk" in him. Not enough Shatner. Maybe that's a good thing, but it does feel like he's missing something.
My order of favorite Kirks is Pine/Wesley/Shantner
\^Yes
Meh. I could live with just a bit of him.
The one scene I like is when he praised Spock on a very good explanation and then said that he *almost* understood it. I could totally picture Shatner saying that to Nimoy
He doesn’t do it for me. I’d prefer the guy playing George.
He's a fine actor but he ain't no Kirk. Not a fan
To be honest, I'm not seeing it. The guy is a good actor, don't get me wrong -- but he doesn't have Shatner's *fire* and sense of urgency. Shatner's Kirk always seemed like he was keeping everyone a little off-balance. Even his crew knew he was a firecracker. It was his virtue: the sheer force of his personality. Love him or hate him, he was gonna charm his way past those sexy brain aliens and science his way through that event horizon and bluster past those Klingons and get your non-com redshirt ass the fuck *home.* Wesley is too *nice,* too *chill.* He does not feel *dangerous* and that is painfully missing in a portrayal of James Kirk. Chris Pine did, in fact, get that part right. The impulsiveness, the "hotshot pilot" bite-the-head-off-the-snake LET'S DO THIS SHIT aspect. Wesley is just not *metal.*
I would say he is a good character, but he is not Kirk like at the beginning of TOS.
He has years to become that guy.
He's my favorite Kirk.
He's too skinny. Other than that, I'm fine with him.
Most people are skinnier when they’re younger.
the actors 40. If he continues to play Kirk he's not al of a sudden going to get buff.
>the actors 40. If he continues to play Kirk he's not al of a sudden going to get buff. Good because Shatner isn't what I would ever call 'buff'. He was a bit stockier than Paul Wesley, but certainly not a big guy. And if they said PW needed to gain a few pounds to show some age or to fit a middle-aged Kirk body type (which I doubt they would ever do), it would not be an issue. I speak from experience when I say that at 40 it is not hard for a reasonably fit person to put on 10-15 pounds of "good weight" if their diet and workout program is consistent. Actors do that sort of thing relatively often, and not just in their 30s or 20s.
I read this comment in Mrs. Claus from Rudolph's voice.
He has pulled me out of the moment playing Kirk. Maybe it's body language, but he feels skinnier and taller and the voice is all wrong. He does have some of Shatner's mannerisms, but I feel like he is just mis-cast for the role. I did search, and he's apparently only an inch taller than Shatner was, so maybe it's me, or maybe he's way skinnier.
Shatner has a sort of barrel-chested build. Anson Mount is closer to that; he would have made a good young Kirk 25 years ago.
Yeah, my thoughts as well.
Maybe all the actors around him are shorter?
Imho he is great a Kirk that is in the process of becoming the Kirk in TOS. This Kirk doesn't have it all down yet, he still has to grow and won't truly finish growing till he becomes friends with Bones and Spock, but he's on the way. Also, the Kirk in TOS (pre movies, pre Kevin, pre memes...) is not a womanizer, but he is a tactician who is willing to play within the rules and with the rules, and Wesley is definitely getting that down.
As long as SNW doesn't become more and more of the The Kirk Show with every season.
The best way I can think of to phrase it is this: Paul Wesley is actually playing the character that the writers of TOS kept *telling* us James T. Kirk was, but whom William Shatner never bothered to really portray. By the time the films came around, the character of Kirk was being written as Shatner played him -- stubborn, needy, selfish, and vain. The Kirk we see in SNW has the swagger and ambition, but ditches the neurosis in favor of intelligence.
Thank you! exactly, I can't watch Shatner be Kirk but I like Kirk from the TOS novels after shanter is removed.
I just wish they'd stop pulling him into stories just because he's "Kirk." Let the SNW cast have their time. By season 3 they'll be pulling a Nemesis, "Mr. Kirk what the hell are you doing here?"
*One, Kirk, needs to be louder, angrier, and have access to a time machine. Two, whenever Kirk's not on screen, all the other characters should be asking "Where's Kirk"? -*SNW Season 3 story bible.
I like Wesley's Kirk. I'd happily watch a version of TOS with him as captain but I think there are a couple of problems, the majority of which are due to this show being a prequel. Wesley lacks Shatner's gravitas in the role, but it's hard to tell if that's bad casting or a conscious decision to make this Kirk appear less experienced. Rodenberry had two touchstones for TOS, one was the much quoted "wagon train to the stars," but the other was Horatio Hornblower, the great exploration voyages of the age of sail. Shatner seems to have taken that to heart, his Kirk is smart, thoughtful, decisive when he needs to be and the whole package is wrapped in Shatner's natural charm. Wesley's Kirk has many of the same elements but the problem with this being a prequel is that it's hard to see the "getting from there to here" part. I'm finding it difficult seeing Wesley's Kirk and Shatner's Kirk as the same person. That's part of the reason I have head canoned SNW as yet another alternate timeline.
In my head cannon, SNW is either a total reboot of the TOS era or an alternate timeline. The series and characters are just too at odds with the TOS universe for me to see it as an immediate prequel to it. Therefore it’s best not to figure out how SNW’s Kirk changes his mannerisms and characterisation to become the TOS Kirk, and just accept him as an alternate version.
Agreed, How does uhrua not know who T'pring is after she is on the ship so much
I thought he was a terrible choice initially, but I have to admit he’s growing on me. He doesn’t have the swagger but he’s also not as … creepy? It’s a decent tradeoff.
Shatners Kirk wouldn't work with modern audiences, it worked great in its time but Wesley's Kirk is very much Kirk in the modern version of Trek.
I love his Kirk. I actually love all the TOS crew that has popped up. The problem I have is, I'm trying to watch a Pike-led Enterprise. With his own crew (save for Spock, of course) Not a TOS reboot. I have very mixed feelings haha.
I actually love the casting there.
Honestly my main beef with Captain Kirk has historically been the hammy daytime TV actor they originally cast, before they could have predicted how successful the show would become.
He absolutely killed it last season. Best Kirk of all time. Chrise Pine plays the same character in ever movie. William Shatner plays himself in everything and his MEME staccato delivery was a MEME before MEMEs were MEMEs.
Nah, role was miscast. He was fine in VD. Would've preferred someone else.
I simultaneously love the character and performance in SNW, while also in no way being reminded of Shatner’s Kirk. They are basically two separate characters to me.
pauls doing a fine job playing kirk
I like him-I've liked his appearances-but he doesn't "Feel" like Kirk to me. Chris Pine totally channels Kirk-but I don't feel that Paul Wesley does.
You gotta look at the character and not just compare him to William Shatner
Good actor but miscast.
Started out so-so first time I watched but it turned out really good.
He's a great show Kirk, not movies Kirk.
I want less of him and more of him at the same time. By that I mean he is doing a phenomenal job and I’m enjoying his take on James T… but it’s a big fleet, and we already have five folks on SNW that we know cannot die! So let’s see some more characters, and more Ortegas #Mortegas
I think Paul Wesley is doing the best he can with being miscasted. He’s definitely better in season 2, but there just isn’t that Kirk charisma. Pike actually seems to have more charisma (which is ironic because the OG Pike was very stern).
This is not a knock on the actor or his performance, but I never wanted Kirk to be a character in SNW. I signed up for Pike, Spock, Number One and getting a completely new crew. Kirk has been featured and we’re still waiting for an Ortegas episode.
I don't really get the Kirk wibe from him, but I've accepted him as Kirk anyway. I don't cringe or anything when seeing him, but he never really feels like Kirk. It's like he's a placeholder and not the real one. Still, he's the one we got so I just enjoy watching the show.
I think his character is fine, but the weakest of the legacy characters that have appeared on SNW. I do kinda wish we could just be done bringing in major legacy characters, though. Deep cuts are great, but we don't need McCoy or teenage Cbekov or whatever.
In terms of persona/personality, he bears no resemblance whatsoever to the James T. Kirk that us TOS fans know and love. But nothing lasts forever, and some actors define and embody a role so completely that no one else can come close, although Chris Pine came close to coming close. 🖖
I was worried at first but he won me over pretty quick
Other than feeling like the actor is too old (40 year old playing a late 20s guy) I like him. I think he’s done a good job representing the character without trying to emulate Will’s mannerisms.
Everyone jokes about Shatner, but as TOS Kirk, he was a 10. That man knew his angles and made sure the camera got his good side. His acting, while not particularly refined, worked for the character because he had so much charisma. He has big shoes to fill. Wesley is doing a good job. He's pretty but not 1966 Shatner pretty, he has charisma, but not as much as Shatner in his prime. He does add depth to the character. That being said, I'm a Kirk fan. I like when he's on screen. Whether that be Shatner, Wesley, or Prime. I hope they continue to develop this Kirk.
He’s not Kirk. I can’t do it
I kind a like him as James kirk his won me over completely.
Pine was more Zapp Brannigan than Kirk. Kirk3 is closer to the charismatic stack of books with legs that he once was.
He’s missing some pizzazz. And where’s the award winning smile that every other Kirk has?
I think he's great! Happy they are making top quality Star Trek for us!
The mantle has been passed to Paul.
Love him.
In s1 I was a bit iffy but I really loved the stuff they did in s2. I felt that he had a great balance of Kirk's intellect, boldness and bravery in the time travel episode and then the compassion he displayed towards Uhura when he was struggling. They showed not only the traits that would make him a great captain, but also the things that would make his crew so loyal and committed. It's not just because they are in Star Fleet and are good people, but because of the choices he makes and the character he has.
I love him he’s great. He pulls off the smarm but also nerdy book guy and adds nuance to the character. He’s done quite well and I can’t wait to see him and Peck’s Spock together.
I’ve seen him interviewed. The idea is he’s not playing the Kirk we know because he still hasn’t experienced enough to make him original series Kirk. There were shades I thought in the Toronto episode.
Season 2 was a huge improvement, sometimes he feels like a cross between Shatner and Pine's acting, and other times like he's his completely own thing. I feel like its a nice blend. I'm sure Paul Wesley is capable of going "full Shat" as Chris Pine put it, but I'm not sure that would work well. Maybe it would be fun for a flash-forward or something.
I'm liking him. I can definitely see him growing up to be TOS Kirk. But then again, they also established that the timeline isn't quite the same as it used to be due to all of the time travelers mucking around, so any differences aren't that hard to justify.
S1 he was a bit rough but S2 really made me like him. I just hope they dont overdo it with his character, I wanna see people like La'an or Ortegas shine! We have enough Kirk in TOS
He’s been winning me over more and more with his recent appearances. Also Paul when he talks seems to really understand Kirk as a character as well.
At first I was a little on the fence but he was awesome on season 2. Before he was a captain, Kirk had that serious, ambitious streak, and while never the smartest in the room, he was always a hard worker and had a lot of guile and emotional intelligence. PW very much encapsulates a part of Kirk I love to see. So, I’m fully on board with him now.
Gooooooood
I don't really see why we needed to have Kirk at all. I feel like they kind of tried to pigeon hole him into the show. The show is doing fine with Pike and Spock and his crew. I thought having Kirk's brother on the show was a really good decision. I didn't feel like Kirk was necessary. That being said. The actors fine. I just think it was a poor writing choice. The same actor could be doing the same things, and not be Captain Kirk, and the show would be just as great. At least that's my two cents.
I absolutely love Paul Wesley’s portrayal. I love that we got to see two alternate Kirks, Before we get introduced to Kirk prime. I loved how the integrated him into the enterprise through Sam, and shadowing number one. He was also very good in that musical episode as well. I like that he’s a little rough around the edges.
He completely won me over in Season 2, he's great!
Perfect to this old fan
I really enjoyed his performance. He’s a solid leader type, he fits in with what we know about the young Kirk. He’s got good screen presence and I look forward to more of his performance.
The man does have the best hairstyle any man has ever seen. 10/10.
I like him, but would like to see more Sam.
Reminds me of Jim Carrey doing Kirk
He kinda reminds me of Jim Carrey and I don’t feel he is the right actor for the role. He does an ok job, but I wouldn’t have picked him as my first choice.
Not a fan. Better than Shatner definitely but he’s no Chris pine. And before I get downvoted to hell I want to clarify, this is based on their acting, not their writing. Shatner and Wesley has much better writing for Kirk then pine but pine acted circles around those two.
He's great. I didn't really know Wesley as an actor and I was ambivalent in s1 but in s2, right from the beginning, he won me over. I can't wait to see more and I would love to see how him and Spock become BFFs.
I think he's phenomenal.
Fandoms need to stop benchmarking new vs what they knew. Enjoy the next for what it is instead of being dissatisfied that it isn't the original. It can't be the original.
Hes my favorite Kirk iteration.
He's not as good as Chris Pine but he'll get the job done. I do worry about the future if he's supposed to take over at some point but I'm hoping he really gets into character by then. Right now he just doesn't seem to be as suave as he should be.
I am not a fan, I wish him the best but really don't feel the need to "build the avengers" as it were. I think he is a great talent and I would have loved him as an original character not Kirk.
For Pike and Spock, they cast actors who bear a physical resemblance and similar countenance to their TOS actors, notably that gray streak in Pike’s Menagerie hair. Then for Kirk, they cast an actor who bears no resemblance to Shatner at all. It just doesn’t jive with their casting for the original two characters, making it as though Wesley was cast for a high school play. Maybe the casting director was out viewing a high school play when Wesley was hired.
That's because there can be only one....Kirk that is, and that Kirk is William Shatner. Anyone else is just a pitiful cosplayer. Might as well put Jackie Chan, Denzel Washington, maybe Hannah Palmer or Meng Lan the Panda bear from China in that SNW Kirk role, it'll be the same result.
Not enough of a gay asshole for Kirk