Summary
- Star Trek: Discovery wanted a musical episode, but Star Trek: Strange New Worlds made history with "Subspace Rhapsody."
- Anthony Rapp regrets missing out on the chance for a musical episode, despite the vocal talents of the Discovery cast.
- The "Subspace Rhapsody" soundtrack hit #1 on Apple Music, proving the success of Strange New Worlds' musical endeavor.
Star Trek: Discovery wanted to do a musical episode for a long time, and Anthony Rapp regrets it was the cast of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds that got to break that barrier and make Star Trek history. "Subspace Rhapsody," Star Trek's first-ever musical episode, was directed by Dermot Downs, and written by Dana Horgan and Bill Wolkoff, with original songs composed by Tom Polce and Kay Hanley of Letters to Cleo. Strange New Worlds' musical was a hit with critics and audiences, and the "Subspace Rhapsody" soundtrack even hit #1 on Apple Music's Top 10.
In an exclusive interview with Screen Rant's Deven McClure about Stray Dogs: Orpheus, Anthony Rapp was asked about Star Trek: Strange New Worlds beating Star Trek: Discovery to a musical episode. Rapp says the idea of a Star Trek: Discovery musical was floated "pretty early on" and he noted the vocal talents of his Star Trek: Discovery cast. Alas, it was Strange New Worlds that got to have that historic honor. Read Rapp's quote below:
I mean, we had been having people at conventions ask us about that from pretty early on. Because Wilson [Cruz] and I were in Rent together, Mary Wiseman can sing a bit, Sonequa [Martin-Green] wouldn't advertise their singing, but they can sing, and Doug Jones can sing, so we were like, "We could do a musical episode."
Obviously someone, somewhere was thinking about it in the Star Trek universe, but then Strange New Worlds got to do it, so yeah, I did feel a little bit like [disgruntled noise].
Strange New Worlds' Musical Made Star Trek History
Star Trek: Discovery did show signs of musical greatness
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' musical was a high point and a watershed moment for Star Trek on Paramount+'s franchise. "Subspace Rhapsody" may be the most talked about Star Trek episode of the current era, and it has also inspired sing-along viewing parties at various conventions. Strange New Worlds' musical proved that there are no limits to what kind of story Star Trek can successfully present, and "Subspace Rhapsody" continues to be so popular that Strange New Worlds is considering doing a Broadway version of the Star Trek musical.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds actors Christina Chong, Celia Rose Gooding, Jess Bush, Melissa Navia, and Ethan Peck are also collaborating on new music outside of their series.
It is a shame that Star Trek: Discovery also didn't get to produce a musical episode. Star Trek: Discovery showed fleeting signs of their musical potential, such as Ensign Sylvia Tilly (Mary Wiseman) singing David Bowie's "Space Oddity" in the Star Trek: Discovery season 2 episode, "An Obol for Charon". Given Anthony Rapp and Wilson Cruz's Broadway sensation Rent, and the hidden singing talents of Star Trek: Discovery's cast, the Disco crew could have put on a musical showstopper that would also have brought the house down.
