Summary
- The actors playing Lt. Commanders Detmer and Owosekun had scheduling conflicts, explaining their absence in Star Trek: Discovery season 5.
- Showrunner Michelle Paradise clarified that the beloved characters were not benched, but Emily Coutts and Oyin Oladejo had other projects.
- Detmer and Owo return in Star Trek: Discovery's series finale.
Star Trek: Discovery showrunner Michelle Paradise reveals why Lt. Commanders Keyla Detmer (Emily Coutts) and Joann Owosekun (Oyin Oladejo) missed most of season 5. Detmer and Owo were USS Discovery bridge crew members and familar faces since Star Trek: Discovery season 1. However, audiences couldn't help but notice that Detmer and Owosekun were absent for much of Star Trek: Discovery season 5 and replaced by Lt. Commander Asha (Christina Dixon) and Commander Lorna Jemison (Zahra Bentham).
Michelle Paradise responded to @RommelVFX on X and set the record straight that scheduling conflicts is the reason why Detmer and Owosekun didn't appear throughout most of Star Trek: Discovery season 5. Read Paradise's post below:
Why Detmer & Owosekun's Absence Mattered In Star Trek: Discovery Season 5
Discovery's final season wasn't the same without Detmer and Owo.
Star Trek: Discovery season 5 introduced a mostly new bridge crew, with Lt. Commander Asha taking over for Keyla Detmer at the helm of the USS Discovery and Commander Jemison subbing for Joann Owosekun at operations. In Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 5, "Mirrors", Detmer and Owosekun were assigned to pilot the Mirror Universe's ISS Enterprise to Federation HQ by Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green). This explained Detmer and Owo's absence for the rest of Discovery season 5.
Detmer and Owo do appear in Star Trek: Discovery's epilogue scene.
Detmer and Owosekun's absence was felt by longtime Star Trek: Discovery fans who wanted their characters' backstories and personalities fleshed out, especially since season 5 was Disco's final season. However, scheduling conflicts prevented Emily Coutts and Oyin Oladejo from being in every episode of Star Trek: Discovery season 5, and the fact that there won't be a Star Trek: Discovery season 6 means it's now a lost opportunity. However, Detmer and Owo do appear in Star Trek: Discovery's epilogue scene, and they were a sight for sore eyes.
