By Chris Snellgrove
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For a franchise that’s all about peaceable exploration, Star Trek has at all times positioned a particular emphasis on preventing. From the notorious “Kirk-fu” of The Authentic Collection to the Vulcan martial arts in Discoveryit by no means takes too lengthy for an away crew mission to result in fisticuffs. After all, everyone knows that the fisticuffs in query are simply as pretend because the particular results that deliver these sci-fi collection to life.
On one event, although, Star Trek ended up hiding an actual fistfight in plain sight. Within the Deep House 9 episode “Invasive Procedures,” future Voyager star Tim Russ by accident actually punched Nana Customer’s stunt double throughout a combat scene. Whereas everybody else freaked out, she urged Russ to maintain going due to how actual the combat was going to look onscreen!
A Star Trek Icon Returns
“Invasive Procedures” is a Deep House 9 episode by which the station needs to be largely evacuated because of a plasma storm. The command employees stays on as a skeleton crew, nevertheless it doesn’t take lengthy earlier than they’re invaded and overpowered by a ragtag group of dangerous guys. One of many invaders is an unjoined Trill, and her aim is horrifyingly easy: she desires the symbiont inside Dax’s physique, however with out it, the perky science officer will quickly die.
Among the many dangerous guys is a Klingon mercenary performed by Tim Russ, who would later famously play the Vulcan Tuvok on Star Trek: Voyager. This was really his second look within the franchise, as he had beforehand appeared as a distinct type of mercenary within the Star Trek: The Subsequent Era episode “Starship Mine.” He would later make a memorable look in Star Trek: Generations earlier than becoming a member of the lead solid of Voyager.
Deep House 9’s Strongest Fighter
Clearly, Russ made a serious affect on the Star Trek producers early on, which is why they stored bringing him again for future appearances. In “Invasive Procedures,” nonetheless, he made an affect of a completely completely different form: along with his fist. Throughout the occupation of Deep House 9Main Kira put up a combat, and he or she was scripted to scrap with the Klingon performed by Russ.
Based on Star Trek Month-to-month (concern 52), the combat went sideways when Tim Russ by accident landed a punch. On the time, Patricia Tallman (who additionally performed Lyta on Babylon 5) was Nana Customer’s stunt double, so she was the one participating within the onscreen fistfight. After Russ landed an precise punch, Tallman mentioned that “everybody on the set freaked out, however I mentioned, ‘No, don’t cease! That was actually good – it seemed very genuine!”
When Stunts Get Actual
The stuntwoman had her means, and “we completed the combat there after which.” To her credit score, it was a superb name: whereas “Invasive Procedures” isn’t the finest Star Trek episode, it does characteristic one of the memorable fights in all the franchise. That wouldn’t have occurred if Patricia Tallman hadn’t been keen to take a punch and carry on filming.
Whereas Tim Russ was horrified at by accident punching a fellow actor, every thing labored out. The onscreen combat seemed glorious, and he went on to later have a thriving profession as Star Trek’s second most-famous Vulcan. As for his Tuvok character, we are able to solely assume he would declare that Tallman made the appropriate name: in spite of everything, making their onscreen battle look as genuine as potential was solely logical!
