Harry Mudd, or as his beloved wife Stella calls him “Harcourt Fenton Mudd,” is one of the more beloved characters from classic “Star Trek.” Mudd was an interstellar con artist who made the lives of the Starship Enterprise’s crew exciting, twice in the live action series, and once again in the animated series. Whether the scheme was a drug that made women more desirable or android women who would do anything one desired, Mudd was more of a rascal, albeit a sleazy one, than a villain. He was played with a large zest by the late Roger C. Carmel. In a kinder universe, Mudd would have gotten his own spinoff series.
So, imagine the shouts of delight coming from Trek fans when the news dropped that a younger Harry Mudd would appear on the upcoming and much delayed new series “Star Trek: Discovery.” He is to be played by Rainn Wilson, best known for his role in the long-running sitcom “the office.”
Harry Mudd was proof that, alongside the stalwart Star Fleet heroes, the darkly ominous Klingon and Romulan villains, and the cold, cerebral Mr. Spock, that room existed in Gene Roddenberry’s galaxy for rogues who deal from the bottom of the deck. Mudd was the sort of person who would flee hard work and responsibility if there was a get rich quick scheme available. He was fun to watch from afar but, as noting the pained expressions on the face of Captain Kirk, aggravating to interact with at close quarters.
Ironically, Mudd’s schemes would have been very successful in the 21st Century. A drug that would make women (and presumably men) more desirable would fly off the shelves and would sell at a premium, especially in Hollywood. And female robots that are up for anything? The only impediment against them would be the cries of outrage from human working girls who would be put out of business.
Was there something about the 23rd Century or maybe Mudd’s lack of business acumen that caused these schemes to be ultimate failures?
In any case, the return of Harcourt Fenton Mudd is yet another reason to look forward to “Star Trek: Discovery” with great anticipation.
