


In the enduring, expanding history that is “Star Trek,” the franchise’s first-ever television film, “Star Trek: Section 31” starring Michelle Yeoh and Omari Hardwick, is now streaming.
Popular and beloved as Ghost in his long-running Starz series “Power,” Hardwick, 51, knows he’s stepping into an entirely new fan dimension as the mentally troubled Alok Sahar.
“Yeah, it’s a different fanship,” he acknowledged. “I will never again have the same career after having this opportunity to go to Comic Cons all over the world and have one of the greatest of fan bases, the ‘Star Trek’ franchise. That’s just an amazing thing. I pay homage to all the fans.”
“Section 31” is, Hardwick explained, “A rogue version of a policing agency at the helm of which stands Alok Sahar, the character I play.
“I grab a ragtag group of individuals who all have very, very unique gifts and powers to be able to aid in that effort of me making sure that I’m policing all Galactical spaces, including Earth.
“While I’m doing so, Section 31 invites in Philippa Georgiou, played again by our legendary Michelle Yeoh. We then see what happens with this ragtag motley crew, including Philippa.”
Who is Alok really?
“He’s a war-stricken survivor, riddled not only with pain but a deep level of remorse and guilt and shame at what his prior life was.”
That means, “He compartmentalizes very well. Section 31 is a way for him to find happiness amid all of the chaos, all of the mayhem and all of the pain. Like any sociopath — not that he’s that, but maybe on the spectrum — he’s doing an incredible job of removing any of that sociopathy.
“And while removing it, giving himself grace to have been that. And if any therapist has been presented in front of him, it’s perhaps Philippa Georgiou as the therapist. They become connected at the hip.
“Because both are calling each other out — and that’s not a bad thing.”
As decades and “Star Trek” just roll on and on, how much information do people need to be able to just see “Section 31” and enjoy the ride?
“You don’t have to be someone who’s watched any of that prior to enjoy the story that is being presented in ‘Section 31,’” Hardwick said in a Zoom interview.
“You can really strap in and be ready for a ride that’s new to this franchise. That’s a great thing to be able to say: I was asked to take the franchise and the fans to a place that we haven’t been able to see before. That’s a great thing.”
“Star Trek: Section 31” is streaming on Paramount+