Star Trek: The Next Generation introduced us all to the wonderful and snarky Miles O'Brien. He was a bit character that had a few minor storylines, mostly involving his soon-to-be wife Keiko. The duo got married in season four and later had their first child in Molly come season five. Not long after the end of The Next Generation, O'Brien and his family were off to Deep Space Nine.
The character of Miles O'Brien became a much bigger factor in the week-to-week storylines. He emerged as a main character and a key link in the chain that connected Deep Space Nine to the larger Star Trek universe. He was a very important storytelling cog. Going from a big part to a starring role can be hard but the man who brought O'Brien to life, Colm Meaney, did it excellently.
His character has the perfect road map that Star Trek: Discovery's Jett Reno should take. Jett Reno, played by the wonderful Tig Notaro, is set to be the new version of Miles O'Brien as she goes from a semi-regular character on Star Trek: Discovery to a main character on Star Trek: Starfleet Academy.
One of the more charismatic figures in all of Nu Trek, Notaro has the capabilities and talents to be, not just a major part of the series, but a major selling point. She's captivating in a way that most talent just isn't these days. She's not going to wow you in a Martin Scorsese flick anytime soon, or be nominated for an Oscar, but she's just so likable that you're going to be glued to your screen when she's on.
In a lot of ways, she and her character of Jett Reno reflect Meaney and Miles O'Brien. The talent are fantastic at their jobs and can be disarming and charming at the same instance. Reno and O'Brien are both blunt, matter-of-fact, blue-collar types that the everyday person can relate to.
Giving Notaro a major role in the new series will only help to serve the show getting noticed by as many fans as possible. It's a smart move and one that we already see resulted in great success.