Star Trek: Khan was a fantastic audio drama that leaves just one question: Why was this not a live-action show?
Warning! The following contains SPOILERS for Star Trek: Khan
There are certain aspects of Star Trek lore that fans have long wanted to see explored. One of the most intriguing is the exile of Khan Noonien Singh. The Star Trek: The Original Series episode “Space Seed” (1967) ended with the 20th-century tyrant defeated by Captain James T. Kirk. However, Kirk gave Khan a chance to settle on the world of Ceti Alpha V, and the implication was that Khan would create a new kingdom for his people.
15 years later, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982) caught up with Khan, who had turned into a madman. Ceti Alpha VI had exploded, destroying Ceti Alpha V’s surface, turning his paradise into Hell. Many of his people died, particularly his wife, Marla McGivers, the former Federation historian. That drove Khan into an insane rage to hunt down Kirk, whom he blamed for all of it.
To Reign in Hell: The Exile of Khan Noonien Singh, which is the third book in Greg Cox's trilogy, explored those 15 years Khan and his people were exiled on Ceti Alpha V, but the Star Trek: Khan podcast brings those years to life in a much more exciting way.
The audio drama did a fine job filling in the blanks while weaving a tragic tale of Khan coming so close to redemption, only for brutal losses to ruin him. It was magnificent thanks to Naveen Andrews’ performance as Khan and made for a wonderful tale. So why was it not a live-action show like it deserved?
Why couldn’t Khan be a live-action show?
It should be noted that Star Trek: Khan did begin its life as a planned live-action series. Way back in 2017, when CBS All-Access (later Paramount+) launched, Nicholas Meyer, the writer/director of Star Trek II, announced the plans for a three-episode limited series detailing Khan’s exile. It never came off for various reasons involving the studio, so it was turned into this audio show.
It’s clear the show would have various challenges, not the least being the budget for the tale. There was also Andrews or whoever was cast as Khan being in the shadow of Ricardo Montalbaln’s iconic performance. While Trek has proven that recastings of Kirk and Spock can work, it would be harder to see another actor as Khan, just ask Benedict Cumberbatch.
Also, the show has the framing device involving Captain Sulu and Tuvok as they appeared in the era of Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country. So the series would have required either recasting or some serious de-aging CGI for George Takei and Tim Russ.
Yet despite all that, the series had everything needed for a live-action limited series. Seeing Khan and Marla’s relationship grow on screen would have had more impact if we had actually watched the scenes rather than hearing them played out by voices. That includes raising a child and its heartbreaking ending. The pathos of Khan being broken could have been some of the most powerful Trek scenes ever filmed.
The show also could have done more with the Elboreans, the alien race that crashed after Ceti Alpha VI’s destruction. The listener can imagine their appearance while the show could have featured some unique designs and better contrasted their alien forms with the Augments. Seeing them in full form could have made them feel more human in many ways for the audience.
There was also the action, such as hearing fistfights or battles against the Ceti eel mother, which were okay but obviously much better on screen. That includes the finale with all its action and drama and even flashbacks to fill in some plot points. All of it could have worked well on screen to make a far bigger impact for fans.
The tale itself would have been fine for a limited series or even a movie, far better than Star Trek: Section 31. Trek fans would have flocked to witness this take on Khan and how he fell to darkness, so it’s amazing Paramount couldn’t see the potential in it.
Hopefully, Khan’s success paves the way for more audio dramas, and it did work out wonderfully. Still, Trekkies can’t help but wonder what would have been with the show in live action. One can dream producers see the audio drama’s success to perhaps adapt it into live action one day, while fans can only imagine the missed opportunity of this epic tale being a live-action Trek series hit!
Do you agree that the audio drama deserved better than to simply be produced as a podcast? For more Star Trek content, and to share your comments on the matter, visit the Redshirts Always Die Facebook and X pages
Star Trek: Khan is now streaming on the usual podcast platforms, including YouTube.