In 1973, the USS Enterprise suddenly had a relief communications officer to help Uhura (Nichelle Nichols) with her workload. But, where Uhura’s voice was legendary, her colleague’s voice was literally purring. Fifty-one years ago, when Star Trek: The Animated Series debuted, we were all casually introduced to the concept of a cat-person alien in the form of M’Ress, and her sultry cat voice, provided by Trek legend Majel Barrett Roddenberry.
But, today, the visage of the coquettish cat alien isn’t quite what contemporary Star Trek is going for anymore. In fact, quite the opposite. “It was sort of that weird fetishized idea of animal,” actress Gillian Vigman — aka Dr. T’Ana on Lower Decks — tells Inverse. “She was this super big-boobed cat-looking fantasy woman. Which, of course, isn’t what I’m doing now at all.”
