Original Air Date: October 15, 2020
Starring: Leeu, Durban
Directed by: Olatunde Osunsanmi
Cat Out of the Bag Alert! This review contains spoilers for this episode!
Synopsis: Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) arrives in the future and begins the search for her crew.
Kitty Cameo: Burnham accidentally interferes with a courier named Cleveland Booker (David Ajala) and accompanies him back to his ship. There she discovers he has an enormous longhaired tabby cat.
When Burnham remarks “You have a large cat,” he replies, “Yes, she has a thyroid condition.”
Asked the cat’s name, Booker says, “Grudge.” When asked why he explains, “Because she’s heavy and all mine.”
Grudge appears again later in the episode as the ship is traveling and Burnham and Booker are talking.
Behind the Scenes
Grudge is played by a two year old Maine Coon cat named Leeu along with twin brother Durban, both first time cat actors. Leslie Lawrence is the animal trainer who oversees the cat’s performances on the set with owner Michelle Smith. In an interview with the New York Post, Smith explains, “Leeu is much more outgoing at home and Durban is shy. On set they play the perfect balance. When one is having an off day, the other is ready to fill in. I was shocked that Durban came out of his shell and was more relaxed than I expected. Leeu is more food-motivated, so treats are key. Durban is the more go-with-the-flow cat. You can place him anywhere!”
Final Mewsings: Boldly going where a few cats have gone before!
Many thanks to our dear friend Fritz for letting us know about the cat in this series!
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