Article from Now Voyager on Kate Mulgrew
by Lori Summers
"Old postmen never die, they just lose their zip."
"Old chemists never die, they just stop reacting."
There are about a million of these oh-so-cute sayings, and I propose a new one.
"Old Trek actors never die, they just do voices on 'Gargoyles.'"
It certainly seems true. "Gargoyles," Disney's popular and critically acclaimed animated saga of 6 noble stone-by-day beings who protect Manhattan from a variety of evildoers, boasts a long list of Trek actors among its amazingly talented slate of voice performers, which includes the likes of Ed Asner, John Rhys-Davies, Tim Curry, Hector Elizondo and Paul Winfield (himself a Trek alum).
Several members of the TNG cast have regular roles. Jonathan Frakes provides the voice of David Xanatos, the charming billionaire uber-villain who brought the gargoyles to New York from their native Scotland and freed them from the spell that had imprisoned them for a millenium. One interesting note: one could also say that the bearded black-clad megalomaniac bears more than a passing resemblance to Frakes! Marina Sirtis voices Demona, the psychotic 1000-year-old gargoyle villainess and ex-mate of Goliath, leader of the gargoyle clan. Michael Dorn has a recurring role as Coldstone, a half-gargoyle cyborg created by Xanatos and Demona, and Brent Spiner did a memorable guest turn as Puck, the mischievous sprite of Shakespearean fame. Other Trek alums who have lent their voices to characters include LeVar Burton, Avery Brooks, Colm Meaney, Nichelle Nichols (who plays the mother of one of the main characters), and Matt Frewer.
But this newsletter is not published by any of their fanclubs, which brings me to the reason for this article. Recently, Kate Mulgrew has provided her distinctive voice to two characters on "Gargoyles."
She first appeared in the episode "Walkabout" as Anastasia Reynard, a scientist and the mother of Fox Xanatos, David's leather-wearing, tattooed ex-ninja wife. She next appeared as Titania, Queen of the Children of Oberon, in the recent episode "Ill Met by Moonlight." There is some speculation that the characters are actually one and the same. In "Ill Met," Titania aids Goliath, leader of the gargoyle clan, in a struggle against her ex-husband Oberon for control of the mystical island of Avalon. When asked why she helped him, she replies that she owed him a favor, although they've never met...or have they? Considering that Goliath saved everyone's life in "Walkabout," Anastasia included, and that it wouldn't make much sense to use Kate's very memorable voice for two unrelated characters, the idea has merit. If Anastasia is in fact Titania, this brings up many interesting plot possibilities. It might suggest that Fox is in fact one of the Children of Oberon by birth. According to the show, the Children are magical all-powerful beings, and one of three species supported by Earth (humans and gargoyles being the other two). Anyone who's a regular viewer would know that this possibility has many ramifications!
Kate's voice performances were excellent. Voice acting is not as easy as one might think (just ask Tom Hanks), and conveying the necessary dramatic tone using only one's words and inflections is a talent, one that the Gargoyles actors possess in full measure. Anastasia Reynard and Titania were both strong female characters, and Kate's elocution supported their characterizations quite nicely. I for one look forward to her future appearances, and I hope more Trek women jump on the bandwagon! Many of the Trek women have great voices (Jennifer Lien pops into mind, as well as Terri Farrell...and wouldn't Roxann Biggs-Dawson make a great gargoyle?), and the show has a history of marvelous female characters. The gargoyles' closest human friend, a police detective, is a woman...as is her captain. Even Demona, resplendent in all her delicious evil, is a strong female who's really broken through the glass ceiling.
In general, I would highly recommend "Gargoyles" to anyone who likes cartoons, and even to anyone who doesn't. It is very literate (ever wonder what *really* happened between King Duncan and MacBeth?) and conveys many good messages for kids, such as the need to protect the environment, the importance of literacy, the dangers of firearms and a strong emphasis on honor and responsibility. Not to mention that it has a plot structure that Trek could take a few lessons from...at any given time there are at least 9 or 10 ongoing story arcs. The characters are richly developed and the animation is excellent. It'll suck you in, as it did me!
"Gargoyles" airs on the Fox network as part of the Disney afternoon cartoon lineup. If you're interested and would like to know more about the show, visit the Gargoyles Fan Website at http://www.gargoyles-fans.org/. The page is one of the best I've ever seen, very thorough and interesting. You can find character descriptions, bios for the major voice actors, episode listings (with synopses and reviews), and an archive of fanfiction and Top Ten lists. The page will tell you which episodes air that week, and has some relevant links. It also has a truly talented individual on their staff who writes the Wednesday episode synopses (me, in case you didn't figure it out...just a little joke there).
Kate couldn't have picked a better cartoon to perform for, and I'll hope to see, or rather hear, her again there in the near future. Titania will no doubt appear in a two-part episode airing in early April concerning a gathering of the Children of Oberon. Here's hoping Kate's two roles (or maybe one role) continue on the show!