Spoiler Warning: There are spoilers ahead for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Seasons 1-3. Spoilers are also present for the following Star Trek productions: The Original Series, Deep Space Nine, Discovery, and Picard.
At time of writing, Season 3 of Strange New Worlds has just concluded. With Starfleet Academy on the schedule for the first half of next year, and with Season 4 having only finished filming a few weeks ago, there’s gonna be a wait of a year-plus before we’ll see it – late 2026 or early 2027 is my guess, barring any strikes or similar disruptions! So it’s a bit early to look ahead – but Strange New Worlds is on my mind right now.
What I want to do this time is try to take stock of how the series has performed so far, as well as look ahead to a few things that I’d like to see in Seasons 4 and/or 5. This isn’t going to be a review or a recap of Season 3, though obviously we’ll talk about Season 3 along the way, but rather a broader overview of how I see Strange New Worlds now that we’re three seasons in – and, regrettably, past the halfway point of what will be a forty-six-episode run.
The final shot of Season 3.
As always, a couple of caveats before we get much further. Firstly, I have no “insider information,” so anything I say about possible future episodes and stories should be viewed through that lens! And secondly, all of this is the subjective, not objective, opinion of one old Trekkie. If you disagree with me about Strange New Worlds, hate my take, or want to see the series go in a completely different direction… that’s okay! There’s enough room in the Star Trek fan community for differences of opinion and polite disagreement.
Alright, now that that’s out of the way… let’s talk Strange New Worlds!
Season 3 was, on the whole, pretty good. There were a couple of dud episodes, but even those had some redeeming qualities. It felt a bit more serialised this time, thanks to the ongoing Batel-Gorn storyline, but still episodic enough that we got a diverse mix of stories. If I had to highlight two episodes for special praise, I’d pick Through the Lens of Time and Terrarium. I think Through the Lens of Time is, with the benefit of hindsight, perhaps somewhat let down by a weaker conclusion in the season finale, but on its own it’s still a solid episode. And Terrarium is just fantastic across the board.
Ortegas in Terrarium.
In terms of characters, I’d like to see Strange New Worlds do more with some of its original creations, rather than leaning so heavily on the younger versions of TOS characters. Scotty seems to have taken precedence over Pelia for a lot of engineering storylines, such as in A Space Adventure Hour, and because Pelia is just a ton of fun… that doesn’t sit right. She’s the chief engineer, and he’s… what? A glorified assistant at best. And although sometimes lacking in confidence, this version of Scotty is still working engineering miracles. We’ve seen that before, and while there’s definitely fun to be had in seeing Scotty’s growth and the development of some of his friendships with folks like Uhura and Kirk… I don’t want that to overwhelm an original character like Pelia.
I’ve said this before, but if Star Trek had relied so heavily on legacy characters when considering spin-offs in the 1980s and 1990s, the franchise would feel a lot smaller today. We might never have met the likes of Picard, Sisko, or Janeway if the folks in charge had insisted on retaining characters from past iterations of Star Trek – and I’m just a little concerned that the attention dedicated to legacy characters is beginning to overshadow the rest of the cast. Spock was almost omnipresent this season, and we got stories heavily focused on Kirk, Chapel, Scotty, and Uhura, too. I’m glad that we finally got an Ortegas episode – and that it was so darn good! But with only sixteen episodes remaining, I’d really like to see Strange New Worlds strike more of a balance between characters who’ll go on to play big roles in TOS and the rest of the cast.
Kirk in command.
I mentioned this in one of my Season 3 episode reviews, but La’an being related to iconic Star Trek villain Khan has been a complete nothing-burger so far, and unless something major changes on that front… I’m gonna reach the end of the series wishing she’d been given a different last name. If you know me, you know I’m not a stickler for the tiniest minutiae of “canon,” but given how important Khan is to Kirk, Spock, and really to Star Trek as a whole… making La’an a direct relative of Khan kind of treads on the toes of what was established in Space Seed. If there’d been a big narrative payoff for that, it could’ve easily been worth it. But so far? I’m afraid it hasn’t been.
Think about it like this: what would change about La’an if her last name had been… Shellac-Wombat instead of Noonien-Singh? She could still have been a descendant of augments. She could still have survived the Gorn as a kid. She could still have felt shame about her ancestry. She could still have developed a friendship with Una, fallen for Kirk, and gotten into bed with Spock. Her iconic ancestor doesn’t matter one iota – and because of how important Khan still is to the franchise, I don’t think that’s good enough. There’s just no reason to have made her a member of Khan’s family – and right now, the name feels like little more than cheap nostalgia bait.
La’an in Season 2.
What appealed to me the most about “the Captain Pike show” in the aftermath of Discovery’s second season was spending more time with Anson Mount’s take on the character. Season 1 gave us a decent mix of Pike and other characters, but the captain seems to have stepped out of the limelight a little in Seasons 2 and 3. There were whole episodes this season where Pike got remarkably little to do, and one of his bigger roles – in Four-and-a-Half Vulcans – was far from his best. Anson Mount did a great job, by the way, in that kind of comedic role… but I just wasn’t thrilled about the end product.
So in Seasons 4 and 5, I hope we get to see a bit more of Pike. That doesn’t mean every story needs to put the captain front-and-centre, but there have been moments in some episodes which could’ve been perfect for Pike to step up and play a role – but where writing decisions meant other characters came to the fore. Maybe you think this contradicts my earlier wish to see more of Strange New Worlds’ original creations – but I kind of include Pike, Una, and Dr M’Benga along with the brand-new characters, as their roles prior to this series were much smaller.
It’s still “the Captain Pike show” to me!
There are plenty of great characters on the show, and with only sixteen episodes left – and presumably at least one or two new recurring or secondary characters to be added – there are clearly gonna be constraints on how often Pike can be centre-stage… and I get that. But this is, for me, still “the Captain Pike show,” so when Pike is absent, relegated to a background role, or even mischaracterised – as I’d argue he was, to an extent, in episodes like Under the Cloak of War and Four-and-a-Half Vulcans – then a big part of Strange New Worlds is missing.
This leads into one of the concerns I have going into the remainder of the series: filming for Season 4 has already concluded, and Season 5 is currently underway. There’s no time for Skydance/Paramount to address feedback from Season 3; it’s too late to make any changes to the stories that have already been created. And given that Season 3 did have a couple of misfires and, I would argue, an over-use of characters like Kirk and Spock at the expense of Pike and some of Strange New Worlds’ original characters… that could be a problem. Feedback is important, especially in the modern streaming television landscape, and unfortunately, Strange New Worlds went ahead with producing Season 4 and 5 before there was a chance for any significant responses to Season 3 to be known. Hopefully, because the show is still pretty good, that won’t be too much of a problem. But I worry that the creative team may have doubled-down on some of the things that fans and viewers have been less keen on this time around.
Pike and the crew on the bridge.
Returning to Pike, I don’t think we need to see his accident and disability again at the end of the show. That story has already been told in Discovery, in The Original Series, and in a couple of Strange New Worlds episodes, so ending the show that way would, I would argue, be repetitive. If Kirk hadn’t been such a big presence this season, I’d probably have said that the series finale should show Pike handing over the Enterprise to Kirk – and a big part of me still believes that will be the final shot of the series. But given Kirk’s expanded role… I think some of the impact of that will be lost, even if the moment itself is handled well.
Instead, I think Strange New Worlds needs its very own Undiscovered Country-type of story. Perhaps Pike and the crew get word that the Enterprise is to undergo a major refit, and that Pike himself is to be promoted. The crew have one final mission to undertake – perhaps against the Klingons, the Gorn, or another well-known antagonist. The mission could be intense, explosive, and action-packed, but rather than the final moments of the show depicting the handover to Kirk… I’d like to see Pike on the bridge, setting course for parts unknown one final time.
Ortegas, Una, Chapel, and Spock from one of the Strange New Worlds comic books.
We’ve had it confirmed in a recent interview that the creative team weren’t sure a renewal was coming after Season 3, which I think explains a few major decisions this time around. It explains why there was such a rush to do the “backdoor pilot” for their Year One idea, with Kirk, Spock, Scotty, Chapel, and Uhura all working together. It explains why some characters – like Chapel and Uhura – now feel like they’re coming to the ends of their arcs on the show. And it explains that epilogue in the season finale, which I said in my review felt like it was intended to serve as the ultimate ending to the show if it hadn’t been picked up for more episodes.
Some of those decisions could, if the creative team are aware of them, open up different possibilities in Seasons 4 and 5. We’ve already had the “Kirk in command” Year One spin-off episode. So check that one off the list – no need to do that again. Chapel’s relationship with Dr Korby has emerged, gone through a couple of bumps in the road, and gotten to a point where he doesn’t need to regularly reappear. Uhura’s grown in confidence and ability, taking her from a raw cadet unsure of her place in Starfleet to a confident officer who was even willing to bend the rules. Spock has just been all over the place… but even if we never got another Spock episode, I think we can safely say we’ve spent more than enough time with him, too!
Spock.
So that should open up other opportunities. We haven’t had a major storyline for Una since the beginning of Season 2 (and no, getting horny for Patton Oswalt doesn’t count). We finally got our Ortegas episode, three seasons in, but there’s still scope to do more with her character. It would be nice to get a story for Dr M’Benga that doesn’t revolve around either his violent past or some other secret he’s keeping from his shipmates – perhaps one that could explain why, by the time of The Original Series, he’s no longer the chief medical officer.
Then there’s the secondary cast. Mitchell’s been a regular on the bridge – maybe the show could do something with her? Admiral April’s family was hinted at in the Season 3 finale, as was his friendship with Pike, so perhaps a story in which he’s in focus would be well-received. I’d also love to get one more story featuring Hemmer! Perhaps a time-travel story, of some kind, could see Hemmer getting some screen time with Scotty? That could be absolutely fantastic if handled well. And Sam Kirk has been rather overshadowed by Spock in the science department and his brother, but it would be lovely to get a story in which he’s in focus, for once.
Sam Kirk in Season 2.
You’ll have heard me say this before (I often use it as a bit of a caveat when talking about episodes I didn’t like!) but I’m really glad to see Strange New Worlds remaining a mostly episodic show. Discovery and Picard both went for big, season-long serialised arcs… but for me, that’s not really what I’ve wanted from Star Trek. In past shows, where seasons were longer and there was more room for manoeuvre, arcs like the Dominion War worked pretty well. But in the modern television landscape, where there are fewer episodes and fewer seasons available, I think Star Trek really needs the diversity and options that only an episodic format can deliver.
So, as production gets underway on Season 5… please keep the episodic format! A two-part or even three-part finale could work, sure, but I hope that at least some of Season 5 can retain the episodic charm that has made Strange New Worlds feel like such a nostalgic throwback in the best possible way. It wasn’t until I started watching Strange New Worlds that I came to recognise how much I’ve missed episodic television – and how essential the format is to a franchise like Star Trek.
The zombies in Shuttle to Kenfori.
Star Trek shows need the freedom to explore strange new worlds… pretty much every week. The Enterprise needs to visit a planet, meet an alien, then warp away to a different destination next time. As Strange New Worlds has demonstrated, that doesn’t mean you have to lose character growth, personal relationships, and other modern television trappings. But it means that, for a franchise all about exploring the galaxy, spending too long in one place or having too narrow a focus isn’t what works best. And I’m not alone in feeling that way, I suspect.
I think there’s room for something like a two-part finale to wrap up the show, or even a two-part cliffhanger in between Seasons 4 and 5, as we got with Seasons 2 and 3. One or both of those ideas could be great. But what I don’t want to see, really, is for Seasons 4 and 5 to go down the Discovery/Picard route of being fully serialised, as I think that would take away so much of what has made Strange New Worlds work. In fact, I’d go so far as to say that the Strange New Worlds model – which I’d describe as episodic with character arcs – should be adopted by Starfleet Academy and by any other Star Trek project that might get greenlit in the years ahead. It’s absolutely the best choice for this franchise.
La’an on the holodeck.
At this stage, with Starfleet Academy on the schedule for early 2026, I’m not convinced that Strange New Worlds’ fourth season will be ready in time for the 60th anniversary, which is now less than a year away! But if I could be allowed one “wish,” it would be for Season 4 to contain some kind of celebratory episode, perhaps a story akin to my Cardassia Prime pitch, which would bring in characters and factions from elsewhere in the franchise.
The 60th anniversary is an opportunity to celebrate a milestone that few franchises ever reach. And let’s be honest: with all the cancellations and Paramount+ struggling, being able to do anything big for the 70th or 75th seems unlikely! And speaking for myself… I might not be here by then! So I’d dearly love to see at least one Season 4 episode written as a “love letter” to Star Trek and to the fans, really leaning into the 60th anniversary and celebrating all things Star Trek.
A 60th anniversary episode could really celebrate the franchise.
Before we wrap things up, I have a couple of much siller, almost-certain-never-to-be-made ideas. The first is one I’ve talked about a few times here on the website: rescuing Captain Lorca! Lorca appeared in Discovery’s first season, and the prime timeline version of the character is assumed to have died in the Mirror Universe… but what if he didn’t? Captain Pike could lead a rescue effort, stepping through the looking-glass to save a friend. I think that could be a ton of fun as an episode.
And finally… I still kinda want to see a “Captain Pike versus the Borg” story! Yes, there are timeline problems. Yes, it would tread on the toes of canon. And yes, the Borg have been overused in Picard in recent years. But still… I think you could write a script which sees Pike’s Enterprise catapulted to an alternate universe where the Borg are dominant, with Spock saying “it’s unlikely a cybernetic race like this exists in our universe,” and where La’an, Dr M’Benga, and the rest of the crew have to battle drones and figure out a way home. I just think it would be a really fun idea.
I know, I know… it ain’t gonna happen!
So that’s all for today!
We’ve talked about Strange New Worlds, the show’s first three seasons, some of its characters, and a few things I’d like to see going forward. I’m still disappointed that the show has been prematurely cancelled – especially because it happened before Season 3 had aired a single episode. But we are where we are, and there are now just sixteen episodes left. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for some wonderful adventures before Captain Pike and co. have to hang up their uniforms for the final time.
I hope this has been interesting. I wanted to talk about the show more broadly now that Season 3 has ended. I still don’t think we’re gonna see Season 4 before next autumn at the earliest – and a 2027 release doesn’t seem impossible, either, given the lengthy post-production involved for modern shows. So… it could be a while before we rejoin Pike, Spock, Una, and the rest of the crew. Before then, I’d like to finally write up some Season 1 episodes, which I didn’t do at the time because Paramount cut off Strange New Worlds from an international audience! And if and when there’s a trailer, a teaser, or more information revealed about the upcoming season, I daresay I’ll take a look. Until then… Live Long and Prosper!
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Seasons 1-3 are available to stream now on Paramount+ in countries and territories where the platform exists. The first two seasons are also available on DVD/Blu-ray. The Star Trek franchise – including Strange New Worlds and all other properties discussed above – is the copyright of Skydance and/or Paramount. This review contains the thoughts and opinions of one person only and is not intended to cause any offence.
Spoiler Warning: There are spoilers ahead for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Seasons 1-3. Spoilers are also present for the following Star Trek series: The Original Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, Enterprise, Discovery, and Picard.
So this is it, then! Strange New Worlds Season 3 draws to a close after nine weeks. Perhaps in the days ahead we’ll take stock of the season overall, because there have been some fantastic episodes… and a couple that I was a lot less keen on! Season 4 has already wrapped, with production now underway on what will be Strange New Worlds’ fifth and final season, so there’s more to come – even though we are now, sadly, past the halfway point of the show’s run.
But all of that is yet to come! Today, we’re talking about New Life and New Civilizations – the dramatic and emotional final episode of Season 3. I’ll give you the lowdown, but first comes my usual caveat. This review is the subjective, not objective opinion of one old Trekkie. If you enjoyed the episode more than I did, completely hated it, or just don’t like my take on things… that’s okay. There’s plenty of room in the Star Trek fan community for differences of opinion and polite disagreement, and I share this review with my fellow Trekkies in that spirit.
The Enterprise at the beginning of the episode.
Was New Life and New Civilizations a good episode? I would say yes. Was it a perfect episode? That’s a much higher bar to clear, and I’m afraid I have to say no. I think the episode got a lot of things right, building on story threads from across Season 3 in a way that made sense – while also having time for a genuinely unexpected twist. However, there were issues with the way large parts of the episode were paced, resulting in moments that were too short or where more debate and conversation were needed, as well as quite a bit of jumping around. I also felt that, of all the ways Kirk was brought into stories this season, the excuse here was the flimsiest – even though at least part of the result was positive.
While there were some imperfections, some of which admittedly straddle the line between legitimate criticism and nitpicks, New Life and New Civilizations had heart, and managed to successfully build to an emotional climax – particularly for Captain Pike. This was once known to fans as “the Captain Pike show,” and I’ve noted more than once in recent episodes that Pike himself seems to have taken a back seat. So it was good to get a story that brought him in in a big way, while connecting to the themes of destiny and inevitability which have arguably defined this incarnation of the character.
Captains Batel and Pike.
The first thing I wrote in my notes after the credits had rolled was that New Life and New Civilizations felt like a series finale. The final sequence on the bridge with Pike and the crew reminded me of Kirk at the end of The Undiscovered Country, Picard after All Good Things, and even Burnham in Discovery’s final episode. After the main story had wrapped up, and we’d been treated to one of the most emotional moments in the entire series so far with Pike and Una, that closing scene felt almost eerie. I wonder if, behind the scenes, there was no guarantee of a fourth season, so the decision was taken to wrap everything up and write an ending that could’ve – if necessary – served as a series finale. If that was the objective, I think it worked! Though I’m glad it doesn’t have to be the finale; I’m not ready to lose Strange New Worlds just yet!
Deep Space Nine and Voyager probably got the most comprehensive finales in the franchise, with DS9’s crew going their separate ways and the USS Voyager finally making it back to Earth. But the way this closing scene was scripted and shot was definitely giving me a “series finale” feel. Compared to last season’s cliffhanger, it’s a noticeable change of pace. It was neat, after almost every other Star Trek show of the last few years had told single-season stories, to get that kind of continuing story last time. I could certainly entertain the argument that a two-part version of New Life and New Civilizations might’ve had more room to breathe! But I think it’s noticeable, at least, that this episode seems to have been deliberately crafted in such a way that it could’ve wrapped up the entire show if it had been called upon to do so.
This could’ve been the series finale.
In the run-up to this week’s episode, it felt pretty likely that the Vezda – who appeared in the thoroughly excellent Through the Lens of Time earlier this season – would be making a return, if for no other reason than to tie up that dangling narrative thread. And I saw some fans speculating online about the Vezda’s “true identity” – as I’ve done here on the website with other new additions to Star Trek, like Picard’s super-synths and Discovery’s Species 10-C. But you know what? I’m glad that the Vezda are new to Star Trek, and given the way the franchise has often tried to tie in new storylines to pre-existing alien races and factions – even when they don’t exactly fit the bill – I think it was the right call.
Imagine if, in The Next Generation, we never got to meet the Borg or the Cardassians, because the Romulans and Klingons kept coming back to fill those roles. And instead of meeting, say, the Sheliak or Ux-Mal, we’d gotten episodes with the Tholians or Metrons. Star Trek would feel… smaller. The franchise needs to introduce new alien races, sometimes, in order to grow, and while it can be fun to speculate and theorise about who or what a new faction might be connected to… in this case, I think making the Vezda a brand-new race was the right call.
The Vezda.
It was also a huge shock to see Chris Myers again – reprising his role as the Vezda-possessed Ensign Gamble. Or perhaps we should say the Vezda who assembled a Frankensteinian-transporter-clone of Gamble? I genuinely wasn’t expecting this, even though the Vezda being seen again seemed likely. It was properly hidden ahead of the episode’s premiere, and Myers did an exceptional job in the role – as he had in Through the Lens of Time.
And I think an episode like New Life and New Civilizations needed someone familiar in that villainous role. This is a story we’ve been building to, in different and not-so-obvious ways, perhaps, all season long. It didn’t have to be Gamble from a narrative point of view; the Vezda could’ve cloned someone else, or beamed itself off the Enterprise and possessed a random alien’s body. But having Gamble there, with that extra link to Dr M’Benga and the others – as well as being a familiar face for us as the audience – it added a lot and made this side of the story feel more complete.
This reveal was fantastic.
Let’s talk about the main issue I have with New Life and New Civilizations – its pacing.
In short… this feels like a two-part episode that’s been torn and crumpled to fit into the runtime of a single story. And the result of that is that some scenes were too short, characters seem to jump to wild conclusions incredibly rapidly, Pike and Batel’s fantasy life was raced through, and perhaps most crucially, Batel’s climactic showdown with the Vezda was over far too quickly. We’ll address each of these points in turn, but suffice to say that I don’t think this episode needed another ten minutes – it really needed another forty-five to truly reach its potential.
Two points stand out where characters appeared to make completely wild and almost nonsensical leaps in logic without enough information or buildup. The first was when Dr M’Benga, having read one line above the doorway, decided that this pretty vague and ambiguous statement just had to be all about him and his life. (Even though it referenced an event we’d never heard about before, let alone seen on screen). The second was Captain Batel, when talking with Pike and the others in the science lab, immediately deciding that it was her destiny to defeat and imprison the Vezda for all eternity – while claiming she had all the knowledge she needed to do so.
Did this have to be Captain Batel’s fate?
To be clear: I think both of these story ideas can be made to work. But the pacing is throwing me off. Captain Batel went from “I’m ready for a new assignment as head of Starfleet’s legal division,” to “well obviously I’m the guardian/prison warden who saves the universe from these monsters” in one short conversation, and there just wasn’t enough time dedicated to exploring this idea, what it really means for her, for her relationship with Pike, and the kind of sacrifice it entails. There also wasn’t nearly enough time to explain how or why she feels capable of doing this.
Batel declared, partway through the meeting in the science lab, that she possesses “all” of the knowledge of every species to ever fight the Vezda. But that’s bullshit. She possesses at best the genetic information of two-and-a-bit species – human, Gorn, and, at a stretch, Illyrian. But part of the conversation framed the Vezda as a kind of “ancient evil” that every race and culture in the galaxy had faced in the distant past. So how can having the knowledge of three of them mean she’s qualified to stand up to them? That wasn’t explored at all, and it seems to be at least a worthwhile counterpoint that a longer conversation here could’ve considered.
Batel makes her case to Pike.
This whole preamble just seemed to race by. Scotty realised the transporter had been used to clone Gamble. That took all of about a minute. Then from Pike being summoned to sickbay through the entire science lab conversation? Five minutes. It’s just not enough time on a setup that effectively “kills off” a major recurring character and the love interest of the series’ protagonist. We needed these scenes to last longer, particularly the conversation in the science lab. Other possibilities needed to be considered, and a more solid foundation built for Captain Batel’s sacrifice.
I also feel that the old “show, don’t tell” adage is a bit of a problem on this side of the story. The Vezda, since showing up in Through the Lens of Time, have killed precisely one named character: Ensign Gamble. Pelia made an elaborate speech about how evil they are, and this week even the logical Spock leaned into this idea of the Vezda as an unstoppably powerful “prehistoric evil.” But, for all the talk, we didn’t really see the Vezda do a lot of damage – and thus we don’t fully grasp the stakes involved. Sure, if the Vezda break out of prison, it won’t be great for the pre-warp citizens of Skygowan. But… so what? What, precisely, are the Vezda going to do to them? And what are they going to do to Starfleet and our heroes?
What were the Vezda planning… and why was I meant to care?
The Vezda are not akin to the Gorn – or to invading aliens from other iterations of Star Trek, like the Dominion or Borg. They don’t even possess spaceships, and if the ones we saw in the prison are all the Vezda that exist… I mean, one photon torpedo from orbit would be all it would take to end their entire civilisation. They’re talked up as being hugely powerful, unstoppable, and evil – but we don’t actually see a ton of that on screen. We’ve only met one Vezda – the one who possessed Gamble. And for all we know, he could be an outlier.
My point is this: this moment needed more time on screen. Captain Batel makes a life-changing decision based on the very un-Starfleet ideas of fate and destiny in way too short a span of time, without really listening to or considering alternatives. And the reason why she makes this decision – to stop the Vezda and keep them contained in a prison – is based on information which is incomplete at best. Surely Starfleet – an organisation dedicated to, y’know, seeking out “New Life and New Civilizations” – would want to study the Vezda, learn more about them, and then come to a conclusion about whether to pursue this kind of conflict. Instead, Batel and the others simply declare them to be “pure evil” based on one interaction with a single individual.
“Ensign Gamble.”
Then, during the away mission, we have Dr M’Benga deciding that a random inscription – which was pretty vaguely-worded – can only be about himself. No time was taken to consider alternatives, or to come to this realisation at a more reasonable pace. This part of Dr M’Benga’s backstory was also, as far as I can recall, not even known to us as the audience ahead of time. Why not, for example, use Dr M’Benga’s murder of the Klingon defector from last season’s Under the Cloak of War to set up this story point? It would’ve at least been a callback to something we’ve seen for ourselves.
I liked the idea that Gamble needed Dr M’Benga to open the doorway; that there was a narrative reason for the inscription and for Gamble to have to wait. I just felt, as above with Captain Batel, that the pacing of the way M’Benga arrived at the realisation was simply too fast, and that it doesn’t make sense in-universe. If it had used his name, for example, or even if it was just worded less ambiguously, I think it could’ve been stronger. But several factors came together to make it feel rushed and less impactful than it should’ve been.
The door to the prison.
“A young boy was not yet a man, but his time had come, to kill or be killed; a knife in his hands.” That’s the full line that Dr M’Benga read before deciding that this vaguely-worded and poetic line could only be referring to himself. And no one else stepped in to say “uh, hang on a minute there, Dr Self-Centred, it’s a pretty ambiguous statement, don’t ya think?” Taking just an extra couple of minutes on this sequence, with the other members of the away team considering possible interpretations before Dr M’Benga interjected with that fact about himself would’ve done a lot to sell me on it. And if we’d known already about Dr M’Benga’s childhood, or connected this line to something we’ve already seen on screen, such as his Klingon War service, that would’ve improved things a lot.
This is what I mean about pacing: we can use the same words and get to the same conclusion… but if the route is too quick, it undermines what the story wants to say. Dr M’Benga finding a statement carved in stone on an alien world that’s all about him is, in theory, an interesting idea that ties into the episode’s story about time and linearity, and contributes to the idea of the Vezda as being significantly more powerful than the Federation. But if you rush it, you botch it. When this fact about Dr M’Benga’s past was brand-new, and the wording that led him to that conclusion was so vague… we needed to spend more time here. Or the reference needed to be more overt: “The portal only opens for the one you call… M’Benga.” There. Fixed it.
This moment was horribly rushed.
I have enjoyed Paul Wesley’s take on Kirk since he first appeared in the Season 1 finale. Most of Kirk’s appearances have made sense in context… but of all the excuses to bring Kirk into Strange New Worlds, the one this week felt the weakest. I’ll try to explain what I mean. Firstly, Captain Pike reached out to the Farragut… but didn’t speak directly with Captain Whatshername (the Vulcan). Instead, for some reason, he speaks with the first officer. That was already a bit… odd.
But then, later, Spock decides he needs to mind-meld with someone in order to coordinate this “two ships firing phasers at the same time” idea. But… why? The crew could reasonably infer Gamble’s intention: that he wanted to go to Vadia IX and free his fellow prisoners. And Pelia, in another disappointingly weak and underdeveloped scene, confirmed that one of the “interdimensional ley lines” from Skygowan led directly to Vadia IX. So… why did Pike and Batel need to open the portal when they could’ve just warped there in the Enterprise? It’s not like getting into the Vadia IX prison was complicated; all it needed was a pinprick, and Captain Batel is dead set on staying there anyway. So all of this mind-melding and phaser coordination just felt like a totally unnecessary narrative diversion. In a stronger, better-paced episode, perhaps it would’ve been less noticeable. But in an episode where the main story was desperate for more time on screen, it’s a particularly egregious waste of time.
The crew already knew the Vezda’s destination… so why not warp there?
In The Sehlat Who Ate Its Tail, I said that I really liked seeing Kirk and Spock’s burgeoning bromance. After Uhura had been the one to introduce them, their friendship seemed to be growing and developing really well. But… does New Life and New Civilizations at least imply that the reason they’d become such good friends is because they shared a mind-meld? If so… how do we feel about that? I said earlier in the season that Kirk serving under a Vulcan captain – especially when she’s such a nonentity that I’ve forgotten her name – comes a bit close to treading on the toes of his friendship with Spock, and how the two of them worked to overcome the cultural differences between humans and Vulcans in The Original Series. But now… is this episode not saying that at least part of why they’re such good friends by the time of TOS is connected to the mind-meld? If so, I’d argue very strongly that it detracts from their friendship and from one of Star Trek’s most important and iconic character duos.
Any prequel needs to tread carefully. And speaking for myself, I don’t really like the implication in New Life and New Civilizations that Kirk and Spock’s friendship was, at the very least, accelerated or enhanced by a mind-meld. To me, it seems to take something away from the organic and natural chemistry they’ve always had. As I’ve said more than once when discussing Star Trek’s various prequels: not everything demands an on-screen explanation down to the finest detail. Kirk and Spock are friends – perhaps more than friends. There doesn’t have to be a reason; people can just like each other and develop strong bonds.
Spock and Kirk’s mind-meld.
Given that this setup felt pretty flimsy, and that I don’t like the implication of the mind-meld for Kirk and Spock’s friendship… I actually felt their scenes together were pretty great. Set aside whether the story actually needed them to fire phasers exactly in sync, and whether Pike should’ve talked to Kirk’s captain first. The Spock and Kirk scenes themselves were a lot of fun. I particularly liked Kirk calling their meeting a “date,” or at least implying that it could be – whether jokingly or not. I noted a few weeks ago that, with Strange New Worlds’ writers apparently set on making Spock sleep his way through all of the female members of the Enterprise’s crew, they seemed to be going out of their way to erase any possibility of “Spirk” in canon. (“Spirk” referring to the fan theory/fan-fic that Kirk and Spock were romantically involved). This “date” line definitely puts that back on the table for folks who want to see or believe in that – and I was pleased to see it.
It was also undeniably cool to see Spock and Kirk making those perfectly in sync movements. And the CGI on this side of the story – putting the Farragut and Enterprise together in a kind of “ballet in space,” was a really cool visual effect. It reminded me of both Picard’s linked-up fleet in the 25th Century and the Klingon ships during last season’s musical episode, which also seemed to be “dancing” with the Enterprise.
This was a really cool visual.
With Captain Pike and Captain Batel, the writers of New Life and New Civilizations clearly had a lot they wanted to do. Unfortunately, because this story really needed to be a two-parter, I don’t think either of the main ideas worked as well as they should’ve done.
Captain Batel’s climactic fight against the Vezda was over in… what? Less than two minutes. That’s all the time it took her, after the end of the fantasty-life/alternate timeline sequence, to use her magic Gorn-Illyrian powers to defeat and imprison them, then turn herself into a statue. It didn’t feel like the war of good versus evil that it was set up to be… because it was over in a flash. If you stepped away from the screen to grab a glass of water, you’d have missed the whole thing.
Then we have the fantasy sequence itself. Obviously something like this is going to be jumpy – you can’t condense a lifetime into a short runtime without skipping over years or decades. But really, if what the writing team wanted to go for was something comparable to The Inner Light from The Next Generation, this needed to be basically an entire episode all by itself. This is where I’d have made the biggest change to New Life and New Civilizations. Half of “Part One” would’ve been taken up reaching this point, then the second half and the entire first half of “Part Two” would’ve been just the fantasy sequence. It needed room to breathe and, because it had to be packed in with everything else in the story… it didn’t get it.
The Vezda’s prison.
I’ve said before that I’m not a particularly big fan of The Inner Light. But compared with that story, this premise actually feels a lot stronger. We’re seeing Pike and Batel living their lives – a fantasy version, at least. A world in which Pike doesn’t get injured, in which he and Captain Batel get married, have a daughter, and grow old together. Compared with the disconnected story of The Inner Light, which took place centuries in the past and didn’t involve anyone from The Next Generation save for a version of Picard, that’s a really strong and incredibly emotional idea.
And to be clear: we got a lot of that emotion in New Life and New Civilizations. I just don’t think we got all that we could’ve. If we’d spent more time with these versions of the characters, perhaps seeing Pike’s relief at not becoming disabled, spending more time with the younger version of Juliet, watching her grow up… there were a lot of opportunities that were missed to really ramp up the emotional side of things because this entire sequence could only last ten minutes. Again, when you compare it with The Inner Light – or just consider what a forty-plus-minute cut could have looked like – it doesn’t have the same impact. It comes up short, which is a real shame, because the bare bones of the idea work so well and there’s so much potential here.
Batel and Pike in their fantasy life.
The point of the fantasy sequence was for Batel to show the sacrifice she was making, but also for Captain Pike to catch a glimpse of the life he could have led. Given Pike’s impending fate – which, again, is set in concrete and cannot be altered – that’s such a cruel tease. He got to see the daughter he’ll never have, marry the love of his life, go through the elation of avoiding a debilitating condition that he thought was guaranteed to happen… then it was all ripped away from him. As we saw with Picard after The Inner Light, I expect we’ll see at least some kind of follow-up to this story next season. But… that follow-up isn’t going to be as impactful as it might’ve been if this sequence had been longer and stronger.
Did Pike experience his entire fantasy life in real-time… or did he only see the moments that we as the audience also got to see? That was left totally up in the air by the time the credits rolled, and I think Strange New Worlds had an opportunity to take the basic concept behind not only The Inner Light but also stories like Deep Space Nine’s Hard Time and really expand upon it. The idea of someone living a full life in this kind of fantasy world, then being dragged back – unwillingly – to the real world and having to face the consequences of that… it’s an interesting story idea that past iterations of Star Trek, being wholly episodic, could only take so far. And I really do look forward to seeing how Pike handles this experience in Season 4, and to what extent it will have an impact on him. I just wish the sequence itself had been longer and more fleshed out in this week’s episode.
Did Captain Pike live an entire lifetime… or just experience parts of it?
There’s a lot to love in the fantasy-life sequence. And I think it achieved at least some of what it was supposed to in terms of ramping up the emotional nature of Batel’s sacrifice, and keeping the focus grounded on two characters and their lives, rather than straying too far into lofty ideas about “pure evil” and “saving the galaxy.” Given the weaknesses on that side of the story… New Life and New Civilizations benefited from this change in focus.
And for Captain Pike, whose future is still predetermined, it’s such a rug-pull that it feels cruel. Pike got to see what his life might’ve been like under different circumstances – having a wife, a daughter, and remaining in good health – and then it was taken away from him again. Depending on your outlook, having had a taste of something, only to lose it, can be worse than never having experienced it at all – and so it may be for Captain Pike. Obviously we aren’t going to spend Season 4 with Pike sulking in his quarters, and I think the end of New Life and New Civilizations at least tried to set up that Pike is back in the captain’s chair and ready to resume his mission. But… dealing with the lingering emotional consequences could be an engaging storyline next time, if handled well.
Captain Pike got to see what life could be like if he and Batel escaped their fates.
Taking all of the above into account, particularly the problems with pacing, the overstuffed story, and the need for this particular episode to have really been split into two parts… where do we stand?
In my opinion, New Life and New Civilizations has a lot going for it. It’s a lot better than, for example, Four-and-a-Half Vulcans or Subspace Rhapsody. But it’s also the weakest of the three season finales that we’ve seen so far – A Quality of Mercy and Hegemony are significantly better, more tightly-focused, and a lot more enjoyable.
But there are things to appreciate, and having talked about what I didn’t like, I think it’s only fair to move on to what worked well in New Life and New Civilizations.
Scans of Captain Batel and the statue.
Although not as strong or as well-developed as I’d have liked, the fantasy-life sequence was genuinely interesting and emotional. It challenged our perceptions of Pike, and what kind of life he and Batel could have led if things were different, but both characters stayed true to themselves throughout. I’m not convinced that Pike, being aware of what lay in store for him, would have chosen to get married – let alone have a child – but having a rock-solid family life definitely upped the stakes and ramped up the emotional storytelling. I’m working with the head canon explanation that this fantasy-life was created entirely by Captain Batel based on her ideas of what an ideal life would’ve been like, and I think that’s more than enough to explain any apparent discrepancies. It’s also why I’m calling it a “fantasy” as opposed to something like an “alternate timeline.”
We don’t get to see Pike as a nurturing family man very often, and I really liked catching a glimpse of what that could look like. It was bittersweet in the best possible way (if that even makes sense), as we saw Pike living in a beautiful house, with Batel by his side, a daughter, and even a pet dog. If the worst thing I can say about that is “I wish we’d spent longer here and seen more of it,” well… that’s not exactly a damning criticism, is it?
Pike with Batel and their daughter, Juliet.
I also liked the idea of Pike and his daughter, Juliet, having such a strong bond that he’d be the first to know about her engagement. I’m not sure making her fiancé Admiral April’s son was necessary, but we got a cute connection between Pike’s family and “Uncle Spock,” which was just really sweet. Pike having perhaps retired from Starfleet is an interesting direction for his character in this fantasy sequence; I like to think that he’d have been worried about making changes to the timeline after the events of A Quality of Mercy.
And for Captain Batel, who I guess knew all along that this was just a fantasy… again, that’s heartbreaking. It was performed incredibly well by Melanie Scrofano, who’s been a wonderful recurring star on Strange New Worlds. I said ages ago that her relationship with Captain Pike had a “time limit,” but for it to have ended this way – prematurely, even, from Pike’s point of view – is tragic. Her final act was one of sacrifice, and even though there were narrative weaknesses with the Vezda that I would argue kept us from fully understanding the nature and necessity of that sacrifice, as a grounded and emotional storyline, it worked incredibly well.
Captain Batel and Captain Pike at the end of their fantasy life.
Toward the end of the episode, Pike and Una shared a moment together as he recovered from the loss of Captain Batel. Since Pike went out on a limb for Una back at the beginning of Season 2, we haven’t seen them spend that much time together, so this was a sweet moment. For Una to be the one he’d turn to when at such a low ebb said a lot about the nature of their friendship, I felt.
This closing montage also showed us Sam and Jim Kirk sitting down together, Pelia and Scotty working on something together in the science lab, Ortegas, Uhura, and Una sharing a drink, Spock and La’an meditating, and Dr M’Benga reuniting with Chapel in sickbay. These small clips were cute, and they added a lot to the ending of the story. Again, there’s that “series finale” vibe to this montage, but the individual clips – and the voiceover tying them together – were great.
Una and Pike sharing a drink.
At the beginning of the episode, we got another fun sequence with the crew in Pike’s quarters – and Scotty being the latest victim of the “showing up in your dress uniform” prank that Uhura also fell for back in Season 1. I liked Scotty’s flustered reaction, here, it was cute. And Martin Quinn (whom I met at a Star Trek convention here in the UK not long ago) showed off that side of the younger Scotty incredibly well. There was also a Doctor Who reference during this sequence – Pelia mentioned having once known a “time-travelling doctor.” Obviously this was just a little easter egg; a nod and wink to fans of sci-fi. But it was a fun inclusion, and I like to see Star Trek making little in-jokes like that from time to time.
Dr Korby, although his role was smaller this time, made a welcome return. His presence this season has been a thread of continuity, binding different episodes together, and I think his relationship with Chapel is played well by both Jess Bush and Cillian O’Sullivan. Dr Korby took what he’d learned on Vadia IX and continued to pursue it, again in the name of finding some pathway to eternal life. There’s a lot of deliberate foreshadowing here, setting up Korby’s role (and ultimate demise) in The Original Series.
Korby and Chapel.
The first away mission to Skygowan (before the crew apparently gave up on the idea of going incognito and, y’know, following the Prime Directive) included some wonderful colourful costumes, and I really liked the way Una, Uhura, Chapel, La’an, and Dr M’Benga looked. Those costumes felt like they came straight out of The Original Series or The Next Generation, which I really do mean as a compliment. I also liked the way the aesthetic of Vadia IX’s prison from a few weeks ago was retained, but given a more lively feel. The use of the AR wall was pretty solid here, too.
Despite some narrative weaknesses on his side of the story, Anson Mount put in a spectacular performance. Particularly towards the end of the episode, I really felt Pike’s grief and the weight of what he’d lost – not only Captain Batel, but the fantasy life that he could have led. This was a challenging role, one which involved putting Pike in old age makeup as the fantasy timeline unfolded, showing him wrangling with the changes to the timeline, gaining and then losing a family, and really going through a range of emotions. Mount did an exceptional job.
Anson Mount did a fantastic job in this episode.
Before we wrap things up, I want to talk about one more topic.
Star Trek is science-fiction, and some of its storylines lean heavily on the “fiction” side of that little hyphen! But one area where I’ve felt Star Trek has been more detached and rational in its approach is when it comes to questions like “fate” and “destiny.” Even Captain Pike’s story – with its ending set in stone – isn’t treated as his “destiny,” but rather as the consequences of choices he made. As Pike said in Discovery: “I’m not going to abandon the things that make me who I am because of a future… that contains an ending I hadn’t foreseen for myself.” Whatever we think of “time crystals” and the Klingons on Boreth, the way the story was presented made it clear that it was still Pike’s choice. A Quality of Mercy, with its time-travelling future Pike, doubled-down on that, explaining that Pike does have the freedom to avoid his accident, but that it comes at a price.
This story, in contrast, really went out of its way to lean into the ideas of fate and destiny… and I gotta be honest: I don’t love that for Star Trek. Some stories in fantasy settings work really well with the idea of a character’s fate or the outcome of a battle being predetermined, but I don’t think it’s right for a sci-fi series like Strange New Worlds. I didn’t like it when Deep Space Nine messed about with Sisko’s birth, saying it was caused by the Prophets so he could be their Emissary, and I don’t like it here with Captain Batel, either. It feels, to me, too far removed from the more objective and scientific way that Starfleet officers handle things.
This was Captain Batel’s “destiny.”
There was a creditable attempt to explain this, with Spock talking about “effect coming before cause,” and time being non-linear. That throws a scientific bone in the direction of this story about fate. But at no point did it seem as if Captain Batel had a choice or could regain control of her life and her future. Once Chapel established that Batel was the Vadia IX statue, and she’d decided it was her destiny… that was it. Everyone just kind of went along with it. And this isn’t just a question of pacing, though a longer version of this story could have dedicated more time to this debate. But rather it’s a question of whether a story about predetermination and fate – presented in this manner – is right for Star Trek. I’d argue that it’s not. It wasn’t right with Sisko and the Prophets, and it isn’t right with Batel and the Vezda, either.
There are other Star Trek stories which have come close to this line. Daniels and Archer in Enterprise, Picard with Q in The Next Generation, and even The City on the Edge of Forever all looked at questions of destiny and unavoidable fates. But it’s about how these stories are presented, not so much their content, and for me at least, New Life and New Civilizations went too far with the idea of Captain Batel having a predetermined “destiny” in a way that felt closer to fantasy than sci-fi.
Spock talked about effect coming before cause and time being non-linear.
Here’s a question: with Captain Batel being written out of the series… does that mean there’s now an open slot for a new recurring character? If so, it’s bound to be someone else from The Original Series, right? Maybe in a future piece we’ll have to speculate about that! I’ll also go into this in more detail another time, but I generally liked what Strange New Worlds did with recurring characters this season. Kirk, Dr Korby, and Captain Batel all had roles to play in some episodes, but not all, and I felt they worked pretty well.
But after Kirk’s first appearance came in the Season 1 finale and Scotty showed up at the end of Season 2, I can’t have been alone in wondering if we might’ve gotten a new TOS character this time! I’m kind of glad we didn’t, though, and I could absolutely entertain the idea of Season 4 not introducing anyone new, but rather narrowing its focus on the characters already in play. Some folks, like Pelia, haven’t had a lot of time in the spotlight, so bringing in someone like Sulu, McCoy, or even a secondary character like Kor to fill the slot vacated by Batel isn’t strictly necessary.
Will Strange New Worlds replace Captain Batel with a TOS character?
So let’s bring this review to a conclusion.
“Good but not great.” That’s my four-word summary, I guess. In a season where some episodes have been truly fantastic, I don’t think New Life and New Civilizations reached the highest bar. But it wasn’t the season’s weakest offering by any stretch, and my complaints mostly focus on the fact that potentially interesting storylines were cut too short, paced poorly, and not given enough time to shine. I think, if I were in charge, I’d have cut an episode like Wedding Bell Blues or Four-and-a-Half Vulcans in favour of a two-part version of this story.
But that doesn’t mean I hated New Life and New Civilizations. The decision to keep the Vezda as a brand-new alien race was a good one. The sets and costumes were great, and there were some fantastic uses of the AR wall, as well as a beautiful starship “dance” in space. Though Kirk’s inclusion in the story felt particularly flimsy, I liked his scenes with Spock overall, and furthering their relationship was a good choice. Dr M’Benga got an emotional turn with Gamble, and Pike’s fantasy-life sequence could, potentially, set up something for him in Seasons 4 or 5.
The Enterprise warps away to her next adventure.
So that’s a wrap on Season 3. It was a two-year wait after Season 2 ended, but that was partially due to strikes over in Hollywood. With Starfleet Academy on the schedule for the first half of 2026, and presumably taking up time and resources in post-production, I wouldn’t expect to see Season 4 of Strange New Worlds for at least a year – and 2027 isn’t off the table. So… watch this space, I guess! Having finally reviewed all ten Season 2 episodes – and gotten around to Season 3 in a much more timely manner – I’d like to go back and write up re-watches of Season 1 in the months ahead. I hope you’ll join me for some of those!
And there’s more Star Trek content to come here on the website. Later in the autumn, I’d like to do a review of the Khan audio drama, I’m planning a couple of episode re-watches involving actors that I met at a recent Star Trek convention, and there’s the upcoming Voyager video game that I’m looking forward to, too. And, of course, there’s my usual chatter, previews, and theory-crafting! So even though Strange New Worlds Season 3 is over… don’t be a stranger. Check back from time to time, because I’m sure I’ll have plenty more to say about Star Trek.
Live Long and Prosper, everyone!
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Seasons 1-3 are available to stream now on Paramount+ in countries and territories where the platform exists. The first two seasons are also available on DVD/Blu-ray. The Star Trek franchise – including Strange New Worlds and all other properties discussed above – is the copyright of Skydance and/or Paramount. This review contains the thoughts and opinions of one person only and is not intended to cause any offence.
Spoiler Warning: There are spoilers ahead for Strange New Worlds Seasons 1-3. Spoilers are also present for the following Star Trek productions: The Original Series Season 1, The Search for Spock, The Next Generation Season 3, Discovery Season 2, and Picard.
Of all the main characters on Strange New Worlds, we’ve spent the least amount of time with Erica Ortegas. She’s been a presence on the show and has had some memorable scenes, but she hasn’t gotten a major storyline or a spotlight episode… until now. There are reasons for that, of course, and we don’t have to go over all of it again. But I know that a lot of Trekkies – myself included – have been waiting for an episode in which Ortegas would get her moment to shine.
And what an episode it was!
Terrarium was intense, dramatic, emotional, and just fantastic. It’s rare for me to sit down to write a review having taken no notes, but I was so absorbed in the story that I genuinely didn’t have a second’s pause to write anything. The only negatives I can find from Terrarium are total nitpicks; the kinds of silly things only the most detail-obsessed Trekkies might ever care about. The episode really was exceptional. One of the best from all three seasons of the show without a doubt.
Uh-oh, Ortegas is in a spot of bother…
Because Strange New Worlds is a prequel, and because we know that several of the characters it includes will go on to have careers in Starfleet during The Original Series era, it isn’t always easy for the show to create a genuine sense of danger. We know Pike’s fate, we know where Spock will end up, and we know Uhura, Scotty, Chapel, Dr M’Benga, and others all have futures beyond the series. In the modern entertainment landscape, that can change how we perceive stories which put these people in the firing line.
In the aftermath of shows like The Walking Dead and Game of Thrones – shows which use what I’ve termed the “disposable cast,” where any main character can be killed off at almost any moment – television storytelling has shifted. Being a main character is no longer a guarantee of safety. Star Trek has struggled to keep pace, with characters in Picard and Discovery almost all surviving even the most apocalyptic dangers (or being resurrected afterwards!) But Strange New Worlds has already been different – Season 1 saw the untimely demise of the brand-new character of Hemmer. Terrarium got me to feel like Ortegas was genuinely in danger of losing her life and being written out of the show in a way that stories like Shuttle to Kenfori simply couldn’t for Pike and M’Benga. And I think that shows the advantages, in this new media environment, of using brand-new characters as opposed to relying too heavily on legacy characters whose fates and futures are set in stone.
This genuinely felt like it could’ve been the end for Ortegas…
I said recently that I don’t like when Star Trek stories blatantly rip off what’s come before, but I appreciate it when they “rhyme.” And for me, Terrarium reminded me of The Next Generation Season 3 episode The Enemy, in which Geordi La Forge and Bochra, a Romulan, are similarly trapped together on the desolate planet of Galorndon Core. The barren, stormy world, the pairing up of a Federation officer with a member of an enemy faction… Terrarium uses these same elements in a similar way, but still feels like a totally distinct story. That isn’t easy to pull off, and the differences between the stories – the shuttle crash, the wormhole, the difficulty of communicating with the Gorn, and Ortegas’ hostility toward the Gorn as she still processes her trauma – are a big part of what makes Terrarium work.
If I might make one criticism that falls outside of nitpick territory, it would be the editing and pacing of a few of the scenes. In short, Ortgeas seemed desperate for food and water immediately after crash-landing, and the passage of time was not particularly well-communicated at first. Pike said, at one point, that they’d been searching for her for over two days, and by the time she was eventually rescued, even more time seemed to have passed. Ortegas might’ve spent a couple of days on the moon before encountering the Gorn. Or a week. Or a few hours. Or maybe she and the Gorn lived together for a couple of weeks before the rescue? Some of those scenes just felt a little… choppy, if that makes sense – particularly the sequence after Ortegas crash-landed, and the scenes in the run-up to her first meeting with the Gorn. I can’t help but feel adding a card or some text saying “48 hours later…” or something like that might’ve helped at a couple of points.
It wasn’t totally clear to me how much time passed in between some of these sequences.
Can I skip to the end and talk about that? Because the end of Terrarium was brutal. After working together, surviving together, and planning out an escape together… for Ortegas’ Gorn friend to just be gunned down by La’an and the redshirts was harrowing. Star Trek stories almost always present our heroes as being in the right – even if they do something bad or against the rules, it’s almost always for a noble reason. La’an and the security team just opened fire without warning against an unarmed opponent, killing her in cold blood. I was shocked – and I’m genuinely struggling to call to mind a similar moment anywhere in Star Trek, in which the death of a friendly character was handled with such ruthlessness by Starfleet personnel.
The writers took a narrative necessity – that the Federation couldn’t have a Gorn just hanging out aboard the flagship years before the events of Arena – and turned it into a truly shocking twist ending for this kind of “let’s all learn to live together in peace” storyline. Ortegas is probably the second character, after La’an, to have held such genuine fear and hatred for the Gorn, and it seemed as if Terrarium was trying to echo Arena and similar Star Trek “morality plays” with a story all about overcoming hatred, finding common ground, and learning to work together. All of that was ripped away with seconds to spare – after Ortegas and the Gorn had risked everything to achieve rescue. It was… well, it was brutal. There’s no other word for it.
Shocking and brutal.
Ortegas still learned a lot, of course. She overcame her fear and hatred for the Gorn, and as the Metron told her at the end of the episode, that was real and she’ll be able to retain all of that knowledge and those feelings. She’ll also be able to convey to Starfleet that the Gorn can, under the right circumstances, be dealt with, reasoned with, and communicated with – which, hopefully, are things that could set the stage for dialogue in the future. So those “morality play” ideas are still present, they still matter, and they’re still a big part of the episode’s story. It feels very “Star Trek” in a way that not every modern episode has done!
But the ending is straight out of the modern entertainment playbook! Arena ended with Kirk injuring the Gorn, but refusing to kill him. The Enemy ended with La Forge and his Romulan counterpart being rescued. But Terrarium went for the twist ending, the shock of seeing Ortegas’ new friend gunned down right at the moment of victory. Betrayed by Starfleet – unintentionally, perhaps, and even arguably understandably – but that doesn’t make it feel better.
La’an firing her phaser rifle. (Colour/brightness tweaked for clarity)
If anything, I’d say this kind of ending ramps up the “morality play” angle. Terrarium is different from the likes of Arena and The Enemy, which got happier, or at least more positive endings. But the final act of Terrarium hammers home its message about bridging cultural divides, working with someone from a different race, and finding comradeship with an enemy. Ripping that away so coldly, and for no good reason, shows us how far Starfleet and the Federation still have to go – and how the “good guys” can still make mistakes or be too quick to anger.
This is what Star Trek has always been about – just updated with a more modern style. What was the point of The Enemy, if not learning to see an enemy as an equal? Or Arena – that “the other” is not a monster, but a person? Kirk starts his battle with the Gorn by talking of the revulsion he feels for the reptilian monster, but stops short of killing him at the end. Terrarium builds from the same narrative foundation, but twists the knife right at the end. Ortegas may have learned to let go of her fear and her hate… but Starfleet is still too quick to reach for the phaser.
Ortegas came to see the Gorn as a friend.
Despite feeling like she was genuinely in danger the entire time, I’m glad Ortegas lives to fight another day. The opening act of Terrarium, which showed Ortegas with Spock and Uhura, felt comparable in tone to how Discovery set up Airiam’s death, or how, earlier this season, Ensign Gamble was sent on the away mission that claimed his life. That kind of setup, knowing what we know of modern Star Trek, has an almost eerie feel, so when Ortegas’ mission went wrong and she crash-landed, I really did feel like she was in danger.
Given that Strange New Worlds has been adding to its roster of legacy characters, fleshing them out, and even trying to set up a “Year One” spin-off focusing on the likes of Kirk, Spock, and Scotty… I wondered if Ortegas might be about to be brushed aside to bring someone like Sulu on board. But I’m very glad that didn’t happen (or at least, it hasn’t happened yet) because she’s someone we’re still getting to know – and she’s such a fun character. Ortegas is cut from the same cloth as Voyager’s Tom Paris insofar as she’s a genuinely passionate pilot, not just a helmsman. Having that kind of person in the pilot’s seat – both of the Enterprise and in shuttlecraft – is a ton of fun, and I can feel her passion for the role every time she takes the helm. Shuffling her out of the way to make way for Sulu (or another legacy character) wouldn’t sit right with me.
Ortegas is at home in the pilot’s seat.
Speaking of piloting… what do we make of Captain Pike taking the helm? I absolutely loved it – and I think Terrarium is a great episode for Pike, despite him not being the centre of attention. I wrote last week that, across the three seasons of Strange New Worlds that we’ve had so far, several episodes saw Pike transformed into a different person, recreated as a hologram, or just… behaving out-of-character. It’s gotten to the point where I feel like it’s almost a refreshing change of pace to see Pike as the upstanding, decent, honourable Starfleet captain that we remember – the character who, as Trekkies, we were so desperate to see given his own show.
Pike taking the helm also reminded me of another Next Generation Season 3 episode: Booby Trap. That episode sees Picard – to the shock of everyone on the bridge – take the helm to guide the Enterprise-D out of a sticky situation, and Pike’s turn at the helm definitely brought up echoes of that story for me. I would’ve liked to see Pike take his seat, perhaps… but maybe that would’ve been too similar, I don’t know. Either way, it was a really great moment, and it drew on Pike’s history as a Starfleet test pilot, which Strange New Worlds has brought up on a few occasions. I like that this is an ongoing aspect of his character and wasn’t newly-invented for Terrarium; these consistent story threads make a series and a setting feel so much more real.
Captain Pike at the helm.
Pike’s side of the story also brought up the weight of command and the difficulties of making command decisions. This is something we know weighs on the captain – in The Cage (and The Menagerie) Pike spoke about how he felt the burden of command and how being responsible for the ship and crew was taking a toll on him. In Terrarium, Pike had to balance the needs of the many with the needs of the one (to quote a future Mr Spock), wanting to do everything in his power to search for and save the wayward Ortegas – but having a time limit to deliver vaccines to a colony world.
I loved Pike’s line to Uhura that he knew she “fudged the numbers,” and he would’ve undertaken the rescue mission regardless. I think that says a lot about the kind of captain he is, and the way he handles his ship and crew. Pike was confronted with a genuinely impossible situation, but he stayed calm, he did everything he could to buy his crew as much time as possible to look for Ortegas, and his role this week reminded me exactly why I was so keen on “the Captain Pike show” back in 2019!
This was a great episode for both Uhura and Pike.
Did you spot a reference to The Doomsday Machine? Decker – a commodore by the time of The Original Series – was in command of the USS Constellation, the ship Pike and the Enterprise were set to rendezvous with in Terrarium. I just thought that was a neat little reference. It doesn’t need to be expanded into something massive, with the Constellation and Commodore Decker being shown on screen next week, but it was a cute little nod and wink to Trekkies – and another reminder that all of these stories are taking place in a shared setting. It wasn’t a big thing, but it was neat that the writers went the extra mile, instead of saying that the vaccines were to be delivered to Captain Bob of the USS Whatsisname.
Terrarium was also a fantastic episode for Uhura. Her empathy and love were on full display as she supported Ortegas ahead of her first solo mission in months, then became the strongest advocate for searching for her, even when Spock seemed (perhaps a little too keen) to throw cold water on her plans. We’ve seen Uhura grow in confidence across Strange New Worlds so far, and as Pike remarked, bending the rules is a new frontier for her! But it came from an understandable place, and had been set up incredibly well earlier in the episode.
Uhura at the episode’s climax.
Uhura has had several “moments” across the first three seasons of Strange New Worlds in which she becomes more confident, solidifies her relationship with Starfleet, or just grows in some way. And Terrarium was another great example, building on storylines like visiting the comet, bonding with Hemmer, and inspiring the crew to sing their way out of trouble. The notion that Uhura would do anything to help a friend in need… that’s a core part of the character we remember, and seeing her bend the rules, thinking that was the only way to help Ortegas? It sets up Uhura joining Kirk’s mission to steal the Enterprise in Star Trek III, as well as countless other examples of her going out of her way to help her friends.
Spock was, perhaps, a little too quick to dismiss some of Uhura’s ideas – but this was never really presented as a conflict; more so a hurdle for Uhura to overcome. And Spock, despite his initial predictions of failure, didn’t come across as being a jerk for the sake of it. He even stayed with Uhura, continuing to help her work on her simulations, which I think also says a lot about how far he’s come across the show so far. After so many “Spock comedy” storylines – something I talked about at length last week – it’s nice to see Spock in a more familiar and straight-laced role. It’s also nice to see Spock contributing, but taking a back seat to other characters. This side of the story mostly looked at Uhura and, to a lesser extent, Pike. Spock played a role, but he doesn’t always have to be centre-stage.
Uhura and Spock.
So let’s return to the main part of the story: Ortegas and the Gorn.
I really liked the moon that Ortegas crashed on. It made fantastic use of the AR wall, and just felt like such a barren and desolate place. Seeing the wind sweeping across the surface of the moon, with nothing but dust and rocks in sight, with occasional quakes and rumbles shaking the ground… it made for a very unnerving place to have crash-landed; very lonely, very bleak. The addition of the flaming blue gas giant in the sky obviously added a huge sense of impending danger, which was intimidating. The camera work on the surface of the moon, combined with the AR wall, actually led to a really great effect – something Paramount hasn’t always been competent at if you look back at some other recent Star Trek projects, like Discovery’s fifth season.
And this sense of being lost, alone, and trapped in a desolate, barren wasteland was really hammered home by the presence of the wormhole. I don’t think we ever learned exactly how far away the wormhole’s terminus was from where the Enterprise was situated – but, as Spock said, it could be basically anywhere in the universe. That added so much to the sense of isolation and abandonment compared to, say, an episode like The Enemy, in which the Enterprise-D was still in orbit, even if for technobabble reasons it wasn’t possible to beam out Geordi right away. Again, that sense of genuine danger – that we might be about to lose Ortegas from the series entirely – was ramped up by just how badly wrong this mission was going.
The Enterprise in the wormhole.
A couple of weeks ago, I said that I was worried that Ortegas’ injury and trauma from the beginning of the season hadn’t been picked up in a big way, and that if it did come back, it would be harder to pull off effectively after having seen her “back to normal.” And I stand by that to an extent – I think if, instead of Terrarium, we’d gotten a Discovery-style “let’s all talk about our feelings” story, it would have been difficult to put Ortegas into that after several episodes had passed in between her injury, her insubordination, and her apparent recovery. But because of the way Terrarium approached it – putting her face-to-face with a Gorn for the first time since the end of Hegemony, Part II – it actually worked incredibly well.
Ortegas’ character arc built on her earlier encounter with the Gorn and the lingering trauma it caused her without feeling like we’d missed a step. By throwing her into this tense survival situation, we got to see her going from “just kill me already you alien monster,” to “okay, we can be friends.” And Terrarium built this up slowly and carefully, taking us from Ortegas’ shock at spotting the Gorn, trying to hide, fearing for her life, and eventually coming to terms with the fact that they’d have to work together to have any chance of escape. It was incredibly well written – and given that Melissa Navia was the only one to actually have any dialogue on this side of the story, incredibly well performed and emoted. Having to act out an incredibly intense and emotional storyline against a person in a Gorn suit can’t have been easy – but she made it look easy! This is why, for almost three full seasons, a lot of us have been champing at the bit for a proper Ortegas episode!
Melissa Navia absolutely excelled.
We got to see Ortegas run the gamut of emotions. The elation of her mission and the piloting challenge, the anxiety and loneliness after the crash-landing, the sheer terror of her first Gorn encounter, a slowly-developing friendship which culmintaed in board games, and the abject grief at her new friend’s utterly brutal execution. And Melissa Navia had to do all of that (well, almost all of it) on her own, with no other actor to bounce her lines off of. It’s an incredible solo acting performance, one which really encompasses a huge range of different emotional states across a dangerous and nearly fatal away mission.
After Strange New Worlds has reimagined the Gorn to be closer to Alien’s Xenomorphs or other horror movie monsters, it was incredibly refreshing to see a different and softer take this time. We got to see a Gorn – for the first time in the entire series, really – not as “the other,” or a monster, but as a person. This Gorn showed Ortegas – and by extension, us as the audience – that the Gorn are more than just mindless killing machines who see humans as food. They have a complex language, a culture, they enjoy playing games, they can get sick and injured… again, to tie into the theme of Star Trek stories as “morality plays,” we’re seeing the Gorn – through Ortegas’ eyes – as people… basically for the first time since they were re-worked for Strange New Worlds. This only makes the brutal killing of the Gorn at the end of the story hit so much harder and feel so much worse.
Ortegas at the end of the story.
May I nitpick? If you know me… you know I must!
If you can transport down to a moon, it stands to reason that you can also transport up from a moon, right? So why did La’an have to beam down to search for Ortegas? And why did La’an beam down with a squad of redshirt tactical officers for a rescue mission, instead of – oh, I dunno – a doctor? The “we have to deliver these vaccines on time” added an extra source of tension to the episode, but it felt a bit exposition-y – mostly because of the timing of its introduction. If the episode had begun with Pike saying, “we’re en route to deliver these vaccines, but we stopped off briefly to study this unusual phenomenon,” I think it would’ve worked a lot better than Una springing it on us after Ortegas had already gone missing. The “scanning ability” percentage wasn’t really explained, and I could’ve entertained a brief line of technobabble discussing it, especially given its importance to Uhura and Pike’s storyline.
But, as I said, all of those are incredibly minor points, and none of them detracted from the finished product. I include them here because, well, I’m a Trekkie – and as Trekkies, we love nothing more than to pick at the tiniest little details in Star Trek, sometimes!
The rescue team beams down.
Terrarium joins Shuttle to Kenfori and Through the Lens of Time as one of my favourites from Season 3. It was fantastic all around, with great moments for Pike and Uhura, as well as an incredibly intense story for Ortegas.
I loved this completely different way to include the Gorn. Don’t get me wrong – I’ve enjoyed Strange New Worlds’ reinterpretation of the Gorn, by and large. But I also think we were beginning to come up against the limits of the “alien monster” idea, so to show a softer, more personable side to the Gorn – and to put Ortegas, who had suffered so severely at their hands, right in the middle of it – was a fantastic storytelling decision, and one that was executed incredibly well. Melissa Navia got her first major spotlight episode – and rose to the occasion, overcoming a difficult acting challenge.
I really can’t heap enough praise on Terrarium, as you can probably tell! It truly is an outstanding episode, one that harkens back to the likes of Arena and The Enemy from those older shows, but puts a completely different spin on a familiar setup thanks to a brutal ending. I’m not sure I’d have chosen to include Arena’s Metrons; I’m just not convinced that brief scene at the end added an awful lot or that the story really needed it. But doing so helps to square a circle, perhaps, while hinting at a “different” take on the Gorn by the time of Kirk’s encounter in Arena.
Playing chess with a Gorn.
So that was Terrarium. Absolutely fantastic. No notes – literally, in my case!
Season 3 has been pretty good, overall. Strong episodes like Terrarium are a nice balance after a weaker offering like Four-and-a-Half Vulcans last week, and I’m rooting for an excellent season finale to close things out with a bang! Can you believe Season 3 is almost over, already? I’m actually feeling pretty sad about that.
The final episode of the season will be titled New Life and New Civilizations. So far, there’s been nothing released – no promo photos, no blurb, no trailer. Something big could be hiding under the surface, then! Check out my latest theory about Captain Pike and Captain Batel, if you’re interested – you can find it by clicking or tapping here. And join me next week for the final episode review of the season. Oh, and if you missed it, I met Martin Quinn (Scotty) over the weekend at a Star Trek convention here in the UK. Click or tap here to check out my write-up of the events of the day. Live Long and Prosper, friends!
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Seasons 1-3 are available to stream now on Paramount+ in countries and territories where the platform exists. The first two seasons are also available on DVD/Blu-ray. The Star Trek franchise – including Strange New Worlds and all other properties discussed above – is the copyright of Skydance and/or Paramount. This review contains the thoughts and opinions of one person only and is not intended to cause any offence.
Spoiler Warning: There are spoilers ahead for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Seasons 1-3, Star Trek: The Original Series Season 1, and Star Trek: Discovery Season 2.
It’s been a while since I’ve engaged in much theory-crafting here on the website! Strange New Worlds, as a mostly episodic series, hasn’t lent itself to the kind of weekly theorising that I used to do for Picard and Discovery… but there are character arcs, season-long storylines, and other narrative threads running through the show. I want to consider one of these today, and it pertains to Captain Marie Batel.
At the end of Season 2, Captain Batel was infected with the same Gorn parasite that resulted in the death of Hemmer. We went into the two-year gap in between seasons not knowing how – or even if – she would survive. Hegemony, Part II gave us part of the answer, as Spock and Nurse Chapel came up with the unorthodox solution of using Illyrian blood to “re-incorporate” the Gorn DNA into her body. Captain Batel, however, has suffered after-effects of this treatment, seemingly possessing some kind of Gorn consciousness or DNA within her. It’s an open question whether this storyline has now run its course, whether it will be picked up again, or how it will be resolved. I wanted to offer a purely speculative take at this juncture, with two episodes of Season 3 remaining.
Pike with Captain Batel in Season 3.
Let’s start by laying out what we know.
Captain Batel is still suffering as a result of the Gorn infection. The cure was, at best, incomplete, and according to Spock in Through the Lens of Time, there is some kind of Gorn “presence” which exists inside of – and separate from – Captain Batel. As Pike explained to Admiral Pasalk in Four-and-a-Half Vulcans, Captain Batel still needs intensive treatment sessions. And as far as we know, no one else has ever been cured once a parasitic Gorn infection has progressed to this extent.
Furthermore, Captain Batel’s relationship with Captain Pike has a hard and rigid time limit. Pike knows the time and place of the accident which will disable him, and we know, as the audience, that Pike will be transported to Talos IV by Spock a few months later. By the time of Pike’s accident, if not before, their relationship will come to an end. But what if… it doesn’t have to?
A vision of Captain Pike’s ultimate fate.
If Captain Batel’s condition worsens, the Gorn inside her could try to break out or even take over her body, as we caught a glimpse of in Through the Lens of Time. Some fans have theorised that this could lead to the creation of a Gorn-human hybrid – with speculation that this hybrid could even be the Gorn Captain that Kirk will face off against in the classic episode Arena. I cannot fully express my disdain for this idea, by the way; it would be the Klingon-Augment virus all over again, only worse.
But what if, instead of dying or being transformed into a Gorn, Captain Pike reaches for another solution? His solution could give context to Spock’s actions in The Menagerie, perhaps even giving Spock the idea to take Pike to Talos IV in the years to come. What if… Captain Pike were to take Captain Batel to Talos IV as a last roll of the dice; a desperate final attempt to save her?
Could Captain Pike take matters into his own hands in order to save Captain Batel?
The Talosians have appeared in Discovery’s second season, where we were introduced to this incarnation of Captain Pike. They played a major role in that season, sheltering Spock and helping him with his condition. We know that the Talosians possess advanced medical technology, as well as immense mental and telepathic powers. Even if Captain Batel were to arrive there in a comatose state, Talosian telepathy could create for her a world in which she was free from her infection, living her life somewhat normally.
Knowing that Talos IV is also Pike’s ultimate destination could reframe their relationship going into the final episodes of the series. Instead of Batel and Pike being a temporary fling; a relationship firmly in the here-and-now… they could fall deeper in love. Their future could exist… a shared future, free from their life-limiting conditions… but a future only the Talosians could provide. If Captain Pike were to take Captain Batel to Talos, it could be incredibly poetic. And beautiful.
Talosians in Discovery.
Now let’s consider how this could come about.
Captain Batel has just – as of Four-and-a-Half Vulcans – accepted a new role as head of Starfleet’s legal division. Rather than accepting command of a starship, which would be more difficult for her given her health, Batel is to take charge of the court-martial system, presumably being based either on Earth or on a starbase. It sounded like a promotion – perhaps to the rank of commodore or even admiral – was also on the cards. But… a big part of me thinks that, regardless of whether this theory pans out, Batel won’t get her promotion.
Let’s say that, on the way to her new posting, Captain Batel falls more seriously ill. Dr M’Benga and Nurse Chapel have done all they can, but the Gorn infection is proving too stubborn. Maybe the Vezda alien, kept in suspended animation aboard the Enterprise, is called upon for help, but either refuses or cannot do anything for her. Faced with her imminent death, Captain Batel is placed in some kind of suspended animation (probably in the transporter buffer, given Strange New Worlds’ proclivity for that kind of storyline!)
Captain Batel and Admiral Pasalk.
This leaves Captain Pike heartbroken… but also with a tiny glimmer of hope. Batel is not dead yet, and even though everyone is telling him she’s too far gone and cannot be saved, Pike is unwilling to give up. He does the only thing he can think of, and reaches out once again to the Talosians. The Talosians bring bad news: they know about the Gorn and their parasitic infections, but have no cure (or at least, no cure for someone so far gone). But they offer an alternative: bring Batel to Talos IV in stasis, and they will use their telepathy to let her live out a fantasy version of the rest of her life. He will even get the chance to say goodbye properly.
At this point in the timeline, Talos IV is already off-limits to all Starfleet vessels. But Captain Pike will break that rule, initially intending to do so secretly, but ultimately with help from Una, Spock, and the rest of the crew. The Enterprise will proceed to Talos IV – pursued, perhaps, by either the Gorn or Admiral April, both of whom could have reasons for wanting to stop him. Upon reaching Talos, Batel will be beamed down in her stasis chamber, accompanied by Pike. He’ll explain what happened… and what he’s done. He’ll explain what the Talosians can do for her. And though sceptical at first, and really hating the idea, Captain Batel will ultimately choose to remain on Talos IV.
The surface of Talos IV.
Maybe Pike will promise to keep working on a cure, with the aim of one day returning to Talos to free Captain Batel. That seems like the sort of thing the Captain of the Enterprise would do! But either way… the result of this mission will be that Captain Batel will remain on Talos IV, with the Talosians using their powers to give her some semblance of a life – mirroring and foreshadowing Pike’s own ultimate destination.
What I like about this idea is that it gives more depth and meaning to the Pike-Batel relationship. While we know they have strong feelings for one another, there’s always been a strange sort of undercurrent to their relationship. Pike himself – and us as the audience looking in – know that this relationship basically has a time limit. It can’t be “happily ever after,” because Captain Pike doesn’t get an “ever after.” But if Captain Batel were to end up in the same place for a not dissimilar reason… it changes their dynamic. It potentially deepens the love they may feel for one another, while also being somewhat poetic.
Captains Pike and Batel.
This storyline could also work well for Spock. In The Menagerie, it seems as if Spock’s decision to bring Pike to Talos IV is entirely his own… but what if there’s more to the story? What if Spock saw Captain Pike do the same for Captain Batel, and that’s part of what prompted him to take that specific course of action? Perhaps… Pike even tells Spock to do this. That would come dangerously close to treading on the toes of canon, in my view; Pike in The Menagerie repeatedly says “no” when Spock tries to take him to Talos IV. But… maybe they agree that he’ll have to say that as part of a ruse?
Obviously this idea has its shortcomings! For one, the ending of The Menagerie clearly shows Pike reuniting with Vina – a character we also saw him falling for in Discovery, too. Vina and Pike seem to share a moment together when he arrives on Talos IV, setting out in their telepathic forms to make the most of the second chance the Talosians have afforded them. If Captain Batel should be there too… it complicates, at the very least, the canonical ending to Pike’s story – which should already be set in stone.
This is supposed to be the end of Pike’s story.
It’s also narratively clunky and arguably repetitive. Not every story in Star Trek has to be based on something that we’ve already seen, and Pike taking someone he loves to Talos IV so the Talosians can use their telepathy to free them from a life-limiting condition… that’s the same plot as The Menagerie. I love it when Star Trek stories rhyme, or when we get echoes of a classic story in modern Trek. But is something so familiar and so similar crossing the invisible line between respectful homage and naked rip-off? I think a lot of fans would argue that it is, regardless of how well-executed it may or may not be.
However, I think this theory is infinitely better than the Batel-Gorn hybrid ultimately turning out to be Kirk’s foe from Arena! I didn’t like the Klingon-Augment virus when Enterprise did that storyline; I felt it wasn’t necessary to explain the change in makeup for the Klingons. And even if it was… that wasn’t the way to do it. It was convoluted and silly. This idea… that the Gorn in TOS and the Gorn in SNW look different because one is a half-human hybrid… it would have the same problems as the Klingon-Augment virus, the same narrative weaknesses… and, on top of that, it would also be repetitive.
Can we please rule out this idea?
The other thing to say is that it’s possible that Strange New Worlds’ writers… haven’t actually written an ending for this story. Maybe their idea is that Batel will sail off into the sunset as head of Starfleet’s legal division, and Pike will occasionally Skype her for half a scene here and there in Seasons 4 and 5. Maybe what I’ve been reading as the preamble to a bigger storyline just… isn’t. Maybe this is the story. Batel got sick, received a partial cure, suffered a setback, but is now able to manage her condition well enough to return to work. That could be the way it’s gonna go.
Batel could also yet be killed off. I was brutal in criticising Paramount’s marketing team in my review of the Season 3 premiere, because I felt that promo photos and trailers had spoiled Batel’s survival ahead of time. And I stand by that – it was incredibly dumb, after teasing us with this story for so long – to spoil Captan Batel’s survival when there was no reason to do so. But… despite all of that, Captain Batel may not be long for this world after all. The Gorn infection could come back, as we described above. Or the Vezda alien, which is still aboard the Enterprise, could break free and kill her. She could be killed in an alien ambush, a freak accident, a transporter malfunction… anything.
Captain Batel face to face with a Gorn.
So there are definitely other ideas floating around – some of which, to be honest, are probably more plausible than this theory!
However, I still kinda like this idea. It would completely reframe Pike’s ultimate destination, and the choice Spock makes on his behalf in The Menagerie. It could potentially deepen the bond between Batel and Pike, taking their relationship from something that is, by circumstance, bound to be temporary and… opening it up. Maybe they can have a form of “happily ever after” after all.
So that’s it. That’s the theory. In order to save Captain Batel’s life and give her some semblance of normalcy instead of a stasis pod, Captain Pike will call upon Vina and the Talosians, and transport Captain Batel to Talos IV, mirroring his own ultimate destination.
Will it happen? There’s two more episodes left this season, as well as Seasons 4 and 5. Are we truly done with the Gorn? Has Captain Batel reached the end of her story? Or… could there another twist? I guess we’re going to find out!
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Seasons 1-3 are available to stream now on Paramount+ in countries and territories where the platform exists. The first two seasons are also available on DVD/Blu-ray. The Star Trek franchise – including Strange New Worlds and all other properties discussed above – is the copyright of Skydance and/or Paramount. This review contains the thoughts and opinions of one person only and is not intended to cause any offence.
Spoiler Warning: There are spoilers ahead for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Seasons 1-3, and Discovery Season 3.
Last week, Strange New Worlds surprised me with an episode styled like a documentary. I approached Four-and-a-Half Vulcans much more keenly aware of the kind of story I was getting into… and I set my expectations accordingly. For the kind of light-hearted episode that it was, I think Four-and-a-Half Vulcans was, as Mr Spock might put it, adequate. There were actually some genuinely funny scenes and lines in the mix, and I laughed more than I expected. This was not the total cringe-fest I feared it would be.
However, it’s also an episode I’m in no hurry to revisit, and I’d probably rank it in the lower half of the Strange New Worlds episodes that have aired so far. Comedy has been a part of Star Trek since the beginning, and I’m not opposed to episodes and stories which firmly place themselves in that genre. However, a light-hearted tone and a comedic premise do not cover up any and all flaws; “it’s just a comedy episode” is not a good enough excuse for dodgy writing, weak characterisation, or hand-waving away one of the most significant elements of one of Star Trek’s most well-explored and understood races.
Captains Batel and Pike.
I’m going to start with the positives this week.
Four-and-a-Half Vulcans genuinely made me laugh. Like… out loud. Multiple times. A lot of the comedy, even though some of it wouldn’t usually be “my thing,” stuck the landing thanks to a combination of clever writing and creative performances, backed up by some well-planned staging, solid camera work, and even editing. Spock and La’an’s battle-come-dance sequence at the end of the episode, in which they moved through different areas of the ship, was incredibly well-executed, and that’s just one example.
Though this was an undeniably silly premise for a story, the way everyone involved really threw themselves into it made Four-and-a-Half Vulcans feel earnest in a way that not every Strange New Worlds comedy episode has done. But that’s the double-edged sword, and, for me, part of why Four-and-a-Half Vulcans doesn’t feel so special: it’s repetitive. Strange New Worlds has used a very similar premise several times already. If this were the show’s first comedy episode – or even the first Vulcan comedy or Spock comedy episode – I think it would’ve felt stronger, or at least more original. When I saw the promo photos and the teaser clip, I was already rolling my eyes and getting ready to complain because of how overused this core idea has been in a series that still hasn’t reached the thirty-episode mark.
Vulcan comedy… again.
And that side of Four-and-a-Half Vulcans was very much a let-down. Strange New Worlds’ writers seem utterly fascinated – borderline obsessed – with the idea that “Vulcans are stuck-up, rigid, and unemotional… isn’t that hilarious?” There hasn’t been a single straight-laced Vulcan story in the show so far. We now know that cancellation is coming, and Strange New Worlds has actually passed its halfway point. I really, sincerely hope that if the show revisits the Vulcans in Seasons 4 or 5… we’ll get a different kind of story.
Because for all of its genuinely funny and engaging moments, Four-and-a-Half Vulcans was weighed down by that sense of repetition. We’ve been here before – more than once, and in all three seasons. We’ve done the whole “what if Vulcans were hilarious,” “what if Spock had emotions,” and “aren’t these autistic-coded aliens just a hoot” things so many times… I’m beyond over it. That didn’t stop me laughing at some of the episode’s well-played jokes and genuinely fun moments. But it drags it down several notches. More than anything, I hope Four-and-a-Half Vulcans will be Strange New Worlds’ final attempt to go down this road. And hey, if the writers have zero other ideas for what to do with Spock and the Vulcans? Just don’t use them. That would honestly be better, at this point, than another attempt at “Spock comedy.”
Spock.
Sorry, this was meant to be the “positives,” wasn’t it?
Anson Mount is funny. He has good comic timing, and I enjoyed his weird and quirky take on a human-who’s-not-quite-Vulcan. A character like pseudo-Vulcan Pike would be absolutely awful to watch week in, week out… but as a one-off and a change of pace? I liked it. And Mount’s performance was a big part of that, I think. I can see just by watching the scenes he had in sickbay and in Pike’s quarters that it must’ve been a ton of fun to perform.
However… we’ve had Pike the cowardly courtier in The Elysian Kingdom. Pike without his memories in Among The Lotus Eaters. Pike the singer in Subspace Rhapsody. And earlier this season? Pike the holo-TV producer in A Space Adventure Hour. That’s four episodes in which Captain Pike isn’t Captain Pike… in what we used to call “the Captain Pike show,” back when Strange New Worlds was little more than the target of a fan campaign. As with “Spock comedy,” I’m kinda done with the whole “let’s turn all our characters into totally different people!” premise. Strange New Worlds isn’t the only Star Trek show to have done this. But it is the only Star Trek show to have done it so often in such a short span of time. These aren’t twenty-five episode seasons of a show that’s gonna run for seven years. Forty-six episodes of Strange New Worlds are all we’re getting. And in several of them, Captain Pike isn’t himself. Again… I’m kind of over that premise. Let Pike be Pike!
How about a Captain Pike episode in the Captain Pike show where Captain Pike… gets to be Captain Pike?
Sorry, sorry. Positives.
I liked Kirk and Scotty’s burgeoning bromance. I was surprised to see Paul Wesley back as Kirk so soon after his big turn in the captain’s chair. But building on his new friendship with Scotty was a fun angle, and it was actually one of the few elements of Four-and-a-Half Vulcans that was played pretty straight. Yes, Kirk and Scotty found themselves in a weird situation with Vulcan/Romulan La’an… but their friendship continues to grow. Paul Wesley and Martin Quinn genuinely work well together. Kirk is beginning to come into his own as the captain we remember, but Scotty still has an edge of nervousness or a lack of confidence that comes from youthful inexperience. There’s a cute vibe to how they interacted, this week… and I really liked it.
Kirk and Scotty got what was one of Four-and-a-Half Vulcans’ most over-the-top storylines, with La’an plotting and scheming her way to a multi-front war. I think the boys’ side of things was the better one, and certainly the most grounded. Two stellar performances kept things focused mainly on the younger versions of these characters, despite the shenanigans happening around them.
Scotty and Kirk make a pretty good team.
Since I mentioned La’an, let’s talk about her next. I haven’t really had the chance to discuss this very much… but La’an’s connection to iconic Star Trek villain Khan has been, for me, almost a complete waste so far. Only a couple of episodes have so much as touched on La’an’s ancestry and the potential lingering effects of augmentation, and to be blunt, that’s not been good enough from Strange New Worlds. There are ways to use a character like La’an to talk about things like collective guilt, the dangers of eugenics and genetic engineering, or generational trauma. So far, we haven’t got much of that… making me feel, as time has gone by, that La’an should’ve probably been created as an original character without that connection to Khan.
However, this storyline did belatedly address some of that. It wasn’t a huge part of it, with La’an’s famous relative and augmented DNA only being referenced right at the end. But that explanation made sense to me and seemed to account for La’an’s changed persona when in Vulcan form. As an admittedly small and easily-overlooked nod to this under-utilised aspect of her character, I liked it.
La’an being zapped.
The scene between Pike and La’an in their Vulcan/Romulan guises was pretty funny. And I liked that Strange New Worlds linked up these two characters – both of whom are, as far as we know, the only people in Starfleet at this point in time to be aware of the connection between Romulans and Vulcans. The fact that they both had to cover this up to comply with the Temporal Prime Directive was alluded to, and added a lot to the scene. Obviously Pike came to learn about the Romulans in the Season 1 finale, and La’an did last season in her team-up with an alternate timeline version of Kirk.
The implication of this is interesting, though, if we take a step back. La’an basically turned into a Romulan, not a Vulcan, and Spock seemed to suggest that her augmented ancestry played a role in that. Is that a clue about the split between Vulcans and Romulans? Enterprise showed us our most comprehensive look so far at Vulcan history – including the Time of Awakening, after which the proto-Romulans left Vulcan. But it’s interesting, at least, to get this hint at genetic manipulation possibly playing a role in either the early history of the Romulans, or even in their society in general.
La’an and Pike.
Or perhaps the story wanted to highlight how thin the dividing line is between Romulans and Vulcans. That’s also an interesting idea, especially in light of Discovery’s far-future Ni’Var storylines. At any rate, I liked the idea that there could be some kind of augmentation at some point in Romulan history – and I felt that idea expands our understanding of the Romulans without treading on the toes of previous storylines.
Given how other parts of Four-and-a-Half Vulcans really leaned into the idea of “logic,” La’an’s transformation was a refreshing change of pace. Christina Chong can take a villainous turn remarkably well, and her performance – while no less over-the-top than any of the others this week – was still a lot of fun to watch. Again, this seems like an episode that would’ve been a blast to work on.
La’an becoming a Romulan, not a Vulcan, was a fun idea.
So let’s talk about the other Vulcans, then, and their transformations.
Though there was an attempt to address why Pike, Chapel, and Uhura were so emotionally repressed and logical, I felt it was a pretty flimsy way to hand-wave away an incredibly important part of Vulcan lore and history. Vulcans are not, by nature, stoic and logical. It takes a lot of effort and work on their part to box up their emotions the way they do, and just being physically Vulcan should not bring with it the decades of training that Spock went through to reach his more mature and logical state.
This was a narrative hurdle that I was really worried Four-and-a-Half Vulcans would trip over. And while we can say that the episode avoided the most flagrant violations of canon on a technicality… I’m still not sure that I like the result.
The transformation process doesn’t look very pleasant…
Regular readers will have heard me talk about internal consistency before. I believe internal consistency is one of the absolutely foundational components of suspension of disbelief when engaging with any work of sci-fi or fantasy. Once it’s been established that magic, fictional technologies, or alien races behave a certain way, that’s gotta be something subsequent storylines stick with. If Star Trek was constantly changing how warp drive worked, for example, it would soon erode the core of one of the franchise’s key technologies. And when it’s been established that Vulcans are intensely emotional people who have to train for years to keep their emotions in check and present a logical face to the world… future stories have to stick with that.
However, by showing the flaws and weaknesses in each of the transformed characters’ applications of logic, Four-and-a-Half Vulcans actually does something genuinely interesting with this idea. It’s more than just cringe humour, and while I maintain that it feels like something that’s dangerously close to crossing the line into an outright violation of canon, there was at least somewhat of a point to it. And more nuance than I’d been expecting.
Captain Pike was… illogical.
Pike, La’an, Chapel, and Uhura were completely unprepared for what being a Vulcan would feel like. And they found it impossible to adhere to a genuinely logical pattern of behavior, with all of them crossing lines and behaving like, as Spock put it, jerks. In that sense, I think we did actually learn a little more about what it must be like to be a Vulcan, and how intense their training and education must be to keep a logical lid on some truly illogical impulses and desires.
This was more than just pure comedy, and breaking it down, we catch a small glimpse at what being a Vulcan might feel like – something that, if you think about it, we haven’t seen much of outside of Enterprise. Parts of Four-and-a-Half Vulcans seemed to build on T’Pol’s storylines from Enterprise in an interesting way. Whether that was the intention or not… that’s how I read it. And perhaps I’m reaching, trying to find positive glimmers amidst a storyline I generally didn’t like. But I think that interpretation is there, and stepping back to Enterprise gives context to some of these scenes.
The episode explored a bit more about Vulcans.
Pelia is legitimately one of my favourite characters on Strange New Worlds, and almost every scene she’s in is just… delicious. She’s so funny, she adds so much light-heartedness to the show, and even in an episode like this, where comedy was the focus, her scenes still stood out. It was also a change of pace to put Pelia with a different combination of characters. We saw her with Ortegas, Dr M’Benga, Spock, and Una, and I honestly can’t remember many (or any) times she’d really spent time with most of them. She’s the chief engineer, and though we do now have Scotty as a junior officer, the chief engineer role on a Star Trek series is still an important one.
What I got from Pelia’s scenes, more than just a good laugh, was how she is genuinely friends with the rest of the crew. They like her, and she likes them. Because of how little screen time Pelia tends to get, and how inconsistent her appearances are – with her disappearing for multiple stories in a row, sometimes – there’s been less of an opportunity to show that. This week, with everyone hanging out in her quarters, I felt like she was a fully-fledged member of the crew. And I liked it. Oh, and Pelia’s quarters being shielded from the ship’s sensors? Love it.
Pelia is so funny. I love her.
Though Chapel and Uhura got arguably the less-interesting Vulcan storylines, both had their moments. Uhura trying to solve problems with mind-melds and forcibly “brainwashing” Beto was… weird. But it was nice to welcome back Mynor Lüken on this side of the story. I still think Beto and Uhura have good chemistry, and giving the younger Uhura a romantic interest is – if done well and explored more in future – a solid idea I can get behind.
Chapel’s single-minded focus on work was also interesting, especially as she began severing relationships and friendships in the name of efficiency. I felt a little of Seven of Nine in this characterisation, as Chapel prioritised doing as much work as possible ahead of everything else. Bringing back Dr Korby in the closing moments of the episode rounded out this storyline quite well.
Uhura in her Vulcan form.
If I might nitpick… Dr M’Benga and Una both said that they couldn’t force Pike and the others to return to their human states. And Una was unwilling to remove Pike from command, despite his erratic behaviour. But surely on medical grounds… the affected officers could have been relieved of duty. When it became clear that Pike could no longer effectively command the ship, and was issuing nonsensical orders like 45-minute shift changes, or when La’an was rigging the ship’s weapons for all-out war… intervening at that stage was definitely an option. In fact, it should have been mandatory.
In previous iterations of Star Trek, we have seen officers relieved from duty for less! I can appreciate why, in the beginning, Una and Dr M’Benga might’ve taken a “wait and see” approach, rather than trying to force Pike and co. to return to their human states. But when it became clear that they were being adversely affected by their transformations, steps would surely have been taken by a competent commander and medical professional to, at the very least, take them off duty for a while.
These characters could (and arguably should) have intervened before things went too far.
Doug was an interesting character, but in a busy episode, I don’t think we got enough time with him to really explore who he is or what he was even doing. He and Una made a fun pair, but we never really understood why they have such an unstoppable effect on one another. “Pure lust” doesn’t seem like something Una would experience, to be blunt about it, and even if she did… even if Vulcans and Illyrians have some kind of effect on each other… surely two grown adults are capable of behaving themselves long enough to have a serious conversation. It was a silly aspect of an already silly story… and one that was too over-the-top for my taste in an episode which had no shortage of such moments.
I was also disappointed that, after all the buildup to Doug’s arrival, we didn’t actually see him do anything of consequence to the plot. The writers and producers chose to show Doug – played by wonderful guest star Patton Oswalt – flirting with Una, sharing an awkward drink with Spock, and then doing whatever Vulcan magic he did entirely off-screen, before reuniting for one final flirty scene with Una. “Show, don’t tell” is something they teach every budding writer in their first ever lesson… and with Doug’s Vulcan katra magic being the climax of the episode’s story… it felt wrong that it happened entirely off-screen. Was it really straightforward? Did Doug just… snap his fingers, putting everyone to rights? Or did it take him a week of intense study, meditation, and working in a lab? We don’t know because we saw zero seconds of any of it.
Doug.
Four-and-a-Half Vulcans was funnier than I expected, and a better episode all around than I feared it would be from the photos and promo clip. But it wasn’t fantastic, it still has some significant weaknesses and contrivances, and above all, it relies on a premise that Strange New Worlds has thoroughly burned out. Please… please… let this be the last “Vulcan comedy” episode we get in this show. I can handle more light-heartedness, and I’m fine with more episodes that use overtly comedic premises and styles. But not another one where the focus is Spock and the Vulcans. We get it: Vulcans can be funny. But that’s enough for now. Try something else with the Vulcans, perhaps. Or give Spock a storyline that isn’t either slapstick comedy or depicting him slowly sleeping his way through every female member of the Enterprise crew. If you can’t think of anything that fits the bill… sideline Spock for an episode or two and do something else. Because I am thoroughly, utterly, and completely done with these kinds of stories at this point.
So that’s all for now, I guess! I didn’t hate Four-and-a-Half Vulcans. I didn’t even dislike it as much as I half-expected, half-worried that I would. But I did find it repetitive, perhaps a little too silly or over-the-top in places, and its strengths – like a genuinely good storyline for Kirk and Scotty – couldn’t outweigh its weaknesses. The result is an episode I probably won’t watch very often in the future.
Next week, we have Terrarium, which I know absolutely nothing about at this stage. The name doesn’t give very much away, and there haven’t been any photos or clips released ahead of its premiere yet. Maybe that’s because there’s some big secret being kept? “Terra” could hint at the Mirror Universe, perhaps – though I hope that’s not the case, to be honest! Or a “terrarium” could refer to an enclosure, perhaps suggesting Pike and the crew will become trapped. Those are total guesses, though. I guess we’ll have to tune in to find out!
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Seasons 1-3 are available to stream now on Paramount+ in countries and territories where the platform exists. The first two seasons are also available on DVD/Blu-ray. The Star Trek franchise – including Strange New Worlds and all other properties discussed above – is the copyright of Skydance and/or Paramount. This review contains the thoughts and opinions of one person only and is not intended to cause any offence.
Spoiler Warning: There are spoilers ahead for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Seasons 1-3. Minor spoilers are present for Picard Season 1, The Original Series, and Deep Space Nine.
What Is Starfleet was incredibly creative and well put-together. It draws clear inspiration from modern documentary films and investigative journalism, splicing action with interviews, and the way it unfolded made it a genuinely interesting watch. It could also feel intrusive and more than a little frustrating, particularly as the action would cut away from what was unfolding to focus on another interview or clip that didn’t seem to move the main story along. The overall result? An episode I have mixed feelings about, I’m afraid.
The documentary’s title card.
Beto is not a totally brand-new character, having been built up over several earlier episodes. That should be a saving grace for What Is Starfleet, because we’ve at least started to get to know Beto, and we’ve seen him interacting with and getting to know some of the characters on the show already. But… the way this documentary was presented felt intrusive to practically all of the other characters. And because they are our real protagonists and have been for two-and-a-half seasons already… we’re on their side more than on Beto’s, even when naked plot contrivances seemed to be painting Starfleet and Captain Pike in a less flattering light.
It was obvious that the only two characters who were even potentially interested in being interviewed were Uhura and Erica Ortegas – and both of those come with caveats. Captain Pike, Dr M’Benga, Spock, Una… none of them were okay with this. They were complying because they’d been ordered to, but they really weren’t game for having their personal and professional lives exposed and dissected on camera. And again, because they’re the people we care about more than Beto, a significant chunk of What Is Starfleet felt uncomfortable, like it was being presented from the wrong character’s point of view.
Most characters – like Dr M’Benga – were unwilling participants in the documentary.
Maybe that’s supposed to be part of the point. Some films and TV programmes want you to feel uncomfortable, want to show off negative or less-positive traits from some of their characters, and this documentary format is particularly well-suited to doing that. But if that was how it was meant to come across, then I question both the intent and the execution. What would be the point, in a series like Strange New Worlds, of trying to light up in neon some of the main characters’ ambiguities and questionable backstories? What do we gain by that? Because it feels like something that was contrived for the sake of being an uncomfortable experience… not to lead to any kind of character growth or narrative payoff.
And we aren’t just considering this documentary within the confines of Strange New Worlds – but in the context of 950+ Star Trek stories over almost six decades. Impugning the character, values, and overall decency of Starfleet, as Beto seems to aspire to do in the beginning… it doesn’t sit right.
Dr M’Benga’s wartime record.
This side of the episode also horribly mixed its metaphors. Though I question whether it could be successfully pulled off, presenting the Federation and Starfleet as akin to an “empire,” ruthlessly expanding, using questionable weapons of mass destruction, threatening non-members… there could be real-world parallels there. It’s the distinction between how the United States likes to see itself – a paragon of virtue, extolling democracy and freedom – versus how the country can be seen by other countries around the world. Asking us as the audience to consider, even for a moment, whether non-Federation members and non-Starfleet personnel might see these organisations in that way has potential. It worked in Deep Space Nine with stories about Bajor and especially with the Maquis.
But the ending completely undermines all of that. Beto goes from making a hard-hitting investigative piece, complete with implicit accusations of war crimes and empire-building, to making a puff piece; basically pro-Starfleet propaganda. Though I don’t think this story, told in this format, had the kind of complex morality that would’ve lent itself to a discussion of Starfleet as a tool of imperialism… if that’s the angle you want to go for, you kind of have to commit to it. What Is Starfleet didn’t, resulting in an ending that felt abrupt and tonally wrong compared to everything that led up to it.
The end of the episode came across like a puff piece – or a recruitment commercial.
In an episodic show, you get contrivances sometimes – it’s part of episodic storytelling. In order to get to the main event, sometimes you have to brush aside an important point or sideline a character. It’s never great, but it’s a compromise of the medium. Even with that context, though… Starfleet’s off-screen orders for the Enterprise to work with this alien race and deliver their biological weapon felt incredibly flimsy. It was clearly set up to be as dark and negative as possible, so that the episode (and Beto as the filmmaker) could imply as many bad things as possible.
And again, contrivances are a hazard of episodic TV. There are many instances in Star Trek where the Enterprise has been ordered somewhere “just because,” jump-starting the events of a more interesting storyline. But there really aren’t that many episodes I can think of where the reasoning behind Starfleet’s orders is so deliberately obtuse.
There was no reason for Starfleet to be so annoyingly secretive other than “because plot.”
There was scope for a potentially interesting conversation about the “Nuremberg defence.” If you’re unfamiliar with that term, it refers to the expression “I was only following orders,” something many of the defendants at the Nuremberg trials after World War II would go on to claim. In the context of this story, Starfleet basically ordered Pike and the crew to transport a pretty terrifying weapon – a weapon created by interfering with a sentient life-form. The secrecy and “need-to-know basis” for the information pertaining to the mission at least suggests or hints at Starfleet’s higher-ups being aware of what they were doing.
But What Is Starfleet doesn’t do that. It flips things around, showing how Starfleet is “just us, the good people who serve,” and that kind of ignores a massive in-universe point about the nature of orders, who’s giving them, and what outside agendas might be involved. We didn’t get a satisfactory explanation for why Starfleet was inserting itself into this war between two non-Federation worlds, nor whether they knew of the capabilities of this sentient, genetically-modified weapon of mass destuction. “I was only following orders” is not an acceptable defence today, in the modern world, for something like the trafficking of sentient beings, let alone transporting weapons of mass destruction to one side in a war your state is not a participant in. So why would that be okay in the 23rd Century?
The episode sets up an interesting and morally complex idea – then dumps it right when it could’ve mattered.
What Is Starfleet could’ve posed those kinds of questions – but when it came to the crux, the episode’s writers and director baulked. They teed up these questions about Starfleet inserting itself into someone else’s war, not as a peacemaker but as a gun-running, human trafficking ally, and about how the chain of command operates. But then, after an admittedly emotional chat with Uhura about his personal agenda and ulterior motive, Beto does a complete 180 and turns his documentary’s final act into a celebration of all things Starfleet that’s so sickeningly upbeat that it comes across like propaganda or an enlistment ad.
And so… from both an in-universe perspective, and for us as the audience, Beto’s documentary feels fundamentally unsatisfying and tonally wrong. It’s as if you’d sat down to watch what you thought was a hard-hitting episode of PBS Frontline or Panorama about the war in Iraq, the lies that led to the war, and the criminal actions of the military… only for the film to end with a feel-good story about camaraderie and friendship, and an ad to join the army at your nearest recruitment station. Starfleet is – as the documentary points out – the Federation’s military, after all, so when the episode and the documentary end with this kind of puff piece… that’s how it comes across to me, at any rate.
This didn’t feel like the right ending.
A couple of weeks ago, Pelia was one of the most fun and engaging characters when dealing with Beto and his camera. She seemed to relish in hamming it up, almost hoping for her turn in the spotlight. That could’ve added a small amount of levity to what was a quite heavy story this time, and What Is Starfleet could’ve looked at the connection between Pelia and Beto, as well as, perhaps, how a filmmaker might deal with an overly enthusiastic participant. But, for no discernible reason, Pelia was entirely absent.
Given the Jikaru’s energy/electromagnetic abilities, and the damage sustained to the ship and shuttle, there was scope to bring in an engineering character, but neither Scotty nor Pelia appeared. If I had to choose just one of them, I’d have picked Pelia – I just think she brought something completely different to the table when dealing with Beto. It would’ve been fun for us to see him having to deal with her antics, but she could’ve also had a role in the story. Not only could we have seen her attending to the Enterprise’s shields, and perhaps Beto struggling to keep his composure during an interview, but Pelia could’ve also helped Pike deal with the intrusion of having a camera in his face. I’ve felt her absence in several stories this season – but none more so than this one.
Where were Pelia and Scotty during all of this?
All of this must make it sound like I hated What Is Starfleet. I didn’t. I liked the creativity. I liked that, after 950+ episodes and films, Star Trek can still break new ground and try different things. I liked that, hidden underneath the documentary format, there was a classic Star Trek story which felt like it came straight out of The Original Series or Deep Space Nine. And I liked many of the character moments – particularly Pike’s conversations with Una, and Uhura’s with Beto. I just think that some of the episode’s goals weren’t clear, and that maybe there was a bit of story meddling which ultimately led to quite a jarring shift in tone.
This was a non-linear approach to storytelling – the narrative was broken up by interviews and vignettes, but underneath it there was a classic Star Trek episode. I’d still have the same complaint about Starfleet Command’s unnecessary secrecy and obtuse orders without the documentary format, but on that side of the story, that’s pretty much the only weak link. The tale of an alien race corrupting a life-form for its own selfish purposes, and Starfleet intervening, coming down firmly on the side of protecting sentient life? That’s a classic “morality play” right out of The Original Series. And the idea of Starfleet potentially investigating this kind of weapon, inserting itself in a foreign conflict? The same kind of morally challenging storytelling was on display in Deep Space Nine.
The Jikaru and the Lutani warship.
I think the core story at the heart of What Is Starfleet would’ve made for a perfectly entertaining episode in its own right. And maybe, without the documentary trappings, it might’ve even been a bit more fun! I like when Star Trek gets into these morally grey areas – why was the Enterprise ordered to help this non-Federation member with Klingon ties? Did Starfleet Command know that the Lutani were illegally enslaving a sentient species to serve as weapons of mass destruction? Seeing Pike and the crew coming to that realisation was great… but without the unique format, I can’t help but feel it might’ve worked even better.
Because the interviews didn’t really expand our knowledge or understanding of any of the featured characters, basically just re-telling things we already knew, like Uhura’s family, Ortegas’ injury, Spock’s half-human side, or Dr M’Benga’s war record, there’s a strong case to be made that they… got in the way. And that what could’ve filled that space had they not been present was a more in-depth look at the Lutani, their unethical experiments on the Jinkaru, and Captain Pike’s realisation that his orders were morally wrong. That version of the episode – one played straight, without the documentary fluff – would have been fun to see.
Captain Pike.
There are a couple of other in-universe points I want to tackle re. the documentary, then I promise we’ll move on to discuss other parts of the episode!
Firstly, this documentary idea leaned on something modern Star Trek has done that I’ve never been particularly comfortable with. In short, the idea of making a documentary about the crew of the Federation flagship means that, to the ordinary Federation citizen, Captain Pike and at least some members of his crew are gonna be akin to celebrities. The implications are that either people knew who they are already, or that the documentary is going to raise their profiles and make them famous, for want of a better word.
I’ve never really liked that idea. In some Star Trek stories, it could work. When Enterprise did it in Season 4, turning members of its crew into heroes, there was a narrative purpose – but when we’ve seen similar attempts, such as in Picard’s premiere episode, or with Boimler in Lower Decks fangirling about certain Starfleet officers, it just felt weird and uncomfortable. I like to see the characters in Star Trek as everyday folks doing their jobs in this fun future setting. Some of them are exceptional, yes, but part of that is because they live in a post-scarcity future where “exceptional” is becoming the norm. They aren’t meant to be their world’s equivalent of celebrities, so this idea of a documentary all about them – making them famous people in the 23rd Century – just isn’t sitting right.
Uhura and Spock.
Then we have an interesting in-universe question: would a documentary like this actually make it to air? Would Starfleet be okay with a documentary implying one of its senior medical personnel is a war criminal? Or that showed a sensitive mission involving a non-Federation member, a weapon of mass destruction, and classified orders? If this was an independent production, maybe. But the whole idea behind Beto’s work is that he’s been commissioned by Starfleet to make this film – Pike and the crew are basically under orders to work with him and let him observe them, otherwise you can bet Pike wouldn’t have allowed him on the bridge. With that context, would Starfleet be okay with this film?
Starfleet Command would undoubtedly like the ending – how could they not? It’s basically pro-Starfleet propaganda and a recruitment ad rolled into one. But the rest of the film really does portray the organisation and several members of the crew in an extraordinarily negative light, so the idea that the people at Starfleet HQ who originally wanted this documentary to be made would give it the green light is ridiculous. And, also from an in-universe perspective, I’m not sure I buy the idea of Starfleet declassifying all of this footage of its operations, broadcasting it to all and sundry. Maybe that’ll become an issue in another episode – perhaps the Klingons watched Beto’s documentary, figured out some weakness in the Enterprise, and are planning an attack. I doubt it, but it could at least be a way to incorporate the documentary into a future episode.
Might the Klingons have watched Beto’s documentary?
Okay, that’s enough about the documentary for now.
So I guess Strange New Worlds isn’t going in the direction I thought it was with Ortegas and her hinted at PTSD-like condition. Her scenes in the documentary this week, in which she discussed her injury and recovery, seem for now to be the culmination of that storyline, and I don’t really see how, with three episodes remaining this season, this storyline can come back in a significant way. It was understated and not what I expected, but I can respect What Is Starfleet for the undramatic and mature way it approached this storyline.
I confess I’d been expecting more of an ending, though. I don’t think it feels unsatisfying, but Ortegas’ storyline had been set up right at the start of the season, then we got her big blow-up with Una in Shuttle to Kenfori, and I’d been sort of waiting ever since for this unnamed PTSD-adjacent mental health condition to return. With Ortegas never having gotten a major storyline of her own, this could’ve been her turn in the spotlight. I think there’s value in a storyline that basically says, “yeah, I was struggling, but with determination and time I’m doing better.” I wish we’d seen a bit more of it over the course of the season, though; Ortegas seemed to go from struggling badly to snapping out of it in between episodes, where recovery and coming to terms with trauma is a process, not an instantaneous thing.
I wish we’d gotten a bit more time with Ortegas this season to explore her mental health – but this ending was solid in an understated way.
Uhura was at the heart of What Is Starfleet, and her connection with Beto was interesting. However, there was a moment towards the end where Uhura seemed to go from “I can’t believe you’re recording this, leave me alone” to “I’m having an invasive medical procedure, bring your camera” in no time at all. Conflict between characters is great; it adds to the extension in a situation like this. And I get that Uhura was absolutely the right character to call out Beto on his agenda and potential conflict of interest. But I think we needed at least one scene in between their blow-up in the ready room and Uhura’s visit to sickbay to sell that they’re still on speaking terms.
That being said, Beto’s realisation that he was compromising his work and coming into it with an agenda was played incredibly well. I liked how the camera lingered on Beto – picking up on his line a couple of weeks ago about the camera being programmed to follow the strongest emotions in the room – as he sat with the idea that he was projecting onto Starfleet his anger and fears after what happened to his sister.
Beto.
The scene was also incredibly well-written, and it built on Uhura and Beto’s established relationship particularly well. I think we were getting to a point where, in theory, anyone *could* have called out Beto for his anti-Starfleet agenda, but if it had been Pike or Dr M’Benga, for example, it wouldn’t have packed as much of a punch. It took Uhura to see through Beto – not only what he was doing, but why he was doing it and why he felt the way he did. It was a great way to build on a fun character dynamic from earlier in the season, taking the pair in a more serious and dramatic direction.
Has it killed any possibility of an Uhura-Beto romance, though? After she called him out like that, and after Beto had been pushing his agenda the whole time, I can see both of them not wanting to take things any further. Maybe that’s a reach – or maybe Beto will be gone after this episode, now his documentary is over – but I liked the idea of giving this younger version of Uhura some kind of romantic entanglement. Spock can’t be the only one who gets to have that kind of storyline, after all!
Beto and Uhura made for a fun pair earlier in the season.
One thing I really liked about Beto, and I admire about the character on a personal level, is how he left all of that in the documentary. He could’ve said “cut!” and left out the part where Uhura basically calls him out on his own show for his bias and anti-Starfleet sentiments. But he didn’t. It added to the feeling that this was the kind of “warts and all” investigative piece that What Is Starfleet’s writers were drawing inspiration from. And I think it (belatedly, perhaps) paints Beto in a positive light. For all his flaws, he was dedicated to the truth more than to his own image.
I felt echoes of Jake Sisko in this side of Beto. In the DS9 fourth season episode Nor Battle To The Strong, we see Jake and Dr Bashir diverted to a warzone – where Jake fails to distinguish himself in combat. Jake writes up his experiences for the Federation News Network, including his cowardice, his abandoning of Bashir, and the sheer dumb luck for which he was hailed as a hero. Beto, in What Is Starfleet, does something similar by allowing his conversation with Uhura – and by extension, the agenda he had going into the documentary – to make it into the final cut. Both men exposed their own flaws and vulnerabilities. As I’ve said before… Star Trek doesn’t copy itself, but sometimes, story beats just rhyme.
Like Jake Sisko in Nor Battle To The Strong, Beto kept his documentary open and honest, even about his own flaws.
I’m not sure that this was a particularly good episode for Captain Pike. I don’t mean that in terms of screen time, but characterisation. Pike went hard on the “need-to-know” aspect of his orders, which made sense in the context of the story, but didn’t do wonders for a man who’s supposedly on friendly terms with his crew. There was a bit of broken trust there, I felt, and it begs the question of how much Pike knew about the Jikaru and what the Lutani had been doing to them before the mission got underway.
It was nice to see how Pike – eventually – came around to the idea that the Jikaru was sentient, and that interfering with it was morally wrong, even if it was within the scope of his orders. But it took him a while to reach that conclusion, even after Uhura and Spock had pressured him about it. And it doesn’t account for what he may or may not have known about the mission and the circumstances surrounding the Lutani and their unethical experimentation on a sentient life-form. Sometimes less is more… but here, we needed to know from Captain Pike, firsthand, that he was as surprised as everyone else about what was going on.
Pike with Una, Uhura, and Dr M’Benga.
Though we didn’t spend much time with the Lutani, I enjoyed the two characters we got to see. The first scientist died in a pretty gruesome way, succumbing to her injuries in sickbay. The second Lutani, the commander of their warship, got a one-on-one with Captain Pike, and I liked this character. There was a desperate edge to him; pleading for this unethical super-weapon his people had developed as it was, in his view, a last line of defence.
The actor, Shaun Majumder, reminded me of DS9′s Armin Shimerman in terms of how he spoke, and that was kind of fun to listen to! The Lutani are probably going to be among Star Trek’s many one-time-use aliens; I don’t expect we’ll see them coming back in a big way. But they had a neat design – the silver-grey colour at least helps them stand out from other “nose and forehead” humanoid aliens. Nothing to write home about, perhaps, but a solid and pretty nuanced antagonist for the story they were a part of.
The Lutani commander.
Ever since Discovery debuted, live-action Star Trek has used a cinematic “letterbox” aspect ratio… and I hate it! Okay, “hate” might be too strong a word, but c’mon… what’s wrong with a standard widescreen ratio that actually fits properly on most people’s TV screens? It feels like every episode has content cut off; like I should be seeing more of the action. What Is Starfleet finally ditched that – and it was consistent in using a 16:9 aspect ratio for the entire episode, unlike A Space Adventure Hour, which only used it for its show-within-a-holdeck-programme-within-a-show segments.
I admire Strange New Worlds’ producers for going all-in with whatever ideas they have. We got the animated ending to Those Old Scientists in Season 2. We got the a cappella opening theme in the musical episode. We got a 16:9 aspect ratio this week, mimicking those TV documentaries and investigative news pieces that the episode drew inspiration from. Long may this experimentation continue!
A phaser pistol in the armoury.
It was a ton of fun to see the shuttle Galileo again. The Galileo was made famous in The Original Series episode The Galileo Seven, and a shuttle bearing the same name has been a mainstay in Strange New Worlds since Season 1. Maybe I’m misremembering, but I felt the design of the shuttle that we saw this week was much closer to that TOS presentation than to earlier Strange New Worlds episodes – it felt a lot more familiar to me, at any rate.
The sequence aboard the shuttle was one of the most tense in What Is Starfleet, with Spock attempting a long-range mind-meld with the Jikaru. I’m not sure how we went from “Spock’s the only one who can do this because of Vulcan telepathy” to “anyone can thanks to this gadget,” but I guess that’s a minor point. The danger of the shuttle mission was well-established, and as the camera lingered on Pike, you could see how worried he was for the safety of the away team.
The Original Series concept art showing the shuttlecraft interior. Image Credit: Matt Jeffries via Forgotten Trek.
I’ll continue to compliment Strange New Worlds for taking a step back from Spock’s love life. When Chapel joined the away mission (why not Dr M’Benga?) I was a little worried that they’d drag that up again, but I was pleasantly surprised. There’s so much more Strange New Worlds can do with Spock than either comedy or romantic storylines, and I’m glad we got to see him in that kind of role this week. What Is Starfleet leaned into Spock’s role as the Enterprise’s science officer, but it also allowed him – in his own words and at his own pace – to touch on his half-human heritage.
This continues a trend from Enterprise (and really, as far back as The Original Series) of Vulcans being a pretty prejudiced lot. Despite their lofty claims of enlightenment and aloof nature, Vulcans are just as prejudiced as humans when it comes to race and racial purity. Enterprise took a deep dive into this side of the Vulcans, but it was always present. I remember Sarek’s line of Spock being “so human” in The Final Frontier, just as one example. Considering that next week’s episode is titled Four-and-a-Half Vulcans, calling attention to Spock’s heritage in What Is Starfleet might prove to be some clever foreshadowing. Or just a timely reminder.
Part of Spock’s training/meditation.
Alright, let’s start to wrap things up.
What Is Starfleet was a creative idea for an episode. Beto’s earlier appearances this season built up to it, meaning the idea of a full-blown documentary episode didn’t come from nowhere. The writers, producers, director, and editors clearly had a lot of fun researching documentary films and investigative news pieces, and the resulting episode emulates that style incredibly well. There were also great moments of characterisation for Beto and Uhura in particular, with Mynor Lüken and Celia Rose Gooding putting in incredible performances to bring their characters to life.
However, there are some flaws that keep What Is Starfleet from really soaring. I really felt the absence of Pelia, as her chaotic energy and previous run-in with Beto could’ve added a lot. I can’t help but feel that a more traditional episode, playing the story straight without the documentary style, might’ve been a better fit for this story of the Jikaru and Lutani, and would’ve allowed a bit more time for characters like Pike to shine. And, unfortunately, the documentary itself feels quite jarring, with a massive tonal jump from “investigative hit piece” to “recruitment ad” right at the end.
Spock.
A bit of a mixed bag, then. Nothing was out-and-out bad, and I will happily watch What Is Starfleet again. It’s a self-contained episode, one that doesn’t require a lot of background information from earlier stories to shine. Ortegas’ storyline is probably the most reliant on what came before, but I think it’s explained well enough within the documentary itself – and particularly through Uhura’s conversation with Beto – that even that aspect can be understood without much prior knowledge. I’m a little underwhelmed by this apparent resolution to Ortegas’ story, but at the same time I can respect Strange New Worlds for going for a more realistic and less drama-laden ending to her struggles.
We caught a glimpse of Captain Batel in the dinner party sequence right at the end, but this is now the second week in a row where her deadly, near-fatal illness and unconventional treatment haven’t been mentioned. As above, I love episodic television, and I don’t want Strange New Worlds to turn into a serialised show like Picard or Discovery. But… sooner or later, we have to pick up this storyline, right?
Next week, we have Four-and-a-Half Vulcans. I’ll level with you: I’m not looking forward to another “Vulcans are so stuck up, let’s use that for laughs!” story outline. Strange New Worlds has scope to do so much more with Spock and the Vulcans, yet almost every time they’ve appeared it’s been in a comedy story with a flippant tone. I hope I’m misjudging Four-and-a-Half Vulcans, and I’ll do my best to go into it with an open mind! But I’m concerned at this early stage. I guess we’ll find out, though!
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Seasons 1-3 are available to stream now on Paramount+ in countries and territories where the platform exists. The first two seasons are also available on DVD/Blu-ray. The Star Trek franchise – including Strange New Worlds and all other properties discussed above – is the copyright of Skydance and/or Paramount. This review contains the thoughts and opinions of one person only and is not intended to cause any offence.
Spoiler Warning: There are spoilers ahead for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Seasons 1-3. Minor spoilers are also present for Star Trek: The Original Series.
When Strange New Worlds was first announced over five years ago, I wrote that, were I in charge, I’d plan ahead for the series finale. The final episode I envisioned would’ve seen Captain Pike handing over the Enterprise to someone we’re all familiar with: Captain James T. Kirk. Kirk’s arrival on the Enterprise’s transporter pad would’ve been his first on-screen appearance… and the final shot of the series. But ever since the end of Season 1, where a younger version of Kirk appeared, it’s been clear that Strange New Worlds’ writers want to bring in the character in a much larger way. We got to see that this week, in what was in large part a Kirk episode.
The Sehlat Who Ate Its Tail was interesting and, for the most part, an enjoyable romp. We got to see the first mission Kirk undertook with several members of his iconic crew – Spock, Uhura, Scotty, and Chapel. And it was set against the backdrop of a massive villainous starship that was simultaneously terrifying and ridiculous in its appearance. Most of this side of the episode stuck the landing, but it was also a busy story with a lot going on. That meant the villains weren’t as well-developed as I’d have liked, and a couple of characters aboard the Enterprise drew the short straw in terms of screen time.
Ortegas and Mitchell.
I think I’ll start with the negative points and criticisms before moving into the positives. The design of the scavenger ship was just plain silly. Its “face” with a gaping, monstrous maw was supposed to be intimidating or frightening – but it absolutely failed, and the visual impact of this floating mouth made the whole thing look ridiculous. At the beginning of the episode, when the scavenger ship went unseen, the reactions from Kirk and others definitely sold the illusion that they were seeing something terrifying. But when we saw the ship for ourselves… it just looked really bad.
The best way I could describe the design of the scavenger ship would be to say it’s the kind of thing a seven-year-old might draw if you told them to make you a picture of a “space monster.” It was equal parts cliché, over-the-top, childish, and silly – leading to one of the absolute worst starship reveals that I can remember in any Star Trek story. The design of the scavenger ship ended up detracting from some genuinely great performances; I could scarcely believe that the likes of Kirk, Scotty, and Uhura would be frightened of this ship because of how amateurish and silly it looked.
I found the visual impact of the scavenger ship to be pretty weak and silly.
Star Trek stories often have a broader point they want to make, and aliens or villainous factions can be seen as metaphors for events, issues, and even people out here in the real world. For the most part, The Sehlat Who Ate Its Tail was a story about Kirk – about how he had to come to terms with firing the shot that killed thousands of people. And that part of it genuinely worked and stuck the landing; we’ll talk about it more in a moment. But I felt the episode’s writing was very muddled with the revelation that the scavengers were humans. What was the point the writers wanted to make – except that Kirk needed more of a reason to feel bad?
If we’re returning to the well of environmentalism, climate change, and the state of the world today… then I’m afraid this really didn’t work. The scavengers’ ancestors may have left Earth because the environment was suffering and they felt the need to lead humanity to the stars, but that doesn’t explain how, over the intervening centuries, they became twisted into genocidal murderers. Nothing in the story explained this transformation – and the episode didn’t really know what it wanted to say, either. Is the point that well-meaning people can end up doing awful things? Is it that we shouldn’t take the “Elon Musk” approach of fleeing Earth in a spaceship and instead try to fix the climate crisis? Is it that humans are, fundamentally, absolute trash without a strong government to guide us? I genuinely don’t get what – if anything – the scavengers are meant to represent, other than a reason for Kirk to sulk.
Who were the scavengers, and why are we supposed to care?
There are plenty of aliens or villains in Star Trek who only appear once, but still manage to feel believable, fleshed-out, and real within the confines of a single episode. Whether we’re talking about the First Federation, the Sheliak, or the Abronians, there are literally hundreds of one-off aliens or adversaries who still manage to feel real and well-rounded. Because The Sehlat Who Ate Its Tail didn’t have a lot of time to explore who the scavengers were or what their driving force might’ve been… the end result was that they feel pretty flat, one-dimensional, and just not very interesting.
I absolutely adore how Strange New Worlds has largely returned Star Trek to a more episodic format. But for me, these scavengers fall into a trap that can sometimes hamper episodic storytelling: we just don’t know enough about them to feel much of anything. The big reveal – that they were actually humans all along – didn’t land as hard as it should’ve because we just hadn’t spent enough time with them, heard any of them speak, or come to know them at all. They were your bog-standard aggressive monsters for basically the entire story, so the revelation at the end didn’t really feel as impactful as I think the writers wanted it to be.
The Farragut and the scavenger ship.
Episodic storytelling is by far my favourite, not just in the Star Trek franchise but on TV in general. But not every episode ends up feeling as strong or as well put-together, and for me, the scavengers in The Sehlat Who Ate Its Tail just don’t really stand up to even other one-off villains in past iterations of Star Trek. And it’s such a shame, because I can see most of the pieces to build such a faction hiding just beneath the surface – and a more focused episode could have done a lot more with the scavengers, making the ending hit harder.
Some of the dialogue dedicated to setting up the scavengers felt like naked exposition, with characters claiming they’d heard rumours of something deadly and dangerous in this part of space. This setup felt pretty weak. It isn’t easy to establish a villain, show how dangerous they are, and come up with a plan to take them down all inside of forty-five minutes – and I get that. But that kind of storyline has been done before, and done way better, in other Star Trek shows.
This scene felt quite heavy-handed with its exposition.
There is something uniquely frightening about an incomprehensible enemy. This is what made the Borg so scary in their initial appearances in The Next Generation – they weren’t someone you could reason with or dissuade; they saw the Federation as a resource to be acquired, and nothing more. The scavengers, with their single-minded desire to harvest resources, could have leaned into that. But it would have required a different ending to the episode, and almost certainly a less-silly starship design, too.
In short, by trying to explain that the scavengers were human – but not having enough time to properly dissect the implications of that, nor really consider why the scavengers were acting in that way – The Sehlat Who Ate Its Tail gets the worst of both worlds. It removes any ambiguity or mystique from the scavengers, but what replaces it isn’t strong enough in the way it was handled – and didn’t get enough screen time – to balance that out. The ending of the episode, while really well-played from a character standpoint, ends up feeling pretty muddled as a result. And for us as the audience, the revelation that these nameless scavengers – not one of whom did we actually meet, let alone get to know – are humans… it just didn’t have much of an impact.
The scavengers’ 21st Century ancestors.
Then there was Pike and La’an’s run-in with the scavenger boarding party. This part just felt under-developed, as Pike seemed to sense hesitation in the scavenger when he had the upper hand in their fight. So… why didn’t the scavenger fire? Is it because he recognised Pike as human? In a galaxy populated by humanoid aliens (some of whom, like Betazoids, are completely indistinguishable from humans) would they even make the connection? If this was supposed to set up the ending of the story, adding to Kirk’s feelings about what he did… then shouldn’t Kirk have found out about the scavenger’s hesitation to fire? Was that supposed to set up a storyline about a possible peaceful resolution?
A lot of Star Trek stories are about communication and connection – finding a non-violent solution, even when an enemy or alien seems to be impossibly aggressive. Perhaps The Sehlat Who Ate Its Tail wanted to make a comment on that – either that some enemies can’t be talked down or reasoned with… or that Kirk and Pike didn’t even try. But this idea wasn’t in focus for long enough to matter, and I can’t even tell what – if anything – the writers were going for here. The sequence at the end – where Kirk and Pike found out about the scavengers – was cleverly edited and put together, though, and I liked seeing them both come to the realisation at the exact same moment.
Pike with the dead scavenger.
Earlier in the season, Strange New Worlds threatened to give Lieutenant Ortegas a significant storyline for the first time. After her injury in the season premiere, Ortegas seemed to be suffering from some kind of PTSD-like condition related to her Gorn captivity and near-death experience. That was a great setup, and I was keen to see it progress. But this is now Ortegas’ third appearance since being relieved of duty for misbehaving where none of that was even alluded to. It’s reaching a point where, if Ortegas’ mental health ever does come back into play, it’ll feel like a significantly weaker story.
Although we haven’t spent a ton of time with Ortegas in recent weeks, she’s been present – and most importantly, she seems to be doing okay. No one’s asked her how she is, the story hasn’t lingered on how she’s feeling or what she might be going through… she just gets on with the job. The danger here is that, if the writers remember their earlier setup in a future episode, it won’t land in the same way any more. There are definitely stories to tell about how people put on “the mask,” as I used to call it, and pretend to be okay while they’re suffering on the inside. But do we think that’s what Strange New Worlds’ writers are going for? Or is it just a case of Ortegas being put on the back burner so we can get stories featuring Kirk, Spock, and other TOS characters?
Season 3 is running out of time to pick up the dangling threads of Ortegas’ story.
This is, I admit, less to do with this week’s episode. And it’s absolutely possible that Ortegas’ mental health/PTSD story will come back and absolutely nail it. I’m rooting for that to happen! But it’s at least notable that Strange New Worlds set up this storyline for Ortegas but hasn’t returned to it for several episodes in a row. And her appearance here – taking her job seriously, working well under immense pressure, and basically saving the day with her piloting skills – risks detracting from that kind of story if what the writers want to do is show Ortegas struggling with her mental health.
The Farragut’s captain (whose name I had to look up because of how generic and forgettable she was) didn’t wow me in this week’s episode. There are plenty of ways to create memorable secondary or one-off characters, but this Captain V’Rel didn’t leave much of an impression. As a minor character I guess you can say that’s okay, but her command style was supposed to be something Kirk was butting heads with, and it just didn’t really seem to matter all that much. Also, given the unimportance of this character (at least so far), was there a lot of point in making her a Vulcan? Part of the fun of Kirk and Spock’s friendship was that it transcended that particular cultural divide; seeing Kirk paired up with another Vulcan a few years prior risks detracting from that, I fear.
Captain… Whatshername.
Although I felt the exposition was handled pretty poorly, the scavengers and their ship were supposed to be a kind of “boogeyman,” prowling this region of space and frightening everyone from the Gorn to the Klingons. So… does it make sense that their extremely powerful ship could be blown up so easily right at the end? The badly-damaged Farrgut – with no warp drive, a skeleton crew, and an array of damaged systems – fired three torpedoes, and that was it.
This ship was supposed to have been haunting this part of space for centuries, preying on even strong and powerful vessels like Klingon battle-cruisers – and had the capability to devastate entire planets. I know that Scotty and Kirk came up with a great plan to lure the scavengers in and disable their defences… but even so. Three torpedoes was all it took to take down this supposedly legendary ship.
The scavengers meet their end…
Okay, I think that’s enough negativity.
When you boil it down, The Sehlat Who Ate Its Tail is an ensemble episode – which I love – and a character piece with a focus on Kirk. Both of those elements work well, and it was nice to see most of the main characters in action. At the climax we had three different storylines on the go at once: Pike and La’an on the Enterprise’s lower decks, Pelia and Ortegas coordinating the ship’s sensor-less escape, and Kirk and the away team attacking the scavenger ship. All three stories came together magnificently, and it took all three groups of characters to aid in the Enterprise’s escape and the scavengers’ ultimate defeat.
That isn’t an easy thing to pull off. The Sehlat Who Ate Its Tail was a busy episode, but its main story arcs all felt like they mattered. In order to escape, the Enterprise needed a distraction and damage to the scavengers’ ship, which the Farrgut and away team provided, it needed the fuel-siphoning pipe thing disabled, which La’an and Pike managed, it needed communication between the thruster control panels and the bridge, which Pelia set up with help from M’Bena and Una, and it needed someone on the bridge to fly out – which Pelia and Ortegas managed with help from Mitchell. Practically everyone got something significant to do at the episode’s climax, and it takes some skill to pull that off in a short runtime.
Dr M’Benga firing the thrusters.
Of these storylines, obviously we spent the longest with Kirk and the away team. Though this was clearly pitched as a Kirk-Spock story, I genuinely enjoyed the rapport Kirk built up with the others, too. This was his first canonical meeting with Scotty, and I liked how it wasn’t a smooth start for them. If Strange New Worlds plans to follow this up and develop Kirk more with the episodes remaining, there’s a foundation for the Kirk-Scotty relationship to build on.
They may not have gotten off to the best start, but Kirk genuinely tried to make up for it later on, and we got a storyline full of technobabble that felt like classic Star Trek in the best possible way! All that talk of anti-protons and making the Farragut a tempting target for the scavengers felt like something straight out of The Original Series, as did Scotty’s earlier line about pushing the wrecked ship too hard. These characters do genuinely feel like younger versions of the people we remember, and that’s not always an easy feeling to conjure up. I wouldn’t have suspected Kirk’s first mission with Scotty would’ve been so high-stakes – or would’ve gone so awry – but it was really fun to see them working together in this way. It expands our understanding of both men and the bond they had during the events of The Original Series.
Kirk and Scotty didn’t exactly get the best start to their friendship.
Uhura also called back to the events of Lost in Translation, which saw her first encounter with Kirk. That was a good way to bring in Uhura’s empathy and sensitivity, setting the stage for Kirk’s rehabilitation after suffering a loss of confidence. The idea that his colleagues – who would later become his friends – were able to pull him out of that moment was impactful, and again, I think it sets the stage for how they relate to one another during The Original Series.
I’m glad that, on this side of the story, the writers chose to drop the whole “Spock love triangle” debacle. When La’an, Kirk, Spock, and Chapel were all together early in the story, I genuinely worried we were gonna get some kind of forced drama between them, like we’ve seen in prior entries this season. So I’m really glad that, for once, Strange New Worlds managed to step away from that and focus on something else. It was a blast to see this early mission of Kirk and some of the members of his crew; complicating it with that kind of romantic angle wouldn’t have added anything to what was already a busy episode.
Kirk, Spock, and La’an.
Speaking of romance… are you familiar with the term “Spirk?” Also known as “Kirk/Spock,” this is the fan theory or head canon idea that Kirk and Spock were or are engaged in either a sexual or romantic relationship. Personally, I’ve never been interested in that idea. I felt TOS established quite early on that Kirk at least prefers heterosexual encounters, and Spock – aside from his pon farr – is basically asexual! But one of the nice things about Spirk as a theory was that it always seemed plausible for fans who wanted to believe it. Even if we never saw anything on screen… fans could, if they so chose, read between the lines.
With all of Spock’s romantic entanglements in Strange New Worlds, I can’t help but feel that the writers are almost deliberately trying to erase Spirk as a viable fan theory. They’re much more interested to give Spock female romantic or sexual partners, as if to say “no, you’re wrong, there’s nothing queer going on here!” And I just think that’s a bit sad. I’m not saying I wanted to see an 18+ sex scene with Kirk and Spock! And I really didn’t want or expect the series to lean into the romantic side of their relationship – if such a side even exists. But I think it’s a bit of a shame for fans who did like the Spirk theory that Strange New Worlds is so intent on taking steps away from it. I like a good bromance as much as anyone else, and for me, Kirk and Spock have always felt more like besties than lovers. But having that possibility there, existing just out of sight, for fans who wanted it has been a part of the Star Trek fan community since the ’60s, and I don’t think I’d have chosen to walk away from it like this if I’d been in the writers’ room.
Spock and Kirk.
Am I right in saying that Strange New Worlds no longer has a main engineering set? I’ve wondered about its absence a few times this season, but The Sehlat Who Ate Its Tail had multiple stories that could’ve featured engineering – but didn’t. I felt this most with La’an; she was sent to retrieve some baryons from engineering, but did so entirely off-screen. Pelia seemed to very quickly wave away Pike’s efforts to reach engineering, with the room being flooded with dangerous gas. Combined, those two things felt like Strange New Worlds barricading main engineering and telling us to go away!
The science lab set, which was used in this episode and which we’ve seen a few times this season, seems to be replacing engineering. But with two engineers on the show, now – Scotty and Pelia – I can’t help but feel that might be an odd decision! How are we meant to see Scotty growing in his engineering prowess if we don’t have, y’know, main engineering? It doesn’t have to be the main setting for most episodes, but in some stories – like this one – a visit to engineering feels almost compulsory!
It might’ve been nice to see Scotty in engineering.
I felt this week’s take on Spock was much closer to the man we remember from The Original Series. Spock was much more straightforward and logical – stoic, even. There’s still wiggle-room in Strange New Worlds’ take on the character, and ways for him to grow and change. And I think next week or in a couple of weeks’ time we’ve got a Vulcan episode where “Spock comedy” could be back on the agenda! But speaking for myself, this version of the character – who we might call “classic Spock,” for want of a better term – is far and away what I prefer to see.
It was fascinating to see Spock’s first one-on-one with Kirk. Spock was the one to give him a much-needed pep talk after the Farragut’s engines gave out, and that entire sequence could’ve been lifted almost word-for-word from The Original Series. It really was a powerful, well-written storyline, and both Paul Wesley and Ethan Peck excelled at bringing these younger versions of the characters to life in a way that felt real, believable, and in keeping with past iterations of Star Trek.
Spock approaches Kirk in the ready room.
Kirk’s story of struggling under pressure was well-written. We saw glimpses of a classic Captain Kirk: bold, adventurous, and willing to break the rules because he can get away with it. But we also saw the vulnerability that comes with youth and inexperience; Kirk broke the rules, as he’s done before, but hit the wall when his rule-breaking didn’t pan out the way he’d hoped.
I liked Kirk’s log, too; it makes perfect sense how an officer like Kirk would be phenomenally bored if all he could do was conduct survey after survey of dull planets from orbit. Someone like that needs adventure – but, as in many classic novels and stories, the adventure-seeker got much more than he bargained for! Catching this glimpse of Kirk’s early career, though, without time-travel, alternate realities, or contrived ways to bring him aboard the Enterprise… it was pretty special. We got to see Kirk as the Farragut’s first officer, serving on a bog-standard survey mission aboard a less-important ship. There have always been these kinds of vessels in Starfleet; not everyone can serve aboard the flagship on a mission of exploration! But putting Kirk in that position – and showing how much it grated on him – was a genuine change of pace.
It makes sense that someone like Kirk would be bored on a mission like this!
Despite my misgivings about the scavengers as an antagonist (and the design of their ship), the reveal at the end hit Kirk hard, and Paul Wesley did a great job conveying that. The scene between Pike and Kirk was touching, too, and it was a bit of fun to see Pike’s influence on the younger Kirk before he assumed command. I can see Kirk taking those words to heart, particularly about regretting a decision but making it anyway. Knowing what’s in store for Captain Pike, that line was pretty impactful – and carried extra weight.
This moment felt like it was consciously setting up Kirk for the captain’s chair. Though Kirk would famously claim that he doesn’t believe in no-win scenarios, there are going to be impossibly difficult decisions to make when in the captain’s chair, and this felt like a bit of a trial by fire for the future Enterprise captain. Coming to terms with what he did – and why he feels so bad about it – is an important stepping stone between the younger, less-experienced officer we’ve been spending time with and the character we’re familiar with from The Original Series.
Kirk in the captain’s chair.
This is the kind of story to tell if you’re gonna do a prequel featuring familiar characters. Spock, Uhura, and Chapel felt very similar to their TOS presentations in this story – but Kirk and Scotty didn’t. They butted heads over engineering issues, Kirk tried to push the ship too hard, and Scotty – the future miracle-worker – wasn’t able, in the end, to keep the ship flying. I think that shows how both men have room to grow – Kirk in terms of his leadership abilities, and Scotty with his engineering miracles!
A storyline like this makes way more sense to me than one showing Spock shacking up with different members of the Enterprise’s crew. What we got in The Sehlat Who Ate Its Tail was a genuinely interesting look at the younger days of some of our favourite characters. Most of the pieces are there – they’re a stone’s throw away from how they will be in The Original Series. But whether it’s youth, a lack of confidence, inexperience, or some combination thereof… they aren’t quite there yet. That’s genuinely fun and interesting to see, and it expands our understanding of these characters instead of just throwing them into random situations and hoping romance or drama will be enough.
Spock, Scotty, Chapel, and Uhura… with an empty captain’s chair.
I really do like Pelia. She’s such a fun presence on the show, and she can be a complete change of pace from other, more straight-laced and stoic Starfleet officers. I think we got to learn Pelia’s age here – she’s over 5,000 years old. Her quarters are just pure hoarder-y chaos, and I love that! And her collection proved invaluable to the crew as they were able to wire up a handful of old telephones around the Enterprise – Battlestar Galactica-style – to coordinate the emergency thrusters during the escape sequence. The whole thing was a ton of fun.
Pelia was also, I guess, the ranking bridge officer during the escape sequence. That was kind of interesting for her, and a bit of a change of pace from her usual secondary or advisory role. We didn’t see her giving a lot of orders or anything like that, but she was a fun presence on the bridge with Ortegas and Mitchell during the escape.
Pelia in her quarters.
The Sehlat Who Ate Its Tail was a solidly entertaining Star Trek episode. It was held back from reaching the top tier by a pretty flat antagonist with a silly spaceship design, and that did ultimately impact how I viewed parts of the story – the ending in particular. But as a character piece about Kirk, seeing him growing in confidence as he’s on the path to become the captain we know and love, it was genuinely well-written. Kirk’s first outing with some of the members of his iconic crew was, by and large, a lot of fun.
I also appreciated that The Sehlat Who Ate Its Tail gave the rest of the characters things to do at the climax of the story. It took everyone working together to save the Enterprise – and the inhabited planet – and that’s not an easy thing to pull off within the runtime of a single episode. It did come at the expense of a couple of characters who felt less-developed or who got a bit less attention than they otherwise might’ve, but that’s okay.
Next week we have the curiously-titled What Is Starfleet? I’m really not sure what to make of that one – but I guess time will tell.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Seasons 1-3 are available to stream now on Paramount+ in countries and territories where the platform exists. The first two seasons are also available on DVD/Blu-ray. The Star Trek franchise – including Strange New Worlds and all other properties discussed above – is the copyright of Skydance and/or Paramount. This review contains the thoughts and opinions of one person only and is not intended to cause any offence.
Spoiler Warning: There are spoilers ahead for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Seasons 1-3. Spoilers are also present for the following Star Trek productions: The Original Series Season 1, The Next Generation Seasons 5 and 6, and Discovery.
When Star Trek uses an episode title like “Through the Lens of Time,” it certainly makes it sound like time travel is gonna be on the agenda! Since time travel stories are usually not my favourites in the franchise (or in sci-fi in general, really), I went into the episode with a little trepidation. But Through the Lens of Time was absolutely not what I was expecting – and I really do mean that in the best way possible.
There were some weaker parts of the story this week, sure. And we’ll get into them in a moment, don’t worry! But despite that, I honestly found Through the Lens of Time to be incredibly creative and just a ton of fun. In fact, I’d go so far as to say that it’s the highlight of Season 3 so far, eclipsing both the zombie episode a couple of weeks ago and the cliffhanger-resolving premiere. I was on the edge of my seat practically the entire time, and I genuinely did not know what was going to happen next every step of the way. After more than 950 Star Trek stories across almost six decades… the fact that the franchise can still feel fresh, creative, and new is nothing short of astonishing. Episodes like Through the Lens of Time are why I love modern Star Trek so much – and I’d challenge any “nu-Trek” avoider to give it a try.
The away team.
So with all of that said… where to begin?
I guess we’ll get the negative or less-positive points out of the way first, then we can spend the rest of the review gushing about just how awesome Through the Lens of Time was!
I’ve said this before in both my pre-season commentary and other episode reviews, but I’m not keen on the whole “Spock relationship drama” stuff. When it was just Spock and Chapel it was more tolerable, but this whole love triangle/love quadrangle that he’s tangled up in with Korby and La’an too… it’s too much. It’s too soap opera-y, too similar to what Discovery tried to do (with very limited success) and I’m just not into it at all.
I’ve had enough of this.
Furthermore, I think this “Spock in love” idea has well and truly run its course. Between episodes involving T’Pring, Chapel, and now Korby and La’an, Strange New Worlds has dedicated a significant amount of its runtime across three seasons to Spock and his love life. It’s come to the end of the road as an interesting or funny story idea, and I really hope that the writers will drop it – soon.
Past iterations of Star Trek could be static in the way Vulcans were depicted, showing them as rigid, emotionless, and some might say stuck-up! But even with that underlying concept of the Vulcans, we got episodes like The Next Generation’s Sarek, or The Andorian Incident in Enterprise, showing off different sides of the Vulcans and how they could be more complex. In short: we don’t need episode upon episode showing Spock getting jealous, grumpy, or pissed off to understand that there’s more to Vulcans than just a lack of emotion. And for Spock’s own character journey – an arc which should be bringing him closer to his Original Series persona as the series has now passed the halfway point – what do we gain by a second “Spock love triangle” or “Spock’s jealous of Korby” storyline? At some point, enough is enough. Right?
We did a Spock-versus-Korby episode just a couple of weeks ago.
I don’t think any of this fundamentally damages Spock’s character or makes him harder to root for as a protagonist. But we’ve tried out these same story outlines too much at this point, and I’d like to see Strange New Worlds do something different with Spock now; something besides “Spock comedy” or “Spock in love.” And if the writers can’t think of a better use for Spock… give him a scientific puzzle. Or sideline him for an episode or two and let other characters share the spotlight. This isn’t the Spock show.
The sequences with Chapel speaking to La’an and later to Spock were just unnecessarily cringeworthy; the kind of thing we’d have expected to see in Discovery with Burnham. And unfortunately I don’t mean that as a compliment. There’s room in Star Trek for these kinds of storylines, don’t get me wrong – I don’t think Star Trek should be just action and science with no love or relationships. But when one character seems to get 90% of these kinds of storylines – especially when that character is not naturally well-suited to them – it starts to wear thin. And for me, storylines about Spock’s love life ran out of steam somewhere near the beginning of Season 2.
La’an and Chapel chatted about Spock.
A couple of weeks ago, I said that I felt Ensign Gamble might not be long for this world – and that prediction was born out this time. This isn’t a criticism exactly, because I liked what earlier episodes did to build up Gamble to be more than just a typical Star Trek redshirt. But that being said, from the moment he was assigned to the away team… it seemed pretty obvious that his fate was sealed! Or at least it did to me. The manner of his death was still awfully shocking, though.
Despite making a reasonable guess at Gamble’s fate, I think Strange New Worlds did better with him than Discovery did with the likes of Airiam – or than Picard did with basically all of its non-legacy characters! We got to know just enough about Gamble over the span of several episodes that his death really did hit hard. Perhaps not quite as hard as it might’ve if he’d been part of the show for an entire season, or he’d gotten a few more scenes, but hard nevertheless. And even though I felt it was predictable from the moment he joined the away team… the manner of his death, and how gruesome it was by Star Trek standards, was still a genuine shock.
First rule of away missions: don’t touch the glowing orbs.
One aspect of Through the Lens of Time reminded me of Power Play – a fifth-season episode of The Next Generation. That story also involved an alien prison where inmates were kept in non-corporeal form, and also saw some of them escape by taking over the bodies of some of our heroes. This wasn’t meant as a callback, obviously, but sometimes Star Trek episodes just… rhyme! There are huge differences in who the prisoners are, the kinds of powers they possess, how they were imprisoned, how many of them were able to escape, and so on. But there were echoes of that older story, and when I realised we were looking at a prison, that was the first comparison that sprang to mind!
At this stage, I can’t tell if the Vezda alien prisoners will be revisited. I have to assume that the captive aboard the Enterprise will be at some point – I mean, they have to be, surely. The flickering screen at the end of the episode, and the fact that we got no real closure on who they are or what they might want, definitely hang over the ending of Through the Lens of Time. But the rest of them? Unless Strange New Worlds plans to make these aliens some kind of ongoing antagonist, I think we probably won’t be back to this planet or the interdimensional prison.
Surely we haven’t seen the last of this alien visitor…
Speaking of the Vezda alien held captive aboard the Enterprise: modern Star Trek loves its transporter pattern buffers, doesn’t it? Discovery has used the pattern buffers to store people, Strange New Worlds did it with Dr M’Benga’s daughter – who was name-checked in this week’s episode – and then we saw Scotty do it with the malevolent alien right at the end. When this idea of using a transporter for storage was first broached – in Relics during the sixth season of The Next Generation – it was presented as a kind of janky, improvised solution when Scotty had run out of options. In Strange New Worlds, it basically seems like the transporter has a separate compartment just for storing all of the missing children and random aliens that the crew want to bring along for the ride!
Jokes aside, I don’t think this is some kind of henious “violation of canon,” or anything like that. And it was a somewhat creative way to trap this mysterious and powerful alien. One thing I think this moment missed, though, was showing the broken orb-like container before Scotty swooped in. When Gamble was injured, it looked like a glass container which had shattered. When Scotty grabbed it and trapped the Vezda alien, it looked like it had broken neatly into two pieces. If we could’ve gotten just one close-up shot of the broken container, this moment might’ve felt a tiny bit better. And yes, I know that’s a bit of a nitpick.
The Vezda alien leaving Gamble’s body.
After being absent since the season premiere, it was lovely to welcome Pelia back to Strange New Worlds. Through the Lens of Time is a great example of how a story can use both Scotty and Pelia, even when engineering isn’t the main focus of the episode. There is room for both characters to coexist, and I hope we can spend more time with Pelia across the next few episodes. Scotty is great, don’t get me wrong, and Martin Quinn is doing a fantastic job bringing this younger version of the character to life. But Pelia is still the ship’s chief engineer – and what’s more, she’s a quirky and incredibly entertaining presence, as we saw in the briefing room this time. I said last week that her absence was noticeable, so I’m glad she’s back.
Pelia got some fun banter with Pike and Beto this time, particularly surrounding Beto’s camera and documentary work. I’m glad that Strange New Worlds brought back Ortegas’ brother for another outing – he has great chemistry with Uhura, and I think we saw this time that there’s potential as he mixes with other characters, too. I don’t know if he’s going to be a recurring character going forward… but why not? Pike seemed to suggest that Beto might be sticking around for more than just one mission, and if he does, I hope he gets another encounter with Pelia!
Pelia.
Dr Korby’s second outing felt a lot stronger than his first. I liked that Through the Lens of Time really leaned into his work, showing how he operates just outside of the Starfleet chain of command. Because he was the co-lead on this away mission, and because this was his area of expertise, we got a much more rounded and interesting portrayal. I could see Strange New Worlds’ writers had watched and understood Korby’s Original Series appearance, and there seemed to be a conscious effort to lean into that, using the events of What Are Little Girls Made Of? to inform his research and his enthusiasm.
This was something I argued we didn’t get very much of in Wedding Bell Blues – and I’m glad to see we got more of it this week. Cillian O’Sullivan, who plays Korby, did a fantastic job presenting a multi-faceted character – someone driven and passionate about his work, but who also has time to build a genuine relationship. I would’ve preferred, perhaps, not to pair him up with Spock for such a long time, as I felt we got enough of that in Wedding Bell Blues, but Korby was a much more engaging and interesting character than he had been in that earlier episode.
Dr Korby looks back at the artefacts he had to leave behind.
Gamble’s injury was horrifying, and the prosthetic makeup used to bring it to life was very creative. It was a huge shock to see Gamble not instantly killed (in the style of past redshirts), but rather maimed in this way. It really was a stunning and quite horrifying visual effect, and the execution of this moment was pitch-perfect. As I said earlier, I felt Strange New Worlds had been rather “fattening up” Gamble for the slaughter earlier in the season, so I definitely viewed his assignment to the away team with that in mind! But even so, I wasn’t expecting something quite so horrific.
I wondered at first if Gamble’s blinding was going to lead to some kind of Geordi-like visor being created for him. That could’ve been a fun connection to The Next Generation era, even if it had only been mentioned instead of being depicted on screen. The device Dr M’Benga placed over his eyes didn’t really look like a visor, but it wasn’t a million miles away, either. Given that Gamble isn’t going to stick around, maybe it could’ve been a fun little easter egg if, instead of talking about re-growing bio-engineered eyes, Dr M’Benga had said something about a new wearable visor that could help him see. It would’ve been a tiny reference, sure, but a fun one.
Gamble with the eye-growing machine.
The episode seems to have implied that Gamble died instantly, and that the entity that took control of him was using his residual thoughts and memories to inhabit his body and pretend to be him. That’s how I interpreted Dr M’Benga’s comments on Gamble’s brain death, and Pelia saying that he “isn’t in there.” There’s obviously more going on here with the malevolent alien entities – but I don’t think they can be from a familiar Star Trek race.
The Vezda aliens obviously aren’t Gorn – otherwise Captain Batel’s Gorn DNA wouldn’t have kicked in in the way that it did. Yes, we seemed to see a Gorn-like figure when we saw Spock’s point-of-view, but I don’t think that explains it. Other noncorporeal aliens come to mind: the Prophets, the Organians, various nebula-dwelling life-forms, like those seen in Voyager, and even the Q… but I don’t think any are the right fit. So these are, in my view, gonna be a new species… unless they’re connected, somehow, to something like the Mirror Universe (yes, all that talk of other dimensions made me go there!)
Who are these Vezda aliens?
Pelia described these as very ancient, and the Vezda alien possessing Gamble referred to Pelia – the oldest Enterprise crew member at several hundred years old – as a “child.” But these Vezda aliens clearly have some kind of connection to the Gorn, too, as we saw with Captain Batel. Maybe Pike will have to ask the Gorn for help! Who knows? But I like that we’ve got a genuinely engaging mystery out of this episode, and with the life-form stored aboard the Enterprise… I think we’re prepped to find out a bit more about who these Vezda aliens are.
Captain Batel’s arc moved along. I think all the talk of “re-absorbing” the Gorn DNA and “hybridising” it definitely left room for this kind of story, where the Gorn DNA could somehow take over. There wasn’t a ton of time dedicated to this idea here, but it’s obviously going to be picked up in the next episode (or later in the season), so we definitely haven’t seen the last of Batel’s Gorn woes.
What do the Gorn know about the Vezda aliens?
As an aside: there’s a theory doing the rounds that Captain Batel’s infection is going to lead to her being transformed into a Gorn-human hybrid… a creature which will look and behave just like the Gorn in Arena. Some have even suggested that Batel could be the Gorn captain from Arena. I… I cannot express how profoundly I hate this idea. Strange New Worlds has reimagined or reinterpreted the Gorn. Great. That’s fine. Now have the balls to stick with it! We don’t need another “Klingon-augment virus” storyline to explain why the Strange New Worlds Gorn and the Arena Gorn look different. Maybe some fans feel that the differences demand an on-screen explanation, but I really don’t. I noted when I re-watched Arena that the building-blocks of Strange New Worlds’ Gorn are all present; the only real difference is that the Gorn captain in Arena spoke to Kirk.
When Enterprise introduced the Klingon-augment virus in its fourth season, I felt it was silly, convoluted, and unnecessary. And if this is the route Strange New Worlds intends to take, I’ll feel the same way. This just isn’t something that needs an on-screen explanation, and I’m quite happy to watch both versions of the Gorn in their respective stories. I love that fans speculate and theorise – and I’ve done more than my fair share of that over the past few years here on the website! But I really hope this is one theory which doesn’t pan out.
This better not be Captain Batel…
To get back on topic: the alien prison was incredibly creative, and it showed off how much Star Trek can do with a fairly straightforward set – and the AR wall! It felt almost like a level from a video game in some respects; an ancient tomb with puzzles to solve just gives me like Tomb Raider or Uncharted vibes – though Jedi: Fallen Order might be a better point of comparison. Having to think in a totally non-linear way – because the same room existed in different states in different dimensions all at the same time – was exceptionally fun and different. Separating the characters (albeit in pairings I wouldn’t have chosen) also made for a very tense away mission.
I’m still struggling to wrap my mind around the whole “time can be non-linear” thing, and using a paradox as a way out when the story has been written into a corner is often something that irks me. But in this case, having to cross an apparently empty space to activate the bridge was played just right. Spock’s explanation about effect coming before cause was pure technobabble, and I could absolutely feel the emotions of Chapel, La’an, and Dr Korby as they prepared to take a leap of faith. It was a well-constructed moment, and the temporal paradox was actually the hook for some genuinely great and emotional storytelling.
The away team prepares to take a (scientific) leap of faith.
It was interesting to get a look at an away mission with diplomatic hurdles, and I felt it was set up quite well at the beginning of the story. Obviously this was done to explain why the away team couldn’t have been larger, and to manoeuvre characters into position! But because it was established at the beginning that Vadia IX and the M’Kroon were not Federation members, when that issue reoccurred later in the script, it made perfect sense. It was kind of neat to see Pike and the crew having to navigate that kind of issue when the stakes were so high.
This is the kind of thing I like to see in Star Trek. Moments like this flesh out the world and make it feel more lived-in and real. Having to deal with ambassadors and governments while trying to resolve a dangerous situation is a complication, but it’s an understandable one given the setting. It just helps the Star Trek galaxy feel like a real and complex place.
Pike had to jump through diplomatic hoops.
Uhura and Beto continue to make a fun pair. Mynor Lüken and Celia Rose Gooding have great on-screen chemistry together, and giving Uhura this kind of cute “crush” works well for a younger version of the character. There’s absolutely room for this to grow in future episodes, and I hope we haven’t seen the last of Beto. But at the same time, I don’t think Strange New Worlds desperately needs to take this relationship a lot further. It can be fine as a cute “crush” and a bit of flirting. It was a bit of a shame that Erica Ortegas couldn’t be present anywhere on this side of the story, though, as her reaction to Uhura and Beto was part of what worked so well last time.
One thing that was great about Uhura’s storyline was it showed how much she’s grown. Uhura came aboard the Enterprise in Season 1 as a cadet, and it took her a little while to find her feet and grow in confidence. One of the highlights of Subspace Rhapsody last season was that story’s demonstration of how far Uhura has come – and Through the Lens of Time doubled-down on that with Uhura’s scenes with Beto. It fell to her, as the experienced Starfleet officer, to remain calm, offer comfort, and work to find a solution. Beto wasn’t a complete damsel in distress, but pairing him up with Uhura for this portion of the away mission was a great narrative choice.
Uhura and Beto.
Captain Pike hasn’t been as present in Strange New Worlds really since the end of Season 1. There have been quite a few moments in a bunch of episodes where I felt this absence. While Pike wasn’t all over Through the Lens of Time by any means, I wanted to highlight a couple of appearances where he made a big difference. Obviously, we have his moments with Captain Batel. Batel does a lot to bring Pike down to earth and really humanise him, giving him an emotional anchor. Her condition is also a massive problem that Pike can’t just instantly solve, so seeing how he deals with that has been interesting.
Then we have Pike’s one-on-one with Dr M’Benga. I could’ve spent a bit longer on this chat, and seeing Pike do more to comfort Ensign Gamble, but I really liked seeing the moment he and Dr M’Benga shared while discussing Gamble’s condition. It’s a reminder that Pike has friends among the crew – not just underlings or coworkers. We got a lot more of that in Shuttle to Kenfori, but this week we definitely built up more of the M’Benga-Pike relationship, which was great to see.
Dr M’Benga and Captain Pike.
Through the Lens of Time was fantastic. It’s the best episode of the season so far, and one of the highlights of the entire series. We got a very creative adventure in an ancient ruin, some advancement of Captain Batel’s mysterious condition, and plenty of fun moments with most of the main characters. Ensign Gamble’s demise – while arguably signalled ahead of time – was incredibly shocking thanks to its gruesome nature. And maybe we’ve picked up an interesting new alien faction to explore in the future. Set aside the “Spock love quadrangle” stuff, and there’s really not much to complain about!
So I had a great time with this week’s outing. What started as an interesting jaunt to an alien ruin quickly turned into something a lot darker, and arguably teed up Dr Korby’s Original Series role, too. There was some great set design and clever use of the AR wall, some shocking special effects, and even a couple of jump-scares and startling moments. Through the Lens of Time is definitely going to be seen as one of the highlights of the entire show, I have little doubt about that.
Next week, we’ll have The Sehlat Who Ate Its Tail. A Sehlat is a Vulcan animal, so could this be a Vulcan story? Or is the title referring to a fable or parable that will be referenced in a different kind of story? The latter is my guess – but you never know.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Seasons 1-3 are available to stream now on Paramount+ in countries and territories where the platform exists. The first two seasons are also available on DVD/Blu-ray. The Star Trek franchise – including Strange New Worlds and all other properties discussed above – is the copyright of Paramount Global. This review contains the thoughts and opinions of one person only and is not intended to cause any offence.
Spoiler Warning: There are spoilers ahead for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Seasons 1-3. Spoilers are also present for: The Original Series Season 1, The Next Generation Season 2, and The Undiscovered Country.
After last week’s horrifying zombie story, Strange New Worlds completely changed direction in A Space Adventure Hour. There were elements of comedy and drama, as well as a light-hearted pastiche of Star Trek: The Original Series which, I suspect, will have worked better for some fans than others. Star Trek legend Jonathan Frakes returned to the director’s chair for the first time this season, and while I wasn’t wild about the story at first… it grew on me over its runtime.
A Space Adventure Hour deliberately ignored almost all of the season’s ongoing storylines: Captain Batel and her illness weren’t mentioned, Ortegas was reinstated with a hand-wavy line of dialogue, and the story really zoomed in on two characters: Scotty and La’an. I generally enjoy Strange New Worlds’ episodic nature, so I don’t mind when an episode does something like that. But at the same time, I hope we’ll return to the aftermath of the Enterprise’s run-in with the Gorn before too long. Setting it aside was fine on this occasion, though.
A horrifying monster from outer space!
Before we go any further, let’s just say this: I fucking loathe Paramount’s ridiculous “America First” attitude. It’s self-defeating and stupid. A Space Adventure Hour was made available for free on YouTube and Pluto TV – but only in the United States. We can debate whether this was the right episode to try to use to entice new viewers (I don’t think it was, by the way) but why – why?! – does Paramount insist on this pathetic “America First” fetish? It isn’t the 1960s any more – Star Trek, and really all of Paramount’s shows – have a worldwide audience. That’s why Paramount+ exists in other countries. Why offer something like this to a tiny fraction of that audience but nobody else?
We’ve seen this time and again with Paramount and the Star Trek franchise, and it’s got to stop. In this case it was a “freebie,” but it’s not just that – it’s marketing. Offering a free episode on YouTube is a marketing stunt to try to draw attention to Strange New Worlds and the broader franchise. But why only do that in the United States when the internet is one massive, global, interconnected space? Strange New Worlds is only available on Paramount+ in countries and regions where Paramount has actually bothered to launch the service, so there’s no argument about who has the rights to broadcast new episodes. It’s just so stupid to have these big marketing stunts only to ruin them by cutting off fans from the rest of the world. As it happens, it wouldn’t have made much difference to me as I have a Paramount+ subscription. But the whole point of doing something like this is to attract new eyes to the show. So why only offer that to folks in America when there’s an entire world watching and waiting? Star Trek might be owned by an American corporation, but the fanbase is global and the franchise’s name is known all over the world. A Space Adventure Hour streaming for free could’ve sold new Paramount+ subscriptions from Tierra del Fuego to New Delhi. If only Paramount’s executives weren’t “America First” morons.
A “blooper.”
Alright, rant over.
A Space Adventure Hour looks like it would’ve been a ton of fun to work on for the cast and crew. Getting to step out of character and try something new is always going to be enjoyable for folks working on long-running productions. But at only twenty-four episodes in (i.e. the equivalent of one season of Star Trek a few years ago) I’m… I’m not quite sure that Strange New Worlds has earned an episode like this just yet. Especially when we consider episodes like The Elysian Kingdom already did something very similar in Season 1… to say nothing of last season’s Subspace Rhapsody. There’s absolutely room for episodes like A Space Adventure Hour… if we were talking about a series that was gonna run to 170+ episodes over seven seasons. But with the recent cancellation news, I’m acutely aware of Strange New Worlds having a time limit. While there absolutely were interesting ideas and elements in the mix here, I just don’t think this is the kind of story I’d have personally chosen to greenlight if I was in charge!
That being said, I didn’t have the almost visceral, bowel-churning hatred of this episode as I did for last season’s musical outing. There were fun elements in the narrative, and on the “real world” side of things – outside of the story taking place on the holodeck – we got some interesting tidbits of lore.
The holograms in La’an’s murder mystery.
I’m a little disappointed that Strange New Worlds seems to be shoving Pelia aside in favour of Scotty. I feared this would happen when Scotty emerged at the end of Season 2, and while it’s interesting to catch a glimpse of Scotty’s younger days… I’m just concerned that it’s coming at the expense of first Hemmer, and now Pelia.
However! I’m glad that A Space Adventure Hour continued the theme of Scotty having room to grow. In this case, he wanted to solve everything completely by himself, to such an extent that he didn’t even tell the Enterprise’s senior staff about the problems he was having. We saw glimpses of the more familiar Scotty – the self-reliant, confident miracle-worker from The Original Series. But mixed in was an intensely vulnerable man, someone struggling with the loss of his previous ship. I don’t think his comments about the Stardiver somehow explain everything about Scotty, but it was interesting to learn a bit more about why he feels so hesitant to ask for help and why he tries to shoulder all of the burden himself.
Scotty working on the holodeck.
It was genuinely fun to see Scotty in the science lab, trying to desperately balance the needs of the holodeck with the rest of the ship. We got a real mix of both TOS Scotty – with his incredible engineering prowess – and a younger, less confident version of the character, who was clearly feeling overwhelmed. It made for an interesting presentation, and Martin Quinn managed to walk the line exceptionally well.
What we’re really seeing is how Scotty’s raw, unrefined talent is being honed. And that’s where I felt Pelia’s absence. Instead of saying “oh, she’s on shore leave,” why not have Pelia be the one to set up the holodeck, but then get called away for some other emergency, leaving Scotty to pick up the pieces? At the very least, Pelia could’ve come in at the end of the story to coach Scotty on what he did right and where he went wrong. Those roles ultimately fell to Una and Uhura, which was fine in theory – and getting some interaction between Scotty and Uhura was definitely fun to see. But if the idea behind bringing Scotty into Strange New Worlds is to show how he has room to grow, and how he can take his undeniable talent and hone it into something more practical… we need his mentor to be present for at least part of that.
Scotty with Una – but where’s Pelia?
So… Spock’s just gonna romance his way through the Enterprise’s female crew members, I guess. First it was Chapel, now it’s La’an… who’s next? Una? Uhura? Pelia?
To me, it feels like Strange New Worlds’ writers have latched onto two story outlines with Spock, and don’t really know what else to do with him. We have the “Vulcans are stuck-up and rigid, so let’s use that for laughs” that we’ve seen in basically every Vulcan episode so far, and now we have the “Spock has no emotions, but what if he fell in love?” that we’ve seen with Chapel and now apparently with La’an too.
Spock can be a fun character, and putting him in situations that aren’t identical to what he went through in The Original Series is absolutely worthwhile. But… I can’t help but feel we’ve taken the “Spock in love” story outline as far as it can reasonably stretch. With T’Pring and Chapel, we’ve already explored this side of Spock. And with Strange New Worlds on the clock, if the aim is to bring Spock closer in line with his TOS version ahead of the show’s finale, we need to see more movement in that direction. A new relationship won’t help.
La’an and Spock.
Spock and Chapel’s relationship evolved kind of naturally from TOS foundations – particularly Chapel’s apparent “crush” on Spock. While I felt we caught a glimpse of… something, between La’an and Spock in Wedding Bell Blues, where they danced together, I’m just not sure that this is the right way to go for either of them. I guess you could frame it as a “rebound;” for La’an after getting her heart broken by Kirk, and for Spock after his relationship with Chapel fell apart. And there could be something to gain from a “Spock on the rebound” story, I guess. I just don’t think this has the legs to go much further, and I don’t think it’s a storyline I’d have chosen to include.
Maybe this is because I’m asexual, but I don’t really think a show like Strange New Worlds needs this kind of relationship drama to be entertaining or engaging. There have been relationships between characters in past iterations of Star Trek – Troi and Riker, Worf and Dax, Trip and T’Pol – but again, those shows were longer, and the relationship stuff took up comparatively less time. Of the twenty-four Strange New Worlds episodes so far, three have included T’Pring, and four have included Spock’s relationship with Chapel in some way. Now we have another episode – and presumably at least one or two more to come – that will feature Spock and La’an. It’s just kind of a lot, especially for a character who had previously been so famously unattached – aside from his brief Pon Farr infatuation!
How many romances is Spock gonna have?
Here’s a question: did you guess A Space Adventure Hour’s big twist? I half-guessed it! It seemed pretty clear to me that the “Spock” La’an was talking to on the holodeck was, in fact, a hologram – but I didn’t go quite so far as to pin him as the murderer. In that sense, I think this side of A Space Adventure Hour was pretty creative, and it used the holodeck exceptionally well. We’ve had plenty of “the holodeck done goofed” stories in Star Trek before, but none quite like A Space Adventure Hour in terms of its twist. The story took the same core premise as the one from Elementary, Dear Data – but did something quite different with it. It was creative, and a great way to include this staple Star Trek technology in a new and fun way.
Speaking of the holodeck, it was a lot of fun to see the technology’s origins. It’s a bit of a timeline stretch, perhaps, to say that the holodeck was developed in the 23rd Century but wasn’t widely used nor installed aboard starships for basically another 100 years, but it’s still really interesting to delve into the history of how holodecks developed. Seeing Scotty as one of the early holodeck pioneers is a fun little tidbit, too. I don’t think it really clashes with Relics, where Scotty encounters a 24th Century holodeck, either – though I can see that being a bone of contention for some Trekkies, I guess!
La’an on the holodeck.
I don’t know about you, but I really enjoy when Star Trek takes the time to explore its technologies in a bit more detail – and I think we got an interesting exploration of the holodeck here. Seeing how the holodeck was wired into the rest of the ship could explain how some stories in The Next Generation era unfolded, particularly ones where a malfunction occurred! After the holodeck debuted in The Next Generation, we just kind of accepted that it’s something starships have – even though it could go wrong, sometimes.
Seeing the early development of this technology was fun. But it also presented an opportunity for Strange New Worlds to talk a little about renegade computer programmes – something that’s definitely relevant in 2025 as artificial intelligence software and large language models continue to improve and grow. I don’t think the episode kept this side of things in focus for very long, but the idea of a computer programme being smarter than the people who think they’re in charge of it, and using its generative technology for the purposes of deception? Those are very real and very valid points to touch on!
La’an with holo-Spock.
Where do we draw the line between a funny, self-referential parody or pastiche and something mocking and mean-spirited? I don’t believe that the writers intended for their “Last Frontier” segments to come across as rude, offensive, or mocking The Original Series, William Shatner, or Star Trek fans… but I’m not gonna lie, part of me feels like that’s exactly how it landed. Paul Wesley channelled his inner Shatner to deliver a very on-the-nose impersonation, and other parts of those segments included exaggerated set design, cinematography, and even writing. It felt like something you’d get on a comedy sketch show. And… I don’t think that’s a compliment.
Self-parody is already a difficult thing to pull off. Make one wrong move and it comes across as either masturbatory self-congratulation or a very niche in-joke that only hard-core fans are likely to understand. Both of those problems are present in parts of A Space Adventure Hour, but also… some of those sequences didn’t feel respectful. The tone felt almost aggressive or mocking, as if the writers were saying “look at how silly your stupid little space show is,” and by extension, “you’re idiots for enjoying this crap.” It’s almost like Shatner’s infamous “get a life” skit back in the 1980s – but worse, somehow, because it’s so earnest.
The “USS Adventure.”
There is room in Star Trek for this kind of light-hearted take, and for episodes or storylines that call attention to some of the franchise’s weirder or less serious elements. That’s a big part of what Lower Decks did, if you think about it. But they have to be handled with at least some degree of sensitivity so they don’t come across as mean-spirited or looking down at Trekkies. For me, parts of A Space Adventure Hour strayed uncomfortably close to that line – and I already know some fellow Star Trek fans are gonna absolutely despise what this episode did with this parody.
As I said, I don’t think this was intentional. At least, I certainly hope it wasn’t! But it’s surprising to me that nobody involved in the production of the episode suggested… I dunno. Toning it down a notch or two? I can take a joke; I’m not some kind of stuck-up old fusspot who insists that “Star Trek should be 100% serious all the time!” Just look at my coverage of other episodes with comedic premises; I like comedy in Star Trek and there’s definitely a place for it. And I can see a version of A Space Adventure Hour where this kind of idea worked better. But the way it came across in the finished product… I think it was too much. It was too harsh, too aggressive, and where it could’ve been a funny little nod and wink to fans, it came across as laughing at us rather than laughing with us.
What did you make of the parody?
There were things to appreciate with the “Last Frontier” parody, though. Parts of the sets felt silly and exaggerated – the levers on the bridge in particular. But in other ways the sets were reminiscent of that kind of mid-century sci-fi series; the coloured lights reminded me very much of The Original Series, as did Kirk’s chair and the other console to one side on the bridge.
Though I didn’t really like Paul Wesley’s Shatner impression, it took a lot of skill to pull it off, and I can respect that. The soft filter on the camera, the way lighting changed, and the use of dramatic close-up shots were also all drawn from The Original Series, and added something to this pastiche. Holo-Kirk’s comment about a “female first officer” harkened back to The Cage, “Number One” being a woman, and Pike’s comment about women on the bridge of his ship. Or at least, I felt that it did.
There were some creative ideas here, but the tone let it down.
The rest of the holodeck adventure was a ton of fun. I think there were some pretty tropey over-acted performances from, well, pretty much all of the main cast as they took on these new roles, but that’s not necessarily a negative in this instance. It’s basically what the script called for – and these kinds of mid-century murder mystery stories (I’m loathe to call it “noir”) were populated by wildly exaggerated characters. For the kind of story A Space Adventure Hour wanted to be, the tone was pretty good.
It was also neat to see La’an in this kind of informal environment, as well as learning a bit more about her. La’an can be rigid and formal, though Kirk certainly helped break down her emotional walls! But until now, we hadn’t really gotten to know much about La’an as an individual, and some of the things she likes outside of her work in Starfleet. Season 3 already introduced us to dancing, which is apparently a hobby of hers, and now we’ve gotten to see these “Amelia Moon” detective stories. It was a nice inclusion, and a way to expand her character with something a bit less formal – and dare I say even a little childish – while still being in keeping with what we know about her role as a security officer.
This was a good episode for La’an.
The conversation between La’an and holo-Uhura about fandom was also not lost on me. If the earlier “Last Frontier” parody had been a bit too much, this conversation did succeed at bringing things back, and I appreciated what the writers wanted to say about Star Trek inspiring generations of viewers. I know Star Trek has inspired me – and if you’re reading this, I assume you’re also a fan and that Star Trek means something to you, too. I’m glad that the writers didn’t just leave the parody to speak for itself, but also included this conversation about how this fictionalised version of The Original Series could inspire people in the future.
For La’an, this hit especially close to home because of her connection to the Amelia Moon stories. I interpreted that as kind of a Nancy Drew or Famous Five type of children’s book, not necessarily something as grown-up as Sherlock Holmes! Speak of Holmes, did you notice Spock’s claim to be a descendant of Arthur Conan Doyle? I think the writers thought they were resolving a decades-old “plot hole” with that one! If you don’t recall, in The Undiscovered Country, Spock quoted Holmes and referred to the character as “an ancestor of mine,” which led to discussions in the fan community about what he meant, whether Sherlock Holmes was a real person in this setting, and so on. Strange New Worlds seems to have clarified that Spock was referring to Conan Doyle – and perhaps claiming that he’s an ancestor of Spock’s mother, Amanda? I don’t think it’s the kind of thing which needed clarification, but it’s interesting to note that Spock’s Sherlock Holmes connection goes back a long way!
La’an on the holodeck.
After the opening parody sequence was over, and we settled into the story with La’an, holo-Spock, and Scotty, I felt things improved a lot. The murder mystery looked tropey and silly at first, but then it kind of clicked for me and I found myself getting more invested in it. And on Scotty’s side, while I missed Pelia and felt she could’ve added a lot, it was undeniably a lot of fun to see the origins of the holodeck. Scotty played a big role in the development of that technology, which is certainly interesting!
Strange New Worlds is an episodic show. It remains a lot of fun to shake things up, try new things, and really push the boat out, sometimes. For me, parts of A Space Adventure Hour stuck the landing and showed why episodic Star Trek is still the best kind of Star Trek! Others… didn’t land quite as well as I’d have hoped. Overall, the episode was a bit of a mixed bag, then, but because the least-enjoyable parts were mostly out of the way within the first few minutes, I’d say the episode picked up as it went on, and by the time it ended, I was feeling a lot happier.
Uhura and Scotty.
I would say, though, that this was a truly stupid choice of episode to offer for free if the goal was to bring in new viewers on YouTube and Pluto TV. It’s a very self-referential, navel-gazing, “meta” episode of Star Trek, and it wouldn’t make for a good first contact either for Trekkies who want to get started with Strange New Worlds or for a more casual viewer looking to try Star Trek for the first time. In that sense, I don’t understand why Paramount would choose this story – of all the Strange New Worlds episodes we’ve seen so far – for this kind of marketing stunt. But then again, I don’t understand why the morons in Paramount’s marketing department make basically any of the decisions they make. The sooner the Skydance team takes over, the better!
So that was A Space Adventure Hour. I didn’t hate it. Well… most of it. And there were some interesting ideas and character moments in the mix. I continue to appreciate that Strange New Worlds is an episodic project, even when some of the episodes veer into narrative or thematic territory that doesn’t do much for me personally!
Next week, we have Through the Lens of Time, which I hope is gonna be a ton of fun. Time travel stories (which I’m assuming this one will be) aren’t always my favourites in Star Trek, but I’m keeping my fingers crossed. Oh, and let’s hope Pelia can make a return to the show soon, too!
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Seasons 1-3 are available to stream now on Paramount+ in countries and territories where the platform exists. The first two seasons are also available on DVD/Blu-ray. The Star Trek franchise – including Strange New Worlds and all other properties discussed above – is the copyright of Paramount Global. This review contains the thoughts and opinions of one person only and is not intended to cause any offence.
Spoiler Warning: There are spoilers ahead for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Seasons 1-3.
By my reckoning, Shuttle to Kenfori marks the halfway point of Strange New Worlds’ run. We learned ahead of Season 3’s premiere that the series will be cancelled after a cut-down fifth season, clocking in at forty-six episodes in total. With this being the show’s twenty-third outing… that’s it. The halfway point. Does that change how we approach Shuttle to Kenfori? It shouldn’t… but it seemed like something that was worth mentioning before we get started.
Going into Season 3, the “Klingon zombie episode,” which had been teased in one of the trailers, was definitely one of the stories I was most curious about! I’m not the world’s biggest fan of horror, but there have been some fun zombie flicks over the years, and after more than 950 episodes and films… I like that Star Trek can still try new things and surprise me! We’ve had horror-themed episodes before, from Empok Nor to Strange New Worlds’ own All Those Who Wander, but this is Star Trek’s first fully-fledged zombie episode. And while I don’t think it was perfect, Shuttle to Kenfori showed why it was worth trying out this kind of story.
Zombies! Aaahhhh!
Let’s get a couple of negative points out of the way first, then we can gush about how great other parts of Shuttle to Kenfori were!
Firstly, the episode’s opening act was too short and too abrupt. We went from “everything’s fine, Captain Batel is getting her own command” to “she has days to live” in a heartbeat. Compounding that was how curtailed the scene in sickbay felt with Pike, Spock, Chapel, and M’Benga. We would later learn that Captain Batel, Spock, and the medical duo had discussed her condition off-screen, but that didn’t make the scene feel much better. In the moment, watching the episode unfold, this foundational sequence needed much longer to play out.
In a matter of seconds, Dr M’Benga and Spock laid out that Captain Batel’s infection was back and that they happened to know of the only plant in the galaxy capable of curing her. Then we got a very short discussion of where the plant might be found… and that was it. It kick-started the story, sure, and the subsequent revelation that the rest of the characters had discussed it off-screen kind of helps, but it still felt very rushed. Going from “the infection’s back” to “but we already have a cure in mind” to “let’s undertake a dangerous off-the-books mission” in less than two minutes just… it’s poor pacing.
This sequence needed to be longer.
I get that this moment isn’t what Shuttle to Kenfori is all about. But we’ve gone from Captain Batel being cured and ready to take command of a new ship to being days or even hours away from a Gorn-induced death in practically no time at all. All of Shuttle to Kenfori’s story arcs hung off this moment in the opening act… and it was just way too short. Past Star Trek stories would’ve lingered here for several minutes, scanning Captain Batel, realising her infection has returned, throwing out half a dozen technobabble cures then shooting them down… heck, we could’ve gotten an entire montage of Chapel, Spock, and M’Benga running through different possible ideas before settling on the flower. It wouldn’t have needed to last more than, say, five minutes… but it would’ve given the rest of the story a much stronger foundation.
While I wouldn’t say that the rushed opening act soured me on Shuttle to Kenfori from the beginning, I was definitely left with a sense of “wait, was that it?” as the episode’s main storylines got underway. I also felt that these problems of pacing and perhaps a slightly too-short episode were present in Hegemony, Part II last week – so I hope this isn’t going to be a running theme throughout the season. I’m all for stories that are bold and try to do a lot with their runtime, don’t get me wrong! But when the opening act is blitzed through too fast, there can be implications for the rest of the story, no matter how strong it might be.
The plan to acquire this flower was arrived at very quickly.
The second major critique of Shuttle to Kenfori is its Klingon storyline. In short… there was a lot going on when Pike and Dr M’Benga touched down on the titular planet, and I’m not convinced we needed this additional villain and complication. It made the zombies themselves – which, surely, should have been the episode’s fear factor and main antagonist – kind of secondary, especially towards the end, and there just wasn’t any need for it.
Narratively, I liked Dr M’Benga’s involvement with the Klingons – we’ll get into that later when I talk about some of the things I liked about Shuttle to Kenfori. But as a concept, in an episode that was already busy with several characters competing to be in focus? I think it was a bit of a misfire, to be honest. Star Trek’s first ever zombie story should’ve done more with the zombies – zombies that were genuinely frightening and must’ve taken a ton of work in the makeup department! Instead, the zombies were relegated to background status pretty quickly, literally looking in from the outside behind an impenetrable narrative force-field as Dr M’Benga’s Klingon adversary took centre-stage.
This episode didn’t need a second antagonist. The zombies were more than enough on their own.
I was kind of reminded of later seasons of The Walking Dead with how this played out. If you know me, you’ll know I’ve said more than once that The Walking Dead – AMC’s zombie apocalypse TV series – should’ve ended after perhaps three seasons, because it wore out its core premise and its zombies stopped being the main focus. The Walking Dead’s writers switched things up and started finding human antagonists for Rick Grimes and his group to deal with, most of whom in the later years were pretty repetitive and basic. That show needed to do that because its core premise – the zombie apocalypse – was itself tired and worn out. But Shuttle to Kenfori is brand-new and its zombies have literally never been seen in Star Trek before. We just didn’t need a sentient antagonist when the undead monsters were already filling that role.
For me, I’d have preferred Shuttle to Kenfori if Pike and M’Benga were trapped in the zombie-overrun research facility with no Klingons present. And then, in another episode, Dr M’Benga could’ve gotten his Klingon enemy and ritual combat, because I genuinely liked what Strange New Worlds did with this storyline. I just feel that smooshing them together into one didn’t let either the zombies or the dishonoured Klingon Bythra truly shine. If we were three seasons into a Star Trek zombie show, and the zombies were beginning to wear out their welcome, then I could see why you’d do a story like this – it’s what The Walking Dead has been doing since about Season 4 of the main show and in most of its spin-off projects. But this zombie idea was so creative and new that having a Klingon antagonist just wasn’t necessary – and I wish we’d gotten to see more of Pike and Dr M’Benga taking on the zombies.
Captain Pike killed a zombie.
I will caveat all of that by saying that the Kenfori zombies could return later in the season. There were promotional posters for Season 3 released a few weeks ago, and one of them showed Pelia and Scotty seemingly surrounded by zombies. Scotty was present in Shuttle to Kenfori, but he stayed on the Enterprise, and Pelia was entirely absent. So maybe I’m reaching and maybe it’s a stretch, but could there be a second zombie story in the offing? If so, and if the zombies are the main focus… maybe we can revisit this side of Shuttle to Kenfori and be a little kinder in hindsight.
There were plenty of ways to turn the zombies into the story’s main adversaries. After Pike and Dr M’Benga retrieved the flower sample, they could’ve been confronted and chased by a small group, becoming trapped in the facility. Looking outside, they’d realise their shuttle was cut off by a massive horde of zombies, and that they’d have to hunker down and wait for extraction. Rushing from room to room in the abandoned facility, they’d have to find shelter – all the while Spock and Una would be conspiring to make them wait longer and longer for a rescue, just as happened in the actual episode. We could’ve got more zombie action, more conversation between Pike and Dr M’Benga about Captain Batel’s condition, and – as a nice little bonus – a longer opening act that didn’t feel so rushed! Two birds with one stone, as they say.
Another zombie.
Alright, that’s enough about that for now. With those two issues aside, I really liked Shuttle to Kenfori. It was a ton of fun to get this kind of Star Trek zombie story, seeing zombified Klingons was somehow even scarier than human zombies, and the zombie sequences at the abandoned research base were pitch-perfect. The sets were decrepit and decaying, the prosthetics used to create the zombies were fantastic, there were some neat uses of the AR wall, and props used to create the Klingon skeleton, the important flower, and the half-eaten leg were all either gruesome or beautiful.
On the practical side of things, Strange New Worlds has been absolutely wonderful. Puppets, prosthetics, and physical props are back – and they’re back in style! CGI can work wonders, sure, but there’s something about physical props and practical effects that – for me, anyway – can’t be beat! They’re part of what makes Star Trek feel like Star Trek, and Shuttle to Kenfori had plenty of prosthetics for the zombies and some absolutely phenomenal props. I don’t think a Klingon d’k tahg (dagger) has ever looked better or more realistic in any episode, we saw a classic Original Series-inspired tricorder, and everything about the research base just screamed “danger.” I love it!
There were some fantastic props in Shuttle to Kenfori – like this d’k tahg.
Star Trek is science-fiction, and while it’s never been “realistic,” Star Trek stories have always gone out of their way to emphasise the science side of things. Even when dealing with wacky and ridiculous storylines, the franchise has always tried to ground those things in its own fictional science. Races like the Q or the Prophets were always perceived as “just another alien,” not some kind of god or deity, for instance, and even the silliest stellar phenomena – like Season 2’s improbability field that caused everyone to burst into song – were presented as having a scientific basis which could be scanned, studied, and understood.
Shuttle to Kenfori does the same with its zombies. They’re the result of an infection of moss spores, not some kind of supernatural entity or undead monster, and I really appreciated that. It doesn’t lessen the fear factor to know where the zombies came from or why they exist, but it keeps the franchise’s scientific tone. There was also kind of a The Last Of Us vibe as a result; these zombies, like the ones from that franchise, are a natural phenomenon caused by plants. The episode clearly leaned on other zombie properties, too: the title is reminiscent of the Korean zombie film Train to Busan, and even the name of the planet Kenfori is derived from actor Ken Foree, known for his role in Dawn of the Dead.
Whose leg is this?
Star Trek has arguably told zombie-adjacent stories before. The biggest example of this, as I’ve discussed before, is the Borg: Star Trek’s own cybernetic zombie faction! But the Borg are also a different kind of villain presented in a different way; there’s something about Shuttle to Kenfori’s mindless, monster-like moss-zombie abominations that’s totally unique. I love that Strange New Worlds has been bold enough to go there – and to tell these horror-inspired stories. We’ve seen it with the Gorn, and now we’re getting this new and creative zombie idea.
If the Borg represent your typical Night of the Living Dead zombies – shuffling around at a slow pace – then the zombies in Shuttle to Kenfori were closer to those from more modern titles like 28 Days Later or the aforementioned Train to Busan. Sprinting at full pelt after Captain Pike and Dr M’Benga, these zombies were truly scary! The jump-scare at the window about made me piss my pants, and the way the horde of zombies tumbled over one another desperately trying to grab our heroes… it was riveting stuff right out of a modern horror film!
These zombies were terrifying – and this was a great jump-scare.
Here’s a question I bet you weren’t expecting: did Shuttle to Kenfori make you think of Tuvix? Voyager’s “meme episode” definitely came up for me, with a flower that can merge DNA seeming quite familiar! I don’t think that means we’re gonna get a half-Gorn Captain Batel at the end of the day, or some kind of horrific Batel/Gorn “Brundlefly,” but it was interesting to hear about this flower and its unusual properties.
There was more to Shuttle to Kenfori than just the zombies – so let’s talk about that next!
Captain Batel’s Gorn infection coming back was something I kind of predicted last week after the opening pair of episodes. There was a lot of talk about her “re-absorbing” the Gorn DNA, especially in Wedding Bell Blues, and I just felt it hinted at there being more to this story than met the eye. In that sense it wasn’t a total shock – though I stand by what I said in my review of Hegemony, Part II: spoiling her survival in trailers and marketing material was a mistake. But I do think it’s interesting that, despite the Gorn themselves apparently taking a little nappy-nap, their influence and impact on our characters is going to stick around.
Captain Batel isn’t feeling too well…
The mind-meld sequence really hammered home how dangerous and unsettling this idea of a Gorn infection truly is. Spock seemed to perceive not only Gorn DNA but an actual individual Gorn somehow inside of or sharing Captain Batel’s body, and that concept is pretty horrifying, if you think about it! The parasitic Gorn eggs draw a lot from the film Alien, where the xenomorphs infect humans in a similar way, and I noted in Hegemony, Part II how truly grotesque the latter stages of that infection looked – brought to life, again, with some fantastic physical special effects work.
The inclusion of Gamble – the new nurse – was also interesting on this side of the story. I said last time that I wondered if Strange New Worlds was teeing him up as either a baddie in disguise or as a secondary character who could be killed off later in the story; when Spock flung him across the room in a Gorn-induced rage, I wondered if that might’ve been poor Ensign Gamble’s end! I like that Strange New Worlds is at least trying to add to its cast – and not just with returning legacy characters. Gamble is still a character I can’t quite place; if he is going to be killed off, fleshing him out and keeping him around in sickbay sequences makes a lot of sense. And if he’s going to take a villainous turn, I think it’s concealed well enough at this stage that the twist will still work!
Ensign Gamble with Captain Batel.
The mind-meld also gave us some very creative camera work/CGI. I love the idea that we were seeing things from a kind of “Gorn eye view,” percieving the world the way they might, with distorted colours and sensing things like heat from their prey. I can’t quite remember if All Those Who Wander did something similar… but I think so. Right? Regardless, this effect was creative and fun, and it really hammered home how this alien entity is still – somehow – alive inside Captain Batel. The CGI camera filter, with its hexagonal shapes, also harkened back to the original depiction of the Gorn captain in Arena – with his trademark silver, insect-like eyes.
Spock’s mind-meld also raised the stakes. The infection isn’t just going to kill Captain Batel, but it could spawn another Gorn – or perhaps multiple Gorn. And we saw in Season 1 how even juvenile Gorn and hatchlings can be deadly! So in that sense, Captain Batel’s infection isn’t just a danger to her, but it’s a potential danger to others, too – like the aforementioned Ensign Gamble! If I had to make a prediction or theory, by the way, I’d speculate that the young nurse will be killed in some kind of Gorn incident related to Captain Batel’s condition!
A Gorn’s view of the world.
Also on the Gorn side of things, we had Lieutenant Ortegas. I touched on this last time, as she’s clearly suffering from some kind of Gorn-induced PTSD-type condition. Una and La’an noted that she’d passed her psychological evaluation and was deemed fit to return to duty, but there’s clearly more going on. We didn’t get anything as explicit as last week’s Gorn reflection/haunting (I’m loathe to say it was an out-and-out “hallucination” without more evidence), but Ortegas is clearly being reckless and insubordinate due to how she’s feeling.
This has potential, but I think it needs to be handled with care. As a secondary or even tertiary story element in an episode which was largely focused elsewhere, there wasn’t a ton of time to dedicate to Ortegas. While what we saw was interesting and does hint at her mental state not being great… I also feel echoes of some of Discovery and Picard’s half-arsed mental health story attempts. Modern Star Trek has admirably tried to include these kinds of stories… but hasn’t always done so with care. An exploration of post-war or post-captivity PTSD is a genuinely interesting narrative concept, and one that could be heart-wrenching if done well… but it’s also a storyline which needs sufficient time dedicating to it. That doesn’t mean an entire episode, but it does mean more than just a few scenes and sequences.
Ortegas on the bridge.
Ortegas’ run-in with Uhura kind of encapsulates this for me. At the briefing, Ortegas interjected with her own riskier but faster rescue plan. But when Una opted for Spock’s slower approach, Ortegas seemed to lash out at Uhura for not backing her up. But this lasted all of a few seconds, and didn’t come up again. Ortegas’ main conflict – if we can characterise this kind of thing as a “conflict” – was with Una. This left her interaction with Uhura kind of sticking out; it needed more than just a couple of lines’ worth of setup, and more of a payoff. If that pattern repeats across this storyline… I worry it won’t achieve everything it aims for.
And that would be a real shame. Melissa Navia, who plays Ortegas, was genuinely compelling to watch this week, and after the Gorn attack, it stands to reason that someone would be suffering some lingering effects. Given Ortegas’ background in the Klingon war as well, there’s a real opportunity to talk about post-traumatic stress, grief, fear, and the lingering after-effects of trauma. I just hope that this opportunity will be fully seized and not fumbled – like Picard and Discovery arguably did.
This Ortegas storyline clearly has room to run.
On a more positive note, I felt Ortegas’ frustration as her plan was shot down. When you’re already on edge, suffering, or just not feeling your best, frustration can boil over – and in a chain-of-command situation, like there is in Starfleet, if your superiors don’t go with your idea, that can absolutely be the kind of thing that sets people off! This side of the story was handled well, and I kind of like the idea of leaning into this and showing Ortegas going rogue, trying to force the situation.
One way or another, this will be resolved. And it’s more realistic than in earlier iterations of Star Trek, where characters would go through some horrible trauma one week and be totally fine the next. I appreciate that Strange New Worlds – which is more episodic in nature than other recent projects – still keeps these ongoing character arcs. It makes people like Ortegas feel more well-rounded; fleshed-out people not just characters. I’m just crossing my fingers and hoping that this PTSD-type storyline manages to stick the landing when it counts.
The Enterprise.
On this side of the story, we got to see Una in command. She’s sat in the captain’s chair before, of course, but this was one of her first real outings where she had to make impactful command decisions; really embracing the role of first officer. Una was clearly taking inspiration from the way Captain Pike runs his ship, but there were enough differences in her approach and the way she handled both the briefing and the Ortegas situation to keep things interesting; she wasn’t just a stand-in for Pike in those moments.
XOs in Star Trek shows have a challenging role: they can’t outshine their captains, but they can’t be too different from them when in command, either. I think we got a great example of how a first officer should behave when left in command in Shuttle to Kenfori – Una was her own person, running the briefing and commanding the ship in her own way. She clearly had the respect of her colleagues – Ortegas’ misbehaviour aside! But she’s also leaning into Captain Pike’s style of command, listening to people, taking suggestions, and then deciding on a plan based on the best evidence available to her. It was a fun sequence, and I’m glad we got to see her taking the reins for a change.
Una got a turn in the captain’s chair while Pike was away.
Although I criticised the inclusion of Bytha and her Klingon band, there was a lot to love on this side of the story. Set aside questions of whether the story needed to be told alongside Shuttle to Kenfori’s zombies for a moment and consider it as a standalone thing. We got a callback to Dr M’Benga’s war service, in which we know he was notorious for killing dozens of Klingons. It also connected to the Season 2 episode Under the Cloak of War in a big way, too. But moreover, what we got on this side of the story was one of the most “Klingon” performances in modern Star Trek.
Discovery’s Klingons could feel a bit muddled, sometimes. They were still Klingon, don’t get me wrong, and there are things to admire with that show’s Klingon war arc. But Strange New Worlds has returned the Klingons to a more familiar visual style and also a tone closer to “classic” Klingons, if you take my meaning. Bytha, who was the daughter of Dak’Rah, was very concerned with matters of personal honour and the standing of her family’s house in Klingon affairs – and this felt like something out of The Next Generation era in the best way possible.
Bytha firing her disruptor.
Bytha was an interesting character, and I liked that her motivation was more complex than just “revenge.” It tied into what we know of Klingon houses and concepts of honour, harkeing back to stories involving Worf, Gowron, and Martok in The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine. Even when surrounded by zombies and with her team dead, Bytha couldn’t stop herself challenging Dr M’Benga to ritual combat in line with Klingon codes of honour, and I found that fascinating and realistic based on what we know of the Klingons.
Bytha’s death was also particularly gruesome! She went out on her own terms, staying true to her beliefs and restoring her honour. I liked Dr M’Benga using honour against her, by beating her and refusing to finish her off. This set the stage for Pike and M’Benga being able to escape, but also gave Bytha an ending to her story that was, if nothing else, fitting. There wasn’t a ton of time to develop Bytha, but we got to know enough about her to understand why she was there, what she wanted, and who she was as a character. Christine Horn, who played the character, did a great job, too – she avoided falling into the trap of going over-the-top or leaving Bytha feeling one-dimensional. Though not in focus for the entire story, I felt she was a compelling villain – even if I’d have preferred to see her in a different episode, perhaps!
Bytha was an interesting Klingon character.
At the end of the episode, we saw Pike and Captain Batel reunited. And this was one of the most emotional sequences in Shuttle to Kenfori. Captain Batel tried to explain why she didn’t tell Pike everything straight away, and there were a couple of pertinent lines in there. “I don’t have the space to worry about how my dying hurts your feelings” is a powerful sentiment, and I think it encapsulates how she’s been feeling and how Pike can react. I don’t think Pike is actually that selfish, by the way, but we’ve seen over the course of his relationship with Batel that he isn’t the perfect partner and doesn’t always know what to say.
There’s also a message about medical consent and terminal illnesses. Pike’s story, going back to Discovery’s second season, has been building up to his own impending accident and disability. With Captain Batel, Pike is the one on the outside having to deal with her worsening health and potential terminal illness, and I think we got a powerful sequence exploring that. The failure of a treatment, an almost desperate, last-ditch attempt to find a new solution, and Captain Batel keeping Pike out of the picture because of how he might’ve reacted. It was riveting, dramatic stuff – but I’m glad that they came back together at the end. I’m curious to see what will come of this treatment – something tells me Captain Batel isn’t out of danger just yet.
Pike and Batel embrace.
So that was Shuttle to Kenfori. With the exception of a rather rushed opening sequence and a Klingon villain who, while compelling in her own right, was ultimately unnecessary for the zombie story, I think it was an outstanding episode. The horror theme was present throughout, the zombies themselves were frightening and incredibly well-designed, and we moved along key storylines involving Pike, Captain Batel, Ortegas, Dr M’Benga… and possibly our new Ensign Gamble, too!
Obviously, though, this episode will be remembered for its zombies. While I don’t want Strange New Worlds to spend too long on any one storyline – as its episodic nature has been one of the best things about the series – I’m kind of hoping we revisit the zombies in the future. It seems strange for Starfleet to just abandon the planet Kenfori with its zombie infestation, and I’m sure the scientists would be very interested to learn more about this contagion, how it spreads, the moss that causes it… and maybe if it could be weaponised. That seems like something that the Klingons might be interested in, too – and if Bytha’s statement is anything to go by, the Klingons knew what they were about to walk into. Then there’s the Scotty and Pelia poster I mentioned earlier – is that hinting at a second zombie story later this season?
Are more zombies on the agenda later this season?
But that’s all for today. A tense, gruesome, and occasionally frightening episode – but it was a lot of fun! As Strange New Worlds hits the halfway point, I can already tell I’m not gonna be ready to let go of this wonderful series when the moment comes. It really has been the high-water mark of modern Star Trek, returning to the franchise’s episodic, exploration-focused roots – while also being brave enough to try completely new and different things.
Next week we have the retro-inspired Space Adventure Hour, and also the apparent return of Kirk. This will almost certainly be a total change in tone from Shuttle to Kenfori’s horror offering, so if this wasn’t to your taste and you’re hankering for something a bit more light-hearted, I think you’re in for a treat!
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Seasons 1-3 are available to stream now on Paramount+ in countries and territories where the platform exists. The first two seasons are also available on DVD/Blu-ray. The Star Trek franchise – including Strange New Worlds and all other properties discussed above – is the copyright of Paramount Global. This review contains the thoughts and opinions of one person only and is not intended to cause any offence.
Spoiler Warning: There are spoilers ahead for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Seasons 1-3. Spoilers are also present for the following Star Trek productions: The Original Series Season 1, The Next Generation, Voyager, and Picard Season 2.
After an explosive and action-packed season premiere, Strange New Worlds opted for a complete change in tone in Wedding Bell Blues. There were some lighthearted sequences, a callback to a fan theory that’s been kicking around for literally decades, and, unfortunately, a bit too much cringe humour for my taste. Despite that latter point, Wedding Bell Blues had its moments, and the apparent confirmation of that decades-old fan theory was worth the price of admission alone!
For me, though, I suppose Wedding Bell Blues is going to be another episode that I don’t revisit very often. This obsession that the show’s writers have with putting Spock in situations that are emotional or just wacky and cringeworthy… it’s overstayed its welcome. And while I will happily admit that there can be humour in that premise… I’m thoroughly done with it at this point. Spock Amok, The Serene Squall, The Elysian Kingdom, Charades, and Subspace Rhapsody all included some kind of “Spock comedy” or “Vulcan comedy,” and I just think that we’ve really reached the end of the line with it. Any joke – even great ones – stop being funny when they’re repeated too often, and this whole “Vulcans are stuck up and rigid, so let’s turn that into comedy” idea wasn’t especially strong to begin with. At this point… well, let’s just say I hope we don’t get too much more of that going forward. And yes, I’m aware that we have Four-and-a-Half Vulcans still to come later this season.
I’m done with “Spock comedy” at this point.
That being said, there were some interesting and entertaining moments in Wedding Bell Blues, and when the episode switched to Spock and Dr Korby trying to undo the damage, things largely improved. Dr Korby made for a fun character, even though his introduction as Spock’s rom-com/Hallmark movie dating rival wasn’t spectacular! Dr Korby originally appeared in The Original Series first season episode What Are Little Girls Made Of? where Kirk and the crew encounter him – after a fashion – on a frozen planet.
It’s been a while since I re-watched What Are Little Girls Made Of?, so my recollections of that story are a little fuzzy! But from what I remember, the “Dr Korby” that the crew – and Nurse Chapel – encountered wasn’t quite the same, either due to the mind-transferring process he went through or, perhaps, because of years in isolation and the traumatic experiences he went through. I’m not sure if Strange New Worlds’ version of Dr Korby is going to appear again after this episode. If he doesn’t, I think we’ll look at Wedding Bell Blues as a bit of mildly interesting backstory. But if he does come back, I think there’s potential to expand the character further, and perhaps show us a glimpse of a darker side, something that might inform his TOS appearance. Because I didn’t really get much of that from Wedding Bell Blues, to be honest. If Dr Korby had been substituted for a brand-new character, it wouldn’t have made any real difference to this particular script.
Dr Korby in Spock’s cabin.
We’ll come back to Chapel, Korby, and Spock, because I really want to get into this Trelane and Q connection!
For some background information: Trelane was a character who first appeared in the episode The Squire of Gothos, also from the first season of The Original Series. He was portrayed as a trickster, capturing and toying with Kirk and the crew – before being reprimanded by his parents. When Q appeared at the beginning of The Next Generation some twenty years later, fans immediately made the connection. Q and Trelane felt so similar that “Trelane is a Q” became a popular theory in the Trekkie community. But it was never confirmed, despite Q making repeated appearances in The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, and Voyager. Even a visit to the Q Continuum itself didn’t confirm it!
The character in Wedding Bell Blues is credited simply as “Wedding Planner,” and John de Lancie – Q from The Next Generation – is credited as voicing “Wedding Planner’s father.” However, ahead of the season we were told that Rhys Darby – who played the “Wedding Planner” – was playing the role of a familiar character, and after Wedding Bell Blues aired, showrunner and executive producer Akiva Goldsman confirmed that the two are the same character. With that in mind, I shall be treating the “Wedding Planner” as Trelane and the other energy life-form as Q.
Trelane with a pint-sized Spock.
I love that Strange New Worlds went out of its way to confirm this old fan theory and really lean into the Trekkie community. Moments like this connect disparate parts of Star Trek together, and while we can argue the toss about changes to the Gorn from one show to the other, Trelane’s appearance here was pitch-perfect. It was right in line with The Squire of Gothos, and the fact that John de Lancie returned to voice Q at the end of the story just made it so much better.
As an aside: have we finally seen the Q in their “true” form? Q has always been able to change his form, but in all of his appearances – and the appearances of other members of the Continuum – we never got confirmation of what the race actually looks like in its native form. I think there’s a case to be made that the energy cloud from The Squire of Gothos and Wedding Bell Blues is what members of the Q Continuum look like when they aren’t deliberately assuming another form. And that’s kind of cool!
Is this Q’s true form?
So after almost forty years, we’ve gotten an explicit connection between Trelane and the Q! I don’t know about you, but I think that’s exceptionally cool, and a great little wink to fans of both The Original Series and The Next Generation. It was also subtle enough that new viewers who aren’t familiar with any of those shows wouldn’t have been left scratching their heads. The ending to The Squire of Gothos was repeated in a pretty similar way, and the meaning behind it – that this entity was little more than a child, toying with living beings – still works even without any of that prior knowledge of Star Trek. It works just as well in 2025 as it did in 1967!
After such a long time, with fans speculating about Trelane and Q since before there was the world wide web… there were risks to this storyline. And I just love that there was enough boldness in the writers’ room to go there. I can see this point being contentious with some older fans, perhaps; not everyone was on board with the “Trelane is a Q” theory. You don’t have to look too far to find old forum threads and blog posts denouncing the notion! But for me, this storyline was well-executed, it doesn’t really prevent you from enjoying any of the Q episodes or The Squire of Gothos in isolation, and given that Trelane seems to have been in disguise most of the time, we can even argue that Spock, Uhura, and Scotty not remembering this encounter makes sense. Heck, if you need a head canon explanation for that: Trelane used his Q powers to make everyone forget about this by the time of The Squire of Gothos!
Trelane is officially a member of the Q Continuum!
Star Trek was one of the entertainment landscape’s first real “shared universes;” pioneering the idea before the name even existed. And it’s nice to get little reminders, now and then, of storylines set in other eras or of fun episodes we remember from older Star Trek shows. There are good ways and bad ways to do this; Wedding Bell Blues, for me, stayed on the right side of the line. There’s enough wiggle-room for people who hate this idea to say that, well, maybe the Wedding Planner and Trelane aren’t one and the same, or that nothing we saw on screen explicitly proves that it was The Next Generation’s Q who showed up at the end. But for fans who’ve bought into the Trelane-Q connection over the years, I think it’s great to see that theory finally confirmed.
Rhys Darby was fantastic as Trelane, too. Informed, perhaps, not only by the original performance of the character by William Campbell in The Original Series, but also by John de Lancie’s Q, I felt we got a complex take on the character. Trelane’s lighthearted, positive energy masked some truly dark impulses and urges, and his total disregard for forms of life he considered “inferior” or beneath him really shone through. There was a distinct creepiness to Trelane, even when he was mincing around, talking about wedding dresses and cake samples. Darby put in a fantastic performance to bring the character to life and make him believable, despite the very unusual situation.
Rhys Darby was great in this role.
Speaking as we were of head canon, here’s one that I think makes some character moments in Wedding Bell Blues flow better! When Spock and Dr Korby approached various characters to explain the “mass delusion” phenomenon, even people who should be receptive to that conversation completely brushed them off. Worse, people like Captain Pike even seemed to ignore or forget what Spock was telling them moments later, and just generally acted out-of-character. When Spock left his own bachelor party, for instance, none of the other attendees – his friends – bothered to go after him or find out what was wrong.
So my head canon is that Trelane’s magic wasn’t just causing the delusion, it was also forcing everyone to react in this way. They were all 100% wedding-focused, and anything that didn’t gel with Trelane’s new scenario was either not retained or pushed aside. That’s really the only way I think we can account for people like Pike behaving the way they do; refusing to listen to his science officer and a prominent, well-respected doctor when confronted just doesn’t fit his character otherwise. For me, this head canon explanation fits pretty well, but I can understand why some viewers might not like the behaviours of Captain Pike and some of the other characters in the episode.
The bachelor party.
The idea that only strong emotions – like anger or love – could break through Trelane’s spell was interesting, and it’s an idea which feels very “Star Trekky,” if that makes sense. It’s a bit of a cliché, sure; love being this supremely powerful emotion capable of saving the day can feel like a worn-out trope. But here, I think it worked well enough. Perhaps if we’d got just an extra line or two between Korby and Spock to technobabble some nonsense about love generating strong brainwave frequencies or something, maybe that would’ve been an improvement. Not essential, perhaps… but an improvement.
Love breaking through the delusion also set up the end of the episode, and Spock being able to get through to Chapel. Calling back to the story about her and Dr Korby climbing a mountain and looking out over the stars was creative and also cute, and despite my overall feelings about Spock being pushed into this love rivalry story that felt like something out of a low-budget Hallmark movie, this moment worked. Spock knew what he had to do; he took a chance on what he felt was the only way to break the illusion for Chapel, and hoped that doing so would shatter it for everyone else.
Chapel breaks free from the spell.
In The Squire of Gothos, the crew of the Enterprise arrive at a planet where Trelane is already present. Yet here, in Wedding Bell Blues, it appears as if Trelane has travelled to Earth… and I wish we’d learned a little about that. Why was Trelane interested in Earth, and why did he feel drawn to Spock when he had ten-plus billion people to potentially toy with? I just didn’t feel we got a satisfactory explanation for that, really. Yes, Trelane is a trickster and a child, but at least encountering him where he is – out in space – made a degree of sense. And for Q, he set puzzles and challenges for Picard, Janeway, and Sisko… but they always served some kind of purpose. Trelane is just playing around, which is the point of the story, but even kids who are playing have reasons for choosing the games they play.
One other thing I liked about Trelane, though, is how we can read his story of wanting to help people fall in love through the lens of what we know about Q. If you know me, you know I generally disliked Star Trek: Picard’s second season, in which Q prominently features. But at the end of that story, we learned that Q cares, in his own way, about things like love – and he has some kind of innate desire to help people fall in love. Or at least he does for certain select people! But this kind of connects with Trelane in Wedding Bell Blues; he saw how down Spock was about losing Chapel and he wanted, in his own somewhat twisted way, to “help.” That interpretation is there, even if it’s built on less solid foundations.
Trelane’s story can arguably connect to Q’s in Picard Season 2.
Love could be blossoming in Strange New Worlds this season. Spock and La’an seemed to share a moment towards the end of the story, dancing together. I interpreted their earlier scenes as purely friendly, with La’an – who apparently has a hidden talent for dancing – helping Spock learn to dance ahead of the Federation Day celebrations. But their moment at the end of the story, with La’an joining Spock as he sat alone, then asking him to dance? Maybe I’m reaching… but in the kind of rom-coms that Wedding Bell Blues borrowed from, those sorts of moments can lead to big romantic entanglements!
In addition, we also have the clearly burgeoning relationship between Uhura and Beto – Lieutenant Ortegas’ brother. When I saw Uhura and Beto in a pre-season promo photo, I thought he might’ve been some kind of villain; perhaps the photo wasn’t a particularly flattering one, but he was giving me a bit of a creepy vibe! In the episode itself, though, we got plenty of flirty banter between the two. Unlike with Spock, Chapel, and Korby, which I found way too cringeworthy, I generally enjoyed this sub-plot. Giving Uhura a love interest, particularly one with a connection to another member of the crew, could be a lot of fun.
They’re just friends… right?
Could Beto’s drone-camera and his filmmaking job become plot points in another story? I wondered if he might’ve had a role to play in Wedding Bell Blues while I was watching the episode; his camera, I suspected, might be able to see through Trelane’s disguise even if no one else could, and that could’ve led to the mystery unravelling. In any case, Wedding Bell Blues set up this hobby/job of Beto’s, and then called back to it to reinforce it, so I can’t help but think we might get something out of it further down the line. Watch this space, I guess.
Uhura got one of the best costumes in this episode! Not at the wedding/Federation Day party… her very 1960s-inspired outfit that she wore to the bar earlier in the story. Strange New Worlds has leaned into a ’60s aesthetic in a way that Enterprise and Discovery never really did. There are still a ton of thoroughly modern trappings, but the show has those connections to The Original Series. Uhura’s outfit was fantastic – but I wouldn’t say it looked out of place aboard this version of the Enterprise. That isn’t an easy line to walk, and generally I think Strange New Worlds gets it right most of the time. Uhura’s new hairstyle, which debuted in this episode, looks fantastic, too.
I love Uhura’s outfit in this sequence.
After the dust settled on the wedding/Federation Day, there are still a couple of lingering Gorn-related questions. I noted last time that Spock and Chapel’s plan to save Captain Batel didn’t involve removing her Gorn infection, but changing how they approached it so that the Gorn would be “re-absorbed” by her body. That line didn’t stick out too much at the time, but the fact that “re-absorbtion” and Captain Batel’s ongoing treatment was mentioned again here? It raises some questions! Is she going to be suffering some kind of ongoing Gorn-related health issue? And if so, could we see the Gorn return in a future story? Could the Gorn infection ultimately still claim her life?
I was surprised to see La’an so casually brushing off her Gorn encounter. I get why it had to happen for narrative reasons – with Ortegas clearly suffering after her near-death experience, having another character going through a similar Gorn PTSD-type situation might be too much. But La’an is a character who has been thoroughly defined by her encounters with the Gorn, both in the show and as part of her backstory. Yes, there’s a three-month time-jump at the beginning of Wedding Bell Blues, and we can argue that La’an might’ve processed some of what happened off-screen. But something about her line to Spock about the Gorn threat being over now… it didn’t sit quite right.
Is Captain Batel in the clear?
However, as mentioned it’s Lieutenant Ortegas who seems to be in focus for a lingering Gorn storyline. Although she seems to have physically recovered, there’s a psychological toll that she doesn’t seem to have addressed yet. She may not have even admitted to anyone that she feels haunted by the Gorn and by her experiences in captivity. This is clearly going to run for more than one episode, perhaps blowing up later in the season in a big way – or conversely, with Ortegas seeking help from someone like Captain Pike, Dr M’Benga, or even La’an. I felt that, if La’an had been the one to get this kind of PTSD-type storyline, she had a great connection already with Una, so she could’ve been someone to turn to.
Ortegas hasn’t been in focus as much across the first couple of seasons, and I don’t think it’s unfair to say that she doesn’t have a “bestie” in the same way as some of the other main characters do! That’s a limitation in some respects, but it also means that she could potentially talk to anyone – so maybe it’s better to say it opens up different possibilities. Dr M’Benga would be interesting both for his medical expertise as well as his own traumatic backstory from the Klingon war. Captain Pike could be very sympathetic, too. And La’an, I think, might make a particularly compelling character for Ortegas to seek out. Not only does La’an have that Gorn experience, but she was the one who rescued Ortegas from captivity, saved her life, and then carried her to the ship they used to make their escape.
Ortegas is clearly haunted by her Gorn encounter.
As an aside: Wedding Bell Blues was creative in its use of reflections creative camera shots. We caught a glimpse of Trelane through the window before he first appeared, we saw the view directly from Beto’s camera-drone, and at the end, Ortegas’ feelings of being haunted by her Gorn experience were shown through a reflection in the window.
What do we make of the new nurse? The ensign that Una and Dr M’Benga went out of their way to keep aboard the Enterprise? Is he – as I suspect – going to take a villainous turn? Or is he being set up as a glorified redshirt; a Discovery-esque secondary character with minimal backstory, being fattened up to be slaughtered? Those are my two guesses!
Some of that may come later in the season… or not, if I’m totally overreaching. For now, it’s sufficient to say that I liked some of what Wedding Bell Blues had to offer – but I was less keen on its Hallmark movie plot. Spock and Chapel have run their course as a couple, and I’m glad that the series is finally seeming to put that idea to bed. But I’m not wild about all of these “emotional Spock” and “comedic Spock” storylines. There are other ways to include the character, other ways to demonstrate his growth, and other things to do with Vulcans besides joke about how formal and stuck-up they are.
Redshirt or secret bad guy?
I’m glad that Strange New Worlds doesn’t double up its episodes every week. Don’t get me wrong: I’d love to pay less for Paramount+, and a shorter season would help with that! But two episodes at once is a bit much; binge-watching some shows is a ton of fun, but for a brand-new season of Star Trek? I like to give the episodes room to breathe. A nice week-long gap is what I need!
So we’ve reviewed both of the Season 3 premiere episodes. They were pretty different, and obviously my preference would be Hegemony, Part II by quite a long way! But I did enjoy the Trelane-Q fan theory being confirmed all these years later, and it was fun to get a kind of Q-ish or Q-adjacent storyline for Spock. Dr Korby, despite a pretty disappointing love triangle story and a weak introduction, was a fun character, and a good foil for Spock as he was forced to team up with arguably his least-favourite human! And we got some fun moments with Sam Kirk, Uhura, Chapel, Ortegas, and her brother, too.
Not my favourite episode, thanks to its cringe humour and Spock-Chapel-Korby love triangle. But an episode with plenty of redeeming features.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Seasons 1-3 are available to stream now on Paramount+ in countries and territories where the platform exists. The first two seasons are also available on DVD/Blu-ray. The Star Trek franchise – including Strange New Worlds and all other properties discussed above – is the copyright of Paramount Global. This review contains the thoughts and opinions of one person only and is not intended to cause any offence.
Spoiler Warning: Beware of spoilers for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Seasons 1-3. Spoilers are also present for the following Star Trek productions: The Next Generation Seasons 3-4, Deep Space Nine Seasons 4-6, and Discovery Season 5.
After a frankly ridiculous two-year wait, Strange New Worlds is back! Hegemony, Part II is the conclusion to last season’s excellent cliffhanger, picking up right where we left off with the Gorn attack on the non-Federation planet Parnassus Beta. And, as always, I have a lot to say – so buckle up, this could be a long review!
The tl;dr is this: Hegemony, Part II wrapped up its key storylines… but perhaps didn’t have quite enough time to do so flawlessly. The episode was good, unquestionably, and I think the two parts of Hegemony form one of the show’s strongest and certainly most explosive and action-packed offerings. But as the credits rolled and the Enterprise set course for Earth, I couldn’t help but feel that an extra ten minutes or so would’ve been necessary to really achieve what this episode’s writers and director wanted. There were a few moments that were just a little too short, that needed a bit more explanation, or where we could’ve spent just a tad longer lingering on key characters. Maybe a fifty-five-minute cut of the episode would’ve been better than the forty-five-minute version we ultimately got.
Captain Pike and the crew are back!
Before we go any further and get into the meat of the review, I’d like to give my usual disclaimer! Everything we’re going to talk about today is the entirely subjective opinion of just one Trekkie. If you detested Hegemony, Part II and think I’m rating it far too highly, or you love it more than I did and you feel I’m being unnecessarily harsh… that’s okay. There’s plenty of room in the Star Trek fan community for differences of opinion and polite discussion. I share this review with the online Trekkie community in that spirit.
We waited two years with the cliffhanger ending to Hegemony, and a massive part of that was the question of what would happen to Captain Batel. Would she survive her Gorn infection… and what would it mean for Pike if she couldn’t be saved? Batel was a great character to endanger; as a brand-new character, she could easily be killed off, and as someone so closely connected to Pike – whose future is set in stone – their relationship is doomed one way or another. We also saw, in Season 1, how deadly a Gorn infection could be with Hemmer’s untimely death. So again, to reiterate that: it was a fantastic storytelling decision to place Captain Batel in this incredibly dangerous position.
Captain Batel was infected at the end of last season.
So why, then, did the absolute fucking morons who’ve somehow managed to waddle into Paramount’s marketing department completely spoil Captain Batel’s survival weeks ahead of Season 3’s premiere? It completely ruined that storyline, undermined some genuinely tense sequences, and rendered some great performances by Anson Mount, Jess Bush, and Ethan Peck completely impotent. Thanks to her appearance in two trailers and photos released ahead of Season 3, we could tell that Captain Batel was going to survive. And while I concede that for a more casual audience that would be less of an issue (folks who don’t follow Star Trek on social media would’ve been less likely to see these spoilers) I still don’t think that excuses it.
This cliffhanger had been simmering away for two years, and while we knew Melanie Scrofano would be back as Captain Batel in Hegemony, Part II… her status in the rest of the season could’ve easily been kept under wraps. As soon as I saw her in those trailers, I knew she was going to survive, because those clips were clearly taken from after the Gorn conflict. And the photos released for subsequent episodes just hammered that home even more. There was absolutely no reason for this; there were other clips that could’ve been chosen, or Batel could’ve even been edited out of the clips in which she appears. Why go to all the bother of setting up this otherwise fantastic and engaging storyline, which was performed beautifully and emotionally by all involved, and keep it under wraps for almost two years… only to blow it with a few weeks to go? Paramount is utterly useless, which is why Star Trek as a whole is probably going to be disappearing before the end of the decade. But things like this are such incredibly basic mistakes that I cannot fathom how they were allowed to happen. Knowing Captain Batel would survive significantly harmed my enjoyment of this storyline in Hegemony, Part II – and there was just no need for that to have happened.
Captain Batel’s survival was spoiled ahead of time for anyone who follows Star Trek on social media or who was paying attention to the ad campaign for the new season.
The sad thing about all of this is that, episode-ruining spoilers aside, Captain Batel’s storyline gave us the episode’s best and certainly most emotive performances. We got some fantastic moments with Anson Mount, as he beautifully portrayed Pike struggling with Batel’s condition, and Jess Bush, who took us through Chapel’s strengths and vulnerabilities when facing a traumatic situation. Ethan Peck showed off a softer side to Spock, here, too, picking up last season’s relationship with Chapel. We’ll get into that a bit more later – because Spock and Chapel have kind of run their course for me – but again, it was a solid performance and a new situation for Spock.
Melanie Scrofano spent a lot of Hegemony, Part II lying asleep on a table or bed, but when she was awake – both before and after her experimental surgery – she also contributed to some of the story’s most heart-wrenching moments. Asking Chapel to “take her out,” if there was no solution, and in those final scenes with Pike, we saw Captain Batel at her best and her most vulnerable simultaneously. That’s not an easy thing to communicate, especially with limited screen time, but it was utterly fantastic. It’s such a shame that this entire storyline was spoiled ahead of time for no good reason.
Pike with Batel at the end of the episode.
In The Original Series, there was a suggestion that Nurse Chapel had “a thing” for Spock. Strange New Worlds took this bare-bones idea and really expanded upon it, pairing them up in a romantic way. However, if Spock is to continue his character arc – one which should bring him more in line with the character we’re familiar with – then I think this relationship has run its course. And in Hegemony, Part II, I didn’t feel this side of Spock and Chapel’s story really added very much. It wasn’t as bad as anything Discovery did with its forced drama, but there were moments that came close, as Spock and Chapel seemed to lose focus on the task to talk about their relationship. I don’t think this otherwise-interesting story needed to be interrupted by relationship drama, and both characters seem to be on different trajectories right now. That’s for the best, and while their entanglement was occasionally fun and could be called back to in the future, keeping them as friends will, in my view, work a lot better going forward.
With Dr M’Benga missing in action, it fell to Spock and Chapel to perform Captain Batel’s life-saving treatment – and this was interesting. We could absolutely nitpick and say surely a ship the size of the Enterprise has at least one other doctor (as evidenced by Dr M’Benga’s original appearance alongside Dr McCoy in The Original Series), but for the sake of the story, I think it worked well! Spock and Chapel made a good pair in this kind of environment, tackling a problem neither of them was fully-qualified to solve and being forced to think outside the box. The callback to Una’s Illyrian heritage was good, and a creative way for the episode to technobabble its way to a resolution by relying on something which been set up all the way back in Season 1.
With Dr M’Benga nowhere to be found, it fell to Spock and Chapel to save Captain Batel’s life.
If you recall the episode Ghosts of Illyria, where we learned about Una, we also discovered that the Illyrians’ penchant for genetic engineering left their people particularly resistant to disease and infection. I love that Star Trek – and Strange New Worlds within its own story – has this depth of lore. A technobabble miracle could’ve always been found to save Captain Batel, but referencing events and characters from earlier in the show’s run strengthened this significantly, and gave Spock and Chapel’s plan a truly solid narrative foundation. It worked great – and it connected to Una’s backstory in a way I’ve been hoping Strange New Worlds will continue to do.
The only part of this that I felt was rushed was the surgery itself. While Chapel’s hand was literally on the scalpel (alright, the weird techno-device with blinking lights), Spock intervened and suggested changing their entire plan. That’s already a bit flimsy, in my view, and it came without much setup. A longer episode could’ve dedicated just a minute or two more to Spock and Chapel working out ideas, and stretched out this moment a bit longer, which I feel would’ve strengthened it. The idea of flipping the problem around was creative, but the explanation just felt a bit rushed in the moment, and I would’ve happily enjoyed seeing them actually enacting some part of their new plan.
This was not the ideal moment for a total change of plans…
Speaking of things that were rushed: Scotty and Pelia’s explanation of how the Enterprise could fly into the binary stars. It felt like Scotty came on the bridge, sat down, and worked out this incredibly complex plan in the span of just a few seconds, when he hadn’t been briefed or known anything about what was going on just a moment earlier. The prior sequence with Scotty and Pelia was great, and it did something I really hoped Strange New Worlds would do – give Scotty room to grow, showing us that he isn’t quite the miracle-worker from The Original Series just yet. That was communicated incredibly well, and I really hope we get more with Scotty and Pelia, building on their difficult history together and their somewhat antagonistic working relationship.
But the moment on the bridge needed more. We needed to see Pike, Pelia, and Scotty slow things down and figure out their plan at a more reasonable pace. Pacing of these technobabble ideas in many Star Trek episodes can feel rushed, so this isn’t a unique issue by any means. However, that doesn’t make it less of a problem here, and considering this scheme was the lynchpin of the entire operation to stop the Gorn… I just think we needed to arrive at it a bit more slowly to allow it to sink in. Could you even explain what Scotty’s idea involved? It was so rushed that I don’t think I could off the top of my head.
Scotty’s plan was explained a bit too fast for my liking.
As the apparently-final act in Strange New Worlds’ multi-season Gorn conflict story arc, I would’ve liked to have spent a bit more time on this moment. Planning, scheming, coming up with different ideas… kind of like we saw Rom, Dax, and O’Brien doing in the Deep Space Nine episode Call To Arms. That episode saw the characters trying to come up with a way to stop Dominion reinforcements coming through the Bajoran Wormhole, but the scene was just the right length, and we saw the characters talking through several different variants of the plan before settling on the one they ultimately chose to enact. The circumstances of the conflict are different in Hegemony, Part II, but the complexities of the situation involving Gorn hibernation rituals, stellar flares, and the engineering challenges of the Enterprise’s shields and hull still require some discussion and debate.
After I’d written in my notes that Strange New Worlds was doing exactly what I wanted to see with Scotty – showing that he isn’t perfect, that he has room to grow – this scene kind of undermined all of that. Scotty leapt into action, coming up with the perfect plan on the spot in a matter of seconds. And the plan was creative and interesting! I liked that Strange New Worlds, once again, is connecting back to story threads that had been set up in earlier episodes with the Gorn using light to communicate and having sensitivities to light. But again, I feel a fifty-five-minute episode could’ve communicated this at a better pace.
I wanted this sequence to be a bit slower-paced.
Speaking as we were of Deep Space Nine’s Dominion War, I felt echoes of another fantastic episode in Pike’s desperate attempt to stop the Gorn. Sacrifice of Angels sees Captain Sisko, on the Defiant, making a last stand against an encroaching Dominion fleet, and Pike’s attempt to warn Starfleet and stop the Gorn invasion as their ships swarmed definitely reminded me of that moment. When Pike gave the order to open fire, and Una replied incredulously, reminding him they’re facing an entire armada… again I felt echoes of Sisko and Dax on the bridge of the Defiant. It was really impressive moment – in both episodes!
And we can kind of compare the resolutions to those stories, too. The Prophets intervened in Sacrifice of Angels, removing the Dominion fleet. Pike and Scotty’s solar flare plan to “put the Gorn to sleep” likewise averted the attack without actually turning it into a large-scale battle or a wider war. Star Trek has a knack for finding technological or engineering solutions, even to what seem on the surface to be military problems, and that’s been a core tenet of the franchise going all the way back to the beginning. Using the knowledge they’d gained about the Gorn in this way, the crew was able to turn back the tide and avert a wider invasion. That’s kind of a neat idea, even if parts of the buildup to it weren’t flawless. You could also compare this plan to Picard and Data putting the Borg to sleep in The Best of Both Worlds.
In my review of the Hegemony, Part I, I noted what I consider to be a particularly significant plot hole, and unfortunately, Part II doubled-down on it. In brief: Admiral April asserts that the Federation doesn’t want to become involved in a wider war with the Gorn, effectively ceding Parnassus Beta to the Gorn Hegemony. Because Parnassus Beta wasn’t a Federation colony, and April was choosing to prioritise Federation worlds, that was a sacrifice he was okay with making. But that doesn’t make sense in-universe.
The attacks on the USS Cayuga and the USS Stardiver by the Gorn are, in effect, declarations of war against the Federation. Parnassus Beta may not be a Federation world, but those starships are both Starfleet vessels crewed by Federation citizens. April’s argument makes no sense when he has that information, and the losses of the Cayuga and Stardiver were known to him by the time he boarded the Enterprise to debrief Captain Pike. Everyone was acting as if the only attack was on Parnassus Beta – but the attacks on not one but two Federation starships prove the Gorn’s wider militaristic intent. I could have happily entertained a storyline about appeasement, about not reacting emotionally when provoked, or anything along those lines. But for April, Pike, and everyone else involved to just ignore what happened to the two ships, and not even mention those attacks as a reason for or against taking certain actions… it rubs me the wrong way. I don’t think it makes sense based on what we know of April, of Starfleet, or even of Captain Pike himself. While I didn’t really expect Part II to completely change this angle based on what we saw last time, I’m a bit disappointed that the writers doubled-down on this mistake. It makes Admiral April look either uncaring to the point of sociopathy or totally incompetent, and I think Pike’s failure to bring up the attacks on Starfleet ships to support his case doesn’t do wonders for his characterisation, either.
Admiral April completely ignored the attacks on the USS Stardiver and USS Cayuga.
The final part where I think a slightly longer episode might’ve been beneficial was with La’an and the captured members of the away team. This is less important than Captain Batel’s treatment or Scotty’s plan, as I felt these scenes were generally pretty great. But spending an extra minute or two, spread across those sequences, might’ve allowed for a couple of things – Ortegas having to figure out how to pilot the Gorn ship and La’an taking a bit longer to locate the Gorn warship’s transporter codes. Both of those points seemed to be blitzed through quite quickly, and while they didn’t not work, I think they could’ve been improved with a slightly slower pace.
Think about it: you’re hacking into a totally alien computer system for the first time ever. And Strange New Worlds has gone out of its way to really emphasise the “other-ness” and truly alien nature of the Gorn, with no universal translator or even any real communication at all. So you hack into this computer, and just instantly scroll to the transport frequencies like you were finding your favourite song in Spotify. It took me ages to get the hang of Windows XP after I’d been used to Windows 98… do you really believe La’an is gonna hack the Gorn in an instant? She’s a security officer, not even an engineer or tech expert. I just think this could’ve benefited from another few seconds, even, showing her scrolling, taking wrong turns, or getting locked out and having to work around it.
I found it hard to buy La’an’s perfect hack of the Gorn computer system.
Likewise with Ortegas. Ortegas’ story at the end of Hegemony, Part II is basically summarised in the line she repeats to herself: “I fly the ship.” But… it’s not a familiar ship. It uses a weird interface (that reminded me a little of Mr Garrison’s bike invention in South Park (if you know, you know)), it’s in an alien language, and frankly… “I’m a pilot, so I can pilot anything” is a bit of a flimsy excuse when you’re dealing with a totally different kind of technology. I would’ve liked to see her struggle, just for a moment, with figuring out the controls – and that could’ve actually added to the tension as the away team attempted to escape the Gorn while under fire.
I don’t think either of these are particularly egregious, but since we’ve been talking about moments that felt a little cut down or where we could’ve seen things expanded, I felt it worth including them.
Sticking with Ortegas for just a moment, Strange New Worlds really succeeded at convincing me that she was in danger. When the adult Gorn attacked her as the away team made their escape, I genuinely feared for her survival in a way that I didn’t with practically any of the others. I mentioned this in Part I in relation to Chapel; I tried to explain that Chapel was an awful choice for the kind of “death fake-out” that the story went for because she’s a familiar character and this is a prequel series. Ortegas has no known future – so the thought that she could genuinely be killed off was right there, front-and-centre.
Ortegas seemed to be in big trouble…
Obviously I’m glad that Ortegas seemingly lives to fight another day! We haven’t spent that much time with her, one-on-one, across both seasons of the show so far, and I think there’s a ton of potential in her character as a really enthusiastic pilot – something Star Trek doesn’t always have in its helm officers! But the way Hegemony, Part II signalled that she was in danger was done incredibly well. This is a series that has already killed off one main character, something Discovery and Picard refused to do, and I just think that adds to the stakes. Putting these new characters in danger, when they aren’t guaranteed to survive, ups the tension and drama and keeps me on the edge of my seat.
The injuries to the away team – and Ortegas in particular – were pretty gruesome and horrific, at least by Star Trek standards. I was reminded of Mass Effect 2′s “Collectors” in the depiction of the Gorn prison/feeding chamber, and the acid dissolving their skin, Ortegas’ injured hand, and the general slimy and grotesque feel of the place all added to that sense of the Gorn being totally otherworldly and alien. Star Trek’s depictions of humanoid aliens – the “nose and forehead” types – don’t always convey how truly different alien life might be, but this new take on the Gorn really does – and I like it!
Ortegas’ injury was pretty brutal by Star Trek standards.
As I said either last season or in my write-up of Season 1, Strange New Worlds’ depiction of the Gorn is clearly influenced by the likes of the Xenomorphs from Alien – with a dash of Jurassic Park’s velociraptors thrown in for good measure! The acid, the slime, the ooze – all of that really adds to the kind of monstrous presentation of the Gorn that the show is going for, and it feels like a real masterstroke to take this under-explored alien race from classic Star Trek and reinterpret it, while also going into way more detail. I recently re-watched The Original Series’ Season 1 episode Arena, where the Gorn made their first appearance, and while the two shows have very different takes on the Gorn… I don’t think they’re a million miles apart. The DNA of Strange New Worlds’ Gorn is still present in Arena, and while there are different designs and there are clearly limitations to the older portrayal, the core concept of a reptillian monster remains.
Last year, I criticised Discovery’s fifth and final season for some pretty slapdash and amateurish uses of Paramount’s expensive AR wall! There were several places in that season where the AR wall was just not well-integrated with the physical props around it, and the effect looked cheap. Not so in Hegemony, Part II, where the AR wall stage was thoroughly transformed to become the Gorn prison. It was such a horrifying setting, and the AR wall helped bring it to life in a way that a static background arguably wouldn’t have. It’s one of the best uses of the AR wall I’ve seen so far, and proof that – at least sometimes – Paramount does know how to properly use the things it spends all its money on.
This was a well-constructed set.
Another area where Hegemony, Part II excelled in the visual department was its presentation of the binary stars. The CGI for the stars was fantastic, but what was even better was the cinematography at the episode’s climax, showing Pike and others on the bridge as they flew close to these binary stars. Parts of that reminded me of the film Sunshine (co-starring a certain Michelle Yeoh) which depicted a mission to the sun. Well worth a watch if you’ve never seen it, by the way! But that film also had characters in close proximity to a star, struggling with the radiation and bright light. For my money, Hegemony, Part II did a great job here.
The visual of the infant Gorn growing in Captain Batel’s body was also gruesome – and also inspired, perhaps, by Alien. The wriggling, pulsing creature under her skin was a horrifying thing to see – and I think it was so much better done as a physical prop than it would’ve been if it had been CGI. CGI is great, and it’s better today than it was when, say, Enterprise used it to create its take on the Gorn some twenty years ago! But I still enjoy physical special effects, especially in a franchise like Star Trek, so this proto-Gorn/Gorn foetus… thing was so much better for being created that way!
Captain Batel’s Gorn infection. Yuck.
I will be curious to see whether Strange New Worlds follows up La’an’s story from this episode in future. She was clearly struggling with being back in Gorn captivity, having flashbacks to her childhood. I don’t think we need a Discovery-style “let’s all sit around and talk about our feelings” kind of thing, but if La’an is meant to be suffering with PTSD from her Gorn experiences, I hope the show doesn’t just completely drop this idea going forward. If we have truly seen the last of the Gorn in Strange New Worlds, she might not have to come face-to-face with them again, but there could and arguably should be some kind of follow-up to what she went through.
La’an and Una have established a strong bond, so perhaps Una could be the one she turns to at first, if indeed she’s struggling. There is value to good and well-written depictions of mental health, and while modern Star Trek hasn’t gotten this right a lot of the time, I’m willing to give the franchise another chance. At the very least, there’s a strong foundation for that kind of story to build on if the writers want to take La’an down that route in the future.
I’ll be interested to see what comes next for La’an after this.
Captain Pike is also seemingly not at his best, with the toll of command and stress about Captain Batel clearly weighing on him. It was agonising for Pike to have to entrust Batel’s treatment to Spock and Chapel while he remained on the bridge, and you could see that etched on his face. His moments of hesitation also hammered home for me how he might be struggling – and feeling the heavy burden of command is something we know Pike feels. His first introduction – in The Cage – shows him talking to Dr Boyce about this very issue. Perhaps the Gorn conflict has exacerbated that for Pike, or maybe it was just the stress of Captain Batel’s condition. Either way, I think we got a complex and nuanced depiction of Pike in Hegemony, Part II, as he seemed to waver and hesitate, perhaps second-guessing himself, while also having moments of firey passion and intense vulnerability.
As I said above, this was a fantastic performance from Anson Mount. I’ve said this before, but I was sceptical of the decision to bring back Pike when he was announced as a character in Discovery’s second season – but I was so very wrong about that! This complex performance, taking Pike through the wringer as he had to balance protecting his ship, the wider Federation, and Captain Batel… it was a masterclass, truly.
Pike went through all of the emotions in this episode.
Martin Quinn has also been a joy to watch. Yes, there are issues with Scotty’s way-too-fast plan near the climax of the story, but his earlier conversations with Pelia showed a different side to the character, and Quinn brought that to life in a way I wasn’t expecting. Scotty is suffering after the loss of the Stardiver, and being forced to go toe-to-toe with Pelia again, listening to her berating him for not documenting his work, it was definitely something I think we needed to see. Scotty’s emotional reaction, storming out as he reiterated that his crew and commander are dead… it was heartbreaking stuff.
Here’s a question: does Captain Batel’s treatment and survival undermine Hemmer’s sacrifice in Season 1? Hemmer’s name was mentioned, albeit briefly, in Hegemony, Part I, but in Season 1 his act of self-sacrifice was presented as a brave decision. Not only did he spare himself a horrendous fate, he prevented new Gorn from being spawned and saved his shipmates. But Pike was right: Hemmer didn’t give them a chance to save him. It seems now, based on what we saw with Captain Batel, that there might’ve been a chance to save Hemmer’s life.
Could Batel’s treatment have worked for Hemmer, too?
This comes just a few episodes after All Those Who Wander (thirteen episodes later, if you’re keeping score). We’ve seen two characters suffer the same infection not that far apart, but only one of them was able to be saved. At the very least, I’d suggest this paints Hemmer as reckless or hasty; at worst, perhaps his death starts to feel like a bit of a waste. I like Pelia, and as a replacement for Hemmer I think she’s been a lot of fun. Her relationship with Scotty is interesting, too, and there’s a lot of potential there for both fun moments and some deeper conversations, perhaps.
But Hemmer was unique. He was Star Trek’s first ever Aenar (or Andorian of any kind) to be a main character, the first since Enterprise to revisit the Andorians and their Aenar sister race. I felt his death came too early in the show’s run; Hemmer had only been present in six episodes before his demise. As a result, we didn’t really get to know him particularly well, nor was there much of an opportunity to explore what an Aenar officer might be like. Hemmer’s visual impairment, pacifism, and even his relationships with most of his colleagues were things the show touched on but never got the chance to really delve into. I’m glad Captain Batel is still around, and having spent some time with Pelia, I think she’s been a fine addition to the cast, too. But this treatment for the Gorn infection, while clearly dangerous and experimental, kind of brought all of that back for me, and emphasised again how Hemmer departed the show a little too hastily.
Okay, enough about poor Hemmer! He wasn’t even in this episode.
Hemmer was replaced by Commander Pelia – and now Scotty has joined her.
Assuming that Hegemony, Part II is the culmination of Strange New Worlds’ Gorn conflict storyline… how do we feel about that? This is something that was set up early in Season 1, picked up steam in the wonderful horror-tinged All Those Who Wander, and that came back in a big way at the end of Season 2. Don’t get me wrong: I love that Pike and the crew found a scientific, non-violent solution to the Gorn threat. But given the buildup and the way it played out in the episode… was it good enough? Or was it maybe a little anticlimactic?
That word, “anticlimactic,” is what I put in my notes about the way this storyline wrapped up. I just can’t help feeling a little underwhelmed that, after two seasons of buildup, scarring backstories, a main character’s death, and a two-year-long cliffhanger, the Gorn basically being sent to bed without any dinner, like they were misbehaving toddlers, is the right way for this story to end. I think it also raises questions about the nature of the Gorn; if they’re really so easily manipulated, how did they invent things like warp drive in the first place? If they’re able to be triggered into hibernation by a few flashes of light… how did they ever make it to the stars? This version of the Gorn seems animalistic, not intelligent, and while we can see that they clearly possess spaceships and technology… I don’t think that gels with how the Gorn themselves are presented on screen. Had there been a different ending to this story – perhaps involving communication – I think that feeling could’ve been averted.
You can’t eat Lieutenant Ortegas, you naughty little rascal! Now, off to bed with you!
I’m all for non-violence and peaceful conflict resolution! Some of the best Star Trek stories involve diplomacy, negotiation, and compromise. And even after Strange New Worlds reinterpreted the Gorn to be these kinds of animalistic monsters, I still felt it was possible we could’ve sat down with the Gorn leader and hammered out some kind of deal. Captain Pike and Admiral April would’ve been great at that, and I think we could’ve seen a very conflicted Captain Pike trying to negotiate a peace treaty while Captain Batel was fighting for her life. That could’ve been really interesting.
But this trick of the light – using the Gorn’s sensitivity to solar flares against them – I dunno. Perhaps because that part of the puzzle was resolved quite quickly, as discussed above, it just feels a little… underwhelming. Pike and the crew were staring down an invasion fleet one minute, then the next the Gorn just turned around and went home to take a nappy-nap. It… I’m struggling to find the right words, to be honest. I think “underwhelming” and “anticlimactic” are in the mix, though.
Pike and the crew tricked the Gorn… into going back to sleep.
Star Trek has always been a franchise that sought out scientific answers, even to the toughest questions. But something about the way Pike and the crew basically tricked the Gorn into abandoning their invasion plans isn’t quite sitting right. And if this is to be the Gorn’s final appearance in the series – which Pike implied it could be as the Gorn retreated – I wonder if that’s good enough. As a resolution to this two-part story, I think it works. But as the ending of a multi-season arc involving numerous characters across several episodes, which has been Strange New Worlds’ biggest ongoing story thus far? Hmm. I can’t help but feel a little underwhelmed.
I don’t think Strange New Worlds would’ve benefited from an ongoing war. We’ve seen that in Deep Space Nine, Enterprise, and Discovery in different ways – and some of those worked well. But for the kind of episodic, exploration-focused show that I’ve loved to see so much, a long-running war would’ve completely changed the tone – and not for the better, in my view. So in that sense, I’m glad Hegemony, Part II wrapped things up with the Gorn. But the pacing of Scotty devising the plan, and even the implementation of this attempt to trick the Gorn into going beddie-byes… it just doesn’t seem to quite fit with all of the dramatic moments that led up to it.
An adult Gorn.
The space battles were tense and exciting, and the way the Enterprise moves in space feels much more responsive and three-dimensional than it did in years gone by. The design of the smaller Gorn ships felt like something right out of The Original Series with its three-spoke design, and it felt like a bit of a cool throwback in that sense. In Arena – the original version, not the remaster – there is no Gorn ship, but if there had been, I can absolutely picture it looking like Strange New Worlds’ Gorn vessel! Oh, and I loved the sequence as the away team escaped – the cutting back-and-forth between their ship and the pursuing Gorn was great, and it reminded me a little of Star Wars’ famous starfighter dogfights and the trench run!
The larger Gorn ships are truly spectacular! The closest thing in Star Trek I could think of was either the huge Dominion battle cruiser from DS9 or the massive Breen warships from Discovery’s fifth season. There was something, again, very “alien” about this design; it seemed like something from another sci-fi property – like Warhammer 40K, perhaps – rather than Star Trek! And I think I mean that as a compliment; this version of the Gorn needs a warship that embodies the same traits and the same design philosophy – and I think we got that both inside and out.
The Gorn warship.
So that was Hegemony, Part II. I think the cliffhanger was wrapped up reasonably well, and if my biggest complaint isn’t actually to do with the story itself, but rather Paramount’s amateur-hour, cack-handed marketing… well, that’s not really the fault of the episode! I stand by what I said, though: a slightly longer cut, giving just a couple of extra minutes each to Scotty, La’an, and Chapel across their storylines would have been to the benefit of Hegemony, Part II.
So… roll on Wedding Bell Blues! It’s a bit of an oddity to see two episodes premiere at once, but it’s not unheard of in the current streaming landscape. With the Enterprise bound for Earth, and a wedding seemingly on the horizon, the next episode seems like it’ll switch things up and be a nice change of pace. I think we need that after two quite intense war stories!
Be sure to join me in the days ahead for a review of that. Until then, I hope this has been interesting!
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Seasons 1-3 are available to stream now on Paramount+ in countries and territories where the platform exists. The first two seasons are also available on DVD/Blu-ray. The Star Trek franchise – including Strange New Worlds and all other properties discussed above – is the copyright of Paramount Global. This review contains the thoughts and opinions of one person only and is not intended to cause any offence.
Spoiler Warning: There are spoilers ahead for Strange New Worlds Seasons 1 & 2, including the season finale. Spoilers are also present for Enterprise Season 3 and Picard Seasons 2 & 3.
Today we’re going to take a look ahead! There’s been a recent hint that Strange New Worlds might premiere at the end of July; a so-called “leak” from Sky in the Netherlands put the show’s broadcast date in Europe on the 1st of August, and with the 31st of July being a Thursday – Strange New Worlds’ usual broadcast day in its first two seasons – that could line up. I’d been working on the assumption that we’d see the show sometime in the late summer or autumn, so if Strange New Worlds runs for ten interrupted weeks beginning on the 31st, that would take it through August and September with the season finale airing at the beginning of October.
Whether or not that timeframe is anywhere close to accurate, though, it got me thinking about Season 3 and what I’d like to see whenever Strange New Worlds returns!
Strange New Worlds has been, for me, the absolute highlight of modern Star Trek. There have been a couple of episodes that weren’t as good as the others, sure, but the show’s episodic tone feels like a breath of fresh air after Discovery and Picard. Spending more time with Captain Pike has been wonderful, too, and I’m really hoping for a renewal announcement sometime soon to give the series a thoroughly-deserved fifth season. Perhaps there’ll even be some kind of celebratory episode in Season 4 to mark Star Trek’s sixtieth anniversary!
Season 3 is coming soon!
But we’re getting ahead of ourselves a little! What I’d like to do today is share some of my wishes for Strange New Worlds Season 3 – the things I really want to see, and perhaps one or two pitfalls that I hope can be avoided. Despite taking a long time to work my way through Season 2, I’m really looking forward to Season 3 and hoping for another outstanding batch of episodes!
Before we get into the wishlist, a couple of important caveats. First of all, this is just the subjective opinion of one old Trekkie. If I miss something that seems obvious to you or “wish” for something that you think sounds atrocious… that’s okay! There’s plenty of room in the Star Trek fan community for polite discussion and differences of opinion. Secondly, I’m not claiming that anything below will definitely be part of Season 3 of Strange New Worlds. I have no “insider information;” I’m just a random Star Trek fan sharing their thoughts!
So let’s talk about some of the things I’d like to see in this upcoming season.
Wish #1: Keep the episodic format.
Captain Pike, Mitchell, and Una on the bridge.
This has to be my biggest single wish for Season 3. As I said earlier, Strange New Worlds being a largely episodic show is one of the best things about it – and one of the best decisions that Paramount has taken with the Star Trek franchise in decades. It’s not just that Picard, Discovery, and even Prodigy have been pretty serialised affairs, but basically every sci-fi and fantasy show on TV is, too. In its heyday, Star Trek was an episodic franchise, and I can’t be alone in thinking it works better that way. Being able to visit different planets and meet new aliens every week is part of what makes Star Trek feel like Star Trek, at least for me, and it’s really been wonderful to see Strange New Worlds bringing this back.
There’s still room for characters to grow and evolve, as we’ve seen already in the show’s first couple of seasons. But with Season 2 ending on a cliffhanger – and a possible war with the Gorn breaking out – I’m a tad nervous that Paramount plans to focus on the Gorn storyline at the expense of others this time around. I really hope that won’t happen, because I really think it’d be to Strange New Worlds’ detriment.
Spock in a teaser image from Season 3.
Across just twenty episodes and two seasons, Strange New Worlds has had episodes in a diverse range of genres – from horror and war to comedy and even a musical. I really hope the show’s writers keep that wonderful mix of different stories going, because it’s a huge part of what makes Strange New Worlds so enjoyable. I also think it’s helping the show – and by extension, Star Trek as a whole – stand out in a streaming landscape that’s overwhelmingly dominated by serialised storytelling.
Episodic storytelling allows a range of characters to be in focus across the season, not just one or two primaries with a handful of supporting roles. Writing the show this way also gives us a lot more opportunities to meet different aliens, visit different planets and locations, and for the Enterprise’s five-year mission to genuinely feel like one of exploration. By keeping this episodic tone, Strange New Worlds can get back to Starfleet’s mission of seeking out new life – with detours, here and there, of course!
Wish #2: Revisit Una’s Illyrian heritage.
A promotional still of Una as she’ll appear in Season 3.
After standing trial at the beginning of Season 2, we didn’t spend a lot more time with Una. Crucially, her Illyrian heritage – which caused such problems for her – wasn’t so much as mentioned again, and we never got to see her interacting with any other Illyrians. I hope that this genuinely interesting backstory won’t just be ignored in Season 3, because there’s a ton of potential to expand our understanding of Una as a character – and also revisit a faction we haven’t seen since Enterprise.
There are a lot of ways a story like this could go, and it wouldn’t have to be the main focus of an entire episode necessarily. Perhaps Una could be given a B-plot in which she has to return to her homeworld for some reason, or some of her relatives could come to visit her aboard the Enterprise. How would her surviving family members react to seeing her serving aboard a Federation ship? Are there any lingering ill feelings from the Illyrians toward Starfleet given their run-in with the NX-01 Enterprise and the Federation’s ban on genetic engineering? Those could be interesting angles to explore.
A 22nd Century Illyrian starship as seen in Enterprise.
As we were just saying, Strange New Worlds is an episodic show – so after Una’s true backstory was revealed in Season 1, and she stood trial in Season 2, the show just had other things to do and other stories to tell. That’s totally okay; I don’t want a multi-episode arc where only the Illyrians are in focus! But it would be nice to call back to those earlier episodes and not just completely ignore this side of Una. Her Illyrian heritage is part of what makes her the Starfleet officer she is – and I think there are interesting and creative ways the show could approach the topic.
If we don’t get much of this in Season 3, then perhaps it can be included in Season 4 or 5 instead!
Wish #3: Some kind of character growth for Scotty.
Scotty may remain aboard the Enterprise in Season 3.
In my review of Hegemony, I noted how Scotty seems to have arrived in Strange New Worlds pretty much fully-formed. He’s confident enough to interrupt two captains when they’re having a private conversation, and he’s mechanically skilled enough to have built a Gorn transponder out of random pieces of equipment he found on a Federation science ship. So… where does that leave this younger version of the character? Is there any potential to see him grow and evolve now that he’s presumably going to be a recurring or even main character on Strange New Worlds?
Another element of Strange New Worlds that I’ve really enjoyed has been seeing how Spock and Uhura in particular started out at least somewhat different to how they are in The Original Series. Both of them have changed and grown over the course of the show’s first couple of seasons, and in Spock’s case, I’d argue that he still has a way to go to become the stoic, logical Vulcan that we’re familiar with. Even Kirk, though very much a secondary character, has room to grow in order to become the captain we know and love.
Pelia with Scotty at the end of Season 2.
So I’d like to see Strange New Worlds show us, somehow, that Scotty isn’t perfect just yet! Maybe he’s not as confident as he seemed on Parnassus Beta, and he needs the mentoring of a senior officer like Pelia before he can become the “miracle worker” from The Original Series. Perhaps he’s mechanically skilled but inexperienced when it comes to working on a Constitution-class ship, and he’ll need some time to adapt. Or maybe he’s a bit socially awkward with people he doesn’t know very well, and it’ll take someone like Uhura to help him come out of his shell after he transfers to the Enterprise. Any or all of these could be interesting ways to give Scotty room to grow.
Part of the point of doing a prequel series, especially one that focuses on familiar characters, is to expand their backgrounds and show us how they became the people we remember. If Scotty arrives fully-formed, with perfect engineering skills and the same basic personality that we’re familiar with from The Original Series, it might well be fun to spend some more time with him… but it’ll also be a bit of a missed opportunity.
Wish #4: Bring back Sarek to explore more of his feud with Spock.
Sarek (as he appeared in Discovery’s first season).
I genuinely enjoyed James Frain’s take on Sarek in Discovery’s first two seasons. Strange New Worlds has already brought back Spock’s mother, Amanda, and she’s been a welcome addition to the show. Journey To Babel suggested that Spock and Sarek became estranged when Spock chose to study at Starfleet Academy instead of the Vulcan Science Academy, but I’ve always wondered if there might be more to it than that. I guess technically this would come close to treading on the toes of “canon;” Amanda told Kirk in The Original Series that Sarek and Spock have been estranged for eighteen years, and Strange New Worlds takes place ten years or so earlier. But I think it could still work!
In any case, it would be fun to see Sarek again, and even if we don’t learn a lot more about this feud and estrangement, seeing the awkwardness of Spock having to navigate the complicated situation could make for a fun or interesting episode. Perhaps the Enterprise could be called to Vulcan for an assignment, and Sarek and Amanda would come aboard – or Spock could be invited to their home.
Spock and Sarek in The Voyage Home.
Sarek and Captain Pike didn’t meet face-to-face in Discovery, but there could be a relationship there to build upon that we haven’t seen. And this could also be a way for Strange New Worlds to reference Discovery and Michael Burnham; I’m surprised that Spock hasn’t talked more about his adopted sister. There’s no reason for him to keep this a secret, and it could have implications for someone like Ortegas – a veteran of the Klingon war that Burnham had a role in sparking.
An episode featuring Sarek could also bring back T’Pring – Spock’s wife. The teaser clip from last year’s Comic-Con (and one set photo) seem to suggest a Vulcan story will be part of Season 3, so at least we know we’re going to get something to do with the Vulcans! As to whether Sarek will appear, though… I mean, why not?
Wish #5: Cross over to the Mirror Universe and find Captain Lorca.
Captain Lorca.
Trekking with Dennis asking for a Mirror Universe episode?! Has the world gone mad?! Seriously, though, despite my general dislike of the Mirror Universe as a setting (and its overuse in modern Star Trek), if there’s one good reason to visit Star Trek’s most famous parallel universe it’s this: rescuing the prime timeline version of Captain Lorca.
Lorca was a big part of Discovery’s first season, but the man we came to know was actually an imposter: he’d switched places with his prime timeline counterpart and sought to use Discovery and her spore drive to get back to his home universe. That seems to imply that the real Captain Lorca got stranded in the Mirror Universe, and despite Burnham and Admiral Cornwell thinking he’s dead, I can’t shake the feeling that Lorca might’ve found a way to survive!
Could Lorca have found a way to survive in the Terran Empire?
We know that Pike is aware of the existence of the Mirror Universe; he said as much to Georgiou in Discovery’s second season finale. With Pike and Lorca having been Starfleet captains at the same time, it stands to reason that they know each other – and perhaps they’re even friends. Somehow, Lorca might be able to get a message across the divide between universes, leading Starfleet to send Pike on a particularly difficult rescue mission!
I think Spock would have to be kept out of this story – prime Spock, at least. It could be fun to see Mirror Spock, if only for a scene or two! Uhura and Scotty would also have to be left out, so as not to tread on the toes of Mirror, Mirror. Perhaps Captain Pike takes someone like Ortegas on a specially-modified shuttle, spends time in the Mirror Universe while he tracks down and saves Lorca, and then returns to the Enterprise. I think it’s a really fun idea, one that would connect Strange New Worlds back to Discovery while also allowing for a visit to a very different setting.
Wish #6: Don’t introduce another character from The Original Series.
The main characters of The Original Series.
Spock, Uhura, Chapel, Kirk, and now Scotty – Strange New Worlds is filling out its main and secondary rosters with a lot of legacy characters! Some stories featuring characters we remember from The Original Series have been great and will continue to be great in Seasons 3 and 4, too… but as I said before Strange New Worlds premiered: I don’t want the show’s main focus to be on these people. It’s just as important to spend time with people like Pelia, Ortegas, and La’an – as well as Pike, Dr M’Benga, and Una.
So with all that in mind, let’s not introduce someone like Chekov, Sulu, or Dr McCoy this time! I think having yet another Original Series character would start to unbalance Strange New Worlds, tipping the scales in that direction a little too much. I already noted, in several of my Season 2 reviews, that Captain Pike seemed to be less present in what fans originally called “the Captain Pike show,” and I think there’s a real danger that the writers will choose to focus on legacy characters at the expense of the rest of the crew. A good mix of stories featuring legacy characters sometimes, new characters other times, and different pairs and groups working together is what I want to see going forward.
An away mission…
If the likes of Kirk and Scotty stick around – as I assume they will – and no one else is leaving the show or taking on a lesser role, there’s really not a lot of room in the cast for another legacy character. Season 3 is gonna be ten episodes long, and in order for the show to spend time with the growing group of characters it already has, there just won’t be time to do justice to someone like Dr McCoy or Sulu. Plus, if someone like that were introduced for a one-off story, there’s gonna be a huge temptation to keep them around and bring them back, as we saw with Paul Wesley’s Kirk. Now, I’ve found Wesley’s take on Kirk to be a ton of fun and I’m glad there have been episodes where he was included. But I’m also conscious of the fact that too many legacy characters could overwhelm Strange New Worlds and detract from what made it so appealing in the first place.
There’s a parallel here with Star Trek: Picard. That show introduced several new characters, but jettisoned all but one in between its second and third seasons, leaving character arcs incomplete, stories untold, and quite frankly, a bit of a mess in its wake. There was a mad rush to bring back Picard’s friends from The Next Generation for “one last adventure”… but that was never how Picard was originally pitched. As much fun as Season 3 was, there was also a ton of wasted potential in new characters that just never got a turn in the spotlight. I really hope Strange New Worlds won’t repeat that mistake.
Wish #7: A major storyline for Ortegas.
Ortegas in the captain’s chair.
For Season 2, actress Melissa Navia requested a reduced role, which explains why her character – Lt. Ortegas, the Enterprise’s pilot and helm officer – wasn’t a huge presence. Ortegas is probably the new character we’re least-familiar with at this stage, and I think it would be great if we could get at least one episode in Season 3 where we learn more about her, her history, or where she gets more of a central role.
It was fantastic to see Ortegas play a role in Hegemony, finally getting her wish to be part of an away mission and showing off her piloting skills. We also came to learn that she’d been a test pilot for Starfleet – harkening back to the early days of NASA and space exploration here in the real world, where many of the early astronauts were test pilots. Ortegas also served during the Klingon war, as we saw in Under the Cloak of War, so that could be another piece of her history to delve into at some stage.
Ortegas on an away mission.
As I was saying above, I’d really like to get to know some of the new characters created for Strange New Worlds. We’ve spent some time with La’an, Hemmer got a bit of development before his untimely demise, and we’re getting to know Captain Batel, too. I hope that the time is right for an Ortegas spotlight, giving her a significant storyline of her own in one episode next season.
If I had to create something, I’d want to go with a story all about piloting. We could flash back to Ortegas’ time at Starfleet Academy, perhaps, showing her testing out a brand-new type of shuttlecraft or fighter. And we could get a story akin to something like Drive from Voyager’s seventh season – an episode that focused on shuttle racing. At any rate, I’d like a storyline that really puts Ortegas in the pilot’s seat, and even if it was just a one-time thing that took up half of one episode, getting to spend a bit more time with her would be fantastic.
Wish #8: A connection to a storyline from Enterprise and/or The Next Generation era.
The filming model of the Enterprise-D from The Next Generation.
If you haven’t read it yet, please check out my “pitch” for a Strange New Worlds episode that I’ve titled Cardassia Prime, because I go into detail about a hypothetical story that would bring together elements from across the Star Trek franchise. Click or tap here to check it out!
In short, I’d love to see an episode that brings together narrative elements from Enterprise or something from The Next Generation era – and ideally does both. There are many ways this could go, but I really like the idea of an older T’Pol meeting up with Spock, giving him advice on serving in Starfleet, and showing us a glimpse of her life a century or so after we last saw her. That could be a ton of fun.
T’Pol could still be alive in the mid-23rd Century.
Given that Strange New Worlds has also brought back the exploration side of Star Trek in a big way, I’d also like to see Pike’s Enterprise making first contact with a faction we’d come to spend more time with in the 24th Century. In my fantasy episode that I linked to above, I suggested that the Cardassians would be a great choice. First contact with the Cardassians has never been shown on screen, and if it didn’t go well it could foreshadow the conflicts that the Federation would have with the Cardassian Union in the 24th Century. Plus we’ve only seen the barest glimpses of Cardassians in modern Star Trek, despite how important they were in Deep Space Nine.
But really, this kind of story could involve any race or faction from The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, or even Voyager – though the latter might be a bit tricky! Captain Pike could make first contact with anyone from the El-Aurians to the Breen, or we could even see the return of someone like the Xindi or Suliban. Strange New Worlds has done new and creative things with the Gorn, so maybe a faction that was only seen once – like the Sheliak or the Klaestron – could be ripe for further exploration.
Wish #9: Captain Pike versus the Borg!
Borg vessels and an exploding planet…
In my provocatively-titled piece “Ten Star Trek Storylines That Should Be Non-Canon,” I argued that Enterprise’s Borg episode – Regeneration – added an unnecessary complication to the already muddled history of Borg-Federation contact. I’ve also made the case that Star Trek has over-used the Borg in recent years – most notably in Picard, where the Borg were present in different ways in all three seasons. So why do I think a Borg story would work in the 23rd Century, then?
First of all, this is pure fantasy! I’m 99.9% sure that Paramount wouldn’t do a “Captain Pike versus the Borg” story under any circumstances, so let’s state that up front. But if I think about incredibly fun one-off episode ideas, bringing back the Borg for a battle with one of my favourite Starfleet captains in what I consider to be the best modern Star Trek show… I’d really like to see how creative Strange New Worlds could be with the Borg Collective. Would it be fan-servicey to a ridiculous degree? Probably. But would it be a ton of fun? I think so!
Touching up a performer’s Borg makeup on the set of Picard.
Star Trek exists in a multiverse, right? There are parallel universes beyond the ones we’ve seen on screen, so who’s to say there isn’t an alternate timeline where the Borg overran the Alpha Quadrant in the 23rd Century? Through some kind of space phenomenon, Captain Pike and the crew find themselves in this parallel universe, having to battle the Borg while also searching for a way home. Someone like Spock could even theorise that the cybernetic race that dominates this universe may not exist in the prime timeline, giving some justification for how this storyline could co-exist with what we already know of the Federation’s history with the Borg.
A parallel universe could also be a great opportunity to re-work and modernise the Borg. Although Picard’s second season quickly went off the rails, I stated in my review of the season premiere that the new depiction of the Borg Queen – with an updated design and new abilities – was genuinely frightening; by far the scariest and most intense the Borg had been in a long time. Strange New Worlds has dipped its toes in the horror genre already with episodes featuring the Gorn, so this kind of story could take on a similar tone. I think it would be a blast, anyway!
Wish #10: Surprise me!
Not like this, though…
Alright, I guess this one’s just a big old cliché, but it’s my list so I’m keeping it! Strange New Worlds has, over the course of just twenty episodes so far, contained plenty of twists, turns, shocks, and surprises – and I hope we’ll get more of that this time around. There’s been a mixture of comedy, horror, exploration, adventure, and so much more, and most of the time I haven’t been able to predict what was going to happen or what kind of episode was coming up next. I’m absolutely in love with a show that can surprise me, and I really hope Strange New Worlds can continue to do so.
For example, I have no idea what’s going to happen to Captain Batel following the events of Hegemony. Batel was one of the characters featured in the Season 3 promotional posters… but does that mean she’s safe? Or is Paramount deliberately trying to mislead us? I genuinely don’t know whether Dr M’Benga and Nurse Chapel will be able to cure her condition in time, nor how Captain Pike would react if she passed away. It’s a genuine cliffhanger which is keeping me on my toes!
Captain Batel is in stasis.
We’re obviously going to get at least one Gorn conflict episode at the beginning of the season, and there’s also at least one Vulcan storyline in the mix, too. But beyond that, I really have no idea where Strange New Worlds is going to take us in Season 3. Will there be an episode with the Klingons, perhaps? Or a deep cut to a random storyline from The Animated Series that hasn’t been mentioned on screen for decades? I like not knowing, and I like that Strange New Worlds is the kind of show that can take me on this kind of adventure!
This also ties back into what I was saying about episodic storytelling. Discovery and Picard both had season-long storylines – and while they could be mysterious and surprising in their own ways, they were also a lot more linear. Captain Pike’s crew encounter different aliens and visit different places every week, and that’s led to some genuinely unexpected storylines and episodes. As I said above, it just feels right for Star Trek.
So that’s it!
The Enterprise (and her crew) will be back soon!
With Season 3 perhaps arriving in late July or early August, we don’t have that long to wait. Less than four months from now, Strange New Worlds could well be back on our screens, and I really can’t wait to see what the series has in store!
I hope this wishlist has been a bit of fun and maybe a little interesting, too. I’d love to see the show include everything we’ve talked about – but some are definitely firmly in the realm of fantasy! The most important thing for me is that Strange New Worlds remains a largely episodic series – albeit one with character growth and some of the other modern trappings that serialised TV has brought to the table. When each episode has a different planet or new alien race to encounter, it opens up a ton of storytelling options. Strange New Worlds has done courtroom drama, horror, comedy, and even a musical – and I’m really excited to see what’s going to come next.
The Enterprise under attack by the Gorn in the Season 2 finale.
When Strange New Worlds returns later this year, I’ll do my best to follow along with reviews. I don’t have the best track record – it took me a while to get caught up on Season 2! But I’d really like to follow along week-to-week this time if I can, so I really hope you’ll join me for that. Who knows, I might even craft a theory or two, too, if the series lends itself to such things!
Thanks for checking out my Strange New Worlds wishlist. If you haven’t seen my Season 2 episode reviews, you can find them all by clicking or tapping here. Earlier this year I also checked out the Section 31 TV movie, and you can find that review by clicking or tapping here. There’s more Star Trek content to come here on the website, but until then… Live Long and Prosper!
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 3 will premiere on Paramount+ in countries and territories where the platform is available later in 2025. Seasons 1 and 2 are available to stream now and are also out now on DVD and Blu-ray. The Star Trek franchise – including Strange New Worlds and all other properties discussed above – is the copyright of Paramount Global. This article contains the thoughts and opinions of one person only and is not intended to cause any offence.
Spoiler Warning: There are spoilers ahead for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Seasons 1-2. Minor spoilers are also present for the following Star Trek productions: The Original Series Season 1, The Undiscovered Country, and Lower Decks Season 2.
I’m kind of glad that it’s taken me such a long time to finish watching Season 2 of Strange New Worlds. A lot of you have been sitting with the cliffhanger ending to Hegemony for over a year already, but I’ll glide smoothly into Season 3 in just a matter of weeks! Are you jealous?
Joking aside, Hegemony was a great episode – and the Star Trek franchise’s first big cliffhanger ending to a season in a while. There are a couple of narrative beats that I wasn’t as keen on, which we’ll get into in due course, but Hegemony was a fantastic way to end the season. There was a constant sense of tension throughout, which peaked at key moments in the story, a fun re-introduction of a classic character from The Original Series, and plenty of action to boot. I’d probably say that Hegemony doesn’t quite hit the same level as A Quality of Mercy did at the end of Season 1, but that’s an exceptionally high bar for any episode to aim for!
The Gorn are coming!
In The Next Generation era, it seemed that almost every season would end with the words “to be continued!” From The Best of Both Worlds at the end of TNG Season 3 to Zero Hour at the end of Enterprise’s third season, there were only three seasons of Star Trek that didn’t end on a cliffhanger. But since the franchise returned to the small screen in 2017, we’ve tended to get self-contained serialised stories that run for a single season apiece. The closest is arguably Discovery Season 2, which ended with the ship and crew heading into an uncertain future – but that season also wrapped up all of its other key storylines by the time the credits rolled (probably because cancellation was a legitimate concern).
I respect the confidence of Strange New Worlds’ writers and producers to create a story like this as a way to end Season 2. It was bold because a third season was not confirmed (at least, not publicly) at the time Hegemony was being written. A season-ending cliffhanger also feels like “classic Star Trek” in the best possible way, and coming at the end of a largely episodic season that’s seen Pike and the crew thrown into a mix of different adventures… it just feels right. I’ve said more than once that Strange New Worlds is the high-water mark of modern Star Trek, and Hegemony with its cliffhanger ending is yet another example I can point to when critics ask what I mean by that!
Hegemony is the first season-ending cliffhanger in a while!
Hegemony’s cliffhanger ending does leave me feeling concerned, though, at least in one sense. Obviously we know, and have known for a while, that Seasons 3 and 4 are coming – and that’s great! Strange New Worlds isn’t going to be abandoned with this ending left unresolved. But one of the best things about Strange New Worlds has been its return to a more classic style of episodic storytelling – something which, I would argue, really suits the Star Trek franchise. Particularly after the wholly-serialised Discovery and Picard, bringing Star Trek back to its roots – while retaining character arcs and other modern trappings – has been wonderful to see.
Because Hegemony ended in such a way as to tease a longer story – perhaps a season-long arc involving a conflict with the Gorn, akin to Deep Space Nine’s Dominion War – I’m a little concerned about Season 3 stepping away from that episodic style. I hope I’m wrong, and the very small glimpses of Season 3 that we’ve caught so far don’t seem to be all about the Gorn, which is positive. I’m just hoping that what’s made Strange New Worlds such a joy to watch over the past couple of years won’t be watered down by the Gorn story that debuted in Hegemony, as it’s a storyline that could easily lead to that kind of longer arc.
Captain Pike watches from the bridge as the Gorn attack.
That being said, I won’t deny that I love a good battle or war story in Star Trek – and the aforementioned Dominion War arc in Deep Space Nine happens to be one of my favourites. Within Deep Space Nine’s longer seasons, there was still plenty of time for one-off stories alongside episodes about the war, and if the Gorn war is to continue in Strange New Worlds across Season 3, I’d hope the writers and producers will be able to strike a similar balance. It’s more difficult to do that in an age of cut-down ten-episode seasons than it was when Star Trek shows would regularly churn out twenty-two or even twenty-six in a year… but getting a mix of different stories should still be possible.
Hegemony built on Season 1’s excellent episode All Those Who Wander in more ways than one, and if there is going to be a longer, more protracted conflict that plays out over several episodes, we can re-frame that story as a serious bit of foreshadowing. After Memento Mori had re-introduced the Gorn in style, All Those Who Wander ramped up the fear factor, making the classic Star Trek race feel more like the Xenomorphs from Alien. It was this horror tone that continued though Hegemony, both in scenes set on the planet Parnassus Beta and aboard the wreck of the USS Cayuga.
Strange New Worlds has re-invented the Gorn.
As an aside: I love the name Parnassus Beta for a planet! It feels like something straight out of The Original Series, using a Latin- or Greek-sounding word for the name of the system. Where I was less keen, unfortunately, was the very generic “21st Century North American town” design used for the planet’s surface. Hand-waved away with a “but they wanted it to look like this, though” line from Captain Batel… I just felt the designers could’ve done something to make Parnassus Beta look a little more futuristic.
And look, I get it: there are limited budgets for any episode of Star Trek, so decisions have to be taken and compromises need to be made. Given that we mostly saw Parnassus Beta in the dark and boarded up after the Gorn attack, I think it was passable enough. Its introduction reminded me a little of The Original Series episode Operation – Annihilate! parts of which were filmed on location in California. In that sense that “classic Trek” vibe was present… but I’m not sure that’s necessarily a positive in this case! I guess I’d just have preferred to see a more futuristic take on a human colony rather than one that very clearly took place on a studio backlot (the Parnassus Beta scenes were filmed on a set created by Amazon Prime Video for the series Reacher, according to Memory Alpha).
Parnassus Beta.
As underwhelming as Parnassus Beta may have been in daylight, after the Gorn descended – and seemingly blocked out the sun – the place took on a completely different atmosphere. There were elements borrowed from both the horror and war genres on this side of the story. Parts of Parnassus Beta felt like they were from a World War II film with commandos parachuting into occupied Europe; others felt more like a werewolf or vampire flick. The monstrous young Gorn even reminded me of Jurassic Park’s velociraptors.
And this was reflected in the way the sets were designed and dressed. Boarded-up windows, thrown-together shelters, blood-stained walls showing the aftermath of a battle or abduction… this blend of horror and war tones soaked Parnassus Beta and turned a really bland and uninspired 21st Century settlement into a colony under siege. The aftermath of the Gorn attack was chaotic and bloody, with the few survivors that Captain Pike and the away team encountered hiding from the aggressors outside.
Parnassus Beta came alive after the Gorn attack.
The descent to Parnassus Beta in the shuttle was a fun sequence. It was great to see Ortegas in her element; she’s up there with Tom Paris, for me, as one of the few bona fide pilots in Star Trek, and it’s clear how good she is at her job and how much she loves it. There was a NASA vibe to her line about being a test pilot, and I liked that little harkening back to the early days of spaceflight.
Melissa Navia, who plays Ortegas, had asked for a reduced role in Season 2, so I was glad to welcome her back for this sequence. The “dropship” idea was creative, and we got to catch a glimpse of the surface of Parnassus Beta beyond the confines of the colony. It looked like a jungle or rainforest, at least at first glance, which was neat.
Ortegas in the pilot’s seat.
Let’s talk about Parnassus Beta’s status as a non-Federation human colony – and how that relates to both the episode Hegemony and the rest of Star Trek! As Trekkies who like to get lost in this world, it’s genuinely interesting to learn more about the galaxy, and how not every human colony is founded with Federation membership in mind. I think the existence of a colony like Parnassus Beta ties into classic episodes, not only where non-Federation worlds have been featured… but where Starfleet repeatedly encounters very human-like “aliens!”
I made the same point during Lower Decks’ second season after we were introduced to the Hysperians: a non-Federation group of humans who’ve based their society around medieval chivalry. The way in which these colonies are established and governed could account for the existence of planets like 892-IV in Bread and Circuses, the Earth twin world in Miri, and even Sigma Iotia II from A Piece of the Action. All of these feature societies inspired by old Earth civilisations… and I kind of like the idea that, somewhere in the 21st or 22nd Centuries, before the Federation existed and kept meticulous records, humans settled on distant worlds and brought aspects of their culture with them. You could even throw in the Irish stereotypes from Up The Long Ladder as another example… though maybe the less said about that the better, eh?
The USS Enterprise arrives at Parnassus Beta.
The point is… as disappointing as Parnassus Beta may have been from a visual standpoint, it does match up with other Star Trek stories about human colonies, particularly colonies outside of the Federation’s jurisdiction. Star Trek was first imagined, in the 1960s, as taking inspiration from America’s “Wild West,” and what could be more fitting than independent groups striking out on their own to settle the “wilderness?” And – if we continue to stretch the metaphor – what could be more fitting than the existing residents of that wilderness, whom the colonists apparently didn’t care enough to find out about, striking back?
So does that make the Gorn the Native Americans in our analogy? I guess that’s a little uncomfortable, too. But never mind! Parnassus Beta was an interesting setting in concept, and the relationship between Starfleet and some of these outlying human colonies is something I’d like to see explored in more detail in the future. Knowing what we know about the Maquis and other human settlements beyond the borders of the Federation, it was really interesting to get a tease of that in a 23rd Century context.
The shuttle arrives at Parnassus Beta.
However, Parnassus Beta and its non-Federation status led to one of the biggest contrivances in Hegemony. Admiral April explained to Captain Pike that Starfleet wanted to avoid all-out war with the Gorn… which is fair enough. And to that end, the Federation was willing to essentially sacrifice the thousands of settlers on Parnassus Beta by refusing to sanction a response or a rescue operation, effectively ceding the planet to the Gorn and abandoning the colonists to a rather grizzly fate. That part tracks, and as much as we might be on Pike’s side and want to help, there’s an internally consistent logic to this side of the story.
But the attack on the USS Cayuga changes the dynamic completely – and no one in Hegemony so much as mentioned that. The Gorn didn’t only attack a non-Federation colony: they also attacked and destroyed a Starfleet ship. The Federation may have no jurisdiction over Parnassus Beta, and I could believe that they’d be willing to abandon the planet to its fate in an attempt to appease the Gorn. I mean, we have similar stories in The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine with human colonists near the Cardassian border, and the same thing happened there. But the attack on the Cayuga was an attack on Starfleet and the Federation; it was an act of war.
The Gorn had attacked the USS Cayuga and murdered most of her crew.
This is the central conceit of Hegemony, and it doesn’t work. In order for us to believe that Starfleet and the Federation want to avoid war with the Gorn, we have to believe that they’re willing to do so at all costs, including sacrificing their own officers and ignoring the attack on two of their own ships. Because we later learn from Scotty that not only was the Cayuga destroyed, but so was his ship, the USS Stardiver. Starfleet may not have known about the Stardiver at the time of April’s message, but they did know about the Cayuga.
In order to get to the rest of the episode and its genuinely wonderful and engaging story, we first have to get around this narrative obstacle. And try as I might to rationalise it, it doesn’t make a lot of sense. “Open war is upon you, whether you would risk it or not.” Those were Aragorn’s words in The Lord of the Rings, as he explained to King Theoden that Saruman and Sauron were on the march, and there was no way to avoid taking part in the battles to come. In the case of Hegemony, the Gorn have declared war on the Federation by the attacks on the Stardiver and Cayuga, no matter what Starfleet’s Admirals might want. By refusing to sanction a rescue mission or allowing the Enterprise to retaliate, forcing Pike to stay on one side of an arbitrary, Gorn-designated demarcation line, Admiral April and Starfleet were not acting rationally within our understanding of Starfleet and the Star Trek universe.
Admiral April ordered Pike to avoid antagonising the Gorn… after he already knew that the Gorn had attacked at least one Starfleet vessel.
And I think this is why I’d rank Hegemony lower than last season’s All Those Who Wander. Gorn attacks on Starfleet are a regular enough occurrence that Starfleet has contingencies in place, but when the Gorn obliterate a Federation starship they’re unwilling to recognise the reality of the situation. Maybe there’s meant to be a metaphor there, something about the drawbacks and limitations of appeasement or the necessity of smaller states being protected under the umbrella of larger alliances. But I don’t believe that’s how it comes across – it reads, to me, like everyone in the episode basically ignored this massive event in order to skip to the action set-pieces and to give Pike’s mission a “disobeying orders” foundation.
If we take our Wild West metaphor from a moment ago and drag it out further, this would be akin to the United States in the late 1800s seeing an army unit attacked on the frontier and doing nothing to respond because the town they were visiting happened to be outside of US jurisdiction. Would that have happened? Would any modern-day military accept an attack on one of its units and refuse to respond in kind? Starfleet is the Federation’s military – and while the attack on the USS Cayuga need not lead to all-out war, at the very least it would give Pike and Starfleet some leeway to respond instead of blindly agreeing to the Gorn’s terms without so much as attempting to negotiate. If we were solely dealing with the attack on the colony, this story would’ve worked so much better. But by bringing the Cayuga into it, it complicates things – and not in a good way, unfortunately.
Starfleet Command ordered Pike and the crew to stay on their side of this demarcation line.
There’s something inherently un-Starfleet about abandoning officers to their fate – especially when that fate has been shown to be nothing short of an agonising death. We could point to dozens of episodes across the history of the franchise – from The Galileo Seven in The Original Series to First First Contact in Lower Decks – where Starfleet officers have done everything in their power, including breaking the rules, to avoid leaving someone behind. And while that’s exactly what we see Pike and the crew do… they’re forced to disobey a very un-Starfleet order in the process.
Some Star Trek stories have a “badmiral” as either a quasi-antagonist or a straight-up villain. Others have shown admirals who are out of touch or even incompetent. And occasionally, as in a couple of notable Deep Space Nine episodes featuring Admiral Ross, we’d catch a glimpse of the weight of command. These stories could show how someone in a senior position has to deal with more than what we see on screen; our protagonists aren’t always privy to all of the information or don’t have a bigger-picture view of the situation.
Pike and the senior officers in the briefing room.
The best spin I can put on Hegemony’s Admiral April is that he isn’t sharing everything he knows, or that he’s struggling with the burden of command at a time of war. However… I don’t think that’s really how it comes across, and it feels like the writers of the episode far too quickly brushed aside the implications of an attack on the USS Cayuga and the USS Stardiver in order to tell a story about Pike and the crew disobeying orders to do the right thing. The problem, at least for me, is that the weak setup risks undermining that story. When it’s a story that works so well and has so many highlights… that’s just a bit of a shame.
But I guess, in the grand scheme of things, all of this probably feels like a glorified nitpick. Hegemony did explain that Parnassus Beta was outside the Federation, and Admiral April’s orders were clear. Perhaps I’ve overthought this aspect of the story somewhat… but it didn’t sit quite right with me for the reasons I’ve tried to explain.
A crate of experimental anti-Gorn weaponry.
Captain Pike’s storyline in Hegemony works… in the context of his relationship with Captain Batel and of his relatively small arc across Season 2. By the way: am I imagining things, or was Pike less of a presence in most of the stories this season? It felt like he was all over Season 1 but had been taking more of a back seat this time around. Perhaps we’ll have to explore that subject on another occasion.
To get back on topic: when I look at Pike’s story in Hegemony, I’m also looking at it in the context of Season 1. In particular, Pike doesn’t seem to have learned the lessons of A Quality of Mercy – at least insofar as triggering a potentially massive, Federation-threatening war goes. Pike’s personal story in last season’s finale was all about his impending disability and finding a way out of it… but it was also a story that touched on how to deal with a challenging adversary and how a few seemingly small mistakes can lead to conflict.
Did Pike act recklessly in Hegemony?
To me, it seems as if the Captain Pike of Hegemony hasn’t even met the Captain Pike of A Quality of Mercy. Sure, he has a personal stake in rescuing any potential Cayuga survivors due to his relationship with Captain Batel. But the actions he takes are deliberately provocative, disobeying an order from Admiral April and putting himself and his entire crew at ground zero of a potential war with the Gorn. For him to not even acknowledge the events of last season as he starts down this path feels… strange.
Both episodes put Pike face-to-face with a complex situation, a powerful enemy, and a potential conflict. Both episodes make clear that one mistake could lead to all-out war. Pike sees firsthand – and also hears from his future self – what the consequences of the Romulan war would end up being. Shouldn’t one of the lessons he learned last season be to be more cautious? Or are we going to try to argue that Kirk’s “shoot first, ask questions later” approach was the right one, so that’s what Pike ultimately took away from the situation?
Why do I feel like Captain Pike hasn’t remembered what he learned last season?
It just feels a bit of a narrative oddity that Pike is in a comparable situation just ten episodes later, but doesn’t appear to acknowledge it in any way. Maybe he’d still prioritise his relationship with Captain Batel and want to do everything he could to rescue her, the colonists, and any other survivors. I mean, that seems like the right outcome based on everything we know of the character. But how a character reaches their destination is just as important – and is often more important – than the destination itself. Pike could still have led this unsanctioned rescue mission, but having seen A Quality of Mercy and the difficult challenge he faced when coming into conflict with the Romulans… I just feel this episode could’ve done something to acknowledge that and make it clear how Pike felt and how he was drawing on those earlier experiences.
We talked about Strange New Worlds as an episodic series, and that’s genuinely one of the best things about it from my perspective as a Trekkie. But it’s never been an entirely episodic show, and that blend of the “monster of the week” with characters who grow and evolve feels like the perfect mix of classic and modern television storytelling. While I guess this probably seems like another big nitpick, for me it felt odd that Captain Pike was thrust into two comparable situations just ten episodes apart… and the latter story made no attempt to acknowledge that fact.
Captain Pike at the end of the episode.
We’ll shelve that for now, and focus on one of the weaker elements of Hegemony for just a moment. I found Spock and Chapel to be a wonderful pair across the first two seasons of Strange New Worlds, and Spock’s reaction to Chapel’s apparent death or abduction genuinely did a lot to carry the storyline. His scenes with Una in particular were powerful, and I don’t want what I’m about to say next to detract from that. This was great character-focused storytelling.
But… Chapel was one of a handful of characters whose presence, for a storyline like this, dramatically lowers the stakes. Strange New Worlds is a prequel to The Original Series, so anyone who’s seen it or has more than a passing familiarity with it knows that the likes of Uhura, Spock, and Nurse Chapel are characters on that show. That means, from the point of view of Strange New Worlds, they’re indestructible. For a storyline that wanted to have high stakes, and to put a character in danger… picking one of the characters that fans know will still be around when the credits roll took a lot away from it.
Chapel was never in any danger.
When Captain Batel was missing, I could genuinely believe that Strange New Worlds was about to kill her off. When she revealed to Captain Pike her parasitic Gorn infection, I likewise believed that her death could be imminent (though we’ll talk about that more in a second!) But when Nurse Chapel was apparently dead, killed along with the rest of the Cayuga’s crew… it simply wasn’t possible. And that knowledge lowered the stakes for me on this side of the story. Spock’s reaction to it did a lot to help this part of the episode and carry it across the line, as did Pike’s embrace of Chapel when he realised she’d survived. But on its own, I’m afraid it was a victim of the “prequel problem” that some storylines end up facing.
Although this storyline did a lot for Spock, giving him an emotional problem to tackle that he struggled with, I can’t help but feel there were other characters Strange New Worlds could’ve chosen to endanger. Someone like Pelia, Una, or La’an would’ve genuinely felt at risk of death in a way that Chapel didn’t, and the reaction of Spock – or a different character who might’ve been closer to the person in danger – could’ve still been present. Again, this is a consequence of Strange New Worlds being a prequel and using so many legacy characters. In future seasons, that constraint may get even tighter.
This was a good storyline for Spock, in spite of a weak foundation.
Spock excelled in Hegemony, for me, in his scenes with Una. I know not everyone watched (or liked) Short Treks, but if you remember the short episode Q&A… I felt their conversation was built on those foundations. That short episode saw Spock’s initial arrival aboard the Enterprise – several years before The Cage and Discovery’s second season – and put Spock and Una together as they got stuck in a turbolift.
This sequence leaned into their relationship – the beginnings of which had been shown in Q&A – and it also gave Una an excellent opportunity to shine. In this moment she wasn’t merely a commander, taking over from Pike on the bridge as he led the dangerous away mission, but a mentor, counsellor, and friend. It was absolutely worth the detour to remind us of that side of Una – and her capabilities as a leader who could inspire and offer comfort to those under her command.
Una with Spock on the bridge.
Scotty – this younger version of the character – got one of the best introductions in modern Star Trek. It reminded me more than a little of Star Trek ’09 and how that incarnation of Scotty first appeared, only with much darker undertones. For the first time in Star Trek, Scotty is being played by a Scottish actor, which is great to see. James Doohan did a fantastic job as Scotty in The Original Series, becoming one of the franchise’s most iconic and oft-quoted characters, so there are big shoes to fill for Martin Quinn – assuming Scotty will stick around in Season 3. Based on what we saw in Hegemony, I’m impressed.
Strange New Worlds has been transformative for Nurse Chapel, taking a secondary character from The Original Series and giving her some genuine depth. For Uhura and Spock, we’ve seen them as younger, less-experienced, slowly growing and evolving into the characters we’re familiar with. Scotty, for me, would probably lean more on the Spock side than the Chapel side, and I think there’s room to show where he came from before he became the miracle-worker that we all remember!
Scotty has made his Strange New Worlds debut!
I’m going to assume Scotty will be at least as present in Season 3 as Paul Wesley’s Kirk has been in Season 2, and there really is a ton of potential in this introduction. I’d love to explore more of his relationship with Pelia, which was hinted at in Hegemony, perhaps learning why this brilliant engineer didn’t get a good grade in her class at Starfleet Academy. There seems to be a bit of tension there, and a power imbalance, but I could see Pelia guiding Scotty as he grows into the role of the Enterprise’s chief engineer.
On the other hand, Scotty’s introduction and his technobabble explanations of force-field traps and Gorn transponders means he arrives almost fully-formed – at least in terms of his technical mastery. Scotty’s janky, thrown-together Gorn transponder is one piece of evidence that was highly significant to the story, but also his force field trap and the lure he created should be included there as well. Scotty clearly possesses all of the ingredients to become the chief engineer we’re familiar with – even the confidence to interrupt two senior officers when they were having a conversation!
Scotty aboard the crashed shuttle.
The question I have, with Scotty’s introduction, is what will become of Pelia? Pelia has been, for me, a bit of a disappointment this season. Not in terms of her moments on screen; I think she’s fantastic, and Carol Kane has done a wonderful job bringing her to life. But rather, Pelia has been almost absent since she joined the crew. Her biggest moment arguably came in Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow – but that was a version of the character from more than two centuries in the past. Moments where engineering solutions have been needed have instead fallen to characters like Spock, Ortegas, and even Uhura, with Pelia playing a much smaller and more supporting role than I’d have expected from the chief engineer in a Star Trek series.
So if Scotty is about to join the crew of the Enterprise on either a temporary or permanent basis, becoming even a secondary character as Kirk has been… where does that leave the already-reduced role for Pelia? I think it would be a shame if she was brushed aside to give more screen time to Scotty; as much as I like bringing back legacy characters and bridging the gap between Pike’s Enterprise and Kirk’s, I don’t want all of the show’s time to be spent on that. There needs to be a balance between old and new characters – and with Pelia already seeming to play second fiddle, even in her own department, bringing Scotty aboard could make things worse.
Pelia and Scotty have met before…
The counterpoint to that, of course, is that with an established relationship to build on, and with Pelia’s knowledge of the Enterprise and her systems, we could get a kind of mentor relationship going on. Seeing Scotty grow – in confidence, if not in ability – into the character we’re familiar with under Pelia’s tutelage could be fun to see. And furthermore, it could give the writers more of a reason to include her in stories set in engineering.
The technobabble on Scotty’s side of the story, though – to get back on track – was wonderful. His explanations for how he threw together the false sensor reading generator and the Gorn transponder were pure technobabble and pure Star Trek, and I really do love that! It felt like classic Star Trek in the best way possible, and technobabble explanations with big, random words thrown in have always been a part of what made the franchise so fun. The props created to represent these pieces of kit were also throwbacks, resembling things we’ve seen in The Original Series. Again, I’m absolutely there for all of that!
Sam Kirk with Scotty’s sensor device.
I touched on Captain Batel a moment ago, and I’d like to get into her storyline in a bit more detail. Batel is very much an auxiliary character to Captain Pike – she’s giving him a reason to keep going in light of his impending accident, and the relationship they’ve embarked on is cute, sweet, and a little awkward, sometimes. They make a fun, very relatable pair. Pike’s fear of losing her – and his relief at discovering that she was still alive – was expertly emoted by Anson Mount.
Gorn eggs, though… was it too soon to bring back this idea after All Those Who Wander? I mean, it’s only been eleven episodes since Hemmer was infected and killed off, and I felt that Hegemony might be straying a little close to repetitive territory with Captain Batel’s infection. If this idea was brand-new for the episode, I think it would’ve been a lot more powerful – but it would’ve needed setting up, and there probably wasn’t time for that! If Strange New Worlds limits this infection to Hemmer and Batel, it will probably be okay. But I’d encourage the writers to avoid adding even more Gorn egg infections in Season 3!
Was it too soon to bring back the parasitic eggs?
Batel’s infection raises a big question, though: is she going to survive? On the one hand, it would be a profoundly odd storytelling move to have her infected but alive at the cliffhanger only to say “oops, we can’t save her” and kill her off in the first episode of Season 3. But on the other hand… Captain Batel kind of has to go, one way or another. I don’t mean that because I don’t like her character; on the contrary, she’s been a wonderful addition to the series, she’s given Pike a whole new dimension that we hadn’t really seen before, and Melanie Scrofano has put in a truly exceptional performance. She brings the right balance of command authority and personal warmth to make Batel a believable character – and a sweet partner for Captain Pike.
But at the same time, Pike’s knowledge of his future means their relationship can’t be sustained. Either they’ll have to break up, or… well, the writers will find another way to get Captain Batel out of the way. There could be an engaging story there, with Pike having to come to terms with grief and loss. Batel was a great character for Hegemony to put in danger (twice) because her departure from the show feels like an inevitability one way or another. Unlike with Chapel, who we all knew had to survive somehow, Captain Batel really did feel – and still does feel – like she could be about to be killed off.
A sweet embrace.
Partly this is because of the kind of show Strange New Worlds has been. Killing Hemmer before the end of Season 1 was a serious loss for the show… but it also really raised the stakes for all of the other new characters. With the exceptions of those we know survive to The Original Series or beyond, no one is safe. I criticised Discovery and Picard during their runs for putting their characters into dangerous situations, but refusing to go one step further and killing off all but the most minor secondary characters. Strange New Worlds has successfully raised the stakes in that regard, and if Captain Batel joins Hemmer in the “murdered by Gorn eggs” grave… that feeling will only grow.
Main character deaths are a hallmark of modern television storytelling, and in that sense Strange New Worlds is taking the lead of shows that pioneered what I’ve termed the “disposable cast” – the likes of The Walking Dead and Game of Thrones, where no character could feel safe. There are limitations to this, due to the presence of legacy characters and the show’s prequel status, but as we saw this time with Captain Batel, Strange New Worlds can still elicit those feelings – and do so in style.
Captain Batel may not be long for this world…
I liked the zero-g battle between Spock, Chapel, and the adult Gorn aboard the wreck of the USS Cayuga. It felt a little silly to me that other areas of the ship retained their artificial gravity… I mean, did you see the state of the wreck? There was hardly anything left of the Caygua, so how was gravity still functioning?! But on the damaged bridge, in spacesuits and without gravity, the fight was genuinely exciting. Slowed by the lack of gravity and air, Spock wasn’t able to grab his phaser in time, and as it went spinning across the vacuum, I felt a lot more of the tension and excitement than I had until that point.
I think I’m right in saying that this is the first adult Gorn to be seen on screen in Strange New Worlds. I confess that I have a real die-hard appreciation for the old rubber suit from Arena; there’s just something special about those old practical effects that the modern redesign can’t touch. But for the way this version of the Gorn are being depicted, as scarily intelligent monsters, I liked the way this character looked. And I appreciate that there was an effort to use real practical effects for this sequence – a performer in a Gorn suit – rather than making the entire thing a CGI creation.
A Gorn in a spacesuit…
After the tense fight with the Gorn commander, his death actually felt pretty brutal. Drifting out into space with a damaged helmet, injured and leaking air… that’s a pretty gruesome way to go for anyone! The fact that it happened to a monstrous Gorn might’ve taken something away from that, but I actually found it to be an incredibly brutal moment – at least by Star Trek’s usual standards.
Sticking with the wreck of the Cayuga, I thought the set redresses worked pretty well. Sometimes in Star Trek, it can be pretty obvious when an existing set is being recycled and is supposed to be a new setting – Discovery’s transporter room trying to pass itself off as a Ba’ul prison cell in Season 2 is still one of the worst, and the first example that comes to mind! But the changes made to the corridor and especially to the damaged bridge really sold me on the wreck of the Cayuga as a real place, and it made a fun setting for Spock’s stand-off with the Gorn.
Spock on the Cayuga’s ruined bridge.
Should we address the status of Gorn-Federation contact? I mean, we’ve done other nitpicks so far in this review… so why not? If you wanna get technical about it, The Original Series first season episode Arena made it pretty clear that Starfleet hadn’t encountered the Gorn before. Because I didn’t review individual season 1 episodes of Strange New Worlds (the show wasn’t “officially” available outside of the United States for months after its premiere) I didn’t get a chance to address this at the time.
Long story short… I don’t really give a shit if Strange New Worlds contradicts Arena. Internal consistency and “canon” are important up to a point, but given the quality of the writing in all of Strange New Worlds’ Gorn episodes so far, I really don’t think it matters. If we were dealing with a bigger faction, one that had played a role in numerous episodes across multiple shows, then I might be more on the side of the canon purists. But given that the Gorn only ever appeared once in The Original Series and once in Enterprise, I’m content for Strange New Worlds to explore this faction in more depth. I think they work better as antagonists because of how unexplored they are than Discovery’s Klingons did, and I’m genuinely enjoying this “spacefaring monster” idea.
The Gorn captain from Arena.
This depiction of the Gorn led to an interesting conversation between characters. How do we define a “monster,” and given that the Gorn are clearly at least as intelligent as humans, do they even fit that definition? In fact, seeing as the Gorn appear to have access to technology that surpasses the Federation’s capabilities – a jammer that can block transporters, sensors, tricorders, and warp engines all at once is clearly much more advanced than anything Starfleet has – is “monster” even close to accurate?
As an aside: did it seem like the Gorns’ jammer affected their own sensors? Because it felt that way to me, and I wonder if we might learn more about how the Gorn acquired this technology in a future episode. The idea that their most powerful weapon also renders their own ships and soldiers blind is an interesting one – and after Scotty’s comments about a solar flare sending the Gorn into a hunting frenzy, we could be primed to learn more about them. My theory? I wonder if there’s someone behind the scenes manipulating the Gorn or pushing them to attack the Federation.
Maybe we’ll have to elaborate on that idea one day!
Could someone (or something) be influencing or manipulating the Gorn?
The “monster” conversation was a genuinely interesting one. It reminded me a little of Kirk’s anti-Klingon feelings in The Undiscovered Country, and it could’ve been a great way to make a point about how all of us can very easily “other-ise” cultures and peoples that we don’t understand. All-out war is a very real possibility here, but Star Trek has always been a franchise that promoted understanding, bridging cultural differences, and peaceful exploration. Perhaps there’s a story, somewhere, about how the Gorn don’t see humans as equals, and how it’ll take negotiation and convincing to get them to, y’know, stop eating us.
I could’ve happily spent longer on this conversation, and I think La’an would’ve been an interesting character to linger on. We’ve already seen her history with the Gorn, her fear, and how her feelings toward them can drive her… but how would she react to negotiation and peace? That could be an interesting angle for the series to explore. I love a good alien monster as much as the next sci-fi fan, don’t get me wrong, but the Gorn aren’t mindless animals – they’re warp-capable and intelligent, and I’d like to see that side of things explored in more detail one day.
La’an and Captain Pike on Parnassus Beta.
This review is already running long, so I think we’d better start to wrap things up. Hegemony was an outstanding episode, up there with the best of the best from Seasons 1 and 2. It was a fantastic way to close out Strange New Worlds’ wonderful second season, while also teeing up a story that could – in theory – run for multiple episodes across Seasons 3 and 4. The conflict with the Gorn is fascinating, and the Gorn themselves make for a wonderfully monstrous and intimidating adversary. My only concern is that Strange New Worlds has been a breath of fresh air with its return to episodic storytelling, exploration, and even some of Star Trek’s more ethereal and “weird” storylines… and I don’t want to sacrifice that for a serialised season-long story. Discovery and Picard already burned me out with repeated “the entire Federation is in imminent danger” storylines… so I hope that Hegemony can be a two- or three-part story and nothing more.
There were a couple of contrivances that saw Starfleet Command (and everyone else in the story) skip over the Gorn’s attack on a Federation vessel, and I confess I found that difficult. But once I got past that, the rest of the episode played out in truly exciting style, closing out the season with a bang. I had a truly wonderful time with Captain Pike and really the entire crew – and I can’t wait to find out what happens next when Season 3 arrives later this year.
The USS Cayuga.
This finally finishes my Strange New Worlds Season 2 episode review series – a series that I began when the show was first airing back in 2023. It took me so long because I basically burned out on Star Trek for a while, and I still have two full seasons of Lower Decks and some Prodigy episodes to get caught up on before I’m fully back up to speed with Star Trek. I’m probably the only reviewer who watched Section 31 before Subspace Rhapsody and Hegemony, so I hope you’ll forgive the lateness of these final reviews.
As I said at the beginning, though, it kind of worked out well for me, because now I don’t have so long to wait for the continuation of this wonderful story! Season 3 is well into post-production, and while we don’t have a broadcast date just yet, I would expect to see it in the summer or perhaps early autumn. There’s less congestion to the schedule this time around, so hopefully Paramount will give Star Trek room to breathe. That’ll give me time to get caught up on some of those other shows, right?
Season 3 will be on our screens before too long, though, so I hope you’ll join me for more reviews and perhaps a dash of theory-crafting. No promises, but I’d like to think I’ll get through Season 3 in a more timely fashion this year! And until then, stay tuned here on the website for more Star Trek content. In the first couple of months of 2025, I’ve already reviewed Section 31 and written up my recollections of Voyager to celebrate that show’s thirtieth anniversary. There’s more to come, so until then… Live Long and Prosper!
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Seasons 1 and 2 are available to stream now on Paramount+ in countries and territories where the platform is available. The series is also available on DVD and Blu-ray. The Star Trek franchise – including Strange New Worlds and all other properties discussed above – is the copyright of Paramount Global. This review contains the thoughts and opinions of one person only and is not intended to cause any offence.
Spoiler Warning: There are spoilers ahead for Strange New Worlds Seasons 1-2.
I’ve been putting off this review.
After I re-started my Strange New Worlds Season 2 episode reviews in the autumn, this episode stood out as one that I just wasn’t looking forward to or was even interested in, so when it was the next one in the lineup I found myself procrastinating.
I will tell you up-front that I’m generally not a fan of non-animated musicals. I adore musicals in the theatre; seeing Wicked shortly after its West End debut is genuinely one of my favourite memories. And I like Disney-style animated musical films, too. But live-action musical films have never been my cup of tea.
Una and Kirk dancing aboard the Enterprise.
Worse, musical episodes in shows that are otherwise not musicals have been – in my subjective opinion, naturally – universally terrible. Whether it was in Supernatural, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, or even Scrubs… I really didn’t like what was on offer. I’m a fan of the camp and kitsch as much as the next person, but musical episodes have always been a bridge too far. They feel offputting, immersion-breaking, silly, and even fan-servicey sometimes.
So it’s with that background that I approach Subspace Rhapsody.
Let’s analyse and dissect Subspace Rhapsody.
I’m gonna do something a little different for this review. Rather than waste your time and mine with a two thousand-word explanation of why I’ve never liked musical episodes, I want to try to stay positive and focus on some of the things I liked or appreciated about Subspace Rhapsody. Because I’m not gonna lie to you: I would rather hammer a rusty nail into my scrotum than watch this episode again. It was so far beyond cringeworthy that I barely got through it once.
First of all, let’s talk choreography and songwriting.
Creating a musical – any musical, really – is a lot of work. Trust me, I know: I used to do amateur dramatics, and we’d always have songs and performances in our shows! Rehearsing Subspace Rhapsody must’ve been a challenge, and for choreographers and vocal coaches, having to work with actors who are not natural singers nor particularly practised in musical theatre will have been an additional challenge. A lot of work went into writing songs, working with the actors to get the best possible take when recording the songs, and especially choreographing some of the bigger dance routines. Getting multiple performers to dance and sing in unison is a creative and technical feat. The fact that I didn’t enjoy the result doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate the skill that went into it!
Singing and dancing at the episode’s climax.
Redoing the Strange New Worlds opening theme as an a capella piece was creative, too. I actually didn’t mind the result – it was different from the usual theme (which happens to be one of my favourites in the entire franchise) while being familiar enough to still fit the opening titles. It was the right choice for this episode, and whoever came up with the idea deserves praise! As do the performers who vocalised the theme and the sound mixers who brought it together.
Secondly, the premise of the episode – a random space phenomenon causing chaos on the Enterprise – feels like something straight out of The Original Series or really any pre-Enterprise show. Subspace Rhapsody, in concept, wasn’t a million miles away from episodes like The Naked Time, If Wishes Were Horses, or Masks, which I mean as a compliment. Star Trek has always been ethereal and, for want of a better term, “weird” in its take on sci-fi, particularly in The Original Series and the early part of The Next Generation. It’s hard not to look at Subspace Rhapsody’s core concept through that lens, and stepping back to that style of storytelling after the intensely dramatic Discovery and Picard is a welcome change.
The improbability field felt like something right out of classic Star Trek.
The quantum uncertainty field – or improbability field – felt so familiar, in fact, that I could’ve sworn it had been used somewhere else in Star Trek before! Not for musical reasons, it just seemed like a very familiar term. I was wrong about that, it was actually new for Subspace Rhapsody, but the concept felt very “Star Trek.” We’ve seen space phenomena lowering peoples’ inhibitions, making dreams come alive, or turning the Enterprise into a stone pyramid, so why couldn’t there be something out there forcing people to sing? It’s not so outlandish that it couldn’t be part of Star Trek’s occasionally wacky galaxy!
The one side of this that I felt didn’t work as well as intended was the danger posed by both the field itself and the Klingons’ response to it. At no point did I feel the crew of the Enterprise – or the wider Federation, come to that – were in any real danger. And I know in Star Trek stories the heroes always find a way to save the day… but that isn’t what I mean. Plenty of episodes and films can still feel tense, even though at the back of our minds we know there’s going to be a solution. But Subspace Rhapsody didn’t convey that feeling well enough for me, even when the Klingon ships were bearing down on the Enterprise.
The Klingons were partial antagonists in Subspace Rhapsody.
I was, I must admit, pleasantly surprised with the quality of the singing in Subspace Rhapsody. Often, when non-singers are pressed to take on musical roles… it’s kind of obvious, and all the auto-tune in the world can’t hide a lack of talent and training. To my surprise, most of the cast did well – even though it could be obvious that the singing was pre-recorded and everyone was just miming along. Still, I’ll take reasonably good lip-syncing over bad singing any day of the week!
Sticking with the songs, there are a couple more positives. I appreciate that the songs were all original – this wasn’t a “jukebox musical,” trying to recycle out-of-copyright songs from years gone by. Having the crew sing about their feelings and what was going on around them was silly, yes, but better than if they’d burst into a rendition of something like Button Up Your Overcoat or Embraceable You. Songwriting takes talent, and putting together original songs inspired by classic musicals on a budget is no mean feat.
All of the songs were original.
There must’ve been a temptation to try to emulate the style of composers like Lin-Manuel Miranda, creating pieces of music with a much more modern style. For my money – which, admittedly, doesn’t go very far in an episode like this one – Subspace Rhapsody was better-served by generally sticking with a more trad-pop style. The episode’s final musical number (its grand finale) was a bit of a departure from that, but trying to do the whole episode in that style, or with a mix of genres like disco or hip-hop, wouldn’t have been a positive.
Obviously Subspace Rhapsody was a great episode for Uhura, picking up her character arc from Season 1 and referencing how Hemmer had inspired her. Her growth as an officer, and finding her place both in Starfleet and aboard the Enterprise, were also instrumental to her role in the story, helping her discover a solution to the improbability field. We didn’t get to learn a lot about Uhura this time, nor did she really change over the course of the story, but her role in Subspace Rhapsody felt like the culmination of her arc across the show’s first two seasons. It was nice to see.
Subspace Rhapsody was a big episode for Uhura.
Subspace Rhapsody was also a great episode for La’an – particularly her relationships with Kirk and Una. La’an lanced the boil of her feelings for this reality’s version of Kirk, and while it didn’t go the way she might’ve wanted, there’s something cathartic in the act of confession. Hopefully it’ll settle those feelings for her going forward. This felt like a pretty relatable moment; who among us hasn’t had feelings for someone and tried, awkwardly, to talk to them? I know I’ve been in the position of feeling conflicted about whether to confess how I feel and how to go about it! It’s part of the human condition.
La’an and Una make a fun pair; there’s a kind of big sister/little sister relationship between them, sometimes. For Una to be the one La’an turned to when she was struggling with what to do about Kirk felt natural in the context of their relationship across the series so far, and deepening their bond was something I appreciated this time.
La’an evolved her relationships with Kirk and Una this time.
The one character I’d argue that Subspace Rhapsody didn’t handle well was actually Captain Pike. Firstly, Pike seemed to trip over a pretty basic relationship hurdle in a way that didn’t feel right for his character. The “issue” in his relationship with Captain Batel was so incredibly simple that it didn’t make a lot of sense to me that he wouldn’t simply propose a different kind of vacation or try to find a compromise. Allowing something so small to eat away at him and potentially damage their relationship just doesn’t feel like something Pike would do – even though, again, it was kind of a relatable moment. Sometimes in relationships something small can seem intimidating, and maybe the story wanted to get at Pike being inexperienced with this kind of thing. It was still wide of the mark, but at least I get what the story wanted to say.
Secondly, Pike is known for his inspiring speeches and his ability to motivate his crew. For him to delegate that task at the episode’s climax – with potentially huge stakes and the survival of Starfleet on the line – didn’t seem right. Uhura was well-positioned to speak to the crew, sure, but no one does inspiration quite like a ship’s captain. We’ve seen Pike take on that role several times already in both Strange New Worlds and Discovery, and while I get this was Uhura’s moment… the way the script brushed Pike aside to get there didn’t sit right with me.
This wasn’t Captain Pike’s strongest episode.
We should also talk about Spock and Chapel, who seem to have come to the end of their brief relationship. I liked the callback to The Original Series on this side of the story – Roger Korby was a character from the Season 1 episode What Are Little Girls Made Of, and having him name-dropped here was interesting. I wonder if Korby will be mentioned – or even seen on screen – in Season 3.
I found both Spock and Chapel to be relatable on this side of the story… because I’ve been both of them at different points in my life. Leaving someone behind to take advantage of a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity is hard, and being the one left behind as a partner goes somewhere you can’t follow… that’s probably even more difficult. Spock’s intense feeling of rejection really hit me in a way I wasn’t expecting, and I think it also shows how far Spock still has to go in order to become the stoic Vulcan we’re familiar with from The Original Series. This younger version of the character is still carrying more of his emotional human side – and it came through in that moment.
Spock is still – on occasion – an emotional character.
There were several creative camera shots in Subspace Rhapsody, as well as some great special effects and animated moments. La’an gazing out of the window during her solo song, complete with a zoom out to the Enterprise, was great – and it’s a pretty uncommon shot in Star Trek, when you think about it. Una and La’an floating with the artificial gravity having been deactivated was also a neat effect, and another rarity!
The Enterprise and three Klingon ships performing a kind of ballet in space was exceptionally creative, too, and tied into the theme of the episode really well. It was well-animated, and I liked seeing the D7 class (referred to as a K’t’inga class in the episode) back on screen once more. I also liked the classic warp effect that was used near the end of the episode as the Enterprise headed on to her next adventure.
Even the Enterprise and the Klingon ships couldn’t resist dancing.
Speaking of the Klingons, I felt more than a little of Deep Space Nine’s General Martok in Bruce Horak’s Garkog. Not only do the two characters each have a missing eye, but Horak seemed to be channelling J G Hertzler in his performance, particularly in his first scene. Garkog was a pretty minor character in the grand scheme of things, but it was sweet to welcome back Bruce Horak for the second time this season. I still think it was a mistake to kill off Hemmer so early, by the way!
I could’ve spent another scene or two with the Klingons. We got to see their musical “dishonour” on screen, but I would’ve been interested to get a different perspective on the improbability field phenomenon. Maybe we could’ve seen Garkog and his crew trying to find a solution before their encounter with Pike and the Enterprise.
General Garkog.
There were a couple of funny lines in Subspace Rhapsody that successfully won a smile. Pelia’s line in the briefing room about using the “zipper” was one, and Kirk’s a moment later about how he “almost understood” what Spock was saying was also a bit of fun. I would say that Kirk’s unspecified “commission review” felt like a bit of a clumsy way to shoehorn him into the story, but once he was aboard the Enterprise I enjoyed having him around.
So I think that’s everything I had in my notes this time.
Subspace Rhapsody was borderline unwatchable for me, and unless someone duct-tapes me to a chair and holds my eyes open, A Clockwork Orange-style, I will never watch it again. It was categorically not “my thing,” and I’m okay with that. Star Trek is an experimental franchise, and I welcome the creative team striking out in new directions, trying different things, and keeping Strange New Worlds a largely episodic project. As long as they don’t try to make a fully-musical series, I think I can cope with Subspace Rhapsody as a one-off.
La’an is spying on someone…
There were positives in the mix. Uhura and La’an got great moments of characterisation, Spock was particularly relatable, and it was fun to welcome back Paul Wesley as Kirk. His take on the character is fantastic, and I’m genuinely looking forward to spending more time with him in future. There was also some excellent cinematography and visual effects work.
On the musical side of things, here’s what I’ll say. There are some styles of storytelling, movie making, and entertainment in general that I personally don’t like or aren’t “my thing.” But I can still appreciate the skill, effort, and work that went into their creation, and I can acknowledge that they are exemplars of their genres. I don’t like opera, for instance, but I can still appreciate the years of training needed to sing that way, or the months of work and rehearsing that go into the staging of an opera.
Pelia, La’an, and Spock.
And that’s how I feel about Subspace Rhapsody, at the end of the day. I didn’t enjoy it – and I knew I wouldn’t before I watched it, hence all the procrastination – but I can tell that the cast, crew, and production team had a ton of fun with it. A lot of effort and practise went into some of the more involved musical numbers, and there was some genuinely great choreography – at least from my perspective as a layman. And as a Trekkie, I can appreciate other parts of the story even if the musical side of things really didn’t do it for me.
I hope this didn’t feel like too much of an attack on Subspace Rhapsody. If you liked it, or if you’re more a fan of musicals than I am, that’s great. And I will say that it looked like it would’ve been a lot of fun to work on as a dancer or background performer! It just wasn’t for me. I promised myself I wouldn’t watch Hegemony until I’d seen Subspace Rhapsody, so I really needed to get this out of the way to get to the end of the season! I’m ready to jump into that episode now… so stay tuned for what will hopefully be a more positive review sometime soon.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Seasons 1-2 are available to stream now on Paramount Plus in countries and territories where the service is available. The Star Trek franchise – including Strange New Worlds – is the copyright of Paramount Global. This article contains the thoughts and opinions of one person only and is not intended to cause any offence.
Spoiler Warning: There are spoilers ahead for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Seasons 1 and 2.
After a rather light-hearted story in the crossover episode Those Old Scientists a week earlier, Strange New Worlds served up a dramatic and emotional war story in Under the Cloak of War. The episode was intense and brutal in its depictions of war and the post-traumatic stress that many soldiers and other participants can suffer from for years afterwards. It was also a story that challenged Star Trek’s positive and optimistic presentation of the 23rd Century – with some members of the crew coming across as prejudiced and almost racist.
In that sense, parts of the episode were deliberately uncomfortable. Others, however, were in danger of being tripped up by the big contrivance that set up the main thrust of the story, and by a couple of scenes and sequences that seemed to zip by a little too quickly for my liking. However, despite some limitations, Under the Cloak of War is one of the most gritty, realistic, and brutal depictions of war that the Star Trek franchise has ever brought to screen – and the episode succeeds at conveying those sensations for almost its entire runtime.
Nurse Chapel and Dr M’Benga.
Let’s start by talking about the biggest contrivance in Under the Cloak of War, because at first I was worried that this was going to set the stage for a weak story. However, I think I can forgive it in light of what subsequently transpired.
Having Starfleet and Captain Pike essentially force Dr M’Benga, Nurse Chapel, Lieutenant Ortegas (and presumably other members of the crew too) to interact with Ambassador Rah was… poor. It’s the kind of thing 23rd Century Starfleet shouldn’t do, because that decision put members of the crew in uncomfortable and even dangerous positions – as we’d see. Pike’s complicity in this, too, was unpleasant to see, and I’d have liked to have seen him trying to argue against whichever higher-up gave this order – even if just briefly in a single scene.
We know Captain Pike as an advocate for his crew, and someone who cares about them deeply. Even if he didn’t or couldn’t know the extent of the trauma faced by the veterans – and it’s worth remembering that this idea of not being able to understand the trauma of war was one of the themes of the episode – I still believe Pike wouldn’t have wanted to put them in that situation. Having Pike be the one to order Dr M’Benga and Nurse Chapel to participate took what was already a pretty contrived idea and made it uncomfortable.
Captain Pike ordered his crewmates – veterans of the Klingon War – to have dinner with a former Klingon general.
The final act of Under the Cloak of War hinged on the “big reveal” of Dr M’Benga – thanks to his super-soldier serum – being the real “Butcher of J’Gal,” and while this idea was interesting in some ways, I think it also constrained the story in others. Part of the power of an episode like Under the Cloak of War, particularly in its flashback sequences, is that the characters we’re following aren’t anyone special – they’re regular people caught up in this incredibly traumatic event. The things they see and are forced to participate in end up changing them.
When Under the Cloak of War introduces the idea that Dr M’Benga is a kind of infamous super-soldier, the character loses at least some of his “ordinary guy” persona, and that begins to work counter to other parts of his arc. We saw earlier in the season this “super-serum” that Dr M’Benga and Nurse Chapel had, and finding out more about where that came from was admittedly interesting. It’s something I can absolutely see a future story picking up on; M’Benga’s role in creating something that horrified him is clearly eating away at him. But in terms of this story – one about the repercussions war and trauma can have years later – I think we lost something with the focus on Dr M’Benga and the way his character was presented.
Was it a mistake to make Dr M’Benga into a “super-soldier?”
If instead Under the Cloak of War had spent more of its time with either Ortegas or Chapel, we could’ve gotten a more down-to-earth depiction of post-traumatic stress. Throwing non-soldiers into a warzone is a great setup for an intense and traumatic story, and a focus on one of those characters, perhaps, would’ve made that side of the story more engaging. Keeping the focus on Dr M’Benga but dropping the “super-soldier” angle could’ve worked, too.
As an aside, I know that Ortegas has been less front-and-centre this season due to her performer, Melissa Navia, asking for a reduced amount of screen time. Navia’s partner passed away in between production on Seasons 1 and 2, and she requested less of a prominent role. Throwing her into a story about death, post-traumatic stress, and so on would have been difficult, so I’m not saying I wanted to see Ortegas in these flashbacks or taking on a major role in the story. There are perfectly understandable reasons for this episode focusing on Dr M’Benga and Nurse Chapel. I merely present the idea of a character like Ortegas – a non-soldier – taking part in a story about war and post-traumatic stress as being closer to the episode’s core themes and ideas.
Ortegas got a rare turn in the captain’s chair this week.
Sometimes modern Star Trek has tripped over this kind of “extra-special character” trope. We’ve seen it in Discovery, where Michael Burnham always happened to be the “Chosen One;” the only person capable of solving a mystery or defeating a villain. I guess I’m just a bit tired of it at this point, and while I liked what Under the Cloak of War ultimately did with Dr M’Benga and his secretive past, I can’t help but feel that making him into a super-soldier who had a direct connection to the episode’s reformed villain ended up jumbling some of the other messages it wanted to convey.
Under the Cloak of War wanted to confront us with the very visceral reaction some of its characters had to Ambassador Rah. There was anti-Klingon prejudice – racism, really – in the way some of them behaved and reacted, and the writing seemed to want to make us uncomfortable with that. Here was a man who had defected to the Federation, giving up violence, changing, and becoming an advocate for peace. And some of our favourite characters treated him with disdain because of where he came from and what he looked like. You can argue that M’Benga and Chapel should be excused from that because they saw first-hand what Rah had done a few years ago. But can we give that same pass to Ortegas? There’s no evidence that she was present on J’Gal during the events depicted. Nor to the other nameless crew members both on the Enterprise and other Federation ships who have been uncomfortable with or protested against Ambassador Rah.
Several members of the crew harboured prejudice against Klingons as a result of the Klingon War.
I’m reminded of The Undiscovered Country, and how Kirk and his crew had to come to terms with making peace with the Klingons. In Kirk’s own words: “I’ve never trusted Klingons, and I never will.” Gene Roddenberry famously hated this presentation of Kirk and Starfleet at large, feeling that things like racism and prejudice should have been all but forgotten about by the 23rd Century. Indeed, we’d see this theme in several episodes of The Original Series, from Balance of Terror in Season 1 through to Let That Be Your Last Battlefield in Season 3.
We will never be able to agree, as fans and viewers, on which presentation of Starfleet is “better” or more realistic. And I’m open to arguments on both sides. On the one hand, this kind of overt prejudice runs counter to what we’ve come to expect from (most) Starfleet officers, and from a narrative and storytelling perspective, there’s power in depicting a society that has largely moved on from such things. On the other, it’s difficult if not impossible to tell a story about war and post-traumatic stress without at least acknowledging that such prejudices exist – and to tell a relatable story for an audience today, you kind of have to go there.
Ambassador Rah at the awkward dinner.
So I’m on the fence about this one. I get where it came from and I think it worked in context. But I’m not sure that this kind of open prejudice is something I want to see a lot of in Star Trek. Using it sparingly and in a nuanced way – as Under the Cloak of War does – arguably heightens its impact and makes it as powerful a storytelling device as it can be. Overuse would take away from that… and would arguably damage some or all of the characters if we saw them repeatedly behaving that way and espousing those kinds of sentiments.
But maybe that’s the point, or at least part of it. Some stories are intended to be uncomfortable to force us, as the audience, to consider the questions being raised. Veterans of many conflicts out here in the real world find it difficult to deal with former enemies – and moments where combatants from both sides of a resolved conflict are able to come together are often seen as moments to be celebrated. We could write a book or a series of books on the psychological impact of war and how it must feel to be forced to break bread with a former enemy. This episode barely scratched the surface in that regard.
Dr M’Benga and Ambassador Rah.
One episode more than any other was foremost in my mind during the flashback sequences: Deep Space Nine’s Season 7 episode The Siege of AR-558. Intentionally or not, there were clear echoes of that story in Under the Cloak of War, from the minor Federation outpost to the depleted and patched-together Starfleet soldiers. That was also a powerful episode, one that focused on the futility of war and how, from the perspective of a soldier, dying or being wounded for the sake of a nameless place just doesn’t sit right.
If The Siege of AR-558 was inspired by the war in Vietnam (a war in which the episode’s director, Winrich Kolbe, had served) then maybe it’s fair to call Under the Cloak of War a reaction to modern conflicts like those in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as the War on Terror in a more general sense. The United States is still wrangling with the fallout of those wars; the futility of the latter coming into frame following America’s withdrawal from the country.
The flashback sequences in Under the Cloak of War reminded me of DS9′s The Siege of AR-558.
Ambassador Rah was an interesting character, and I really enjoyed the performance from veteran actor Robert Wisdom. The way Rah came across – conversational, pleasant, and even likeable – had an undercurrent of tension or even creepiness because of the way he was framed and how his story was told from the perspective of Dr M’Benga and others. The character had an unsettling vibe for practically his entire time on screen – and the combination of a stellar performance with some great sound design, cinematography, and direction from Jeff W. Byrd made this possible. It’s rare to get such a strong feeling from a single guest star, but Under the Cloak of War really succeeded at making me feel unsettled and creeped out by this affable, personable Klingon.
Sticking with the Klingons (or Klingon, singular, in this case), Strange New Worlds has taken the deliberate decision to return to the more familiar visual language of the Klingon Empire that we’ve seen in past iterations of Star Trek. The Kelvin films changed the way Klingons look, but it was Discovery that doubled-down on this in its first season, stripping away much of what we’d seen of the Klingons throughout the previous 600+ episodes of Star Trek to bring in shaved heads and armour and ships that seemed to borrow quite heavily from Ancient Egypt in their appearances.
Strange New Worlds has brought back the familiar aesthetic of the Klingon Empire.
I noted when looking back at Star Trek III: The Search for Spock a few months ago that some of the designs that debuted there – such as Klingon armour as well as the Bird-of-Prey – had become absolutely iconic, and that some fans had been disappointed when the Kelvin films and Discovery changed things up. I think the reaction to that has been interesting, and we now see Star Trek’s executive producers moving back to more familiar ground for important and well-developed races like the Klingons. In a way, we could argue that creativity is being stifled here… but on the whole, I think that having a consistent visual style is probably more useful than not for a franchise that aims to retain viewers.
Casual viewers who may be tuning into Star Trek for the first time in years can instantly recognise the Klingons in a way that perhaps they couldn’t in Discovery, and that’s a positive thing. I maintain that Strange New Worlds is a great “first contact” for new and returning viewers, so making it easier for folks to jump over to other parts of the Star Trek franchise is also a good thing to see.
This is what the Klingons looked like back in Discovery’s first season.
It was a treat to welcome back Clint Howard to the Star Trek franchise! Howard first appeared in The Original Series episode The Corbomite Maneuver and has since played roles in Deep Space Nine, Enterprise, and Discovery as well. He’s an icon of the Star Trek franchise for his role as Balok, and he was instantly recognisable to me in Under the Cloak of War as the rather stressed-out Commander Buck Martinez – the officer who received Nurse Chapel upon her arrival at J’Gal.
There are threads that bind disparate parts of Star Trek together, and some performers fill that role. Just as it’s great to see an episode directed by the legendary Jonathan Frakes, so too is it wonderful to get another special performance from Clint Howard. Commander Martinez was an interesting character, too – and a prominent one. Howard’s interpretation of someone who’d almost become numb to the warzone he was stuck in stood in contrast to Nurse Chapel – the newcomer who was still adjusting and finding all of it frightening and shocking.
Clint Howard played Commander Buck Martinez.
Chapel was, for me, the episode’s standout character. Though she got less screen time than Dr M’Benga, and her conflict with Ambassador Rah didn’t have that personal edge, seeing war through the eyes of a nurse was harrowing. Chapel seemed to lose her innocence across the flashback sequences, culminating in the scene where she lost the first patient she treated when his pattern was erased. Despite that, however, we never saw her become numb to the suffering like Martinez, nor as resigned to her fate as Dr M’Benga – Chapel held onto at least some sliver of herself and her humanity despite the trauma she went through.
I would’ve loved to have seen an extended scene between her and Spock. In the hallway, Spock’s admission that he didn’t understand how she felt or what she’d been through was played exceptionally well by both Ethan Peck and Jess Bush, and I could’ve happily spent half an episode on just those two characters as they wrangled with the fallout of Chapel’s experiences. Spock could be uniquely able to help. But at the same time, seeing her push him away and him having to acknowledge that he can never really understand… it was powerful stuff.
Nurse Chapel.
Part of me wonders if Strange New Worlds is readying Dr M’Benga for departure. We know he won’t be killed off – M’Benga appears alongside Dr McCoy in a couple of episodes of The Original Series, lest we forget. But having built a wall between M’Benga and Captain Pike, with Pike clearly not fully trusting M’Benga’s lie that he killed Rah purely in self-defence, I’m not sure how the series will be able to break that down again. With more legacy characters being added to Strange New Worlds periodically, could M’Benga be about to be reassigned or take a demotion, and could we see Dr McCoy signing up in Season 3 or 4? I can’t help but wonder.
So I think that’s everything I have from my notes. This was a tough one to watch, in places – and I mean that in the best possible way as a compliment to everyone involved! There were some truly gruesome moments, and the story really hammered home just how destructive war can be to the individuals caught up in it. There are some possible ramifications down the line for those involved, and possibly a bit of tension developing between Captain Pike and members of his crew. Whether Strange New Worlds will return to these ideas remains to be seen. Or not, if you’ve already seen the next two episodes and know what happens! I’m still catching up with Season 2, as you can tell.
I have to be honest: I’m not looking forward to Subspace Rhapsody next time. Musicals – non-animated musicals, at any rate – really aren’t my thing, and musical episodes in non-musical series even less so. But I daren’t skip it, so I’m sure I’ll have a review of it ready before too long!
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Seasons 1-2 are available to stream now on Paramount Plus in countries and territories where the service is available. The series is also available on DVD and Blu-ray. The Star Trek franchise – including Strange New Worlds – is the copyright of Paramount Global. This article contains the thoughts and opinions of one person only and is not intended to cause any offence.
Spoiler Warning: There are spoilers ahead for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Seasons 1-2 and Star Trek: Lower Decks.
Before Season 2 aired, we got an announcement at one of the Comic-Cons, Star Trek Days, or other such live event about a crossover episode – and I was pretty excited! Not excited enough to push through my Star Trek burnout to watch it last year, but we’ve been over that so let’s not get back into it. Suffice to say that Those Old Scientists captured my attention long before I sat down to watch it… and I had pretty high hopes that the episode would be fun, if nothing else.
Star Trek doesn’t do full-blown crossovers like this very often, looking back. If we don’t count re-cast characters in shows like Discovery or the return of “legacy” characters from shows that are no longer airing, then the last time there was a fully-fledged crossover episode was quite a long time ago. Back then, characters like Troi and Barclay cropped up in a couple of Voyager episodes, and the Enterprise-D even paid a visit to DS9. There was also These Are The Voyages – the finale of Enterprise – but maybe the less said about that last example the better!
Director Jonathan Frakes in a behind-the-scenes photo.
Those Old Scientists brought characters from Lower Decks into Strange New Worlds, and it promised a degree of light-heartedness imported from Star Trek’s first foray into the world of animated comedy. Add into the mix Star Trek legend Jonathan Frakes as director, and the stage was set for a truly outstanding episode.
I had a blast with Those Old Scientists – the title of which, in case you missed it, is a pun on the initials T. O. S.; a joke that first appeared in Lower Decks and that makes reference to the way Trekkies have referred to The Original Series for decades. Now that I think of it, Those Old Scientists could be the first self-referential Star Trek episode title, and the first to be named for a pun!
Ensign Boimler as you’ve never seen him before!
But I don’t think Those Old Scientists was entirely perfect or free from narrative flaws. While I had a ton of fun watching Boimler and Mariner stumbling their way through the 23rd Century, there are a couple of weaknesses in the way the episode was scripted and structured that took away from the more emotional and entertaining moments. That isn’t to say the episode was “bad” by any stretch, and I love that Paramount greenlit a crossover like this. But I would be remiss not to point out some of the moments that didn’t work – especially because there’s a recurring theme that has also taken the shine off of other Star Trek projects in recent years.
In short, Those Old Scientists tried to cram in too many character interactions and sub-plots, and these came at the expense of what should have been the episode’s more powerful emotional moments. Too many scenes and meetings between 23rd and 24th Century characters felt rushed… and when several of these could have been so much more interesting, entertaining, and/or emotional with just a couple of extra minutes awarded them, I just think that’s a bit of a shame.
Dr M’Benga with Boimler.
This is something that modern Star Trek has done in other ways in other episodes and shows, and I find myself making some variation of the same remark over and over again: if there isn’t enough time to do justice to a storyline or to make a scene work, then put it back on the shelf. That doesn’t mean “never do this, it’s a terrible idea,” but rather that every episode and every story has to prioritise; an episode can’t possibly cram everything in. And in several places, Those Old Scientists felt… crammed.
I would have loved to have seen more of four character interactions and storylines that should’ve been key to the episode’s success. Firstly, the Orion captain and his apparent desire not to be considered a pirate. Secondly, Mariner’s conversation with Uhura and how Mariner – potentially – may have been the one to push Uhura to realise that taking breaks from work is important. Third, Boimler’s conversation with Nurse Chapel about Spock, and the possible ramifications on the Chapel-Spock relationship. And finally, the ensigns’ conversation with Captain Pike, in which he seemed to allude to his impending accident and disability.
Captain Pike toward the end of the story.
Those moments felt like the core of the episode – but a desire on the part of the writers and director to have Mariner and Boimler meet everyone and go all over the ship cut into those moments. An episode like Those Old Scientists needed to prioritise what was important so those aspects could really shine through… and I can’t help but feel that the right balance wasn’t struck this time.
When what we ultimately got were a handful of moments with other main characters, I can’t help but feel I’d have traded most or even all of those for a few more minutes on those bigger, more impactful storylines. Boimler’s moment with Dr M’Benga or when he visited the bridge, as well as some of Ortegas’ lines when she was with Mariner and Uhura… these were fun but ultimately felt like fluff in an episode where other storylines could and should have taken priority. As fun as some of these moments were, perhaps the real issue is that there were just too many of them in an episode that didn’t have time for it. If Those Old Scientists had been structured completely differently from day one, with a focus on entertainment and comedy without a more serious side… maybe it would’ve been okay. But then I can see the potential pitfalls with that idea, too.
I would’ve liked the story to have spent longer on a handful of key moments.
The Orion captain felt so underdeveloped that I don’t even remember his name. I liked the idea of a member of a race known for one overwhelmingly negative stereotype wishing to be seen on his own terms. In that sense, the Orion captain was not unlike the Ferengi scientist from The Next Generation Season 6 episode Suspicions. That idea can work well, and a story that touches on harmful stereotypes and building bridges between the Federation and other factions is something I’d be supportive of.
But this character and his ship needed way more time on screen to to justice to something with such a heavy theme, and the result of the short runtime dedicated to this idea meant it was underwhelming – especially at the end. Captain Pike promises the Orion captain that his people will be known as the scientists who discovered the time-portal (apparently he didn’t make good on that promise, but that’s a whole other tangent), and the Orion captain basically says “oh, neat,” and then toddles off stage. There was no depth to a character who felt like he should’ve been way more developed – and I lament the missed opportunity to tell a more complex story with this “not all Orions are pirates” idea.
The Orion captain felt pretty one-dimensional.
Mariner’s time with Uhura and Boimler’s conversation with Chapel both needed a bit more time – but these moments still managed to convey at least the majority of what they were supposed to. If the only criticism I really have of these is “I wish we got more time with some interesting and unconventional character pairings,” then that isn’t really a terrible thing. Again, I just feel like opportunities were missed to give a bit more depth to these moments.
Perhaps, though, this is something Strange New Worlds will pick up in a future episode or season. Chapel’s relationship with Spock was always destined to burn out, but maybe both of them will think on what Boimler said and that could lead to drama or interesting conversations in the future. Likewise with Uhura, perhaps her conversation with Mariner will help her change and grow – though in that case I’d argue we’ve already seen some of that growth over the past season-and-a-half.
Ensigns Mariner and Uhura.
The final place where I felt Those Old Scientists needed to have spent more time was the conversation between the two ensigns and Captain Pike. After they were caught trying to contact the Orions, both ensigns were in trouble – but Pike also hinted to them that he knew what lay in store for himself in the future. This should’ve been a huge revelation to Boimler in particular, and maybe Pike would’ve wanted to push these two future-dwellers to see what they knew – or at least share something with them that he can’t with anyone else except for Una and Spock. There was potential here.
Instead, Pike launched head-first into a “traumatic backstory” about his father and his birthday that wouldn’t have felt out-of-place in Discovery… and no, I don’t mean that as a compliment. This moment just wasn’t set up very well, and the idea that Pike would simply dump this exposition onto two people he doesn’t know (and who he clearly shouldn’t feel are trustworthy) just missed the mark for me. It’s something that could’ve worked if we’d had more time for this scene and maybe had another moment or two between this trio of characters earlier on.
Boimler and Mariner in Pike’s quarters.
Okay, that’s basically all of my criticisms out of the way! So now we’re free to talk about what I liked… which is basically everything else in Those Old Scientists.
First of all, the time-portal. This is exactly the kind of randomly weird artefact that Kirk, Picard, and Janeway seemed to stumble upon almost every week. An ancient relic of a long-lost civilisation powered by a magical macguffin… everything about it, including its design, felt wonderfully old-school Star Trek, and I’m 100% there for that!
This is what Strange New Worlds has been so good at, in my opinion: recapturing the feel of “classic” Star Trek in a way that other modern productions haven’t always managed to do. There was something really fun about Pike and the crew finding this time-portal that harkened back to the days of The Next Generation and The Original Series, and it would’ve made for a fantastic self-contained story even without the Lower Decks crossover.
Director Jonathan Frakes with Babs Olusanmokun, Jack Quaid, and Ethan Peck on the set of Those Old Scientists.
We should also talk about how good Boimler and Mariner looked when they crossed over into live-action. Jack Quaid and Tawny Newsome resemble their 2D characters – so that’s a good start – but the costume design for their uniforms, the prop work for their combadges, and particularly the hairstyling to bring Boimler’s iconic purple quiff and Mariner’s bushy ponytail to life were all fantastic.
There are some animated characters for whom this crossover idea just wouldn’t work – for a number of reasons. Not every voice actor can be as good at live-action work; the two skills are not the same. Not every actor bears even a vague resemblance to their animated counterpart. And so on. On this front, Those Old Scientists succeeded – and it was so much better to reimagine Boimler and Mariner in live action than to try to have Pike and the crew awkwardly interacting with animated/CGI avatars. That would have been a travesty!
The animated main characters of Lower Decks.
And since we’re talking about animation: I loved that we got an animated epilogue with Pike and the Strange New Worlds crew drawn in Lower Decks’ distinctive style. It was a blast to see our favourite characters reimagined in this way, and the “weird alien drink” angle even gave it an in-universe explanation for why the characters might see themselves in that kind of distorted way.
With Paramount continuing to struggle financially, with the matter of a sale and long-term ownership still unresolved, and with the likes of Discovery and Picard coming to an end… I can’t help but wonder if there might’ve been a sort of “backdoor pilot” angle to this epilogue. You know, Paramount just testing the waters to see if an animated Strange New Worlds might be viable. I could be completely wrong about that – and the show has been renewed for a fourth season already that (presumably, at least) will continue to be live-action! But like The Original Series before it all those years ago, I can’t help but wonder if an animated continuation might be on the cards one day. Obviously I’d rather have more live-action, but if the choice is animation or cancellation… I think Those Old Scientists has opened a door, at least.
Could more animated Star Trek be on the agenda?
One final point on animation in Those Old Scientists: the animated opening title sequence was amazing! Seeing the whole thing recreated – with a couple of inclusions from Lower Decks for good measure – was just incredibly cute and not at all what I was expecting. The Enterprise looked great in that style – similar, in some ways, to how it appeared a few years ago in the Short Treks episode Ephraim and Dot. After the opening aboard the Cerritos, this was a great way to mix things up heading into the main part of the episode.
I think I’m inclined to give Those Old Scientists a bit of a pass on the whole “contaminating the timeline” thing. Star Trek has occasionally stumbled over time travel stories – and I’ve said more than once that time travel isn’t usually my favourite story premise in the franchise – but because this episode had a less serious tone for the most part, I think we can overlook most of that. Boimler and Mariner undeniably messed with the timeline – but no more so than other characters elsewhere in the franchise going all the way back to Kirk’s crew and their early adventures with time travel.
Boimler and Mariner definitely contaminated the timeline!
As a Trekkie, it’s been a lot of fun to watch a character like Boimler on Lower Decks and how he geeks out at things that you or I would get just as excited about – and that theme continued in Those Old Scientists. Set aside Boimler’s excitement to meet his heroes like Pike, Spock, and Una – his enthusiasm for small things like computer panels or a tricorder really elevated the episode and made it a lot more fun. It reminded me of visiting Star Trek: The Exhibition in the mid-1990s, or more recently the 50th Anniversary exhibit in Blackpool here in the UK. I was fascinated and excited to see some of the props from Star Trek… and Boimler was, too. That point of connection felt great as a long-term fan.
But it wasn’t only Boimler who got excited. Mariner also met one of her heroes: Uhura. The scenes between the two of them were great, particularly as Mariner came to realise that this younger version of the person she had learned about and looked up to was somewhat different to what she’d expected!
Boimler and Mariner in engineering.
There were plenty of funny and cute moments throughout the episode as Boimler and Mariner stumbled their way through the 23rd Century, and I had a smile on my face much of the time. There were a couple of missed opportunities, though; character moments and storylines that really needed a bit longer in the spotlight to truly shine. As much as I enjoyed this crossover and feel like it was truly “made for the fans,” I can’t help but feel that Those Old Scientists tried to cram too much into its runtime.
I don’t want to be too negative, though. By far my biggest takeaway from the episode is how fun it was to get a crossover like this – and if we’re fortunate enough to see Star Trek remain in production over the next few years, I hope Those Old Scientists won’t be the last crossover episode. With the franchise’s 60th anniversary only a couple of years away, that could be a great opportunity to do something like this, bringing together characters from different parts of Star Trek for one spectacular story!
Another thing I’m reminded of is that I need to finish catching up on Lower Decks! Season 5 is right around the corner, and I’d love to get back up to speed with the series before it goes off the air. This was an enjoyable, entertaining crossover – and I’m glad to have belatedly seen it.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Seasons 1 and 2 are available to stream now on Paramount+ in countries and territories where the platform is available. The series is also available on DVD and Blu-ray. The Star Trek franchise – including Strange New Worlds and all other properties discussed above – is the copyright of Paramount Global. This review contains the thoughts and opinions of one person only and is not intended to cause any offence.
Spoiler Warning: There are spoilers ahead for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Seasons 1-2. Spoilers are also present for the following Star Trek productions: The Original Series and Enterprise.
I’m a bit late getting to Among the Lotus Eaters, so I apologise for that! I’m a couple of weeks behind with Strange New Worlds, and I hope to catch up over the next few days.
This episode brought several really interesting concepts to bear, gave Captain Pike his first proper outing of the season, and allowed us to spend more time with Lieutenant Ortegas than in any other story thus far. It took us back to a mission referenced in The Menagerie and The Cage all the way back in The Original Series, but put an unexpected spin on it. And all in all, I had a good time with Among the Lotus Eaters.
Let’s return to Rigel VII…
If I were to make one criticism of the episode it would be that it was perhaps a little overambitious – not in terms of its singular main story, nor even in its B-plot with Captain Pike’s romance, but rather in terms of the number of characters it tried to include. There wasn’t quite enough time to flesh out everyone’s experience with the memory-loss radiation, and I felt that Among the Lotus Eaters – somewhat ironically, given the storyline – seemed to jump quite quickly from one point to another, almost as if there were missing scenes or sequences that could have explained things a little more and provided the story with better pacing.
We missed out on seeing, for example, how the crew of the Enterprise regained their memories and returned to normal, how Dr M’Benga held off the Kalar warriors and went back for La’an, how Spock reacted to losing his memories, and how Dr M’Benga re-learned his medical skills. Unlike the deliberate time-skips – which were well-executed in the episode – these “missing” moments could have added something extra to the story, and if Among the Lotus Eaters had used fewer characters, or used the ones it included sparingly, more could have been made of some of these impactful moments.
La’an and Dr M’Benga near the end of the episode.
For the past three weeks I’d been commenting on how odd it has felt to see Strange New Worlds proceeding with so little input from Captain Pike – and I stand by that, even as I enjoyed what each of those episodes brought to the table. So it was fantastic to see Pike back in action this time, even though he spent much of the episode without his memories.
Captain Pike isn’t just the heart of Strange New Worlds, he’s the reason why the series came to exist in the first place. The incredibly positive reaction that fans had to Anson Mount’s portrayal in Discovery’s second season led to the series being commissioned, and Mount has been a joy to watch in every episode of the series so far. He put in a complex performance this week with some unusual material, and Pike’s connection with Captain Batel managed to keep things grounded and understandable, even as sci-fi shenanigans about radiation-induced memory loss and a rogue forgotten yeoman played out around him.
This episode was Captain Pike’s first real outing of the season so far.
This episode is the first since Enterprise’s second season episode The Communicator that really took a look at the idea of cultural contamination and its impact on Starfleet’s mission of exploration. The two stories play out very differently, and combined they make a great example of how Star Trek can take the same basic premise but have it play out completely differently each time. But as fans, and as people who are invested in this fictional setting, learning more about how Starfleet operates – and in this case, how the organisation behaves when things go wrong – is fascinating. We caught a glimpse of something we don’t always get to see in Star Trek: the aftermath of one of these “away mission gone wrong” setups that the franchise has used fairly regularly.
Speaking as we were of storylines that could’ve been fleshed out a little more, I think a flashback to the events of the original mission wouldn’t have gone amiss in Among the Lotus Eaters. Nor would a flashback depicting Zac’s rise to power on Rigel VII – or at least part of it. Zac himself, despite being the episode’s nominal villain, feels pretty flat and one-dimensional, and some additional explanation could’ve elevated him somewhat.
Zac was an interesting idea for a villain… let down by sub-par execution.
In fact, a better presentation of Zac could have nudged a fairly black-and-white story into a greyer area. If you think about it, what was Zac to do, stranded on a hostile planet with no hope of communication or rescue? Finding a way to preserve his memories – by using the ore that protected them – was about the only thing he could do, and using the resources at his disposal – i.e. his Starfleet kit – makes a degree of sense. There was a pathway here to tell a story with a villain who, if not sympathetic because of the extreme actions he took, was at least understandable, or the predicament in which he found himself could have been presented in that way.
Because we didn’t spend much time with Zac, I didn’t really get any strong feelings about him either way. I wasn’t desperate to see him beaten in the way I can be for some villains, but I also didn’t feel much by way of sympathy for his plight, either. He felt less a fully-rounded character than a plot device; an obstacle for Pike and the others to overcome just as they had to overcome their memory loss.
Zac defeated.
Captain Pike stated up-front that the cultural contamination of Rigel VII was on him – and he’s right, because as captain, the buck stops with him. He also noted that it was a chaotic mission that necessitated a rapid escape. But even so, I can’t be the only one who thinks that Pike and the away team managed to leave a lot of Starfleet junk behind, can I? I mean, Zac had at least half a dozen phaser rifles, an entire crate of Starfleet supplies, a tricorder, a medical kit, and more. Leaving behind a rogue phaser or communicator is one thing… but an entire crate full of stuff? Not to mention a crewman, too. That’s some sloppy away team work right there!
And I know: that’s a nitpick. It was necessary for the story to have all of those things in place. But c’mon… we should expect higher standards from the Captain of the Enterprise! If Rigel VII wasn’t afflicted with that memory-erasing radiation, leaving behind an entire crate full of Federation goodies could have completely altered the destiny of the planet. As it is, Starfleet may just get away with this blatant failure. But it’s not exactly a great look!
A lost communicator is one thing… but an entire crate?!
I’ve been racking my brain, thinking about The Cage and The Menagerie, but I don’t believe that anything in Among the Lotus Eaters contradicts or overwrites what we saw in those episodes. Strange New Worlds has managed to thread the needle: expanding our knowledge and updating a classic story but without treading on its toes. That’s something the series has consistently managed to get right, and I’m pleased to see the trend continue here.
Rigel VII is a planet that has been name-dropped in Star Trek on multiple occasions, often in throwaway lines or even in the background of episodes, but that we only really saw in that first-season episode way back when. It was actually quite nice to take a deeper dive into the mysterious planet, learning more about its inhabitants. Seeing a softer side to the Kalar was interesting, too, as the only Kalar we’d seen before were violent warriors.
The surface of Rigel VII.
Among the Lotus Eaters takes more than its fair share of leaps in logic and contrivances with its central memory loss concept. What knowledge is retained and how after “the forgetting” seems to jump around at the behest of the plot, with the Kalar seeming to hold onto things like the basic operation of their tools in a way that Starfleet personnel didn’t. A central idea on Rigel VII was the totem – mentioned repeatedly but barely so much as glimpsed on screen. The Kalar seemingly retained enough knowledge to look at the totem and decipher its pictograms, understanding from that where they were and what was expected of them. But aboard the Enterprise, Spock and the crew seemed to lose a lot more of their memories and knowledge.
Connecting retained memories to strong emotions was an interesting idea – and one that has some basis in fact, or at least can in some cases. But again, the way this came across on screen seemed inconsistent at best. While everyone aboard the Enterprise wandered around the halls aimlessly, only Lieutenant Ortegas seemed to have a strong enough emotional connection to her work to be able to break through. Are we to assume, then, that Nurse Chapel in sickbay, Pelia in engineering, and everyone else in every department aboard the ship couldn’t do the same? It’s a bit of a leap.
Nurse Chapel and other officers wandering the hallways of the USS Enterprise.
On the planet’s surface, the same was true of Pike and the away team. Pike seemed to retain a lot more of his personality than the crew of the Enterprise, and even compared to the Kalar and the other members of the away team, he managed to hang onto more of himself. If the story had stronger foundations, with an explanation for these discrepancies in the radiation-induced memory loss that was perhaps more easily followed, I think this would’ve worked better.
I think that Among the Lotus Eaters wanted to include something about proximity; that the Enterprise crew were more severely affected because the ship moved closer to the radiation-emitting asteroids. And indeed the epilogue states this as fact in voiceover form. But it wasn’t readily apparent on screen in the moment just what was going on, nor why Pike was able to push through the memory loss to a far greater extent. And that explanation still falls short when it comes to Ortegas and her ability to pilot the ship with finesse, fire the phasers, and generally drag everyone out of the difficult situation they were in.
Pike and Ortegas were able to push through their memory loss to a far greater extent than everyone else.
If we take Among the Lotus Eaters’ memory loss idea as being a metaphor for conditions like dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, we can see Strange New Worlds doing what Star Trek has always done: taking a sci-fi lens to examine a real-world situation. I’m no expert, but I think many of us know or knew a close relative who suffered, to a degree, with a condition like this, and there are definitely areas where this episode seemed to be at least acknowledging the comparison.
Some dementia patients, for example, remember how to perform tasks through “muscle memory,” which isn’t a million miles away from how Ortegas knew how to fly the Enterprise. Seeing the Enterprise crew silently and absently shuffling through the ship’s corridors also brought back memories of visiting an elderly relative in a care facility some years ago, and seeing patients there behaving in a simliar way.
Ortegas remembered how to pilot the Enterprise.
When Star Trek looks at real-world ailments through its sci-fi lens, one thing I’ve always found inspirational is the idea that one day, through advancements in science and technology, life-limiting or even fatal conditions that impact people today can and will be cured. Geordi’s blindness is a great example, and his line in The Next Generation to a Romulan officer that the 24th Century Federation sees value in everyone is something I’ve long felt embodied this aspect of the franchise.
With that in mind, if we stretch our dementia metaphor to its logical end point… I don’t really see what point, if any, Strange New Worlds intended to make. Its sci-fi ailment came with an equally sci-fi resolution, and while one of the Kalar expressed gratitude for regaining his memories and seemed to come to understand their value… that was quite a rapid turnaround for a single secondary character, and wasn’t really enough on its own to be a payoff to a story like this. Maybe I’ve overthought this aspect of Among the Lotus Eaters based on a couple of scenes that felt close to some of my personal experiences.
Nurse Chapel.
Spock’s role this week, while relatively small, was nonetheless an interesting one. Spock’s journey in Strange New Worlds isn’t about recreating exactly the character we’re familiar with from The Original Series, but exploring who he was before that and how he came to become that individual. Seeing Spock make a mistake, taking the Enterprise to the asteroid field on the assumption that it would provide cover, feels like something that could have been a big step for him.
We’ll have to see if this moment is called back to in future episodes, because based on Among the Lotus Eaters alone, I don’t think we really gained a lot of insight into Spock. We saw in a strictly factual sense that Spock can make a mistake, or that his assumptions can be wrong, and I can see how we might extrapolate from that and say that it’s one reason why Spock is so hesitant to make guesses or assumptions as he gets older. But none of that was explicitly stated on screen, and I’d like to see a bit more of that when these kinds of stories arise for Spock.
This could be an interesting foundation for a Spock story.
So here’s a question: was the Kalar palace on Rigel VII supposed to be the exact same one as Pike and co. visited years earlier? Strange New Worlds has updated and, for want of a better term, retconned a number of designs and aesthetic elements across both seasons so far, and when you combine that with the fact that Zac may have made changes in order to better shield the palace and its occupants… I think we can make the case for this castle being the same one that had been seen in The Menagerie and The Cage.
The design was neat in some ways, though I would say – not for the first time in Star Trek – that the castle’s interior and exterior didn’t quite gel. I’d have liked to have seen more of the palace’s exterior design reflected in the set used for its interior – or vice versa. The exterior sets were all created with the help of Paramount’s AR wall, and parts of the snowy, windswept landscape felt quite similar to Season 1’s Valeo Beta V – the planet seen in All Those Who Wander. Neither of these things were bad per se, but it’s the first time in the show so far where I felt that set design was perhaps letting the story down somewhat.
I didn’t feel that the palace interior and exterior matched.
So let’s start to wrap things up!
Among the Lotus Eaters brought together two genuinely interesting concepts: the memory loss radiation and revisiting the only other mission and planet that we saw in The Menagerie and The Cage. Talos IV, remember, had been seen a couple of years ago during Discovery’s second season. Strange New Worlds has now exhausted “classic Pike” storylines, if we can use that definition here.
The memory loss idea was imperfect in its execution, with contrivances involving the extent of characters’ amnesia, the way in which it manifested, and how they were able to push through using emotion or connections to the world around them. Some more explanation – even if it had been little more than technobabble – could have limited the damage here, and built a stronger foundation for this idea.
Captain Pike.
As a metaphor for conditions like dementia, I’m not sure how well Among the Lotus Eaters’ memory loss storyline worked. There was a visual presentation of the Enterprise’s crew that felt uncomfortably real, and the real-world ideas of emotion and “muscle memory” being able to cut through have a basis in fact. But I’m not sure what – if anything – this story wanted to say. It was wrapped up neatly by the end of the episode, with the implication being that Pike’s decision to remove the meteorite would bring a permanent end to the Kalar’s “forgetting.”
On the other hand, the character moments in Among the Lotus Eaters – particularly with Pike and Ortegas – were strong. Pike’s internal dilemma about his burgeoning relationship with Captain Batel was believable, complex, and cute, and the way Pike reached out to Una for guidance went a long way to cementing their relationship as captain and first officer, too. Pike being able to break through his memory loss by focusing on his strong feelings for Batel and the gift she’d given him not only provided a (somewhat convenient) route for the story to take, but also told us a lot about Pike himself.
Fire phasers!
All things considered, I had a good time this week. Among the Lotus Eaters probably isn’t Strange New Worlds’ strongest episode, but it’s a Star Trek story through-and-through. It had an interesting mystery, a sci-fi/fantasy storyline that verged on the mystical, some exciting moments of action, and a villain who, while not as well-developed as I’d have liked, was strong enough to keep things entertaining.
I haven’t watched Charades yet, but I hope to take a look at that episode in the next day or two, and to get back on track with this season’s episode reviews. Thanks for bearing with me!
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Seasons 1-2 are available to stream now on Paramount Plus in countries and territories where the service is available. The Star Trek franchise – including Strange New Worlds – is the copyright of Paramount Global. This article contains the thoughts and opinions of one person only and is not intended to cause any offence.
Spoiler Warning: There are spoilers ahead for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Seasons 1-2. Spoilers are also present for the following Star Trek productions: Picard Season 2, Enterprise, Voyager, and Deep Space Nine.
Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow was an interesting episode – and one of the better time travel stories in modern Star Trek. Its central pairing of La’an and an alternate timeline Kirk was interesting, and one that accomplished the objective of putting them together but without treading on the toes of established canon; Kirk’s legendary conflict with the original Khan Noonien Singh is something that modern Star Trek needs to preserve at all costs!
There were a few contrivances in the episode, though, and both the opening act and Kirk’s willingness to erase his own timeline seemed to be quite rushed. That’s despite Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow being the longest episode of the season so far!
Stranded in the past…
I’ve commented on this twice already this season, but here we go again: where oh where is Captain Pike?! Was Anson Mount unavailable for part of the season’s production? In the first episode, Pike was present only briefly before taking off on a mission of his own. Last week, the opening act saw Pike recruit Una’s lawyer – but he was then sidelined and didn’t have much to say. And this week, Pike got one line in a very short sequence right at the end of the episode. Is Paramount paying Anson Mount by the line these days? What’s going on?!
I say that jokingly – but Strange New Worlds was “the Captain Pike show” when we were campaigning to make it happen. You have to admit that it’s odd, at the very least, for Pike to have been so thoroughly absent in the first part of this season. Basically one-third of Season 2 has now progressed with very little input from the Enterprise’s captain. In past iterations of Star Trek there were always spotlight episodes for individuals and stories in which some characters were more prominent than others… but these came in longer seasons, and it was still relatively uncommon to go three episodes in a row with the captain having so little to do. In modern Star Trek it’s unprecedented; can you imagine if Discovery had run three episodes with so little screen time for Burnham? I just find the whole thing rather perplexing – even though I’ve enjoyed each of these three episodes.
Captain Pike was once again notable by his absence from the story.
Let’s talk about a specific story criticism. Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow saw La’an make wild assumptions and leaps that had no basis in fact or logic. Given that she’s been thrust into a completely new and unfamiliar situation, her assumption that she must have been sent to a specific timeline to team up with Kirk, or to a specific moment in the past for a reason, or that the device she was given wouldn’t “unlock” until she’d completed her mission… all of these things and more needed more time to play out.
As much as I dislike Picard’s second season, the episode Penance is actually a reasonably good example of this “fish-out-of-water” idea. In that story, Picard and several of his crewmates find themselves in an alternate timeline, separated from one another and with no idea of what’s going on. It takes them basically an entire episode just to piece together what’s happened and get back together; it’s not something that can or should be rushed in the way that Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow tried to do.
La’an and Kirk made some wild leaps in logic.
We know that La’an is capable and self-reliant, but her completely baseless assumptions – though validated in a way by the resolution of the story – undermine her characterisation and significantly weaken the episode. Because of the time constraint, it was necessary for La’an to quickly assess the situation she found herself in and come up with a plan – but there may have been ways to cut some other scenes and sequences down, giving this incredibly important setup more time to play out.
This is also true, to an extent, of other parts of the episode. After seeing the bombing and chasing after stolen parts, La’an and Kirk seemed to pretty quickly figure out – again, via baseless assumption – what they had been sent to the past to do. Although Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow found time to slow down in between these rushed moments, the main plot of the episode seemed to leap from point to point incredibly quickly, leaving very little time to digest what was going on. I wanted to shout at La’an and Kirk to slow down and give me a moment to catch my breath!
Racing through the streets of Toronto…
While we’re picking holes in the story, I’ll say this: time travel can be exceptionally difficult to get right in any fictional setting. It’s all too easy to write oneself into a corner, relying on paradoxes, tropes, and “you can’t tell anyone this ever happened” in order to get out of it. The end of Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow raises such a point: if the Department of Temporal Investigations knew what was going on and were able to observe La’an and Kirk, why didn’t they intervene?
La’an is a 23rd Century security officer, and Kirk was a starship captain from a dystopian timeline that shouldn’t exist. They are categorically not the best-qualified people to stop a Romulan super-spy from the future… not without help or guidance, at any rate. If the episode had ended without the official from Temporal Investigations showing up, I guess we could have written it off as the first agent turning to La’an out of desperation. But knowing that this organisation had been watching her all along… it kind of smacks of Enterprise’s Temporal Agent Daniels teaming up with the 22nd Century’s Captain Archer. Surely these organisations have their own staff!
Doesn’t the Department of Temporal Investigations have its own staff?!
That being said, Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow might just be my favourite Star Trek time travel story – or at least my favourite one for a long while! Time travel to the modern day is difficult to get right, and practically every Star Trek episode that’s taken this approach has also taken its crew to the sunlit coast of southern California. This happened in Voyager, in Picard, and even in The Voyage Home. By taking the simple step of visiting Toronto (where the series is filmed) Strange New Worlds was already doing something different. I appreciated that.
I was worried that, coming only a year after Picard Season 2 had spent eight-and-a-half episodes wandering in the 21st Century, Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow might just turn me off before it even got started. Luckily that wasn’t the case, and we got a good mix of lighthearted moments. Kirk and La’an having to figure out how to dress and how to act in an unfamiliar environment stood in contrast to the heavier storyline involving time-travelling terrorists and a plot to stop the Federation from ever being created.
There were lighter moments to balance out a heavy story.
This last point – preventing the Federation from coming into existence – was a fascinating one that I would have loved to explore in more detail. Because it was only revealed at the climax of the plot that the Federation’s existence hinged upon disaster, genocide, and the reign of terror that Khan brought to Earth, there wasn’t an awful lot of time to get into the real implications of this – and of the decision that La’an was forced to make.
But this is such an interesting idea! I even wondered if Picard’s aforementioned second season might’ve been going for a similar setup, because the idea of having to consciously choose to permit something so horrific is a real moral quandary. In that moment, La’an was face-to-face with one of Earth’s most brutal dictators. She could have chosen to kill him, sparing Earth the torment that she knows is 100% guaranteed to happen. But she didn’t – she couldn’t. Not because she wanted it to happen, but because she knew that without those horrors, the future would be radically and almost unimaginably altered.
La’an confronted her family legacy.
The fact that La’an has a personal family tie here makes it an even more complex idea. La’an has spent her life living in the shadow of an infamous, hated ancestor – and she was given an opportunity to prevent any of that from ever happening. The themes at play here, expressed through La’an’s decision and the impossible choice that befell her, are incredibly deep, and Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tommorow almost feels like an episode posing a challenge to its viewers: what would you have done in her place?
This storyline also updates that of Khan and his augments, changing parts of Star Trek’s internal timeline. The Romulan super-spy seemed to imply that the actions of a variety of time-traveling factions may be to blame for Khan’s rise to power taking place decades later than it was supposed to – and that’s something we’ll have to digest or figure out later if it ever returns as a major plot point!
Young Khan.
For now, suffice to say that I’m not a canon “purist,” and I like the idea of Star Trek refreshing and updating itself. That being said, I don’t necessarily feel that the specific timing of Khan’s rise to power is some kind of gaping plot hole that needs to be plugged, even as Star Trek continues to tell modern-day time-travel stories that, in theory, contradict or overwrite parts of the franchise’s prior history. Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow could have proceeded just fine without this somewhat ambiguous line.
This was, perhaps, Strange New Worlds throwing a bone to long-term fans: people like you and I who remember Spock’s line in Space Seed confirming that Khan’s ship left Earth in the late 1990s. Is that a discrepancy? Sure, of course it is. But does it matter? Should all future Star Trek projects avoid modern-day time-travel because the franchise’s fictional history tells us that the late 20th and early 21st Centuries are radically different from how they actually turned out to be? Personally I don’t think so – though canon purists may disagree!
The crew of the Enterprise will meet Khan again…
At first, I was concerned that I wouldn’t be sold on Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow’s Kirk-La’an relationship. But as the story progressed, this turned out to be one of the episode’s strongest elements. The slow buildup to their shared kiss stood in contrast to other story beats that felt rushed or blitzed through too quickly, and by the time Kirk was dying in La’an’s arms, the love story that the episode had constructed truly hit home and formed a much stronger emotional core to the story than I’d been expecting.
Paul Wesley has earned my respect for not only taking on the role of Captain Kirk – a role that is fraught with criticism and that is watched hawkishly by fans – but for putting his own spin on it. Wesley’s Kirk isn’t an attempt to mimic William Shatner’s portrayal – nor Chris Pine’s, come to that. Paul Wesley has made the role his own, showing off his own range, his own emotions, and his own comedic timing. It’s not a carbon copy – any more than Ethan Peck’s Spock is a carbon copy of Leonard Nimoy’s. But I’m impressed with what he’s done with the character – and this alternate version in particular gave the actor a fair amount of leeway.
Paul Wesley as Captain Kirk.
Does La’an’s contact with Pelia form a paradox? I guess we could argue that it does! If Pelia was inspired to become an engineer by La’an in the past, then investigating her possessions was the reason why La’an was alone in the corridor when she crossed over to the alternate timeline, then… wait, my head hurts.
Pelia’s role in the episode was fun, paradoxes aside. It was neat to see Kirk and La’an tracking her down in the past, and the resolution to this side of the story both gives a bit of background to Pelia that we didn’t have before while also being a lighter moment as it became clear that she wasn’t an engineer and would be of no help whatsoever in creating a tracking device. Again, the resolution to this point felt rather contrived and rushed, but the scenes between La’an, Kirk, and Pelia were more than strong enough to carry the story through.
Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow was interesting for the character of Pelia.
Although it was obvious that there would be no “happily ever after” for La’an and Kirk, the way in which the latter was killed was still pretty brutal by Star Trek standards. The episode did a reasonable job at setting up the idea that La’an and Kirk had hope that he might’ve been able to transport back to the prime timeline, but it still felt like a sure thing that that wouldn’t be able to happen, no matter how much they wanted to believe it.
As mentioned, though, the let-down on this side of the story was the rapid, blink-and-you’ll-miss-it turnaround in Kirk. The episode wanted to say something like this: after seeing Earth for the first time with his own eyes, learning of his brother’s survival, and hearing La’an’s tales of a United Federation of Planets and a peaceful, prosperous humanity, Kirk was willing to sacrifice his timeline in order to bring hers into being. Self-sacrifice is a well-established Kirk trait, so that tracks.
Kirk was killed.
But there just wasn’t enough time for this to play out effectively, and it makes the story substantially weaker than it could’ve been. In order to fit in everything else that Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow wanted – the visit to Pelia, the relationship buildup, the car chase, La’an’s run-in with Khan, etc. – this side of things took a back seat. And while other story points worked well, I’m having a hard time with this supposedly grizzled, battle-hardened version of Kirk being so willing to wipe everyone he’s ever known from existence.
This is something that could have been made more of, particularly in terms of a conflict between La’an and Kirk. Two characters from two alternate realities find themselves at the “fork in the road,” where one path leads to one timeline and the other path to a very different one. There was potential in the idea of them arguing over which way to go, because from Kirk’s perspective at least, don’t his people have as much of a right to exist as La’an’s? The episode just didn’t spend much time on what could have been a really interesting idea – and the result of that is that Kirk’s turnaround feels incredibly abrupt.
We could’ve spent longer on this idea.
The episode’s epilogue contained a truly heartbreaking scene. La’an was confronted with the reality that the prime timeline version of Kirk had no idea who she was, and no recollection of the time she’d shared with his alternate counterpart. All credit must go to Christina Chong for a deeply emotional and raw performance; I genuinely felt La’an’s emptiness, loneliness, and heartbreak as she broke down and cried.
The end of Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow feels bleak in more ways than one. La’an had to commit to her ancestor’s genocidal reign, but also lost the sole human connection that we’d ever seen her make. La’an has friendly relationships with her shipmates, but Kirk was something different – someone who seemed to understand her and who didn’t feel encumbered by the weight of her past. La’an caught a glimpse of what that could be like – but it was brutally ripped away from her.
La’an’s heartbreak was a sad end to the episode.
So a bit of a contradictory one this week! Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow is one of Star Trek’s best modern-day time-travel stories. It was fun and lighthearted in places, dense and heavy in others, and it connected back to The Original Series in clever and unexpected ways. But it was let down by trying to cram in one too many storylines, with the result being that several key moments and elements of characterisation were missing, lessening the impact as the story wore on.
I had a good time this week, all things considered. Pairing up Kirk with La’an was a risk, but because this version of Kirk came from an alternate reality, I think we can say it’s a risk that paid off. It was a great episode for La’an’s characterisation, bringing her face-to-face with the monster from her past, but also taking her on an emotional rollercoaster and showing off a side of her that we haven’t always gotten to see.
There’s only one question left to ask: will Captain Pike finally get a role to play next time?!
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Seasons 1-2 are available to stream now on Paramount Plus in countries and territories where the service is available. The Star Trek franchise – including Strange New Worlds – is the copyright of Paramount Global. This article contains the thoughts and opinions of one person only and is not intended to cause any offence.
Spoiler Warning: There are spoilers ahead for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Seasons 1-2. Spoilers are also present for the following Star Trek productions: The Original Series, Deep Space Nine, and Picard.
This review touches on the subjects of transphobia and anti-trans legislation and may be uncomfortable for some readers.
Ad Astra Per Aspera was a great episode that shows Star Trek at its best. It took a sci-fi story about alien races and genetic engineering and used that to shine a light on some very real issues out here in the real world, becoming a classic Star Trek “morality play” in the process. But it did so with subtlety, and without allowing the analogy to overwhelm or subdue the character-driven story at its core. That balance can be difficult to get right sometimes, but Ad Astra Per Aspera nailed it.
For fans like myself, however, who’ve followed Star Trek over the course of decades… Ad Astra Per Aspera runs into one very specific story issue that’s entirely the result of Strange New Worlds being a prequel. This issue doesn’t ruin the episode, but it does detract a little from the powerful message it intended to convey, and leaves the ending feeling bittersweet.
But we’ll get into all of that in a moment.
Una in a Starfleet prison cell.
First of all, before we dive deeply into the analogy at the core of Ad Astra Per Aspera, let’s take a look at a few of the other points of interest in the episode. For the second week in a row – and now for two episodes of what is only a ten-episode season – Captain Pike was once again sidelined. Though Pike had more to do this week than last week, and was physically present for a number of scenes and sequences, his role was relatively minor – as epitomised by Captain Batel telling him that he needed to stay on the sidelines and keep his mouth shut.
As I said last week, this again felt like an odd choice for what we once called “the Captain Pike show.” I’m sure Pike will have more than one centre-stage moment in the episodes that lie ahead, but for Season 2 to have kicked off with not one but two episodes that played out without much input from the Enterprise’s captain is a strange creative choice. Although Captain Batel told Pike that he needed to keep out of the court-martial for both Una’s sake and his own, it would have been just as easy to write a script in which Pike’s input at Una’s trial – perhaps even acting as an advocate for her defence – would have been of vital importance. I don’t hate or even particularly dislike that these two episodes focused on other characters, but it’s noteworthy, at least, that Season 2 started this way.
Captain Pike played a minor role for the second episode in a row.
There was also no mention whatsoever of the events of last week. Again, this is something we could see in a future episode, but Spock’s disobeying of orders, the theft of the Enterprise, and everything that transpired with Dr M’Benga, Nurse Chapel, La’an, and the Klingons… none of it came up. I would have expected Pike to comment, at least, on Spock’s actions – perhaps indicating his approval in such a way that could have set the stage for the events of The Menagerie.
I said last week that I felt it was odd that La’an’s story ended without a definitive resolution. The end of the episode saw her seemingly contemplating a return to Starfleet, but The Broken Circle ended without clarifying further. La’an has rejoined Starfleet, and seemingly regained her posting aboard the Enterprise – but all of this appears to have taken place off-screen. An extra minute or two last week could have cleared that up, and it would have been nice if La’an’s return to duty had been marked in some way by her colleagues and crewmates.
La’an is back in Starfleet.
La’an was one of the more interesting characters this week, and her arc of coming to terms with potentially getting Una in trouble – and her palpable sense of relief when it turned out she wasn’t to blame – was an interesting B-plot that connected with the main thrust of the episode. I wondered if La’an might’ve been the one responsible for “outing” Una, and while I’m glad it wasn’t something she did maliciously, it made for an interesting and engaging secondary storyline as La’an and Uhura looked into what might’ve happened.
Lieutenant Ortegas is the one main character who still hasn’t had a turn in the spotlight. I hope we get to see more from her in Season 2, and while her scenes with Dr M’Benga and Spock this week added a rare moment of light-heartedness to what was an otherwise heavy episode, I’m still hoping to spend more time with the Enterprise’s helm officer.
Lieutenant Ortegas.
The scene in the mess hall with M’Benga and Ortegas was a fun one, though, and I love how the series continues to find new and different ways to make Spock and the Vulcans unintentionally funny. Seeing Spock apologising for his “outburst,” when all we saw was him and the prosecuting officer sitting calmly and quietly was a blast – drawing on what we know of Vulcans and subverting our expectations in the best way possible!
Admiral April continues to confound me. His presentation in Season 1 was that of a decorated, well-respected, and upstanding Starfleet officer. But last week we saw him keeping secrets, potentially scheming with others at Starfleet in a way that could lead to war. And this week, the trend of turning April into somewhat of a “badmiral” seemed to continue. When challenged about Una’s case, April said repeatedly that he would have denied her application to Starfleet Academy simply because of her genetically-enhanced background, positioning him firmly as someone who would uphold the law and the status quo at any cost.
Admiral April may be going down a dark path…
I’m not wild about this direction for Admiral April, and I hope that there will be more to his characterisation this season. We didn’t see any more war scheming this week – which is good. But it’s the second episode in a row that didn’t present him in an especially positive light.
As I said last week, the redress of Discovery’s Federation HQ set wasn’t spectacular. The redress was incredibly obvious, and as Federation HQ has been seen in probably fifteen or more episodes of Discovery beginning with Season 3, it was a poor choice to recycle it here. More could have been done to disguise the repurposed set – such as removing the circular “fence” that took up a large part of the middle of the room. In Discovery, this area is supposed to be open, looking down on other levels. In a courtroom, that just seems silly. The room was also too large for the number of people in it, with a huge gap between the judges’ bench and the prosecution and defence desks. The circular shape also felt clunky and awkward. Better options were available – including the set used for the mess hall, for instance.
The set was a redress of Discovery’s Federation HQ.
Star Trek can do courtroom drama exceptionally well, and Ad Astra Per Aspera will take its place alongside episodes like Court-Martial, The Drumhead, and Rules of Engagement as one of the best. The scenes that took place both in court and outside of it were tense and dramatic, and until Una’s advocate sprung her legal trap it wasn’t at all obvious how the proceedings were going to go. There seemed to be a genuine threat to Una, with the evidence against her being rock-solid, and this was maintained all the way until the final moments of the episode.
The danger with this kind of outcome is that the ending can feel a bit too convenient… and there was a sense of that here. Una’s advocate managed to find a relatively obscure piece of Federation law – obscure enough, anyway, to be unknown to both prosecuting officers – and thus Una escaped punishment on a last-second technicality. That wasn’t unsatisfying by any means, and the writers of Ad Astra Per Aspera did well to connect it back to Una’s own statements. But it’s definitely a trope of the courtroom drama genre.
Neera Ketoul, Una’s advocate, found a technicality to resolve the case in her favour.
One part of Ad Astra Per Aspera that I felt was just a little underdeveloped was the conflict between Una and her advocate: the Illyrian Neera Ketoul. At a couple of points this felt like little more than forced tension; an unnecessary addition to the episode that didn’t really add anything nor elevate the main storyline. We could have seen more of Ketoul in an extended flashback sequence, for example, or learned what transpired between her and Una either at the beginning of the episode or during Pike’s conversation with Una last week. Something like this would have added a bit more to this otherwise pretty bland dispute.
That aside, however, I loved what Ad Astra Per Aspera did with Neera Ketoul – and with the Illyrians in a broader sense. Unlike someone like Atticus Finch – the small-town lawyer in To Kill A Mockingbird – Ketoul’s entire practice is based on advocating for civil rights, particularly for the Illyrians. She embodies many of the same traits as someone like Atticus Finch, but comes from a much stronger starting point. It’s obvious from her first moment in court why Captain Pike believed she would be Una’s best hope!
Neera Ketoul in her office.
So let’s talk about the analogy at the core of Ad Astra Per Aspera. Such things are subjective in nature, and I’m sure that there are other interpretations of the episode. What I’m going to share is my own take, my own thoughts and feelings on the messaging here, and how well I feel it worked in the context of the story.
I viewed Ad Astra Per Aspera’s main story as being an analogy for trans and gender non-conforming people, our rights, and the multitude of legislation that has been and is continuing to be passed in various jurisdictions around the world. When Una spoke of the “privilege of passing,” and how Illyrians who could “pass” for human could conceal their true selves, that was when the analogy really hit. There are definitely other interpretations – but I think this is what the writers were going for. At any rate, that’s what I took away from the episode.
Ad Astra Per Aspera had a powerful message at its core.
Una’s speech about her childhood, about having to hide her true self while listening to vile abuse dished out by others, is something that really hit home for me. I’ve spoken about this before, but when I was younger, being trans or gender non-conforming was something that would lead to ridicule and mockery at best – and abuse and even physical harm at worst. The way Una described the treatment of Illyrians is something that felt uncomfortable – because it’s something that I think a lot of us have seen firsthand.
Here in the UK, as well as in the United States and elsewhere, there are currently some very vicious anti-transgender movements, some of which have scored some pretty big legislative victories. The prominence of some anti-trans figures has also led to the issue being discussed and debated in public far more often, with the result being a pushback against trans people, the rolling back or blocking of trans rights, and even hate campaigns directed at well-known trans individuals.
Una’s trial and her backstory can be seen as an analogy.
Compare that to Una’s description of her early life and there are a lot of parallels. Una describes a typical “moral panic,” one that targetted the Illyrians. Out here in the real world, a similar panic is being whipped up against trans people, non-binary people, and the wider LGBT+ community.
This is Star Trek doing what it’s always done: telling a sci-fi story with a real-world comparison, using its fantastical setting to shine a light on and even reframe issues out here impacting real people in the real world. It’s hard to watch Ad Astra Per Aspera and not sympathise with Una, with the inherent unfairness of the position she’s been placed in, and with the traumatic experiences she had to endure. At the same time, Una is presented as more than simply a victim: she’s someone with ambitions and aspirations, and despite everything that was done to her under Federation law and Starfleet’s code of justice, she still aspired to join the organisation and embody its values.
Una is back aboard the Enterprise!
This is one of the main messages of Ad Astra Per Aspera: that society may not always live up to its own ideals and promises, but those ideals and promises are still worth striving for and fighting for. The notion that “all people are equal” is under attack in some quarters, and the rights of minority groups – not only the LGBT+ community, but ethnic minorities, indigenous peoples, religious minorities, and more – aren’t always guaranteed in an era of populism and government by soundbite. But even when those rights are infringed, the principle that upholds them – and the guiding philosophy behind them – is something worth fighting for.
In terms of the actual narrative side of this analogy, I felt it was brought to screen exceptionally well. Rebecca Romijn put in a truly outstanding performance when Una was taking the stand to speak in her own defence, running the gamut of emotions from trauma, fear, and despair through to the hope and optimism that Una saw in Starfleet. It was gripping to watch; a powerful performance.
This was a really powerful performance by Rebecca Romijn.
Guest star Yetide Badaki was excellent, too, and although I wasn’t wild about the interpersonal conflict angle that the episode forced on her character, she played the role of the seasoned advocate exceptionally well. Seeing Ketoul cross-examining Admiral April, talking around points of law, and finally figuring out how to win the case – these were all exceptional sequences, performed beautifully.
However, as I indicated at the beginning of this review, there is a bittersweet feeling to how things ended – and this is perhaps the biggest example so far of Strange New Worlds as a whole running into what I’ve termed “the prequel problem.” For a casual audience watching the episode, and for new fans too, the episode ended in a positive, uplifting way. Although the laws prohibiting genetic engineering were still in place, an exception had been found for Una – and there was hope, perhaps, that Starfleet and the Federation might re-examine some of their laws and attitudes in light of her case and her exceptional performance in Starfleet.
The end of the episode feels bittersweet.
But for Trekkies who recall Deep Space Nine in particular, we know that isn’t the case. In the Deep Space Nine Season 5 episode Dr Bashir, I Presume, these anti-genetic modification laws were shown to be in place, and still enforced by Starfleet. Dr Bashir’s father would be imprisoned for his role in genetically augmenting his son, and whatever prejudice Ad Astra Per Aspera told us may underlie those laws is something that neither Starfleet nor the wider Federation ever addressed following this episode.
I’d also add into the mix Picard’s ban on synthetic life-forms. A reactionary position taken after the attack on Mars saw the Federation ban any synthetic life-form and prohibit research into synthetic life. Some in the Federation would even adopt attitudes toward synths that seemed positively xenophobic. Whatever lessons could have been learned from Una’s case clearly were never heeded – leading to problems in the 24th and early 25th Centuries… almost 150 years later.
Unfortunately, Starfleet’s treatment of genetically-engineered people did not improve…
I can’t lie: this detracts from the powerful message that the episode aimed to tell. Taken on its own merit, Ad Astra Per Aspera is uplifting, leaving a sense of hope that things can and will get better. But if we extend its metaphor to Deep Space Nine and Picard… well, it’s clear that, at least in the Federation, things don’t get any better.
And I know: this is an issue for the relatively small number of Trekkies who care about a single Deep Space Nine episode. If we set that aside, the analogy works as intended. But any prequel has to consider what comes next within the confines of its fictional universe, and at the very least the knowledge of the Federation’s continued crackdown on genetic engineering puts a downer on the episode’s otherwise uplifting conclusion. Now, there are ways around it if we want to craft some head-canon: we could argue, for example, that the Federation did become much more accepting of genetic engineering and of Illyrians, and its ban only extended to humans by the late 24th Century. Nothing in Deep Space Nine would rule that out. In fact, that might be my personal head-canon going forward!
Pike and Una embrace.
Strange New Worlds has, for me at least, done a good job so far at telling new and engaging stories that expand our understanding of the Star Trek universe rather than overwriting or grating against anything we’d seen on screen in past iterations of the franchise. Nothing we saw this week in any way “challenges” or “violates” Star Trek’s canon or internal consistency – but it feels like Ad Astra Per Aspera kind of hit a wall at the end, unable to go further.
The ideal ending to a story such as this would have been to see the Federation as a whole rolling back its most extreme laws, allowing Illyrians and other genetically-enhanced people to live openly and without fear. To continue its powerful analogy for the plight of trans and gender non-conforming folks, this would be the outcome we’d hope to see here in the real world! But the episode was, to an extent, constrained by canon. Prequels can run into this kind of issue, and I guess I have to say that Ad Astra Per Aspera navigated a difficult situation about as well as it could. But that doesn’t leave the end of the episode feeling any better.
The panel of judges at Una’s court-martial.
So I think that’s all I have to say for now. Ad Astra Per Aspera was a great episode for pride month… and a really good episode in general. Its central message was clever, and it did what Star Trek has done since its inception more than fifty-five years ago: used a sci-fi setting to examine real-world issues. But analogy alone is not enough to make a strong story – and in some cases an overbearing metaphor can actually diminish a story. So where Ad Astra Per Aspera truly succeeded was its engrossing courtroom drama, its smaller character moments with other members of the crew, and in setting up a threat to one of our favourite characters that felt real and, at times, inescapable.
Ad Astra Per Aspera will stand alongside other great courtroom drama episodes in the Star Trek franchise, and nets another massive win for Strange New Worlds. The bittersweet nature of its ending is perhaps the first major occurrence of the series running into “the prequel problem,” and for some Trekkies, such as myself, that unfortunately does detract from its otherwise powerful story – if only a little.
All in all, though, I had a good time this week. And speaking as someone who is non-binary, I found some of Ad Astra Per Aspera’s themes timely, relatable, and even emotional.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Seasons 1-2 are available to stream now on Paramount Plus in countries and territories where the service is available. The Star Trek franchise – including Strange New Worlds – is the copyright of Paramount Global. This article contains the thoughts and opinions of one person only and is not intended to cause any offence.
Spoiler Warning: There are spoilers ahead for the entire Star Trek franchise, including recent and upcoming seasons of Picard, Discovery, Strange New Worlds, Prodigy, and Lower Decks.
The 8th of September is Star Trek Day! That’s the date in 1966 when The Original Series premiered in the United States with the episodeThe Man Trap, and Paramount chose to mark the occasion with a live broadcast for the second year in a row. I tuned in with some degree of excitement; the press release promised “announcements and reveals throughout,” and with Picard finishing up its run next year there was hope, I felt, for some kind of big announcement of a new series.
Star Trek Day was overshadowed this year by the death of Queen Elizabeth II. I wasn’t entirely sure whether the event would go ahead as it became clear throughout the afternoon here in the UK how serious things were, but with the official announcement of her death coming mere minutes before Star Trek Day was due to start (and after most of the guests had already arrived), there wasn’t time to do anything about it. As someone who is categorically not a monarchist, this didn’t bother me in the slightest! But I hope that Star Trek Day proceeding as it did, with light-heartedness and humour, didn’t upset anyone in light of such an historic event.
Hosts Paul F. Tompkins and Tawny Newsome on the main stage at Star Trek Day 2022.
There were some fun chats with stars of all of the present Star Trek shows, but Star Trek Day lacked any major announcements or reveals, in my view, to fully justify a two-hour live broadcast of this kind. It was fun – up to a point – but there were expectations that Paramount had placed on the event through its promise of “announcements and reveals” that weren’t met, at least not for me.
I’m not just talking about brand-new projects, either. We could have seen announcements for things like Lower Decks Season 5 or Strange New Worlds Season 3, the latter of which is surely being worked on at this stage with filming having already been completed on Season 2. But no such announcement was forthcoming at Star Trek Day, and really the only big news (if we can call it that) was the announcement from Nicholas Meyer that his Ceti Alpha V pitch is going to be turned into a podcast.
All of the guests took to the stage stage at the end of Star Trek Day.
As the event’s hosts and guests gathered together on the stage to bid farewell to Star Trek Day, I was thinking to myself “surely that can’t be it!” Some kind of final announcement to wrap things up, like last year’s Picard Season 3 revelation, felt like a possibility. But then the live stream ended and, as it turned out, that really was it.
So I confess to feeling a little disappointed that we didn’t get any of the major announcements that I had been half-hoping to see. As I said a few weeks ago when previewing Star Trek Day, though: Paramount hasn’t been shy about making announcements and revealing details about upcoming projects this year, with news being made at events like Comic-Con. In a way, it’s a testament to how broad Star Trek’s base is as the franchise continues to enjoy its renaissance that so much news has been made so far in 2022. Still, a part of me feels at least a little sad that this made-for-fans event couldn’t have included some kind of big announcement.
Alex Kurtzman on stage at Star Trek day.
But that’s enough about what didn’t happen at Star Trek Day! Let’s talk about what we did see, because there were some trailers and teasers, some fun conversations, some fan-focused moments, and some trademark Star Trek weirdness thrown in for good measure.
First up, to get this out of the way, there were some technical hitches that definitely didn’t go unnoticed. Hosts Tawny Newsome and Paul F. Tompkins both struggled with their teleprompters at different points in the event, leading to some awkward moments as they didn’t know what to say or how to fill the space.
Also on the technical side, at least on YouTube the live stream cut out at least half a dozen times. This only happened for a few seconds at a time (and thankfully not during any of the teasers or trailers), but it’s something that really shouldn’t be happening at this level. Paramount is a massive corporation with a big budget and with lots of experience in running live broadcasts. This wasn’t an issue at my end, either, as I saw a lot of people making similar comments on social media about the quality of the stream itself. This didn’t happen last year – and if Star Trek Day is to return in 2023, I hope it won’t happen again.
The YouTube live stream cut out multiple times.
Last year, Star Trek Day felt rehearsed and choreographed. The hosts (Wil Wheaton and Mica Burton) felt confident, and everyone involved seemed to know where to go, what to say, and what was coming up next. This year… let’s just say that the whole thing felt a lot more “casual.”
Hosts Tawny Newsome and Paul F. Tompkins had great chemistry together and both brought a lot of energy to the stage, but neither of them seemed to have the faintest idea what they were doing, who they were about to talk to, or what was coming up next during the entire broadcast. There was chaos on stage at several points as one or both of the hosts got distracted, forgot what to say, or because of the aforementioned teleprompter issue. One or two instances of this could feel charming, but for two hours of occasionally cringeworthy viewing… I felt it rather outstayed its welcome. While I like both Newsome and Tompkins, and they definitely had great chemistry, I think a dress rehearsal of some kind would have been to their benefit. They didn’t have that many lines to learn, and several of the panels only consisted of a couple of questions, so it just feels as though on that side of things, Star Trek Day wasn’t as polished or rehearsed as it might’ve been or as it was last year.
Paul F. Tompkins and Tawny Newsome (both of whom star in Lower Decks) were on hosting duties.
This also applies to the DJ who was present throughout the event and the stand-up routine that took place partway through. Musical taste and comedy are both very subjective things, of course, but I felt that neither DJ Reggie Watts nor comic Brian Posehn excelled. Neither appeared well-rehearsed or coordinated, and I think that’s such a shame. Had a bit more effort or at least practice gone into their acts, Star Trek Day might’ve been a bit more enjoyable. As it was, both were pretty forgettable, with the only points of note being jokes that appeared to fall flat in the auditorium and a DJ who didn’t know what buttons to press and whose music didn’t seem to start on time.
Aside from big announcements of new projects, I was hoping to get news of Prodigy’s first season, Picard’s third, and Strange New Worlds’ second. We got a few tidbits of information about these projects, which was great, and in a moment I’ll break down the trailers and teasers that we saw. But first, a word about the live panels themselves.
Brian Posehn performed a short stand-up act.
Only Strange New Worlds felt fully-represented, with the majority of the main cast making an appearance. The Strange New Worlds panel was also probably the least cringe-inducing to watch, as host Tawny Newsome managed to get in a few interesting questions that prompted the cast to talk about both their experiences of Season 1 as well as drop a few teases about Season 2.
The other panels, however, were pretty lacklustre. Sir Patrick Stewart was present along with Michelle Hurd and Jeri Ryan to talk Picard Season 3, but the truncated panel only had time for a couple of questions before rolling the new teaser trailer. The Lower Decks panel completely fell apart, and while I don’t like to be too critical of performers who come down with a case of what seemed to be stage fright, Noël Wells and Tawny Newsome were not at their best as they seemed to have no idea what questions to ask or how to answer them.
The Lower Decks panel went completely off the rails.
The Prodigy panel was so short as to basically amount to nothing; Brett Gray, who plays Dal, barely got to say two words before a teaser clip for the second half of Season 1 was shown. I’m glad that Prodigy finally has a release date for those episodes, and I’m happy to see that Picard Season 3 will be on our screens in Feburary next year, but the panels were one of the parts of Star Trek Day that I was most looking forward to, and it’s just a shame that they were cut short. Better preparation from the hosts and some of the guests would have improved things, too.
The announcement of Ceti Alpha V as a podcast, that I mentioned earlier, is an interesting one in some ways. I’m glad that the Star Trek franchise hasn’t committed television or film money to this project, as it wasn’t one that I was desperately interested to see. But an audio drama of some kind is something different, and if Paramount markets it well it could become something of a sleeper hit. I won’t go into my full critique of the Ceti Alpha V concept again; suffice to say that I feel the chapter of Khan’s life in between Space Seed and The Wrath of Khan may not be the most interesting one to revisit. But if Nicholas Meyer was dedicated to it, perhaps an audio drama is a good compromise. I would say that Meyer didn’t seem thrilled to be making the announcement and specifically mentioned that he wrote it for television; perhaps there’s some degree of sour grapes there! You can read my full thoughts on Ceti Alpha Vby clicking or tapping here.
Nicholas Meyer announced the upcoming Ceti Alpha V podcast.
The teaser we saw from Prodigy seems to pick up fairly shortly after the events of the most recent episode, with the crew of the Protostar on the run. It looked tense and exciting, and really like more of the same; a continuation of the story and events of the first half of Season 1. I’m hopeful that Paramount will start to support Prodigy more strongly as I really feel that the show has so much untapped potential to convert a whole generation of kids into Trekkies for the first time. But if that’s going to happen, Paramount is going to have to do more to promote and assist the show. Toys would be a good start; we’re still months away from the first batch of Prodigy toys, and despite showing off some new merch at Star Trek Day, Prodigy was once again conspicuously absent from the lineup.
It’s good that Prodigy will be returning in late October, though – as soon as Lower Decks Season 3 wraps up, Prodigy can fill that slot. It means there’ll be new Star Trek on our screens all the way to the end of the year, which is fantastic. Although the clip that was shown seems to be from the first new episode, there’s scope for the crew of the Protostar to have lots of new adventures – and perhaps connect their story to Voyager in a significant way. I can’t wait to see what’s in store!
Prodigy is coming back in seven weeks’ time!
Strange New Worlds also showed a single clip from Season 2 in lieu of an edited and composed trailer, with the action focused on Lieutenant Ortegas as she prepared for an away mission. The planet Rigel VII was mentioned, which was a location first glimpsed in flashback sequences in The Cage and The Menagerie; Rigel VII is a planet Captain Pike has visited before and it’s home to fierce Kalar warriors.
The clip itself was interesting. We learned a little about the relationship between Ortegas and Spock as the latter’s analysis of information caused Ortegas to be dropped from an away mission she was excited for. We also learned that Captain Pike had once been a “test pilot” which made him confident enough to pilot a shuttle under what sounds like difficult circumstances. I’m getting a Gallileo Seven vibe from this story setup; perhaps the shuttle will crash in Kalar territory and the crew – led by Ortegas aboard the Enterprise, maybe – will have to mount a rescue! Am I over-interpreting a short scene? Well that’s a possibility!
Spock and Ortegas in our first look at Strange New Worlds Season 2.
A second announcement for Strange New Worlds’ second season introduced a brand-new character: Commander Pelia will become the Enterprise’s new chief engineer, taking over from poor Hemmer. I’m still sad about Hemmer’s departure from the series, but I can’t tell you how relieved I am that the writers managed to resist the temptation to replace him with Scotty! There’s scope to do more with legacy characters in Strange New Worlds, don’t get me wrong, but I want to maximise the time we have with some fantastic new characters, too.
Commander Pelia will be played by veteran actress Carol Kane, who you might know from Taxi, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, or the original stage production of Wicked. Landing someone of her calibre feels like a real coup for Strange New Worlds, and I’m hopeful that Commander Pelia will be a wonderful addition to the crew. I’m excited to see more scenes set in engineering in Season 2, as well!
Promo photo of Commander Pelia.
We caught a glimpse of a new Lower Decks episode during Star Trek Day, too. The clip seemed to feature an aggressive Romulan adversary attacking the USS Cerritos, so I guess we should stay tuned for the Romulans to make an appearance later in the season! Maybe this is a controversial point, but I think Lower Decks may be in danger of over-using the “starship swoops in at the last second and saves the day” trope. It worked so well with the Titan in Season 1, and the Cerritos getting to be the saviour in Season 2 was poetic symmetry. But I think big, emotional moments like this should be used sparingly, so to see another starship doing the same here was… I don’t know. Maybe a little less impactful than it could have been.
However, all of this could be a moot point! It seems possible that the events we saw in the clip are taking place in an alternate timeline, a holodeck simulation, or something like that – because how else do we explain a Boimler clone with a different name in command of the other vessel? It was an exciting clip, though, and I’ll be fascinated to see that episode when it’s broadcast! Stay tuned for a full review!
What could be going on here?
The promised Discovery set tour was a bit of fun. Season 5 seems well underway, and it’s always nice to catch a glimpse behind the scenes. Wilson Cruz was a great guide, and although we didn’t get to see any brand-new sets, we got to see some of the details in Burnham’s quarters that are often overlooked. Cruz also drew attention to the dedication plaque at Federation HQ; again this is something I hadn’t seen up-close.
Of particular note during this segment was Mary Wiseman’s appearance. Lieutenant Tilly’s departure from the USS Discovery early in Season 4 was an unexpected move, but one that actually felt right for her character. Tilly got an emotional send-off before making an appearance in the season finale alongside Admiral Vance, and it felt possible that her departure could have set her up for a role in the long-rumoured Starfleet Academy series. That may still happen, but for now it seems that Tilly will be back aboard the USS Discovery in some form in Season 5. I’ll be glad to welcome her back – but I hope her return doesn’t detract from her wonderfully emotional departure in Season 4.
Wilson Cruz with Mary Wiseman and Blu del Barrio.
As the tour continued we saw a scene being prepared on the bridge set, with several characters in uniform. The bold primary colours that were reintroduced in Season 4 remain in place – something I’m pleased to see! A conversation with Stamets actor Anthony Rapp and one of the show’s costume/wardrobe artists was also interesting, and we saw Stamets’ familiar blue tunic in that segment.
Finally, a single promotional photo was shown off for Discovery’s upcoming fifth season – featuring Michael Burnham riding some kind of Star Wars-inspired speeder bike across a dusty or desert landscape. The image looks like it’s taken from an exciting sequence, and Burnham seemed to be out of uniform which could suggest she’s on an away mission or undercover assignment. But there’s only so much speculating we can do based on a single image! There was no release window for Discovery Season 5, but filming is well underway and I’m a little surprised that we didn’t get some kind of teaser trailer.
Captain Burnham looks like she’s having fun!
Star Trek Day paid tribute to Nichelle Nichols in very touching fashion. In fact, the pre-recorded segment was my favourite at the event, all things considered. Nichelle Nichols, who passed away earlier this year, made a huge impact on the Star Trek franchise – but more importantly in many ways, on the world beyond Star Trek and entertainment, too.
Performers Dawnn Lewis, Sonequa Martin-Green, Celia Rose Gooding, Wilson Cruz, Michelle Hurd, and more all contributed to the beautiful piece, and it really was the perfect way to salute a unique individual, someone who made a real difference not only on screen and within the Star Trek franchise, but far beyond the world of entertainment. As we discussed when I paid my own tribute to Nichelle Nichols, she played a huge role at NASA in getting more people from diverse backgrounds involved with the space programme. For Star Trek Day to take the time to salute her and recognise her legacy was important, and it was handled beautifully.
Nichelle Nichols at NASA as seen in the Star Trek Day tribute.
Picard’s third and final season now has a release date, and it’s nice to know that we’ll be having one last adventure with Admiral Picard in the early part of next year. The teaser trailer was interesting, and we got to see another new starship: the USS Titan! Spacedock also made a return to the franchise, which was beautiful to see. Sir Patrick Stewart told us that he and the crew are going back to space for Season 3 – after Season 2 spent most of its time on Earth in the 21st Century – and if the teaser is anything to go by, the crew’s return to the stars will be epic!
It was great to see Seven of Nine in uniform, and she seems to be playing an important role in whatever mission Admiral Picard will have to pick up. During the brief panel, Michelle Hurd mentioned that Season 3 will feature some kind of storyline involving the “criminal underworld” of the Star Trek galaxy, a premise that sounds interesting – and perhaps a little Star Wars-y!
The USS Titan leaving spacedock.
The teaser trailer showed clips of all of the returning cast members from The Next Generation, with the notable exception of Brent Spiner. Spiner will be playing a role in Season 3, but who his character will be is still unknown. It could be a member of the Soong family, such as Altan Inigo Soong who was part of the story of Season 1. Equally it could be an android like Lore or B-4. We don’t know at this stage, but clearly Paramount is keeping that under wraps for now!
Aside from seeing the USS Titan up close, the teaser trailer played its cards close to its chest! The brief glimpses that we caught of the main characters were fun and exciting, but didn’t really communicate anything significant about the plot. At this stage, we really don’t know where the story will go or whether it will connect with anything from Seasons 1 or 2. I hope that it does, and that maybe some of the dangling story threads from those earlier seasons could be tied up… but my gut says we’re probably going to get something brand-new.
Geordi La Forge as seen in the Season 3 teaser trailer.
So that’s about all there is to say this time. Star Trek Day was… okay. There were no big announcements, no replacement for Picard, no season renewals for the current shows, and only two release dates for seasons that we already knew were coming. I think it would be unfair to call an event like this that was made for Trekkies “underwhelming,” but I really wasn’t blown away by this year’s Star Trek Day. A combination of technical issues, hosts and guests who felt unprepared, most of the panels being shorter and less-detailed than expected, and the lack of any major announcements or news all came together to put a bit of a downer on what should have been a fun extravaganza of all things Trek.
I felt that last year’s Star Trek Day event – which had a few issues of its own, don’t get me wrong – was better. Last year the hosts and guests felt better-prepared and rehearsed, there were none of the technical hiccups that impacted this year’s event, there were longer and more detailed panels featuring more guests, and there were bigger and more interesting announcements for all of the current shows. This year’s event just feels smaller and less exciting in comparison.
Hosts Paul F. Tompkins and Tawny Newsome with Wil Wheaton (who hosted last year’s event).
Despite that, I had a good time for the most part with Star Trek Day. I’m glad that Paramount put this together and I’m especially glad that it wasn’t locked behind a Paramount+ paywall and was thus accessible to all Trekkies. It’s no one’s fault that there weren’t any major announcements; that’s just the way it goes and if things aren’t ready, it’s infinitely better to wait than to jump the gun and announce something prematurely! Star Trek 2023 and the untitled Section 31 series stand as cases in point to that!
That’s just my take, though, and I sincerely hope that everyone in attendance and the legions of fans who watched from all across the globe had fun. We’re very lucky that the Star Trek franchise is going through a renaissance right now and that events like this still draw huge audiences! Long may that continue!
The Star Trek franchise – including all properties discussed above – is the copyright of Paramount Global. Star Trek series and films are available to stream now on Paramount+ in the United States, United Kingdom, and other countries and territories where the platform is available. Star Trek: Picard and Star Trek: Lower Decks are available on Amazon Prime Video outside of the United States. This article contains the thoughts and opinions of one person only and is not intended to cause any offence.
Spoiler Warning: There are spoilers ahead for the following Star Trek productions: The Original Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Enterprise, and Discovery. Minor spoilers are also present for Strange New Worlds Season 1.
Strange New Worlds was absolutely fantastic across its first season, hitting ten for ten and leaving me – and many other Trekkies – clamouring for more! This time, I thought it could be fun to put together a list of a few episode concepts that I would love to see in future seasons of the show as Captain Pike’s adventures aboard the Enterprise continue!
There are so many different alien races, stellar phenomena, factions, puzzles, and more from past iterations of Star Trek that I’d love to see a new and different take on that one list may not be enough! While we do have to keep in mind that Strange New Worlds takes place before the events of The Original Series – and thus the vast majority of Star Trek stories – there’s still plenty of room for writers, creators, and fans like us to play around in the vast sandbox that is the Star Trek franchise!
Captain Pike and his bridge crew.
So the obvious caveat here is that I have no “insider information.” I’m not trying to claim that any of the story pitches below will ever make it to screen; I just think they’re neat ideas that I personally would like to see. And as I always say, everything here is entirely subjective! If you hate all of my ideas, or if I don’t include something that seems obvious to you, that’s okay! There’s plenty of room in the Star Trek fan community for respectful disagreement and civil conversations – and there’s absolutely no need to get upset about fan-made episode ideas that almost certainly won’t ever make it to the screen.
So with all of that out of the way, let’s jump into the list!
Pitch #1: Reintroduce the Xindi.
Two of the five different Xindi races.
Although a character supposedly representing the Xindi was briefly glimpsed in Discovery Season 4 last year, they’ve only appeared in a big way in Enterprise. The Xindi served as primary antagonists for much of the show’s serialised third season, and had been plotting to destroy Earth under the manipulation of time-traveling aliens. With Strange New Worlds being set a full century after those events, it would be great to catch up with the Xindi and see what came next for them.
As of the 26th Century, the Xindi were supposedly Federation members – so perhaps we could see moves in that direction. Maybe the Xindi have entered a period of isolation, and that could explain their total absence from Star Trek stories set in the 23rd and 24th Centuries – not that such an explanation would be strictly necessary.
Either way, I think it could be fun to bring back the Xindi for a one-off story, particularly one in which they aren’t just an antagonist.
Pitch #2: Save Captain Lorca!
Captain Gabriel Lorca.
This could be a great way not only to bring back an interesting character, but also to give at least some Strange New Worlds characters a chance to cross over to the Mirror Universe. At the end of Discovery Season 2, Captain Pike heavily implied that he was aware of the existence of the Mirror Universe, so that could be an interesting angle to work if a crossover were on the agenda.
In short, I don’t believe that crossing over to the Mirror Universe was the death sentence for Captain Lorca that other characters in Discovery Season 1 believed it to be. I think that someone with Lorca’s skills could have found a way to blend in and go into hiding, and if he could find a way to send a distress signal from the Mirror Universe that could lead to Captain Pike planning a rescue!
Captain Lorca was one of the highlights of Discovery’s first season, and it would be fun to get a look at the prime version of the character.
Pitch #3: Make first contact with a faction from The Next Generation era.
A Cardassian delegation.
Captains Picard, Sisko, and Janeway made plenty of first contacts during their respective missions in the 24th Century, but they also introduced us to a lot of factions that Starfleet had already met. We had, for instance, the Cardassians, the Lurians, and the Sheliak – all of whom were new to us as the audience, but not to the characters on the show.
So it could be fun to see a mission of first contact with an alien race like the Cardassians. Did first contact go well? Could there be some foreshadowing of events that will unfold in the 24th Century? How would Captain Pike deal with one of these races that we’ve seen before? I think it could be a neat concept, if done right, and one that would tie together different eras of Star Trek in a big way.
If I had to pick one race or faction for this episode, I’d pick the Cardassians.
Pitch #4: Bring back a main character from Enterprise.
The crew of Enterprise.
Another “crossover” idea, this episode would bring back one of Enterprise’s main characters for one last assignment. As we’ve seen from episodes like Relics, creative use of technobabble can be used to bring in basically any character, so I don’t think we can really rule anyone out! That being said, there is one character more than any other who could still be alive in this era and who could have a major role to play: T’Pol.
As the first Vulcan to work extensively with humans and Starfleet, T’Pol could have a lot of advice to give to this younger version of Spock. As Spock continues to wrangle with his human and Vulcan heritage, someone like T’Pol could step in to offer guidance. She could do this independently, or we could see her included as part of a Vulcan delegation that the Enterprise has to deliver.
It would be fascinating to learn what came next for the entire crew of the NX-01 Enterprise, but if I had to pick one character this time it would be T’Pol.
Pitch #5: Battle the Borg!
The first Borg drone ever seen in Star Trek.
I would absolutely love to see Captain Pike and the crew take on the Borg. I think this one would have to be set in some kind of Borg-dominated alternate reality, though, rather than being set in the prime timeline. Although Star Trek has made a huge mess of Borg-Federation contact, I’d still rather avoid treading on the toes of The Next Generation in that regard.
But it could be amazing to see the Enterprise crew having to figure out how to make it home safely while having to defend themselves against one of the most terrifying adversaries in all of Star Trek. Season 1 already showed us a great take on the horror genre – and bringing in the Borg could really succeed at ramping up the fear factor.
With the Borg having made relatively few appearances in modern Star Trek, this could be a fun and unexpected way to include them.
Pitch #6: Set up a story that will be paid off in The Original Series.
The USS Enterprise in Where No Man Has Gone Before.
There are a number of episodes from The Original Series that could be expanded upon and given new backstory. We could visit Deep Space Station K-7, for example, from the classic episode The Trouble With Tribbles. Or Captain Pike could escort the lawyer Samuel T. Cogley to his new posting at Starbase 11.
There are dozens of such examples; stories that The Original Series has already told that could be fleshed out. Even if a wholly new story was concocted for a character or location that was visited – as we’ve seen in Season 1 with the Gorn, for example – it would still be a cute nod and wink to longstanding Trekkies.
Strange New Worlds has leaned on The Original Series for inspiration already – so this would really just be more of the same!
Pitch #7: A backdoor pilot for the Section 31 series.
Ash Tyler.
At time of writing, it feels as though the purported Discovery spin-off based around Section 31 won’t be going ahead. But Strange New Worlds could change that by reintroducing the shadowy organisation. After Pike and Spock tangled with Section 31 during Discovery’s second season they might have a score to settle, and it could also be fun to bring back Ash Tyler for a guest appearance – he was named Section 31’s new leader after the battle against Control.
A Section 31 episode that brings back Ash Tyler – and perhaps even Georgiou – could test the waters to see whether the concept still has potential. Strange New Worlds is definitely the Discovery spin-off that fans wanted, but particularly in light of Georgiou’s character development in that show’s third season, the Section 31 idea shouldn’t be written off and feels more viable now than it did when it was first announced.
Even if no spin-off happens, it would still be nice to get some furtherance of the Section 31 storylines that we saw a couple of years ago.
Pitch #8: What happened between Sarek and Spock?
Sarek in Discovery Season 2.
As Strange New Worlds continues to develop Spock’s character, it would be interesting to see his conflict with his father. This was first broached in The Original Series episode Journey to Babel – Sarek’s first appearance – but a canonical reason for it has never been established. It’s been implied that Sarek disapproved of Spock joining Starfleet instead of enrolling at the Vulcan Science Academy, but it’s never been fully confirmed.
James Frain put in a decent performance as Sarek in Discovery’s first two seasons, and with Spock being a big part of Strange New Worlds he seems like a logical choice to bring back. Spock has stated that he and Sarek were “estranged” during this era, but there’s still the possibility of some kind of contact between the two.
I’d be curious to see if there’s more to the Spock-Sarek split than we’ve seen so far!
Pitch #9: Travel back in time.
Could time travel soon be on the agenda?
Time travel stories – especially those that involve visiting the modern day – are seldom my favourites in Star Trek. But time travel has been part of the franchise since its inception, and even more than half a century and 850 episodes later, there are still ideas that haven’t really been tried. We’ve seen practically every Starfleet captain visit modern-day Earth – but we’ve only seen a handful of episodes set in Earth’s past.
I’d be interested to see Captain Pike and the crew visit the middle ages, the 1700s, or the First World War, just to pick three examples. How did they get there? I don’t know. What would they have to do there – aside from figure out a way home? I don’t know that either! But taking time travel to an era that Star Trek has never explored would be fascinating.
Maybe Captain Pike could even view time travel as a way to postpone his inevitable accident?
Pitch #10: A “bottle episode” set during a long voyage.
The Enterprise’s saucer section as seen in Season 1.
In Star Trek we often see our heroes warping from one destination to the next at the drop of a hat, and while travel times between locations are occasionally mentioned, we don’t often get to see the reality of some of these long-distance voyages. The Season 5 premiere of Voyager perhaps came closest to this (before it introduced us to the Malon) but if you think about it there must be a lot of downtime for the crew of the Enterprise in between missions.
So this episode would focus on different members of the crew and how they spend their free time. The Enterprise is en route to deliver supplies or conduct a scientific experiment, but that just serves as background to show us how Captain Pike and the crew handle a weeks-long voyage across space with nothing to do. We could see the Enterprise’s recreational facilities, learn some of the characters’ hobbies, and generally slow things down and take a break from the action for a while.
Being set entirely aboard the ship could also cut costs – allowing for more of the budget to be allocated to other, more demanding stories!
So that’s it!
Season 1 promo poster.
Those are ten of my ideas (or “pitches”) for Strange New Worlds episodes that I’d like to see in future seasons of the show. I doubt any of these will ever get made… but you never know! It’s fun to speculate and come up with episode concepts regardless.
If you missed my spoiler-free review of Season 1, I had an amazing time with Strange New Worlds and I can’t recommend the series highly enough! I’ve been telling as many people as I can to give it a shot, because I feel it has the potential to be a gateway into the Star Trek franchise for newcomers.
So I hope this was a bit of fun for today! There will be more Strange New Worlds content to come in the months ahead as we await Season 2 – so stay tuned!
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 1 is available to stream now on Paramount+ in the United States, United Kingdom, and other countries and territories where the platform is available. Further international distribution has not been announced. The Star Trek franchise – including Strange New Worlds and all other properties mentioned above – is the copyright of Paramount Global. This article contains the thoughts and opinions of one person only and is not intended to cause any offence.
Spoiler Warning: Although there are no major plot spoilers for Strange New Worlds Season 1, the inclusion of particular episodes on this list may hint at certain themes, characters, storylines, etc. There are also spoilers below for the episodes and stories on this list.
I haven’t been able to talk about Strange New Worlds as much as I would’ve liked thanks to Paramount taking an “America First” approach to the series, the Star Trek franchise, and pretty much everything else on Paramount+. However, with Paramount+ having now arrived here in the UK, I hope to slowly begin to rectify that situation and make up for lost time. On this occasion, I’ve put together a list of ten episodes that I think make great background viewing for Strange New Worlds Season 1.
You can absolutely watch these Star Trek stories before diving into the show’s first season, but if – like me – you’ve already watched Strange New Worlds Season 1, there’s still value in going back to some of them to expand on what the new show’s first season delivered. Ordinarily I’d have written a list like this before the season aired, but having already seen Strange New Worlds that’s allowed me to adapt the list and include a couple of episodes that I would have never considered!
The long-awaited Captain Pike series is finally here!
Strange New Worlds was absolutely fantastic in its first season – and it has me lamenting the truncated ten-episode seasons of modern Star Trek as I could’ve happily enjoyed at least ten more! If you missed it, I’ve already written up my spoiler-free thoughts on the show’s first season, and you can find that piece by clicking or tapping here. At the risk of repeating myself, Strange New Worlds hit ten for ten in its first season – ten outstanding episodes that I thoroughly enjoyed.
I can’t recommend Strange New Worlds highly enough both to fans of Star Trek and to newcomers to the franchise. If you’re new, or if it’s been a while since you last saw some of these episodes, watching them will provide some additional background and backstory heading into Strange New Worlds – or will expand somewhat on some of the stories, factions, and characters if you’ve already watched Season 1. However, nothing below makes for essential or unmissable viewing; Strange New Worlds is a very accessible series that newcomers to Star Trek shouldn’t feel intimidated by!
Who could this be? Watch Strange New Worlds to find out!
As always, please keep in mind that all of this is just the subjective opinion of one person. I’ve chosen episodes that I generally enjoy and that I feel connect in significant ways to Strange New Worlds Season 1. If you don’t like my picks or I miss something you would’ve included, that’s okay! There’s always room in the Star Trek fan community for discussion and polite disagreement.
I’ve tried hard to avoid major plot spoilers for Strange New Worlds Season 1, but the inclusion of certain episodes here may hint at the inclusion of factions, aliens, characters, and storylines. If you don’t want to risk any of that, this is your last chance to nope out!
With all of that out of the way let’s take a look at the episodes I’ve chosen, which are listed below in no particular order.
Episode #1: The Menagerie, Parts I-II The Original Series Season 1
Captain Pike as he appeared in The Menagerie.
Technically speaking, The Menagerie was Captain Pike’s first Star Trek appearance. The episode incorporates most of the footage left over from The Original Series’ unsuccessful first pilot, The Cage, but uses a frame narrative to include Captain Kirk and Spock as they look back on the events of Captain Pike’s mission to the planet Talos IV.
After network NBC had spent a significant amount of money on The Cage, one of the conditions attached to The Original Series’ first season was that Gene Roddenberry and his team find a way to use the footage left over from the original pilot. It was either impossible or prohibitively expensive to bring back The Cage star and original Captain Pike actor Jeffrey Hunter for the role, and the recasting of the character is part of the reason for Pike’s severe disfigurement and disability.
What could Spock be doing in engineering?
We could do an entire article on the production history of The Cage and The Menagerie – and maybe one day we should! – but for now, the important thing to keep in mind is that this is Captain Pike’s ultimate destination. The Menagerie exists as a reminder of where Captain Pike’s arc will ultimately lead him, but it’s also an interesting episode in its own right.
The Original Series was beginning to find its feet by this point in its first season, and a two-parter like The Menagerie could’ve blown it off-course. However, the way The Cage was incorporated into the story made for a fascinating and somewhat mysterious presentation, and Spock’s characterisation and his dedication to his former captain in particular are noteworthy. It’s a fascinating episode that managed to be so much more than just a recycling of a failed pitch and that found a unique and innovative way to accomplish what could have been a difficult and annoying task.
Episode #2: Trials and Tribble-ations Deep Space Nine Season 5
Can you spot who might be out-of-place?
Trials and Tribble-ations was created for the Star Trek’s thirtieth anniversary in 1996, and it was a fun celebration of the franchise’s roots. The crew of the USS Defiant – led by Captain Sisko – find themselves displaced in time, arriving during the events of The Original Series episode The Trouble With Tribbles.
Sisko and his crew have to preserve the timeline – a nefarious villain is attempting to use a Bajoran Orb to alter the past to his advantage. What results is a genuinely fun romp, and seeing the two crews from two different eras coming together was quite something. I’ve always held Trials and Tribble-ations in high esteem ever since I first watched it!
Two legendary captains meet.
On the technical side of things, Trials and Tribble-ations was incredibly ambitious for its time. Using the same technology that had been used to place Tom Hanks alongside real-world historical figures for the film Forrest Gump – which had been released only a couple of years earlier – the creative team managed to seamlessly blend the Deep Space Nine characters into The Original Series. Some excellent work with costumes and sets – including a recreation of the original USS Enterprise’s bridge – really sold the illusion.
The only character from Trials and Tribble-ations to appear in Strange New Worlds is Spock, with the episode taking place after Pike’s tenure in the captain’s chair. But as a celebration of all things Star Trek, and one of the few stories to bring together the 23rd and 24th Centuries, it’s one you shouldn’t miss! There are also some interesting time travel and timeline-integrity angles to the story’s frame narrative that may just prove interesting to viewers who pay attention.
Episode #3: Q & A Short Treks Season 2
Who’s this promising young ensign?
Q & A steps back in time to before the events of Strange New Worlds and Discovery Season 2 to show us Spock’s arrival aboard the USS Enterprise while still an ensign. It’s a cute short story that shows off a younger Spock while also introducing us to Una – a.k.a. Number One. Una had far less screen time than Spock or Pike in Discovery’s second season, so Q & A was one of the first stories to feature her in a big way.
There are some great shots of the internal workings of the USS Enterprise’s turbolifts – something that a geek like me is always going to be interested in! In fact, Q & A must be one of the very few episodes, along with parts of The Next Generation’s fifth season episode Disaster, to make a turbolift its primary setting. That format could feel restrictive, but Q & A makes it shine through some excellent character work and occasionally hilarious writing.
One of the Enterprise’s many turboshafts.
Q & A was one of three episodes of Short Treks to bring back Pike, Spock, and Una – and these short stories began to expand upon their roles and set the stage for Strange New Worlds. They were also experimental; teases to fans that also served to see whether the much-requested “Captain Pike show” was a viable concept. Short Treks did some genuinely interesting things in its second season – which is why I’ve argued that the concept should absolutely be revived!
Captain Pike is less of a presence in Q & A than he would be in Ask Not, but that’s no bad thing. We got to spend more time with Una, and seeing her in her role as first officer – in part through the eyes of a young Spock, fresh out of Starfleet Academy – was fascinating!
Episode #4: Unification, Parts I-II The Next Generation Season 5
An older Ambassador Spock in the 24th Century.
We just talked about how interesting it was to see young Spock when he was first assigned to the Enterprise – so now let’s jump forward in time by more than a century to see a much older Spock in a completely different chapter of his life! The two-part episode Unification brought Spock into The Next Generation in a truly interesting story that built upon the Vulcan-Romulan connection that had been introduced in The Original Series.
I adore crossovers, and aside from a brief cameo in the premiere of The Next Generation, this was the first crossover involving main characters that the franchise had attempted. Its success laid the groundwork for the likes of Relics, Flashback, Defiant, Caretaker, These Are The Voyages, and many more.
Spock and Data.
Unification found a way to give Spock genuine development to reflect decades of his life that we hadn’t seen on screen. It was great to see him alongside not only Captain Picard but also Data – the two characters share many characteristics and filled similar roles in their respective series. The mystery at the heart of the episode and subsequent revelations about Spock’s work and the Romulans’ schemes made for a story that was tense, dramatic, and exciting.
Strange New Worlds isn’t all about Spock, but seeing what his life would be like decades after the events of the series is worthwhile. It puts into context not only the stories that unfold around Spock, but his own actions, behaviours, and thoughts. The Spock we meet in Unification is different from the Spock of Strange New Worlds – but not unrecognisable.
Bonus Episode #4½: Unification III Discovery Season 3
Cleveland Booker and Michael Burnham watch a recording of Spock.
The two-parter became a three-parter when Discovery added to the legacy of Unification in its third season. Taking Spock’s work with the Romulans as a starting point, Unification III shows us how subsequent generations of Romulans and Vulcans looked to Spock as an inspiration. His legacy is all over this story – and it would carry through into future episodes of Discovery in its third and fourth seasons.
Spock would go on to be an important part of Vulcan history, remembered fondly even centuries after his death for the process that he started. Seeing Michael Burnham react to that was sweet, and knowing that Spock has a legacy within the Star Trek timeline that extends far beyond his own lifespan is something incredibly meaningful.
Episode #5: Arena The Original Series Season 1
The Gorn captain.
An absoloute classic of The Original Series, Arena features Captain Kirk’s iconic battle against an unnamed Gorn captain – the first Gorn encountered in Star Trek. I might be in the minority here, but I absolutely adore the way the rubber-suited Gorn looks. There’s something menacing about its tyrannosaurus rex-like head, its silvery, almost insectoid eyes, and its sharp crocodilian teeth. But at the same time, there’s a light-hearted campiness to the way the Gorn comes across on screen thanks in part to the limitations of 1960s special effects – and perhaps also due to the bold pattern on his (or her?) costume!
There’s more to Arena than just the scuffle at Vasquez Rocks, though! There’s a more philosophical side to the story, one that shows how far humanity has come by the 23rd Century – and how far there is still to go to make progress. Despite the conflict, both Spock and Kirk demonstrate a willingness to try diplomacy and show mercy – something that impresses the highly-advanced Metrons.
The Enterprise crew watch helplessly as Captain Kirk battles against the Gorn.
The way in which Captain Kirk was able to outsmart and defeat the Gorn captain shows his ingenuity at its best – and presents a contrast between “brains” and “brawn” that made it clear how even a strong and physically imposing enemy can be defeated. There’s a great metaphor there for dealing with bullies!
Arena is one of those episodes that I believe every Trekkie – even those who aren’t fans of The Original Series – needs to see at least once. Despite the Gorn not becoming a recurring villain in The Original Series or even during The Next Generation era, the original design of these reptilian aliens has become iconic, and as a story that fully encapsulates the Star Trek franchise’s approach to science-fiction, Arena has it all.
Episode #6: Damage Enterprise Season 3
Enterprise has seen better days…
Damage comes quite late in the fully-serialised story of Enterprise’s third season, but it’s worth a watch regardless. At this point in the story, Captain Archer and his crew are running out of time to prevent the Xindi from launching a super-weapon against Earth, and Archer’s desperation to do anything to complete his mission forces him down a very dark moral path.
In essence, Captain Archer must choose between failure – which will almost certainly lead to the total annihilation of Earth itself – and his morality, leading to him basically turning to theft and piracy in order to survive in the harsh Delphic Expanse. It’s a fascinating story that features a brand-new alien race, but also one that’s an introspective character piece focusing on Archer’s decisions.
Captain Archer is forced to confront an impossible decision.
There are other story threads in play in Damage, including T’Pol’s exposure to Trellium-D – a compound toxic to Vulcans that caused her to begin to lose control over her emotions. The way in which Vulcans suppress their emotions in favour of logic is something that Enterprise explored in depth, and it’s a fascinating part of Vulcan culture that subsequent Star Trek projects have also touched upon.
Enterprise’s third season was a tense and exciting one overall – and Damage is one of the highlights for its strong character work and examination of how Starfleet’s enlightened morality can end up falling by the wayside when the going gets tough. Captain Archer is pained by the decision he makes – but that doesn’t stop him from making it.
Episode #7: Through the Valley of Shadows Discovery Season 2
Visiting the Klingon monastery on Boreth.
Although I’d encourage you to watch Discovery Season 2 in its entirety, I felt that Through the Valley of Shadows was really the only episode that had a significant impact on Strange New Worlds. It’s here where Captain Pike has to make a decision about his fate and his future that sets him on a particular path – one that will culminate in devastating disability.
Although Pike was willing, in the moment, to make the sacrifice in order to obtain the time crystal, the decision he made has a huge impact on him. With only a couple of episodes left in Season 2, Discovery didn’t have a lot of time to address how this would affect him – but Strange New Worlds certainly does, and this is really the starting point for Pike’s season-long arc.
Captain Pike comes face-to-face with his own future.
Discovery’s second season was a big improvement on its first, and I think it’s fair to say that bringing Captain Pike and Spock into the show in a big way was a masterstroke! Through the Valley of Shadows reframes Pike’s accident and disability in an entirely different way, and while there are sci-fi trappings of time-travel macguffins and talk of fate and destiny, what lies just under the surface is a story that I find incredibly relatable.
I’ve been Captain Pike at this moment. Sitting down with a doctor, hearing bad news about my health, knowing that things won’t get better but will get worse, that my ability to do basic things like walking will become increasingly difficult… these are all experiences that I’ve personally had and that I saw reflected in Captain Pike. Whether intentional or not, the decision to have him become aware of his future – and choose to embrace it for the greater good – kicked off a story about disability and declining health that really resonated with me. Its approach to this complex topic was sensitive, understandable, and darkly beautiful.
Episode #8: Prime Factors Voyager Season 1
Harry Kim and Eduana using a Sikarian spatial trajector.
Prime Factors flips Starfleet’s Prime Directive on its head. The Prime Directive is Starfleet’s most important standing order, and it states that “no starship may interfere with the normal development of any alien life or society.” We’ve seen the Prime Directive – and the principles upon which it is based – play a huge role in episodes of practically every Star Trek series, with captains having to decide whether to interfere, how to interfere, and what the consequences may be.
Prime Factors takes the opposite approach, and asks how it would feel to our heroes if they were on the other side of this kind of policy. How would Starfleet react to being denied a request for help or trade because it conflicted with an alien society’s principles? The resultant episode was absolutely fascinating.
Tuvok and Captain Janeway.
At this relatively early point in Voyager’s run, the fact that Captain Janeway and her crew really are stranded on the far side of the galaxy with no way to get home is beginning to sink in. Prime Factors is one of several episodes that teased the crew with a potential way to complete part of that journey – before yanking it away again.
The episode is also an interesting one for Harry Kim, who we get to see at his most eager to get home, and for the relationship between Captain Janeway and Tuvok. Although Chakotay would really take over the role of “trusted advisor” as Voyager got settled, initially it was Tuvok who was being established as Captain Janeway’s closest confidante and most reliable friend.
Episode #9: Balance of Terror The Original Series Season 1
A Romulan warbird firing its plasma torpedo.
Balance of Terror is the episode that first introduced the iconic Romulans to Star Trek – as well as revealing their connection with the Vulcans that we talked about in Unification above. Inspired by war films – particularly naval war films and those set aboard submarines – from a generation earlier, there’s a really tense, claustrophobic feel to the conflict between the Enterprise and this new, terrifying threat.
Balance of Terror expertly sets up the background of Federation-Romulan relations and uses that to create tension and conflict on the bridge of the Enterprise when a surprising connection between the Romulans and Spock’s own Vulcan people is revealed. The episode also raises the stakes by giving the Romulans not one but two super-weapons: the devastating plasma torpedo and a cloaking device. This was the first on-screen appearance of a cloaking device in Star Trek.
Captain Kirk in Balance of Terror.
Of particular note here is Captain Kirk’s approach to the conflict. After discovering the Romulan vessel and its technology, Kirk decides to pursue it, hoping to intercept it before it can cross back into Romulan space. Was this uncompromising approach the right call?
Balance of Terror is a fascinating episode for its tone, for its approach to bigotry and prejudice in the enlightened future Star Trek presents, and for its introduction of a faction that would go on to play a major role in the Star Trek franchise. It’s another episode of The Original Series that I consider to be a must-watch for all Trekkies.
Episode #10: Star Trek 2009 Kelvin Timeline film
The USS Kelvin, namesake of the Kelvin Timeline.
Technically a film rather than an episode, 2009’s Star Trek kicked off the Kelvin timeline with a soft reboot of the franchise. It’s a textbook example of how to write a successful reboot, and after the Star Trek franchise had begun to fade and lose viewership toward the latter part of Enterprise’s run, the 2009 reboot came along and definitively proved that there was still plenty of life in it yet! We wouldn’t have Discovery, Strange New Worlds, and the rest of modern Star Trek without this film and its two sequels.
For our purposes today, though, 2009’s Star Trek shows us a different timeline with alternate versions of Captain Pike – who plays a prominent role in the story – as well as Spock and Uhura. Seeing these versions of the characters and noting their differences and similarities to their prime timeline counterparts could be worthwhile going into Strange New Worlds.
Spock, meet Spock!
Star Trek 2009 also chronicles the next chapter of Spock’s life after the events of Unification (which we took a look at above). Spock’s relationship with the Romulans and his plan to help them avert a catastrophe are what led to him being dragged into the alternate reality, and the meeting between the older and younger versions of the character is a powerful moment.
Seeing Kirk, Spock, McCoy, and others in their Starfleet Academy days was a concept that Gene Roddenberry had toyed with even as far back as The Original Series in the 1960s. 2009’s Star Trek took that concept and put a spin on it, updating the franchise for the 21st Century and introducing it to legions of new Trekkies. It’s a good film in its own right, and one whose legacy is the rejuvenated Star Trek franchise that we’re continuing to enjoy today.
So that’s it!
Promotional poster for Strange New Worlds.
Those are my picks for ten episodes to watch before Strange New Worlds to prepare for what the series will bring – or afterwards, if you prefer, to lend some context to some of the character arcs and storylines.
There are at least ten more episodes and films that I could’ve chosen; it wasn’t easy to whittle down the list to the ten picks above. Having already seen Strange New Worlds Season 1, I confess that I picked several different episodes that I might not have chosen otherwise. But that’s the benefit of hindsight!
As I said in my spoiler-free review of the first season, Strange New Worlds is utterly fantastic and well worth a watch for Trekkies and newcomers to the franchise alike. I can’t praise it highly enough – and I can’t wait for Season 2!
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is available to stream now on Paramount+ in countries and territories where the service is available. New episodes are being released weekly on Paramount+ in the United Kingdom. Further international distribution has not been announced at time of writing. The Star Trek franchise – including Strange New Worlds and all other episodes, films, and shows discussed above – is the copyright of Paramount Global. This article contains the thoughts and opinions of one person only and is not intended to cause any offence.
Spoiler Warning: Although there are no major plot spoilers for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 1, spoilers are present for other iterations of the Star Trek franchise, including Discovery Seasons 1-4 and Short Treks.
Despite Paramount’s best efforts to keep Strange New Worlds away from fans in 95% of the world, I’ve been able to watch the first season over the past ten weeks. With the finale recently airing and the curtain falling on the show’s first season, I thought it would be worthwhile to share my spoiler-free thoughts on each of the episodes.
I had hoped to write full reviews of every episode of Strange New Worlds as they aired, as well as perhaps concocting a few theories along the way, but the show’s unavailability internationally has made that difficult. As much as I love Star Trek and want to see it succeed, I felt unable to offer Paramount and the series my support due to the offensive and misguided way the corporation has treated its non-American fans – treatment that is regrettably still ongoing at time of writing.
The first poster that was revealed for Strange New Worlds. (I have it framed on my living room wall!)
However, stay tuned in the weeks and months ahead, because I daresay I will eventually publish individual episode reviews. Paramount+ has finally landed here in the UK – though it didn’t bring all of Strange New Worlds with it – so I can go back and re-watch the episodes any time. As Paramount+ continues its international rollout, I hope that Trekkies who avoided piracy will be able to watch the show.
The international broadcast situation and Paramount’s failings in that regard feel all the more egregious because of just how damn good Strange New Worlds has been across its first season. This is the Star Trek show that fans have been asking for and waiting for, a show that recaptures the episodic nature of The Original Series and The Next Generation but updates it with season-long arcs and modern trappings. It’s a show that feels so very similar to those classic stalwarts of the Star Trek franchise, and one that definitely has huge potential to reach out across the growing divide in the fan community to bring back into the fold people who felt disappointed or uninterested in Discovery, Picard, and even Lower Decks.
A behind-the-scenes photo of the Enterprise’s bridge crew.
Strange New Worlds updates the look of Star Trek, retaining some visual elements from Discovery and the Kelvin films, but blends that look with a very classic aesthetic with a clear inspiration from The Original Series. After the bland all-blue uniforms of Discovery, the bold primary colours are unapologetically back. The USS Enterprise is brightly-lit and colourful too, with some wonderful sets that have updated the look of areas like the bridge, sickbay, and engineering while retaining key design elements to make it clear that this is a Star Trek show.
The use of practical special effects and puppets has created some really incredible creatures and aliens, some of which have had a genuinely “old-school” feel that reminded me of some of the alien races from The Original Series and The Next Generation era. These effects have combined with some excellent CGI animation and increasingly creative use of the expensive AR wall. It’s clear that Paramount’s visual effects artists are becoming more and more comfortable with this fancy piece of kit, and Strange New Worlds has found some fun ways to blend in the AR wall and make it seamless.
Behind-the-scenes filming with the AR wall.
Like classic Star Trek shows have always done, Strange New Worlds tried its hand at some very different genres across Season 1. There was plenty of sci-fi, exploration, and action, but the show also dipped its toes in comedy, drama, warfare, and even horror at one point. Combined with a diverse range of planets to visit and alien races to meet, this gave Strange New Worlds an incredibly varied feel. A worse show might’ve ended up feeling jumpy or even unsettled, but the characters at Strange New Worlds’ heart kept it on track throughout thanks to some truly wonderful writing and world-building.
The theme music that has been composed for Strange New Worlds jumped right up the list to become one of my absolute favourite Star Trek themes. I felt an influence from the classic Superman theme by John Williams that blended perfectly with elements from The Original Series theme to create an exciting, adventurous up-tempo piece of music to really set the stage for every new episode. It’s a wonderful piece of music that I just know is going to become a celebrated part of the franchise.
Behind-the-scenes in sickbay with Dr M’Benga and Una Chin-Riley.
I’d happily recommend Strange New Worlds to any fan of Star Trek, and I’d challenge even the most ardent Discovery-hater to give it a fair shake. More than that, I feel that Strange New Worlds has huge potential to bring in new Star Trek fans alongside Lower Decks and Prodigy, as it’s a very accessible show. Perhaps folks who’ve tried Star Trek in the past and found it wasn’t to their taste won’t be swayed, but for anyone who’s been on the fence or curious about where to start, Strange New Worlds would make for a wonderful and engaging first contact.
For longstanding Trekkies like myself, Strange New Worlds feels like a return to a long-forgotten format, but not in a way that’s regressive. Strange New Worlds has taken the episodic, exploration-oriented format that was at the heart of the franchise in its golden age but updated it for 2022, keeping things like character growth and arcs while still finding ways to play in different genres and with different aliens and settings. It’s the best of both worlds, and while the series builds on what Discovery, Picard, and even Lower Decks and Prodigy have achieved, for me it surpasses all of them.
Promo photo of Spock, Pike, and Una.
I’ll hold up my hands and admit to having found a few nitpicks across the first season, including a couple of character arcs that either felt under-developed or rushed, but generally speaking the quality was high and the episodes outstanding. It’s rare for me to be able to say this, but Strange New Worlds hit ten for ten in its first season – ten genuinely great episodes that I thoroughly enjoyed.
What I’ll do now is briefly summarise my spoiler-free thoughts on each of the episodes in turn.
Episode 1: Strange New Worlds
Captain Pike on horseback in the season premiere.
The season premiere was an episode that showcased Captain Pike. We got to see his internal struggle as he wrangled with the knowledge of his impending disability, and we got to see him at his best as he resumed command of the Enterprise. There are parallels to Picard Season 1, particularly the contrast between where Pike began the story in terms of his emotional and mental state and where he finished it; finding his place and restoring his confidence were absolutely crucial parts of the episode.
Strange New Worlds was a strong premiere and a great way to kick off the series. It took Star Trek back to its roots and showcased the exploration and missions of first contact that were key parts of the shows that we remember. There were moments of action and humour as we were introduced to most of the new crew for the first time, and what resulted was a solid foundation for the season to build upon.
Episode 2: Children of the Comet
Cadet Nyota Uhura.
Children of the Comet had an interesting premise and pitted the Enterprise against an adversary who was able to easily overpower the Federation flagship – and yes, Strange New Worlds has confirmed that the Enterprise is the flagship in this era! There were some truly outstanding visual effects both practical and animated, and we got to see a really beautiful episode that, as the title suggests, focused in large part on a comet.
Uhura was a big part of this story, and this new, younger version of the character has a lot of space to grow into the person we remember with fondness from The Original Series. Celia Rose Gooding stepped up and put in an outstanding and complex performance as we saw the young cadet navigate her first away mission to a very alien environment.
Episode 3: Ghosts of Illyria
Spock and Captain Pike on an away mission.
I have to confess that I’d almost entirely forgotten about the Illyrians prior to watching Ghosts of Illyria. The alien race appeared once in Enterprise’s third season – so I really recommend checking out the episode Damage for context before watching this one! Nothing in Damage is essential, but having that extra bit of background was definitely useful.
This was a big episode for Una Chin-Riley – a.k.a. Number One – as well as for the relationship between Captain Pike and Spock. Ghosts of Illyria also told us something important about Dr M’Benga that would go on to define his arc across much of the rest of the season. There were some clever and innovative concepts here, and what resulted was a fun episode.
Episode 4: Memento Mori
La’an Noonien-Singh.
Memento Mori raised my first real nitpick of the season! But despite that, it was a tense and thoroughly enjoyable ride that drew inspiration from battles in classic Star Trek stories like Balance of Terror and The Wrath of Khan – as well as the war films that served to inspire those episodes. Throughout Memento Mori there was a sense that everyone was in danger and that not all of our favourite characters would make it out alive.
We got to see Captain Pike at his absolute best in Memento Mori, showing off why he’s long been considered one of Starfleet’s finest commanders. It was also a great episode for Lieutenant Ortegas – the Enterprise’s navigator – and for La’an Noonien-Singh, who had to confront her own inner demons and traumatic memories.
Episode 5: Spock Amok
T’Pring and Spock in Spock’s quarters.
An episode about Spock confronting his conflicted inner nature and the way he feels about the human and Vulcan sides of his heritage doesn’t seem at first like it would be the foundation for a comedic story, but Spock Amok ended up being absolutely hilarious with plenty of laugh-out-loud moments that could rival even Lower Decks for its unapologetic sense of fun. Spock Amok had emotion at its heart, though, with Spock’s struggle played for more than just a cheap laugh.
The episode’s B-plot featured Captain Pike attempting diplomacy with an unusual alien race who felt like they couldn’t possibly be from any other science-fiction franchise. In that sense, Spock Amok is a Star Trek episode through and through!
Episode 6: Lift Us Where Suffering Cannot Reach
Captain Pike wielding a phaser.
This episode’s title feels like it was lifted directly from The Original Series – as does the concept it brings to the fore. Captain Pike finds himself caught between his feelings for an alien woman he met in the past and his duty to the Federation. There’s a continuation of Dr M’Benga’s character arc from earlier in the season, one that flips the idea of the Prime Directive on its head in a way that reminded me very much of the Voyager Season 1 episode Prime Factors.
Lift Us Where Suffering Cannot Reach pushed the limits of narrative complexity within a single episode, with a dramatic mystery involving the attempted kidnapping of a young boy who was destined to play a key role in the leadership and future of his planet. A worse episode could’ve made its central mystery feel convoluted or even rushed, but Lift Us Where Suffering Cannot Reach balanced this complexity perfectly, despite having other storylines in play.
Episode 7: The Serene Squall
Nurse Chapel seems to be in trouble!
I didn’t think I was going to enjoy The Serene Squall based on its premise and the teases we got prior to its broadcast – but I was wrong! The crew face off against space pirates in what was both a tense and fun story that also found time to throw in an unexpected twist. Perhaps the resolution to the narrative was a tad rushed in its final act, but that would be my only real criticism.
There was an incredibly powerful moment with Spock early in the episode that reframed his internal human-Vulcan split, and without giving too much away, it was something I found absolutely fascinating – and more than a little relatable! I think Spock’s characterisation here was the highlight of the episode for me, and pairing him up with Nurse Chapel was a great creative choice.
Episode 8: The Elysian Kingdom
Dr M’Benga isn’t in uniform!
The Elysian Kingdom is two very different episodes rolled into one. On the one hand, there’s a funny, almost pantomime story in which the entire crew – sans Hemmer and Dr M’Benga – take on roles from a children’s story book. On the other, there’s an intensely emotional story with Dr M’Benga.
The Elysian Kingdom follows on from episodes like Mirror, Mirror or Bride of Chaotica insofar as it allows all of the main cast a chance to play around and step out from their usual roles. I have no doubt that it was an incredibly fun episode to work on – and that comes across in the performances from practically everyone involved. My only real gripe is that the final act and conclusion wrapped up very quickly.
Episode 9: All Those Who Wander
It’s Hemmer time!
Of all the episodes in Season 1, the most important one to go into un-spoiled has to be All Those Who Wander. It’s an incredibly powerful episode with a thrilling horror theme, and there’s clear inspiration from the film Alien throughout. It’s also an episode that builds to a shocking emotional climax – and I won’t say any more about that lest I risk spoiling it!
Star Trek can do horror really well, as episodes like Empok Nor demonstrated years ago. For me, All Those Who Wander takes the horror angle right up to the edge of my personal comfort zone – but never beyond it. It’s not the most kid-friendly episode, that’s for sure, but it’s an incredibly tense and thrilling ride from start to finish with a wonderfully atmospheric setting.
Episode 10: A Quality of Mercy
Spock, Pike, and [Spoiler] on the bridge of the Enterprise.
Captain Pike receives a visit from, well, “The Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come.” That’s about the best way I can describe A Quality of Mercy! There are some outstanding visual moments that really show off the USS Enterprise, a callback to a classic episode of The Original Series, and a storyline that furthers Captain Pike’s season-long arc.
A Quality of Mercy sees Season 1 end on a high note – and with a little tease for something more to come. It’s an action-packed episode with some real emotional punches, and a love letter to fans of The Original Series in particular. All in all, an absolutely outstanding episode and a great way to close out one of the best seasons of Star Trek ever put to screen.
So that’s it!
Promo photo of Lieutenant Ortegas.
Strange New Worlds is off to a roaring start, and I can’t wait for Season 2 already! Good news in that regard – the show’s second season recently finished filming and will be broadcast next year. Here’s to Season 3 – and beyond! Hopefully Paramount will have gotten its act together by then, ensuring that this amazing series is available to audiences all around the world.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is the show that fans had been asking for since Captain Pike and Spock appeared in Season 2 of Star Trek: Discovery in 2019. Its mere existence would already be a massive win for Star Trek fans and proof that Paramount is willing to listen to feedback, but the fact that the show has been such an amazing experience across its first season and exceeded expectations that were already sky-high is absolutely fantastic!
Commander Una Chin-Riley – a.k.a. Number One.
Not only has Strange New Worlds Season 1 laid the groundwork for future stories with Captain Pike and co. aboard the Enterprise, but I feel it offers a template that future Star Trek projects should take a serious look at. The serialised season-long stories of Picard and Discovery have been interesting – and some have worked better than others – but Strange New Worlds’ more episodic approach has been absolutely wonderful, allowing for a more diverse array of stories that both revisited elements from Star Trek’s past while also introducing us to brand-new aliens, planets, and cultures.
I was bitterly upset that Paramount’s pathetic and indefensible “America First” attitude cut off Strange New Worlds from so many of the fans who campaigned to make it happen, and unfortunately I can’t deny that that has tainted the experience. But if we can look past the corporate nonsense, Strange New Worlds itself has been an absolutely phenomenal show, one that I hope will continue for at least four more seasons to fulfil Captain Pike’s promised “five-year mission.”
Whether you’re new to Star Trek or whether you’ve enjoyed past iterations of the franchise, it’s easy to recommend Strange New Worlds. I sincerely hope you’ll give it a try.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 1 is available to stream now on Paramount+ in countries and territories where the platform is available. Episodes are being broadcast weekly on Paramount+ in the UK. Further international availability has not been announced. The Star Trek franchise – including Strange New Worlds and all other properties mentioned above – is the copyright of Paramount Global. This article contains the thoughts and opinions of one person only and is not intended to cause any offence.
I held off writing this for a while, even as the prospect of Strange New Worlds getting an international broadcast slipped further and further away. I didn’t want to jump the gun and come across as being too aggressive or too critical of Paramount Global – the corporation that owns and mismanages Star Trek. But with only a week to go, it’s patently obvious that Paramount has no plans whatsoever to broadcast Strange New Worlds outside of the United States and the handful of other countries where Paramount+ is available.
At the time of the Discovery Season 4 mess last November, I felt hopeful that the backlash from fans might’ve prevented this. But I guess I should’ve known better – this isn’t the first time we’ve been in this situation, after all. Lower Decks Season 1 was the first casualty of the Paramount board’s ineptitude. That show’s lack of an international broadcast in the summer of 2020 hurt it immeasurably.
The lack of an international broadcast in Season 1 did serious harm to Lower Decks.
Then came Prodigy Season 1 in 2021, another series with real prospects to expand the Star Trek franchise far beyond its usual fanbase. That opportunity was squandered by Paramount’s decision to withhold the series from international broadcast. That decision was made so much worse by the fact that Prodigy is branded as a Nickelodeon co-production – and with Nickelodeon channels available in well over 100 countries, fans were rightly asking why they couldn’t watch the show along with their American friends.
Finally, only a few weeks after the Prodigy mess came the Discovery Season 4 calamity. Paramount literally paid Netflix money out of its own pocket to take the show away, preventing fans all across the world from watching it. They announced this “deal” with barely 48 hours’ notice, leading to a massive backlash from fans and even some of the actors and creative team. You’d think they’d have learned a thing or two from that mess, especially when it tanked their share price.
You’d think Paramount might’ve learned something from the mess surrounding Discovery Season 4…
But alas, it’s only April 2022 – less than six months later – and here we are again. Paramount has decided that it doesn’t want its international fans to pay for Strange New Worlds – it would rather we pirated the show instead. Fine by me.
It’s not like there weren’t options if Paramount wanted to make Strange New Worlds available to international viewers. Here in the UK, for example, Paramount Global owns the following: Channel 5 and its associated channels 5Select, 5Action, 5USA, 5Star, and the My5 catch-up service, Nickelodeon and its associated channels Nick Jr. and Nicktoons, Comedy Central, MTV and five MTV spin-offs, the Horror Channel, the Smithsonian Channel, CBS Drama, CBS Justice, and CBS Reality. Several of these are free-to-air, with the others being available on subscription via cable or satellite providers.
In addition, Paramount Global owns PlutoTV, the online television network where Discovery Season 4 was made available. And speaking of Discovery Season 4, Paramount was able to make deals with Amazon Video, Google Play, and even YouTube to allow viewers in some countries to pay to watch. In short, Paramount Global could have made Strange New Worlds available. They had every opportunity and numerous options for doing so.
Paramount owns PlutoTV, which broadcast Discovery Season 4 here in the UK.
On top of all that, the Star Trek franchise has been subjected to some truly pathetic scheduling decisions over the past few months, and these schedules now seem even worse in light of the lack of an international broadcast for Strange New Worlds. Compounding the decision to cut off international fans, Prodigy’s first season has been butchered, cleaved into small chunks of episodes that have made it harder than necessary for the show to gain any kind of traction.
But worse is the situation with Discovery, Picard, and Strange New Worlds. Why have these shows overlapped one another? Discovery and Picard ran concurrently for three weeks, and Picard’s season finale will be broadcast the same day as Strange New Worlds’ premiere. Why? If these three shows had been better-scheduled, split up by just a few weeks, then maybe there’d have been more time to get Paramount+ ready for the next phase of its international rollout. The UK and Europe have been promised Paramount+ by the end of Q2 – well that’s only a few weeks away, so if Picard Season 2 had been delayed by 4 weeks, and Strange New Worlds by another 3-4 weeks, maybe more fans would’ve been able to watch. How did this happen? And are the inept schedulers still making decisions? Seems like a firing offence to me.
Why wasn’t Picard Season 2 delayed?
By choosing not to take advantage of the global media empire that it literally owns, refusing to do deals with other corporations, and screwing up the scheduling of its own shows, Paramount has chosen to push fans toward piracy. Not only that, but the hurt and anger that has been generated by these decisions over the past couple of years will make it so much harder to convince fans to sign up for Paramount+ if the incompetently-managed service is ever ready to be rolled out.
Streaming platforms do not exist in a vacuum. The option fans have is not “pay for Paramount+ or don’t watch anything.” Piracy exists, and the only way that companies like Netflix and Disney have been able to make a success of the streaming model is by offering a good service at a low price. Paramount+ already fails the “good service” test – according to what I’m hearing from subscribers in the United States – so charging fans a higher price than Netflix, Amazon, or Disney for a worse product isn’t exactly going to incentivise folks to sign up.
Paramount+ is shit.
Despite that, when a film, television series, or video game is made available to watch, I’m firmly in the camp that says “pay for it.” I don’t want to be a pirate. From both a moral perspective and as a point of simple practicality, I believe that everyone from actors, writers, and directors to producers and executives should be paid for the work that they put into creating an entertainment product. But when a corporation takes that option away and piracy becomes the only way to access that content, then I’m all for it. In such cases as these, it is quite literally the only option.
That’s the position Paramount has placed fans in. They had options to broadcast Strange New Worlds on channels and networks that they owned from as far afield as Angola and Mozambique to the UK, Western Europe, and beyond… but they actively and willfully chose not to. They did so knowing that many fans wouldn’t wait for Paramount+… and if they didn’t realise that many of us would turn to piracy, then they’re even more incompetent and out of their depth than I thought.
The team in charge of Paramount+, apparently.
It’s become increasingly obvious that Paramount as a whole needs a good clear-out. 20th Century thinking is trying and failing to lead the corporation into the mid-21st Century, and executives and leaders clearly know nothing about a global media landscape that has been entirely transformed over the past couple of decades. Their attempt to launch their own streaming platform a decade too late in a massively competitive market was already a blunder all but certain to end in failure; the fact that Paramount+ is being handled so poorly is just hastening its demise. The anger and hurt caused to fans around the world – and not just fans of Star Trek, either, but fans of shows and franchises as diverse as Halo and iCarly – will be a weight around the corporation’s neck going forward. With inflation and other financial issues hitting hard in the short term, it’ll be ever more difficult to find subscribers for such a mediocre platform.
Paramount’s “America First” fetish would even make Donald Trump blush, and the corporation’s decision to gatekeep its own shows, segregating its audience geographically, is a colossal mistake. It’s one that Paramount+ may never recover from. And you know what? If a streaming platform with this level of ineptitude and mismanagement fails, it will deserve to fail. If a corporation with such a blinkered, short-sighted approach and an atrocious corporate attitude fails, it will deserve to fail too. My only concern as a fan of Star Trek is that Paramount+ may very well drag the Star Trek franchise down along with it.
Will Paramount+ drag Star Trek down the sewer?
The United States has been Paramount’s exclusive focus thus far, so much so that even when Paramount+ rolled out to countries like Australia, new episodes of shows like Prodigy weren’t broadcast there. Australian Trekkies who’d paid for Paramount+ were told that they’d have to wait for Discovery Season 4, and then Prodigy Season 1… so what exactly was the point of signing up? Did anyone at Paramount consider that question, or were they too fixated on America to care – or even notice?
I have tried my best to support Star Trek over the years. I signed up for Netflix in 2017 entirely because Discovery would be shown there, and I’ve likewise paid for Amazon Prime Video to watch Picard and Lower Decks. Over the span of more than thirty years I’ve bought Star Trek films and episodes on VHS, then the entire collection of every pre-2005 series on DVD, several on Blu-ray, and enough merchandise to sink a small boat. I’ve done my part to contribute financially to this franchise that I love… and even so, even with all the money I’ve already spent and all of the problems that I know Paramount+ has, I was ready to spend more. But Paramount saw fans like me offering up our cash and told us to fuck off.
Fans offered Paramount our cash… but they don’t want it.
The actors and the creative team who worked so hard to bring Strange New Worlds to life don’t deserve to find themselves in the middle of a stinking corporate mess, but in a way they’re caught in the crossfire. We should all be able to come together and celebrate the broadcast of a series that was only made possible because of Star Trek fans – many of whom are not American. But instead, we’re arguing about it. Strange New Worlds has become the latest in a line of own goals from Paramount, and there’s no way that the toxicity that they have created won’t spill over into criticisms of the show and everyone involved.
This mess could’ve been avoided. Paramount could have learned the lesson from just a few months ago, and spent the intervening time figuring out the best option for broadcasting Strange New Worlds in all of the different countries and territories around the globe. Instead they pissed away that time doing nothing of the sort, dragging the Star Trek fan community back to the same old arguments we had during the Discovery mess.
Paramount couldn’t possibly be doing more to encourage piracy of this new series.
Paramount has options to broadcast Strange New Worlds internationally, either on channels and platforms that it already owns or by agreeing licenses with other corporations. It has had more than enough time to figure out what to do, and should’ve been spurred into action by the clusterfuck surrounding Discovery Season 4. And failing all of that, Paramount has had weeks now in which to break the news to Trekkies; to tell us something and respond to the many questions that have been asked about the series. They’ve done none of that – and the explanation is simple. They don’t care about or respect any non-American fans or viewers.
So our recourse is piracy, as it always has been. When a corporation misbehaves like this, and treats its biggest fans and biggest supporters with such blatant disrespect, they haven’t just encouraged piracy, they deserve to have their shows pirated. They deserve the financial hit, the hit to viewing figures, and quite honestly, Strange New Worlds deserves to fail. Under this appalling team of corporate fuckwits, Star Trek as a whole will fail. And when we’re picking up the pieces in a few years’ time, asking where it all went wrong, we’ll be able to look back on these decisions and recognise that it was here that Paramount screwed up.
I constantly hope for better from Paramount – and I’m constantly let down. So I’m going to do what they clearly want me to do: I’m going to pirate Strange New Worlds. And you should too.
Piracy is probably against the rules where you live, so when you do pirate Strange New Worlds, do so carefully. Here’s where I’d usually tell you that the Star Trek franchise is someone’s copyright, but fuck it. This article contains the thoughts and opinions of one person only and is not intended to cause any offence.
Spoiler Warning: There are spoilers ahead for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Seasons 1-2, Star Trek: Discovery Season 2, and for other iterations of the Star Trek franchise.
I’ve had a hard time lately knowing what to say about Strange New Worlds. When the series was officially announced just under two years ago, I had high hopes and it rocketed to the top of the list of TV shows that I was most excited to see. Even as 2022 approached, this was the mindset that I had. After the phenomenal portrayals of Captain Pike, Spock, and Number One in Discovery Season 2, I was among the fans who wrote to Paramount Global (then known as ViacomCBS) about getting a Captain Pike spin-off series, and Strange New Worlds’ very existence is the result of a powerful fan campaign that brought together Trekkies from all across the world. I’ve been proud of the small role I played in that.
But as the show’s premiere approaches, Paramount Global has completely screwed up. It became apparent late last year, when Prodigy Season 1 and then Discovery Season 4 were denied international broadcasts, that Strange New Worlds would follow suit, and I said as much back in November when the Discovery debacle was unfolding. And now, with barely five weeks to go before Strange New Worlds makes its debut in the United States, there’s been radio silence from Paramount Global about an international broadcast.
It’s time to talk about Paramount Global again.
Let’s get one thing straight right now: this lack of information and refusal to engage with fans and audiences isn’t merely something that might hurt Strange New Worlds’ chances in the future. Paramount Global’s blinkered “America First” policy is hurting the show right now. For every fan whose question is left unanswered, anxiety and apathy about the series grow. Instead of Trekkies and viewers all around the world being able to chatter excitedly on social media and in fan clubs, the discussion is suppressed. Everyone remembers the Discovery Season 4 clusterfuck and how damaging that was to both Star Trek as a brand and the Star Trek fan community – and people are being cautious, talking less about Strange New Worlds for fear of stoking arguments.
Because we live in a globalised world, it’s no longer possible for big entertainment companies or streaming platforms to region-lock their content. Doing so is incredibly stupid, harming the prospects of a series and practically guaranteeing it won’t live up to its potential. How many more viewers might Lower Decks have picked up if it had been broadcast internationally in its first season? We will never know – the chance to get untold numbers of new eyes on the Star Trek franchise for the first time in years was wasted.
A representation of how we’re all connected in a globalised world.
When a show is cut off and its audience segregated geographically – as seems all but certain to happen with Strange New Worlds – that has a knock-on impact that the out-of-touch and out-of-date leaders at Paramount Global seem totally unaware of. With the Star Trek fanbase being large and international, millions of people will miss out on Strange New Worlds – and as a result, they won’t talk about the series on social media. Hashtags won’t trend, posts about the series will reach far fewer people, and even within the United States, Strange New Worlds will suffer as its social media hype bubble deflates – or never inflates to begin win.
This is the real harm of this stupid, blinkered “America First” approach. By refusing to engage with fans, we’re left to assume that the reason for that is because the news is bad. As a result, millions of Trekkies aren’t talking about Strange New Worlds, just as they didn’t talk about Lower Decks or Prodigy. In the absolutely critical few weeks before the series premieres, when hype should be growing and excitement reaching fever-pitch… it just isn’t.
Paramount Global is refusing to engage with fans from outside of the United States.
Why should we, as Trekkies outside of the United States, bother to engage with Paramount Global on Strange New Worlds – or on any other Star Trek property, come to that? If we’re constantly treated as second-class, even in regions where Paramount+ is available, what’s the point in continuing to support the series or the franchise? I’m left in the position of actively willing Strange New Worlds to underperform at the very least. Maybe then, Paramount Global would begin to understand.
I’m all for supporting actors, writers, directors, and other creative folks. But they’ve already been paid for the work they did on Strange New Worlds, and moreover a second season has already been confirmed and entered production. So to the folks who say that they’ll pay to use a VPN to subscribe to the American version of Paramount+, or who plan to wait diligently for the service to be rolled out internationally, I have to ask: how are fans supposed to protest? How are we supposed to share our anger and frustration with Star Trek’s corporate overlords if not by voting with our feet and our wallets?
Season 2 is already underway.
This article began life as a breakdown of the Strange New Worlds trailer that was released a couple of weeks ago. But as I started writing, I soon realised that I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t sit here and happily ignore the corporate bullshit and the incredibly poor way that Paramount Global has treated its biggest fans and biggest supporters. I couldn’t just pay lip service to the problems with a line or a paragraph and then get chatting about Pike’s beard or the Enterprise at warp. I’ve lost my excitement for this series.
A few weeks ago I managed to get a print of the Strange New Worlds poster. It’s framed alongside my Picard Season 2 poster, and it overlooks my workspace where I sit to write these columns and articles. But even that was stupidly difficult, because Paramount Global didn’t make the poster available for purchase in the UK. I had to get a custom print of it ordered from a print shop. Just another way that Paramount Global is content to damage its own marketing, cutting off its biggest fans because of where we happen to live.
The poster in landscape form with the addition of the show’s logo.
Considering the position we’re currently in, the scheduling of Discovery Season 4, Picard Season 2, and even Prodigy feels incredibly weird and inept; another example of Paramount Global fucking things up. Why did Discovery Season 4 and Picard Season 2 overlap by three weeks? And why is Strange New Worlds scheduled to overlap with Picard as well? Delaying both projects by literally just a few weeks might’ve given Paramount+ more time to get ready for an international launch. We’ve been promised the service by the end of June and Strange New Worlds premieres in early May… if Paramount+ is still on schedule, can’t Strange New Worlds be delayed by five or six weeks so that more fans can watch it together? Where would be the harm in that from Paramount Global’s perspective?
On top of all that, as Season 1’s marketing campaign was just getting started we had a really stupidly-timed Season 2 announcement: the casting of a new actor to play James T. Kirk. I didn’t like the fan reaction in some quarters, with a lot of folks being incredibly critical and some of that criticism spilling over into hurtful remarks directed toward the actor – my firm belief is that we need to give Paul Wesley a chance to show us what he can do, and we need to be patient to learn more about the storyline (or storylines) that Kirk may be involved with. But I have to admit, I understand where the backlash came from… and it’s yet another indication of how poorly Paramount Global has handled this new series.
I was disappointed that some Trekkies attacked actor Paul Wesley… but this premature announcement was a stupid own-goal from Paramount Global.
There was no need to announce Kirk’s role this early. There had been a single leaked on-set photo showing actor Paul Wesley as an unnamed character, and there was no reason whatsoever for Paramount Global to comment on it. They could have said something like “that’s a secret for now, but stay tuned for Season 1!” and left it at that. Some fans would’ve speculated, some had already guessed that the character was James T. Kirk before the official announcement was made. But confirming it just made things worse, and turned an already depressed and underwhelming conversation around the new series positively toxic for a few days.
One way or another, I’m going to watch Strange New Worlds – and you can interpret that however you’d like! But what I won’t do is talk about the series here on the website or on social media. If Paramount Global doesn’t make it available here, why should people like me comment on the series or give it publicity? In my own small way, I plan to have a communications blackout – shutting down a portion of the conversation around the series and directing attention away from Paramount Global. I’d love to see others get on board and do the same thing – a full-fledged blackout would be symbolic of the fanbase coming together to tell a greedy American corporation that its behaviour is not acceptable. If you’ve ever watched Star Trek, that shouldn’t feel out of place at all!
A Strange New Worlds blackout would be unfortunate, but I would argue it’s necessary.
But it’s unlikely to happen, sadly. A lot of fan websites and social media groups work hand-in-glove with Paramount Global and wouldn’t want to risk losing their access or their freebies that the corporation provides them. So we’re in a difficult, unpleasant situation once again, with echoes of the Discovery Season 4 mess all over again. And I don’t know how to navigate it, I really don’t. I feel like I want to stick to my principles and do whatever I can, in whatever small way, to stick the boot into Paramount Global. I also feel that someone needs to make a stand on behalf of fans around the world who can’t access the series because we’ve been so callously cut off.
But I can also understand the argument that we should be supporting a series that was originally brought about thanks to a fan campaign – a campaign I participated in. And, of course, I’m aware that I’m such a small outlet that on my own I can’t make much difference.
Fans have been waiting for the next chapter of Captain Pike’s story for almost three years.
Maybe Paramount Global will surprise me with Paramount+ in time for the show’s premiere. Or maybe they’ll do the right thing and delay it if Paramount+ won’t be ready… but I’m not holding my breath. Right now it feels like we’re on course for a repeat of the Discovery mess, and the only thing I can do in this situation is refuse to cover the series at all. That isn’t the stance I wanted to take. I wanted to be spending this time talking with you about the minute details that I noticed in the trailer, or speculating about what role Kirk might play. But I can’t. And if Strange New Worlds doesn’t get broadcast here or in other parts of the world in a few weeks’ time, don’t expect to see any reviews, theories, or discussion here on the website.
I’m tired, and I feel like I can’t keep doing this. Star Trek is supposed to be fun; an escape from the realities of life. As someone who’s disabled and has mental health struggles, I need the positivity and fun that a show like Star Trek can bring. I’m not cut out for this kind of constant negativity, shouting and screaming at Paramount Global to get its fucking act together. It’s depressing and disappointing that we’re here again.
This is where I’d usually tell you where to watch Star Trek: Strange New Worlds and tell you that it’s the copyright of Paramount Global. This article contains the thoughts and opinions of one person only and is not intended to cause any offence.
Spoiler Warning: There may be minor spoilers ahead for the Star Trek franchise.
Yesterday we got some fantastic news about the direction of the Star Trek franchise over the next couple of years. I’m sure you’re already aware of all of it, but just in case, here are the key announcements in brief:
Star Trek: Discovery has finally been renewed for a fifth season.
Star Trek: Picard Season 2 will premiere on the 3rd of March.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds will premiere on the 5th of May.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds has been officially renewed for Season 2.
Star Trek: Lower Decks Season 3 will premiere this summer.
Star Trek: Lower Decks has been renewed for Season 4.
Star Trek: Prodigy Season 1 will take a break when Discovery returns, before broadcasting the second half of the season later in the year.
Star Trek: Prodigy has been officially renewed for Season 2.
All of these announcements take the Star Trek franchise well into 2023, and when you add into the mix the as-yet-untitled 2023 film as well, there’s a massive amount of content to come over the next couple of years. It seems as though scarcely a week will go by without at least one new Star Trek episode premiering throughout all of 2022!
This is all unequivocally good news. Star Trek has made an absolutely triumphant return to the small screen since Discovery premiered in 2017, and the franchise has grown beyond my wildest hopes and most optimistic expectations in a scant five years. I hope that this is just the first phase of a new Golden Age, with more Star Trek on our screens taking us to the franchise’s sixtieth anniversary in 2026 – and beyond.
But it hasn’t been a smooth ride for Trekkies in recent weeks, especially for those of us who live outside of the United States. Star Trek: Prodigy is well into its first season for American viewers, but the rest of the fanbase hasn’t been able to see so much as a single episode – at least not via “conventional” means. This is despite Prodigy being a co-production between CBS Studios and Nickelodeon; the latter being a kids’ television channel that is available in more than 70 countries and territories around the world and is wholly owned by ViacomCBS. Surely a Prodigy international broadcast should have been possible – yet the corporation running Star Trek has consistently chosen to prioritise its American audience ahead of fans in the rest of the world, even when doing so makes no sense.
The same situation initially befell Discovery’s fourth season, when an insultingly-worded, awfully-timed announcement saw the series pulled from Netflix with 48 hours to spare. It was only thanks to the huge backlash that ViacomCBS received, leading to a significant fall in the corporation’s share price, that Discovery was shopped out to Pluto TV, Amazon, YouTube, and other platforms. Fans won in the end – but it was a battle that we should’ve never needed to fight.
At the time of the Discovery disaster, I wrote a piece here on the website in which I asked a difficult question: what might the situation and the precedent it had set mean for future Star Trek productions, including those shows that have just been renewed or had premiere dates announced? You can check out the full article by clicking or tapping here, but to briefly summarise: I am not optimistic that the painfully slow rollout of Paramount+ can be sped up, nor that shows like Strange New Worlds will be granted an international broadcast at all.
ViacomCBS is a poorly-managed corporation with leaders and executives who seem utterly incompetent – or who are dusty old relics, ill-suited to a 21st Century media landscape. The lack of care and preparation with which the Star Trek franchise is being handled is indicative of this, and the franchise lags far behind old rival Star Wars in many areas. Where are, for example, 4K HDR episodes? This is something Star Wars has been doing since 2019 with The Mandalorian, and many other television shows on Amazon, Netflix, and Disney+ are now streaming in 4K HDR. Where are the toys that should have been available in time for Prodigy’s debut? And, come to that, where’s the rest of the Star Trek merchandise for other shows?
These are just a couple of examples of how the Star Trek brand is being mismanaged by ViacomCBS, and unfortunately the breach of trust between the corporation and a sizeable chunk of its fanbase means that the plethora of announcements made yesterday are, at the very least, seen through a new lens. At worst they’re completely tainted, with excitement and hype replaced with either apathy or anxiety as fans ask whether we’ll be able to watch any of these new shows and new seasons – and if we can’t, why should we care?
Since I created this website in 2019, I’ve reviewed every Star Trek episode that has been broadcast – except for Prodigy. Why? Because ViacomCBS deliberately chose not to make Prodigy available here in the UK (by lawful means, at least) despite owning and operating the UK version of the Nickelodeon channel and thus having the ability to do so with ease. When a corporation behaves in such an insulting manner, I feel it’s difficult to support practically any announcement or project that they have going on.
It will take time – and most importantly, a significant amount of effort from ViacomCBS – to repair the breach of trust between the corporation and Trekkies. And while these announcements are exciting, I can’t bring myself to fully board the hype train, not until we have more information about how and when these shows are going to be made available.
Here are several key questions that ViacomCBS needs to address in pretty short order:
When will Paramount+ be available here in the UK?
Are there any plans to make Paramount+ available in Asia, Africa, and other regions?
If there are no plans to roll out Paramount+ in a particular country or territory, will these new Star Trek shows be available via some other broadcaster?
Will new episodes of Star Trek be available on Paramount+ outside of the United States, or will the international version of Paramount+ delay the broadcast of some or all of these episodes (as initially happened with Discovery Season 4 in Australia, Latin America, and Scandinavia)?
Can you offer fans a guarantee that Picard Season 2 and Lower Decks Season 3 will be broadcast on Amazon Prime Video this year?
Will Paramount+ be available internationally in time for Strange New Worlds Season 1?
If not, will Strange New Worlds be available on another broadcaster or platform outside of the United States?
I love Star Trek. Heck, I run a Star Trek fan website – and in my small way I offer ViacomCBS free publicity and advertising by talking and writing about the franchise in my free time. But I can’t blindly support a corporation that has continually taken decisions that harm Star Trek’s international fans, and until ViacomCBS is willing to answer some of the questions fans are rightly asking about the availability of upcoming productions, it’s going to remain difficult for any of us to fully get on board and be as excited as we want to be.
ViacomCBS needs to get a grip and put real effort into accelerating the international rollout of Paramount+. If Paramount+ isn’t going to be available in time, then the corporation needs to make plans to ensure international Trekkies can watch the likes of Strange New Worlds at the same time as fans in the United States. Star Trek is not an American entity, solely the preserve of American fans. ViacomCBS and its predecessors encouraged the creation of a global fanbase because they saw profit overseas – but that fanbase has been bruised by a slew of poor corporate decisions that have damaged the reputation of Star Trek and Paramount+, and which have unfortunately seen shows like Lower Decks underperform.
As Star Trek gears up for an exciting couple of years, the team in charge has a lot of work to do to rebuild trust between ViacomCBS and Trekkies. Star Trek’s long-term success depends on fixing the problems of the past couple of years and getting things right going forward. I’m interested to see how ViacomCBS will respond – and willing and able to hold their feet to the fire if they continue to get it wrong.
The Star Trek franchise – including all properties mentioned above – is the copyright of ViacomCBS. This article contains the thoughts and opinions of one person only and is not intended to cause any offence.
The fallout from the atrocious and unfair Star Trek: Discovery decision rumbles on. The ViacomCBS share price continues to tumble in the wake of their truly awful decision to piss off most of the fans of their biggest franchise, the rollout of Paramount+ continues at a snail’s pace with no specific launch dates even entering the conversation, and unfortunately we’re now seeing some divisions in the fandom itself, with North American Trekkies pitted against those of us in the rest of the world as arguments break out over the series. What a stinking mess.
At time of writing, both Star Trek: Prodigy and Star Trek: Discovery are “Paramount+ exclusives” all across the world – meaning the shows are locked behind a paywall that fans can’t actually pay for because the incompetently-managed streaming service hasn’t launched in the vast majority of countries and territories. I feel even worse for Trekkies in Australia, Latin America, and Scandinavia in some ways, though, because although Paramount+ has already arrived there, Discovery Season 4 still hasn’t been made available. If you needed any more evidence that ViacomCBS is one of the worst-run corporations in the entire entertainment industry, look no further than that arbitrary nonsense.
The logo of the mediocre streaming service at the heart of all these problems.
But Prodigy and Discovery aren’t the only Star Trek shows in production at the moment. In 2022 Trekkies have been promised Star Trek: Picard Season 2, Strange New Worlds Season 1, and Lower Decks Season 3 at a minimum. In the wake of the truly selfish and awful Discovery decision, however, I can’t help but feel very nervous about each of those shows. Will Trekkies around the world be able to enjoy any new Star Trek in the months ahead? Or will we see repeat after repeat of the Discovery mess?
Strange New Worlds seems all but certain to be denied any kind of international streaming deal. If you’re hoping to see the series hit Netflix or Amazon Prime Video, you might as well forget it – it’ll be a Paramount+ exclusive for sure. What that means in effect is that anywhere in the world without Paramount+ will miss out on Strange New Worlds. That feels like such a sure thing right now that I’d put money on it.
Don’t bet on seeing Captain Pike on your screens next year. At least not through the usual channels…
Currently, Picard Season 2 is scheduled for a February premiere. If the season runs for ten episodes, as Season 1 did in 2020, it’ll conclude sometime in late April or early May, meaning that Strange New Worlds could debut anytime around then – and certainly well before the middle of the year. At present, the UK and parts of Europe are promised Paramount+ in “early 2022” – which could be before the Strange New Worlds premiere, but it could also be long after the show has kicked off in the United States. And unfortunately, many countries and territories in Asia, Africa, and the rest of the world have no planned launch for Paramount+ at all, which means it could be 2023 or later before the service launches there. If it survives that long.
I simply don’t believe the promises ViacomCBS has made of an “early 2022” launch. Paramount+ has been so poorly managed and so incompetently handled by the corporation that a delay to these plans feels inevitable, so I’m not betting on the service launching here before the end of 2022. But even if, by some miracle, ViacomCBS actually manages to launch Paramount+ on time in Europe, that could still mean Strange New Worlds and Picard Season 2 won’t be broadcast simultaneously with North America.
Picard could well be pulled from Amazon Prime Video before Season 2.
As mentioned, Paramount+ has already arrived in Australia, Latin America, and Scandinavia – and it isn’t exactly brand-new, they’ve had it since March. But despite that, Discovery Season 4 isn’t being shown there at the same time as it’s being shown in North America… so even being very generous to ViacomCBS and assuming that the incompetent morons manage to get Paramount+ to the UK and Europe in “early 2022,” that still doesn’t necessarily mean we’ll be able to watch any of the new shows on the damn thing.
As I discussed the other day, ViacomCBS paid Netflix a large sum of money to ensure that Discovery Season 4 wouldn’t be available around the world. If they had done nothing, the show would’ve come to Netflix under existing contracts and licenses – but the corporation chose to intervene, hoping to boost sign-ups to Paramount+ (though the backlash may have actually cost the platform subscribers thanks to a fan-led boycott campaign). What’s to stop ViacomCBS from doing the same thing with Amazon Prime Video, the current home of Lower Decks and Picard?
Will Amazon Prime Video lose its Star Trek shows, just like Netflix?
One of the stupidest and most offensive things about the Discovery decision is that Paramount+ is unavailable across most of the world. If ViacomCBS had pulled Discovery from Netflix because Paramount+ had already launched and they wanted to keep their own shows on their own platform, it would still be frustrating, and the timing would still be awful, but at least there’d be a vague logic to it. But because Paramount+ isn’t even available, the decision has locked the show behind a paywall that no one is able to pay for. Which, as I’ve argued on more than one occasion, means you have the absolute moral justification to pirate the series.
But this kind of decision could well be repeated. I doubt very much that Paramount+ will be available here in the UK by February, in time for Season 2 of Picard. And on current form, there’s nothing to stop ViacomCBS from doing to Amazon Prime Video what they’ve just done to Netflix – pulling the series from broadcast with days to spare. I don’t think it’s safe to assume we’ll be watching Picard Season 2 on Amazon Prime Video… let alone Lower Decks Season 3, which likely won’t be broadcast until later in the year.
Lower Decks Season 3 could also be going exclusively to Paramount+.
Rather than the Discovery mess being a one-time thing, I think as international fans we need to get used to the idea that, at least for the next year or so, watching Star Trek along with our North American friends may not be possible – or at least may not be possible via conventional methods. Picard Season 2 and Strange New Worlds Season 1 feel the most vulnerable, but realistically we’ll soon see the entire franchise disappear behind Paramount+’s paywall – regardless of whether Paramount+ is actually available.
I’d like to be proven wrong, of course, but I fear that this is the direction of travel for Star Trek as we move into 2022. This will not be a move free of long-term consequences for ViacomCBS. The corporation’s share price continues its fall, many Trekkies have pledged never to subscribe to Paramount+, and one of the biggest single pushes toward piracy since the advent of streaming will lead many fans and viewers to realise just how easy it is to pirate the latest episodes – making it even harder for Paramount+ to tempt them back in future.
A decision intended to push fans toward Paramount+ has actually led to piracy – and threats to boycott the platform.
As self-defeating as these plans may be, don’t expect to see ViacomCBS move away from them. And if you’re especially unlucky, living in a region of the world that ViacomCBS has apparently forgotten even exists, it may be the case that Paramount+ never arrives – or if it does it won’t be till 2023, 2024, or beyond. Star Trek has always told stories of people coming together – of a United Earth free from borders and division. But the ViacomCBS board haven’t even watched their own shows, or if they did the message went far over their shrivelled little profiteering heads.
I don’t want to be the bearer of bad news, but as I see it, the Discovery decision is just the first of many. Strange New Worlds, which has never had an international broadcaster announced, will certainly be a Paramount+ exclusive. Picard Season 2 and Lower Decks Season 3 could very easily follow the Discovery model and be pulled from Amazon Prime Video. And the rest of the Star Trek franchise? Currently the older shows are on Netflix, but the films aren’t. However, I wouldn’t bet on being able to watch any Star Trek series next year unless you have the DVD or are prepared to sign up for Paramount+.
The Star Trek franchise is the copyright of ViacomCBS. This article contains the thoughts and opinions of one person only and is not intended to cause any offence.
Spoiler Warning: There are spoilers ahead for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, Star Trek: Discovery Season 2, and Star Trek: The Original Series.
Though we still haven’t seen a trailer for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 1, which is on the schedule for next year, last week’s Star Trek Day broadcast finally introduced us to members of the crew of the USS Enterprise who will be joining Captain Pike. Along with Pike, Spock, and Number One, who are returning to their roles from Season 2 of Star Trek: Discovery, we briefly met six other characters.
We’ll look at each of these characters in turn to see what we can gleam and if we can figure out anything about the direction of any of Strange New Worlds’ plotlines, but first I wanted to cover an omission. Ever since Strange New Worlds was announced last year, fans had been speculating about who may or may not join Captain Pike on the Enterprise, but one character I felt had a strong chance of making an appearance was Cadet Sidhu.
Captain Pike with Cadet Sidhu in engineering.
Cadet Sidhu was introduced in the Short Treks episode Ask Not in 2019, and played a major role in that story alongside Captain Pike. Though Ask Not was primarily a vehicle for Anson Mount to reprise his much-loved role, almost any story aboard the Enterprise could’ve been invented for that purpose. To tell a story that focused on Cadet Sidhu and her being assigned to the USS Enterprise felt like a deliberate character introduction, and even though Strange New Worlds hadn’t been announced at that point, the series was clearly something that Star Trek was building up to.
I felt that Ask Not was a strong story, and that Sidhu actor Amrit Kaur put in a solid performance. It was a little surprising to see that she wasn’t part of the main cast at Star Trek Day, and while it’s still possible the character could return in some form, the inclusion of Cadet Uhura – whose role we’ll come to in a moment – seems like it’s potentially occupying a very similar space to the role that Sidhu might’ve played. Although the two characters are in different departments – Sidhu in engineering, Uhura in communications – in terms of narrative structure and character roles it seems unlikely that Strange New Worlds would have space to do justice to the stories of two cadets. If Sidhu is included, then, it seems certain that her role will be much less prominent than I’d have initially expected.
Cadet Sidhu doesn’t seem to be coming back – despite Ask Not seemingly setting her up for a role aboard the Enterprise.
Now that we’ve covered one non-appearance, let’s look at who will definitely be part of Season 1! The character about whom we know the least right now is Erica Ortegas, played by Melissa Navia. This lieutenant appears to occupy a role on the bridge, perhaps in either the helm or navigation positions in front of Captain Pike. Wearing a red shirt, however, could mean she has a role as a security officer, tactical officer, or engineer either in addition to or instead of a permanent role on the bridge.
Lieutenant Ortegas does not appear to be connected to any known Star Trek characters, either from The Original Series era or any other Star Trek production, so that speculation is really the extent of what we know! We can assume that she’s of Spanish, Latin American, or Hispanic-American origin simply based on her name and casting, which would make her the first major character in the franchise to be from one of those backgrounds.
Lieutenant Ortegas on what appears to be the bridge of the Enterprise.
Interestingly, the name “Ortegas” is not new to Star Trek. Gene Roddenberry’s original pitch for Star Trek, prior to commencing work on The Cage, included a character named José Ortegas who would occupy the role of the ship’s navigator. By the time The Cage entered production, however, this character had been changed. José Tyler (whose first name wasn’t mentioned on screen) replaced Ortegas. This subtle nod to Star Trek’s origin is incredibly sweet, and if we can infer anything at all from this connection, it could mean that Lieutenant Ortegas will indeed occupy the role of navigator on the bridge.
Up next is the other character who appears to have no connection that we’re aware of to anyone else in Star Trek: Hemmer, played by Bruce Horak. Horak was not part of the announcement of the cast of Strange New Worlds earlier in the year, so his inclusion was a bit of a surprise for more than one reason! Most interestingly, though, Hemmer appears to be an Aenar – an Andorian race first encountered in Enterprise.
It’s Hemmer time!
Most Aenar were known to be blind, and actor Bruce Horak is himself legally blind. This aspect of Hemmer’s character wasn’t discussed at all during Star Trek Day, which was a little odd considering it’s a significant step for the franchise. The character of Geordi La Forge in The Next Generation was also blind, but in his case a visor allowed him to see. Hemmer will potentially be the first blind character on Star Trek whose sight hasn’t been restored through technological means. What that means for his role aboard the ship isn’t clear, though.
Hemmer was wearing the red shirt of the security or engineering departments, and the very brief clip of him appeared to show him in a different area of the ship. Perhaps we can infer from that that he isn’t a bridge officer and may work in engineering. The Aenar in Enterprise were known to have extensive telepathic abilities, which could give Hemmer an edge when it comes to things like diplomacy or even a medical field. Hemmer is already a fascinating character, and I love the nod to Enterprise. His inclusion is a positive one for the visually-impaired, and for folks with disabilities of all kinds. Not only that, but it was done in a very “Star Trek” way – casting a character who is a member of a blind race of aliens doesn’t tread on the toes of things like Geordi’s visor and the prospect of offering a cure for blindness in Star Trek’s optimistic future.
Geordi La Forge in The Next Generation.
Now we’re coming to characters who may be a little more familiar. La’an Noonien-Singh, played by Christina Chong, shares a family name with Khan Noonien Singh (albeit with a hyphen, though that could be a mistake). It seems incredibly unlikely to me that that’s a coincidence, so the question it raises is to what extent is La’an connected to Khan? At this point in the timeline, Khan is still in stasis aboard the SS Botany Bay. He wouldn’t be encountered by the Enterprise and awakened until after Captain Kirk assumed command of the ship, so La’an seemingly can’t be a direct relation.
It’s possible that she’s a distant descendant, then. Though Khan was genetically augmented, the practice was banned after the Eugenics Wars and thus it seems unlikely that La’an could be an augment herself. However, genetic traits found in Khan may still be present after several generations and she may have increased strength or mental faculties as a result.
La’an may be in sickbay during this scene.
One storyline that could be interesting for a character like La’an is how she might want to move away from her family history. Assuming that she does have a family connection with Khan, the choice to either embrace or reject his legacy could be something we see the character struggle with at points. Some people struggle with a family name and family legacy, and this can be a source of drama in fiction. Though Kylo Ren’s story went completely off the rails in the Star Wars franchise, it began with lofty ambitions of depicting a man struggling with different parts of his family history. Perhaps we’ll see something similar with La’an Noonien-Singh.
Other than that implied connection with Khan, all we can say about La’an is that she’s also wearing the red uniform of either the security or engineering divisions. Either could be a good fit if there’s any kind of genetic legacy from Khan and his augments – a security officer with enhanced strength and endurance would have an advantage, and an engineer whose brain works faster than everyone else would likewise be an incredibly useful asset to any engineering team.
What connection might La’an have to iconic Star Trek villain Khan Noonien Singh?
Those three characters are brand-new to Star Trek – even though there are connections to the rest of the franchise. Strange New Worlds also re-introduced us to three other characters who are returning! These three all appeared in The Original Series. We’ll begin with Dr M’Benga, who appeared in just two episodes. When Dr McCoy was absent, Dr M’Benga appeared to be in charge, so he could’ve been the deputy chief medical officer by the time of The Original Series.
Though never confirmed on screen, the character’s first name was intended to be Joseph, and Dr M’Benga would’ve been born in Uganda in Africa. By the time of Geordi La Forge’s birth around a century later, an organisation called the African Confederation was known to exist, so it’s possible that Dr M’Benga may have originated from there as well. The actor taking on the role, Babs Olusanmokun, was born in Nigeria, so it’s possible that Dr M’Benga’s origin could be changed to give him a west African ancestry.
Dr M’Benga holding a padd in what could be sickbay.
The Original Series clarified one thing about Dr M’Benga – he was somewhat of an expert on Vulcan physiology having spent some time on Vulcan. It’s possible that we could see him strike up a friendship with Spock based on that, or prove useful if Spock requires medical attention. Given Dr M’Benga’s status by the time of The Original Series I’m not convinced that he’ll be the chief medical officer – if so, why would he seemingly have taken a demotion to serve under Dr McCoy a decade later?
Dr Boyce, who we met in The Cage, appeared to be a friend and confidante of Captain Pike as well as the Enterprise’s chief medical officer. It’s possible this character may yet return in some form, and that Dr M’Benga is again a deputy. Or perhaps Dr Boyce has taken a leave of absence leaving Dr M’Benga in charge temporarily. Of the returning characters from The Original Series, Dr M’Benga offers the creative team behind Strange New Worlds the most freedom. We saw him on only a couple of occasions, so his character is still largely unwritten.
Dr M’Benga in Season 2 of The Original Series – played by actor Booker Bradshaw.
Staying in sickbay, we come to Nurse Chapel. Along with Una (Number One), Nurse Christine Chapel was played by Majel Barrett during The Original Series and was a mainstay in sickbay alongside Dr McCoy. Jess Bush is taking on the role for Strange New Worlds, and presumably will share a number of scenes with Dr M’Benga. The two characters knew one another by the time of The Original Series, and even worked together to treat Spock in the episode A Private Little War.
Despite appearing in twenty-five episodes of The Original Series, as well as in The Animated Series and two films, I’d argue that Nurse Chapel is still quite an underdeveloped character open for Strange New Worlds to explore in more depth. Many of her appearances in The Original Series were as an assistant to Dr McCoy, and learning more about her as a person away from her medical duties could be something the new show does.
Jess Bush as Nurse Chapel in what appears to be sickbay.
There’s also the romantic feelings that Nurse Chapel developed toward Spock. Does she have a crush on him at this early stage? If not, perhaps the series will show how that came to be. Though I’m sure her characterisation won’t just be about that – the trope of female characters having nothing to think about but men is a tired one that needs to be retired – it could be one element among many that we see. Chapel was engaged to a man named Roger Korby by Season 1 of The Original Series, and this relationship could also be explored.
As a character that we’re at least a little familiar with, Strange New Worlds will have to tread somewhat carefully with Nurse Chapel. Though there is scope, as mentioned, to dive deeper into her characterisation and learn more about her, there are some constraints based on what we know of her from The Original Series that the show will have to respect.
Nurse Chapel in Season 1 of The Original Series.
Finally we come to the character that got many fans incredibly excited. Strange New Worlds was even trending on Twitter for a time following the reveal that Cadet Nyota Uhura will be a member of the crew. With the exception of Spock and, to a degree, Captain Pike, Uhura is the character fans are most familiar with, as she appeared in sixty-nine episodes of The Original Series, all but three episodes of The Animated Series, and all six films starring Star Trek’s original cast. She also appeared in the alternate reality Kelvin timeline films.
As such, there’s less scope to reshape or change Uhura’s character than there is for any of the others. However, as Discovery did with Spock in Season 2, there’s a lot of potential to show where Uhura came from and how she came to grow into the person we came to know and love during The Original Series. She can’t be too fundamentally different, but she can certainly start in a different place and slowly become the person we’re more familiar with. This was Spock’s journey, in some respects, in Discovery.
Cadet Uhura. We can clearly see Pike in the captain’s chair behind her, so this must be on the bridge.
We know from both her original depiction and her Kelvin timeline depiction that Uhura has a knack for alien languages. Perhaps her unique skillset is what landed her a role on the Enterprise to begin with, as it seems unlikely that a cadet would ordinarily be a regular on the bridge! In that sense we could see her akin to Hoshi Sato from Enterprise – still finding her feet on the ship, but confident in her particular field.
A young cadet or newly-graduated officer is a character archetype that Star Trek shows have used in the past to great effect. Wesley Crusher, Harry Kim, and Sylvia Tilly come to mind first and foremost, but I’d also point to Dr Bashir in his first appearances, as well as Pavel Chekov, D’Vana Tendi, and the aforementioned Hoshi Sato as great examples. These kinds of characters present a strong contrast with the more experienced members of the crew, and can offer different perspectives as a result. Not only that, but any character who’s new aboard the ship makes for a great introduction and point-of-view character for us as the audience. It’s possible that Uhura will fill this role at the beginning of Strange New Worlds.
Uhura in Season 3 of The Original Series.
Before we wrap things up we can also talk about Una Chin-Riley, also known as Number One. She’s Captain Pike’s first officer, and though we spent a little time with her in Discovery Season 2 and Short Treks, there’s still a lot that we don’t know about her. Her depiction in The Cage was as a rather unemotional, straight-laced person. In particular the Short Treks episode Q&A showed us that there is a fun side to her – and this is something we could definitely see more of. Number One seems like someone with a very professional attitude, and perhaps a very clear line between friends and co-workers. Captain Pike and Spock may have bridged that line – but who else will?
Rebecca Romijn, who plays the character, told us that Una is “way more complex” than we might expect, which is tantalising to say the least! She also said that Strange New Worlds will take the opportunity to “flesh out” the character in more detail, which sounds fantastic. Though the original portrayal – and to an extent what we’ve seen in Discovery – does act as a constraint on where the character could go, I think there’s still plenty of scope to explore who Number One is.
Number One passes Spock on what seems to be the bridge.
The uniforms have been redesigned for Strange New Worlds, with most characters sporting a V-neck variant without the high collar or much of the piping and stitching seen in Season 2 of Discovery. Number One appears to have her own unique variant with a zip collar and black undershirt, and more black or dark patches on the sides of the torso. It’s not clear why she gets a special uniform – or indeed if this is what she’ll wear most often. But it’s interesting, and makes her stand out from the rest of the crew.
Of course we also have Captain Pike and Spock returning as well – but I daresay you know at least a little about both of them already! We didn’t really learn too much more about either of them at Star Trek Day, though there was talk of Captain Pike potentially inviting members of his senior staff to his quarters and cooking meals for them. That seems like a neat addition to his character. In Discovery Season 2 we came to see Captain Pike as the embodiment of Starfleet’s values and the epitome of what it means to be a leader. I daresay that side of his characterisation will remain.
Captain Pike wearing the new V-neck uniform tunic.
When it comes to Pike, one element of his story that I’m most interested in is how he’s going to handle the knowledge of his impending accident and disability. He chose that future for himself in Discovery Season 2, and now it’s locked-in. As someone who’s disabled and suffers from a complex set of health issues, I’ve been in the position of knowing something is wrong and only going to get worse. I’ve heard bad news from a doctor, knowing there’s nothing I can do to change the outcome. Seeing how Pike will respond to being in a comparable situation has to be one of the things I’m most anticipating when it comes to his role in Strange New Worlds.
However, I’m also looking forward to spending time with Pike himself outside of that. There’s more to him than just one storyline, and we could see him, for example, attempt to make contact with Vina on Talos IV again, or furthering his friendships with Spock and Number One. I’m curious to see him interact with some of the other members of the crew, particularly those we remember from The Original Series era.
Captain Pike traded his future health for a time crystal in Discovery Season 2.
Finally we have Spock. As the character we know best, and as someone who’s been a major part of Star Trek for practically its entire history, there’s far less scope to radically change Spock. Additions can be made to his character – as we saw with Michael Burnham in Discovery – but at a fundamental level, who he is as a person is set in stone.
We may see Spock’s human and Vulcan sides in conflict in Strange New Worlds as he tries to bury his emotions. At Star Trek Day, producer Akiva Goldsman made reference to The Cage and how Spock was depicted there. How “smiley Spock” became the character we know, perhaps influenced by the loss of Michael Burnham, could be one element of his character that the new show will explore.
Spock aboard the Enterprise.
I think it’s more important for Spock to stay true to his past characterisation than it is for any of the others. Spock has appeared in The Original Series and its films, The Next Generation, and the Kelvin timeline films, and was a major character much of the time. There is still scope to explore unknown aspects of his character – and we could see, for example, how or why he came to have a falling-out with Sarek – but generally speaking this is the character that Strange New Worlds has to be the most careful with.
Production has now finished on Season 1 of Strange New Worlds. Though I fully expect a second season is already being worked on behind closed doors, there’s been no official announcement as of yet. If the show follows a similar pattern to Discovery and Picard, it might not be until the first season is about to premiere that we’ll learn a second is going to happen. Regardless, I think it’s a safe bet right now that, after all the effort and work that’s gone into Season 1, Strange New Worlds won’t just run for a single season!
The cast of Strange New Worlds Season 1. Photo Credit: Rebecca Romijn on Twitter.
Promising a return to a more episodic format, and bringing back Captain Pike and Spock after their excellent roles in Season 2 of Discovery, Strange New Worlds was already high up on the list of shows I’m most excited for. But I have to say, after seeing the casting announcements (and, perhaps, because Picard Season 2 has dropped down a little) it’s now officially right at the top! 2022 can’t come soon enough, to be honest!
Each of the new characters look genuinely exciting and interesting, and the series seems to be doing a good job at walking the line between staying true to Star Trek’s past and carving out its own niche. That isn’t always going to be easy, and the producers have certainly taken on a challenge by bringing back fan-favourites like Uhura. But everything I’ve seen and heard fills me with confidence that Strange New Worlds is going to be utterly fantastic. I cannot wait to see the show when it premieres next year.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds will be broadcast on Paramount+ in the United States (and other regions where the platform is available) in 2022. Further international distribution has not yet been announced. The Star Trek franchise – including Strange New Worlds and all other properties mentioned above – is the copyright of ViacomCBS. This article contains the thoughts and opinions of one person only and is not intended to cause any offence.
Spoiler Warning: There are spoilers ahead for the Star Trek franchise, including the following upcoming series: Strange New Worlds Season 1, Picard Season 2, Lower Decks Season 2, Discovery Season 4, and Prodigy Season 1.
Yesterday was Star Trek Day! And in case you missed it, ViacomCBS held a live event that was streamed online and via Paramount+ showcasing and celebrating all things Star Trek! We’ll break down the big news in a moment, but first I wanted to give you my thoughts on the event as a whole.
This was the first big in-person event that many of the folks involved had been able to attend since 2019, and there was talk of the pandemic and its enforced disruption on the various shows that have been in production over the last couple of years. There was also a lot of positivity from presenters and interviewees not only about Star Trek – which was to be expected, naturally – but also about being back together and simply being able to hold a major event of this nature. The positivity of hosts Wil Wheaton and Mica Burton was infectious, and the event was much better for the role the duo played in hosting the panels and introducing guests.
Mica Burton and Wil Wheaton were great hosts.
That isn’t to say that Star Trek Day was entirely without problems, though. To be blunt, the event dragged on a bit too long (it ran to over three hours) and several of the panels and interviews were the worse for being conducted live instead of the pre-recorded, edited, and curated segments and panels we’ve had to get used to in the coronavirus era. Several of the guests seemed unprepared for what should’ve been obvious questions, and there were too many awkward silences and pauses while people gathered their thoughts and responded to the hosts. Such is the nature of live broadcasting – and it sounds rather misanthropic to criticise it!
During what I assume was an intermission on the main stage we were treated(!) to a separate pair of presenters on the red carpet reading out twitter messages and posts from the audience. This was perhaps the segment that dragged the most; one of the presenters even admitted to not being a regular Star Trek viewer (she hadn’t seen Discovery at all) so unfortunately this part of the show was less interesting as the pair were a little less knowledgeable about the franchise. If it had been made clear that this section of the broadcast was going to last as long as it did I might’ve taken a break as well!
This segment in the middle of the broadcast dragged on a bit.
Overall, though, despite running a bit too long and the ending feeling a little rushed (something we’ll talk about later), Star Trek Day was a success. It didn’t only look forward to upcoming projects like Strange New Worlds and Picard Season 2, but it looked back at every past Star Trek series, inviting members of the casts of those shows to talk about what made them – and the franchise – so great.
As a true celebration of all things Star Trek, the broadcast has to be considered a success. And although a pre-recorded event could’ve been edited and streamlined to cut to the more interesting parts and to give interviewees a chance to gather their thoughts, it was nice to see many of the folks we know and love from Star Trek back together and able to spend time in person with one another. Hosts Wil Wheaton and Mica Burton did a great job at making us as the audience feel included, as if we were there at Star Trek Day right along with them. For those few hours – even through awkward moments and segments that seemed to run a little too long – it felt like being a member of the Star Trek family. As someone with few friends, I appreciated that immensely. For those few hours last night – and yes, even though Star Trek Day didn’t start until 1:30am UK time I did stay up to watch it – I felt like I, too, was an honorary member of the Star Trek family, and that’s a feeling I would never have been able to get anywhere else.
Star Trek Day was a successful celebration of all things Trek!
Now then! Let’s talk about the various panels, trailers, and interviews. Over the coming days I’ll be taking a closer look at some of the announcements and trailers in more detail (as well as perhaps crafting a few of my patented and often-wrong theories), but for now I want to try to include an overview of everything that was included in Star Trek Day.
We’ll come to the biggest announcements and trailers at the end, but first I wanted to talk for a moment about the music. Star Trek Day had a live orchestra on its main stage, and we were treated to live renditions of Star Trek theme music past and present – as well as a medley that kicked off the event. I was listening to Star Trek Day on my headphones, and the music sounded beautiful. Composer Jeff Ruso (who composed the theme music to Discovery and Picard) picked up the conductor’s baton, and the medley he arranged was really an outstanding celebration of all things Star Trek.
Star Trek Day both began and ended with music, as Isa Briones (Star Trek: Picard’s Soji) sang her rendition of Irving Berlin’s 1926 song Blue Skies to close out the broadcast.
Isa Briones’ rendition of Blue Skies brought proceedings to a fitting end.
There were five “legacy moments” spread throughout Star Trek Day, and these celebrations of past Star Trek series were genuinely moving. Actors George Takei, LeVar Burton, Cirroc Lofton, Garrett Wang, and Anthony Montgomery spoke about their respective series with enthusiasm and emotion. Cirroc Lofton paid tribute to his on-screen dad Avery Brooks, talking about how Deep Space Nine showed a single dad balancing his work and family commitments. He also spoke about Deep Space Nine’s legacy as the first Star Trek show to step away from a starship and take a different look at the Star Trek galaxy.
The themes of diversity and inclusion were omnipresent in these legacy moments, and all five actors spoke about how Star Trek and Gene Roddenberry have promoted diversity since the very beginning. George Takei spoke about Gene Roddenberry’s vision for Star Trek, how sci-fi had previously been something often seen as just for kids, and how putting a very diverse cast of characters together was groundbreaking in the 1960s. It’s always amazing to hear George Takei speak, and even fifty-five years later he still has a grace and eloquence when speaking on these topics. As someone who has himself been at the forefront of campaigning for diversity and equality, he does so with a gravitas that few can match.
George Takei’s speech was outstanding.
Garrett Wang spoke about how Voyager could be a “refuge” for fans; a place to go where everyone could feel included and like they were part of the family. The way the show combined two crews was, I would argue, one of its weaker elements, but Wang looked at it through a different lens, and I can see the point about how Voyager put those folks in a difficult situation and brought them together to work in common cause. He also spoke in very flattering terms about Captain Janeway and Kate Mulgrew – who is returning to Star Trek very soon.
Anthony Montgomery was incredibly positive about Enterprise, and how the series embodied the pioneering spirit of exploration. I loved his line about how Enterprise, although it was a prequel recorded later than many other shows, laid the groundwork and filled in much of Star Trek’s previously unvisited stories and unexplained lore. Above all, he said, Enterprise was a “fun” show – and it’s hard to disagree! The orchestra concluded this speech with Archer’s Theme – the music heard over the end credits for Enterprise – which is a beautiful piece of music. If I were to remaster Enterprise I’d drop Faith of the Heart (which is a nice enough song, don’t get me wrong) and replace it on the opening titles with Archer’s Theme. The orchestra played it perfectly.
Anthony Montgomery spoke with passion and good humour about Enterprise.
LeVar Burton talked about The Next Generation, and how Star Trek was reinvigorated for a new era. The Next Generation was the first spin-off, and it came at a time when spin-offs didn’t really exist in the sci-fi or drama spaces, so it was an unknown and a risk. Burton also spoke about The Next Generation’s sense of family, and how Star Trek can be a unifying force in the world.
Far from being mere padding, the five legacy moments saw stars of Star Trek’s past pay tribute to the franchise and the shows they were part of. There were consistent themes running through all five speeches, particularly the theme of inclusion. Star Trek has always been a franchise that strives to include people who are “different” – people like myself. For many fans, that’s one of the things that makes Star Trek so great. To see some of the biggest stars acknowledge and celebrate that aspect of Star Trek was wonderful, emotional, and rather cathartic.
Cirroc Lofton paid tribute to Deep Space Nine and his on-screen dad Avery Brooks.
Each of the five actors spoke with love, positivity, and enthusiasm for the franchise that made them household names. Anthony Montgomery’s incredibly positive attitude in particular shone through – he was beaming the whole time and seemed genuinely thrilled to have been invited to speak and to celebrate Enterprise.
If Star Trek Day aimed to celebrate all things Star Trek, then the legacy moments went a long way to making that ambition a reality on the night. The speeches were pitch-perfect, as were the orchestral renditions of all five Star Trek themes, and I had an unexpectedly good time with these moments. I wasn’t sure what to expect from the programme listed on the website; I didn’t really have any expectations of what the legacy moments would include. They surprised me by being one of the most enjoyable, down-to-earth parts of a hugely entertaining evening.
Garrett Wang represented Voyager in the show’s legacy moment segment.
Let’s talk about news and announcements. That’s what you’re here for, right?! That was certainly what I was most interested in and excited for when I sat down to watch the Star Trek Day broadcast – though, as mentioned, I was taken aback by some of the other elements present that I wouldn’t have expected!
First, a non-announcement! Wil Wheaton interviewed the head of production on Star Trek, Alex Kurtzman, early on in the evening. Kurtzman didn’t have anything to say about the Section 31 series, nor about the upcoming Star Trek film due for release in 2023. However, he mentioned something that I found really interesting: a Starfleet Academy series or project. This isn’t anything close to an official announcement, of course, and he and Wil Wheaton talked about it in abstract terms. But a Starfleet Academy series has been something Star Trek has considered in the past; Gene Roddenberry was quite keen on a Starfleet Academy spin-off prior to developing The Next Generation. Watch this space, because it’s at least possible that a project centred around Starfleet Academy will get off the ground under Kurtzman’s leadership.
Alex Kurtzman seemed to tease that a Starfleet Academy project may be coming sometime soon!
There were no brand-new shows or films formally announced at Star Trek Day. While I wasn’t necessarily expecting such an announcement, and Kurtzman’s earlier statement that no new show will be worked on until the current crop have run their course would seem to exclude it, there are multiple pitches and projects that have been rumoured or talked about over the last few years. The Section 31 series was absent again, as mentioned, and that’s more bad news for a series that feels like it isn’t going to happen. There were also no mentions of the likes of Ceti Alpha V, Captain Proton, or Captain Worf – just some of the heavily-speculated or rumoured pitches believed to be floating around over at ViacomCBS.
We did get release dates or release windows for several upcoming seasons, though! After Lower Decks Season 2 draws to a close in mid-October there’ll be a couple of weeks with no Star Trek, but then Prodigy will be available (in the United States at least) from the 28th of October. Shortly thereafter, Discovery Season 4 will kick off – it will premiere on the 18th of November in the United States and on the 19th internationally. Finally, Picard Season 2 is scheduled to arrive on our screens in February next year – presumably shortly after the season finale of Discovery.
Prodigy is coming soon… if you live in the USA, anyway.
All of this is great news! There was no release date for Strange New Worlds, but I think we can assume it will follow within a few weeks at most of Picard Season 2, which would put it perhaps in May or June 2022 at the very latest. But there will be a whole lot of Star Trek on our screens this autumn and winter, well into the first half of next year. Wil Wheaton said it best: with so many new Star Trek projects in production, we’re living through a new golden age of Star Trek right now!
I was a little surprised when the Discovery panel ended without revealing a new trailer or teaser for Season 4. Michelle Paradise, Wilson Cruz, Blu del Barrio, and Ian Alexander talked about how the show is fostering a sense of family in the 32nd Century – and that we will see Gray get a “corporeal” body in Season 4 somehow, which is great! But I have to say I’d been expecting a new trailer; the show is only a couple of months away after all. Perhaps we’ll get that nearer to the time. There wasn’t any mention of Season 5 either, but it’s possible that announcement will come as the marketing campaign for Season 4 ramps up.
Wilson Cruz speaking during the Discovery panel.
Wilson Cruz seems like such a positive person in every interview I’ve ever seen him participate in, and he brought a lot of positive energy to the stage in Star Trek Day as well. There was talk of the Stamets-Culber relationship being revisited in Season 4, which is great – Stamets and Culber really form the emotional core of the show. He also spoke about how Dr Culber is embracing new roles in Season 4 – the role of counsellor to others aboard the ship as well as a parental role for Adira and Gray.
Gray’s storyline has the potential to be one of the most powerful in Discovery as the show moves into its fourth season. Being trans or gender-nonconforming can make one feel invisible – something I can speak to myself – and this is literally shown on screen by Gray’s invisibility. The powerful story of discovering how to be seen, and to do so with the help, encouragement, and support of one’s closest friends and family has the potential to be an exceptionally powerful story, one which I can already feel resonating with me. Blu del Barrio and Ian Alexander spoke very positively about their on- and off-screen relationships, and they seem like they work exceptionally well together as a duo. I can’t wait to see what Season 4 will bring for them both.
Blu del Barrio and Ian Alexander play Adira and Gray respectively. I’m greatly looking forward to their stories in Season 4.
I’ve already got a Prodigy theory! The show’s co-creators talked about how Prodigy Season 1 begins with the kids on a never-before-seen planet described as being “far removed and mysterious.” It sounds like we aren’t seeing a planet that the USS Voyager visited in the Delta Quadrant – something backed up by scenes seemingly set on that world in the trailer – and the USS Protostar appears to have crashed “inside” the planet. Did it crash during the final leg of Voyager’s journey home through the Borg transwarp network? Or perhaps during one of Voyager’s other flights – the space catapult from The Voyager Conspiracy or Kes’ telepathic launch in The Gift, for example. More to come on this, so stay tuned!
So we got a release date for Prodigy in the United States, but as I’ve said on a couple of occasions now it seems as though Prodigy isn’t going to be broadcast anywhere that doesn’t already have Paramount+. Considering that the series is a collaborative project between Star Trek and Nickelodeon (itself a ViacomCBS subsidiary), it should surely have been possible to secure an international broadcast on the Nickelodeon channel – a satellite/cable channel here in the UK and in many other countries. It’s a disappointment that, once again, ViacomCBS does not care about its international fans. It’s not as egregious a failing as it was with Lower Decks, because as a kids’ show Prodigy’s primary audience won’t really notice the delay. But for Trekkies around the world, to see Prodigy teased then find out we have no way to watch it is disappointing, and there’s no way around that.
The USS Protostar in flight.
Despite that, the Prodigy panel was interesting. Dee Bradley Baker, who voices Murf – the cute blob-alien – seems like he’s a real Trekkie and spoke about the franchise with passion. It was so much fun to see him perform Murf’s voice live, as well! Brett Gray, who will take on the role of young leader Dal, seemed overjoyed to have joined a franchise – and a family – with such a legacy, and I liked the way he spoke about how the young crew of the USS Protostar will grow as the season progresses.
The show’s co-creators – brothers Dan and Kevin Hageman – spoke about how Prodigy won’t be a series that talks down to children, but rather aims to be a series with plenty to offer for adults as well. The best kids’ shows manage this – and the Hagemans have received critical acclaim and awards for their work on Trollhunters and Ninjago, so there’s a lot of room for optimism. They both seemed to have a good grasp of the legacy and role Star Trek plays and has played for young people, and I think the show is in safe hands.
Dee Bradley Baker gave us a tease of Murf’s voice!
The Prodigy trailer was action-packed and exciting! We got a glimpse of the villainous character played by John Noble – and heard his distinctive voice – as well as got a much closer look at the USS Protostar than we had before. Perhaps the most exciting moment, though, was seeing the Janeway hologram for the first time! Janeway’s role in the show seems like it will be that of a mentor; the kids will make their own calls and decisions, but Janeway will be on hand to offer advice – at least that’s my take at this stage.
There were some funny moments in the trailer, too, which will surely produce a lot of giggles from Prodigy’s young audience. “Just hit all the buttons” until the phasers fire was a great laugh line, and the ship losing artificial gravity was likewise hilarious. There was also a crash-landing that reminded me very much of a scene in the Voyager episode Timeless. I’m really looking forward to Prodigy and to spending time with the young crew of the USS Protostar.
The crew of Prodigy on the bridge of the USS Protostar.
The Lower Decks panel was perhaps the funniest of the night. It was also the one where the interviewees felt the most comfortable and did their best at participating and answering questions; there were none of the awkward silences or long pauses that made me cringe during other panels. Noël Wells, Eugene Cordero, and creator Mike McMahan initially took to the stage before being joined in truly spectacular fashion by Ransom voice actor Jerry O’Connell. The cast members clearly get on very well together, and this came across as the four talked with host Mica Burton about the first four episodes of the season as well as what’s to come in the remaining six episodes.
Wells and Cordero talked about how they see their characters of Tendi and Rutherford becoming friends and bonding over “nerd” things – geeking out together over things like new tricorders, engineering, or how best to do their work was a hallmark for both in Season 1. I’m not so sure how I feel about Mike McMahan saying that the rest of the season plans to go “even bigger” with some of its stories. Lower Decks can be overly ambitious, at times, with the number of characters and story threads it tries to cram into a twenty- or twenty-five-minute episode, and this can be to the detriment of some or all of the stories it wants to tell.
Mike McMahan, Noël Wells, Eugene Cordero, and Jerry O’Connell participated in the Lower Decks panel.
However, McMahan spoke about the episode Crisis Point from Season 1 as a kind of baseline for how big and bold the show wants to go in the second half of Season 2. That episode was one of the best, not just for its wacky over-the-top action, but for its quieter character moments. If the rest of Season 2 keeps in mind the successful elements from episodes like Crisis Point, then I think we’re in for a good time!
The mid-season trailer was interesting! Here are just some of the things I spotted: the Pakleds are returning, Rutherford seems to get a “Wrath of Khan-inspired” moment in a radiation chamber, Tendi was transformed into a monster that seemed reminiscent of those in Genesis from Season 7 of The Next Generation, Boimler and Mariner are involved in a shuttle crash, Mariner rejoins Captain Freeman on the bridge, there was a scene in which Boimler easily defeated some Borg that I assume must be a dream or holodeck programme, a Crystalline Entity was seen, the creepy bartender with the New England accent was back, and Boimler and Mariner shared a joke about the utility of phaser rifles. I’m sure there was more – but those were the key things I spotted! The rest of Season 2 will hopefully continue to hit the highs of the past few weeks – and there’s another episode coming out very soon here in the UK that I can’t wait to watch!
Rutherford’s “Wrath of Khan moment” from the mid-season trailer.
It was very sweet for Star Trek Day to take time to discuss Gene Roddenberry’s legacy, coming in the centenary year of his birth. His son Rod, and former Star Trek stars LeVar Burton, George Takei, and Gates McFadden joined Wil Wheaton to talk about Gene Roddenberry, and this was one of the most touching moments in the entire event. There were some laughs as George Takei told us about his first meeting with Gene Roddenberry and how he came to land the role of Sulu – including how both he and Gene mispronounced each others’ names! Gates McFadden seemed to have been talked into joining the cast of The Next Generation by Roddenberry, having initially wanted to return to the stage and join a play. Rod Roddenberry’s reminiscence of the design process for the Enterprise-D was hilarious – apparently his mother thought the ship looked like “a pregnant duck!”
LeVar Burton, who had been a Star Trek fan prior to joining The Next Generation, spoke about how he was overwhelmed at first when meeting “the Great Bird of the Galaxy,” and how a small role on a made-for-television film introduced him to producer Bob Justman, who later arranged for him to meet with Gene Roddenberry during pre-production on The Next Generation. All of these anecdotes went a long way to humanising Gene Roddenberry the man – we can often get lost in the legacy and philosophy he left behind, and how Star Trek and the world he created has influenced and impacted us, but this was a rare opportunity to hear small, personal stories about the man himself. I greatly appreciated that.
LeVar Burton spoke about working with Gene Roddenberry before giving a speech about The Next Generation.
George Takei got one of the biggest applause lines of the evening when he spoke about the importance of Star Trek’s fans, in particular Bjo Trimble, on popularising The Original Series and getting a nationwide fan community started. Decades before the internet came along to make fandoms and fan communities a part of many peoples’ lives, Star Trek was already developing its very own devoted fan community thanks to people like Bjo Trimble, and for George Takei to take time to acknowledge the role fans have played in Star Trek’s ongoing success was wonderful to hear.
As I’ve said before, The Motion Picture was the culmination of this fan-led journey for Star Trek, but the film also laid the groundwork for much of what we’d come to know as Star Trek in the eighties and nineties. Many sets and design elements were in continuous use in some form from The Motion Picture’s premiere in 1979 right the way through to the cancellation of Enterprise in 2005, and much of the aesthetic and feel of Star Trek is owed to what The Motion Picture pioneered. George Takei acknowledged that, and that was a pretty cool moment. The Motion Picture is one of my favourite Star Trek films, and a 4K remaster was briefly shown off as well – the 4K blu-ray set of the first four Star Trek films is out now, so Star Trek Day took a moment to plug it!
There was a brief glimpse of the remastered version of The Motion Picture from this new box set.
The panel that seemed to get the most online attention was, I felt, one of the worst and most cringeworthy to watch! The Strange New Worlds panel was followed up by a pre-recorded video that introduced new members of its main cast, who joined Anson Mount, Ethan Peck, and Rebecca Romijn. Among the newly-revealed characters were an Aenar (an Andorian race introduced in Enterprise) a possible descendant or relation of iconic villain Khan, and three characters from The Original Series who are returning to Star Trek: Dr M’Benga, who appeared in a couple of episodes, Nurse Chapel, and the one who got the most attention: Cadet Nyota Uhura!
Uhura blew up online after the announcement, and it’s fair to say that I was not expecting this! There was scope, I felt, for Strange New Worlds to bring back classic characters, but the choices they made seem to be pitch-perfect. I’m especially excited to see more from Dr M’Benga – he was a minor character who feels ripe for a deeper look. The same could also be said of Captain Pike and Number One!
Uhura’s return pretty much broke the internet!
As I predicted a few months ago, the uniforms for Strange New Worlds have been slightly redesigned from their Discovery style. I was never wild about the asymmetrical collars; they worked okay on Discovery’s all-blue uniforms but looked perhaps a little clumsy on the recoloured uniforms worn by Pike and the Enterprise crew. So to see the teaser show off a redesigned style that keeps the bold primary colours but ditches the Discovery style was pretty great! As with any new uniform I think we need time to see them in action and get used to them, but there’s already a lot to like. In addition to the V-neck style worn by Pike and Spock, we saw a white medical variant worn by Nurse Chapel, another medical variant with a broad crew collar worn by Dr M’Benga, and a zipper style worn by Number One. Starfleet uniforms – like any aesthetic or design element – are of course subject to personal taste, but from what we’ve seen so far I like the Strange New Worlds uniforms.
The Strange New Worlds live panel was not the best, though. Anson Mount, who is usually so full of life and happy to talk about all things Trek, sat in silence for large parts of it, deferring to the rest of the panel to answer questions. He may have been trying to avoid jumping in too fast or dominating proceedings, but it led to several very awkward silences that weren’t fun to watch. I got the sense that perhaps he wasn’t feeling well.
Anson Mount was not on his best form for the Strange New Worlds panel, unfortunately.
The producers – Akiva Goldsman, who has previously worked on Picard, and Henry Alonso Myers – gave us a few tidbits of information about the series. I was very pleased to hear so much positive talk about returning Star Trek to a more episodic format. Goldsman, who had been instrumental in crafting Picard’s serialised story during Season 1, seems quite happy to return to episodic television. There are a lot of advantages in a show like Strange New Worlds – i.e. one about exploration – to using a more episodic format. Episodic television can still see wonderful character growth – I’d point to Ensign Mariner in Lower Decks as a recent Star Trek example – so it was great to see how positively the cast and crew talked about that aspect of Strange New Worlds.
The producers and cast seemed very keen to embrace the legacy of The Original Series in more ways than one. Without looking to overwrite anything, they want to bring their own take on classic characters, and I think that’s great. Spock benefitted greatly from the expanded look we got at him in Discovery’s second season, and there’s no reason to think characters like Nurse Chapel or Cadet Uhura won’t likewise get significant character development that plays into the characters we know and love from their roles in The Original Series.
Jess Bush will be taking on the role of Nurse Christine Chapel in Strange New Worlds.
In terms of aesthetic, Strange New Worlds is trying to walk a line between embracing the 1960s style of The Original Series and also updating the show to a more modern look. There was talk about the design of sets, in particular Captain Pike’s quarters, and how the designers had been keen to return to the 1960s for inspiration. Likewise hair and nail styles were mentioned by Rebecca Romijn for Number One – a ’60s-inspired, “retro” look seems to be on the cards for the character, but not to such an extent that it becomes distracting. Walking that line is a challenge – but one I’m glad to see the show tackling!
We didn’t get a full trailer for Strange New Worlds, and the character introductions were cut in such a way as to minimise what we could see of the USS Enterprise. However, we did get a decent look at the transporter room set, which looks really cool, and when we met Dr M’Benga we got a glimpse of what I assume to be sickbay – and it looks like the colour scheme from The Original Series is still present in some form. We also got to see the logo and typeface for Strange New Worlds.
The Strange New Worlds logo.
So an underwhelming panel in some respects led to one of the biggest reveals of the night! Uhura, Chapel, and Dr M’Benga make welcome returns to Star Trek, that’s for sure. And there’s a particular genius to choosing these three characters in particular: they’re all ripe for more development and exploration. Uhura was a mainstay on The Original Series, but compared with the likes of Kirk and Spock there’s still plenty of room to explore her characterisation, background, and learn more about who she is in a way that will inform the original character and portrayal. Likewise for Nurse Chapel and Dr M’Benga – in many ways these two characters are near-blank slates for the new writers and producers to mould into their own creations.
I’m more excited today for Strange New Worlds than I was 24 hours ago, and that’s really saying something! I loved how Mount and the producers spoke about how his portrayal of Pike and Pike’s leadership style led them to redesign parts of his quarters so he could accommodate more of his crew around the table. Cooking was a big part of Captain Sisko’s character in Deep Space Nine, and I picked up at least a hint of that in some of the things said about Pike.
Dr M’Benga, despite being a returning character, offers a lot of scope for further development by a new team of writers.
The panel also discussed how the USS Enterprise is a “star of the show” in many respects, and how episodic storytelling will allow the series to return to Star Trek’s roots in terms of producing entertaining stories with morals. As I’ve said before, Star Trek has always used its sci-fi lens to shine a light on real-world issues, and to learn that Strange New Worlds is embracing that is fantastic news.
Spock’s characterisation was mentioned by Ethan Peck and the producers, and there was talk of how we’d see different facets of his personality. The Cage was mentioned as showing us “smiley Spock,” and I liked how the producers have a keen knowledge of how Spock and other Vulcans perceive and experience emotions – Spock is an emotional person, even if he suppresses those emotions much of the time. An exploration of that aspect of his character – informed by his experiences in Discovery Season 2, perhaps – will be truly interesting to see play out.
Captain Pike and the crew of Strange New Worlds will be on our screens in 2022.
Finally we come to Star Trek: Picard. This was the final event of the evening, and unfortunately the way it was teed up felt incredibly rushed. Jeri Ryan – who will reprise her role as Seven of Nine in Season 2 – raced onto the stage to introduce the new trailer, and it just seemed very obvious that the people running the event were acutely aware of time constraints and wanted to get it over with as quickly as possible. There was no Picard panel, no appearance from Sir Patrick Stewart (even by video-link or in a pre-recorded message), and though the trailer was very interesting the way Picard Season 2 was handled felt rushed right at the end of Star Trek Day – ironic, perhaps, considering the rushed way Season 1 also ended!
We’ll get to the trailer in a moment, but it was great to see that Picard Season 3 has been officially confirmed. We knew this was coming – Season 3 is already in production, and filming has already begun. But to get an official confirmation was good, and it drew a huge cheer from the audience. There’s clearly a big appetite for more Picard!
Picard is coming back for a third season!
Onward, then, to the trailer. This is one that I’ll have to return to for a more detailed breakdown in the days ahead, but for now here are my summarised thoughts.
A return to the 21st Century is not what I would have chosen. Time travel isn’t my favourite Star Trek storyline, and in particular time travel stories which return to the modern day can feel awfully dated very quickly. Look, for example, at Voyager’s two-parter Future’s End, or Star Trek IV as examples of that. Star Trek feels like the future – one of the reasons I love it so much – and when it comes back to the modern day I think it risks losing something significant. It’s possible that only a small part of the story will be set in the modern day, but even so I wasn’t exactly wild about this story element, unfortunately.
We knew from the earlier trailer that there has been some kind of change or damage to the timeline. It now seems as though Q may be more directly involved, as Picard blamed him for breaking the timeline. Whatever the change was, it seems to be centred in our own 21st Century (though it could be anywhere from 2020-2040, I guess) and resulted not in the creation of the Federation but a “totalitarian state” by the 24th Century. I don’t believe that this is the Mirror Universe that we’re familiar with, but rather a change to the Prime Timeline itself – perhaps caused by Q, but earlier comments seemed to suggest that Q wasn’t to blame, so watch this space.
A visit to the 21st Century would not have been my choice… but I will give it a chance!
In voiceover we heard Laris questioning Picard’s motivation for wanting to join Starfleet or leave Earth, something we’d seen him talk about in episodes like Family and again in Generations. She seemed to question whether he’s “running” from something in his past – could it be some darker impulse or perhaps a family secret that’s connected in some way to the creation of the totalitarian state? Could it be, as I suggested recenly, tied into World War III?
One of the things I was most curious about was the role of the Borg Queen, whose return had been signalled a few days ago via a casting announcement. It seems as though Picard has access to the incarcerated remains of a Borg Queen – somehow – and that she may be vital to allowing the crew of La Sirena to travel through time. Rather than the Borg themselves playing a role in the story, then, this may be a battle involving Picard and Seven – victims of assimilation – and a captured, damaged Borg Queen.
What role will the Borg Queen play? She appears to be a captive of some kind.
There’s a lot more to break down from the Picard trailer, and in the days ahead I’ll put together my thoughts in more detail – as well as perhaps fleshing out a theory or two. For now, I think what I want to say is that I have mixed feelings. The big drawback I can see is the modern-day setting for part of the show. I hope I’m proven wrong, but to me Star Trek has never been at its best with these kinds of stories, and I’m concerned that it’ll stray from being a Star Trek show into something… else.
On the other hand, there are many positives. The return of Laris, who seems to have an expanded role compared to where she was in Season 1. Q’s mysterious time-bending role, too. Is he the villain of the piece, or is his latest “trial” something that he believes will help Picard and humanity? What role will he play – ally, adversary, or something in between? The “totalitarian state” definitely channelled some elements of the Mirror Universe, but also seems to have put its own spin on this concept, taking it to different thematic places. I’d be curious to see what role the Picard of this timeline has in the government of the totalitarian state.
Something has broken the timeline – leaving Picard and his crew trapped in a “totalitarian” nightmare.
So that’s all I have to say for now. In the days ahead I’ll take a closer look at the Picard trailer, as well as talk about other things we learned at Star Trek Day.
Although it was a late night and a long broadcast, I had a good time with Star Trek Day overall. There were some moments that didn’t work well, some unprepared interviewees and some segments that dragged on too long, but on the whole it was a fun and incredibly positive celebration of Star Trek. I came to the broadcast hoping to see more from upcoming shows, but I was blown away just as much by the celebration of Star Trek’s past as I was by the look ahead.
The hosts, presenters, and most of the speakers and guests showed off their passion and love for Star Trek in a very positive way. There was a lot of talk about returning the franchise to its roots, celebrating the legacy of Gene Roddenberry and his original vision for Star Trek and what made it so appealing to people of all ages across multiple generations. As we look ahead to Star Trek’s future in 2021, 2022, and beyond, taking these moments to look back at what got Star Trek to where it is today was fantastic, and well worth taking the time to see. Above all, Star Trek Day shone with passion and positivity, and that’s just what the franchise needed as it marked its fifty-fifth birthday. Here’s to the next fifty-five years of Star Trek!
Star Trek Day was broadcast online and on Paramount+ on the 8th of September 2021 (9th of September 2021 in the UK). At time of writing the event can be re-watched on the official Star Trek website; panels and trailers are supposed to be available via Star Trek and Paramount+ official YouTube channels. Clips may also be available via official social media pages and channels. The Star Trek franchise – including all properties and series mentioned above – is the copyright of ViacomCBS. This article contains the thoughts and opinions of one person only and is not intended to cause any offence.
I don’t really see my website as a news source for everything going on in the Star Trek galaxy! From time to time I have jumped in to comment on a big news story – the announcements of Strange New Worlds and Star Trek 2023, for example. But when small pieces of news crop up I’m usually content to let other sites and social media outlets pick them up; there’s not a lot to be gained by me repeating a one-line news item that’s already floating around the Star Trek fan community!
In the last few weeks, however, there have been several of these smaller news stories, so I decided to compile the ones I think are most interesting into a short list – just in case any of these managed to pass you by. We’ll be talking about upcoming Star Trek productions, so if you want to avoid any chance of spoilers, now’s your chance to jump ship!
We have some Star Trek news to dissect today.
This might be an occasional series that I run here on the website, but there are definitely better places to go if you want to get the latest Star Trek news right when it’s breaking!
So without further ado, let’s take a look at a selection of news items that have come up over the last few weeks.
Number 1:Strange New Worlds is practically finished with filming on Season 1.
Hit it!
We have Anson Mount to thank for this one! Mount – who plays Captain Pike in Discovery Season 2 and the upcoming Strange New Worlds – posted on social media that filming is underway on the Season 1 finale. Assuming that the season was filmed in order, and that there aren’t many re-shoots or secondary shoots still to come – this means that the filming stage of production is almost over.
There will be a lot of post-production work to do between now and the series premiere next year, and the fact we haven’t seen anything official yet – no still images, no teaser, no trailer – suggests to me that very little post-production work has been done yet. With Discovery Season 4 coming up before the end of this year, I think the post-production team must be prioritising that series. However, with filming almost over that means Strange New Worlds has completed a big part of its production! The show looks set to be on track for a broadcast in the first half of next year.
Number 2:Star Trek 2023 gains a director and writer – and it’s not who you might’ve been expecting!
My placeholder image for the new film.
Shortly before the announcement of Star Trek 2023 back in April, we got the news that Kalinda Vazquez – who had written the Short Treks episode Ask Not and the Discovery Season 3 episode Terra Firma, Part II, as well as having been a producer during Discovery’s third season – had been tapped by Paramount Pictures to write a brand-new Star Trek film. Barely a month later came the announcement of Star Trek 2023, and I’m sure I wasn’t the only person who put two and two together!
However, along with the announcement that Star Trek 2023 will be directed by WandaVision’s Matt Shakman, we also learned that the script has been written by Geneva Robertson-Dworet, who previously wrote Tomb Raider and Captain Marvel, along with Lindsey Beer, who doesn’t have many credits to her name thus far.
Does this mean that the Kalinda Vazquez project isn’t happening? Or is it now significantly less likely? Some outlets are staying positive, assuming that “no news is good news,” and that with no announcement that the Vazquez film isn’t happening that it must still be going ahead. Does that mean two Star Trek films are potentially in the works?
I guess we’ll have to wait and see.
Number 3: There was a very small teaser for Lower Decks Season 2.
Boimler and Mariner reunited!
To mark one month to go until Lower Decks Season 2 premieres, we got a new very short teaser that Star Trek put out on social media. Unlike the trailer which we got for First Contact Day in April, this second teaser was far shorter and only showed off one part of one scene.
However, there are two points of note. The first is that this is the first time we’ve seen Boimler and Mariner together since Boimler’s reassignment in the Season 1 finale. It was cute to see them back together, as they came to work quite well as a duo across the show’s first season. But perhaps the most significant point is that Boimler appears to be wearing an ensign’s rank on his uniform.
I have several theories regarding Boimler’s possible route back to the USS Cerritos, and you can check them out by clicking or tapping here. Though it does seem inevitable that Boimler will be back with the other ensigns, this is the first confirmation we’ve had that it will be through some kind of demotion – assuming that this isn’t a dream or a flashback or something!
Number 4: Whoopi Goldberg made an appearance on the official Roddenberry Facebook page.
Whoopi Goldberg on the Roddenberry Facebook page earlier this month.
Sir Patrick Stewart made headlines in 2020 when he invited Whoopi Goldberg to reprise her role of Guinan in Season 2 of Star Trek: Picard. But since that moment on The View – the daytime television show Goldberg co-hosts – there hasn’t been any mention of Guinan in Picard. Two teaser trailers have come and gone without her, too.
So it was interesting to see Whoopi Goldberg appear reading one of the “Roddenberry daily quotes” – a series that I believe is being run by the official Roddenberry Facebook page. At least this confirms she has some involvement with Star Trek!
Goldberg recently appeared in The Stand – a miniseries which premiered last December on CBS All Access. I have no reason to doubt that she would do Picard Season 2 if she could – but the lack of information about her return to the role of Guinan could mean the story of the season has moved in a different direction since Sir Patrick Stewart’s invitation.
Number 5:Star Trek 2023 is rumoured to bring back the Kelvin timeline.
Is the Kelvin timeline coming back?
The official announcement from Star Trek and Paramount did not confirm this, but some outlets have been picking up on a rumour that Star Trek 2023 is going to bring back Chris Pine and the rest of the Kelvin timeline cast. I’ve debated the pros and cons of a Kelvin sequel in the past, and with Star Trek’s return to the Prime Timeline I’m not convinced that another Kelvin project is the right way to go.
This is just a rumour, though, and there are myriad possibilities for Star Trek 2023 and what it could be. Star Trek Beyond did clearly tease a sequel back in 2016, and there have been several proposals in the last few years that never got off the ground. Is now the right moment to bring back the Kelvin timeline?
Number 6: 4K versions of The Motion Picture, The Wrath of Khan, The Search for Spock and The Voyage Home are in the works!
The films will also be available on standard Blu-ray.
A new 4K Blu-ray box set has been announced, and the first four films starring The Original Series’ cast are being remastered. Why not all six, including The Final Frontier and The Undiscovered Country? Because that’s ViacomCBS logic, I guess. Perhaps they plan to sell the final two later as a two-part set, and then make another six-film set, pushing collectors to buy more and more versions of these films!
Considering the significant investment ViacomCBS has made in its streaming platform, I’m surprised to see them putting together a 4K Blu-ray box set. I can count on one hand the number of folks I know with a 4K Blu-ray player, and with streaming continuing to grow as a significant force in home entertainment, there’s something decidedly antiquated about any optical media in 2021.
Hopefully the remastered versions of the films will make it to Paramount+ after their launch on 4K Blu-ray! And maybe this means ViacomCBS will be willing to take another look at some other Star Trek projects in dire need of a trip to the remastering suite?
Number 7: ViacomCBS corporate news.
The ViacomCBS logo.
As Trekkies we need to pay attention to the business side of Star Trek on occasion. There are two stories out of the corporate side of ViacomCBS that I think could be potentially important to Star Trek’s future, and both have come up in the last few weeks.
Julie McNamara had been the head of programming for CBS All Access during the development of Star Trek: Discovery, as well as briefly the head of programming for Paramount+ when the service was re-launched. She’d been involved with CBS for a number of years, and was a strong behind-the-scenes force in bringing Star Trek back to the small screen.
The departure of an executive who was seemingly pro-Star Trek should not be taken lightly, and the franchise has suffered in the past due to corporate leaders who weren’t on board with the kind of stories Star Trek aims to tell. Hopefully her replacement will be as keen on continuing Star Trek as she was, but I’m at least a little concerned about this change in leadership.
Paramount+ is the digital home of Star Trek in the United States.
Secondly, there’s a rumour flitting around the business world that ViacomCBS and Comcast are seeking a merger. Comcast owns – among many others – American network NBC, the SyFy channel, the Peacock streaming service, DreamWorks Animation, and Universal Pictures. Comcast is reportedly the third-largest media company on the planet.
Whether such a merger would survive government oversight is a legitimate question, but one better-suited to corporate lawyers! From my point of view as a Trekkie, the concern I have with this kind of merger is that Star Trek’s importance would be reduced. Paramount+ expanded the streaming lineup already, yet the Star Trek franchise remains a significant part of Paramount+’s new content. However, if Comcast and ViacomCBS were to merge, the new company would have access to hundreds of new brands, shows, and films. The Star Trek franchise would suddenly find itself in a position of being far less important, and that could have consequences for future productions.
I don’t believe either of these news stories are reason to hit the panic button. But as a Trekkie, I’m invested in Star Trek’s ongoing success. Star Trek continuing to be a successful franchise means its parent company – whoever that ultimately ends up being – will continue to invest in the brand and produce more films and shows.
Number 8:To The Journey – the Star Trek: Voyager documentary – has officially entered production.
Logo for To The Journey.
Following a successful crowdfunding campaign, To The Journey has entered production with filming kicking off in Los Angeles. What We Left Behind, the Deep Space Nine documentary produced by the same team in 2018, was truly interesting, and I have no doubt that To The Journey will be a riveting watch as well.
Production is going to be slow, according to director David Zappone, with filming expected to continue well into the new year. When To The Journey is ready, I plan to write a full review, so be sure to check back!
Number 9: Playmates is going to produce a new line of Star Trek toys!
The official announcement image.
I have a rather modest Star Trek collection, but some of my favourite pieces are toys from the ’90s by Playmates. The brand became synonymous with Star Trek for much of the decade, producing action figures, dolls, vehicles, playsets, and prop replicas, and the company recently announced that they’ll be stepping back into the Star Trek franchise.
The teaser image shown off along with the announcement looks like it includes action figures or dolls of the following characters: Data, Michael Burnham, Admiral Picard, Captain Pike, Saru, and Discovery-era Spock. That’s unlikely to be the extent of it, though!
The Playmates logo.
The Star Trek franchise has been very poor in recent years when it comes to merchandise. Not only has there been a lack of things like action figures and prop replicas, but some of the products that have been created under the Star Trek license are just plain weird. I mean, does anyone want a Star Trek faction flag made by a company that usually makes flags for sailing ships? Which moron came up with that idea?
Regardless, it’s great to see ViacomCBS signing a contract with a proper toy manufacturer. I have some amazing Playmates figures in my collection – including Dr Pulaski and Morn! Hopefully this is the first step to many more Star Trek collectibles hitting the market.
So that’s it!
This has been your (very unofficial) Star Trek news roundup! As mentioned above, I wouldn’t have necessarily written a full article about any of these, but the fact that several potentially interesting pieces of news came along in a relatively short span of time meant that I was quite happy to cobble them together into a nice list.
If this kind of situation occurs in future I may do the same thing. Otherwise, I hope you’ll stay tuned for much more Star Trek content to come! We’re less than a month away from the premiere of Lower Decks Season 2, and I’ll be aiming to review each new episode as they’re broadcast.
Until next time!
The Star Trek franchise – including all titles and properties mentioned above – is the copyright of ViacomCBS. This article contains the thoughts and opinions of one person only and is not intended to cause any offence.
Spoiler Warning: There are spoilers ahead for Star Trek: Discovery Seasons 1-3, Short Treks, Star Trek: Picard, Star Trek: Lower Decks, and for other iterations of the Star Trek franchise.
Though Strange New Worlds Season 1 is still probably a year or more away from being broadcast, it’s never too soon to start thinking about the next live-action Star Trek show! Each Star Trek project brings something new and different to the table, but Strange New Worlds’ purported return to a more exploration-focused, episodic kind of storytelling is something I’m incredibly interested in and excited for. When I think about upcoming television series that I’m most excited about, Strange New Worlds has to be very close to the top of the list!
In addition to the three cast members reprising their roles from Discovery, we learned earlier in the year that five other major roles have been cast – but we didn’t learn anything about the characters, nor about any recurring or returning characters either. Strange New Worlds is currently in production, but was entirely absent from Star Trek’s First Contact Day digital event in April. We haven’t really heard much solid news from the production for a while!
Strange New Worlds is in production, and looks set for a 2022 broadcast.
Despite that, I thought it could be fun to look ahead to Strange New Worlds’ premiere, and this time we’re going to consider some of the factions present in the Star Trek galaxy that Pike and his crew could encounter! This isn’t going to be a comprehensive list of every Star Trek race or species, just those that I personally consider plausible for the new show.
As always, please keep in mind that I don’t have any “insider information.” I’m not stating that any of these factions will definitely appear in Strange New Worlds, all we’re going to do today is look at some factions from past iterations of Star Trek and think about where they could be in the mid-2250s. That’s all!
With that out of the way, let’s jump into the list!
Number 1: The Andorians
Ryn, an Andorian seen in Discovery Season 3.
As a founding member of the Federation, the Andorians are a firm ally in this era. Despite that, however, episodes like Journey to Babel in The Original Series showed that there is still a degree of mistrust particularly between Andorians and Vulcans. Much of what we know about the Andorians actually comes from Enterprise, where they featured far more prominently than in any other Star Trek series to date. After appearing in The Original Series and in the background in a couple of films, the Andorians were absent for practically all of The Next Generation era.
It would be amazing if one of Strange New Worlds’ main or recurring characters were Andorian! Having an Andorian crew member would be a first for any Star Trek show, and that could be a lot of fun. It would also be possible for the series to delve into Federation politics in a similar way to Journey to Babel, looking at how Andorian relations with other Federation members have improved – or not – over the years. Though he would be well over 100 years old by this point, it’s not inconceivable that Shran, the Andorian commander who tangled with Captain Archer in Enterprise, could still be alive in this era, and perhaps he could make an appearance.
Number 2: Arcadians, Ariolos, Arkenites, and others!
One of the only Arcadians ever seen in Star Trek.
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home – and several other films starring the cast of The Original Series – followed the Star Wars trend of designing cool-looking aliens and then leaving them in the background or in minor supporting roles. The higher budget afforded to the films allowed for more aliens and different-looking aliens, but subsequent Star Trek projects haven’t brought back races like the Arcadians, Ariolos, Arkenites, and more.
However, Discovery Season 3 briefly featured a Betelgeusian character – the Betelgeusians were another race seen in the background of a film before being ignored in subsequent Star Trek projects. So I think there’s the possibility that one or more races only ever seen in films like The Voyage Home could appear in Strange New Worlds. Perhaps Captain Pike and the crew make first contact with one of them!
Number 3: The Bajorans
Major Kira was a 24th Century Bajoran – and a major character in Deep Space Nine.
The Cardassian Empire would not occupy Bajor until the late 23rd or early 24th Century, meaning that in the 2250s Bajor and the Bajorans will be very different to the way we remember them from Deep Space Nine. Pre-occupation Bajor operated a strict caste-based hierarchy, with very little mixing between castes. Bajorans were known to be artistic, creative, and deeply spiritual, as well as pioneers of space exploration.
This is tied to a pet theory I have that Captain Pike will make first contact with a previously-established Star Trek faction! I feel that the Bajorans are absolutely one of the contenders for such a mission of first contact, and it could be absolutely fascinating to learn more about the Bajorans and how they were prior to the Cardassian occupation. The Bajorans have recently been referenced in Discovery Season 3, so the creative team behind Star Trek clearly haven’t forgotten all about them! Perhaps that could be a hint at a more significant role in an upcoming project?
Number 4: The Barzan
Nhan, a Barzan character in Star Trek: Discovery.
By the mid-23rd Century, at least one Barzan – Nhan – served in Starfleet. Nhan served under Pike’s command on the Enterprise, and though Pike and some other members of the crew know her true fate – that she left the 23rd Century behind to head into the far future with the crew of Discovery – officially she was killed in action during the battle against Control.
I wonder whether Pike might visit Barzan II to pay respects to Nhan, or to convey the news of her being lost to her family. That could be an interesting story, as well as a way for Strange New Worlds to keep a thread of continuity going with Discovery. Despite Nhan’s departure from Discovery midway through Season 3 I’m hopeful she could return. The Barzan were not a Federation member by the mid-23rd Century, so there’s the possibility that Nhan’s death could complicate Federation-Barzan relations.
Number 5: The Benzites
Mordock, a 24th Century Benzite.
The Benzites have only appeared on a few occasions, so I think there’s scope to explore more of their culture and perhaps even show how they came to make first contact with the Federation. The first Benzite we met in Star Trek was in The Next Generation Season 1 episode Coming of Age, where Mordock beat Wesley Crusher to a place at Starfleet Academy. A couple of other Benzites were seen later in The Next Generation and in the background in Voyager and Lower Decks.
All we know about the Benzites is that they were not members of the Federation, and that they had maintained relatively limited diplomatic contact prior to the 24th Century. They’re another possible candidate for a mission of first contact, in my opinion!
Number 6: The Betazoids
Deanna Troi – a half-Betazoid – recently returned in Star Trek: Picard Season 1.
Betazed – the Betazoid homeworld – appears to be relatively close to Earth and Vulcan, at least according to dialogue in Deep Space Nine. If that’s the case, it stands to reason that humans and Betazoids may have already been in contact with one another prior to Captain Pike’s mission of exploration. They were also known to be a Federation member by the mid-24th Century. Another possible candidate for a mission of first contact? Maybe!
Betazoids have telepathic and empathic abilities which have been shown to be very useful to Starfleet in other Star Trek shows, so perhaps a Betazoid main or recurring character could fill a Troi-like role aboard the Enterprise. I think this is less likely, but it’s a possibility!
Number 7: The Borg
A Borg drone seen in First Contact.
Star Trek has made a mess of Borg-Federation contact thanks to revelations in Generations, Voyager, and Enterprise that humanity had contact with (or knowledge of) the Collective prior to Captain Picard making “official” first contact with them. I think it would be very difficult for Strange New Worlds to successfully pull off a Borg story without treading on too many toes, but at the same time I think it could be amazing to see Captain Pike face off against the Borg!
Perhaps this would work best as a time travel or even parallel universe story; perhaps Pike and the Enterprise accidentally cross into an alternate reality where the Borg were successful in assimilating Earth in the 21st Century (as seen in First Contact). They would need to find a way to get home, and may not even be aware of the name of their adversary. A long-shot for Season 1, perhaps, but a possibility! In the 23rd Century in the prime timeline, the Borg should be confined to the Delta Quadrant. They may not have transwarp technology by this point, though their technology should still outpace the Federation considerably.
Number 8: The Bynars
A pair of Bynars seen in The Next Generation.
Interestingly, though the Bynars were only ever seen on screen in The Next Generation Season 1, they were mentioned by name in Enterprise. The Federation were thus at least aware of the Bynars’ existence by the mid-23rd Century, and it’s possible that they had attempted to make first contact with the semi-synthetic race.
Given that modern Star Trek has dedicated a fair amount of time to exploring the relationship between organic and synthetic life, and how the possibility exists for that relationship to turn into conflict, bringing back the Bynars – who are a race connected to a “master computer” on their homeworld – could make for an interesting continuation of that theme.
Number 9: The Caitians
Caitians served in Starfleet since at least the mid-23rd Century.
This feline-inspired species initially appeared in The Animated Series, and has recently been seen in Lower Decks, where Dr T’Ana is a Caitian. Their only live-action appearance to date has been in The Voyage Home, but with the Caitians returning to Star Trek in a big way thanks to Lower Decks, perhaps the time is right for them to make a major live-action appearance again.
The Caitians were presumably Federation members – or at least allies – by the time Kirk assumed command of the Enterprise, so it’s at least plausible to think that there could be other Caitian Starfleet officers during Pike’s tenure. It would be an interesting opportunity to learn more about a race that Star Trek has shown off on a few occasions but never really dug into.
Number 10: The Cardassians
A Cardassian seen in The Next Generation.
As with the Bajorans above, the Cardassians are a faction we know very well from their appearances in Deep Space Nine. What we haven’t seen, however, is first contact between the Federation and the Cardassians, which is something Captain Pike and the Enterprise could be responsible for! There was conflict between the Cardassians and Federation in the early or mid-24th Century, but aside from that – and their occupation of Bajor – much of early Cardassian history is unknown.
Cardassia Prime and Bajor are relatively close to one another, so it’s possible Captain Pike could encounter both if the Enterprise finds itself in that region of space. I really like the idea of Strange New Worlds showcasing first contact between the Federation and a race that we got to know in the 24th Century, so I think the Cardassians could be a great inclusion in the new series.
Number 11: Chameloids
A Chameloid taking humanoid form in the late 23rd Century.
Chameloids were shape-shifters, but were not affiliated with the Dominion. The only known Chameloid seen in Star Trek appeared on Rura Penthe in The Undiscovered Country. This individual played a role in Captain Kirk and Dr McCoy’s escape from the Klingon prison colony.
Shape-shifting aliens have been seen on a few different occasions in Star Trek (excluding Odo and the Founders, of course) and make for interesting adversaries. Perhaps Pike and his crew could encounter a Chameloid – they may even be responsible for “Martia” ending up on Rura Penthe!
Number 12: The Deltans
Ilia, a 23rd Century Deltan Starfleet officer.
We’ve only ever met one Deltan in Star Trek: Ilia, a Starfleet officer in The Motion Picture. The Deltans – and Ilia – were originally created for Phase II, the project which would eventually morph into The Motion Picture in the late 1970s. They were intended to be a somewhat ethereal race, older and wiser than humanity and offering a different perspective on the galaxy.
Deltans were also presented as very sensual, both in their sole appearance in The Motion Picture and when they were referenced in Enterprise’s fourth season. Considering that second mention in Enterprise, Deltans and humanity had encountered one another long before the events of Strange New Worlds. Perhaps Pike and the crew could lead a diplomatic delegation, or witness the Deltans joining the Federation?
Number 13: The Denobulans
Dr Phlox, a 22nd Century Denobulan.
The Denobulans are a race only ever seen in Enterprise, and perhaps Strange New Worlds could tell us why that is! Though I wouldn’t want to see any harm come to Dr Phlox’s people, it’s possible that some kind of disaster befell them in the years after Enterprise, accounting for their absence in the 23rd and 24th Centuries.
If that’s not the case, it would be great to learn what became of them! It seems likely that the Denobulan homeworld was relatively near to Earth and Vulcan, and given their friendly relations with Earth in Enterprise, perhaps the Denobulans became a Federation member relatively early on. A Denobulan could even join Pike’s crew as a main or recurring character!
Number 14: The Edosians
An Edosian seen in Lower Decks.
This three-legged, three-armed race were originally seen in The Animated Series, where Lieutenant Arex was an officer under Kirk’s command. Like many elements from that show, the Edosians seemingly vanished – until Lower Decks brought back an Edosian character last year! It was great fun to see another Edosian Starfleet officer then, and it may be the first of many Edosians that we’ll see going forward.
It was prohibitively expensive in the late 1970s and 1980s to bring an Edosian character to life in live-action, but times have changed and I’d argue that it’s more than achievable in 2021! It’s possible that Arex himself could make a return, serving under Pike’s command on the Enterprise, or perhaps Pike and the crew will encounter other Edosians out in space. Whether they’re Federation members or not is unknown, but maybe Strange New Worlds can clear that up!
Number 15: The El-Aurians
Dr Tolian Soran, an El-Aurian who lived in the 23rd/24th Centuries.
At least one El-Aurian – Guinan – visited Earth in the 19th Century, and based on the fact that the Federation came to the aid of El-Aurian refugees in Generations, they must’ve either been relatively near to Federation space or been able to travel there easily. The El-Aurians were assimilated by the Borg in the late 23rd Century, but Strange New Worlds potentially offers the opportunity to see the El-Aurians in their prime, before the Borg decimated their people.
Guinan is going to be making a return in Picard Season 2, so the El-Aurians are clearly still a factor in upcoming Star Trek projects! Having Pike and his crew encounter the El-Aurians could be a way for Strange New Worlds to tie itself to Picard and the 24th Century.
Number 16: The Kalar
A Kalar warrior in The Cage.
Captain Pike has already encountered the Kalar once! During the events of The Cage, Pike recalled an attack by Kalar warriors during a mission to Rigel VII, blaming himself for the deaths of three officers under his command. In Discovery we saw Pike revisit events with the Talosians and Vina, so perhaps it’s possible to bring back the Kalar too!
The Kalar were depicted as an un-advanced race incapable of spaceflight with technology that looked similar to the early medieval period or dark ages on Earth. It seems unlikely they’d have made any significant advancements since Pike’s earlier encounter with them, but it’s not impossible to devise a compelling reason to revisit Rigel VII.
Number 17: The Kelpiens and Ba’ul
Captain Saru was the first Kelpien to serve in Starfleet.
Captain Pike played a huge role in the development of the Kelpiens and Ba’ul in Discovery Season 2, arguably violating the Prime Directive to aid the Kelpiens by putting the entire species through vahar’ai – a biological evolution which transformed the meek, fearful Kelpiens into apex predators.
There will be massive consequences for what Pike did, and while Saru is arguably the best character for close examinations of the Kelpiens, Pike’s monumental role in shaping their future – and that of the Ba’ul, with whom the Kelpiens share a homeworld – could mean that a revisit to Kaminar is on the cards. The Ba’ul may blame Pike and the Federation for upsetting the delicate balance they had worked so hard to establish, seeking revenge. Or Kaminar may have descended into war, with the Kelpiens and Ba’ul at each others’ throats requiring Pike’s intervention.
Number 18: The Klingon Empire
Chancellor L’Rell was the Klingon leader in this era.
Even if it doesn’t happen in Season 1, I feel certain that Strange New Worlds will eventually feature some Klingon stories! Federation-Klingon relations are rocky after the end of the war seen in Discovery’s first season, and it would be interesting to see how Pike, L’Rell, and others try to maintain the peace in the years before Kirk’s five-year mission.
When considering Pike’s personal story, it was on the Klingon world of Boreth where he secured his fate – his impending disability – in exchange for a time crystal. Pike’s own views and relations with the Klingons are thus particularly complex, and as he comes to terms with what he saw in the vision the time crystal gave to him he may seek out advice from Klingons, or he may even try to revisit Boreth.
Number 19: The Lurians
Morn, a 24th Century Lurian.
The best-known Lurian in Star Trek is Deep Space Nine background character Morn. The first trailer for Discovery Season 3 in 2019 seemed to imply we’d see the Lurians return, as a Lurian guard was shown chasing after Booker and Burnham, but it turned out to be just a cameo! The Lurians were not Federation members as of the mid-24th Century, but appeared to maintain reasonably good relations.
Morn became a Star Trek icon during Deep Space Nine’s run, and I can’t decide if that means bringing the Lurians back in a major way would be a good thing or not! Perhaps it would be best to leave them be, a somewhat mysterious, enigmatic people, rather than bring them into the modern day and risk overexplaining them and losing the magic.
Number 20: The Malurians
A Malurian (wearing a disguise) in the 22nd Century.
The Malurians suffered a tragic fate in The Original Series, being wiped out by a self-aware probe. They also appeared in Season 1 of Enterprise, and seemingly conducted morally questionable actions! The Malurians were visited by the Federation shortly before they were rendered extinct, so it’s possible that the Federation in this era had some kind of relationship with them.
We don’t know very much about the Malurians, but their ultimate fate puts them in a rather unique position in this era. Perhaps we’ll learn that Pike and the crew helped the Malurians settle a small colony somewhere, paving the way for their survival!
Number 21: The Miradorn
A pair of Miradorn twins in the 24th Century.
The Miradorn made an appearance in Deep Space Nine, and were shown to be a race of twins – or at least where twins were commonplace. These sets of twins operated as two halves of a single person, with a very deep connection to one another. As of the mid-24th Century they appeared to be an independent power, maintaining relations with both the Federation and the Ferengi.
The Miradorn are another interesting race that I consider to have first contact potential. The twin aspect of their culture makes them different from many other Star Trek races, and they have a neat design that’s different without being excessively complicated.
Number 22: The Nausicaans
A Nausicaan was responsible for injuring a young Ensign Picard in the early 24th Century!
In the late 23rd and 24th Centuries, the Nausicaans were known as a violent people, often seen as pirates or criminals. They operated in an area of space relatively close to Earth and Vulcan, as they had been encountered by humanity in the 22nd Century. In addition to their criminal activities, Nausicaans in the 24th Century were occasionally seen as mercenaries and bodyguards.
The Nausicaans could appear in their typical pirate role in Strange New Worlds, becoming an adversary for Pike and the Enterprise to overcome. Or we could see them step out of that role for a change, with the show exploring more of Nausicaan culture.
Number 23: The Nibirians
A Nibirian in the alternate reality.
The Nibirians were seen in Star Trek Into Darkness – and thus their only appearance is in the alternate reality. However, given how similar the two realities are, it’s a safe bet that the Nibirians exist in the prime timeline. In Into Darkness they were shown to be a stone age people, very early in their development.
Given that the Nibirians were under threat from a volcano in Into Darkness, maybe Pike and the crew will have to come up with a creative way to save them, just as Kirk did in the alternate reality. If a return to the Kelvin timeline is on the agenda – which I doubt, but you never know – this could be a way to connect current Star Trek to the alternate reality.
Number 24: The Orions
In the 32nd Century, Osyraa had become the leader of the Emerald Chain – a major faction.
The Orions have recently featured in Season 3 of Discovery, and of course with Tendi in Lower Decks! In addition, Captain Pike has somewhat of a history with them, having encountered Orion slaves during the events of The Cage. For both of those reasons they seem like a contender to make an appearance in Strange New Worlds!
The Orions were an independent power in the 23rd Century, with at least some Orions involved in criminality, slavery, and the Orion Syndicate – a major organised crime outfit. They seem like they could be villains, then, but an interesting twist could be to make an Orion a crew member on the Enterprise, or an ally of Pike and the crew.
Number 25: The Pahvans
A noncorporeal Pahvan.
Captain Pike wasn’t involved in the USS Discovery’s mission to the planet Pahvo during the Federation-Klingon war, but I feel there’s scope to revisit these noncorporeal, pacifist aliens. Pahvo had a unique “transmitter” which allowed Discovery to detect cloaked Klingon ships, and thus the planet unintentionally played a role in the war.
It’s possible that Pahvo was attacked by the Klingons in retaliation, but the planet was marked on a star chart seen in Picard Season 1, which suggests the Federation may have maintained some kind of diplomatic relations with the Pahvans into the 24th Century. Regardless, there are perhaps leftover story threads from Discovery that Strange New Worlds could potentially pick up with the Pahvans.
Number 26: The Q Continuum
Q in his famous judge outfit.
It seems as though the Federation’s first encounter with the Q was when Picard and the Enterprise-D met Q during the events of Encounter At Farpoint, but we also know that members of the Q Continuum had visited Earth in the past, including during the American Civil War in the 19th Century. It’s thus possible that Pike and the crew could encounter a Q without realising who or what they’re dealing with!
With Q coming back in Picard Season 2, having the Continuum appear in some form in Strange New Worlds would be a way for the two shows to work together. This one is definitely more of a long-shot, but it’s not impossible!
Number 27: The Romulan Star Empire
Narek and Rizzo, two 24th Century Romulan operatives.
Any story involving the Romulans in Strange New Worlds would have to keep their true nature – as descendants of the Vulcans – a secret. Because no Romulan characters could appear on screen alongside Pike and the crew that naturally constrains the kinds of stories that can be told. However, in the episode Minefield, Enterprise managed to pull off an interesting Romulan story without going too far, so it can be done!
The Romulans were a belligerent power in this era, having already fought a major war with Earth less than a century earlier. Though there is peace between the Romulans and Federation, there are no formal diplomatic relations and there seems to be a lot of tension. The Romulans have recently been explored in a major way in Picard Season 1, and to a lesser extent in Discovery Season 3. They’re a major Star Trek faction, up there with the Klingons and Borg, so I can’t help but feel Strange New Worlds might try to find a way to include them – somehow!
Number 28: The Saurians
Linus, a Saurian Starfleet officer.
Linus, a secondary character in Discovery, is a Saurian – a race first seen in the background in The Motion Picture. The Saurians may well be Federation members by this time, and if they’re serving in Starfleet there could be other Saurian officers aboard the Enterprise. Despite Linus having made a number of appearances, we don’t know very much about his people.
The Saurians are a faction we could learn more about in Strange New Worlds. Pike and the crew could even visit the Saurian homeworld, perhaps to convey news about Linus being declared killed in action. It would be interesting to see more Saurians and learn more about their place in the Federation.
Number 29: The Selay
A group of Selay delegates in the transporter room of the Enterprise-D in the 24th Century.
We don’t know very much about the Selay. They appeared once in The Next Generation Season 1, and had a couple of blink-and-you’ll-miss-it background appearances in a couple of other episodes, but that’s it. Their appearance in Tapestry means that they had encountered the Federation by the early 24th Century, so perhaps they could appear in Strange New Worlds.
Modern Star Trek has taken several races that we don’t know much about and expanded on them. The design of the Selay – snake-like and very reptilian – is interesting, and the faction is ripe for an in-depth look!
Number 30: The Skagarans
Draysik, a 22nd Century Skagaran in the Delphic Expanse.
In Enterprise we learned that the Skagarans had visited Earth in the 19th Century, where they had abducted a group of humans to use as slave labour. There’s potential in that kind of storyline to either see Pike and the crew come up against an enemy who uses slaves, or to explore a post-slavery society and look at some of the long-lasting implications of keeping slaves in the past. This would allow Strange New Worlds to do something Star Trek has always done: use science fiction to examine real-world issues.
It would also be neat to bring back a faction from Enterprise in a major way, as this is something that hasn’t yet been done in modern Star Trek.
Number 31: The Suliban
Silik, a 22nd Century Suliban commander.
Speaking of factions from Enterprise that could return, how about the Suliban? Though initially antagonistic toward Earth, this was mostly driven by the interference of time-travellers from the future. Without that undue influence, perhaps Suliban-Federation relations have improved. I wrote once that it was possible that the Suliban had gone into some kind of isolation – which would account for their absence in the 23rd and 24th Centuries – so perhaps we could see that happen in Strange New Worlds.
I’d love to see an expanded role for the Suliban in Star Trek. Perhaps they could even be Federation members by this era, with Suliban officers serving aboard the Enterprise. It would be great to revisit a faction we only encountered in Enterprise, at any rate.
Number 32: The Talosians
Talosians seen in Discovery Season 2.
Discovery Season 2 brought back the Talosians in a big way, and Captain Pike played a major role in that storyline. Considering Pike’s feelings for Vina – a human inhabitant of Talos IV – it’s at least possible that he may keep in contact with the Talosians, even though he’d have to do so in secret for fear of breaching Starfleet regulations.
In this era, Talos IV was off limits to Starfleet due to the Talosians’ attempts to kidnap Pike and their powerful telepathic abilities. Revisiting the planet isn’t entirely impossible, though, as I reckon Pike would head there if the Talosians asked for his help.
Number 33: The Tellarites
Two Tellarite delegates aboard the Enterprise in the 23rd Century.
Along with the Vulcans, Andorians, and humans, the Tellarites were the fourth founding member of the Federation. Despite that, however, they had a complicated relationship with the other races, particularly the Vulcans.
The Tellarites are the one Federation founding member that we know the least about. They’ve only made a few appearances in Star Trek, often in minor or background roles, and aside from a few episodes in Enterprise and their first appearance in The Original Series, we haven’t seen much of them at all. I’m not sure how well a Tellarite main character would work simply because their deliberately unkind aesthetic doesn’t lend itself well to fitting with a character audiences want to root for – but in a way it would be interesting for Star Trek to try to overcome that hurdle!
Number 34: The Tholians
A 23rd Century Tholian captain.
The Short Treks episode Ask Not confirmed that the Tholians and Federation had been in conflict during this era. If Cadet Sidhu appears in Strange New Worlds as a significant character, including the Tholians could be an interesting story for her as she was the sole survivor of a Tholian attack.
The Tholians are one of the more “alien” races that we know of in Star Trek, being insectoid in appearance and coming from a high temperature environment that leaves them unable to tolerate standard environments. They could certainly appear in an adversarial role in Strange New Worlds.
Number 35: The Trill
Michael Burnham and Adira meeting a group of Trill in Discovery Season 3.
The Trill are a conjoined species – one part is humanoid, the other a symbiont. The symbionts are longer-lived than their hosts and can easily live for centuries. Discovery Season 3 recently revisited the Trill homeworld, and it would be neat to see the Trill return in Strange New Worlds as well.
It would even be possible for Dax to make an appearance. The Dax symbiont had a number of hosts before Jadzia and Ezri in Deep Space Nine, and it was certainly alive in the mid-23rd Century. Regardless of whether that happens, we know that the Trill were Federation members by the 24th Century, and Strange New Worlds could depict their early interactions with the Federation.
Number 36: The Vulcans
Spock!
Obviously we know that Spock is going to be a major character in Strange New Worlds! Over the course of Star Trek’s history we’ve already learned a great deal about the Vulcans, their history, and their culture. There’s still scope to expand that, though, and with Spock as a potential way into new Vulcan stories, I wonder if we’ll get to see more.
Spock’s relationship with Sarek could be explored, and it would be a way for James Frain to reprise his role from Discovery. We could also see more Vulcans joining Starfleet and serving in a wider variety of roles than just “science officer!”
Number 37: The Xindi
Degra, a 22nd Century Xindi.
As with the Suliban above, the Xindi have only appeared in Enterprise so far. We know a little more about their future, however, including that they eventually joined the Federation. Though their absence from Star Trek shows set in the 23rd and 24th Centuries suggests that may not have happened for a while, it’s possible that it happened earlier than we think!
Otherwise we could see the Xindi as another race that have isolated themselves and cut off diplomatic ties. Perhaps one of Pike’s missions will be to re-establish relations with the Xindi after decades without contact. The Xindi are five different races sharing a homeworld, and there’s potential to use that setting to explore the way different cultures interact and work together.
So that’s it! Some factions from Star Trek’s past that could appear in Strange New Worlds.
Hopefully it won’t be long before Captain Pike returns!
This has been a long one so I won’t drag things out much longer! Suffice to say that there are many different races, cultures, and factions from past iterations of Star Trek that could appear in some form in the new series. Obviously the show can’t fit all of those on the list above into its first season, but I hope there’ll be some attempts to revisit at least one or two factions we got to know in other Star Trek shows and films.
Hopefully it won’t be too long before we get to hear more news about Strange New Worlds – or even see a trailer! Whenever that happens make sure to check back as I daresay I’ll break things down here on the website. The show is definitely one I’m looking forward to!
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds will be broadcast on Paramount+ in the United States (and other regions where the platform is available) in 2022. Further international distribution has not yet been announced. The Star Trek franchise – including Strange New Worlds and all other properties mentioned above – is the copyright of ViacomCBS. This article contains the thoughts and opinions of one person only and is not intended to cause any offence.
Spoiler Warning: There are spoilers ahead for Star Trek: Discovery Seasons 1-3.
Today we’re going to take a look at something that’s been bugging me for a couple of years, ever since the finale of Star Trek: Discovery Season 2 in April 2019. I didn’t start working on this website until November ’19, so I haven’t written up full reviews of Season 2, nor have I spent much time breaking down all of the various story points. This will be my first big foray into that! Rather than just a critique of what could be argued to be a plot hole or “goof,” though, I want to turn this into a theory, particularly one that could have an impact on Star Trek: Strange New Worlds – the upcoming series set on the USS Enterprise with Captain Pike, Spock, and a new cast of characters.
Ever since I watched Such Sweet Sorrow, Part 2, something has stuck in my mind. Immediately before Burnham and the USS Discovery left the 23rd Century behind and headed into the far future we’ve seen depicted in Season 3, they were engaged in a climactic battle alongside Pike and the USS Enterprise against the Control AI. In addition to a fleet of Section 31 starships that were unmanned, Control had also possessed (or assimilated) the body of Section 31 commander Captain Leland. Control used Leland’s body to board the USS Discovery at the battle’s climax to attempt to retrieve the Sphere data – the macguffin that was the cause of the fight in the first place.
The data the Sphere transmitted to Discovery was the reason for Control’s attack.
The relationship between Control and Captain Leland was not sufficiently explained on screen, in my opinion, and this has a bearing on what comes next and why I have an issue with Such Sweet Sorrow, Part 2. But based on what we saw during the episode, it seems as though Control was somehow tied to Captain Leland’s body in a very significant way, such that when his body was crippled by Georgiou inside the USS Discovery’s Spore Cube, it had an impact on the battle raging outside.
This is the moment where I feel there’s an issue. The entire reason for sending Burnham and the USS Discovery on a one-way mission to the far future was to keep the Sphere data safe from Control, but when Georgiou defeated Captain Leland, Control appeared to also be defeated – or at least sufficiently incapacitated as to be unable to continue the battle. This all happened before the USS Discovery entered the time-wormhole.
Was it necessary for Burnham and Discovery to leave the 23rd Century? I would argue that it was not.
So, with that in mind, why did Pike, Saru, or even Burnham not stop? Surely at the very least they could have paused what they were doing to consider their next moves. Aboard the Enterprise, Pike was able to easily destroy the disabled Section 31 ships, removing any immediate danger, and with Captain Leland incapacitated and clearly not going anywhere, the Sphere data was also safe. Before sending the ship and crew to an unknown destination with no way back, did no one realise that the battle may have already been won? Was there no reason to send Burnham and the ship into the future?
This is what I’m terming “the big mistake” for the purposes of this theory.
Although Burnham had already used the Red Angel suit to open the time-wormhole, I would absolutely argue that, based on what we saw on screen, the battle against Control had taken a decisive turn before either she or the USS Discovery actually crossed the threshold, and that there was time for Saru, Pike, Spock, or someone to point that out. They were preoccupied with the jobs that they had to do, but when it became obvious that Control was at least incapacitated – if not outright defeated – I think that warrants pause from everyone concerned. They were in the process of making a life-changing decision for Burnham and the crew of Discovery, yet for some reason no one seemed to realise that it may have ultimately been unnecessary.
Even though Pike, Saru, and others acknowledged Control’s defeat, they didn’t stop what they were doing. Burnham and Discovery still travelled to the far future. Why?
So let’s break it down even more, for the sake of clarity, and follow events step-by-step. I don’t usually do time-stamps, but I think this is important so we’re all on exactly the same page. If we begin at exactly 51 minutes, 30 seconds into Such Sweet Sorrow, Part 2 – at least on the Netflix version (I assume it will be roughly the same on Paramount+ and Blu-ray too) – we see Burnham getting ready to open the time-wormhole. In the shot of her flying through space near the raging battle, we see the Section 31 ships beginning to slow their rate of fire with a consequent drop in the number of explosions. This is the first indication that something was changing.
At 51:54, Saru gives Detmer the order to follow Burnham’s lead. The USS Discovery moves through a field of debris (presumably caused by the battle) and then we get our first look at the time-wormhole a few seconds later at around 52:06. At this point, neither Burnham nor the ship are anywhere close to crossing the event horizon and entering the time-wormhole.
As Burnham flies past the battle, Control’s ships appear to be slowing down and losing momentum.
Just before 52:30 the action cuts to Captain Pike on the Enterprise’s bridge, watching Burnham and Discovery preparing to enter the wormhole. Trailing in Discovery’s wake are Section 31/Control drones, chasing after them. After Saru and Pike exchange goodbyes at 52:40, and Dr Culber tells Stamets that “we’re on our way,” at 52:57 we come to the scene at the heart of my argument – and of this theory. In Discovery’s engineering bay, the possessed Captain Leland is trapped in the Spore Cube by Georgiou.
Seemingly admitting defeat, Control-Leland tells Georgiou – in true clichéd villain style – that “this does not end here!” Georgiou then finishes the job of killing him, using the powerful magnets in the Spore Cube to force the nanites out of Leland’s body. This action cripples Control, and severs the link between it and its fleet.
The defeat of Captain Leland crippled Control – at least temporarily – and allowed Pike and the Enterprise to destroy the remaining ships in its fleet.
53:39 sees Control-Leland hit the deck, dead. The nano-bots spill out of his corpse, and though it’s not clear exactly what will happen to the human Leland, or whether he could be saved, this is a major blow for Control. Less than ten seconds later, at 53:48, the USS Discovery and Burnham can both be seen, still outside the time-wormhole, and Control’s fleet suddenly stops pursuing them.
On the bridge of the Enterprise, Una (Number One) notes this at 53:51, informing Captain Pike that “they’re all dead in the water.” Again, this is before either Burnham or Discovery have entered the time-wormhole. Even if no one on Discovery realised what was happening – which is possible given everything else going on – the crew of the Enterprise certainly had, and there was still time to contact Discovery.
With Burnham and Discovery still not having entered the time-wormhole, Control’s fleet is disabled.
At 54:00, Georgiou contacts Captain Saru, and this is the moment where he could have made a decision too. Georgiou informs him of Leland’s death, but uses a very interesting phrase: “Control is neutralised.” Discovery has not yet entered the wormhole, and on the bridge, Saru is already aware that the reason for doing so no longer exists. Pike is aware that their reason for heading into the future no longer exists. They have already won the battle. By Georgiou’s own admission, the threat Control had posed is unequivocally over.
At 54:16, Burnham and the USS Discovery are seen reflected in the glass of Siranna’s starfighter, still not inside the time-wormhole nor having crossed its event horizon. These are the crucial seconds at the core of the theory, because it’s in these few seconds that the decision to leave the 23rd Century behind could have been called off. With the Enterprise destroying what remained of Control’s fleet, and with Leland dead, there was no immediate way for Control to access the Sphere data – and yet no one on either ship seems to have realised that.
Burnham and Discovery are still outside the time-wormhole, as seen in the reflection of Siranna’s starfighter.
Even if we say that Control was not totally killed off, and that its servers remained active at Section 31 HQ (or elsewhere, if you prefer) and thus that Control was still out there and potentially able to regroup, the fact remains that the immediate threat had passed. The battle had been won, even if there was still more to do to win the overall war.
No one mentioned this in Discovery Season 3. After a brief reference to Georgiou destroying the remains of Leland in the episode Far From Home, and a short conversation about Control with Admiral Vance in the episode Die Trying, their reasoning for going to the future was never discussed nor elaborated on. Burnham, when pressed about it by Book in That Hope Is You, maintained that it was the “only way” to save the galaxy, so she clearly hadn’t realised what was going on behind her – but that makes sense as she was busy operating the Red Angel suit and keeping the time-wormhole stable.
Burnham was too busy piloting the Red Angel suit to realise the battle was over.
Saru and Pike have no such excuse, in my opinion. Both commanders clearly and demonstrably knew that Control and/or its fleet were incapacitated, and I believe that should have led to one or both of them bringing an immediate halt to events to take stock. If Control was disabled, there was no immediate need to head to the future. With Leland dead, the Sphere data was safe, at least temporarily. With the battle won, everyone could have taken a moment to breathe and assess the situation, perhaps planning to go to Section 31 HQ and permanently destroy whatever remained of Control. Instead, everyone simply sat back as Burnham and Discovery raced into an unknown future – a future, I would argue, they did not need to travel to.
There’s a way this could come back in either Discovery Season 4, Strange New Worlds Season 1, or both: if Saru and/or Pike realise that they made a big mistake.
Given what he went through to make the Red Angel suit possible, I would suggest the person this would affect the most would be Captain Pike. In the episode Through the Valley of Shadows, Pike obtained a time crystal from the Klingons, but did so at great personal sacrifice – solidifying for himself a future of permanent disability. How would he feel knowing that it was all for naught; that if he replays the events of the battle in his mind, he could see that Control was already beaten and that there was no need for the time crystal?
Having sacrificed his future for this time crystal, will Pike come to believe – as I do – that sending Burnham and Discovery into the future was unnecessary?
One theme Strange New Worlds is certainly going to pick up on is Pike’s knowledge of his impending disability. As a disabled person myself, this is something I’m really interested in seeing come to life on screen. I can relate to what Captain Pike is going through, because I’ve had the experience of sitting in a room with a doctor and being told things about my health and my future that are unavoidable. I get that sense of inevitability, of knowing things won’t get better but they will get worse. This is something genuinely interesting and that has the potential to be inspirational through Anson Mount’s wonderful portrayal of Pike. But I also wonder if we’ll see him wrestle with feelings of regret or remorse, feeling that his fate and future are his own fault. If he knows (or believes) that the battle was won in Such Sweet Sorrow, Part 2 without the need for time travel – and thus, without the need for the time crystal he sacrificed so much to obtain – will those feelings be worse for Pike?
Though we didn’t see much of this in Discovery Season 3, with Season 4 on the horizon there’s a chance for the circumstances of Discovery’s jump into the future to be revisited. Even if nobody aboard realised it at the time, it’s possible that someone will have subsequently had the revelation that their one-way trip to the future, sacrificing so much and leaving their loved ones behind, may not have been necessary. Perhaps this will become an issue for Captain Burnham or Saru, with a disgruntled crew member taking out their anger on them for forcing them into a post-Burn future that they didn’t have to inhabit.
Pike and Spock watched Burnham and Discovery disappear after Control was already defeated.
So that’s it. My theory, based on what we saw in Such Sweet Sorrow, Part 2 is this: the defeat or disabling of Control toward the end of the battle means that Burnham and Discovery didn’t actually need to go to the far future – at least, not immediately. At the very least, pausing to take stock would have been worthwhile.
It seems possible to me that this could be brought back as a story point – even if it’s just in a relatively minor way, such as with a line or two of dialogue acknowledging it – in either Discovery or Strange New Worlds, as it’s a story which impacts major characters from both shows.
Will Captain Pike realise his mistake in Strange New Worlds, and could this be a major story point for his character?
Having delved deeply into this battle from an in-universe point of view, now let’s step back and acknowledge that this is, in effect, a “plot hole” or production-side issue. The writers and producers of Discovery Season 2 wanted to send the ship and crew into the far future, partly due to negative fan feedback involving so-called canon problems during Season 1. But at the same time, they also wanted to make sure that the Control storyline was 100% wrapped up and concluded before Season 3 kicked off.
Unfortunately, in my opinion at least, the way they chose to accomplish those two goals has opened a plot hole. In the mad rush to wrap up Discovery Season 2 in what was already a feature-length episode, an inconsistency has been created within the plot of the show. If Burnham and Discovery had gone into the future, and in the final few minutes of the episode we saw Pike, Spock, and the crew of the Enterprise finish defeating Control, there would be no problem. But because it was Georgiou, aboard Discovery, who killed Captain Leland, and because this unexplained link between Leland’s body and Control seems to have crippled the entire fleet, we have a problem.
Discovery brought Captain Leland aboard the ship for a climactic fight with Georgiou – but his death at her hands before travelling into the future has opened a plot hole.
Overall, for most viewers who don’t spend as much time thinking about (and nitpicking) Star Trek as much as I do, it probably passed by unnoticed. But even in 2019 I was having conversations with fellow viewers – including some who I would call “casual” viewers as opposed to hardcore Trekkies – who noticed this very issue. The fact that no one – not Pike, Spock, Number One, Georgiou, or Saru – thought to call off the journey to the future, even temporarily to assess the new facts, is a plot hole.
However, it’s a plot hole that could be plugged by incorporating it into future stories. Captain Pike could be affected by it, as previously mentioned. As could Spock or Number One on the Enterprise, as they saw the battle end before Burnham and Discovery entered the time-wormhole. It could also become an issue for anyone aboard the USS Discovery – perhaps with their mood and mental health suffering, they replay the events of the battle in their mind and come to the conclusion that they were forced to travel to the future unnecessarily. That’s my theory, anyway!
Will this cause problems for Burnham in a future season of Discovery?
Whether any of that will come to pass, or whether both shows will proceed ignoring this issue is anyone’s guess right now. I would think that, if Discovery wanted to acknowledge this criticism, Season 3 would’ve been the time to do so, and the fact that it didn’t happen may mean that the writers and producers are keen to move on and put Such Sweet Sorrow, Part 2 behind them. But I’m not 100% convinced of that. I think there’s scope to incorporate what feels like a plot hole into the storylines of either upcoming show in a way that would make sense.
As I said at the beginning, this is something that’s been on my mind since I first saw the episode a couple of years ago! Even on first viewing, it seemed patently obvious to me that someone should have realised what was happening before Burnham and Discovery left, speaking up to put the brakes on. It really does feel that, based on the sequence of events and how they unfolded on screen, Burnham and Discovery could have remained in the 23rd Century.
Despite all of this over-analysing of a few minutes of the episode, I really enjoyed Such Sweet Sorrow, Part 2 – and Discovery Season 2 as a whole. It’s a fantastic season of television well worth a watch, and this theory, despite being something that’s bugged me for a while, is really just a glorified nitpick!
Star Trek: Discovery Seasons 1-3 are available to stream now on Paramount+ in the United States and on Netflix in the United Kingdom and elsewhere. The series is also available on Blu-ray. The Star Trek franchise – including Discovery, Strange New Worlds, and all other properties mentioned above – is the copyright of ViacomCBS. This article contains the thoughts and opinions of one person only and is not intended to cause any offence.
Spoiler Warning: There are spoilers ahead for Star Trek: Discovery Seasons 1-3, and for other iterations of the franchise.
At this very early stage, with Strange New Worlds having only just entered production, we don’t know what storylines the series might include. It’s far too early to speculate, especially because we don’t even know who most of the main characters will be. But that won’t stop me!
I’ve been kicking around this theory since Strange New Worlds was announced last year, and while I’ve mentioned it on a couple of occasions I think it’s time to spin it out into its own official theory! I have already made some suggestions and preliminary predictions for things we might see during Season 1 of the upcoming series, but this is my first standalone pre-season theory.
So here goes: Pike and the crew will find a way to cross over to the Mirror Universe to save the Prime Universe version of Captain Lorca.
The Prime Universe version of Captain Lorca is missing.
To briefly recap, Captain Lorca was the original captain of the USS Discovery back in Season 1 of Star Trek: Discovery, but the character we met wasn’t the Prime version, he was from the Mirror Universe. We wouldn’t get to know that until the latter part of the season, but a transporter accident saw Lorca swap places with his Prime counterpart sometime prior to the events of Season 1.
While it was stated by Admiral Cornwell that Prime Lorca would not have survived in the Mirror Universe this was never confirmed on screen, and judging by the reaction of characters like Mirror Tilly and Mirror Georgiou to Lorca’s reappearance, they didn’t believe him to be dead or imprisoned. Thus Prime Lorca’s fate is unknown – which means he could be brought back.
Admiral Cornwell believed Lorca to be dead – but she had no proof of that.
Let’s go over the evidence in favour of Lorca’s survival first, then we’ll see if we have any evidence that Strange New Worlds might include a storyline of this nature.
Firstly, we never saw Lorca die on screen. Only one character – Admiral Cornwell – assumed he was dead, and then the subject was dropped as the crew had to focus on ending the Klingon War. This opens the door to Lorca’s survival, as in almost any film or series, a character should not be assumed to be dead unless we as the audience see that for ourselves! Star Trek has, on occasion, sprung surprises like this, bringing back characters who had “died” – such as Tasha Yar in The Next Generation Season 3 episode Yesterday’s Enterprise. The existence of different timelines and different versions of characters means we cannot be sure that practically anyone is truly dead and gone!
Secondly, in Discovery Season 1, when the crew crossed over to the Mirror Universe, nobody native to that universe expressed surprise about Lorca’s presence. If the Prime version of Lorca had arrived and been killed or captured, at the very least we’d expect Empress Georgiou to have commented on his reappearance. If she believed him to be dead or languishing in one of her torturous prisons, she wouldn’t have simply allowed Burnham to bring Lorca to her aboard the ISS Charon – surely she would have considered that to be a trap.
Empress Georgiou gave no indication that she believed Lorca dead or imprisoned.
We know from The Original Series episode Mirror, Mirror that transporter accidents – which Lorca is said to have experienced – don’t kill people. If Mirror Lorca arrived in the Prime Universe, it stands to reason that Prime Lorca crossed over to the Mirror Universe at the same moment. Characters in Season 1 made this same assumption, and I think we can be relatively sure that Prime Lorca did in fact end up there.
When he arrived, he would have immediately come under attack by Terran forces. However, there was also a significant contingent of Lorca loyalists, and if he could have survived the initial battle and gotten his bearings, he could certainly have gone into hiding to avoid Empress Georgiou’s assassins.
Could Captain Lorca have survived his initial encounter with the Mirror Universe?
This is semi-confirmed by the recent Discovery Season 3 episodes Terra Firma, Part 1 and Terra Firma, Part 2, in which Georgiou revisited a version of the Mirror Universe via the Guardian of Forever. In those episodes, Lorca’s absence was a pretty significant story point, and his planned coup attempt was brought up numerous times by Mirror Universe characters. These events supposedly took place during Discovery Season 1, shortly before Mirror Lorca’s return to the Mirror Universe. Prime Lorca had therefore already crossed over, and doesn’t seem to have been captured or killed.
If we’d learned in Terra Firma that Lorca was dead or imprisoned, that would be that. But his absence leads me to believe that he survived his initial encounter with Georgiou’s forces. After getting his bearings and realising he’d ended up in a different reality, Lorca’s first instinct would have been to find a way home. However, priority number one in such a situation is to survive to fight another day, and going into hiding to avoid further attacks makes a lot of sense.
We saw no indication in Terra Firma that Lorca was considered dead. In fact, his absence was a source of concern for Georgiou and others.
Just as Mirror Lorca was able to pass as his Prime counterpart, Prime Lorca may have been able to convince those around him that he was the Mirror version. We saw Kirk, Dr McCoy, Scotty, and Uhura manage to do so in Mirror, Mirror – and Spock remarked that it was “far easier for you, as civilized men, to behave like barbarians than it was for them as barbarians to behave like civilized men.” Survival in the Mirror Universe can be accomplished.
If Lorca were able to convince even a handful of loyalists to go into hiding, perhaps commandeering a shuttle or ship, they could have disappeared and gone off the grid shortly after his arrival. This would have the added benefit of giving Lorca time to regroup and figure out what happened and how to reverse it. At the very least, he would want to try to send a message back across the divide to the Prime Universe.
Lorca with some of his loyalists.
In the Mirror Universe, the existence of the Prime Universe was known to senior Terrans. The crossover of the USS Defiant (as seen in Star Trek: Enterprise) gave them a century’s head start on learning about their Prime cousins. Just as Michael Burnham was able to learn about the Defiant during Season 1, Lorca may have been able to come by this information too – especially because his Mirror counterpart seems to have been aware of the two universes.
So the pieces begin to fall into place. Lorca was resourceful, and may have been able to avoid detection long enough to survive. Following Mirror Lorca’s coup and Empress Georgiou’s disappearance, we don’t know what became of the Imperial throne or who the new Emperor is. It stands to reason, though, that with Mirror Lorca dead the heat would be off, and perhaps Prime Lorca would have been able to leave his hiding place and finally send his message across the divide.
The end of Georgiou’s reign may have allowed Prime Lorca an opportunity to break cover and contact Starfleet.
In short, it all hangs on those crucial first few moments after his arrival. If Lorca could survive in the Mirror Universe long enough to get his bearings, I firmly believe he could have passed himself off as his Mirror counterpart, gone into hiding to avoid Georgiou’s assassins, and laid low while he planned his next moves. When he learned of Georgiou’s death, breaking cover long enough to send a message would have been risky, but possible.
We don’t know exactly how communication between universes would work. But as mentioned, Lorca is a resourceful individual, and with the Mirror Universe’s knowledge of the Prime Universe, it stands to reason he could have figured out something. And if he could send a message asking for help, well that’s where Pike comes in.
Captain Pike.
We know for a fact that Captain Pike is aware of the existence of the Mirror Universe. As he departed the USS Discovery for the final time, Georgiou told him she was from there. His cheeky wink suggested he already knew of its existence – and of her origin – but even if he didn’t and was bluffing, after that moment we can say definitively that he knew of its existence. Given his rank, he could have learned more from Starfleet about the Mirror Universe – Discovery’s crossover was well-documented, after all.
Captain Pike would not leave any Starfleet officer behind, so if he picked up Lorca’s distress call – or was assigned to rescue him by Starfleet – he would figure out a way to do so. It’s in his nature to want to help, and as we saw across Discovery Season 2, Pike exemplifies the best of Starfleet. As two captains serving at the same time, it’s possible Pike and Lorca knew each other, or even that they were friends. This relationship could be explored, and would give Pike an added incentive to rescue Lorca.
Captain Pike would not want to abandon Lorca.
So the question now is how? How would Pike cross over to the Mirror Universe to retrieve Lorca? There are two reliable ways we know of to access the Mirror Universe (not including a warp core leak in a wormhole): the transporter and the mycelial network. With the USS Discovery gone (and the USS Glenn destroyed) using the mycelial network is clearly not possible. So that leaves the transporter.
By recreating the conditions of Lorca’s transporter accident, perhaps Pike could figure out a way to cross over and enter the Mirror Universe – and crucially, a way to get home again afterwards. However, this method means that Pike and a small team would be effectively on their own in the Mirror Universe, with no ship and no backup!
Is a crossover via the transporter on the cards?
Discovery reintroduced the Mirror Universe in a big way, and while it’s never been my favourite setting within Star Trek, it seems that the Mirror Universe episodes have gone down well with fans. It’s at least possible that Strange New Worlds would want to try its own Mirror Universe story, and I can’t think of any that would be better than rescuing Captain Lorca.
Spock’s presence may complicate matters, though. In Mirror, Mirror he seemed entirely unaware of the Mirror Universe when Kirk and the others crossed over, so perhaps he would have to be kept out of such a story. It wouldn’t be impossible to accomplish this; perhaps the mission is classified so only officers of a certain rank can know, or perhaps Spock was away on another assignment or injured and unable to participate. If a suitable in-universe reason could be found, it would be possible to keep Spock out of this story – preserving Star Trek’s internal timeline.
Spock would need to be kept out of any Mirror Universe stories in Strange New Worlds.
On the production side of things, Jason Isaacs – who played Lorca – has indicated he’d be up for a return to Star Trek, and as mentioned the Mirror Universe has been popular within the franchise in recent years. There are no practical reasons that I can see which would make a story like this impossible.
So that’s the extent of this theory – at least for now! Captain Lorca is alive, stranded in the Mirror Universe. He sends a message to Starfleet, and Pike is sent to rescue him. This story could be a lot of fun, and bringing back Lorca would be a really interesting move, one which could have repercussions for Strange New Worlds, the Section 31 series, and any other 23rd Century Star Trek projects. Lorca could go on to be a recurring character in any and all of these shows.
It would be great to welcome Lorca back to Star Trek.
Obviously we don’t know at this stage whether this will happen in Season 1 – or at all! However, it would be a great big connection between Discovery and Strange New Worlds, tying together two parts of the ongoing Star Trek franchise, which you know I’m always in favour of.
Lorca was an interesting character in Season 1 – the hardball Starfleet captain who didn’t always play nice. It seems as though the Prime version was similar, in many respects, to his Mirror counterpart, which is one of the main reasons Mirror Lorca was able to avoid detection for so long. This kind of character is uncommon in the franchise, and bringing Lorca back would be a lot of fun, even if it was just for a single episode.
If we don’t see Lorca return in Season 1, I’m still going to keep my fingers crossed. Perhaps he’ll make an appearance in Season 2 or in the Section 31 series instead!
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds will be broadcast at some point in future on Paramount+ in areas where the service is available. Further international distribution has not yet been announced. The Star Trek franchise – including Strange New Worlds, Discovery, and other properties mentioned above – is the copyright of ViacomCBS. This article contains the thoughts and opinions of one person only and is not intended to cause any offence.
Spoiler Warning: There are spoilers ahead for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. The video referenced in this article can be found below.
No sooner had I published my article making a few preliminary predictions (alright, guesses) for Strange New Worlds – my first piece on the upcoming series since July last year – than ViacomCBS dropped the biggest news so far about the latest Star Trek show! What an odd coincidence, eh?
The short video confirmed the rumour that the series has officially started production in Toronto, which is fantastic news. There had been speculation that filming had started, but there were also competing rumours that production hadn’t yet begun, so getting confirmation on that is great. It also firmly debunks the lie spread through some anti-Star Trek groups that the series (and other upcoming Star Trek productions) were cancelled or not going ahead!
In addition to the news that the series was officially in production, we also got to meet five new members of the Strange New Worlds cast. We’ll very briefly look at each in a moment, but first let’s assess the group as a whole.
Firstly, those of you who are good at maths will have worked out that the addition of five new cast members brings the total for Strange New Worlds’ main cast to eight. Discovery had seven during Season 3, and Picard also had seven during its first season, so eight characters is not completely out of the ballpark for a modern Star Trek production! In a series that will almost certainly run somewhere from 10-15 episodes, eight major characters is probably about the maximum number that Strange New Worlds could get away with, though.
Picard Season 1 dedicated several of its episodes and large portions of its runtime to its new characters, and while that was great and generally done very well, it meant that when we got to the season finale and rushed through a huge amount of story (leaving a number of things unresolved) some of that felt wasted. In short, what I’m trying to say is that today’s Star Trek shows have fewer episodes per season than they used to in decades past, and a shorter runtime naturally means you can fit in fewer stories – and arguably fewer major characters. Eight feels like a comfortable fit – but I would be wary of trying to cram in too many more!
Notable by her absence was Amrit Kaur, who played Cadet Sidhu in the 2019 Short Treks episode Ask Not. At the end of that short story, Cadet Sidhu was assigned to a role in engineering aboard the Enterprise, and while it was presented as a standalone story, by introducing a character in that manner, with Strange New Worlds clearly in mind at the time the episode was made, it felt like a deliberate move. Ever since the series was announced last year I felt relatively certain that Sidhu would be back, and while it’s possible she will be included in a future announcement, or reappear as a guest star, I admit I was a little surprised not to see her included here.
The cast members who we briefly met continue Star Trek’s longstanding tradition of diversity in its main characters. Babs Olusanmokun was born in Nigeria. Christina Chong is of mixed Chinese-English ancestry. Celia Rose Gooding is African-American. Melissa Navia is Colombian-American. And Jess Bush is Australian. Quite the mix!
The cast will have more women than men for the first time in the franchise’s history, which is certainly very interesting. On-screen representation continues to improve, and Star Trek has had a long and proud tradition of these big, diverse casts. Strange New Worlds continues that tradition, and the cast looks to be shaping up very well.
I’m afraid that I’m completely unfamiliar with all five of the new faces, though several of them have had roles in films and shows that I’ve heard of or seen parts of, so that’s good. The new cast members will have the opportunity to grow into their roles without bringing too much baggage with them, which is one benefit to bringing on board new faces.
We don’t yet know what roles any of the five will play. Surely we can expect to find at least one non-human in there, but which of them will take on that role and in what capacity is something we still don’t know. Every Star Trek series to date has introduced us to new alien races, as well as brought at least one new alien race into its main cast, and I see no reason why Strange New Worlds won’t do the same.
The final point of note is that, of the characters from The Cage, who were officers aboard the Enterprise under Pike’s command, none of them seem to fit with the new cast. Perhaps Yeoman Colt could be the character one of the new female leads is taking over, but none of the new cast fit with characters like José Tyler, Dr Boyce, or other officers present in that episode. I’ve said several times that I was sure Strange New Worlds was not simply going to recast everyone present in The Cage, and that the creative team would surely want to add in their own new characters, but it’s still worth noting that it doesn’t seem at this stage that any of those original characters are returning in a major way.
So that’s about all I have to say, really. By sheer coincidence this announcement came a few hours after I published my preliminary Season 1 predictions, which is kind of amusing! Hopefully we’ll learn soon what roles these folks are going to play. It looks like a fun group, and unless there’s some shocking announcement to come – like a returning cast member from a previous Star Trek series, or the inclusion of a Hollywood superstar – it feels like this announcement has rounded out the main cast. Eight major characters is more than enough for a series like this, though hopefully we’ll see a few secondary characters given screen time and development as well.
Strange New Worlds is off to a decent start, and I’m looking forward to the moment when I’ll be able to sit down and watch it! Stay tuned, because if we get any more information about the show, the characters, or anything else of note, I’ll be sure to take a look.
Hit it!
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds will be broadcast on Paramount+ in areas where the service is available. Further international distribution has not yet been announced. The Star Trek franchise – including Strange New Worlds – is the copyright of ViacomCBS. This article contains the thoughts and opinions of one person only and is not intended to cause any offence.
Spoiler Warning: There are spoilers ahead for Star Trek: Discovery Seasons 1-2, Short Treks Season 2, Star Trek: Picard, and other iterations of the franchise.
It’s been a while since we looked at Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, the upcoming Captain Pike series. But with production on Season 1 seemingly imminent – or perhaps having already begun, depending on what sources you use – I thought it would be fun to look ahead to what the first season of the show may hold.
At this stage, Strange New Worlds has only been commissioned for a single season. However, I would be absolutely stunned if we didn’t get an announcement preceding its Season 1 premiere that it had been renewed; this is the pattern ViacomCBS has had with both Discovery and Picard. I’m hoping, then, that Strange New Worlds will become an ongoing series, perhaps following Discovery’s path and running for four seasons, five, or even more. There’s certainly enough potential content for the show to get through, and while being a prequel is a constraint in some respects, that didn’t stop Discovery, Enterprise, and even the Kelvin films finding new and different stories to tell.
The USS Enterprise.
Just as I did for Discovery Season 4 and Picard Season 2 I’m going to make a few guesses – which I’m officially terming “preliminary predictions” – for Strange New Worlds Season 1. My usual caveat applies – I have no “inside sources,” nor am I claiming that anything listed below will definitely happen. These are guesses – educated guesses in some cases, perhaps, but guesses nevertheless.
Without further ado, let’s jump into the list!
Number 1: The uniforms will be redesigned.
Captain Pike’s gold uniform as seen in the Discovery Season 2 episode Brother.
With the exception of Star Trek: Voyager, every Star Trek series to date has introduced new variants of the Starfleet uniform for its crew. While we have seen Anson Mount and Ethan Peck sporting their Discovery uniforms in recent promotional spots for Paramount+, I’m not convinced that Strange New Worlds won’t at least tweak that design.
And perhaps that’s all it will be – a minor tweak or alteration of the uniforms worn by the Enterprise crew in Discovery. But we could see a more radical change, perhaps one designed to bridge the gap between Discovery-era uniforms and those seen in The Original Series. We could see, for example, the high collars scrapped in favour of the crew neck style seen in The Original Series.
Red uniform variant seen in the Short Treks episode Ask Not.
The uniforms worn by the Enterprise crew in Discovery were little more than recoloured versions of the Discovery uniforms, and if you look closely, you can see the detailing around the shoulder and down the sides. In my opinion, though these uniforms were preferable to Discovery’s all-blue look, they ended up looking like dyed Discovery uniforms rather than their own thing. This is something that could be addressed, even if only by making small changes to some of the detailing and stitching.
Regardless, I think that when we start to see promos for the new series, one thing we’ll notice is some kind of new uniform variant.
Number 2: Cadet Sidhu will be part of the Enterprise crew.
Cadet Sidhu.
The 2019 Short Treks episode Ask Not – whose writer, Kalinda Vazquez, is now writing a Star Trek film – brought back Captain Pike. But it also introduced us to a Starfleet cadet, and at the end of the action-packed, uplifting story, she was assigned to a role under Pike’s command aboard the Enterprise.
Almost any story could have been chosen to bring back Captain Pike for a mini-episode, but Ask Not spent most of its time setting up Cadet Sidhu’s character. She has a potentially interesting backstory, being the sole survivor of a Tholian attack, and as a young, talented cadet she could fill a fairly typical Star Trek role in the new series.
Captain Pike with Sidhu in the Enterprise’s engineering section.
We’ve seen the “young and eager” role filled by characters like Harry Kim, Sylvia Tilly, and even Wesley Crusher in past iterations of the franchise, and having someone like that presents a contrast with older, more experienced characters like Captain Pike and Number One. Cadet Sidhu also has a husband, who could potentially be a recurring character, and her background with the Tholians suggests she may not be quite as naïve and inexperienced as other cadets, potentially giving her more to say and do.
Of the main cast that we know of at this stage, all three roles are played by white American actors – Anson Mount as Pike, Ethan Peck as Spock, Rebecca Romijn as Number One. Every Star Trek show going back to The Original Series has proudly shown off a diverse cast, and bringing in someone of Indian heritage would be great. Amrit Kaur, who plays Sidhu, would be the first person of Indian heritage to be a main cast member in the history of the franchise, which would be groundbreaking in itself.
Number 3: There will be a non-Starfleet crewmate.
Cleveland Booker in Season 3 of Discovery.
One of the best things Discovery Season 3 did was introduce the character of Cleveland Booker. Book served as our guide to the 32nd Century in some ways, but also shook up the rigid hierarchy of the Starfleet crew by offering an outside perspective.
Several Star Trek shows have experimented with non-Starfleet characters in various roles, and aside from Book I’d point to Quark in Deep Space Nine and even, to some extent, Neelix in earlier seasons of Voyager as successful examples. I don’t expect Strange New Worlds to put together a Picard-style team where no one is a serving Starfleet officer, of course, but bringing in one major character who exists outside of the ship’s command structure would be potentially interesting.
Neelix in Star Trek: Voyager.
There are many ways this could be done, and many different roles such an individual could occupy. I’m thinking perhaps of a chef-type role, maybe someone who oversees the mess hall and is friendly with the crew. But there’s also potential to bring in an alien character who is perhaps aboard the ship as an observer or diplomat.
The possibilities are open-ended – as is almost everything with Strange New Worlds – but I certainly think that bringing at least one “outsider” into the crew can be a great storytelling device, one which could take the show to different thematic places.
Number 4: There will be a significant callback to Star Trek: Enterprise.
The NX-01 Enterprise.
Aside from a couple of Okudagrams and throwaway lines, modern Star Trek has essentially ignored Enterprise. The franchise’s first prequel currently feels disconnected from the rest of the franchise; cut off in the 22nd Century all by itself. There’s potential for Strange New Worlds to rectify this, and having a significant crossover with Enterprise would be something fun to see.
A few months ago I suggested that the Andorian Shran or main character T’Pol from Enterprise could still be alive and active in the era in which Strange New Worlds is set. Either character – or both – could thus cross over and appear in the new series. That would be a hugely significant moment, as it would firmly tie in Enterprise with the ongoing Star Trek franchise.
Sub-commander T’Pol.
Discovery could have done something similar to pay homage to Enterprise in either of its first two seasons, but with the show now set far in the future, any crossover potential has gone away. Strange New Worlds is currently the only 23rd Century series, and while the untitled Section 31 show or a future series may share the setting, that’s hardly a sure thing. So if the creative team at ViacomCBS want to bring up anything from Enterprise any time soon, this is by far the best place to do it.
If a main character crossover isn’t on the cards, there are still myriad other ways to acknowledge Enterprise in a major way. We could see Pike and the crew revisit a location first seen in Enterprise, or see the return of races like the Denobulans, Suliban, or Xindi, none of which have ever been mentioned outside of Enterprise.
Number 5: Ash Tyler will return.
Ash Tyler.
Of Discovery’s main cast from Seasons 1 and 2, only Ash Tyler didn’t travel into the future with Burnham and the rest of the crew. He remained in the 23rd Century, and at the end of the Season 2 finale we learned he would be appointed head of Section 31. It’s been assumed ever since (not only by me but by other fans and theory-crafters) that Tyler was intended to appear in the upcoming Section 31 series. However, as we recently learned, that show may be on hold for at least the next couple of years.
Ash Tyler’s story arc across Discovery’s first two seasons is arguably complete. He came to terms with what happened to him, his transition from Klingon to human and the two sides of his personality that created. He also went on a rollercoaster ride in terms of his relationship with Burnham. But there’s still a lot of potential in Tyler, and one thing in particular that leads me to believe that he could – in theory – have a role to play in Strange New Worlds.
Is this Ash’s brother? His cousin?
The character above is José Tyler, one of the original officers under Pike’s command in The Cage. Now I’m not expecting everyone we met in The Cage to be recast and appear in Strange New Worlds, but the possibility of a family connection between José and Ash seems like it could be fun to explore. Perhaps they’re brothers or cousins. If so, how would José react to the fact that Ash isn’t really Ash any more? That could be a huge source of conflict, and putting the two characters together to work through that might be a story worth telling.
Ash Tyler could also be part of a Section 31-related story, or even a story that sees the Enterprise picking up the last remaining pieces of the battle against Control. Ash shares a secret that only Pike and the Enterprise crew know – what really happened to the USS Discovery. As the head of Section 31, might he leverage that against Pike somehow to force him to take on a dangerous mission? There are, once again, almost an unlimited number of ways Ash Tyler could be used in the context of the new show. I doubt he’ll be a major starring character, but having him back for an episode or two seems a real possibility.
Number 6: The Enterprise will make first contact with a familiar race.
A Cardassian spy seen in The Next Generation.
One of the promises Strange New Worlds has made is that it will be a return to the kind of Star Trek that The Original Series, The Next Generation, and Voyager did so well, with stories focusing on exploration. Over the course of those series, the captains and their crews made numerous first contacts with alien races, and if Strange New Worlds is to make good on its premise, making at least one first contact seems inevitable.
If we look at Enterprise as the other major Star Trek prequel series, we saw first contact with established races like the Klingons, Romulans, and even the Ferengi – though Archer didn’t know who he was meeting in that last case. The point is, Enterprise went back and showed us how humanity first encountered many familiar Star Trek races – and this is something Strange New Worlds could do too.
Enterprise depicted Earth’s first contact with the Romulans, and several other familiar races.
I’ve written about this a number of times here on the website, but I adore Deep Space Nine, and particularly the Bajorans and Cardassians. We’ve never seen the Federation make first contact with either of them, and it could be very interesting to see how it went. The Cardassians would likely still be a militaristic state, but we know that the Bajorans prior to the Cardassian occupation were very different – operating a caste-based society that the Federation would surely disapprove of.
If not the Cardassians or Bajorans, there are many other Star Trek races which had already been contacted either by the time of The Original Series or The Next Generation that we could see Captain Pike and his crew meet for the very first time. Among them could be the Gorn, Tholians, or even a relatively obscure race like the Sheliak, who only appeared in a single episode. In my opinion, making first contact with an established race would tie Strange New Worlds in to the wider franchise, and that’s something that I firmly believe every Star Trek series needs to be doing.
Number 7: Spock will mention Michael Burnham at least once.
Burnham and Spock in the Discovery Season 2 episode Project Daedalus.
Season 2 of Discovery explored in some detail the relationship between Burnham and Spock. They were raised as siblings on Vulcan by Sarek and Amanda, and Burnham appears to have been quite influential in Spock’s life and in his development. At the end of Season 2, Spock stated his intent to travel to the future with Burnham, and while we know that was never going to happen because of his other appearances in the franchise, it indicates how close they were.
Burnham’s loss is akin to a bereavement. Although the final red burst confirmed that she safely made it to the 32nd Century, Spock will never see Burnham again (barring some other time travel story!) so she’s gone from his life. How will that affect him? While Spock may, on the surface, appear to simply brush off the events of Season 2, he went through a heck of a lot. The loss of Burnham may be the worst part, but being accused of murder, having his mind scrambled, travelling to Talos IV, and being hunted by Control will have all taken a toll.
Captain Pike and Spock watch Burnham and the USS Discovery disappear into the future.
Burnham had her “Spock episode” with Unification III midway through Discovery Season 3, so I wouldn’t be at all surprised if Strange New Worlds reciprocates somewhat and gives Spock his own “Burnham episode” – or at least a Burnham moment. Moving on completely as if everything he went through in Discovery Season 2 never happened wouldn’t sit right, so I’m sure there will be at least some reference or acknowledgement of Burnham from Spock.
It may not be a complete story, rather just a line or two of dialogue in which Spock mentions how much he misses Burnham. But I do expect to see some kind of reference or connection. Despite Spock being a long-established character within Star Trek, Strange New Worlds is a spin-off from Discovery, and this version of the character in particular is tied to Burnham very strongly. Making note of that would also be a reminder to the audience that Discovery is Strange New Worlds’ sister show – another of those little ties between ongoing parts of the franchise that I mentioned.
Number 8: Pike will have to deal with the knowledge of his impending accident and disability.
Captain Pike after his accident, as seen in The Original Series Season 1 episode The Menagerie.
Captain Pike not only saw his future at the Klingon monastery on Boreth, but he actively chose to accept his horrible fate in exchange for a time crystal. This happened toward the end of Season 2, and with the battle against Control to prepare for, he didn’t have much time to really stop and think about what that means. But Strange New Worlds will surely slow things down – at least some of the time – giving him pause for thought.
In the moment, Pike did what he needed to do and embraced his dark future. Will he regret that? Will he be worried at every turn, looking over his shoulder for the moment where his accident will occur? If so, who will help him snap out of it? It would be very easy for someone in his position to fall into depression – after all, what he’s going through is akin to being diagnosed with a terminal disease.
Pike sealed his fate in the Discovery Season 2 episode Through the Valley of Shadows.
We have seen Star Trek tackle this subject before, but only in the format of one-off episodes. Having a main character who is aware of his impending health collapse and disability could be something that’s absolutely worth exploring. In a way, I can relate to Captain Pike. Over the last decade or more I’ve seen my own health gradually decline, and while it isn’t quite the same thing (Pike’s accident takes him from full health to total disability in a heartbeat) I’ve been in the position of hearing a doctor tell me really awful news, knowing that there isn’t anything I can do to fix it.
Star Trek usually does things by analogy, so rather than Captain Pike being diagnosed with a real-world life-limiting condition, he’s seen a vision of his future disability in a time crystal. But the impact it could have on him from a psychological point of view is comparable, and this could, in my opinion, be a great way for Star Trek to explore the complexities surrounding incurable illness, long-term health conditions, disability, and even terminal illness. There are many, many ways such a story could go, and I’ll be fascinated to see what direction the show takes with this.
Number 9: There will be either a time-travel or parallel universe story.
Kirk’s captured Klingon Bird-of-Prey travelling through time in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home.
Time travel has been a part of Star Trek going back to Season 1 of The Original Series, and we’ve seen a number of episodes take place in both the past and future. With Strange New Worlds sending Pike and the Enterprise off on a mission of exploration, they could easily encounter any of the temporal phenomena that we know exist out there in space.
I’ve never been wild about time travel in Star Trek, and often the episodes in which it features aren’t my favourites. Using time travel to visit contemporary Earth inevitably dates a story, too – just look at Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home or the Voyager two-part episode Future’s End as examples of that! But just because time travel isn’t my personal favourite story element doesn’t mean it can’t work well, and I wouldn’t be surprised at all to see Strange New Worlds pursue a story of this nature.
Voyager visited ’90s California in Future’s End.
The main candidate when considering time travel has to be the aforementioned contemporary Earth, in this case, Earth circa 2021! But we’ve seen time travel stories set in the 1890s, the 1930s, and even a dark vision of the 2020s! It could also be fun to see the crew shot forward in time, and perhaps having to rely on the help of a time-travelling future Starfleet to get home.
Alternatively we could see a parallel universe story – though hopefully not the Mirror Universe! The Mirror Universe is potentially home to the prime version of Captain Lorca, and rescuing him could be an interesting story. But there are many other parallel universes – including the alternate reality where the Kelvin films are set. Could that set up a crossover with the alternate reality versions of Pike and Spock?
Number 10: The show will acknowledge current events.
The COVID-19 pandemic has been the biggest and most disruptive event in many years.
The big story of 2020 was, of course, the pandemic. But there are other significant ongoing events, such as the issue of race in the United States, that Strange New Worlds could try to tackle. Star Trek, despite what some people want to tell you, has always been a franchise with a keen interest in contemporary events. Going all the way back to The Original Series, Star Trek has used its sci-fi setting to look at real-world events, and I wonder to what extent Strange New Worlds will try to do that.
In a series that aims to be more episodic than other recent Star Trek projects, Strange New Worlds could certainly dedicate at least one episode to looking at a major current event. The pandemic is something we have yet to see appear in fiction in a big way. The issue of race, on the other hand, is something we’ve seen tackled many times in many different ways.
Star Trek has looked at the issue of race relations in the United States before, notably in the episode Let That Be Your Last Battlefield.
A story touching on issues raised by the pandemic could look at, for example, a planetary society suffering from disease, but where a significant number of people refuse to take precautions – something we’ve seen all across the world to varying degrees. Or it could look at the long-term impact of isolation through a character or set of characters who haven’t had any outside contact for a long time.
Any series that plans to look at aspects of the ongoing pandemic has to tread carefully, in my opinion, to avoid appearing to sensationalise current events or to be seen to be exploiting the situation. But as one of the biggest events of the 21st Century so far, the coronavirus pandemic will be explored in art and entertainment many times in the years ahead, and there’s no reason why Star Trek shouldn’t tackle it – provided it does so tactfully.
Number 11: The Klingons will make an appearance.
A Klingon general from Lower Decks.
Federation-Klingon relations went on a rollercoaster in the 23rd Century, to say the least! From ignoring one another to all-out war to a peace conference, the two factions did it all. One thing we have yet to see is the way in which the Klingons changed following the war depicted in Discovery – and no, I don’t mean the prosthetic makeup!
When L’Rell took power at the end of Discovery Season 1, she sued for peace with the Federation, after which Federation-Klingon relations appear to have thawed, at least a little. Yet within a decade or so, the Klingons were once again incredibly antagonistic toward the Federation, with conflicts and battles fought during this era.
Chancellor L’Rell in the Discovery Season 2 episode Point of Light.
Perhaps we could see something happen between the Klingons and Federation to set them on this antagonistic path. Captain Pike has built up some degree of goodwill with the Klingons, but seeing this evaporate would be a potentially interesting story. We could also welcome back Mary Chieffo as L’Rell in a story focusing on the Klingon Empire.
Just like we need to see Section 31 disappear and move underground, we also need to see the Klingons and Federation move apart. Another all-out war is not required, but seeing the situation deteriorate and even the cutting off of diplomatic relations would “reset” the Klingons closer to the way they were in The Original Series.
So that’s it.Ten Eleven preliminary predictions for Season 1 of Strange New Worlds. As I said when the series was first announced, 2022 seems like a reasonable guesstimate for when it’ll premiere, and that was backed up by the news we got a few weeks ago about which shows are in production and how far along they are. So while it’s definitely early to be considering what we might see from the new show, it’s not too early! Who knows, it could be this time next year that Strange New Worlds makes its debut!
Anson Mount has recently featured in the ad campaign for Paramount+.
I hope this was a bit of fun. And just to re-emphasise what I said at the beginning: I don’t have any “insider information,” this is just guesswork from a fan. Nothing more! So don’t get upset if none of what I suggested above ultimately comes to pass!
I’m really looking forward to Strange New Worlds. It seems to be offering more of a “classic” take on Star Trek when compared to recent projects, and I’m 100% there for that! The franchise has expanded, and there’s plenty of room for serialised drama and even animated comedy, but taking Star Trek back to its roots is definitely something I’m keen to see. That doesn’t mean every project should try to do the same thing, but it does mean that Strange New Worlds is close to the top of the list of shows that I’m most excited about!
If we get any major news, casting information, or a trailer be sure to check back as I’m sure I’ll have something to say. Other than that, all we can do is wait!
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is coming to Paramount+ at some point in the future. International distribution has not yet been announced. The Star Trek franchise – including Strange New Worlds, Discovery, and all other properties mentioned above – is the copyright of ViacomCBS. This article contains the thoughts and opinions of one person only and is not intended to cause any offence.
Spoiler Warning: There will be spoilers ahead for the Star Trek franchise, including the most recent seasons of Discovery and Picard.
Excitement for a series led by Anson Mount as Captain Christopher Pike had been sky-high since the second season of Discovery was on the air early last year. The series was finally announced a few weeks ago, and if you somehow didn’t know, it’s going to be called Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. I took a look at a few ideas for the upcoming series shortly after it was announced, but today I wanted to get specific. We’re going to be looking at some characters from past iterations of Star Trek that it could be fun to see return in some way.
Probably not the title card for Strange New Worlds!
Some of the characters on this list could join the main cast – though with three of its main roles taken up with re-cast characters, I feel sure that the creators of the show will want to put in some brand new ones of their own too. Others would make great secondary or recurring characters – if Strange New Worlds is to have a large secondary cast like Deep Space Nine had. And of course, some characters would be interesting to see just as one-offs.
This article shouldn’t be interpreted as me having some kind of “insider information”; I don’t, and quite frankly I doubt anyone else in the blogosphere or on social media does, so you should always take any such claim with a grain of salt! This is pure speculation, as well as a bit of fun.
Number 1: Alternate reality Pike and Spock
In 2013’s Star Trek Into Darkness, the alternate reality version of Captain Pike (played by Bruce Greenwood) was killed. However, by setting any potential crossover before this event, such as shortly after the events of 2009’s Star Trek, for example, it would be possible for the prime timeline and alternate reality versions of the characters to cross over… somehow.
We know from 2009’s Star Trek that travel to the alternate reality was possible by traversing a black hole, so perhaps something like that could happen. It would definitely be expensive to bring in Bruce Greenwood and Zachary Quinto – as film stars they command a higher salary – but if contracts could be negotiated, and a suitably engaging story written, I think it could be fun to see the two versions of the characters team up.
The kind of story I’m thinking of would follow a similar theme to the classic Mirror, Mirror or Discovery’s first season – the Enterprise, or just Pike and Spock, accidentally cross over to the alternate reality and have to work out how to get back – enlisting their alternate reality counterparts for help.
Number 2: James T. Kirk
In the alternate timeline mentioned above, we saw how Kirk and Spock met at Starfleet Academy. However, in the prime timeline we’ve never seen their first meeting. It could be interesting to see a young Ensign or Lieutenant Kirk meet Spock for the first time, and there are many ways this could be included.
However, the way I think it would work best would be in the series finale. And I know, thinking about the finale of a series that hasn’t even premiered yet is very premature! But hear me out because I like this concept. After what will hopefully be a number of successful seasons of Strange New Worlds, Captain Pike gets promoted and will be leaving the ship. The final moments of the finale could see Captain Kirk coming aboard the Enterprise for the first time – and this could be a great moment to use the CGI seen in films like Rogue One to have the character look like a young William Shatner. Shatner himself could even do Kirk’s voice.
That’s one concept that I really think could be cool. But we could also see a young Kirk as a guest star, perhaps as someone who is a junior officer aboard another ship that the Enterprise works with. We know that Kirk served on a ship called the USS Farragut before becoming captain of the Enterprise, and that name-drop could be a great reference to The Original Series.
Number 3: T’Pol
Aside from one brief reference in Discovery, there hasn’t been much acknowledgement of Enterprise in modern Star Trek, despite the fact that the events of that show are canon in both the alternate reality and Discovery. With Strange New Worlds taking place over a century after Enterprise, most of the human characters will probably no longer be around – though there was a hint in the alternate reality of an “Admiral Archer”. However, Vulcans are very long-lived, and it’s quite possible that T’Pol would still be alive and active in this era.
As the first Vulcan to work extensively with humans and Starfleet, T’Pol could offer invaluable advice to Spock as he joins the crew of the Enterprise. Or she could be a senior figure within the Federation – perhaps at Starfleet, working on research, or even taking on a role similar to Spock’s in The Next Generation era, working as a diplomat.
If T’Pol were a senior diplomat or ambassador, she could join the crew of the Enterprise on a mission of first contact – and this could be a great story to show off first contact between the Federation and one of Star Trek’s established races, like the Cardassians. A story like this would tie all three of Star Trek’s main eras together: the 22nd Century, represented by T’Pol, the 23rd Century, represented by Pike, Spock, Number One, and the Enterprise crew, and the 24th Century, represented by a race like the Cardassians that we got to know in that era.
Number 4: Commodore Decker
William Windom played the role of Commodore Matt Decker in one of the best episodes of The Original Series: The Doomsday Machine. Decker is a broken man in that story, having witnessed the loss of his entire crew. He becomes consumed by revenge and tries to take down the planet-killer himself. But in Strange New Worlds, we could see Decker before that catastrophe, as the level-headed senior officer we know he was.
He could retain the rank of Commodore, perhaps serving as the senior officer for the region of space that the Enterprise is assigned to – making him, in effect, Pike’s boss! Or, as Strange New Worlds is taking place a decade or so earlier, we could see Decker as a captain or even a first officer, making a one-off appearance or even becoming a recurring character.
It would be great to put Decker in a story that pays homage to – and foreshadows – his later role in The Doomsday Machine, but it can’t be something too obvious and overt. So no return of the planet-killer please!
Number 5: Sarek
James Frain put in a creditable performance as Sarek across Discovery’s first two seasons. With that show now leaving the 23rd Century behind, it would be possible to keep Sarek as a recurring character in Strange New Worlds.
We know from Spock’s comments in The Original Series and The Next Generation that he and his father don’t get along particularly well. Yet in Discovery they seemed to be doing okay together – perhaps Strange New Worlds could explore how the relationship between father and son soured and why, as of The Original Series, Sarek and Spock were maintaining a cool, logical distance from one another.
It would also be a way to keep Discovery in the minds of the audience. Strange New Worlds is but one part of an expanding Star Trek franchise, and convincing fans of one show to hop over and try others is arguably the key challenge for the team behind Star Trek. With the franchise split up into different eras and timelines, finding ways to get some consistency is important and recurring characters have the potential to be an important link between shows.
Number 6: Benjamin Sisko
Wait. Stop. Don’t skip ahead! I know this one seems a little “out there”, but bear with me because it could be amazing. I wrote a few weeks ago that Strange New Worlds could potentially encounter the Bajorans, making first contact with them decades before the Cardassian occupation of their world. That alone could be a fascinating story, especially because we know Bajor in that era was very different: a strict, caste-based society.
In What You Leave Behind, the finale of Deep Space Nine, Benjamin Sisko is saved by the Prophets – the noncorporeal aliens who live in the Bajoran wormhole – and disappears from normal spacetime, going to stay with them. He promises to return, and because of the Prophets’ non-linear view of time, he could return anywhere, at any time.
That means he could return from the domain of the Prophets years before he left – such as during the era when Captain Pike commanded the Enterprise! I know this is a bit out of left-field, but Star Trek has shown with Discovery’s second season that bringing characters back and telling stories that tie into much older iterations of the franchise isn’t something it’s frightened of trying. Heck, that’s how we came to have Captain Pike and Strange New Worlds in the first place! With a brief recap of Deep Space Nine, like the recap we saw in the Discovery Season 2 episode If Memory Serves, Sisko could be introduced to the audience and his presence explained.
I’ve long felt that seeing Sisko’s return could make for a fascinating story, and while it would make more sense in many ways to bring him back in Star Trek: Picard or another 24th or 25th Century series, it’s a story that could be made to fit in Strange New Worlds too.
Number 7: Shran
As I mentioned when talking about T’Pol, Enterprise has very few ties to the rest of the Star Trek franchise at the moment. We don’t know exactly how long Andorians live, but Shran was alive at the end of Enterprise, and as a father to a young child, can’t have been especially old by Andorian standards. It’s at least possible that he’s still alive as of the era of Strange New Worlds, though he would be well over 100 by this point.
Similar to T’Pol, we could see Shran taking on an elder statesman kind of role, and we’d perhaps learn that he had been instrumental in convincing the Andorians to ally with humanity and the Vulcans, making him an important founding father of the Federation.
I could see Shran in this kind of role, and perhaps a story that included him could see him bringing a wayward group of secessionist or renegade Andorians to heel. He could even be teamed up with T’Pol in some kind of big diplomatic mission which the crew of the Enterprise are roped into.
Number 8: A character played by a cast member from The Original Series
George Takei appeared in Season 2 of The Terror in 2019.
A few weeks ago I wrote an article looking at comments by William Shatner that he’d love to reprise his most famous role and play Captain Kirk again. I doubt that will happen – not least because Kirk died in Star Trek Generations – but it got me thinking about the potential for Shatner, or another main cast member from The Original Series, to play a new role in Star Trek.
At time of writing, Walter Koenig, Nichelle Nichols, William Shatner, and George Takei are still alive and thus could potentially return to the franchise in some way. Takei played a role in a horror series called The Terror in 2019, so he’s still active as an actor. And Walter Koenig has recently produced a Star Trek fan film called Star Trek Renegades. Koenig and Takei also played roles in the Star Trek fan series Star Trek New Voyages in the mid-2000s.
All four are in their eighties – Shatner will be 90 next birthday. Sir Patrick Stewart, who is himself almost 80, has shown that older actors can still put in exceptional performances, so it isn’t impossible to think that any of these actors could make a return to the franchise that made them household names. With time marching ever onward, there won’t be many more opportunities. It would require a story that was really crafted to make such a role prominent and wholesome, but I think it could be done – and based on what Shatner had to say only a few weeks ago, at least one of them would be willing to do it.
Number 9: Dr Boyce
This character only appeared in The Cage (and in reused footage in The Menagerie) and was the Enterprise’s doctor during Pike’s tenure in command. While it could be possible to bring in a different ship’s doctor (such as Dr Nambue, who was the USS Shenzhou’s doctor in Discovery’s premiere) I think Dr Boyce is a prime candidate for re-casting.
Strange New Worlds has promised to be a series in the mould of classic Star Trek shows of the past, and if that’s the case a chief medical officer will be essential. Dr Boyce seemed to have a good relationship with Captain Pike in The Cage; the relationship between Dr McCoy and Captain Kirk was foreshadowed here. This could be a great way to give Pike a McCoy-esque older figure to lean on for advice and to serve as the show’s moral compass.
Dr Boyce – and indeed most of the characters from The Cage – are practically blank slates, so while his surname and approximate age would be constraints, the rest of the character could be up to the new show’s creators to explore and expand.
Number 10: José Tyler
Speaking of The Cage, one character it introduced who hasn’t been since since is the young Lieutenant Tyler. Given the first name José in the novelisation of the episode, Tyler is similar to Dr Boyce in being an almost-blank slate for the new show.
However, one thing that is interesting with this character is that he shares a surname with Ash Tyler – the character introduced in Discovery. While Discovery’s version of Tyler is actually a Klingon named Voq, there’s the potential for Strange New Worlds to explore that relationship. Are they brothers? Cousins? What would José make of the revelation that Ash is a Klingon? How would he react to that? There’s a lot of potential for interesting stories, and it would be a way to include Ash Tyler and potentially the Section 31 organisation that he now leads.
If the currently-untitled Section 31 series retains a 23rd Century setting – and isn’t following Discovery into the far future – then Ash Tyler looks almost certain to be a part of that show. Tying it to Strange New Worlds would keep the two 23rd Century shows together, and there’d be great potential for crossovers.
Number 11: Ash Tyler
At the end of Discovery Season 2, Ash Tyler was appointed head of Section 31. The diminished, arguably decimated organisation – in the wake of what happened with the Control AI – will have to be carefully managed, and in addition we really need to see it disappearing and going underground – so that by the time of Deep Space Nine it’s truly in the shadows. But that seems like something to see happen in the upcoming Section 31 series!
If Tyler is included in the Section 31 show, having him appear in Strange New Worlds would be a crossover, tying the two shows together as already mentioned. Something like that makes a lot of sense, and as a character we know Captain Pike knows quite well from his time in the captain’s chair of the USS Discovery, there could be a continuation of that somewhat frosty relationship.
Characters from Discovery seem far more likely than any others to crop up in Strange New Worlds, and though the main crew have left this time period, Tyler and others who remain could be interesting to see return.
Number 12: The prime timeline version of Captain Lorca
I mentioned this when I looked at some story ideas for Strange New Worlds a few weeks ago, but just to recap: the version of Captain Gabriel Lorca that we got to know in Discovery’s first season was in fact from the Mirror Universe. He was killed there while attempting to seize power, so he obviously won’t be coming back. But the prime timeline version of the character still exists – most likely trapped in the Mirror Universe.
While it was suggested in Discovery that Lorca would have been killed shortly after the accident which sent him to the Mirror Universe, that was purely speculation, and as he was known to be a fairly rough character, it’s at least possible he would have survived – even if he ended up incarcerated.
If it were demonstrated to Captain Pike that Lorca is alive, surely he’d want to launch a mission to rescue him! This would make for a great two-part story, and after Lorca has been retrieved he could even go on to be a recurring character in later episodes and seasons of Strange New Worlds.
Number 13: Dr Richard Daystrom
In The Original Series Season 2 episode The Ultimate Computer, Dr Daystrom is the computer scientist who has developed an AI capable of running an entire starship. We’ve seen the Daystrom Institute – which was named in his honour – appear prominently in Star Trek: Picard, so bringing the man himself into Strange New Worlds would be a neat little connection – one of those threads running through the franchise.
While I don’t expect Strange New Worlds to spend much time dealing with the fallout from Discovery’s second season storyline, we could find out that Dr Daystrom was one of the scientists who had worked on the Control AI. His new work on shipboard computers – which will culminate in the M-5 computer seen in The Original Series – could even be a result of seeing how Control went wrong.
Dr Daystrom was a great character in The Original Series. In the 1960s, seeing a black man as a senior scientist was something genuinely different and pioneering, and actor William Marshall played the role expertly. I would love to see a role for him in some way in Strange New Worlds.
Number 14: Arex
This one is a complete long-shot, but we’ve never seen Arex – or indeed any Edosian characters – outside of The Animated Series. The Edosians were a race which had three legs and three arms, and Arex was an Edosian officer who served on the USS Enterprise when it was under Kirk’s command. James Doohan – better known as Scotty – provided the character’s voice. While animating a “tripedal” character was easy, it was prohibitively expensive to try to recreate Arex when Star Trek returned to live-action in the late 1970s, and his character was never mentioned.
Interestingly, Nepenthe – the seventh episode of Star Trek: Picard – mentioned the Kzinti, who were a race only ever seen in The Animated Series. As I wrote when I picked out a couple of episodes from The Animated Series as part of my Ten Great Episodes articles, the show is considered a full part of the Star Trek canon, which means Arex is too.
Today’s special effects – both physical and digital – are much better than they were in the 1970s, and having a character like Arex in a live-action show no longer faces the obstacles it once did.
Number 15: Samuel T. Cogley
First encountered by Captain Kirk in The Original Series first season episode Court Martial, the old-fashioned lawyer – based on famous American lawyer Clarence Darrow – is a fascinating character, and one who has seen homage paid to him in the show Futurama. Cogley was based at Starbase 11, where he successfully defended Kirk against an accusation of murder in his court-martial.
Court Martial was the first of a number of Star Trek episodes across multiple series which showed that the franchise can do courtroom drama incredibly well. While I hope Captain Pike won’t need Cogley’s services, someone might – and the result could be another great piece of drama.
Number 16: Colonel Worf
As we saw with returning characters in Deep Space Nine, Klingons are almost as long-lived as Vulcans. Colonel Worf – played by Michael Dorn – was intended to be the grandfather of the Worf we’re most familiar with from The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine. The character played a role in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, where he served as the defence attorney for Captain Kirk and Dr McCoy during their rigged trial on Qo’nos.
Discovery’s first season brought back the concept of Klingon Great Houses – and the House of Mogh, to which the more familiar Worf belonged, was certainly among them as of the mid-24th Century. Colonel Worf could have played a role in the Klingon-Federation war, and even if he isn’t the head of his house in this era, he could still have a role in a Klingon-focused episode.
While Michael Dorn wouldn’t be suitable for the role of a much younger Colonel Worf, he could perhaps play his father – our Worf’s great-grandfather. Are you confused yet?
Number 17: Montgomery “Scotty” Scott
There’s a case to be made for practically all of The Original Series main cast having roles in Strange New Worlds. But one character who could be included in some capacity is Scotty. He could be an assistant engineer under Pike’s command – such a long record of service aboard the Enterprise could explain why he was so knowledgeable about the ship and its systems by the time Kirk took over.
The Enterprise needs a chief engineer if Strange New Worlds is to have a similar setup to Star Trek shows of the past. While I wouldn’t necessarily place Scotty in that role, he could certainly be working in engineering in some capacity while Pike was in command. Even if he wasn’t a main character, Scotty could be there in a recurring role; a nice little nod to returning fans, but without doing anything quite as dramatic as has been done with Spock.
Number 18: John Gill
The Original Series had a number of episodes with premises that modern Star Trek almost certainly wouldn’t touch. One of these was Patterns of Force, an episode in which John Gill – a Federation historian and anthropologist – introduces Nazism to a developing planet. At the time Patterns of Force premiered, the prevailing theory that John Gill was said to have been inspired by was that Nazi Germany was a very efficient state – a claim challenged by more recent historical analysis.
While I don’t want to see Gill arguing in favour of Nazism in Strange New Worlds, we could see him engaged in other historical or anthropological research – he was, at the time, one of the Federation’s leading experts in those fields. Pike and the Enterprise could even convey him to Ekos – the planet he’d become führer of.
Number 19: Cadet Sidhu
Cadet Sidhu appeared in the Short Treks episode Ask Not, where she was subjected to an intense test by Captain Pike. After passing the test, she was assigned to a role in engineering aboard the Enterprise.
Ask Not was partly a vehicle for Anson Mount to reprise his popular role as Pike. But almost any story could have been written for that purpose – bringing in a new cadet and assigning her to the Enterprise feels like a deliberate character introduction, and we could certainly see Sidhu return.
Number 20: Admiral Anderson
If you read my write-up of Discovery’s premiere, you’ll know I felt Admiral Anderson’s main scene – in which he makes a charged racial comment to Michael Burnham – was one of the story’s weakest points. However, I’d like to give the character a second chance – not because I like him, but because I think there’s great potential to have an Admiral who’s kind of a jerk.
That character archetype – the self-centred, egotistical power-abuser – is one which practically all of can relate to having had a boss, manager, or teacher like that at some point in our lives. If Anderson had been handled better – and Discovery’s premiere as a whole had been a better story – we could have got that from him then. As it is, maybe we could have another chance.
While Anderson’s ship was destroyed, many escape pods evacuated beforehand so I’d say there’s a better than average chance Anderson was among the survivors. Every Star Trek show has used admirals to great effect in a select number of episodes, and Strange New Worlds will need a senior flag officer at some point in its run. Why not Anderson?
So that’s it. A few characters from past iterations of Star Trek who could – but most likely won’t – appear in Strange New Worlds. There are others, of course, including some I would probably never expect! Star Trek: Picard caught me off-guard by bringing back Seven of Nine and Hugh, two characters I would never have thought the producers of the show would seek to include. Some of the team who worked on Picard are also taking senior roles behind the scenes of Strange New Worlds, which I honestly just think is great. Picard did a great job of walking the line between being something new and bringing back characters and story elements from Star Trek’s past – something I hope Strange New Worlds will do too.
On the whole, I’d say some of Discovery’s characters – like Ash Tyler – are probably more likely than some of the others mentioned on the list to make a return in the new series. But as with Seven of Nine and Hugh in Picard, the producers sometimes like to be unpredictable, and we could see any one of a hundred or more characters make some kind of return – or have no returning characters at all!
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is currently in early production and will premiere on CBS All Access in the United States in the future. Plans for international distribution have not yet been announced. The Star Trek franchise – including Strange New Worlds and all other properties mentioned above – is the copyright of ViacomCBS. This article contains the thoughts and opinions of one person only and is not intended to cause any offence.
Spoiler Warning: There will be spoilers ahead for the Star Trek franchise, including the most recent seasons of Star Trek: Discovery and Star Trek: Picard.
The announcement a few days ago that Star Trek: Strange New Worlds was officially in production was genuinely exciting. Along with Star Trek: Picard’s second season, this is probably the Star Trek project that I’m currently most interested to see on our screens, even though it probably won’t be coming until 2022.
After I’d watched the announcement video and read the official release on Star Trek’s website, I got thinking about some of the different directions that Strange New Worlds could go in its first season – a season that will hopefully be the first of many! None of this is official or anywhere close to official, but these are some ideas that I think could be interesting, enjoyable, or just downright good ways to take the new show.
I’ve already taken a closer look at the announcement itself, and you can find that article by clicking or tapping here.
Number 1: A crossover with the Section 31 series.
A black Section 31 badge seen in Star Trek: Discovery Season 2.
Unlike Star Trek shows of The Next Generation’s era, recent Star Trek projects have been wholly standalone affairs. Partly this is because the timeline is so chopped up, with Discovery in the 32nd Century, Picard in the 25th, Lower Decks in the 24th, and so on. There just hasn’t been much opportunity for the shows which are in production simultaneously to share very much of anything – aside from a couple of redressed sets. In my opinion this is a bit of a mistake, not least because it risks the Star Trek franchise becoming convoluted and offputting for newcomers.
One way this could be rectified is for Strange New Worlds to cross over with the other series which is supposedly set in the same era – the currently-untitled Section 31 show. As both series will feature characters who debuted in Discovery, the three shows will be tied together in a way that will be to the overall benefit of the franchise. We know, thanks to the events of Discovery’s second season, that Pike, Spock, and Number One are well aware of the existence of Section 31, and are familiar with both Ash Tyler and Empress Georgiou. While Shazad Latif, who plays Tyler, has not been officially confirmed for the new series, the end of Discovery Season 2 left Tyler as the shadowy organisation’s new director. In any case, however, a crossover with Strange New Worlds could be reciprocated in a second season of the Section 31 show, as both crews work together to accomplish some task or defeat an enemy.
Number 2: Bring back some classic Star Trek races.
The founding members of the Federation: Vulcans, humans, Tellarites, and Andorians.
The title of Strange New Worlds implies that we’ll be doing at least some exploration with Pike and the crew, and that’s great. Exploration was at the heart of classic Star Trek, and while recent projects have dabbled with the concept, it hasn’t really been front and centre in the way it was in The Original Series, The Next Generation, and Enterprise – those shows, at least in my opinion, are the ones which were most concerned with exploring. However, as great as it will be to introduce wholly new planets and races, as a prequel Strange New Worlds has to be careful how it does so lest the question of “why was this race or that planet never mentioned?” crop up.
It’s a great opportunity to reintroduce some of Star Trek’s classic races, including some we haven’t really seen in any detail since the era of The Original Series. We’ve already seen that the Andorians will feature in Discovery’s third season, so how about bringing back races like the Tellaraties or Catians? The Xindi and Suliban featured prominently in Enterprise but haven’t been seen since, so either of those could make a welcome return. Enterprise saw the brief return of the Tholians and Gorn, both of whom debuted in The Original Series but haven’t been explored in any detail, so those are both possibilities too. And there are races like the Tzenkethi who have only ever been mentioned and never actually seen on screen.
Strange New Worlds could tie itself into the franchise by depicting first contact between the Federation and, for example, the Bajorans or Cardassians. Seeing those races long before the events of Deep Space Nine would be fascinating, and it would be interesting to see how well or how badly first contact went with a familiar race! We could even seen the Bajorans before the Cardassian occupation devastated and fundamentally changed their society.
Number 3: Save the Prime Timeline version of Capt. Lorca!
Capt. Lorca as seen in Star Trek: Discovery’s first season.
Jason Isaacs’ portrayal of Capt. Lorca was one of the high points of Discovery’s first season for me, and even though he went off the rails at the end becoming a caricature and a pantomime villain instead of the complex character we’d come to know, the performance was great throughout. The Prime Timeline version of Capt. Lorca was assumed to have been killed in the Mirror Universe, but that was never seen on screen and is unconfirmed at best. A mission to the Mirror Universe to rescue Lorca would not only allow Jason Isaacs to reprise his role, but could potentially set the stage for him to become a recurring character – either in Strange New Worlds, the Section 31 show, or both.
I don’t know exactly how that could work, and I think it’s a story that they might have to find a way for Spock to stay out of given his first encounter with the Mirror Universe was shown in The Original Series. But it could be made to work, and it would allow the return of a great actor and a genuinely interesting character. What made Lorca such an fascinating captain is that he was a hardball, someone for whom the ends justified the means. And given how the Mirror Universe version was able to blend in so well, it seems the Prime Timeline version can’t be too far removed from that. Knowing what we know about Lorca, he could have survived in the Mirror Universe, and if Capt. Pike were to learn he was trapped there, the Enterprise could launch a rescue mission.
Number 4: Recast a couple of classic characters from The Cage or even The Original Series.
Dr Boyce, who was the Enterprise’s doctor in The Cage, is a prime candidate to appear in Strange New Worlds.
Any television show wants to stand on its own, and a big part of that is having new and unique characters. Strange New Worlds already has three of its main roles taken up by recast versions of classic characters, so I would imagine that the show’s creators don’t want too many others. However, even if they were only guest stars or recurring characters, I think it could be interesting to bring back some familiar names. The characters from The Cage – including Number One, really – are practically blank slates, ripe for the new show’s writers and producers to do anything with as they’re characters we only saw once. Spock is obviously much more constrained, and so is Pike. But we could see a return of characters like Dr Boyce, Yeoman Colt, and José Tyler, all of whom were present in The Cage. There’s scope for those characters to be explored and fleshed out; their one-off roles turned into something much bigger in the new series.
We could also see classic characters like Scotty or Dr McCoy introduced – though I’d encourage the team behind Strange New Worlds to tread carefully here. Even meeting a young Ensign Kirk could make for an interesting episode – we’ve never actually seen how Kirk and Spock met in the Prime Timeline, after all.
There’s nothing wrong with introducing classic characters if it’s done in a respectful way and in a way that is organic and natural in the unfolding story of the series. Ham-fistedly dumping a character in just for fan-service is never a good idea, but if it can be made to work it would be a great little throwback for fans of The Original Series.
Number 5: Become a genuine ensemble series.
The Next Generation was led by Sir Patrick Stewart as Picard, but other characters got a look-in too.
Discovery and Picard are both quite different from past iterations of Star Trek insofar as they’re both shows that have a very clear main protagonist, with other members of the cast being less important to the overall narrative. While various members of the crews got sub-plots – Raffi got to visit her estranged son in Picard, and Tilly helped a race from the Mycelial Network in Discovery, to give two examples – for the most part the shows followed Picard and Burnham’s stories. For a number of reasons, this worked far better in Picard than it did in Discovery, and therein lies a problem. Burnham has, at least for me, never fully landed as a protagonist I’m rooting for. She can be interesting and engaging, but she can also be aloof to the point that her motivations aren’t really clear or understandable. In short, in a series that so closely follows one character, if that character isn’t as sympathetic and enjoyable as they should be, it detracts from the story.
Past Star Trek shows had episodes that involved the whole crew – stories where no single crew member could do everything and solve every puzzle, with different officers bringing different perspectives and skillsets to the table to tackle what lay in front of them. Call to Arms, the finale of Deep Space Nine’s fifth season, is a great example. Practically the whole main cast, as well as several recurring characters, all have different things to do which all come together to provide a thrilling story.
On the flip side, another format past Star Trek shows used very well were one-off stories in which a single crew member got a turn in the hot seat as that episode’s focus. Interface, from the seventh season of The Next Generation, Barge of the Dead from Voyager’s sixth season, and Distant Voices from the third season of Deep Space Nine are all good examples of how this concept can be made to work. In all three cases, the main cast all had things to do in a story that primarily focused on one character.
None of this necessarily means that Strange New Worlds should be a wholly episodic series – I kind of feel like that ship has sailed in terms of television storytelling in 2020 – but if the show could broaden the number of characters allowed to play major roles in its story, I think that would be to its overall benefit.
Number 6: Don’t use another “the galaxy is about to be destroyed” narrative.
The “Mass Effect Reapers” from Star Trek: Picard.
Discovery’s Klingon War and Red Angel story arcs, as well as Picard’s Zhat Vash/synth story all set up potential galaxy-ending threats that would wipe out humanity, the Federation, and life as we know it. While that can be an exciting and engaging premise, not every story has to rely on the threat of armageddon to be interesting.
Some stories, particularly those about exploration, don’t necessarily need an overarching evil villain with an evil scheme planning to doom everybody. With Discovery’s third season looking almost certain to use this kind of story again, it would be nice if Strange New Worlds could just do something different. Not every story has to be about a plucky Starfleet crew saving the Federation and the galaxy – there’s room for completely different adventures that are just as interesting and engaging.
Star Trek shows of the past used this kind of storyline sparingly, and when villains arose they were more likely to be a threat to the ship and crew rather than the whole Federation. Reusing this trope too often can make it less impactful, so it would be great if Strange New Worlds could take a break from threats to the whole galaxy. If there has to be a villain at all, make them something different both in scale and motivation.
Number 7: Show the reality of day-to-day life aboard a starship.
Deck 15 of the USS Voyager contained, among other things, a plasma relay room.
One of the reasons I’m so interested to see what Lower Decks brings to the table is that it will focus less on the command crew of the starship – the people on the bridge taking the big decisions – and will show off some of the “minor” officers who live and work aboard the ship. There’s scope within that show to see what an average day looks like when living and working aboard a Starfleet vessel, and I think that potential exists for Strange New Worlds too.
Not every episode has to be about something big happening to the ship and crew. We have the potential for quieter, character-driven stories as the Enterprise warps between planets, and these kind of stories can be dramatic and interesting just as much as a space battle with the Klingons or an away mission to an uncharted world.
Seeing how the crew live and work together, particularly in those moments where there isn’t some major time-sensitive mission or task to perform, could be really interesting, as well as being something different that we haven’t seen a great deal of in live-action Star Trek.
Number 8: Set up a few recurring characters in addition to the main cast.
Gul Dukat and Weyoun were both recurring characters in Deep Space Nine.
Deep Space Nine was the first Star Trek show to have a secondary cast of recurring characters who impacted the show in a big way. There had been a couple in The Next Generation, like Reg Barclay and of course Chief O’Brien, but Deep Space Nine had far more of these characters and had them show up far more often. It worked incredibly well in that show, and characters like Rom, Garak, Nog, Martok, Dukat, Weyoun, and many others became just as much a part of the series as its main cast.
On a starship there are more people than just the handful of bridge officers and department heads. While we can’t possibly expect to see all 400+ of the Enterprise’s crew, we could get to know secondary characters like, for example: someone who works in maintenance, a weapons officer or security guard, a civilian scientist or diplomat, a chef, barkeep, or other recreation provider, an officer from a “minor” department like stellar cartography, etc. This kind of ties in with the point above, showing some of the day-to-day life aboard a starship.
Number 9: Engage in some real exploration.
Farpoint Station, the setting for The Next Generation’s premiere, was a strange new world!
Strange New Worlds is an interesting title for a series. It strongly implies that the show will be seeking out these worlds – in short, exploring the galaxy like we saw in The Original Series and The Next Generation. In the announcement video, the show was described as being a “classic Star Trek show”, and to me that further reinforces the notion that we will be seeing exploration make a return.
I mentioned above that we could see a return of classic races like the Gorn, Tholians, Cardassians, etc. and even see first contact between them and the Federation. That would be an interesting premise and would fit with the idea of exploring. But I think we do also need to see some new faces to allow Strange New Worlds to stand on its own. There’s a balance there, and it may be difficult to get right.
We should also see the ship visit a number of different planets, moons, and locations in space. It’s called Strange New Worlds, after all, not Strange New World! So we should definitely be seeing a series which visits a few different locations simply for the purpose of exploring and charting those places.
Number 10: Use varied filming locations and/or indoor sound stages.
Oh look, they’re in California again…
One of the issues I had with Picard when it aired earlier this year was the lack of diversity in the show’s filming locations. Outdoor on-location shoots have been common in television for decades at this point, and that’s not a problem in and of itself. However, Picard tried to depict a few different locations on Earth, including France and Japan, as well as four planets (Coppelius, Vashti, Nepenthe, and Aia) using locations which were all within a few miles of its Los Angeles base. And that was painfully apparent as the season dragged on, detracting from the aesthetic of the show. During my series of articles reviewing the first season of Picard this was something I commented on, and I said then that if travelling to different places for shoots was prohibitively expensive, indoor sound stages could have been employed to make some of these locations look genuinely different.
A lot can be done with indoor sound stages in 2020 that wouldn’t have been possible a few years ago, and with digital effects as well there’s potential to make each visited location look genuinely different. If there’s a choice between seeing four locations that look the same because of where they were filmed or having to use smaller-scale shots because a sound stage is being used, I’ll always prefer the latter if it means we can see some genuinely different scenery.
If Strange New Worlds is to be the kind of exploration show that its name implies, visiting fifteen planets that all look the same wouldn’t be good, so finding different filming locations and using indoor sound stages where necessary is going to be important.
While it’s unconfirmed at this stage, every Star Trek production aside from Picard is currently being filmed in Toronto not California, and while that will be to the show’s overall benefit, if it retreads too much ground the same issue will arise. In the cut-down seasons that current Star Trek shows use, filming locations are even more apparent than they had been in the past. In The Next Generation, for example, there might only be a handful of episodes in a 26-episode season that saw any outdoor filming. In Picard, with only ten episodes and multiple outdoor shoots, the fact that these locations were all in California was far more obvious.
Number 11: Have a DOT-type robot.
Dot, a DOT-7 robot seen in the Short Treks episode Ephraim and Dot.
Ephraim and Dot was one of two animated episodes of Short Treks released in December last year, and it was an absolutely adorable story. One thing that the episode established is that ships like the Enterprise had a handful of robots aboard to perform certain tasks that humans couldn’t, like working inside the warp core or out on the ship’s hull. These DOT or DOT-7 robots are closer to something like R2-D2 or BB8 from the Star Wars franchise than anything we’d really seen in Star Trek before, but I think there’s scope to bring a DOT-7 into Strange New Worlds as a part of the Enterprise’s “crew”.
It doesn’t mean that such a robot would need to feature heavily in the story – or even in any episode – but seeing a DOT-7 or a handful of them in the background a few times, perhaps performing some repair work or doing something in engineering, would be a cute little nod to Short Treks.
Number 12: Try to respect the overall canon of the franchise.
Seven of Nine’s backstory, including the introduction of her parents, complicated the history of Federation-Borg contact.
This doesn’t mean that every tiny little detail needs to be perfect. Most fans will allow any new Star Trek project some leeway in changing minor things. The redesign of the Enterprise is one area where I feel they made a positive change, updating the aesthetic of the show without really “damaging” canon. All that’s required to get around the different aesthetic – if you feel that’s necessary – is to say the Enterprise had a refit between Pike’s command and Kirk’s.
But when it comes to bigger things, like introducing races and factions that had no contact with the Federation prior to The Original Series or The Next Generation, the show does have to be respectful. We shouldn’t see, for example, the Dominion or the Borg brought in, as the history of contact between the Federation and those factions has already been established. In the latter case, Enterprise and Voyager both made the history of Borg-Federation contact quite convoluted and complicated, and trying to insert them into Strange New Worlds would be too much of a stretch, at least in my opinion.
There is scope within canon for a lot of interesting things to happen. We could see, for example, Pike’s Enterprise transported somehow to the Delta Quadrant – provided they make their way home again – as doing so would not really disrupt anything established in Voyager. As long as care was taken with such a story, canon can be flexible, and Akiva Goldsman, who is one of the show’s executive producers, did a great job on Picard keeping the established canon of the franchise intact, so that’s a positive in my book.
So that’s it. A few ideas for Strange New Worlds. At this stage we have very little actual information about the show itself, and with production being suspended across the television industry, it may be a while before it even begins filming. As I mentioned at the beginning, I doubt we’ll see the show before 2022 with everything else going on in the world.
These were just a few of my ideas for what I’d like to see from Strange New Worlds, and should be taken as just that – fan ideas. I don’t have any kind of “insider information”, and there’s really nothing to suggest Strange New Worlds will use any of the ideas and concepts on this list. Whatever happens, however, I’m really interested and excited to see what the show will have to offer.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds will be released on CBS All Access in the United States at an unknown future date. International distribution rights have not yet been announced. The Star Trek franchise – including Strange New Worlds and all other properties mentioned above – is the copyright of ViacomCBS. This article contains the thoughts and opinions of one person only and is not intended to cause any offence.
Spoiler Warning: This article contains spoilers for Star Trek: Discovery.
Last night, while waiting for my dinner to finish cooking (alright, reheating) I found myself scrolling through Instagram. I don’t follow a lot of accounts – aside from a handful of friends and colleagues, I follow a couple of sports teams and the official Star Trek page, and that’s about it. Tucked in amongst the cat pictures and social-distancing was a post from Star Trek. It was a video, and normally I skip past those. But the soundless preview showed Anson Mount, Ethan Peck, and Rebecca Romijn, so it piqued my interest enough to unmute the video and watch it in full. And wouldn’t you know it, they’re only making the Captain Pike show that everyone’s been asking for since Season 2 of Discovery aired last year!
In case you missed it, the announcement video is available on Star Trek’s official website, as well as YouTube. You can watch it below:
The series promises to be, in the words of Anson Mount, a “classic Star Trek show that deals with optimism and the future.” It’s far too early to know exactly what they have in store for Strange New Worlds, but I think we can make a handful of reasonable assumptions.
A “classic” Star Trek show. That’s a very specific way to explain it, and to me what I think it means is that we’re going to see a show with less of a focus on one main character, as Discovery and Picard have been. Past Star Trek series have been ensemble affairs, with other members of the crew besides one primary character being given storylines all their own, and while there were sub-plots in Discovery and Picard, those shows largely followed the story of their designated main protagonists. What I don’t think “classic” infers, at least at this early stage, is that we’ll see a return to wholly episodic television, with a “monster-of-the-week”, in which each episode forms a fully standalone story. Television storytelling has largely left that format behind, so what I think Strange New Worlds will offer will have at least elements of serialisation, including season-long arcs for its main characters.
Speaking of characters, we know of only three right now: Anson Mount’s Capt. Pike, Ethan Peck’s Spock, and Rebecca Romijn’s Number One/Una. All three reprise their roles from Season 2 of Discovery, where I think a lot of fans would agree that they were that season’s breakout characters. Before Discovery’s second season aired, ViacomCBS announced that there would be a spin-off: the still-untitled Section 31 show, starring Michelle Yeoh and (presumably, given where his character wound up at the end of the season) Shazad Latif. That announcement wasn’t the home run that it was meant to be, but it did indicate that the franchise was here to stay. However, when Pike, Spock, and Number One proved to be so popular with fans as the season rolled out, there was a sense that perhaps ViacomCBS jumped the gun and announced the spin-off too early; given the reaction fans had to the season, the obvious choice for a spin-off was one centred around Pike. So for over a year, in almost every interview and at every face-to-face meeting with Trekkies, Alex Kurtzman, Anson Mount, and others involved had been asked the question: “can we please have a Capt. Pike series?”
It took a while, but as Ethan Peck said in the official announcement video: “you asked, we listened!”
It’s definitely interesting to me that Strange New Worlds has a title and has had this announcement with much fanfare, but the Section 31 show remains without a title and with very little official information having come out about it. Hopefully this will be rectified in due course, because a show looking at the shadowy organisation has the potential to be very interesting too, and I am looking forward to it. I wonder if Strange New Worlds will be released first, especially with the disruption to Section 31’s shooting schedule that the coronavirus pandemic has caused. Both shows, I believe, have at least one set already built. In Section 31’s case, the ship used by Capt. Leland in Discovery’s second season was brand new and given that the spin-off had already been announced at that point, it seemed obvious that they were planning to use that set in some form for the new show. The Enterprise’s bridge had also been built for Discovery, and I don’t think that it was just a reworking of existing sets so perhaps that can be reused too. We’ll have to wait and see!
The bridge of the USS Enterprise as seen in the Short Treks episode Q&A.
I love the title – Strange New Worlds. Obviously this is taken from the famous phrase spoken by Captains Kirk and Picard at the beginning of their shows, and it encapsulates what Star Trek has always sought to do – to find these worlds, to explore the unknown, and to meet whoever is out there. This show sounds like it will be one in which exploration makes a return. Discovery has definitely had elements of exploration, bringing in new races like the Pahvans and the Kelpiens, and visiting their homeworlds. But it has largely been a show that followed its main storylines – war with the Klingons, escaping the Mirror Universe, and of course unravelling the mystery of the Red Angel. There wasn’t a whole lot of time to explore the galaxy for Burnham and the crew with all that to accomplish! Picard, of course, didn’t see La Sirena’s crew engage in any exploration, really. They did eventually travel to Coppelius and meet the synths, but those synths were human-built, so I don’t think we can really consider that to be a significant “first contact”! In short, it will be absolutely wonderful to get a Star Trek show where exploration is a key story element.
We’re still missing a lot of key information at this stage, information which I’m sure will come out over time. With the lockdown keeping production across the industry stalled right now, perhaps a 2021 release is a tad optimistic, and I wouldn’t be at all surprised to learn Strange New Worlds is slated for a 2022 launch. One season has been ordered – and yes, it will be a show with multiple episodes and not a one-off television movie. While we don’t know how many episodes that will entail, recent Star Trek productions have offered 10-15 episodes per season. I’d guess they’re aiming for 12, like Discovery was, but perhaps with the potential to add an extra one or two if necessary – as Discovery did in both of its seasons.
There is perhaps the potential for crossover characters from Discovery’s first two seasons, provided those characters didn’t travel into the far future at the end of Season 2. Aside from obvious ones like Ash Tyler and Georgiou, we could perhaps see a return of Harry Mudd, Sarek, Tilly’s Xahean friend Po, Klingon Chancellor L’Rell, or Saru’s sister Siranna. We could even see the Prime Universe version of Capt. Lorca… somehow!
There will also be several spots for main characters, and if we’re thinking about “classic” Starfleet roles, there will need to be a chief engineer, helm officer, communications officer, doctor, and perhaps a tactical/security officer too. Some of those roles existed in The Cage – Star Trek’s original pilot which introduced Pike, Spock, and Number One. Perhaps those same roles could be recast, bringing us a return of Dr Boyce, José Tyler, or Yeoman Colt. I’d wager that there will be unique and original characters joining the crew too, of course.
Dr Boyce was the Enterprise’s doctor in The Cage… could he return for Strange New Worlds?
The team behind Star Trek’s recent successes, including overall head of Star Trek Alex Kurtzman, will be involved in Strange New Worlds. Akiva Goldsman, who wrote and directed the two-part finale to Picard, as well as serving as that show’s executive producer, will taken on a similar role for Strange New Worlds – and has already written the show’s premiere. Given how great Picard was overall, that’s something genuinely encouraging (even if the show’s first-season finale wasn’t exactly the best part!) And Rod Roddenberry, son of Star Trek’s creator Gene Roddenberry, will also be involved behind the scenes, as he has been for Discovery and Picard.
There’s not a lot more to say at this very early stage, except how pleased and excited I am for this announcement. I keep saying it, but it really is a great time to be a Star Trek fan at the moment, with so much new content on the horizon. This series joins Picard’s second season as being what I’m most excited for, and I hope you’ll stay tuned here because as and when we get more news about Strange New Worlds – and other Star Trek projects – I’ll be sure to write about it.
Hit it!
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds will stream on CBS All Access in the United States. International distribution rights have not yet been announced. The Star Trek franchise – including Strange New Worlds and all other properties mentioned above – is the copyright of ViacomCBS. This article contains the thoughts and opinions of one person only and is not intended to cause any offence.
Trekking with Dennis 