Popular sci-fi’s most philosophical space opera, Star Trek, may be no stranger to existential queries, but the third season of Strange New Worlds, the franchise’s de facto flagship series, invites a different kind of questioning. Namely, why does this show exist?
Beginning as both a spinoff and bouncier counterpart to the sometimes grimdark melodrama of Star Trek: Discovery, Strange New Worlds now sets the primary tone of Paramount’s multimedia universe—with an emphasis on primary tones. The series brings us back to the original show’s monochrome uniforms, and while it’s undoubtedly a much more even and more enjoyable series than Discovery, it manages to be so mostly because it’s markedly safer. This has been an issue since the first season, but by now the show’s refusal to grow invites increasingly unfavorable comparisons to Star Trek’s heyday.
Take, for example, the romantically themed second episode of Strange New Worlds’s third season, “Wedding Bell Blues,” in which Spock (Ethan Peck) accidentally wishes himself into a fantasy scenario in which he’s on the verge of nuptials with Nurse Christine Chapel (Jess Bush), the lover who’s recently spurned him. Inevitably, Spock realizes this reality is a sham, and that he’s become a demigod’s plaything; inevitably, he accepts the truth of his and Chapel’s breakup after facing the temptation of living his fantasy; and, as expected from this series, we make it to the end of the episode with a character explored but nary a convention called into question.
One can imagine the scenarios here playing out similarly in prior Star Trek shows, but along the way, the emphasis on allegory would likely have pointed us toward questioning our world, lives, and morals. Star Trek: The Next Generation used romance tropes to play with the bounds of heterosexuality—like having one character fall in love with a member of a species that has no concept of gender or another character contemplate whether she could live with the fact that her symbiote boyfriend now had a woman’s body—in an era when it was the insistently enforced norm. It would be difficult to make the case that Strange New Worlds pulls off—or even aims at—using its outer-space setting to make us think. On the contrary, it’s more than content to simply deck standard TV-drama morals out with pulp-genre window dressing.
Still, the show’s versions of Spock and Captain Pike (Anson Mount) are ever more endearing as the series goes on. Pike takes a bit of a backseat in the five episodes available for review, but Mount continues to be the steady, charismatic anchor of a series that’s much more ensemble-focused than Discovery, and as character-driven as anything in the entire franchise. The thread running through the season is the battle with the lizard-like Gorn that capped last season and the effects the conflict has had on various crew and their loved ones, from psychological trauma to genetic manipulation—secret and repressed struggles forced to the surface in contrived scenarios like the crew fighting their way off a zombie planet in “Shuttle to Kenfori.”
One could argue that Strange New Worlds takes its characters more seriously than it does its franchise. Indeed, these days, Star Trek seems mostly capable of articulating creator Gene Roddenberry’s grandiose vision in self-ironic parodies, as in the episode “A Space Adventure Hour.” In a rehashed pastiche familiar from dozens of post-’60s spoofs, the episode mocks the low-budget costumes and on-set tensions of the original Star Trek, along with the weirdo Playboy-era egoism of male sci-fi gurus like Roddenberry.
In “Adventure Hour,” enterprise crew members enter the holographic simulation room within the USS Enterprise to solve a murder mystery set among the cast of a cheesy mid-’60s sci-fi show called The Last Frontier. The simulator’s computer has used other crew members as models for the characters, so that we see the cast of Strange New Worlds playing caricatures of figures from past Star Trek shows. Paul Wesley, this show’s James Kirk, delivers a broad Shatner impersonation, for example, and Mount, normally the suave Captain Pike, plays the socially inept, wild-haired creator of The Last Frontier, who’s more an amalgam of Isaac Asimov and L. Ron Hubbard than a direct caricature of Roddenberry.
These are fair targets, for sure, and the actors look like they’re having fun, but is it even worth pointing out that Star Trek: Deep Space Nine already did the same “boy, the old show was corny but fun” schtick much more lovingly, and the deconstruction of ’60s sci-fi creators much more incisively? Of course it’s not, as the producers know that we know that they’re treading familiar ground. In fact, they count on us to know that they are. Making the old new is the show’s core trait, as if that by itself will make Star Trek great again.
As with the first two seasons of Strange New Worlds, a tendency toward easy callbacks and superficial pleasures doesn’t make the series bad per se. It’s at least a tightly written pastiche, structuring its hour-long stories with watchable simplicity and enjoyable character beats.
In the end, though, what Strange New Worlds continues to offer is less a new type of Star Trek and more a kind of Star Trek smoothie. It’s got all the most pleasing parts of whatever’s been thrown in there, and boy is it sweet. But it may also leave you with the sneaking suspicion that it’d be better for you to just eat the banana it was made from.
Since 2001, we've brought you uncompromising, candid takes on the world of film, music, television, video games, theater, and more. Independently owned and operated publications like Slant have been hit hard in recent years, but we’re committed to keeping our content free and accessible—meaning no paywalls or fees.
If you like what we do, please consider subscribing to our Patreon or making a donation.
This article is not only trash, but shouldn’t have been released prior to the 17th because of spoilers. As Spock said in ST:VI, “Go to hell.”.
Trekie not Treker.
so? the thing you have to remember about Star Trek SNW is that the storyline occurs 30 years BEFORE the original series with William Shatner. AND Chis Pike is fully aware of his physical expiration date. He has seen his future at the Klingon monistary, and it lines up with his story based upon the original searies. The monochrome uniforms are completely appropriate for this TIME in the story arc of the entier franchise. It’s entertaining food for true Trckies. AND as a Trekie from birth, I reject most of your rant.
The staffing is exceptional. The writing is very good. the spcial effects far surpass the time period in which the show began.
As a Trekie from birth, while I love the movies, I’m happy to see the show return to the small screen in it’s updated form. solidifies historical Trek Canon created around Chris Pike, by Rodenbery himself.
I’m excited for July 17.
SNW is not set 30 years prior to TOS,It’s starts 6 years before TOS and the clocking is ticking down as the series goes forward.
The cast is incredibly talented and Star Tek has never looked better. While there have been flashes of brilliance I am still waiting for an episode with writing o the level of “The City on the Edge of Forever”, “The Inner Light”, or “In the Pale Moonlight”. While some comedic episodes are fun, the show can verge on parody emulating a live action “Lower Decks”.
30 years? Try 6 or 7 years.
If you are correcting a trekker about not saying trekkie, you do not know as much as you think.
i couldn’t agree more. It’s a fine show and the ratings prove it.
Dude. it’s a TV show. don’t be so mean. if you don’t like it, don’t watch it. meanwhile shut your cake hole.
My God all of the Fanboys in this comment section are ridiculous. the show is basically old track if it was missing brain cells, and thinks it’s a campy comedy. I don’t care if people are offended it is inferior and the author is 100% on point – they don’t want to discuss issues they just want to make a quirky television show.
but WAIT ifhf he is factually accuare aboit the episodes NOT BEING ABOUT EXPLORSTION OR STRANGE NEW ŴORLDS AND ALIENS THEN I AM PISSED AND SAD AJD AGREE WITH HIM..ENOIGH OF THECHARACTER CRSP I WANT AWE AND WONDER AND EXPLORING STRANGEW WORLDS..And NO MORE GORN I WANT NEW ALIENS AND WORLDS.doesnt
Jesus, was that meant to be English? It wasn’t even literate.
I would argue, based on your analogy in the last paragraph, that the original Star Trek was *also* a banana smoothie, abd thus, SNW is the new chef recreating the old chef’s recipe perfectly.
Maybe you should look for a different line of work….my father used to call people like you naysayers, always tearing things down, negative people who just like to ruin others peoples enjoyment….if you don’t like Strange New Worlds don’t watch it…find some other show to tear apart……the rest of us can just sit back and enjoy a great show, great cast, and real trek stories…LL & P
I genuinely don’t understand these other comments. This was a perfect encapsulation of SNW’s strengths and weaknesses. It’s fun and enjoyable but it stays neatly within boundaries of the status quo rather than boldly going.
I’ll keep watching because I love Trek, but I won’t pretend it’s the same caliber of show as most of its predecessors. And that’s not even getting into all the weird Vulcan racism the show engages in.
3/5 stars fits S1-2 and I expect it’s accurate to S3
I must say, these 1st reviews are ALWAYS bad/controversial in an effort to get clicks to some site and writer we dont know. These 1st reviews are never to be trusted and represent the hyper-online losers that are looking to influence a show preRelease. I hate this type of rag review by some writer who’s editor is forcing a controversial review to drive clicks. Shame on you Pat your mom should be saf this is where you ended up. Meanwhile the 95% of people who are not hyper online will adore this season.
Good grief.
I watch the show because it’s Star Trek but it’s my least favorite entry since Enterprise. it’s so dumbed down for the masses that it misses the mark for me a lot of the time.
Most critics however write great reviews and apparently loved how dumbed down it was.
Now we’re going with “too dumbed down and character driven.”
I’m glad I learned a while back how completely useless most critics are.
Dude. it’s a TV show. don’t be so mean. if you don’t like it, don’t watch it. meanwhile shut your cake hole.
When you speak about Strange New Worlds, it feels like we were watching a different show.
Only TNG was never accused of being too light or too dark. (After the first difficult season.). Of course, we were all HUNGRY for new Trek.)
I enjoyed the comments way better than this review. I agree with Sarah. What a waste of time. I wonder who originally decided that it was OK for critics to ever exist. In essense we are all critics in our own right and we should all be able to watch something new without impending doom over how possibly bad it is going to be before we’ve even seen it. That alone ruins the enjoyment of the anticipation of success. I wonder how many millions of people have decided on the words of a single person not to even watch a new program instead of giving it a chance, often causing that new program/film to fail financially for no other reason…
so Captain Pike takes a bit of a back seat,in a series that is supposed to be about him and his time as the Captain of the Enterprise! I can almost imagine what these writers will do to Kirk if they ever make a show about him. Kirk is the embodiment of what these writers can’t stand. I mean heaven forbid these social justice writers let a hot bloodied male actually be in command of his ship and strong powerful females have to follow his orders, when they aren’t berating the few male crew members they do have, throwing temper tantrums on the bridge, in front of the Captain and ambassadors.
the series exists because it’s the best star trek show there is since ds9. it’s a working setup and trekkies are longing for the old recipe of having semi stand-alone adventures in each episode. it’s like asking why coca cola is still around.
This article is click-bait trash, and I can’t wait for July 17th! Let the countdown begin! 🖖
Long term Trekkie here. Although I’m not into this CW grade of Trek, I would remind anyone that we all have opinons. Less tearing down and more thicker skin is required here. I was fooled into thinking the show might work upon see the first episode…not so much so, but I guess for some some trek is better than no trek. I keep physical copies of the real Trek so I enjoy the good stuff when I want to. Live long and prosper to all
Another “expert” who over-analyzes, forgetting that the first rule of entertainment is to actually entertain.
And, BTW, thanks for the “spoilers” warning. Or was that just part of your negative vibe?
it’s amazing how old timer trek fans are so stuck in the past. for a start I thought Discovery was a good show up to the point it went to the future and its episodes were better than SNW
I would rather watch TOS than this, TOS wasnt afraid to try stuff and be inovative, SNW is a stale vanilla hodpogde, I watched the first series a number of episodes i cringed some I couldn’t even finish that’s the first time I have ever had that problem watching star trek musical episode really put me off, second season first 2 episodes were so boring I started doing other things while it was playing the rest of the season I just skipped through the episodes by ffw the episodes going to any good bits, if I’m doing that then there really is a problem.
And I am a true trekkie I have watched everything Voyager was a far better show but no it gets a beat up but this stale jane gets raves from the old timers it beats me every other start trek show is better than this show, by the sound of this season 3 isn’t looking any better just more warmed up rehash Pike is just a boring generic character with no dash so could sub him with just about every generic captain there is and you wouldn’t know the difference, the article is wrong SNW isn’t more enjoyable than discovery it’s more stale boring and silly and more enjoyable mutton dressed up as lamb is more like it
It’s a nice woke comedy, a big brother space movie, by the way it has nothing to do with Star Trek, greetings.
Politics pure and simple. When Gene went on to create TNG, he was the bull and the performers and studio were the sheep. He got what he wanted because he was unhinged, in retrospect try pulling that in today’s environment. Saturated with what can be said and what themes stay or go, we are living in the era of the holodeck brig. Creativity hampered, ideas denied, and only what accounts as acceptable must pass. All in all not bad CBS, for working within the margin.
AFAIK – Star Trek’s entire essence is people problems in space. Space opera at its finest!