Episodes watched: 5 out of 10
It’s certainly been a tense wait to finally discover the fate of our favourite U.S.S. Enterprise crew members following the incredibly tense season two cliffhanger. Thankfully “Hegemony, Part II” more than makes up for the almost two year break, immersing viewers straight back into the showdown with an incredibly action-packed resolution to the thrilling encounter with the Gorn. There’s no denying that Strange New Worlds has been the most successful of the New Trek shows, and the third season certainly cements its top spot with a collection of fun, nostalgic and surprisingly scary journeys to strange new worlds, boldly going where no Trek has gone before.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds picks up exactly where the second season left off, as Captain Pike (Anson Mount) and the crew find themselves staring down the barrel of a gun, with a potential full-scale Gorn attack ahead of them, while several members of the Enterprise wake up as hostages of the reptilian alien antagonists. Can the crew avert disaster and save the colonists and several Starfleet crew members from the Gorn?
Following in the footsteps of iconic Star Trek: The Next Generation two-part episode “The Best of Both Worlds”, “”Hegemony, Part II” certainly feels like an ambitious and big budget adventure, and not too dissimilar to J.J. Abrams’ take on the franchise. The episode is a thrilling roller coaster which will put viewers on the edge-of-their-seats, as the Enterprise faces off an impending attack, testing Pike’s resolve. Several surviving crew members, including Ortegas (Melissa Navia) and La’an (Christina Chong) are also tested as they attempt to escape, facing a showdown with their violent captors. Thankfully the cast and crew certainly stick the landing, with plenty of heart, high stakes and gripping action.
Following an excellent start, the further four episodes available certainly didn’t disappoint, continuing the tradition of exploring strange new worlds through the lens of multiple genres, with the cast and crew effortlessly bouncing between action to comedy hijinks, a murder mystery to even surprisingly, sci-fi horror. While the season two musical episode “Subspace Rhapsody” didn’t go down too well with some fans, the range of genres encompassed in the third instalment certainly feels more in line with the franchise as a whole.
The second episode “Wedding Bell Blues” is an unashamed Spock-centric comedy with a very fun throwback to an iconic TNG character, which the series canonically confirms to be tied to a beloved adversary from TOS. It’s an exciting development for long-time Trek fans, with the series once again cementing itself as excellent connective tissue between the various shows, bridging the gap between old and new. Meanwhile, episode four “A Space Adventure Hour”, is undoubtedly the standout episode of the series so far, with the murder-mystery incorporating a beloved Data-centric element from TNG as a hilarious platform for the main cast to play against type.
Strange New Worlds also excels in the depth and endearment of the bridge and wider crew, along with the excellent performances from the hugely talented cast. The roster is undoubtedly the strongest of the new Trek shows, with each character excellent in their own right. The third season affords more screen time to Spock (Ethan Peck), Nurse Christine Chapel (Jess Bush) and La’an Noonien-Singh (Christina Chong), with Peck and Chong sharing an excellent chemistry.
Furthermore, Babs Olusanmokun also shines as Dr. M’Benga, with his quiet but commanding performance excelling in the third and fifth episodes respectively. Anson Mount (and his excellent hair!) is also given space to hilariously play against type in “A Space Adventure Hour”, as he almost steals the show as a disgruntled TV writer. It’s also fantastic to see a returning cameo from Paul Wesley as Captain James T. Kirk, who’s clearly having a blast in the kitsch and comedic cold opening, while Christina Chong finally gets to loosen up a bit as the central detective.
The addition of further legacy characters to the expanding roster, including the hugely likeable young Scotty (Martin Quinn) as he integrates aboard the Enterprise, is also testament to the strength in depth and attention afforded to character arcs, as he seamlessly cements his place in the show. It’s a shame that there isn’t more from the absolutely brilliant Carol Kane as Pelia though, along with a disappointing lack of exploration of storyline around Lt. Erica Ortegas (so far), hopefully the writers flesh it out further down the line.
Along with excellent stories to dive into, this season is also visually outstanding, with plenty of new environments, planets and costumes to enjoy, along with the inclusion of both new and returning species. The action is fantastic and both the third and fifth episodes allow for a mix of classic and darker horror elements, with the latter not too dissimilar to a Call of Cthulhu / Indiana Jones locked room adventure. There’s also plenty for long-term Trek fans to enjoy, with certain episodes featuring amusing and hugely endearing references (along with self-deprecating humour and meta commentary, particularly an episode directed by THE Jonathan Frakes).
Verdict
With an action-packed third instalment, boldly going where no show has gone before, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds certainly shows no signs of slowing down. Following the excellent Lower Decks crossover last season, “A Space Adventure Hour” is undoubtedly set to be the next fan favourite episode. Incorporating beloved elements from previous shows, while paving it’s own genre-bending way, Strange New Worlds is an enormously heartfelt love letter to the franchise, packed with tons of pulpy fun.
