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Christopher Pike, Una Chin-Riley (Number One), and Spock walk down a corridor of the U.S.S. Enterprise as seen in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds

Key art for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 2 showing Captain Christopher Pike, the crew and the U.S.S. Enterprise arranged in a multi-color triangular shape

Season two of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds finds the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise , under the command of Captain Christopher Pike, confronting increasingly dangerous stakes, exploring uncharted territories, and encountering new life and civilizations. The crew will embark on personal journeys that will continue to test their resolve and redefine their destinies.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds streams exclusively on Paramount+ in the U.S., U.K., Australia, Latin America, Brazil, South Korea, France, Italy, Germany, Switzerland and Austria. In addition, the series airs on Bell Media’s CTV Sci-Fi Channel and streams on Crave in Canada and on SkyShowtime in the Nordics, the Netherlands, Spain, Portugal and Central and Eastern Europe. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is distributed by Paramount Global Content Distribution.

Key Art for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 1 showing Captain Pike and the crew on the surface of a Strange New World with the U.S.S. Enterprise behind them and several moons and planets in the sky.

The series follows Captain Pike, Science Officer Spock, and Number One in the years before Captain Kirk boarded the U.S.S. Enterprise , as they explore new worlds around the galaxy.

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Captain Christopher Pike on the bridge of the U.S.S. Enterprise as seen on Star Trek: Strange New Worlds

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'Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' episode 1 is a love letter to 'The Original Series'

The latest live-action spin-off show is an equal mix of the 1966 series and the J.J. Abrams' interpretation

 The USS Enterprise crew from

Warning: Spoilers for "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds" season 1, episode 1

It's been nearly two years to the day since the world learned that the next live-action, " Star Trek " spin-off would see Anson Mount returning as captain of the USS Enterprise and the patience of the show's fan has finally been rewarded with the new series "Strange New Worlds" on Paramount Plus .

The last time we saw Captain Christopher Pike in action, aside from a " Short Trek " episode, was Season 2 of " Star Trek: Discovery " and that was three, very long years ago.

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During that season, in the episode " Through the Valley of the Shadows " (S02, E12), Pike visited the planet Boreth and as we learn, the planet is notable for two things: a monastery established by the Followers of Kahless and a rare ore that can cause temporal consciousness displacement. Pike had to consent to "know his purpose" and effectively be exposed to a part of his future in order to be granted permission to take a time crystal.  (You can see how to catch up on that episode and the entire Trek franchise in our Star Trek streaming guide .)

We see that in approximately 10 years, Pike is aboard a training vessel — an old class J starship — when a baffle plate ruptured and exposed many helpless trainees and cadets to deadly delta-particle radiation. Pike drags many cadets from the danger but, in the process, is hopelessly crippled by the rays. Thus faced with a meaningless existence, he eventually returns to Talos IV with Spock's assistance. And as we'll see, this has been a cause of some distress for Pike ever since that very powerful vision. 

The premiere episode, also entitled " Strange New Worlds ," is a veritable Aladdin's cave of Easter eggs and all the technology, as you'd imagine, has been updated visually. It looks stunning and hopefully we won't have to suffer through too many just-for-the-sake-of-it visual effects, although the functional capability of the Enterprise's transporters has been upgraded somewhat as the show leans a little towards the J.J. Abrams' interpretation of Star Trek . 

In fact, the overall look and feel of this new show is very much a mix of "The Original Series" and the 2009 movie, even down to a Chekov "I can doo zat"-style frantic sprint through the corridors of the ship in this episode, only this time its Nurse Chapel chasing a humanoid from the planet Kiley 279.

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The casting looks promising with lots of new faces to old characters that hopefully we will become deeply invested in them over the next 10 weeks. There's a lot of room to expand the history for all of the main cast and the seeds are sewn almost straightaway, beginning with Pike himself as we see him riding his horse through some stunning snowy scenery before arriving at an equally stunning wooden winter lodge, complete with " The Day The Earth Stood Still " on TV as he makes eggs à la Kirk (from "Star Trek: Generations") for his partner that we only know so far as Capt. Batel (Melanie Scrofano).

Related: 'Star Trek: Picard' Season 2 finale will leave you feeling shortchanged

The updated short-range shuttles look gorgeous as Admiral Robert April (Adrian Holmes), the first captain of the USS Enterprise, instructs Pike that his first officer, Una Chin-Riley (Rebecca Romijn) has gone missing. This marks the first time Adm. April has been fleshed out, so to speak, adding to the richness that is slowly building with all of these characters, old and new. 

The same is true for Dr. M'Benga, a character that appeared only very briefly in "The Original Series" and was played by Booker Bradshaw then and Babs Olusanmokun now. This is also true for Nurse Christine Chapel and while Majel Barrett, who played her, appeared in a substantial number of "The Original Series" episodes, we suspect Jess Bush, who plays her now, will have chance to bring even more depth to the character.

And here's what two years plus the aftermath of the battle against the Control AI has done to poor Pike

Then there's Mr. Spock and Ethan Peck has truly made that role his own . And as a super-special treat, we even get an insight into Vulcan courting rituals as we find him moments away from consummating his engagement to his longtime partner T'Pring (Gia Sandhu). It's a brilliant, dynamic scene with beautifully written dialogue. However, when Number One is in trouble, even a night of no-holds-barred hanky-panky with a view of the Voroth Sea from the clouded shores of Raal has to get put on the back burner.

Related: Spock on Star Trek: Ever actor who has ever played our favorite Vulcan

Along the way to planet Kiley 279 we are introduced to other new members of the bridge crew, including Security Chief La'an Noonien-Singh (Christina Chong), Lt. Erica Ortegas (Melissa Navia), Lt. Jenna Mitchell (Rong Fu) and of course, Nyota Uhura, played in this incarnation by Celia Rose Gooding. 

Meanwhile, Pike is still having some difficulty dealing with his post-traumatic stress as a result of the experience on Boreth and while this is understandable given this is his first time back in the center seat since the USS Discovery sped off to the future, it seems to be presented to us ... then virtually resolved in a very short space of time. This could easily have been carried over a number of episodes. That said, it's still early days, so it still might.

The crew of the Enterprise finds Chin-Riley's starship, the USS Archer (great to see) adrift in high orbit. It seems this planet does not have any satellites in orbit whatsoever and surface scans are consistent with pre-warp society, yet ... there is a warp signature on the surface. Following some brilliant deductions by both Camina Drummer Noonien-Singh and Spock, we learn that it's not from a warp drive , but rather a warp bomb , which brings us to probably the only real criticism in this episode and while it's only teeny-tiny, you'd have thought the writers would've found a more plausible explanation for this small-but-significant piece of plot.

The USS Archer NCC-627 was a 23rd century Archer-type Federation starship operated by Starfleet

Nerd Note: Apparently, through ground-based telescopes only, the beings on this world observed all the hullaballoo with Control nine years ago. Number One calls it "zero point" — the point in space where Discovery opened up a wormhole to the future and it's only one light year from this planet. That's further than the distance from Earth to Pluto. And as Number One explains, "Their various telescopes were just good enough to see us. They collected enough data to reverse engineer a matter/antimatter reactor." Really ...?

The basic plot captures the spirit of any number of "The Original Series" episodes by incorporating disguise, infiltration, capture and escape, then it's back to the Enterprise for tea and medals. There's a predictable, but nonetheless extremely enjoyable moral message from Pike to the people of Kiley 279 to draw this first episode to a close and a new crewmember arrives, Sam Kirk (Dan Jeannotte), brother of James Tiberius Kirk ... but we'll go into more detail about that next week.

From the opening credits — which are exceptional, along with a theme that masterfully adapts that of "The Original Series" — this episode sends tingles of hope down your spine. There are tons of Easter eggs, ranging from Fairly Obvious to Second Time Around to something approaching Jörg Hillebrand-level . The updated USS Enterprise sets are phenomenal and the production team are making excellent use of their AR wall. Upon first viewing, this feels like it could've been a two-parter, but much of that is probably because we're just not used to having an episodic format.

A lot of the very best of "Star Trek" was crammed into the first episode — but it's the first episode, so as the series premiere of a brand new "Star Trek" show, we say bravo. This new approach should keep every episode feeling like it has much to give. This could very easily become the best "Trek" on TV.

Rating: 8/10

The first episode of "Strange New Worlds" is now available to watch on Paramount Plus as is the entire second season of "Star Trek: Picard." Season 4 of "Star Trek: Discovery" is also available on the Paramount streaming service in the US and CTV Sci-Fi or Crave TV in Canada. Countries outside of North America can watch on the Pluto TV Sci-Fi channel.

Paramount has confirmed that its streaming platform will launch in the UK and Ireland on June 22, available both as a standalone service and as part of the Sky Cinema subscription for the UK cable provider.

Follow Scott Snowden on Twitter . Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook . 

Join our Space Forums to keep talking space on the latest missions, night sky and more! And if you have a news tip, correction or comment, let us know at: [email protected].

When Scott's application to the NASA astronaut training program was turned down, he was naturally upset...as any 6-year-old boy would be. He chose instead to write as much as he possibly could about science, technology and space exploration. He graduated from The University of Coventry and received his training on Fleet Street in London. He still hopes to be the first journalist in space.

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Star Trek: Strange New Worlds – Season 1, Episode 1

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Watch Star Trek: Strange New Worlds — Season 1, Episode 1 with a subscription on Paramount+, or buy it on Fandango at Home, Prime Video.

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Akiva Goldsman

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Den of Geek

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Episode 1 Review

The first episode of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is a thrilling return to the foundational principles of the franchise, anchored by Anson Mount's fantastic central performance.

star trek strange new worlds series 1 episodes

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Anson Mount in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds

The following contains Star Trek: Strange New Worlds spoilers

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Episode 1

As the Star Trek franchise has expanded in recent years, so has the debate about what these series are supposed to be and do. What makes a show quintessentially Star Trek ? What kinds of stories are these properties meant to tell? After all, in the year 2022, the world seems more divided than ever before, reeling from the lingering effects of a global pandemic, rising inflation, and a political environment that seems targeted to anger the worst in us, rather than exhort us to be our best. 

Our entertainment is increasingly bleak, often full of edgy anti-heroes, disheartening conspiracy theories, grim monsters, and dangerous technology. Even Star Trek has dipped its proverbial toe into darker narrative waters, with both Star Trek: Picard and Star Trek: Discovery frequently wrestling with much more complex themes and nihilistic stories than any of their predecessors did (with varying degrees of success).

In light of all this, is it incredibly naive to still believe in Gene Roddenberry’s vision of a future where humanity has conquered its worst impulses in the name of becoming its best self? That we might one day all actually be able to boldly go together into a better, more perfect future? Or given, well, everything happening around us, is his determined message of hope and a belief in a better tomorrow somehow more necessary than it’s ever been?

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Star Trek: Strange New Worlds appears to be the franchise’s attempt to answer that question, a big-hearted, rollicking return to the foundational principles of the show that started it all, firmly grounded in the deeply personal story of the captain at its center. It is joyous, impeccably cast, and (something I haven’t regularly said about Star Trek in some time) incredibly fun to watch. From its off-handed callbacks and Easter Eggs to its thoughtful character dynamics and gorgeous visuals, everything about this show reflects the care that has been put into creating it. And if we are going to trust the U.S.S. Enterprise to anyone, who better than some obvious fellow nerds who clearly love it as much as we do?

Yes, the premiere episode “Strange New Worlds” has an awful lot of set-up lot to do, but the series’ introductory hour never drags or feels bogged down by its expository duties. The series pilot initially picks up with everyone we originally met on Discovery, and where their stories have gone post-Season 2 finale . Captain Pike (Anson Mount) is in Montana wrestling with the foreknowledge of a future that includes radiation disfigurement, paralysis, and physical agony​​; Spock’s (Ethan Peck) getting engaged to a woman who seems way much cooler than he is on Vulcan; and Number One (Rebecca Romijn) is a workaholic on a first contact mission with the U.S.S Archer . 

It is her disappearance on that mission that brings Pike and the Enterprise crew back to space a bit earlier than originally scheduled; they’ve got to find her and bring her home. It’s also an easy excuse to introduce us to the rest of the series’ main cast, which includes a mix of new and familiar classic faces (or, well, at least characters whose names we’ve heard before). 

There’s Cadet Nyota Uhura (Celia Rose Gooding), the show’s new take on a younger version of the iconic Star Trek: The Original Series character, here presented as a young woman fresh out of Starfleet Academy and a linguistic prodigy who is clearly deeply excited about all the adventures that await her. Dr. M’Benga (Babs Olusanmokun)—a character who appeared in all of two episodes of The Original Series but still! —is running things in sickbay alongside Nurse Christine Chapel (Jess Bush) whose demonstrable smarts and ability to think outside the box indicate she’s likely going to have much more to do on this series than pine after Spock.

New security officer La’an Noonien-Singh (Christina Chong) has a familiar name and a dark history of her own, and though feisty helmsman Erica Ortegas (Melissa Navia) has little in the way of defining characteristics as yet she at least seems pretty fun. While we may not know much about most of these people as yet, the show nevertheless quickly establishes the larger group’s chemistry as easy and believable. 

But it’s impossible to talk about why Strange New Worlds works so well without talking about Anson Mount, whose central performance as Captain Christopher Pike remains as note-perfect as it was when he was guest-starring on Discovery . There are moments where it feels like we all essentially willed this entire show into existence simply because his casting in this role is so perfect, and I’d like that to be true because, whew, y’all we were right . Aggressively normal in all the best ways and bursting with everyman charm, Pike blends the best of classic Trek nostalgia with more modern sensibilities, resulting in a leader who is as skilled at empathy, kindness, and consensus-building as he is fighting. 

I’ve written elsewhere at some length about why this Pike is so necessary and important in the Star Trek universe, and I’m happy to tell you that Strange New Worlds has fully leaned into this interpretation of the character, refusing the temptation to turn his story into a dark tragedy but instead embracing the idea that his journey is ultimately one of self-determination and hope. After all: If nothing we do matters—then all that truly matters is what we do. In the end, if Original Series episode “The Menagerie” is always going to be waiting for him no matter what, then the true question Pike must answer isn’t how to feel about that fate, but what he’s going to do with the time that’s been given to him until it comes to pass.

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There are certainly plenty of interesting places to take that sort of story: Will Pike make riskier choices simply because he knows that he is not going to die on a random away mission? Will he make less dangerous decisions because while he can essentially guarantee his own safety he can’t say the same for his crew? Or will he do his best to let his shipmates—and those they come into contact with—find their fates for themselves? 

Strange New Worlds may clearly be setting itself up to tell easily digestible weekly adventures—and I think there is certainly space within this franchise of space shows for one that just wants to roam the galaxy in search of new cultures and cool aliens. But after watching this pilot, it seems clear that it’s also inevitably going to be a story about the nature of fate and the consequences of the choices we make—for ill, yes. But also, inexorably and relentlessly for good. Because goodness—the idea of being a good person, of doing good in the world—is still something we have to choose to do every day. 

“Perhaps somewhere all your ends are written as indelibly as mine. But I choose to believe that your destinies are still your own,” Pike tells the warring factions of Kileans, as part of an uplifting speech about why they don’t have to tear themselves apart the way those on Earth did once. “Maybe that’s why I’m here. To remind you of the power of possibility.”

In the end, that seems to be nothing so much as a mission statement for Strange New Worlds writ large: That it is always better to travel hopefully, to lead with empathy, and to believe that our better angels can carry the day, in the end, even if we have to bend the rules a little bit along the way to help them do so. To remember why we fell in love with this franchise in the first place and the simple powerful message it still carries. In hope, all things are possible. 

So, as Captain Pike himself would say: Hit it.

Lacy Baugher

Lacy Baugher

Lacy Baugher is a digital producer by day, but a television enthusiast pretty much all the time. Her writing has been featured in Paste Magazine, Collider,…

Every Episode Of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 1 Ranked

Spock in a corridor

Starring Anson Mount, Ethan Peck, and Rebecca Romijn, "Strange New Worlds" is the 11th full "Star Trek" television series, launched in May 2022 to widespread acclaim . Praised for its return to classic "Star Trek" storytelling, it lived up to all of our hopes for the series with its upbeat and optimistic tone, its episodic missions, its compelling characters, and even a dose of light-hearted humor. It was everything critics of "Star Trek: Discovery" had been looking for, filling out a major gap in the audience of "Star Trek" fandom.

In fact, the only thing the first season of "Strange New Worlds" was missing was more episodes. With just 10 stories, it left fans begging for more when it came to its climactic, jaw-dropping conclusion in the epic time traveling finale. Packed with action, suspense, heart, and humor, critics and diehard Trekkies raved after every episode, with each story offering something new and different week to week.

Now that Season 1 has come to a close, we're taking a look back at every episode. From Pike's fears of the future and Number One's terrible secret to Dr. M'Benga's anguish and Spock's love problems, we've looked at them all. But which one is the best? Chart a course and prepare for warp, because we've ranked every episode of "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds" Season 1 from worst to best.

10. The Elysian Kingdom

"The Elysian Kingdom" may be the lowest-ranked episode on our list, but it's still a fantastic watch. If you're playing "Star Trek" bingo, this episode fills the "imagination come to life" square, following in the footsteps of classic episodes like the "TOS" entry "Shore Leave," "TNG" episode "Where No One Has Gone Before," "DS9" episode "If Wishes Were Horses," and "Voyager" episode "Persistence of Vision." In this installment, the crew gets swept up in the reality of a children's storybook, with M'Benga the only one who knows how to escape.

It begins with the doctor's daughter Rukiya, who suffers a debilitating disease, complaining that her storybook, "The Kingdom of Elysian," doesn't end the way she'd like. After surveying a nebula, M'Benga heads to the bridge only to discover that the Enterprise appears like a fantastical kingdom from the book. M'Benga is in the role of the king, Pike the court jester, Spock an ancient wizard, and La'An a spoiled princess — but only M'Benga seems to be aware that this is not the way that things should be. As his crewmates play out the adventure from his daughter's book, M'Benga must fulfill a magical quest to get to the end of the story and hopefully release the ship from what he learns is an alien entity controlling reality.

A light-hearted and whimsical tale, "The Elysian Kingdom" is a fun episode, allowing the cast to take on new and different roles. But what starts out as a light-hearted romp comes to a dramatic conclusion that resolves the season-long story of M'Benga's terminally ill daughter.

9. Ghosts of Illyria

Another "Star Trek" staple, "Ghosts of Illyria" is the classic virus-on-the-ship episode, but with the disease comes a compelling mystery that threatens to expose terrible secrets. The episode focuses mostly on Number One, a character who debuted in the franchise's very first pilot episode filmed in 1964, but who we still know very little about. The story sees the Enterprise visit an abandoned colony once inhabited by Illyrians, a race whose use of extensive genetic modifications makes them pariahs in the Federation, where eugenics and DNA re-sequencing have been banned.

Pike, Spock, and Number One lead an away team, though they find little evidence of what happened to the colony. When a violent storm sweeps in and Pike and Spock are stranded, Number One returns to the ship and accidentally brings a virus that quickly spreads. As the crew begins to suffer strange symptoms — becoming addicted to bright lights and suffering withdrawal symptoms in the dark — Number One is somehow immune. Meanwhile, on the planet, Pike and Spock fight to survive the storm and find evidence of what really happened to the Illyrians.

To stop the virus, and to save the Captain and Mr. Spock, Number One may have to risk everything. With a number of surprises, "Ghosts of Illyria" sets up several ongoing subplots that will carry through to the finale, and threaten to end the Starfleet career of more than one Enterprise crew member.

8. Strange New Worlds

The long-awaited premiere of "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds" was named after the series itself. It may not be the best episode of the season, but it starts out the new adventure on the right foot with a classic first-contact story that presents the crew with both a moral dilemma and an action-packed adventure all rolled into one. Picking up where we last saw him in "Star Trek: Discovery" Season 2, Captain Pike is on leave from Starfleet, still reeling from the vision of his future that he witnessed on the Klingon moon of Boreth and unsure if he wants to return to the Enterprise.

When Admiral April arrives with news that his first officer Una Chin-Riley went missing on a first-contact mission gone wrong, Pike shaves his beard and heads back into space aboard the newly refitted Enterprise NCC-1701. Arriving at the planet Kiley, however, Pike discovers that the civilization is not advanced enough to have been ready for first contact, and Spock deduces that the warp signature that Number One had detected was actually a devastating advanced weapon using warp-like technology. Now, Pike, Spock, and new security chief La'An must go down to the planet in disguise and rescue their comrade, but a stunning revelation about the origin of the Kiley weapon poses an impossible problem for Pike.

A return to classic "Star Trek," the premiere perfectly sets the pace for the series with an optimistic tone, a moral message, and a cast of compelling new characters.

7. The Serene Squall

"Big Sky" star Jesse James Keitel guest stars in "The Serene Squall" as Dr. Aspen, who runs emergency aid missions to colonists in need just outside of Federation space. She's come to ask for Pike and the Enterprise's help in fighting off a ruthless band of space pirates who've been jeopardizing her aid missions across the border. The pirates' ship, The Serene Squall, is apparently run by a vicious Orion leader who is not to be underestimated.

On their own outside Federation space, Pike takes the Enterprise crew to rescue what appears to be a group of stranded colonial ships. After transporting aboard one of the ships with Number One, La'An, and a security team, Pike is taken by surprise by the pirates, who've lured them into a trap. At the same time, back aboard the Enterprise, an enemy landing party has slipped aboard the ship during the transport window and successfully taken over the mighty flagship. As it turns out, the pirates don't want the colonists at all. Instead, their leader — none other than Captain Aspen — wants Mr. Spock to use as leverage against his betrothed T'Pring, who is holding a former lover at her Vulcan rehab facility.

Complete with a surprise twist at the halfway point and a shock ending reveal that will delight longtime fans, "The Serene Squall" is a tense thriller punctuated by pulse-pounding action. It's also a further examination of Spock and his struggle to accept his human half, and it continues the lovelorn Nurse Chapel's hopeless pursuit of the ship's emotionless and engaged science officer.

6. Lift Us Where Suffering Cannot Reach

The season's 6th episode, "Lift Us Where Suffering Cannot Reach" is the social commentary story of the year. Arriving at the planet Majalis for a routine cartographic survey, Cadet Uhura is on rotation with security chief La'An Noonien-Singh. The excitement starts when the ship receives a distress call from a non-Federation shuttle being chased by a massive star cruiser in orbit of the planet.

After fighting off the pursuing ship, the survivors from the shuttle are beamed aboard and we meet Alora, a woman who Pike had once been intimately involved with some years before. Now she comes to the Enterprise with a young boy and a surly man who claims to be his biological father. Alora tells Pike that the boy is royalty, a holy child who is critical to the planet's survival, and who is on his way to the planet to ascend to his rightful position as First Servant. Events have taken a dark turn with a rogue faction that seeks to assassinate the child and prevent his ascension. As Pike gets closer to Alora and Spock learns more about the First Servant, however, it becomes clear that not all is as it seems.

As pointed out by The Escapist , "Lift Us Where Suffering Cannot Reach" takes its cues from a story by legendary sci-fi luminary Ursula K. Le Guin and is loaded with political and social allegory that is anything but subtle.

5. Children of the Comet

When "Strange New Worlds" was first announced, the inclusion of Nyota Uhura was met with surprise. Depicted in the series as a young cadet assigned to the Enterprise, it will be nearly a decade before she serves under Captain James T. Kirk. Along with Mr. Spock, Dr. M'Benga, and Nurse Chapel, she was one of the few legacy regulars to make a return, and in "Children of the Comet" the fan-favorite future communications officer gets the spotlight for arguably the first time in "Star Trek" history.

In the episode, the Enterprise comes across a planet-killing comet that threatens to obliterate a nearby world populated by a primitive pre-warp civilization, who are both unaware and incapable of stopping the coming calamity. Looking to intervene and save the civilization, Pike sends a team led by Spock and Cadet Uhura — a natural linguist — inside the comet after detecting a chamber within that houses a mysterious ancient relic. But just as they begin deciphering a puzzle that could allow them to stop its destructive path, an alien vessel arrives. Its leader, who calls his people The Shepherds, claims that the comet is actually an instrument of divine will and that he can not allow Pike to interfere with its long-foretold journey, no matter who it may destroy. Now it's up to the young cadet to solve the riddle of the relic before it strikes the planet — and before The Shepherds can destroy the Enterprise.

A natural exploration of science vs. faith, "Children of the Comet" follows in the footsteps of many iconic "Star Trek" parables.

4. Spock Amok

Ahead of its premiere there was much talk that "Strange New Worlds" would embrace all kinds of stories, not just adventure and drama, but comedy as well, a hallmark of classic "Trek." The fifth episode of the series, "Spock Amok" was such an episode, but it was also a thematic prequel to the 1966 episode "Amok Time," the iconic episode that saw Kirk and Spock fight to the death on Vulcan for Spock's betrothed T'Pring. In this episode, we learn that T'Pring is an administrator at a Vulcan rehabilitation colony, and that Spock's life in Starfleet is causing their relationship to suffer.

During a layover at Starbase 1, T'Pring decides to take the time to visit her partner Mr. Spock. Together they take part in an ancient Vulcan ritual that will allow them to share their souls, if ever briefly, to bond more closely. But when the rite goes wrong, Spock and T'Pring get soul-swapped, and cannot return to their own bodies. And when Pike need's Spock's help to negotiate a delicate treaty with a potential Federation friend, T'Pring is forced to step in — in Spock's body — to prevent them from allying with the Klingons. 

Pure folly in farcical fashion, "Spock Amok" is classic "Star Trek" hijinks at its best, with strong laughs, clever reversals, and a much-needed deep dive into Spock's never-seen love life. It also features a side-splitting subplot that sees the ever-serious Number One and La'An trying to lighten up and enjoy themselves while the rest of the crew is on shore leave.

3. All Those Who Wander

"Star Trek" has never been afraid to explore different genres, whether it be romance, action, or mind-bending mystery. Horror stories have been no exception with some of the most terrifying episodes often becoming classics of the franchise. The penultimate episode of the first season of "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds," the dramatic and harrowing tale "All Those Who Wander," may be destined to become another such fan favorite. Unapologetically inspired by big screen horror thrillers like "Alien," "Predator," and "The Thing," the episode traps the crew in a frozen derelict starship, fighting to stay alive against a blood-thirsty alien monster.

Receiving priority orders to divert to the location of a lost Starfleet ship, the U.S.S. Peregrine, Pike beams down with a small team including Spock, Uhura, Hemmer, and La'An to investigate the crash site on an inhospitable ice planet. Once inside the dead ship, they find two survivors, refugees picked up by the Peregrine: an unidentified alien and a young human girl. According to the captain's final log entry, a third refugee had been unknowingly carrying Gorn eggs within his body, once hatched, the reptilian hatchlings proceeded to kill the crew. 

But when the alien refugee too is discovered to be infested with Gorn young, and releases three hungry hatchlings, Pike and crew find themselves prey in a deadly struggle for dominance. A taut, gripping horror story, "All Those Who Wonder" dazzles with thrills, chills and blood-curdling scares, all culminating in the shocking death of a major character.

2. A Quality of Mercy

While every episode of "Strange New Worlds" Season 1 is a self-contained story, several ongoing plot threads are woven through. The biggest was Captain Pike dealing with the foreknowledge of a devastating accident years in the future that will leave him crippled and mute. In the season finale "A Quality of Mercy," Pike visits the Neutral Zone on a mission to resupply a Starfleet outpost when he comes face to face with one of the young cadets who he knows will die in the incident. Confronted with this harsh reality, Pike finally decides to take his destiny into his own hands.

But, when Captain Pike sets out to change his fate, he's visited by a future version of himself who warns him that trying to alter the future will have deadly consequences. To prove it, the future Admiral Pike sends him seven years forward into a parallel reality where the Enterprise must deal with a crisis on the Romulan border while the scales of war tip ever closer to disaster. In a stunning season finale, Pike lives out the events of the classic "The Original Series" episode "Balance of Terror," but in an alternate timeline where he is captain of the Enterprise.

The arrival of Captain James T. Kirk of the U.S.S. Farragut forces Pike to deal with his would-be successor, and if they're not careful, the Federation could be dragged into an endless interstellar war. A bold, daring episode that is jaw-dropping in its hubris, "A Quality of Mercy" soars thanks to its sharp script and the brilliant performances of its cast, including guest star Paul Wesley as the new James T. Kirk.

1. Memento Mori

A tale in the vein of "Star Trek" classics like "Disaster" and "Starship Down," the 7th episode of "Strange New Worlds" proved to be its best. It's a sort of submarine adventure, with a crippled Enterprise trying to survive an attack by a deadly Gorn warship. It features a deft mix of nail-biting suspense, high octane action, and serious character drama. Focused on new security chief La'An Noonien-Singh, we learn that in her youth she was held captive by the Gorn, and she still carries the emotional scars.

As the episode opens the crew is celebrating Starfleet Remembrance Day, and La'An is still struggling years later to deal with a deep personal loss. When the Enterprise comes to the aid of a ship in distress, they realize it's a trap set by the Gorn, a vicious alien race who attack without warning and leave the Enterprise without weapons, shields, or sensors. While Uhura and Hemmer are trapped in the cargo bay and forced to work together to repair critical systems that threaten to destroy the ship, Pike takes the Enterprise into a nearby nebula to hide. Now the crew must use their wits and will to outsmart the enemy and stay alive, but to do it, La'An may finally have to confront the ghosts of her past, including the brother who sacrificed himself so that she could live.

A remarkable episode with strong performances, clever beats, and plenty of high stakes drama, it showcases everything that makes "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds" the best "Star Trek" series in decades.

Memory Alpha

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds

  • View history

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is the tenth overall Star Trek spin-off series, and the first direct spin-off of Star Trek: Discovery that was announced on 15 May 2020 . It was produced by CBS Studios and stars Anson Mount as Christopher Pike , Ethan Peck as Spock , and Rebecca Romijn as Una Chin-Riley .

  • 2.1 Starring
  • 2.2 Special guest stars
  • 2.3 Recurring roles
  • 3.1 Season 1
  • 3.2 Season 2
  • 3.3 Season 3
  • 3.4 Season 4
  • 4.1 Inception
  • 4.2 Development
  • 4.3.1 Products
  • 5 Related topics
  • 7 External links

Premise [ ]

The official announcement stated that "the series will follow Captain Pike, Science Officer Spock, and Number One in the decade before Captain Kirk boarded the USS Enterprise , as they explore new worlds around the galaxy." [1]

Executive Producer and Co-creator Akiva Goldsman told Variety , " We're going to try to harken back to some classical 'Trek' values, to be optimistic, and to be more episodic. Obviously, we will take advantage of the serialized nature of character and story building. But I think our plots will be more closed-ended than you've seen in either Discovery or Picard . ... I imagine it to be closer to The Original Series than even DS9 . We can really tell closed-ended stories. We can find ourselves in episodes that are tonally of a piece. " [2]

When talking to Deadline on 16 August 2020 Co-executive Producer Alex Kurtzman elaborated, " I think Strange New Worlds , under the guidance of [showrunners] Henry Myers and Akiva Goldsman, it's going to be a return in a way to TOS [ Star Trek: The Original Series ] . We are going to do stand-alone episodes. There will be emotional serialization. There will be two-parters. There will be larger plot arcs. But it really is back to the model of alien-of-the-week, planet-of-the-week, challenge-on-the-ship-of-the-week. With these characters pre-Kirk's Enterprise ... I think what people responded so much to in all three characters is this kind of relentless optimism that they have. And that they are at the young phase of their careers. " [3]

Starring [ ]

  • Anson Mount as Captain Christopher Pike
  • Ethan Peck as Science Officer Spock
  • Jess Bush as Nurse Christine Chapel
  • Christina Chong as La'an Noonien-Singh
  • Celia Rose Gooding as Ensign Nyota Uhura
  • Melissa Navia as Lt. Erica Ortegas
  • Babs Olusanmokun as Dr. Joseph M'Benga
  • Bruce Horak as Hemmer (Season 1)
  • Rebecca Romijn as Number One

Special guest stars [ ]

  • Eugene Cordero as Sam Rutherford (voice)
  • Tawny Newsome as Beckett Mariner
  • Jerry O'Connell as Jack Ransom (voice)
  • Jack Quaid as Brad Boimler
  • Noël Wells as D'Vana Tendi (voice)
  • Paul Wesley as James T. Kirk

Recurring roles [ ]

  • Shawn Ahmed as Shankar
  • Rong Fu as Jenna Mitchell
  • Adrian Holmes as Robert April
  • Jennifer Hui as Christina
  • Dan Jeannotte as George Samuel Kirk
  • André Dae Kim as Kyle (Season 1)
  • Gia Sandhu as T'Pring
  • Melanie Scrofano as Marie Batel
  • Carol Kane as Pelia (Season 2)

Episode list [ ]

Season 1 [ ].

SNW Season 1 , 10 episodes:

Season 2 [ ]

SNW Season 2 , 10 episodes: [4]

Season 3 [ ]

SNW Season 3 , 10 episodes: [5]

Season 4 [ ]

SNW Season 4 , 10 episodes: [6]

Production history [ ]

When the news of showrunner Alex Kurtzman 's five-year Star Trek development deal with CBS All Access was announced on 19 June 2018, a show dealing with Christopher Pike, Spock, and the USS Enterprise was not considered for inclusion in any Star Trek line-up. [7]

Star Trek: The Original Series characters, Christopher Pike , Number One , and Spock , were introduced for season two of Discovery and were signed only for that season. [8] [9] It prompted Anson Mount to quip with a "#WillActForFood" hashtag on his Twitter account, making it known that he and Spock performer Ethan Peck were on the job market again shortly after live-action production on season two had wrapped. [10] Following the positive reception to the second season of Star Trek: Discovery , fans circulated a petition in support more appearances of Mount as Captain Pike and Peck as Spock, including the idea of a full new series. [11] Mount expressed support for the fan petition, stating he felt "humbled and deeply touched by this amount of love" in an 14 April 2019 Facebook entry. [12] [13] Peck also expressed interest in returning to the role of Spock. [14]

Mount, Romijn, and Peck reprised their roles in three late 2019 season two episodes of Star Trek: Short Treks .

Inception [ ]

In January 2020, Kurtzman confirmed he and Akiva Goldsman were having "active conversations" about a new series involving the crew of the Enterprise . [15]

On 15 May 2020, CBS announced a new series "based on the years Captain Christopher Pike manned the helm of the USS Enterprise ." [16] The announcement included that Strange New Worlds would feature Anson Mount as Captain Pike, Ethan Peck as Spock, and Rebecca Romijn as Number One, all reprising their roles from the second season of Star Trek: Discovery .

Development [ ]

TRR : " Hide and Seek " presented " The Cage " as the pilot to this series, as opposed to Star Trek: The Original Series .

Prior to its premiere, Paramount+ specifically suggested that viewers could prepare for the launch of the new series by checking out the following DIS Season 2 episodes:

  • Episode 1 - " Brother "
  • Episode 8 - " If Memory Serves "
  • Episode 12 - " Through the Valley of Shadows "
  • Episode 14 - " Such Sweet Sorrow, Part 2 "

StarTrek.com presented its own list of episodes to watch before the premiere. In addition to the aforementioned Discovery episode "Through the Valley of Shadows", this list of original series episodes served more as a primer for familiarizing or refamiliarizing viewers with the series' cast:

  • " The Menagerie, Part I "+" The Menagerie, Part II "
  • " Space Seed "
  • " Journey to Babel "
  • " Mirror, Mirror "
  • " The Deadly Years "
  • " A Private Little War "

Promotion [ ]

Teaser poster

Products [ ]

In March 2021 , Eaglemoss/Hero Collector 's Star Trek Universe: The Official Starships Collection premiered at retail. A new starship miniatures partwork and product line, it would have featured Strange New Worlds starships, combined with ships from Star Trek: Discovery (after the release of issue 33 of the DIS partwork ) and Star Trek: Picard . The line's manager indicated that CGI assets of SNW's starships had not yet been received from the show's producers, as of February 2021, which was not that surprising as actual production on the new series had yet to start at that point in time. [17]

Eaglemoss' bankruptcy on 5 August 2022 thwarted all intents to release Strange New Worlds starships and none were, save one. Replicas of Pike's USS Enterprise though, had previously been produced by the company as part of the Discovery partwork collection, as it had already debuted in that series.

Related topics [ ]

  • SNW directors
  • SNW performers
  • SNW studio models
  • SNW writers
  • Star Trek: Strange New Worlds novels
  • Star Trek: Strange New Worlds comics
  • Star Trek: Strange New Worlds on DVD
  • Star Trek: Strange New Worlds on Blu-ray

External links [ ]

  • Star Trek: Strange New Worlds at Wikipedia
  • Star Trek: Strange New Worlds at the Internet Movie Database
  • 1 Daniels (Crewman)
  • 3 Calypso (episode)

star trek strange new worlds series 1 episodes

star trek strange new worlds series 1 episodes

Jonathan Frakes thinks Strange New Worlds is the favorite Star Trek since The Next Generation

S tar Trek: Strange New Worlds has garnered a fan base that has been devoted to watching the new episodes as they debut and are ready for season three. And the series has already been renewed for season four before even one episode of season three has dropped. There's a lot to be said for that kind of popularity, and series director Jonathan Frakes thinks, because of the stand-alone episodes and the "big swings" Strange New Worlds takes, this series is the favorite one since Star Trek: The Next Generation. That's according to an interview he gave CinemaBlend recently.

Frakes gives credit to the people behind the scenes for Strange New Worlds' success while referring to the episodes as "movie(s) of the week."

And that's attributed to Alex [Kurtzman] and Akiva [Goldsman] and Henry Alonso Myers and Chris Fisher and all the people who have encouraged it. They try to assign a director to an episode that they believe will be able to enhance whatever that particular 'movie of the week' episode is. And it's, I think, pretty effective. Jonathan Frakes

He isn't wrong when he calls out the episode "Those Old Scientists" as being one of the biggest swings to take. Crossing over with animated characters was a big risk, and it could have flopped as wonderfully as it succeeded. Strange New Worlds has made a name for itself in taking chances, and those are paying off, but is the series the most favorite since The Next Generation? And is it fair to the other newer series to make that comparison, considering how very different they all are?

Fans of animation might see Lower Decks and/or Prodigy as their favorite while die-hard The Next Generation fans will say that about Star Trek: Picard. Newer Star Trek fans could give that label to Star Trek: Discovery. It all comes down to a matter of taste, and, in all fairness, Frakes did preface his statement with "arguably."

They take big swings on Strange New Worlds. I think that the fact that they are stand-alone episodes has made this, arguably, the favorite Star Trek since Next Gen, probably.Jonathan Frakes

There's no denying that Starnge New Worlds is an excellent series. The casting, especially for Spock, Uhura, and Dr. M'Benga were spot on, and the show has really gone out on a limb with many of the episodes. So it's easy to see why it would be someone's favorite series, but "the" favorite series might be stretching it a bit, especially since Trekkies are divided on what they call "good Trek" nowadays. And, in all reality, we don't really need to pin labels on the series. There doesn't need to be a top series or a competition. What's more important is that Star Trek is still going strong after almost fifty-eight years.

This article was originally published on redshirtsalwaysdie.com as Jonathan Frakes thinks Strange New Worlds is the favorite Star Trek since The Next Generation .

Jonathan Frakes thinks Strange New Worlds is the favorite Star Trek since The Next Generation

star trek strange new worlds series 1 episodes

Jonathan Frakes on Directing ‘Star Trek’: Looking Back on ‘Discovery’ & Ahead to ‘Strange New Worlds’ Season 3

Director Jonathan Frakes and Mary Wiseman as Tilly in 'Star Trek: Discovery' Season 5 Episode 9

For  Star Trek: Discovery ‘s penultimate episode, an icon from the franchise stepped behind the camera: Jonathan Frakes , who starred as Riker on  Star Trek: The Next Generation and reprised the role on  Picard .

And for him, it was just returning to a set he enjoys, for his eighth episode behind the camera on  Discovery . In the episode, members of the crew infiltrate the Breen ship in hopes of getting their hands on a key piece of tech for their mission to find the Progenitors’ power. But even amidst the action, there’s time for some emotional beats.

Below, Frakes takes us inside the episode, looks back on  Discovery , and teases a  Strange New Worlds Season 3 episode he directed.

What excited you about this script as a director?

Jonathan Frakes: There’s a lot more action than I’m usually given, and the whole direction, if you will, of the season was that we find more action and more levity, two of my favorite parts of the business. So I was thrilled. The ending where the ship literally flies in the tailpipe of another ship I thought was really ambitious and great to storyboard and a beautifully executed by JZ [Jason Zimmerman] and all of our friends over at the visual effects department, but also the contrast between—Burnham [ Sonequa Martin-Green ] and Book [ David Ajala ] have a story that they clearly have not found time to sort out about their relationship. They’re in the midst of all this chaos. And, the B story, the wonderful story with our Kelpian and our Vulcan with Doug [Jones] and Tara [Rosling] is so beautiful that they’re in love and about to get married during the chaos of this fight with the Breen. So the contrasts of tone were very interesting to me.

I was going to point to Michael and Book’s conversation because it’s with their helmets on, so talk about directing that emotional scene.

Yeah, Maya Bankovic was my cinematographer on that. We desperately needed a way to see their faces because I mean, I get the Breen all look alike. I get they all wear helmets, and I get that that’s the premise of the show and it’s already been established, but it’s very hard for the audience to know who’s who. I can see that Burnham’s a little shorter than Book, but I mean, they’re all wearing ridiculous helmets and costumes, and so we found a way to take the liberty of having what we would call a camera inside the helmet where we could literally see their faces. And when we tested that and everybody approved that, that let us breathe a little more easily, that when we had intimate conversations while they were pretending to be Breen, we could actually shoot it like a tight closeup. So that certainly helped.

Wilson Cruz Recalls 'Star Trek: Discovery' Audition & Being 'Formidable Enough'

Wilson Cruz Recalls 'Star Trek: Discovery' Audition & Being 'Formidable Enough'

But there’s very little time in this story for them to [talk], and she pulls him aside in the middle of this chaos in the Breen hallways to just give them a little taste—because she didn’t have a chance. She saw him in engineering and wasn’t able to have a private moment. Then they had the meeting where they decided who was going to go there, and there was no real private moment there. I think that was a great part of the writing, that there was so much going on that these two lead characters whose lives have been altered by the information that Michael got in 508 at the library was… I think you’re waiting as an audience member, she’s got to say something to her about this, doesn’t she?

We’ve also been following Adira’s ( Blu del Barrio ) journey as they find their place, and we get to see them step into that a bit in this episode going on this mission. There’s also a slight sense of dads seeing their kid off to college when they’re leaving.

Yeah, I think that’s enabled by Tilly [ Mary Wiseman] . Tilly has been a mentor to Adira in a way that, in addition to Culber [ Wilson Cruz ] and Stamets [Anthony Rapp]  being parents, the three of them have encouraged that character to embrace their confidence, if you will. And I thought that was a very sweet little walk and talk where the three of them are walking down, like dropping them off for college. That’s a good metaphor for it. And the stiff upper lip that they took was, “I’ll be fine dad, don’t worry. I’ll be back.” And I think it was very relatable.

You mentioned that ship flying into the other ship…

That was all storyboard and we talked about it and the chaos of all that, but I didn’t get to execute any of that except shooting the plates for it. Also, that whole green ship was on the AR wall, which is a trip in itself, that set when it’s that exciting and that incredibly detailed. It’s changed filmmaking, these AR walls; instead of imagining what might be on a green screen behind you, you’re literally in a volume that has everything that the actors need and what the filmmakers need, what the camera needs to tell the story. So many of the visual effects that are not put in later, they’re put in as part of the extensive and expensive planning of the AR wall set. And that was a very successful version of that I thought.

What scene did you have the most fun directing?

I like the scene in the ready room where Burnham puts the pieces together and the decision sort of in the moment, “Well, I’m going to go and you’re going to go and you’re going to go and you’re going to go, and that’s how we’re going to do this.” I loved Burnham’s decision making. Also, I was crazy about Callum [Keith Rennie] at the end, pacing, pacing, pacing, pacing, pacing, and then deciding again in the moment, “Here’s what we’re going to do.” I like when the leaders make powerful decisions with confidence, and both of those scenes reflected that.

You’ve directed across Trek series. What have you found that’s unique to Discovery that you enjoy directing?

I have a special fondness for Discovery because it was the first Star Trek after the old ones that I was asked back onto, so that family of actors reminded me a lot of our family on Next Gen . So I have a real soft spot [for them]. [They went through] what we were going through on our Season 1, which is now we’re part of this Star Trek universe, what does this really mean? And they were the first ones back. I mean, they opened up this whole new wave of Star Trek . So there was a certain skepticism that I warned them about. I was like the elder who’d come to town to tell what it’s going to be like. I said, “Your lives are going to change.” And that’s what DeForest Kelley told me, and it was true. They did, and they have, and I think we’re all very grateful to be part of this family.

David Ajala as Book, Director Jonathan Frakes, Blu del Barrio as Adira, Callum Keith Rennie as Rayner, Sonequa Martin-Green as Burnham and Anthony Rapp as Stamets in 'Star Trek: Discovery' Season 5 Episode 9 "Lagrange Point"

Michael Gibson / Paramount+

You’ve directed eight episodes of Discovery . What are you going to miss about this show?

I’m going to miss Sonequa. I’m going to miss Doug. I’m going to miss Anthony. I’m going to miss Tunde [Olatunde Osunsanmi]. There’s a lot of people over there that I have built long professional and personal relationships with. The cast is quite something. Mary. I mean, I remember when Blu first arrived and Anthony Rapp and I had the first scene with them in the corridor, and it was so clear to us that the talent that this actor had brought from one of the schools in London and Anthony and I had this moment where we looked at each other because both of us had been doing it a long time, and it was so clear like, “Holy s**t, this one really gets it,” and it’s been true. So watching them grow has been spectacular for me. As always, it’s all about the people. There’s nobody better as a leader than Sonequa.

Picard had that great next generation reunion, which I loved. Could we see you as Riker again? Have you heard anything?

I haven’t heard anything, but I’m available.

What else is coming up for you? What else have you directed that’s still to come?

I just finished a fabulous episode of Strange New Worlds that we actually finished editing last week, so that’s for next season. And I’ve got a couple of pilots that I’m trying to get developed and up and out, and I’ve got my son’s wedding that we’re planning and I’ve got a whole pile of conventions to go to, and then I’ll look forward to Starfleet Academy , which is coming up in the fall.

You said Strange New Worlds . Anything you can say about that?

I can say that it is maybe the best episode of TV I’ve had the privilege of directing. The story, as you’ll see, ends up being a Hollywood murder mystery, and that’s about all I’m allowed to leak.

Star Trek: Discovery , Series Finale, Thursday, May 30, Paramount+

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds , Season 3, TBA, Paramount+

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Anson Mount Just Beamed Up a Huge ‘Strange New Worlds’ Season 4 Update

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The Big Picture

  • Anson Mount reveals that filming for the fourth season of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is slated to begin in Spring 2025.
  • The third season was delayed due to last year's strikes, but recently wrapped, promising an answer to the Season 2 cliffhanger.
  • Season 3 will feature an episode directed by Jonathan Frakes, which the Star Trek legend noted as "the best episode of television" he's ever made.

Star Trek fans are still waiting for the third season of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds , but the wait for season four will be shorter. In a new Instagram post, series star Anson Mount reports that he'll be returning to the Star Trek Stage to film the fourth season in the Spring of 2025. The series was renewed for a fourth season earlier this year. In the post, Mount praises Canada's hospitality — both Strange New Worlds and Star Trek: Discovery , which debuted Mount's Captain Christopher Pike in its second season, were filmed there, as was Mount's AMC Western series, Hell on Wheels . He also dropped a crumb of information for Strange New Worlds fans eagerly awaiting the return of the series:

"We’ll see you again in the spring when Star Trek: Strange New Worlds goes back into production for Season 4!"

Last year's dual WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes delayed production on the show's third season; the second season ended on a cliffhanger last August, and the third season, which recently wrapped filming , isn't expected to air on Paramount+ until 2025. The prompt resumption of production, barring further disruptions, bodes well for a shorter wait next time.

What's Going To Happen in Season 3 of 'Star Trek: Strange New Worlds'?

As season two of Strange New Worlds ended on a massive cliffhanger , with the Enterprise under attack from a fleet of hostile reptilian Gorn aliens, and Pike's on-and-off love interest Marie Batel ( Melanie Scrofano ) fatally infected with Gorn embryos, the season will presumably open by resolving it, for better or worse. Regulars Spock ( Ethan Peck ), Christine Chapel ( Jess Bush ), Una Chin-Riley ( Rebecca Romijn ), Nyota Uhura ( Celia Rose Gooding ), Joseph M'Benga ( Babs Olusanmokun ), La'an Noonien Singh ( Christina Chong ), and Erica Ortegas ( Melissa Navia ) will return.

Additionally, Martin Quinn , who debuted as the classic Star Trek character Montgomery "Scotty" Scott in the Season 2 finale, will return for the third season, possibly becoming a crew member on the Enterprise , as he was in the original Star Trek series. The season will also feature at least one episode directed by Jonathan Frakes , a Star Trek legend both in front of and behind the camera; Frakes described the episode as a murder mystery, and calls it "the best episode of television I’ve ever done."

Spinning out of Star Trek: Discovery and greeted with acclaim upon its release in 2022, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds follows the adventures of the USS Enterprise in the years before James T. Kirk took command of it. The series features a more episodic narrative than other contemporary Star Trek series, like Discovery and Star Trek: Picard , hearkening back to the early days of the franchise.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds ' fourth season will begin production in the spring of next year; the third season recently wrapped filming. Star tuned to Collider for future updates and check out the series on Paramount+.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds follows Captain Christopher Pike (played by Anson Mount) and the crew of the starship USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) in the 23rd century as they explore new worlds throughout the galaxy in the decade before Star Trek: The Original Series.

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Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (2022)

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  • User reviews

A Quality of Mercy

  • Episode aired Jul 7, 2022

Paul Wesley in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (2022)

In the season one finale, just as Captain Pike thinks he's figured out how to escape his fate, he's visited by his future self, who shows him the consequences of his actions. In the season one finale, just as Captain Pike thinks he's figured out how to escape his fate, he's visited by his future self, who shows him the consequences of his actions. In the season one finale, just as Captain Pike thinks he's figured out how to escape his fate, he's visited by his future self, who shows him the consequences of his actions.

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  • Akiva Goldsman
  • Alex Kurtzman
  • Anson Mount
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Anson Mount in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (2022)

  • Nurse Christine Chapel

Christina Chong

  • La'an Noonien-Singh

Celia Rose Gooding

  • Nyota Uhura

Babs Olusanmokun

  • Dr. M'Benga

Melissa Navia

  • Erica Ortegas

Rebecca Romijn

  • Una Chin-Riley

Paul Wesley

  • Captain James T. Kirk

Melanie Scrofano

  • Captain Batel

Dan Jeannotte

  • Lieutenant George Samuel 'Sam' Kirk

Mathieu Bourassa

  • Romulan Subcommander

André Dae Kim

  • Jenna Mitchell

Ali Hassan

  • Commander Hansen Al-Salah

Matthew MacFadzean

  • Romulan Commander

Ian Rayburn

  • Maat Al-Salah
  • All cast & crew
  • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

Did you know

  • Trivia In this changed timeline, James T. Kirk is in command of the USS Farragut. In the TOS episode. "Obsession", it's revealed that Kirk's first deep space assignment was on the USS Farragut.
  • Goofs Pike states that the Enterprise is holding to its side of the Neutral Zone, yet acknowledges that they are surrounded by Romulan ships. As the Neutral Zone is many light years across, both cannot be true. Were the Romulans holding to their side of the Neutral Zone, they would not even be within visual range of the Enterprise. It's the Romulan Praetor who says that she has the Enterprise surrounded.

Engineer : [in a Scottish accent] I'm an engineer, not a miracle worker, Mr. Spock.

  • Connections Referenced in The Ready Room: A Quality of Mercy (aftershow) (2022)
  • Soundtracks Makin' Memories Written and Performed by Melissa Carper [montage]

User reviews 99

  • InfiniteJesterII
  • Jul 8, 2022
  • July 7, 2022 (United States)
  • United States
  • Official Site
  • Toronto, Ontario, Canada
  • CBS Television Studios
  • Roddenberry Entertainment
  • Secret Hideout
  • See more company credits at IMDbPro

Technical specs

  • Runtime 1 hour 2 minutes
  • Dolby Atmos

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