Star Trek has a long and storied history of boldly going to new and glorious heights in the sci-fi genre, and Strange New Worlds Season 2 is set to do just that with the show’s return. The prequel series debuted last year with a spectacular first season following Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount) and the crew of the USS Enterprise, roughly a decade before the events of The Original Series, and the first six episodes of Season 2 are even bigger and better than that strong start.
The first half of Strange New Worlds Season 2 takes full advantage of the series’ episodic storytelling to offer up unique and captivating one-hour adventures. In Season 2, every episode feels like its own mini-movie, optimizing the show’s streaming runtime and covering every genre from tense courtroom drama to romantic comedies through a brilliant Star Trek lens. With Strange New Worlds, no two episodes are alike in a way that allows the show to feel extremely fresh and wildly entertaining from week to week. The characters themselves are consistent, and the shifting genres and storylines allow the actors to flex their range.
Though each episode is fairly self-contained, Season 2 also does a great job of picking up the threads left dangling after Season 1 as well as some from Season 2 of Star Trek: Discovery. We learn where La’an’s (Christina Chong) journey with the little girl they rescued takes her, and Una’s (Romijn) Starfleet trial is on par with classic episodes like The Next Generation‘s “Measure of a Man.” Spock’s unruly human emotions are a running thread that leads to some incredible comedic work from Ethan Peck as well as some delightful Original Series references. While Pike missed the Klingon war, there are members of his crew who certainly did not, and it’s quite compelling to see the other side of that coin. The first episode of the season also features a dedication that will no doubt conjure emotions from longtime fans.
‘Strange New Worlds’ Season 2 Revels in the Power of Possibility
In Season 2, the Enterprise has gained a new crew member in the form of the legendary Carol Kane. Her energy invokes classic Star Trek while simultaneously feeling like something entirely unique within the franchise. The way by which she joins the crew of the Enterprise is equal parts unexpected and delightful, as she comes in to fill the role of Chief Engineer left open after the tragic passing of Hemmer (Bruce Horak) in Season 1. The playfully chaotic nature she brings is a marked difference from his stoic pacifism.
In each episode she’s featured in, Kane gets to play into her comedy skills opposite some of the Enterprise’s most straight-laced characters including Spock, La’an, and Una. Pairing her up with these characters is brilliant, and it makes for some true television magic each time. She’s completely compelling, and you can’t help but fall in love with Pelia’s mischievous energy immediately. Strange New Worlds weaves in a fascinating backstory for her akin to The Next Generation‘s Guinan (Whoopi Goldberg), making her one of the best new additions to the franchise in quite some time.
Of the returning cast, Peck is certainly the strongest stand-out, as he really gets to inject an impressive amount of nuance into his performance that would make Leonard Nimoy proud. Though Vulcans are known for suppressing their emotions, Peck really digs into his younger version of Spock’s human nature through triumph, heartache, and even comedy. There are also more notes of romantic tension between Spock and Chapel (Jess Bush) and while it’s true to The Original Series, Christine’s story does suffer a little from primarily being about her love interest. However, she still earns several kick-ass scenes, particularly in the first episode of the season with Doctor M’Benga (Babs Olusanmokun), and she never loses her agency both on her own and in regard to Spock.
Mount and Romijn’s Captain/First Officer dynamic feels richer and more lived in. There’s a strong sense of the shared history between their characters, and they’re both able to find a balance of emotional honesty and humor in their roles as the mom and dad of the ship. Mount’s performance in particular makes Pike one of the best Starfleet captains to ever grace the bridge of the Enterprise. His good-natured Boy Scout instincts are still present, but he also gets to show a propensity for darkness that proves how deliberate his choice to lead with kindness and gentility really is. Meanwhile, the revelation of Una’s Illyrian heritage allows her a new level of comfort aboard the Enterprise and a new level of camaraderie with the crew — but don’t worry, she’s still a stickler for protocol, which allows her to bump up against Kane’s Pelia in very fun ways. Celia Rose Gooding does really fantastic work with Uhura once again, embodying the classic character while adding profound new layers of depth and emotion to her backstory. There’s also more great character work and history for Melissa Navia‘s swashbuckling helmsman Erica Ortegas, including more of the “why” behind Ortegas’ dedication to her crew.
As teased in the trailer for Season 2, there is an episode in which La’an and Kirk (Paul Wesley) encounter a bit of time travel, and while saying anything more would venture too deeply into spoiler territory, it is easily one of the best Star Trek episodes I’ve ever seen. While many fans initially voiced concerns that Wesley’s Kirk would take over the series following his appearance in the Season 1 finale, Season 2 does a great job of utilizing the character in a guest capacity that complements the Strange New Worlds crew beautifully. Wesley’s Kirk is a near-perfect hybrid of the Kirks that came before him, blending inspiration from William Shatner and Chris Pine while putting his own twist on the character in a way that proves he’s the right pick for this role.
As far as relationship dynamics and creating a satisfying balance for the show’s stacked ensemble of characters, Season 2 improves upon the groundwork laid by the first season. Each of the connections established in Season 1 comes back in ways that move these characters forward, and each episode shifts the spotlight between various members of the crew in a way that doesn’t leave anyone standing in the dark. The strength of the show’s cast takes center stage right from the start of Season 2, as Pike and Una are pulled away into the storyline reserved for the second episode and Spock leads the rest of the crew on an absolute thrill ride in their absence. The only drawback here is that Strange New Worlds Season 2 only clocks in at 10 episodes, which feels like an insufficient amount of time with this story and these characters.
The Enterprise Can’t Go to Warp Without an Outstanding Crew
This review would be incomplete without taking a moment to praise the incredible people behind these episodes: the writers. Strange New Worlds‘ episodic nature allows for a variety of writers to tell vastly different stories. Showrunners Henry Alonso Myers and Akiva Goldsman pen the premiere, which takes fans on a daring adventure that will have hearts pounding through its thrilling climax. Dana Horgan tackles the resolution to Una’s fate in Starfleet in Episode 2 through a riveting courtroom drama. While I can’t say much about the plot of the remaining episodes yet, David Reed who has also worked on The Magicians and The Boys, also delivers phenomenal work.
Other returning Strange New Worlds writers include Davy Perez, Bill Wolkoff, and Onitra Johnson. Johnson penned Season 1’s acclaimed fairytale episode, while Perez was behind La’an’s gorn backstory and Hemmer’s farewell, and Wolkoff wrote some of Season 1’s most tense moral quandaries. Kirsten Beyer, who has penned several beta canon Star Trek novels and comics and has writing credits on both Picard and Discovery, throws her name behind an episode, and Kathryn Lyn makes the jump from Lower Decks to inject a delightful dose of humor into Strange New Worlds Season 2.
Season 2 is also incredibly constructed with breathtaking visual effects that make every episode feel worthy of theatrical showings. The costume department also once again knocks it out of the park, continuing an impressive show of craftsmanship following Season 1’s new uniform designs and fairytale fits from “The Elysian Kingdom.” The first half of Season 2 boasts gorgeous undercover outfits for multiple occasions as well as a fresh take on the dress uniforms of this particular era of Starfleet.
Everything both in front of and behind the camera comes together for a bigger, better season that offers bold new adventures, grounded character work, and a true sense of wonder. Strange New Worlds Season 2 feels fresh and exciting, while also honoring every other Star Trek series that has come before it, in ways that will delight fans both new and old.
Rating: A
Season 2 of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds returns on June 15, exclusively on Paramount+.
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