The final frontier never ends, and that’s a good thing. Star Trek has been teasing us for decades with the idea of human interstellar travel and discovery, and Strange New Worlds is the best of the modern era of the franchise. That’s ironic, however, because Star Trek’s latest and greatest is actually a look into the USS Enterprise’s past with the pre-Captain Kirk era led by Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount). Longtime fans of the franchise know Captain Pike as a mentor to Trek legend James Tiberius Kirk, the lead figure and captain of the USS Enterprise in the original Star Trek series.
Star Trek has seen multiple shifts over the past two decades with plenty of highs and lows for Trek fans. The franchise returned in a big way in 2017 with Star Trek: Discovery. The series follows Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) as she rises through the ranks on the USS Discovery. The series is actually a precursor to Strange New Worlds with the character of Captain Christopher Pike making an appearance on the show. It acted as soft pilot for the Strange New Worlds series. Some fans viewed Discovery as controversial with plot elements that seemed incongruous and contradictory to the original 60s series. However, Strange New Worlds has easily hit its stride in the first three seasons.
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Strange New Worlds reminds me why I fell in love with Star Trek
The series feels like a return to the franchise roots
Some might argue that over the years, Star Trek has stumbled or lost its way. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Star Trek: Enterprise were series that were far removed from the original show in the franchise timeline. Deep Space Nine is set nearly a century after the Kirk era, and Enterprise is a prequel set a century prior to Kirk’s captaincy. Both series divided fans over diversions from the classic formula such as DS9’s setting on a space station or the more conflict-driven arcs. Star Trek is a property that’s often seen reinventions with feature-length film reboots, animated series, and darker storylines.
But at the core of Strange New Worlds is the beating heart of what made Gene Roddenberry’s original vision so attractive. The series and its characters embody the enthusiasm for pioneering uncharted worlds that enraptured audiences with the 60s-era birth of the franchise. Strange New Worlds also gives Trek fans the characters they’ve already loved for decades, but further explores their histories, dynamics, and relationships in a fresh, engaging way. Each episodic arc is unique and thrilling while still maintaining effective character development. Many of us miss the days when we could tune in for a new “adventure of the week” instead of the way most shows are designed today, which is, for each episode to just be one part of a whole.
Strange New Worlds returns for a fourth season
The season looks to build upon the sturdy foundation the show established in the first three seasons
Captain Pike and crew have traveled the universe far and wide engaging in diplomatic and, at times, forceful exchanges with enemies like the Gorn. The conflicts came to a crescendo at the end of season 2. However, season 3 returned to an exploration storyline and colorful episodic adventures that felt greatly akin to Gene Roddenberry’s original masterpiece. Thematically, we left the crew of the enterprise on a high note with a season that expertly weaved together mystery, action, comedy, some romance, and the famous philosophical storytelling Star Trek is often known for.
Season 4’s episode titles and early media reviews indicate that the upcoming entry in Strange New World’s catalog will even further cement itself in the genre-blending narratives combined with the exploration-first mindset that has endeared Trek fans for decades. Every season of the series has been Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes and early previews already have season 4 sitting at a healthy 100% on the tomatometer, though, that has plenty of room to change in the coming days.
How to watch Star Trek: Strange New Worlds
Paramount has been the home of Star Trek for nearly 60 years
Why should you believe the hype? After all, enjoyment of any entertainment medium, like a TV series, is subjective. But it’s reasonable to say that if you are currently or were once a Star Trek fan, Strange New Worlds shouldn’t disappoint. With Paramount Pictures having owned the rights to Star Trek since the late 60s, it is only logical (as Spock would say) that modern Star Trek has made its home on the Paramount+ streaming service. Therefore, you’ll need a subscription to gain access to the best Star Trek series in decades.
You can obtain a Paramount+ subscription for $8.99/month. This tier contains ads but grants you access to Paramount+ shows including the latest and greatest from Taylor Sheridan, movies, some Showtime series, several sports offerings, and, most importantly, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds among other Star Trek series. You can remove ads, watch in 4K, and gain access to more Showtime series like Dexter: Resurrection at the $13.99/month tier. Unfortunately, there is currently no free-trial offered. However, Paramount+ often shares promotional periods such as the last month’s chance to obtain the service with the first two months at just $0.99/month. That’s as close to a free trial as it gets, but you’ll have to keep an eye out for another promo if you prefer not to go all in right now. But make no mistake, Strange New Worlds is worth the price of admission.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds
- Release Date
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2022 – 2027-00-00
- Network
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Paramount+
- Showrunner
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Henry Alonso Myers, Akiva Goldsman
- Directors
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Dan Liu, Amanda Row, Maja Vrvilo, Akiva Goldsman, Dermott Downs, Eduardo Sánchez, Jeffrey W. Byrd, Jonathan Frakes, Jordan Canning, Leslie Hope, Valerie Weiss, Sydney Freeland, Christopher J. Byrne, Rachel Leiterman
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Anson Mount
Captain Christopher Pike
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Jess Bush
Christine Chapel
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Christina Chong
La’an Noonien-Singh
