Star Trek: Strange New Worlds

AMKC · 24-06-2025 08:24PM

So anyone rewatching Season 2 before seaaon 3? I plan too.

TheValeyard · 28-06-2025 05:49PM

No time for that. I remember it anyhow. Gorn shenanigans.

LambshankRedemption · 28-06-2025 06:10PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123576877#Comment_123576877

Ive watched season 2 twice in the past 3 months, but skipped the space opera episode, and once I realised it was the Spock gets emotions episode, I skipped that one too. Was the Doctors fantasy themed episode Season 2? I skipped that one too, so I basically skipped a 3rd of the season.

Series 3 episode 2: At a Federation celebration, an uninvited guest disrupts Spock and the crew's reflections.

Give me a break!! Most likely one I'll be skipping in future.

JayRoc · 09-07-2025 10:33AM

Just did a season 2 rewatch. Minus a few episodes I recall not enjoying the first time. I skipped the musical episode and a couple of others. Tbh I don't mind the idea of a musical episode, but only if it's well done and is one show of six or seven 24-episode seasons. Also didn't bother watching the season finale, such a blatant Aliens rip-off was no fun the first time.

Negatives: Only one major one, really. "Kirk".

Jim Kirk is not a skinny , cloying WASP. I don't need someone doing a Shatner impersonation but this guy plays a totally different character that happens to be named James T Kirk. I hate him and he's in a lot of episodes this season.

Positives: this season was a lot better than I remembered. Skipping the bad episodes definitely helped bring the standard way up for me overall.

I especially enjoyed the first episode (Broken Circle) and the Lower Decks crossover.

Ethan Peck has really grown on me. He's a really likeable actor and actually has decent comic timing too. I don't need a Nimoy clone to enjoy the character (Edit: just learned he's Gregory Peck's grandson!)

ItHurtsWhenIP · 09-07-2025 12:46PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123617019#Comment_123617019

I finished the S2 rewatch last week. I did watch them all, just to see if there was anything I missed in the shyte ones like the La'an/Kirk in Toronto or the musical. Sadly, nothing jumped out at me. The former just artificially created a love interest for La'an who then stuttered and blushed every time she met Kirk afterwards. The latter was a complete waste of an episode, with nothing story-wise to redeem it.

I agree with you wholeheartedly about Ethan Peck, not only with the comic timing, but just the general way he brings Spock's nature to the screen.

eadrom · 09-07-2025 07:53PM

Yeah, of all the characters they’ve brought back, Kirk is the least effective so far. I guess they were the biggest boots to fill too, but like you said he’s not even the right size or shape for them. Never mind charisma or gravitas.

I have managed to write a bit of that off as it being an earlier younger version of the guy we knew, but that only goes so far. He just feels a bit out of place – and unnecessary, which doesn’t help.

From the promos so far I’d guess we’ll be seeing much more of him in season 3 too. Hope he can settle into the role a bit better.

LambshankRedemption · 13-07-2025 03:40PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123618715#Comment_123618715

Captain Pike was only in 3 episodes of the original series, so his character had lots of room for character development in Disco and SNW. Kirk however, Captain, then Admiral, then back to Captain across 3 series, and 7 movies is the icon of ST, and I really feel it was a mistake introducing him so early, or even at all.

breezy1985 · 13-07-2025 03:47PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123630655#Comment_123630655

It's also Pike's show so obviously he has to be there. No need whatsoever to have Kirk. He adds absolutely nothing to any episode he is in and could easily be some random captain.

Same with Uhura. I don't even see the old and new characters as the same people.

LambshankRedemption · 13-07-2025 04:31PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123630685#Comment_123630685

Pike has already shown himself to be an intrepid explorer and a skilled tactician, so yes, Kirk brings nothing new to the show.

All the new characters all have interesting back stories. I'm hoping for more from Dr M'Benga, and La'an in the new series.

breezy1985 · 13-07-2025 04:34PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123630868#Comment_123630868

I think most fans want to see more of La'an 😁 (or M'Benga and maybe both depending on your preference)

DoctorEdgeWild · 14-07-2025 11:10AM

Rewatched in anticipation over the last week, aside from the musical and crossover episodes, I'm still filled with hope that whoever is steering the SNW ship is doing a great job. Particularly the use of the ensemble cast, which is the key point to SNW's story telling.

I have probably harped on about it before but E8 'Under the Cloak of War' is absolutely perfect Star Trek. I'd argue that and S2 'Ad Astra per Aspera' are examples of Trek at it's very best.

TheIrishGrover · 14-07-2025 12:19PM

I do like Kirk but yeah, I don't want him to become a regular. One episode per season would be fine. Maybe a little bit more as they get closer to the end. Probably need him involved a lit more in the truncated last season.

La'an has had quite a bit of story. I wouldn't mind seeing more but enough with the family history. We have already had enough of the Soongs/Singhs etc and they covered that nicely in SNW itself.

M'Benga's had quite of a back story covered. Especially in the excellent episode with the Klingon.

I think Ortegas is the character with the least development and I'd like to see an episode about her.

I suppose they really need to start plotting how to get from SNW to The Original Series. Spock and Uhura are well established. Scotty has just turned up. Kirk is hanging around the gaff. We know what happens to Pike but will they big that up at the end? Have a couple of episodes getting him into position? Or will they leave it open. I suppose SNW doesn't HAVE to end with Pike's accident and/or Kirk taking command. It could just end. Leave space for some TV movies (Just not S31 movies, OK?). But if they did end with Kirk taking command, what about Number One, Ortegas, La'an and M'Benga? One can see Una being promoted to Captain. Maybe swap ships with Kirk (Forgive me if this is already established in expanded timelines. I'm not up to speed :) ). But I people would be dissatisfied if they did a "Poochie": Have a freeze-frame with text saying "And uh…. Ortegas and M'Benga and Number One uh…. went to another ship and McCoy and Sulu were brought in. Yeah. The End"

LambshankRedemption · 14-07-2025 12:19PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123633113#Comment_123633113

ST has always challenged societal norms. The first ever inter racial kiss on television being one. Ad Astra per Aspera is a perfect homage to that and indeed an excellent example of Trek at its best.

TheIrishGrover · 14-07-2025 12:27PM

Did it a few weeks ago. Only got about half way through the one where they kept on losing their memories. It was only OK anyway. But I was watching it and the high-pitched noise was driving my cat crazy so I stopped and didn't get back to it. I remember it being pretty OK but not outstanding. Same with the Uhura/hallucinations episode. It was fine. But did highlight how much Hemmer is missed as a character. He was great. Musical one was OK also. But I'm done with musical numbers on shows. The rest were great: Especially the M'Benga/Klingon one, Lower Decks of course and the cliffhanger.

You only really need to watch the last episode I suppose

LambshankRedemption · 14-07-2025 05:01PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123633443#Comment_123633443

I did a rewatch of Season 2 over the last 2 days. Episode 1 is great. Episode 2 is Trek at its finest. I skipped: E03 where La'an goes back in time and gets a crush on Kirk. E04 where they lose their memories, E06 with Uhura's hallucinations,

I then continued watching E7, the Lower Decks crossover, E8 with the Klingon Ambassador. Skipped 9, the singing one and am leaving 10 for the night before the release day of Season 3.

breezy1985 · 14-07-2025 05:06PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123633407#Comment_123633407

#1 leaving and being replaced by Spock would be a story that needed covering. The rest don't. It's "the military" or whatever so Kirk doesn't need to be eased in. He just gets assigned the job.

DoctorEdgeWild · 14-07-2025 06:08PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123633409#Comment_123633409

When Trek does societal moral dilemma, it absolutely shines. The very best episodes of TNG, VOY, DS9 can generally be distilled down to how a decision, belief or action taken at a 'zoomed out' view affects the individuals at a 'zoomed in' view.

I have faith that SNW will continue this tradition. Even though it has dropped a few clangers, that's the nature of entertainment I guess, got to cast a wide net to drag in those viewing eyeballs!

I'm hoping for more La'an, M'Benga and would love to see Ortegas move up a little in terms of storylines. She showed some great potential in S2E8 where she took the hard stance against the Klingon Ambassador and had a little heat/friction with Pike, which would have really promising possibilities for development.

breezy1985 · 14-07-2025 06:18PM

I'm not gone on episodes involving M'Benga's weird Rambo backstory but the episode in season 1 about the planet that has to torture a child to achieve a perfect society was great*. That was the episode where the show really proved that it wanted to be proper Trek.

*Despite the fact that in typical Star Trek fashion no one asks why they don't move to one of the many abundant planets.

TheIrishGrover · 15-07-2025 09:16AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123635032#Comment_123635032

Yeah. That was a great episode. Was very Trek. Not everything can be "resolved". In the Trek show that should not be named, the hero would have come in. Gone all misty-eyed. Everyone would have felt her pain and looked at her with sad eyes but admiration while the camera slowly panned around the room. She would have sighed (Bravely of course) and the leaders would have realised she was right and changed their society.

LambshankRedemption · 15-07-2025 11:09AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123636709#Comment_123636709

Thats a beautiful synopsis. Which episode did that happen in?

Oh yeah. All of them.

LambshankRedemption · 15-07-2025 01:39PM

Film and TV critics are well known for being snippy and overly critical, so I always take what I read from one with a pinch of salt. So, dont take anything here as gospel, just someone else opinion:

https://www.slantmagazine.com/tv/star-trek-strange-new-worlds-season-three-review/

breezy1985 · 15-07-2025 03:05PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123637897#Comment_123637897

That review confirmed the 2 things I hate most about SNW. A Spock romance episode and a wacky episode.

Also the Enterprise should not have a holodeck.

LambshankRedemption · 15-07-2025 04:28PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123638226#Comment_123638226

We already had Spock (kind of) going through puberty, plus lots of will they/won't they with him and Nurse Chapel. Plus his pre-wedding preparations with T'Pring and her obnoxious mother. I was hoping Spock was going to take a bit of a back seat this season.

Also the Enterprise should not have a holodeck.

I'm a little on the fence here. I think the only reason TOS didnt have one is because the concept hadnt been imagined yet. Considering they can travel faster than light, can create forcefields, and tractor beams, plus beaming technology, it is concievable that they had the technology to have holosuites at the time.

On the other hand, while the technology might have existed, the Enterprise A did not have a holosuite. It would be like installing a pool table in a Los Angeles class attack submarine, to use a present day analogy.

Maybe they encounter a holodeck on a starbase or what was the name of that planet that Next Gen-ers would go to on shore leave, it was made to sound like a cross between Las Vegas and Acapulco.. Risa? Maybe they encounter a holodeck on a planet like that.

However, I suspect its going to get introduced as "Something Pelia has been working on in her "spare time", lets all give it a try!".

fritzelly · 15-07-2025 04:31PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123638226#Comment_123638226

Well maybe they did but just didn't show it, holodeck technology was introduced to them in Enterprise

breezy1985 · 15-07-2025 04:53PM

TNG makes it pretty clear that holodecks were new and Janeway also comments that ships like Excelsior didn't have replicators or holodecks. It's pretty clear the technology wasn't there.

eadrom · 15-07-2025 04:53PM

I've only skimmed either of these reviews but this one on ScreenRant looks considerably more positive than Slant with a 9/10 rating and, if I skimmed correctly, a sense of "if you liked it before, you'll like it again"

https://screenrant.com/star-trek-strange-new-worlds-season-3-review/

fritzelly · 15-07-2025 05:41PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123638611#Comment_123638611

The animated series has it

Inviere · 15-07-2025 06:16PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123638794#Comment_123638794

It also has cats as bridge officers 😊

I'm kinda of the opinion that TNG bigged up the holodecks to a point that tells us the tech wasn't around in the TOS era. I know Enterprise explored the tech a little through some alien race, however. Plus, I feel in the TOS era, if it HAS to be canon, it would be more likely to exist in larger installations like starbases etc

breezy1985 · 15-07-2025 06:35PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123638913#Comment_123638913

Scotty was shocked by the holodeck. He had clearly never heard of one before.

It is absolutely canon that TOS had no holodecks and if Disco had holodecks everyone would be absolutely screaming about it.

Inviere · 15-07-2025 06:38PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123638980#Comment_123638980

Yeah fair point, I forgot about Relics.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds

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