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Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is upending canon for its new engineer

Carol Kane plays the the mysterious, hilarious chief engineer Pelia

by Susana Polo

As season 2 of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds comes to Paramount Plus this week, most things about the show are the same. It’s still the Enterprise as helmed by Captain Pike , Kirk’s predecessor. It’s still a return to the episodic Trek formula of yesteryear. And it’s all the same cast — except for one.

With last season’s heartbreaking death of chief engineer Hemmer, there’s a space to fill on the Enterprise roster. And as it’s still a little too early for Montgomery “Scotty” Scott to show up, that role has fallen to an original character: chief engineer Pelia, played by legendary actor and comedian Carol Kane.

Given that she’s brand-new, there’s very little anybody knows about Pelia — but in the season premiere, “The Broken Circle,” she’s already upending everything we know about Star Trek’s alternate history of humanity.

[ Ed. note: This piece contains spoilers for the season premiere of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2.]

The usual sign that a character is human rather than one of Star Trek’s innumerable humanoid aliens is that they’re not wearing some kind of facial prosthetics. And you won’t find a pointed ear or ridged forehead anywhere in Kane’s show wardrobe. But, as “The Broken Circle” reveals, Pelia is definitely not human. The first hint we get is when she casually refers to being more than 100 years old. In the same scene, Uhura, the ship’s polyglot, takes note of Pelia’s accent and asks if she is “Lanthanite,” to which Pelia replies, “Guilty as charged.”

Which is very interesting, because there’s no analogous Star Trek species to that name. In the episode’s final scenes, Spock drops one more tantalizing, explosive line about Lanthanites in conversation with Pelia: “I’ve always been fascinated by your people. That you managed to live on Earth among other humans undetected until the 22nd century is remarkable.”

This is brand-new information for Star Trek canon, and it would mean that somewhere in the 2100s — a century that includes the founding of the Federation, the obsolescence of money, and the events of the Star Trek: Enterprise series — humanity discovered that there had been aliens living among them. And this is something that everybody in Star Trek has just... known this whole time, but not mentioned until now? Buck wild.

When Polygon spoke with Kane, the first thing we asked was how she’d reacted upon realizing her character was an alien who’d lived secretly among humans for potentially centuries.

“Just thrilled,” she replied, “because you can let your imagination run wild and it’ll work. Also, I like the fact that I get to be the one that knows the most — in my opinion. And I probably do,” she quipped, “because of the time I’ve been on the Earth and in space.”

Kane said she relishes playing an older character, not unlike the original series’ Dr. McCoy, who’s doing cool space stuff right alongside all the young folks. “I like that at my age, which is Pelia’s age, that I get to be on the ship and embraced by the other people, so I’m not solitary. I like that. I relate to that.”

Kane couldn’t tell us anything about Pelia or the Lanthanites that wasn’t already revealed in “The Broken Circle.” All we can say for now is that they appear to be a completely new addition to the galaxy of species that make up Star Trek canon, and that chief engineer Pelia has a friendly history with Spock’s mother, Amanda Grayson. There’s no telling when Strange New Worlds is planning to reveal more, but we, for one, eagerly await more answers about the aliens living among us.

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Strange New Worlds: Carol Kane’s Lanthanite Just Set Up a New Star Trek Mystery

The premiere of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season two introduces us to Carol Kane as new chief engineer Pelia and to the Lanthanites.

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This Star Trek: Strange New Worlds article contains spoilers.

When engineer Pelia strutted her way onto the Enterprise bridge in the premiere of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season two, blatantly ignoring the evacuation warning and acting Captain Spock’s orders, viewers simply assumed she was just another one of the delightfully odd characters played by Carol Kane. From The Princess Bride and Scrooged to Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and Taxi , Kane has established herself as a master at playing wonderful oddballs, squeaky-voiced agents of chaos who disrupt the status quo simply by showing up.

And to be sure, that’s exactly what Pelia does. Not only does she see right through Spock’s (literally) textbook plan to falsely sabotage the ship and steal the Enterprise but she also offers a much more elegant solution, helping the skeleton crew answer a distress call from the erstwhile Lieutenant La’an Noonien-Singh.

Why is Pelia so quick to help Spock? Because she’s never known a Vulcan to act without a good reason and, more importantly, because of the respect she holds for Spock’s human mother, Amanda Grayson. After all, Amanda was the first human who ever learned that Pelia is in fact a Lanthanite.

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What is a Lanthanite, you ask? Well, that’s a good question, and honestly, we know as much as you do. Lanthanites are a completely new Star Trek species, so the only information available about them is found in “The Broken Circle.” We know that they’re humanoid (not a surprise, see the Next Generation episode “The Chase”), but unlike most other Trek aliens, they lack distinguishing foreheads, noses, or ears. This obvious similarity to humans allows Lanthanites to live on Earth undetected.

But the key aspect that defines Lanthanites, at least in this episode, is their very long life-span. We learn that Pelia has lived for over one hundred years and that she carries the weight of watching loved ones pass away. In her extended existence, Pelia has met few people like Amanda Grayson, the woman who not only won the heart of forward-thinking Vulcan Ambassador Sarek, but also helped direct the course of Spock and his adopted sister Michael Burnham of Star Trek: Discovery .

At this point, it’s unclear exactly how long Lanthanites live and why that’s significant. While some species definitely have shorter lifespans than humans (remember, the Ocampa Kes was only two years old when she and Neelix were introduced as a couple in Voyager ), many outlive humans by a great deal. Vulcans, Andorians, and Denobulans all live well into their hundreds, with some, such as Guinan’s species the El-Aurians, living several centuries.

Given the Enterprise crew’s reaction to Pelia’s revelation, it’s clear that the Federation knows a bit about Lanthanites, but we’re only given little bits and pieces of this new addition to the canon. Over the next nine episodes of season two, we’re sure to get to know this new species better, as Pelia becomes the ship’s new chief engineer. It’s hard to think of a wackier guide than Kane to lead us into the undiscovered country of the Lanthanites.

Joe George | @jageorgeii

Joe George’s writing has appeared at Slate, Polygon, Tor.com, and elsewhere!

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Who are the Lanthanites in ‘Star Trek: Strange New Worlds?’

Warning: The article contains spoilers for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season two.

Star Trek has had many long-lived aliens who have visited Earth throughout its history. Some even blended in with humans — perhaps the most famous being Guinan, an El-Aurien who lived on Earth in the 19 th Century and would later go on to become the bartender aboard the USS Enterprise-D.

But Strange New Worlds introduced a new species that seemed to have beaten Guinan’s record. The Lanthanites — namely one called Pelia — were on Earth as early as the time of Pythagoras. With a lifespan described as being “almost forever,” Pelia arrived on Earth during ancient times and witnessed humanity’s centuries-long journey of progress until they finally reached the stars.

The truth about her, and any other Lanthanites who might have been on Earth, was finally revealed in the 22 nd Century.

What is a Lanthanite?

Physically identical to humans, the only thing that distinguishes a Lanthanite is their very unique accent. By the year 2022, Pelia was living in Vermont, running a curio shop she named “The Archaeology Department.” During this time, she encountered Enterprise officer La’an Noonien-Singh and Captain James T. Kirk (from an alternate timeline), whom she aided in their mission to thwart a Romulan temporal plot.

As of Strange New Worlds, the Lanthanites are members of the Federation, with Pelia serving as temporary Chief Engineer aboard the Enterprise. When discussing her incredibly long lifespan with Spock, she revealed that the worst thing about living for countless eons is, in fact, boredom. Despite serving on a starship, Pelia still maintained her bunker in Vermont, in case the “no money, socialist utopia thing” turned out to be a “fad.”

Who plays Pelia?

Pelia is played by legendary actor Carol Kane , who you may have seen in The Princess Bride and Annie Hall . Talking about Pelia’s unique accent, Kane revealed to Variety that it was of her own creation.

“I wanted her to sound like you don’t know where exactly she comes from… I was terrified that at the end of it, they would say, ‘No, we want you to regular voice,’ but they didn’t. They said, ‘Go for it!’ I think that was brave of them.”

Kane, who hadn’t watched any Star Trek project prior to joining the show, also said she prepared for the reaction from Trekkies: “I’ve been told that when you become part of the world [of Star Trek ], you will experience a reaction from the fans… I don’t know exactly what it will be like, but I’m kind of bracing myself for it, and also excited about it.”

Although Kane may have braced for the worst, the response was overwhelmingly positive. The overall sentiment seems to be that fans are simply excited to see more of Pelia in the future.

Who Are the Lanthanites in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 2?

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The following contains spoilers for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 2, Episode 1, "The Broken Circle," now streaming on Paramount+.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds warped back onto screens with Season 2, bringing back the beloved cast of familiar faces. It also introduced a curious new addition to the crew of the USS Enterprise in the form of comedy national treasure Carol Kane. Kane enters the show as Pelia, the ship's new Chief Engineer replacing Hemmer after his tragic death last season. Although Hemmer was a fan favorite of the Enterprise, Pelia looks to be bringing in some of the same chaotic energy he provided to his fellow crew members.

Pelia brings more than just wisdom to the decks of the Enterprise; she brings with her a new Star Trek mystery and some juicy new lore to build out the ever-expanding history of the series' universe. Pelia joins the team and appears to be another legacy member of the Federation, stationed on a base rather than on a ship -- that is, until the keen ears of resident polyglot and genius Uhura note that her accent is that of a Lanthanite. It seems that Uhura's observation is correct, as Pelia confirms her heritage as a member of a new Star Trek race with interesting lore implications.

RELATED: Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 1 Finale, Explained

Pelia's Lineage Hints At Her Non-Human History

Lanthanites are distinct among the races in Star Trek, mainly because they don't follow the standard alien rules. There is nothing about Pelia that sets her apart visually from her human shipmates , and she could seamlessly blend into the crew without anyone being the wiser. Pelia does drop a hint as to her heritage before she is called out by Uhura, stating that she is over 100 years old. However, this wouldn't be out of the realm of possibility for a Star Trek human.

Pelia's accent is ultimately what tips Uhura off, who asks her if she is a Lanthanite, to which Pelia responds, "Guilty as charged." This lends the question, how does Pelia's accent differ from other humans in what can only be described as a vaguely Baltic region? The episode's conclusion features Spock mentioning that he admits that the Lanthanites lived hidden on Earth for millennia until finally being revealed in the 22nd century, which happens to be around the same time the Federation was formed.

RELATED: Strange New Worlds' Season 2 Premiere Shows Starfleet's Limitations

Are the Lanthanites From Earth?

This little lore drop shakes up what is known of Star Trek canon. Depending on the specifics of what Spock reveals, it's safe to assume that people in the show's universe have known about this sleeper race of aliens on Earth for decades and centuries. Though it hasn't been mentioned, looking at the more significant lore, it seems as if it's just an accepted and mundane part of human history. More could be revealed on this as Pelia mentions a connection to Spock's human mother, Amanda Grayson.

Trekkies also don't know if Lanthanites landed on Earth and assimilated, similar to what changelings did in the final season of Star Trek: Picard , or if they have always existed among humans. Will this season reveal more about Lanthanites, such as if they are considered a peaceful race or if a conspiracy is brewing ? Regardless, Pelia and the Lanthanites are another welcome addition to Strange New Worlds and the greater Star Trek canon, keeping the universe fresh and interesting even in the franchise's 57th year.

New episodes of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 2 premiere Thursdays on Paramount+

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Check It Out, Some New ‘Star Trek’ Aliens Just Dropped

Season 2 of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds , which premiered last week, introduces a delightful new character: Pelia, played by Carole Kane . Pelia joins the Enterprise crew on a mission after she sees through Spock’s plan to fake a mechanical problem in order to steal the ship. Later on, Pelia becomes the new chief engineer, replacing the late Lieutenant Hemmer . Pelia is like a sly, smart grandmother who’s too smart for your shenanigans, but loves you anyway. I’d love to get a drink with Pelia and tell her all my problems. I don’t care if she makes fun of me afterwards. She’s awesome.

After we first meet Pelia, Uhura figures out her identity based on her accent. Pelia is a Lanthanite, a race of exceptionally long-lived aliens.

So who are the Lanthanites? What’s their deal?

Star Trek ‘s Lanthanites, explained

Right now, we don’t know a whole lot about the Lanthanites. As Spock explains in Strange New Worlds , the Lanthanites are known for living undetected among humans on Earth for millennia before the discovery of warp travel and the formation of the Federation. That’s about it so far, though. We don’t know anything about their home planet or their history.

Interestingly, when Pelia and Spock chat at the end of the episode, Pelia tells him that the worst part of her extreme longevity isn’t watching loved ones die, but experiencing boredom. She may not speak for all Lanthanites, but she deals with her own boredom by hopping from post to post, leaving her position at Starfleet Academy to join the Enterprise.

Is Guinan a Lanthanite?

Some fans are wondering if Pelia is the same species as another long-lived Star Trek alien: Guinan (Whoopi Goldberg) from Star Trek: The Next Generation .

The answer is no. Guinan is an El-Aurian, also known as the wise “Race of Listeners.” El-Aurians have lifespans of over 700 years, although it’s not clear yet if that’s on par with the lifespans of Lanthanites. (When Spock says Lanthanites have lived on Earth for millennia, is he talking about individual Lanthanites, or their species as a whole?) According to Star Trek lore, the El-Aurian homeworld was destroyed by the Borg in the mid-23rd century, a few years after the events of Strange New Worlds seasons 1 and 2. Could we see any El-Aurians show up in Strange New Worlds ? Maybe. An El-Aurian and a Lanthanite like Pelia would have a lot to talk about.

In the meantime, enjoy Pelia’s antics on Star Trek: Strange New Worlds !

(featured image: Paramount+)

Carol Kane's Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Character Is A Different, But Familiar, Kind Of Trek Alien

This post contains  spoilers for the season 2 premiere of "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds."

One of the more tragic plot twists in the first season of "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds" was the death of the Hemmer (Bruce Horak) , the blind Aenar engineer on the Enterprise. Hemmer was a serious character, often put upon and annoyed by the crises on the ship, but clearly intelligent, principled, and even approachable under the right circumstances. That he died was a tragedy to the character's many fans. 

The Enterprise, it seems, is now lacking a chief engineer (a condition, incidentally, that also plagued the first two seasons of "Star Trek: The Next Generation"). Stepping into the role for the second season of "Strange New Worlds" is Lieutenant Pelia, a casual, downright sloppy character played by Carol Kane. Pelia looks human but is actually a Lanthanite, a species that lives for thousands of years (and is new to "Star Trek" canon with this season). And along the way, she has lost her ability to adhere to Starfleet propriety. As she explains when she first assists the Enterprise crew, she's just bored, and wants some excitement in her life again. 

Pelia's exact age is not made explicit in "Strange New Worlds," and it's entirely possible she has visited any number of Federation worlds in her lifetime. Hopefully, the "Strange" writers will eventually pair her with a noted celebrity from history; the temptation to say she once married Constantine would be too delicious to pass up. No such announcements have yet been made, however. 

Lieutenant Pelia

Lieutenant Pelia stands out from other "Star Trek" characters in her utter lack of formality. Sure, Captain Pike (Anson Mount) might be a little flip, and Samuel Kirk (Dan Jeannotte) might leave crumbs on the table during staff meetings, but they all adhere to a strict protocol when engaging with complex space problems. Pelia, on the other hand, doesn't seem to step to the line during a crisis. She merely calmly solves it. She's not interested in the rules, a strange place for a Starfleet officer — and an engineer — to be. Previously, Starfleet engineers were obsessed with machines and technicals. Montgomery Scott ( James Doohan ) treated the Enterprise like a prized hot rod, bristling when people insulted it. Geordi La Forge (LeVar Burton) was impressed with the capabilities of the Enterprise-D, and breathed everything technical, beyond the point of social awkwardness. Miles O'Brien (Colm Meany) was perpetually exhausted, always repairing the usual machines aboard Deep Space Nine. B'Elanna Torres (Roxann Dawson) had little patience for people but became very excited when solving problems creatively. 

Pelia, meanwhile, seems to be so skilled at engineering that she merely fixes the problems without having to be passionate or even thinking about it very much. Her capability as an engineer, at least as audiences have seen so far, is so far beyond that she'd rather fix an engine than ask permission. 

There are few "just get it done" characters like that in Starfleet's chain-of-command-obsessed world. When audiences do meet a "just get it done," character, however, they tend to be gruff and no-nonsense. Like Ro Laren (Michelle Forbes). In both Ro's and Pelia's cases, however, they exist to challenge Starfleet's status quo.

The long-lived listener

Pelia is like a few other "Star Trek" characters, however, in one key regard. After all, being long-lived gives Pelia a perspective on humanity that a fellow human couldn't possibly possess. 

One might immediately draw a parallel between Pelia and Guinan (Whoopi Goldberg) who served as a bartender on the Enterprise-D on "Star Trek: The Next Generation." Guinan was an El-Aurian, a species that also lives for multiple centuries. Guinan served on a ship in the 24th century but looked more or less the same when she was hobnobbing with Mark Twain some 450 years prior. Confusingly, Guinan looked like a young woman (and was played by Ito Aghayere) when she found a job on 21st-century Earth. But then, her bar was called "10 Forward," a name that didn't exist until a bar was built on deck ten, forward, on the U.S.S. Enterprise-D. It seems there were some time-travel shenanigans somewhere in Guinan's life. 

Guinan's most notable feature, of course, is that she listens well and gives sage advice. Like Pelia, her longevity has given her an apparent appreciation for the short-lived people she lives among. "Star Trek," as one sees, has a minor tradition of outsiders who look at humanity with compassion, interest, and bemusement. Our species, it seems, has foibles and idiosyncrasies that would make an immortal chuckle. Pelia seems to chuckle a lot.

‘Strange New Worlds’ Star Carol Kane Discusses Her Character’s ‘Unique’ Accent and Why She’s Never Seen ‘Star Trek’

By Adam B. Vary

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When Carol Kane was approached about joining “ Star Trek : Strange New Worlds” for its second season, the celebrated 70-year-old actor had to make a confession: She’d never watched a single minute of the venerated franchise.

“The science fiction world has not really been attractive to me for some reason,” Kane says. “Now that I’m in it,” she adds with a laugh, “I’m very excited about it. It just wasn’t on my path until now.”

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Despite her enduring career — she made her professional debut onstage in “The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie” in 1966, the same year “Star Trek” premiered on NBC — Kane says she still felt like “the new kid in school” when she joined a reading of the season-premiere script over Zoom. That’s also when she asked to try out her take on Pelia’s loopy elocution for the first time.

“You know, I’m not a very confident person, unlike Pelia,” she says. “I was terrified that at the end of it, they would say, ‘No, we want you to regular voice,’ but they didn’t. They said, ‘Go for it!’ I think that was brave of them.”

More challenging were the thick gobs of “Star Trek’s” signature technobabble that Pelia had to rattle off without breaking a sweat. “That’s the hardest part,” she says. Kane credits the show’s cast and crew for explicating to her why Pelia would, say, request that the Enterprise vent plasma out of the warp nacelles.

“I like to know as much as I can about the made-up science,” she says. “But to be very honest with you, I am not a science- or math-oriented person. So I don’t understand all of it, even though they explain it to me. But I do the best I can. Everybody’s quite patient.”

As much as one can, Kane is also preparing herself for how the galaxy of “Star Trek” fans will respond to her. “I’ve been told that when you become part of the world, you will experience a reaction from the fans, which I guess are called Trekkies,” she says. “I don’t know exactly what it will be like, but I’m kind of bracing myself for it, and also excited about it.”

Despite her enthusiasm for joining the franchise, Kane has yet to watch any “Star Trek.” “Well, the writers said that they liked the fact that I didn’t know it — they felt that that would be useful for my character,” she says. “I think I will now.”

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RECAP | Star Trek: Strange New Worlds 207 - 'Those Old Scientists'

Holy Q! These guys look very realistic.

SPOILER WARNING: This article contains story details and plot points for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.

StarTrek.com

In  Star Trek: Strange New Worlds ' " Those Old Scientists ," an accident while investigating a time portal sends Ensign Brad Boimler through time from the 24th Century, and Captain Pike and his crew must get him back where he belongs before he can somehow alter the timeline.

• Brad Boimler
• Beckett Mariner
• Sam Rutherford
• D'Vana Tendi
• Una Chin-Riley (Number One)
• La’An Noonien-Singh
• Christopher Pike
• Dr. Joseph M'Benga
• Nyota Uhura
• Erica Ortegas
• Christine Chapel
• Harr Caras 
• Jack Ransom

• U.S.S. Cerritos
• Krulmuth-B, home of the Krulmuth-B portal
• U.S.S. Enterprise
• D'Var , Orion science vessel

In the 24th Century, the U.S.S. Cerritos enters orbit around Krulmuth-B, home to one of Ensign Bradward “Brad” Boimler’s favorite portals. On the starship’s lower decks, Boimler explains that the object was discovered by Captain Christopher Pike and the original U.S.S. Enterprise — well, technically the second Enterprise — to his friend, Ensign Beckett Mariner. She expresses annoyance at Boimler’s enthusiasm for scanning the portal, particularly as it hadn’t done anything interesting in the 120 years since “those old scientists” found it.* The dialogue doesn’t deter Boimler, who remains excited over standing where Lt. Spock, Ensign Nyota Uhura, and Commander Una “Numero Una” Chin-Riley had explored. Ensigns Samanthan “Sam” Rutherford and D’Vana Tendi arrive to detail their own passion for the portal mission, and Mariner reveals she is in charge of the away team.

"Those Old Scientists"

On the planet’s surface, the four ensigns approach the portal’s rings. Tendi confides that the device was actually discovered by an Orion science vessel her great-grandmother had served on, but Boimler’s disbelief results in an awkward exchange related to the notion that all Orions were pirates back then.** “Somebody had to make the starships,” exclaims Tendi, and Mariner voices her support for Tendi’s position. Rutherford’s portal scans detect horonium, which hadn’t been found for centuries, leading Boimler to point out a lesson he learned at the Starship History Museum — the lightweight and durable substance had been used by Starfleet to construct its NX-class starships.

Boimler climbs onto the portal’s platform and does his best Spock impression, reflecting on his wish to experience life in an earlier era. Rutherford lifts his camera to take a holoimage of Boimler, causing the portal — or “ancient thing” — to glow and generate an energy field. The rupture closes right after Boimler is pulled through, but quickly reemerges on the planet once again. However, instead of finding his friends, the ensign looks up to see Spock, Commander Chin-Riley, and Lt. La’An Noonien-Singh as he loses consciousness. Number One reluctantly contacts the Enterprise to let them know they might have a problem.

Having been on a mission to deliver a crucial shipment of grain to a colony on Setlik II, the Enterprise now had a more pressing priority — dealing with a time-traveler. Aboard the ship, Number One informs Captain Pike that scans indicate Boimler’s badge is also a communicator; though her commanding officer declares, “but flipping it open is the best part.” The senior staff assembles in Sickbay, where Boimler awakes to see Pike, La’An, and Dr. Joseph M’Benga. The 24th Century ensign confuses the group by requesting the computer end the program, but he quickly realizes he’s not on a holodeck. Boimler begins to freak out , prompting Pike to assure him they’ve already deduced he’s from the future. Now approximately 120 years in the past, Boimler struggles with the concept of a funny captain and appears startled when he first notices Una. La’An guides Boimler from the room, and Una questions whether the ensign knows something about her future.

In the corridor, the time-traveler continues to marvel at the Enterprise ’s retro tech, so Noonien-Singh reviews temporal protocols — no interfering with past events and no sharing knowledge of the future, which Boimler promises not to violate by “Worf’s honor.” Speaking from her experience with an alternate James T. Kirk in 21st Century Toronto , La’An adds one of her own rules — don’t make any attachments. While she does not divulge the specifics of her ordeal, the security chief emphasizes that a small change could destroy Boimler’s friends, loved ones, and future.

Waiting in Pike’s Ready Room, Boimler pulls a ‘Riker’ and mounts the saddle the captain has on display. Uhura interrupts the ensign’s appraisal of the historical saddle, and Boimler explains that his friend Mariner is a fan of the communications officer. Tasked with deciphering the portal’s ancient language, Uhura wonders why Boimler seems surprised that she is so focused on work.

Boimler joins Spock and M’Benga down on the surface, once again conveying his awe over being in the presence of his heroes. The ensign compliments the doctor’s TS-122 tricorder — which is actually a TS-120 — and recounts what happened prior to his jaunt through time. Boimler theorizes the radioisotopes emitted by Rutherford’s camera had inadvertently activated the portal. Spock unleashes a perplexing laugh upon hearing the ensign’s belief that the accident was dumb luck. The mystified ensign asks M’Benga if this attribute is something new, and the doctor confirms it is.

On the Bridge, Pike orders the landing party to beam up after learning that an unidentified ship is approaching. At the helm, Lt. Erica Ortegas notes the vessel might be Orion. Number One states that the starship’s shields and weapons are inactive; though La’An adds some Orion vessels are specifically designed to fool sensors. Uhura, Spock, and Boimler exit the turbolift, giving their visitor a chance to gaze in amazement at the Bridge of the “NCC-1701-... nothing!” La’An is puzzled by what would possibly come after the Enterprise ’s registration number, but Boimler has already moved on to geek out about Ortegas, who he describes as a war hero . Having built a model of one in a bottle, Boimler immediately recognizes the ship as an Orion scout, eliciting a concerned look from the captain.

Pike asks La’An to prepare a full torpedo spread as a precautionary measure, but Boimler — remembering Tendi’s claim about her grandmother’s service — struggles to explain his certainty that the unknown ship is a science vessel. Although Una comments that multiple reports of Orion pirate activity in this area had been received, the Orions hail the Enterprise . Their captain introduces himself as Harr Caras of the Orion science vessel D’Var , assuring Pike that Orion pirates give the rest of his species a bad name. As they converse, Spock detects a transporter signal and announces the Orions have beamed up the portal. The Orion ship warps away, and Pike offers a frustrated glance in Boimler’s direction.

At the desk in his Ready Room, the captain admits to Number One that he might have made a mistake by listening to Boimler. Pike elicits a laugh from his first officer when he compares trying to prevent the ensign from altering time with stopping a toddler from knocking over the furniture.

In the Enterprise ’s lounge, Ortegas and Nurse Christine Chapel pretend to admonish Boimler for endangering the timeline by handling a PADD. Chapel continues the playful ruse, asking Boimler if he has dealt with the uncontrollable vomiting and chroniton poisoning associated with time travel. Ortegas wonders if there are jetpacks in the future, and Chapel points out they already have them in the 23rd Century. Noticing a pair of Andorian officers, Boimler inquires as to whether life aboard the Enterprise is filled with non-stop excitement. Referring to this period as the "Golden Age of exploration," the ensign expresses solemn jealousy. Ortegas invites Boimler to movie night, and he responds that Pike’s birthday is on Friday — accidentally revealing the captain’s special day will be celebrated as a holiday in the future. Ortegas wants to throw Pike a party and promises to give Boimler credit for the idea. Chapel excuses herself to meet up with Spock, who once again disturbs Boimler when he greets the nurse with a wide, uncharacteristic smile.

Sometime later, the concerned ensign catches up with Chapel as she walks alone in the corridor. The two enter a turbolift, and Boimler nervously shares his worry that he had unwittingly influenced Spock’s personality and changed the past. By making Spock laugh, had he set a butterfly effect in motion? Chapel suggests Spock is just “going through a thing” and having fun, yet Boimler insists history chronicles Spock growing up on Vulcan, his pet sehlat, and his relationship with his parents — but nothing about a “happy, smiley, jokey” guy period. The ensign suspends his excited ramble when Chapel guarantees him that Spock was this way prior to his arrival, intuiting from the nurse’s tearful eyes that she is the person who has affected Spock’s behavior. Chapel sadly proclaims she never believed she would get to influence Spock forever anyway, and a demoralized Boimler exits the turbolift.

Spock, Pike, Chin-Riley, and Noonien-Singh assemble around the Bridge’s science station, where Boimler overhears the Vulcan report he has no way to track the Orions. The ensign knows how to accomplish the task, suggesting they simply not look as he does so to avoid contaminating the timeline. The four Enterprise officers turn their backs, allowing Boimler to root around underneath the console. The ensign, referred to as ‘future boy’ by Ortegas, succeeds, though he briefly becomes trapped in the ship’s wiring. The Enterprise catches up to the science vessel, and Boimler breaks protocol by insisting no Orions be harmed in the process, as Tendi’s great-grandmother is on the D’Var . Hurting the Orion crew could erase Tendi and her future as a junior science officer in Starfleet from history. Citing diplomacy — as well as patience, forgiveness, benevolence and "really great hair" — as one of the captain’s many strengths, Boimler convinces Pike to hail the Orions.

Seated in his captain’s chair, Harr Caras takes offense to Pike’s request to return the ancient portal. The Orion pauses communication in the hopes Pike will persuade him, and Boimler — in a very unsubtle fashion — tells Spock to inform the captain that the Orions want him to trade with them as a sign of respect. The Orions detect an extraordinary amount of tritriticale grain in the Enterprise ’s hold, leading Pike to agree to give them the cargo in exchange for the portal.

The Enterprise travels to Krulmuth-B and replaces the portal on the surface, where Spock observes there is only enough horonium left for a single trip through the device. Boimler describes his reality-threatening journey as one of the greatest experiences of his life. As he readies himself to enter the now active portal, Ensign Mariner flies through in an attempt to save “Boims.” Mariner notices Spock, Pike, and La’An, immediately checking to see if her idol Uhura is anywhere to be found.

His problems now doubled, Captain Pike convenes with Mariner, Boimler, Number One, Spock, La’An in his Ready Room. The time-traveling ensigns rapidly debate Mariner’s decision to help Boimler — What if he had been stuck in a dystopian San Francisco in the middle of a riot? *** — and Spock’s unexpected ‘hotness.’ No sources of additional horonium have been known to exist in the quadrant for over 100 years, but the crew will need more to activate the portal and send the ensigns home. Mariner suggests they “cook some up,” and is pleased when “hot Spock” agrees with her, but synthesizing horonium is a dangerous process that could blow up half the ship. With Uhura focused on translating the portal’s ancient text, Mariner claims she has enough linguistic experience to help Nyota. She also volunteers Boimler, who completed a material synthesis elective at Starfleet Academy, to assist Spock. The Vulcan cracks a joke and displays a broad smile, disturbing the two ensigns.

Soon after, as Mariner traverses one of the Enterprise ’s hallways, Boimler hurries to catch up with her. Although his friend thought she had done him a favor by pairing him with Spock, Boimler hopes to avoid getting stuck in the 23rd Century, where he’d have to live off-the-grid so as not to change history. Mariner — who thrives on the grid and, in fact, requires grid — is surprised when Number One approaches and causes Boimler to make a hasty exit. Still curious as to why the ensign looks at her as if she’s doomed, Una becomes even more unnerved when Mariner tells her not to worry because Boimler has a poster of her in his bunk. Afraid it could be a pin-up poster, Number One declares she doesn’t want to know.

Now seated in Uhura’s quarters amid a plethora of books and research materials, Mariner describes her impression of the communications officer as a care-free, super-translating space adventurer. Uhura feels weird that Mariner even knows her at all, but the Cerritos ensign elaborates, referring to Uhura as a hard worker who also knows how to have fun. Only 22 years old, Uhura admits these expectations have added pressure to her life. How can she have fun while being aware she must become a universally-known, super-translating, unflappable, hard working badass? Recognizing Uhura’s stress, Mariner quotes Section 48 Alpha-7 of Starfleet’s Labor Codes — "Officers must take meal breaks at regular intervals."

In the Enterprise’ s Lounge, Mariner mixes some Orion Hurricanes, though she needed to improvise some ingredients. The green beverage normally contains delaq , an Orion substance which Mariner states will “mess you up” and “truly ruin your life.” Ortegas accepts the powerful refreshment and calls the ensign a “good bad influence,” but Uhura covertly tries to keep working on the translation. The Enterprise ’s pilot notices Uhura’s subterfuge and reminds her friend of her service during the war with the Klingons. On the front, Ortegas and her colleagues always seized the opportunity for a break, because you could never get that time back. 

Uhura concedes and downs her drink, granting Ortegas a moment to look at her PADD. The lieutenant recognizes the symbols from the time someone tried to trade her a dom-jot set at Starbase Earhart. Mariner notes that Nausicaans are terrible at the billiards game, but Ortegas asserts that this wasn’t a traditional set — it was very old. With this information in mind, Uhura has a triumphant breakthrough. The portal’s glyphs are from an ancient Nausicaan dialect that is thousands of years old. Wearing a smirk, Mariner toasts with Ortegas and implies that taking time to recharge was clearly beneficial.

Working to synthesize horonium in one of the Enterprise ’s science labs, Spock informs Boimler that Chapel had told him about their exchange. Outfitted with a protective apron, the ensign appears anxious as Spock hypothesizes that his experiments with human emotion trouble Boimler. Spock believes his future self must have minimized his emotions, to which Boimler responds that the universe needs Vulcan Spock. They finish their preparations and set themselves to activate the synthesizer. Separating fissile isotopes at high speeds, Spock estimates the chances of an explosion are down to a coin flip and — in another attempt at humor — asks Boimler if he feels lucky. The pair don goggles and watch as sparks begin shooting out of the synthesizer, and the resulting explosion elicits terrified screams from the ensign.

A dejected Boimler stands beside Commander Pelia in Engineering and listens to the soothing sounds of the warp core. According to Pelia, losing the grain shipment will force the colonists at Setlik II to be relocated, further deflating Boimler’s spirit. The engineer wryly observes they could always search for a time-travel device to prevent Boimler from messing everything up, though she quickly addresses the ensign’s defeated demeanor. As a Lanthanite who has lived for thousands of years, Pelia remembers encountering a hero who resolved to pretend to be someone he wanted to be until he became that someone.

Inspired, Boimler heads down to the Shuttlebay and infiltrates one of the Enterprise ’s support craft. Mariner’s presence at the vessel’s controls surprises him, manifesting a Boimler yelp — Holy Q! Mariner rebukes him for mentioning the Continuum, particularly as Starfleet’s 23rd Century members currently have a Trelane thing going on. The pair duck for cover as another shuttle lifts off, and Mariner explains Uhura indicated the portal’s writing merely translated as “This is a time-portal.” Hoping to be a hero, Boimler plans to contact the Orions with the shuttle’s comms array and retrieve the grain for the Setlik II colony — he wants to help people now. Phaser drawn, La’An gets the drop on both ensigns, who raise their arms in alarm.

The security chief brings them to Pike’s quarters, giving them a moment alone with him. Mariner pleads with the captain to place the blame on her, particularly as being thrown in the Brig by someone he dressed up as for Halloween would be hard on Boimler. Pike changes the subject, asking a personal favor — stop encouraging his crew to throw him a birthday party. Boimler cautiously advises the captain that you never know how many birthdays you have left, drawing a nod from Pike. The captain is already aware of his fate,**** explaining his trepidation over a party stems from the fact he never mended fences with his father prior to his death. This will be the first year he will be older than his father was when he died, so he aims to spend his birthday alone and finally have that talk with his dad. Boimler counters, wondering how many people on the Enterprise will wish they had another day to talk to Pike when he is gone? A solemn Pike reflects on how he would react if he had the chance to step foot on Captain Jonathan Archer’s Enterprise — a comment that ignites an idea in Boimler’s mind.

They retreat to the Ready Room, where Boimler apologizes for judging the Enterprise crew by his expectations of them. Una encourages him to skip a repentant limerick he had prepared, allowing Mariner to fill them in on the time they visited the Starship History Museum, the NX-01’s 24th Century home. At the time, they learned that 22nd Century ships used horonium alloy in their hulls. When Starfleet builds a new vessel, tradition involves starting construction with a piece of the last ship to bear its name — there’s a piece of Archer’s Enterprise somewhere on Pike’s command!

Spock, Ortegas, and Uhura remove the NX-01 relic from underneath the deck in Engineering. Ortegas beams with admiration for Travis Mayweather’s piloting skills, while Uhura applauds Hoshi Sato’s ability to speak 86 languages. Spock accompanies the ensigns to the Transporter Room, where Mariner decides to clarify her remark concerning Boimler’s poster of Number One to the Enterprise’ s first officer. It’s actually a recruitment poster — Una is the literal “poster girl/woman” for Starfleet. Relieved, Number One listens as Boimler divulges that she was a big reason why he joined up. Visibly moved upon hearing the poster bears the phrase ad astra per aspera , Chin-Riley thanks Boimler and gives him a wink. Pike and La’An arrive to transport down, and the ensign becomes speechless when Spock bids farewell with the traditional Vulcan hand gesture.

Having received Boimler’s transmission, Caras and two armed Orions stand guard by the portal on the planet. Pike works to diffuse the situation by relaying the truth about the time-traveling ensigns. Mariner mentions she and Boimler serve alongside an Orion science officer who refers to herself as the "Mistress of the Winter Constellations," a name which intrigues Harr Caras. Boimler indicates that their friend Tendi’s great-grandmother serves aboard the science vessel, and the Orion captain responds that one of his colleagues is Astrea Tendi. Pike interjects, proposing he will let history record the portal was discovered by Orions — Orion scientists — if they permit Starfleet to use it once more. Pleased by the recognition for his vessel’s achievements, the Orion captain agrees and departs.

Boimler reactivates the portal and immediately hears Rutherford and Tendi’s voices, but insists they don’t attempt to come to his rescue. Boimler smiles and follows Mariner into the vortex. The two emerge in the 24th Century, where Boimler happily notifies Tendi she was right — Orions did discover the portal.

Back on the Cerritos , Boimler opens the compartment which proudly displays his Number One recruitment poster and thanks Mariner for journeying to save him from the TOS-era, referring to the “those old scientists” phrase Commander Jack Ransom uses to describe the time period. Ransom makes a timely entrance and notices the poster, remarking that “Numero Una” was the hottest first officer in Starfleet history. He then discloses that Mariner had sought out the assignment to survey the portal, gifting Boimler with the gleeful realization that his friend had undertaken the mission just so he could go along.

Meanwhile, in the 23rd Century, Captain Pike maintains he expected the surprise birthday his crew threw for him. Having learned the value of relaxation, Uhura plans to put on an Andorian comedy for next month’s movie night. Pike and his senior staff are drinking Orion Hurricanes made with genuine delaq provided by Caras. The officers begin to feel strange — almost two-dimensional, and Spock’s arm twists in an unexpected fashion. Distressed, M’Benga exclaims, “What the hell is in these things?!”

* " No Small Parts " - Following a second contact follow-up on Beta III, Ransom remarks to Captain Freeman how it's weird when they have to revisit planets from Captain Kirk's time, which he refers to as the "TOS" era (aka "those old scientists").

** " Crisis Point " - Mariner makes edits to Boimler's holoprogram, fashioning it into a movie, Crisis Point: The Rise of Vindicta . She casts Tendi as a stereotypical Orion pirate queen, which she rebukes as many Orions have moved away from piracy. After all, she herself didn't choose that path and pursued a career in Starfleet instead.

*** " Through the Valley of Shadows " - While on Boreth, Pike sought out a time crystal from the Klingon Timekeepers. Pike sees a vision of his unavoidable future. While on an inspection tour of a cadet vessel, a ruptured baffle plate resulted in a radiation leak. Pike was able to pull the remaining cadets still alive following an explosion, but he himself was stuck in the automatic lockdown. As a result, the severely disfigured and immobilized captain was placed on life support and confined to his wheelchair, as seen in " The Menagerie, Part I ."

**** " Past Tense, Part I " and " Past Tense, Part II " - En route to a symposium in San Francisco, Sisko, Dax, and Bashir are lost during transport to Earth. The trio materializes in San Francisco, but in the year 2024. Upon learning the date, Sisko realizes they arrived just days before a crucial event in history — the Bell Riots.

• Written by Kathryn Lyn & Bill Wolkoff
• Directed by Jonathan Frakes

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Jay Stobie (he/him) is a freelance writer, author, and consultant who has contributed articles to StarTrek.com, Star Trek Explorer, and Star Trek Magazine, as well as to Star Wars Insider and StarWars.com. Learn more about Jay by visiting JayStobie.com or finding him on Twitter, Instagram, and other social media platforms at @StobiesGalaxy.

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.

Star Trek's Most Shocking New Character Could Change Canon — If She Wants To

In Strange New Worlds Season 2, Carol Kane’s Pelia has a big secret — and the Trek timeline will never be the same.

Comedy legend Carol Kane never expected to get the call to be in Star Trek. But, as revealed in the season 2 premiere of Strange New Worlds — “The Broken Circle” — her character, Pelia, has suddenly cemented herself into the franchise for a very, very long time.

Here’s what Carol Kane says about getting part of the latest Enterprise Chief Engineer, what she added to the role, and why she never even realized the implications of the character’s backstory. Spoilers ahead for Strange New Worlds , “The Broken Circle.”

Carol Kane as Pelia in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds .

“Okay, so I didn’t audition,” Carol Kane tells Inverse . “I was called. And I was shocked. I was stunned . Never in my life did I imagine myself on Star Trek.” In the context of the show, the famous actress — whether you remember her from The Princess Bride or Kimmy Schmidt — brings charming off-kilter energy to the Trek ethos, in a way no character has done before.

But, she oddly has big Starfleet boots to fill. Following the death of Chief Engineer Hemmer (Bruce Horak) in Season 1, the Enterprise needs a new person to watch over the warp engines — and the time of Scotty is not yet upon us. Enter, Pelia, a woman who appears human, but is really a centuries-old Lanthanite. After Uhura (Celia Rose Gooding) identifies the accent, Spock and the crew realize the new ad-hoc Chief Engineer of the Enterprise possesses memories of Starfleet that predate all their lives and the Federation itself. And when faced with the prospect of helping Spock (Ethan Peck) steal the Enterprise , Pelia is hilariously ecstatic.

Kane plays all of this with flourishes of whimsical, absent-minded indifference, which, might be because her Star Trek knowledge was close to zero when she was hired.

“I must admit — and I told the writers and producers right away that I really hadn't seen any Star Trek,” Kane says frankly. “But they kinda liked that idea! They liked the fact that I was coming to it fresh and now, and I like it too. I'm certain I'm learning. The jargon is not easy. It’s good for the brain because it's like a crossword puzzle in some ways.”

Pelia’s species revealed, in Strange New Worlds .

Although Kane maintains much of the character’s quirkiness was simply written that way by the Strange New Worlds team, she did convince showrunners Akiva Goldsman and Henry Alonso Myers to let her give Pelia a unique accent. And it’s this accent which tips off Uhura about her true identity as a hitherto undisclosed nearly immortal alien race.

“I'm so grateful to them for allowing me to do it because it was a leap for them,” Kane reveals. “The accent. That wasn’t written. But they said, ‘Go ahead.’ It frees me up a lot and they could have gone much safer and just said, no. And that would've been okay, but it wouldn't have been nearly as much fun for me. And therefore, not nearly as much fun for the audience, I think.”

For fans who are thinking about how Strange New Worlds fits into the larger timeline of the entire canvas of the whole Star Trek story, Pelia is something of a game-changer. Because she’s been alive for hundreds of years, it means she’s suddenly in the backstory of Enterprise , but, also, that she could potentially be around in any Trek series, at any time. Is Pelia alive in Picard’s time? What about Discovery’s 32nd century? Could Carol Kane now become one of a handful of characters who could appear in any Star Trek, forever? Would she be up for those crossovers?

“Oh, I hadn't thought about that!” Kane says with glee. “But, I love the idea. That's fantastic.”

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is streaming on Paramount+.

• Science Fiction

Star Trek: Who Are The Lanthanites?

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One Deadpool & Wolverine Cameo Proves Fancasting Is Bad

Another classic sega game is heading for a big-screen adaptation, cobra kai star shares how his favorite anime influences his character in the series.

While the last alien race introduced into Star Trek was preceded by high levels of drama, Lanthanites are receiving a much more low-key rollout that has endeared fans across the board. The Kelpiens and Ba’ul of Star Trek: Discovery were part of a fascinating storyline. Saru (Doug Jones) and his sister Siranna (Hanna Spear) had to let go of their prey mentality to embrace leadership positions. They even spearheaded the initiative to bring their home planet of Kaminar into the United Federation of Planets. The Lanathanites, however, had a very different sort of introduction to audiences.

Pelia (Carol Kane) hilariously sidles into her role as the sassy wine aunt who’s great with engines. She’s the first of potentially many Lanthanites who makes her first appearance in the season premiere of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds . La’an Noonien-Singh (Christina Chong) sends a distress signal to the Enterprise crew in season 2, episode 1, “The Broken Circle.” When Admiral Bob April (Adrian Holmes) denies Spock’s (Ethan Peck) request to respond, they take matters into their own hands. Pelia ends up caught in the middle when Jenna Mitchell (Rong Fu) is sent to fake an engineering emergency. The joke’s on them, though, because Pelia turns out to be an immortal being who’s more than happy to help stir up a little trouble.

RELATED: Star Trek: Best Engineers, Ranked

The Lifespan of Lanthanites

Assuming that Pelia is not an anomaly, the Lanthanites of Star Trek are so humanoid in appearance that they’re almost indistinguishable from their (largely) Earth-based peers. Pelia herself has big curly hair, a wise face with mischievous eyes, and an eyebrow raise that could rival that of any Vulcan. She looks like she’d be just as comfortable running a bookstore in San Francisco as she is weaving her 5’2” form through a menagerie of Starfleet technology. However, one thing Pelia’s people have over humans is a very long lifespan.

She reveals in Strange New Worlds that she’s over 100 years old at the time it takes for Nyota Uhura (Celia Rose Gooding) to recognize her accent as that of a Lanthanite. Later in season 2, Pelia exclaims that she hasn’t “taken a math class since Pythagoras made the crap up!” No wonder she’s up for the adventure of breaking rules and saving friends; she literally has nothing to lose. It’s unclear whether other Lanthanites would be so generous with their time. Yet, considering how most of them died of boredom, it isn’t too hard to imagine them being just as excited to join the chaos.

Pelia on Alternate Earth

Strange New Worlds has a knack for revisiting classic Star Trek tropes in new and fun ways. Season 2, episode 3, “Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow,” takes fans on a familiar spin around the old time travel block with La’an and James Kirk (Paul Wesley). They find Pelia in Vermont running a quaint antique shop of questionable integrity called The Archeology Department. It’s not too different from the curio shop introduced in Star Trek: Enterprise , and is just as involved in intergalactic hijinks.

Pelia is not yet a world-class engineer. Yet, she’s able to steer the two in the right direction toward finding a large source of cold fusion material despite being under the impression that such a thing doesn’t really exist. Meanwhile, the interaction leaves fans with more questions than answers . Are there other Lanthanites on this alternate version of Earth? Are they, like Pelia, living in obscurity on the off chance that the “no money, socialist utopia thing [turns] out to be a fad”? Star Trek has yet to bring in other Lanthanites, and it’s making fans all the more curious about what this mysterious race of aliens might be like.

Pelia and Star Trek Legacy Characters

In fact, the way Lanthanites are being slowly brought into the universe is quite different from the way most other aliens have been introduced. Pelia has been the first and only, as opposed to one of many brought in at once. She’s also been connected with other legacy characters revived in Strange New Worlds . Ironically, her first meeting with Spock gives her a chance to identify his mother Amanda Grayson (Mia Kirshner) as one of the first Humans with whom she shared her true heritage. Sadly, this is done offscreen. Fans don’t even get to see them interact when Amanda makes a rare appearance on the ship in season 2, episode 5, “Charades.”

Fortunately, fans are front and center when Pelia is reunited with a fresh-faced Montgomery Scott (Martin Quinn). He bustles in holding a hotchpotch of tech junk that only someone with a future in making something out of nothing could love. She recalls him being both her worst and favorite student. This might be the start of a strange but beautiful friendship, the same way fans are hoping this is only the beginning of learning more about the elusive Pelia and other Lanthanites.

It’s hard to say much about Lanthanites when the only things fans know of them is through meeting Pelia in Strange New Worlds . Are the rest of her people eccentric like her? Have they also struck an interesting balance between being both frazzled and unbothered? If they’re anything like Pelia, they’d be equally successful at driving Una Chin-Riley/Number One (Rebecca Romijn) up the wall. If there are any plans to bring more Lanthanites into the picture, they’ve been put on indefinite hold in the midst of the actors' strike .

Not to worry, though. Star Trek fans have never simply relied on the source material for their world-building needs. They hop online and chat among themselves using a mixture of new information, old references, and plain old imagination. Strange New Worlds has done enough by introducing Lanthanites. Until the series takes it further, it’s up to Star Trek fans to figure out among themselves what this shiny new race of aliens is all about.

MORE: Star Trek: Who Are The Devidians?

• Movies & TV

The Broken Circle (episode)

• 1.2 Act One
• 1.3 Act Two
• 1.4 Act Three
• 1.5 Act Four
• 2 Memorable quotes
• 3 Log entries
• 4.2 Dedication
• 4.3 Continuity
• 5.1 Starring
• 5.2 Guest starring
• 5.3 Co-starring
• 5.4 Uncredited co-stars
• 5.5 Stunt doubles
• 5.6.1 Computer screen references
• 5.7 External links

Summary [ ]

While the USS Enterprise is undergoing routine maintenance and inspection at Starbase 1 , Captain Pike speaks with Una , who is in custody following the revelation that she is Illyrian , in violation of Starfleet 's regulations about genetic engineering . They have both attempted to reach out to someone they know who could help Una's case, but have been ignored. Pike suggests going public, as they couldn't ignore her service record, but Una refuses to allow Pike to be brought down for her mistake. Una thinks she will able to get a plea deal, but Pike is adamant that she cannot resign, considering the loss to the Enterprise , and to him personally, to be "unimaginable". Una reminds him that he had taught her not to start a fight she couldn't win, but Pike retorts that she didn't start the fight, and they would find a way to win it because it was what was right. He intends to reach out to their contact, which would involve a trip of three days to the other side of the quadrant (two-and-a-half in one of the newer shuttles, Pike adds) that might just result in having a door slammed in his face. Una thinks Pike is being ridiculous, but if it was Una's only chance to fight the charges, he was determined to try.

In his quarters, Pike meets with Spock , who is less than enthused about being made acting captain for the next three days while Pike is on his "personal leave", pointing out they were still short a chief engineer and a chief of security , as well as Una's loss. It was for Una, Pike points out, that he was leaving, and tells Spock to take it easy; he wouldn't even have to leave spacedock. Spock points out the Human expression about "famous last words", but Pike expresses his faith in him. After Pike leaves, Spock goes to sickbay , where Dr. M'Benga 's scans show an elevated heart rate and pain in the neck, jaw and lower back – all indicators of stress, something Spock calls "atypical". M'Benga knows that Vulcans suppress their much stronger emotions through cognitive blocks, but since the encounter with the Gorn on Valeo Beta V , Spock had removed those blocks. Offering a Human therapy of sorts, M'Benga hands Spock a Vulcan lute , saying that Humans used music to channel their emotions. As Spock begins to play, his heart rate drops – and then immediately spikes when Nurse Chapel reports for duty. Spock quickly excuses himself. " Fascinating, " M'Benga sums up, which Chapel points out was Spock's line. He mentions how his levels elevated when she entered, but she shuts that line down, before explaining she was considering accepting an archaeological medical fellowship. M'Benga worries he will have to replace her, but she cheerfully assures him it was just two months on Vulcan – he wouldn't be rid of her that easily.

On the bridge , Ortegas and Mitchell observe the inspectors at work, Mitchell in particular lamenting how there were more inspectors than crew aboard. One inspector criticizes the "highly irregular" layout of the helm , pointing out that the pitch and yaw were reversed from standard. Ortegas replies that the standard controls weren't quick enough, and she didn't like getting shot at, so she reversed them. Another inspector approaches Uhura 's communications station, and she fends him off; he wants to install a secure comms patch, but it requires a system reboot, which would disable their comms, even the emergency ones. The inspector nonchalantly points out that they were in spacedock, wondering how many hails they would be getting. As if to answer, Uhura's board goes off, and she tells the inspector off as she attends to the call. Her expression soon makes it clear it is not a routine call.

Spock continues to pick at the lute in his quarters when Uhura approaches him; internal communications were down. She has picked up what appears to be a distress call from the Cajitar system , located on the edge of Klingon space – and the signal is coming from La'an . Spock goes to Admiral April , who denies his request to answer it. La'an's message indicated an "anti-Federation threat" on Cajitar IV . April points out that Cajitar was a planet rich in dilithium , and was governed by a painstakingly-negotiated treaty after the Klingon War ; the Federation and the Klingon Empire alternated shifts on the world each month, and it was the Klingons' turn at the moment. A Federation starship arriving at this time would be an act of war , and he is not about to risk it for a former member of Starfleet.

Spock meets with the senior officers and explains the situation. Uhura is confident the message is genuine, but M'Benga worries it could be a trap; Mitchell adds that April's orders were clear. Spock asks for their help to get the inspectors off the ship, but does not wish them to be involved in anything they think is wrong; if they wanted to leave, or even report the plan, they were welcome to do so. When Chapel asks what the plan is, Spock replies he thought it obvious: he intends to steal the Enterprise .

Act One [ ]

In engineering , Mitchell simulates a coolant leak in the intermix chamber to evacuate the crew and the inspectors. But one remains onboard: the chief inspector, Commander Pelia , who goes to the bridge to continue her work. She finds it suspicious that the intermix chamber that she and her team have spent three days inspecting is suddenly having problems. As an engineering specialist, she is familiar with the signs of a warp core breach , teaching on that topic at Starfleet Academy , and a look at the computer allows her to spot Mitchell's simulation. It is clear to her that they intend to steal the Enterprise , and Spock's expression confirms it, as she knows Vulcans are usually incapable of lying. She also knows they do not act without good reason, and asks why he would want to steal the ship. Spock admits he is acting on a hunch. Pelia is amused at the idea of a Vulcan playing a hunch, even more so given that it's the son of Amanda Grayson . Spock is surprised to hear that Pelia knows his mother, but before he can find out more, Pelia tells them if they wanted to steal a starship, they should do it correctly, before asking Ortegas if she could vent plasma from the nacelles . Ortegas, wrong-footed, replies she could, but wonders if she should . Spock asks why Pelia would help them, but she says they could either keep talking or simply go. Spock orders Ortegas to vent the nacelles.

Alarms on Starbase 1 indicate the Enterprise 's "trouble", and Starbase 1 control releases the docking clamps, ordering the ship to clear away from the station. Pelia offers her services as chief engineer for the mission, remarking that it had been a hundred years since she had had engines of her own. Ortegas is incredulous at that, but Pelia simply says it would be a "very long story". Uhura is able to peg Pelia's accent, identifying her as a Lanthanite . " Guilty as charged, " Pelia replies cheerfully, as she steps into the turbolift.

Starbase 1 tries to hail them, but Spock replies they would have to wait, ordering Ortegas to set course for the Cajitar system. Usually there is a phrase used before they go to warp, like Pike's "hit it". Spock thinks for a moment, before saying simply, " I would like the ship to go. Now. " The crew is amused as Ortegas acknowledges the order, taking the Enterprise to warp.

Act Two [ ]

In the main settlement on Cajitar IV, La'an is engaged in a drinking game with a Klingon named Kr'Dogh . Though revolted by the bloodwine she is chugging, she manages not to show it. Kr'Dogh, however, appears to have trouble holding his liquor, and La'an wins the game. Another Klingon takes Kr'Dogh's seat, and La'an tosses a few credit chips to her, telling her what she really wanted. The Klingon agrees to arrange a meeting with Greynax , but warns he may not want to meet with a Human. La'an asks for the meeting to be arranged that night. As the Klingon leaves, La'an looks up and sees M'Benga.

Meeting with the crew outside the settlement, La'an is surprised that they stole the Enterprise , thinking she would have lost a number of bets on that. Chapel agrees that Vulcans can surprise them. Spock points out her message had been urgent. La'an had left the ship after the Gorn incident on Valeo Beta V to find the parents of Oriana , the girl they had found in the wreckage of the USS Peregrine , and had tracked them to Cajitar. Before the Klingon War, both the Federation and the Empire had used the planet's dilithium much as they did now, but during the war, both sides' need for dilithium to replace their losses made Cajitar's dilithium a highly lucrative commodity. Then peace came, and the Broken Circle , a syndicate made up of former soldiers from both sides, thought this bad for business. They intended to restart the war, and were collecting Federation technology; a few days earlier, an explosion at the dilithium mine caused half the town to become ill from ion exposure, including Oriana's parents. M'Benga knows ion radiation does not occur naturally from dilithium, but is a byproduct of a photon torpedo . He is appalled at the idea of someone wanting to resume the "theater of horror" for profit. Oriana and her parents are in a medical tent. Spock has M'Benga and Chapel go to them, while he and Uhura accompany La'an to meet her prospective buyers for Federation tech.

M'Benga and Chapel take in the grim conditions in the medical tent when they are greeted by Oriana. As they treat Oriana's parents, a Klingon and two Humans enter the tent and spot them. The Klingon notes their technology, and asks if they were medical. M'Benga replies that they were from off-world seeking to trade at market. The Klingon tells them to accompany her and her associates, as they were in need of their services; as if to emphasize what choice they had, the Humans raise their weapons.

Three Klingons approach the rendezvous with La'an, speaking a dialect of Klingonese that Uhura identifies as Kach-Ugh . La'an asks Greynax, the largest of the three, if he was followed. He replies he was, but cut the throats of those following him so they wouldn't anymore. La'an thinks it unwise to leave a body trail, but Greynax points out that it was the Klingons' turn on that "miserable world", and bodies piled up all the time. He asks if she had what was promised, and she opens a case with several Starfleet phasers . She had thought Klingons hated Federation technology, asking why he wanted them; he replies it was not her concern, and points out she had promised two dozen, only seeing about half that. La'an tells him that was all she had. He offers her a third of the agreed-on price, but La'an demands double. He is incensed that she would demand double the price for half the weapons, and asks why he shouldn't just take it from a "tiny woman" like her. In response, La'an pulls a device from her belt and warns him to back off, or she would release the "anti-matter detonation switch" and kill him on the spot. Greynax wonders if she had some Klingon blood in her, and agrees to her price, but asks for more weapons.

Meeting with Spock and Uhura, La'an admits that the "detonation switch" was a ruse. Uhura was able to parse out some of what the Klingons were saying, and whatever they had planned was scheduled for the next day. She asks if they should call Starfleet, but Spock thinks they need solid proof first, not relishing another call with April without it. He suggests returning to the ship to see what M'Benga and Chapel have found, and calls up to transporter chief Jay . They report a lock on the three of them, but they had lost M'Benga and Chapel's signal an hour earlier.

M'Benga and Chapel are brought into a massive cave, which Chapel thinks the biggest she's ever seen. They both see something that brings them up short: a Federation starship. When Chapel wonders how they got it inside, M'Benga thinks they may have built it. The Klingon who captured them shoves them roughly inside.

Act Three [ ]

M'Benga and Chapel are brought aboard the ship. He begins treating one of the Klingons in sickbay, recognizing that the level of scarring from ion burns would be normally too deep to treat, but the Klingons' genetic redundancies made it easier. Recognizing that he has treated Klingons before, M'Benga's patient, Ror'Queg , demands to know where, or he would cut out the doctor's tongue so he would "spread no more lies". M'Benga replies that years before, he had been stationed on the moon of J'Gal , which Ror'Queg believes is surety he was lying, as he would be dead otherwise. M'Benga remembers that after the Battle of ChaKana , there was so much blood in the air that the rain turned red. Ror'Queg is silent as M'Benga finishes his treatment. After the Klingon returns to duty, Chapel approaches M'Benga, concerned. While he admits it was bringing back memories from the Klingon War, he assures her he was in control. Chapel has discovered that the severity of the burns indicates the torpedoes were on the ship. Both realize that the ship could be used as a false flag to attack the Klingons, restarting the war; they had to relay the information to the Enterprise . M'Benga produces a vial of Protocol 12 from his medkit ; Chapel worriedly asks if he wanted to go through that again, and M'Benga admits he didn't, but didn't see an option.

Given enhanced reaction time from the stimulant, both fight their way through the decks of the ship, cornering one of the Klingons in the turbolift. M'Benga demands to know what the syndicate was planning, how many there were, and what defenses they had. The Klingon is unimpressed at first, even as M'Benga attempts to beat the information out of him, as he knows the Federation's rules against torture . But M'Benga begins throttling him, forcing Chapel to step in to stop him. The Klingon finally admits there were thirty of them onboard, armed with Federation phasers, pulse rifles, and Klingon disruptors. M'Benga demands to know where the transponder is. The Klingon again prepares to refuse, but seeing the doctor's cold stare, fearfully reveals it was on deck 13. M'Benga punches him into unconsciousness, before he and Chapel leave the lift. Just then, they hear the ship's engines warming up.

Finding the transponder, M'Benga is able to reprogram it to send a simple message, but needs time – as the extremists begin to close on them. Chapel gives him the time he needs, fighting them off long enough for him to send the message. They head into a lower deck through an access panel, seeking a way off the ship. But the stimulant is beginning to wear off, as Chapel is subdued by two Klingons. M'Benga, however, is able to fight his way through by sheer willpower, and Chapel soon breaks free as well. They retreat into the airlock , but as they move to get out, the ship begins to rise.

Act Four [ ]

A Klingon D7-class battle cruiser arrives in system, and Spock orders red alert . Uhura reports no indication that the cruiser has spotted them, all signs pointing to a standard arrival in orbit. Ortegas is confident, having had to hide from Klingons a time or two, that the ship running in low-power mode in a field of interstellar ice and rocks with high iron levels would make them appear to be space debris. La'an hails from the surface on a secure channel, having found no sign of M'Benga or Chapel, and having no further leads from her contacts in the Broken Circle. Just then, the ship rises up and heads into orbit. Mitchell identifies it as possibly a Crossfield -class ship, which would be no match for a Klingon battle cruiser. She also picks up the modified transponder signal, putting out a message in Morse code : "Enterprise, destroy this ship. "

Aboard the ship, Chapel asks if the Enterprise picked up their transponder signal, and wonders how long before the extremists breached the airlock. M'Benga estimates five minutes with a laser torch , and less with a grenade . Chapel didn't think they would be so stupid to use a grenade while the ship was in space, but then thinks perhaps they might be. They search the lockers, hoping to find an environmental suit , but only find a helmet and a jetpack. M'Benga intends to use the beacon in the helmet to send a signal, and the attitude thrusters on the pack to get them clear of the ship. Chapel wonders what the point would be, as they would be dead, but M'Benga thinks they would have one minute before freezing to death, and would pass out after fifteen seconds.

Ortegas nimbly pilots the Enterprise through the asteroid field as the rogue ship fires at them. Spock is holding fire as long as possible, believing that M'Benga and Chapel were captured by the extremists and sent the signal, and may possibly still be on the ship. They are soon spotted by the D7, which moves to intercept. Chapel remarks it was a "terrible way to die", and M'Benga tries to say it could be worse, but then thinks not. Spock finally gives the order to fire torpedoes. As he does, M'Benga triggers the airlock, and he and Chapel are vented out into space. Spock looks anguished as the ship is destroyed, but then Uhura picks up the beacon from the EV suit helmet. Spock has them beamed aboard immediately and rushes to the transporter room . M'Benga is conscious, but Chapel is not breathing. Spock administers CPR, begging with Chapel not to die. She awakens, gasping for breath, wiping a tear from Spock's face as she asked why he had to be so "rough". As medics come in to take M'Benga and Chapel to sickbay, Uhura calls from the bridge: the Klingons are hailing them.

Captain D'Chok demands an explanation as to why a Federation starship was hiding in their system. Spock tells him about the rogue ship, a claim D'Chok considers "absurd". He accuses them of destroying the rogue ship to cover their own failure in the face of the Klingons' "superior might". Spock points out that the Klingons' sensors didn't detect them until they fired on the false Federation ship, adding that he could have easily fired on the Klingons instead. D'Chok demands to know why he should trust Spock, who replies that he was a Vulcan and could not lie. D'Chok dismisses the "legend", saying he would know a man's truth when he looked into his eyes, face-to-face. Spock accepts the implicit challenge, offering to settle the matter over a barrel of bloodwine. D'Chok is surprised that he drinks bloodwine, and thinks he was no "typical" Vulcan. " No, it would seem I am not, " Spock agrees.

The two crews meet on the planet below, jovial in spite of the close call. After having a round with D'Chok and his crew, Spock approaches Pelia at the bar nearby. She admits her Klingonese was rusty, but asks if they had said "let your blood scream" – a Klingon toast Spock was beginning to learn the meaning of. She thanks him for getting her out of the Academy. Spock, curious, asks if she is really a Lanthanite, and after joking about a few drinks leading to "personal questions", she confirms she is. Spock admits he has always found her people fascinating, living among Humans on Earth undetected until the 22nd century . Pelia explains that Amanda was the first person she came out to, but says that was a tale for another time. Now, he goes on, she teaches engineering at the Academy. Pelia corrects this to "taught", and finally answers his question of why she went with them: she was bored, and the Enterprise seemed to have a "shortage" of boredom. She might even plan to stay around, and she walks off, laughing. D'Chok brings him back to the table, toasting "the Vulcan who acts nothing like a Vulcan". Oriana reunites with La'an, who tells her to stay out of trouble; Oriana jokes that she will if La'an does. She asks where La'an will go now. Seeing Spock with the Klingons, La'an seems to have made her choice.

Back aboard the Enterprise , April berates Spock for acting against his explicit orders and nearly causing a war. Spock quietly asks the admiral to lower the volume of his voice. April realizes Spock is suffering from a hangover , the result of the peace agreement made with the Klingons, but points out it could easily have gone the other way. Spock did what he thought right, "followed his gut" as the Humans might put it, but will accept what punishment Starfleet deems appropriate. April decides the Klingon hangover is punishment enough, but warns that next time (" and there had better not be a next time, " he adds), it would be Spock's commission, and orders him to bring Enterprise home.

Spock checks in on Chapel in sickbay. M'Benga approaches, not having heard Spock come in, and assures him she will be fine. The look on Spock's face shows his inner turmoil, and he admits he has no words to describe how he feels. He spends most of the rest of the voyage in his quarters, playing the lute the doctor gave him.

On Starbase 1, Commodore Tafune thinks April let Spock off too easy, but April points out he may have just helped prevent the Federation from having to defend two fronts at the same time, whether he knows it or not. He considers Spock one of their best, and if "this war" happens, they would need all the people they could get. As he speaks, he looks to his map display, showing a possible object identification near the Galdonterre system : a Gorn attack ship .

Memorable quotes [ ]

" I lied about my species on an application to Starfleet. Let's just say this is not a plum case. "

" You cannot resign. The loss to Enterprise would be unimaginable. To me. " " Don't start a fight you can't win. You taught me that. "

" Take it easy, Mr. Spock. You'll never even have to leave spacedock. " " What is the Human expression? Famous last words. " " Hey, I have faith in you. See you in three days. "

" If you wish to leave or report this plan, I will not stand in your way. " " What plan? " " I would have thought it obvious. We must steal the Enterprise . "

" Commander Pelia, I am not sure what you are implying. " " I'm not implying anything. I'm flat-out saying someone violated about seventeen Starfleet regulations. " " Well, perhaps while you're theorizing, you might explain why anyone would engage in such subterfuge. " " Mmm, I can think of one reason – to steal the Enterprise . Or do you want to tell me that's not what's happening here? "

" Do you have a good reason to steal the ship? " " I am having what you Humans call a hunch. " " A Vulcan with a hunch? That's a new one! "

" Stay on that ship, Ms. Ortegas. " " Pedal to the metal, sir. "

" I can't believe this is how we're gonna die. " " We've gotten out of worse. " " No, not really. " " I suppose not. "

" Perhaps we can conclude this discussion over a barrel of bloodwine? " " You drink bloodwine? " " I have been known to. " " This is something I must see. You're no typical Vulcan. " " No. It would seem I am not. "

" After explicitly ordering you not to go, you risked hundred of lives and you risked peace in the quadrant! " " If you could lower the volume of your voice, Admiral? " " My God, are you hungover, Spock? " " The result of a peace treaty with the Klingon captain. "

Log entries [ ]

• Captain's log, USS Enterprise (NCC-1701), 2259

Background information [ ]

• 12 June 2023 : Title publicly revealed on StarTrek.com . [1]

Dedication [ ]

• This episode was dedicated to Nichelle Nichols , who passed away during the hiatus between the first and second seasons.

Continuity [ ]

• Chronologically, this is the first known instance where Spock and Uhura are involved in stealing the Enterprise in some form. Spock later went on to hijack the Enterprise by himself during the events of " The Menagerie, Part I ", while Uhura aided in a joint effort with fellow crewmates during the events of Star Trek III: The Search for Spock .
• Spock's successful negotiations with the Klingons sets up his efforts to pursue peace between the Klingon Empire and the Federation in 2293 . ( Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country )
• The Gorn attack ship is seen on a stellar chart approaching the Galdonterre system, a place where the Albino would narrowly escape from a confrontation with Kang , Koloth , Kor , and Curzon Dax either before or during 2345 . ( DS9 : " Blood Oath ")
• Since the events of SNW : " A Quality of Mercy ", Uhura has been promoted to ensign.
• Months have passed between the events of SNW : " All Those Who Wander " and this episode.
• This episode marks the first appearance of Klingons on the series.
• According to Doctor Joseph M'Benga , a hundred million Federation citizens died during the Federation-Klingon War .
• Lieutenant Mitchell identifies the false Federation ship as possibly being a Crossfield -class ; while the secondary hull does not match the configuration of USS Discovery or USS Glenn , the primary hull is identical. M'Benga and Chapel's investigation suggests the ship was cobbled together from disparate salvage.

Links and references [ ]

Starring [ ].

• Anson Mount as Christopher Pike
• Ethan Peck as Spock
• Jess Bush as Christine Chapel
• Christina Chong as La'an Noonien-Singh
• Celia Rose Gooding as Nyota Uhura
• Melissa Navia as Erica Ortegas
• Babs Olusanmokun as Joseph M'Benga
• Rebecca Romijn as Una Chin-Riley

Guest starring [ ]

• Adrian Holmes as Robert April
• Carol Kane as Pelia

Co-starring [ ]

• Izad Etemadi as Burly Inspector
• Rong Fu as Jenna Mitchell
• Emma Ho as Oriana
• Andrew Jackson as Captain D'Chok
• Alex Kapp as USS Enterprise Computer
• Kyle Kass as Kr'Dogh
• Noah Lamanna as Chief Jay
• Cihang Ma as Livian
• Tiffany Martin as Senior Chief
• Jamillah Ross as Lukata
• Samer Salem as Inspector Gilan
• Hannah Spear as Jen
• Alex Spencer as Greynax
• Nicolas Van Burek as Klingon Extremist
• Abbas Wahab as Ror'Queg
• Laura Wilson as Stell
• Russell Yuen as Commodore Tafune

Uncredited co-stars [ ]

• Daniel Lavigne as Klingon
• DL MacDonald as Klingon
• John Marshe as Human civilian [2]

Stunt doubles [ ]

• Mike Joseph as stunt double for Babs Olusanmokun
• Unknown stunt performer as stunt double for Jess Bush

References [ ]

22nd century ; accent ; acting captain ; admiral ; air ; Airlock 5-E ; anger ; antimatter detonation switch ; application ; archaeological medicine ; Archer , USS ; Archer -type ; Battle of ChaKana ; beard ; bloodwine ; body ; Bolian ; boredom ; Boy Scout ; brak'lul ; Broken Circle ; Cajitar IV ; Cajitar IV avian ; Cajitar IV colony ; Cajitar IV's moons ; Cajitar system ; captain's log ; captain's ready room ; cave ; Cervantes ; chief engineer ; chief fleet inspector ; code ; cognitive blocks ; colony ; commander ; commission ; communications station ; communicator ; Constitution -class ; controls ; crew ; crisis ; Crossfield -class ; D'Chok's battle cruiser ; D7-class ; day ; decades ; deception ; dermal system ; dialect ; dilithium ; distress signal ; docking control ; doctor (aka " doc "); dying ; earpiece ; Earth ; emergency bands ; emotion ; ensign ; Enterprise , USS ; EV suit ; expression ; expression (art); face ; face-to-face interaction ; Farragut , USS ; Farragut -type ; Federation ; Federation casualties ; Federation-Klingon War ; Federation starship ; fellowship ; fight ; girl ; Gorn ; Grayson, Amanda ; hail ; hangover ; head of security ; hour ; Human ; hunch ; hybrid ; hypospray ; ideology ; intermix chamber ; ion burns ; ion exposure ; ion radiation ; Illyrian ; jaw ; J'Gal ; judgment ; Jupiter ; Kach-Ugh ; Ketoul, Neera ; Klingon ; Klingon Empire ; Klingon space ; Klingonese ; Lanthanite ; lawyer ; legends ; lieutenant ; lower back ; luck ; lying ; maintenance schedule ; market ; mathematical properties ; medical ; mining ; minute ; miss ; mister ; Mitchell's last captain ; month ; Morse 2 ; music ; nacelle ; NCC-1279 ; NCC-1279 -type ; neck ; Number One ; nurse ; Operational Support Services ; order ; Orion ; PADD ; pain ; parent ; peace ; person ; photon torpedo ; pitch ; plan ; plea deal ; price ; profit ; Protocol 12 ; quadrant ; questions ; radio silence ; rain ; red ; red alert ; red jellyfish-like creature ; ring system ; scarring ; second ; ship ; shore leave ; shuttlecraft ( unnamed ); sir ; Sol ; soldier ; son ; space ; spacedock ; Spanish language ; species ; Stamets -type shuttle ( unnamed ); Starbase 1 ; Starbase 1 drone ; stardate ; Starfleet ; Starfleet Academy ; Starfleet Command ; Starfleet uniform ; stealing ; stress ; syndicate ; tech ; Tellarite ; tension ; thing ; transponder ; trap ; tribble ; type 2 phaser ; universal translator ; Vaultera Nebula ; vial ; voluntary leave ; Vulcan ; Vulcan (planet); Vulcan lyre ; warp core ; warp factor ; weapon ; weapons systems ; wine ; woman ; yaw

Computer screen references [ ]

archive ; audio waveform ; blood ; brain ; cell rate ; Cestus system ; coolant leak ; Deep Space 2 ; detection key ; dialect database ; energy-matter scrambler ; file ; Galdonterre system ; Gorn attack ship ; heart rate ; language detection ; log ; lung ; matter stream converter ; patient ; pulse ; ready room ; recorder ; respiration ; speech pattern analysis ; stellar cartography ; temperature ; translation ; transcription ; Ya'Vang system

External links [ ]

• " The Broken Circle " at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
• " The Broken Circle " at the Internet Movie Database
• " "Discovering The Broken Circle" " at MissionLogPodcast.com
• 2 Bell Riots
• 3 Daniels (Crewman)

Star Trek Strange New Worlds 4 Versions Of Kirk Explained

• Paul Wesley played three versions of James T. Kirk in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.
• Unexpected twists include an alternate future Kirk, a different reality Kirk, and Lt. Kirk's debut.
• The Kirk family legacy on the Enterprise is further explored with the addition of Lt. Sam Kirk.

Paul Wesley portrays three versions of James T. Kirk in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds . Wesley is the third actor to play Kirk in live-action as an adult, following in the footsteps of William Shatner, who originated the legendary Captain in Star Trek: The Original Series , and Chris Pine, who plays the alternate Kelvin Timeline's Captain Kirk in the J.J. Abrams-produced Star Trek movie trilogy. Meanwhile, there is yet another Kirk serving on the Starship Enterprise in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.

It was a surprise when Star Trek: Strange New Worlds announced Paul Wesley was cast as James T. Kirk before season 1 premiered in 2022. Strange New Worlds is a prequel set about 7 years before Star Trek: The Original Series , but the series was expected to exclusively focus on Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount), Number One (Rebecca Romijn), and Lt. Spock (Ethan Peck). That USS Enterprise trio who debuted to great acclaim in Star Trek: Discovery season 2 before receiving their own spinoff. Not only was Strange New Worlds adding a young Kirk initially a curveball, but so is Paul Wesley also playing alternate reality versions of Captain Kirk.

Strange New Worlds Season 2 Cast Guide Every New & Returning Star Trek Character

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' cast of USS Enterprise legends grows in season 2, including the additions of Scotty and Lt. James T. Kirk.

Captain Kirk In Strange New Worlds Season 1, Episode 10 - "A Quality Of Mercy"

This james t. kirk is captain of the uss farragut.

Paul Wesley's debut as Captain James T. Kirk is in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 1's finale, "A Quality of Mercy." In an alternate future where Captain Pike never gave up command of the USS Enterprise, Kirk is Captain of the USS Farragut. Pike and Kirk's starships team up against a Romulan incursion in a reworked version of the Star Trek: The Original Series episode, "Balance of Terror," which ended up having a very different and tragic result for the United Federation of Planets.

Captain Pike's tendency toward diplomacy ended up being the spark of an endless war with the Romulans, whereas Captain Kirk's decisive aggression in Star Trek: The Original Series prevented that same war.

However, this Star Trek alternate future timeline, and this version of Captain Kirk, were deleted by Captain Pike choosing to accept his tragic fate so that this future never comes to pass. Partially driving Pike's decision was learning that avoiding the tragic accident that disfigured him would force a similar fate upon Spock. Meanwhile, Pike was so intrigued by Kirk that Strange New Worlds season 1's finale ends with Chris looking up Lt. James T. Kirk's personnel file to learn more about the young Starfleet Officer.

Captain Kirk In Strange New Worlds Season 2, Episode 3 - "Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow"

A different captain kirk falls for la'an noonien-singh.

Paul Wesley plays a second Captain James T. Kirk from another alternate reality in Strange New Worlds season 2, episode 3 , "Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow." This Captain Kirk grew up in space aboard the USS Iowa and is the Captain of the United Earth Fleet's USS Enterprise, which is also mired in a losing war with the Romulans. Kirk ended up in 21st-century Toronto with Lieutenant La'an Noonien-Singh (Christina Chong) , where the duo sought to prevent a terrorist attack that would alter Star Trek 's timeline.

Heartbreakingly, Captain Kirk was murdered by a Romulan operative named Sera.

La'an fell in love with Captain Kirk during their mutual ordeal in the past. La'an's time with James, who was relaxed and outgoing, sparked her desire to break out of her shell which kept La'an from connecting with others. Kirk and La'an also encountered Pelia (Carol Kane), the extremely long-lived Lanthanite, centuries before she became a Starfleet engineer. Heartbreakingly, Captain Kirk was murdered by a Romulan operative named Sera (Adelaide Kane). When La'an foiled Sera's attempt to assassinate a young Khan Noonien Singh (Desmond Sivan), Kirk and his timeline were wiped from existence when Star Trek' s proper timeline was restored.

Lt. James T. Kirk In Star Trek: Strange New Worlds

Lt. kirk is the younger version of william shatner's captain kirk.

Paul Wesley's primary version of Kirk, Lt. James T. Kirk, officially debuted at the end of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2, episode 3, "Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow," but Kirk finally beamed aboard the USS Enterprise in Strange New Worlds season 2, episode 6 , "Lost in Translation." The newly-appointed First Officer of the USS Farragut, Kirk soon helped Ensign Nyota Uhura (Celia Rose Gooding), who introduced him to Lt. Spock, forging Star Trek: The Original Series ' iconic friendships.

Lt. Kirk also joined the crew of the USS Enterprise in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' musical episode.

While Lt. Kirk was educated in the finer points of being a First Officer from Number One (Rebecca Romijn), he also learned from Lt. La'an Noonien-Singh about the alternate reality Kirk she met and fell for. Although Kirk is attracted to La'an , James admitted he has a pregnant girlfriend named Carol. Lt. Kirk also joined the crew of the USS Enterprise in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds ' musical episode, and Paul Wesley will return as Kirk in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3.

Lt. Sam Kirk In Star Trek: Strange New Worlds

There's already a kirk serving on the starship enterprise.

Another surprise from Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is that another Kirk serves on the USS Enterprise before James T. Kirk is assigned to the Federation flagship. Dan Jeannotte plays Lieutenant George Samuel "Sam" Kirk , the older brother of James T. Kirk. The mustachioed Sam is a xenobiologist and a friend of Captain Christopher Pike. Sam takes great pride in serving on the Enterprise. Still, sibling rivalry flares up whenever his brother Jim beams aboard.

It''s ironic that Sam Kirk begins the Kirk family's legacy aboard the Starship Enterprise.

Lt. Sam Kirk is destined to die in Star Trek: The Original Series , but in Strange New Worlds, Sam is a popular member of the Enterprise crew. Unfortunately, and amusingly, Lt. Spock is no fan of Sam's . Still, it's ironic that Sam begins the Kirk family's legacy aboard the Starship Enterprise, setting the stage for James T. Kirk's legendary Captaincy. And it's amazing that in just 2 seasons thus far, four versions of Kirk have appeared in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds

Cast Bruce Horak, Celia Rose Gooding, Jess Bush, Melissa Navia, Ethan Peck, Babs Olusanmokun, Rebecca Romijn, Paul Wesley, Christina Chong, Anson Mount

Streaming Service(s) Paramount+

Franchise(s) Star Trek

Writers Bill Wolkoff, Akiva Goldsman, Henry Alonso Myers

Directors Amanda Row, Valerie Weiss, Jonathan Frakes, Chris Fisher

Showrunner Akiva Goldsman, Henry Alonso Myers

Where To Watch Paramount+

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• User reviews

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds

A prequel to Star Trek: The Original Series, the show follows the crew of the USS Enterprise under Captain Christopher Pike. A prequel to Star Trek: The Original Series, the show follows the crew of the USS Enterprise under Captain Christopher Pike. A prequel to Star Trek: The Original Series, the show follows the crew of the USS Enterprise under Captain Christopher Pike.

• Akiva Goldsman
• Alex Kurtzman
• Jenny Lumet
• Anson Mount
• Christina Chong
• 1K User reviews
• 39 Critic reviews
• 11 wins & 35 nominations total

Episodes 31

Top cast 99+

• Captain Christopher Pike …

• La'an Noonien-Singh …

• Lt. Erica Ortegas …

• Una Chin-Riley …

• Nurse Christine Chapel

• Nyota Uhura …

• Dr. M'Benga

• USS Enterprise Computer …

• Lieutenant George Samuel 'Sam' Kirk

• Jenna Mitchell

• Captain Batel …

• Admiral Robert April

• Captain James T. Kirk …

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• Trivia Bruce Horak , the actor who plays Hemmer, is legally blind, just like his character's species, the Aenar, who are also blind.
• Goofs There are some rank insignia mistakes. Number One is introduced as "Lieutenant Commander Una Chin-Riley" yet she is wearing the rank insignia of a full commander: two full stripes. A Lieutenant Commander's rank insignia is a full stripe under a thin stripe (in TOS it is a full stripe and a staggered stripe). It is not uncommon for a ship's first officer to be a Lt. Commander if they have not been in the position long. Spock at this point is a Lieutenant but he is wearing Lieutenant Commander's stripes; a Lieutenant just has one stripe. La'an is the ship's chief of security and the ship's second officer. She is also wearing Lt. Commander stripes but is addressed as a Lieutenant, but it would make more sense for her to be a Lieutenant Commander. Either way both of their rank insignia are not matching the rank they are addressed by. Ortegas is addressed as a Lieutenant but is wearing Lieutenant Commander's strips. A Lieutenant Commander may be addressed as a Commander or Lieutenant Commander but never as just a Lieutenant, so either her rank insignia or the manner she is addressed by the rest of the crew is in error.

[opening narration]

Captain Christopher Pike : Space. The final frontier. These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise. Its five-year mission: to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no one has gone before.

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Technical specs

• Runtime 52 minutes
• D-Cinema 48kHz 5.1
• Dolby Digital
• Dolby Atmos

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Star trek: strange new worlds eps tease kirk in jonathan frakes’ season 3 hollywood murder mystery.

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Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 3 - Cast, Story, & Everything We Know

I want strange new worlds to break star trek canon & save captain pike, star trek: strange new worlds plans to “drive right into the original series,” says ep.

• Get ready for a Hollywood murder mystery with a unique twist on Lt. James T. Kirk in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3.
• Jonathan Frakes directs his "best hour of television" yet, promising surprises for fans in this genuine Star Trek episode.
• With production on season 4 already scheduled, Paramount+ will premiere season 3 of Strange New Worlds in 2025.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3 has a Hollywood murder mystery episode directed by Jonathan Frakes that shows a "very unique version" of Lt. James T. Kirk (Paul Wesley), says executive producers and co-showrunners Akiva Goldsman and Henry Alonso Myers. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3 premieres in 2025 on Paramount+ , with production on season 4 also scheduled to begin next year. Jonathan Frakes, who directed Strange New Worlds season 2's comedy crossover with Star Trek: Lower Decks , is back in season 3 with a new Hollywood murder mystery episode.

At San Diego Comic-Con , Collider spoke to Star Trek: Strange New Worlds ' Akiva Goldsman and Henry Alonso Myers, as well as stars Rebecca Romijn and Ethan Peck, who joined an interview with Star Trek: Lower Decks ' stars and executive producer. Goldsman, Myers, and Romijn divulge new info about Jonathan Frakes' Strange New Worlds season 3 Hollywood murder mystery , which involves Kirk and Frakes calls "the best hour of television" he's ever directed. Read their quotes and watch Collider 's video below:

Henry Alonso Myers: It’s a very unique version of Kirk. One that we have not seen on the show before. And all of our actors get to do things that we’ve never seen them do. Akiva Goldsman: It’s a Hollywood murder mystery… As always, we are striving to create a different genre within ours. So there’s a reason for it. It’s not somebody having a dream… Because of that, our actors get to do things that they haven’t gotten to do previously… We do keep trying to push, because we were so delighted [with] ourselves with the musical episode that we kind of were like, “Oh, f*ck, what are we going to do now?” Henry Alonso Myers: It’s a genuine Star Trek episode. No one who knows and is familiar with Star Trek will say, “Oh, that doesn’t feel like a normal episode.” They will be like, “Oh, I get it, yep, yep, yep.” But it will surprise them. Rebecca Romijn: It was a really special experience. When we wrapped that episode, [Jonathan Frakes] and I were on the same flight going home that weekend, which was delayed, so I got to listen to him talk about it for three hours, how it was his favorite hour of television that he’s ever directed.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2 ended with an epic cliffhanger and here's everything known about when it will be resolved in season 3.

Will Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Introduce Paul Wesley's 4th Kirk?

Paul wesley has already played 3 kirks in strange new worlds.

In 2 seasons of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds thus far, Paul Wesley has already played 3 versions of James T. Kirk , and Henry Alonso Myers' comments hint at the possibility that Wesley could portray his 4th incarnation of Kirk . Wesley debuted as an alternate future Captain Kirk in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds ' season 1 finale. Paul then played another alternate reality Captain Kirk in Strange New Worlds season 2, episode 3, "Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow." The ending of that episode introduced Wesley as Lt. James T. Kirk, the main version of Kirk he plays on Strange New Worlds.

Kirk is in a romantic entanglement with Lt. La'an Noonien-Singh (Christina Chong), although he has a pregnant girlfriend named Carol.

Could Jonathan Frakes' Hollywood murder mystery episode in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds introduce yet another version of Kirk played by Paul Wesley? Or could it be the same Lt. Kirk Wesley already plays thrust into an unusual new situation? Either way, Kirk will continue to impact the USS Enterprise, the starship he is destined to inherit from Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount). Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3 also marks Jonathan Frakes' first time directing Paul Wesley's Kirk , which is another reason to look forward to Frakes' Hollywood murder mystery.

Source: Collider, Transcript by TrekMovie.com

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds

• Captain James Kirk

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‘Star Trek: Strange New Worlds’ Showrunners Talk “Crazier” Season 3, Plans To “Drive Right Into” TOS

| August 20, 2024 | By: TrekMovie.com Staff 214 comments so far

After the Strange New Worlds section of the big Trek panel at SDCC last month , executive producers and showrunners Akiva Goldsman and Henry Alonso Myers along with cast members Ethan Peck (Spock) and Rebecca Romijn (Una/Number One) offered more insight into what we can expect in the upcoming third season. They also discussed early work on the fourth season and longer term plans for the show.

Spreading their wings in season 3… including murder mystery

The second season of  Strange New Worlds included a musical episode and an crossover with the Lower Decks animated series. And according to to the showrunners, they keep pushing the boundaries in season 3. Speaking to Variety , Goldsman said the show has more genres to conquer:

Akiva Goldsman: We have a bunch of ideas for the kinds of genres Star Trek can accommodate, and we continue to sort of try to stretch those boundaries. So, as you saw [ in the SDCC clip ], a lot of people become Vulcans. We are trying to, dare I say, go where we have not gone before when it comes to genre. So besides the tried and true, which is some sci fi adventure, and certainly our attempt to remember the cadence of at least regularly, there must be a moral to the story, we are spreading our wings.

Romijn backed him up:

Rebecca Romijn: I feel like every episode is such a surprise to us. And [the showrunners] are so good at playing with genre that we never see it coming. So we didn’t think we could outdo season 2 with some of the things that we pulled in season 2, and season 3 we’re equally proud of. And we did some things.

With IGN , Myers confirmed they aren’t doing another musical (yet), but he teased they are still getting crazy:

Henry Alonso Myers: I can’t promise we aren’t going to revisit [“Subspace Rhapsody”] some day, but we’re going to hold off a little bit before we come back to it. If you come back for a second episode of something, you really want to make it special and different and bigger and crazier. We’re special and different and bigger and crazier in our next season in a lot of other ways.

Earlier this year Jonathan Frakes revealed he directed a “Hollywood murder mystery” for season 3. Speaking to Collider the EPs confirmed this would be the fourth episode of the season as they expanded on what to expect:

Henry Alonso Myers: It’s a very unique version of Kirk, one that we have not seen on the show before. And all of our actors get to do things that we’ve never seen them do. Akiva Goldsman: It’s a Hollywood murder mystery… As always we are striving to create a different genre within ours. So there’s a reason for it. It’s not somebody having a dream… Because of that, our actors get to do things that they haven’t gotten to do previously… We do keep trying to push, because we were so delighted ourselves with the musical episode that we kind of were like, “Oh, fuck, what are we going to do now?” Henry Alonso Myers: It’s a genuine Star Trek episode. No one who knows and is familiar with Star Trek will say, “Oh, that doesn’t feel like a normal episode.” They will be like, “Oh, I get it, yep, yep, yep.” But it will surprise them.

Myers also hyped it as a “spectacular episode” while Romijn revealed how she (and Frakes) felt about it:

Rebecca Romijn: It was really special experience. When we wrapped that episode [Jonathan Frakes] and I were on the same flight going home that weekend, which was delayed so I got to listen to him talk about it for three hours, how it was his favorite hour of television that he’s ever directed.

Henry Alonso Myers, Ethan Peck, Rebecca Romijn and Akiva Goldsman at Paramount+ Star Trek Menagerie Booth San Diego Comic-Con 2024 (Paramount+)

A new Una, a younger Scotty, a different Korby

During the various interviews where were some teases about what to expect for some of the characters in season 3. Rebecca and Henry talked to IGN about how things are different for her character in season 3:

Rebecca Romijn: She’s been shrouded in shame with the secret of being a secret Illyrian and breaking the rules of Starfleet. Now that she gets rid of that shame, it’s a lighter version of her. So you’re going to have a little more fun with her. Henry Alonso Myers: I would also say that we see a side of her that we have not seen before this season. We see a completely different side of her that Rebecca gets to play, which I am excited for people to see.

During the panel it was revealed that Martin Quinn’s Scotty (introduced in the season 2 finale) has joined as a series regular. Speaking to ScreenRant , Myers talked about how this engineer is different than the Montgomery Scott we are familiar with from Star Trek: The Original Series :

Henry Alonso Myers: This is a Scotty you have not seen before. He isn’t the Scotty who he becomes in The Original Series , yet. He’s younger. He’s going through a lot. He is someone to experience. It’s been really fun to bring him into the ship. It’s been really fun to see him interact with our characters and kind of learn who he is going to be, but not who he is, yet.

Ethan Peck previewed how Spock and Scotty work together (via Variety):

Ethan Peck: He shares a load of science jargon. So that’s very appreciated from my end. And I think there’s a lot of fun things to do between Spock and Scotty… [Martin Quinn] brings such a great energy to the cast

One of the big reveals for the SDCC panel was how after being teased in season 2, the character of  Dr. Roger Korby will have a recurring role in season 3, played by Irish actor Cillian O’Sullivan. TOS lore establishes how Korby will eventually become engaged to Christine Chapel, later running into some grave trouble on an alien planet . Speaking to Variety and IGN, Goldsman emphasized how on SNW, we get to see a different side to this character:

Akiva Goldsman: Like so many of our characters, they have many great days before their less great days. Our take on Roger Korby is not quite what you would expect. Akiva Goldsman: What’s fun about having TOS in front of us is it allows us to do inductive storytelling. We can see where somebody ended up and then try to imagine how they got there. So all we can say is that the Roger Korby you see on Strange New Worlds is going to travel a long path before he gets to be the Roger Korby that you see The Original Series .

With IGN, Myers talked a bit about the Korby/Chapel dynamic:

Henry Alonso Myers: Try to imagine this from the perspective of Chapel. She’s smart, she’s talented, she probably makes smart and interesting decisions in her life. What’s the kind of person that she would be drawn to? Who would she want to learn something from?… That is something to look forward to dealing with as well.

The introduction of Korby creates a bit of a love triangle situation with Spock. Ethan Peck talked to ScreenRant about how that is going to work out:

Ethan Peck: It’s going be pretty interesting. And Killian O’Sullivan is terrific. He and I as actors have great chemistry. So I’m very excited for people to see that.

Speaking of Spock, he is getting a cool new science lab set (with built into pool beneath the floor) for season 3. Peck didn’t have any spoilers to share about the new set when asked by Variety, but Henry teased:

Henry Alonso Myers: I think it’s safe to say that you will see some things in the pool [in season 3].

Spock’s new lab for season 3 (Paramount+)

Season 4 planned out, but don’t expect more than 10 episodes

Earlier this year Paramount picked up the series for a fourth season, which will go into production in early 2025. Goldsman gave Collider a status update:

Akiva Goldsman: We’re in the [writers’] room. We’re breaking. We’re talking. We have the cards with the episodes, we know what the 10 episodes are going to be about. The network does it yet, but they will soon.

They didn’t offer any details but when the group was asked if they had any dream pitches for the show, Myers revealed his dream is coming true in season 4:

Henry Alonso Myers: What I really want to do I can’t talk about right now, but it will come in season 4… But there are lots of surprises in season 3 we can look forward to.

This may not be related but when asked by ScreenRant about Spock’s half-brother Sybok, Akiva noted that Myers “desperately wants” to feature the character on the show, with Henry confirming, “I do want him to be in the show, very much.”

If you were hoping they would expand beyond the 10-episode format, you can forget that wish. When ScreenRant noted many fans hoped for more episodes, Goldsman pointed to Paramount being the limiting factor:

Akiva Goldsman: No [we aren’t doing more than 10 episodes], I mean not so far, and we tried, in fairness. We too have that sense and it is most practically represented by the number of cards that are episode cards we get at the beginning of each season. It’s sort of like a Friends analogy, “Let’s do ‘The One Where…’, Let’s do ‘The One Where…’, Let’s do ‘The One Where…’” And we always have more cards than 10 by the end. So, [ Discovery ] was 13 episodes and we sort of batted our eyes and said, “give us more,” and they said, “No, you can have less.” And we said, “No, ten is good.”

Rebecca Romijn and Ethan Peck check out the Paramount+ Star Trek Menagerie Booth at San Diego Comic-Con 2024 (Paramount+)

Ready to run into TOS

Of course, Strange New Worlds is a prequel to Star Trek: The Original Series , featuring the same ship and many of the same characters. As of now there is not set limit on how many seasons the show will run. The showrunners talked to Collider about how they approach each new season:

Henry Alonso Myers: Episode by episode and season by season and really try to treat everything like, “If this was our last episode, what would it be?” We want to do the best version of everything. If this was all we got to do, what are the cool things that we will be really upset that we never got to do? We look at every season like that. Akiva Goldsman: Left to our own devices, which really means if Paramount will, we’ll keep going into the TOS era. And we know how. That’s the hope, but as Henry said, nothing is assured. So we come from a conservative place with great aspirations.

When asked by Variety if we should expect other major characters to show up, notably Sulu and Dr. McCoy, the showrunners didn’t directly answer the question, saying:

Henry Alonso Myers: It’s probably worth mentioning that these characters are not the people that they will become when we get to The Original Series . They are still younger. They are going through things. They have a lot of life and lessons to go through. They have some growth to do so you don’t see them exactly the way that you would see them later on. And that’s important for us to give them something to play. Akiva Goldsman: We will continue on for as long as Paramount lets us. We will drive right into The Original Series .

Pike’s hair in season 3 clip explained

Paramount+ released a clip at Comic-Con from episode 8 of season 3, where several members of the crew get turned into Vulcans. This has a particular impact on Pike’s hair, which Myers explained to Collider:

Henry Alonso Myers: That was 100% Anson. We were talking about what different types of hair to do, and he said, I had this one idea. And I was like, “Just try it.” And he did it and Akiva and I looked at it, we were like, “That’s it, 100% don’t bother trying anything else we have to do this.”

ICYMI, here is the clip again…

Paramount+ has not yet set a date for season 3 beyond saying it is coming in 2025. They have also already ordered a fourth season, which is expected to start production in the spring of 2025.

Keep up with news about the  Star Trek Universe at TrekMovie.com .

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I worry that they are getting caught up in the gimmick of having each episode be a different genre that they’ve forgotten that each episode should be about visiting a different alien world.

No Star Trek series has had every episode being about visiting a planet.

That said, in the first two seasons they’ve visited these societies:

Kiley 279: planet at a similar stage of development as Earth in the 2020s, at a similar crossroads. 

Persephone System: a planet at an early stage of development suffering from a drought. 

Comet C/2260-Quentin: a comet known as the last of the Arbiters of Life, worshipped by a spacefaring people called the Shepherds. 

Hetamit IX: former Illyrian colony, abandoned due to climate change. 

Finibus III: a Federation colony in need of supplies, that was attacked by the Gorn. 

Majalis: a planet in which the paradise on the surface is upheld by sacrificing the life of a child on a regular basis. 

Ankeshtan K’til Retreat: a planet with a Vulcan criminal rehabilitation center. 

Jonisian Nebula: a nebula in which a non-corporeal species imposes the personalities from M’Benga’s book The Elysian Kingdom onto the crew, they take Rukiya, who grows from childhood to adulthood instantly, then they take her under their wing. 

Valeo Beta V: ice planet onto which the USS Peregrine crashed. The temperatures are fatal to the Gorn, and Hemmer sacrificed himself there. 

Cajitar IV: a planet that switched from UFP to Klingon territory on a regular cycle since the war, and hid a Starfleet vessel being prepared for a false flag. 

Illyria: Una’s homeworld, which had districts for Augments and non-genetically modified people, and a culture based on that segregation. 

Planet in the Vaultera Nebula: with air only suitable for Augments. 

Rigel VII: Despite the visions from “The Cage,” we never actually visited this world before. All we knew before was that there was a castle with guards. In this series, we learned there’s a culture based on the loss of memories from radiation, and the way Yeoman Nguyen uses that to control the Kalarans. 

Kerkhovian moon/neighboring interdimensional space: home to the Kerkhovians, a bureaucratic people who “fix” intruders and immediately send them on their way. 

Bannon’s Nebula: a nebula in which the inhabitants require the deuterium stored there and communicate with others using imagery from the recipient’s own memories. 

Krulmuth-B: site of the Krulmuth-B portal. 

Setlik II: though not visited onscreen, it was the home to a colony near the Cardassian border that grows tritriticale. 

J’gal: Federation colony attacked during the Klingon War. 

Subspace rift: a pocket in space that operates by the rules of musicals.

Parnassus Beta: Federation colony designed to look like the American midwest.

This series is literally called Strange New Worlds…

While some of these storylines have produced meaningful plot driven moments others have been left unfinished. Strange New Worlds, in particular, has spent a lot of time developing the characters on the show rather than some of the alien worlds. There has been exceptions. The planet Majalis was one of the shows that gave the aliens the most to do and the audience the most to wonder about. Others not so much. I like SNW too but it wouldn’t hurt to focus on more aliens and less gimmicks. Like the Gorn, for example. They have hinted at giving them more depth at the end of season 2 and I hope we see that going forward. Otherwise, they will stay firmly in the gimmick routine.

Less focus too on how to move into TOS and more focus on what THIS SHOW brings to the franchise. I feel every interview is always emphasizing the TOS connections. I don’t know if it’s company mandated talking points, the person conducting the interview or just the personal choices of the creative staff. I know these characters exist in the show but I wish they would talk about other topics.

The producers are trying to keep working after SNW finishes.

Yes, and they’ve been visiting Strange New Worlds. What’s your point. Don’t tell the showrunners what their show is about.

I just wish it was about *something*…I’m just not seeing the early years TOS messages and metaphors that made Star Trek more than Lost in Space

If that’s the case, you aren’t actually watching the show.

While I do love SNW, gatekeeping is not cool.

I wouldn’t characterize my comment as gatekeeping, personally. Whether one likes the show or not, it’s an objective fact that at least half of the show’s episodes have attempted to replicate TOSian messages/metaphors. Whether they succeeded or not is very much up for debate, though.

Appreciate you gatekeeping my comment, though.

You get to strange new worlds as you voyage and as you voyage you also see all kind of other strange new phenomenon and things that deserve attention. Don’t be so literal. There is quite clearly a reason that computer fan writers aren’t writing tv shows!

And none of those planets were strange or offered anything new about an alien world.

Amen, Michael… Amen!

Completely agree, Michael. I’m losing interest with all the gimmicks and parody of the franchise that is happening.

As someone who doesn’t mind gimmicky episodes, I have to agree as well. Most fans seem fine with the idea in general but not to the point it takes away what the show is supposed to be about, actually exploring strange new worlds. The gimmick thing has been a part of all the classic shows of course but when you have 20+ episodes every year no one expects every episode to be beaming to a new planet and chaos begins and so you can do something like Bashir pretending to be James Bond in the holodeck because you have the space to do it.

But when you only have 10 episodes (and they just made it clear it will only be 10) then don’t lose sight of what the show should be focused on.

All that said I am intrigued with the Hollywood mystery episode and more so than I was with the musical idea.

The thing is the only show that was really about visiting Strange New Worlds was TOS. TNG was more about the Enterprise going on diplomatic missions and policing the galaxy than exploring it. DS9 was…. DUH. Voyager did explore SNW in the beginning by their very nature but quickly ended that when the Borg came around. ENT did some exporing on its own as well but it was always THE gimmic show of it’s time. First with the cold war, then the Xindi, then revisiting themes from TOS.

Now we have SNW and while it is supposed to be a failthful love letter to TOS that’s not really what it is turning out to be Like DS9 and ENT this is quickly becoming a war series with the Gorn rather than actually exploring. The big difference this time around is we have shortened 10 ep seasons which means TPTB can only show us so much and clearly they are choosing to stick to the ongoing story line of seasons rather than the ep of the week type show this was initially supposed to be. Which, hey, thats fine so long as it is respectful to the franchise and of course entertaining. I liked S1 WAY more than S2. We’ll see with S3.

I expected “Strange New Worlds” to explore, well, strange new worlds not because it was a love letter to the original, but because they named the bleeding show “Strange New Worlds.”

Not every episode of a show has to specifically adhere to the title. It’s like the same complaint about “moving forward,” that it has to mean taking place further in the future. Stop being so literal.

As pointed out already, the show has visited many strange new worlds. If you don’t like the show, just say so.

In STAR TREK VI, there are no undiscovered countries.

Oh, but there are… there are. Gorkon says in his toast, “To the undiscovered country: the future.”

A future, as Kirk says, following the assassination attempt on the Federation President, “It’s about the future, Madame Chancellor. Some people think the future means the end of history. Well, we haven’t run out of history quite yet. Your father called the future – “the undiscovered country”.

So, no, there are no tangible undiscovered countries, but there are figurative ones.

Guess I should dial back my distaste for SNW… the “Strange New Worlds” in the title COULD refer to the strange new chances the series takes.

Nah, even I think that explanation’s horse crap.

There are plenty of deaths in TUC.

It’s a phrase from the original voiceover. That’s why they used it.

I don’t know if I would call SNW ‘faithful’ to TOS either. They are on the original Enterprise and use some of the characters but other than that it doesn’t really feel like TOS that much. Certainly more than Discovery. But Prodigy feels closer to TOS than Discovery did lol.

I guess what I mean is while I like SNW I don’t feel like I’m watching TOS because the tone, look and style just feels night and day to me. But I guess it would be the closes?

Just my opinion of course.

I also fail to understand everyone’s obsession with being faithful to TOS — and that goes for the showrunners, too.

I don’t care about anything being faithful to anything else. Give me a good show set in the Star Trek universe, that’s all I ask. So far, SNW is really the only new Trek show that has consistently delivered that, week after week.

I think Star Trek should be faithful to Star Trek. Parts of DIS and PIC and most of the upcoming Section 31 movie (based on its precursors and the looks of it so far) fail that test.

For me, luckily (?), SNW, LDS, and PRO have all been good shows and faithful Trek shows.

It’s not necessary that they have to be but thats what they were billed as when they forst came out. No ongoing story, new, different adventure week after week, and as Sybok points out, the show is literally called “Strange New Worlds” Clearly TPTB set a certain expectation for this show, whether they meant to or not.

Now again I am not saying I think it is a bad show. I enjoy it. I just don’t consider it the same timeline as TOS.

I felt like, Gorn aside, SNW season 1 was actually pretty faithful to TOS , just my OP as well. Season 2 went way in the other direction. Not necessarily in a bad way mind you but it feels less and less like a precursor to TOS as it progresses.

I think you are largely misrepresenting SNW (and I can’t agree on much of your takes on the earlier shows).   First, just because SNW is called “strange new worlds” doesn’t mean the show was, is, or ever should have been literally about visiting/learning about strange, alien worlds. “Strange new worlds” is often used figuratively/metaphorically to reference different “worlds” as in different points of view, different characters, different situations. That is what SNW, and Star Trek in general, has really always been about. Some series take it more literally in exploring weird planets, others take it more metaphorically and explore characters or points of view. I personally see SNW as focusing on characters and genres. The character focus is a heavy one due to its prequel nature and is pursued within the narrative. Genres are explored as a “fun” approach for the writers/actors/producers and, hopefully, enhances the mood or storytelling of the individual episodes for the viewers (YMMV).   Second, SNW isn’t becoming a war story focused on the Gorn. The Gorn are the reoccurring bad guys—most Trek series try to or do find an ongoing adversary—but they aren’t the driving force for the overall narrative. SNW is still an episodic show, with character continuity. The Gorn do also play into the character focus, being a major part of La’an’s backstory—so that is a two-for-one deal. The Gorn may feel like they are punching above their weight because there are only 10 episodes a season, but they have only been the focus in 3 episodes (so far), and in Memento Mori they could have been any alien.   I personally liked season 1 a little better (probably because it was so new and a refreshing break from DIS and PIC), but I think the overall quality of episodes in season 2 was better (it didn’t have a clunker like “The Elysian Kingdom” for one).

Why shouldn’t the tital of the show represent what the show is about? TNG was literally about the next generation of Star Trek. DS9 was about space station DS9. Voyager was about not only the starship Voyager but the “voyage” back to the alpha quadrant. Enterprise… Enterprise… In fact when Enterpise first came out the title meant everything because it was the first (and only) show where they tried to drop “Star Trek” from the title.

And I am not saying SNW is 100% a war show now like DS9 was. Far from it, But there was a lot more focus on the Gorn in S2 than there was in S1 and I suspect S3 will be even more of the same. I mean the show left on a cliffhanger in battle with the Gorn.

I am saying the show title does reflect what the show is about, but it doesn’t have to be only a literal interpretation. SNW can be about metaphorical new worlds as well as actual new worlds. Criticizing it because it doesn’t visit enough literal new worlds is missing a lot of what Trek does/is.

But the Gorn only appear once in S2. I would call that less of a focus than in S1.

DS9 discovered a whole new part of the galaxy via the wormhole and visited many strange worlds despite the war back home.

Or just about something more than the superficial trappings of genre. These guys really just don’t get Star Trek, at all.

They do, but for this show they chose to go with the gimmick of switching genres every episode.

I think Trek has often switched genres. It was just less explicitly stated before. But it was certainly done before.

Different shows approached it harder than others, and the individual episodes succeeded or failed on their own. TOS had comedy episodes like “The Trouble with Tribbles.” TNG did a character study with “Data’s Day” and a western with “A Fistful of Datas.” DS9 did heavy war stories with “Siege of AR-558” or “It’s Only a Paper Moon”, a heist movie with “Bada Bing Bada Bang”, and an underdog sports movie with “Take Me Out to the Holodeck”. VOY did a horror movie with “The Thaw” and a (bad) murder mystery with “Ex Post Facto.”

The current era of Trek (re: Kurtzman) does seem to be focusing on providing the widest, most different types of Trek shows, and explicitly hyping the “genre” of episodes of SNW plays into that. But other than the musical episode of season 2 (which, outside of exploring the feelings of the main characters via a musical format, doesn’t seem to have a larger point within Trek and thus is the most “gimmicky”*), would anything SNW is doing feel any different than what TOS/TNG/DS9/VOY did in the past?

*To explore further why this felt particularly gimmicky: there aren’t any overriding story or character reasons for this episode to be a musical. I could see a different (better?) version of this episode being done where one of our characters (maybe Una or Uhura or La’an since they were each going through personal crises this season) watches a musical to try to feel better, then some alien influence gins up a musical world for them in an attempt to help or communicate. I think we could have easily seen that kind of thing in a TOS episode or maybe an early episode of TNG. DS9 could easily have done a bad version of it in seasons 1 or 2 or a great version in seasons 4-7.

It seems to me that many FANS don’t really get Star Trek. It’s a TV show, and many viewers don’t get that.

No, I think people are aware that its a TV show but they are feeling that it used to be a more meaningful TV show back in the day. Now you could say that no TV show could ever be meaningful because its just entertainment but for some people it can be more than an entertainment, it can be a way to get out of the daily grind of life and escapism and it can deliver a meaningful message while doing it. They just don’t see this in SNW and consider it to be a bit too much based on “gimmicks”. I see their point as well and I see your point too. There is no one way or the other here. As long as we are respectful I believe both points of view have merit.

You hit the nail in the head.

There are plenty of people who ‘get’ Star Trek but simply cannot execute it on any reasonably entertaining level.

Three words for all of you: Puppets…on ice.

People doubt me now but I can’t shake this feeling. Puppet Pike skating his way to save puppet Una before getting eaten by the puppet space monster is something I think Kurtzman has had in his head for years and probably been begging to see it come to reality.

And now finally the technology has caught up. You laugh now but we we’re getting an episode where people turn into Vulcans.

Puppet Angel…

I would be fine with that if it was a good episode! Really dig the musical episode, which I’ve rewatched more than almost any other modern Trek episode (along with Those Old Scientists).

HAHAHA At this point that would not surprise me. Bring in John De Lance and make it happen :-P

Relax, it’s a TV show. Those alien worlds don’t really exist. Remember to vote.

Having just revisited Star Trek V over this past weekend I am really interested to see this show’s take on Sybok as well. The only thing tho is Kirk absolutely can not be there when it happens.

…funny, I just gave that another watch that last night. Would love to see a version with proper SFX – they really took me out of the story back in 1989, and still today. Have always loved the character interactions, though.

There’s a couple rear beauty shots of the Enterprise in that movie that I loved.

Ya that movie losing ILM really hurt it.

Thought the same myself.

Believe me TPTB of that movie do too!!!

Lets do the hasthtag releasetheshatnercut :) LOL . Honestly I did read about in the early 2000s Shatner wanted to a directors cut version of the film with better effects but Paramount wasn’t willing to give him money for the film.

I’m torn. While I wish Bill (he did say “Call me Bill”) had been afforded the chance to do his film right, there is no level of visual effects technology that can save that movie from a shitty script.

That’s the sad thing, the movie as filmed was not even the script. Apparently Harve Bennet and other Producers tore the hell out of the original script and Bill didn’t fight back because he felt like an untested director who TPTB thought didn’t know any better.

“The only thing tho is Kirk absolutely can not be there when it happens.”

Expect Kirk to totally be there lol. Remember when people were saying it’s NO WAY anyone can meet or know who T’Pring is when she showed up in the first episode? That lasted literally just 5 episodes and now everyone knows who T’Pring is. This is the problem when you are squeezing in canon characters waaaaaay too soon.

LOL ya I know. I guess after tomorrow tomorrow tomorrow this is an alt timeline anyways :P

Once you have Kirk literally doing a song and dance routine with Pike and hitting on a Khan descendant, it really doesn’t matter what else they do at this point. I’m literally waiting for the episode where he and T’Pring goes out on a date as a way for T’Pring to make Spock jealous.

This is where we come to after just 20 episodes.

I really like Christina Chong but I wish she was playing any other character than a Khan decendant. Like the Gorn, there is just no good reason to have introduced that aspect. It did nothing for the story just like the evil lizard bad guys of SNW being “the Gorn” doesn’t add to the story in any way. It’s pretty much breaking canon just for the sake of breaking canon. At least when Enterprise did it they tried the best they could to adhere to everything and only broke rules when needed for their story.

Both La’an and the Gorn are too much of a distraction. I like Chong too and it’s nice to see her carry on the really uptight security officer trope lol but there was zero reason for her to be a Khan descendant outside of cheap fan service of the highest order. It literally feels like an excuse for the writers to bring up Khan’s name in an episode, that’s it.

I will never get the fascination this new group has with Khan. How did we manage to go 700 episodes and 10 movies and his name only uttered 3 times outside his actual appearances. The fact I know this is sad lol but still.

Now we can’t go more than a few episodes without some mention of Khan or the eugenics war somewhere. They even put him in another movie to disastrous effects. Just move on already.

As for Enterprise, it’s funny seeing how much that show got beat up because fans accused it of contradicting canon and then you look at what Discovery and SNW is doing makes that show almost feel like a historical documentary lol.

Yeah maybe introducing the Ferengi so soon on that show felt off base, but they didn’t decide to make them the main enemy of the series either who popped up every season like they are doing with the Gorn.

I remember Khan’s name being brought up ever since Shinzon in Nemesis was supposed to be the “greatest Trek vilian since Khan” and even after that failed miserably it seems like an idea every post Berman showrunner seems intent on chasing. The modern idea is that Khan is Trek’s Joker which is just not true. Joker is a character that keeps coming back bigger and badder because a) he is the antithesis of Batman and b) frankly Batman refuses to kill him off. Khan is not the opposite of Kirk and frankly I don’t think Kirk would have any issues with Khan dying. Khan only works in a very specific setting and every time they use him or his name they tarnish his legacy.

The three specific times Khan name was mentioned in the Berman era was in TNG, DS9 and ENT. And the DS9 and ENT episode dealt specifically with augments so it made sense.

But with modern Trek, it’s gotten out of hand. I actually forgot they wanted a Khan show (ugh) and that probably didn’t happen because they saw just how many fans hated the idea.That’s still suppose to be a podcast (which I’m a little more interested in that). But they are still shoving him down our throats. At least the live action shows. I can’t remember if LDS or PRO referenced him and it’s kind of shocking if LDS haven’t lol.

Hmm, I don’t remember TNG. I know DS9 was when Bashir was exposed and obv ENT was the augment eps. But ya those made sense given the context of the story. Here it just is there because *reasons*

Mariner was thirsting over Khan’s “thick thick chest” in one Season One episode. It’s sad that I knew this straight away. I watch LDS way too much.

Ironically, La’an is my favourite character in SNW but you are right- there is no need whatsoever for her to be a descendant of Khan. It adds absolutely nothing to her character and “Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow” is the producers and writers trying to justify their decision (and to shoehorn in Kirk for whatever reason). It just doesn’t work. In fact outside of one conversation with Una in Season One and the aforementioned Season Two episode, it’s barely addressed, which makes it even more obvious that the decision to tie her to a legacy character (oh god, I sound like one of THOSE fans) was done purely for pointless fan service.

Yeah, I’m sorry to say this but it does feel like they threy “Khan” in there just to have a name grab in the show to grab more viewers. I like La’an a lot too and I would love for her to have been there from the start just like she was but ya give her any other name. Or at the very least make it La’an Singh not La’an Noonien Sing. Like when I was born I didn’t automatically inherit my father’s middle and last name.

It’s precisely WHY I love this show so much: Its lack of biblical reverence for TOS continuity. Move on, geeks, it’s all the same timeline — just enjoy the show!

I’m really happy you are enjoying it. And I know based on this thread you wouldn’t know it but I actually enjoy it too lol. One item has really gave me a large head shake but believe it or not, I’m not against most of the things said in this article. I just can’t ignore the stuff I really hate lol.

But no offense, this argument irks me. I don’t think anyone here has a problem if they said they weren’t going to follow TOS and shake things up. I would be 100% for that in fact. What irks people like me is when you try to have it both ways and they keep doing this.

I worked in PR and marketing for years. I have seen this double speak more times than I can count. One hand they keep pushing on the notion that this is strictly following the road TOS followed but then just hand wave all the things that directly contradicts it. One or two things, sure. And we just chalk some of these things to retcons. But when nearly every TOS character has done something that contradicts who or what they did on that show versus then one, then you’re basically just rewriting the show.

And Goldsman has become a master at this. It’s like he WANTS the show to be free of TOS in many ways, which again, fine just SAY that and move on. But same time keeps sticking to the same talking points this is in fact a direct prequel to TOS when nearly nothing in fact aligns with TOS. It’s just bizarre.

But yes end of the day either you’re enjoying the show or not and I do think most people are, certainly casual fans. That we agree on.

“But when nearly every TOS character has done something that contradicts who or what they did on that show versus then one, then you’re basically just rewriting the show.”

I don’t think they have contradicted anything Uhura has said or done yet other than being a super linguist like Hoshi, but that’s more of a retcon, not a direct contradiction.

Oh wait she knows who both the Gorn and T’Pring are when she obviously didn’t know either in TOS. That’s definitely a contradiction.

Well I gave it a shot! 😁

Oh wait what about M’benga? I know he was only in two episodes (and I only seen one of them) but AFAIK he doesn’t really get contradicted. Sure I know he doesn’t have a daughter but it’s obviously easy to hand wave that and I’m assuming he never said he DIDN’T have a daughter before.

I know you didn’t say everyone though.

Its exactly that point that we are making. Writers and producers always complain that they hate adhering to canon because it hinders their creativity. If that was the case here then I would see your point. But it isn’t. You could have the EXACT same show without the use of “Khan” or “Gorn”. Nothing would need to change. So why even break canon if it isn’t getting you anything?

I never been a huge TOS fan so I’m not that bothered either. But same time fair is fair. Discovery got a lot of crap for saying it’s supposed to be canon to TOS but it really wasn’t (and I was one of the people who gave it crap but not for that alone, mostly because it sucked).

But if they keep saying SNW is supposed to be canon to TOS but it too really isn’t that much then they shouldn’t be too surprised people would also give it crap, right?

Maybe the best solution is stop pretending that it is and just do what you want? I’m pretty sure everyone watching now will still watch it. I certainly would and then maybe we can get a Borg episode too!

(Who are we kidding we’re probably getting one anyway lol)

Trek has been retconning huge elements of continuity since at least as far back as Voyager (or maybe TNG if you want to include the reference to Sarek’s son’s wedding). The big mystery of encountering the bizarre, dangerous, unstoppable Borg for the first time in “Q Who?” …Actually, Seven’s parents were on a research expedition about them, seemingly sponsored by the Federation, when she was like 10 years old. And the Federation rescued El Aurian survivors (including Guinan who would later work on the Ent-D) from a Borg attack about 70 years before that.

Trek has always been ok with breaking the spirit of the canon if not the letter of it. It will always continue as such.

ENT will encounter cloaking technology and the Ferengi decades before they should have been. SNW will meet the Gorn 5 or so years before Kirk narrates meeting a species the Metrons “call a Gorn.” It doesn’t mean SNW is less for it —SNW is just carrying on a proud Trek tradition of retconning.

THe borg thing did bother me but IMHO Enterprise fixed that. Starfleet knew about the Borg since the 22nd century they just didn’t know they were “The Borg”. Ditto with the Enterprise B and The Hansens. The B was just responding to a random distress call and the Hansens were taken and assimilated before they could ever report their findings to Starfleet.

Q didn’t necessarily inform Starfleet that being like the Borg exist but more to the point, they are on their way. Q didn’t just fling the Enterprise in the path of the Borg, he was warning humanity. They were always on their way ever since the 22nd century.

So I guess my point is that, yes, TPTB can break canon sometimes but later they do everything they can to make it make sense. This new generation of producers couldn’t give a fig. they just throw random stuff at the wall for no apparent reason and say, “yeah, lets do that.”

I disagree about the generations of producers/writers. I think both were willing to bend or break canon in service of a good story (or a terrible one in the case of ENT’s “Acquisition”, for example). If older generations were able to paper over the retcons, I don’t think it was because were more willing to, or that the new generations aren’t interested, it’s just that the older productions had more time to do so (both in episodes per year and years elapsed since the original episode).

Most of these major retcons are revealing that Starfleet knew about X race or Y technology before it was originally introduced. Each new Trek show wants to be able to get in on those fun sci-fi or Trek concepts that the other series get to play with. That is fairly logical or reasonable for something like cloaking devices (since they are a technology that shouldn’t have actually been a new concept in the 2260s, given current technology and in-universe science and science fiction), but the real problem is that it undercuts the emotion or purpose of the episodes where the concepts or aliens are first introduced. As viewers, getting past that feeling of undercutting and getting to a place where you can manage the cognitive dissonance of holding two conflicting ideas at the same time (1: thing X was new for these characters as it was originally depicted, and 2: thing X wasn’t actually new and had a whole complicated history in the Trek universe) is a skill that many fans, including me, have a hard time with.

Continuity isn’t the problem. I would overlook it if the stories were good. They are not. The writing is pure drivel. I hate seeing Anson Mount’s talent being wasted by writers who have no sincerity in their storytelling.

I have to assume that you truly believe this as it seems odd that it would be trolling…but it is hard to take seriously a claim that the writing is “pure drivel” and shows “no sincerity”. There are hundreds of other scripted television shows with writing that is actually drivel and hundreds of boring procedurals where there is no sincerity in the writing. SNW is not at all close to that.

I think you are expressing a dislike for the tone of the show but couching it as a pure quality view. SNW has lighter, less overly serious, less grim writing. This isn’t DIS with it’s overly self-serious approach. It’s also different from TNG and its “proper”, conservative approach.

The characters might not (yet) match their sometimes extremely brief or underwritten appearances in TOS, but that doesn’t make them badly written. And I can’t think of anyone who gets more praise for and enjoys his role more than Mount. If it were bad writing I think we would hear about it (ala Beltran).

This kind of opinion just makes me shake my head.

Gospel. ‘Kirk song and dance routine.’ My God, never thought I’d see the day….

Yeah same. But wait until you see him again as a puppet.. on ice! ⛸️

This show just, to me, gets sillier and sillier. That’s neither good nor bad I suppose, but as an avid TOS fan, I just can’t take it seriously. It’s fun, it’s light, it seems to make people happy. But to me, it’s very Trek ‘Lite.’ ‘Looks great, tastes Ok.’ Since it’s been established that SNW is in a different timeline than TOS, all the better. I’ll watch, watered-down Pike and Emo-Spock notwithstanding.

I think I mentioned this somewhere else but currently the shows tone and atmosphere reminds me like its a continuation of TOS season 3. It is as if the producers wanted to take the sillier elements of that season as a gospel and continue on from there. I wish it were closer to the tone and atmosphere of the first two seasons of TOS.

Totally agree with this. When the show was first announced I had a ton of enthusiasm which has been whittled away, episode by episode and season by season. It seems the writers and actors are having fun playing dress up with their parents Star Trek stuff, but the plots and characters are getting sillier and sillier. For those that love it, great, but I find it to be mediocre.

SNW is in a different timeline

When was this established? I mean honestly in my head-canon it already was haha.

Hope they bring in McCoy and Sulu.

Legacy characters. All fans seem to care about these days.

Since there are literally a dozen TOS characters on this show after just two seasons, are you really surprised people would want to see the rest of them at this point?

And we know one, if not both, will probably show up by the end of next season anyway.

Wait only a dozen? I thought there were more? 😂

People give LDS so much grief. You know how many legacy characters were in season four? Three and none of them appeared until the final episode and just guest stars. No one hangs around the Cerritos the way Kirk does on the Enterprise. Of course Mariner and Boimler would love it if he did but really not the point.

You do realize that is the entire point of this show, right? We’ll have plenty of new characters with Section 31 and Academy.

Sulu can come along in Season 4, I think, but McCoy shouldn’t show up until Corbomite Manuever . Mark Piper at some point succeeds M’Benga before McCoy comes along.

No offense but I just find these arguments odd seeing what they have done with this show so far. According to TOS, Korby shouldn’t show up for another 5 years and is literally suppose to be missing in this period but here he is. You can say the same for the Gorn, T’Pring and definitely Kirk. They are all there now.

Bones probably shouldn’t show up until TOS but he will be there way before then. The Piper character may not ever show up and honestly would it even matter at this point?

I said shouldn’t , not won’t .

You’re right, my apologies. Sorry I jumped on you there Thorny. I think I should grab some water and settle down somewhere.

And by “drive right into TOS” they mean “as though it was a pedestrian in a crosswalk.”

Well put. And they’re driving a school bus.

Dictator on Day One!

And if they mean they are driving into TOS as time naturally gets closer to that series, fine, but very very little about this show is lining up with TOS other than TOS characters appearing in it. That’s really about it.

“We have a bunch of ideas for the kinds of genres Star Trek can accommodate, and we continue to sort of try to stretch those boundaries.”

Well okay, Mr. Goldsman. I hope you manage to squeeze in one or two episodes, out of the limited ten, that are of the sci-fi genre.

but can SNW accommodate the Star Trek TOS genre? TBD I suppose

The way he talks about it makes it seem like he’s running a variety show.

I watched A Private Little War last night – an episode that has inspired me personally, creatively because of its intent . But wow – the Spock/Chapel relationship was not great. So it makes me feel a lot better about these “younger” takes on characters they can never be exactly.

If left to their own devices…..yeah, there won’t be a fifth season.

There’s much about this show I’m done holding my breath for.

Honestly the way Paramount is going I don’t think there will be one anyways. Soon they are going to want only one Trek production at a time and that will be Academy.

Keep up the work, SNW! Swing for those fences! Be outrageous and crazy. You’ve still got plenty of fans to alienate, after all.

Snark aside, I had such high hopes for this show. TOS showed us a galaxy that was ancient and we were but children exploring it. Landru was ancient. Vaal was ancient. Granted, they were computers, but they were ancient computers. The universe feels explored and worn out instead.

Not hating on it… just expressing disappointment in an opportunity wasted.

Very much agree with you. There was a sense of wonder and mystery, in ‘vastness’ if you will, ‘desolation,’ that TOS possessed, and which SNW just does not.

It’s more targeting the next generation (no pun intended) of Star Trek fans. They have to change with the times.

I like both old and new ‘Trek though I’m not a fan of TOS…far from it actually so I’m fairly happy thus far with the new shows (apart from Picard season 2).

That’s a failing strategy. There are nowhere near the number of new fans compared to the old. There is nowhere near in terms of numbers.

Star Wars has learnt this too, the new fans are a small minority compared to the legacy fandom.

no, you don’t have to change with the times, that’s an executive MBA myth. Look at TNG. They stuck to the same **formula**. It was early mid 80’s, the MTV generation. Yes, they updated the look and feel of the ship and tech to advance to the 24th century, but the heart of Trek was very much still rooted. And now, frankly – we’re only here 50 years later, still talking about a Star Trek tv franchise because of TNG.

If Akiva had been in charge, TNG would have looked like Max Headroom or a Dire Straits video to “change with the times”

Exactly – Changing with the times only makes sense if the original concept is so outdated it won’t work anymore. But with Star Trek, everything prior to Discovery WASN’T outdated. How do I know? I have a 3 year old and 7 year old WHO LOVE anything Trek from before the Kurtzman era. They are GLUED to it. Sure, it’s mainly because of me that they have been exposed to it, but how many legacy fans have done the same with their children – and then their grandchildren??

The difference now is that many kids have their own device to watch their own chosen content before they even get out of Kindergarten. Many families don’t even watch content together anymore. The concept of the younger generation just stumbling across Star Trek (especially older Trek) is almost impossible without parents or grandparents exposing them to Trek.

So instead, the hope of the current show runners is that nuTrek will go viral and pull in a fan base like many of the Netflix, HBO, Amazon Prime, etc. shows have done. They’ve decided that the gimmicks have to be crazy enough to get those views, and that dilutes the need to create meaningful episodes. If all you need is a short enough clip to catch the interest of someone on Instagram or TikTok, who needs an hour to make you want to learn about a new species, explore a strange new world, or even understand the moral of the story. No, all you really need is a bunch of humans changing to Vulcans in 30 seconds…

and consider how much of a resurgence BermanTrek had simply by way of Netflix. Voyager (not my favorite) had a massive surge within the past 10 years, even Enterprise. No need to change anything. If you build something good, the fans old and new, they will come.

Completely agree. Such a disappointment. I liked Season 1.

“ Keep up the work, SNW! Swing for those fences! Be outrageous and crazy.”

Amen! That’s precisely why I love this show!

Yup. Virtually every episode of Season One involved long dead and ancient planets. Year Three was a string of ghost stories.

“The introduction of Korby creates a bit of a love triangle situation with Spock.”

Ugh…this got the biggest eye roll out of me. Like why? It’s just so silly and just a reminder none of this remotely lines up with canon. Spock never even met Korby until TOS and now they are both vying for Chapel?

I like this show and I have defended it many times, but this stuff is just not needed at all. We don’t need the silly melodrama; especially when it goes completely against canon.

Canon doesn’t exist anymore, imo Tiger, and it goes back to what you’ve been saying for years about prequels – basically a terrible idea. I’m glad that child-Khan episode last season made clear SNW is in a different timeline. I just kind of shrug now and hope for a decent story.

Of course you’re right and you obviously know my view on prequels. But what is ironic about SNW is this was the first Star Trek prequel I was legitimately excited for. And I knew they would take some liberties but I knew if nothing else it wouldn’t go off the reservation the way that Discovery did. Clearly they learned their lesson…so I thought.

And I guess that’s what we have to tell ourselves, this show just takes place in an alternate timeline and to be fair as you mentioned they gave themselves that out once the Temporal War and baby Khan came into the picture last season.

But then read the article, they keep acting like this show is on the same road paving the way to TOS. How are you ‘driving into TOS’ when all you are doing is just taking those characters and just doing whatever you want with them, canon be dammed? This is why it gets so frustrating for fans. They want their cake and eat it too. Either it’s just in a different timeline doing its own thing (which it obviously is) OR it’s supposed to be a direct prequel to TOS. It simply can’t be both. They originally tried to play that same game with Discovery and we see how well that ended up.

I wouldn’t be shocked if there will be an episode with Kirk, Spock,Sybok and Korby all sitting around a table drinking beer together. It’s just eye rolling.

Indeed, Tiger. It is literally exhausting with all the canon they break. I’ve kind of given up. And the thing that gets me is, they didn’t have to. Good Lord, I actually thought about sending ideas to ‘them.’ But I knew it would end up in the slush pile.I appreciate your energy here, very dedicated. I read every day here still, but comment much less, until we get the show we need. Cheers! 🍻

Except the showrunners AND even the Paramount executives allow them to continue pushing that there really hasn’t been any alternate timeline.

If Strange New Worlds is an alternate timeline, then by extension, Discovery, Lower Decks, Picard & Prodigy are all in alternate timeline as well, since they are more or less all interconnected. This even means Picard Season 3 would be considered so

Yup, pretty much. You get it. Except it seems considered (at least here, I think) that PIC lines up with TNG pretty well. In my mind, SNW screwed up TOS quite a bit, to the point where they knew they’d have to shape it into another timeline. Seems though, the TNG timeline is just fine. I know. Ridiculous.

TOS screws up itself quite a bit multiple times, especially in the SAME episode.

Khan’s sleeper ship is supposed to have been built in the 1990s which was from the time the Eugenics wars took place. However, there are also lines that say he was asleep in suspended animation for an estimated 200 years & Khan doesn’t bother making any corrections.

that episode is supposed to be in 2267, though they never firmly establish the actual years during the show, and it’s only later series that 100% lock it down. But, 200 years based on the estimate COULD in fact work with 2067 for a revised Khan. Remember, the Star Trek timeline can include anything that hasn’t actually happened for us. That’s always been the charm of the series. The Botany Bay could have been built in the 90s and launched later.

Personally that’s exactly what I think.

SNW – it is established in canon now with the 2024 ep that this is an alternate timeline due to the Temporal Cold Wars and Khan is born much later.

DISCO – since it is the same universe as SNW I take it to mean DISCO is as well.

Picard – They were also in 2024 in PIC S2. They brought up Khan and hand waved him and the Eugenics Wars away by saying the records of the time are shotty at best. So it could be the same timeline as Prime or it could not. But given the Romulan lady from SNW said Khan was in fact supposed to be from the 90’s I tend to lean towards the latter. And of course PIC S3 is in the same vein as PIC S2 timeline wise.

Okay, I think we have to back up & get some things straightened out.

in SNW, La’an & the alternate Captain Kirk from the timeline where Earth never formed the Federation, but still managed to venture out into space, they went to 2022.

2024 was visited by Sisko & Picard, but the latter was technically in an alternate timeline that was created & had a HUGE ripple effect that resulted in Guinan not knowing Picard in that timeline.

A thing to remember is that when it comes to Guinan, she said that in TNG in the two part episode Times Arrow, if Picard didn’t go back in time, they never meet. The alternate timeline essentially made that happen.

The thing that gets confusing about the whole time travel business is who apparently is in charge protecting the timeline.

• In TOS, we’re introduced to Gary Seven, a supervisor from an alien race that is supposed to protect the timeline. This is the first instance we hear of people ever making corrections to time. They never get involved in other temporal changes Kirk does though.
• In VOY, we learn that by the 29th century, Starfleet at least has more or less become in the business of protecting the timeline as much as they can. Remember the Temporal Accords in Enterprise were earlier so that’s why they try to keep the timeline intact.
• Enterprise is where the Temporal Accords was actually mentioned & the Temporal Cold War as well. Pretty much extends the idea that Starfleet would still be trying to ensure time isn’t being screw up with too much.
• Picard is where they established that it’s possible that the Travelers are responsible for creating the watchers/supervisors & presumably, it can be extended they might have pushed for Starfleet to protect the timeline when they finally achieved the technology.
• Prodigy explains that due to the paradox created, most if not all of the Travelers abandoned the prime universe. Wesley of course is the ONE that finds a way to fix things.

One of the things to keep in mind as far as Khan’s placement is that TOS was created at a time when the 90s were still 20+ years away. They did have lines saying that they estimated Khan was in suspended animation for 200 years & that he had 200 years of catching up to do. This alone would make sense for the revised timeline, but not the 1996 timeline since that would be over 250 years.

I realize La’an and Alt Capt Kirk came from a timeline different than Prime. But they went back to our time which most likely is a shared history of both of the timelines before they diverged from one another. So Khan’s delay would still be a delay no matter which timeline we are talking about. Even in Picard S2 Khan is missing as well but Picard shrugs it off as records of the time possibly being inaccurate due to the Eugencis wars and WWIII.

I get the thing about Wesley and the Supervisors being responsible for protecting the timeline but if so they are doing a spectacularly bad job of it. One would think they would have a direct fight in the Temporal Cold war if that were the case.

The point that the UEF James Kirk traveled to with La’an was supposed to be the prime timeline, that’s what I’ve been trying to say in all of this.

UEF Kirk I think knew that if they succeeded in changing the outcome that he would cease to exist.

The Travelers I don’t think got involved in the Temporal cold war since there were already people that were working on trying to correct things already. They’re not really supposed to interfere unless it’s absolutely necessary.

But at what point do they deem it necessary then? I mean the TCW was set to undo all of history. What could be more necessary to interfere than that?

The Temporal Cold War was about what other species felt was right to use time travel for.

The Temporal Accords treaty, signed in the 28th century, prohibited the use of time travel for anything except its use of scientific study, in order to protect the flow of time.

Given that in the 29th century, we see formation of a branch of the UFP, the Temporal Integrity Commission in charge of preventing changes to the timestream, It would make sense that they would be looking to protect history as they knew it at that time. Daniels could just be an extension of that two centuries in.

Star Trek Online tries to go into more detail on why the Na’kuhl were so adamant about changing time: Apparently, the Tholians used the Tox Uthat to slowly cause their star to die by ceasing fusion. They did it because at a different point in time, the Na’kuhl attacked a ship carrying the Tholian Queen around the 23rd century. Pretty much a Temporal causality loop in that regard.

STO also shows the Temporal Accord signing day and the Tholians are of course there, representing a cause for the outlaw of ALL time travel just because of what it is capable of being used for, but that’s just for STO.

The issue you get into is it that is deciding what should be the RIGHT timeline to protect?

Some of us have gotten over the slavishness to continuity that has pervaded franchises in recent years. I cared as a teenager in the 90s, maybe, but I’m in my 40s now, that’s the last thing that keeps me up at night.

Personally, I’ve got a wonderful life to live, and not enough time to get mad that Pike met Kirk in a different way than was mentioned offhandedly in an episode of a different TV show 50 years ago.

Unfortunately, there are a lot of Star Trek purists out there that feel like the canon created before Discovery has a right to be preserved and everything that has come out since is not canon to the original Roddenberry era canon, but instead its own canon & continuity, unrelated to what existed before & thus fight with people on a every few months basis over this.

I agree, the soapy love triangle they are creating between Spock, Chapel, and Korby goes against what we know from TOS.

I really liked the first season a lot, but then they started to lose me with the gimmicky big swings. I’ve defended many of their creative choices with the show, but it is getting more difficult to.

 Sadly, the days of Trek using aliens of the week for smart and thought-provoking allegorical storytelling about modern issues are gone, and seemingly no longer desired.

As did I. I defended most of season one and actually a lot of season two as well. But things like the Spock/Chapel relationship just really feels so ridiculous to me. I did think in season one how they handled it was OK, meaning I had no issue that Chapel developed feelings for Spock so soon and it might be interesting to see how they played with it now that T’Pring was in the picture. That was already a reach but OK at LEAST you could tell yourself T’Pring was always supposed to be around, just not known to the crew.

But then sadly instead of taking a more nuanced and adult approach I was hoping they would, it had all the subtlety of a FOX/CW teen soap opera with a full on love triangle. It was was only missing a scene with T’Pring and Chapel in Spock’s quarters asking him to ‘choose’.

And now we get this nonsense. A character that is literally supposed to be lost in TOS now shows up and the new thorn in Spock and Chapel’s happiness. Again, I was OK with the fact they completely changed their original origin story but just develop the relationship with Chapel and Korby, the guy she is supposed to be engaged to in TOS.

Instead we got this ridiculous four way thing happening between Spock, Chapel, T’Pring and now Korby, the last two who shouldn’t even be known to the other two until literally years later. It’s just frustrating when you have a show that really could be doing much more better and interesting things with its time when its a show about exploring the galaxy and you only have ten episodes to do it in.

So they are carrying on the Spock and Chapel teenage like relationship into season 3. I can’t believe anyone enjoys it as it is cringe. I didn’t think they could write for Spock as badly as they have in season 2. SNW has definitely become the worse live action trek for me, pretty good cast but terrible writing and storytelling. Also it tries to be too light at times, soap opera romance and sitcom. Just not doing it for me. Tbh looking forward more to The Orville season 4.

“Sadly, the days of Trek using aliens of the week for smart and thought-provoking allegorical storytelling about modern issues are gone, and seemingly no longer desired.”

And that, is a shame.

How do you know it’s going to be a “soapy love triangle?” How do you even know Korby will appear on screen with Spock? FFS some of y’all are so exhausting.

Right? Love triangles should really have died along with The CW. They feel so out of place and needless in Star Trek.

I’ll be a little fair and say they kind of did it a bit in some of the old shows but A. It was VERY rare and B. They usually handled it like the mature Starfleet officers we expected them to. The only one where I can think it got into CW territory was with Paris and Neelix vying for Kes. And that was just one episode and it was completely dropped from that point on.

But look at the way they handled Riker and Troi’s relationship. That was done so well because you had these two characters that was in a previous relationship and obviously still had feelings for each other but like real life situations we saw them give each other the space to just be with other people and not act like children over it. The only time we saw real jealousy out of Riker was when Troi and Worf started dating in AGT but it was just in that episode and it was really done to make it clear how strong their friendship really was.

But here they not only turned it into an arc no one was asking for, but a relationship between two people who aren’t even supposed to be together. Why keep calling this a ‘prequel’ to TOS when it’s clearly just rewritting everything that the show had set up?

Right so the difference between a regular love triangle and a CW one in my book is the former is simply a brief mechanism to drive a story and the latter grows so large it becomes the story, or at the very least a HUGE distraction from the story. Even with Tom and Neelix, it was never a true distractor from whatever was going on in the A Plot save for maybe one ep. I’m not saying modern Trek has full on gone with the latter version but each time they touch upon the idea they grow closer and closer.

Exactly. As you said those were just usually the B plots and in the background. They don’t drive the story the way the Spock and Chapel thing has been doing for two, soon to be, three seasons now.

And maybe I was just being naive, but I thought when Chapel broke up with him in Subspace Rhapsody that it was basically over. Yeah, they can still have feelings for each other but I guess I thought next season would just go back to Spock and T’Pring back together (BTW, have they gotten back together yet I honestly don’t know lol) and we see Chapel just dating Korby. But like every teen soap opera before it, it could never be that simple. ;)

Seriously I am just going to start calling Spock Dylan McCay from now on! (90210 reference)

Lol they are both pretty brooding.

Who will win Hot Chapels heart? Korby the robot vs Spock the Vulcan. Wow this is a tough one

I guess Korby isn’t a robot yet though, so Spock has the advantage there because men with less personality is apparently her type as long as they are hot. Unless they bring in a hot Korby (everyone is hot on this show except Ortegas…yeah come at me).

I’m kind of hoping her and T’Pring (also hot and has no personality either) ultimately ends up together though…at least for just one episode. You know Goldsman is pushing fot it and for once we agree.

Ha Chapel and T’Pring getting together would be total revenge on Spock!

the best love triangle in Trek was Kirk, Rand, and the Entrprise.

HAHA Rand never stood a chance!

One thing about driving right into TOS, is that all of the characters who are not in TOS have to go away somehow before then.

A year ago, I thought there was a good possibility someone wouldn’t survive Hegemony . But it appears that isn’t the case.

I don’t see that as a big deal. They will probably just do what they did in the final episode of DS9 and some will suddenly get new offers or promotions and leave in the finale along with Pike.

Maybe someone will be killed off before then but it will probably be in the final season.

There’s a confidence to this show and from the people involved in it that feels genuine. A million miles from the forced, empty, nothing comments from the Discovery people about “we’re a faaaamily, how beautiful everything is, how they all cried together and hugged for seven hours every day” etc

but – confidence doesn’t not always equal competence

The “confidence” comes from the internal pats on the back they’ve gotten from the actors. It’s been said multiple times each season that they are pretty much just doing this for themselves and the actors. They don’t have an interest in the fan base or anything that came before. They just want to make what THEY want to make, and then give the actors “unique” experiences to keep them happy. Sure, they are genuine in what they are doing, but it’s like someone writing fan fiction who throws themselves in as the hero and star of the show.

Creators should make things that they want to make. That’s not a bad thing.

Internet fandoms really are unbearable these days.

Creators CAN make what they want to make. There are so many outlets today, it’s ridiculous! You want to make a show like Star Trek and make it gimmicky – great, do that and pitch it to one of the many outlets that just want content (a.k.a Netflix, Prime, Max). But leave Star Trek out of it and leave the franchise to people who understand that there is a formula and a concept and a canon that just needed some love… not a whole new reinvention that turns longtime fans away and slowly destroys the IP.

As for internet fandoms – all I can say is there were Star Trek fans who came together to both love and hate on the franchise LONG BEFORE anyone had access to the internet. Nothing has really changed – including the expectation that people with lots of money and access to full TV/movie studios can produce something better than what’s coming out right now.

I knew it! They want to reboot TOS.

But will they call it a reboot? I don’t think they will.

No such thing as “reboot”. They’ll call it an alternate timeline (actually they already have)

They’ve pretty much created an alternate timeline, so in my book, it’s already a reboot. But they are too arrogant to just admit that it’s the same idea as what happened back in 2009. And by arrogant, I mean that they think they are creating something good enough to take the place of what came before and just call it TOS. Eventually, I’m sure they would love for everyone to think that TOS never existed in the first place.

They should. The original one is awful.

what’s awful about the original (S3 excluded ;) – and please bring something better than the sets and effects. A tired argument that shows creative and dramaturgical ignorance (IMO). That show looked amazing in it’s time. Look at the scripts, what they were trying to say, and the performances (yes, Shatner included). There’s a reason we still talk about that show affecting society for good vs something like Davy Crockett or Lost in Space.

Henry Alonso Myers:  This is a Scotty you have not seen before. He isn’t the Scotty who he becomes in  The Original Series , yet. Akiva Goldsman:  What’s fun about having TOS in front of us is it allows us to do inductive storytelling. We can see where somebody ended up and then try to imagine how they got there.

Yes, yell that louder for those in the back. It’s a prequel, so the TOS characters shouldn’t act the same they do in TOS yet.

Unfortunately, there’s so many people that are continuing to push the whole “alternate timeline” bit based on Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow, ignoring the fact that that time can be altered.

Isn’t Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow confirmed that’s what made it an alternate timeline?

Yeah, but then they go and do stuff like the revisit to Rigel VII which was an event established in The Cage.

You get a nod to the events of the Lower Decks crossover (Those Old Scientists) that establish Pike & his crew as being canonical to that of Lower Decks, which is supposed to happen AFTER Nemesis & Voyager.

Picard S3 also gets a nod that the OG USS Voyager becomes a museum ship.

Prodigy S2 establishes Admiral Picard, mentions a dysfunctional crew like the Cerritos, shows off cetacean Ops on Voyager-A & more or less indicates the events talked about in S1 of Picard (the use of the A500 Synths, the Synth attack on Mars) happened. The travelers & watchers/supervisors more or less being connected from Picard S2 & Jack Crusher is shown.

Wesley even mentions that he’s from the prime universe timeline, meaning that everything that’s happening IS in fact interconnected, despite what it is that contradicts with Tomorrow cubed.

THats the thing about an alternate timeline. Just because a timeline is alternate does not mean each and every single event in history has to be different. Rigel VII could have happened in both universes.

I’ve mentioned this here before but this is my personal theory. Looking at this from Jonathan Archer’s perspective. Prior to Broken Bow he is was living in the prime timeline. Then TCW happens and for centuries after the events of ENT, everything changes. Then Archer goes back in time to WWII, stops the TCW, and the prime timeline is restored.

Essentiall shows like Discovery and SNW exist in that TCW bubble that 4th dimentially exist after Broken Bow but get erased after Stormfront PII. In other words we are seeing the events of the Federation as they would have unfolded if the timeline was not reset in ENT.

The problem with that though is at what point do you consider the prime timeline to be restored, exactly?

Welp, according to Enterprise, its restored if you go back to the exact place and time where all of the convergences began and nip it in the bud and then time starts to reverse and restore itself.

See, that’s the issue I have. Who gets to determine what is the “right” thing to fix?

In my opinion, I don’t think ANY of it needs to be gotten rid of. Leave it be & just let the future showrunners sort it out.

For me, unfortunately it just gets to the point with canon that I don’t give a sh*t anymore. So I’m becoming a passive fan, which is a real bummer.

Excited to see Corby, you knew it had to come wit Chapel. Hope this gives them a push to have to explore some strange new worlds and get out there. By making him a cool character than should actually enhance the “follow up” TOS episode. Also looking forward to young Scotty, hope he has to learn to fix and fight the ship in a time where they are “out there” and have to make it work. I’ll trade x 10000 musical episodes (and a billion time travel reset nonsense episodes) for a an episode where the big E has to represent the entire UFP because it’s the “only ship in the quadrant” facing the unknown.

I’m starting not to like this show. They’ve already tampered with Canon so much it feels like they are covertly trying to reboot TOS era. Its sacred to me. SNW should have stayed away from all of TOS characters except Spock of course. Let the show ride on its own agency instead of clout chasing with TOS era characters.

I feel exactly the same.

and the thing is, there’s no reason to be covert and shy about it. If they had said with Discovery “hey folks, it’s a new century, a new network, and we’re rebooting Trek. We’ll start here and “discover” what Trek means to us in our 21st century, I feel the response to Disco would have been dramatically different.

I agree that it should have just been a reboot. But honestly, I think they didn’t do it because they didn’t really want to have to start over and be TRULY original. They wanted to work off of what came before, almost as a crutch. They knew that good characters and storylines already existed, so why come up with anything original? Instead, they seem to have decided that they can just throw a random character in from the past, and then just play around with them. Canon doesn’t really matter in terms of preserving it, but having it available to avoid the work of coming up with something new – why not?!

I… I just want to watch a nice reliable, consistent show you know? About the only consistent thing about it right now is the credits, and the inconsistency of story delivery. By always changing the format/genres, you’re just fourth-wall breaking, “look at what we’re doing, isn’t it great”. No. It’s not great. It’s not clever. It would be great if you could stick to a style and have stories that capture imagination and thought. But sorry, you’re losing me :(

I was about post something similar but you said all I wanted to say and now I don’t have to. Well said.

I am so bored by this show. It has nothing interesting to say and it covers it up with what appears to be a parade of gimmick episodes. Everything about it is completely and utterly soulless (maybe not Anson’s hair), it’s as though it’s been written by committee for the sole purpose of appeasing disgruntled fans. And the “big swings” they took in Season Two were anything but besides the musical episode.

Yes a “parade of gimmick episodes”.

All two of them last year.

It’s got a parade of legacy characters as well. What do you say to all the legacy characters showing up? hmmm?

Oh I am SO ready for this.

La’an being a descendant of Khan: gimmick Spock bodyswapping: gimmick The Sybok cameo that adds absolutely nothing to the episode: gimmick. Kirk in the Season 1 finale finale: gimmick Spock becoming human: gimmick The crossover: (a damn good) gimmick The musical: gimmick. Multiple characters becoming Vulcan: gimmick.

Poor you only thinking I was talking about Season 2.

And that’s not even touching on M’Benga going from quiet, philosophical dad in Season 1 to drug-addled mass murderer in Season 2, which is the most baffling and ridiculous character assassination I have ever seen. Closely followed by Chapel being complicit in it. I have zero qualms about M’Benga being a veteran of the war- but at least make it believable. There is absolutely no way in hell Starfleet would ever let him practice medicine knowing he had been creating huge amounts of narcotics designed to turn people into killing machines.

But I’m sure you will a) tell me I wrong and b) go on to complain the legacy characters and “fan service” in SNW like you do with every other recent Star Trek television show.

seems like a way to have M’Benga off the ship, rather than just a simple “he transferred to Starfleet Medical….”

A little louder for the people in the back! And let’s not forget that every location, name drop, and inside joke referencing previous canon is ALSO a gimmick. Yes, that’s been done by every Trek since TOS, but the fact is that it’s gimmickry, and this show seems to exploit it more than any other.

The interesting thing is that two of the Trek shows (from before nuTrek) I see criticized the most in this day and age are Voyager and Enterprise. And in both cases, they used a ton of gimmicks to try to pull in fans. Sure, both had decent fan bases at certain points in their history, but it didn’t last forever. Even the final season of Enterprise is FULL of gimmicks aimed directly at the most loyal of fans, and it didn’t save that ship from sinking.

If nothing else, you would think that might have been a good point of reference when trying to create a show that’s now almost completely reliant on the next gimmick.

The producers seem to have lost sight of the fact that this show was supposed to be about the adventure of Pike’s crew. Instead it’s quickly devolved into “how many TOS characters can we cram into this show?”.

I am grateful that the show has *finally* done the right thing and explored Uhura’s backstory and we get to see her doing something other than opening hailing frequencies- but there is just no need for Kirk to show up every few episodes, for Scotty to appear, for Chapel to have a love affair with Spock etc. And now we know they are determined to bring in Sulu, McCoy et al, it’s straying even further away from the premise.

A lot of the time Pike and his crew feel like guest stars in their own damn show!

Honestly, when this show first started I didn’t envision Kirk showing up till the very end when Pike reliquishes command.

That’s the way it should have been.

Once again, I completely agree, and I also agree that Kirk’s introduction less that a season in made no sense. If nothing else, that actually steals more time and potential storylines from Pike. How does that make sense? Wasn’t Anson Mount one of the BIGGEST reasons SNW got greenlit in the first place? Ethan Peck wasn’t even really Spock for the first several episodes of the DISCO season, but Pike was there all the way through. As far as I was concerned, HE was the selling point that made everyone jump on board. And last season, he didn’t even play a major role in half the episodes!

I really got to thinking about it one day, and if they had just stuck with the original characters (including Hemmer), I think the show would already have been better. Bring in Carol Kane in season two, but cap it there. Have some fun with the new crew, and stop off on some actual STRANGE NEW WORLDS!

There was no saving Enterprise, the entire network was going under. It was unprecidented.

If i had time I would list the hundreds of episodes of classic Trek that would qualify as “gimmicks” under your ludicrous rules.

Try harder. This comeback was weak. You don’t have anything of substance to say or a compelling argument.

Or you know, just log off. You’ve been winding other people up for a while now and you are becoming boring and tedious.

What an unsurprisingly childish post.

When you only have 10 eps 2 is a lot.

True, but 1 of them is beloved (Those Old Scientists) and the other is divisive, some loved it, some hated it. I’d say overall that’s a win.

I LOL over Mounts hair bit! 😅

It really should get its own spin off someday.

Honestly, it defies physics. It’s a modern wonder of the world!

But will the delta waves destroy it?

An Omega molecule detonation could not destroy that masterpiece!

Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE Strange New Worlds, but I don’t get this obsession to ‘go crazy’ or to ‘stretch boundaries’ every single time. Just tell good stories! It’s fun to try new things once in a while, but you don’t need to re-invent the wheel every single episode.

This might be my Dutch attitude of “Just do normal, that’s crazy enough” (yeah it looses something in translation haha), but still, I feel it applies here.

Every time I see Goldsman gives an interview I always imagining him giggling like a 12 year old girl at the end of every statement. Seriously give it a try. He seems to think his ideas are more clever than they really are, at least on paper.

I like this show, it’s a tie with Enterprise for me but maybe they should try to concentrate on making a strong sci fi show with interesting stories instead of trying to up the gimmicks every season. I really have a feeling we are getting puppets on ice next and all set on Andoria. I’m not saying it will be bad but some of the haters will be moaning about it for sure. I see you Midnight Edge.

Probably be OK if Frakes direct it though.

And they have over stuffed this show with too many legacy characters and canon that feels out of place to TOS. With the exception of deadwood Kirk I like most of them but no way is anyone supposed to know who Sybok is at this point except Spock and now most of the cast is already on the ship. Technically deadwood Kirk isn’t yet, but c’mon.

I have to rewatch that episode with Korby I guess. I seen it before but it’s been a long long time ago. I do remember him being a robot though…but he was still with Chapel so what’sthe problem? Can anyone tell the difference?

Anywhoo, I did like the first two seasons and TOS is still easily my favorite episode so I’m staying open minded. But maybe less comedy and musicals and more stories about seeking out strange new worlds.

Gimmicky as it was, but Those Old Scientists is a phenomenal episode. By far and away, my favourite from the first two seasons. A laugh riot from start to finish. Jack and Tawny were *perfect* as live action Boimler and Mariner. I still giggle over Mariner lusting after Spock.

HA I would say Boimler lusted after Spock more than Mariner!

Quit insulting the best Western of the 21st century! Call him ace kirk instead maybe, or cable guy kirk.

Ya know I don’t mind gimmicy eps. All Treks save for the OG have had them. But when you are stuck doing only a ten episode season it becomes a very very different thing and thats where my issue lies. If you only have so much bandwidth to tell good stories then maybe focus on doing that?

Season 2 jumped the shark. Star Trek is a joke now.

My genuine hope is that they go right into and past TOS. Pike leaves the ship, Kirk comes aboard, and the show takes a hiatus before being relaunched as “Star Trek: 1701.”

New stories, remakes of classic episodes, explore more interesting aspects of the universe that TV wasn’t allowed to touch in 1966.

“ Of course,  Strange New Worlds  is a prequel to  Star Trek: The Original Series , featuring the same ship and many of the same characters” – eh…..featuring the same character names. Not the same characters. And no, I’m not talking about casting.

If they had just made this a new canon, I think it would be even bigger among the fan base, but the insistence on changing things and saying it’s all canon is maddening and sours the milk for me. But that’s also beating a dead Tiberian bat so…

Indeed, you are not alone in this thinking. It kind of sucks.

I’m not sure I agree with you that the show would be more popular with fans if it was in a separate canon. The JJ Abrams films are a canon in and of themselves, and I very rarely see any enthusiasm for them within the fandom.

I think it would be better received, or at least one barrier would be down

Number One’s augment arc over the course of the first two seasons of the series cements why Starfleet and the Federation would not go forward with creating more augments to pilot the spore drives. They are illegal, and to approve them would mean rescinding the law against them, which would be problematic as it would allow less savory types (like Soong) to create their own augments, which as shown on Enterprise is not a good idea.

Had Stamets not fled to the future, he would likely have been brought up on charges for breaking the law, much like Una was for concealing her species.

Yes! Because Star Trek has never done a murder mystery/noir before. A Matter of Perspective? Necessary Evil? A Wolf in the Fold? Anyone?

I’m really excited for the 4th season where they put in for R&R at an intergalactic diner and meet Space Fonzie! That’s a genre mash-up that’s never been done before.

I personally think they are only addressing the murder mystery because of Frakes. It’s almost the good old, “if Frakes liked it, you should LOVE it!!” concept. It’s not new, but I’m sure they took a “big swing” with some part of the plot. Apparently that may have something to do with Kirk, and chances are it will just screw up his character even more…

Interesting analysis. It does not fill me with hope

Why do I now get the feeling Kirk is going to be the Prime (no pun intended) suspect?

Why all my comments on this website are constantly removed even if they are about topics? Can any MODERATOR write me back on my mail? Thank you.

So much positivity in the comments.

Take a big swing. Get Shatner back!

–Jim… Did you know Christopher Pike? –I saw him only once, when he gave me command of the Enterprise. –Didn’t you sing together? –What?

I watch SNW, but can’t say I’m a big fan of it. I was excited when it was announced we’d be getting a Pike show, and I’m kind of disappointed it’s not the ‘cerebral’ hard sci-fi show the network originally rejected, which is what I, at least, wanted.

That and the fact that, for me, there are too many TOS characters too soon. I’d have preferred to explore Pike’s crew for at least three seasons before bringing in TOS characters, though I do understand the need for a smooth transition between the two crews. And for me if you are going to bring in any TOS character, Scott should have been first (bar Spock for obvious reasons) – he is the oldest, again bar Spock, and it is HIS ship. HIS beloved engines. HIS girl – even more than Kirk.

if they do bring in McCoy (my favourite TOS character) though, I hope they bring in Joanna as well and cover that ground that TOS couldn’t.

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Carol Kane on Her Movie Comeback at 72: ‘I’m Having a Ball!’

The oscar-nominated, emmy-winning ‘taxi’ actress stars in a new ‘harold and maude’-like comedy, ‘between the temples’.

Tim Appelo,

Fifty years ago at 22, Carol Kane was on unemployment. Then she played an 1896 Russian immigrant in New York in Hester Street (1975), earned an Oscar nomination, and created multiple iconic movie roles: a bank-teller hostage opposite Al Pacino in Dog Day Afternoon , Woody Allen’s high-IQ ex in Annie Hall , Billy Crystal’s wife in The Princess Bride , Granny in Addams Family Values , the soft-voiced, two-fisted fairy princess who yanks Bill Murray’s nose in Scrooged . She won two Emmys as Andy Kaufman’s wife, Simka Dahblitz-Gravas, on Taxi .

When movies got dumber, she fell off the A-list. But at 72, she’s back as a lead in Between the Temples , a quirky comedy that hearkens back to the films of the 1970s, especially Harold and Maude . She plays Carla, a music teacher who decides to get her bat mitzvah in her 70s, studying Hebrew with a grieving, widowed cantor (Jason Schwartzman) who was her music student in his childhood. They light up each other’s lives. Kane tells AARP about her recent career renaissance.

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AARP readers are going to love one line from  Between the Temples : “Welcome to the next part of your life — from here on in what you do, what you are, it’s up to you, and only you.”

Jason Schwartzman says it in the movie and also in real life. He hopes that's what people take away from the movie: that you can make of your life what you want to make of it — if you follow your heart. It’s not simple, and it’s not easy, but it belongs to you.

The movie is inspired by director Nathan Silver’s mother, who really did get her bat mitzvah in her 70s. Your mom is a music teacher — are you inspired by her?

Yes. My mom, Joy Kane, is 97, still composing and teaching music. She’s not a confident person. But she had the courage to start her life completely over again at 55. She moved to Paris, lived in a teeny, teeny, tiny hotel room with a toilet down the hall; you had to make a reservation to take a bath. And this woman from Cleveland became a master teacher of Dalcroze eurhythmics, and she wrote seven books .

Your character, Carla, has ethereal gentleness and also a steely core. Since the movie was heavily improvised, does it have more of your personality in it than, say, Taxi , which was tightly scripted?

It was improvised around a solid notion of what each scene had to accomplish. So yes, that definitely means there’s more of me in this than almost anything, because a lot of it just comes out from my mouth, from between my temples.

It’s a comedy in a modern idiom, but isn’t it reminiscent of the ’70s, when movies could afford risk and everything seemed so open?

I agree with you completely there. It’s all kinds of risk-taking in every second, of every sort.

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What does your career resurgence feel like?

I am so grateful, and I need it for my heart and spirit and psyche. I need to do work!

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On  Star Trek: Strange New Worlds , you play a rather youthful, thousands-of-years-old Lanthanite with a funnier accent than Simka. You never watched Star Trek — how did that happen?

I thought, OK, they have got me mixed up with someone else. This is a mistake. I don’t know anything about that [sci-fi] world. But I’m having a ball.

Do you plan to keep working?

You know, Ellen Burstyn is a friend of mine. She was 77 when we did Lillian Hellman’s The Children's Hour in London . She remarked that at her age, she was working more than at any other period of her life. Now she’s 91.

And she has a recurring role on  Law & Order: Organized Crime . Do you think times are changing, and actresses who aren’t ingenues get a longer runway for their career?

Maybe that’s true. I hope that you’re right!

Tim Appelo covers entertainment and is the film and TV critic for AARP. Previously, he was the entertainment editor at Amazon, video critic at  Entertainment Weekly , and a critic and writer for  The Hollywood Reporter, People , MTV,  The Village Voice  and  LA Weekly .

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