Susan Granger’s review of “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” (Paramount+)
What’s extraordinary about “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds,” which has launched its 10-episode sophomore season, is how boldly this newest sci-fi franchise entry evokes the original “Star Trek” series that I fell in love with back in 1966,
It’s basically the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) in the 23rd century, delving into the origins, backstories and personal challenges facing familiar characters.
Ten years before rakish, risk-taking James T. Kirk commanded the starship, there was charming, confident Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount), who realizes that life-as-he-knows-it is limited; a grim fate awaits him in the future.
(Pike’s injury is detailed in a two-episode pilot called “The Menagerie” in the original series’ first season. Back then, Pike was played by Jeffrey Hunter and his Number One was Majel Barrett, who married producer Gene Roddenberry.)
At Pike’s side is young Science Officer Spock (Ethan Peck), struggling with reconciling his half-Vulcan/half-human heritage. Pike’s Number One is steely Una Chin-Riley (Rebecca Romijn), whose genetically enhanced Illyrian ancestry has been kept secret from the United Federation of Planets.
The rest of Pike’s crew includes no-nonsense Security Officer La’an Noonien-Singh (Christina Chong), troubled Doctor Joseph M’Benga (Babs Olusanmokun), flirtatious Nurse Christine Chapel (Jess Bush), intrepid pilot Lt. Erica Ortega (Melissa Navia), and fresh-out-of-Starfleet-Academy Cadet Nyota Uhura (Celia Rose Gooding), a linguistic specialist.
Credit Akiva Goldsman, Alex Kurtzman, Jenny Lumet and Henry Alonso Myers for stand-alone weekly episodes that follow idealistic Roddenberry’s classic “Star Trek” format as the crew seek out new civilizations with their cultural differences, utilizing diplomacy and adhering – as best they can – to Federation guidelines.
Season Two also introduces Pike’s eventual successor, cocky Capt. James T. Kirk (Paul Wesley), along with Spock’s skeptical Vulcan fiancé T’Pring (Gia Sandhu), Pike’s long-distance love interest JAG-corps Capt. Batel (Melanie Scrofano), and enigmatic engineering expert Pelia (Carol Kane).
On the Granger Gauge of 1 to 10, “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” warps in with an addictive, adventurous 8, streaming on Paramount+.
