Boldly Streaming Again: The Return of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds

Two full years have passed since we last set our eyes on the strange, yet fascinating Star Trek universe of Paramount+'s solo survivor, "Strange New Worlds". It's quite a feat considering the wreckage left in its wake with the demise of series like "Discovery," "Picard," "Lower Decks," and "Prodigy". The less said about the underwhelming "Section 31" movie, the better. Enter Season 3 of "Strange New Worlds", swooping in to soothe the starved appetites of all true Trek enthusiasts, continuing the tradition, but without journeying into particularly deep space.

Harking back to the finale of Season 2, we left the USS Enterprise crew defensively poised against a Gorn invasion while drones of hostile ships zeroed in on Captain Pike (Anson Mount) and his fearless crew. The opening act of the new season, "Hegemony Part II," wraps up this saga with a captivating hour packed with top-tier effects and outstanding production design. However, with only an appetizer-sized 10-episodic season, more is definitely desired.

Aside from the rapid-fire technobabble and body horror, the premiere plants several seeds that sprout and unveil themselves over the course of the season. Pike's love interest, Captain Marie Batel (Melanie Scrofano), faces a demanding storyline dealing with a looming Gorn infection, which gives Pike something more to ponder than his usual captain duties. We are also introduced to Lt. Ortegas's (Melissa Navia) post-traumatic stress disorder from the Klingon War and her subsequent Gorn captivity.

The show remains rooted in its explorative spirit while juggling various themes; space battles, holographic homicide mysteries, regret-laden romance narratives, and even a sprinkling of horror, something rather fresh to the franchise. Showrunners Akiva Goldsman and Henry Alonso Myers effortlessly manoeuvre through these juxtaposed themes, maintaining the show's identity without alienating the audience.

The much-anticipated "Spock farce" episode, "Wedding Bell Blues," is a rollercoaster that sees Spock (Ethan Peck) dealing with jealousy, old flames, and even a whimsical godlike being (Rhys Darby). Each character gets their time in the spotlight including Dr. M’Benga (Babs Olusanmokun) who needs to confront his past, and La’an Noonien Singh (Christina Chong) who enjoys lighter moments in a 1960s inspired romp.

Where the show trips is in its determination to uphold its original commitment as a moral drama. It steers clear of grand political portrayals, focusing instead on the exploration of its characters' emotional complexities. The show’s aim has always been to inspire the audience to dream of what’s undiscovered in the cosmos. This season is no exception.

According to Paramount, the plan is for "Strange New Worlds" to wrap up with its fifth season. As the lone survivor of the "Trek" franchise approaches its final frontier, uncertainty is rampant. However, there are still plenty of light-years to traverse, and enjoying this journey while it lasts will be our prime directive.