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For all fans of Star Trek and the science fiction genre in general, the new series Star Trek: Strange New Worlds was one of the most anticipated shows of 2022. Following in the footsteps of multiple previous series, such as Star Trek: The Original Series and Star Trek: Discovery, the new Star Trek show brings well-known characters back, including Captain Christopher Pike, and the beloved science officer Spock.
While it remains unclear how will the journey of the starship Enterprise evolve, the pilot of the show has already hinted at future development. It has already offered a lot of aspects and things that audiences loved.
6 Sense Of Humor
It's true that some Star Trek episodes are darker than others, especially those that include the death of characters or deal with the topic of war. At the same time, though, the franchise never lacked a sense of humor, and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds brings it back. The pilot episode manages to mix both drama and humor, sometimes in the same scene, and does so with style.
A good example is the moments between Captain Pike and Spock, or the chase on the ship when somebody who shouldn't be on Enterprise travels to the bridge via the turbo lift. Although comedy-wise, the series isn't on the same level as the comedy animated series Star Trek: Lower Decks or the Star Trek parody The Orville, it has the power to make audiences laugh.
5 The Action And Tension Are High
The pilot not only creates funny moments, but also those full of action and tension. It seems that wherever the crew goes, they can expect to encounter a lot of trouble. In the pilot's case, they're forced to infiltrate a planet whose inhabitants are mostly unaware of the existence of aliens. That alone would be a difficult task, but the crew also has to break their people out of the local prison and bring them back to the ship.
Sometimes they're forced to fight, and sometimes there's only a second or two standing between them and being discovered by the locals, which strengthens the tension and the episode's overall atmosphere. A good example is a scene in which the crew is about to infiltrate a closely guarded facility and Spock has trouble getting through the security scanners due to his complex half-Vulcan, half-human biology.
4 It's Visually Beautiful
One thing that everybody must acknowledge, no matter whether they liked the pilot's story, or not, is that the show is visually beautiful. The aesthetics of the original series had a lot of charm, but Star Trek: Strange New Worlds makes good use of special effects, yet it still comes across as grounded enough.
Above all, Star Trek fans will enjoy seeing the iconic ship Enterprise again. The ship is just as impressive as it once was, especially once it gets to show itself in all its might. Without a strong story, impressive visuals wouldn't be enough, but they present a nice bonus.
3 Bringing Back The Old Characters
A fair assumption is that many viewers who will watch Star Trek: Strange New Worlds are already familiar with some previous Star Trek series. As such, fans of the franchise will appreciate seeing well-known characters again. Captain Christopher Pike and Spock get another chance to shine, but they're not the only ones.
The pilot also gives space to other familiar faces, including young Uhura, Pike's Number One Una, nurse Chapel, or even a certain crew member with the surname of Kirk. Some might object that these moments when a familiar face/name shows up function as fan service, but the pilot works even for those who have never seen a Star Trek show before. It's just that for longtime fans, the series will have an extra layer.
2 The Cast's Performances
Of course, bringing back old characters and establishing new ones wouldn't work without talented actors taking on the roles. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds doesn't disappoint in this area either. Anson Mount in the leading role of Captain Pike makes it easy to understand why Pike seems to be so popular as a Captain.
Ethan Peck as Spock serves as the side of logic in the pilot, but the friendship between him and Captain Pike is one of the highlights of the episode. Other actors also give strong performances as well, such as Rebecca Romijn, Christina Chong, and Jess Bush. Interestingly, both Mount and Romijn have played Marvel superheroes at one point, Black Bolt and Mystique, but their roles in this show couldn't be more different.
1 The Thought At The Heart Of The Story
The basis of Star Trek has always been its philosophy, the moral side at the heart of the stories. It was something that was present in both the original series and subsequent ones. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds comes back to its roots as the pilot works with a moral dilemma.
Should the Enterprise crew witness the destruction of one civilization, or should they interfere even though it would mean breaking one of the rules the Starfleet has created? And is it possible to change someone's destiny? These questions and more arise in the episode, making Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' pilot episode much more than just a science fiction show with action scenes, jokes, and actors in alien make-up. It's a callback to the show's roots, showing that the sci-fi tradition of asking big questions is still at the heart of the franchise.