Star Trek: Strange New Worlds CBS All Access

[Steedeel]

SNW S2, Ep 9

Well, here we are, episode 9!

And it wasn’t a brief moment where a crew member sang, nor was it a time travel bombshell, it was the ENTIRE crew singing!
The crew find themselves pulled in by a space anomaly, and the only way to escape it is to sing, apparently by communicating in a different manner, this may blah blah blah, and the zipper like gravitational pull of the anomaly may be reversed blah blah blah.
That’s not important, what is important is this Buffy style episode, where our favourites find themselves breaking into song and expressing their feelings in this unique way. For Spock and Nurse Chapel, their romance is in the spotlight, as Spock must deal with the realisation that Chapel is going to be moving on, having been awarded a place at the fellowship she had been desiring. Spock realises that her ambition overrides her feelings for him, this fact painfully indicated by a visibly delighted Chapel performing a celebratory song and dance, in the ship’s bar/refectory.
Elsewhere, Pike also expresses his feelings for his sweetheart in full view of the crew, unable to stop himself from revealing more and more of his private life, to the surprise but enjoyment of the crew.
We also get Uhura and La’an going all in on their feelings in two entertaining numbers, the best of which sees the latter’s feelings for Kirk laid out bare.
We even have time for a Klingon number which surely puts a wide grin on every Trek lover’s face.
While this is, indeed, a novelty episode, we get several major developments with various relationships. Things move on, things change and slowly, the chess pieces are put in place for how things will line up at the end of this run. Future character names are mentioned, and paths that are not yet travelled begin to form.
Lovely touch with the theme tune too, that’s was nicely done, as was the funny little Uhura moment right at the end.

This was great stuff. It left me warm and fuzzy, a feeling only made possible by the fantastic performances by the cast throughout this series.
The element of surprise that each episode brings, clears the palette of Discovery’s messy and forced interactions, this show coming over as a stronger ensemble and a generally far more entertaining series, full of humour, charm and unsettling hints at a challenging future.

With one episode left, it’s been a strong season, and I’m not going to guess what next week will be. Really looking forward to it though.

Been a long time since I smiled this much watching Trek, and yes, I’m fine with Klingons singing and dancing, albeit briefly!

SNW S2, episode 9⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[John1701D]

That scene was pure gold, glad you enjoyed it. Your reviews are really good, it's fun revisiting the episodes through your eyes

[Steedeel]

Thanks, appreciate it. Just one more to go then I’m in the same boat as most members, waiting for the third season.

[Batman1980]

Still holding onto that sliver of hope that we get 5 seasons, so 1 more than ENT.

[John1701D]

Hopefully it's not just a sliver because this is the best Trek we've seen in decades.

[Batman1980]

Originally Posted by John1701D

Hopefully it's not just a sliver because this is the best Trek we've seen in decades.

Yeah Lower Decks and SNW are both far better than DSC. I'd be so happy if Orville gets another season, too.

[LeftHandedGuitarist]

Not sure where the best place to post this is, as I don't think we have a general Star Trek thread. But Variety have posted an enormous new article which reveals a number of scoops about upcoming Trek projects.

(also this image is awesome)


https://variety.com/2024/tv/features...oh-1235952301/

Among them:

It looks like the Section 31 film will be set

[Show spoiler]in the Lost Era!

Strange New Worlds season 3 will premiere in 2025 and one episode is teased to be

[Show spoiler]a murder mystery.

Starfleet Academy is confirmed to be set

[Show spoiler]in the 32nd century, after Discovery.

And new theatrical movies seem to finally be on track (although we've heard that before).

[drb999]

It sucks that we have to wait until 2025 for SNW to return.

[John1701D]

Originally Posted by drb999

It sucks that we have to wait until 2025 for SNW to return.

That's the one thing I hate about this modern streaming era. Just how the hell were they able for decades to write, film, and release 24 episodes yearly but now we've got to wait a year and a half for 10 episodes. It's not just Trek of course. I miss shows coming back every Fall. And the TV Guide Fall preview issue.

[Batman1980]

Originally Posted by drb999

It sucks that we have to wait until 2025 for SNW to return.

Better than having a favourite show end and feel like it had more to say.

[kevin87]

Originally Posted by John1701D

That's the one thing I hate about this modern streaming era. Just how the hell were they able for decades to write, film, and release 24 episodes yearly but now we've got to wait a year and a half for 10 episodes. It's not just Trek of course. I miss shows coming back every Fall. And the TV Guide Fall preview issue.

It doesn't help that shows used to get renewed while they were airing/filming but now it usually takes network/services longer to renew them and the writers can't really write stuff past story ideas and stuff until it's been picked up. And one of the draws of shorter seasons is being able to get bigger names and those kind of people usually work more so they have schedules to work around and when it's an ensemble it's going to be harder... and there was also two strikes that pushed everything back. Special effects heavy shows like this take longer in post too, and now shows premiere in so many countries at once that they have to dub and sub them a lot sooner and that can't really happen until the season is finished so the dub actors can sync their dialogue's timing. That's supposedly one of the reasons that Prime takes a year between end of filming and premiering.

But yeah, there's a ton of stuff that I just don't see why it takes them so long to write less episodes.

[Socko]

Originally Posted by drb999

It sucks that we have to wait until 2025 for SNW to return.

But better wait and get quality stuff, than a rushed show that's below average.

[Steedeel]

SNW S2, EP10

So, finally I reach the end of the series, and I can’t help but feel disappointed by this finale. The reason being, I just cant quite accept the Gorn as a genuine threat. I had the same issue with all other episodes featuring the Gorn. They just look so goofy and take me out of the show, which otherwise looks pretty great, especially the Enterprise and its various sections.
This particular episode sees the crew helping a settlement with medicine supplies and vaccinations, when a Gorn mothership arrives.
Spock and the rest of the crew think nurse Chaplin was aboard a ship that was blown up, and Spock risks his life to walk amongst the ship’s exterior to search for clues of life signs.
Meanwhile, the Captain worries his sweetheart is also a victim of the Gorn.
They must avoid the mothership’s attention to reach the planet, with Ortega displaying her outstanding navigation and piloting skills to do so.
The crew find life (rather predictably) and loved ones are still alive but stuck, unable to break through the Gorn’s attack.
We then get a showdown with an adult Gorn, attacking Chaplin, and Spock coming to her rescue, in a scene resembling something from Alien.
Meanwhile, Batel reveals to Pike her infection from the Gorn, first hinted at when a Gorn refuses to attack her.
We are left with a cliffhanger, with the crew possibly having to open fire at the Gorn but facing the possibility that Batel would be killed in the aftermath.
Oh, and we get a very famous cameo that will bring a huge smile to Trek fans, so a significant episode, even if it’s far from one of my favourites for the aforementioned reasons.
If my review feels a little lacklustre, apologies, but I found this one a bit of a letdown. Like I said, the Gorn just don’t do it for me as a huge threat, they look too goofy, and retrofitted just so we can have a major threat in each series.
It’s obvious that budgets are tight as well, with the Gorn just making cameos here and there.

Nonetheless, this season has been terrific, covering many bases and taking risks that pay off, It’s allowed a couple of missteps in my book.

For season three, I would like to see more actual exploration of planets, and new life forms, with unique and bizarre situations.

SNW S2, EP10 ⭐️⭐️

Season overall ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks for humouring me and the kind posts (you all know who you are) and now we are all in the same boat, Impatiently waiting for S3!

[mwynn]

Originally Posted by John1701D

That's the one thing I hate about this modern streaming era. Just how the hell were they able for decades to write, film, and release 24 episodes yearly but now we've got to wait a year and a half for 10 episodes. It's not just Trek of course. I miss shows coming back every Fall. And the TV Guide Fall preview issue.

I think they pretty much pulled the actors away from everything. If you remember OZ they would not allow them to do side projects. When the actors tried they killed them off on the show. This is why Terry Farrell left.

[TheNarnHomeworld]

Originally Posted by drb999

It sucks that we have to wait until 2025 for SNW to return.

It sucks even more that this era of Canadian cosplay Trek exists.

[John1701D]

The sooner everyone starts ignoring the troll the better.

[TheNarnHomeworld]

The sooner the forum bully stops private messaging me will be even better.

[Lutz]

Originally Posted by John1701D

That's the one thing I hate about this modern streaming era. Just how the hell were they able for decades to write, film, and release 24 episodes yearly but now we've got to wait a year and a half for 10 episodes.

Everyone’s available to work like that when the people in charge want to pay them for it.

Originally Posted by mwynn

I think they pretty much pulled the actors away from everything. If you remember OZ they would not allow them to do side projects. When the actors tried they killed them off on the show. This is why Terry Farrell left.

lol Terry Farrell said she left because she was being paid less than everyone else lol

[mwynn]

Originally Posted by lutz

everyone’s available to work like that when the people in charge want to pay them for it.



Lol terry farrell said she left because she was being paid less than everyone else lol

in mark a. Altman and edward gross' oral history book the fifty-year mission: The next 25 years, from the next generation to j.j. Abrams by edward gross and mark a. Altman, farrell explained why she left ds9. "the problems with my leaving were with rick berman," farrell explained. "in my opinion, he's just very misogynistic. He'd comment on your bra size not being voluptuous.... That stuff was so intense, especially the first couple of years." the actors signed six-year contracts, so leading into the seventh and final season, farrell asked for her role to be recurring, telling gross and altman she would've appeared in 13 out of the 26 episodes.

Do you have a source for the pay issue?

[LexInHD]

In her official Star Trek interview, she says that it wasn't her choice to leave the show and that she would have been happy being a recurring character in the final season, because she was burned out by the long days routine and non-stop commitment of DS9, but there was apparently no discussion about the matter between her and Rick Berman, so he simply decided to kill off Jadzia when she didn't sign the contract within the grace period. Becker had nothing to do with it, because she had nothing to do with that production until Rick Berman made the final decision to kill off her character and cut her loose, with her Becker audition taking place the day after her DS9 filming ended.