I always start off talking Star Trek by saying I don't consider myself a Trekkie. I like Star Trek, but if I'm watching something ST it's a movie with Chris Pine or the Next Generation crew, or a TV show that Jack Quaid has been on. Strange New Worlds just finished its second season on Paramount+. The Discovery spin-off came out with a great freshman season. We saw some characters we already knew on this Enterprise crew before James T Kirk becomes its Captain, and we met new characters not from the original series as well. What keeps me coming back to watch this series is its characters. Any great movie or TV show has characters you care about and get invested in. Pike is cool, and relatable to me. Spock is awkward and funny. Uhura is innocent and smiley. I like going back onto the Enterprise and hanging out with its crew. The other reason I like Strange New Worlds is its production. They've updated ideas from the 1966 to 2022. I try to watch each episode on my big 4k TV, with all the lights off, and in total darkness, because each episode is movie quality.
I think a lot of long-time Trekkies were in an uproar when a musical episode was announced at San Diego Comic Con, the same day they announced the Star Trek: Lower Decks crossover episode was dropping on Paramount+ in a few hours. With animated crossovers, musicals, and an episode where Spock becomes full human, but still has to pretend to be Vulcan, I can see how some Star Trek fans could see these things as gimmicky and be turned off by them. But I believe that some people take their fandom too serious. I'm a big Star Wars fan, but I know I will not like everything Star Wars. I understand Star Trek is a franchise that is filled with metaphors about humanity, and our own modern problems being twisted into a sci-fi context. I get it. But sometimes, it's good to just have some fun and be silly. We had those serious episodes like the season finale, and then the episode before it, everyone was singing. While I'll probably skip Subspace Rhapsody in future rewatches, I'm ok that it was made, and it put a smile on my face as I watched it.
One of the things I enjoyed about season 2 was the growth of the characters. We got more into the history of Dr. M'Benga and his issues with Klingons. Nurse Chapel and La'an had some great character moments in this season as well. Plus, Erica Ortega finally got to go on an away mission, and might not come back from it. We'll see. We also got what some might call fan-service cameos. James T. Kirk was in this season so much, people thought he was a crew member. But in the 4 episodes Paul Wesley played him in the series, the true Kirk has only been in 2 out of 20 episodes. I also loved seeing James interact with Sam, and their relationship is something I want to see more of. In the season 2 finale we got a young Scottie, which means we've met four out of the seven TOS crew members in SNG. I can see how it might be a little too cheeky and shrinks this universe, but again, it's fantasy. Just try to enjoy it for what it is.
I mentioned above the modernization of original Star Trek concepts like the better special effects and cooler looking props and sets, and also aliens. We were teased the Gorn last season as almost xenomorph type creatures that were similar to those in Alien. It's a far distinction from the rubber reptile suit we saw in the 60's. But in the season finale we got a better understanding of how these beings can seem so formidable. The Gorn start as little creatures, gestating in a warm body, then become these four-legged predators. In Hegemony, we finally see an adult Gorn, which instantly made me think of Slithe from Thundercats and how badly I want a movie of that childhood cartoon. The Gorn seem to have mastered space-travel, but up to this episode, we've only seen them as wild beasts. This adult Gorn I think has given us still only a fraction of the true threat they cause to the Enterprise and the Federation. I see them as the opposite of the Borg. Instead of being merciless opponents who are very "robotic", the Gorn seem to be primal, but still intelligent at a mature age. Their more vicious nature I think will set them apart from other Star Trek villains like the Klingons, the Borg, and the Romulans.
Overall, I enjoyed this second season of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds because of its variety. It has serious episodes, and silly episodes. It had drama, action, and comedy. And I'm a fan when I can get all three of those things in one show. As to when we will get the next season, I don't know due to the continuing writers and actors strikes going on. But until then, I will enjoy discussing with people their thoughts on this season, and what choice they think Captain Pike will make, knowing his own fate is set, but his decision will affect everyone else's fate.
