We’re back with the second episode of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds! You know, I’m really enjoying the more casual and chilled approach to a Star Trek series.
The opening to the second episode works really well. Seriously, if you watch it, you’ll know what I mean!
What I would give for Captain Pike to simply sit down and pass me a glass of wine after a long day… man, I don’t even drink wine, but anyway…
The other moment we really enjoyed this week was just Pike’s dinner scene in general.
We’d love to get more moments of Pike chilling with his crew.
Not only does it give us just a warm casual Star Trek experience, but also a chance to understand and listen to these unique characters before the ship is getting blown apart and such. I love it!
Anyway, join us for our weekly review of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds! SPOILER WARNING, we’ll be discussing the episode in full detail, as such, you have been warned!
Welcome to Trek Central! I’m your host, _Captain Jack_, and let’s get into it!
Episode 2 is called Children of the Comet, which is a fitting name for this week’s adventure as we’re all about comets.
This entry into the Star Trek Universe is written by Henry Alonso Myers & Sarah Tarkoff while being directed by frequent Trek director Maja Vrvilo, who has done episodes for both Discovery and Picard.
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Immediately the opening of this episode works really well. Essentially what is Cadet Uhura’s introduction to us as viewers?
Now long time Star Trek fans know who Uhura is and what she is about, though we don’t know about her past.
Strange New Worlds is building up that past life and it works really well. We’re introduced to her motivations for joining Starfleet, as well as getting to know a great more about Captain PIke’s command style.
As mentioned earlier, this episode feels very much like Uhura’s introduction episode. As Sam Kirk says later on in this episode, don’t study linguistics if you don’t want people to ask you questions about it. This is true for any subject I’d say.
One element we’re still playing within this episode of the idea of fate.
While we touched on the comet's fate, we’re also playing with the fate of Captain Christopher Pike and his vision of the future via the time crystal
Number One and Pike have a good conversation about this and it raises a question that many have wondered about. If you know your future, why not change it?
Perhaps this idea takes a stance with Pike, as he asks the computer to call up records on the names of the cadets he will eventually save.
These are currently all children, which makes sense, as in under 10 years' time, they’ll be cadets within Starfleet and under the command of Captain, or rather Fleet Captain, Christopher Pike.
I’m still very much looking forward to how Strange New Worlds handles the storyline of Pike’s battle with his future.
Even in the first episode, we’re playing with that plot thread and here we have it once again.
It does appear to be affecting his judgement slightly, but not as much as where it would be a problem just yet. It does remain to be seen whether it will have a direct effect on Pike’s command ability.
Don’t forget that Trek Central is LIVE on YouTube this Sunday at 21:00 BST, 13:00 PT and 16:00 ET,
to discuss the latest episode of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds and answer your questions. Catch both myself and Starfleet Boy live on your screens and we look forward to chatting with you very soon!
The away mission element of this week's episode just works really well. I’m starting to notice callbacks to Star Trek Enterprise in a sense.
All in all, it just feels like traditional Star Trek and that works super well.
The crew gearing up for an away mission, the medical officer giving our medical announcements before the mission. While it’s not throwing us into the action, but rather holding our hand gently.
There is nothing wrong with this. Yes, the likes of Discovery may chuck us straight into it, but Strange New Worlds feels more gentle in its approach.
Both to storytelling, but also to world-building at the same time and that works oh so well. I’m hoping we get more away missions like this that work really well.
Looking at the away mission more, traditional Star Trek bits are used here and there. Uhura’s attempt at deciphering the code while La’an is being tactical and Spock is pointing out the obvious vis comedy and such.
Oh speaking of traditional Star Trek elements, the Enterprise's computer sounds really similar to the original voice actress, Majel Roddenberry. See if you can pick it up as well!
Star Trek has always made use of making the cast do weird and wonderful things in the spirit of exploring new alien civilizations.
Strange New Worlds has established itself as no alien to this through the use of singing and frequency harmonics to effectively communicate with the comet aka The Arbiter.
It is very Trek to use music to communicate.
I feel like it reminds me of a previous Star Trek episode, yet I can’t put my finger on it for some reason. It might be an episode of The Next Generation, as they explored weird and wonderful elements of communication.
Speaking of more traditional Star Trek elements, we also get the B-plot of this episode which is Captain Pike negotiating with Religious Zealots.
This very much reminds of older Star Trek Enterprise episodes.
Maybe it’s because of the early Starfleet and Federation days, or perhaps just the style of writing, but this episode format works really well, as it is essentially a crisis of the week in a sense.
Meeting these Sheppards who are protecting the comment is an excellent use of the B-plot in my opinion.
Again I compare to previous versions of Star Trek, as that is essentially what we'll be doing a lot with Strange New Worlds.
But the idea of the main crew working on the crisis of the week, while the other part of the crew is getting some weird situation just sticks well.
Religious Zealots have been explored in Trek before. Notable in one Star Trek Enterprise episode, so seeing them again is no surprise.
I thought the ones in this episode worked really well to advance the story. Though i do wish we could have had some more tense negotiations, at the same time, it appears these are the type of people you can't negotiate with apparently.
Lieutenant Ortegas continues to be one of my favourite characters in the new series so far. Especially her quick wit comments and efficient piloting of the Enterprise.
Her piloting in this episode worked super well.
Additionally, we also got to see the USS Enterprise in more action this week, as she moves around doing incoming weapons fire to move towards the comment. It worked really well to show the power of the vessel.
I have to commend the VFX team on this week's episode. It worked really well to see the Enterprise swerving around asteroid pieces and dodging incoming phaser fire.
The visual effects here stood out super well, even more so when Enterprise glides gracefully over the top of the comet and we see the planet. Additionally, when we get to see Spock in the Starfleet shuttle as well.
Samuel Kirk, last week's surprise crew introduction is a welcome breath of fresh air. I’m unsure how much he’ll contribute to the actual series overhaul.
I mean he almost died in this week's episode. It would be rather ironic if Kirk died in the episode so quickly.
Obviously, as he is a legacy Star Trek character, much like Pike, Spock and a few others, he cannot die due to us already knowing his eventual fate.
Chief Engineer Hemmer was this week’s latest character introduction.
While we didn’t get to spend more time with him directly in this week's episode, perhaps that will come at a later date.
It’s shame as I like many others am really desperate to meet him and explore more about his character.
Especially as his species have been explored in previous episodes of Star Trek as well.
Even though this episode resolves the crisis of the week, as Captain Pike points out, we’re still left with the mystery of who actually created the comment.
Even more so, the mystery of the comment and its fate is rather unique, especially as it apparently knew its fate before it began and that Spock essentially fulfilled its destiny to bring more life to the planet below.
This moment just works really well.
Well, that wraps up our weekly review of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Episode 2: Children of the Comet!
What did you think of the episode? Did it meet your expectations and do you also agree with us that this episode of the week format is working well for Strange New Worlds? I’m personally loving it.
You know, throughout this episode part of me feels like we had some nods to elements of Star Trek’s Kelvin Timeline.
Whether it was just certain visual styles, or perhaps musical cues, I’m not sure. It sort of just feels that way.
This could be because the last time we actually exploited the TOS era was via the Kelvin TImeline movies.
Discovery is not counted for the sake of argument.
Don’t forget you can tune in to watch Star Trek: Strange New Worlds via Paramount+ if you’re located in the United States, as well as Australia, Latin America and The Nordiscs.
Additionally you can watch via the CTV Sci-Fi channel in Canada and Crave Streaming Service. If you’re in India, via Voot Select and TVNZ in New Zealand. Cosmote TV in Greece.
Finally, Paramount+ will beam down on June 22nd 2022 to United Kingdom viewers. Yay!
So what did you think of this week’s Star Trek: Strange New Worlds episode?
Don’t forget that Trek Central is LIVE on YouTube this Sunday at 21:00 BST to discuss the episode and answer any questions!
In the meantime, comment down below your thoughts, because if you’re talking about Star Trek, then we want to hear about it!
If you want to keep up to date on all the latest Star Trek news, lore and more, then make sure to hit that subscribe button to never miss a video from the team here at Trek Central! You can also follow us on social media, or join our Community Discord Server!
For now, I’ve been Captain Jack, thanks for watching and we’ll see you next time! Live Long and prosper my friends!