Star Trek: Strange new worlds episode 1 (review)

Copyright: star trek, and star trek strange new worlds are property of paramount

Ethics and brevity: i'm just a huge star trek fanboy, and have 0 affiliation with star trek

content warning: i mention a character possibly being raped by the Gorn. if rape being mentioned causes any form of triggering effect to you. please be advised,

    We start with a monologue about how in Star Trek we’re not alone in the universe as we get a room full of aliens soldiers members discussing a coming UFO. Revealing that said UFO. Is the U.S.S Enterprise. Making contact with an unknown planet. Said planet is perplexed with its existence. We then cut to Montana standard 1739.12 as someone who we learn is captain pike the captain of U.S.S discovery, (putting it between discovery and the creation of the federation of planets, and the original series.) Pike is watching “War Of The Worlds”. Which is honestly a really cute subtle way of showing how fast the federations have been. 

It also shows where Pike is as a person. That he believes in the rights to everyone in the universe. Said scene is the scene where Klaatu is demanding the earth become a unified world l without prejudice, a world without war. That Starfleet and the federation of planets are wanting a better tomorrow. The scene continues as a woman in a Star fleet uniform stumbles in, they flirt as they eat breakfast. There's a growing tension between them. But he wont tell her what's wrong. She cuts to the chase and asks him to open about what is ailing him. He is being too stubborn, won’t. She relents, telling him she’s shipping off as they kiss goodbye. The tension is still bubbling as his communications rings in the distance as she leaves. 

    Our man then rides off into the snow on horseback as as an away ship lands, a Star fleet admiral lands; demanding he get back onto the saddle, giving him a recording of one of his first officers. The woman from earlier. We learn that she and her crew went missing recently, and that Starfleet wants him to help find her. The two bicker as the admiral demands him to get back into the enterprise. Our hero fights back saying he won’t. But in the end relents. 

After the credits, we get a scene on Vulcan. As a Vulcan couple are about to fuck. We learn that the male is a young Spock, and the female Vulcan is T’Pring, as she proposes. They share a passionate kiss as they head to their room. And as right before they bang. His communicator goes off and cock blocks Spock. Pike tells Spock that he is needed. T’Pring is rightfully pissed as Spock leaves. Telling her it's honestly really cute. Spock is trying to tell T’Pring that he'll come back, and they have cute banter, really cute banter.

 And they share a kiss. After we get cock teased, we head back to the enterprise as captain pike boards. We get a name drop of Kirk as Spock and Pike discuss who will be on board. That’s when this hit me. This is a prequel and soft reboot of the original series. But set in its own Separate timeline. Again. Which I’m not against. I just wonder why. 

Spock and Pike talk about how Spock misses his sister. Who wasn’t an original series character but a discovery and movie exclusive character. Which makes me believe this is supposed to be a soft reboot, but only for in-between discovery and onwards. But I digress. Pike and Spock enter the bridge, as his harem of starfleet Lieutenants get a look at the new Uhura. And our first look at her isn’t bad. She’s really humble as Pike compliments her. 

Speaking of pike, we finally get a look at what happened prior to the series as pike is hit with a ptsd ridden fear as he stops the ship and looks at his reflection. Everyone looks on at him as he snaps back out of it. Pretending it didn’t happen. Sending himself and his team off into space.  The only one seemingly questioning it is Spock. In the captain's quarters, captain pike is staring off into space, the memories of what happened playing in his head. As we see a warp drive explode, causing damage and killing people. The moment is cut short as Spock enters his quarters. Who tries to console his captain. 

Captain pike is honestly really blaze about his feelings, about how the day flashes back in his head. How he saw his own death. How exactly he dies. In the most tragic way possible.    

it's tragic; to see a man like pike. a brave man whose went against the odds and became the second longest captain of the enterprise. who commands respect and gives it. the man who taught kirk on how to be a captain, is now terrified and double thinking himself. terrified of life because he saw his own death happen in his own eyes. its tragic. The two discuss life and death. And how second guessing can lead to mistakes. That pike for now has cheated death. And he knows that the moment he second guesses something it can lead to his death. Its a beautiful scene. It's full of tension and anguish. The moment Spock leaves, captain pike looks in his whiskey bottle. Seeing his reflection as the one of him dying again. It’s heartbreaking. 

The Enterprise arrives at Pike's wife’s ship's location and the ship is empty. As they search for any form of signature, Pike and his crew learn that anything involving “first contact protocol” hasn’t been made. Which isn't surprising, but they also reveal that the planet is a century behind when it comes to federation stuff. No warp reactor, but somehow having a warp signature. A really weird one. Having irregular warp readings isn't a big deal but it is something to be concerned about.  

They believe it’s a red flag event, that somehow being an anomaly, it could be dangerous. Per advice from the first officer pike suggestion the deflector shields. The moment they do, three plasma torpedoes strike the shields, causing some confusion amongst the bridge. Plasma torpedoes are weaponry from the last century, but they have a warp reading. Pike has Uhura put the enterprise into red alert. That’s when the shoe drops. Spock reveals that based on the warp readings it’s not a reactor. It’s not a warp reactor, but a warp bomb. 

We finally reveal what exactly is happening on the planet, the planet has a war, and in said war, one of the factions developed a nuclear bomb of some sorts. And with the looming threat of Star fleet members on said planet it's causing a rift in what to do. Laan wants to go down to the planet and get the officers. 

Pike and Spock feel as though they can’t, because first contact protocols forbid them. First contact protocols are well. 

If you’re new to Star Trek, first contact protocols go as follow: 

1. That Star fleet cannot risk interfering with the natural order of a planet's development. 

2. Nor show yourself to a planet.  Till they are part of unified planets

The three argue some more as Pike has an idea. They visit the ships medical bay. As they ask for some advice. And a Mcguffin of sorts. As the doctor reveals a genetic engineer who offers to mess with the genomes. Making them similar to the planet's locals.  There’s a moment with the doctor applying a sedative I really didn’t like, the Laan demands to not be put to sleep for the gene therapy. Knowing full well the therapy is painful. The reasoning isn’t exactly said but the implifications are she was raped. Or at least drugged.

The reason I don’t like it is pike tries to bring it up to her. Saying he’s read her file. And almost demanding her to take the sedation.  It doesn’t feel right. Especially for trek, that the captain would demand his first officer to take a sedative. I get why she doesn’t, and it makes sense. But like pike is kind of a dick here. 

Anyways, we teleport to the unknown planet. The planet they live on… is super unsubtle. They teleport to a 2020s era United States.  Like even says “are you familiar with old earth”. A critique on the January 6th riots. Trek has never not used real life's past to help critique and tell a story, and when i first heard about them doing this. i was scared... because i thought it would be a badly written soapbox. i was happily wrong. It doesn’t get much time to breath as they finally get a signature on the warp bomb. ambushing two workers and stealing them.

So. The rape thing I mentioned earlier is weird now because number suggest they beam the workers they beat up to sickbay and keep them sedated. Which is really hypocritical. Having a person who’s been raped say “just drug the worker” is kind of disgusting. We also learn that Spock’s disguise is wearing off and will need a DNA sample to replace it. However only one of the workers is compatible with Spock’s DNA. 

Said worker gets up and runs away bumping into Uhura as she was heading to the bridge. Uhura, being a nice friendly gal, starts to speak to the worker. Accidentally distracting him enough for the doctor to catch up to the worker and steal his DNA to help Spock reapply his disguise.  They hurry and find the crew’s signature. They finally found the cell they were being held in. It would be a beautiful reunion, but on the way out they are attacked by guards. 

On the way back out the captain of the crew they were looking for reveals how the planet got warp. It’s revealed that they accidentally gave the planet warp. The crew had created a zero point: a wormhole so big it can travel into the future. And that the planet's tech was just good enough to witness it. And reverse engineered a matter/antimatter engine. 

The captains argue, pike wanting to stay behind and brings Spock with him. They are brought to the president of the planet. And pike and Spock try to reason with her. Saying that the bomb is not the way to go. Her response is to be honest. That talk and debate don’t work sometimes.  And that you have to slaughter those who wish not to be civil. To Carry a big stick if you will.  And pike understands this, breaking first contact rules and having the enterprise lower to the planet. Revealing itself, forcing the warring factions to peace. 

Pike gives a speech about how he’s seen his future. His death. And the future of the planet. He shows them footage of the January 6th capital attack. Which then that this will lead to the death of the planet. That the planet should believe in its possibilities. It’s potential. And the future is what you make of it. 

And that’s honestly something beautiful to leave the episode on. That peace and democracy are a potential for the planet. That struggling in centuries of strife isn’t the way to go. And to join the federation of planets. To 

Overall:

Honestly. I was scared going into this episode. Star Trek has a rep of bad shows after a point. But this was shockingly good. It’s well paced, the tones were balanced. And over all a show that is definitely something to come back to. 

Good:

The acting is phenomenal

The music is really good

The special effects are really good

A good and realistic portrayal of ptsd 

Utilizing pike's death from the original series. 

Its pacing is phenomenal 

Bad;

Making it a reboot of the original series, but somehow being a prequel to it is confusing. 

Making a rape victim pro sedation is really baffling.