Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 2 Builds On Its Excellent Approach To Trek

I’m still amazed at how much new Star Trek there is to talk about these days. And with the Strange New Worlds season 2 premiere approaching at Warp speed, my amazement knows no bounds. The new season of the official prequel to The Original Series (TOS) definitely builds on the light-hearted and very likeable approach to Star Trek storytelling that season 1 initiated. The vibrant tone and amazing characters continue to make Strange New Worlds one of the best Star Trek shows on the air right now, for entirely different reasons than the others. Check out my review of the Strange New Worlds season 2 premiere, and its first six episodes.

Strange New Worlds Season 2 Premiere Review Is Spoiler-Free

Strange New Worlds season 1 spun off of Star Trek: Discovery and focuses on the Starfleet flagship of the Enterprise before James T. Kirk became its captain. So in essence, the show acts as a prequel to the events of TOS. The many different Star Trek shows on the air right now all have their own tone and vibe. But Strange New Worlds excels because it’s able to capture the essence of the TOS era, with the polish of The Next Generation era, as well as the dark themes and morals of the Deep Space Nine storylines. All the while having a lot of fun throughout!

With the premiere of Strange New Worlds season 2, I’m happy to say that those elements of the show continue. And not just continue, but even builds on season 1 with an even deeper exploration of characters, themes and storylines that flesh out this time of Star Trek that we’ve already seen before. The best part about the Strange New Worlds season 2 premiere is how it honours a classic Star Trek storytelling trope; stealing a ship to go on an unsanctioned rescue mission! Seeing this new crew follow in the footsteps of those who, in release order, not chronologically, came before.

How Strange New Worlds Season 2 Continues Homages Various Genres

One of the best things about Strange New Worlds season 1 is how each episode homaged a different film and TV genre. And I’m so glad that the season 2 premiere continues that tradition in an awesome way. The first six episodes of Strange New Worlds season 2 are immensely compelling and highly engaging. The show further explores the various new crew members’ backstories and even provides them with new and interesting challenges. Some very exciting and cheer-worthy, and some absolutely devastating.

After watching some of these six new episodes, many of these characters have already become my all-time favourite ones in all of Trek! And that’s saying a lot, given just how much Star Trek we’ve gotten in decades of content. Many of the episodes go deeper into these new characters’ stories and lives. We learn more about them, and so immediately learn to love them even more. It’s great storytelling coupled with wonderful performances from this talented cast.

A New Season And A Lot Of New Changes

But even going beyond the character stories, Strange New Worlds season 2 further expands the world of Trek, especially in this era. For all intents and purposes, This era of Star Trek is the first, the beginning of Trek lore as we know it. While time travel has given us previous stories, as well as the TV series Enterprise that was set before, this era is still the definitive for Star Trek. So seeing how the worlds, politics and alliances and even enemies develop in this time, is just incredibly fascinating for ardent Star Trek fans. And still interesting drama and storytelling for newcomers to the franchise.

With the new season premiering on the heels of Star Trek: Picard’s final season, Strange New Worlds is great for those looking for a more light-hearted show, not steeped in previous lore or easter eggs. While the show will have a lot of plusses for veteran fans, it’s also very accessible and has a lot to offer those fans looking for an awesome new science fiction show that has spectacle and heart. And a lot more to offer, if you really use it as an entry point into the rest of the Star Trek franchise.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2 premiere streams on Paramount+ on June 15, 2023.

Are you excited for season 2 of this awesome new show? Follow The Movie Blog for more features and reviews of Star Trek shows, or reach out to me on Twitter at @theshahshahid.