'Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' Review: A dive into the alien worlds explored

From space travel to tackling war and racism, the new sci-fi adventure series leaves no stone unturned
PUBLISHED MAY 6, 2022
A still from 'Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' (Paramount+)
A still from 'Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' (Paramount+)

Paramount's latest Star Trek series is nothing short of a space-glory adventure that leaves you wanting the next episode. Episode 1 of 'Star Trek - Strange New Worlds' is out and we're loving every bit of it.

The new series neatly falls into the sci-fi adventure genre, and rightfully so. The show left no stone unturned in using the public's enthusiasm about space travel to tackle war, racism, and the issues with eugenics with its plotlines. It also depicted the aspirational stages of human achievement when it comes to space research and travel.

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The episode starts with an alien spaceship that starts firing weapons at the USS Enterprise with Captain James Kirk on board. Captain Nero, from the alien ship, demands to meet James. James evacuates the crew sensing danger and continues to drive straight through the nucleus of the alien ship.

Cut to the next part of the story, Spock's childhood is shown. Spock is seen to be half human half Vulcan and is shunned because of it. After the Vulcans disrespect his mother he decides to leave. We then see the story show Jim Kirk, son of Captain James Kirk, in a club in Iowa. He meets Uruha there, gets beaten by some boys for teasing her, and captain Pike saves him with an offer to join the ship.

A still from 'Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' (Paramount+)

Jim's at the ship the next day and meets Leonard Mckoy instantly becoming friends. Jim goes along to give the Kobayashi Maru test designed by Spock and beats his simulation. Spock doesn't like that and calls in a jury to judge implying that Jim cheated.

Meanwhile, there's a distress call from Vulcan, and everyone straps on to leave to help them while Jim is taken on board by Mckoy. Jim saves the ship from Romulans after sensing the distress called to be a facade for an attack. The federation is attacked by the Romulans and captain pike is called so he asks Olsen, Kirk, and Sulu to join him. The three land on the planet where the ship is parked and start combating the alien crew and sabotaging the drill. The Romans understand this and try to launch a matter that will consume the whole planet while Sulu and Kirk manage to get outta there.

A still from 'Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' (Paramount+)

Captain Pike is taken hostage by Romulans. Meanwhile, a tiff between Spock and Kirk leads Spock to throw Krik off the ship to another planet where he meets his future self of Spock. Future Spock then explains how he met Nero. We'll save that for when you watch the episode.

So coming back we have future Spock and Kirk heading to a shady science garage handled by future Montgomery Scott. There they discover the equation for transport so Scott and Kirk leave back to ship. Kirk plays the 'emotions compromised' card on current Spock and makes him resign his post.

Ethen Peck as Spock in a still from 'Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' (Paramount+)

Eventually, the two decide to hit Neo's spaceship and procure the dark matter. In their quest to do so, they manage to destroy the drill and take back the Vulcan ship. The duo manages to save Captain Pike and leave the matter in the alien ship to let it consume them. Kirk offers final assistance that is rejected by Neo followed by the death of him and his crew. The story ends with James Kirk becoming the captain of the USS Enterprise ship relieving Captain Pike and the federation embarks on another journey.

Catch the latest episode of 'Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' exclusively on Paramount+

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