Star Trek can be silly - but when does a gimmick hinder the story?
Strange New Worlds has certainly lived up to Star Trek's promise to "boldly go where no one has gone before" this season. We've had a dinosaur dilemma, a horror-inspired outing, a noir, The Hangover-esque antics and now puppets. But at what point does the show's willingness to experiment become more about the gimmick than serving the story?
There’s no denying that Strange New Worlds is one of the most frivolously fun Star Trek shows to date, and showrunners Akiva Goldsman and Henry Alonso Myers are undoubtedly taking bigger creative swings than almost any other modern Trek series.
The show hasn’t been afraid to experiment with different formats and incorporate the high-concept sci-fi elements which the franchise has popularised over the years. We’ve had the Lower Decks crossover, a musical, a body-swap episode and even Q/Trelane hijinks.
However, the puppet-centric "Level-Five Transporter Accident" - despite Jim Henson's Creature Shop puppets looking amazing - feels like an episode where the writers have prioritised the concept, rather than using it as a device to tell a particularly interesting Trek tale.
What I admire about the franchise most is that - alongside the big philosophical and existential questions about humanity and beyond - it hasn’t been afraid to mix up the established televised format and experiment with various genres and concepts. Star Trek can and always has been silly (remember that Kirk vs Gorn showdown?!), and sometimes, that’s when it’s at its best.
Throughout each various show in the franchise there’s been body swaps, holodeck shenanigans, alternate realities, comedy episodes, time travel, and genre mash-ups. Think the iconic Tribble antics in "The Trouble with Tribbles" and TNG’s Q-inspired hijinks of the Robin Hood centric "Qpid and "Deja Q". Even the more serious Deep Space Nine wasn’t afraid to balance the darker and more religious plotlines with a handful of lighthearted, comedic episodes ("Trials and Tribble-ations" is an excellent example!).
Personally, some of my favourite Star Trek episodes have been the more wacky outings, particularly the TNG holodeck classics involving Data and La Forge as Sherlock Holmes and Dr John Watson (spinoff please!?).
And while Strange New Worlds's different theme of the week follows a similar suit to its predecessors, in some episodes it’s beginning to overshadow the story as a whole, with some fans feeling like it’s turned into a "gimmick of the week" show.
View Green Video on the source websiteImportantly, some of those experiments have worked brilliantly, pushing the boundaries of the franchise while successfully incorporating classic scenarios into the story as a whole.
A prime example is the excellent crossover with Lower Decks in season 2, episode 7 "Those Old Scientists". By utilising the classic sci-fi concept of a time portal, USS Cerritos crew Beckett Mariner and Brad Boimler met their heroes - Captain Pike and the crew of the USS Enterprise - in one of the most famous crossover episodes in modern Trek.
Alongside voice actors Jack Quaid and Tawny Newsome making their hugely endearing live-action Trek debuts, the episode worked by incorporating quintessential Trek tropes/elements and spirit, blending comedy with genuine heart and affection for the franchise - pulling off an incredibly inventive crossover.
Another ‘gimmicky’ style episode that has proven popular with fans is the antics of season 1's "Spock Amok", which successfully used the franchise's awkward body-swap comedy to explore Spock and T’Pring’s relationship and Vulcan social customs, progressing Spock’s arc and bringing this classic concept to the show.
Even the divisive "Wedding Bell Blues" works because - despite the silliness - there’s enough genuine Trek (tying to Trelane and the Q Continuum) elements underneath to make it feel like an authentic episode.
Crucially, the episode’s gimmicks are complementary to the story, as opposed to being the entire focus.
So far in season 4, we’ve had a dinosaur themed outing, a tense horror episode, a Hangover style adventure and a homage to a black and white noir. And while they’ve been enjoyable, there’s frustratingly been relatively little narrative progress or evolution of the crew’s core characters.
Individually, these are fun experiments which broaden the Star Trek horizon. However, when you’ve only got a short series, the cumulative effect becomes much more noticeable. There’s clearly a genuine opportunity cost to spending so much time on increasingly elaborate concepts. As a result, the puppet-centric episode may mark the tipping point for some fans.
The puppets look absolutely fantastic and the craftsmanship is undeniable - especially the recreation of Pelia’s iconic curly hair - but once the novelty wears off, the story doesn’t have enough substance, particularly as the "it was all a dream" ending removes the peril and consequences of the concept, making it all feel a little hollow. Ultimately, the ridiculous premise doesn’t do or lead to anything.
Puppet-centric episodes aren’t exactly new territory for genre television, but it is a franchise first. However, with the growing amount of experimental and genre-bending episodes this season, the show feels like it’s becoming a novelty wishlist. This is particularly frustrating considering just how good the upcoming Nurse Chapel-centric sixth episode ("Off-Hour") is.
One of the major grievances with this shift in priorities is Strange New World’s short seasons, consisting of only 10 episodes. And while earlier shows such as TNG and Voyager featured 26 episodes, an experimental standalone or two felt like a fun detour/palette cleanser. However, when it comes to SNW, 4 or 5 fun genre-bending episodes can very quickly dominate.
Viewers only have a limited amount of time with this fan-favourite crew before Pike’s unfortunate accident, Kirk beams aboard and the show approaches its inevitable transition to TOS. Are the writers fully exploring and fleshing out the beloved characters while pushing forward the narrative?
One of Star Trek’s best strengths is its willingness to experiment, and Strange New Worlds is certainly carrying on that tradition. The exceptional "Off-Hour" proves that the show can take a big swing while still prioritising meaningful character development, story progression and those fundamental core Trek questions. That’s the balance Strange New Worlds needs to strike.
With the fifth and final season on the horizon, we can only hope the show can put its musicals, crossovers, noir and puppet shenanigans aside to give the ensemble the send off they truly deserve.
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