Studio: Paramount / CBS
Release Date: March 21, 2023
Rating: Not Rated
Film: 4.5/5
Plot The debut season of
STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS is based on the years Captain Christopher Pike manned the helm of the U.S.S. Enterprise. The series features fan favorites from season two of
STAR TREK: DISCOVERY, Anson Mount as Captain Christopher Pike, Rebecca Romijn as Number One and Ethan Peck as Science Officer Spock. The series follows Captain Pike, Science Officer Spock and Number One in the years before Captain Kirk boarded the
U.S.S. Enterprise, as they explore new worlds around the galaxy.
My ThoughtsI had watched every
Star Trek show on TV and film until the third season of
Enterprise, which I just couldn’t take any more of the franchise. Too much of a good thing is really such a thing and time started to become more valuable for me and the
Enterprise just didn’t connect with me at all, so I just gave up.
A number of years later the movies were rebooted with J.J. Abrams at the helm and I dove back in and enjoyed the trio of films, but Trek TV was essentially dead to me. When
Discovery was announced and finally arrived in 2017 I decided to give it a shot and barely made it through the first episode. I just didn’t find one character that I liked and couldn’t see myself sitting through it. While the show has gone on to four semi-successful seasons, it will leave Paramount+ next year with its fifth and final season.
My other Trek exposure came from Picard: Season One, which brought back some fond memories of The Next Generation, but ultimately, I haven’t felt the need to scratch that itch any longer to sit through seasons 2 and 3, but when I heard Strange New Worlds was coming to Blu-ray, it piqued my interest since people I knew who felt the same way about Trek as I did actually liked it, so I thought I’d give it a try—and I’m glad I did.
While not perfect, it’s a very well-done show with excellent production value and a likable cast. It’s tie into the original series certainly helps and I found something to like in all of its 10 Season One episodes. The pilot, “Strange New Worlds”, does a great job of setting up the story and while there are references to the cast’s appearance in
Discovery episodes, I never felt lost without watching them beforehand (I may watch them eventually though). What struck me about the show is how consistent it is from episode to episode—it’s solid and consistent entertainment that runs from good to sometimes great, such as the season finale. Showrunner Akiva Goldsman and Henry Alonso Myers have the foundation for a great series and have show themselves more than capable of rejuvenating the franchise.
I have zero complaints about the 1080p Blu-ray presentation and I’m excited to hear that a 4K release is on the way as well, but I’m not sure review copies will be available for that. The show looks slick and features a vibrant color palette and plenty of detail. If I had one complaint it’s that the Enterprise looks too modern, which is a bit unsettling after watching the original series, but I have to get rid of my nostalgia and just go with the flow.
The audio is just as impressive and features a robust soundtrack with plenty of discrete effects and a copious amount of LFE. While not quite feature film quality, this is an excellent presentation for a TV show.
Video 4.5/5 (AVC)
Audio 4.5/5 (DTS-HD MA 5.1)
Special Features:· Audio commentary on Episode One, “Strange New Worlds”
· Deleted Scenes
· Star Trek: The Original Series Episode “Balance of Terror”
· Pike’s Peek
· World Building
· Exploring New Worlds
· Gag Reel
Conclusion Watching this show has revitalized my love of Star Trek and my wife and I plan on going back and watching all of the Original Series episodes over the coming months. Heck, I may even give Discovery a second chance, but unless it improves over a span of 4 or 5 episodes, I may bail on it again. One thing is for sure, I’m looking forward to more episodes of
Strange New Worlds at some point in the future. Highly recommended.
Reference Review System: JVC DLA-RS3100 4K Ultra High-Definition Front Projector
(Calibrated with Portrait Displays CalMAN color calibration software & C6-HDR Meter from Portrait Displays)
Stewart Filmscreen - Firehawk 110” 2.35:1 Screen
Trinnov Altitude 16 Audio/Video Processor
ATI AT527NC Powering Bed Channels
ATI AT524NC Powering Atmos Speakers
Kaleidescape Strato + Server
Panasonic DP-UB820 Ultra HD Blu-ray Player
System Controller: URC MX-990
M&K S-150 THX Ultra (R-C-L Speakers)
M&K SS-150 x4 (Surround Speakers)
Atlantic Technology IC6-OBA x 4 Overhead Speakers
SVS PC-Ultra Cylinder Subwoofer
SVS SB3000
HSU VTF-15H MK2 Subwoofer
M&K Sound X15+ Subwoofer
Mini DSP HD controlling all subwoofers
Audioquest and Monoprice - Audio/Video/Speaker Cabling
PureAV PF60 Power Conditioner
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