Studio: Paramount / CBS
Release Date: December 5, 2023
Rating: Not Rated
Film: 4.5/5
Plot In Season Two of
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise, commanded by Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount), confronts increasingly dangerous stakes, explores uncharted territories, and embarks on personal journeys that continue to test their resolve and redefine their destinies. Facing friends and enemies both new and familiar, their adventures unfold in surprising ways never seen on any “Star Trek” series.
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 Strange New Worlds hit Blu-ray earlier this year, I gave it a shot and liked it quite a bit. In fact, I liked it enough to subscribe to Paramount+ in order to catch season 2 when it aired this summer.
Thankfully, season 2 picks up right where it left off from an entertainment and production standpoint and I thoroughly enjoyed it the second time through. There really aren’t any weak episodes in the second season but there are two that really stand out from the rest. The first is “Subspace Rhapsody,” which when I heard that the show was going to actually have a “musical theater” episode, I really expected the worst. Fortunately, it turns out that it’s one of the best Trek episodes
ever! The songs are extremely well done and you can tell the cast had a blast filming it and it was able to use music to go deep into the lives of the characters.
The best episode of the season was a crossover episode from
Lower Decks—a series my daughter absolutely loves—titled “Those Old Scientists.” The real-life voice actors from the animated show make an appearance when they are transported back into the 23
rd Century allowing them to rub elbows with some of their Starfleet heroes. The comedic aspects of the episode made it feel fresh and new and it’s nice to see a show acknowledge long-time fans who invest their times in multiple shows within the franchise.
I was happy that Paramount sent me the 4K of Season Two versus just the Blu-ray for a couple of reasons. First, I was able to compare it to the 4K Paramount+ stream (the disc has a much better presentation). Second, it comes housed in a collectible Steelbook that features Captain Pike on the cover. If he isn’t your favorite character, there are four other magnetic characters who can grace the cover—Spock, Chapel, Chin-Riley (Number One) or Uhura—a very unique bonus from the studio. The 4k presentation is excellent all around with plenty of detail in the sets and costumes and even the visual effects blend in seamlessly in the high-resolution image. The audio track is a DTS-HD MA 5.1 track that features plenty of discrete effects and utilizes the LFE to its full potential, a rarity for a TV show.
Video 9/10
Audio 9/10 (DTS-HD MA 5.1)
Special Features:· Producing Props
· The Costumes Closet
· The Gorn
· Singing in Space
· Exploring New Worlds
· Deleted, Extended, and Alternate Scenes
Conclusion I can’t remember the last time I actually looked forward to watching a Star Trek show, but this one has captivated me from its first episode. Season two is fantastic and it ends in a cliffhanger and hopefully we won’t have to wait to long to see how it ends. If you’ve yet to watch the show but have been a fan of Trek shows in the past, definitely give this one a shot because it’s extremely well done. 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
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
Dual Rythmik FV15HP2
Mini DSP HD controlling all subwoofers
Audioquest and Monoprice - Audio/Video/Speaker Cabling
PureAV PF60 Power Conditioner
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