Summary
Star Trek: Strange New Worldsis no stranger to using nostalgic details to boost its ongoing connection toStar Trek: The Original Series, and it doesthree important things to bring a classicStar Trekfeel to an otherwise very modern production. In its first two seasons,Strange New Worlds' characters, tropes, and creatures have introduced - and sometimes reimagined - essential aspects ofStar Treklore.The effortless blending of old and new makes the show an exciting prequel toStar Trek: The Original Serieswhile encouraging a freshly modern take on the classic, established canon of pastStar Trekprojects.
Thetimeline ofStar TrekTV shows and movieshas been evolving for decades, andStrange New Worldshasn’t missed its opportunity to recognize the bygone eras ofStar Trek.Strange New Worldsseason 3 promises to bring even more new takes on quintessential characters, adding to the ranks of current regulars Lt. James T. Kirk (Paul Wesley), Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount), Ensign Nyota Uhura (Celia Rose Gooding), and Nurse Christine Chapel (Jess Bush) to further its association withTOS. However, instead of relying only on characters to connect to the past,Star Trek: Strange New Worldsutilizes three authenticallyStar Trektactics.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 3 Will Be “Our Best Season So Far”, Says Anson Mount
Anson Mount hypes Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3, which he hints will take even bigger swings than the ambitious season 2 did.
Strange New Worlds' Sets Make The Show Feel Like Classic Star Trek
Detailed sets help Strange New Worlds seem more realistic
The newest version of the USS Enterprise provesStar Trek:Strange New Worlds' commitment to its 20th-century roots through meticulous set design. Second only to its iconic characters, the settings ofStar Trekhave always been near and dear to the heart of the franchise. Some of the most memorable moments fromthe bestStar Trekmoviesand TV shows have happened on one of the franchise’s many starships, andthese sets often make returning to these projects feel like coming home. The sets ofStar Trek: Strange New Worldsshow off a vintage mid-century style with a sleek, futuristic edge.
Strange New Worldsutilizes many physical callbacks toStar Trek: The Original Series, like featuring the classic console design and the familiar circular pads of the transporter room. Captain Pike’s living and working quarters provide 1960s stylistic choices and personal touches like horse figurines and Earth artifacts, making the space feel more lived-in. Whileevery version of the Starship Enterprisehas its own unique style that demonstrates different time periods,Strange New Worlds' flagship recreates sets incorporate the classicOriginal Seriesbridge and usesStar Trek: The Next Generation’s style of warp core, calling back toTNG’s episodic environment.
Instead of using a green screen to depict a computer-generated backdrop,Star Trek: Strange New Worldsopts for physical settings with personal touches.
By rethinking familiar sets from previousStar Trekshows,Strange New Worldscreates space to introduce new designs that could become as iconic as the scenery that inspired them. Instead of using a green screen to depict a computer-generated backdrop,Star Trek: Strange New Worldsopts for physical settings with personal touches. Remaining loyal to the franchise’s past lets the show honor classic characters, but adding a modern edge adds anticipation for new characters in future seasons and otherupcomingStar Trekprojects. Sets inStrange New Worldsare closely tied to characters, and character design adds to the setting.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' Makeup Gives Aliens More Character
Like its rejection of green screen backdrops,Star Trek: Strange New Worldsavoids computer-generated design for its alien characters. WhileStrange New Worlds' first 2 seasonsfeature fewer recurring non-human characters than otherStar Trekshows, itsalien species have more personality thanks to their special effects makeup. Characters like Vulcan Lt. Spock (Ethan Peck) and Chief Engineer Lt. Hemmer (Bruce Horak) have prosthetics in every scene, and this choice makes them more personable than post-production CGI. The old-fashioned makeup choices are evidence of the show’s desire to remain realistic while still honoringStar Trek’s sci-fi origin.
While a few characters wear minimal prosthetic makeup throughout the show, guest stars offerStar Trek: Strange New Worldsits biggest dose of classic one-offStar Trekaliens. One-episode characters such as Orion pirate Remy (Michael Hough) and the puppeteered Buckley are the greatest testament to the special effects makeup team onStrange New Worlds. The Orions' green skin is a simple but eye-catching design, but Klingons are a species whose iconic look is harder to nail. After divided opinions regardingStar Trek: Discovery’s controversial Klingons, the makeup for Klingon Ambassador Dak’Rah (Robert Wisdom) was amongStrange New Worlds' best accomplishments.
Strange New Worlds Made Star Trek’s Gorn Scarier By Making Them Real
The Gorn look and feel much scarier because they’re hand-built animatronics
Thehistory of the Gorn inStar Trekcanon is long and well-known, butStar Trek:Strange New Worldschanged the Gorn in a big way.The Original Seriesis often mentioned and reimagined in newerStar Trekshows, butStrange New Worlds' Gorn take updating the past to a whole new level by retconning the stiff, humanoid costumes of the 1960s. Instead, the new Gorn are a terrifyingly deadly new alien species threatening Starfleet, but they still have a hint ofStar Trek:The Original Series' lizard-like enemies, with greenish skin and wide, hungry eyes.
Strange New Worldschanged the Gorna lot from their original introduction in 1967, but updating them was essential for making them scarier and more fitting for a modern production. To achieve this updated look, creatives behind the scenes chose a more traditional route when redesigning the Gorn. From fully grown, aggressive adults to the smallest of hatchlings,the Gorn inStrange New Worldsare predominantly physical creatures in real life. Unlike a computer-generated species, these puppets and animatronics were explicitly created to show up more realistically on screen.
As seen in Paramount+‘sThe Ready Roomon YouTube,Star Trek: Strange New Worlds’ Gornare physical props on the set of the show.This change from CGI creatures featured in otherStar Trekprojects makes the Gorn scarier on screen, and actors also have the benefit of working face-to-face with their characters' terrifying adversary. Instead of acting against an unseen entity in front of a green screen, the cast ofStrange New Worldsis subjected to real, physical creatures handled by crew members, moving and reacting in front of them in each scene.
Star Trek: Strange New Worldsis amodern production with a vintage twist, incorporating both old and new techniques and technology to blend classic and contemporary aspects ofStar Trek. Its set designs offer the show a classic feel, calling back toStar Trek: The Original Seriesand shows from the 90s era ofStar Trek. The characters make the meticulously detailed sets come to life with more personable character design, thanks to old-fashioned makeup and traditional prosthetics. The newly designed Gorn offerStar Trek: Strange New Worldsthe perfect adversary for a show determined to be both old and new.
Star Trek: The Original Series
Cast
Star Trek follows the U.S.S. Enterprise on its five-year mission to explore the galaxy, led by Captain James T. Kirk and First Officer Mr. Spock. The crew confronts a variety of challenges, including Klingons, Romulans, and genetic supermen, as they search for new life and civilizations.
