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Star Trek: Strange New Worlds has come under fire from fans for its overreliance on so-called “gimmick” episodes. The current season has seen some of the show’s biggest swings yet, including the now-infamous puppet episode, as well as episodes that put a Star Trek twist on film noir, soap operas, and more. Although these episodes definitely have their fans, many have expressed a desire for the show to place greater emphasis on telling classic sci-fi stories, and they may finally get their wish in the fifth and final season of Strange New Worlds.
The “Very Serious” Final Season
Paul Wesley, who plays James T. Kirk on Strange New Worlds, spoke with TVLine about the latest episode and teased what’s to come in the final season.
“It’s a much more serious season. It’s very, very serious. It’s very contained. We only have six episodes, so it’s not like you’re going to be doing these sort of fantastical, imaginative [stories]. It’s very much like: This is the conclusion. This is the final chapter,” he said. “And also, Kirk goes through something very important that allows us to understand why he is who he is. I can’t possibly say what it is, because it’s such a huge thing. But just suffice it to say that… people are going to be shocked.“
As Wesley mentioned, the final season will be a little shorter than the previous four. Instead of ten episodes, the fifth season will consist of just six episodes.
Gimmick Episodes
Before the debut of the fourth season, Strange New Worlds co-showrunner Akiva Goldsman said we could expect fewer outliers in the show’s final two seasons.
“I think that it’s fair to say – as we come to the end of the show, because we’re making season 5 now – that we’re trending towards that, which is probably the center line of Star Trek,” he said. “We’re trending now, beginning with season 4 and through season 5 to a much more singular sci-fi, action-adventure with emotional storytelling. The outliers are getting fewer and fewer as we focus on saying goodbye to each other and the fans.“
Because of this, fans were anticipating more straight-up sci-fi episodes this season, but once again, the show just loves throwing the crew into different genres.
These episodes tend to split the fanbase, partly because they make up a significant portion of the season. With only ten episodes per year, even two or three experimental installments can feel like a lot — particularly if you’re not sold on the creative gamble the writers are making that week. I still hope that Strange New Worlds will go out on a high note.
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