Star Trek: Strange New Worldsmay have a Kirk problem in season 3. Both audiences and Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount) have known all along that he will, someday soon, suffer a tragic fate. Over the show’s first two seasons,characters fromThe Original Serieshave slowly been appearing inStrange New Worlds.From Lt. Spock (Ethan Peck) and Ensign Nyota Uhura (Celia Rose Gooding) on the Enterprise, to Lt. James T. Kirk (Paul Wesley) on the Farragut, there are now a lot of classicStar Trekcharacters inStrange New Worlds’s cast.
But what has madeStrange New Worldsso iconic thus far are the unique and original stories that the show’s creative team have been telling. FromStar Trek’s first musical episode, “Subspace Rhapsody,” to a classicStar Trekcourtroom episode, “Ad Astra Per Aspera,“Strange New Worldshas distinguished itself as a newStar Trekshow with classicStar Treksensibilities. Butreferences toTOScan easily turn into too much of a good thing, and I am starting to get worried that there will be too much Lt. Kirk inStrange New Worldsseason 3.
Will There Be Too Much Kirk in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 3?
A Few Appearances Are Fine, But I Don’t Want To See Him In Every Episode
Based on the recently releasedStrange New Worldsseason 3 teaser trailer, I am worried thatthere will be too much Kirk in the show’s next season. He is very prominent in the trailer and, based on it, we know he’s at least in the murder mystery episode and the sci-fi spoof episode. That sci-fi episode in particular is a little worrying - it seems to be based on tropes from theTOSera, soshowing Lt. Krik in command of aTOSstyle bridge might be a little too close for comfort.
We also know the actor,Paul Wesley, is only billed as a guest star forStrange New Worldsseason 3,so it’s safe to assume he won’t be in every episode. Lt. Kirk did appear in two episodes ofSNWseason 2 without feeling like he was stealing the show. So long as Lt. Kirk’s appearances continue to keep him away from the Enterprise bridge,Strange New Worldsshould do just fine next season. Nevertheless, the more Lt. Kirk appears inStrange New Worldsseason 3, the more it could start to seem like he is overshadowing Captain Pike.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Is Captain Pike’s Show, Not Kirk’s
Anson Mount Is Doing A Great Job As Captain, And I Want The Show To Keep The Focus On Him
In the past two seasons ofStar Trek: Strange New Worlds, Captain Pike has more than earned his place among the ranks of iconicStar Trekcaptains.LaterStar Trekshows make it clear that future-Fleet Captain Pike is one of the most respected and decorated officers in Starfleet history,right up there with Captain Jonathan Archer (Scott Bakula) who commanded the first Enterprise and helped found the Federation.Strange New Worldsis more than proving that he earned that reputation.
I would like to see Captain Pike continue leading his crew through new adventures for as long as possible.
Every time Lt. Kirk appears on the show,Strange New Worldshas to create a justification for his appearance other than fan-service, and it would be an absolute shame to see Lt. Kirk overshadow Captain Pike in his glory days. Right now,Star Trek: Strange New Worldshas already been renewed for season 4, and I would like to see Captain Pike continue leading his crew through new adventures for as long as possible.
