Strange New Worlds Season 1 Episode 7 is the seventh instalment of an American scifi space opera television drama created by Akiva Goldsman, Alex Kurtzman, and Jenny Lumet for the streaming service Paramount+. A spin-off of the Discovery series, Strange New Worlds features the USS Enterprise captained by Christopher Pike and set a decade before the events in the original Star Trek TV series. Arguably, Discovery’s second season – which introduced Anson Mount’s version of Pike – has been the best so far, so it’s no surprise that this series is now a reality.
S P O I L E R S
Entitled “The Serene Squall”, Strange New Worlds Season 1 Episode 7 finds the Enterprise on a humanitarian mission in non-Federation space, where they encounter the pirate ship The Serene Squall. The episode also focuses on a key sub-plot concerning Spock’s relationships with T’Pring and Nurse Chapel as well as an estranged family member.
READ OUR ANALYSES OF STRANGE NEW WORLDS.
After a run of six fairly strong episodes, it’s fair to say that Strange New Worlds Season 1 Episode 7 has been the weakest instalment in this otherwise impressive first season. In many respects, the plot is played for laughs and devoid of tension as there is never the sense that the Enterprise crew is in any danger from these pirates whatsoever.
The light-hearted nature of the ‘conflict’ is acceptable even if the deception by Dr. Aspen, the real Captain of The Serene Squall is somewhat dubious and worse still, her characterisation is annoying at best. Now the ease with which Aspen was able to deceive Starfleet and Captain Pike is slightly illogical but her motivations in commandeering the Enterprise is even more non-sensical.
It seems the pirate Captain Angel (?!?!) is really the lover of Spock’s criminal half-brother Sybok and is using the capture of Spock to trade with T’Pring for Sybok’s release. All rather improbable in the context of things but there you go. Nobody’s perfect.
Now streaming on Paramount+.
… still there’s more …