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Strange New Reviews
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Multiple sites are running stories with titles to the effect that Star Trek's latest offering, Strange New Worlds, has a perfect score on Rotten Tomatoes.

Discovery was widely acclaimed by critics at launch, with few detractors and those often dismissed as bigots. Its current RT score is critics 86% and viewers 36%.

Launching at the same time, The Orville was the reverse. Loathed by critics but loved by viewers. Its current RT score is critics 65% and viewers 93%.

Accordingly trust in critics might be low when it comes to Strange New Worlds. Its current RT score is critics 100% and viewers 86%.

The 100% critic score doesn't mean that it has been rated as pefect by every critic. Rather it means that 100% of critic reviews are positive.

We've watched the first episode and can report that in this case the score appears to be fair.

Strange New Worlds is what it was advertised as - a return to form for Star Trek - and generally well made. Our criticisms, which we will detail, are relatively mild.

Controversial Discovery is referenced more than once in this episode but this show is a far cry from that one.

Bye Bye Discovery

As advertised, Strange New Worlds seemingly sidelines Discovery by treating it and everything related as ultra top secret and never to be spoken of again.

That is the context in which Discovery is referred to.

Whether intentionally or not Captain Pike's trauma could also be a metaphor for the experience of Discovery for many Trekkies.

In Discovery, Star Trek fans had to suffer terrible television, repeated mangling of Star Trek values and canon and also being attacked on social media by Discovery defenders.

And yes attacked is the appropriate term here. Frequently ugly and personal.

Very much not in the spirit of Star Trek. Like Discovery itself.

Possibly enough to leave to one feeling a bit traumatized and doubtful about whether they'll return for more Star Trek.

Like Pike as he contemplates whether or not he'll return to the captain's chair after suffering some Discovery related trauma.

Criticisms

While we would rate his episode positively, we were expecting slightly better and also have reservations about some of their creative decisions, even if we might understand their origins.

One element of The Orville which has been well received by fans is how crew occasionally behave less like members of a futuristic spacefaring fleet and more like fans.

For example in their fourth episode If the Stars Should Appear when the captain announces a first contact mission, the crew break into cheers.

Never saw that on the Enterprise and it wouldn't be realistic.

It's possible that STN's writers have leaned into that with what is now our third iteration of Uhura as a gormless noob who gushes embarassingly like a fangirl.

We have seen new Uhura likened to The Next Generation's Wesley and that comparison almost fits but we feel it's been taken up a notch here.

Strange New Worlds' first episode is available now on Paramount+ with new episodes releasing weekly.

[ Main Image: Star Trek Strange New Worlds. Credit: Paramount via IMDb.com. ]

References

Adams, Timothy (May 5, 2022). Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Earns Perfect Score on Rotten Tomatoes. ComicBook.com.

Pruner, Aaron (May 4, 2022). Star Trek: Strange New Worlds First Reviews: A 'smart, addictive and flat out fun' Franchise Entry, Critics Say. Rotten Tomatoes.

Rotten Tomatoes. Star Trek: Discovery. (viewed May 7, 2022)

Rotten Tomatoes. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. (viewed May 7, 2022)

Rotten Tomatoes. The Orville. (viewed May 7, 2022)

Weldon, Glen (May 1, 2022). 'Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' goes there, boldly. NPR.