Amph "Hit it." - Star Trek: Strange New Worlds [Paramount+]

Well, this was certainly a goofy episode... it's not the type of show any Trek since TOS would have necessarily attempted (TNG would have done a holodeck or Q story spin which puts things in an entirely different viewing context). And, to be honest, there's probably a good reason for that. It doesn't really work in modern TV as much as it did in the 60's where TOS had more of a sitcom flair about it.

And I think the reason is it breaks the reality of the show (not just in the show ) and has the actors essentially acknowledging that they are actors and not the characters. And, I mean, obviously that's the case, but the whole point of the show usually is, and should be, to make the viewer forget that. So reminding us of that can break the suspension of disbelief. Tear down the 4th wall.

TNG's closest equivalent would probably be the times they had characters swap species makeup or overtly had alien performers out of makeup, etc. In those cases, you really need to pull things off juuuust right to make things work and get the viewer back on board after switching gears, etc. In TNG's case that usually meant getting the makeup swap out of the way quickly so that there was time to readjust.

In this case, I think the reason SNW didn't pull it off is that it doesn't get it all out of the way and requires constant readjusting so that you never really get your "disbelief footing" back.

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And that it's paired with a generic TOS god entity instead of a narrative device (like the holodeck) which, in of itself, could be the single umbrella moment encompassing all subsequent moments of disbelief that can basically pre-load all of them at once up front, renders it even bumpier since it, too, is basically a tag and not a starting premise.

That might be why this episode was kinda boring, even though, like the prior episode (itself also a half mis-fire, TOS camp throwback) the goofiness can be enjoyed in spurts. Unlike the last episode, however, I hope nothing from this episodes carries forward into future episodes.

So, the show has hit a 3/4ths point slump in the season. However, I guess i can kinda appreciate that, on a sliding scale, since they are mostly stand-alone, that that in of itself is a quality familiar to past Trek shows, versus DIS or PIC where you don't really have any slumping, misfire episodes but, rather, due to the serialized nature of the storytelling, the occasional slumping subplot that dots in and out of the major plots through the season.

I actually agree. As much as they say that it's still "your" matter/energy, there's a decisive point, IMO, where consciousness has to cease and a new replica commences. It's just that, to the replica, it would all be continuous (which would explain Barclay's POV mid-transport, etc). I don't even think Trek tech has a way of actually being able to prove a continuous consciousness through transport since the entire affair is so intimately subjective.

 

So I'm already completely ready for the reveal that

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the Gorn inside Hemmer died from the freezing cold that Hemmer is naturally immune to. I want Hemmer back and I'm already not mad at the fluffy snowbank we will learn he landed in.

 

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By way of Alien 3!

And, yeah, I'm shocked that they Tasha'd Hemmer. He was my favorite supporting character and I really wanted to see more stories focusing on him- or at least more stories that didn't use him as a telepathic conduit. Let's go fluffy snowbank!

The other humanoid species was really cool, though. i hope their eventual need to reuse assets will mean we can get more of that species.

And can someone clarify me the tech deets on the other ship (didn't catch its name- they seemed to alternate between Faragut and Persephone? Or something like that...)? They said it was a different class (also didn't make out the name) but it looked like another Connie, yet the crew complement suggests it was much smaller. Then the Doctor says it is "vast" and made of the same parts as a Connie... which would imply it's basically the same size (or bigger)?

 

Ah, that makes more sense!

 

As did Christina Chong. Trivia: That's her actual dog

 

Two, if you don't discount the mirror universe.

 

What’s Star Trek without an OP species as recurring antagonists?

 

I think it'd be pretty funny if they make these out to be the "normal Gorn" and start to set up some kind of special occurrence that is creating a "Mega Gorn" of sorts and just build up that subplot and drop it cold.

Then flash forward 5+ years to the Mega Gorn's debut:

 

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I am suspicious that the answer lies in the conspicuous lack of prosthetics or makeup for all remaining crew members.

 

Apparently, he knew the character’s fate during the audition process.