Always be curious, always be compassionate (here, toward other humans as well as new alien life forms).
Positive Role Models
some
Pike and his crew are aboard the ship for the greater good, to explore and make new friends in the galaxy. Courage and teamwork are the crux of the crew's strengths.
Diverse Representations
some
Members of the main crew present as Black, White, Asian, and Latino. A main actor is partially blind and plays an alien character who is also blind. Star Trek has been long known for its goal to present a diverse universe; this series is no different.
Parents need to know that Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is a Star Trek prequel series that follows the adventures of USSEnterprise Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount) and his crew (which includes familiar characters like Spock and Uhura). Unlike the season-arc format of Star Trek: Discovery and Star Trek: Picard, episodes in this show follow the classic "monster of the week" format that was also used in the original series, in which crew members meet and find common ground with an unfamiliar species in each episode. Violence is mostly cartoonish or superhero style but can be intense, with guns and shooting. Characters look for romance and relationships; expect kissing and sex scenes (no nudity). For those who love Star Trek but miss the classic format and presentation of the original series and Star Trek: The Next Generation, this retro series offers a lighter take on the franchise, as well as themes of courage and teamwork.
Fantasy? Musical? Horror? Comedy? Romance? For a television variety show, Strange New Worlds certainly meets the criteria for the word "variety". For a science fiction/action adventure show with less than a dozen episodes per "season", it really needs to decide on a genre and stick to it. On the rare occasions when they get it right -- i.e. science fiction/adventure -- it come in as average in my estimation. The cast is outstanding...but the writers need to quit writing by committee (the only way these numerous-genre episodes could have been devised) and focus on what Star Trek is (science fiction/action adventure) and quit messing around with all the other nonsense. The plethora of producers need to learn it's not their "playground" to mess with as they see fit. The series should settle on a genre that respects the Star Trek name and legacy. Then again, anyone who watches faithfully will probably find one episode that meets their definition of 'good' amid this stew of ingredients.
Very positive show with messages of hope, hardships and friendship.
Focuses on how beautifully similar we all are despite what where we come from and how our seemingly different lives each of us lives.
What's the Story?
STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS follows the adventures of Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount), captain of the starship USS Enterprise. Pike works with his Number One, First Officer Una Chin-Riley (Rebecca Romjin), Lt. Uhuru (Celia Rose Gooding), and Vulcan Spock (Ethan Peck). Rounding out the ship's key staff are the medical professionals in sick bay, Nurse Chapel and Dr. M'Benga. Unlike the season-arc format of Star Trek: Discovery and Star Trek: Picard, episodes of Strange New World follow the classic "alien of the week" format, also used in the original Star Trek series, where the crew will find themselves meeting and hopefully finding common ground with an unfamiliar alien species in each episode.
With Mount, Romjin, and Peck reprising their roles from Star Trek: Discovery, this semi-spin-off feels natural for this group of charismatic characters. Even though it's set right before Captain Kirk's tenure on the Enterprise, the show isn't a total retro throwback; it feels modern and forward-thinking, like any solid sci-fi should. It seems like we've had to meet quite a few new Star Trek crews in recent years, but instead of being overkill, the fifth series in as many years brings new life and a little levity to the long-running...well, enterprise.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about long-running franchises like the Star Trek universe. Why do you think people still want to spend time with these characters in this world?
Why do you think science fiction and superhero stories are so popular? What can they tell us about the real world?
How does this show compare to other Star Trek series? Which approach to this world do you like best?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
suggesting a diversity update.
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
By Polly Conway
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
