As Star Trek: Strange New Worlds enters its fourth season, the Enterprise is closer than ever to The Original Series. Kirk and Spock continue building the friendship that will eventually define one of science fiction’s most iconic duos, but after watching the season’s first six episodes, one thing is equally clear: The series hasn’t become any less adventurous.
During a recent press conference, the cast reflected on balancing those two seemingly opposite goals — moving steadily toward The Original Series while continuing to tell some of Star Trek’s boldest stories yet.
Kirk and Spock’s friendship is still a work in progress
Season 4 continues to develop Kirk and Spock’s relationship, but Ethan Peck (Spock) tells Polygon the actors have been careful not to rush it.
“There were several times that I got notes while we were filming to not be so — this might be too reductive of a term — but friendly with Kirk as Spock,” Peck says. “Because he respects and admires him, but he doesn’t quite like him yet. And so I’ve had to hold back, because I really think Paul’s wonderful and we get to bring a lot of that chemistry into our work on set. Having to hold some of that back has been interesting as they grow closer.”
Paul Wesley (Kirk) admits he initially put enormous pressure on himself when filming Kirk and Spock’s first meeting before realizing the relationship needed room to develop naturally.
“I made this whole big thing out of it,” Wesley says. “I was all panicked and I was like, ‘How do I do this? What do I do? They’re meeting for the first time and this is such a big deal.’ And the director said, ‘Hey, it’s not a big deal yet. It’s a big deal because of what will come.’ So I have to remember that. They’re still getting to know each other.”
Wesley also pointed to an upcoming episode as another important step in that relationship. In the episode, Kirk and Spock spend a lot of time together and the seeds of their lifelong friendship are planted.
“I really appreciate the shore leave episode where Spock conveys his vulnerability to Kirk,” Wesley said. “I really appreciate that that has now become canon and that experience that they had is one of the reasons why perhaps they have some sort of connection to one another. I joke that Ethan and I have a bit of a Kirk-Spock vibe going on in real life, so to be able to bring that on screen is great.”
No matter the genre, it still feels like Star Trek
Season 4 continues Strange New Worlds’ tradition of jumping fearlessly between genres, from horror to broad comedy, yet it never stops feeling like Star Trek.
For Wesley, that consistency comes from the show’s commitment to exploration and curiosity. Christina Chong, who plays the chief of security Lieutenant La’an Noonien-Singh, believes hope belongs on that list as well.
“A sense of mission and a sense of purpose,” Wesley says. “Even when we explore a world that is like, ‘Well, how’s this going to fit into Trek?’ At the end of the day, they’re always committed to a sense of exploration with imagination and the purpose of curiosity. That’s the thing that connects our show and all of our episodes, no matter what the genre is.”
“I second Paul,” Chong says. “Maybe hope as well. Sprinkle a little hope on top of everything Paul just said.”
Peck believes the answer starts with the people making the show.
“It’s kind of in the casting and in the people involved,” he says. “All of us embody some of the aspects of Star Trek and of Gene Roddenberry’s original vision. The writers and set designers all keep us attached to that core feeling of Star Trek. It’s just a recipe that they got right with the cast and crew.”
The show’s genre experimentation has also pushed the actors into situations they never expected when they first joined the Enterprise. Chong learned ballroom and Latin dancing, Peck worked with puppets, and Wesley found himself playing more variations of Kirk than he anticipated.
“When I embarked on this role, I never thought I would be able to flex my range so much or have so much color to play with,” Wesley said. “It’s been such a joy as an actor to be able to play one singular role in so many variations. I’ve never experienced that before.”
Celebrating 60 years of Star Trek
As Star Trek celebrates its 60th anniversary, series stars Anson Mount and Rebecca Romijn, who play Captain Pike and First Officer Una-Chin Riley, respectively, have found themselves reflecting on what the franchise has meant across generations.
“It wasn’t even a bucket list item as an actor because it just never occurred to me that I could be on Star Trek, much less end up the captain of the Enterprise,” Mount says. “This was my make-believe game when I was a kid, and to suddenly find myself in this position during a celebration like this, it’s stunning. I just feel incredibly lucky.”
Romijn says she’s now introducing Star Trek to a new generation herself, just as her mother introduced the original series to her.
“I get to do the same for my daughters,” Romijn said. “Just this week, I introduced Star Trek to my five-year-old niece, who’s completely enthralled and cannot get enough. I think that it will continue as we show younger generations a version of the future that’s optimistic and hopeful and not scary. It’s an honor to be a part of it.”
