The Star Trek universe – as universes do – keeps expanding. The franchise had been absent from TV screens for 12 years before Star Trek: Discovery premiered in 2017. Since then, new shows have appeared more regularly than James T Kirk beat Spock at three-dimensional chess. Picard, Lower Decks and Prodigy are all ongoing, while Starfleet Academy will soon be hoving into view like a Borg cube entering the Delta Quadrant. But the finest by far of all these reboots is Strange New Worlds…

Debuting in 2022, Strange New Worlds is a direct prequel to The Original Series. It features several characters from Star Trek’s 1965 pilot episode and  the subsequent 1966-1969 run, including Christopher Pike (played by Anson Mount), Spock (Ethan Peck), Christine Chapel (Jess Bush), Number One (Rebecca Romijn) and Nyota Uhura (Celia Rose Gooding). Although the series is respectful of Starfleet lore, one of its greatest strengths is that it can be enjoyed by diehard Trekkers and novice space cadets alike. Knowledge of Trek minutiae is rewarded by occasional insider references and easter eggs, but none of them are essential to appreciate the show.

When Discovery was launched, it broke with tradition by featuring extended story arcs. Although that approach had its merits, plots had a tendency to be convoluted. Strange New Worlds is more episodic, but – like an accomplished helmsman in the midst of a meteor storm – steers clear of a dated villain-of-the-week style. The show differs from Discovery in another significant way, which elevates it above its franchise partner. Discovery’s main character Michael Burnham (played by Sonequa Martin-Green) is resourceful, emotionally complex and a great action hero, but almost every storyline has her at the centre. After four series, the crew of the USS Discovery still feel marginalised and underdeveloped because of this singular focus. Strange New Worlds places a greater emphasis on the ensemble cast and recognises that the best Star Trek is (no pun intended) a team enterprise.

The pacing is perfect. While the first series of Picard lacked momentum (did they have to ‘make it so’ slow?) and Discovery is often overwrought, Strange New Worlds skilfully balances thrills with personal development. Avoiding spoilers, I have a major quibble (rhymes with Tribble) with the casting of one character. Other than that, everyone involved is at the top of their game. No previous Star Trek series has done its best work in its opening season, so it’s remarkable that Strange New Worlds has started so strongly. Season Two seems certain to build on this.

Rating: 4/5