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Star Trek: 13 best Strange New Worlds episodes ranked from worst to best

Strange New Worlds has 20 incredible episodes, but which ones are truly considered the best ones? Let's take a look at 13 fantastic episodes and how they rank against each other.

By Camila Domingues

Pictured: Rebecca Romijn as Una, Anson Mount as Pike and Ethan Peck as Spock of the Paramount+ original series STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS. Photo Cr: Marni Grossman/Paramount+ ©2022 ViacomCBS. All Rights Reserved.
Pictured: Rebecca Romijn as Una, Anson Mount as Pike and Ethan Peck as Spock of the Paramount+ original series STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS. Photo Cr: Marni Grossman/Paramount+ ©2022 ViacomCBS. All Rights Reserved. /
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Star Trek: Strange New Worlds
L-R Rebecca Romijn as Una and Paul Wesley as James T. Kirk in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds streaming on Paramount+, 2023. Photo Credit: Michael Gibson/Paramount+ /

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is like a time machine, whisking us back to the era of the original Star Trek series, but with a fresh twist and a lot of nail-biting drama. This show introduces us to the early days of the beloved Enterprise crew, long before Captain Kirk's time, where we meet old friends for the first time, and that's the magic this series brings. It's like peeking into the scrapbook of Starfleet legends - we get to see the handsome Captain Pike, a young and fiery Spock, and the rest of the gang in their prime days and how they dealt with wild adventures and complex moral dilemmas thrown at them.

The show's charm comes from its smart and effective combination of nostalgia and newness. It feels like classic Star Trek with its moral themes and issues, exploration, and sense of wonder, but it also adds new layers to characters we thought we knew. For instance, Spock isn't just the stoic Vulcan we're familiar with - here, he's a character in development, wrestling with his human and Vulcan sides in more depth. And Captain Pike? He's more than just a name from Star Trek lore. He's handsome and quite the leader with his undeniable charisma and layers, steering the Enterprise through the final frontier with a mix of wisdom and vulnerability.

Strange New Worlds isn't just a treat for die-hard Trekkies - it's definitely a gateway for new fans too. It's a mix of action, humor, drama, and the timeless message of hope and exploration that Star Trek is known for. Each episode feels like a mini-movie, complete with alien encounters, ethical puzzles, and the kind of character-driven storytelling that makes you think and feel things extra hard. Whether you're a lifelong fan or just looking for a fun ride through the stars, Strange New Worlds offers an entertaining journey through the Star Trek universe, proving that the final frontier is still full of surprises.

With all of that in mind, it's pretty cheesy of me to claim that every one of the 20 episodes in this series is excellent. However, 13 specific episodes come to mind as the most memorable and impactful ones.

Let's take a look and see how they rank against each other, shall we?

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