Entertainment
Star Trek’s Greatest Modern Sci-Fi Spin-off Finally Solves a Problem That Started 59 Years Ago
During the Paramount+ era of Star Trek shows, there have been hits and misses, and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is definitely a hit. For the first time, Star Trek puts Christopher Pike in the driver’s seat as the captain of the Enterprise. The character was shown previously from time to time, notably by Bruce Greenwood in J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek reboot. Strange New Worlds is a return to form as it shows the tragic destiny Pike has in store, while also showcasing the campiness that Star Trek was initially known for. Portrayed by Anson Mount in the lead role, Pike and the crew of the Enterprise go on adventures to these aforementioned strange new worlds in a series that has delighted fans.
Strange New Worlds shows Pike as he has never been seen before, as well as another character who has often fallen by the wayside. Rebecca Romijn plays Pike’s Number One, Una Chin-Riley, who made her debut 59 years ago in the infamous scrapped pilot. Number One and Pike were thrown out, which led to the creation of Kirk and Spock, but the characters still deserved a second chance. Under Romijn’s watch, Number One has become a highlight of the series, though it hasn’t all been smooth sailing.
Una Chin-Riley Still Has Room to Grow in ‘Star Trek: Strange New Worlds’
When Season 1 of Strange New Worlds first premiered, it was the epitome of a great ensemble cast that blended legacy characters and new ones. Ethan Peck returns as Spock from Star Trek: Discovery, while Nyota Uhura (Celia Rose Gooding) is also on the Enterprise. Una Chin-Riley is not as well-known as her other crewmates, but Rebecca Romijn’s version of the character was full of intrigue from her first episodes.
In Strange New Worlds, Una is confirmed to be an Illyrian, a race of aliens who genetically augment themselves to adapt to specific planets. This, unfortunately, goes directly against the Federation, which forbids any genetic alterations because of Khan Noonien-Singh and his role in the Eugenics Wars. Una’s secret identity is a fascinating aspect of her character and a sad example of how she has to hide important parts of who she is. Juicy details like these were prominent in the first season, but became less so as the seasons went on.
The original iteration of the character only had 13 minutes of screen time, and fans began to get concerned that Romijn’s Number One would be getting the same treatment. According to trekmovie.com, the Strange New Worlds cast made an appearance at CCXP Mexico in Mexico City, where Romijn assuaged these fears.
“We get to see a much freer Una, who gets to lead missions starting in seasons 4 and 5… It’s so exciting, it’s so fun,” the Strange New Worlds’ actor said. “Una makes a request at the beginning of season 4 for more time on the planet. And now that she is living her authentic self, she gets to lead these incredible missions.”
It is a relief that Una will take on a more leading role in the final two seasons and can live a freer life than she did at the beginning of Strange New Worlds. Romijn has been admired for her portrayal of the complex character in a series that has a ticking clock. It was revealed that Strange New Worlds would only last for five seasons, which may coincide with the tragic accident foretold to take Pike’s life. It will be sad to see the series go, but Una Chin-Riley’s character arc is something to look forward to.
- Release Date
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May 5, 2022
- Network
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Paramount+
- Showrunner
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Henry Alonso Myers, Akiva Goldsman
- Directors
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Dan Liu, Amanda Row, Maja Vrvilo, Akiva Goldsman, Dermott Downs, Eduardo Sánchez, Jeffrey W. Byrd, Jonathan Frakes, Jordan Canning, Leslie Hope, Valerie Weiss, Sydney Freeland, Christopher J. Byrne, Rachel Leiterman
- Writers
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Onitra Johnson
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