Star Trek: Strange New Worlds has earned fan approval from the franchise's dedicated viewers. It's one of the most popular Trek shows in a long time, and there are very few complaints to be found about it. Even Jonathan Frakes has called it the best Trek. That's a big compliment from someone who knows Trek inside and out.
There has been plenty of talk about how Strange New Worlds can get away with genre-bending episodes like "Subspace Rhapsody," the musical episode in season two, although, many fans admit they didn't make it through the entire episode. And coming up in season three, we already know we have a Hollywood murder mystery and an episode where Captain Pike (Anson Mount) and other members of his crew get turned into Vulcans for a mission that goes awry.
The series showrunner, Akiva Goldsman, has already said the show has gone to places no other show has gone before. [via Fandomwire] And, according to series star Rebecca Romjin, things get crazier in season three. But how much is too crazy for fans?
One fan on Reddit made a point when writing "Just because we are talking about a universe in which anything is possible it doesn't mean everything should pass as plausible." And that makes sense. Strange New Worlds is science fiction and requires us to bend our acceptance of reality, but how far are the fans willing to bend? There were plenty who didn't like the fantasy episode in the first season nor the crossover with animated Lower Decks characters in the second.
That's not to say Strange New Worlds isn't an excellent show. It is. But there have been many conversations online about where to draw the line, and the term "jumping the shark" has even been bandied about. I don't think that's the case. Strange New Worlds is still an incredibly strong addition to the franchise, and it will, undoubtedly, continue for several more seasons. But is there a point where the "genre-bending" becomes too much? Or is it all just a part of Star Trek? I guess that depends on how different you like your Star Trek to be.