Is this the Enterprise bridge commanded by Captain James T. Kirk?
Season 5 of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is in the home stretch of production, and now Celia Rose Gooding has officially wrapped filming. The actress posted a picture of herself outside of her trailer on the set holding a trademark delta insignia bearing her character’s name, Nyota Uhura. Gooding is clearly excited and hamming it up for the camera on Dec. 15, and she wrote some text which reads as follows: “5 year mission complete. She’s wrapped! Long live star freedom.”
Trekkies will certainly be entertained by the creative way Gooding signed off as Lt. Uhura on social media, but it’s the video she posted at the same time on her Instagram story that is even more intriguing. Gooding is performing a celebratory dance on and in the captain’s chair of the USS Enterprise, no less. However, it’s NOT exactly the same bridge we’re used to seeing on Strange New Worlds. No, this Enterprise bridge appears to be an updated nod to Captain James T. Kirk’s (William Shatner) starship from The Original Series as we move closer to that moment in the timeline.
The captain’s chair now features red fabric on the back, arms, and seat cushions, and while it's not an exact match when compared to TOS, this is likely the Enterprise chair Paul Wesley’s James T. Kirk is expected sit in and take command from. The color scheme on the bridge is also different from what we're used to seeing on Strange New Worlds in that it is much brighter. It's a subtle change, but a change all the same.
Plus, the computer consoles and visual panels — some clearly mimic background practical panel effects and colors from TOS — behind Gooding are different from what we last saw in the season 3 finale of SNW. They also differ from the same Enterprise bridge we're all used, which is also featured in the season 4 sneak peek from this year's New York Comic Con.
Conclusion: this is Strange New Worlds' representation of the USS Enterprise bridge from The Original Series — the timeline that Paul Wesley's Captain Kirk will continue the starship's voyages in after Christopher Pike (Anson Mount).
Gooding’s dancing is good, but it’s not good enough to keep viewers' attention from these slight changes on the Enterprise's bridge. And given this tease by Gooding, there's a good chance we’ll all get to see Wesley’s Kirk finally take his rightful seat at the conclusion of season 5.
Did you get a chance to see Celia Rose Gooding’s Instagram story before it expired? Do you believe this is the Enterprise bridge Paul Wesley's Captain Kirk will command in season 5? Did you notice the subtle differences, too? Share your thoughts and comments with us on the Redshirts Always Die Facebook and X pages. It's also worth noting that Martin Quinn (SNW's Scotty) also wrapped filming on Monday, Dec. 15.
Live long and prosper, Trekkies!