After months of vocal outcry, Star Trek fans were rewarded with the news that a spin-off series based on the adventures of Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount) and his crew aboard the Enterprise would be boldly going where Star Trek: Discovery left off. Introduced in Discovery's second season, Captain Pike (no stranger to fans of Star Trek: The Original Series) was like a breath of fresh air in the cold vacuum of cynical space.
And the idealistic Starfleet commander wasn't alone; he brought two familiar faces, Number One (Rebecca Romijn) and Spock (Ethan Peck) to interact with Discovery's crew. So successful was the appearance of Pike and Co. that fans immediately clamored for a spin-off, and their ardent request was made a reality. Here's what they're looking forward to in the new series.
CAPTAIN PIKE'S LEGENDARY MISSIONS
Captain Christopher Pike's name has been spoken in a hallowed whisper by many a budding Starfleet cadet, and with good reason - prior to "The Cage", the only episode to feature him in action in Star Trek: The Original Series, he was known for leading the Enterprise on many famous adventures.
Star Trek fans have long been waiting to see Pike prove his mettle in the years prior to handing over the Enterprise to Captain Kirk, and this series looks to be their chance.
HOW IT HANDLES PIKE KNOWING HIS FATE
Star Trek: Discovery revealed Pike's fate to both fans and to the captain himself. Knowing this, it will be interesting to see how the creative team develops each episode's dramatic tension around the fact that Pike knows he's in no mortal peril because it isn't his time to die.
Will certain members of his crew be put in danger? Will the ship be put in jeopardy when Pike is involved with an away mission elsewhere? Or will he simply become a hedonist who makes every minute he has count?
A WHOLE LOT OF NUMBER ONE
Pike's first officer got criminally underused during her time on Discovery, and this series needs to be her time to shine. As much as fans want to see more of Pike, fans know what happens to him (in gory detail), as they know what happens to Spock.
Number One appeared in "The Menagerie" on Star Trek: The Original Series, in which the Talosians revealed she had the hots for her captain. Even after capturing audiences' attention, her story has yet to be told (and it could include a touch of romance). If done right, she could eclipse William Riker as the best bearer of the title.
SPOCK'S DEADPAN HUMOR
In Star Trek: The Original Series, Spock was known for his deadpan delivery. His literal interpretation of human concepts and objects was a form of humor that bordered on tongue in cheek, and cause for great jocularity on the series.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds provides the perfect opportunity for Ethan Peck to develop that particular brand of comicality for Spock, an element sorely missing amidst all the dramatic events of Star Trek: Discovery.
A CAMEO FROM LAUREL GOODWIN
Laurel Goodwin played Yeoman Colt on Star Trek: The Original Series, and is the only member of the cast from "The Cage" episode who's still alive today. Having her appear in some capacity in the new series would be a lovely homage.
Yeoman Colt's role wasn't a large one, and she mostly helped Captain Pike, so it would be nice to see her in a more established capacity somewhere else in Starfleet.
A MORE EPISODIC APPROACH
As compelling as it was to watch Star Trek: Discovery in a serialized format, the introduction of Captain Pike and his crew in Season 2 saw a brief return to form for the Star Trek series with a few episodic adventures.
Given that Pike's missions lead right into the hand off of the Enterprise to Captain Kirk, it seems only natural they should be stories that begin and end in the same episode so as not to be so drastically different from Star Trek: The Original Series. Besides, Discovery and Star Trek: Picard will continue to be serialized.
MORE OF L'RELL
When last she appeared on Star Trek: Discovery, L'Rell had just become the "Mother" of the Klingon Empire. The trajectory of her character was a standout throughout the series, particularly because of Mary Chieffo's noble portrayal.
The unique relationship that Pike and L'Rell have is something that fans will want to see played out, especially since Discovery is sending its third season hundreds of years into the future.
MORE OF THE LOWER DECKS
Star Trek: The Original Series was known for its communal feel, and the Enterprise felt less like the giant city floating through space in Star Trek: The Next Generation and more like a small village of committed citizens.
To that end, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds can capture that feel again and focus on some of the other members of the crew that aren't the heroes on the bridge. It's a big ship, after all.
A MORE OPTIMISTIC TONE
Star Trek: Discovery and Star Trek: Picard have been criticized for having a cynical, dystopian, and ultimately demoralized view of the future that ultimately hasn't felt very inkeeping with the Star Trek ethos for many fans.
This spin-off has the chance to recapture the positive optimism of previous Star Trek series, and show the heroism inherent in doing the right thing not because it's easy but because it should be done.
STRANGE NEW WORLDS
The title says it all - Star Trek fans should be able to expect some truly "strange new worlds" to see and experience when Pike and the crew of the Enterprise explore uncharted space. Besides, part of the fun of any Star Trek series is its "planet of the week" format.
Both Discovery and Picard have retread familiar territory with an emphasis and focus on Romulans, Borg, Klingons, leaving the task of new world building up to Strange New Worlds.