Did Star Trek: Strange New Worlds just hint at its post-season 5 future?

Right, let me walk you through what’s going on with Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. With season 4 just ticking past its fourth episode (the one titled ‘A Case of Chiaroscuro’), there’s suddenly some proper chatter about how Paramount could keep the whole Star Trek machine running, even after this series bow out after the planned fifth season. There’s no shortage of ‘how can we spin this out’, but this time, there’s actually something in it.

Season 5 is expected to lead straight into the events of The Original Series, with James T. Kirk taking command of the Enterprise.

Noir, Klingons and Spotlight on Number One

First off, that latest episode tips the hat to classic film noir, with the drama focused squarely on Rebecca Romijn’s character, Una Chin-Riley (aka Number One). If you remember, she didn’t get much more than a cameo in the original 1966 Star Trek — but in this new run, she’s a linchpin. Here, she gets swept up in a situation where she’s mistaken for some resistance leader on a planet occupied by Klingons. The usual Star Trek politics, with a darker, sleeker vibe than we’ve got used to.

This isn’t just some side mission either. Pushing Una as the main protagonist feels suspiciously like test-driving her for a potential spin-off. She’s front and centre, commanding, very clearly not just holding Spock’s clipboard for him. Makes you wonder if we’re about to get the seeds of yet another Star Trek show — or at least, Paramount’s giving themselves the option. Not the worst idea, since they’ve officially said Kirk will take over the Enterprise heading into season 5. That means Spock moves up, and Una — well, there’s suddenly a pretty big gap for her own story, far away from Kirk’s looming shadow.

• Season 4 episode 4 is built almost entirely around Una’s character, not the usual ensemble.
• Her complicated backstory as an Illyrian (genetically modified, with all the hullabaloo about her trial and discrimination in previous seasons) gives the writers a ton to work with thematically.
• The showrunners, especially Akiva Goldsman, have openly said this episode is about Una’s ‘exploration of self’ — not a phrase you tend to use if you’re just planning to bench a character in a couple of episodes.
• If Paramount pull the trigger, any Una-led offshoot could easily rope in La’an and Ortegas as regulars — keeping a connection to the current show, but not rehashing Kirk’s whole saga yet again.

Room for Star Trek to Grow, Without Another Reboot

This approach has got Star Trek fans (and, let’s be honest, probably the executives at Paramount too) rubbing their hands with glee. On the one hand, Strange New Worlds closes a loop and slides right into original-series territory; on the other, it opens a window for Number One (and Romijn) to go places the old show never managed.

In theory, they could dodge the risk of season 5 turning into an unofficial Kirk reboot (which not everyone is thrilled about). Instead, there’s a chance to finally give Una Chin-Riley the lead role she never got the first time around. If nothing else, she’s no longer just a name in the background. She’s a full-on commander now, with the storylines and clout to match.