6 Ups & 4 Downs From Star Trek: Strange New Worlds 3.3 — Shuttle To Kenfori
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' zombie episode wasn't quite the graveyard smash.
Shuttle to Kenfori is a curious episode. Despite what the title says, there is very little 'shuttle' in it. That is part of the problem. This isn't Train to Busan or Dawn of the Dead, but it is trying to be both at the same time, all whilst mixing in a little The Last of Us, and remembering to add some Star Trek on top. Like Pike whispering the "z-word," the episode can't seem to commit to the genre. And yet, that genre is the thing keeping it going.
This is not a bad episode by any means, and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds should always be applauded for taking risks. Shuttle to Kenfori does have its effective moments — notably those with Scotty, and between Una and Ortegas. Character development for the latter has been lacking. For now, Ortegas' arc in season three is being handled with finesse. Martin Quinn's Scotty goes from strength to strength.
Visually, the episode is a delight. In a saturated space, it also manages to carve out a rather distinctive look for its 'zombies' (if that term is apropos). At times, however, it is all flash no shuttle, when just the shuttle would do.
10. DOWN — Style Before Substance
Genre bending and blending is all well and good. In fact, it is all well and Star Trek. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds has already managed to incorporate an array of different storytelling styles into its episodic makeup. We've had comedy, horror, fantasy, a courtroom drama, a crossover, and that musical. With too much of a good thing, however, Shuttle to Kenfori reaches the effective limit of the multi-genre approach.
The opener wastes little time in concocting the most convenient premise — of ALL the planets in ALL the galaxy… This was the 'zombie episode,' come what may. The rest had to follow suit. Rationale and plot felt more like the afterthought of an initial idea — the substance had to be made to fit. Of course, Shuttle to Kenfori is far from the only Star Trek episode (or film — looking at you, number five) to be guilty of that.
There is also an awfully long wait for those zombies. A good portion of the episode is then spent back and forth to the Enterprise, thus diffusing any tension built up on the planet.