10 Worst Star Trek Moments In 2023
5. Rigel Low
The Cage is 60 years old in 2024 and Discovery revisited Talos IV as part of its second season. Naturally, this left fans to wonder if there would ever be a nod to the events that preceded that first pilot.
The mission prior saw the Enterprise at Rigel VII where seven crew were killed, including Captain Pike's yeoman. Though the Talosians' illusions would return the captain and Vina to the planet, it would take until Strange New Worlds' second season episode Among the Lotus Eaters.
The title is a reference to the legend of Odysseus and that too much of a good thing can be dangerous. The episode itself takes a tangent that doesn't satisfy the expectations of the 60-year hype. Instead of revisiting the harrowing events fans were told of, the episode delves into a "memory loss" scenario, losing focus on the trauma. It also places one of Pike's 'lost' crew as the antagonist, adding another layer of forced drama, though avoiding much in the way of prologue.
A return to Rigel VII and a first proper look at the civilisation was an absolute must but here the execution plopped the attempt at the bottom of the scoreboard for Strange New Worlds in 2023.