10 Best Entry Points For Star Trek Newcomers

9. Strange New Worlds

star trek strange new worlds pike and pike's horse
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For those who are perhaps more comfortable with a much more modern approach to Star Trek, the pilot of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is an excellent place to begin. We are still following Christopher Pike, now played by Anson Mount, in what is surely the longest pilot to series order in television history. The familiar characters return, with Rebecca Romijn playing Number One, and Ethan Peck donning the Vulcan ears.

The episode is designed in such way that it openly acknowledges what has come before - it is technically a follow-up to the first and second seasons of Star Trek: Discovery - yet it does not require the viewer to have watched every episode. Just enough exposition is given to help the new viewer along.

The episode is full of strong performances, not least of which coming from Christina Chong as La'an Noonian-Singh. It's got absolutely gorgeous visuals and production values, along with a beautiful score by Nami Melumad. 

Of the newer Star Trek series, it is one of the best received. It's third season is due for release in 2025, with a fourth season confirmed to enter production after that. As there isn't too many episodes (currently) it's an easier starting point than some of the others on this list, though no less compelling. 

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Seán is the host and head writer/presenter for TrekCulture, as well as a writer/presenter on WhoCulture and WhatCulture Horror. He has authored two novels, dozens of short stories, and hundreds of articles for WhatCulture. He holds a Master of Arts in Creative Writing from University College Dublin. As part of his work with TrekCulture, Seán has been invited to participate in collaborations with Roddenberry Entertainment, as well as contributing to several Star Trek community projects. An avid fan of Star Trek, Doctor Who, and the horror genre at large, Seán's expertise has helped develop these channels to the successes they are today. As host of the Ups & Downs series on TrekCulture, Seán has become internationally recognised for his positive yet critically informed approach to reviewing every episode of modern Star Trek, ensuring he is one of the go-to voices in the Trek community. Favourite Quote to describe himself: "I'm serious about what I do, just not always about the way that I do it"