Strange New Worlds Season 1, Episode 5 "Spock Amok"

[Dr.]

Airdate: June 2, 2022

Synopsis:

It's a comedy of manners when Spock has a personal visit in the middle of Spock and Captain Pike's crucial negotiations with an unusual alien species.

 

[Dr.]

This was a good episode — with a good balance of character drama/development and humor. Fun without being farcical.

 

[misjuevos]

This had one of the same writers from Episode 2. Ok, so I really don't like the portrayal of Spock in this show. I also don't like how they turned the Vulcan relationship into a human one. Spock getting relationship advice from a human is nonsense. He is betrothed to a female Vulcan. The cultures are completely different. Well not according to this show they aren't, I guess. Spock in T'pring's body striking the other Vulcan was ridiculous. Spock doesn't go around hitting people who annoy him with words. He would just outwit them and sneak in a quip to verbally dominate them, or nerve pinch them if need be. That used to be one of the charms about him, he would use his intellect.

Well we at least know that they do have Yeomans on the ship. I don't think Bolians were around during TOS era, they are TNG aliens. I don't know if they were even in the federation during TOS. But that I can let that slide since it has to do with adding more aliens, which is always nice to see in star trek.

I don't see why M'Binga wasn't called right away, it seemed like he easily handled the situation.
I thought the shorter alien ambassador reminded me of Armin Zimmermann. The solar powered ship reminds me of Sisko's Bajoran sailor he built.
All in and all this was not one of my favorite episodes.

 

[vantheman77]

Spock getting advice from Nurse Chapel about love is the strangest thing.

I wonder if Nurse Chapel is the show's equivalent to Counselor Troi.

Speaking of Chapel, when will they bring in Roger Corbin?

 

[Holy Slapper]

Really good episode. The "signing of the scorch" was a really gorgeous scene. This show also nails Spock. Also, shock, horror, RMB liked the episode!

 

[TheVileOne]

George Kirk has really added nothing to this cast thus far in the first five episodes. He's a useless character.

 

[Dark Raven]

I noticed they used part of the score from Amok Time when Kirk fought Spock at the beginning of this episode when Spock was fighting himself.

Still not quite feeling this show yet.

On another note, this did feel slightly like a season 1 TNG episode.

 

[flickchick85]

When I first saw the set up for this episode, I expected to be bored by it, but actually I kinda loved it. And body swaps are always fun. That scene when they're first telling Pike about it and Spock/T'Pring was like, "now that you know, you can probably tell the very clear difference in our mannerisms" and Pike was all "yeah totally" cracked me up. It was a good character episode, imo. I enjoy when they mix up characters who don't typically get scenes together, so I loved all the Spock and Nurse Chapel stuff. Even the "Enterprise Bingo" subplot was quite entertaining to me.

 

[misjuevos]

Here's the list from the episode. I guess they already know about Tribbles somehow. We also know that the discovery had replicators so this ship has them too. I think a phaser duel would have been better to see than what they did. This bingo could be a seasonal thing. It could be something unique to SNW I wouldn't mind. Whenever there is shoreleave La'an and Una could secretly do bingo. Or the whole bridge crew could join in as a bonding experience. Since Uhura is just a cadet I can see her joining in, and Spock might find it "fascinating"

 

[TheVileOne]

Nice to hear that classic music again.

 

[TheVileOne]

Here's the list from the episode. I guess they already know about Tribbles somehow. We also know that the discovery had replicators so this ship has them too. I think a phaser duel would have been better to see than what they did. This bingo could be a seasonal thing. It could be something unique to SNW I wouldn't mind. Whenever there is shoreleave La'an and Una could secretly do bingo. Or the whole bridge crew could join in as a bonding experience. Since Uhura is just a cadet I can see her joining in, and Spock might find it "fascinating"

View attachment 56141

Yes, they're in that Short Treks episode. Pike was in that one too.



I would say some knowledge about Tribbles at this point is more believable than knowledge about the Gorn.

 

[misjuevos]

Yes, they're in that Short Treks episode. Pike was in that one too.

I would say some knowledge about Tribbles at this point is more believable than knowledge about the Gorn.

Thanks never seen this season of short treks, I'll check them out.

 

[Dark Raven]

I wish Nurse Chapel would wear blue instead of white. It would be great to have her in the classic blue colour instead of having a uniform reminiscent of Discovery.

 

[KillerMcQueen]

Probably the weakest episode so far for me, but in a weird way it maybe gave me more confidence in the show than the other episodes. This was a lighthearted goofy episode with almost no action, no life-threatening stakes, character focused with an absurd premise, and a heavy dose of diplomacy. Exactly the kind of episode we haven't been getting from the other shows (Lower Decks excepted). I'm feeling pretty confident that we haven't been suckered in, this is actually a straight up classic Star Trek show with a modern coat of paint, scratching an itch for me that Discovery and Picard do not.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

I am ten minutes into this episode, and I can't tell if Spock and his fiancé are in engaged in a sex game or not.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

So I loved last week's episode, but I think this is already my favorite. M'Benga's hat, Number One's reaction to the nickname, La'an not wanting to stick around for the Captain's meeting, Spock's so obvious it's the joke metaphor, Chapel in her shore leave outfits, Ortegas being the ultimate wingman, etc. They are having the right type of fun.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

M'Benga fishing... that's the happiness and serenity we all seek. Every moment with the doc is a treasure.

Yeah, I loved that. I didn't know what I was in for, but it was rather perfect to me. I'm already in love with this crew, and watching them let their hair down (even during a diplomatic situation), was so much fun. This was Chapel's first real chance to shine, and she nailed it imo. Her pairing with Spock was unexpected, but terrific. La'an and #1. They truly know how to have the most fun.

 

[Deck Rickard]

Yeah this crew is really great. Glad they are doing the “Lost” thing and focusing on a different character each week while also giving the other leads significant story moments. The only crew member I’m not digging is Hemmer; he was absent this week and it made the show better IMO. I get that he’s supposed to be a lovable jerk, but… eh. I’m going to need a little more if I’m supposed to care about this guy with a bad makeup job.

 

[Dark Raven]

Yeah this crew is really great. Glad they are doing the “Lost” thing and focusing on a different character each week while also giving the other leads significant story moments. The only crew member I’m not digging is Hemmer; he was absent this week and it made the show better IMO. I get that he’s supposed to be a lovable jerk, but… eh. I’m going to need a little more if I’m supposed to care about this guy with a bad makeup job.

I didn't miss him at all. I agree the show was better without him and they don't even really need him. They could streamline the show like TNG by giving him a Tasha Yar style death or writing him off like Wesley Crusher. I'm not quite feeling the "lovable" bit.

Also his name is Bruce Horak playing a character named Hemmer. But Horak sounds more alien than Hemmer. Maybe he should change his real name to Bruce Hemmer and make Horak the character name.

 

[RockSP]

Well we at least know that they do have Yeomans on the ship. I don't think Bolians were around during TOS era, they are TNG aliens. I don't know if they were even in the federation during TOS. But that I can let that slide since it has to do with adding more aliens, which is always nice to see in star trek.

Gotta say, I find this to be a strange take. I mean yeah they weren't around meaning that particular make up hadn't been created in the real world yet, but that has nothing to do with the fictional trek world obviously.

George Kirk has really added nothing to this cast thus far in the first five episodes. He's a useless character.

What are you expecting from this character, who is not even part of the main cast and is at best a recurring character? It's like someone having an issue with Molly O'brien lol

 

[TheVileOne]

Gotta say, I find this to be a strange take. I mean yeah they weren't around meaning that particular make up hadn't been created in the real world yet, but that has nothing to do with the fictional trek world obviously.



What are you expecting from this character, who is not even part of the main cast and is at best a recurring character? It's like someone having an issue with Molly O'brien lol

More than what he's given. Considering this is a show that has a pretty strong ensemble and a focus on the ensemble, he's barely even in the show.

 

[RockSP]

More than what he's given. Considering this is a show that has a pretty strong ensemble and a focus on the ensemble, he's barely even in the show.

The ensemble it focuses on is the actual cast lol

 

[misjuevos]

Gotta say, I find this to be a strange take. I mean yeah they weren't around meaning that particular make up hadn't been created in the real world yet, but that has nothing to do with the fictional trek world obviously.

Was just something I noticed and was fine with. The more aliens the better.

 

[Gaultheria]

"Enterprise Bingo" seems like a social media challenge that's all lighthearted innocence until someone dies from it. As for the timing of this episode's "fun and games with guns", maybe there wasn't enough time to re-edit this episode in light of the recent mass-murders, but ask the cast and crew of Rust if that gun game looked safe. I don't think I've ever been disgusted with Star Trek before, but yeah, that gun game was disgusting.

 

[Dr.]

"Enterprise Bingo" seems like a social media challenge that's all lighthearted innocence until someone dies from it. As for the timing of this episode's "fun and games with guns", maybe there wasn't enough time to re-edit this episode in light of the recent mass-murders, but ask the cast and crew of Rust if that gun game looked safe. I don't think I've ever been disgusted with Star Trek before, but yeah, that gun game was disgusting.

Well…

Realistically speaking, a weapon that can alternate between harmless “stun” and “kill” with a flip of a switch strikes me as very bad design. However, Star Trek has made the non-lethal mode of phasers familiar and famous — to the point that it’s a slogan, meme and/or punchline.

So in terms of the in-universe “logic,” when characters “set phasers to stun,” we assume they know what they’re doing vis-à-vis the safe handling of futuristic firearms.