Strange New Worlds Season 1, Episode 9: "All Those Who Wander"

[Dr.]

Original stream date: June 30, 2022

Synopsis: The USS Enterprise crew comes face-to-face with their demons – and scary monsters too – when their landing party is stranded on a barren planet with a ravenous enemy.

 

[Holy Slapper]

Whoa. Major Alien vibes in the best possible way from this episode. Hemmer...

 

[misjuevos]

This was one of the same writers from episode 4. This guy really likes writing Gorn stories. Another writer who doesn’t understand Spock though. Spock didn’t even get this emotional when his father was dying.

Spoiler

Hemmer wasn't a likable character so he won't be missed.

I hope they don't try to bring on Scotty. La'an knows so much about the Gorn even though know one should know anything about them. Samuel's character was likeable in other episodes, in this one he wasn't. He was written poorly in this episode.

I thought the blue alien design was really good. Still don't like this Uhura, she is annoying. I don't care about Uhura and Hemmer together. The forced crew interactions with these unknown characters were laughable.

Overall just more tearing down of Spock's character which is just so funny at this point. I now just look forward to see what else they can do to ruin one of the most iconic characters.

This episode could've been a good one. All they needed to do was not use the gorn, not make Spock emotional, and not make Pike a captain in name only. Pike really doesn't do anything in a lot of these episodes. He is turning out to be one of the most useless captains. The Pike from TOS is way better then this version.

 

[3rdstone]

I'm probably mindless and stupid (or just way too old to f***ing care about details these days), but I watched this episode mostly as a fun horror adventure homage to Alien/The Thing with obvioius memmories/dilemmas from obvious characters.

Yeah, some flaws here but since I enjoy the episodic nature of this ST show I'm content here. I thought Hemmer was a bit annoying in first episodes, hence now it sucks to se him go when he's gotten more likable. Duh.

 

[KaijuDude1992]

I have always been a sucker for the more creature feature heavy episodes, so obviously I really enjoyed this one, especially all the influences from movies like Aliens and even a bit of the Predator.

I really loved the design and the mix of practical and CGI effects for the Gorn, and they didn't shy away from the gore either which surprised me a bit considering the violence in this show has been pretty tame so far.

I was never big on the Hemmer character, but I definitely got more respect for him now and how he went out, but tbh I can't say his death had any kind of emotional impact on me.

 

[3rdstone]

I thought the snarkiness of Hemmer in the first episodes was a bit much, but they toned that down later on, and when I found him quite likable of course he had to go lol.

 

[Deck Rickard]

Huge step up in quality from the previous episode, which was probably the only one I didn’t like (though the stuff with M’Benga and Hemmer was good and Uhura can be my evil ice queen any day).

But anyway, loved the Alien/Stranger Things vibes with this one and

Spoiler

Hemmer’s death was a tear jerker. Couldn’t stand the guy early on but these last two episodes made me like him. Sad to see him die but truly a respectable way to go. Uhura and La’an really shined in this episode, and Spock tapping into his inner beast was good.

They are really building up the Gorn to be terrifying enemies. I can’t wait until we get to see the crew go up against the adult versions. I would imagine it will be a lot more intense than Shatner slow-punching a guy in a rubber suit lol.

A few bad spots… Sam was really annoying and pretty much turned into a racist MAGAt on Spock. I would have been happy to see him get mauled alive by the Gorn after that; screw canon. Also, the two not-redshirt redshirt deaths were SO telegraphed lol. “Hey, here’s Cadet Somebody and Lieutenant What’s-His-Name and we’re going to keep reminding you that they’re here… whatever could be the reason?”

Was this the season finale? Shows don’t usually end on episode 9 but it felt like a conclusion with La’an leaving temporarily and Uhura obviously choosing to stay with Starfleet.

 

[Teelie]

So no one else caught the Alien homages and references? They were too subtle?

I have liked every episode so far even if some weren't quite up there as others. They also stuck to the tradition of naming extras who are later going to die a horrible, horrible death in the same episode.

Like, I literally knew Ensign Who? And Lieutenant Will Be Missed were going to die once we met them in the opening minutes of the episode.

How though... that was definitely surprising although not disappointing. They really upped their Gorn game with this series. No longer are the Gorn guys in rubber suits throwing paper mache rocks.

Spoiler: As to Hemmer

I felt he could have been given more time to grow as a character and be fleshed out more than he was (well, more than the literal fleshing out the Gorn hatchlings gave him ).

 

[3rdstone]

Oh, the Alien references were pretty much right in our faces (which I mentioned in my first comment). Loved that. I was thinking about The Thing as well in the beginning of the episode.

 

[titansupes]

Agree with y'all. Very enjoyable Alien'esque homage. The Obviously Here to Die characters made me smile. Though I had no strong feelings toward him either way, Hemmer's death took me by surprise. Not often does a unique main-ish character go out like that so early on in a series, really thought they'd use the transporter to save him and separate the alien microbes or something. Very well done though.

Wonder how long Spock's upheaval will last. Interested to see how this will impact him beyond just the attraction to Chapel.

Sam Kirk basically becoming the Paxton of the group made some sense to me, I guess. He jus has a a certain look about him.

If I agree with any criticism above, and I think I hinted at something like this a few episodes back, it's that... I love me some Mount's Pike, but I'd like him to be a little more take charge. His open, laid back vibe is great overall, but just every now and then skews into... Himbo, for me. Just a minor adjustment there would do wonders, IMO.

 

[Gaultheria]

How though... that was definitely surprising although not disappointing. They really upped their Gorn game with this series. No longer are the Gorn guys in rubber suits throwing paper mache rocks.

It seems that in "Arena" the Gorn captain was trying really hard to show the Metrons how civilized and reasonable the Gorn can be.

 

[Gaultheria]

"It's dead, Chris."

Spock's "the needs of the many" idea comes from Hemmer.

The Gorn are basically the Magog, which makes sense given that Andromeda began as an idea for a new Star Trek series.

 

[Gaultheria]

Wild guess time:

So, La'an has a lead that she's being very secretive about. I'm guessing that the the kid is another Augment (recognized by scent or by coded comments in the junk DNA or something), from the Puget Sound's sister ship the SS Georgia Strait. There's a hidden Augment-settled world out beyond the Federation's border. They've been sending spies back and forth to Earth for 200 years, waiting for an opportunity to return, such as when the Federation is in disarray following a brutal war or two. La'an still has some loyalty to her people even though she's learned that the humans of Earth aren't the enemy she was taught to hate while growing up. She'll have to make a big choice someday.

 

[Dark Raven]

Well Hemmer is gone and he won't be missed. He died in the first season like Tasha Yar.

I don't like this Gorn design. It looks too much like a dinosaur. I prefer the Gorn from TOS and to look like a guy in a rubber suit. I'd prefer an updated version of that which is more humanoid and someone playing him than a purely CGI creation. How would Captain Kirk have fought this type of Gorn?

And I thought no-one had seen a Gorn before during the TOS era. How did Spock, Chapel and Uhura not tell Kirk?

 

[Gaultheria]

Well Hemmer is gone and he won't be missed.

I liked the character. I’m disappointed that he’s gone so soon.

And I thought no-one had seen a Gorn before during the TOS era. How did Spock, Chapel and Uhura not tell Kirk?

Nobody had time. The metron voice was the first to mention “Gorn”, and then the metron transported Kirk away in the same conversation before anyone other than Kirk had a chance to speak.

During the Enterprise’s pursuit of the unidentified ship before the metrons stopped them, Kirk had made up his mind that the massacre of the colony was the opening strike of an invasion of the Federation, while Spock tried unsuccessfully to point out “Not necessarily, sir. Several possible explanations—”. I think Spock’s knowledge of Gorn behaviour from SNW fits with his TOS dialogue.

 

[misjuevos]

Well Hemmer is gone and he won't be missed. He died in the first season like Tasha Yar.

I don't like this Gorn design. It looks too much like a dinosaur. I prefer the Gorn from TOS and to look like a guy in a rubber suit. I'd prefer an updated version of that which is more humanoid and someone playing him than a purely CGI creation. How would Captain Kirk have fought this type of Gorn?

And I thought no-one had seen a Gorn before during the TOS era. How did Spock, Chapel and Uhura not tell Kirk?

Or how about M'binga and Kirk's own brother. You would think something like this would be shared with his brother.

 

[flickchick85]

'Twas only a matter of time 'til we got an Alien episode, and it did not disappoint, imo.

I really like the Gorn design, personally. The heads/faces bear just enough resemblance to the TOS version to be recognizable, I feel.

And yeah,

Spoiler

just when I was starting to like you, Hemmer.

 

[Gaultheria]

You would think something like this would be shared with his brother.

Jim Kirk is brave Hicks to Sam Kirk's excitable Hudson, so there's probably some measure of "Oh, come on, it can't have been that bad" any time Sam tells Jim a monster story.

Sam reminds me a lot of Boimler, now that I think about it.

 

[Holy Slapper]

Or how about M'binga and Kirk's own brother. You would think something like this would be shared with his brother.

M'bEnga.

 

[Gaultheria]

The Gorn are basically the Magog, which makes sense given that Andromeda began as an idea for a new Star Trek series.

Wild guess time:

So, La'an has a lead that she's being very secretive about. I'm guessing that the the kid is another Augment (recognized by scent or by coded comments in the junk DNA or something), from the Puget Sound's sister ship the SS Georgia Strait. There's a hidden Augment-settled world out beyond the Federation's border. They've been sending spies back and forth to Earth for 200 years, waiting for an opportunity to return, such as when the Federation is in disarray following a brutal war or two. La'an still has some loyalty to her people even though she's learned that the humans of Earth aren't the enemy she was taught to hate while growing up. She'll have to make a big choice someday.

Running with this idea, because why not?....

With Gorn as the Magog, that makes Augments the Nietzscheans.

 

[Sithborg]

SNW keeps doing it wrong. First, it was avoiding the ship porn at the start of the show, and now, you kill of a gold shirt before the red shirt. Do these writers even watch Trek?

Interesting shake up of the crew before the finale. I do hope the killing of Hemmer means they are going to avoid heavy make up for crew members. That would be unfortunate. Will miss him, really enjoyed him and Uhura together, and we didn't get nearly enough of him.

Not a huge fan of where they seem to be going with Spock and Chapel. I think the relationship is rocky enough to believe where it will lead to in TOS.

I liked the look of the Gorn hatchlings. Much better looking than Enterprise's cgi Gorn.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

SNW keeps doing it wrong. First, it was avoiding the ship porn at the start of the show, and now, you kill of a gold shirt before the red shirt. Do these writers even watch Trek?

Interesting shake up of the crew before the finale. I do hope the killing of Hemmer means they are going to avoid heavy make up for crew members. That would be unfortunate. Will miss him, really enjoyed him and Uhura together, and we didn't get nearly enough of him.

Not a huge fan of where they seem to be going with Spock and Chapel. I think the relationship is rocky enough to believe where it will lead to in TOS.

I liked the look of the Gorn hatchlings. Much better looking than Enterprise's cgi Gorn.

That's completely fair, but as a unabashed Chapel fan, the more of her in the forefront, the better.

 

[Sithborg]

That's completely fair, but as a unabashed Chapel fan, the more of her in the forefront, the better.

Look, they already brought in the homewrecker on T'pring's, no need to bring in Chapel as well.