Strange New Worlds Foreshadowed Season 2's Star Trek Musical In The Show's Second-Ever Episode

It's been more than a year and a half since the last episode of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2 came out, wrapping up the season with a nail-biting cliffhanger. The combined WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes meant that filming for Strange New Worlds season 3 was delayed and didn't wrap up until May of 2024. As of right now, Paramount+ has not set a release date for season 3, but they have released some photos and teasers of Strange New Worlds season 3's huge cast.

What makes Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3 so exciting is just how amazing season 2 was. Strange New Worlds season 2 episodes like "Under the Cloak of War" and "Those Old Scientists" set the bar high for next season, both in terms of comedy and drama. But the most iconic episode of Strange New Worlds has to be season 2, episode 9, "Subspace Rhapsody" - Star Trek's first musical episode. While "Subspace Rhapsody," was totally new for Star Trek, it didn't come totally out of left field. Strange New Worlds has been laying the groundwork for "Subspace Rhapsody" since the beginning.

Strange New Worlds Episode 2 Set Up Its Star Trek Musical Episode

There's Been A Musical Motif In SNW Since The Beginning

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' second-ever episode set up its eventual musical. Strange New Worlds season 1, episode 2, “Children of the Comet,” saw then-Cadet Nyota Uhura (Celia Rose Gooding) solve a communication problem with an alien species through song. Ultimately, Lieutenants Spock (Ethan Peck), Sam Kirk (Dan Jeannotte), and La’an Noonien-Singh (Christina Chong) have to harmonize with Cadet Uhura to escape from the comet. This early instance of singing established that some of the main Strange New Worlds cast can sing, thus laying the groundwork for "Subspace Rhapsody."

But more important than just establishing the Strange New Worlds cast's musical chops, "Children of the Comet," set up "Subspace Rhapsody" at a more thematic level. At the start of the episode, Cadet Uhura felt uncertain about her commitment to Starfleet, but through music she was able to not only demonstrate her unique problem-solving abilities, but also to process her feelings when words failed her. This is an almost perfect thematic setup for the Star Trek musical.

In "Subspace Rhapsody," Characters like Lieutenant La'an Noonien-Singh have to get in touch with emotions they struggled to express all season, just like Cadet Uhura in Strange New Worlds season 1. Furthermore, now-Ensign Uhura gets the opportunity to use a combination of music and linguistics to once again save the USS Enterprise. In many ways, "Children of the Comet" was an overture for what was to come in "Subspace Rhapsody."

Don’t Expect A Musical Episode In Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 3

But That Doesn't Mean Season 3 Won't Be Epic

But no matter how fun and how popular "Subspace Rhapsody" was, it is highly unlikely that there will be another musical episode in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3. For one thing, it would simply feel gimmicky for Star Trek to repeat the same trick so close together. Out of more than 900 episodes across the entire Star Trek franchise, "Subspace Rhapsody" is the only musical. There is no way Paramount+ would do the same bit twice in the same show.

Nevertheless, there’s a lot to look forward to next season. Strange New World's Doctor Joseph M'Benga (Babs Olusanmokun) has a lot to unpack with his history in the Klingon War. Strange New Worlds season 2's finale introduced Martin Quinn as Lieutenant Montgomery Scott, AKA Scotty. Even for "Subspace Rhapsody," the story isn't over. There’s been talk of doing stage performances, although that likely wouldn’t be until the series wraps up. It will be fascinating if Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3 will have any continuation of the series' musical motifs.