Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount) and his Enterprise crew remain as delightful as ever, as they prepare for a surprising wedding in Strange New Worlds season 3's second episode. "Wedding Bell Blues," which was written by Kirsten Beyer and David Reed and directed by Jordan Canning, begins with a personal log from Lt. Spock (Ethan Peck) as he prepares for Nurse Christine Chapel (Jess Bush) to return from her fellowship.
Unfortunately for Spock, Chapel arrives with new beau Dr. Roger Korby (Cillian O'Sullivan) in tow. As Chapel and Korby share their love story with the Enterprise crew, Spock retreats to the bar, where the new bartender (Rhys Darby) mixes the Vulcan a special drink. The next morning, Spock wakes up in his bed next to Chapel, with their friends preparing for their upcoming wedding.
“Wedding Bell Blues” Feels Like Strange New Worlds’ Answer To Star Trek: TNG’s “Data’s Day”
Spock & Data Each Take Center Stage In These Wedding-Centric Episodes
Star Trek: The Next Generation also delivered a wedding-centric episode in season 4's "Data's Day." Just as Strange New Worlds' "Wedding Bell Blues" opens with a personal log from Spock, "Data's Day" begins with Lt. Commander Data (Brent Spiner) dictating a letter to Dr. Bruce Maddox (Brian Brophy).
Both "Data's Day" and "Wedding Bell Blues" are lighthearted Star Trek wedding episodes told from the perspective of beloved characters. Data and Spock could both be considered the outsiders on their respective shows, and these episodes offer insight into their struggles to relate to and interact with the humans around them.
Trelane Wreaks Havoc In Both “Wedding Bell Blues” & TOS’ “The Squire Of Gothos”
Rhys Darby Seems To Be Portraying Trelane From "The Squire Of Gothos"
Rhys Darby's "cosmic trickster" alters reality in "Wedding Bell Blues," making everyone believe that Spock and Chapel are getting married. Although Darby's character is not named in the episode, all signs point to him being the same character who once messed with Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) and his Enterprise crew on Star Trek: The Original Series.
In the TOS season 1 episode, "Squire of Gothos," a cosmic being named Trelane (William Campbell) beams the Enterprise crew down to his planet as his "guests." Trelane proudly shares his knowledge of Earth's history (which is 400 years out of date), but he refuses to let Kirk and his crew leave. Kirk eventually grows impatient and stands up to Trelane, slapping him.
In the end, Trelane's parents appear and scold him for his treatment of his so-called "pets." In Strange New Worlds, Trelane's father (voiced by John de Lancie) also puts a stop to his son's shenanigans, ensuring that everyone's proper memory is restored and admonishing Trelane for his misbehavior.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Doesn’t Confirm If Trelane Is A Q
Strange New Worlds Leaves The Question Up For Debate
Although John de Lancie voices Trelane's father in "Wedding Bell Blues," the episode does not reveal whether Trelane and his family are members of the Q Continuum. Still, Trelane behaves more like a Q than ever, snapping his fingers to alter reality and taking obvious delight in his meddling.
The 1994 novel Q-Squared by Peter David suggests that Trelane is, in fact, a member of the Q Continuum and hints that John de Lancie's Q may be Trelane's father.
John de Lancie voicing Trelane's father could merely be a shout-out to the characters' similarities, or it could mean that Trelane is a Q after all (and perhaps that TNG's Q has more children than we know about). It's a fun cameo either way, and serves as another connection between Strange New Worlds and the Star Trek shows that came before it.
In its third season, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds continues to reference Star Trek's long history, and "Wedding Bell Blues" is an incredibly fun example of that.
