Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (TV Series) A Quality of Mercy (2022) User Reviews

THIS. IS. STAR TREK!!!!

[rrtiverton · 10/10 · 8 July 2022]

A totally awesome episode from start to finish! KNOCKED IT OUT OF THE PARK!!!

Pike, being confronted with the living human of someone who he witnessed dies in the future, decides to warn the person of his fate, only to have the alternate timeline Pike (in Admirals uniform), warn him that his actions will start a string of events that will make humanity worse.

INCREDIBLE alternate timeline plot involving Captain Kirk joining forces with him to address an attack by the Romulans. Kudos for the writers for SUPERBLY weaving known canon from "Balance of Terror" into this episode!

And we know that at some time in the next 7 years, Scotty will come on board the Enterprise!

Loved every moment of this episode!!!

Wow!

[CriticalThought · 10/10 · 7 July 2022]

One of if not the single best episode of star trek i've seen, and i've seen pretty much everything with star trek. Goosebumps! Chills! Excitement!.. just.. WOW!

The review you're looking for, for the Star Trek show you're looking for

[Doliko · 10/10 · 7 July 2022]

For those that were still in doubt, yes this is actual Star Trek. And this is coming from someone who's watched literally every ST series and film along with a slew of other great sci-fi material.

Unlike Discovery and Picard, this looks and feels like a genuine Star Trek story with genuine Star Trek characters. Not only that, but the production values are the best they've ever been in the franchise. And this very episode is the culmination of what has been an extremely strong first season in a franchise that is not known for its particularly good first seasons. Without sacrificing its much missed episodic format which allows for greater storytelling opportunities, this episode has a sort of gravitas and urgency to it that has characterized some of the greatest episodes in ST, and indeed, TV history (think The City on the Edge of Forever, The Best of Both Worlds, and In the Pale Moonlight). If this is only a taste of what's to come then we're certainly in for something great.

I'm writing all this since I feel it's important. If you're a senior Trekkie don't let the (fortunately) few negative reviews rambling on about wokeness (as if Star Trek wasn't politically conscious from the beginning) and bad acting (possibly one of the best cast essembles we've seen in a while) dissuade you from what has, against all odds, been a miracle of a show so far. And if you're a newcomer to the franchise then let me be the first to welcome you aboard as this is as good a place to start as any and likely the most accessible (although I'd recommend watching a few eps from the original 60s series first for a deeper understanding. Namely: The Cage, The Menagerie Pt. 1 & 2, and Balance of Terror).

My mind to your mind, my thoughts to your thoughts: "GO AND WATCH THIS SHOW NOW!"

Best episode of season 1

[PaxD75 · 10/10 · 7 July 2022]

Well... after a kinda' mostly lukewarm (safe) season... 'Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' finishes off with a bang. If you want to have even more fun with this episode, I suggest (re)watching Balance of Terror (1966) - as this 1966 episode is closely related (I am so primed to do this now).

Fantastic Episode with one tragic casting choice

[mehussey-31501 · 9/10 · 8 July 2022]

Wow!!! What a fantastic last episode! The writing was excellent especially with its call back to "Balance of Terror" from TOS. It was quite an emotional episode that kept you on the edge of your seat.

The only disappointment was in the casting of a young Captain Kirk! In every other casting choice I feel like they nailed it! Even Samuel Kirk wasn't bad and had the flair you would expect from the Kirks. But for Jim Kirk? I mean who thought this guy was the right choice? (No offense to the actor) But it was all wrong, not the right fit. They have a wealth of actors in the world and this is the guy they thought should play one of the MOST iconic characters in television history?! I meant c'mon guys! Please recast your Captain Kirk!!! And then you'll be good to go!

I didn't think Star Trek would ever be this good again!

[ruff1969 · 10/10 · 8 July 2022]

I didn't want this episode to end. Fantastic writing, acting, suspense, action, drama... all of it. And they did it without any overt or shrouded political agenda. Just good, clean, fun entertainment. PLEASE keep it coming!

One of the best Star Trek episodes in my life

[rmoosreiner-602-935894 · 10/10 · 7 July 2022]

Watching Star Trek from the beginning of TOS this is one of the best episodes I ever watched! Totally fits into the original timeline. Desperately waiting for season 2..

That was FUN!

[codefool · 9/10 · 8 July 2022]

After last week's complete crib of Aliens, and the teasers clearly showing elements of the original Star Trek episode "Balance of Terror" - including word-for-word dialogue - I was wondering if they were just going to try and retcon a classic original episode. That is, be super lazy.

But was I surprised! They really pulled it off, and I was saying "Okay. Okay. I like this." and off the story went.

I have to say I'm less than excited about the casting choice for Kirk. His frame is too small and his facial features remind me too much of Jim Carrey. But, he had good delivery, and with the size of the shoes he was filling I imagine he was giving his all, and by any other measure he's better than Chris Pine. I suppose with a good enough script he could grow on me.

This was an excellent episode, and I can't really say more without spoiling anything but to the production crew: well done.

I don't give 10's - but this deserves one. Keep this up and you'll have something.

Star Trek is BACK people!!!!

[AJ_5883 · 10/10 · 8 July 2022]

Just hearing Scotty on the comms was good enough for me! Don't particularly like the "new" Kirk...lacks the boyish charm...but overall this episode was Star Fleet quality good! Stand off with the Romulans, Klingon time crystal and Kirk stepping into the controlled chaos role! Fantastic!

So good I watched it twice

[chrisforeman-01920 · 10/10 · 12 August 2022]

At last after 50 years of waiting Star Trek has returned. Everything about this episode was off the chart, apart from one thing, the elephant in the room , the casting of James T. Kirk. I could see him as a Bones maybe but Kirk, no way. Where was the daring do, the handsome roguish good looks the oh just punch him aptitude. Admittedly the writers are somewhat to blame but and understated Kirk is not what we need.

Brilliant

[markanthonypowell · 10/10 · 7 July 2022]

Well done. Last week was such a mash up of story building the characters, cramming so much into one episode. This episode was well written, well paced and any authentic Trekkie knows the tragic cost in the end.

We have a problem

[tim-783 · 7/10 · 9 July 2022]

The central tenet of this episode is that by avoiding "the accident" Pike will still be in command of the Enterprise when it has its first encounter with the Romulans. As many have said, this encounter happened in the 14th episode of Star Trek in 1966 - "Balance of Terror."

Here is the problem: It is made clear in the 11th episode of Star Trek - "The Menagerie pt1" that Pikes accident happens AFTER he transfers command of the Enterprise to Kirk.

Pikes accident is irrelevant to the events in "Balance of Terror". James T. Kirk will still be Captain of the Enterprise.

One more thing: I re-watched "Balance of Terror" after watching "A Quality of Mercy". "Balance of Terror" is much better TV.

Jim Carrey as James T. Kirk

[Cornlogger · 5/10 · 8 July 2022]

As I watched this episode, there was something about the guy playing Captain Kirk that seemed familiar. After the show ended, it came to me. This guy was cast for his resemblance to Jim Carrey who, in the show "In Living Color", played Captain Kirk in a skit called "The Wrath of Farrakhan." Check it out on YouTube...

I have watched the entire season and finally came to the conclusion that us old Star Trek TOS fans are just being trolled. An expensive, elaborate troll job of epic proportions. Congratulations to Akiva Goldsman, Alex Kurtzman, and Jenny Lumet for this astounding achievement.

This is one of the best episodes in Star trek SNW so far

[tudorbedereag · 10/10 · 7 July 2022]

To start, we have Capitan Pike meeting a future starfleet cadet that he knows will die in the accident that will happen 7 years form now. He decides to wirte him and the other cadets that will die/be injured. Then a future Capitan Pike appears. The moment is very surprising especially the fact that he is wearing the original TOS movie uniform ( STAR TREK: II; III, IV, V, VI). He worns present Pike that if he tries to inform the people involved in the accident abot what is to happen the future will be drastically changed.

This whole scene was very emetional and it was filled with easter eggs.

When Pike is "transported" in the future we see lieutenant Uhura, Comander Spock and CAPITAN JAMES TIBERIUS KIRK!!. This came as a big surprise to me and hopefully to all SNW fans.

We also see the romulans and the original bird of prey.

Another small although not confirmed(at the time of writing) easter egg is Scotty. When spock is in the jeffries tube repairing the phasers we hear an engineer with a irish accent and a similar voice with chief engineer Scotty form TOS and JJ Abrams movies.

In the end the episode is very emotional and an excelent season finale!

I liked the episode but..........

[philadkins-20765 · 9/10 · 12 July 2022]

Am I the only one who did not like the actor who played James T Kirk? He had no presence, had the William Shatners' cadence all wrong, and lacked his gravitas. Other than that I have really liked the casting, and look forward to the meeting the new "Scotty" we received a glimpse of.

How is this possible?

[InfiniteJesterII · 9/10 · 9 July 2022]

I did not think Kurtzman and Goldman and all of the clowns responsible for singlehandedly ruining Star Trek were actually capable of producing an episode of this caliber. Where was this writing for the last six years? Finally, we get a genuinely good episode, not just by Kurtzman Trek standards, but by general Star Trek standards. I much enjoyed the Romulan redesign, which blended elements of the TNG and TOS Romulans seamlessly. They should have done something similar with, I don't know, THE KLINGONS????!!! I mean, how were these people capable of making these Romulans when they made those godawful Klingons.

The writing, too, was pretty good; there were actual stakes, believe it or not, and you genuinely cared about what would happen next. The story gripped you, and you genuinely wanted to know what happened next.

Although it isn't necessarily as good as 90s-00s trek, I'm no cynic, and I'm fine with this. It is Trek, and I cannot say that for what we have been getting so far. I hope to god that future NuTrek will maintain if not transcend this level of quality. Then, I will be a truly happy person.

Ten-plus

[dawsonc-53161 · 10/10 · 7 July 2022]

It's a Wonderful Trek.

When I saw the teaser last week I thought to myself, Hmmm, I've seen this before . . . And I was afraid that my first fears about this show would come true - that they would just casually change up everything so much that it couldn't be enjoyed by the "old School" crowd. But I have enjoyed the show so much, can't have it fail me now.

And it most certainly did not! Sometimes you got to wonder what might happen if you did something one way as opposed to another. I thoroughly enjoyed the episode, the problem that comes up is thoughtful and it allows us to see something in a new light without destroying it.

And that's the end of this season. I look forward to the next season big time.

That episode gets a Wow.

[jfr-49049 · 10/10 · 7 July 2022]

Pike's character rises to the top of the pantheon of Star Trek captains. Right there with Kirk and Picard. Anson Mount shows his range as an actor. Heroic. Emotional. Loves his crew. Very human.

Tremendous writing. When is perceived weakness actually strength? Pike cooks for crew and friends. He is not rash. He seeks collaboration. He seeks opinions. He faces his future. He accepts his fate, and goes about his business and his life.

Lots of emotion in this one. Ethan Peck also excellent.

Not giving up many secrets in this review. James T. Kirk plays a role. Not up to the standard of the original, as acted by William Shatner., imo.

Some resolution of Pike's fate ''seems'' to be settled. Anything is possible in Sci Fi.

Well done, Season 1. Yup. It gets a Wow.

Now this is Star Trek

[JBest57604 · 10/10 · 7 July 2022]

It's been an up and down season - with a few downs really in the abyss - but this finale is one of the best ST episodes I have seen in years. Great writing, great acting, tight pacing. Time travel stories have pretty much been done to death, but this one works like a fine Swiss watch, with just enough nods to TOS to bring on a warm feeling of blissful nostalgia. Plus we get to hear Scotty, who has always been one of my favorite characters. (Perhaps added as a regular in Season 2?) Please keep this up!

Kirk

[jmarkproctor · 8/10 · 8 July 2022]

Good episode. However, could they not have found a better actor for Captain Kirk? Good grief, nothing like the original. Not in looks or personality. I guess the budget only allowed for a cheap imitation.

Great final episode but Captain Kirk sucks!!!!!!

[wilson-michael24 · 8/10 · 21 July 2022]

Casting is incredibly important to a shows success. Your Captain and show lead has to have charisma. You want to have an actor portraying a Captain that you, the viewer would follow through peril. William Shatner, Patrick Stewart, Chris Pine, Anson Mount, Scott Bakula and Avery Brooks had that "it" factor.. No offense to Paul Wesley who may be a good actor (I'm guessing) however he was horribly miscast as James T. Kirk. He made a terrible Kirk. He came across as wimpy, sniveling. More like a villain. Certainly not a Captain that I can picture a crew respecting. I hope they either recast the role of James T. Kirk with a more suitable actor or better yet, leave James T. Kirk out of it.

A Quality of Mercy

[Prismark10 · 7/10 · 9 July 2022]

The season finale revisits Captain Pike's future. Can he and will he change history.

Pike gets a visitor from the future, himself who tells of the consequences of the timeline being changed.

Pike and Spock are engaged with a Romulan bird of prey near the neutral zone. The wrong decision could have long term devastating consequences.

Captain Pike also comes face to face with James T Kirk who has a different approach to dealing with Romulans.

It was a good story as Pike grapples in trying to deal with the Romulans and strive for a peaceful solution. It also shows Pike what the alternative timeline would look like.

There are good performances from Mount, Peck and Paul Wesley who had to step into some big shoes.

However it is a story with no final consequences. You know there will be a reset.

I knew James T. Kirk.. and you are no...

[VeggieBurger1 · 4/10 · 9 July 2022]

I am not sure how this episode garnered so many high ratings...It was derivative.. oh yes lets revisit/retell Balance of Terror..plus we already know what happens to Pike no matter what so what was the point?

As for James T. Kirk.. really? Out of all the actors in the world this is who they chose? No reflection on the actor but he did not resemble Kirk in any way shape or form..not even in attitude..

And are we to lose Number One now too?

Finally an excellent powerful episode

[afterhours36 · 10/10 · 7 July 2022]

A powerful episode, complex, emotive and in the track of what represents the complexity of the world of startrek. Technology, hard decisions, fate of life's, and a good share of intelligence and fast decisions. And specially the good old warning of messing the timeline. Also expose a natural timeline of Kirk, but a Kirk also without Spock.... interesting... Good job.

Now That's More Like It!

[celakipp · 10/10 · 7 July 2022]

After a mostly lackluster first season, Strange New World finally puts it all together, swings for the fences, and hits it out of the park! This is a great episode, not just of SNW but also of Star Trek. Intense, emotional, and relevant, it seamlessly weaves numerous elements together in a near-perfect tapestry of Star Trek lore. Bravo!