Chris Connor reviews the fourth episode of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3…
While Strange New Worlds’ third season has to this point been focused on the Gorn and ongoing plot threads, the fourth episode ‘A Space Hour Adventure’ offers another venture into genre with a murder mystery interlude. The holodeck is a component in later Star Trek shows like The Next Generation but with Strange New Worlds taking place earlier in the timeline the technology is not widely in use. As such La’An and Scotty are tasked with testing the technology.
It just so happens that La’An is a fan of classic detective fiction, especially the Amelia Moon stories. She is afforded the opportunity to play out a mystery of her own, set in late 60s Hollywood. It features characters from the Enterprise as characters within the fictional show Last Frontier (clearly spoofing the original 60s Star Trek). All of these characters, played by their corresponding actors, are suspects in Amelia’s investigation.
Christina Chong is a delight in her dual role as La’An testing the troublesome tech and as the private eye, digging into jealousy on set and feuds of all kinds. It acts both as a loving tribute to the original series and as a nice whodunnit. There are certainly shades of Agatha Christie, as well as Knives Out and more. Ultimately it is what all whodunnits should be fun and gripping, making us wish for real Amelia Moon mysteries.
Even while largely self contained it does push forward threads developed across this season especially La’An’s relationship with Spock and Scotty’s place within the Enterprise crew. The show’s continuing efforts to have genre episodes and those that showcase various members of the crew, certainly help to keep the audience invested and make the whole crew feel like they have a purpose in the wider story. The difficulty in an episode like this is it could feel disposable but that is far from the case here.
‘A Space Hour Adventure’ is a delightful side order that acts as both an enjoyable whodunnit and homage to the original cast and crew, with the characters clearly aping the likes of William Shatner and Gene Roddenberry. As the season hurtles towards its midpoint, it continues to be a Star Trek show for the ages, the third season continuing the momentum of the first two.
Chris Connor
