"The television series 'Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' should envision expanded roles for its female characters"
In the third season of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, the show introduced new dynamic pairings and continued to explore the rich tapestry of its diverse cast. However, the season failed to reach the heights of its previous instalments, with some critics arguing that it struggled to provide substantial arcs for its female characters.
One of the most notable pairings in the third season is between Spock (Ethan Peck) and La'an (Christina Chong). While their chemistry undeniably shines, the relationship seems to serve Spock's character development more than La'an's. The duo's storyline is largely driven by their on-screen chemistry, but it remains to be seen if La'an's character will receive the same depth and development in future seasons.
Another character who saw less screen time and development in the third season is Ortegas (Celia Rose Gooding). After her nearly fatal injury from a Gorn attack in the season premiere, her arc was not notably touched on until the penultimate episode. Similarly, Una (Rebecca Romijn), whose Illyrian heritage was a climactic point in the show's first season, saw a decline in screen time and character development in the third season.
The third season also introduced a romantic arc between Captain Batel (Melissa Navia) and Captain Pike (Anson Mount), which dominated the emotional climax of the season finale, "New Life and Civilizations." Critics argue that this focus on the romantic relationship defined Batel more as Pike's girlfriend rather than an individual character, diminishing her potential for further development.
Nurse Chapel (Jess Bush), who had a will-they-won't-they relationship with Spock in the first two seasons, saw her arc fizzle out after they got together. Similarly, Una and Uhura (Jessica Henwick) were paired up but their relationship seemed to fizzle out after certain episodes.
The third season also saw the introduction of new characters, such as Dr. Korby (Babs Olusanmokun) and Ortegas' brother Beto (Josh Boone). However, their storylines seemed to focus more on advancing the male characters' narratives rather than the female characters' own agency. Erica's (Gia Sandhu) attitude towards hostile species and her own traumatic memory of her injury were almost immediately dropped in the episode "Terrarium" with little examination.
Despite these criticisms, it's important to note that Star Trek: Strange New Worlds boasts a large group of female characters in its primary cast, with six women and four men as main crew members. The final episodes of the show's remaining two seasons have the opportunity to better explore the wealth of opportunities its female characters can provide, instead of pigeonholing them into the same romantic arc over and over.
The first 16 episodes of the fourth season have not been specifically dated, but it is expected that they will air after the period in which the third season premiered, likely starting in late 2025 or 2026. Only time will tell if the show will address the criticisms levelled at its third season and provide more substantial arcs for its female characters.
