Who is in the Star Trek Strange New Worlds season 2 cast, and what else do we know about the return of the show? Star Trek Strange New Worlds season 2 is here and the cast is back for more adventures in the 23rd century.
Like Star Trek‘s golden era in the ’90s, the freshest Star Trek series, Strange New Worlds, has embraced a weekly episodic approach to storytelling, typically filled with tantalizing plot threads and subtle easter eggs. With a burning sense of fun, it’s one of the best sci-fi series around today and is cementing itself as one of the next great chapters in the Star Trek timeline.
With the Star Trek Picard season 3 ending bringing an end to the TNG era, Strange New Worlds has become the strange new flagship of the franchise as the last live-action show standing after Discovery ends (unless Star Trek Legacy gets greenlit, that is). Here’s what you need to know about the Star Trek Strange New Worlds season 2 cast, reviews, plot speculation, and more.
Star Trek Strange New Worlds season 2 cast
The majority of the main cast return for Star Trek Strange New Worlds season 2, with one major absence and some additions.
The one who won’t be returning is Bruce Horak who starred as the former chief engineer Hemmer, a Star Trek character who died in season 1 episode 9 continuing on the tradition of Tasha Yar. Carol Kane will replace him as chief engineer with her character Pelia, a mysterious Lanthanite.
Another official addition to the main cast is Paul Wesley as Kirk. He will be in more than one episode this season, as the timeline edges closer to the start of his five year mission. If that isn’t exciting enough, Jack Quaid and Tawny Newsome will star in live-action as their duo from Lower Decks.
Full Star Trek Strange New Worlds cast list:
- Anson Mount as Captain Pike
- Rebecca Romijn as Commander Chin-Riley / Number One
- Ethan Peck as Spock
- Christina Chong as La’an Noonien-Singh
- Jess Bush as Christine Chapel
- Celia Rose Gooding as Nyota Uhura
- Babs Olusanmokun as Joseph M’Benga
- Melissa Navia as Erica Ortegas
- Rong Fu as Lieutenant Mitchell
- Carol Kane as Pelia
- Paul Wesley as James T. Kirk
- Adrian Holmes as Admiral April
- Melanie Scrofano as Captain Batel
- Dan Jeannotte as Sam Kirk
- Gia Sandhu as T’Pring
- Jack Quaid as Ensign Boimler
- Tawny Newsome as Ensign Mariner
- Yetide Badaki as Neera
Speaking of the crossover, we’d be remiss to mention that Jonathan Frakes will return to Star Trek with more behind-the-camera work as the director of the episode. Other directors in Strange New Worlds season 2 are Chris Fisher, Amanda Row, Eduardo Sanchez, and Dan Liu.
What happens in Star Trek Strange New Worlds season 2?
As an episodic show each episode of Star Trek Strange New Worlds season 2 will largely tell its own story. However, there are some major plot threads that need tying up, and some overarching stories too.
In the season 1 finale Commander Chin-Riley was arrested for having concealed her true species. This was resolved in the second episode of the new season, in which the Illyrian lawyer Neera managed to get her cleared of all charges, and Una resumes her place on the crew.
Star Trek Strange New Worlds season 2 episode 1 also highlighted that the Gorn will be back to cause more chaos, and there even seems to be a Federation / Gorn war brewing on the horizon. The final episode in the season is called Hegemony, which is related to the Gorn so we may get some resolution there.
In the mean time, we’ve had the long-awaited Lower Decks crossover (it was just as amazing as we’d hoped) and the musical episode is right on the horizon, too.
Star Trek Strange New Worlds season 2 reviews
Star Trek Strange New Worlds season 2 has received overwhelmingly positive reviews. The show currently holds a 95% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and in our own Star Trek Strange New Worlds season 2 review we gave it a big thumbs up with 4 stars.
We praised the show for the strength of its cast, and its continued commitment to episodic storytelling which is a breath of fresh air 30 years after Star Trek’s golden era in the ’90s.
Star Trek Strange New Worlds season 2 release date
Star Trek Strange New Worlds returned with season 2 on Thursday, June 15, 2023. New episodes debut on Paramount Plus in the US, UK, and other international regions from around 00:00 PT / 03:00 EST / 07:00 GMT onwards.
The full Star Trek Strange New Worlds season 2 release schedule:
- Strange New Worlds season 2 episode 1 – June 15, 2023
- Strange New Worlds season 2 episode 2 – June 22, 2023
- Strange New Worlds season 2 episode 3 – June 29, 2023
- Strange New Worlds season 2 episode 4 – July 6, 2023
- Strange New Worlds season 2 episode 5 – July 13, 2023
- Strange New Worlds season 2 episode 6 – July 20, 2023
- Strange New Worlds season 2 episode 7 – July 22, 2023
- Strange New Worlds season 2 episode 8 – August 27, 2023
- Strange New Worlds season 2 episode 9 – August 3, 2023
- Strange New Worlds season 2 episode 10 – August 10, 2023
After its run, Star Trek Strange New Worlds will return for a third season which is likely to arrive at some point in 2025.
Star Trek Strange New Worlds season 2 trailer
The first Star Trek Strange New Worlds season 2 teaser trailer dropped in mid-April 2023. The trailer shows the crew adventuring across space without giving anything away as to the plot (aside from the fact that Number One is back, but it doesn’t show how).
What we do get is a look at an all-new Klingon design – once again – as well as the return of Kirk and a glimpse at a developing relationship between him and Lieutenant Noonien-Singh.
Another teaser dropped on May 24, 2023, which was a little more action-packed than the first trailer. it also gave us yet another look at Boimler’s magnificent purple wig… I mean hair.
Where can I watch Star Trek Strange New Worlds season 2?
Strange New Worlds is exclusively broadcast on the streaming service Paramount Plus with new episodes airing on Thursdays. Paramount Plus is where you’ll be able to find the majority of the Star Trek back catalog, though there are still some series that you can still stream via more of the best streaming services. For the moment, at least.
How many episodes are in Star Trek Strange New Worlds season 2?
Strange New Worlds season 2 will have 10 episodes. This is the same as the first season, keeping things consistent.
We now know a full list of the Star Trek Strange New Worlds season 2 episode titles. Check them out below:
- Star Trek Strange New Worlds season 2, episode 1 – The Broken Circle
- Star Trek Strange New Worlds season 2, episode 2 – Ad Astra Per Aspera
- Star Trek Strange New Worlds season 2, episode 3 – Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow
- Star Trek Strange New Worlds season 2, episode 4 – Among the Lotus Eaters
- Star Trek Strange New Worlds season 2, episode 5 – Charades
- Star Trek Strange New Worlds season 2, episode 6 – Lost in Translation
- Star Trek Strange New Worlds season 2, episode 7 – Those Old Scientists
- Star Trek Strange New Worlds season 2, episode 8 – Under the Cloak of War
- Star Trek Strange New Worlds season 2, episode 9 – Subspace Rhapsody
- Star Trek Strange New Worlds season 2, episode 10 – Hegemony
For more Trek goodness, check out our interview with Anson Mount and Rebecca Romijn. We also have definitive guides to the Star Trek Discovery season 5 release date, the Star Trek Starfleet Academy release date, the Star Trek Section 31 release date, and the Star Trek 4 release date for a possible big-screen return.
Alternatively, dig deeper into Star Trek lore with our guide to the USS Titan as well as our ranking of the Star Trek captains. You can also read about how season 2 episode 8 stole a scene directly from Star Trek VI.