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Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 4, early reviews arrive

tvJul 22, 202623399

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 4 premieres globally on Thursday, July 23, 2026 on Paramount+ with new episodes released weekly on Thursdays through September 24. Early reviews, based on the first six episodes, describe a season that leans back into standalone, done-in-one adventures while shifting tone frequently across episodes. The premiere Valles Marineris finds Captain Christopher Pike, played by Anson Mount, adrift after the season 3 loss of Captain Batel and searching for new purpose; the episode was written by Akiva Goldsman and Henry Alonso Myers, with Henry sharing story credit with Alan McElroy and Chris Fisher directing. Critics praise horror-tinged and playful installments such as The Griffin Incident and the lighter episode Human Best Friend, even as several reviewers call the season uneven in tone and episodic quality. Season 4 foregrounds transitional arcs for core bridge officers, Una, Scotty, La’an, Spock, Nurse Chapel, and Dr. M’Benga, while keeping Paul Wesley’s soon-to-be Captain Kirk visible without allowing his storyline to overshadow the original cast. The series returns as Star Trek approaches its 60th anniversary, and the weekly rollout means critical impressions will continue to evolve as the remaining episodes arrive through late September.

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