Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 4 First Look Beams Up Classic Trek Vibes

Get ready, Trekkies! Paramount+ just dropped the first exciting footage for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 4 at NYCC 2025, and it's bringing the USS Enterprise back to its beloved, classic roots. Prepare for deep space adventure and challenging dilemmas!

TL;DR:

New York Comic Con 2025 unveiled a 4.5-minute clip of Strange New Worlds Season 4, showcasing the USS Enterprise caught in a perilous stellar storm.
Season 4 is slated to premiere in 2026, and the early footage suggests a welcome return to traditional Star Trek problem-solving after some "big swings" in Season 3.
Mark your calendars, because production for the fifth and final season of Strange New Worlds is already underway, set to deliver six concluding episodes.

The USS Enterprise Encounters a Cosmic Catastrophe in Season 4's First Clip

This year's New York Comic Con was buzzing, and for good reason! Paramount+ and CBS Studios treated fans to a thrilling first look at Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 4. The 4.5-minute clip, which you can now thankfully find online (Paramount+ beamed it straight to YouTube!), shows Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount) and his stellar crew facing a truly classic Starfleet predicament.

The scene kicks off with the bridge crew observing a breathtaking, yet menacing, stellar storm from a safe distance. Captain Pike, Number One (Rebecca Romijn), Chief of Security La'an Noonien-Singh (Christina Chong), Communications Specialist Nyota Uhura (Celia Rose Gooding), and Helmsman Erica Ortegas (Melissa Navia) are all on deck, with Spock (Ethan Peck) and a new Vulcan officer chiming in with their logical observations. Things take a turn when the Enterprise detects a distress buoy deep inside the storm. Against engineering's warnings, Ortegas steers the ship closer for a rescue, only for the Enterprise to get completely swallowed by the expanding cosmic maelstrom.

The ship loses nearly all power, sending the bridge into a chaotic, flipping frenzy. Stranded and powerless, the crew's ingenuity is immediately put to the test. To restore their warp drive, a landing party is dispatched aboard the shuttlecraft Curie to find iridium on a nearby M-class planet. This setup feels like a breath of fresh air, dialing back to the core concept of Strange New Worlds: exploring strange new worlds and solving problems with science, diplomacy, and a bit of daring.

Fan Feedback and a Strategic Course Correction for Season 4

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Let's be real, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 3 had some polarizing moments. While many appreciated the show's willingness to take "big swings"—like musical numbers and high-concept comedy episodes—some fans felt it veered too far from traditional Star Trek storytelling. The discussions around a puppet episode, teased at San Diego Comic-Con, only added to the mixed feelings.

It seems like Paramount+ and the showrunners might have heard those whispers. The NYCC first look for Season 4 feels like a deliberate shift back to the show's roots. This footage highlights a straightforward, high-stakes space problem that demands science and ingenuity from the crew, very much in line with what fans adore about classic Star Trek.

Co-showrunners and executive producers Akiva Goldsman and Henry Alonso Myers have spoken about this direction, even suggesting that this next chapter is their "strongest season." Goldsman hinted that a more stable production schedule contributed to this clearer vision:

"We just had more time [for season 4]. Just had more time, more continuous time. We didn’t have staffing changes. We didn’t have a strike. The strike caused change. Those things are real. And starting up and shutting down and starting up again is complicated."

— Akiva Goldsman, Co-Showrunner & Executive Producer

While Season 4 was filmed before Season 3 even finished airing (production wrapped in July/August 2025), the choice to lead with this particular clip at NYCC sends a clear message. It emphasizes traditional Starfleet elements over the whimsy and genre exploration that characterized some of Season 3, reassuring fans that the Enterprise is truly back to its mission of boldly going.

Beyond the primary footage, CBS Studios and Paramount+ also shared a featurette on the incredible costume design work of Bernadette Croft for Strange New Worlds Season 3, celebrating the visual artistry behind the series.

Exciting Character Arcs and the Future of the USS Enterprise Crew

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Get ready for more thrilling adventures and deepening character connections! Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 4 is packed with exciting developments for our beloved crew. The series is set to return sometime in 2026, and here's a peek at what's in store:

Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount) and Number One (Rebecca Romijn): Pike's curious question to Una about whether she'll miss seeing cosmic sights like the stellar storm when their time on the Enterprise is over offers a poignant foreshadowing. This could hint at Una leaving the ship, or Pike's unavoidable fate drawing closer—or perhaps even both.
Spock (Ethan Peck): His relationships with La'an and Nurse Chapel (Jess Bush) in previous seasons will continue to evolve and influence his growing connection with James T. Kirk.
Nyota Uhura (Celia Rose Gooding): Get ready for some romance! Gooding herself insisted on this storyline, promising an interesting new arc for the communications specialist.
Helmsman Erica Ortegas (Melissa Navia): After extended screen time in Season 3, fans can expect more from Ortegas, as Melissa Navia expressed her gratitude for the overwhelming fan support.
Montgomery "Scotty" Scott (Martin Quinn): Good news for Scotty fans! Martin Quinn's character has been upped to a series regular, so prepare for more engineering wizardry (and maybe, as Quinn quipped, a visit to Scotland!).
James T. Kirk (Paul Wesley): Wesley's portrayal of the iconic future captain is set to become even more prominent in Season 4. With only two seasons left of Strange New Worlds, his journey toward the captain's chair is accelerating.
Returning Cast & Guest Stars: Expect to see more of Dr. M'Benga (Babs Olusanmokun), and guest star Carol Kane (Pelia) will also return.

Looking Ahead to the Final Frontier: Season 5 and Beyond

While we're all buzzing about Season 4, it's also a bittersweet time for Strange New Worlds fans. Paramount+ has officially renewed the series for its fifth and final season. This concluding chapter will be shorter, consisting of only six episodes, and production is already underway!

This means we'll get two more incredible seasons of the USS Enterprise's adventures before the show wraps up, with Season 5 expected to air in 2027. It's a testament to the show's success that it will have a planned conclusion, allowing the creative team to deliver a satisfying send-off for Captain Pike and his crew.

From stellar storms to evolving relationships and a clear path forward, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 4 is shaping up to be an unmissable return to the adventurous, problem-solving spirit that defines Star Trek. Live long and prosper, Trekkies, the next voyage looks incredible!

Frequently Asked Questions About Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 4

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When does Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 4 premiere? Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 4 is expected to premiere sometime in 2026. Where can I watch Star Trek: Strange New Worlds? All seasons of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, including the upcoming Season 4, stream exclusively on Paramount+. How many seasons will Star Trek: Strange New Worlds have in total? The series will conclude with its fifth season, making a total of five seasons. Season 5 will consist of six episodes. Will Season 4 include a puppet episode? Yes, it was teased at San Diego Comic-Con that Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 4 will feature a puppet episode, with work by Jim Henson's Creature Shop.