Star Trek: Strange New Worlds’ third season falls short of its second

Strange New Worlds' previous season was strong, but the current season is weaker and less consistent. The show still focuses on charming characters and standalone adventures blended with serialized drama. However, the new season struggles with balancing lightheartedness and grimdark themes, sometimes going too far in either direction. One episode feels overly silly, while others veer into gratuitous violence. Continuing storylines increasingly overshadow the weekly plots, making them feel rushed and underdeveloped. The limited episode order common in streaming affects the show, forcing each episode to be overly significant. The reviewer hopes the weaker episodes are front-loaded, leading to a stronger conclusion. The series is set to end in its fifth season, which is disappointing but hopefully won't force unnecessary alignment with the original series.