Amazon, Apple, Showtime, History Chris Pine, an Astronaut, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and William Shatner
To some, this might feel a little odd. There is no new episode of “Star Trek” on Paramount+ to watch for the first time in months. From January to July 2022, fans enjoyed back-to-back episodes of Trek shows. These included “Star Trek: Prodigy,” Season 4 of “Discovery,” Season 2 of “Star Trek: Picard,” and the first season of “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.”
In the words of Gizmodo’s James Whitbrook, Paramount is “getting pretty damn close” to airing new episodes of Trek all year round. But Paramount is not quite there yet, as there is a short break in the action now. Fans wanting new episodes from the franchise will need to wait until August 25, when the third season of “Star Trek: Lower Decks” begins.
According to StarTrek.com, “Lower Decks” new season will consist of ten new episodes and will take fans through October 27, 2022. Could that give the team working on “Star Trek: Prodigy” enough time to finish everything behind the scenes so their show could start on November 3? Maybe! Paramount did say in 2021 that the second half of Season 1 of “Prodigy” would start “at a later date next year, to be announced.”
Either way, there is still a gap between “Strange New Worlds” and the start of “Lower Decks.” After getting used to watching new Trek each week, it might be challenging for some to figure out what to do with all this new free time. Luckily, there are a number of new shows (and a few good movies) that might help “Star Trek” fans stay sane for the next month or so.
The first show that most will think of is “The Orville.” But rather than go with the obvious, the following is a list of shows and movies which are related to Trek but not quite a facsimile of the franchise.
‘All The Old Knives’
Everyone’s favorite Kelvin Captain Kirk (Chris Pine) stars in this spy thriller. This movie also stars Thandiwe Newton and Laurence Fishburne and centers around two agents getting back together after a failed rescue attempt. Based on the book by author Olen Steinhauer, “All The Old Knives” is currently available to stream on Amazon Prime.
‘For All Mankind’
According to producer, author, and the host of the “Inglorious Treksperts” podcast, fans need to make time on their schedule to watch “For All Mankind.” Altman recently tweeted that FAMK is the “best sci-fi series on television.” That is indeed high praise coming from someone who works in the genre on television as well.
“For All Mankind” is an alternate history, asking what if the U.S.S.R. beat the United States to the Moon in 1969? That set off a chain reaction of events, which caused the “Space Race” to last well into the 1990s instead of petering off in the early 1970s. The show was created by Ronald D. Moore, who Trek fans know from his work on “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine,” and “Star Trek: Generations.”
Heavy interviewed Michael and Denise Okuda about their roles on the show earlier in 2022. The Okudas are known throughout Trek fandom for their contributions to the films and shows. Michael said that “For All Mankind” is designed as a Trek prequel, which connects the current era to the 23rd Century.
‘The Man Who Fell To Earth’
This show, which airs on Showtime, is produced by Trek’s Alex Kurtzman and Jenny Lumet. This show is a sequel series to the 1976 film of the same name, which starred singer David Bowie. “The Man Who Fell To Earth” centers around a being who appeared in the Southwest United States in search of water for his planet.
The alien character is now portrayed by Chiwetel Ejiofor, who fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe will recognize from the “Dr. Strange” films. The show is rated 86% by Rotten Tomatoes and features Jimmi Simpson (Drednok from “Star Trek: Prodigy”).
Episodes 1-3 of “The Man Who Fell To Earth” are currently available to stream on Paramount+ for a limited time.
‘Westworld’
This show is not new, but fans continue to watch, even after a rocky Season 3. Like “The Man Who Fell To Earth,” “Westworld” is also a remake — sort of. The original “Westworld” film opened in 1973 and starred Yul Brenner, Charlton Heston, and Gregory Peck — the grandfather of Ethan Peck, who is Spock on “Strange New Worlds.”
“Westworld” combines androids, science fiction, and questions about the nature of humanity into a thrilling experience. The show stars an ensemble cast that includes Jeffrey Wright, Evan Rachel Wood, Ed Harris, Thandiwe Newton, and Jimmi Simpson. The show streams and airs on HBO.
‘The UnXplained’
While not exactly a scripted series, “The UnXplained” does feature William Shatner, who walks viewers through interesting real-world mysteries. These include curses, acts of god, the so-called “Missing Link” between humans and apes, and more. The show is free to stream on Roku devices, and at History.com. “The UnXplained” is also available on Netflix and Hulu.
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