Anson Mount Says ‘Star Trek: Strange New Worlds’ Season 3 Takes “Bigger Swings” Than Musical Episode

Production on the third season wrapped up less than a month ago, and now the star of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is hyping what we can expect to see on the next adventure of the USS Enterprise.

Emboldened to take bigger swings

Strange New Worlds prides itself on taking “big swings,” incorporating different styles and genres into its episodic format. Season 2 turned that up a notch, doing a crossover episode with the animated series Lower Decks (“Those Old Scientists) and a musical episode (“Subspace Rhapsody”). It looks like the trend will continue into season 3: Anson Mount (Captain Christopher Pike) is doing press for the show’s Emmy campaign (nominations are announced in a few weeks), and he talked to Gold Derby primarily about season 2, but was also asked about the next season. He wouldn’t get into how they are going to pick up on the season 2 Gorn cliffhanger, but he did hype the new season:

I think it’s not just an exciting season, but I think it’s just—storytelling wise, development wise, technically—it’s going to be our best season so far. A lot of that has to do with even bigger swings taken. The musical episode will not be the craziest thing that we have done by the end of this.

Ethan Peck as Spock and Anson Mount as Pike in “Those Old Scientists” (Paramount+)

The actor went on to talk about why he believes the show is getting better as they progress into their third season:

It’s just feeling more ownership over what it is that we’re doing and realizing that it continues to resonate. We were all pretty sure that we had something with season 1, but you could have knocked us over with a feather when we saw actual response. The response was incredible. It was an honor to get to get to go to the Critics Choice Awards this year. We did not expect that at all. And yeah, people are actually watching and enjoying what we’re doing. So we’re feeling even more emboldened.

Ethan Peck as Spock and Anson Mount as Capt. Pike in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2 finale (Michael Gibson/Paramount+)

Recently, Paramount+ confirmed that season 3 will debut in 2025 and that they’ve ordered a fourth season of the series. Filming for season 4 is expected to begin in the spring of 2025.

Watch full interview with Anson…

Here is the entire Gold Derby interview.


Keep up with news about the Star Trek Universe at TrekMovie.com.

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Good. I’m completely agnostic on the format for any Trek show. It could center on one character or dozens of characters. It could be heavily serialized or be completely an anthology, with zero returning characters from week to week. It could be a sitcom, a political thriller, a mystery series, a musical, a legal drama, a show about a suburban family, a variety show, a talkshow, a sketch comedy show, public access, a vlog, or be made up entirely Federation Council C-SPAN. The more different each Trek show is from previous Trek shows, the better. As far as I’m concerned, Trek is a philosophy, not a genre or format.

Ha, well said. Very much agreed.

Strongly disagree.

Well, whether I agree with you or not, it does seem to be morphing into that. Good or bad, your mileage may vary.

The only reason they talk about the format, is because the producers bring it up. I don’t think anyone really cares about the format, as long as the material is good. It’s just not.

On SNW, the material has been phenomenal, some of the best space-based adventure science fiction I’ve seen in many many years.

Spot on, friendo.

I do worry they are teetering on the edge towards ‘Parody Trek’. The odd “fun” episode is fine – but don’t get too gimmicky.

Too late, I’m afraid and sad to say. Not that they can’t course correct.. but the word ’emboldened’ is scary in the context of this particular story.

Yeah, I’m rather concerned by his statement. SNW veers way too much into MCU/everything-ends-with-a-quip kind of tone. I hate that Spock has become a bit of a joke character. I need my Trek predominantly serious with just a judicious sprinkling of humour. Sadly, this isn’t quite for me.

In concerned when this came out they said they was going back to the original roots of Star Trek from the 60’s. S1 was great and loved the 10th episode showing how without Kirk what happened in that episode. But S2 was not as good as S1 the 10th episode was the best one of the season. I’m hoping they go back to stick with great story telling and keep it true to the original values from the 60’s. I like the show but the stories are getting a bit off script. To hear him say they are taken more swings is troublesome to me.

Depends on what the swings are.

Star Trek has ALWAYS had fun & action as part of its mix.

Oh God, please not the “bigger swings” talking point again. If I hear those two words coming out of the cast’s mouths again, like at every interview and press event last season, I’m going to scream. Come on PR team…you know you can do better…

“creative risks”
“deeper stories”
“pushing the outside of the envelope” (for all you Right Stuff fans out there…)
“aiming higher”
“exploring new ground”

Come on Trekmovie gang, let’s help them out. Your homework assignment is to come up with at least two descriptors that are better than “bigger swings.”

Well, it’s better than finding other ways to say, “Just more of the same then.”

After season 1 of SNW, I’d have settled for “just more of the same”… all these “bigger swings” are leaving me dissatisfied with the promise of those first 10 episodes.

I get that. With so few episodes there’s clearly a pull between wanting them to be conceptually memorable vs just hunkering down and getting the fundamentals right on something simpler. It’s wild to me we’ve never had an Ortegas episode, too.

But I am an outlier in this sometimes. Like, I loved Sherlock series 3 – it was less about adapting old Conan Doyle stories and more about swinging for the fences while deepening the characters and relationships.

I’d rather hear “bigger swings” than when people post that they are “cautiously optimistic”

don’t forget “thinking outside the box.”

It’s the new version of ‘doubling down’

Thanks god there’s still Strange New Worlds for some real live action Star Trek! After the bad taste left from Discovery I can’t wait for season 3 of SNW.

Yep!

Puppets? ;)

Puppets…on ice!

Brilliant!!!

Puppets are Not Thaat crazy

“Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea” had an episode called “The Deadly Dolls” starring Vincent Price.

Speaking of Big swings, I give you, Voyage To The Bottom of The Sea. Dolls, Leprechauns,Robots, you name it.

Hey Angel did it and it was, A HOOT!

Plus, you KNOW they want to place, Pike’s Peak on a puppet.

How about some actual exploration of the final frontier where it is dangerous, isolated and full of the unknown? I know it would be different to do some “Wagon Train to the Stars” with some Yellowstone type dilemmas where there is no time travel reset and you have to live with mistakes, etc, and the actions of a single starship decide the fate of millions might not be as catchy as say playing cartoons and a singing episode but might be worth a shot.
There could be this show where the Federation explores, colonizes, etc.. or you could do what you did before and just jump ahead where there are thousands of starships and borders everywhere, whatever.
Sigh, at least the ship and the cast are there. They can only dull that bridge so much making it monochrome.

^^THIS^^

someone promote this dude to Cpt., toot suite.

Yes! Exactly.

Yes, please!!!

Agreed, brother!

Agreed! It’s such an obvious route to take.

My thoughts exactly!!!

Have a feeling it would be vetoed as, ‘has already been done before’ or ‘don’t know how to make that work and nobody I work with and know is skilled enough to try.’

Other than that, you go straight to the head of the class, as usual.

Absolutely on point! Stories with real exploration please.

If that’s what the series turns out to be overall, I’m fine with that. We’ve had literally hundreds of traditional Trek episodes; nothing wrong with doing something a bit different for a while provided it’s of high quality.

Still wish they hadn’t brought the Gorn in, though.

As with anything, it’s about balance and respect for what’s come before. This creative braintrust has neither. An episode here or there is a fun diversion. Problem is, last season was more ‘diversion’ than substance. This show needs some real substance.

Why? There’s plenty of Trek that’s more substance than diversion; as long as they’re doing it well, I don’t see any problem with inverting that equation for a while.

Anyways, it’s not like they’re never doing proper Trek on this series.

The “Big Swing” Episodes did not feel organic or needed. They were musical and/or comedic. I’d argue that with only 10 or so episodes, you need less diversion, and more substantive episodes. As stand alone episodes, some of it, I liked in certain capacities, but I’d really prefer to see the Enterprise, and this crew, have a good take on exploring new worlds with high sci fi concepts. Not some contrived BS science that makes crew members break into coordinated song (just break the 4th wall and make it exist outside of canon, for god’s sake… or make it a dream sequence). The Sci Fi stuff they do tackle is mostly tropes from Trek or other sci-fi series. This is what happens when you don’t hire Sci-Fi people. This show’s biggest problem, is it can’t decide what it’s supposed to be… all under the banner of ‘big swings’. Say what you want about Discovery, it remained true to its core concept of being about family and the connection of the crew. How much exploration of new worlds have they actually done? It’s sad.

Sorry Bryant… I got on my soapbox a bit. lol.

It’s fair! I have been known to climb up on a soapbox myself. You make some good points, but I stand by my assessment that if this series turns out to be something a bit different from what we’ve gotten for literally decades, that’s okay with me.

I’d love if SNW did an episode based on that Trek short story from “New Voyages” (in the seventies, I think?) where the crew of the ship cross into our reality and meet the actors. That might be a lot of fun.

We agree in that I do want different, but I just want them to take it seriously. Both in respecting what’s come before, and in tone. I don’t mind the occasional aside. I just feel like this creative team needs someone to pull them back.. they’re going too far.

Supernatural did something like that.It was a good episode, too.

I keep hearing that’s a show I need to see someday.

Making it a dream sequence mean’s that it never happened, which gives it no weight at all.

I am curious to see if this version of the Gorn continues to physiologically evolve. I do not think we have seen it’s final form, yet.

Probably true. I think the most full-grown one we’ve seen is pretty cool; it just doesn’t fit — not even vaguely — with “Arena.” I just pretend the show is a reboot (pre-boot?) so I don’t have to worry about it all that much. And yet, I kind of still do.

Bless their hearts. They just can’t help themselves. They don’t need big swings, they just need to focus on writing good Trek. If I never hear the term ‘big swing’ out of someone’s mouth, describing their approach to writing this show, I’d be happy.

Yeah, that phrase has greatly outlived its usefulness, not just regarding this series but in general. It’s basically just an overplayed verbal meme at this point.

I’m curious how the per episode word count of nu-trek compares to that of the older shows. I wouldn’t be surprised if it is a lot less. Seems like it anyway.

But I agree, no big swings are really needed when there is solid writing that makes sense from start to finish.

SNW is still my favorite of the new shows. I just wish they would return to doing the episodes they did in season one.

The cast and overall upbeat tone of this show are great. It’s a show I want to love, but they keep finding ways to distract from the story.. so much of what they’re doing is head scratching (making the big bad the Gorn instead of just some new alien species) that takes me right out of it.

Hopefully, that means tackling some complicated stories with adult overtones. Season one was 12th grade compared to season two’s 7th grade.

Absolutely agree.

One of the good things about episodic TV is being able to easily skip episodes that, well, just aren’t for you. I love DS9 and enjoy Voyager for what it is, but to this day there are still episodes I haven’t seen in full. Quark in drag? Pass. Neelix tells a story to kids or something? Uh, I should really re-alphabetize my canned food. Been meaning to do that.

I should add that I [mostly] enjoy Voyager for what it is.

I think SNW is somewhere around 50-50 for me.

Agreed on Voyager.

Finally, someone else who takes a dump on that Quark sex-change episode. Now I don’t have to work so hard to denigrate it!

It was my least favorite DS9 episode.

Mark my words we’re getting a puppets on ice episode! 😂

If Jonathan Frakes is directing it, I’m completely in!!!

If the puppets on ice are as good as “Those Old Scientists” and “Subspace Rhapsody,” bring them on! :-)

Hey there great to see you! 😊

And I agree.TOS is my favorite SNW episode period. Didn’t love SR as much but I did like and know it’s become a fan favorite as well

So yeah bring it on!

Both of those episodes are nominated for Hugos, so we’re not the only ones who liked them. :-)

And yes, it’s always nice to see you around!

“Bigger swings” is EXACTLY why it’s good to have the so-called filler episodes in longer seasons.

That’s an excellent argument for longer seasons, ‘Drew! With 22-26 episodes, the X-Files could give equal portions of serious mythology segments and one-off “monster-of-the-week” fare. I’ve always argued that the fat could be trimmed from your standard 26-episode season, but then again, they were never in a rush to tell the story inside of 40-some minutes (50-some for TOS).

YES! So true.

Where would the money for that come from?

Potential ‘out there’ big swings for s3:

Star Trek Legacy crossover with Jeri Ryan, Patrick Stewart, Dorn, etc ..(directed by Frakes of course).

Enterprise crossover with Admiral Archer.

Kelvinverse crossover with Quinto Spock, (special guest director JJ Abrams)

I would be so up for any of these. I can’t wait for season 3.

Some of those probably more likely for s4/2026 anniversary, although a TOS crossover be more likely for then, (i.e. Shatner/TOS movie era crew in some AI type way,)

Before it was shown, I was really, REALLY against the crossover episode with Lower Decks, but as it turned out, I LOVED it.

Before it was shown, I was a bit dubious about the idea of a musical episode, but as it turned out, I ADORED it.

I don’t know what this season’s “big swing” will be, but I’m gong to hang loose and hope that it will be fabulous.

I just wish they wouldn’t use Spock for comic relief and would stop making the Vulcans so damned human. I love SNW except for what they’re doing with Spock and the other Vulcans. LOGICAL Vulcans, damn it, not humans with pointed ears! I write them in fan fiction all the time, and if I can do it, professional writers should surely be able to.

*Fingers crossed,* but hopefully this upcoming season is when we start to see Spock begin to embrace his Vulcan half … I mean, even if they write comedy for him I’d rather see him be the stoic straight man that others can play off of. I’ve enjoyed Ethan Peck’s turn as Spock so far, but eventually we have to get him to the science officer Leonard Nimoy introduced us to.

Oh, I have no problem whatsoever with Ethan Peck; my problem is solely with what they write for him to do.

Spock can do humor, but Leonard Nimoy’s Spock had a witty line, or the other characters laughed at him for being so stoic, which is very different from the way the SNW writers make Peck’s Spock act silly, like shoving half a dozen strips of bacon in his mouth at once and things like that.

Plus, the whole thing with T’Pring was just too human in SNW. Part of why Vulcans are so interesting is because they’re ALIENS; please make them BEHAVE like aliens!

I most adore SNW, but turning Vulcans into pointy-eared humans is a big mistake, IMHO.

Always nice to see you, iMike!

Nice to see you too Corylea! I never thought you had a problem with Mr. Peck, I also take issue with some of the things they write for him. I was just saying that, now that we’re going into the third season, the writers need to start moving Spock in the right direction.

It doesn’t have to be all at once … just some meaningful moments along the way where Spock realizes that his Vulcan logic serves him better. Maybe some high pressure situations where Spock uses logic to solve a conflict or prevent a disaster.

Spock’s using logic to solve a conflict or prevent a disaster would be FABULOUS!

Oh no. The musical episode was lame AF so this fills me with dread.

The show seems to confuse the word “strange” as “stupid”

I could be thinking of something else, but wasn’t there some previous mention (like last year) that the third season would have an episode that was shot in old Hollywood style? I could go for that.

Yes it’s true. And it’s going to be directed by Jonathan Frakes.

Thank you for confirming. Frakes is a treasure of a director, I would be over the moon if he got two episodes for S3.

More dancing episodes

Obviously it is a hoedown episode! Yee-haw! Do-si-do!!!!

maybe Akiva Goldsman saying they could do a Muppet episode was not a joke…

Farscape / Star Control type aliens would be awesome vs. the usual humans with make up. Wouldn’t mind that.

Don’t want “bigger swings’, Anson, just want cohesive writing, less of an everything-but-the-kitchen-sink approach this season and some more compelling character and story arcs. The Spock/Chapel thing needs to be swept under the carpet now and less CW romantic-angst subplots. This is a great cast and they deserve more than La’an has a crush on Kirk type stories. each season only has ten episodes, I’m hoping for less gimmicks, less “hijinks” and more substance.

Bigger swings. Please, not like Doctor Who.

Easily the best of the new Trek shows. Looking forward to season 3.

Really looking forward to it.

Oh, good. I’m looking forward to:

–The “silent movie” episode
–The all-nude episode
–The pig Latin episode

… and the episode where everyone turns into a different version of Michael Burnham, just to see heads explode.

Nurse Chapel as the main character in the all nude episode

Honestly, do it. Give me a fully silent episode — an adventure set in a void with no sound maybe — and force the writers and director to explore strictly visual storytelling.

It would be tough to pull off a bigger swing and a miss than the musical episode.

Consider there were virtually no “big swings” in Season 2 besides the musical episode, I won’t hold out hope that Season 3 is actually going to take a risk.

All I ask in that the third season is a step in quality over the sophomore effort, which wasn’t deeply mediocre imo. Only Those Old Scientists stood out to me

“Bigger swings”? How do you top Klingon boy bands? I’m not a purist, I’ve loved all of these crazy things they’ve done! As long as you have good storytelling and well drawn characters, I say carry on. Can’t wait for next season!

Waiting for the episode where Spock uses water skis to jump over a shark.