Season 3 debuts July 17; cast interviews with Rebecca Romijn, Jess Bush, Melissa Navia & Celia Rose Gooding

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Like every good “Star Trek” series, “Strange New Worlds” is governed by a prime directive: Provide interesting characters – bound and determined to bend the rules in the name of a greater good – working within a familiar template.

In this case, the characters are early iterations of the iconic franchises most well-known parts – Spock, Kirk, Pike, Scotty, Uhura – as well as a few whose backstories demanded more detail – Nurse Chapel, Doctor M’Benga, Una Chin-Riley; and their vessel is none other than the U.S.S. Enterprise.

It’s a formula not dissimilar to the one used on the original “Star Trek,” or its successors – namely “The Next Generation,” “Deep Space Nine,” “Voyager” and “Discovery.”

But where the Paramount+ series differs is that it truly seeks to live up to its mantra: “To explore strange new worlds; to seek out new life and new civilizations; to boldly go where no one has gone before.”

It does this with emotionally complex, funny, driven, powerful characters; interesting pairings – romantic or otherwise; a villain, the Gorn, that is making a case for inclusion with the Borg and the Klingons in the annals of evil; and genres.

Many, many genres.

Season one offered a fantasy, “Princess Bride”-esque fairytale story; season two had a sci-fi trip back in time, and presented a full-fledged musical … right before the horror-tinged season finale. Up next: a Holmes-ian mystery.

“Strange New Worlds” isn’t afraid to expand the final frontier.

WATCH:

Christina Chong as La’an and Ethan Peck as Spock in season 3, episode 4 of “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds,” streaming on Paramount+. (Photo Credit: Marni Grossman/Paramount+)

Christina Chong as La’an and Paul Wesley as James T. Kirk in “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds,” streaming on Paramount+. (Photo Credit: Marni Grossman/Paramount+)

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“Season three, we continue to play with genre, and jump from one genre to another,” Rebecca Romijn (Una) said of the next batch of new episodes, which debut Thursday. “We really didn't think we could outdo ourselves after season two, but season three is so strong, and we just continue to jump from horror into straight-up comedy into another genre that I can't mention, but here we are at the end of season four. We're just about to wrap up season four, and I have to say it might be my favorite season yet.

“There's so much to look forward to. And we don't know how the writers come up with their ideas, but they keep thinking way outside the box, and it's really fun as an actor to try and tackle it every time.”

Jess Bush (Nurse Christine Chapel) said, “It's also just like such a gift as a performer to have that variety and the constant challenge; it keeps things so fresh, and you're constantly discovering new things about your character yourself.”

Martin Quinn (Lt. Montgomery "Scotty" Scott) explained, “You think you know your character, you think you've got it down, and then they put you in a completely different scenario, on a completely different genre, and you're like, ‘Alright; OK, I don't know what I'm talking about.’

“It's great. You're kind of like that in real life, aren't you? You're kind of like in scenarios, (where) you don't really know how you would react. So, it keeps it real in a weird way.”

When season three begins, the Enterprise crew is desperately trying to outrun (or outgun) the Gorn.

Some of the other storylines this summer will dig deeper into:

Jess Bush as Nurse Christine Chapel and Ethan Peck as Spock in season 3 , episode 1 of “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds,” streaming on Paramount+. (Photo Credit: Marni Grossman/Paramount+)

Jess Bush as Nurse Christine Chapel and Ethan Peck as Spock in season 3, episode 2 of “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds,” streaming on Paramount+. (Photo Credit: Marni Grossman/Paramount+)

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•Whether Chapel and Spock can continue their romantic relationship. The two didn’t end on the best note, what with being stranded in the wreckage of the USS Cayuga (thanks, Gorn) – and her decision to take leave and attend a medical program.

For Bush, who transitioned from a career in modeling into acting, “Strange New Worlds” is a significant career accomplishment – and playing Spock’s love interest in your first major role, well, that definitely belongs on a resume.

But “Chapel can't think about (how famous Spock is in pop culture), because she's not aware of that. So, I think that I do my hardest to just connect to the intimate humanity of it and stay with that, because that's where you're going to get the truthful version of that story unfolding,” Bush said. “I guess willful ignorance (laughs), and trying not to let that shape what or how I am connecting with Spock, I think is really important.”

Melissa Navia as Lt. Erica Ortegas in season 3, episode 7 of “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds,” streaming on Paramount+. (Photo Credit: Marni Grossman/Paramount+)

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•Uhura’s and Ortegas’ personal lives.

“I'm very excited for the world to meet little Ortegas, younger Ortegas, played by Mynor Luken, who is just perfection, as Ortegas’ little brother. He fit in with the cast perfectly,” said Melissa Navia, who plays ace pilot Lt. Erica Ortegas. “I think Celia and I gelled really, really quickly. And we do see Ortegas and Uhura as best friends on the ship. And so, to have this edition of the third … (and) a bit of rumbling about Ortegas isn't so cool about her best friend and her brother potentially hooking up. We shall see."

Celia Rose Gooding (Ensign Nyota Uhura) added, “I'm excited for fans to see Uhura’s more romantic side, but I'm also incredibly excited for fans to see the friendship between Uhura and Ortegas. Melissa and Celia are very good friends, and I'm excited for our friendship dynamic to really bleed into Ortegas and Uhura. They take care of each other in a really, really sweet way, and both of those characters are so deserving – and I don't think they recognize it until they feel it. And it's really awesome to play opposite her while telling that story.”

Rebecca Romijn as No. 1, Una Chin-Riley in season 3, episode 1 of “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds,” streaming on Paramount+. (Photo Credit: Marni Grossman/Paramount+)

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•No. 1 being No. 1.

“In season three, there's several times where (Una) has to take over for Pike. So, we get to see who Una would be as captain, potentially; how Una would take over as in command; and how she would deal with a crew member who's insubordinate,” Romijn said. “It was fun to explore that, and to see what kind of captain Una could possibly be. I think Una has always been very connected with her crew. I think she prides herself on that. But we see a more stern side of her when it comes to insubordination.”

Season three of “Strange New Worlds” was delayed due to the writers’ and actors’ strikes. The longer-than-usual stretch between the season two finale (stardate: Aug. 10, 2023) and this week’s premiere posed a challenge.

“As soon as the actors’ strike was resolved, I think within like 24 hours, we heard we were heading back to set. And so, everything happened very quickly, and so you had kind of no choice but to jump back into it,” Navia said. “And for me, it was just like, when the writing is great and you're surrounded by just consummate professionals and really incredible actors … it just makes it easy. And the storyline, for me anyway, I was right back in it. And the prosthetics and the Gorn and everything around us helped.”

Gooding added, “I think, for me, speaking very plainly, I think returning to that high emotional stakes place after going through a long off period, to sort of mirror those stakes a year and a half, I think it was later – like a year and some change – to get back to that place, it was done – and I think it was done quite well – but it definitely took a deep dig to go back to that place. But I think it paid off – and the fans will let us know if they agree or disagree.”

Celia Rose Gooding as Ensign Nyota Uhura in season 3, episode 1 of “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds,” streaming on Paramount+. (Photo Credit: Marni Grossman/Paramount+)

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Romijn said, “We feel the pressure” to work with the “Star Trek” template while also making this show the cast’s own. That said, “We also feel the support. We feel like we really enjoy the support of the Trekkies and the fandom; and we listen to them; and they make requests; and give us notes and comments. And you know, some we take to heart; some we don't (laughs); but we're very proud of this show; and we feel the love, certainly, when we meet the fans of the franchise in person, and we really appreciate them.”

“Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” debuts Thursday on Paramount+.

"Star Trek: Strange New Worlds" season three. (Paramount+ key art)

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