Change Your Image
![](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMjQ4MTY5NzU2M15BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwNDc5NTgwMTI@._V1_SY100_SX100_.jpg)
joenicholas-90747
Reviews
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds: The Broken Circle (2023)
A competent, if a little contrived start.
The production design on this show is top notch, and the talents of the production team are on full display; costume, makeup, set dressing, the lot! Incredibly visually appealing. Also, actors' performances are largely stellar, particularly Babs Olusanmokun and Jess Bush.
However, multiple issues regarding the writing, particularly the characters, kept pulling me out. Firstly, whilst it is established in Spock's own future that he is more than ready to break away from Starfleet protocol and steal the Enterprise to save a dear companion or to act in the greater good of the Federation, this instance of that felt largely unearned. His and the crew's relationship to La'an has not been shown to be deep enough to, in my mind, warrant this act of illogic from the acting Captain...although I believe the writing of Spock's emotional barriers breaking down are intended to compensate for this fact, as a whole it just does not work for me and is largely contrived.
And whilst the character of Ortegas shows promise, the performances of Melissa Navia, as well as Celia Rose Gooding, are so densely smug that their characters are difficult to watch at certain points. Their own pompous self-confidence feels unearned, and bizarrely tolerated by their co-workers aboard the Enterprise, who behave much unlike what characters serving in Starfleet are established to behave like as a requirement of their job and position in this so-called 'evolved' society. Uhura's behaviour towards the Starfleet engineer carrying out maintainence on the comms system was bafflingly rude and unprofessional, and I'm surprised the uncharacteristic outburst of condescension and aggression didn't warrant Uhura getting written up as some sort of character arc for her...but instead was dropped and passed off as normal and acceptable. Ortegas, on the other hand, is unbearable in almost every scene she's in.
Rest of the cast was fantastic though with a particular shoutout to the guest actors playing Klingons, who look and sound fantastic. Although still a little shaky on Peck's Spock, his acting talent is undeniable.
So despite my nitpicks, of which I had more but were largely inconsequential, this episode was, at the end of the day, good fun. Enjoyed it, but was pulled out at certain key moments. Will look forward to the rest of the season.