Strange New Worlds S2 Ep9 - Subspace Rhapsody

Sci-Fi

Friday, 04 August 2023

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The anticipated musical episode of Star Trek Strange New Worlds. After this episode, only the season finale remains which will likely deal with the Gorn threat. This episode nicely wraps up the question of Spock and Nurse Chapel as well as La'an and Jim Kirk. The Enterprise is seen approaching a naturally occurring subspace fold. This fold is noted to carry frequencies three times faster than usual and Spock posits it could be used to allow for faster subspace communications. As such he is experimenting on sending various messages through until Pelia suggests sending a song as it contains harmonics. Once this is broadcast, a pulse is seen emanating from the subspace fold outwardly and through the enterprise which has a peculiar side effect. Whenever a person experiences a large amount of stress or emotion they can not help but start singing but not only singing, they seem to be unable to keep secrets and worse, spill out all their thoughts and feelings.

Subspace fold

Subspace fold pulsing

This outward pulse seems to be spreading throughout the sector and other ships are being affected, as well as nearby Klingons. It seems that the pulse is opening a new reality (improbability field) where people only sing and the crew try various ideas to try to reverse the pulse and close the new reality taking hold. The crew first try to send shield harmonics (adjusted by the Heisenberg compensator? to match the exact frequency of hte improbability field) back into the subspace fold which makes things worse. The next idea is to try to destroy the subspace fold with photon torpedoes but experiments show it would be extremely hazardous. Finally. they decide if they can cause enough people to sing at once, it can overload the energy of the subspace fold at 344 giga electron volts and cause it to shatter. After a ship-wide song and dance, this seems to work.

Zipper-like Tethered Reality Field

344 Giga Electron Volts

Subspace Fold Shatters!

Analysis

In the grand scheme of things, this show takes us back to baseline, or canon as some would say. There has been good character development and we have become more invested in the characters over the "romantic couples" that we've been teased with all season long are all coming to and end with the exception of the one remaining, Captain Batel and Captain Pike. Uhura has had a lot of screen time and for the past two seasons has been nothing short of superwoman. Spock is still growing up and it's an interesting take on him. La'an initially was kind of annoying but became a character of great depth that we certainly feel sympathy.

Ranking of songs in Subspace Rhapsody

In terms of what is released, I find myself generally ranking the songs in order from depressing to happiest:

How would that feel? - La'An
I'm the ex - Spock
Keeping Secrets - Una
We are One - Everyone
Star Trek Strange New Worlds Main Title (Subspace Rhapsody Version) - Instumental
Status Report - Everyone
Connect to your - Truth Una and Kirk
Keep Us Connected - Uhura
I'm Ready - Nurse Chapel
Private Conversation - Captain Pike and Captain Batel
Subspace Rhapsody, End Credit Medley - instrumental

However, my most favorite part of all the songs is when the Klingons are singing:
Why you always calling us when you got your dramas?
One of these days we'll repay you, we'll slay you
Gonna draw your last breath
At the end of our Mek'Leths
Your eternal torture is every Klingon's dream
You know what I mean?
Make your blood scream!

Klingon Song and Dance

Captain Pike reaction to Klingon Song

Most dynamic vocal range

La'an's really belts it out in "How would I feel?" song. Uhura also comes a close second in her "Keep Us Connected" song.

Most polished voice

Una, in her two songs makes few mistakes and sounds legitimately professional.

Interesting trivia

We see for the first time, a Tellarite? first during Nurse Chapel's song "I'm Ready"
Heisenberg compensators are mentioned this episode which had not been mentioned since The Next Generation or Deep Space 9
The Great American Songbook is used for the basis of songs chosen this episode. Jazz has been featured throughout Star Trek.

Tellarite?

Heisnberg Compensators

Food in this week's episode

Boeuf Bourguignon a la Julia Child

Major Characters of focus in this week's episode

Lt. Nyota Uhura - the star of the show, solving the pattern recognition problems based on her ability to learn languages.
Lt. La'an Noonien-singh, chief of security - she is visibly shaken when Kirk arrives and goes through a moral dilemma, eventually deciding to tell Jim Kirk about the other timeline Kirk and their romance. She receives closure in a sense as she learns that this timeline's Kirk is not able to give her the companionship she craves, but at the end of the episode grows as she decides she is willing to take on more risks in life.
First Officer Jim Kirk (From the USS Faragut) - it is nice to see him on the show, he reveals he is with a Carol who is pregnant who works on starbase 1.
Nurse Chapel - stressing pretty hard about acceptance to the Vulcan science academy for fellowship where she will meet her future husband, Dr. Korby. She describes the fellowship "This could change my life." Once she receives word about being accepted, she seems to have moved on from Spock.
Dr. Korby - described by M'Benga as the Louis Pasteur of archaeological medicine. Fans are introduced to him in the original series Season 1 Episode 7 "What Are Little Girls Made Of?"
Spock - declares himself to be an ex of Nurse Chapel.
Captain Christopher Pike and Captain Marie Batel - I list them both because the episode focuses on them mostly in context of their relationship, working through communication issues which Spock and Nurse Chapel were unable to do. She ends the show telling Captain Pike she needs to go on a priority one mission.