The USS Enterprise in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds benefits from something crucial that Star Trek: Discovery's eponymous starship always lacked. Strange New Worlds spun off from Discovery after Commander Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) led her crew to the 32nd century at the end of Star Trek: Discovery season 2. Strange New Worlds took over Discovery's mid-23rd century timeframe, chronicling the Starship Enterprise's new mission to explore the galaxy under Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount).
Strange New Worlds season 1 marked a turning point for Star Trek's TV series on Paramount+ as it was received with universal acclaim from critics and fans. From its inception, the serialized and cinematic Star Trek: Discovery was mired in controversy, and it had to fight and claw for recognition and appreciation, as did the first two seasons of Star Trek: Picard. But Strange New Worlds, which brought back the Enterprise's episodic adventures and the colorful, New Frontier optimism of Star Trek: The Original Series, was lauded to the point where Pike's show is being positioned as the new flagship Star Trek series. But as the successor to TOS's virtues (even though it's a prequel), Strange New Worlds also benefits from something vital that eluded Star Trek: Discovery.
