Star Trek: Strange New Worldsseason 3 somehow has holodeck technology a century beforeStar Trek: The Next Generation.The long-awaitedStrange New Worldsseason 3 premieres in summer 2025 on Paramount+.Strange New Worldsseason 3’s 10 new episodespromise more genre-bending in the mold ofStar Trek’s first-ever musicaland the comedic crossover withStar Trek: Lower DecksinStrange New Worldsseason 2.
One of the early reveals fromStar Trek: Strange New Worldsseason 3is a Hollywood noir episode directed by Jonathan Frakes.Strange New Worldsseason 3’s new teaser trailer offers the first look at Frakes' opus, which plunges into a murder mystery that involves the cosplaying Lt. James T. Kirk (Paul Wesley), Nurse Christine Chapel (Jess Bush), Dr. Joseph M’Benga (Babs Olusanmokun), and Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount) as suspects. Somehow,the USS Enterprise’s crew seems to borrow technology fromStar Trek: The Next Generation.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 3 Has A Holodeck 100 Years Before TNG
Jonathan Frakes' Murder Mystery Episode Shows Off TNG Tech
Lieutenant Spock (Ethan Peck) and a giddily in-costume Lieutenant La’an Noonien-Singh (Christina Chong) enter what appears to be aStar Trek: The Next GenerationholodeckinStar Trek: Strange New Worldsseason 3’s trailer. Thefamiliar yellow grids on the black wallsare a dead giveaway. The holodeck recreates an old Hollywood mansion where the cosplaying USS Enterprise crew are accused by La’an of being suspects in the murder of their host.
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Star Trek’s holodecks entertain, fulfill fantasies, heal old wounds, train cadets, and malfunction badly, as seen in these 20 best episodes.
A holodeck inStar Trek’s 23rd century timeframe appears anachronistic since Starfleet didn’t begin installing holodecks in Federation starships until the 24th century. However, theUSS Enterprise had a holodeck inStar Trek: The Animated Series,and holodeck-like technology was introduced to 22nd century Starfleet inStar Trek: Enterprise.Where, exactly,Strange New Worlds’holodeck comes from isn’t clear, but it’s possible that this may be the origin of holodecks in Starfleet.
What We Know About Jonathan Frakes' Strange New Worlds Season 3 Murder Mystery Episode
Frakes Says It’s “The Best Episode Of Television I’ve Ever Done”
An icon ofStar Trek: The Next GenerationasCommander Will Riker,Jonathan Frakes is no stranger to holodeck episodes. Frakes' Hollywood noir romp was one of the earliest leaked episode genres fromStar Trek: Strange New Worldsseason 3. Coming off his success directingStrange New Worlds' crossover withStar Trek: Lower Decks, Frakes' murder mystery, which Jonathan toldVarietyis"the best episode of television I’ve ever done,“set his personal bar even higher.
It looks like Strange New Worlds' version of the board game Clue, but with a Star Trek twist.
Fascinatingly, it appearsStar Trek: Strange New Worldsseason 3’s murder mystery episode is set in the 1970s judging by the costumes and hairstyles, instead of perhaps the expected 1940s era from the"Hollywood noir"description. One of the USS Enterprise crew appears to be a killer, and it looks likeStrange New Worlds’version of the board game Clue, but with aStar Trektwist. The holodeck appears to be a means to an end inStar Trek: Strange New Worldsseason 3, but perhaps holodeck technology will have greaterStar Trektimeline implications as well.
