Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 4 Episode 2 Review: Oh, the Horror
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, Season 4, Episode 2, “The Griffin Incident,” is a masterclass in body horror set in deep space. There’s something special about this show’s penchant for taking creative swings for the fences. It never shies away from taking those audacious swings, and those risks always bear fruit.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, “The Griffin Incident”
I’m especially fond of when this series veers into horror territory. While Season 1’s “All Those Who Wander” feels inspired by Alien, “The Griffin Incident” feels almost Mike Flanagan-esque — like The Haunting of Hill House. The body horror aspect is well-executed, with a surprising amount of gore.
That increase in gore compared to what we’ve seen in previous outings really heightens the narrative stakes. Every element, from the writing to the gore to the set, gels together seamlessly to create a pulse-pounding, atmospheric affair. The air is rife with tension here, and much like La’An, Spock, and Kirk, it’s challenging for us viewers to decipher what’s real and what’s not.
The acting anchors Star Trek: Strange New Worlds‘ “The Griffin Incident,” with stellar performances from Christina Chong, Ethan Peck, and Paul Wesley. Wesley feels more and more like Kirk with each passing episode. He nails the famous captain’s inimitable charm. Meanwhile, Chong and Peck beautifully capture La’An and Spock’s respective identity issues.
Who Are You?
Really, identity is the thematic crux. These characters’ fears about who they are or who they’ll become fuel the horrors that persist around them.
It’s also interesting how many seeds are planted for these characters not only in the season to come, but for who they’ll be in Star Trek: The Original Series (well, save the mystery that is La’An). Something tells me La’An might not make it out of this series alive. We’re getting hints that her DNA, her direct genetic ties to Khan, could be behind her increased strength and resistance to pain. Could this seal her fate? Or will she join Division 12 in a role that better suits her strengths? (Spinoff, anyone?)
Regardless, what these three experienced on the Griffin changed them irrevocably. Of course, none of them are champing at the bit to dig into their shared trauma, even when someone asks them if they’re okay. La’An’s inclination to embrace her dark side, despite her best efforts, has been an overarching narrative thread since the beginning. Season 3’s “Four-and-a-Half Vulcans” shows us what can happen when La’An loses control.
Logical From Here on Out
Spock telling Chapel that hallucinating T’Pring helped “anchor” him back to logic feels like an organic stepping stone toward the half-Vulcan we know in TOS. What this means for his friends-with-benefits relationship with La’An remains to be seen. Kirk is also shaken to the core, and while the beginning of the episode opens the door to a potential La’An/Kirk fling, that door might be shut now.
It’ll be interesting to see how what transpires in “The Griffin Incident” shapes these three characters. I’m giving it a rare five out of five stars; it checks off all the boxes for me. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds cleverly blends horror and sci-fi here for an edge-of-your-seat, immersive viewing experience. Here’s hoping the rest of the season sings (and that the Enterprise crew ignores abandoned ships from here on out).
Stray Observations:
- When Kirk said, “Let’s boldly go,” I instantly transformed into that Leo DiCaprio meme. He said the thing!
- Hallucination Ortegas wanting the hell off the Griffin is so me.
- I would love to see a “making of,” behind-the-scenes-type video for this episode. It’s so well put-together on the set and special effects front, although a lot of it is probably practical.
- “The only thing that matters is that you survived.” So true, Pike. So true.
- The foreshadowing of Sam and David’s deaths is pretty damn creepy. Oof.
- Sorry, Kirk. This won’t be the first time that a Noonien Singh will antagonize you.
What did you think of this episode of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds? Share your thoughts in the comments below, and don’t forget to leave your own rating!
Critic Rating:
Audience Rating:
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds drops new episodes every Thursday on Paramount+.
Check out our latest TV recommendations, updated weekly!
Want more from Tell-Tale TV? Subscribe to our newsletter here!
Melody McCune
Melody loves TV. Maybe too much. Besides being a Senior Writer for Tell-Tale TV, she's the Managing Editor for Geek Girl Authority, an Independent Contractor for Sideshow Collectibles, and a Senior Writer for Eulalie Magazine. Additionally, she has bylines in Culturess, Widget, and inkMend on Medium. To top it all off, she's a critic for Rotten Tomatoes and CherryPicks.