Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 4 Episode 8 Review: Orders of Magnitude

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, Season 4, Episode 8, “Orders of Magnitude,” sees Kirk step up in a big way in one of the show’s best outings. It’s an intriguing meditation on the trolley problem in both the A and B plots, with Kirk and Uhura receiving the development they need to propel them into Star Trek: The Original Series. 

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, “Orders of Magnitude” 

Admiral Simon Reeger commandeers the Enterprise while Pike, Una, and their small landing party are answering a distress signal on a nearby planet. The mission? Pursue a vessel that did a lot of damage during the Klingon War. For Reeger, though, it’s more personal, causing Kirk, his first officer, to question his intentions. 

Joe Morton is easily the show’s best guest star thus far. He’s a force of nature as Reeger, turning in a performance that’s altogether commanding, formidable, and a bit rage-inducing. While we understand Reeger’s primary motivation of revenge, his actions on the bridge overshadow any sympathy we have for the character. 

Morton is a Shakespearean villain in the best way, and he chews the scenery like any veteran actor of his caliber would. Reeger not getting court-martialed himself for his conduct during the war, his betrayal of George Kirk, and his behavior in this episode is a stark reminder that those in power rarely get their comeuppance. However, as M’Benga tells Kirk, Reeger was most likely promoted to admiral to get him off the bridge. 

To Save the Many

Paul Wesley has really come into his own as a young Kirk. It would’ve been so easy to do a Shatner impression, but Wesley instead portrays a Kirk who’s still a first officer, one who’s only had command a few times in his career. We see bits and pieces of that charming — and occasionally cocky — persona break his surface, though, and it’s glorious. 

Like last season’s “The Sehlat Who Ate Its Tail,” “Orders of Magnitude” is a trial by fire for Kirk. However, here, Kirk mutinies against his superior to save thousands of people. Kirk’s moral backbone wins the day, and it feels like this outing truly sets him on the path to TOS. 

To Save the One

Meanwhile, Uhura defies Pike’s orders after the landing party is captured by a band of rogue Andorians to save Cadet A’Sha. She gets a hefty action sequence, literally saving A’Sha’s life and the landing party while taking out the threat. Uhura has been woefully underutilized the past few seasons, and she rightfully deserves that promotion. Celia Rose Gooding delivers understated work in this role. Uhura’s one step closer to who she will become in TOS. 

Elsewhere, M’Benga’s objective to get booted from Starfleet bears fruit. While he’s still in the game, he takes the fall for Kirk. Reeger threatens action against M’Benga, perhaps of the official variety, hinting that we’ll see the admiral again.

Of course, Chapel isn’t happy with M’Benga’s choices, but there’s something to be said for wanting to do good but not within the confines of your current station. M’Benga understands better than anyone the nuances of Starfleet — that they do a lot of good, but it’s not always by honest means. He’s also a doctor with severe PTSD from his time in the Klingon War. A fascinating character, indeed. 

However, Kirk is now indebted to M’Benga, so something tells me he’ll find a way to keep M’Benga aboard the Enterprise when that captain’s torch is passed to him. It just won’t be as the ship’s chief medical officer. 

“Orders of Magnitude” is Star Trek: Strange New Worlds at its best: profound, compelling, and utterly thought-provoking. It shines a light on humanity in all its intricacies and flaws, but also reminds us that we can make the right choices when called upon to do so.

Stray Observations: 

• La’An wearing Alt Kirk’s watch really hit me where it hurts. She and Alt Kirk have significantly more chemistry than she and Spock, in my humble opinion. 
• I hate that this series is making us fall for Sam Kirk, if only because we know canonically what happens to him. 
• “Hemmer would be proud.” Please excuse me while I reach for the tissues. 
• Star Trek continues the time-honored tradition of ensuring that Kirk gets the snot beat out of him. Beautiful. 
• Love a good badmiral. I hope we see more of Reeger down the line. 

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Star Trek: Strange New Worlds streams new episodes every Thursday on Paramount+.

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