After the slam-bam season 3 premiere of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, Episode 2 is a much-needed lighter romp with surprising ties to Star Trek history!
"Wedding Bell Blues" opens with Spock giving a log update on how it's been three months since the Gorn attack and the Enterprise is fully repaired. They're also preparing for Federation Day, a celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Federation's founding. Spock is far more interested in celebrating Chapel's return after her three months of study as La'An gives him dancing lessons.
Now a member of the crew, Scotty notes an odd "sensor ghost" as Chapel beams in alongside Dr. Roger Korby, her fellowship director…and Christine's new boyfriend. Cue the sight of one very awkward Vulcan.
Ortegas is getting back into shape by training with her brother Beto, a filmmaker doing a documentary on the celebration. He's knocked down when Uhura enters to gossip about Chapel; it's obvious Beto is smitten. Una is being tended to by new nurse Gamble, who is surprised to learn that M'Benga was having him transferred permanently to the Enterprise.
Batel is still on the ship as she weighs a new captaincy, with Pike admitting he isn't ready to let her go just yet. Chapel and Spock have a brief chat where Spock clearly regrets missing a chance with her. As Chapel leaves, a mysterious figure can be seen seemingly hanging outside the window. Ortegas joins Uhura and Beto for drinks, jarred at the idea of them flirting with each other.
Korby is entertaining everyone with stories as Spock tries to make nice, but he leaves when he sees how much Chapel and Korby have connected. Spock drowns his sorrows in the bar, where the bartender (Rhys Darbys) gives Spock a special drink.
After downing it, Spock heads to bed as we black out. We then see Spock in bed…with Chapel right next to him. She says she has to sleep in another room as "it's bad luck to see the bride before the wedding."
Wait, a wedding now?
We hear Spock's log again, only now it's him discussing his wedding to Chapel. The crew is going all-in on it, though La'An seems oddly affected. That "Bartender" pops up as the wedding planner who everyone sees as an Andorian. Roger shows up with the cake as best man with the planner somehow swapping the cake to another flavor in the blink of an eye…
Okay, let's get this out of the way: Any Trek fan worth their salt has already figured out this is Trelane, the all-powerful being from the Original Series episode "The Squire of Gothos." It's so blatantly obvious, the show doesn't even bother hiding it much, so from here on out, I'll refer to him as Trelane. He directs everyone regarding the wedding ceremony, even as Korby keeps pushing to talk to Christine alone.
Spock finds Korby breaking into Christine's quarters and admits he's trying to stop the wedding as he loves Christine. More importantly, he's the one person who realizes this whole relationship shouldn't be happening. Korby talks about his bond with Christine. Spock tries to keep calm but finally lashes out to punch Korby after he says Christine initiated the first kiss. As soon as he does, Spock seems to snap out of some spell and realizes Korby is right.
Spock lets Korby wake up as they mull over alternate realities, environmental issues, alien viruses, improbability fields, etc. Korby points out that every time he's tried to stop the wedding, something happens to push it along, and both are confused about how they remember what should be. Trelane shows up, and they still see him as an Andorian.
In the lab, the pair speculate that Spock's burst of adrenaline, punching Korby, broke the spell. Sam arrives with champagne and Spock tries to tell him what's happening. He pushes Sam to punch him, but Sam refuses. Spock and Korby head to see Pike only to find a bachelor party in progress. Once more, no matter how hard the pair tries, they can't get the rest of the crew to see through this shared illusion.
Spock and Korby finally check the number of people on the ship and realize there's a "crasher." They face Trelane (escaping karaoke) in the bar, and Spock realizes he's the reason for all this, granting his "wish" to be with Christine. Trelane snaps his fingers and causes the entire ship to shake, his voice deeper as he intones, "I do not like it when people ruin my plan."
Spock wakes up in bed again, with Trelane sitting nearby. He shows off more of his powers, shrinking Spock into a glass and making it clear that if Spock doesn't go through with the wedding, worse things will happen.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds review: Season 3, Episode 2, "Wedding Bell Blues"
The entire crew is decked out the wedding. Ortegas is looking dapper and Uhura and Beto are flirting again. Spock and Korby (in a terrible blue suit and flower crown) reluctantly agree they have to play Trelane's game to save the crew or "he'll wish us to a cornfield" (naturally, Spock doesn't get the reference). Despite himself, Spock is awed by Christine walking down the aisle in a beautiful gown.
Of course, Trelane has to make himself the minister and give an over-the-top speech on love. Korby objects to Trelane turning him into a dog, which everyone else accepts as normal. Spock recites a lovely poem about love. That causes Christine to flash back to memories of her and Spock and break free from Trelane's control.
Trelane will not take this and declares that everyone is about to die. Suddenly, a blueish cloud arrives outside the ship and speaks in the voice of none other than John de Lancie, whom a chagrined Trelane calls "Dad." Yes, Trek fans, at last it's confirmed that Trelane is a young ("only 8000 of your Earth years." "Eight thousand and twenty, Dad!") member of the Q Continuum.
Q tells Trelane that the games are over and orders him home. Hilariously, when Trelane says he did all this because he found Roger so annoying digging on the Q homeworld, Spock responds: "That makes sense." Trelane snaps his fingers to free everyone from his spell before vanishing in a cloud with his father.
Pike tries to take control of the baffling situation to turn it into the Federation Day celebration before declaring "bar is open." The crew gets into it, and Christine and Roger banter about their outfits and Trelane's antics before showing how much they care for each other. Pike and Batel offer a job to the three-armed bartender while Beto gets an offer to stay on the ship to make a documentary on the Federation, with him and Uhura enjoying annoying Ortegas.
Spock is by himself as La'An pops by to give him some encouraging advice, with Spock saying he has no regrets. La'An points out that Spock took all those dancing lessons and it wouldn't be logical to waste, them so she and Spock hit the dance floor to Wham's "Wake Me Up Before You Go Go."
Ortegas watches dancing before slowly backing out of the reception. She's back in her quarters, working a punching bag, and when she looks at her reflection in the window, she sees a hulking Gorn snarling at her.
Overall, this was a fun episode with a huge shift for the Spock/Chapel relationship. Trelane being a member of the Q species has long been theorized by fans, and Darby is delightful in the role. There are good introductions for Gamble and Beto, while Korby comes off as a nice guy Spock has to enjoy. Yet that final scene with Ortegas shows just a bit of darkness amid the fun romp.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3 airs new episodes Thursdays on Paramount+.
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