StarTrekking: Star Trek: Strange New Worlds - Season 4 - “Level Five Transporter Accident"

When I first heard about a year ago that Star Trek: Strange New Worlds would have a puppet episode, I FELT some concern about that.

WARNING: This post will employ several labored puns involving the word "felt". Because puppets are, you know, made of... felt. Get it?  

While SNW is known for taking some big swings (crossover with Lower Decks, musical episode, low budget 1960's sci-fi, etc), it FELT like doing an episode with puppets might be going too far.

Well, with “Level Five Transporter Accident", the moment was here to finally deal with the puppets whether I FELT like it or not. So let's take a leap of faith and throw ourselves into this episode.

It's time for The Great Star Trek Puppet Caper! 

An experiment by Scotty and Spock to expand the range of the transporters FELT like a good idea at the time.  Using a childhood puppet called "Little Ricky", Scotty aims to test the transporter to beam the puppet over a distance of 30,000 kilometers.

Spock is off the Enterprise in a shuttle, monitoring a relay bouy used in the experiment.  Something goes awry and everyone on the Enterprise finds themselves being beamed away and returned as puppets.

Scotty explains: “Something about the puppet’s quantum particulates caused the energy in the transporter to expand outward across the ship.”

Ah, you just gotta love Star Trek technobabble.  

Spock is the only one still in humanoid form and has to do all the work of running the starship as puppets... can't.

Lacking skeletons and muscles, puppets can't handle even the most mundane tasks like pushing buttons without difficulty.

You may ask, "Hey, if they lack skeletons and muscles, how do they move about or sit upright?"  And I will reply "You ask too many questions!" 

OK, I suppose I could come up with a less snarky response if I FELT like it.  But I don't.  

Pike is able to get a communication to Admiral April who is trying to wrap his head around this situation.

APRIL:  "So you're a puppet?"

PIKE: "Yes!"

APRIL: "So who's controlling you?"

PIKE: "I'M CONTROLLING ME!"

I can understand why the Admiral FELT confused.

(No, I will not stop the "felt" puns!)  

April says a ship is on the way to help but it's a couple of days out from Enterprise.  

So if everyone can just keep their heads down and stay out of trouble until...

Oh SHIT! It's an Orion pirate ship!

SIDEBAR:  These Orions! I KNOW this guys! (Yes, I FELT like I recognized them somehow!)  It's driving me crazier than I already am! Who are these guys?!?!

The Orion captain is played by Rachael Harris! OMG, guys! It's Dr. Linda Martin from Lucifer. Man, I hadn't thought about Lucifer in ages and it was such an integral part of our TV viewing around here. I miss that show! 

The Orion captain's second in commond is portrayed by Joe Lo Truglio!  Yep, that's Det. Charles Boyle on Brooklyn Nine-Nine! Man, it's old school week here on the Tuesday TV Touchbase!

Let me say that even as a puppet, Commander Una Chin-Riley still has beautiful hair.  

Am I having lustful thoughts about a puppet? I'm not sure why I FELT I should share that information.

The Orion pirates board the ship to steal it since their sensors only register one single life form on the Enterprise, Spock.

So the puppets, in addition to lacking bones and muscles, also lack circulatory, respiratory and nerve systems that would be recognized by sensors as biological life forms.  But they are able to think, talk and move and... and... and...  HOW DO THEY DO THAT?!?!

So... many... questions.

The Orions capture Spock and take over the ship as the puppets are well...   you know... puppets. 

Just pick 'em up and toss 'em.

Capt. Pike has the epiphany that his crew is failing to stop the Orions because they are are trying to fight back like humans and the key to success is to embrace their puppetness.  

Long story made short: the puppets rescue Spock, defeat the Orions, take back the ship, Spock wakes up and....

And...

Spock. Wakes. Up? 

NO! Do not tell me! Do NOT tell that it was....

IT WAS ALL A DREAM?  REALLY?!?!?

Yes, Scotty's transporter experiment did get all bolloxed up but only Spock was caught up in it and has been in a coma and....

IT WAS ALL A DREAM?!?! Oh HELL NO! We can't be going there. 

I should've realized.  I FELT like the writers might go in that direction.  

I suppose the "it was all a dream" ending does effectively address all the questions about puppets being alive AND not alive at the same time.  

And essentially this is Spock's story as he evolves from the "human curious" Spock of SNW to the  "dedicated Vulcan" Spock of TOS.  His subconscious creating a scenario of puppets and what not serve as an effective metaphor for his changing yadda yadda yadda .... IT WAS ALL A DREAM?

At the end of “Level Five Transporter Accident", I wasn't sure how I FELT about that "it was all a dream" resolution. On one hand, it such an overused cliche. On the other hand, I can't deny it does tie a pretty effective bow on all the came before.

All in all, putting aside any qualms about the ending, I think The Great Star Trek Puppet Caper is a win. 

Next week, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds enters the 2nd half of it's 4th season. 

Until next time, live long and prosper.

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Why are the puppets still here?   

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I FELT like that was a pretty good blog post.