Sneak Peek – Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 2 Episode 10

These 10 episode seasons are killing me, who's responsible for us not getting 24 episodes?
- Even linear television dropped to 16, then further to 12 or even ten. Some serialized sci-fi shows are 6.
  One thing to keep in mind, especially with science fiction and fantasy shows is that they take an enormous amount of time and resources to make in UHD. It’s a very unforgiving medium that shows up every tiny flaw in prosthetic makeup, costume construction and set and prop fabrication. The primary shooting takes much, much longer for each episode, 1.5 to 2 times what it did in the 90s.
  Yes, they can take short cuts but there is a price for it in terms of quality. As a concrete example, Picard season three decided to go with ambient lighting from the set rather than move and recalibrate lights for every side of every scene (usual practice). It reduced the amount of time needed to shoot each scene, as they could go immediately from one side and scene to another. It did however mean that the final product was darker than many older fans preferred, especially if they didn’t have the newest OLED televisions.
  Another thing to keep in mind is that the actors want to be able to work on other projects or have time for their families. Many shows have more established cast members simply because working on Star Trek no longer means locking into a single show for seven years of their careers.
  Anson Mount has said publicly and repeatedly that he found doing the 14 episode second of Discovery took too much of his life. He particularly noted that the bridge filming days were very long and arduous, even though he enjoyed being together with the whole main cast for them. It’s known then that he personally wouldn’t go for a longer season.
  
  One thing to keep in mind, especially with science fiction and fantasy shows is that they take an enormous amount of time and resources to make in UHD. It’s a very unforgiving medium that shows up every tiny flaw in prosthetic makeup, costume construction and set and prop fabrication. The primary shooting takes much, much longer for each episode, 1.5 to 2 times what it did in the 90s.
  Yes, they can take short cuts but there is a price for it in terms of quality.
  So does film. TNG was shot on 35mm, and even if you assume they were using cheap, shitty film with large grain, that's still equivalent to well over 3,000 lines of vertical resolution in digital terms. Drop some extra cash on decent 35mm and it makes UHD look like a joke. Obviously I'm aware that they were then converting it to videotape for TV and expected certain shortcuts to be blended by crushing the resolution, but we can watch the film transfers officially now—and bootlegs have been circulating since before that, too, and the show looked fine. All that is to say that TNG was shot with the same considerations in mind that SNW has, but they cranked out 20+ episodes a season for 7 years and it still holds up (especially after season 1).
  I don't disagree with what you're saying, just the premise: they could do it the way they used to, but people who wear expensive suits would rather spend the money on themselves. Let's not entertain the idea that it was ever anything else. The reason I asked who's responsible is not because I don't understand the motivation, I do, it's money. I asked so I can smear dog shit on the door handle of his car.
  
  Yeah. Hearing stories from TNG and other shows of the era, filming took a lot of long days and the show would crank out one episode per week. Even then, you could tell that there were some episodes written to give actors a break.
  
  Isn't that why you have bottle episodes that keep things more like a stage show (some of best and some.of worst are bottles) and also you have episodes centered on part of the cast maybe a few to give others a break then another charecter has an episode. Even in the old series they found ways around the issues.
- I dunno, I’d rather get 10 episodes per season and have all or most be bangers than have 20+ and have to wade through the subpar episodes.
  
  Right, but at the height of TNG (and DS9, to a lesser extent) you were effectively guaranteed somewhere between 0 and 2 bad episodes a season.
  
  yeah to each their own, but my feeling was that the subpar episodes gave them time for better pacing, and character development. With these 10 episode seasons it always feels like barely getting through the overarching story, no time for subtleties or good character development and background episodes. Some of my favourite TNG/VOY episodes are the 'filler' episodes where the world wasn't ending and they just had a fun adventure.
  
  @onehellofausername @sarsaparilyptus
  I'm pretty cool with subpar episodes. They still add to the world, and give me something to watch with characters I enjoy. Of the series I like(almost all of them), there isn't a single episode I skip on rewatch. The "bad" ones bulk out the series and make it last longer.
- I don't think 24 episodes will be happening any time soon, but it would be nice to have 12-14. Ten is so few, and with the ongoing strikes, it's going to be a while until another season happens.
- The industry as a whole, and technological development in TV like streaming
- Yeah, I hate this trend. If anything they should have moved from 24 to 52 episodes. Why not a new episode every week, forever.

After viewing the season trailer and the sneak peek, I became worried about Ortegas as well. Fingers crossed she doesn't have anything happen to her, there is still a lot to develop for her.
- We see Ortegas flying a shuttle in a combat style landing in the main trailer, perhaps she has a reason to stay with the shuttle (or prep it) even once Pike is in the big chair in his combat gear.
  We were promised ‘MOrtegas’ in the messaging leading up to this season. Perhaps they didn’t want to reveal what’s coming for her.
  I’m hopeful.

I really appreciate this deep dive that integrates the as yet unseen clips from the season trailers with the sneak peek for this episode. Well done Trek Central.
I was interested to see that this is a Maja Vrvilo directed episode. I have really liked her work on the Secret Hideout Trek shows. The article mentions SNW Children of the Comet, but she’s also directed some of the more tense Discovery and Picard episodes as well as the Short Trek Runaway. These include Discovery Perpetual Infinity and Die Trying, and Picard The Impossible Box and Broken Pieces.

Maybe a bit off topic, but where the f do you find promos for upcoming P+ episodes? I really miss that streaming doesn't air them before the closing credits.
- Alternatively, how about now?
  
  that's the stuff. Rip (prob) cute dimply captain Pike girlfriend.
- They often don't release them online until Wednesday, and even then it's spotty.