Cowboy Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount) is about to learn a thing or two about flying from Erica Ortegas (Melissa Navia), the most badass and outspoken Starfleet pilot in the Federation fleet, and a thing or two about fun from two of the most badass ensigns serving on California class vessels, in the latest trailer for the second season of the critically acclaimed Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. Season 2 will premiere on Thursday, June 15, 2023.
Today, Paramount+ debuted the second official trailer for the highly anticipated second season of Strange New Worlds, alongside new official key art and first-look images. First announced during a San Diego Comic-Con 2022 panel hosted by lifelong Trekkie Lea Thompson, the trailer revealed a first look at the previously announced special crossover episode with Star Trek: Lower Decks‘ Tawny Newsome as Beckett Mariner and Jack Quaid as Bradward Boimler in live-action form aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise. The highly anticipated episode, which will also feature animation, was directed by Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Picard actor and director Jonathan Frakes.
The Mysterious Affair of Bradward’s Purple Hair
Excitingly, Trekkies will finally learn more about Bradward’s purple hair in Strange New World‘s second season. According to Quaid in the audio commentary for the finale, “The Stars at Night,” of the third season of Lower Decks, although the color was meant to represent dark color in animation code, the color took on a different meaning thanks to fans. Because of this, when Boimler crossed over into live-action, there had to be a discussion about whether his hair would be purple or a dark color.
“People are like, ‘I love his purple hair, I love his purple hair!'” Quaid said. “To the point where I did this Strange New Worlds thing, and that was like a whole discussion… ‘Should we make it dark, should we make it purple?'”
The Boys actor continued that he put his spacewalkin’ boot down when it came to Bradward’s hair color. “‘No, it has to look purple. At least in certain lights, we have to make sure it’s purple,'” he said.
“I don’t even know if I can say it yet, but in that episode of Strange New Worlds, we do tell you why it’s purple… There is an answer there.”
Such Strange Heights
Strange New Worlds Season 2 premieres on June 15 on Paramount+. In addition to starring Mount as Captain Pike and Navia as Ortegas, it also stars Rebecca Romijn as Una Chin-Riley, Ethan Peck as Spock, Jess Bush as Christine Chapel, Christina Chong as La’An Noonien-Singh, Celia Rose Gooding as Nyota Uhura, and Babs Olusanmokun as Joseph M’Benga. Season 2 also features the return of special guest star Paul Wesley as James T. Kirk, and replacing Chief Engineer Hemmer (Bruce Horak) will be a new addition Carol Kane in a recurring role as Pelia.
In the second season of Strange New Worlds, the U.S.S. Enterprise crew, under Captain Christopher Pike’s command, confronts increasingly dangerous stakes, explores uncharted territories, and encounters new life and civilizations. The crew will also embark on personal journeys that will continue to test their resolve and redefine their destinies. Facing new and familiar friends and enemies, their adventures will unfold in surprising ways never seen before on any Star Trek series.
Season two of Strange New Worlds is produced by CBS Studios, Secret Hideout, and Roddenberry Entertainment. Akiva Goldsman and Henry Alonso Myers serve as co-showrunners. Goldsman, Myers, Alex Kurtzman, Jenny Lumet, Aaron Baiers, Heather Kadin, Frank Siracusa, John Weber, Rod Roddenberry, and Trevor Roth serve as executive producers.
Watch the full trailer below:
