‘Star Trek: Strange New Worlds’ Season 3 Teaser: The Swingin’ ’60s Style of ‘The Original Series’ Returns!

Gorn, hookups, and even an Agatha Christie-style whodunnit? Season 3 of the Paramount+ series looks like a blast.

Well, this looks like a blast. “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds,” the series which best captures not just the spirit but the whimsy of “Star Trek” out of all the Paramount+ “Trek” shows that have bowed over the past decade, is back for Season 3. And a new teaser is here to get you excited for all the shenanigans, from a rom-com episode to an Agatha Christie-style murder mystery. A date for the new season still has not been set.

There’s even a glimpse of several members of the cast in full 1960s “Star Trek: The Original Series” couture, complete with a pastel-colored made-for-standard-definition bridge and the whirs and beeps anyone who’s ever watched the original show will recognize instantly.

That’s fitting, because “Strange New Worlds” is set just a few years before the events of “The Original Series” — there have been attempts at integrating elements of the ’60s show in a modern setup before, but this is full-on what “Deep Space Nine” did with the famous “Trials and Tribble-Ations” episode (that literally inserted the cast of the ’90s show into scenes from “The Original Series,” something that definitely does not seem to be happening on “Strange New Worlds”) or “Through a Glass Darkly” on “Enterprise.”

The ’60s throwback may well be just one part of a larger reality-altering scheme afoot: In another moment the Enterprise bridge crew needs to communicate with another part of the ship via an early 20th century gilded landline phone.

One other thing that will catch viewers’ attention right away: The holodeck is back! It had been stated before, that Starfleet ships in the 23rd century didn’t have holodecks, but suddenly here is one — that grid pattern is unmistakable — and the crew seems to be using it to solve a whodunnit, Christie-style.

Those kind of elements — suddenly having a whodunnit episode! — are exactly what fans love so much about “Strange New Worlds” because the ’60s series and the ’90s “Trek” series always embraced a tonal multiplicity. There could be a really serious episode followed by one that was really goofy, maybe with Picard living out a Dixon Hill noir on the holodeck or suddenly battling Professor Moriarty. Maybe there could be elements of a continuing narrative from episode to episode — but that never meant each episode had to feel the same. Above all, “Strange New Worlds” recognizes that it’s important to have fun in addition to the profound moments. Just check out Season 2’s musical episode.

Though, we did end Season 2 on a thrilling note, with the Enterprise under attack by Gorn marauders and looking like escape might be difficult. Even Anson Mount‘s Capt. Christopher Pike seemed unglued by the moment. Mount is back for Season 3 along with Rebecca Romijn, Ethan Peck, Jess Bush, Christina Chong, Celia Rose Gooding, Melissa Navia, Babs Olusanmokun, Martin Quinn, and Paul Wesley as a special guest star. You’ll also catch a glimpse in the trailer below of Patton Oswalt as an alien in this season. The comedian will be a guest star, alongside the returning Carol Kane.

And there’s so much more where this came from: “Strange New Worlds” Season 4 is currently filming in Toronto. But first, watch the teaser for Season 3 below.