Warning: SPOILERS for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 2, Episode 3 - "Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow"
In Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2, episode 3, Captain James T. Kirk (Paul Wesley) engages in a thrilling car chase. Adding to the excitement, it would have been even better if a J.J. Abrams joke from Star Trek 2009 had been incorporated. "Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow" takes Kirk, along with Lieutenant La'an Noonien-Singh (Christina Chong), from an alternate reality to present-day Toronto to prevent a devastating attack that could irreversibly alter the timeline.
During their time travel mission, Kirk and La'an find themselves developing feelings for each other in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. As this version of Captain Kirk hails from a reality where Earth is a hostile battleground due to a war with the Romulans, he finds himself captivated by the modern wonders and pleasures of 21st-century Toronto. However, when a bridge is detonated by time-traveling Romulan operatives, Kirk and La'an take matters into their own hands, commandeering a red Dodge Challenger Hellcat in hot pursuit of the suspected culprits. The intensity of Strange New Worlds season 2, episode 3 reaches its peak during this riveting sequence, accompanied by the contemporary rock song "Modern Art" by The Black Lips.
Kirk's Strange New Worlds Car Chase Should Have Played "Sabotage"
The car chase in Kirk and La'an's Star Trek: Strange New Worlds was exhilarating, but using the Beastie Boys' "Sabotage" as the soundtrack would have been even better than "Modern Art." In J.J. Abrams' Star Trek reboot in 2009, "Sabotage" was played when a young Jim Kirk (Jimmy Bennett) stole his stepfather's convertible for a joyride in Iowa. The song made a comeback in Star Trek Beyond when the crew of the USS Enterprise, using the USS Franklin, battled the Swarm on the planet Altamid. Captain Kirk (Chris Pine) smiled and approved of the song choice, saying, "It's a good choice."
If Strange New Worlds had also used "Sabotage," it would have been a clever nod to Abrams' Star Trek movies. Aside from being a fun Easter egg, "Sabotage" could have also conveyed the idea that the two alternate reality versions of Kirk share a common thread, even if Paul Wesley's Kirk didn't grow up on Earth like Chris Pine's Kirk did. "Modern Art" by The Black Lips may not have actually been playing on the radio of Kirk's stolen car; it was likely added for the audience's enjoyment and to enhance the intensity of the car chase. While "Modern Art" was still a cool track, using "Sabotage" would have been a unique bridge and acknowledgement of Abrams' Kelvin Timeline films and Star Trek on Paramount+.
Strange New Worlds Was One Of Kirk's Best Time Travel Episodes
Captain Kirk takes center stage in some of the greatest Star Trek time travel tales, and Strange New Worlds' "Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow" instantly joins the top of the list. This episode cleverly reimagines the classic "The City on the Edge of Forever" from the original series, as Kirk embarks on a tragic time travel mission with La'an Noonien-Singh, mirroring the role reversal of James as the doomed Edith Keeler. However, before Kirk meets his fatal end at the hands of Sera, a Romulan operative portrayed by Adelaide Kane, James exudes charm and good humor, enjoying himself in Toronto and helping La'an break out of her shell.
"Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow" in Strange New Worlds stands alongside the iconic "City on the Edge of Forever" and Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home as some of William Shatner's Kirk's best time travel adventures. Additionally, this episode reintroduces Kirk as a romantic hero, a role somewhat lacking in Chris Pine's portrayal in J.J. Abrams' Star Trek movie trilogy. While the absence of the Beastie Boys' "Sabotage" may have disappointed fans hoping for an in-joke, its omission certainly does not diminish the enchantment of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' "Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow."
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2 streams Thursdays on Paramount+.
