Unlocking the Final Frontier: Star Trek's New Planet Paves the Way for Bold New Adventures
Exploring Star Trek: TOS' Themed Planets in Strange New Worlds - Unveiling the fascinating origins behind the show's gangster and wild west worlds, this article delves into the intriguing concept of Star Trek's Roman Planet and its possible connection to a model
WARNING: Contains SPOILERS for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' season 2 finale.
Summary
In the season 2 finale of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, a colony planet named Parnassus Beta is introduced. This planet pays tribute to the themed worlds from the original series and adds a recognizable element to the new show. The decision to design Parnassus Beta as a 21st-century American Midwest town reflects the founders' intention to deviate from the futuristic technology of the 23rd century.
The presence of themed planets in the Star Trek universe serves a dual purpose - it stems from budget constraints and the availability of props and costumes, while also providing recognizable and relatable settings for forthcoming episodes of Strange New Worlds.
In the season 2 finale of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, the beleaguered colony planet Parnassus Beta pays homage to the themed worlds featured in Star Trek: The Original Series, forging a greater resemblance between the two shows. Positioned just beyond Federation jurisdiction, the USS Cayuga is deployed by Starfleet to Parnassus Beta in order to provide assistance to the colonists in terms of agriculture and medical support. Nevertheless, the planet's close proximity to Gorn space transforms Parnassus Beta into a recent battleground in the ongoing conflict between the Federation and the Gorn Hegemony, thereby imperiling the lives of Captain Marie Batel (Melanie Scrofano) and the courageous crew of the USS Enterprise.
Parnassus Beta in the season 2 finale of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds serves as a nostalgic tribute to the themed planets that were a hallmark of the Original Series era. The planet's purposeful resemblance to the American Midwest in the 21st century is a deliberate decision made by its founders. Their intention is to distance themselves from the technological advancements of the 23rd century. This concept bears resemblance to the classic Star Trek: The Original Series episode "A Piece of the Action," where the inadvertent introduction of a history book on Chicago mobsters shaped an entire societal structure. Throughout the Original Series era, numerous planets with similar themes were featured.
Strange New Worlds Explains Star Trek: TOS' Themed Planets
The Original Series of Star Trek showcased a variety of planets, each with distinct themes like Ancient Rome and the Wild West. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds provides some insight into the origins of these themed planets, offering an explanation for the presence of Parnassus Beta. In the episode "Bread and Circuses," Captain James T. Kirk (played by William Shatner) and the USS Enterprise crew come across a planet resembling Ancient Rome, yet equipped with technology from the 20th century. If the founders of Parnassus Beta took inspiration from the American Midwest for their town, it is possible that the creators of 892-IV opted for a Roman model, enhanced with 20th-century advancements.
Why Star Trek: TOS' Had Gangster And Wild West Planets
The presence of Parnassus Beta in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds implies the existence of a comprehensive manual widely disseminated for establishing new colonies and settling virgin planets. Contained within this handbook are various templates for colonists to select from, enabling them to choose the model that aligns best with their envisioned colony. Evidently, the decision to adopt a small-town America theme from the 21st century, coupled with the colonists' unease about joining the Federation, indicates the founders' deliberate divergence from the technological advancements prevalent during the 23rd century.
The various themed planets encountered by the USS Enterprise in Star Trek: The Original Series were often explained with sci-fi concepts. However, the true reason behind these diverse worlds was simply the result of budget constraints and the opportunities presented on the Paramount lot. Due to financial considerations, it was much more feasible to create planets resembling gangster settings, Wild West landscapes, or even Nazi-influenced environments, given the abundance of mob movies, Westerns, and World War 2 epics being produced elsewhere on the studio premises. The availability of props and costumes specifically tailored for these genres proved to be a valuable asset for the Star Trek production team.
Parnassus Beta's resemblance to a modern-day town in the Midwest serves as an advantage in terms of budgetary concerns. This decision in location enhances the intensity of the Gorn confrontation in Strange New Worlds, as it is set in a place that is easily identifiable. If other planets were to adopt this "small town model," filming future episodes of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds on location would be feasible by incorporating a few Starfleet props and costumes, while still maintaining a futuristic atmosphere. Stream all episodes of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2 now on Paramount+.
