Review: Strange New Worlds S3E2 — “Wedding Bell Blues”
“Wedding Bell Blues” is Strange New Worlds at its absolute best: bold, emotional, weird, and unapologetically Star Trek.
Written by Kirsten Beyer and David Reed and directed with flair by Jordan Canning, this episode blends surreal fantasy with grounded character drama, delivering one of the most emotionally layered installments the series has produced so far.
It begins with a gut punch—Spock, having spent three months trying to open himself up emotionally, is blindsided when Christine Chapel returns from her fellowship with Dr. Roger Korby not just at her side, but clearly in her heart. That could’ve been enough drama for one episode, but “Wedding Bell Blues” takes a hard left into full-blown reality-warping chaos, sparked by a casual wish and the arrival of an omnipotent trickster.
And what a trickster. Rhys Darby absolutely steals the show as the flamboyant, reality-bending Andorian wedding planner—a performance that’s equal parts hilarious, charming, and increasingly unhinged. Darby plays the role with a gleeful unpredictability, making the character feel like a spiritual cousin of Trek’s classic Q, while bringing his own signature comedic timing and offbeat charisma. What starts as eccentric comic relief slowly morphs into something much more sinister, and Darby threads that tonal shift brilliantly.
The premise is wild. Spock wakes up to find himself about to marry Christine in a ship transformed by illusion. The crew is caught in the spell. And Korby, now cast as Christine’s best man, is the only one who has not been swept up in this alternate reality. The escalating absurdity—dance lessons with La’an, poetry on mountaintops, Korby turning into a bulldog—is laugh-out-loud funny at times, but the emotional core stays intact.
Ethan Peck delivers one of his finest performances as Spock, capturing the quiet ache beneath the fantasy. His decision to recite Christine’s own love story back to her is devastating and beautiful, a final act of letting go. Jess Bush’s Christine is equally compelling, caught between who she was, who she’s become, and what might have been.
The writing team deserves real credit for juggling multiple character arcs in the middle of the madness. La’an continues her subtle transformation from guarded to grounded. Pike and Batel navigate the limbo of love and duty. Ortegas’ comic exasperation at her brother’s flirting masks the deeper cracks left by past trauma—cracks the final scene makes chillingly clear.
And just when things couldn’t get any weirder, Trek pulls out its ace: John de Lancie’s unmistakable voice as Q—the exasperated father of Darby’s character—snapping everything back to reality with a signature omnipotent eye-roll.
“Wedding Bell Blues” is a standout—funny, tragic, romantic, and deeply Trek. It’s a showcase for evolving character arcs, confident storytelling, and fearless genre-bending. With Rhys Darby’s unforgettable guest performance and a sharp emotional undercurrent, this episode doesn’t just ask “what if?”—it shows us why the answers matter.
