31st July, 2025: “A Space Adventure Hour” — The Intro.
It’s officially official.
It’s that time of week again.
The time when I sit myself down in front of a computer screen, and tell you two things.
One … ?
As the song plays?
I think to myself that Nena — in the video — looks a lot like Molly Millions: William Gibson’s iconic Neuromancer character.
As I always do.
Two?
The other thing I always tell you, is simply this.
That’s it’s Thursday, I’m doing dinner … and, once that’s eaten … ?
I’m going to be watching the next episode of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.
Then letting you know what I thought, by this Saturday.
Hopefully … ?
My banging on about 80s singers won’t have put you off … !
31st July, 2025.Part One: the Summary.
Episode 4 — “A Space Adventure Hour” — opens with a summary … then shifts.
To show us a fictional ship called the USS Adventure, in an equally fictional show: with a cast and crew that seem hauntingly familiar.
Post credits?
The scene shifts, again.
To show us Lieutenant La’an Noonien-Singh (Christina Chong) dictating her personal log: the USS Enterprise has been chosen as the new home for an experimental piece of equipment — a holodeck — and she is to test it.
La’an tells us that Captain Pike (Anson Mount) has ordered Ensign Scott (Martin Quinn) to monitor the thing as it’s being used by a test player … and that La’an herself is going to be the guinea pig in a game of Murder-in-the-dark.
A game set in the Hollywood of 1969.
What could possibly go wrong … ?
~≈🖖≈~
1st August, 2025.Part Two: Thoughts.
Now …
What on Earth did I make of “A Space Adventure Hour”?
I might have to use the word ‘Hmmm’ at some point, so bear with me.
The episode, itself … ?
Is fine.
And has something of an old school theme: with a Star Trek: The Next Generation twist.
Yep: La’an gets to be a private detective in a 1960s, Hollywood-set, Dixon-Hill style whodunnit.
A whodunnit generated by a malfunctioning holodeck.
And it’s a nicely done example: one that’s picked-up concepts from earlier episodes — a fictional detective from “The Big Goodbye”, or the ‘challenge the player’ idea from “Elementary, Dear Data” — and made them into something new.
It ALSO manages to fit the idea of holodecks into Star Trek continuity, quite well.
Holodecks are virtual environments, initially introduced in Star Trek: The Next Generation: in other words, about a century after Star Trek: The Original Series, and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.
So, for me … ?
It was nice to see the scene at the end of the episode: where La’an and Scotty tell Captain Pike that the technology’s promising … but too risky to be used, right now.
The story was nicely told, and the continuity, nicely handled.
Equally as nicely done?
Was seeing the main cast being other characters.
Rebecca Romijn as a cynical producer, Celia Rose Gooding as a chatty writer, Anson Mount as a very nervous show-runner.
So much like “Subspace Rhapsody”, “A Space Adventure Hour” shows off the casts’ range.
There’s only one small problem, as far as I’m concerned …
About that cold opening …
~≈🖖≈~
Part Three: About That Cold Opening …
That cold opening is a problem, I think.
“A Space Adventure Hour” opens with a brief recap of the series so far.
Then goes into a cold opening that shows us a clip of The Last Frontier, the (fictional) series at the heart of the holodeck mystery La’an has to solve.
It’s an affectionally done pastiche of the original series: complete with Paul Wesley’s take on William Shatner’s unmis … takeable … delivery …
And … ?
I was decidedly uncomfortable, watching it.
Why?
I don’t know if I could tell you, for sure.
But … ?
For all that the scene — and the accompanying ‘Last Frontier’ opening speech — is an affectionate Mickey-take?
It’s exactly that: a pastiche, a take-off, of the original series, and not one I felt comfortable watching.
The Gag Reel scene at the end of the episode?
Wasn’t as much of an issue for me: the worst — from where I was sitting — had already happened.
But?
That cold open may have been an affectionate pastiche, but is also something I found disrespectful: to the original cast and crew, and to the hard work they put in.
~≈🖖≈~
Part Four: Final Thoughts.
With all that said … ?
With all that said, you’re going to ask me the traditional question, aren’t you … ?
“Paul,” I hear you ask, “What did you make of ‘A Space Adventure Hour’?”
It has to be said, “A Space Adventure Hour” is a very well made episode.
Cast and crew have done some very good work: and the writers have managed to fit an experimental holodeck into the show’s continuity, in a very good way.
My only issue … ?
Is the one I’ve told you about: the cold open.
It was too cheesy, too disrespectful, and was something I would rather not have seen.
Yes, “A Space Adventure Hour” is well made: but I felt the cold opening spoilt my enjoyment of the story.
~≈🖖≈~
Part Five: Last Words.
That?
Once again, that is where I’m going to leave things
As ever, I’m going to ask you to subscribe to my YouTube channel, and maybe drop a few pence in my Tip Jar.
The only other thing I should add … ?
Is simply this: I’ll be watching “Through the Lens of Time”, the next episode of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, on Thursday, 7th August, and publishing my written and video reviews by the following Saturday.
I’ll see you then.
“A Space Adventure Hour”.★★☆☆
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