Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Series 3 Episode 10 — “New Life and New Civilizations” — A Review

11th September, 2025: “New Life and New Civilizations”.

The Introduction.

Right now, I’m not like George Orwell.

Right now, highly civilized human beings aren’t flying overhead: nor are they trying to kill me.

Instead of the Luftwaffe flying over my flat, I have alternating patches of cloud, and clear sky.

Clouds that darkened the sky, leaving the air drenched in torrential rain … 

Then, mere minutes later?

Clouds that have moved: chased east by pleasant sunshine, and bringing the smell of wet concrete.

That’s an attractive smell, I think: and one I can put up with, now the rain has stopped, however temporarily.

~≈🖖≈~

The weather is possibly not why you’re reading this: is it?

No.

You’ve — hopefully! — become so entranced by quizzes and written reviews, that you’ve bookmarked my blog: in an effort to keep up with what I’m doing.

So, I can tell you this.

• I’ve started cooking dinner.
• I’m wondering what the result of my next blood sugar test will be.
• I’m going to watch the last episode of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.

Yes: I’m going to be sitting down with “New Life and New Civilizations”: then letting you know what I thought by Sunday, 14th September.

Hopefully?

We’ll have have a big finale … !

~≈🖖≈~

11th September, 2025: “New Life and New Civilizations”.

Part One: The Summary.

Episode 10 — “New Life and New Civilizations” — opens with a summary, one that reminds us of how — in “Through the Lens of Time” — the dead body of Ensign Gamble (Chris Myers) had been possessed by a creature called a Vezda: and how that creature had seemingly been dealt with.

The scene shifts to the episode’s cold open.

To show us Captain Pike (Anson Mount) organising one of his famous dinners: in honour of Captain Batel (Melanie Scrofano), who had been named as the new Director of the Judge Advocate’s Office.

Something she is looking forward to.

The regulars — Dr M’Benga, Lieutenants Ortegas, Noonien-Singh and Uhura, Lieutenant-Commander Chin-Riley and Commander Pelia (Babs Olusanmokun, Melissa Navia, Christina Chong, Celia Rose Gooding, Rebecca Romijn and Carol Kane) — are soon joined by Scotty (Martin Quinn): who is vaguely shocked to find the dinner is the dress uniform event he was expecting.

And Pelia is keen to remind people of a time-travelling doctor she knew.

The scene shifts again.

To show us Dr Roger Korby (Cillian O’Sullivan) is in the city of Cali-Katchna, on the planet of Skygowan.

His message to Nurse Chapel (Jess Bush), tells us that’s he’s missing his fiancee, but that the city he’s in is an amazing place: even is the inhabitants think of the evil Vezda as gods.

What Dr Korby doesn’t know, as he’s taken to the High Temple?

Is who — or what — he’s going to meet … 

~≈🖖≈~

12th/13th September, 2025.

Part Two: Initial Thoughts.

Now … what did I make of “New Life and New Civilizations”?

It’s not that often I say this, but you’ve possibly already guessed that “New Life and New Civilizations” is a sequel to “Through the Lens of Time”: and shows us exactly what’s been happening in the months since.

Gamble — or the creature possessing Gamble’s eyeless corpse — has now installed itself as the living god of the people of Skygowan: and has taken over one of the planet’s temples.

There is an inter-dimensional portal there, than can take him directly to Vadia Nine, and allow him to free the rest of the imprisoned Vezda.

To do so, Gamble needs to go through the portal with Dr M’Benga.

And not be stopped by Captain Batel: who, it seems, is the re-incarnation of the Beholder, the warden of Vadia Nine, whose statue is stopping the Vezda from escaping.

It’s a beautifully told story.

Even though my one doubt about the story?

Is where — from about thirty-five minutes in — we see a repeat of Star Trek: The Next Generation’s “The Inner Light”.

“The Inner Light”, so you know, tells of an encounter between the USS Enterprise-D, and a mysterious artificial satellite: one that immediately possesses Captain Picard, and forces him to relive the live of a village black-smith, during the last days of the planet Kataan.

It allows Jean-Luc Picard to live a life he would otherwise never have lived: to know the joys of married, and family, life.

Years worth of lifetime, condensed into some forty-five of TV show: and mere minutes of time on the Enterprise-d

In a similar way?

This eleven minute montage shows us Marie using her new powers to show Christopher Pike the life she knew he would never, otherwise, have.

A lifetime … over the course of minutes.

I felt uncomfortable with it.

Partly … ?

Partly because the scenes were obviously built on earlier work: partly a repeat of earlier ideas.

But also because it was something of a gear-change.

Suddenly, the story goes from a tense thriller, to a slow drama: something I found almost too slow for my taste.

I found myself looking at my watch, wondering how much longer this section would be.

That said?

That said, there’s things I found counterbalanced the montage.

~≈🖖≈~

13th September, 2025.

Part Three: Other Thoughts.

*Spoiler*

The boredom I felt at these scenes were balanced by two things.

Firstly?

The simple fact it was beautifully done: the lighting, the fact it seemed to have been done in just one set, the fact we had that oh so threatening knocking, implying Gamble is still a threat.

Yes: it was something I found slow … but was also simply, and elegantly, done.

The second thing that balanced the montage?

Were Anson Mount’s last scenes in the episode.

You’ve possibly realised the Captain Batel dies, in “New Life and New Civilizations”.

Well … 

She doesn’t die.

Instead … ?

She is turned into a statue: in order to keep the Vezda permanently imprisoned on Vadia Nine.

Permanently standing on Vadia Nine: no longer able to able to move, breath, or communicate with anyone, her only purpose is to keep the Vezda trapped.

She is — in all but name — dead.

The boredom I felt at those scenes were balanced by Anson Mount’s performance as Pike, after he sees the death of the woman he loved.

From the minute he responds to Number One’s question, to Una’s (Rebecca Romijn’s) “Wanna talk?”, with a restrained “Maybe soon … but not yet” … ?

From the minute he walks on to the bridge, with a look on his face, that tells us — and the crew — exactly how he feels, how everything has changed for him … 

He shows us a man who is shocked, mourning and facing a lifetime of memories, at the merest sight of an apron, given as a gift.

And shows us the performance of a lifetime.

I think Anson Mount has given us a lesson on how to play a grieving king, yet still has to lead.

~≈🖖≈~

Part Four: Other Things.

There are other things in the mix, here.

Things that are trivial in comparison: but still worth mentioning.

The design work, for one.

Skygowan, the planet we see in the opening part of the episode, has a set of floating temples: ones that resembled elongated octahedrons, elongated eight-sided dice.

Those temples also reminded me of the Leviathan, in the Hellraiser franchise, even down to the brown and gold colour scheme.

The character of Gamble, possessed by a Vezda and posing as a god?

Was wearing an elaborate mask.

That looked … like I don’t know what: but it puts me in mind of the skulls of wildebeest, the ones you see whenever a film’s trying show you drought-hit plains.

It was both threatening … and gorgeous!

As other points?

The inter dimensional route that connects Vadia Nine to the temple in Skygowan is one of many such routes: routes that immediately get dubbed ‘leylines’ by Scotty (Martin Quinn).

Just in case you didn’t know?   Ley lines are lines of mystical energy that connect one holy site to another.

Not that I believe in the real world versions: but using the name for a fictional dimensional corridor seems to be a good use for the term.

Then there’s the cold opening to this week’s episode: that shows us Montgomery Scott, turning up at this first Captain’s table: in full formal dress.

Of course, the one thing that caught my eyes … was the few seconds where Commander Pelia (Carol Kane) tells us to “Remind me to tell you about the time I spent with a time travelling doctor.”

Quite who she was talking about, there, I don’t know … 

~≈🖖≈~

Part Five: Just to go sideways.

OK, OK … 

Pelia’s comment sounded awfully like a reference to Dr Who.

Which — much like the brief appearance of the TARDIS in “The Sehlat Who Ate Its Tail” — was much appreciated: at least, by me.

I’ve been watching Dr Who for years, so seeing a mention of it in Star Trek is nice.

And, for a fan who’s reviewed both shows, including the recent, Ncuti Gatwa-led episodes?

It’s gives me an excuse to mention Dr Who, in the middle of a Star Trek review.

Seeing Ncuti leave the show is sad.

I felt his story had unfinished plot threads, plot threads that now seem unlikely to be resolved.

Especially given that there’s been no announcement of a third series of the main show.

We don’t even have an air date for The War Between Land and Sea, the UNIT themed spin-off show: beyond being told it will air in 2026.

I can’t help but think the Disney deal that funded the Ncuiti Gatwa/Russell T. Davies era was badly done.

I feel — with hindsight — the Disney deal should have funded three seasons of Dr Who, then included spin-offs in the renewal negotiations.

We should have got three series of a Ncuti-led series, and a completed story arc: rather than the two seasons, a spin-off, and the incomplete story we’ve actually wound up with.

~≈🖖≈~

Part Six: Back on Course.

With all that said, Dr Who is a side issue: especially in a review of an episode of Star Trek.

And I can tell what you’re going to ask, next: “Paul”, you’re going to ask, “Paul … ”

“What did you may of ‘New Life and New Civilizations’?”

I have to admit: yes, there are parts I didn’t enjoy.

The ‘Inner Light’ section of the episode was something that bored me, something I felt could have gone faster.

That’s not to say it was bad.

Far from it: cast, writers and crew, have made another great episode.

I just found one section that wasn’t to my taste.

That aside?

“New Life and New Civilizations” worked well and shows us Pike as a tragic figure: a testament both to the episode’s writers, and Anson Mount’s capabilities as an actor.

Pike is mourning the loss of his lover: a fact which will no doubt affect the show’s next two series, and his on-going arc.

Given that … ?

Given the strength of “New Life and New Civilizations”, and series three?

I’m looking forward to see seeing season four.

~≈🖖≈~

Part Seven: Finally.

That, I think, is where I’m going to leave things.

I can only say a few things, in conclusion.

First?

What am I going to be reviewing, next: now this third season of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, is over?

Your guess is as good as mine.

I’m am expecting to watch — and review — the fifth season of Stranger Things, when that airs near the end of this year.

I’m also planning to do the same for For All Mankind: but don’t have an airdate for it, as yet.

I’ll probably see the trailer for it, when Apple broadcasts it, through my Apple TV 4K.

All I can positively say about it … ?   Is that Apple have ‘declined to comment … !’

Hopefully?   I’ll be watching The War Between Land and Sea, when that airs in 2026.

And, at some point between now and then … ?

I’ll probably try and catch a movie.

Superman, maybe: or 28 Years Later.

We’ll have to see, won’t we?

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Finally?

I can only hope you’ve enjoyed the episode, my review of it, and want to see more.

Come back soon: and hit subscribe!

“New Life and New Civilizations”

★★★☆

Series Ratings.

Episode 1 “Hegemony, Pt 2”        ★★★★

Episode 2 “Wedding Bell Blues”        ★★★★⁺

Episode 3 “Shuttle to Kenfori”        ★★★★

Episode 4 “A Space Adventure Hour”        ★★☆☆

Episode 5 “Through the Lens of Time”        ★★★★

Episode 6 “The Sehlat Who Ate Its Tail”        ★★★★

Episode 7 “What Is Starfleet?”        ★★★★

Episode 8 “Four-and-a-Half Vulcans”        ★★★★

Episode 9 “Terrarium”        ★★★☆

Episode 10 “New Life and New Civilizations”        ★★★☆