Star Trek Strange New Worlds — Series 4 Episode 5 — “Level-Five Transporter Accident” — A Review

6th November, 2026: “A Case of Chiaoscuro”.

The Introduction.

Right … It’s official: I’m writing this on a Friday … !!

Yay!

Well, I say ‘Yay’ … !

I should say … … um … well, possibly anything but ‘Yay’!

It has been quiet, after all.

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At any rate … ?

It’s Friday.

And … ?

That means fish is slowly being cremated in the oven, potatoes will get turned into chips … 

And I’m mentally preparing myself for the next episode of Star Trek Strange New Worlds, for “Level-Five Transporter Accident”.

Which looks interestingly silly … !

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Part One.

The Summary.

Episode 5 — “Level-Five Transporter Accident” — opens with a summary: focusing on Scotty’s early days on the USS Enterprise, and Spock’s time on the USS Griffin.

Then shifts … to a long shot of the Enterprise: with Spock (Ethan Peck) filling in his personal log.

The Enterprise is on route to Vulcan, where Spock was planning to study logic: something he will have to wait for, as Starfleet has ordered the Enterprise to take it’s time.

The Rizonian-held space the ship is travelling through, is being threatened: by Orion pirates.

Whilst taking that slow route?

Spock tells us that Scotty (Martin Quinn) has something of an ambition: to improve the range of the ship’s transporters.

With help from his childhood puppet, Little Ricky.

What Mr Scott doesn’t expect … ?

Is the problems his experiment will cause … 

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7th November, 2026.

Part Two.

Thoughts … 

So … what did I make of “Level-Five Transporter Accident”?

Of an episode that seemed, initially to be played for laughs …?

I think I can see issues with, there.

The basic idea — a transporter accident that affects key, if not the entire, crew — is an old one.

The classics are “The Enemy Within”, where Captain Kirk is split into good and bad versions of himself: and “Mirror, Mirror”: where the transporter sends Kirk, Uhura, Bones and Scotty, to an alternative, and morally evil, version of ‘their’ universe … 

From what I recall of them?

Both were great stories: and “Mirror, Mirror”, with its creation of Star Trek’s Mirror universe, has left a legacy of its own.

My point, though … ?

Is that episodes that have transport malfunction at their heart are, if not common … ?

Then are certainly common enough.

Does “Level-Five Transporter Accident” use the trope well?

I think that’s where we get a problem … 

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Part Three.

The Problem.

I think it’s fair to say I have an issue with “Level-Five Transporter Accident”.

Let me get the up-sides out of the way, though.

The basic story — the crew turned into puppets, and helpless against boarding pirates — is sound.

And, despite the fact that “Level-Five Transporter Accident” is notionally a comedy?

It’s actually quite the opposite: the episode’s comedy is used to heighten the crew’s danger, rather than make light of them.

So the majority of what we see?

Is a competently done, well written, well acted, drama.

With one small problem, one that spoiled things for me.

The ending.

Spock, waking up in his quarters … to be told by the real T’Pring (Gia Sandhu), that the last few minutes have been a dream.

A dream.

I can’t remember the last time I heard “It’s only a dream”.

No, tell a lie: yes I can!

It was season nine of Dallas, where J. R. Ewing turns into a nice guy: which was revealed, in the opening episode of season ten, to have been a dream.

As I recall, there was something of a backlash: there were some interesting storylines being developed, which were, effectively, wasted.

As with that season of Dallas … so it is with “Level-Five Transporter Accident”.

We’ve had what could have been some interesting character points — Spock and T’Pring, reconciled, Ortegas and Scotty on edge — nullified in the space of seconds.

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Part Four.

What Else?

What else can I tell you?

Probably a lot.

Granted, I felt the ending spoilt the episode.

But that story, itself — a helpless crew trying to see off invaders — was very well done: very tense, but with humour leavening the drama.

Some of which caught my eye.

Puppet La’An’s occasional, dry-as-a-bone one-liners were funny.

Sarcasm from Puppet Pelia was even funnier than usual.

And was anyone else watching Puppet Number One trying to punch an Orion pirate … think of Miss Piggy?

Miss Piggy Karate Chop GIFfrom Miss Piggy GIFs

Anyone?

Just me, then.

At any rate, you’ll notice I mention the puppet versions of the characters?

Those puppets were very good: accurately representing the ‘real’ characters in a way that was entertaining to see and was a highlight of the episode.

There’s something else: which is possibly going to sound strange.

But the puppet characters hair was very impressive.

Puppet La’An and Puppet Erica caught Christina Chong and Melissa Navia’ hairlines perfectly.

Puppet Pike?   How do you improve on Anson Mount’s real hair?

I don’t know: but Puppet Pike’s hair makes a very good effort.

Dr M’Benga’s, and Uhura’s?   Was gorgeous!

Then there’s the crowning glory, Carol Kane, as Professor Pelia: actor and character have famously curly blonde hair.

And the folks who made Puppet Pelia?

Made her hair out of coiled telephone cord, the sort that connected the handset to the phone, and got made into fashion key chains, back in the 1980s.

It’s a stroke of genius, a stroke that made the Professor ever more memorable than she already is … and a stroke that turned her hair into a separate character.

It’s also something else.

It’s also nod to the expertise of the designers and puppeteers from Jim Henson’s Creature Shop.

They were the ones designing, building and operating the puppet version of the crew.

And, my Lord: that crew was gorgeous to watch.

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8th November, 2026.

Part Five.

Praise.

The puppetry is gorgeous.

But isn’t the only thing I wanted to praise, not by a long shot.

No.

The performances in this series of Star Trek Strange New Worlds are incredible: and, four seasons in, are showing a level of maturity, of growth, that few other Star Trek series can match.

With the possible exception of Star Trek: The Next Generation.

The same can be said for individual actors.

Rebecca Romijn stood out for me, in “A Case of Chiaroscuro”, for example, Melissa Navia and Martin Quinn in “Human Best Friend”, Babs Olusanmokun in practically every episode … 

But the stand-out performance in “Level-Five Transporter Accident”?

Has to go to Ethan Peck, as Spock.

The man practically carries both the Enterprise, and the episode!

And acted seriously spooked when confronted with the Little Ricky prop, at the end of the episode.

But, even given this?

“Level-Five Transporter Accident” is an episode I have issues with …

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Part Six.

Finally.

So … what did I make of this episode, of “Level-Five Transporter Accident”?

I’ll be honest, this is the first episode of this series I’d call disappointing.

Not because of the acting, nor the design work, nor the puppetry.

All are fantastic.

Peck, as Spock?   Was incredible, as were the supporting cast.

Something I felt strengthened the last scene between Real Spock and Puppet T’Pring.

But … ?

Granted all that, and granted the last scene told us a reconciliation Spock and Real T’Pring seemed on the cards … ?

Granted all that, I felt the ‘Only a Dream’ ending spoilt the episode for me.

It meant any character development, and any jeopardy the crew were in, were false, were unreal, and thus … had no value.

That’s a huge shame: “Level-Five Transporter Accident” is an otherwise great episode, ruined by an unsatisfying ending everything that’s gone before.

“Level-Five Transporter Accident”

★★☆☆

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Part Nine.

Last Words. 

That?

Is where I’m going to leave things: until this Friday.

I hope you’ve the episode: regardless of my feelings about “Level-Five Transporter Accident”.

Before I go, though, I’d like to ask a favour or two.

I’d like to ask you to subscribe to my YouTube channel.

Or put a few pence in my Tip Jar: it keeps a channel, and a blog, going.

Finally?

I’ll be watching the next episode of Star Trek Strange New Worlds — “Off-Hour” — on Friday, 13th November: and posting my written and video reviews of it by Tuesday, 17th November.

Hopefully?

I’ll see you then!