 |
Joe Morton & Paul Wesley |
The latest episode of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, “Orders of Magnitude,” is a tense and compelling installment that demonstrates why the Star Trek franchise has remained so enduring after six decades. This season, Strange New Worlds has leaned heavily into episodes that explore different genres and thematic tones, such as horror, comedy and even a soap opera style outing. While some of these stories have been fun (I really enjoyed "The Griffin Incident," the horror themed tale), these types of shows are usually spread out across a full season of Strange New Worlds, with several more traditional styled science-fiction entries airing in between.
“Orders of Magnitude,” takes a more traditional approach, presenting a serious moral dilemma involving the responsibilities of command and the dangers of unquestioning obedience. The story also sheds some light on the complicated legacy of James T. Kirk's family. The result is an episode that plays very much like classic Trek, providing an opportunity for Paul Wesley to add some deeper shadings to his portrayal of Kirk, as the character continues to evolve into the legendary captain we all know from the original series.
As “Orders of Magnitude” opens, Captain Pike, Number One, Uhura, Chapel, and Cadet A'Sha are investigating a mysterious distress signal on a distant planet. A shuttle arrives on the Enterprise, carrying a celebrated Starfleet Admiral. Simon Reeger is a legendary officer and war hero. His sterling reputation impresses the crew, particularly La'an, played by Christina Chong, who greatly admires him. Kirk is also aboard the Enterprise, having stopped by for a visit. When Reeger suddenly takes command of the ship, citing a battle related emergency, Kirk unexpectedly finds himself serving as his first officer.
What begins as a tracking mission quickly takes a dark turn when Reeger becomes obsessed with pursuing a vessel responsible for a devastating attack. The enemy ship disappears on the surface of a populated world, and Reeger makes the shocking decision to invoke General Order 24. This means the Enterprise will have to fire on and decimate the surface of the planet, killing thousands of innocent people. Kirk soon recognizes that something is wrong with Reeger, and finds himself in the difficult position of having to challenge a superior officer whose reputation and authority are well renowned.
Kirk investigates Reeger's past and discovers that his pursuit of the enemy is motivated by personal grief and a desire for revenge. At the same time, Kirk uncovers some surprising information about his own father, George, and the events which shaped his career in Starfleet. He uncovers a startling truth about Reeger, the man who apparently played a significant role in their father's Starfleet career. This gives the episode a deeper emotional dimension, as James and his brother Sam are forced to reconsider what they thought they knew about their father.
What makes “Orders of Magnitude” work so well is the central conflict between Kirk and Reeger. Their debate raises the kind of ethical questions which are at the heart of the best episodes of Star Trek. In this case, is following orders enough when those orders are morally wrong? Reeger believes his actions are justified by the lives that were lost in the original attack, and he views the situation in terms of military necessity. Kirk refuses to accept that innocent lives can be reduced to a simple number in an equation. He realizes that being a Starfleet officer sometimes means having the courage to challenge the people above you, and question an order that seems substantially wrong.
Paul Wesley continues to give a solid performance as Kirk on the series, and “Orders of Magnitude” provides him with one of his best opportunities thus far to demonstrate the qualities that will eventually make him such an iconic character. This version of Kirk isn't automatically the smartest or most experienced person in the room, but he does possess an innate sense of right and wrong that ultimately leads him to make the difficult decision to challenge Reeger. “Orders of Magnitude” also features strong work from Babs Olusanmokun as Dr. M'Benga, who provides Kirk with some intel on Reeger.
The other standout performance comes from Joe Morton as Reeger. Morton, who has been so memorable in everything from Terminator 2: Judgment Day to Eureka, brings a real sense of authority and menace to the character, effectively displaying Reeger's emotional instability as the episode progresses. He's not a stereotypical villain, but a damaged man whose grief and anger have distorted his judgment. In the B story of the episode, featuring Captain Pike and the landing party, Celia Rose Gooding gets a real opportunity to shine as Uhura, whose cleverness and action hero moves during the away mission provide some of the story's most exciting moments.
“Orders of Magnitude” is notable because it doesn't rely on the genre experiments and wild tonal shifts that have become a trademark on Strange New Worlds. After several unconventional installments, it's refreshing to see the series focus on the characters and ideas that have always made Star Trek special. This episode is a straightforward tale in the classic mode. The story also contains several Easter eggs for longtime fans. Strange New Worlds once again demonstrates why it has become one of the strongest modern entries in the franchise. “Orders of Magnitude” is a tense, thought-provoking, and well-acted episode. As the show continues moving closer to the era of classic Star Trek, here's hoping the series continues to present excellent stories like this one.
