You haven't heard K-pop until you've heard it in it's original Klingon.

During the denouement, Uhura mentions that Spock was handling the diplomacy with the Klingons, and in comes Spock kinda stumbling as if he was hung over. Fantastic joke and a great callback.

For me the highlight of the episode is when the Klingon captain struggled to hold back singing 😂 then just killed it with back up dancers 😂

Seeing George Kirk bopping his head to the Klingon-Pop was my moment. It’s just so wonderfully goofy.

I love how Kirk was like "I thought you guys were pulling a prank, but then I started singing, and now I don't know what the hell is happening." He said that as if the entire crew secretly practicing and pulling a prank on the Captain is normal 😂😂

Everyone singing that they'll miss singing and Spok saying "I will not miss singing".

The improbability field opening up alternate realities reminded me of the infinite improbability drive of Hitchhikers guide to the galaxy. A cool parallel!

The Kilingon K-pop was absolutely hilarious - the only thing that made it better, that no one has talked about is how Sam (Kirk) was really into it!

You missed the tiny bit where La'an she wants to get things over before they start singing 17th century sea shanties. LOVED IT

Anyone else notice Sam Kirk surprised at how catchy the Kling-Pop was?

I love La’an’s character development so far. Her solo was heartbreaking and I just want her to be happy but glad she’s progressing for the better.

I like the fact that they utilized the same harmonic tune of both Nurse Chapel's and Spock's songs. It shows two different aspects and the same tune to show the thorn between the two.

I really like that they did the scene between La’an and Kirk as an actual conversation and not a musical number, it really highlighted the somber nature of what La’an was feeling how important it was to her that she was able to express those emotions to Kirk on her own terms

It makes sense that all of the songs would be of similar "Broadway" style since the song they beamed into the anomaly was "Anything Goes". The Subspace Fold was just giving back the same energy it took in.

April being their consistent point of contact makes MUCH more sense than the Admiral-of-the-Week routine.

I personally loved the bit in engineering where everyone sings how they will miss the singing, but Spock breaks ranks with how relieved he will be not to.

"I'm the X" is going to become THE breakup song for geeks, and I am HERE FOR IT!

The synchronised ships dancing was awesome and hilarious

I haven't laughed so much & hard in years, I loved this episode & the final song with the Klingons had me on the floor.

I'm a bit surprised that Sean didn't call out the other direct reference to "Once More With Feeling". In the ready room, when they're discussing their first failure to close rift and figure out what's going on and Uhura chimes in with "I have a theory…" I couldn't help myself; I had to answer "that it's a demon!"

I died laughing at the Klingon song. I was expecting a sea shanty or a power metal ballad but the boy band/Klin-pop was a pitch perfect expectation subversion.

I love the comedy Pike brings. From having to deal with a sticky door when Spock is having an awkward meeting with inlaws to him suggesting they blow this anomaly up. Spock responding that it's a good plan, Pike's response of, "Really?!" is perfection.

As someone who is not generally a fan of musicals, mostly because of how absurd it is to suddenly burst into song, I really appreciated how they treated the absurdity of breaking into song and made it meta. Also, I like how they behaved when they heard the music start (that look upwards). Reminded me of the _Monty Python and the Holy Grail_ bit where the son wanted to keep bursting into song, the music starts, Michael Palin's character hears the music, and shuts the whole number down 😂

Only now, after I listened again the soundtrack of this episode, I noticed that "I'm ready" and "I'm the X" are sort of mirroring songs. They even have very similar opening lyrics. Nicely done, nicely done.

They gave Batel a first name, she made plans for the future with Pike before going on a priority mission. She’s dead meat. I haven’t been this worried about a character since Airiam got a bunch of backstory.

It totally puts Spock’s behaviour towards Chappel in TOS into a new perspective. Especially when he says, “I won’t make that mistake again.“ In TOS she clearly pines after him and there’s that one episode where she’s like, Spock, please, and Spock is like I’m sorry I can’t. That TOS scene totally takes on a new level.

I loved this episode. You know this was a good one, when the cast looks like they are having a ton of fun on it. It's like fairy tale one.

I loved when Kirk praised Spock’s scientific explanation and said he *almost* understood it. That was a very TOS-like Kirk at that moment. I can picture Shatner and Nimoy having that exchange

I love Pike's reaction shots this whole scene - especially since he seems like he's entirely willing to believe the entire crew is just messing with him until La'an starts singing - because La'an Noonien-Singh would not be participating in a flash mob to mess with the Captain. Everyone else, maybe, but not her.

I know that Uhura was supposed to be a really good singer, but daymn I'm blown away with Spock. He can really sing those tunes and he's one that actually stands out, as well as La'an.

I'm so happy! I've been waiting for this episode for decades, ever since I read the musical TOS novel, 'How Much For Just The Planet'. I absolutely love how - just as La'an suggests - we learn so much more about the crew over the course of their songs. I was expecting the Klingons to treat us to some opera, so when we got that Kling-Pop I very nearly fell out of my chair laughing.

I LOVED THIS!!! And didn't think I would! The Klingon scene was HILARIOUS 😆 I loved that! My favorite song was Ahura's Alone song. It spoke so much to me in my life. I can't think of one song to put into the fold - anything by Mozart seems fitting. And I have to say that you guys can SING!! 😂🎉

Sam Kirk’s little head bob during the Klingon K-Pop is now in my top 5 all time great Star Trek moments!

The Klingons killt me. I just couldn’t stop laughing 😂😂 for me the best moment in this episode 😅

Bloom of Uhura's character as brilliant and important is a fitting tribute to Nichelle Nichols, and what she did in connecting people to the space program.

Something I really liked in this episode was Uhura becoming more confident in comms. At the start she is expertly handling what looks like dozens of communications simultaneously, and at the end she gives that great "you fly safe!" message to the other ship

Loved the episode. "I'm the Ex" is actually a reprise of "I'm Ready," which makes sense in the context as it is Spock's response to the Chapel celebration. Essentially the same tune, different key, different mood. Best song of the episode.

I think some people missed the line "Cuts like a knife" panning on M'Benga when Una is singing the "secrets" song. This is a direct reference to the previous episode where M'Benga uses a knife to slash the Klingon's throat, and the secret that he is keeping about being the Butcher of J'Gal.

I have a friend who is not a Trekkie, but has been watching and enjoying SNW. She hates spoilers and refuses to watch scenes from the next episode. She knew I was excited about this episode but wouldn't let me tell her why. I watched it at 2 am when it was available to me. She watched the next day. The best part of this episode for me will always be her reaction when Spock starts singing!!

Your observation about April being one of the few Admirals we see, it is because April is Pike's CO and his superior in the chain of command and all that. April will be the fleet Admiral.

The improbability field reminded me of the Improbability Drive in Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy

I laughed at the Klingon boy band. Beautifully done. Starting off as tough Klingons with a deep voice, then going into the pop. Hilarious! Then Pike's reaction.

The other thing about Once More With Feeling was how it accelerated so many story lines. This episode was great in doing this too, and making it a part of the story as a security risk.

You two did a wonderful job in the first 30 seconds (about) singing. It was really cute. I really enjoyed this podcast very much.

One extra sneaky easter egg. When discussing the improbability field, poofing into bunnies shouts out both Buffy and the Hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy- where an improbability field poofs characters into alternative forms like sofas and knitted versions of themselves.

At this point I have to admit that these "Ups & Downs" episodes are part of my enjoyment of the series. I found TrekCulture in the last half of Picard. Sean's energy and style is absolutely fantastic for this kind of show. I'm old enough that I saw the TOS when it was new. This channel is an excellent enhancement to enjoying Trek.

I'll be honest, when I saw the trailers that this was going to be a musical, I was like "Big Sigh, not a fan of musicals." . . . But . . . This production team, this cast, if there was ever a group that could pull it off, this was it. They delivered! Went from something I didn't want to watch, to something I have watched multiple times already! I didn't think they could top the BD crossover, this does or comes awful close. Love it! (Oh, ya, and also I should have know TrekCulture would pull it off as well. Sean and Ellie's intro put a smile on my face as well. 😉)

I thought two other thing deserved ups: First off, there was a little moment in the opening act when nobody knew what was going on and Ortegas and the other helm officer were doing the same movements on the controls in a synchronized way and they obviously didn't understand it, and then seemed to try to avoid it but then just got annoyed and went with it. The second one was a small cue in the grand finale when Spock saw they were only a couple of points away from the breaking barrier and ran to the front to join in to try to help them over the top. He was obviously in some distress from the situation with Christine and he really didn't like the singing, but he's a team player and joined in to help when it was needed. I also think that brief Bohemian Rhapsody cue should have gotten an up. Maybe Kirk's little ribbing at Spock too.

I’m assuming Chappel’s behaviour is partly explained by Boimler telling her that Spock needs to be Spock and not emotion-feeling Spock.

Concerning Chapel, viewers forget season1 Chapel, she was horrible about dumping lovers (boy or girl) and only liked casual temporary relationships. The fellowship gives her the excuse to dump Spock, so she reverted back to her old self.

One item I think you may have missed for Cetacean Ops is that General Garkog was wearing the same woven sash with frills that the Kang and Kor wore in TOS and that Worf wore during S1 of TNG.

The Klingon Pop scene had me laughing so hard, I had tears rolling down my face! Spock's solo "I'm the Ex" was SO good. The octave leaps were spectacular. The one UP you missed was the hung over Spock stumbling out of the turbolift at the end. If you blinked, you missed it, but it was SO good!

My husband STRONGLY dislikes musicals as a rule, but even he enjoyed this one. He even preferred it to last season's The Elysium Kingdom. We both cracked WAY up at the Klingon K pop, and I could listen to Ethan Peck sing all day!

OK, no one has mentioned that TOS Uhura actually sings, too! While strumming an autoharp-like instrument. Nichols had a lovely, sweet voice! So it’s great to have a SNW Uhura singing!

The original theme for the cage was a melody sung by Loulie Jean Norman. So having the intro for this weeks episode could be considered an easter egg.

I was skeptical but after seeing the episode, I loved it. You have to realize that these are very talented actors and this platform shows their many and it told a story, like a musical. Cheers to the writers and directors for this. It was very refreshing !

One of my favorite bits about the whole 'we know we're in a musical' thing is acknowledging the random music that comes out of nowhere to start up a song and looking around in confusion.

Star Trek strange New World has been killing it recently. A whole new level of entertainment.

I noticed that Spock saw that the volume needed to be raised by 4 more points, so he ran to join his voice to the group singing at the view screen.

Bravo to TrekCulture for starting off in music for this edition of Ups and Downs. Much RESPECT. Also, you both have lovely voices, who'd have known? For this episode, was expecting some covers of classic Star Trek 80's-90's Rock (Magic Carpet Ride??) but No! They wrote 9 original songs. Good for them!

No Up for Spock’s “I won’t miss singing” while everyone else was saying, “I’ll miss the singing”? When I heard that, I immediately thought, “oh, that’ll get an Up.” 😊

One additional point regarding Celia Rose Gooding (Uhura). The character Uhura lost her parents in a tragedy, and I recently learned that Celia's real-life father was lost in the 9/11 World Trade Center attack. I can't help feeling like she is able to truly translate her real-life emotions into her performance on this show. This actress is SO GOOD, and this musical gave us all an opportunity to enjoy her brilliant vocal and acting talents. Truly one of my FAVORITE characters on this amazing Star Trek iteration. I am SO GLAD I didn't give up on Paramount after Discovery's horrible Season 3!

A few comments. Love how Uhura is having the time of her life all through this episode - Wish Nichelle Nichols was still around to see her song. Spock monitoring the levels during the start of the finale when he joins in the song. See the value spiking and at the end does the same. Jumps in just to provide the final 4 points :) Anything goes - the song that triggers the first wave - outburst comes on the line 'Anything goes' - Majestic.

Absolutely loved this episode. Was super excited for it, and loved it more than I thought I would. Watching the new episodes and then watching these videos has become a weekly ritual of mine. Thanks for the great videos TrekCulture!

Great episode, Sean! Surprised you didn't mention that this is essentially, the SNW version of "The Naked Time" and the "Naked Now" where an external stimulus forces the crew to express their otherwise hidden, innermost emotions. Tackling this theme musically was a stroke of brilliance which elevates the idea to new heights, and is a feather in the cap of the entire SNW team.

La'an is becoming not just my favorite Star Trek SNW character, but my all time favorite Star Trek character.

Other posters have mentioned the lack of an up for when Spock sang "I won't miss the singing" while everyone else sang "I will miss the singing". The bit I liked that didn't get an up but deserved one is near the beginning of Una's song with Kirk and she does a 'ha ha'. Great little piece worked into a silly song. So well done. I also like when Ortega starts to sing and Pike practically jumps out of the captains chair and steps beside it. Lot's of good moments. I have to admit, I liked "All Systems Stable" the most, but Spock's song and Chaple's song are really good too. I thought the choreography in Chaple's song in the bar was a bit weird when several crewmen lift her up and then just hold her there...kinda of odd, especially in the long shot.

I've been a Trekkie for 45 years and I believe season 2 of Strange New Worlds is some of the best Trek I've ever seen. I've come to love this crew as much of any of the Trek crews....maybe even more!

Keep Us Connected makes me cry nearly every time I listen to it. To go from grief to grief to self-realization is so powerful.

This show just keeps getting better… you don’t need to apologize for it being a musical episode it works!

Let's put it this way. My wife is not a Trekkie and she has been watching SNW with me and she about died when she saw the singing and dancing Klingons. She loved it. This is by far my favorite Star Trek Series even above the Next Generation. It's the perfect mix of serious and fun. Please don't screw it up!

I first thought oh dear how cheesy, then Ethan, Rebecca, Christina and Celia Rose started singing, and just wow, their voices are amazing, omg 😲 👌👌👏👏. Singing and dancing Klingons I can't get enough of 😂. Anson's facial expressions are just superb 👌😅. Then we got a singing Sean and all was right with the world. So yep, brilliant brilliant episode 👌🥰🥰🥰

I loved the nod to Buffy's "Once More With Feeling" when La'An asks if they are all going to turn into bunnies, which references Anya's metal rock "Bunnies!". The Klingons doing a choreographed Jacksons rip-off was the laugh out loud moment for me.

Did anyone notice the scene where La'an tells Kirk the secret and opens her heart that was all one scene. It didn't appear to be cut. I watched it twice and she did that one scene in one cut. I think Christina even slightly messes up but corrects it quickly and the fact they left it in. Respect from me. Christina nailed it.

I loved this episode. Just another fun, lighthearted episode. When the Klingon's talked about their "dishonor" my buddy and I were like, but they have Klingon opera, why would singing be a dishonor. Then when they showed them doing the Kling-Pop we both said, "Oh! THERE'S their dishonor."

I went back and rewatched the Keeping Secrets number, and my opinion of it has grown. It hit thematically on all the characters this season who have been hiding things from each other (M'Benga's war past, Chapel and Spock, Pike being unable to really open up Capt. Batel, and of course Una with her past.) It may not have been a total banger like some of the other songs, but I think it was more than a "Go for a cup of tea" moment. Also, I love any chance this show gives us to see that whole big sister/little sister relationship that Una has with La'An.

I love how important Uhura has been this season.. so many episodes she's been a focal point (even if not the main focal point) .. I feel it has been a callback to how important a role Nichelle Nichols played not just as a character in TOS but as a woman of colour during that time period.

I have a feeling why Ortegas isn't getting a central episode yet is because of the actress is likely not ready for it because she's still grieving the loss of her partner and it took lots of effort for her to stay on track just for this season. Maybe next season, with the likelihood that perhaps Chapel is away for the season, she'll get center stage.

Uhura humming the melody in the end could have been a shoutout to the Scrubs musical episode which closes with one character humming whistfully as they are gonna miss the songs

Re: James Kirk / La'an: A big up to the writers and actors for those times (and not just in this episode) of how Kirk's self-confidence leads him into *starting* to step over other characters, but he quickly realizes what he's doing and hands back the lead to the other person. It's a good piece of character development that shows that trademark Kirk boldness is NOT out of arrogance. And if that's considered a departure from "classic Kirk" it's one I welcome.

I wish we had gotten a glimpse of a random, unnamed background character singing about their own personal issues. (Re: "They got the mustard out!")

opening was so perfect, made me cry with delight, thank you

RE: The K't'inga, at a cursory glance it looks to be the exact same CG model as was used for the D7 in 'The Broken Circle', which makes me think that they're deliberately or accidentally retconning the K't'inga and the D7 to be different names for the same class of ship. It's possible the writers assumed they were the same class of ship, perhaps because of cases like Voyager encountering a 'D7' that was using the K't'inga CG model; or they knew that the two classes were similar but different and the effects team didn't want to go making a whole new Klingon ship for this little scene; or they saw prior inconsistencies like the Voyager example and decided to 'solve' them. Of course, since K't'ingas are seen in DS9, all the way out to the 2370s, that means that the K't'ingas have now been in service with the KDF for _about 150 years_ which does rather beat out the impressive standard set by even the Miranda-class!

For over 50 years, I have managed to suspend disbelief when watching Star Trek - until now 😄 A+ on the execution, even with some heavy stuff like Christine/Spock or La’an/Kirk

I absolutely cried both times I watched this and Pike said "THE VOICE OF THE ENTERPRISE" I'm so glad it hit you too. So much power, historical, the history with Nichelle all of it. Legacy done right.

Keep Us Connected legitimately made me cry, as someone who has struggled with emotional control for years and is now training to be a counsellor. Celia's performance, the orchestration, and the idea of communication and community being how to get through a challenge all work together so well. This being followed by Pike effectively being Uhura's hype man made me need a break before the finale. And then we have the Klingon bit to make me cry for a very different reason!

Uhurah being the "voice of the Enterprise," gave me an image from, The Wrath of Khan, when we see an exterior of the Enterprise approaching the state Station at Regula 1, with Nichelle Nichols' voice-over, "Space Station Regula 1, this is the Starship Enterprise, please acknowledge." For some reason, it gave me chills.

Every single detail is just there, this episode was awesome and for sure one of the best ever!!!!!! (I am 50 now and have been watching Trek as a religion since I was 7 years old)

The full a-cappella version of the opening credit theme song was beautiful. That was an up for me.

Aw thanks for the shout out mate! Modesty compels me to acknowledge that I did not invent or name the concept of an "I Want" song, that was Howard Ashman.

This episode just made me so damn happy. The K(lingon)-pop was pure generous. The Lower Decks episode was hilarious but this one just made me smile.

K pop singing klingons and Pikes bewildered look has got to be one funniest things I've seen this franchise do. Hands down one of the best episodes in the entire history of Star Trek.

I'm surprised by all the people hating the Kling-Pop. I literally LOLed. It was just so absurd, and there's nothing wrong with that. Anyone taking a musical episode seriously is missing something!

I just love that they finally seem to be having fun making Star Trek again. This season has not only been the best season of ST in nearly 30 years, I'd put it up against some of the best TV in general. It's up there with Seasons 2 and 3 of Community in my book. If they do a claymation episode next season, I'll figuratively, and maybe literally, crap my pants.

I love that when everyone is singing how much they’ll miss it, Spock breaks the pattern by saying he won’t miss it

Up for the Klingons trying to resist breaking out into song too. Also, give an up to the vocal coaches who took actors who do not usually sing and made them sing.

Missed a big one. After Uhura said the ear worm line she was communicating with another starship. At the end of the communication a voice said "Acknowledge Enterprise" The voice was an old recording of Majel Barrett, Nurse Chapel in TOS

The mention of Gilbert and Sullivan could also be a reference to the TNG episode "Disaster" because in that episode Dr. Crusher is trying to cast a production of The Pirates of Penzance and convinces Geordi to sing "I Am the Very Model of a Modern Major-General."

It's lovely to see such a positive review for such a wonderful episode. I left this episode feeling so uplifted. More shows should try to do that these days.

The Klingon dance scene is the best quick joke from any Star Trek show (outside of Lower Decks) in decades.