Stardate 2398.3: Investigating a subspace fold with unusual properties, the Enterprise is once again visited by Lt. Commander James Kirk of the Farragut, whose presence has La’An noticeably on edge. Hypothesizing that the subspace fold could be used to speed up long-range communications, Spock and Uhura have been trying to send signals through it to no avail. Commander Pelia suggests transmitting music into the fold, and the effect is immediate and unpredictable, causing members of the crew to burst into song in moments of extreme emotion. Even Spock is not immune, particularly after learning that Nurse Chapel has successfully applied for a three-month fellowship to study under Dr. Roger Korby. Worse still, the effect is spreading throughout existing subspace communications networks, affecting others across the galaxy in the same way. The Klingons, despite being accustomed to singing songs of their deeds in battle, are less than amused, and a major diplomatic breakdown looms unless Captain Pike and his crew come up with a show-stopping grand finale.
written by Dana Horgan & Bill Wolkoff
directed by Dermott Downs / choreography by Roberto Campanella
original songs by Tom Polce and Kay Hanley / additional lyrics by Dana Horgan & Bill Wolkoff
music by Nami Melumad
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds main theme by Jeff Russo
Cast: Anson Mount (Captain Christopher Pike), Ethan Peck (Lt. Spock), Jess Bush (Nurse Christine Chapel), Christina Chong (Lt. La’An Noonien Singh), Celia Rose Gooding (Ensign Uhura), Melissa Navia (Lt. Erica Ortegas), Babs Olusanmokun (Dr. M’Benga), Rebecca Romijn (Commander Una Chin-Riley), Paul Wesley (Kirk), Melanie Scrofano (Captain Batel), Dan Jeannotte (Lt. Sam Kirk), Bruce Horak (General Garkog), Carol Kane (Commander Pelia), Rong Fu (Jenna Mitchell)
Notes: With a history that stretches from dancing, singing Murf, to Kira singing “Fever” while Odo plays piano, to musically inclined space hippies, to Uhura serenading Charlie Evans in one of the original series’ earliest episodes, there’s never been a shortage of musical moments in Star Trek, but Subspace Rhapsody marks the first attempt to elevate that concept to a full-fledged stage-style musical sustaining across a full episode. It helps that almost the entire cast is musically inclined as well, and a soundtrack release followed almost immediately. Kirk’s mention to La’An that he has a steady – and pregnant – girlfriend is almost certainly a reference to Carol Marcus (Star Trek II, 1982). Bruce Horak – who starred in season one as Hemmer – makes his second comeback of the season, this time in Klingon guise.
LogBook entry by Earl Green