60 Years Later, Strange New Worlds Embraces Enterprise’s Legacy Better Than Other Star Trek Shows

Published Aug 25, 2026, 10:00 PM EDT John Orquiola is a New & Classic TV Editor, Senior Writer, and Interviewer with a special focus on Star Trek. John has over 5,000 published articles at SR, and he has interviewed the biggest names in Star Trek on the red carpet and VIP events, among other beloved shows, movies, and franchises. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is a prequel, but it embraces the USS Enterprise's legacy better than other Star Trek series. Of course, Strange New Worlds takes place in the years before Star Trek: The Original Series, and its planned ending in season 5 will sync with the beginning of Captain James T. Kirk's (Paul Wesley) voyages leading the Starship Enterprise. In Star Trek's canonical Prime timeline, the Constitution-class USS Enterprise NCC-1701 launched in 2245 under the command of Captain Robert April (Adrian Holmes), with Commander Christopher Pike (Anson Mount) as his First Officer, and Una Chin-Riley (Rebecca Romijn) as part of their crew. Following April's five-year mission, he accepted a promotion to Admiral and Pike became Captain of the Enterprise. The USS Enterprise NCC-1701 was the hero starship of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, Star Trek: The Original Series, and six movies set in two different timelines. Star Trek: Enterprise's NX-01 was a different starship in the 22nd century, but the first named Enterprise. Star Trek: The Next Generation's hero ship was the USS Enterprise-D, which Enterprise-E replaced in three feature films. With all that history, however, which also includes several other successor Enterprises, including Star Trek: Picard season 3's USS Enterprise-G, only Star Trek: Strange New Worlds plays into a particular aspect of the original USS Enterprise's legacy. Strange New Worlds Is The Only Star Trek Show Where A Former Enterprise Captain Mentors The Current Captain Image credit: Paramount+ The USS Enterprise is already a legacy ship that has been in service for over 20 years as of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 4. Captain Pike is the only Captain of the Enterprise in a Star Trek TV series whose immediate commanding officer, Admiral April, is also a former Enterprise Captain. Plus, Pike served directly under April before command of the Enterprise passed to him. In Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, Pike benefits from and can rely on the experience and wisdom of Admiral April. After all, Robert literally sat in the same chair. This is a unique dynamic in a Star Trek TV show. Captain Kirk (William Shatner) did not answer to Fleet Captain Pike (Sean Kenney) in Star Trek: The Original Series, although Strange New Worlds has retconned Kirk and Pike's history so that James learns directly from Chris. April and Pike's relationship in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds was preceded by Star Trek (2009)'s dynamic between James T. Kirk (Chris Pine) and Captain Pike (Bruce Greenwood). Pike was a father-figure to Kirk, and the reason why Jim joined Starfleet. Kirk relieved the injured Pike as Captain of the Enterprise, and he answered to Admiral Pike until Chris' death in Star Trek Into Darkness. By design, Star Trek: The Next Generation only occasionally referenced The Original Series. TNG was intent on establishing itself as its own show, and the USS Enterprise-D was a vastly different ship from Captain Kirk's. Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) was aware of Kirk, but didn't look to his predecessor for guidance. The divide between TOS and TNG is what made Kirk and Picard meeting in Star Trek Generations such a historic event. Enterprise Will Change Significantly When Kirk Becomes Captain Star Trek: Strange New Worlds has radically reworked the histories and personal dynamics of the legacy characters who will go on to Star Trek: The Original Series. While it's expected to undergo a refit, Captain Kirk will command the same USS Enterprise as Captain Pike, which was Captain April's before them. Captain Kirk doesn't get his marching orders from Admiral April or Fleet Captain Pike. However, going by what happens in Star Trek: The Original Series, Captain Kirk doesn't get his marching orders from Admiral April or Fleet Captain Pike. It isn't until season 1's two-parter, "The Menagerie," that TOS acknowledged Star Trek's original, rejected pilot, "The Cage," weaving the lone tale of Captain Pike (Jeffrey Hunter) into canon as the USS Enterprise's history before Kirk. Captain Kirk's style of command is vastly different from Pike's. Kirk forms an inner circle comprised of Mr. Spock (Leonard Nimoy) and Dr. Leonard McCoy (DeForest Kelley), eschewing the more collaborative 'family' Pike preferred with his senior staff. Yet the USS Enterprise's crew is loyal to Captain Kirk, top to bottom, though James' bold risk-taking is also unlike Pike's. Star Trek: The Animated Series introduced Captain April (voiced by James Doohan) and the legacy of the USS Enterprise before Pike and Kirk. However, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds fuses it all together to form a complete picture of the 23rd century legacy of the USS Enterprise NCC-1701. Later Enterprises may be bigger and more advanced, but their prestige comes from 1701's storied history. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 4 is streaming on Paramount+ Release Date 2022 - 2027-00-00 Network Paramount+ Showrunner Henry Alonso Myers, Akiva Goldsman Directors Dan Liu, Amanda Row, Maja Vrvilo, Akiva Goldsman, Dermott Downs, Eduardo Sánchez, Jeffrey W. Byrd, Jonathan Frakes, Jordan Canning, Leslie Hope, Valerie Weiss, Sydney Freeland, Christopher J. Byrne, Rachel Leiterman Writers Onitra Johnson Franchise(s) Star Trek Creator(s) Akiva Goldsman, Alex Kurtzman, Jenny Lumet