Star Trek’s Acclaimed Sci-Fi Series Is The Perfect Binge Before Season 4

Published Jul 22, 2026, 7:55 PM EDT Greg is a Lead TV Writer & Critic at Screen Rant with expertise in new streaming releases. He's published over 2800 articles at SR, including weekly recommendation guides and dozens of reviews on Rotten Tomatoes. He previously worked in Development at ABC Television & Lawrence Bender Productions. Greg majored in Film Production at Chapman University's Dodge College. Greg also has years of broadcast TV production experience at major networks such as NBC, TNT, and ESPN. He currently lives in Greater Boston. Star Trek's acclaimed sci-fi series on Paramount+ is the perfect show to binge-watch this week ahead of its highly anticipated season 4 premiere. Since the Star Trek prequel series originally released back in 2022, it has consistently been one of the most celebrated installments in the expansive space epic franchise, earning an impressive Rotten Tomatoes score of 95% and exciting longtime fans around the world. With its season 4 premiere on July 23, this Star Trek series hopes to extend its near-perfect run this week. The season 4 premiere of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is officially landing on Paramount+ this week, which makes it the perfect time to dive into or rewatch the critically acclaimed sci-fi prequel in between weekly episode drops from now through late September 2026. Set before the events of the 1966 original Star Trek series, Strange New Worlds also serves as a direct sequel to Star Trek: Discovery, another fan-favorite and popular prequel. If you love all things Star Trek, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is an absolute must-watch this week. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 4 Just Arrived On Paramount+ Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is one of the biggest new releases on any streaming platform this week, especially because its newly released fourth season just received a unanimously perfect 100% Rotten Tomatoes score. The Star Trek prequel series takes place roughly six years before the events of the original series and follows the crew of the USS Enterprise under Captain Christopher Pike, played by Anson Mount. The prequel series features several younger versions of iconic original series characters, such as Spock, Scotty, and James T. Kirk. Much like the original series, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds features a standalone episode per week format, which brings a nostalgic element to the modern Star Trek streaming universe. Since the prequel series features several OG series characters as their younger selves, it also serves as an origin story and coming-of-age tale for several, if not all, of them. One of the most interesting storylines is that of Captain Pike, who already knows his tragic fate and must navigate life as he knows it before it will inevitably change forever. It also examines a budding internal conflict within Spock, torn between his heritage and humanity. Critics are raving about Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 4 even before its first episode has been released on Paramount+. ScreenRant gave the new season 7/10 stars, noting, "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds returns for a penultimate season that's more episodic and endearingly chaotic than ever before." Pop Culture Leftovers writes, "Strange New Worlds may finally be embracing its greatest strength: telling compelling stories that are adventurous, visually spectacular, and, most importantly, fun… reminds you why Star Trek has endured for nearly sixty years." Binge All 3 Seasons Of Paramount's Star Trek Prequel Before Season 4 Image courtesy of Paramount+ Most Trekkies are likely well aware that Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 4 is premiering this week, but casual viewers who are on the fence about the sci-fi epic should check it out even if you're new to the franchise. While there is somewhat of a barrier to entry, as it is recommended that viewers watch Star Trek: Discovery as well as the first three seasons of Strange New Worlds, it's actually the perfect way to get into the franchise as a whole, since viewers can then get lost in the monumental original series, which spans 80 episodes over three long seasons. With Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 5 already confirmed and in development, now is such a great opportunity to begin watching the series, which is the highest-rated Star Trek prequel series of all time. Paramount+ is the exclusive home of Discovery, Strange New Worlds, and the original series, so subscribers will truly be making the most out of their monthly subscription by immersing themselves in the streamer's wealth of Star Trek content. Whether you're just getting into the franchise or have loved it for decades, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is one of the best new shows to watch this week.