Why Star Trek: Strange New Worlds’ Puppet Episode Guest Stars Look So Familiar

Image credit: Paramount+ Published Aug 21, 2026, 8:30 AM 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. Sign in to your ScreenRant account Warning: SPOILERS for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 4, Episode 5 - "Level-Five Transporter Accident"Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' puppet episode enlists a pair of recognizable comic actors from Lucifer and Brooklyn Nine-Nine as surprise guest stars. Directed by Jordan Canning and written by Henry Alonso Myers and Dana Horgan, "Level-Five Transporter Accident" is a loving ode to The Muppets, with Jim Henson Creature Shop turning the USS Enterprise's crew into puppets. In Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 4, episode 5, Lieutenant Spock (Ethan Peck) finds himself as the only member of the Starship Enterprise's crew who isn't turned into a puppet. The beleaguered Vulcan Science Officer is tasked with controlling the Enterprise's systems by himself. Meanwhile, Orion pirates arrive with intentions of stealing the United Federation of Planets' flagship. "Level-Five Transporter" is an all-hands-on-deck Star Trek: Strange New Worlds 'big swing' event, with Carol Kane back as Commander Pelia, and featuring the return of Gia Sandhu as T'Pring. However, an Enterprise crewed by puppets needs memorable villains, and Strange New Worlds scored a guest star duo who were more than ready to play in perhaps Star Trek's wackiest episode. Rachael Harris Plays An Orion Pirate Captain In Star Trek: Strange New Worlds’ Puppet Episode Rachael Harris guest stars as Captain Ch'Rol of the Orion ship Vo'Nee in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' puppet episode. Harris might be best known for her role as Dr. Linda Martin in Lucifer. Linda found herself as the psychiatrist of the Devil himself, Lucifer Morningstar (Tom Ellis), and she had a roller-coaster story appearing in all six seasons of Lucifer on FOX and Netflix. "Level-Five Transporter Accident" is Rachael Harris' return to Star Trek. Harris previously played Martis in Star Trek: Voyager season 3's "Before and After." Martis was the Ocampan mother of Kes (Jennifer Lien). Nearly 30 years later, Harris rejoins the Star Trek universe as an Orion pirate captain. Harris' remarkable career includes memorable roles in movies like The Haunted Mansion, Evan Almighty, and Daddy Day Care. Along with Lucifer, Rachael played Shiela Sazs in Suits and Nora in Goosebumps, among dozens of TV guest-starring parts. Harris also played Melissa in The Hangover, another link to Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, which did a Hangover-inspired comedy episode in season 4. In Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' puppet episode, Captain Ch'Rol finds herself in a truly absurd situation, and Harris plays it perfectly. Capturing the USS Enterprise seemed like a simple proposition after the crew was turned into puppets, but the Orion bandits never expected the chaos and pandemonium the puppet Starfleet officers would use against them. Joe Lo Truglio Plays An Orion Pirate In Star Trek: Strange New Worlds’ Puppet Episode Image credit: Paramount+ Joe Lo Truglio plays Ejachi, an Orion pirate and Captain Ch'Rol's subordinate, in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' puppet episode. Truglio is a comic actor best known for playing the hapless Detective Charles Boyle in eight seasons of Brooklyn Nine-Nine on FOX and NBC. Stardate 47988.1 · Crew Assessment The Final FrontierTrivia Challenge 🚀ShipsEnterprise! ⭐CrewMake it so ☠EnemiesResistance is… ⚡TechWarp speed! 📖LoreLive long… ENGAGE → 01 The USS Enterprise is the most iconic starship in science fiction. What is the registry number of Captain Kirk’s original Enterprise from The Original Series? ANCC-1701-D BNX-01 CNCC-1701 DNCC-74656 ✓ Correct! NCC-1701 is the registry of Kirk’s original Constitution-class Enterprise. The “-D” suffix belongs to Picard’s Galaxy-class ship, NX-01 is Archer’s Enterprise, and NCC-74656 is Voyager. ✗ Red alert! The answer is NCC-1701. Kirk’s original Constitution-class Enterprise carried this now-legendary registry. NCC-1701-D is Picard’s Enterprise from TNG, NX-01 is Captain Archer’s, and NCC-74656 belongs to Voyager. NEXT → 02 Kirk’s most trusted officer is a half-human, half-Vulcan science officer famous for his logic and iconic salute. Who is this legendary character? AData BSpock CTuvok DSarek ✓ Correct! Mr. Spock, played by Leonard Nimoy, is the half-Vulcan science officer whose “Live long and prosper” salute became a cultural icon. His struggle between logic and emotion defines the heart of the Original Series. ✗ Red alert! The answer is Spock. Data is an android from TNG, Tuvok is Voyager’s Vulcan tactical officer, and Sarek is Spock’s Vulcan father. Only Spock is the half-human, half-Vulcan first officer of Kirk’s Enterprise. NEXT → 03 Starfleet’s most important regulation forbids interference with the natural development of alien civilizations. What is this guiding principle called? AThe Temporal Accord BGeneral Order One CThe Omega Directive DThe Prime Directive ✓ Correct! The Prime Directive (also known as General Order 1) is Starfleet’s most sacred law. It prohibits interfering with less-developed civilizations — though Kirk, Picard, and Janeway have all famously bent or broken it when lives were at stake. ✗ Red alert! The answer is the Prime Directive. While “General Order One” is technically another name for it, the Prime Directive is the universally known term. The Omega Directive and Temporal Accord are separate, more specialized Starfleet protocols. NEXT → 04 “Resistance is futile.” This chilling declaration belongs to a cybernetic collective that assimilates entire civilizations into its hive mind. What is this fearsome species called? AThe Borg BThe Dominion CThe Romulans DSpecies 8472 ✓ Correct! The Borg are Star Trek’s most terrifying villains — a hive-mind collective that forcibly assimilates species and technology. Captain Picard was famously assimilated and transformed into Locutus in the landmark TNG episode “The Best of Both Worlds.” ✗ Red alert! The answer is the Borg. The Dominion is the Gamma Quadrant empire from DS9, the Romulans are a rival empire, and Species 8472 is actually one of the few species that the Borg themselves fear. Only the Borg declare “Resistance is futile.” NEXT → 05 Captain Jean-Luc Picard commands the Enterprise-D in The Next Generation and later received his own series, Star Trek: Picard. Which acclaimed actor portrays him? AWilliam Shatner BAvery Brooks CPatrick Stewart DScott Bakula ✓ Correct! Sir Patrick Stewart brought gravitas, Shakespeare, and Earl Grey tea to the captain’s chair for seven seasons of TNG, four films, and three seasons of Star Trek: Picard. His “Make it so” is one of TV’s most iconic catchphrases. ✗ Red alert! The answer is Patrick Stewart. William Shatner plays Captain Kirk, Avery Brooks is Captain Sisko on Deep Space Nine, and Scott Bakula captains the NX-01 Enterprise. Only Sir Patrick Stewart portrays the legendary Jean-Luc Picard. NEXT → 06 Starfleet vessels travel faster than light by bending space around them using a matter-antimatter reaction. What is this propulsion system called? ATranswarp Drive BWarp Drive CSlipstream Drive DSpore Drive ✓ Correct! Warp Drive is the standard faster-than-light propulsion in Star Trek, powered by dilithium-regulated matter-antimatter reactions. Zefram Cochrane invented it in 2063, which led to humanity’s first contact with the Vulcans. ✗ Red alert! The answer is Warp Drive. Transwarp is an advanced Borg technology, Slipstream is an experimental quantum drive, and the Spore Drive uses mycelial network navigation (from Discovery). Standard Starfleet vessels use Warp Drive. NEXT → 07 At Starfleet Academy, cadets face a notorious no-win scenario designed to test their character under impossible circumstances. James Kirk is the only cadet who ever beat it — by cheating. What is this test called? AThe Prometheus Trial BThe Omega Simulation CThe Corbomite Maneuver DThe Kobayashi Maru ✓ Correct! The Kobayashi Maru is an unwinnable rescue simulation that tests how cadets handle certain death. Kirk reprogrammed it so he could win — earning a commendation for original thinking. It was memorably featured in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. ✗ Red alert! The answer is the Kobayashi Maru. The Corbomite Maneuver is a TOS episode, not an Academy test. The Kobayashi Maru is the famous no-win scenario that Kirk defeated by reprogramming the simulation — because he doesn’t believe in the no-win scenario. NEXT → 08 In the widely regarded greatest Star Trek film, a genetically enhanced superhuman from Earth’s past seeks revenge against Captain Kirk. “KHAAAAN!” Who is this iconic villain? AKhan Noonien Singh BGeneral Chang CQ DGul Dukat ✓ Correct! Khan Noonien Singh, played by Ricardo Montalbán, is Star Trek’s greatest villain. First appearing in the TOS episode “Space Seed,” he returned in The Wrath of Khan (1982) for a devastating revenge plot that cost Spock his life. ✗ Red alert! The answer is Khan Noonien Singh. General Chang is a Klingon from Star Trek VI, Q is TNG’s omnipotent trickster, and Gul Dukat is DS9’s Cardassian antagonist. Only Khan inspired Kirk’s legendary scream across the cosmos. REVEAL MY SCORE → Mission Complete Your Starfleet Record / 8 Are you an Admiral — or still a cadet on deck-scrubbing duty? ↻ RE-ENGAGE Truglio's comedy career on television includes writing and performing for The State, and appearances in Reno 911!. American Dad, Drunk History, and Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp, along with numerous guest-starring roles. Joe also starred in comedy movies like Superbad, I Love You, Man, Pitch Perfect, and he voiced Markowski in Wreck-It Ralph. In Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' puppet episode, Ejachi is placed in charge of interrogating Lieutenant Spock, and the Orion actually offers helpful advice to the Vulcan, who is dealing with many emotional issues. Ejachi extoles the virtues of Orion society, where women are dominant over men. The Orion henchman, however, is outsmarted by puppet T'Pring. Rachael Harris and Joe Lo Truglio continue Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 4's string of fantastic surprise guest stars, following Saffron Burrows and Dave Foley. Rachel and Joe are genuine comic talents who completely understood their assignment and played perfect foils to Spock and his puppet crew mates. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 4's new episodes premiere Thursdays 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