Review: Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, "Spock Amok" | Season 1, Episode 5
Hijinks abound when Spock tries to see through someone else's eyes
The bad news is “Spock Amok” is a comedy episode, and Trek comedy episodes are extremely hit or miss. The good news is “Amok” is one of the hits. The show is too young for me to slot this in the pantheon of “Trouble With Tribbles” or “Trials and Tribble-ations” (also, no tribbles), but it’s far from a chore to watch, using already well-established characters to good effect, and giving us some needed background on Nurse Chapel’s whole deal. The central gimmick, a mind swap between Spock and his fiancee T’Pring that leaves both forced to perform the other’s duties, is goofy as hell. It works mostly thanks to the charms of the actors, some light self-awareness, and the lack of cringe; and it helps that the episode’s other storylines are all equally light and good-natured.
Still, while I spent last week saying how little continuity matters to me “when the episode works,” I’d be remiss if I didn’t point out…well, it’s not a continuity violation exactly, but “Spock Amok” is—…