Behind the scenes: How Star Trek: Strange New Worlds will craft its upcoming puppet episode

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds has made a name for itself by pushing the boundaries of what fans expect from a Star Trek series. From fairy tale twists to musical episodes and animated crossovers, the show has never been afraid to experiment. Now, it’s about to go even further with one of its boldest ideas yet, turning the crew of the Enterprise into puppets.

At this year’s San Diego Comic-Con, showrunners Akiva Goldsman and Henry Alonso Myers revealed just how much work has gone into making this quirky vision a reality. What sounds like a fun gag has actually required months of detailed planning and behind-the-scenes problem-solving.

For longtime Trekkies, this puppet adventure is another sign that Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is committed to exploring fresh genres while staying true to the core Trek spirit. With a sneak peek already out, showing Captain Pike’s puppet counterpart in the captain’s chair, fans are eager to see how this unusual episode comes together.

Crafting the Enterprise crew in felt and string

Turning a massive live-action sci-fi production into a puppet show is no simple feat. Myers explained that the team spent more than six months figuring out every detail, from the design of the puppets themselves to how they’d shoot scenes on set. One big challenge was managing a crew of puppeteers alongside the regular cast and crew was a completely new challenge for Strange New Worlds..

To help get it right, Myers turned to Angel director Jeffrey Bell for advice. Bell directed the show’s popular “Smile Time” episode, where the main character became a puppet while investigating a haunted kids’ show. According to Myers, what started as casual chats with Bell turned into valuable lessons on how to pull off puppetry without losing the charm of live-action storytelling.

A bold final stretch for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds

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This puppet adventure is just the latest example of how Star Trek: Strange New Worlds continues to surprise its audience. The show has reinvented classic Trek stories with fairy tales, musicals, and even a memorable crossover with Star Trek: Lower Decks, which flipped between live-action and animation. Each twist keeps the series feeling fresh while honoring the franchise’s rich legacy.

While fans look forward to this creative experiment, there’s also a bittersweet note. The show will end after its fifth season, with a shorter six-episode run. But Trek fans can take heart, the universe isn’t shrinking. New shows like Starfleet Academy, featuring big names like Holly Hunter and Paul Giamatti, promise that Star Trek’s spirit of adventure and experimentation will boldly live on. New Strange New Worlds episodes stream Thursdays on Paramount+.

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