This week we hit the midway point for the fourth season of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, with an episode that was first hinted at over two years ago. We have details and new photos from the season’s fifth episode, where the show goes to the felt frontier.   There be spoilers ahead.

“Level-Five Transporter Accident”

This week’s episode is titled “Level-Five Transporter Accident,” which has been teased by co-showrunner Akiva Goldsman as the reasoning behind the episode’s big swing. This episode was first revealed at Comic-Con 2025 with a short teaser trailer showing puppet Pike, but since then we have not seen any more clips or images of the crew as puppets, making this preview a first look.

The episode was written by Henry Alonso Myers & Dana Horgan and directed by Jordan Canning. The Star Trek puppets were created by the Jim Henson Company. The fifth episode (of ten) of season four arrives on Thursday, August 20.

Synopsis:

A transporter malfunction turns most of the crew into puppets while Spock fights to reclaim the ship.

TrekMovie’s early review said of this episode: “It’s undoubtedly fun seeing the crew get turned into puppets (and yes, they really do go there, and bring some interesting ideas along for the ride).”

New photos:

Melissa Navia as Erica Ortegas in season 4, episode 5, of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds streaming on Paramount+, 2026. Photo Credit: Jan Thijs/Paramount+

(L-R): Babs Olusanmokun as Dr. M’Benga and Jess Bush as Christine Chapel in season 4, episode 5, of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds streaming on Paramount+, 2026. Photo Credit: Jan Thijs/Paramount+

Babs Olusanmokun as Dr. M’Benga in season 4, episode 5, of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds streaming on Paramount+, 2026. Photo Credit: Jan Thijs/Paramount+

(L-R): Babs Olusanmokun as Dr. M’Benga and Jess Bush as Christine Chapel in season 4, episode 5, of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds streaming on Paramount+, 2026. Photo Credit: Jan Thijs/Paramount+

Christina Chong as La’an Noonien-Singh in season 4, episode 5, of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds streaming on Paramount+, 2026. Photo Credit: Jan Thijs/Paramount+

(L-R): Gia Sandhu as T’Pring, Anson Mount as Captain Pike, Rebecca Romijn as Una, Babs Olusanmokun as Dr. M’Benga, and Ethan Peck as Spock in season 4, episode 5, of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds streaming on Paramount+, 2026. Photo Credit: Jan Thijs/Paramount+

(L-R): Ethan Peck as Spock and Martin Quinn as Scotty in season 4, episode 5, of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds streaming on Paramount+, 2026. Photo Credit: Jan Thijs/Paramount+

Ethan Peck as Spock in season 4, episode 5, of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds streaming on Paramount+, 2026. Photo Credit: Jan Thijs/Paramount+

(L-R): Anson Mount as Captain Pike and Rebecca Romijn as Una in season 4, episode 5, of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds streaming on Paramount+, 2026. Photo Credit: Jan Thijs/Paramount+

(L-R): Ethan Peck as Spock and Melissa Navia as Erica Ortegas in season 4, episode 5, of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds streaming on Paramount+, 2026. Photo Credit: Jan Thijs/Paramount+

Anson Mount as Captain Pike in season 4, episode 5, of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds streaming on Paramount+, 2026. Photo Credit: Jan Thijs/Paramount+

(L-R): Christina Chong as La’an Noonien-Singh and Rebecca Romijn as Una in season 4, episode 5, of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds streaming on Paramount+, 2026. Photo Credit: Jan Thijs/Paramount+

Celia Rose Gooding as Uhura in season 4, episode 5, of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds streaming on Paramount+, 2026. Photo Credit: Jan Thijs/Paramount+

Season 4 trailers

SDCC season preview

Season trailer.

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