Star Trek Strange New Worlds: Valles Marineris

"So don't overthink it."

A fun episode that took a surprise turn into something much deeper.

Juliette's Best of 2025

I am writing this through a fog of flu, so here’s hoping it all makes some kind of sense! As ever, my body has reached the end of the year and given up, and there are some nasty flu strains around this year. But the big news is that I am going part time at my main job next year, to be available for school runs and teacher training days, and to spend more time on writing and content creation, so with any luck I might finish next year with a tiny bit more energy!

Anyway, on to the Best of 2025…

Star Trek Strange New Worlds: New Life and New Civilizations

"According to this, she is the statue. The statue is her."

Am I the only one who found this episode confusing and disappointing?

Star Trek Strange New Worlds: Terrarium

"Just a couple of girls having a slumber party. We could braid each other's hair. If you had any. Or if I had any."

It was time to resolve Erica Ortegas' trauma with the Gorn. What better way than to strand her alone with one?

Star Trek Strange New Worlds: Four-and-a-Half Vulcans

"Wow. Your ears are so pointy."

A funny, clever, well-written episode. And yet...

Star Trek Strange New Worlds: What is Starfleet?

"Someone once said, space is dark and cold and full of death. Our job is to bring light, bring warmth, bring life to wherever we go. That's our mission."

I didn't think I was into this episode. But then it crept up on me.

Star Trek Strange New Worlds: The Sehlat Who Ate Its Tail

"I am betting on us."

First Officer James T. Kirk of the USS Farragut was bored out of his mind with planetary surveys and longing to take command. Do you think maybe everyone needs to be careful what they wish for?

Star Trek Strange New Worlds: Through the Lens of Time

Korby: "You let Pike know how sacred this place is to the people here, right?"
Christine: "Do you really think that Starfleet is just gonna waltz on in there, phasers blasting, and obliterate a heritage site?"

Maybe they should have done just that.

Star Trek Strange New Worlds: A Space Adventure Hour

"You told me you needed a challenge. You're welcome."

We're certainly getting a lot of variety this season. Alien monsters, a visit from Q, zombies... the holodeck?

Star Trek Strange New Worlds: Shuttle to Kenfori

"You're not a monster, Joseph. Just a man. And my friend."

For a show that tends to boldly go where no one has gone before, I have to admit I never thought they would go towards such an iconic horror trope...

Star Trek Strange New Worlds: Wedding Bell Blues

"And the bar is open."

Bang. A favorite decades-long fan theory has just become canon.

Star Trek Strange New Worlds: Hegemony, Part 2

"How do we punch back and show them we're not prey?"

Fast moving and exciting. I should have enjoyed it more.

This Week: OMG Michael Emerson is in Fallout

What are you all watching this week? Josie starts us off this time.

Josie Kafka: So, work's got me frustrated and horribly busy. I decided to spend a few hours ignoring work today to reclaim my sanity. I got some exciting things done, like watering my plants and putting WD-40 on my door hinges.

Billie’s Best of 2023: Happy Twentieth!

My twin cats Kara and Dax

What I watched this year, the state of the site, and the state of me.

Can you believe it? Doux Reviews will turn twenty in March of 2024. That is something to celebrate. And we will! Want to know how?

Juliette's Best of 2023

Being unusually patriotic for me on Coronation Day

This is my twelfth annual Best Of piece for Doux Reviews. Twelfth!!! I started in 2012! I barely have time to write for the site any more, but I still come back every year and do these, because I love this site, and I love doing them.

Also we got to watch an actual Coronation this year, so that was fun. I'm fairly ambivalent about the Royal Family, but I do love a bit of pomp and ceremony. And I had a big birthday, but maybe we won't talk about that one...!

Star Trek Strange New Worlds: Hegemony

"Break in case of Gorn."

And suddenly, we're watching V. Or possibly Independence Day.

Star Trek Strange New Worlds: Subspace Rhapsody

"The last thing anyone wants is singing Klingons."

I was dreading this episode. It could have been terrible. Instead, I laughed, I cried, and I enjoyed it immensely.

Star Trek Strange New Worlds: Under the Cloak of War

There are a lot of good Star Trek stories about the horrors of war that are easy to follow and make a valid point. This is not one of them.

Star Trek Strange New Worlds: Those Old Scientists

"Tough to meet your heroes, huh?"

Crossovers should be fun. And this one was. Honestly, I didn't expect to enjoy it as much as I did.

Star Trek Strange New Worlds: Lost in Translation

"I don't need a cookie!"

While I am enjoying the wonderfully diverse storylines SNW has been giving us, horror is not my genre.