Here's How You Can Watch The First Episode Of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds For Free

Following in the footsteps of "Star Wars" and the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Alex Kurtzman has gone full steam ahead with his extensive vision for a "Star Trek" multimedia universe. From television shows to feature films aimed toward various age groups and levels of fandom, now is as good a time as any to dive into the widely beloved science-fiction saga. The latest entry in this initiative arrived on May 5, 2022, titled "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds," and it's one series that fans of the original definitely won't want to miss.

Set roughly a decade before the events of "Star Trek: The Original Series," "Strange New Worlds" centers on Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount) as he takes the USS Enterprise across the galaxy to, well, strange new worlds. Fan-favorites such as Spock (Ethan Peck) and Nyota Uhura (Celia Rose Gooding) join him on his episodic journeys, which call back to the roots of the franchise. The first batch of 10 episodes will run to July 7 on Paramount+, with a second season already greenlit without an attached release date (via Collider).

Not sure if you want to commit to a Paramount+ subscription without knowing what "Strange New Worlds" has in store beforehand? No problem. Here's where you can watch the premiere episode for free to give the program a test drive.

At the time of this writing, you only have to wait a mere couple of days to check out the first installment of "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds" on YouTube. The official Paramount+ channel has listed it for a May 12, 2022, 12:00 PM PST or 3:00 AM ET premiere free of charge. This way, fans who don't have a Paramount+ subscription can get a look at all the series has to offer ahead of the next nine episodes. Based on some of the reactions from those who've watched it on Paramount+ already, however, you may not want to wait that long to give "Strange New Worlds" a try if you can.

So far, "Strange New Worlds" boasts a 98% critical score on Rotten Tomatoes, accompanied by an 87% audience score. Not to mention, the vast majority of user reviews on IMDb have showered the show's debut with positivity. User bosporan praised the opening episode for its return to the original "Star Trek" formula visually and narratively, expressing their interest in sticking with it. nincubura enjoyed it too, so much so that they wish Season 1 packed more than 10 episodes, and though ruidanielbarrossss has their gripes with it, they liked it more than most modern "Star Trek" projects.

All in all, it sounds like "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds" is a welcomed addition to the "Star Trek" canon. Thankfully, you'll be able to see for yourself if that's the case for free in a few days when its first episode arrives on YouTube.