Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' 'Human Best Friend' Episode Features Hangover‑Style Shore Leave

Season 4, episode 3 of *Star Trek: Strange New Worlds*, titled “Human Best Friend,” sends the Enterprise crew on a mandated shore‑leave to the resort planet Cesnar Grand. The planet’s naturally intoxicating atmosphere causes the crew to become heavily inebriated, and the next morning Commander Erica Ortegas and Chief Engineer Scotty awaken with no memory of the night, a missing shuttle, a broken arm, and a mysterious note for Captain Pike. Their investigation reveals that the vacation has been interrupted by a sudden, two‑hour‑ahead peace‑talk schedule with the Rodaxians and an unexplained bomb threat, forcing the pair to piece together the chaotic events while confronting their own rivalry.

The episode is framed as a homage to “The Hangover” and to the original series’ “Shore Leave” story, blending comedy with sci‑fi. Actress Rebecca Romijn, playing Number One, learned to sing Bonnie Tyler’s “Total Eclipse of the Heart” in Klingon for a karaoke scene, highlighting the show’s genre‑bending approach.