You Won’t Believe the Star Trek Movie That’s Crushing It on Streaming

Contrary to expectations based on some of the most unfavorable reviews in the series’ history, Paramount+’s Star Trek: Section 31 has become a notable streaming hit. The film featuring Michelle Yeoh debuted at number 8 on Nielsen’s streaming rankings for the week ending January 26, accumulating an impressive 170 million viewing minutes even though it was only available for three days during that period. This unexpected performance places the movie among the top 10 most-viewed streaming films of that week, outperforming several competitors with more favorable reviews and positioning itself as one of just two original streaming movies on the list, along with Netflix’s top-ranked Back in Action. This success seems to indicate a gap between critical opinions and viewer appeal. It suggests that devotion to the franchise and Michelle Yeoh’s star power might have overshadowed the negative professional evaluations that have surrounded the project since its January 24 premiere.

The reception for Section 31 within the Star Trek universe has generally been unfavorable over the years. On Rotten Tomatoes, it holds a paltry 17% approval rating and an average score of 4.3 out of 10, based on 46 reviews, making it the lowest-rated Star Trek property in the franchise’s nearly six-decade history. Critics have heavily criticized the film for its storyline, tone, and apparent departure from Star Trek’s traditional values. The film’s Rotten Tomatoes consensus humorously suggests, “Scotty, transport it away,” referring to a famous catchphrase in the franchise.

Critics have raised concerns about the consistency of Section 31 within the broader Star Trek universe, as well as its sudden shift towards action and humor. The series has been criticized not just for its execution but also for its premise, which some argue goes against Gene Roddenberry’s optimistic vision of the future. In this storyline, a secret intelligence agency is shown operating within the apparently utopian United Federation of Planets, tackling morally complex situations and employing tactics that are usually shunned or explicitly condemned in traditional Star Trek. Despite mixed reviews, it appears that existing Star Trek fans and admirers of Yeoh’s career were intrigued enough to watch the film.

What Is Star Trek: Section 31 About?

In the period between the original Star Trek movies and the series The Next Generation, Star Trek: Section 31 unfolds. This story revolves around Michelle Yeoh’s character, Philippa Georgiou, who is the former Terran Emperor from the Mirror Universe, a role she played in Star Trek: Discovery. After her unexpected transportation to another timeframe within the Star Trek universe, Georgiou takes ownership of Baraam, a nightclub situated beyond Federation borders. Here, she encounters Agent Alok (Omari Hardwick), who recruits her for Section 31 – a covert division of Starfleet known for its undercover operations.

The movie primarily revolves around Georgiou’s endeavor to prevent a lethal device known as “Godsend” from getting into harmful possession. Accompanied by an assorted group of proficient operatives, she embarks on this perilous journey. Her companions include Quasi, a Chameloid capable of shape-shifting (played by Sam Richardson), Zeph, an agent equipped with a mechanical exoskeleton (Robert Kazinsky), and Rachel Garrett, destined to become the captain of the future USS Enterprise-C (Kacey Rohl). The main conflict unfolds as San, a past lover and adversary from the Mirror Universe, plots revenge against Georgiou for enslaving him upon her rise to the Terran throne.

The ratings and reception of “Star Trek: Section 31” might shape Paramount’s future strategies for the franchise. As “Discovery” has ended and new projects such as “Star Trek: Starfleet Academy” are in development, a strong performance by “Section 31” could inspire more innovative approaches to television filmmaking within the franchise.

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2025-02-26 13:09