The first two episodes of Season Three have dropped and they are wildly different in tone.
Hegemony, Part II
Pike risks it all, taking the Enterprise on a daring rescue mission behind enemy lines, while the landing party attempts an escape from a deadly enemy.
Wedding Bell Blues
At a Federation celebration, an uninvited guest disrupts Spock and the crew’s reflections.
Do not look up details!
I looked up the cast list during the first wedding scene because swore I knew that one actor from somewhere, (He’s the game-explaining jungle guide from Jumanji,) and the cast list spoils some big appearances. I had just suggest out loud to my wife and the friends we were seeing it with that we needed that appearance, too.
He’s the lead in Our Flag Means Death. Check it out. Very funny if you’re into Taika Waititi’s humor.
I do appreciate that the episode “canonizes” an old fan theory and a Star Trek novel.
Peter David, who wrote that novel (Q-Squared, not that I read it) deserves to be canonized. I liked him.