How Strange New Worlds Revived the Hopeful Sci-Fi Look We’ve Been Missing

The effect is something rarely seen in modern sci-fi: a future that looks inviting, functional, and stylish, without collapsing into dystopia. 

By Leah SciFi 

When watching season 3 of Star Trek Strange New Worlds, I found myself obsessed with the visuals of the show. I literary felt my visual palette being cleansed and stimulated all at once. Naturally my academic mind set in asking.... Why? How?  

These are the conclusions I have reached based on my experience as a Hair, Makeup, Prosthetics, and Character Design Lecturer.   

Cinematic Visual Philosophy 

Most modern scifi shows/movies fall into one of the two below categories: 

Gritty, desaturated, metallic  

Or 

Neon, hyper digital, and VFX driven  

Star Trek Strange New Worlds operates in a different space (excuse the pun), taking elements of the Neon category with bright high contrast colouration but combining this with a 1960s optimistic colour palette. When this is combined with modern tech and lighting, it adds depth and detail that is otherwise often lost in scifi. Strange New Worlds operates as though technicolour is new technology, boosting the saturation like audiences have never seen colour TV. This results in the red and gold being very reminiscent of the Wizard of Oz’s ruby slippers and the yellow brick road, adding to the sense of old school futurism.

Hair and Makeup that treat characters like people 

The makeup within this show is an absolute joy for someone who teaches the topic. It sticks to common themes but changes...almost like they are real people! Nurse Chapel is a perfect example of this. Her makeup changes often, she has her day look, but then when off duty, we see a range of looks, this is a minor thing, but it makes a big difference to us as an audience. It helps us see the character as human, complicated, and multidimensional.  

The Transporter Accident - Leah SciFi x Jess Bush

Costumes that re-imagine Starfleet without flattening it  

• The colours are bold but controlled, classic Trek primaries updated with richer saturation. 

• Tailoring is genuinely high-end: structured shoulders, clean lines, subtle texture panels. 

• Fabrics are chosen with movement in mind, so characters look dynamic on camera with still maintaining structure 

• Designers add micro-details (ribbing, quilting, tech-inspired seams) that elevate realism without overwhelming the silhouette. 

The overall effect is something rarely seen in modern sci-fi: a future that looks inviting, functional, and stylish, without collapsing into dystopia. 

A show willing to be playful  

SNW embraces: 

• episodic variety 

• genre experimentation 

• fantasy, comedy, and retro influences 

• musical episodes 

• period styling 

• alien cultural aesthetics inspired by real-world history 

  
  

This gives the HMU and costume teams more freedom than almost any other sci-fi show currently airing. One week they’re doing high-glam space royalty, the next they’re referencing Renaissance silhouettes or 1940s noir. 

The result is a series that feels alive, not confined to a rigid aesthetic box. 

Strange New Worlds feels visually fresh because it combines: 

1. timeless optimism 

2. contemporary craftsmanship 

3. diverse, human-focused design 

4. bold use of colour 

5. sophisticated character styling 

6. world-class prosthetics and wardrobe 

   
   

Where other sci-fi shows often chase realism through darkness, SNW achieves realism through warmth, polish, and personality, and that’s why it stands out.