Starfleet Academy Shakes Up Trek With a Fresh Spin
Starfleet Academy reimagines the Star Trek universe as a YA drama in the 32nd century, blending new faces with classic Trek vibes. Early stumbles aside, it delivers strong episodes and top-notch visuals, hinting at a standout year for Trek in 2026.
Star Trek’s in a bit of a weird spot these days. Since Discovery kicked things off again in 2017, the franchise has exploded with new series, stretching what Trek can be. Some of these have been cracking – Picard’s third run, Lower Decks, and most of Strange New Worlds – but not everything’s landed. Strange New Worlds is wrapping up soon, Section 31 got trimmed down to a single, pretty average film, and it’s looking like Paramount’s more interested in big-screen blockbusters than keeping the telly universe ticking along.
So, it’s a gutsy time to roll out something as different as Starfleet Academy. Set way out in the 32nd century, a part of the timeline that’s barely been touched, this ten-parter follows a bunch of students and teachers finding their feet at the Academy. It’s Star Trek, but reworked as a young adult drama, full of fiery romances, schoolyard rivalries, and life lessons for the crew.
New Faces, Old Roots
The diehard Trek crowd – and I count myself among them – isn’t getting any younger. We’re used to stories about peace talks and serious chats in boardrooms. Starfleet Academy still has a bit of that, but it’s much more about the young cast getting into strife and clashing with their mentors at what’s basically Space Hogwarts. To be fair, it’s a genuine effort to bring in a new generation of fans. At the same time, it’s packed with nods for the old guard: Easter eggs, familiar faces like Robert Picardo’s Doctor and Tig Notaro’s Jett Reno, and some clever additions to the wider Trek world. It’s not your dad’s Trek, but it’s not a total departure either.
The opener, ‘Kids These Days’, centres on two main characters. On the grown-up side, there’s Captain Nahla Ake, played by Holly Hunter – a long-lived alien who’s seen the Federation’s glory days and its rough patches. She takes on the Chancellor gig at the Academy, trying to fix an old mistake by convincing Caleb Mir, a rebellious loner and small-time crim, to enrol. He’s not keen at first, but soon teams up with shy Klingon cadet Jay-Den Kraag and butts heads with the cocky Darem Reymi. There’s also Sam, a naive hologram, and Genesis, an admiral’s daughter out to make her own name. Hunter’s a standout from the get-go. Ake’s got a different vibe to Kirk, Picard, or Janeway – she’s upbeat and a bit cheeky, but there’s a tiredness underneath. She’s also got a nemesis in Nus Braka, played with a wicked grin by Paul Giamatti.
Finding Its Feet
After the pilot, the show takes a bit to hit its stride, especially with Mir. Sandro Rosta does a solid job, and by the sixth episode, you’re rooting for Caleb, but it’s a slow burn. He’s meant to be a young, impulsive rogue with his own agenda, but early on he just comes off as self-centred and less interesting than the rest.
This stands out in the second and third episodes, which really lean into the school setting and introduce a rival, more hard-nosed academy. The mood’s lighter and funnier than most live-action Trek, and the stakes aren’t sky-high. That’s all right, but the jokes don’t always land, and the characters haven’t quite won you over yet. Plus, these episodes are long and packed with side stories.
Hitting Its Stride
Luckily, these are just teething issues. By episodes four, five, and six, everything clicks. Episode five is a wild ride, tying one character into the bigger Trek story in a way that’ll have fans gobsmacked. Here, the show nails the mix of school drama and space adventure, really digging into who these people are and why you should care.
Ake stands apart from the likes of Kirk, Picard, and Janeway. She’s upbeat and irreverent, but there’s a world-weariness bubbling away.
Visuals and Vibes
It’s also worth pointing out how sharp the show looks. The Academy set is the biggest ever built for Trek, and it shows. Where Discovery’s new Federation felt a bit empty, every scene here is buzzing with aliens and humans in a world that feels properly lived-in. Oddly enough, compared to the much-hyped Stranger Things 5, which often plonked actors in front of dodgy CGI, Starfleet Academy actually looks better.
Despite a few early wobbles and the uncertainty hanging over Trek’s future, these first episodes are strong enough to reckon 2026 will be a top year for the franchise. By the halfway mark of Starfleet Academy’s first season – with a second already in the works – any doubts have been put to bed. It might feel a bit different, but this is still Trek at heart, and where it goes next is anyone’s guess.
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy is streaming on Paramount Plus from 15 January.