The newest Star Trek series launched this week on Paramount+. I have been cautiously waiting for its arrival wondering if I would be on board or not. I’ll admit, the series I wanted them to make was Star Trek: Legacy, the potential series set up in the series finale of Star Trek: Picard. Starfleet Academy was already in the works, though, so the fan demand for Legacy was left behind.
Yeah, that’s a lot of Star Trek nerdery in one paragraph.
Starfleet Academy has some big names in it; Holly Hunter and Paul Giamatti are a big win for the show. Robert Picardo returning to play his now almost thousand year old hologram Doctor from Star Trek: Voyager is fantastic and an exciting link to 90’s era Star Trek. Tig Notaro returns from Star Trek: Discovery to play one of the teachers which is also a great decision.
So what do I think of the show?
I absolutely loved it. Perhaps one of the strongest Star Trek premiere episodes in the franchise. Holly Hunter plays such a unique captain with such a different approach to everything, even how she sits in the command chair. The characters are engaging, the season story arc they set up has me curious, the concept of the Academy being both a starship and San Francisco bound is very cool. And Giamatti is a compelling villain. I’m excited to see where this one goes!
Even though there are more than ten different Star Trek TV series now (it’s been around for 60 years!), it feels approachable for new fans. Two of my sons watched it with us and both want to keep watching – even though one of them has only watched Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, and the other hasn’t watched any of the series. Definitely worth watching.
Want to check it out but don’t have Paramount+? The first episode is live and free on YouTube:
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