At Home with Tech

I can’t think of another moment in “Star Trek” history with such low expectations about an upcoming series as with “Star Trek: Starfleet Academy.” Perhaps because nobody asked for this. I was certainly not interested in the stories of a few unknown cadets roughing it during their first semester at Starfleet Academy. There are so many other seemingly better directions to go with “Star Trek.”

But the state of Trek these days is complicated. 

• “Discovery” – cancelled
• “Lower Decks” – cancelled
• “Prodigy” – cancelled
• “Strange New Worlds” – to be cancelled after its fifth season
• The fourth Kelvin timeline movie that we’ve been patiently waiting for over the past decade – cancelled

For many, including me, the obvious next step would have been to greenlight a spinoff series from “Star Trek: Picard.” It was perfectly set up in the last scene with Seven of Nine as the captain of the rechristened Enterprise-G. 

The great cast was already in place with Jeri Ryan front and center. There was even a name: “Star Trek: Legacy.”

But no.

The State of Kurtzman Trek
Alex Kurtzman has been at the helm of these newer series on Paramount+, and while I’m pleased that “Star Trek” returned to television with an explosion of content over these past nine years, that streaming spigot has now clearly been severely restricted.

Of course, it’s all about money. (Isn’t it always?)

So where is “Star Trek” going? Difficult to see. Always in motion is the future. 
(Sorry…. mixing up my sci-fi references.)

But first, let’s kick the tires on “Starfleet Academy,” now that the first two episodes have finally dropped. 

Registration is Open
As the title suggests, this series follows several young cadets and their adventures at Starfleet Academy. It’s during the same timeline as the later “Discovery” seasons after that ship jumped a whopping 900 years forward. These are the years when a fractured Federation is still rebuilding after “the Burn.” And this is the first Starfleet Academy class to be assembled in over a century.

Our main cadet character is Caleb Mir, played by Sandro Rosta. In the show’s first scene, we see that when he was a child, he is unfairly separated from his mother by the Federation. He’s been on the run ever since, searching for her.

Our new captain is Nahla Ake, played by Holly Hunter. She’s half-Lanthanite, giving her a life span of some hundreds of years. She becomes the new chancellor of Starfleet Academy and also commands the Starship Athena, which doubles as classroom space for the cadets.

Robert Picardo is back as the Emergency Medical Hologram Doctor (originally from “Star Trek: Voyager”).

We also see a couple returning Discovery characters. There’s Engineer Jett Reno, played by Tig Notaro, who’s now a physics instructor. And also Admiral Charles Vance, played by Oded Fehr.

The great Paul Giamatti plays the evil alien, Nus Braka, in the premiere. 

Confusing Syllabus
Is “Starfleet Academy” any good? Well… that depends how you approach this series.

It’s sweet at its best with lots of warm and golden imagery to support the optimistic vibe. It’s easy to watch. Feels good. And there are endless “Star Trek” references and easter eggs for core Trekkies.

At its worst, it’s downright silly and even bland.

It plays more like “Lower Decks” or “Prodigy,” where most of the humorous focus is on our younger and untested characters. (We even get to see a direct reference to one of the Prodigy characters from that sadly cancelled series.)

As a result, I’m not really sure who this new series is for.

It’s kind of funny. Sometimes serious. A bit preachy. Often predictable.

Slick Campus Brochure
We’re almost constantly presented with cool Trek references… The background is filled with them… from different species you can spot to famous names on buildings (James T. Kirk Pavilion).

Okay, we get it. It’s “Star Trek.”

But is this good science fiction?

Well, not yet… not after the first two episodes, which simply introduce our new characters and show the cadets settling into their college campus. Sure, there’s some obligatory fighting and a space battle in the premiere episode, but we’ve seen it all before.

Easy Classes Won’t be Challenging
The show looks great, and the production values are high, but that’s not going to be enough to carry this first season.

As I mentioned, this new Trek is somewhat bland. It’s certainly not disruptive, the way “Discovery” season 1 was. It’s not really a successor to “Discovery” either, other than supporting character crossovers. It’s not classic Trek. “Strange New Worlds” carries that torch. As I mentioned, it plays more like “Lower Decks,” but not as intentionally funny.

That said, in an early scene, a nervous cadet reports to the Doctor that she thinks she swallowed her ‘combadge.’ (What?) I think that’s supposed to be funny. But it also tears away at the foundations of our Trek universe. 

This is Starfleet Academy! I know recruitment standards are down (as this is the first class in a while) but come on!

Mixed Feelings After Orientation
Sandro Rosta is strong enough as our conflicted main cadet character, but he hardly carries the series. Hopefully, he’s given more to do than search for his long-lost mother. 

Holly Hunter certainly breaks the mold for your typical Federation captain. Her Captain Ake is more of a hippy professor who likes to walk around in bare feet. She prefers to scrunch into her captain’s chair, feet tucked in.

Okay. So, Ake is not traditionally tough, like Janeway or Kirk. She’s more caring. And clearly a parental figure for Caleb. Not to jump between genres here, but she’s kind of our Dumbledore. And as I think about it, it’s not a terrible jump to loosely compare this Trek structurally to Harry Potter.

It’s great to see Robert Picardo again reprise his EMH role (as he did in “Prodigy”), and he fits in exceptionally well here.

I also like Ake’s tough Number One… Cadet Master Lura Thock, played by Gina Yashere. (She’s half Klingon, half Jem’Hadar.)

Paul Giamatti adds badly needed dramatic energy to the first episode, though he’s underutilized. Hopefully his future scenes are not simply him screaming and chewing the scenery. 

Clearly, there are some strong elements in this young series, but the overall result is hardly ‘compelling.’ I don’t feel like rushing to the next episode.

Unfocused Class Schedule
So, where does this leave us?

No, “Star Trek: Starfleet Academy” isn’t the disaster as many reviewers would have you believe. But yes, it’s launch is certainly uneven.

Some have called it “Star Trek: 90210.” Of course, I see that. Lots of teen drama here.

I say it’s a “Star Trek” casserole. Fragments from “Discovery.” A dash of “Voyager.” Comedy from “Lower Decks.” And even humpback whales (clearly descendants from “Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home”).

But how “Starfleet Academy” truly defines itself as a unique property has yet to be seen.

Alumni Support Still Goes a Long Way
Showrunner Alex Kurtzman has apparently created this for the next generation, but I’m not sure they’re going to show up. As for existing Trekkies, there’s not enough strong science fiction storytelling yet.

All this said, here’s the reason why I’m going to keep watching:

Though flawed and uneven, this young series retains the core optimism and positive energy of “Star Trek.” In fact, it exudes it! 

Lots of sci-fi shows these days are dark, confusing and project depressing alternate realities. Sure, those main characters may make it through an episode, but just barely. It can leave you feeling really drained.

Alternately, “Starfleet Academy’s” lighter tone has left me feeling more upbeat. And as I typically stream my shows after dinner, it’s a better recipe for a good night’s sleep.

They’d Better Ace the Mid Term
Sure, it’s still silly. Predictable. Bland.

But it’s still “Star Trek.” And that counts for something.

I haven’t written off “Starfleet Academy” after just two episodes, and you shouldn’t either.

But these first two episodes get a C+ grade from me at best. So, it’s time to turn it around, please.

The semester is underway, and the clock is ticking.