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Tag: Star Trek: Starfleet Academy

April 5, 2026

Why I’m Sad “Star Trek: Starfleet Academy” Got Cancelled So Quickly

This fledgling series barely got off its launch pad before Paramount flipped the abort switch. Here’s what I think went wrong.

Sure, it might have been fun to trash “Star Trek: Starfleet Academy” over the past months as many reviewers did. If their goal was to help get the series cancelled, then I suppose they’re happy now. But no true Trekkie can be pleased with the resulting void.

As a core fan throughout my life, I must admit there were a few ‘details’ to complain about with this show. The freshman season of “Starfleet Academy” was certainly a mixed bag.

A Bumpy Freshman Year

The series began slowly and introduced us to a batch of unknown Starfleet Academy cadets. We also had fragments from the Discovery crew and an unusual captain Aki (played by Holly Hunter) who liked to walk around in her bare feet. Then, there was the return of the famous Doctor from “Star Trek: Voyager” (played by Robert Picardo).

So, there were some interesting ingredients here, even without a break-out star character. 

But the storytelling is what’s always most important…. Was it any good?

Well, the first half of the season focused primarily on cadet backstories, and we really didn’t get into compelling “Star Trek” plots until the last few episodes.

By then, it was too late.

It’s Dead, Jim 

The viewers apparently never showed up. Season 1 finished its run. And Paramount promptly announced the series had been cancelled.

Season 2 had already been shot. (Principal photography was mostly wrapped before season 1’s first episode even premiered.) But it didn’t matter.

Yes, we’ll eventually get to see season 2, but our cadets from “Starfleet Academy” won’t get past their sophomore year on Paramount+.

There’s really no way to spin this other than “Starfleet Academy” failed.

How could the warp core implode like this?

Navigating in the Dark

You can take issue with the characters and the storytelling. You might debate that the style was a parsec too far from traditional “Star Trek” we know and love. And you can say the producers abandoned the Trekkie base in search of a younger demographic that never showed up.

Fine. There’s plenty to quibble about.

But how strong was the first season of “Star Trek: The Next Generation?” 

“Star Trek: Discovery” needed a total retrofit after its first season.

Said another way, the producers fixed those problems. They were offered some time to do that. 

But “Starfleet Academy” was set up to navigate its fate without the benefit of any viewer feedback. No ratings. No chance to course correct. 

Absence of Strong Scripts

In time, one could see this show find its footing. But time was the one variable “Starfleet Academy” didn’t have.

You can blame this on Alex Kurtzman, who’s been behind all new “Trek” over the past nine years. You can blame Paramount. You can blame the high cost per episode.

Ultimately, I blame the writers. Strong storytelling and good science fiction plots are critical for any successful “Star Trek” series. And I would say there wasn’t enough of either in season 1.

There are likely any number of reasons that I’m not privy to which contributed to “Starfleet Academy’s” early demise. But I believe my core logic as a simple ‘consumer’ still holds.

It’s All Cancelled

So where does this leave us? “Star Trek” as we currently know it has ended.

  • “Starfleet Academy” is now a dead series walking with one more season.
  • “Strange New Worlds” has wrapped shooting its fifth and final season containing only 6 episodes. (I think ‘cancellation’ also applies here.)
  • There’s no “Star Trek” on the horizon other than a ‘promised’ movie reboot in theaters with few details to date.

“Star Trek” in series form has seemingly ended.

As a Trekkie, I find that entirely discouraging.

Nothing Left to Celebrate?


Sure, there are rumors regarding what might come next. Perhaps we’d get “Star Trek: Legacy” which would be a spinoff from “Star Trek: Picard” or maybe “Star Trek: Year One,” which would be the spinoff from “Strange New Worlds” (Kirk’s first year in the Enterprise’s captain’s chair).

But we’re pretty much eating static right now.

I suppose there’s always time for Paramount to keep the series format alive. We’ve still got season 2 of “Starfleet Academy” and seasons 4/5 of “Strange New Worlds” to watch.

Though those episodes will come and go quickly…

In this moment, the “Star Trek” universe at its 60th anniversary looks rather bleak. Not much to celebrate.

But as Kirk once said, (at the end of “Star Trek 2: The Wrath of Khan”) “There are always possibilities.”

Hailing frequencies remain open.

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March 8, 2026

Why Can’t Today’s “Star Trek” Give Us What We Want?

Is “Star Trek” falling into a black hole of missed opportunities and fan disillusionment? Well, here’s one Trekkie’s opinion.

There are numerous theories why “Star Trek” has had a bumpy ride during these past years. While on the one hand, Paramount+ has given us multiple new series, they were often uneven (“Discovery” and “Picard”). Plus, the best ones were cancelled too soon. (“Lower Decks” and “Strange New Worlds.”)

And then there’s the problem with the movies… or lack of them.

Kelvin Timeline Abandoned

We waited ten long years for the fourth Kelvin timeline movie… only to have it recently cancelled after so many false starts. (The Kelvin timeline was a clever ‘alternate reality’ version of the “Star Trek” universe, which allowed the producers creative license to make certain narrative changes in this Kirk-era prequel.) 

I remember reading that the problem was the huge price tag vs. the expected box office. 

The writers would have had Chris Hemsworth come back as Kirk’s father. But Thor was too expensive (not to mention all the other actors).

That would have been a wonderful way to wrap this version of “Star Trek.” And I expect many of the other proposed scripts had potential as well. But the producers clearly couldn’t make it work. 

A New Ship with Nowhere to Go

So, Chris Pine’s Kirk and crew won’t get their final voyage together on their new ship that was constructed at the end of 2016’s “Star Trek: Beyond.”

Sure, I’ve read there’s now a completely new movie reboot in the works. And that’s fine (if it actually happens).

But that doesn’t change the fact that Trekkies waited a decade for the movie they wanted… and then never got. 

“Star Trek” on Paramount+

Instead, we’ve seen a “Star Trek” renaissance explode on television via Paramount+ since 2017. And that’s not so bad, right?

But this great streaming run is seemingly ending. “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” has wrapped filming its truncated fifth and final season. 

And the new “Starfleet Academy” has had a rough first season. They’ve already shot the second season, but the series hasn’t been picked up beyond that.

A lot of fans (myself included) are angry that we never got the spin-off series “Star Trek: Legacy” after “Picard.” With Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan) helming the new Enterprise-G, that series would have been spectacular. It would be the perfect bridge between the old and the new.

Instead, we got a show about some cadets in Starfleet Academy that nobody asked for.

Kurtzman Trek

It really shouldn’t be that hard to read the room when it comes to satisfying the core fan base.

I certainly understand that the recipe for “Star Trek’s” ongoing success must include bringing in new fans. And that means evolving the franchise.

I know that many Trekkies have been piling blame onto Alex Kurtzman lately. He’s the showrunner behind all the recent Star Trek series on Paramount+. And he’s clearly been tweaking the “Star Trek” formula.

There’s nothing wrong with updating the “Star Trek” universe. But I would say the core elements of great science fiction storytelling must always apply.

No, not every Trek episode has to be perfect, but with so few episodes being created for each season (10), there’s not much room for misfires.

Grading “Starfleet Academy’s” Freshman Year

“Starfleet Academy” has launched to a slow start. Happily, it’s been picking up steam. Episode 9 is the best yet. 

It’s directed by Jonathan Frakes with a more exciting plot that gets out of the classroom and tests the rigor of our cadets. Plus, we get to see Captain Ake, played by Holly Hunter finally act a little more like a strong starship leader.

Still, you might say a good 9th episode is a little late in the semester.

I think the problem with “Starfleet Academy” is that it’s trying so hard to be fresh, it doesn’t feel enough like “Star Trek.” It’s too loose and too often silly.

Sure, it gives us the Doctor from “Star Trek: Voyager” and a couple characters from “Discovery” as anchors. But that’s not enough.

This series has some real work to do, but I’m not sure how you course correct when your second season is already in the can.

“I Don’t Believe in a No-Win Scenario”

I’ve read that some fans are complaining about the politics of “Starfleet Academy.” I don’t think that’s the problem. Being a Trekkie has always required being open to inclusive ideas. That’s the point of “Star Trek.” For 60 years.

Not to oversimplify, but I think this all comes down to the basics. We need to focus more on better storytelling. Better character development. Better science fiction. 

And please just give the core fans more of what we want.

Then, I think more of everyone will show up.

I hope it’s not too late.

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February 8, 2026

Star Trek Finally Confronts the Fate of Benjamin Sisko from Deep Space Nine After 27 Years

Red Alert! “Star Trek: Starfleet Academy” attempts to answer the big question from “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine’s” series finale. I was immediately concerned this would cause a rupture in the Trekkie space/time continuum.

“Star Trek: Starfleet Academy” has defied a ton of “Star Trek” norms in its freshman year. It’s often silly and sometimes cringy for anyone who considers themselves a Trekkie. The best I can say about this series is it feels “Star Trek” adjacent, but it dances very much to its own beat.

  • It’s Star Trek-lite
  • Star Trek-teen
  • Star Trek-after-school-special
  • Star Trek-Hogwarts
  • Perhaps, Star Trek-fun

Fine. That’s what it is. Take it or leave it. But please don’t break anything.

Did Sisko Die?
So when I realized episode 5 would tackle the big question about what happened to Captain Benjamin Sisko (played by Avery Brooks) from “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine” centuries back (and 27 years ago for us), I got worried. 

For those who don’t remember, (spoiler alert) in the series finale, Sisko either fell heroically to a fiery death or joined the Bajoran prophets in the celestial temple. 

Hey, “Starfleet Academy” has the right to reinvent “Star Trek” if it wants. But don’t you dare mess with “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine” (1993-1999), which is arguably the best Star Trek series of them all. 

Stop!!
It’s a risky idea at best, and yet the writers of the young “Starfleet Academy” decide to boldly confront “Deep Space Nine’s” cliffhanger. 

As the episode begins, I felt this huge impulse to somehow leap across space/time and stop it from happening. No. No. No! You’re going to create a warp core breach!

This series has yet to demonstrate the capability to responsibly handle this delicate topic, which is sealed in Trek canon. This is serious “Star Trek” stuff, and “Starfleet Academy” has been anything but serious.

Stop!!
It’s a risky idea at best, and yet the writers of the young “Starfleet Academy” decide to boldly confront “Deep Space Nine’s” cliffhanger. 

As the episode begins, I felt this huge impulse to somehow leap across space/time and stop it from happening. No. No. No! 

You’re going to create a warp core breach!

This series has yet to demonstrate the capability to responsibly handle this delicate topic, which is sealed in Trek canon. This is serious “Star Trek” stuff, and “Starfleet Academy” has been anything but serious.

Good Writing Matters
This episode benefits from two writers with deep “Star Trek” experience, and it shows.

“Series Acclimation Mil” is written by Kirsten Beyer and Tawny Newsome (who also has an important role in this episode). On a side note, you’ll remember Newsome as the voice of Ensign Mariner from the animated “Lower Decks.” She also appears in that great crossover episode from “Strange New Worlds.”

Our New Data?
The story focuses on SAM, the alien AI-photonic, played by Kerrice Brooks. She’s got plenty of problems and struggles as the emissary from her home world. So of course, she finds common ground when she comes across the old story of Captain and Emissary Sisko. 

So, SAM decides she wants to solve the unsolvable Sisko mystery. On paper, that may sound like a disastrous plot that would likely upset most Trekkies. But the writers demonstrate a serious respect for the challenge. And they successfully work through it using this unlikeliest of cadet characters. 

It’s impressive that SAM, who has so far been a silly, two-dimensional character totally carries this episode. It’s due to the writing as well as some strong directing and acting. Who knew that SAM, who seems inspired by Mork from Ork, would break through like this and become our new Spock or Data?

Classic Trek Storytelling
SAM gets to ask the classic Star Trek question, “What does it mean to be human?” Or this case… an ‘organic.’

As a photonic, SAM is not traditionally ‘real.’ Her mission to understand humanity, and her impossible search for Sisko, ultimately supports her own journey of self-discovery.

Yup. Classic Trek.

Jake Sisko is the Key
Then, the episode successfully tethers itself to the world of “Deep Space Nine” by reintroducing us all these years later to Jake Sisko, Captain Sisko’s son.

Now, we see an adult Jake Sisko (in hologram form) who is again played by Cirroc Lofton. And this series crossover provides the important weight this episode needs.

His presence gives the necessary permission to revisit this closed chapter in “Star Trek” history.

There are Always Possibilities
We all know that “Star Trek” is at its best when it presents us with challenging questions without all the answers. And that’s what we get here.

Don’t worry. We know the fate of Benjamin Sisko is unanswerable. That’s how the writers set it up 27 years ago, and Beyer and Newsome respect the boundaries. But that doesn’t mean they don’t offer up some clever and satisfying surprises.

Ultimately, this episode is a worthy love letter to “Deep Space Nine.” And I highly recommend it.

That said, one good episode does not yet make for a strong “Star Trek” series. But it does extend my hope that “Starfleet Academy” will eventually find its warp drive.

Please make it so.

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