Star Trek: Starfleet Academy

Am I going to go into the whole “woke” thing? No.

Oh, the complaining! Oh, the whining! Oh, the pearl clutching! Oh, they hadn’t actually seen the show yet. I will admit to being somewhat reluctant to see the new show. I’m still invested in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, and I miss the old days when one Trek would finish and THEN the newest Trek would start. I will admit to being somewhat affected by all the…trepidation…over the new Trek that was constantly being called things like Star Trek: 90210, especially after the teenybopper poster came out. But I am, as always, at the very least curious about stuff and like to see it before tearing maliciously into it with a tsunami of sarcasm.

After watching the first three episodes of a franchise that, historically, has had a lot of trouble lifting off I will say, eh it’s okay I guess. Granted, I don’t know much of the backstory of this series, because I could never get through even one season of Star Trek: Discovery. Never knew about The Burn until very recently, and only had a vague knowledge of some of the Discovery crew traipsing through time at the end of the series. I actually think that made it easier for me to watch this because my biggest, er, trepidation, was the teenybopper angle. Even when I was in high school, a regrettably long time ago, I wasn’t into teen drama and angst, and I’m not keen to mix it with Star Trek. But with my history, that was my biggest concern.

It doesn’t help that the first episode’s title is “Kids These Days”. That saying was a hundred years old when I was young, and I feel it is both an essentially useless title for the pilot, and misleading. The bulk of the first episode follows the travails of Caleb, who escapes out a window at six years old and instantly becomes a high level terrorist/criminal (I was confused which it is). Somehow in the next decade and a half while on the lam he learns high level science and a propensity for bulking his triceps to a ridiculous size. He pouts his way onto the campus, gets a haircut and becomes a poster boy. Sure, he does a couple of stupid things, but as with the Maquis on Voyager he loses a lot of his attitude at warp speed and settles into the Starfleet routine with barely a whimper after doing one stupid thing. One of them is listening even for a second to the Big Bad, Nus Braka, who should be incinerated just for believing he is hilariously funny. (He’s not.)

The second episode, “Beta Test” again doesn’t have a promising title. Beta doesn’t seem a pinnacle of anything, ya know? This was the episode that I was worried about, as the focus turns more fully to introducing the kids. The creators have gone way, way out to make the cadets varied. There are loads of people who are not Terran, and that’s fine with me. I’ve lived in a liberal college town for fifty years, that doesn’t fuss me, but there only seems to be one of every non Terran types. That grates gently on my nerves with every crowd scene, and there are several of them in this episode. This is the Make A (boring and preachy) Speech episode as well. There are Vulcans and Romulans, a peaceful Klingon, a Cheron (and hasn’t there been a LOT of bitter complaining about THAT), a Khionian, a Dar-Sha, two Betazeds and two photonics (a phrase coined in one of my favorite Voyager episodes). One is a cadet and the other is The Doctor, still as irascible as ever. One of the instructors is half Jem’Hardar and half Klingon (and hasn’t there been a LOT of bitter complaining about THAT) who is apparently the romantic partner of another legacy character, Jett Reno. Those two account for quite a bit of the humor in each episode. Luckily, both of the actresses are great with humor, but a lot of it feels awfully forced.

The teen angst is on even more display in the third episode “Vitus Reflux”, with the established War College, er, going to war against the newly reminted Starfleet Academy. It’s a prank war, and I actually felt sorry for the writers of this episode. Those pranks were the best you can come up with? You got beat up a lot in high school, didn’t you? Anyway, more character development, more reintroduction of Federation politics, speeches, an almost fun heist feel.

There are some things I have enjoyed about this new series. While watching the pilot I noticed I was meandering between boredom and kinda interested. The writing feels weak to me, from people who either aren’t versed in what came before or just don’t care. All the actors are solid, and of course I’m beginning to have some favorites. I like the brassy Lura Thok and her paramour Jett Reno. Of the cadets I am fond of the photonic Sam, and the major lead Caleb isn’t irritating me as much as I expected. Holly Hunter, who plays the new Chancellor is giving a performance I’m actually enjoying despite never having been a fan before. I will admit her slouchy sitting style does bug me (and hasn’t there been a LOT of bitter complaining about THAT) but I understand why the character does it, and it’s effective so what the heck. The sets are grand and do seem to have a “thousand years in the future” feel so that’s cool. The plots are only really vaguely Star Trekian, and that’s not so cool but it’s what we’re stuck with. I didn’t care for the Brannon Braga era, either.

I am a bit surprised that, after massive negative reviews, I like it enough to watch it for a while. It’s not bugging me too much to continue, like Deep Space Nine and Discovery, and after suffering through the two insufferable first years of Next Generation I’m willing to give it time to settle. Meanwhile I will continue to wait for Strange New Worlds (and if they kill Ortegas I WILL riot) and watch this because it’s not too offensive in any way to make me hate it. Though, I am super pissed that they keep putting easter eggs in that I can’t see because pausing the video on Paramount+ makes an ad pop up so I can’t look for them. Even if you think you may hate it, give it a whirl and see what you think.

Triggers: terrible bad guy jokes, boring speeches, Star Trek Lite

Available: Paramount+

LINKS:

• Star Trek: Starfleet Academy – Official Star Trek Site
• Star Trek: Starfleet Academy – Official Paramount+ Site
• Star Trek: Starfleet Academy – IMDB
• Star Trek: Starfleet Academy – Wikipedia

CFR: In Addition

IMHO: So before I continue I would just like to say that if you are complaining about Star Trek being “woke” you can STFU. You have weaponized your ignorance. Please seek therapy.

Now.

Oh my. I really like it.

I have only watched the first episode because I want to savor this show. I am still heartbroken that Star Trek: Lower Decks is not getting 15 seasons. So for me, watching any other Trek gives me heart pangs and no, I am not apologizing for that.

However, Starfleet Academy makes me smile. It makes me happy. It is so hopefully and I feel the joy. I LOVE the diverse cast! (I said it – see above IMHO.) I have only watched the first episode because I want to savor the whole experience. I do not want it to end so I am taking my time and making sure that I am fully present for each episode. I also admit that I didn’t watch right away because Lower Decks BUT, silly me. I will be a fan of this show for as long as it is on. Preferably a very very very long time. Looking at you Paramount+.

I am impressed that they started this show in the future after the Burn. I would have liked a little more exposition on what the Burn was and what it did. However I think that was an excellent choice because now the writers can explore Trek unhindered by previous canon. They can really reinvent Trek and make it new. I am impressed with this choice.

I love Holly Hunter as the Lanthanite (they live a loooong time) as our fearless leader/captain Nahla Ake is a wonderful casting and character choice. She can be playful and wise, as per the Lanthanitte character traits, and she has the chops to carry a TV show and LEAD. As Gina Yashere as Lura Thok is so amazing!!!! LOVE IT!!!! I want to hang out with her all day. Also happy to see Tig Nataro back and Robert Picardo* reprising their roles.

Now I am fine with the younger characters as I find them engaging and I want to know more about them. So looking forward to future backstory episodes. They are all so fun and unique. I think they are special characters and well done to the casting and the actors. Keep going!

My final thought: I’m so glad Starfleet Academy is here.

Note: Tawny Newsome, who was Mariner on Lower Decks, is writing for Starfleet Academy! YAY!!!! I must admit that helps.

Also! Wait? What? Kill Ortegas?!?! Cranky, I’ll be there rioting with you.

*BTW: I met Robert Picardo in a Philly cheesessteak shop before Voyager. He was wearing a China Beach hoodie and I told him how much I really enjoyed that show. He seemed so pleased that I had watched the show and he was very nice. It was fun to see him a few years later in Voyager. Philly cheesesteaks are good for you, it seems.