With 13 films and 11 series, is space still the final frontier of Star Trek or have we explored and wrung out every corner of the universe down to the marrow? While sixty years of the franchise will show up in September 2026, Star Trek : Starfleet Academy is as much a leap forward as a return to basicswhere it all begins.
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We are at 32nd century, the most distant era ever told until then in the franchise (Kirk lived in the 23rd century). The blaze – destructive event recounted in season 3 of Star Trek : Discovery – caused the collapse of the Federation and a return to isolationism. Starfleet then tries to rebuild itself and it begins with the reopening of the academy and its first promotion in over a hundred years.
So, do we watch or skip? We distribute the good and bad points of the first two episodes posted online on Paramount+.
We mate: Star Trek continues to be written, including for a new audience
It is never easy to renew yourself when you have already told more than 800 episodes of diverse and varied stories. Starfleet Academy nevertheless manages to be refreshing by situating its action far from space (from episode 2), among a young, inexperienced generation. The best way to attract a new audience in the nets of the franchise which will not have no need to have solid knowledge to adhere to the story being told.
“Change in continuity?”. We still advise you to have a few basicsparticularly on Star Trek : Discovery et on the events of the blaze. The supporting cast features quite a few appearances that will delight fans and the themes dear to the saga are very present, such as the appetite for knowledge, exploration, openness to others… In 2026, Star Trek is more modern than ever.
On zappe : Beverly Hills 90210 du futur
Paradoxically, the modernity of his words confronts a rather archaic way of experiencing his genre. Said differently, Star Trek : Starfleet Academy East a series that doesn’t try to take itself too seriously and is openly aimed at a teenage audiencewith all that clichés it entails.
In just the space of two episodes, we quickly understood that we were facing a show where stereotypical high school students will play sports, experience friendships, endure classes and teachers, see their hormones jump in all directions… We have the feeling of being in a futuristic version of Beverly Hills 90210 or from Dawsonwith makeup and special effects.
It’s still too early to confirm the direction taken by the series, but in the meantime, for anyone who doesn’t appreciate this kind of writing, you have to put up with the rebellious teenager, the overly enthusiastic young girl, the top of the class, the egocentric handsome guy… and, obviously, looks that smell of carnal desire for miles. And Starfleet Academy is original in the universe Star Trekin that of series for adolescents, it is seen and re-watched without soul. In a similar youthful style, Lower Deck done a hundred times better, in less time per episode and funnier.
We watch and we skip: Holly Hunter and Paul Giamatti VS all the others
The casting of our students did not convince us for the moment, but we are well aware that it is above all a character writing problem. They clearly lack sufficient room for maneuver. Especially when one of them eats up, in the episodes seen, almost all of their screen time.
It is different for the two veterans of the cast, whose freedom allows them to occupy more space: Holly Hunter et Paul Giamatti. The second plays the villain on duty in a rather comical and alien version of Jack Sparrowall tattoos and jewelry behind the makeup. If he appears, for the moment, relatively little, we feel that he will play the antagonist of the season, cruel, unpredictable and a bit zany.
As for the Oscar winner, she steals every scene with an almost swaggering nonchalance. She immediately shines as a captain, just in the way she sits in the famous command chair. She’s bubbly and seems to be having the time of her life, aware that none of this is really serious. We have known leaders who showed little concern for protocol in Star Trek, Starfleet Academy still manages to invent for us a new one, different, but in continuity.
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Verdict
So, in the end, Star Trek : Starfleet Academydo we watch or skip? Let’s say that even if we appreciate seeing the ease with which the franchise always expands and that it never skimps on the budget (the artistic direction and design of the new ship are crazy), it is difficult to adhere to its plot, which is currently extremely classic. However, it is also true that we may not be the intended audience here. Which is, in the end, well represents the essence of Star Trek : be open to everyone.
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