Star Trek: Starfleet Academy Review 2026 Tv Show Series Cast Crew Online
It never ceases to amaze me how viewers manage to celebrate or slam a series after just a few episodes! My initial reaction is “maybe it could turn out OK”. There is a fairly broad mix of good and bad so far. The good bits include Holly Hunter being a superb actress in pretty much anything and she certainly makes a plausible, if not flawed, Captain. It is also nothing like as bad as Section 31 which is, at least, something of a relief.
A good amount of money has clearly been spent on Starfleet Academy and the fx are good albeit I am not especially “sold” on the design of the new ship and there have been some silly canon errors. The story is moderately fresh and vaguely plausible for Trek. Tig Notaro, Robert Picardo and Oded Fehr provide a little comforting familiarity. Of the new cast, I feel Bella Shepard, Sandro Rosta and Zoe Steiner show potential. I am less convinced by some of the other newcomers . . . So far. However, as a lifelong Star Trek fan, I can recall that the first series of TNG was not great and Voyager was also pretty wobbly at the start. In fact, Deep Space Nine probably had the strongest start of all the new series. Enterprise was further a mix of good and bad but, curiously, becoming more revered today than it was at the time. Discovery was fairly dire too at the beginning but did improve on occasion.
I agree with many comments wishing for a return from the likes of Terry Matalas, Ronald D Moore and maybe even Brannon Braga. Some seasoned Trek directors such as Roxann Dawson, LeVar Burton and even Jonathan Frakes (if he can be persuaded to come out of retirement) could keep the series on an even keel. Might even be worth considering a director like Amanda Tapping (of Stargate fame) to keep the sci-fi well rooted. Trek clearly needs some renewed vigour at the helm. In the meantime, I share much of the dismay about the Alex Kurtzman era BUT there have been some forgiving moments. Strange New Worlds had glimmers of brilliance as did Picard. Discovery less so, in my opinion, but even that had a few episodes that were bearable.
What concerns me the most about the really damning reviews on this new series is that it might put Paramount off its consideration for a continuation of Strange New Worlds into a new look at the Original Series and the possibility of a Legacy Series with Seven Of Nine as Captain which it seems most fans would like to see. I am less convinced on the potential “Admiral Archer” concept but I feel it is important the new head honchos at Paramount retain their renewed interest in Trek. In conclusion, I believe there is enough potential in Starfleet Academy that could be salvageable which is why I have initially given it a rating of 6 and I hope I don’t have to revise that down.
