In 2026, the Star Trek universe will mark its 60th anniversary, and the celebration begins with the premiere of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, the ninth live-action series. The show stars Holly Hunter as Nahla Ake, a centuries-old Captain of the U.S.S. Athena who also serves as Chancellor of the newly reopened Starfleet Academy in San Francisco. The series raises the question of how she manages both roles, but the bigger question is: does the show live up to expectations? Or does it fall into the common pitfall of recent Star Trek installments, trying too hard to avoid feeling like Star Trek? The answer is complicated, but generally, it succeeds – for better or worse.
Let’s begin by highlighting a strong point: Holly Hunter is excellent as the Captain. A seasoned Academy Award winner, she’s consistently delivered memorable performances for years. She brings just the right energy and spirit to the role. Despite being only 5’2”, Hunter is a dynamic performer who cleverly uses her size to inform her character. She’s small enough to comfortably curl up in her captain’s chair – something taller captains like Picard and Burnham couldn’t do! This immediately establishes a unique characteristic, suggesting she’s a capable leader who isn’t concerned with strict formality.
As a longtime Trek fan, I had mixed feelings about Starfleet Academy at first. It’s interesting to see the Academy trying to rebuild after ‘The Burn,’ and Holly Hunter’s character, Nahla Ake, has a compelling backstory – haunted by a past mistake and reluctantly drawn back into service. The show sets up a nice dynamic with her trying to redeem herself by helping a young man, Caleb Mir, find his mother.
However, the show stumbled a bit early on with a lot of focus on a fairly predictable young romance that felt ripped from a teen drama. It just didn’t grab me. And honestly, the ‘War College’ storyline felt forced and a bit jarring – I always loved how Trek envisioned a future beyond petty schoolyard conflicts. It’s disappointing that, centuries into the future, Starfleet seems to have stalled technologically. Where are the leaps forward we’ve come to expect?
Thankfully, things really picked up around episodes four through six. The supporting cadets, especially Jay-Den Kraag and Sam, are fantastic. Sam, a holographic being programmed with a teenager’s mind, is a real standout, reminding me of the Doctor from Voyager. And seeing Robert Picardo return as the EMH, now an 800-year-old teacher, was a genuine treat! The Academy faculty, including Lura Thok and Tig Notaro’s Jett Reno, are also strong additions.
Overall, Starfleet Academy has potential, but it needs to lean more into the bold sci-fi ideas that define Trek. It feels like modern Trek is too focused on younger audiences and romantic ‘ships’ instead of tackling complex problems. I’m hoping the show will find its footing and deliver the kind of inspiring, thought-provoking stories we expect from Star Trek.
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2026-01-08 11:03