First Thoughts on Starfleet Academy
There was a time when it had been a long absence of Star Trek television shows. Now we are having plenty of television shows and no Star Trek movies. The latest show is Star Trek: Starfleet Academy.
Starfleet Academy, the institution has a long history within the Star Trek franchise. Those who watched The Next Generation remember Wesley Crusher going of the to the Academy.
They really could have placed this show in any number of time periods, including that of Strange New Worlds or Picard. Instead, they went with the far future that we were introduced to in Discovery. In fact, Starfleet Academy is a spinoff of Discovery.
This might be surprising as Discovery was one of the most divisive Star Trek series but I think it was wise.
There were a number of problems with Discovery, but I enjoyed it much better when they did the time jump. This gave them space to not be as bound to a strict Star Trek continuity, while still being able to draw from the history. This is the same benefit for Starfleet Academy.
But this is not just a show about a school. There is a very specific storyline. A Starfleet officer was part of separating a young child from his mother because of involvement in a crime. The child ran away and got in trouble but that officer continued to hold the guilt of that events.
Reuniting with the child, now a young man, the officer who has been appointed chancellor of the newly reformed Starfleet Academy gives him a chance to be a part of the school in return for help in finding his mother.
Having only watched the first two episodes, I was pleasantly surprised. I quite enjoyed it. In fact, it felt like the best of what was in Discovery and avoidance of the mistakes. There was a dash of Harry Potter mixed with an updated Star Trek.
There are some very interesting characters, which are fleshed out more than the supporting cast in Discovery. This is a good thing. I see a lot of potential.
I have heard some criticisms that is “too woke.” I find that funny. If any show was pushing back on traditional focus on white American males, it is Star Trek. Right from the very beginning. It did not feel like a show pushing an agenda as much as a show that reflects more modern sensibilities.
I am looking forward to watching the rest of the season.
