u/mcm8279

WinterIsComing.net:

"The Star Trek franchise is currently in a depressing state of disarray. Although there are still three full seasons wrapped and on the way (2 x Strange New Worlds, 1 x Starfleet Academy), there's very little to come after that. There's been some news about the upcoming movie from the duo behind Chris Pine's Dungeons & Dragons movie, but not enough to get Trekkies all that excited. But do you know what would really stoke the coals of Star Trek's dying fire? Revisiting the idea of Quentin Tarantino boldly going into the director's chair.

https://winteriscoming.net/star-trek-needs-abandoned-quentin-tarantino-movie-more-than-ever

Despite not being commonly associated with big franchises like Star Trek, there have been various plans in the relatively recent past for an epic collaboration between Tarantino and Gene Roddenberry's beloved space opera. A movie that fit this bill was once planned, but the team-up has felt closer at times than it has others. Now, rather than feeling like an optional extra that would have given the franchise a nice boost, a Tarantino-directed Star Trek movie feels almost like a necessity. [...]

Reported to have been an R-rated project, Tarantino's Star Trek movie really got fans talking when it started to be discussed in 2017. His distinct directing style, paired with the rich world of Star Trek, sounds like both an awful match while also being a deeply intriguing prospect. Tarantino's legend transcends genre, so there was far more excitement than there was apprehension. That's exactly what Star Trek needs right now, with such an uncertain and dwindling future ahead. [...]

Where a potential bump in the road could arise here is that Tarantino isn't the kind of director who generally involves himself with sequels. On the other hand, this philosophy hasn't completely stopped him before. What provides the most promise is the fact that Tarantino wrote and directed Once Upon a Time in Hollywood in 2019, and the upcoming sequel about Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt) has a new director, David Fincher, with Tarantino only penning the script.

So, even if Tarantino didn't want to direct a string of Star Trek movies, the tone he could establish in just one effort could bleed into follow-ups, replicated by other filmmakers. If he wanted, Tarantino could write or produce these sequels, but be more hands-off than he was for the original."

Daniel Bibby (WinterIsComing.net)

Full article:

https://winteriscoming.net/star-trek-needs-abandoned-quentin-tarantino-movie-more-than-ever

TREKMOVIE: "The rules for the new auction remain the same as the previous ones, requiring bidders to be residents of Ontario or place a deposit with a Canadian bank. Bids can be placed online, but you need to pick up items in person as 403 auctions is not shipping anything. And like the previous auctions, there is a wide variety of items available including large set pieces, furniture, knickknacks, and everyday items used by the production. And due to the restrictions, some real bargains could be found. [...]

And again, this is just a tiny sample of what you can find, but like with all of the 403 Auctions sales, you need to really dive into the catalog and look at each lot to find things, as they provide limited search and sorting.

Star Trek: Auction #5 will be held at Dixie & HWY 401 Area, Mississauga, Ontario, beginning Friday May 22nd at 4PM and concludes Thursday May 28th with the 1st lot ending at 4PM. For more details on all the lots and instructions on how to bid, visit 403auction.com — and the company has confirmed there is at least one more auction from Mississauga to come."

Full article:

https://trekmovie.com/2026/05/20/auction-of-set-pieces-from-star-trek-strange-new-worlds-coming-this-friday/

AV CLUB:

"It doesn’t hurt that Kahless is an amazing guy, and not just because he has a century’s worth of epic tales to back him up. Conway plays him exactly as you’d want a Klingon spiritual leader to be: lusty, cheerful, passionate, and, when necessary, profound. There’s no sense of ulterior motive in the performance, which makes sense when we learn the truth: this Kahless is actually cloned from the blood of the original Kahless. [...]

https://www.avclub.com/star-trek-the-next-generation-suspicions-rightful-1798169336

But hey, this is Worf’s story, not Kahless’s, and “Heir” is probably better for that. Worf goes from desperate seeker, to skeptic, to passionate follower, to… something else, and Michael Dorn handles each transition ably and convincingly. Kahless’s sudden appearance sets off warning bells for Worf, because it’s too perfect. “Heir” understands that just because we pray for something (or, for us atheists, just because we yearn for something really, really hard), that doesn’t mean we expect our prayers to be answered literally. [...]

There is a period of time when Worf does believe, but it’s telling that what converts him (for a while, anyway) is Beverly’s scientific proof of the new Kahless’s connection to the old one. (She matches his DNA with the sword blood DNA, and of course, they match.) Worf has passed beyond a point where he will blindly accept anything—he wants to believe, he says to Kahless, but the fact that there’s a gap between wanting and actual belief shows how much he’s changed over the years. [...]

When Worf learns the truth, he’s so amazed by the gall of it that he laughs. The knowledge, the final nail in the coffin of his belief in Klingon idealism (First the government lets him down, now Jesus?) could’ve made him bitter, but doesn’t; and after talking with Data, of all people, he realizes that this is an opportunity. Just because Kahless isn’t “real” won’t stop people from believing in him. And the Klingon people desperately need someone to believe in.

The episode deals with the potential ramifications of a savior reborn, bringing Gowron back into the picture and showing how reluctant a political leader would be to embrace a spiritual power—but mostly, this is Worf’s show. He watches, he considers, and in the end, he’s responsible for guiding the Klingon empire back on its course. He begins the story adrift; then he gets what he thinks he wants, and realizes it isn’t what he needed it to be. But instead of losing his way again or giving up entirely, Worf realizes that faith is what matters, not the fulfillment. His own faith goes from an unquestioning devotion to something more mature.

He respects the ideals Kahless represents, without the need to invest in the man himself. That gives him the maturity to recognize what the others fail to see: The cloned Kahless is still a symbol of what could be. For someone who’s spent much of his life blindly worshiping a culture that continually failed to deserve such commitment, Worf is someone who understands how important ideals can be, even if they remain forever outside your grasp."

Grade: A

Zack Handlen (AV Club)

Full review:

https://www.avclub.com/star-trek-the-next-generation-suspicions-rightful-1798169336

COLLIDER: "According to reports, IDW Comics is releasing a massive Star Trek: 60th Anniversary Special one-shot comic book this fall. It's set to feature stories from all across the Star Trek timeline, from Enterprise's early days of Starfleet to the far-flung future of SFA.

McMahan, the creator of the fan-favorite animated series Lower Decks, will pen a story in that setting with art by Mike and Laura Allred (Madman), while Gerrold, who wrote the classic episode "The Trouble With Tribbles," will write a story about interplanetary con man Harry Mudd. Plus, Brian Michael Bendis and Michael Gaydos, who created Jessica Jones in the Marvel series Alias, will reunite for a very special story about Original Series stalwart Hikaru Sulu. It's set to hit comic shops on September 2.

Other stories in the anthology include an Enterprise one-pager from Chris Fenoglio (Star Wars); a story in the style of the 1970s Star Trek: The Animated Series by Ryan North (Fantastic Four) and Derek Charm (The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl); a story of The Next Generation's Worf by David Walker (Planet of the Apes) and the Escorza Brothers (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin); a Scotty tale by comedian Dana Gould (The Simpsons) and Megan Levens (Buffy the Vampire Slayer);

a tale of Jean-Luc Picard from Dave Baker (Night Hunters) and Nicole Goux (Shadow of the Batgirl); a story of SFA from Meghan Camarena (The Amazing Race), Mari Rolin (Chaotic Neutral), and JP Jordan (VR Troopers); and a look forward at IDW's upcoming ongoing Star Trek flagship book from Christopher Cantwell (Halt and Catch Fire) and Isaac Sanchez (Godzilla)."

Full article:

https://collider.com/star-trek-60th-anniversary-comic-brian-michael-bendis-mike-mcmahan-writing/

SCREENRANT:

"Nowhere was that clearer than in the Benjamin Sisko episode. A true tribute to an iconic character. Despite having the trappings of Saved by the Bell in space, then, the spirit of Star Trek lived on. [...]

Indeed, Star Trek: Starfleet Academy's cast should be considered a highlight in its own right. Kraag gave the franchise its most interesting Klingon in years, SAM's dynamic with Robert Picardo's Doctor developed as a natural extension of Star Trek: Voyager, and the entire ensemble was anchored by the softly-spoken chaos of Holly Hunter as Captain Ake, an unconventional leader, but fun to follow nonetheless. [...]

https://screenrant.com/star-trek-switched-genres-starfleet-academy/

Had Starfleet Academy been a 4-episode miniseries that focused squarely on season 1's main plot, it would difficult to imagine it getting the same degree of backlash, even with college-age protagonists. [...]

The cold reality is that Star Trek: Starfleet Academy evidently didn't win over enough fans to justify extending the series beyond a second season. [...] But for our own enjoyment, and in the vague hope of some fandom harmony, Star Trek needs to perform another genre pivot with Starfleet Academy season 2.

Because the strongest episodes were the ones that explored the vast galaxy of Star Trek through the lens of an academy student, as seen with "Vox in Excelso" and "300th Night." These episodes were Star Trek, just not quite as we know it. Starfleet Academy's weakest installments were the stories that could have been reworked for any high school/college drama series from the past 20 years, but were given a light coating of Star Trek sauce, such as "Vitus Reflux" and "The Life of the Stars."

There's a fine line between Star Trek episodes with younger protagonists, and teen drama episodes with Star Trek characters, and Starfleet Academy needs more of the former if it's to improve upon season 1. The show's ultimate fate may not change, but at least it'll go out on a high, perhaps even leaving viewers to ponder what a third season might have looked like."

Craig Elvy (ScreenRant)

Full article:

https://screenrant.com/star-trek-switched-genres-starfleet-academy/

EX ASTRIS SCIENTIA: The episode "Bound" [ENT] came with the revelation that not the males but the ostensibly enslaved Orion women are actually in charge, thanks to their pheromones. In my view, this was meant more like a joke than as a serious explanation for how their society works. Maybe the ambiguity about slavery is the reason why modern Trek focuses on the pirate aspect again. We could repeatedly see Orions in that role in DIS, SNW and LOW, with nothing hinting at either a patriarchy or a matriarchy.

https://www.ex-astris-scientia.org/episodes/low4.htm#somethingborrowedsomethinggreen

I can see how "Something Borrowed, Something Green" tries to bring the two stories ["The Cage" & ENT: "Bound"] together again. Mariner explicitly mentions the pheromones of the "Orion showgirls" (in "Bound") and insinuates they were made up by Starfleet to save a captain's (Archer's) reputation - only to be proven wrong by how the planet presents itself. Women are in charge everywhere on Orion. They are tough and aggressive, whereas all men without exception are sexual objects, suckers for pheromones or just dumb.

It may be possible to align that with canon because, as I already mentioned, we know absolutely nothing of the Orions of the 24th century from classic Trek. But rather than explaining what has or what could become of the Orion society shown in ENT: "Bound" over 200 years later, the transformation of Tendi's world to a total matriarchy seems to follow a real-life feminist agenda, including unusually sexist comments about men from the two non-Orion women.

With the exception of the above issue, the story featuring Star Trek's first visit to Orion is strong. Many locations on the planet and other motifs are enjoyable because they are a bit like a naughty version of present-day Earth, like in gangster movies. Most importantly, the trip deepens the friendship of the newly promoted lieutenant JGs, which also includes T'Lyn, who clearly appreciates the little adventure as well.

We learn a lot about D'Vana Tendi's motivation to leave the planet, but just as well about what "normal" Orions such as her sister would long for. T'Lyn and Mariner affirm that they see D'Vana as the person she has become and not the one she could have been as a Syndicate assassin. Conversely, D'Vana has to concede that D'Erika belongs on the "Crime Throne", a statement that might have left a bad taste in classic Trek, but that is still appropriate in Lower Decks. I think slightly overstepping the moral limits of the live-action shows is part of the fun.

Meanwhile on the Cerritos, Boimler and Rutherford seem to form an almost symbiotic relationship as "Brutherford" in their shared quarters, only to clash over the petty issue of how to take care of a bonsai. This is still the best part of their story, which becomes increasingly lame in the following. I don't get what is interesting about them arguing as Mark Twain impersonators with fake accents on the holodeck. [...]

Tendi's personal journey in "Something Borrowed, Something Green" is both delightful and insightful, although it comes with unnecessary wokeness. The B-plot about Boimler and Rutherford, on the other hand, is lame. [...]

Bernd Schneider (Ex Astris Scientia)

Full review:

https://www.ex-astris-scientia.org/episodes/low4.htm#somethingborrowedsomethinggreen

CBR: "... revealing depth and nuance in all its characters on par with those of a more serious series. Their emotional arcs were treated with respect, and their growth throughout the series was astonishing. At the same time, Lower Decks brought respect to a number of previously forgotten parts of the Star Trek universe, while enriching canon details in the process.

https://www.cbr.com/star-trek-lower-decks-self-parody-improve-franchise/

Species like the Orions and Ferengi suddenly received a treasure trove of details, often in the space of a single episode. That expanded outward, strengthening Star Trek as a whole. Lower Decks proudly wore its canon credentials on its sleeve, bolstered by a roster of legacy actors returning to voice their characters.

Final proof came when Mariner and Boimler guest-starred on Star Trek: Strange New Worlds as live-action versions of themselves, literally sharing scenes with Mr. Spock and Uhura. By then, the show had become thoroughly integrated into the franchise it continued to mock.

As it concludes, it's clear there's still a lot more to share. The finale ends with Carol Freeman heading up Starbase 80 at an interdimensional gateway, with Ransom taking over as captain of the Cerritos. It's a natural and heartfelt changing of the guard, and Ransom has always been the show's best straight man.

The potential is enough to last at least another season or two, and draws directly on the careful balance that Lower Decks has maintained throughout its run. Regardless of whether it returns, Star Trek is exponentially better for it, and the trends it sets will serve the franchise extremely well in the future."

Robert Vaux (CBR)

Full article:

https://www.cbr.com/star-trek-lower-decks-self-parody-improve-franchise/

ROBERT PICARDO:

"First of all, science fiction, as we know, dreams a dream of the future, a possible future. Some science fiction is very apocalyptic. that's very popular now like 'The Last of Us' and all that. Star Trek is traditionally very optimistic. We see a future where humanity is succeeding in space and cooperating with other alien creatures, other species working toward a common goal. So, science fiction dreams a dream and then it's up to us to try to catch up to that.

https://youtu.be/cw7ILIv8LvI?si=LLVM6ab6T0aOP1Yd

Whether we're creating some of the technologies that Star Trek first envisioned, like a communicator that flipped open, like a cell phone, like noninvasive medical scanning, like an MRI scan, all of the technologies of Star Trek, imagine the 60s that have come true. Little tiny computers that, you know, that fit on your desk and got smaller and smaller and fit in your hand. All of those things that we've seen come true that Star Trek first imagined.

But the most important thing is not the technological advance. It is the human cooperation advance. And that's what the Star Trek dreams as I said of cooperation between space fairing planets in the future. That's what the Federation is. We work to, we share a concept ethics. We share a common morality and we share a common principle, right? [...] What's it called? The Prime Directive. [...]

We share the project and all of you know, so I think the storytelling is important. You know Star Trek was founded in the turbulent 60s - and it told stories about the conflicts we were having in an imaginary future. It made us see often how silly or ridiculous those kind of conflicts were and as a way of of teaching us that we could resolve them. So I think it's .... I think it's very important. I hope that Star Trek remains true to its vision of Gene Rodenberry.

I don't want the new Star Trek series to be 'America First' in space. I want it to be the 'United Nations Starfleet' - as it's always been - in space."

---

Source:

Robert Picardo: Science fiction dreams a possible future (Austria Comic Con) - On The Grid Ep: 774/3

YouTube-Channel:

INSIDE POLITICS AUSTRIA

Full video:

https://youtu.be/cw7ILIv8LvI?si=LLVM6ab6T0aOP1Yd

Description:

"Robert Picardo (The Doctor / Star Trek: Voyager, Director Woolsey / Stargate Atlantis) spoke at his panel at Austria Comic Con about his career as an actor, his role as "The Doctor" in Star Trek: Voyager, Star Trek: Prodigy, and Starfleet Academy. Picardo criticized the tendency to reinterpret Star Trek as a story about the United States in space, rather than its original vision of the United Nations in space. He also talked about Stargate and the possibility of returning in a new Stargate series."

REACTOR:

"Star Trek was the brainchild of Gene Roddenberry, a former Los Angeles police officer turned journeyman TV writer. Star Trek was the second series that he created and shepherded to the air (following The Lieutenant, which lasted only a single season), but as a result of the show’s cult success, his name became inextricably tied to the series to the point that it became the dominant part of his personal and professional identity.

But after Star Trek was canceled—and before it blossomed from cult TV show into pop culture phenomenon—Roddenberry still had a career to continue, a living to make, and a family to feed. What did he do during the decade between the end of the original show and the release of Star Trek: The Motion Picture in 1979? The short answer is that, like any writer or producer working in Hollywood, Roddenberry pursued other projects for both the big and small screens. Yet none of them achieved the kind of success that Star Trek had achieved, and many of them didn’t stray very far from the concepts and ideas that fueled his beloved science fiction series. [...]"

Full essay:

https://reactormag.com/the-lost-years-that-led-gene-roddenberry-back-to-star-trek/

Don Kaye (Reactor Mag)

TrekMovie:

"The two new series are a Trek first, branching into the popular format of vertical-scroll webcomics, optimized to be experienced on the WEBTOON ap. Debuting on Sunday, May 17 at 7:00 PM (PT) is Stargazers, which will launch with three free episodes, followed by regular releases for a total of 40 episodes of the webcomic (note, WEBTOON use “episode” instead of “issue”).

Here again is the synopsis for Stargazers

>A new series set aboard Deep Space 9, Stargazer introduces an entirely new cast navigating early adulthood in a vibrant corner of the Galaxy. Stargazers is a young adult romance set in the vibrant, ever-evolving world of Deep Space 9, where friendship, identity, and first love unfold against the backdrop of a Galaxy recovering after war.

Character/story details:

>Leon is an optimistic young man fresh out of school, spending his days with his close-knit group of friends, including Churi, a brilliant Bajoran inventor, and his loyal dog Alfie. While Leon embraces the unknown and resists choosing a defined path, his childhood friend Syrrik is determined to follow a strict trajectory into Starfleet Academy, driven by the expectations of his formidable father.

>After a falling out pushes them apart, Leon and Syrrik find themselves drawn back together in unexpected ways, navigating a complicated and evolving romance. Alongside their friends, they become entangled in a station-wide animal smuggling conspiracy, all while preparing for a community talent show that brings their worlds together. As outside pressures mount, including interference from Syrrik’s father, they must decide what kind of future they want.

WEBTOON has also provided us with seven character designs (including the dog)."

Links:

https://trekmovie.com/2026/05/16/preview-star-trek-returns-to-deep-space-9-in-stargazers-webtoon/

https://www.inverse.com/entertainment/star-trek-webtoon-stargazers-recollection

The second Star Trek webcomic titled Recollection will launch later this summer, with a total of 40 episodes. Here is a synopsis for that series.

>Set in a later timeline inspired by Star Trek: The Next Generation and Voyager, Recollection is a gripping mystery that follows a crew who awaken on a Federation starship without any of their memories.

[...]"

Link:

https://trekmovie.com/2026/05/15/two-star-trek-webcomic-series-are-coming-to-webtoon-and-theyre-officially-canon/

JAMIE RIXOM:

"I hear they want to announce a TV series. Star Trek United? Maybe they want to announce another movie that's being in development. Maybe that's United as a movie. We don't know. And they want to - as part of this 5year plan - they're hoping to get more details about the Dungeons and Dragons guys movie. So we should start hearing some stuff on that. [...]

https://youtu.be/sFHJBfjQtMc?si=6IdYc6UKDB6RSz-f

I actually think William Shatner might have actually let the cat out of the bag a little bit. Because he told everyone a few days ago that Paramount are planning a big thing and he was invited and can't go.

So there is going to be a big 60th anniversary event over the four days, five days of San Diego Comic- Con and they're going to do an awful lot of different things. To be able to do that though is a problem because not only have you got to get Kurtzman out of the way, you need this divorce settlement done, agreed and signed, you also then need to, if you want to announce a new TV series, say you want to announce United , you've got a contract in green like that as well.

So that's just from a paperwork point of view quite a lot to do. I'm wondering there could be other projects as well that they're working on in the background, but while this exclusivity deals in place, Paramount aren't really supposed to be talking to anyone.

[...]

The next problem comes that you've then got to decide what you want to do, green light what you want to do, and get the people that are going to make it contracted. Just doing something like creating "Star Trek Studios" is going to take a bit of time ... again there's contracts and things that need to be done and these things aren't quick so I don't know. [...]

These things do take time, but they can be done quickly if Paramount very secretly is doing a lot of the work already. And it would have to be secret because that could not get out. If we're talking about litigation, we're talking about the possibility over the IP or if they feel that, um, there's been a problem, that that something's not been met under the contract and you know they start litigation.

If Secret Hideout find out that Paramount has been doing any sort of backdoor dealings, preparing anything formally, they're allowed to do stuff informally there. There are ways you can fudge around the law and just, you know, color outside the lines a little bit, but if Secret Hideout found out they'd actually been doing anything formal behind their back, that would be litigation. That would be a breach of contract. So they got to be very, very careful that people like me don't find out if they're doing anything like that. It'll be a very small number of people and they'll be on NDAs and it'll be strict as hell and those people won't leak it because there maybe there's only like five people that know.

[...]

So this is why for six months or more, um, Paramount were trying to get this deal that would then supersede the existing deal. The existing deal would end under agreement. This new deal would take over. [...] The divorce settlement? I've heard it's about $30 million. That's currently being talked about, that at the end of this deal they may have to pay Kurtzman $30 million. [...] Even though you could argue that there may not be that many residuals um because no one's watching it. Nobody watches this damn show [SFA] on repeat. [...]

I do wonder if Starfleet Academy had done well if they might have given Kurtzman a two-year extension to this existing deal. I really, really think that they might have done it."

Full video (Tachyon Pulse Podcast):

https://youtu.be/sFHJBfjQtMc?si=6IdYc6UKDB6RSz-f

Nick Hallam (Sci-Finatics):

"If you thought season 3 was already leaning hard into genre experimentation, season 4 looks like the creative team basically walked into the writer's room and said, "What if we did every crazy sci-fi concept we've ever wanted to do all at once?" And honestly, sometimes those big swings hit home runs and sometimes they strike out.

https://youtu.be/kAAzAV09pv8?si=uCNGYj_xSck9dynq

Because unlike some modern Trek that feels terrified of having fun, Star Trek Strange New Worlds has embraced the idea that Star Trek can be adventurous, weird, fun, funny, dramatic, horrifying, and completely ridiculous. Sometimes all within the same season.

Season 4 might just be the wildest one yet. We've got puppet versions of the crew, a full-blown zombie horror scenario, dinosaurs, a mysterious white-haired alien species standing in front of what looks like an exploding ringed planet, a massive black hole space walk sequence, and somehow a western episode with horses riding across what looks like a Mars-like desert world. This show has absolutely no boundaries anymore.

And I love that when they hit a home run. So, let's just hope this season the writers are channeling Babe Ruth. We need to start with the thing that nobody could have possibly predicted, the puppet episode. That is apparently a real thing that exists now in Star Trek canon. And before anybody immediately starts screaming that this is too silly for Star Trek, let's be honest here:

Star Trek has always done bizarre experimental episodes!

[...]

Now, let's talk about the thing that made the internet collectively say, "Wait, are those dinosaurs?" Because there are. One of the teaser shots absolutely looks like the crew is encountering a massive T-Rex on an alien world, not to mention pterodactyls. And immediately everybody's brain went to Jurassic Park, which of course is understandable. The real question is whether Strange New Worlds is simply doing a straight-up away team trapped on a dinosaur planet adventure or whether there's something a little more interesting happening underneath it.

Because honestly, Star Trek has done plenty of planet Earth-like condition stories before. Sometimes brilliantly and sometimes very cheaply, but what matters here is whether the dinosaur setting is just visual spectacle or whether there's an actual sci-fi concept attached to it. Cuz this could be a lost ecosystem preserved artificially, it could be time displacement involved. Could the dinosaurs themselves be intelligent with a link somehow to that Voyager episode featuring sentient dinosaurs that had evolved?

Or are we literally just getting Pike running away from a T-Rex?

Because to be fair, I'd still watch that. And this is where Strange New Worlds succeeds better than a lot of recent Trek. It remembers that adventure matters. Not every episode needs to be galaxy-ending stakes or universe-destroying trauma. Sometimes people just want to see the Enterprise crew dealing with giant space dinosaurs.

And that's okay. Star Trek is allowed to have fun.

[...]

The biggest takeaway is that Star Trek Strange New Worlds seems completely confident in its identity now. It's not trying to imitate prestige television. It's not ashamed of being weird. It's embracing the fact that Star Trek can be experimental, episodic, comedic, terrifying, adventurous, and deeply sci-fi all at once. And that's probably why this series has connected with so many fans.

Because at its core, this feels like a show made by people who genuinely love the sheer flexibility of Star Trek storytelling.

Where else can you get puppets, zombies, dinosaurs, cosmic apocalyptic aliens, black hole survival missions, and cowboy horse riding adventures all in the same season? Only on Star Trek. And honestly, season 4 already looks like absolute chaos and I can't wait.

But what do you guys think?"

Nick Hallam

Full video:

https://youtu.be/kAAzAV09pv8?si=uCNGYj_xSck9dynq

REDSHIRTS (New Review, May 13, 2026):

"“Kids These Days,” the series premiere of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, plays like a confident mini-movie with rich character work, classic Trek optimism, and an unexpected third act, despite its modest 5.8-star IMDb rating. That score reflects review-bomb fatigue and expectations baggage more than the polished, character-forward pilot that knows what kind of Star Trek it wants to be.

https://redshirtsalwaysdie.com/star-trek-starfleet-academy-season-1-kids-these-days-review

With that in mind, the following are five standout moments that show why this premiere deserves a reappraisal.

1. The Bajor 'recruitment walk' opening

>The early scene on Bajor, with Admiral Charles Vance trying to coax Nahla Ake back into Starfleet, is the first signal that this isn’t a disposable YA spin‑off. [...] Ake isn’t a starry‑eyed idealist, she’s 422 years old, half‑Lanthanite, physically small, and emotionally exhausted, which makes her decision to return to service feel earned rather than inevitable. For a show dismissed as “The CW in space,” that’s an impressively grown‑up starting point.

2. Caleb’s ultimatum and messy morality

>Ake’s offer to “make things right” by using him as both a cadet and a key to a past injustice walks a sharp ethical line: is she fixing her mistake or drafting her victim into the system that hurt him? [...] Caleb caused the crisis and stays to face the consequences. That balance of responsibility and courage is more complex than the “paper-thin characters” of a 5.8-star rating.

3. SAM and The Doctor: holograms with history

>SAM has been alive for only four months yet is programmed to be 17, all nerves and overeager friendliness; The Doctor is over 800 years old, wryly quoting his own catchphrases while visibly wincing at reminders of the Voyager and Prodigy crews. [...]

>Behind laughs about aging subroutines and “Please state the nature of the medical emergency,” the episode gently asks what it means for a sentient program to bear centuries of anguish and couple him with a new hologram who hasn't even started to understand that weight. Because it expects you to think about it, low user scores reduce nuanced, continuity-savvy storytelling into “fan service”.

4. The hull-walk and ensemble heroics

>The scene isn’t just visually striking, Khionian scales against the void, the Athena’s wing‑like nacelles glowing beneath Darem, it’s structurally smart. Every cadet gets a specific, character‑aligned “save the day” beat, reinforcing that this is an ensemble show rather than a protagonist‑with‑sidekicks setup. That’s a far cry from the “soapy” nothingburger detractors describe.

5. Ake vs. Braka on the bridge – and the show’s tonal balance

>Their banter (getting into a fight with a Klingarite is not a good idea) is humorous, menacing, and loaded with shared history the episode only glances at, promising a season-long emotional thread rather than a one-off villain.

>From the start, the episode has mixed youthful energy, romantic YA vibes, and real peril without sacrificing Trek's optimism. The writing is lighthearted, but it respects consequence, from Genesis racing to save Thok with Picard and Janeway quotes on the monitors to Caleb choosing discipline over escape.

>The kids are unpolished, but the adults aren't flawless. Many genre pilots lose this delicate tonal mix, but some outlets have deemed it the strongest of the modern age.

[...]

There’s documented frustration over “soapy” elements and franchise fatigue, and threads in Trek fandom openly wrestling with how much of the low scoring is coming from coordinated negativity versus viewers engaging with the story on its own terms.

Look at the actual work: this is a 75‑minute pilot that feels intentional in its pacing, invests in a multi‑species, multi‑generation cast, integrates legacy characters like The Doctor without turning them into mascots, and gives its core cadets memorable, character‑defining beats in their very first hour."

Calvin Townsend (RedshirtsAlwaysDie.com)

Full article:

https://redshirtsalwaysdie.com/star-trek-starfleet-academy-season-1-kids-these-days-review

MOVIEWEB:

"Had Star Trek Into Darkness, or any other Star Trek sequel, come out in 2012, it would not have held a candle to the likes of The Avengers and The Dark Knight Rises. But following the strong word-of-mouth from the previous film, it would likely have been one of the bigger movies of the summer, resting comfortably alongside The Amazing Spider-Man and above titles like Prometheus, Brave, and Men in Black 3. That way, Star Trek Beyond would have had more buzz going into it. In contrast, in 2013, Star Trek Into Darkness was overshadowed by Iron Man 3, Fast and Furious 6, Man of Steel, Monsters University, and Despicable Me 2.

This anticipation-killing development cycle continued with Star Trek 4. Despite being announced before the release of the excellent Star Trek Beyond, it was delayed multiple times due to the third movie's underperformance. Instead of settling on a script for Star Trek 4, the movie languished in development hell for a decade through various forms that ultimately led to its cancellation. [...]

One factor was that the franchise has struggled to find an international audience. Star Trek Into Darkness did show some growth in this department, but by the time Star Trek Beyond rolled around in 2016, the likes of Disney's new Star Wars films and Marvel Studios' Guardians of the Galaxy had become the go-to pulpy sci-fi action franchise at the worldwide box office. [...]

While Star Trek 4's budget reportedly faced challenges due to the cast's increased paydays, the studio could have shifted the fourth Star Trek film into a smaller, more character-driven film with fewer locations to help keep costs down, as they did with The Wrath of Khan. [...]

However, after seven years, the franchise stalled following its third installment and never recovered. With a new reboot on the way, the Kelvin Timeline Star Trek film series will be looked back on as a franchise with so much potential that it never fully lived up to it."

Richard Fink (MovieWeb)

Full article:

https://movieweb.com/why-jj-abrams-star-trek-reboot-failed/