Star Trek: Starfleet Academy (2026)

The critic praises it as a joyous, earnest, and fun YA entry that pays homage to the franchise while appealing to new viewers, highlighting the strong cast and episodic structure with overarching themes.

The critic praises the series for embracing imperfection and trying something new in the Star Trek universe, highlighting Holly Hunter's commanding performance as Chancellor Ake and the fresh take on the academy setting. They note some CGI issues and cast juggling but see potential for growth.

The series is great fun as a hormone-fuelled high-school spinoff set at the Starfleet training campus, with Holly Hunter's free-spirited chancellor standing out as unlike any previous Trek captain. It is earnest, formulaic and cheesy in the classic Trek manner, but the impulsive young cadets and their boundary-testing make it surprisingly moreish.

The review notes the show is uneven and messy in execution but charming with a talented cast, especially Holly Hunter, and full of promise despite shortcomings in pacing and jargon.

The critic finds the series has potential in its setup and guest stars like Paul Giamatti and Holly Hunter, but criticizes the slow pace, filler episodes, uninteresting characters, and overly sweet tone.

The critic calls Starfleet Academy the best Star Trek series of the modern era and a bold new chapter for the franchise. They single out its perfect blend of episodic and narrative storytelling, magnetic lead performance by Holly Hunter, talented young ensemble, and writing that feels like a breath of fresh air while honoring the franchise.

The critic finds the YA-flavored series delightful and recommends it to skeptical Trek fans, noting it turns elements from the divisive Discovery into sweet lemonade. They single out the comedic swings, queer romantic subplots, Paul Giamatti's guest performance, fresh approaches to the universe, and frequent Easter eggs and callbacks.

The critic found the series a surprisingly entertaining mix of teen drama and sci-fi, noting it successfully combines adolescent awkwardness with interstellar diplomacy and ethical dilemmas. They praised its sincere coming-of-age approach as a good match for the franchise's hopeful outlook.

The two-episode premiere has plenty of potential in its visuals, eclectic cast, and moments of classic Trek teamwork among the cadets, but struggles to find its footing amid too much focus on a single unsympathetic lead character and insufficient attention to the broader ensemble or institution.