Jonathan Frakes' recent comments excite me even more for Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, especially after Star Trek: Section 31's missteps. Best known as Captain William T. Riker, Frakes is also one of Star Trek's most celebrated directors. Jonathan's credentials speak for themselves as the director of Star Trek: First Contact, several episodes of Star Trek: Discovery, and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' crossover with Star Trek: Lower Decks. Frakes is also directing episodes of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy.
Executive produced by Alex Kurtzman and Noga Landau, Star Trek: Starfleet Academy is the sixth Star Trek on Paramount+ TV series. and one of only two live-action Star Trek shows remaining on the streamer, along with Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. Starfleet Academy is a spinoff of Star Trek: Discovery set in the 32nd century, continuing the farthest point in the Star Trek timeline. Starfleet Academy's young cast is led by Academy Award winner Holly Hunter, with season 1's recurring villain played by Academy Award nominee and lifelong Star Trek fan Paul Giamatti.
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy recently wrapped filming season 1, and Paramount+ has already ordered season 2, which will begin filming later in 2025. Although Star Trek: Starfleet Academy isn't expected to premiere on Paramount+ until 2026, it's likely that the first glimpses of the next Star Trek series will emerge at San Diego Comic-Con in July. However, Jonathan Frakes speaks effusively about Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, and his word goes a long way to get me excited.
Jonathan Frakes’ Comments Made Me Even More Excited About Star Trek: Starfleet Academy
Starfleet Academy Is For "Hardcore Fans"
Jonathan Frakes hyped up Star Trek: Starfleet Academy as being made for "hardcore Star Trek fans" during a Star Trek: The Next Generation panel hosted by Collider at the Indiana Comic Convention. Frakes noted the incredible cast led by Oscar-caliber "movie stars" Starfleet Academy assembled, as well as the show's Star Trek legacy actors, and other impressive aspects of the show. Read Frakes' quote below:
"Well, first of all, it's got movie stars in it, which I think is a great idea. Holly Hunter is in it, Paul Giamatti is in it. [audience cheers] Right? That's exactly the response I think CBS is looking for. Holly— they're both fabulous. I didn't have the privilege of directing Paul. [Robert] Picardo's in it, Tig Notaro’s in it. [Audience cheers] Right? I love Tig. But it has the most massive set of any Star Trek ever. There's also a spaceship on the show, which I think, I hope that's not a f*cking secret. I have been known—I’ve had a bad experience with oversharing, and I hope that wasn't an overshare, but it's fabulous. The sets are great. The scripts are—they're funny, which is always helpful on Star Trek... It’s [aimed at] much more hardcore Star Trek fans.
As Frakes confirmed, Robert Picardo is reprising The Doctor from Star Trek: Voyager and Tig Notaro is once again playing Commander Jett Reno from Star Trek: Discovery. Star Trek: Starfleet Academy will be set on Earth and in space, and the show does have an unnamed starship, which was already leaked when WWE's Becky Lynch was reported to join the cast, along with She-Hulk's Tatiana Maslany. It was also already known that Starfleet Academy has the largest sets ever constructed for Star Trek.
Why Michelle Yeoh’s Section 31 Movie Failed Star Trek Fans
Section 31 Was Barely A Star Trek Movie
Jonathan Frakes assuring hardcore Star Trek fans that Starfleet Academy is being made with them in mind is a balm, especially after Star Trek: Section 31. Headlined by Academy Award-winner Michelle Yeoh, Section 31 was the first Star Trek movie in 9 years and the first Star Trek movie made for streaming on Paramount+. Despite Section 31 posting impressive streaming numbers in its first week in late January, it was savaged by critics and Star Trek fans online. One of Section 31's failings is that it is barely a Star Trek movie.
Star Trek: Section 31 cast member Rob Kazinsky, who plays Zeph, confirmed to the TrekNation podcast that Section 31 was targeted to non-fans in the hopes of getting newcomers interested in Star Trek. Section 31 had fleeting Star Trek trappings, but was much more of a generic sci-fi action movie. Kazinsky says he was told by Star Trek executive producer Alex Kurtzman that was the intention of Section 31:
"They explained to me very, very clearly, and once I'd heard this, I was 100% behind this movie: You have to make different flavors of Star Trek for a different time. You have to try and bring in new people. [...] That's what Section 31's about. This film, and I'm sorry to say it, it wasn't made for people that love 'Star Trek.' It was made to make people want to learn more about 'Star Trek.'"
While I appreciated the in-your-face-brashness of Star Trek: Section 31's action, the foray into the Mirror Universe, and the performances of the cast led by Michelle Yeoh, Section 31 was indeed lacking as a Star Trek movie. Section 31's links to the wider Star Trek universe were minimal, and it's a Star Trek movie in name only. Section 31 simply didn't satisfy, leaving Star Trek: Strange New Worlds and Star Trek: Starfleet Academy as the last hopes for Star Trek on Paramount+.
What I Expect From Star Trek: Starfleet Academy
Lessons Have Hopefully Been Learned From Past Star Trek Mistakes
Jonathan Frakes' comments give me confidence that Star Trek: Starfleet Academy will not repeat early mistakes made by Star Trek: Discovery and Star Trek: Picard. Both Discovery and Picard tried to reinvent Star Trek, to mixed results. Further, Star Trek: Discovery's early seasons varied in tone from what the series turned into after it switched its setting to the 32nd century. Similarly, Star Trek: Picard season 1 and 2 were tonally different before Star Trek: Picard season 3 struck gold by reassembling the cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation under showrunner Terry Matalas.
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy is hopefully more clear-eyed about its mission and more consistent from inception. Further, Starfleet Academy is ideal to honor and evoke the expansive canon of Star Trek, since it's set in a school where it's logical to learn from past heroes like Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) and Captain Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew). Starfleet Academy's concept is about young people learning the values of Star Trek, and legacy characters being part of the show means Starfleet's past won't be forgotten as Starfeet Academy builds Star Trek's future.
Jonathan Frakes Is Also Directing An Episode Of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 3
Frakes Is Directing A "Hollywood Murder Mystery" Episode
Before Star Trek: Starfleet Academy hits Paramount+, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3 will finally premiere at some point in 2025. Even better, Jonathan Frakes is directing a mysterious, noir-inspired "Hollywood Murder Mystery" episode that he told Variety is "the best hour of TV I've ever done." Considering Frakes directed Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' comedic crossover with Star Trek: Lower Decks, and "No Win Scenario," one of Star Trek: Picard season 3's best episodes, this is a high bar I'm excited to see Jonathan exceed.
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy is a literal investment in Star Trek's future, as it's set in the 32nd century and is about developing the next generation of Starfleet heroes. Starfleet Academy boasts an astounding cast of movie star actors surrounding a slew of fresh faces, and it brings the venerable institution back to San Francisco while still incorporating Star Trek's classic starship action. Jonathan Frakes' Star Trek knowledge and credibility is bona fide, and if Frakes says hardcore Star Trek fans will thrill to Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, it makes me even more excited to see it.
