5 Valid Reasons Fans Hate Starfleet Academy

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Okay, so I’ve been following the new Star Trek series on Paramount+, and honestly, it hasn’t exactly blown me away. A lot of critics seem to think it’s a good move for the franchise, especially since Star Trek has been a little lost lately, trying to figure out what it wants to be. But if you look online, or check the ratings, the fans aren’t feeling it as much, and numbers are definitely dropping. It’s a bit of a disconnect, really.

It’s easy to assume negative reviews are just from people intentionally trying to hurt the show, but ratings haven’t taken off. While online critics can be overly harsh, some are actually genuine fans with valid points. Surprisingly, listening to this feedback could even help the show become a truly memorable addition to the Star Trek universe.

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy Looks and Sounds Cheap

The digital effects and creatures in Starfleet Academy feel outdated, like something from a computer game made in the early 2000s. A scene with whales, in particular, doesn’t look as good as a similar effect from the 1986 film Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home. While the show does have strong makeup, costumes, and practical effects, the overall visual experience is uneven and disappointing due to these conflicting levels of quality.

The opening credits follow a similar pattern: a seed sprouts and grows into a plant, which then transforms into a building, then back into a plant, and finally another building – one destined for space. Throughout this sequence plays a surprisingly uninspiring theme song, arguably the least memorable in decades. The iconic theme from the original Star Trek does appear briefly in the show itself, as a simple electronic tune played by a robotic trashcan.

Chancellor Ake Is More Starbucks Than Starfleet

One hundred years after a devastating event known as “The Burn” destroyed the United Federation of Planets, a new age is beginning. Nahla Ake, a former starship captain played by Holly Hunter, has been asked to return to duty and now leads the rebuilt Starfleet Academy in San Francisco as its chancellor.

Captain Ake is a very different kind of leader than previous Star Trek captains. While they often presented a stiff, formal demeanor, Ake is open, expressive, and embraces empathy. She’s known for walking barefoot, using animated gestures while speaking, and finding unconventional ways to relax in her captain’s chair – she’s even been known to curl up with a book on the bridge! This is a stark contrast to someone like Jean-Luc Picard, who maintained a strict, private routine and wouldn’t be caught relaxing outside his quarters.

Starfleet Is More Casual Than Business

Chancellor Ake has a quirky and unconventional leadership style. This is evident in her unusual sayings, like ‘Children are the ambassadors to now,’ and the way she seems to run Starfleet Academy more like the charming, chaotic town of Stars Hollow from The Gilmore Girls. The academy is surprisingly unruly, with cadets often fighting and using inappropriate language. In one episode, Ake enthusiastically participates in a prank war, behaving much like the adventurous Ms. Frizzle from The Magic School Bus.

This training exercise aims to challenge the “Burn” students with a deep space mission. However, the scenario – involving a near-destruction of the Enterprise by the Borg on the edge of the universe – feels overly risky. It makes you question the judgment of Starfleet Academy in admitting, and training, someone so unprepared for such a dangerous situation.

Star Trek Trades Deep Space for Shallow Politics and Lame Jokes

The Star Trek franchise hasn’t felt the same since J.J. Abrams’ 2009 reboot, which was co-written by Starfleet Academy’s Alex Kurtzman. That movie didn’t just offer a new beginning; it also altered the fundamental feel of the Star Trek universe. It was much more lighthearted than the original series and its follow-ups, and it leaned towards a more pessimistic outlook, with the second film, Into Darkness, portraying the once-honorable Federation as just another corrupt galactic power.

Corruption is a widespread problem throughout many of the shows on Paramount+, and Starfleet Academy presents a particularly negative view of authority – even those in charge at the school seem untrustworthy. From Ake’s scolding of a Betazoid diplomat for questioning her approach to conflict, to the ridiculous, over-the-top military displays whenever Lura Thok speaks to her students, it’s obvious that the new Star Trek series see the original Star Trek as outdated, overly idealistic, and foolish.

Starfleet Academy Is Unwatchably Watchable

Some believe the new series is geared more towards a younger audience and doesn’t respect the original fans who built the franchise. Shows like Starfleet Academy seem to imply a lack of faith in the intelligence of younger viewers. Even a short fifteen-minute segment raises a lot of questions about the characters’ actions, how it fits with previous shows, and whether the writers are paying close attention to detail.

I once envisioned a future where exceptionally talented individuals would become ambassadors, representing intelligence, dedication, and kindness to alien species across the universe. However, the new show, set almost 900 years after The Next Generation, portrays cadets acting casually and an instructor who is strangely inconsistent – sometimes strict, but then talking about things like bouncy houses and even using the phrase “dumpster fire.” The writers might have included that last bit as a knowing nod to the show’s own messy parts.

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2026-01-23 22:10