Honestly, it was incredible to watch. It all started with just two really honest reviews from Nerdrotic and The Critical Drinker, and it quickly became clear just how much trouble Star Trek: Starfleet Academy was in. It really showed me how much power new online creators have compared to old Hollywood – they can make a huge impact, and fast! It was a bit embarrassing for the show, but a great moment for those of us who follow these reviewers.
As a big movie and TV fan, I’ve been following the reaction to the new Star Trek: Starfleet Academy series, and it’s not looking good. Both The Critical Drinker and Nerdrotic completely blew past its free premiere numbers on YouTube. It really shows how much enthusiasm is left for this new direction Hollywood is taking with a classic franchise – honestly, it seems like interest is way down.
This happened spontaneously, without any planning or coordination, and that actually makes things much more problematic for Paramount.
Starfleet Academy Bombs on YouTube
Following the free release of its first episode on YouTube, Paramount’s official video received the following engagement over a five-day period:
- 176,000 views over five full days
- 7,000 likes
- 22,000 dislikes
That’s not a slow burn. That’s not audience confusion. That’s outright rejection.
A highly anticipated installment from a well-known series, produced with significant studio support and offered for free, surprisingly failed to gain much attention and received overwhelmingly negative feedback – with dislikes far outnumbering likes.
The Critical Drinker Strikes First — and the Audience Follows
The initial significant setback occurred when The Critical Drinker published his review of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, just a few hours before Nerdrotic’s video was released.
As of this writing — roughly 20 hours after upload — The Critical Drinker’s review has amassed:
- 850,556 views
- 75,000 likes
- 180 dislikes
Compared to Paramount’s performance, the launch of Starfleet Academy has been a disaster. Despite being released for free on YouTube, the premiere hasn’t attracted much attention and has received mostly negative reactions from viewers over the past few days.
The difference is clear: people didn’t watch the show and then decide they didn’t like it. They simply bypassed it and immediately sought out reviews from sources they rely on.
Nerdrotic Escalates the Embarrassment
About six hours after The Critical Drinker published his video, Nerdrotic released his own harsh review, and it was equally critical.
In just 14 hours, Nerdrotic’s review pulled:
- 397,384 views
- 33,000 likes
- 214 dislikes
That single event quickly increased the number of viewers for the Starfleet Academy YouTube premiere by well over 100%.
But Nerdrotic had already humiliated the show once before.
During the live premiere on YouTube, Nerdrotic jokingly streamed a video of a Spock action figure simply sitting still. Surprisingly, this simple gag attracted over three times as many live viewers as Paramount’s official stream.
A toy Spock drew more attention than a multi-million-dollar franchise launch.
This Wasn’t Coordinated — and That’s the Point
The most damaging aspect for Paramount is that none of this was orchestrated.
The Critical Drinker didn’t respond to Nerdrotic. Nerdrotic didn’t chase The Drinker.
Two different creators, each with their own unique style and followers, came to the same realization—and their audiences largely shared that view.
This outcome severely undermines the idea that negative reviews can simply be brushed aside as coming from unusual or disingenuous sources.
This Isn’t Hate-Watching — It’s Audience Replacement
Hollywood often claims these moments are driven by “rage engagement.” The data says otherwise.
Audiences are not watching Starfleet Academy to complain about it. They’re not watching it at all.
Instead, they are:
- Waiting for trusted voices
- Engaging positively with criticism
- Letting New Media replace the product itself
Once talking about something becomes more interesting than the thing itself, that creative work has lost touch with the culture and is essentially finished.
New Media vs. Hollywood: The Scoreboard Is Public
Starfleet Academy had:
- A legacy IP with nearly 60 years of history
- A massive studio budget
- A built-in fanbase
- A free YouTube premiere meant to hook new viewers
And it still lost.
Not by joining a different production company or sci-fi show. Instead, the story went to two YouTubers known for their trustworthy content and insightful commentary.
Hollywood is unwilling to admit a significant change in power, despite it unfolding openly and right before our eyes.
Final Verdict
The Critical Drinker struck first. Nerdrotic hit shortly thereafter.
And together, they demonstrated a reality Paramount can’t market its way out of.
New Media now owns the audience — and Hollywood is just reacting.
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2026-01-20 16:59