The next generation will live long and prosper with the new STAR TREK: STARFLEET ACADEMY series, premiering January 15, 2026 on Paramount+ globally.
The latest in the plethora of spin-offs (about a dozen) that followed the original Star Trek, which debuted 60 years ago in 1966. The iconic series followed the crew of the Starship Enterprise lead by Captain Kirk, who was a graduate of the Starfleet Academy.
Now that famous fictional intergalactic school from the Star Trek universe gets the spotlight in a show that introduces viewers to a young group of cadets at the Starfleet Academy. They come together to pursue a common dream of hope and optimism, under the watchful eyes of their instructors. They discover what it takes to become Starfleet officers as they navigate friendships, rivalries, first loves, and a wrathful new enemy that threatens both the Academy and the interstellar Federation itself. That villain is played by recurring guest star Paul Giamatti as Nus Braka, part-Klingon, part-Tellarite, and a 100% scene-stealer.
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy stars Oscar-winner Holly Hunter as the Chancellor of Starfleet Academy. The Starfleet cadets are played by Sandro Rosta, Karim Diané Kerrice Brooks, George Hawkins, Bella Shepard, and Zoë Steiner.
L-R: Robert Picardo as The Doctor, Kerrice Brooks as Sam and Bella Shepard as Genesis in season 1 , episode 1 of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy streaming on Paramount+. Photo Credit: Brooke Palmer/Paramount+
Fan favorite, Robert Picardo returns to his Star Trek: Voyager role as the holographic Doctor, now 900 years old and assigned to teach at the Academy.
During the Paramount+ Zoom interview session for members of the Television Critics Association (TCA), Picardo expressed relief that he hasn’t had a lot of technobabble so far on the new series.
Picardo told the TCA, “What feels different is that the new Star Treks are in contemporary language. In Voyager, in my iteration of Star Treks, that time we spoke in mid-galactic speech, you know, it was nowhere in time. And now we speak in contemporary speech. It was a shock at first. I mean, they went nuts on the Internet that I said ‘that would be super helpful.’ The doctor would never say ‘super helpful.’”
“Well, in 800 years, the Doctor may have changed a little. And also, he now is teaching cadets, so he has to speak in their language. The adjustment came easily because there’s a reason for it.”
Another change is the Doctor’s program evolved to incorporate profanity. “It shocked me when the doctor had his first four-letter word. I thought, well, he needs to shock the students that are not paying attention. He needs to shock them back. That was the context. I said a word really to grab the attention of one of the students. And then immediately after he says, ‘Are you allowed to say that?’ And I say, ‘Say what?’ So I completely immediately denied, it’s kind of gaslighting the student a little bit. But it also shows that he is using every tool in his toolbox to teach these kids. So it makes sense. However, there will be hardcore old Star Trek fans will go, ‘Did the doctor just say a four-letter word?’ And I’m going to have to say, ‘Yes, it’s a brave new world.'”
He added, “And the other weird thing is that in Voyager, there were no zippers in the 24th century. Zippers are back. I don’t know why, but they’re back.” Which takes Trek fashions back to the future.
Alex Kurtzman and Noga Landau serve as co-showrunners and executive produce the series alongside executive producers Gaia Violo, Aaron Baiers, Olatunde Osunsanmi, Jenny Lumet, Rod Roddenberry, Trevor Roth, Frank Siracusa and John Weber. The series’ premiere episode is written by Gaia Violo and directed by Alex Kurtzman.
STAR TREK: STARFLEET ACADEMY is produced by CBS Studios in association with Secret Hideout and Roddenberry Entertainment, carrying on the legacy of Star Trek’s creator Gene Roddenberry.
Tune in on Paramount+
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