And so concludes Starfleet Academy‘s freshman season. Every good Star Trek needs a courtroom legal drama, and this two-parter serves it up, putting Starfleet on trial for the sins of the past and pitting Paul Giamatti’s Nus Braka against Holly Hunter’s Nahla Ake. Our young cadets bring to bear all the strengths they’ve learned and demonstrated throughout the season, working better together than they ever have apart.

Staci and Ken reflect on this satisfying conclusion which nonetheless had some outsized writing gaps and plot holes — a recurring trend throughout the season. But we felt the show had far more hits than misses while also serving as a strong entry point for newcomers to the franchise, leaving us eager for more.

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As we near the end of Starfleet Academy‘s inaugural season, we see real character growth in our young cadets — as well as in returning characters, including Voyager‘s Doctor.

Ken and Staci empathize with Darem and Genesys trying to live up to their parents’ expectations, even if we wonder what makes a pebble identifiably Khionian.

And the parallels between Sam, Tarima, and Our Town‘s Emily Gibbs hit us in all the feels, as a returning character from Discovery gives a nuanced and gracious approach to facing trauma and living in the moment.

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Photonic protagonist Sam becomes the vehicle for an unexpected and emotional coda to Deep Space Nine and the Sisko family, with familiar actors and characters once again gracing canon, leading Ken and Staci to reflect on connecting with and losing their own fathers. We then get the return of Paul Giamatti as Nus Braka in a chilling battle of wits and deception with Chancellor Ake, pairing with the previous episode to heal old wounds and reopen others.

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Starfleet Academy‘s youthful cast engage in petty campus squabbles in the third episode, showcasing some poignant character moments amidst some bizarre rounds of laser tag. A week later, they again demonstrate their ability to influence the entire Federation. Be the scale local or galactic, Ken and Staci enjoy seeing these saplings grow, likening their starting points to other fictional characters such as Reggie Mantle (Archie Comics) and Tahani Al-Jamil (The Good Place), and watching them come together as a class, team, and family.

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Cadet Staci Lee joins the crew to review the debut of Starfleet Academy. Set in the 32nd century, the show follows the next generation of Starfleet officers against the backdrop of the Federation rebuilding itself after the Burn. The star of the show is Cadet Caleb Mir, who has a double agenda of finding his long-lost mother, torn from him by the very admiral who is now the school’s chancellor.

Ken and Staci love the new, young characters who are complemented by Discovery and Voyager veterans, as well as the new and familiar species, from Lanthanite, Exocomp, Jem’Hadar, Betazed, and Brikar to Khionian, Klingerite, Photonics, and Dar-Sha. It’s an exciting time for two Trek fans, one with a long connection to the series’ 60-year history, and one who is seeing it with fresh eyes.

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In the final episodes of the third season, Strange New Worlds gets its own take on “The Enemy” and Enemy Mine before Pike has his own “Inner Light” moment. It’s been a rough season with a few gems, some rushed editing, and a lot of wasted opportunities, as reviewed by Ken and Em.

We also share the news from the recent Star Trek Day, including the Khan podcast series and the pre-teen YouTube series Star Trek: Scouts. How much of it will be canon? Does it matter?

We’re off the air until more Star Trek debuts on Paramount+ in 2026. Need something to watch in the meantime? May we suggest Alan Tudyk’s Con Man or Brent Spiner’s Fresh Hell?

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As the third season nears its end, Strange New Worlds hits its stride with two excellent episodes that couldn’t be more different. “What Is Starfleet?” shows a different way to edit and present a story while both raising questions about the Prime Directive and offering metaphors for our modern geopolitical landscape; while “Four-and-a-Half Vulcans” is an outright comedy that balances the dark and serious side of Star Trek.

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In our two favorite episodes of the season so far, an away team has a point-and-click adventure while an ancient evil invades the Enterprise; then a proto-Kirk develops into the captain we know he will be.

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