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For additional meanings of "Star Trek: Starfleet Academy", please see Star Trek: Starfleet Academy.

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy is the twelfth Star Trek series and the second spin-off of Star Trek: Discovery. The series was announced on 30 March 2023 by the show's executive producers, Alex Kurtzman and Noga Landau, who teased, "the adventures of a new class of Starfleet cadets as they come of age in one of the most legendary places in the galaxy." [1] The show takes place in the 32nd century. [2]

StarTrek.com described the new show as "Star Trek: Starfleet Academy will introduce us to a young group of cadets who come together to pursue a common dream of hope and optimism. Under the watchful and demanding eyes of their instructors, they will discover what it takes to become Starfleet officers as they navigate blossoming friendships, explosive rivalries, first loves and a new enemy that threatens both the Academy and the Federation itself." [3]

Domenic DiMeglio, Chief Marketing Officer and Head of Data for Paramount Streaming, added, "We are excited to introduce Star Trek fans to a whole new generation of Starfleet officers in training as they navigate the rigors of the Academy and the brink of adulthood in Star Trek: Starfleet Academy. Introducing new characters and compelling storylines, this all-new original series will serve as a fantastic addition to the franchise and Paramount+, bringing new generations of viewers and long-term Star Trek fans alike together to enjoy the next chapter in the iconic Star Trek universe." [4]

President of CBS Studios, David Stapf, further stated that "As we continue to explore more of the Star Trek universe, we're thrilled to bring Star Trek: Starfleet Academy to fans around the world as the next chapter in this expanding franchise. Alex Kurtzman and Noga Landau's vision is a smart and thrilling take that celebrates the core principles of what Star Trek has always stood for, but through the eyes of the next generation of Starfleet's leaders." [5]

The first season, consisting of ten episodes, began filming in August 2024 and wrapped in February 2025. It premiered on 15 January 2026 and ran for nine weeks, concluding on 12 March 2026.

Filming on the second season began in August 2025 and wrapped in February 2026. It is planned to premiere in early 2027. In March 2026, Paramount announced that they have canceled the series, and the second season will be the final one.

According to Paramount+, Starfleet Academy takes place 125 years after the Burn, which approximates the year as 3194.

Main cast

Recurring characters

Episode list

Season 1

SA Season 1, 10 episodes:

Watched? Title Episode Production number Stardate US release date

"Kids These Days" 1x01 101 853724.6 2026-01-15

"Beta Test" 1x02 102 Unknown 2026-01-15

"Vitus Reflux" 1x03 103 868858.7 2026-01-22

"Vox In Excelso" 1x04 104 868943.8 2026-01-29

"Series Acclimation Mil" 1x05 105 Unknown 2026-02-05

"Come, Let's Away" 1x06 106 Unknown 2026-02-12

"Ko'Zeine" 1x07 107 Unknown 2026-02-19

"The Life of the Stars" 1x08 108 869372.1 2026-02-26

"300th Night" 1x09 109 Unknown 2026-03-05

"Rubincon" 1x10 110 Unknown 2026-03-12

Crew

Showrunners
Executive producers
Writers
Directors

Development

Talk of the series dates back to June 2018, when it was revealed that "a series set at Starfleet Academy from creators Stephanie Savage and Josh Schwartz" was potentially on the docket. [6]

Murmurs of the series occurred sporadically when in August 2021 it was briefly revealed that the show was "aimed at a younger audience", [7] and a month later, September 2021, talk of the series was further explained by Alex Kurtzman: "I know there has been a lot of conversations about Starfleet Academy, which we are very excited about. And Wil, when we talked about there's this new generation that is going to come and it's going to inherit the problems of the old generation. What are they going to do to make the world better, to solve it. How are we going to avoid the mistakes of our elders? And how are we going to learn from the wisdom of our elders? That's a really wonderful thing to consider when you think about something like Starfleet Academy." [8]

Almost six months later, in February 2022, the first official pitched was honed down to describe "a new offshoot, Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, is in development at CBS Studios and Alex Kurtzman's studio-based Secret Hideout for the ViacomCBS streamer, sources said. Sharing a name with the late 1990s video game, the series is set among the college of cadets mentored for leadership roles in the United Federation of Planets space force." [9]

The series was officially announced at the end of March 2023, just four weeks after cancellation of Star Trek: Discovery following its fifth season. [10]

While specifics of the series have not been officially revealed, the teaser blurb contains cues that seem to have been taken directly from the Star Trek: Discovery's post-Burn fourth season; specifically, references found in the episodes "Kobayashi Maru": "Starfleet Academy re-opening after 125 years"; and "All Is Possible": "And is exactly what this new generation of cadets needs as the Federation rebuilds", almost directly mirror the promotional blurb below. [11]

The series is expected to start shooting in the summer of 2024. According to Kurtzman, the building of the sets will be a "massive endeavor." The series's shooting is expected to last six months, followed by six to eight months of post-production. [12]

According to Aviel Mann Ballo, a writers assistant on Starfleet Academy, the abbreviation used internally for the series is SFA. [13]

Promotion

Admission is now open to
Starfleet Academy
Explore the galaxy!
Captain your destiny!


For the first time in over a century, our campus will be re-opened to admit individuals a minimum of 16 Earth years (or species equivalent) who dream of exceeding their physical, mental, and spiritual limits, who value friendship, camaraderie, honor, and devotion to a cause greater than themselves.

The coursework will be rigorous, the instructors among the brightest lights in their respective fields, and those accepted will live and study side-by-side with the most diverse population of students ever admitted.

Today we encourage all who share our dreams, goals, and values to join a new generation of visionary cadets as they take their first steps toward creating a bright future for us all. Apply Today!

Ex Astris, Scientia!
Excerpts of copyrighted sources are included for review purposes only, without any intention of infringement.
Synopsis
The series will follow the adventures of a new class of Starfleet cadets as they come of age in one of the most legendary places in the galaxy.
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy introduces viewers to a young group of cadets who come together to pursue a common dream of hope and optimism. Under the watchful and demanding eyes of their instructors, they discover what it takes to become Starfleet officers as they navigate blossoming friendships, explosive rivalries, first loves and a new enemy that threatens both the Academy and the Federation itself.

Characters

Robert Picardo described the return of The Doctor thusly: "They've taken me out of holographic mothballs. The character is an artificial intelligence. He's now several hundred years old, but it is set in the more distant future that Star Trek: Discovery propelled itself into. So in that future that my character is now several hundred years old, maybe nine hundred years old. Remarkably, I don't look that much older. But I'm having a ball working on it, revisiting the character." [14]

Excerpts of copyrighted sources are included for review purposes only, without any intention of infringement.
Official publicity imagery

Reception

In January 2026, audience scores for the series on Rotten Tomatoes and IMDb were review bombed after the release of the first two episodes. [15] Jake Hodges of Collider noted an audience rating of 43% on Rotten Tomatoes on January 26, 2026, under half of the critic rating of 88% at the time. [16] Forbes staff writer Conor Murray noted a user rating of 4.9 out of a possible 10 on IMDb on January 16, 2026, detailing anti-"woke" criticisms from Stephen Miller, End Wokeness and The Babylon Bee, and comparing the review bombing to that of Star Wars: The Acolyte in 2024. [17]

Despite initially receiving positive reviews from critics, Starfleet Academy reportedly did not chart on the Nielsen top 10. It did, however, continuously pop in and out of the top 10 show list on Paramount+ itself and ranked in the top 10 on Amazon Channels (which tracks shows from different subscription services available through Prime Video), both in American and European streaming markets. [18]

After the anouncement by Paramount and CBS that the show will be ended with its second season, two online petitions were launched to renew the show for a third season. [19] [20] As of this writing in April 2026, the first petition has gained over 42,000 signatures, plus 6000 in the second petition (possible overlaps not being checked). By 9 April 2026, images began circulating showing the Starfleet Academy and Strange New Worlds sets in a state of deconstruction. [21]

Following the announcement of the end of the series, William Shatner wrote on X, "I for one would love to see its continuity. It's with sorrow that I hear about the cancellation of the new Star Trek series." Addressing the anti-"woke"-criticisms, Shatner recalled his on-screen interracial kiss with Nichelle Nichols in the original Star Trek series 1968, which lead many southern stations to boycott the show. "Using today’s vernacular it would absolutely be called 'woke DEI crap' because it went against 'norms' of society for its time. Not a lot seems to have changed." [22]

On April 7, 2026, the Critics Choice Association announced the series was to receive the Ensemble Award at the 3rd Celebration of LGBTQ+ Cinema & Television, scheduled for May 29, 2026, honoring cast members Tig Notaro, Karim Diané, Gina Yashere, and Kerrice Brooks. [23]

Related topics

Media

Links and references

See also

External links