Star Trek’s Starfleet Academy Series Already Has Some Promising Updates

Key Takeaways

• Starfleet Academy series focuses on preparing cadets for future careers on Starfleet ships, a deviation from space exploration.
• Tatiana Maslany joins Starfleet Academy cast as a recurring special guest for the upcoming seasons.
• Early renewal for a second season hints at the importance of Starfleet Academy in the Paramount+ Star Trek universe.

During the Paramount+ Star Trek universe panel at New York Comic-Con (NYCC) last weekend, Executive Producer and co-showrunner Alex Kurtzman made some exciting announcements about the upcoming Star Trek: Starfleet Academy series. He shared the news via live stream, directly from the set of Starfleet Academy in Toronto, where production on the show’s first season is currently underway.

Starfleet Academy will be the first show in the Star Trek franchise that doesn’t focus on space exploration. The series will follow a group of young adults as they make their way through the rigorous training program that will prepare them for their future careers on Starfleet ships. Rumors about a show centered on Starfleet’s training academy, located in a future version of San Francisco, have been circulating for years. However, the show wasn’t officially confirmed until 2023. Since then, fans have gotten some exciting updates about the set, the story line, and the cast, which will include several familiar faces from Star Trek: Discovery.

As StarTrek.com reported, Kurtzman gave fans some even more exciting news during his virtual NYCC appearance, announcing that Starfleet Academy has already been greenlit for a second season and that She-Hulk and Orphan Black star Tatiana Maslany will be joining the cast.

Tatiana Maslany Will be a Recurring Special Guest

During the live stream from the Starfleet Academy set, which featured Kurtzman alongside the actors who will be playing cadets in the first season of the show, the moderator talked about all the amazing guest stars that have already been announced for season one. The impressive list already includes Holly Hunter, Tig Notaro, Gina Yashere, and Paul Giamatti. He then asked if Kurtzman could reveal any of the other special guests for season one.

At that point, Kurtzman announced that Maslany would join the cast as a recurring special guest. He also revealed that she’d already been on the set to film some of her scenes.

“I’ve had the incredible privilege of being able to direct her, and I can tell you that she is such a genius.” Kurtzman continued, saying, “She is just incredible. She has been just an amazing addition to the cast.”

As of right now, there are no details about Maslany’s Starfleet Academy role other than the fact that she’s a recurring character. Though there’s certainly a precedent for actors in their 30s playing high school students, the actors playing the cadets in Starfleet Academy are all in their teens. So, Maslany likely won’t be aging that far down for her role. She could be playing an instructor at the elite school, or she could be a sidekick to the season’s villain, who showrunners have already confirmed will be played by Giamatti.

Regardless of where she ends up in the show, Maslany will no doubt add to the caliber of the show. Her stunning performances as more than a dozen different characters in Orphan Black are a testament to what a gifted actress she is.

Season 2 Renewal Comes Very Early

In the past, Paramount+ has announced the release dates for the upcoming seasons of shows within the Star Trek universe and the renewals for additional seasons at the same time. That’s how fans found out that both Star Trek: Strange New World and Star Trek: Lower Decks were getting new seasons last year. Officially renewing Starfleet Academy for a second season before its first season even has an official release date definitely goes against Paramount+’s typical timing.

This early renewal could hint at how important the new show is to the Paramount+ Star Trek universe. With Star Trek: Discovery, Star Trek: Picard, and Star Trek: Lower Decks all ending in 2024, the streaming service Star Trek lineup is thin, to say the least.

Starfleet Academy and Strange New Worlds will have to seriously perform to keep the Paramount+’s Trekverse alive. Luckily, Strange New Worlds has already delivered two stellar seasons, and the previews of the third season suggest it will be just as strong as its predecessors. If Starfleet Academy brings that kind of power, fans will have plenty of Star Trek to enjoy for years to come.

Source:StarTrek.com