Star Trek: Starfleet Academy going where others may have gone before

It’s official, ‘Star Trek: Starfleet Academy’ has been given the go-ahead to boldly go and put a load of teenage stuff on our screens.

If you are detecting slight negativity, then well spotted. Don’t get me wrong, I think more Trek is always better. I just don’t think this will be for me and risks being another teen drama – but set in the future.

I do think this will be great generally for expanding the Star Trek universe, however, and will help in reaching a new demographic. That demographic being young people who want to see relationships and whatever. Which is cool.

But it isn’t why I watch Star Trek. I like science fiction ideas with a bit of action. For example, I never cared whether Troi ended up with Worf or Riker.  Not even slightly. Kirk touring the galaxy trying to get laid was more fun.

I loved the original series – the ones where they didn’t get silly – the Next Generation, Voyager (although some characters were annoying), Deep Space Nine (got better as it went along), Enterprise had good moments, a lot of Discovery is fun, and Strange New Worlds is great. (I haven’t seen Below Decks yet.)

The show-runners have said 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.”

The new enemy sounds potentially intriguing. But the rest sounds familiar. Or maybe I’m just being mean.

The show’s co-runners are Noga Landau and franchise chief Alex Kurtzman, who I am sure will produce a good show. They released a fun short statement, which hints at a timeline beyond Picard. Which could also add an interesting element. They said:

“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!”

I don’t want to sound too grumpy, as it might be fun. I just hope it is more like Buffy than Dawson’s Creek. Those references alone should reveal something about my demographic.

Starfleet Academy will begin production in 2024.