The star trek The universe continues to expand, with a series set at Starfleet Academy in development at Paramount+. Starfleet Academy trains cadets from all eras of the franchise, from Star Trek: The Original Series season 1, episode 3, “Where No Man Has Gone Before”, in the 32nd century in Star Trek: Discovery, season 4. He has been in several series and movies from both timelines. The creators of the new show can set it to any period of the sprawling star trek cannon.
The beginning of the 25th century Star Trek: Picard makes a better setting for the new series than the 32nd century of Star Trek: Discovery. Both series staged some of their most recent seasons at the Academy. Discovery season 4 set up some of its strongest characters, Sylvia Tilly and Dr. Kovich, to play important roles in the Academy. While many viewers could welcome bigger roles for these characters, the sooner picard era has much richer storytelling and casting potential.
Discovery revived 32nd century Starfleet Academy
The premiere of season 4 of Star Trek: Discovery reopens Starfleet Academy for the first time since The Burn, but at Starfleet’s offworld headquarters instead of the familiar San Francisco campus. Tilly’s Season 4 arc sees her leave Discovery to accept a position at the Academy. Tilly’s scenes with the Cadets in Season 4, Episode 4, “Anything Is Possible”, sets the stage for the confident instructor Tilly promoting her Cadets in Season 4, Episode 13, “Coming Home”. These sequences, along with Tilly’s scenes with Kovich and Admiral Vance, paint a promising picture of a 32nd century Star Trek: Discovery-era Starfleet Academy show.
Star Trek: Discovery season 5, however, may expand on Tilly’s story within the series’ own narrative, much as season 4 followed Saru on his own leave. Discovery still has vast parts of its new era to explore with few canonical constraints, and Season 5 should expand on its 32nd century world a bit more. The distant future doesn’t seem ready for a second show just yet.
Why Picard’s 25th Century Starfleet Academy Would Be a Better Show
A Starfleet Academy series set in the early 25th century Star Trek: Picardon the other hand, can build on the hugely popular legacy of Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and Star Trek: Voyager. Picard’s the first two seasons are at their best when they bring back Riker, Troi, Seven of Nine, and other characters from those classic shows. Callbacks to classic stories are also handled well, such as the Romulan Crisis and Gary Seven’s protective organization of Star Trek: The Original Series season 2, episode 26, “Assignment: Earth”. Many actors are available and the interest of the public seems to be at the rendezvous. A 25th century Starfleet Academy series can therefore accommodate Quark, Janeway, Kira and others for years without running out of popular characters.
Additionally, a 25th century Starfleet Academy series can build upon the new canon established in Star Trek: Picard, star Trek: lower decks, and even Star Trek: Prodigy. The Fenris Rangers, the newly benevolent Borg, and the new generation of Synths can all feature in Academy stories. A StarTrek: Starfleet Academy show set in the 25th century can also provide a home for appealing characters like Elnor, Laris and Kestra Troi-Riker, introduced in Star Trek: Picard but would have been written out of the show’s highly anticipated final season. It’s not yet clear when audiences will see the new Starfleet Academy show, but with a new season of each of the five series on the way, it’s likely a year or more away.
Star Trek: Picard season 3 premieres February 16, 2023 on Paramount+.
