Television Star Trek: Starfleet Academy is terrible

[KnightTemplar]

I’ll save you some time, it objectively sucks. Unless you have a mature woman foot fetish, maybe? Holly Hunter has aged well and sits around with her bare feet pointed at the camera the entire time.

<Quintin Tarantino has entered the chat>

 

[Streeter]

Take William Frakes and his minions with their progressive agenda over writing / entertainment out of Star Trek and it will be good again. Dont get Frakes getting all the love he does when he has destroyed one of the best sci fi universes to be a agenda obsessed virtue signaler .

 

[sverre054]

Aside from all the skirt wearing man mocked into oblivion. Why?

It would have been cancelled because early TNG is weak compared to what we get now.

The Old School TOS fans hated TNG when it came out. Season 1 and 2 were very weak overall(other than a few standout episodes). If it came out on a network, it most likely wouldn't have been renewed, but thankfully, they stuck to their guns and released it on first run syndicarion, and we got 20 years of awesome Trek.

Now I don't love Academy, and honestly went in not expecting to like it, but to my surprise, I havent hated it, and have found some enjoyable moments in it.

I still want the Kurtzman era to end, and for someone like Ronald D Moore or Terry Matalas to be brought in to take over Star Trek, but I can't stand the mob reviews, who don't actually give a show a chance.

Take the butch lesbian in the blue. She was on screen for all of 15 seconds so far in the 5 episodes released. Yet review after review act like she is the lead of the show. It's just put out to piss off certain people.

 

[Gene Tunney]

The Old School TOS fans hated TNG when it came out.

Name one.

Season 1 and 2 were very weak overall(other than a few standout episodes).

I'm not certain if you even like Star Trek.

If it came out on a network, it most likely wouldn't have been renewed,

That is very opinionated of you to say.

Now I don't love Academy, and honestly went in not expecting to like it, but to my surprise, I havent hated it, and have found some enjoyable moments in it.

I still want the Kurtzman era to end, and for someone like Ronald D Moore or Terry Matalas to be brought in to take over Star Trek, but I can't stand the mob reviews, who don't actually give a show a chance.

Star Trek is done.

 

[Gene Tunney]

The only reason for me to continue watching Starfleet Academy is to see which sensually comical couch pose Holly Hunter takes next.

Is that enough to preserve through the season?

Star Trek used to be about so much more.

 

[Starman]

I’m a massive Star Trek fan of everything from TOS to Enteprise. I hate nuTrek but I try not to complain about it too much, I just don’t watch it. I watched season 1 of Discovery and hated it and watched season 1 of Picard and hated that. I watched season 3 of Picard and it was significantly better but still a pale imitation of the glory days of TNG in my opinion. I haven’t watched anymore Discovery or any of Strange New Worlds and I definitely won’t be watching Starfleet Academy. Life is too short to waste time on things that will make me angry or disappointed.

Unlike most other posters in this thread I don’t care if nuTrek is woke. Star Trek was woke before woke existed as a concept. No, my complaints about nuTrek are more to do with its complete and utter disregard for the cannon and lore established across the first 40 years of the franchise, both at the small scale for individual characters (Spock had an adopted human sister) and the large scale for the established universe (what they did with Klingons in Discovery). As a hardcore Trek nerd this stuff is intolerable.

My other main gripe is how the characters act and talk. Hundreds of years in the future in a professional setting and the characters are talking like Gen Z twenty somethings on the bridge?

TNG has been described as “competence porn”. That fat chick in Discovery wouldn’t have even made it out of the Academy in TOS through Voyager era Star Trek. I haven’t watched it but I’ve heard for example that in SNW that Spock sleeps around with several members of the crew. What the fuck? If there was one word and one word only to describe Spock it would be “reserved”.

Everything about nuTrek is a joke. I read that in this most recent episode of Academy there’s the Benjamin Sisko museum and in it you can see the eye glasses and type writer used by Sisko in the episode where he was hallucinating that he was a science fiction writer in the 1930s. How would a type writer and glasses that NEVER EXISTED from a dream be in a museum 800 years later? JFC.

I agree with most of your post except the claim Star Trek has always been woke. It certainly has not. It was liberal, but it certainly wasn't woke. Woke doesn't mean judging people by the content of their character instead of the color of their skin. Woke doesn't mean different races and species working alongside one another for the common good.

Woke is when corporate suits who had nothing to do with the creation of an IP take control of an IP and use it to create poorly written agitprop. Besides the perpetually horrendous and illogical writing that plague these unflushable turds, you will also be treated to the massive over-representation of minorities and other fringe groups like gays and transvestites, in addition to frequent blackwashing, gaywashing, and/or gender swapping of previously White characters, nearly always straight, White male characters.

When it comes to men in woke entertainment, straight White males will almost always be portrayed as evil and/or stupid, while blacks and women will invariably be portrayed as kind, compassionate, caring, wise, intelligent, and successful individuals whom everyone else looks to for wisdom and advice. They will never face any internal struggles except the internal struggle to just accept how awesome they are, and all external struggles will invariably be of the racial, sexual, and/or gender variety, and just as invariably those struggles will be caused by oppressive White society, especially cruel and intolerant straight White men.

For women in particular, when it comes to woke "entertainment" they will always be stronger and more capable than (White) men. Like blacks, their only internal struggle will be to recognize their own awesomeness. And like Rey or Captain Marvel, they will never require any sort of training or even assistance from a (White) man. They will instantly and always be strong, capable wahmen who must rise against the patriarchy (or whatever shallow stand in for the patriarchy they are fighting) hellbent on holding them down.

These are just some (but not all) of the staples of woke storytelling, none of which was anywhere to be found in Star Trek under Gene Roddenberry (and later Rick Berman).

 

[Gene Tunney]

I agree with most of your post except the claim Star Trek has always been woke. It certainly has not. It was liberal, but it certainly wasn't woke. Woke doesn't mean judging people by the content of their character instead of the color of their skin. Woke doesn't mean different races and species working alongside one another for the common good.

Woke is when corporate suits who had nothing to do with the creation of an IP take control of an IP and use it to create poorly written agitprop. Besides the perpetually horrendous and illogical writing that plague these unflushable turds, you will also be treated to the massive over-representation of minorities and other fringe groups like gays and transvestites, in addition to frequent blackwashing, gaywashing, and/or gender swapping of previously White characters, nearly always straight, White male characters.

When it comes to men in woke entertainment, straight White males will almost always be portrayed as evil and/or stupid, while blacks and women will invariably be portrayed as kind, compassionate, caring, wise, intelligent, and successful individuals whom everyone else looks to for wisdom and advice. They will never face any internal struggles except the internal struggle to just accept how awesome they are, and all external struggles will invariably be of the racial, sexual, and/or gender variety, and just as invariably those struggles will be caused by oppressive White society, especially cruel and intolerant straight White men.

For women in particular, when it comes to woke "entertainment" they will always be stronger and more capable than (White) men. Like blacks, their only internal struggle will be to recognize their own awesomeness. And like Rey or Captain Marvel, they will never require any sort of training or even assistance from a (White) man. They will instantly and always be strong, capable wahmen who must rise against the patriarchy (or whatever shallow stand in for the patriarchy they are fighting) hellbent on holding them down.

These are just some (but not all) of the staples of woke storytelling, none of which was anywhere to be found in Star Trek under Gene Roddenberry (and later Rick Berman).

I would describe Star Trek as an enlightened cosmopolitan military show, with a balance of hard science fiction (Star Wars is soft science fiction, for comparison) and science fantasy, centered in discovery. But a military show, first and foremost.



TOS had a space hippie episode where "the message" implied that although space hippies meant well, they were ultimately misguided and self-destructive.




I have an idea for Starfleet Academy. In the season finale, a mysterious space disturbance, akin to the borg, appears in the sector. In great haste, all ships and crew are sent out to defend the local planets.

During the ensuing battle, just before their ship is decimated, everyone in the show turns to the camera and says that they wished they had spent more time with their studies instead of acting like entitled brats.

Just then, an even more mysterious entity uncloaks and says in Charlton Heston's voice, "Ask and ye shall receive."

The crew is transported back to the very beginning of Starfleet Academy season 1, episode 1.

Season 2 begins with everyone reliving the first season, only this time they take the Academy a little more seriously.

 

[PBAC]

I've never cared for Star Trek much but these people don't have the balls to make a Canon new series. Only a bunch of spinoff, remake, or prequel crap.

 

[sverre054]

Name one.

I'm not certain if you even like Star Trek.

That is very opinionated of you to say.

Star Trek is done.

Watch chaos on the bridge, the great TNG doc made by Shatner. The people who actually made the show and were there talk about how hard it was to make and the fan backlash they faced



TNG seasons 1 and 2 were not great compared to seasons 3-7. They had great episodes mixed in, but overall, the acting, production, and stories don't match up to the later seasons, which I wouldn't expect with a new show. Luckily, they didn't have the internet rage mob, so they had time to develop.

Academy is not the show I want for Star Trek. I didn't expect to like. I don't love it, but I have found myself enjoying some of the episodes so far. Yeah i\I don't want the 300lb butch lesbian bridge officer, or Klingons in a Dress, but they are still trying to tell Star Trek stories. Imagine if the old men had access to social media back in 1987 when Gene Roddenberry decided to put Star Fleet officers in skirts....

I understand they are trying to make a show for a younger demographic. They have stated this show is geared towards teens and young adults, so most of us are no longer in that demographic.

I am hopeful the new regime brings in someone like Terry Metalas or Ronald D Moore, to take the reins of the franchise or go back to the Post TNG/DS9/VOY era and bring a new generation of shows. That is one thing I'm thankful for, them jumping 900 years into the future for Academy. At some point, it will all just be considered Kelvin Verse stuff and out of the canon.

 

[Starman]

Watch chaos on the bridge, the great TNG doc made by Shatner. The people who actually made the show and were there talk about how hard it was to make and the fan backlash they faced



TNG seasons 1 and 2 were not great compared to seasons 3-7. They had great episodes mixed in, but overall, the acting, production, and stories don't match up to the later seasons, which I wouldn't expect with a new show. Luckily, they didn't have the internet rage mob, so they had time to develop.

Academy is not the show I want for Star Trek. I didn't expect to like. I don't love it, but I have found myself enjoying some of the episodes so far. Yeah i\I don't want the 300lb butch lesbian bridge officer, or Klingons in a Dress, but they are still trying to tell Star Trek stories. Imagine if the old men had access to social media back in 1987 when Gene Roddenberry decided to put Star Fleet officers in skirts....

I understand they are trying to make a show for a younger demographic. They have stated this show is geared towards teens and young adults, so most of us are no longer in that demographic.

I am hopeful the new regime brings in someone like Terry Metalas or Ronald D Moore, to take the reins of the franchise or go back to the Post TNG/DS9/VOY era and bring a new generation of shows. That is one thing I'm thankful for, them jumping 900 years into the future for Academy. At some point, it will all just be considered Kelvin Verse stuff and out of the canon.

The first two seasons of TNG were very good. They aren't as good as seasons 3 and 4, but are still excellent. I find these internet opinions that often get tossed around are done so by people who have never really watched/read/listened to the product they are criticizing.

I grew up when TNG was first airing on TV, and I don't remember any of the backlash going on then that people now claim was going on. I can remember playing with my Galoob TNG action figures outside in the back yard, and later Playmates. If TNG was disliked, it wasn't widely disliked, and it might have been on specific points like Picard being too old or bald, or it being a different cast.

But to somehow imply that early criticism of TNG is anything remotely close to criticisms faced by Bad Reboot and Klutzman Trek is the kind of intellectual dishonesty typical of cultural vandals. NuTrek is hated because it shits all over the memory of Gene Roddenberry, and because it isn't Star Trek. It has not, nor will it ever capture the zeitgeist of the public. It will not get better nor will it become more loved as time goes on. It will become more loathed, and it will die the undignified death it deserves.

Everyone knows and loves Captain Kirk, Spock, McCoy, Scotty, Picard, and Data. No one knows nor cares about Mikey Spock Burnham, Captain Foot Fetish, or any other garbage tier character vomited out by Alex Klutzman. They have been and will be forgotten and consigned to the dustbin of history, where they belong.

 

[HereticBD]

The first two seasons of TNG were very good.

I personally don't mind them, but I do believe the consensus is that they are pretty weak outside of a handful of episodes, especially among the hardcore. I don't know if it's a retroactive opinion, though. There weren't exactly many outlets back then to tell you what fan reaction was, other than ratings. Now, everyone gets to chime in even before a show launches, and most of the nerds complaining about them now, would've been kids back then, if they were alive at all.

Agree on the general "backlash" vibe, though. While TNG might not have initially pleased everyone, there was an effort to make a good Star Trek show. They certainly had some big shoes to fill, and would've received it's fair share of skepticism in the early goings. Nothing compared to these projects, though, which are just bad in all areas, and seem to have no purpose other than to stroke the woke egos of the talentless writers.

 

[markantony20]

I’m sure everyone will judge this on its quality and not on the casts or writers identities…

 

[Starman]

I’m sure everyone will judge this on its quality and not on the casts or writers identities…

They have judged it on its quality. The only one who judges this show based on its cast and writer identities are the critics who rate it highly because of those factors (and only those factors).

 

[markantony20]

They have judged it on its quality. The only one who judges this show based on its cast and writer identities are the critics who rate it highly because of those factors (and only those factors).

Hey, it’s the guy I was vague posting about

 

[Starman]

I personally don't mind them, but I do believe the consensus is that they are pretty weak outside of a handful of episodes, especially among the hardcore. I don't know if it's a retroactive opinion, though. There weren't exactly many outlets back then to tell you what fan reaction was, other than ratings. Now, everyone gets to chime in even before a show launches, and most of the nerds complaining about them now, would've been kids back then, if they were alive at all.

Agree on the general "backlash" vibe, though. While TNG might not have initially pleased everyone, there was an effort to make a good Star Trek show. They certainly had some big shoes to fill, and would've received it's fair share of skepticism in the early goings. Nothing compared to these projects, though, which are just bad in all areas, and seem to have no purpose other than to stroke the woke egos of the talentless writers.

That's the opinion of the terminally online crowd of today. I don't ever remember that being the opinion of Trek fans as the show aired.

From a ratings standpoint, it always did well. Season one averaged a 6.7 nielsen rating. Season two was a 6.9. Three and Four were 7.5. Season five was a 7.6, six was a 7.7, and seven was a 7.2.

Seasons 1 and 2 aren't as good as 3 or 4 (the show's highwater mark), but were no worse than seasons 6 or 7.

The only thing I hated about the first two seasons were the uniforms. The show itself was excellent.

 

[Gene Tunney]

Watch chaos on the bridge, the great TNG doc made by Shatner. The people who actually made the show and were there talk about how hard it was to make and the fan backlash they faced



TNG seasons 1 and 2 were not great compared to seasons 3-7. They had great episodes mixed in, but overall, the acting, production, and stories don't match up to the later seasons, which I wouldn't expect with a new show. Luckily, they didn't have the internet rage mob, so they had time to develop.

Academy is not the show I want for Star Trek. I didn't expect to like. I don't love it, but I have found myself enjoying some of the episodes so far. Yeah i\I don't want the 300lb butch lesbian bridge officer, or Klingons in a Dress, but they are still trying to tell Star Trek stories. Imagine if the old men had access to social media back in 1987 when Gene Roddenberry decided to put Star Fleet officers in skirts....

I understand they are trying to make a show for a younger demographic. They have stated this show is geared towards teens and young adults, so most of us are no longer in that demographic.

I am hopeful the new regime brings in someone like Terry Metalas or Ronald D Moore, to take the reins of the franchise or go back to the Post TNG/DS9/VOY era and bring a new generation of shows. That is one thing I'm thankful for, them jumping 900 years into the future for Academy. At some point, it will all just be considered Kelvin Verse stuff and out of the canon.

If I had quads like that, I'd wear a skirt too.

 

[Gene Tunney]

I personally don't mind them, but I do believe the consensus is that they are pretty weak outside of a handful of episodes, especially among the hardcore. I don't know if it's a retroactive opinion, though. There weren't exactly many outlets back then to tell you what fan reaction was, other than ratings. Now, everyone gets to chime in even before a show launches, and most of the nerds complaining about them now, would've been kids back then, if they were alive at all.

Agree on the general "backlash" vibe, though. While TNG might not have initially pleased everyone, there was an effort to make a good Star Trek show. They certainly had some big shoes to fill, and would've received it's fair share of skepticism in the early goings. Nothing compared to these projects, though, which are just bad in all areas, and seem to have no purpose other than to stroke the woke egos of the talentless writers.

Seasons 1 & 2 stacks up quite well. And it has a visual rawness about it that is preferable to the drab corporatism seen in the final seasons. More novel camera angles are seen in Seasons 1 & 2.

The Naked Now
Where No One has Gone Before
The Battle
Hide and Q
The Big Goodbye
Heart of Glory
Conspiracy
Elementary, Dear Data
The Outrageous Okona
A Matter of Honor
The Measure of a Man
The Royale
Q Who
Peak Performance

These are all top tier Star Trek episodes. There are bad episodes in seasons 1 & 2 for sure, but no worse than the dull melodramas or the nonsensical found in the final seasons. The only difference is that the bad episodes in the final seasons have a better aesthetic quality. In the final seasons, the bridge and computers look sleek, the sounds pop, the ship is better lit, and the special effects are just better. But Star Trek also became blander at the same time. Grey uniforms. Too comfortable.

 

[Madmick]

Whoa, whoa, whoa. Let's not go overboard hating on the first two seasons of TNG. World building counts, too. The first two seasons of TNG might not have its best episodes, but those seasons also introduced:

• The cast (specifically Data & Picard who are the two greatest characters in Trek history)
• The Borg
• The Q
• The Holodeck
• The Ferengi

Let's not pretend this Academy piece of shit has any potential to be a TNG. There are universes between a 6.8 average and a 4.3 on IMDb. There has never in the history of television been a show that opened with a sub-5 rating to then come on with stronger later seasons and be considered good.

 

[High Test With da Best]

I read that in this most recent episode of Academy there’s the Benjamin Sisko museum and in it you can see the eye glasses and type writer used by Sisko in the episode where he was hallucinating that he was a science fiction writer in the 1930s. How would a type writer and glasses that NEVER EXISTED from a dream be in a museum 800 years later? JFC.

This is outrageously funny to me.

If I didn't know better it's be an inside joke among the writer's referencing how no one watching the show has ever seen any of DS9.

But in reality it's equally as plausible a scenario that none of the writer's have seen any of DS9.

 

[sverre054]

This is outrageously funny to me.

If I didn't know better it's be an inside joke among the writer's referencing how no one watching the show has ever seen any of DS9.

But in reality it's equally as plausible a scenario that none of the writer's have seen any of DS9.

It was written by Tawny Newsome (Mariner in lower decks) and Kristin Beyer, who wrote some great star trek novels and was a co-creator on Picard. The episode was a nice tribute to Sisko. Cirroc Lofton comes back as Jake Sisko, and does a nice job. I did notice the typewriter, and that didn't make any sense. Also the side story about a dinner the Academy is throwing wasn't needed.