The primary season of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy is lower than 2 months away, and though now we have seen trailers and panels, many followers are questioning what sort of present will probably be. We will present somewhat perception into this because of Star Trek: The Subsequent Technology legend Jonathan Frakes, who directed the penultimate episode of the primary season. TrekMovie spoke to Frakes for an upcoming podcast episode, the place he talked concerning the tone of the present and what it’s like working with collection stars Holly Hunter and Paul Giamatti. He additionally gave us an replace on what else he’s directing nowadays.
Frakes talks Academy tone… and stars
TrekMovie spoke to Jonathan Frakes and Kitty Swink for this Friday’s episode of the All Entry Star Trek podcast, with the pair out supporting PanCAN and Pancreatic Most cancers Consciousness Month. Along with reacting to the large Star Trek film information, Frakes additionally talked about his subsequent Star Trek credit score, and he highlighted two of the actresses he labored with, notably Starfleet Academy collection star Holly Hunter:
“I did [direct Starfleet Academy], it was stunning, with Tatiana Maslany and the nice Holly Hunter, by the best way… She’s nice within the present… She’s some of the well-prepared, instinctive, good, intelligent… She’s an Academy Award-winning actress, and she or he will get it. She will get it. She has nice concepts. Yeah, she’s a winner.”
Hunter performs Captain Nahla Ake, chancellor of Starfleet Academy (and captain of the USS Athena, which is a part of the college). Ake can also be half-Lanthonite and 422 years previous. At NYCC final month, the acclaimed actress stated these facets of the character drew her to the undertaking, calling the position “provocative” and the scripts “stunning.”
Holly Hunter in season 1, episode 1 of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy streaming on Paramount+. Photograph Credit score: Brooke Palmer/Paramount+
The podcasters additionally talked with Frakes about directing in the course of the third season of Unusual New Worlds, the place the dialog turned to how the genre-hopping episodic collection has a wide range of tones and the way season 3 dipped into comedy on a couple of (some would say too many) events, which transitioned to speaking about Starfleet Academy. Frakes confirmed the collection had a extra constant tone, however the director famous the upcoming collection doesn’t skimp in relation to humor, highlighting the opposite large star within the present:
“To its credit score, Academy has plenty of levity, and nice—nicely, to begin with, Paul Giamatti is the villain. And I met him whereas he was there, and I’m an enormous fan of his—I believe most actors are, and most of the people are. And I stated, ‘How’s it been?’ He stated, ‘I’ve been having such a superb time.’ After which he leans in and says, ‘Perhaps too good a time.’ [laughs] So once more, I’m grateful. I get hold of the levity in any script, particularly within the Treks… as a result of there’s a lot. And [on Academy] it’s there. And it helps the rhythm of the slicing and the storytelling.”
At STLV over the summer time, Frakes had famous that Paul Giamatti’s Nus Bruka doesn’t seem in his episode, so whereas he met the Oscar nominee on set, he didn’t “have the privilege of directing” him. However as Frakes spent prolonged time in Toronto prepping for his episode he did get an opportunity to see his work, saying of Giamatti: “Large Star Trek fan and he’s a pleasure to observe.” As for his enthusiasm, at NYCC final month Giamatti stated he was an enormous fan, and “completely satisfied as a pig in s–t,” which is becoming as Bruka is half-Tellarite (the opposite half being Klingon).
Paul Giamatti in season 1 of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy streaming on Paramount+. Photograph Credit score: Miller Mobley/Paramount+
Comedy vets delivering the “chuckles”
It’s no shock that there’s levity in Academy, because the writers room contains comic and actress Tawny Newsome, voice of Beckett Mariner in Star Trek: Decrease Decks and a author & improv comic. Later within the podcast whereas speaking about humor in different Star Trek exhibits, Frakes returned to the brand new collection, interjecting:
“And again to Starfleet [Academy], Picardo is on that present, so you recognize there’s comedy… And Tig Notaro is on that present, so that you’ll get your chuckles.”
Actress and comic Tig Notaro is reprising her Star Trek: Discovery position as deadpan engineer Commander Jett Reno. She is now a member of the school at Starfleet Academy. One other comedy vet on the present is Stephen Colbert, host of CBS’ The Late Present. who will likely be voicing the “Digital Dean of College students” doing morning bulletins. Just lately, Notaro was a visitor on Colbert’s present and the pair chatted about how they each discovered themselves engaged on Star Trek.
Tig Notaro in season 1 of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy streaming on Paramount+. Photograph Credit score: Miller Mobley/Paramount+
As Frakes famous, Star Trek: Voyager’s Robert Picardo is reprising his position because the The Physician, the EMH (Emergency Medical Hologram), the place he typically offered some comedian aid. The collection additionally options actress Kerrice Brooks as a personality named SAM (Collection Acclimation Mil), a “new child” hologram, the primary ever photonic cadet. Once I famous I used to be trying ahead to seeing Brooks’ high-energy type paired up with Picardo’s (now enjoying a hologram that has been energetic for over 8 centuries), Frakes assured us they’ve an fascinating dynamic:
“Sure. They’ve a few fabulous episodes through which they’re featured collectively.”
L-R: Robert Picardo as The Physician, Kerrice Brooks as Sam and Bella Shepard as Genesis in season 1 , episode 1 of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy streaming on Paramount+. Photograph Credit score: Brooke Palmer/Paramount+
No extra Treks, however on board for Huge Bang spinoff
Through the podcast dialogue, Jonathan Frakes confirmed the one Academy episode is the one Star Trek episode he directed that has but to air. He didn’t return to direct for the second season of Starfleet Academy, presently capturing in Toronto, nor the fourth or fifth (and last) season of Unusual New Worlds, which can also be presently in manufacturing in Toronto.
Nevertheless, he’s preserving busy. He revealed he simply labored on Stuart Fails to Save the Universe, a brand new Huge Bang Idea spin-off coming to HBO Max. Frakes revealed that not like the present that spawned it, the brand new collection is “not a sitcom” and it’s a single digital camera present. He additionally talked concerning the powerhouse crew behind the present, saying “Chuck Lorre is the boss and Invoice Prady is the boss and Zak Penn is the boss, and that trio is astounding.” All three are co-creators for the collection which was introduced in July.
Lorre and Prady co-created Huge Bang Idea. The common references (and common Trek visitor stars) confirmed how a lot of a fan Invoice Prady is. He even wrote the story for an episode of Voyager (“Bliss”) whereas he was working as an govt producer on Dharma & Greg. Frakes confirmed that Prady is “a Trek nerd, for positive” and he revealed that Voyager’s Robert Duncan McNeill can also be directing Stuart Fails to Save the Universe.
Jonathan Frakes on set as director for the SNW episode “These Outdated Scientists” with actors Tawny Newsome and Jack Quaid and writers Kathryn Lyn and Invoice Wolkoff.
The complete interview with Jonathan Frakes and Kitty Swink about PanCAN, Star Trek, and different initiatives will likely be launched in full on the All Entry Star Trek podcast on Friday.
8 weeks away
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy is correct across the nook, with a two-episode collection premiere slated for a Paramount+ launch on Thursday, January 15, 2026. Its first season will run for ten episodes, and a second season is presently in manufacturing.
Right here once more is the trailer launched at NYCC final month.
Trek in opposition to Pancreatic Most cancers
Pancreatic most cancers is the third main most cancers reason behind loss of life within the USA. It has impacted the Star Trek group, together with late Enterprise producer Manny Coto, Jonathan Frakes’ brother, and simply final month, SyFy Sistas podcast co-host Subrina Wooden. Armin Shimerman’s spouse (and periodic Trek visitor star) Kitty Swink is among the uncommon survivors of the illness, and has turn out to be a significant advocate for folks with the illness, early detection, and elevated authorities funding for analysis.
If you need to be taught extra about Pancreatic Most cancers Consciousness Month or World Pancreatic Most cancers Day (coming Thursday, November 20), go to PanCAN.org. To assist the Trek Staff instantly, go to the Trek In opposition to Pancreatic Most cancers web page.
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