When Lower Decks ends this year, the number of in-production Star Trek shows will go from seemingly endless to just two: Strange New Worlds will continue as the zany, retro flagship show for the franchise, while a new ambitious live-action series will continue Starfleet’s legacy into the future. The highly-anticipated Starfleet Academy series is currently in production, and there was not a proper trailer for the show at San Diego Comic-Con. However, Paramount+ did reveal some huge casting details for the series, all of which prove that this show is very much a continuation of the just-ended Discovery. But also, Starfleet Academy is suddenly a Voyager sequel, too!
At the Star Trek Universe panel at San Diego Comic-Con, Paramount+ teased Starfleet Academy as the next big series for the franchise, and after having already unveiled several previous casting announcements — including Holly Hunter, Paul Giamatti, Kerrice Brooks, Karim Diané, George Hawkins, Bella Shepard, Zoë Steiner, and Gina Yashere — a new video showcased all the new actors playing cadets.
Hosted by Alex Kurtzman, the video introduced all the new actors who will become the next “first class” of Starfleet Academy cadets, and therefore, the main characters of the new series. Because Starfleet Academy is currently filming, we can expect to see what the cast looks like in their uniforms very soon. (But not just yet!). That said, we did learn that Starfleet Academy will — for the first time since The Next Generation’s “As Loud as a Whisper” — feature deaf representation among the cadets.
Kurtzman also made it clear that Paul Giamatti’s mysterious villain character had been offered “a bit part,” but made it clear he wanted to be the villain, which led to a much bigger commitment.
On top of all of this, it was also revealed that these cadets (and Paul Giamatti) will not be alone. In addition to all the previously-announced cast, Starfleet Academy will also feature the return of Tilly (Mary Wiseman), Reno (Tig Notaro), and Admiral Vance (Oded Fehr), all from Star Trek: Discovery. This makes sense with the timeline of Starfleet Academy since it is set in the 32nd Century and seemingly just after the main events of Discovery Season 5. Because Tilly became an instructor at Starfleet Academy in Season 4, the idea of her crossing over to this show has been long rumored, with Mary Wiseman dodging questions about the series for at least two years. It’s also interesting to see, arguably, two of the funniest actresses — Wiseman and Notaro — from Discovery crossing over to Starfleet Academy, since there’s an expectation that the show will have a comedy vibe and even feature Tawny Newsome (of Lower Decks) in the writers’ room.
And adding to the possible comedic elements, the biggest surprise of all. Robert Picardo will reprise his role as “the Doctor,” the holographic AI physician first seen in Star Trek: Voyager. Since Voyager took place in the 24th century, and Starfleet Academy takes place in the 32nd, it will be interesting to see just how much the Doctor remembers about all the time in between.
Recently, Inverse reminisced with Picardo about his Voyager days and role in Prodigy Season 2. He told us that “holograms don’t age.” So it would seem that Star Trek’s most famously funny AI is also immortal.
