Who is Star Trek for? When Gene Roddenberry created the series back in 1964 — which later debuted in 1966, six decades ago this year — the answer to that question was easy: everyone. Because of Star Trek’s impact on entertainment and culture, well-meaning fans tend to want to believe that Roddenberry set out to make a show about an idealistic future, full of stories that tackled hard-hitting social issues in sci-fi guises. The truth is, the actual pitch for Star Trek wasn’t really that at all; instead, the goal of the series was actually much simpler and harder: to make a good science fiction series, populated with legit science fiction ideas, but one that appealed to the actual mainstream population, specifically, adults. The visions of a better tomorrow? That was a bonus.
But interestingly, in the 21st century, whenever a new Star Trek thing comes along, there’s always a tension between both goals: Is this a crowd-pleasing action Star Trek designed to bring in everyone, or is this a contemplative social issues show? With the new series, Star Trek: Starfleet Academy (launching on Paramount+ with two episodes on January 15), the answer is both, and also, a strange third thing: a hopeful show about, and possibly specifically for, young adults. Starfleet Academy’s stated goal is very much not to be your parents' Star Trek. This is interesting, because older fans will likely be, at times, delighted by all the Easter eggs, and at other times, bewildered by what these kids are all about.
