Overview
- A viral Jan. 10 clip of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy posted by @EndWokeness drew millions of views and spurred White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller to urge Paramount+ to give Shatner total creative control.
- William Shatner responded on X with sarcasm about characters wearing glasses in the 32nd century and joked that he was ready to assume command of the series.
- Critics have largely praised the show, with an 87% Rotten Tomatoes score, while audience reactions are sharply lower, including a 43% Rotten Tomatoes audience score and a 4.7/10 on IMDb with thousands of one-star reviews.
- Cast and franchise veterans defended the series’ inclusive approach, with actress Gina Yashere saying on CNN that Star Trek has been “woke from day one,” and Robert Picardo echoing that sentiment on Instagram.
- Paramount+ renewed Starfleet Academy for a second season before its Jan. 15 premiere, and there is no indication of any creative takeover or change in franchise stewardship.