Star Trek: Starfleet Academy Premiere Recap: Holly Hunter, Paul Giamatti, and a Stunning Start
- Barbara
- 2 days ago
- 6 min read
This is the next installment in the Star Trek Collection, and I am ready for it. The opening graphics already had my attention, “Star Trek 60” and the pics of all the Star Trek space ship models phasing on the screen. It really got good when Holly Hunter’s voice sets up the intro. Did I mention the great graphics as a backdrop. Holly Hunter’s/Nahla Ake’s speech sets up the story.
The scene starts with a young six-year-old boy being instructed to recite something his Mom, Anisha Mir, taught him. His name is Caleb. He eagerly recites the words in an unknown language “Nah-ru, Xela, Bhak, Cali and Squill.” On a desert-like planet, Anisha is satisfied and tells him it’s their secret code forever. Caleb promises and points out one of the moons in the sky, calling it Ishaani. She tells him one day they will find home, Earth when they get a ship. She tells her son about Nus Braka. She knows now he didn’t tell her all he did to feed them. She tells her son they’ll always be together. A door opens and two men enter to take Anisha away.
Stardate: 853724.6
A voice over a PA system warns of a level 3 sandstorm. Anisha, Caleb and Nus Braka are taken to an enclosed room. Braka has two guards holding shock collars around his neck. Is a boisterous, loud-talking man. Nahla Ake enters the room and tells Nus Braka to stop talking. She represents the United Federation and tells him of what he’s being accused. He made Anisha and her son accomplices. He’s sentenced to a lifetime sentence at a federation penal colony. Anisha is sentenced to a rehabilitation camp because a federation pilot was killed in Nus Braka’s theft. Caleb will become a ward of the Federation. Nus Braka laughs maniacally as Anisha is dragged off leaving Caleb alone. He yells at Caleb to remember what happened, and is taken away.
Nahla Ake is saddened as she looks at Caleb’s frightened face. She later talks to Caleb and tells him about a school called Little Blooms on Bajor. She promises he’ll be safe, won’t be alone, and will see his Mom again. Caleb hugs her and tells her he left his bear. Nahla goes to retrieve it, and it was all a trick. He stole her pin and accessed the security panel, and escaped.
Fifteen years later, at the V’Rilik Penal Colony on Toroth, Caleb is onboard a transport ship. He bites one of the guards and starts fighting them. He takes them all out and hijacks the ship. One guard disables him, as the ship almost crashes. Caleb is able to stabilize it, but he’s still captured. He’s just trying to find his Mom. What a wild ride. Caleb is fierce.
More graphics introducing the Starfleet Academy! Impressive.
On Bajor, Nahla Ake is at the “Little Blooms” Early Education Center school. A Starfleet Admiral, Charlie, comes to see her. She proudly states she’s 422 years old and asks why he’s come to see her. He tells her that now the “Burn” is over and the Starfleet Academy in San Francisco is being recommissioned after a hundred years. They want Nhala to run it. As chancellor. She gets her rank reinstated, as well. After Caleb escaped, she resigned. She’s part Lanthanite and can show the kids entering the academy how to rebuild their broken world. Nahla turns him down because she doesn’t want to make any more promises she can’t keep. Charlie tries one more thing and tells her they found Caleb. He gets her attention.
Charlie and Nahla arrive at the Torothian Prison where Caleb is being held. Charlie says he’s been on the run since he escaped fifteen years ago. Nahla and Caleb meet again. She tells Caleb she’s been looking for him every day since he left. She knows he’s got tech savvy skills and isn’t living up to his potential. She asks him to come with her to Starfleet Academy. He refuses, until Nahla tells him his mother is alive, and broke out of prison a year ago. Nahla makes another promise. This scene was intense. Caleb towers over tiny Nahla, and they are just like a mom and son. Their interaction and dialogue makes you chuckle. Love how he seems to try not to like Nahla, and stays stoic, not quite trusting Nahla, and just there to get what he wants.
There it IS, Starfleet Academy! It’s Astonishing. They enter and there are droids, aliens and the voice of Stephen Colbert, Starfleet Academy's Digital Dean of Students, broadcasting a welcome message to the cadets over the PA system.
Nahla and Caleb are greeted by Nahla’s Number One, Commander Lura Thok. She’s a Klingon but looks like a Gorn. She welcomes Nahla to the Athena. It’s like they’re on an actual starship with ceilings that could reach the sky if they were on Earth. Caleb is fascinated, but keeps it quiet. Number One updates Nahla on all the specs she asked to be implemented. Suddenly Caleb stops and states no, he’s not wearing a uniform. Why he wanted to say that, because Number One tears into him,and sets him straight. She has him doing 200 pushups. Cadet Jay-Den Kraag happens to be walking by, and Lura gets him to make it harder for Caleb to do pushups. Kraag is a timid Klingon. Not seen nor heard of in earlier Star Trek shows.
That scanner is fantastic. Cadet Caleb Mir really looks like a cadet once he passes through. Shock doesn’t describe how Caleb feels. This is too funny! YYYAaaaayyy, The Voyager’s Medical Hologram Doctor is doing the medical checks of the cadets. Caleb has lots going on with his bio scan. Another hilarious moment.
Nhala and Number One go to the bridge of the Athena. She meets her bridge crew, Lieutenants Dandrid, Thrice, Atlee, Haile, Ya and Ensign Weldu. Nahla introduces them to the academic liaison, Lieutenant Rork.
The Captain’s Chair is tech’d out, and Nahla looks tiny in it, but definitely looks like she belongs there. She doesn’t realize it, but she starts humming. She rises and gives a message to all aboard. Her speech is already inspirational, but the graphics of all the Starfleet Captains and Crew shown onscreen accentuates it. They are the first of the Academy Class to return to the San Francisco Campus in 120+ years. The Athena Starship design is like a bird taking flight. You also see Chancellor Nahla Ake take a different seated position in the Captain’s Chair. The flight of the Athena is Majestic as it heads to San Francisco.
The Cadet that greats people like their entering a big box store, is the most enthusiastic, joyful and engaging one, Sam. She’s so eager and outgoing. Genesis introduces herself and they seem to be getting off to a good start. The cadets start mingling, and of course one challenges Kraag. Caleb comes to his rescue. The interactions are top notch. Ngl, I had a few tears after what Kraag said to Caleb.
The Doctor is so perfect. He appears and disappears in areas where needed. He monitors all their medical and biological levels. It’s also fun to see him encouraging the cadets to get involved in opera. Sam is fanning out over him. Sam is a Series Acclamation Mil/SAM. She is the first holographic student. She’s only existed a little over four months. She wants The Doctor to be her mentor.
The Athena meets its first mysterious adversaries. Tech does fail them, but SAM doesn’t. Number One is Super! The new adversary turns out to be an old one seeking retribution against Captain Ake. Paul Giamatti is an excellent villain. His repertoire is immense. Love the impromptu hackathon by Caleb and SAM to get the ship operational again. Darem, the Khonian is so fantastic.
This first episode is filled with different characters, androids, dialogue, differing storylines and sensational moments. Can see why a second season was already greenlit. The graphics, starship, holograms, uniforms, fascinating sets and possible love matches are amazing. The captain has established herself as unique by the first scenes. Starfleet Academy is a worthy addition to the legendary Star Trek Legacy. Captain Ake is a Worthy Starfleet Captain.
I give this episode 5 Stars out of 5.
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