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"Starfleet Academy" - The Show

T'pol comes to mind as the pinnacle of this. Her counterparts are in their 40s and she's in her 20s.

Actually, T'Pol was 63 years old as of the end of the third season, although Jolene was in her late 20s so you could argue that T'Pol is biologically equivalent to late 20s.
 
New Deadline article letting us know once again that they're working on Starfleet Academy (for real now though, we mean it this time). Gaia Violo is the would-be showrunner now apparently, has anyone here seen their show Absentia? I watched its S1 trailer and I gotta be honest it did not look great.
 
Section 31 and Starfleet Academy have been in the pipeline for so long now that they should just combine the two pitches and make Section 31 Academy, where promising young cadets are lured into immoral covert ops with the promise that they'll be doing the jobs that Starfleet doesn't have the guts to do. Then they inevitably screw everything up and accidentally murder all organic life in the galaxy again for the season 1 finale cliffhanger.
 
To revisit my earlier thoughts (now that it looks to be legit in the pipeline) a Starfleet Academy show could be anything from incredible to a pile of flaming hot garbage, depending upon what tone they take with it.

My strong preference would be for something similar to Harry Potter (or the much more adult The Magicians) where issues like "will I pass my exams?" or "does she want to go out with me?" are placed firmly in the B/C plot, with the main aspect of the show be some sort of grand adventure that the main cast gets in during their time off. The main reason for this is because you don't need a SF setting to have crappy teen drama.

That's another aspect of the show I'm a bit concerned about - making the characters too young. Starfleet Academy is college, but in general TV has avoided shows set on a college campus, perhaps because it's still not as much the norm for Americans as high school. But a lot of the social aspects of high school just don't transfer to college due to greater maturity levels and the ability of young adults to self-select their own peer groups. For example, things like bullying, or dealing with the "popular" crowd just don't matter, as you find your own way.

I'm also mildly concerned that the show will depict the Academy as a bit too small for budgetary purposes. We know there's plenty of NCO's on Starfleet vessels, but still, in most eras, one would expect there are thousands of ships in the fleet, which would mean hundreds of thousands of active-duty Starfleet officers at minimum (more likely multiple millions). Starfleet Academy should at the very least look like a large public university in terms of enrollment (say 50,000+ cadets), but I am guessing we'll see once again something suggesting only a few hundred cadets per class, despite how ridiculous that is.
 
I'm also mildly concerned that the show will depict the Academy as a bit too small for budgetary purposes. We know there's plenty of NCO's on Starfleet vessels, but still, in most eras, one would expect there are thousands of ships in the fleet, which would mean hundreds of thousands of active-duty Starfleet officers at minimum (more likely multiple millions). Starfleet Academy should at the very least look like a large public university in terms of enrollment (say 50,000+ cadets), but I am guessing we'll see once again something suggesting only a few hundred cadets per class, despite how ridiculous that is.
If this show is going to take place in the 32nd century, a smaller class size would probably make more sense, as the Federation and Starfleet still won't be as big as they were before the Burn.
 
a Starfleet Academy show could be anything from incredible to a pile of flaming hot garbage,
No, it will be both at once, and that is what will make it the best Star Trek show ever. It's mere existence will garner Tuvix-like levels of rage whenever it is mentioned for decades to come.
 
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy is an idea that has persisted by inertia for decades. It's always "close" to being made, but for who I'm never quite sure. Is it for a teenage/young adult audience? Why couldn't that demographic get into the live action shows that are currently airing? Isn't Lower Decks also made (partly) for this demographic?
 
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy is an idea that has persisted by inertia for decades. It's always "close" to being made, but for who I'm never quite sure. Is it for a teenage/young adult audience? Why couldn't that demographic get into the live action shows that are currently airing? Isn't Lower Decks also made (partly) for this demographic?
I wouldn't say it's made for them, but judging by the ratings for most episodes it is "appropriate" for that age group. Most of the inside jokes might fly over the heads of folks in their teens.
 
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy is an idea that has persisted by inertia for decades. It's always "close" to being made, but for who I'm never quite sure. Is it for a teenage/young adult audience? Why couldn't that demographic get into the live action shows that are currently airing? Isn't Lower Decks also made (partly) for this demographic?
I still never understand the opposition to this concept. One of my favorite books was Robert Heinlein's Space Cadet. While geared towards young adults, it was absolutely enjoyable story about a cadet becoming an officer in the Solar Patrol. Young adult doesn't mean they can't get something out of the current shows, but that the show could touch on things that young adults struggle with in terms of growth and leadership.
 
I still never understand the opposition to this concept. One of my favorite books was Robert Heinlein's Space Cadet. While geared towards young adults, it was absolutely enjoyable story about a cadet becoming an officer in the Solar Patrol. Young adult doesn't mean they can't get something out of the current shows, but that the show could touch on things that young adults struggle with in terms of growth and leadership.

I don't oppose the idea. It's just that it always appeared to me that the powers that be could never really settle on what they wanted this concept to be other than a series set in Starfleet Academy. If its a show targeted at a younger audience with good stories, then more power to it. I just finished watching the Prodigy mid-season finale. I think the folks behind that could really make an academy show something special.
 
Could Wesley Crusher return to Starfleet not as an officer helping to command a starship, but as an instructor or teacher at Starfleet Academy? Sharing his experiences from his time with the traveller with future generations? Maybe the Prodigy cast can join the Academy when they return to Federation space with their ‘acquired’ ship and find that they need further tuition and mentoring to survive in the Federation instead of running ferrel? The animated Prodigy series could cross over to a live action show just like Disney films often transitioned between animation and live action, such as in Mary Poppins. They could even film the first half of the pilot in a CGI animated Prodigy style and then a spacial anomaly could transition the show with some jazzy special effects in to live action. If an explanation was needed for this, Q could be brought in to the storyline, but if he is no longer available in the Star Trek universe perhaps an ancient Egyptian god could have had the same type of role? I’m reluctant to say a Greek god which was my first port of call, as that is old hat, I don’t care much for Apollo… why didn’t Star Trek use Greek philosophers instead of Gods as parts of the episode storylines? :shrug:
 
Like others an academy show could be hit or miss. I prefer it in the 32nd century with Tilly. These cadets grew up with the burn so it could be interesting. I just don't want it to become Grey's Anatomy where everyone is having sex with each other all the time. Although to be fair, as a proud Asexual, I don't enjoy sex in any show or movie. Haha
 
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