

I like to think that the pepperoni pizza was a tribute to the 30th anniversary of “Threshold” on the same day, but the true tribute to “Threshold” was depicting parents stranding their offspring on a planet and then justifying that it was fine.


I like to think that the pepperoni pizza was a tribute to the 30th anniversary of “Threshold” on the same day, but the true tribute to “Threshold” was depicting parents stranding their offspring on a planet and then justifying that it was fine.


I’ve been doing a rewatch and making notes of things that are referenced later. Considering most classic Trek has a reputation for being episodic, you’d be surprised just how much gets referenced later, whether in a passing comment or an in-joke or something. The only episodes of TNG season 1 where I didn’t spot at least a passing reference later was “Too Short a Season”, “Home Soil”, and “When the Bough Breaks”. (The references to a few of the others are vague and/or arguable though, and admittedly “Knowing where that clip in ‘Shades of Gray’ is from” qualifies a few of them.)
So it kind of depends on how strictly you define “important.” Most people could probably skip almost the entirety of TNG season 1 and not be that confused, but for example:
I could add other subtler things, but those are some of the bigger ones just from that highly-episodic season.


I’m probably stretching, but as soon as I realized Jay-Den was a birdwatcher I wondered if that was a subtle tribute to Chris Cooper, writer of the Marvel Starfleet Academy series and host of Extraordinary Birder. (Cooper became briefly very well-known in 2020 when a woman called the police on him while he was birdwatching.)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_Cooper
I haven’t spotted it myself, but multiple reviews have mentioned the wall includes a mention of Peter David, creator of the Brikar, who first appeared in Star Trek: The Next Generation—Starfleet Academy: Worf’s First Adventure, the first licensed novel (or YA novella really) based around Starfleet Academy. That was probably visible in episode #2, but I’ll note it here because
David was mentioned as being on the wall at https://nerdist.com/article/starfleet-academy-wall-of-honor-star-trek-easter-eggs/ and https://comicbook.com/tv-shows/list/every-star-trek-easter-egg-reference-in-starfleet-academys-first-2-episodes/.
Yep. Sounds like a good policy.
And good to distinguish between someone just not liking something and someone who’s just determined to hate something regardless of the content. Easy to overshoot and just start weeding out all “negativity,” which can stifle healthy conversation almost as much as dealing with the hate-posters can. I don’t envy the responsibility you mods have trying to strike a good balance on that.
I’ve been editing the above comment to include more as I’ve been finding them.
There are several YouTube reviews too (in addition to the TrekCulture video above and the Jessie Gender one linked elsewhere), mostly from people who at a glance don’t seem like they’ve seen it or who have been pre-hating it for months (Dave Cullen, Critical Drinker, and downhill from there.)
Just to not exclude them entirely, here’s one from a guy I’m not familiar with who didn’t like it much but at least doesn’t seem to broadly hate modern Star Trek:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jssKA2oz3Lk (Nater Tot)
But for most of the channels that are just screaming blind outrage in their thumbnails, I’ve been blocking them as I spot them, so I’ll leave that as an exercise to someone else should they care to round them up for some reason.
Have to admit I’m curious what would drive someone to downvote you for thanking someone for the links.
Mostly strong-to-glowing reviews. Comic Book Club, Looper, Radio Times, and TV Guide are the most negative (or at least least positive). Comic Book Club and Original Cin (both which I’d never heard of before) are the only ones I’ve seen that seems to hate it. ComicBook.com, ScreenRant, and TV Line give middling reviews.
(NOTE: I made that note before adding a bunch of others. I’ve updated it a bit since then, but I’m more focused on updating the list below than the list of negative-to-middling reviews; Rotten Tomatoes can do that for you instead at this point.)
https://www.avclub.com/star-trek-starfleet-academy-review-tv-paramount-plus
https://bsky.app/profile/weatherkatie.bsky.social/post/3mbxglw3jtc26 (Meteorologist Katie Nickolaou)
https://www.cbr.com/star-trek-starfleet-academy-season-1-review/
https://collider.com/star-trek-starfleet-academy-review/
https://www.comicsbeat.com/tv-review-what-grade-does-star-trek-starfleet-academy-deserve/
https://www.empireonline.com/tv/reviews/star-trek-starfleet-academy-season-1/
https://fandomwire.com/star-trek-starfleet-academy-review-and-synopsis/
https://fenixnests.com/star-trek-starfleet-academy-review-s1-e1-6/
https://www.looper.com/2070574/star-trek-starfleet-academy-paramount-plus-review/
https://lytrules.substack.com/p/star-trek-starfleet-academy-review
https://www.moviefone.com/news/tv-review-star-trek-starfleet-academy-season-1/
https://nerdspin.com/star-trek-starfleet-academy-review/
https://nerdist.com/article/star-trek-starfleet-academy-review/
https://www.newsday.com/entertainment/tv/star-trek-starfleet-academy-review-tj8ikchx
https://www.polygon.com/star-trek-starfleet-academy-review/
https://popculturemaniacs.com/star-trek-starfleet-academy-review/
https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/sci-fi/star-trek-starfleet-academy-review/
https://screenrant.com/star-trek-starfleet-academy-season-1-tv-review/
https://www.slashfilm.com/2069394/star-trek-starfleet-academy-review/
https://www.starburstmagazine.com/reviews/star-trek-starfleet-academy/
https://www.strangenewpod.com/blog/star-trek-starfleet-academy-feels-undeclared/
https://www.thetvcave.com/post/star-trek-starfleet-academy-review
TrekCore’s WeeklyTrek podcast, which has a review by Alex Perry distinct from the TrekCore review by Jenn Tifft posted by @ValueSubtracted@startrek.website https://blog.trekcore.com/2026/01/weeklytrek-podcast-294-more-spoiler-free-thoughts-on-star-trek-starfleet-academy/
TrekCulture YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7PzOd1GstI
TrekMovie’s podcast, which is distinct from their article review: https://trekmovie.com/podcast/star-trek-starfleet-academy-first-impressions-and-report-from-blue-carpet-premiere/
https://treknews.net/2026/01/08/preview-star-trek-starfleet-academy/
https://www.tvguide.com/news/star-trek-starfleet-academy-review/
https://www.tvinsider.com/1239156/star-trek-starfleet-academy-review/ (by former TV Guide writer Matt Roush)
https://www.tvline.com/2068610/star-trek-starfleet-academy-review-season-1-paramount-plus/
https://www.whatsalanwatching.com/review-in-starfleet-academy-star-trek-meets-the-o-c/
Aggregators:
https://www.metacritic.com/tv/star-trek-starfleet-academy/
https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/star_trek_starfleet_academy/s01


Here’s the transcript for those who prefer that over video:


Bat’leth-man.


I have one. I want to say ThinkGeek used to sell them, but I definitely recognize that backing as being from the same device I have.
It’s cool and fun to wear, but not amazing as a Bluetooth device. Microphone didn’t pick up super-well, which isn’t too surprising when it’s clipped on your shirt. Magnet would sometimes slip off if the shirt bunched up or something too. (I haven’t used it in a few years, so I’m a little hazy on some of this.)
A Bluetooth version of the TMP communicators might have better success, albeit at the cost of having to hold your arm up for the whole conversation.
She’s definitely missed.
Incidentally, sounds like you might appreciate this podcast if you aren’t into it already. I’ve heard it mentioned a few times, though to be honest I haven’t given it a listen myself yet. (I’m behind on too many podcasts already to add another one at the moment.)


I look forward to them, so thanks for the update. Take your time.


Not sure your country of origin, but in the U.S. it has all 13 theatrical films + Section 31, as well as Woman in Motion and Building Star Trek.


Nice notes, other than the Berman comment, which was tacky and unnecessary.
It’s the same dumb cycle that’s happened with every new Trek show since TNG (and probably TAS). It’s tiresome, but at least it’s predicable, I guess? Just ignore the obligatory backlash and see how it turns out.


I love Prodigy, but I’ve seen people struggle to get past the first episode. If someone’s coming in reluctantly it’s not where I’d start.


I’ve shown this as a first episode (or at least first 2-3 episodes) and it hasn’t been an issue. If you’re sitting with them you can explain significant items, but generally they get enough without much help.


Great episode, but I’d argue it doesn’t really give a new viewer much of a feel of what Star Trek is. Probably works better when you have a few episodes of TNG already under your belt.


Might be worth showing him the first episode of Lower Decks then. Or “Temporal Edict” is another strong early episode that’s still fairly introductory and really gives a lot of the Star Trek vibes about being capable and ethical while still showing it as a fun time.
Voyager referenced or included TOS and TNG characters in at least eight episodes of season 3.
That’s basically a third of the season, assuming I didn’t forget any. And that’s not even counting things like the mention of Wolf 359 in “Unity” or the koon-ut-kal-if-fee in “Blood Fever”.
And that’s from the show that went out of their way to make it hard to use existing concepts.