STAR TREK: STARFLEET ACADEMY Will Have BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER Vibes According to Editor
With no new Star Trek shows currently streaming, the fandom is in a bit of a waiting game. But among the upcoming projects, Star Trek: Starfleet Academy is one that I’m very excited about.
We’ve now learned another little details about the show that is sure to peek some curiosity as the series will have some Buffy the Vampire Slayer–style vibes, mostly with the dialogue.
Editor Jon Dudkowski, who’s worked on both Buffy and the new Starfleet Academy, recently spoke with Bleeding Cool and dropped this little detail:
“The new series I'm working on Starfleet Academy, it has some great comedic moments. The young cadets and their energy. It's got a little bit of that Buffy banter and fun where every week something insane is happening, and they're looking at each other and going, 'Is this happening?! Did you see what just happened down the hallway?! Oh, my God!' It's funny, and I enjoy that.”
For longtime Trek fans, this might raise some eyebrows. After all, traditional Star Trek dialogue leans a bit more... formal. But this is a different kind of show. These are cadets new to Starfleet, new to space, new to the existential weirdness of wormholes and transporter accidents. Their reactions to things are supposed to be raw, uncertain, and sometimes even funny.
Also,Buffy’s dialogue was a defining part of what made that show iconic. If Starfleet Academy manages even a sliver of that charm while still anchoring itself in the Star Trek universe, it’s bring some amusing entertainment.
This series may be looking to bridge the generational divide, appealing to new fans while giving longtime Trekkies a fresh lens through which to explore the galaxy. And by setting it in the 32nd century, a relatively untouched era, the show avoids stepping on too many canonical toes.
The series “will follow the adventures of a new class of Starfleet cadets as they come of age in one of the most legendary places in the galaxy. The series will introduce viewers to this young group of cadets as they come together to pursue a common dream of hope and optimism.
“Under the watchful and demanding eyes of their instructors, they will discover what it takes to become Starfleet officers as they navigate blossoming friendships, explosive rivalries, first loves and a new enemy that threatens both the Academy and the Federation itself.”
The cast of the series includes Holly Hunter as the captain and chancellor of the academy, with Paul Giamatti set to play the first season’s villain.
The cast also includes Kerrice Brooks, Bella Shepard, George Hawkins, Sandro Rosta, Karim Diané, and Zoë Steiner.
In addition, Tig Notaro, Picardo, Oded Fehr, and Mary Wiseman will reprise their roles from previous Star Trek shows in the series. Gina Yashere will appear as a recurring guest star.
The series comes from co-showrunners Alex Kurtzman and Noga Landau.