For anyone interested in foraying into the Star Trek universe, the newly released Starfleet Academy series could be the perfect first step in that journey, according to long-term franchise veteran Robert Picardo. In a recent interview, the 72-year-old actor claimed that the latest entry in Alex Kurtzman’s expanded Star Trek Universe can be “much more accessible” to newer audiences, despite the show’s divided reception.
Robert Picardo thinks Star Trek: Starfleet Academy is ‘more accessible to first-time audiences’
The seasoned thespian recently noted that the decision to ditch the “mid-galactic speech from the old Star Trek days” in favor of a more “contemporary speech” in Starfleet Academy would make it easier for the sci-fi franchise to integrate new and young viewers.
“It will make the show much more accessible to first-time audiences,” Robert Picardo remarked while speaking with MovieWeb.
“If you are a young person who never saw Star Trek, or wasn’t interested before, this is a show about people your age who are at the beginning of their life journey,” The Wonder Years star continued. “They’re out of high school … and their life journey happens to be a space explorer. What could be cooler than that?”
Released on January 15, 2026, Star Trek: Starfleet Academy takes place in the 32nd century. The series follows the escapades of a new batch of Starfleet cadets in a coming-of-age setup as they train and navigate their way to becoming veteran officers.
“They’re still going through all the interpersonal issues, the self-doubts, the ‘Who am I really and … what do I want?’ All of those things that you know kids go through in high school and college are so relatable. So, you don’t need to be a ‘Star Trek’ fan to start the show. And yet, it has a lot of blessings for older fans, too, right? So, I think it’s really a great show to sit down and watch with all generations,” Picardo emphasized.
Notably, the new Star Trek series has garnered mixed reviews from general audiences and critics, with the latter showering Starfleet Academy with praise. In accordance, the show currently has an impressive Tomatometer rating of 87 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. However, fans have provided a harsher review, as showcased by a 43 percent Popcornmeter score.
Originally reported by Apoorv Rastogi on ComingSoon.net.
View original article here Source