# Star Trek: Starfleet Academy - Angry Review Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNWg7v2d7zU Recap page: https://rapidrecap.app/video/pNWg7v2d7zU Generated: 2026-01-17T05:04:39.766+00:00 --- ## Quick Overview The reviewers rate the first episode of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy a 7/10, praising its high production value and casting diversity, while criticizing the reliance on tired sci-fi tropes like a **Key Points:** - The reviewers award the first episode of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy a 7/10 rating. - The first episode features a plot where Caleb, a young hacker, sends a message to his mother, leading to a confrontation with the Captain and subsequent capture of the mother. - The reviewer notes the show's diverse cast, including a Lanthanite character, but criticizes the use of outdated tropes like 'post-racism' and 'post-scarcity' settings. - The second episode's main story appears to revolve around the captured mother and Caleb's attempts to rescue her, including a dramatic ship battle. - The reviewer praises the visuals and action sequences, contrasting them with the more 'juvenile' character drama elements. - A recurring element criticized is the reliance on the 'cute' subplot involving the holographic girl and the 'bully' characters, which the reviewer finds grating. ![Screenshot at 00:04: The Angry Joe Show logo appears during the intro, signaling the start of the review segment following the trailer.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/pNWg7v2d7zU/00-00-04.jpg) **Context:** This video is a reaction/review by three commentators (Angry Joe Show crew) watching the trailer and initial episodes of the new Paramount+ series, Star Trek: Starfleet Academy. The primary focus is on their immediate impressions of the show's quality, plot setup, and adherence (or lack thereof) to established Star Trek themes, especially concerning the 32nd-century setting and character dynamics. ## Detailed Analysis The reviewers discuss their mixed feelings after watching the first two episodes of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, ultimately scoring the first episode a 7/10, but noting the second episode drops to a 3/10. The main criticism centers on the writing feeling derivative, relying heavily on outdated sci-fi tropes like post-scarcity and post-racism settings, which they feel are inadequately explored. The reviewer (Joe) specifically calls out the plot points—like the young hacker Caleb sending a message that leads to his mother being captured—as being too simplistic or contrived. They found the action and visuals impressive, particularly the ship battles and futuristic setting (like the Federation base overlooking San Francisco), but felt the interpersonal drama, especially the romance/love triangle elements and the bully character arcs, felt like high school drama rather than mature storytelling. The reviewer praises actor Robert Picardo's appearance as the ship's doctor, noting his character is centuries old but still acts in ways that feel anachronistic to the setting. The overall sentiment is that while the show has high production value, the writing needs refinement to move past tropes and deliver compelling, mature narratives. ### Episode Ratings - Episode 1 rated 7/10 - Episode 2 rated 3/10 - Overall impression mixed due to writing quality. ### Plot Summary (Eps 1 & 2) - Caleb hacks the system to contact his mother, leading to her capture by the Federation, which he then tries to rectify. ### Trope Criticism - Show relies on tired sci-fi tropes like 'post-scarcity' and 'post-racism' without depth; the reviewer prefers the action/plot over the relationship drama. ### Character Critique - The bully character (implied to be the Lanthanite) is deemed 'super powerful' but poorly written, while the Captain's decision-making is questioned. ### Visuals and Production - Visuals, action sequences, and futuristic ship designs (like the USS Athena) are praised as high-budget and impressive. ### Specific Plot Points - The first episode's core conflict (mother's capture) feels like a setup for future drama; the second episode has strong action but weaker personal subplots. ![Screenshot at 00:00: Intro sequence with retro 80s neon grid aesthetic and the text "STREAMING TURBO".](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/pNWg7v2d7zU/00-00-00.jpg) ![Screenshot at 00:46: Official trailer title card for "Star Trek: Starfleet Academy" streaming January 15th on Paramount+.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/pNWg7v2d7zU/00-00-46.jpg) ![Screenshot at 01:11: The host \(Joe\) wearing a TNG-style Starfleet uniform while reacting to the trailer.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/pNWg7v2d7zU/00-01-11.jpg) ![Screenshot at 03:33: A close-up on a stack of DVDs/media, with an arrow pointing to a Star Trek disc, demonstrating the reviewer's extensive media collection.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/pNWg7v2d7zU/00-03-33.jpg) ![Screenshot at 05:51: Two cadets \(a male and a female\) are shown upside down in what appears to be a zero-gravity or advanced training environment.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/pNWg7v2d7zU/00-05-51.jpg)