Time to continue our deep dive into this week’s two-episode premiere of brand new series Star Trek: Starfleet Academy. As the 60th anniversary year of Star Trek continues we’ll be bringing you episode stills and commentary on the ten episode season which kicks off on Paramount+ on January 15, 2026.
Earlier today we took a look at the series premiere, “Kids These Days”. Now it’s the turn of the second episode “Beta Test”. Written by co-showrunner Noga Landau and Jane Maggs and directed by co-showrunner Alex Kurtzman. Here’s the synopsis for the episode.
With the start of the new academic year, Caleb’s unease about his future at Starfleet Academy persists. But when a delegation from a former Federation ally arrives and Caleb is tasked with showing their leader’s daughter around campus, he must put his uncertainty aside to discover what life at the Academy is really about.
In our four-star first impressions of the season Neil says “Starfleet Academy successfully bridges Trek’s storied past with a bold vision for its future, even if the teenage drama elements won’t convince everyone. The stellar adult cast anchors the show while the cadets grow into their roles, with standout episode “Series Acclimation Mil” proving the series understands what makes Trek special. It’s an ambitious, hopeful addition to the franchise that earns its place at the table.”
Take a look at all 16 officially released images from “Beta Test” below:
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy stars Holly Hunter as the Chancellor of Starfleet Academy, the Starfleet cadets played by Sandro Rosta, Karim Diané Kerrice Brooks, George Hawkins and Bella Shepard, plus Zoë Steiner, Tig Notaro, Robert Picardo, and guest stars Oded Fehr, Mary Wiseman, as well as recurring guest stars Gina Yashere and Paul Giamatti.
Alex Kurtzman and Noga Landau serve as co-showrunners and executive produce the series alongside executive producers Gaia Violo, Aaron Baiers, Olatunde Osunsanmi, Jenny Lumet, Rod Roddenberry, Trevor Roth, Frank Siracusa and John Weber. The series’ premiere episode is written by Gaia Violo and directed by Alex Kurtzman. Star Trek: Starfleet Academy is produced by CBS Studios in association with Secret Hideout and Roddenberry Entertainment. The series is distributed by Paramount Global Content Distribution.
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy will be available to stream exclusively on Paramount+ in the U.S., the U.K., Latin America, Australia, Italy, France, Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Japan. The series is also available on Paramount+ in Canada. The series is distributed by Paramount Global Content Distribution.
