The series is set in the same time frame as Star Trek: Discovery. Viewers will see multiple characters from that show pop up, including Tig Notaro’s Jett Reno, who joins as a series regular.
L-R: Paul Giamatti as Nus Braka and Holly Hunter as Chancellor Nahla Ake in season 1, episode 1 of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy streaming on Paramount+. Photo Credit: Brooke Palmer/Paramount+
Other Discovery characters who will appear as guest stars include Sylvia Tilly (Mary Wiseman) and Admiral Vance (Oded Fehr).
Another legacy character joining the series from pre-Paramount+ days is Voyager’s holographic Doctor, played by Robert Picardo.
Returning characters aren’t the only ones viewers will be excited to see grace their screens on Starfleet Academy. Some big names are making their Star Trek Universe debut with the series.
First, there is Paul Giamatti as the villainous Nus Braka, a space pirate with a connection to one of the new cadets. While we won’t see him on the show, Steven Colbert will also be a regular presence at the academy as the voice of Digital Dean of Students, an AI that makes announcements and sends alerts.
Holding it down in the lead role, Oscar-winning Holly Hunter plays Chancellor Nahla Ake, the academy’s leader.
Rounding out the cast are a group of relative newcomers who make up the core of cadets.
Over the francises long history and many iterations, Star Trek fans have gotten glimpses into the academy, sometimes even an entire episode dedicated to it. This, however, is the first time the franchise has really delved into Academy, giving it plenty of new ground to cover and stories to tell.
Here’s everything you need to know about the series premiere, including the air date, cast, promo, and how to watch.
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy Season 1 Episode 1 Details
Air Date: Thursday, January 15, 2026
Streamer: Paramount+
Writer: Gaia Violo
Director: Alex Kurtzman
L-R: Gina Yashere as Lura Throk and Tig Notaro as Jett Reno in season 1, episode 3 of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy streaming on Paramount+. Photo Credit: John Medland/Paramount+
How to Watch Star Trek: Starfleet Academy Season 1 Episode 1
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy Season 1 Episode 2 Description
The first class of cadets at the Starfleet Academy in over 120 years includes Caleb Mir (Sandro Rosta), an orphan human searching for his mother, in the latest Star Trek series set in the 32nd century.
Guest Stars & Returning Characters
Main Cast: Holly Hunter, Sandro Rosta, Karim Diané, Kerrice Brooks, George Hawkins, Zoë Steiner, Tig Notaro, Robert Picardo, Bella Shepard, and Stephen Cobert
Guest Stars: Oded Fehr, Mary Wiseman, Tatiana Maslany, Gina Yashere, and Paul Giamatti
Promo & Photos
Check out the photos from Star Trek: Starfleet Academy Early Release Images:
L-R: Zoë Steiner as Tarima Sadal and Sandro Rosta as Caleb Mir in season, episode 8 of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy streaming on Paramount+. Photo Credit: Michael Gibson/Paramount+L-R: Tig Notaro as Jett Reno, Sandro Rosta as Caleb Mir, and Romeo Carere as Ocam in season, episode 8 of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy streaming on Paramount+. Photo Credit: Brooke Palmer/Paramount+L-R: George Hawkins, Kerrice Brooks, Joseph Messina, and Sandro Rosta in season, episode 3 of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy streaming on Paramount+. Photo Credit: John Medland/Paramount+L-R: George Hawkins, Bella Shepard, and Kerrice Brooks in season 1, episode 5 of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy streaming on Paramount+. Photo Credit: Brooke Palmer/Paramount+Karim Diané in season 1, episode 4 of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy streaming on Paramount+. Photo Credit: Brooke Palmer/Paramount+L-R: George Hawkins as Darem Reymi, Kerrice Brooks as Sam, and Sandro Rosta as Caleb Mir in season 1, episode 3 of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy streaming on Paramount+. Photo Credit: John Medland/Paramount+L-R: George Hawkins, Bella Shepard, and Kerrice Brooks in season 1, episode 3 of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy streaming on Paramount+. Photo Credit: John Medland/Paramount+Sandro Rosta in season 1, episode 3 of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy streaming on Paramount+. Photo Credit: Brooke Palmer/Paramount+L-R: Sandro Rosta and Zoë Steiner in season 1, episode 2 of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy streaming on Paramount+. Photo Credit: Brooke Palmer/Paramount+L-R: Romeo Carere, Anthony Natale, and Oded Fehr in season 1, episode 2 of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy streaming on Paramount+. Photo Credit: Brooke Palmer/Paramount+Gina Yashere in season 1, episode 2 of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy streaming on Paramount+. Photo Credit: Brooke Palmer/Paramount+Skyline image from season 1, episode 2 of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy streaming on Paramount+. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Paramount+L-R: Tatiana Maslany and Luciano Fernandez in season 1, episode 1 of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy streaming on Paramount+. Photo Credit: Brooke Palmer/Paramount+Rebecca Quin as Lt. Ya in season 1, episode 1 of Starfleet Academy streaming on Paramount+. Photo Credit: Brooke Palmer/Paramount+Holly Hunter in season 1, episode 1 of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy streaming on Paramount+. Photo Credit: Brooke Palmer/Paramount+Holly Hunter in season 1, episode 1 of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy streaming on Paramount+. Photo Credit: Brooke Palmer/Paramount+L-R: Robert Picardo as The Doctor, Kerrice Brooks as Sam, and Bella Shepard as Genesis in season, episode 1 of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy streaming on Paramount+. Photo Credit: Brooke Palmer/Paramount+Bella Shepard in season 1, episode 1 of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy streaming on Paramount+. Photo Credit: Brooke Palmer/Paramount+L-R: Kerrice Brooks, Romeo Carere, Karim Diané, Sandro Rosta, George Hawkins, and Bella Shepard in season, episode 5 of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy streaming on Paramount+. Photo Credit: Brooke Palmer/Paramount+L-R, Karim Diané as Jay-Den Kraag, George Hawkins as Darem Reymi, Kerrice Brooks as Sam, Bella Shepard as Genesis Lythe, and Sandro Rosta as Caleb Mir in season 1, episode 5 of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy streaming on Paramount+. Photo Credit: John Medland/Paramount+
Promo Video:
What are your hopes for this episode of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.
Sarah is an obsessive geek who likes to get into the weeds and over think things. She is passionate about Sci-Fi and comics and is a giant classic film nerd. Sarah cares deeply about media representation and the power of telling diverse stories. When she's not writing or watching her favorite shows she spends her days working in the non-profit world trying to make life a little better for those that need some extra help.
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