Star Trek: Starfleet Academy Season 1 Episode 8 Review: The Life of the Stars
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy Season 1 Episode 8, “The Life of the Stars,” brings back a familiar face while one cadet’s life hangs in the balance. It’s a much stronger and more focused episode compared to last week’s fare. “The Life of the Stars” seamlessly weaves together the two plotlines, utilizing Thornton Wilder’s thematically perennial play Our Town to bridge the gap between them.
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, “The Life of the Stars”
“The Life of the Stars” is a compelling showcase for the Doctor. This series finally gives the tremendous Robert Picardo something to do, and the narrative payoff is worth the wait. Infusing the Doctor’s arc from Star Trek: Voyager Season 3 Episode 22, “Real Life,” the outing delivers a heaping helping of emotional stakes.
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy has been steadily building to this moment for the Doctor, subtly planting clues that he was grappling with immense trauma from nine centuries of existence. It makes sense. After all, everyone he’s ever loved is long gone in the 32nd century.
However, getting close to SAM, the only character who shares structural similarities with him, has proven to be challenging for the Doctor. On Kasq, we see why that is — losing Belle in that Voyager episode profoundly changed the Doctor. Picardo delivers some of his franchise-best work in “The Life of the Stars,” especially during the Doctor’s heartstring-tugging monologue before he saves SAM. This writer couldn’t hold back the tears.
Mental Health Matters
“Trauma” is the name of the game in this episode. We store so much trauma in our bodies, and the body truly keeps the score. Tarima returns to Earth following her coma and begins attending Starfleet Academy. Caleb finds it difficult to communicate with her.
Captain Ake enlists Lieutenant Tilly to help the cadets work through their trauma via the healing power of theater. Seeing Mary Wiseman on screen as this character again is an absolute joy. Tilly’s growth is evident here. She has more swagger, to be sure.
In addition to Picardo, Kerrice Brooks churns in a captivating performance as SAM. She’s been a standout all season, but “The Life of the Stars” gives her more meaty scenes to sink her teeth into. SAM’s monologue on the ship to Kasq is utterly heartbreaking. SAM longs to savor the little things in life, and the episode cleverly uses Our Town‘s themes of mortality and cherishing life’s fleeting moments to crack SAM — and the Doctor — wide open.
Outside Time
Such an emotionally heavy narrative feels like classic Star Trek. It’s a thought-provoking exploration of what matters most in life, brimming with depth of feeling. Where last week’s episode felt internally disconnected, “The Life of the Stars” delivers a cohesive story, and its parts work well together to tell that story. It packs a wallop, hitting you where it hurts: the heart.
SAM, the Doctor, and Captain Ake exist outside of time, much like the Stage Manager in Our Town. They’re part of the tale at hand, yet they’re also on the outside looking in. Ake challenges the Doctor to retire his role as the Stage Manager in favor of living life again. His becoming SAM’s parent is beyond sweet.
The Miyazaki incident might always hang over our characters like a malevolent specter. However, the cadets and even the Doctor are learning to move forward while processing their feelings. Mental health matters. You cannot tell me otherwise. Thank you, Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, for such an emotionally relevant, hard-hitting episode.
Stray Observations:
- I’d take a theater class taught by Tilly in a heartbeat.
- “Time is their beast. Time is my beast. It bites us differently.” What a banger of a line.
- SAM being a theater kid totally checks out.
- I was hoping we’d get a mention of Discovery or Michael, but alas. Perhaps next time.
- It seems the love triangle between Caleb, Tarima, and Genesis is still going strong. Tarima mentioning to Genesis that she can see why Caleb likes her is proof positive of that. Hmm.
What did you think of this episode of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy? Share your thoughts in the comments below, and don’t forget to leave your own rating!
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Star Trek: Starfleet Academy drops new episodes every Thursday on Paramount+.
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Melody McCune
Melody loves TV. Maybe too much. Besides being a Senior Writer for Tell-Tale TV, she's the Managing Editor for Geek Girl Authority, an Independent Contractor for Sideshow Collectibles, and a Senior Writer for Eulalie Magazine. Additionally, she has bylines in Culturess, Widget, and inkMend on Medium. To top it all off, she's a critic for Rotten Tomatoes and CherryPicks.