Star Trek: Starfleet Academy episodes three and four move the series forward, marred by bad dialogue

The latest Star Trek series, Starfleet Academy, continues a rocky road through the stars but is slowly developing its own path despite the prevalence of bad, modern dialogue.

The third episode, “Vitus Reflex,” leans heavily into teen drama as the Starfleet cadets get into a prank war with the War College. While most reviewers didn’t like this episode as much as the others, it helped cement exactly how Starfleet Academy doubles down on its differences from other Star Trek—and I liked it. One of my favorite Trek comics was Marvel’s 1990s Starfleet Academy with Nog and several other cadets, and this episode felt similar in spirit. Did it go too far with 21st‑century language, flipping people off, etc.? Horribly, yes. But it also used Ake and Thok to teach the cadets a very Star Trek lesson. Also, when the War College cadets are expelled from their quarters by the fungus, did anyone see the Vulcan cadet B’Avi’s abs? Yeah, this show is a little too teen‑focused, but for this type of episode it works just fine.

The fourth episode, “Vox in Excelso,” returns to Star Trek’s most prolific alien species, the Klingons. In the 32nd century, the Klingon Empire has fallen and Qo’noS has been destroyed following the Burn, with only a handful of the great houses still remaining. The story centers on Klingon cadet Jay‑Den, his life before coming to the Academy, and the cadets’ participation in a debate‑style competition. The B‑story follows Captain Ake’s attempt to convince one of the current Klingon leaders to accept a new planet in Federation space that will serve as the new homeworld.

The final episode is the closest to a traditional Star Trek episode we’ve seen from Starfleet Academy thus far. Unfortunately, it still has the same structural problems as the episodes before it.

The younger characters are all great actors. In fact, everyone on the show is a great actor—perhaps the best ensemble since DS9. Unfortunately, the premise of the show gets in the way, as it did in the second episode. The Klingon politics and the eventual mini‑battle between Starfleet and the Klingon fleet were far more interesting than the cadets’ debate storyline. The starships—and the ever‑versatile Starship Athena—going up against some pretty old‑looking Klingon ships was perfect classic Trek. Unfortunately, that part only lasted a few minutes.

I continue to like the character of Jay‑Den. The flashbacks of his family didn’t feel right for some reason—almost like they didn’t fit with the timeframe of the series.

I do like Darem in this episode, building on the previous one.

Two characters felt off this episode. Caleb seemed too polished as a debater. It was as if the writers wanted to pass him off as a suave, smart, Kirk‑like character, but in the next moment he’s a troubled, just‑from‑prison teen.

The other character out of place here is the Doctor. What? I could understand if his acerbic attitude were part of his character arc for being so old, but he just comes off as a mean jerk. Janeway wouldn’t approve.

Our main complaint about this episode is, again, the 21st‑century slang and profanity. As we’ve said in previous posts, Berman‑era Trek was very strict about making all dialogue timeless. The crappy Academy‑teen dialogue will not age well, and it tarnishes each episode.

Another complaint: Why are so many Trek words mispronounced throughout this series? Isn’t there anyone on set who knows something about Star Trek? Kahless doesn’t end in “sh.” Khitomer is pronounced a certain way. Good lord, man.