We're now several weeks into the discourse surrounding Star Trek: Starfleet Academy. While the show gets plenty of praise, some view it as an affront to the franchise, tearing down the legacy it built over the past 60 years. We've seen people tackle the argument that the franchise was always "woke," but there's one thing I would love to dispute when it comes to modern Trek, camp, and fan service.
I've read complaints from people who don't like Starfleet Academy, currently streaming with a Paramount+ subscription, that talk about how it and new shows have "ruined" the franchise. It's a bold take, especially from the crowd that likes to prop up The Original Series as the gold standard, especially when movies like Star Trek V: The Final Frontier exist.
Star Trek: The Final Frontier Is Proof Positive That Fans Pick And Choose What Shows They Nitpick
Tawny Newsome told CinemaBlend that Star Trek is not always the high-minded morality play its often made out to be, and that was ringing in my ears when I finally decided to resume my watch of the TOS movies. My parents were not Trekkies, so I've come upon these movies much later than life, and chronicled my journey along the way as a fan who has experienced the bulk of Trek that came after.
I'd slacked off on tackling The Final Frontier, because I knew the reputation it has. At the same time, with all the discourse talking about how Alex Kurtzman's shows have ruined Star Trek, it felt like the perfect time to dive into a movie that has withstood the test of time and stood tall as a movie disliked by both fans and critics alike.
It's curious, then, that folks like Stephen Miller and Elon Musk would call on William Shatner, the Original Series era's star and director of The Final Frontier, to lead the franchise in 2026. Sure, opinions on movies are often subjective, but once I get into the meat and potatoes of what makes this movie so bad, it's clear a number of these haters of the new generation of shows are clearly picking and choosing what to ignore from the past.
The Movie Is Riddled With Campiness, And In A Modern Era, Would Be Called 'Fan Service'
Every sin that some would say the modern era of Star Trek committed is present in Star Trek V: The Final Frontier. The largest, and perhaps most glaring, is Spock suddenly having a sibling that was never previously mentioned. Had Sybok been dropped in randomly in 2026, would he get the same response as Michael Burnham did as his adopted sister, who became one of Trek's best characters?
What about the sheer ignorance of Captain Kirk scaling El Capitan like he's Alex Honnold in Free Solo? Surely there'd be hour-long rants on YouTube channels about the unrealistic recklessness exhibited by one of Starfleet's premiere captains, who only narrowly escaped death because of a Vulcan in levitation boots. By the way, a Vulcan in levitation boots? Way to completely destroy my immersion, creating a new invention never previously seen in Trek prior to that moment.
To those who hate Star Trek V as much as they do the new shows, this means nothing. That said, I can literally pick and choose any show or work in the franchise and do this exact same thing with very few exceptions. So, for those who claim looking to the past will bring a return to form, there's a mountain in Yosemite equal to the amount of evidence to the contrary.
Critics Were Not Kind To The Movie, But It Remains A Fan Favorite For Reasons Some Would Turn And Use Against New Trek Shows
Despite being panned by even William Shatner, Star Trek V still has its fans to this day. Favorable fan reviews talk about the fun of seeing the ensemble cast having fun, cracking jokes and engaging in silliness throughout the movie.
So to those who take pot shots at Star Trek: Starfleet Academy right now, let me ask a question. Is SAM saying that Caleb has a "tight booty" when she's "drunk" worse than the conversation about Spock not knowing the words to "Row, Row, Row, Your Boat?"
To use an example from the shows, what about that WTF moment in Star Trek: The Next Generation when Data implied he had a fully-functional penis? The point being, I don't see where the evidence is that Starfleet Academy and these other shows are doing anything that the past has not already done before it. Every gripe can be found in the past, and yet the criticism isn't there.
I Believe Fans Tend To Look At Their Own Peak Eras With Rose-Colored Glasses
I've interacted with a lot of Star Trek fans over the years, enough to know there are many different opinions on which show is the "peak" of the franchise. The problem it's created is that there are many fans who all have an idea of what the franchise is, and it's what their favorite show is; or more specifically, their favorite episodes.
The reality is that Star Trek, in its totality, is the same across the board. They're all built on progress, embracing the principle of IDIC (Infinite Diversity Infinite Combinations), and yes, a fair bit of campiness along the way. The Final Frontier and Section 31 are cut from the same cloth, even if they don't shine as brightly as other offerings.
I think once Trekkies begin to acknowledge the flaws in their favorite series or movies, it becomes much easier to see the big picture and be more receptive to new attempts. Starfleet Academy may not be everyone's cup of tea, but even as someone not particularly fond of teen dramas, I've been able to see past that and see the parts that make Star Trek great. If you spend time nitpicking, well, take the time to do that through the past and maybe discover you never were much of a fan at all.
Watch Star Trek: Starfleet Academy and most all the other Trek shows and movies over on Paramount+. As someone who loves to just kick back and enjoy some space adventures, I can testify it's a solid time no matter which era you choose to stick to.
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