The discourse surrounding Star Trek: Starfleet Academy continues, with a split between fans in love with the fresh take on the franchise and those who disagree. One was even bold enough to bring a former Voyager star's character into his diss, though I'm guessing by her response, he wished he hadn't.
Kate Mulgrew found her way into a Facebook conversation on the official Star Trek page when a fan decided to mention Captain Janeway while attempting to criticize Holly Hunter's Captain Ake in the series. Their comment can be read below:
Is Captain Janeway going to time travel so she can bitchslap Captain Mumbles when she spots her lounging in the captain’s chair like she’s getting ready to watch the Hallmark Channel instead of commanding a starship!
I can't speak to the "Captain Mumbles" jab, but it seems the commenter takes issue with the way Nala Ake sits with her feet tucked up on the Captain's chair. He'd sooner prefer the stoic demeanor of Captain Janeway, who remained upright in the chair through even some of Voyager's most WTF moments.
Plenty of commenters went after the poster for their remarks, but none were as impactful as Kate Mulgrew, who decided to share her own thoughts. In classic Janeway fashion, she delivered a verbal smackdown:
On the contrary, sending you and every other disrespectful troglodyte who insults my fellow Captain & Starfleet officer to the brig where you belong. Keep Janeway's good name out of it. Dismissed.
I'm not sure what this fan expected, except maybe that Kate Mulgrew wouldn't see him name-checking her beloved character. Most Star Trek fans would know Mulgrew is on board with the current direction of the franchise, and was even involved in the short-lived, but acclaimed animated series Prodigy. There are also rumors she's going to head back to Trek in live-action, but we're still waiting for news about such a project being greenlighted.
In addition to being pro-Star Trek, Kate Mulgrew likely wasn't going to side with a fan being so dismissive of Holly Hunter's performance. Granted, as someone who thinks the franchise would have a hit if it collaborated with the Hallmark Channel, I still understand the negative connotation tied to claiming a Captain on a starship was settling down to watch a rom-com.
The exchange was a win for those who love Star Trek; Starfleet Academy, but the verdict is still out on whether the series will be seen as a verified "hit" on Paramount+. The series premiere did not crack the Nielsen streaming ratings, but it's possible that future episodes could still achieve that. In any case, Starfleet Academy Season 2 is already underway, so talk about a renewal is far off in the future.
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy has new episodes streaming on Paramount+ on Thursdays. This season is rolling right along, so be sure to catch up as we inch closer to the Season 1 finale week by week.
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