Star Trek: Starfleet Academy may not be a comedy series per se, but the upcoming series will have "some great comedic moments." That's according to series editor Jon Dudkowski who recently spoke to Bleeding Cool in a wide-ranging interview.
A veteran in the industry, Jon Dudkowski has worked on a number of popular and critically acclaimed series, including Star Trek: Discovery, The Umbrella Academy, Fringe, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, to name a few. When asked if there was a world in which he spent more time in, Dudkowski expressed his love for comedy and science fiction, which brought him to discuss his latest project Starfleet Academy.
"The new series I'm working on 'Starfleet Academy' has it has some great comedic moments," Dudkowski said.
"The young cadets and their energy," he continued. "It's got a little bit of that 'Buffy' banter and fun where every week something insane is happening, and they're looking at each other and going, "Is this happening?! Did you see what just happened down the hallway?! Oh, my God!" It's funny, and I enjoy that."
The comparison is an interesting one especially since neither Buffy the Vampire Slayer nor the original Star Trek series were comedies. That said, they were both intelligent shows that offered humorous elements and moments of comic relief.
Expected to debut on Paramount+ either this year or in early 2026, Star Trek: Starfleet Academy introduces viewers to a young group of cadets "who come together to pursue a common dream of hope and optimism."
"Under the watchful and demanding eyes of their instructors, they discover what it takes to become Starfleet officers as they navigate blossoming friendships, explosive rivalries, first loves, and a new enemy that threatens both the Academy and the Federation itself," the series description teases.
With a focus on younger cadets, comedic banter seems like a natural direction, but that doesn't necessarily mean the series will go the comedy route similar to Star Trek: Lower Decks. In fact, Dudkowski's description of the character banter comes shortly after series veteran Jonathan Frakes talked a bit about the upcoming Starfleet Academy series with fans at Indiana Comic Convention. Frakes didn't compare the series to anything else in particular, but when asked if the series is geared toward younger viewers or hardcore fans, he responded: "Oh it's much more hardcore Star Trek fans."
Production on Season 1 of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy began in August of last year. The series stars Kerrice Brooks, Bella Shepard, George Hawkins, Karim Diané and Zoë Steiner, and Sandro Rosta as the cast of cadets, as well as Holly Hunter, who plays the captain and chancellor of Starfleet Academy.