The countdown to Star Trek: Starfleet Academy is officially underway, and excitement is building across the fandom. While the rest of us will have to wait until early 2026 for the premiere, one Star Trek veteran has already gotten a sneak peek.
Robert Picard, beloved for his role as the Emergency Medical Hologram on Star Trek: Voyager, revealed that he’s seen the pilot episode of Starfleet Academy and wasted no time sharing his glowing reaction online.
"Saw our Star Trek: Starfleet Academy pilot tonight and was knocked on my holographic butt," the actor said on social media.
We were treated to our first proper look at Star Trek: Starfleet Academy during San Diego Comic-Con last month. Paramount+ shared the first trailer and some key details about the upcoming series. Starfleet Academy is set in the 32nd century, after the "Halcyon Days" of the Federation, and follows the first class of Starfleet cadets at the academy after 120 years.
While the series will focus mostly on a young group of cadets "who come together to pursue a common dream of hope and optimism," some fan-favorite characters from other Star Trek series will appear as well. That includes Robert Picardo’s Emergency Medical Hologram, aka The Doctor, from Star Trek: Voyager who will serve as an instructor and role model for our new cadets, guiding them on their journey.
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.
Ricardo won't be the only franchise veteran popping up throughout the series. Starfleet Academy will also have connections to Next Generation, Voyager, Deep Space Nine, and even Prodigy.
"We made sure that the halls of our school are properly named for the most legendary people in Starfleet," teased showrunner Noga Landau.
The highly anticipated Star Trek: Starfleet Academy will premiere on Paramount+ in 2026.