The newest Star Trek show has an Easter egg that should excite older fans since it calls back something from Star Trek: Voyager from 30 years ago. Set in the 32nd century, Star Trek: Starfleet Academy follows a new cast of Starfleet cadets, the first in over a century, as they train to become officers. This takes place in the same future time period that Star Trek: Discovery took place in, and it premieres on Paramount+ on January 15, 2026. Not only is this a new show that will bring in what might be the next generation of Star Trek officers, but it also presents some fun Easter eggs for franchise fans, including a callback to the Doctor’s first appearance.
In a fun clip that is part of the marketing campaign promoting Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, Cadets Jay-Den Kraag (Karim Diané) and Caleb Mir (Sandro Rosta) meet The Doctor (Robert Picardo). The clip is hilarious as the Doctor deals with the Cadets and their various problems. He is clearly disgusted by the new Cadets, one of whom has a parasite maggot in him, and the other who swallowed her com badge.
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However, the best part of the clip was a call back to a moment from the pilot of Star Trek: Voyager. The young Cadet says she swallowed her com badge (“Already?“). He asks for a tricorder. He then asks for a tricorder, and then when he gets one, he looks up and says, exuberantly, “medical tricorder.” This scene also had a second reference to Star Trek: Voyager, a much deeper cut. The “Orillian lung maggot” the first Cadet had was another callback to the series, and the third Easter egg from the one short scene was when the Doctor said, “don’t be a baby,” which is a line he said in the episode, “Authur, Author.”
What To Expect From Star Trek: Starfleet Academy
Image Courtesy of Paramount+
It seems that Star Trek: Starfleet Academy will be full of references to the franchise’s past. The scene with the Doctor was apparently suggested by actor Robert Picardo himself. According to the actor, he said that real fans would deeply know Voyager, and told TrekMovie that he wanted to add these references to his character from that series, with three Easter eggs delivered in rapid succession.
On top of those fun Easter eggs, the new Star Trek series will also bring the Mugato back. Their only other canon appearance came in Star Trek: Lower Decks. While this cameo seems strange, it proves that Starfleet Academy is paying homage to the franchise’s legacy in any way it can. Star Trek: Starfleet Academy premieres on Paramount+ on January 15. It stars Holly Hunter, Robert Picardo, Tig Notaro, Oded Fehr, Sandro Rosta, Karim Diané, Kerrice Brooks, George Hawkins, Bella Shepard, and Zoë Steiner.
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