Broadcasting Thurs on Paramount+
Spoiler Alert
These days, the handlers of Gene Roddenberry’s creation, Star Trek, are no longer bound to his original vision. With Starfleet Academy, the franchise leans into new themes and familiar narrative shapes, recycling tropes that are usually left unspoken. After all, humanity has always been about boldly going somewhere new. This time, though, it might just be back to school. Whether the writers should lean into that idea is debatable. There are elements here that work, and others that stumble. Everything hinges on where the focus ultimately lands.
After finding Star Trek: Discovery very much not my cup of tea, I missed one important detail. The Federation is rebuilding. Following The Burn, when most of the galaxy’s dilithium was rendered inert, interstellar travel collapsed. Worlds became isolated. New wars erupted over developing new alternative power sources, or the promise of something better from individuals who try to deliver hope.
Continue reading “Starfleet Academy’s Dilemma: Is It Star Trek or Saved by the Bell Set in Space?”
James Shaw: To be honest, I never expected much from DreamWorks Turbo. The premise is simple: the story takes place in Van Nuys in the San Fernando Valley of California (although I suspect the suburbia was North Hills). Here we meet Theo (Ryan Reynolds) a comparatively small gastropod who dreams big. He wants to live life in the fast lane like his idol Indianapolis 500 racer Guy Gagné (Bill Hader).