After 34 Years, Star Trek Will Finally Deliver What The Next Generation Could Never Show

Published Oct 15, 2026, 9:31 AM EDT

John Orquiola is a TV Editor, Senior Writer, and Interviewer with a special focus on Star Trek. John has over 5,000 published articles at SR, and he has interviewed the biggest names in Star Trek on the red carpet and VIP events, among other beloved shows, movies, and franchises.

After 34 years, Star Trek: Starfleet Academy season 2 can finally show what Star Trek: The Next Generation could not fully depict in season 5's "The First Duty." Executive produced by Alex Kurtzman and Noga Landau, Star Trek: Starfleet Academy's second and final season will premiere in March 2027 on Paramount+, with Bill Nighy and Rosemarie DeWitt joining as special guest stars.

The first time Starfleet Academy was depicted on-screen was in Star Trek: The Next Generation season 5, episode 19, "The First Duty." However, the Academy's most elite cadets were not seen in their best light. Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) returned to San Francisco because Wesley Crusher (Wil Wheaton) and Nova Squadron covered up the accidental death of their classmate, Joshua Albert.

Nova Squadron was established as expert pilots, given special training and privileges under their ringleader, Nicholas Locarno (Robert Duncan McNeill), who admitted to being the ringleader of the cover-up. Yet Star Trek: The Next Generation was limited to 'tell, don't show' when it came to Nova Squadron's flight skills. Star Trek: Starfleet Academy doesn't share those limits.

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy Season 2 Will Deliver What TNG Could Never Show

Although Star Trek: The Next Generation boasted an impressive production budget for its time, there were still financial and technological barriers that prevented TNG from actually showing Nova Squadron in action in "The First Duty." The "Kolvoord Starburst" maneuver above Saturn's moon, Titan, that got Josha Albert killed was only depicted via on-screen simulation.

At New York Comic Con, Alex Kurtzman and Noga Landau confirmed that the 32nd-century incarnation of Nova Squadron will be introduced in Star Trek: Starfleet Academy season 2. This will enable Starfleet Academy to present what Kurtzman called "Top Gun in space," which will involve Caleb Mir (Sandro Rosta) flying against Nova Squadron's best of the best.

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy doesn't have the shackles that Star Trek: The Next Generation did when it comes to production budget, and the visual effects of Kurtzman's Star Trek shows on Paramount+ are feature film quality. This means that, for the first time, fans will get to see Nova Squadron soar in live-action the way TNG could only imply.

Star Trek: Prodigy season 2 presented a new Nova Squadron about 15 years after Nicholas Locarno's group. Nova Squadron thrillingly rocketed through the stars in Prodigy thanks to the brilliance of the show's CGI animation. This was the first time fans really saw Nova Squadron in action, but Star Trek: Starfleet Academy will bring it to life with flesh-and-blood actors and top-of-the-line VFX.

What Nova Squadron Could Mean For Starfleet Academy Season 2

Nova Squadron's reputation was tainted from its first appearance because of the stigma that Starfleet Academy's supposedly best cadets covered up the death of their classmate. Captain Picard was particularly furious at Wesley Crusher for his participation and silence.

​​​​​​​In Star Trek: Lower Decks season 4, Nick Locarno became a villain who destroyed several starships and tried to attack the United Federation of Planets with a Genesis Device.

The idea of elite Starfleet Academy cadets was revisited in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, with a different group called Red Squad. Sadly, Red Squad was even worse than Nova Squadron. Red Squad cadets enabled Admiral Leyton's (Robert Foxworth) attempted military coup of Earth, and later, waged a private guerrilla war against the Dominion aboard the USS Valiant that got nearly every cadet killed.

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy season 2 has a chance to redeem Nova Squadron even more than Star Trek: Prodigy did. If "Top Gun in space" is the inspiration, then Nova Squadron's cadets may be cocksure and risk-taking, but they're also great pilots. However, Star Trek history has proven that setting cadets apart as "elite" has been problematic, and perhaps this issue continues in the 32nd century.

It will be interesting if Caleb Mir or Starfleet Academy's other cadets join Nova Squadron in Star Trek: Starfleet Academy season 2. In season 1, the rivalry was between the War College and Starfleet Academy, but Nova Squadron adds an interesting new season 2 wrinkle. No matter what, it will be amazing to see a live-action Nova Squadron take flight in a way that Star Trek: The Next Generation could only dream of.

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy season 1 is streaming on Paramount+

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  Holly Hunter

  Nahla Ake

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  Sandro Rosta

  Caleb Mir