3. Why do fans of older series refuse to connect with Starfleet Academy?
Before anyone shakes their fist at me, no, I'm not insisting that everyone watch Starfleet Academy. Personal tastes vary, and even a megafan like yours truly doesn't enjoy every single series, but it's the undisguised hatred and anger that Trekkies like me, who have been through this "NuTrek is too woke" situation many times, find difficult to understand.
I've seen comments filled with bigotry, homophobia, misogyny, ableism, and racism, all things that Star Trek isn't, nor has ever been, right from the start, when Captain Kirk told one of his own bridge officers to "leave any bigotry in your quarters — there's no room for it on the bridge."
With every Star Trek series that's offered, viewers experience new characters, a new ship, and new ideas that align with the franchise's central themes. The irony is that hardly any of the series were popular in their time!
Shows like Deep Space Nine and Enterprise are only now gaining new fans and a newfound respect as fans give them a second viewing through the lens of history. It is my sincere hope that Starfleet Academy gets the chance to teach this generation about hope and optimism through Star Trek.
Until next time, my fellow Trekkies: hold on to hope, look to the future with optimism, practice media literacy, and don't give energy to the Denebian slime devils — err — trolls you encounter online! And to share your thoughts and comments on the matter with us, visit the Redshirts Always Die Facebook and X pages.