With Star Trek: Starfleet Academy's premiere approaching quickly on Paramount+, Jonathan Frakes, who directed season 1's next-to-last episode, revealed a few details about the show to TrekMovie.com. This includes how the series has already done one thing right well ahead of its premiere, which is allowing an iconic character to share the screen with a new but similar cadet.
Frakes discussed the return of Robert Picardo, who played the beloved Emergency Medical Hologram on Star Trek: Voyager and Star Trek: Prodigy (and is now a legacy character and a fan favorite), and how he and SAM, a unique Series Acclimation Mil hologram, played by Kerrice Brooks will interact. Frakes said, "Yes. They have a couple of fabulous episodes in which they are featured together."
The prospect of a new bantering duo will likely draw in viewers
When you think of your favorite Star Trek series, you probably recall some of the best banter from legendary characters like Spock and McCoy, Picard and Q, plus Quark and Odo. These relationships are at the heart of the franchise, and the prospect of The Doctor and SAM is something I'm looking forward to with this series.
By this point, The Doctor is 900 years old, according to Picardo. Imagine what he's seen and done and how his experiences have changed him, and now along comes this new hologram who has joined Starfleet Academy. It seems that much of the prospective banter could focus on SAM's innocence versus The Doctor's long life. This, along with other Trek favorites like Tig Notaro as a part of the cast, has me ready to watch!
Which characters are you most excited to see when Star Trek: Starfleet Academy officially premiers? With so much to look forward to with this series, it's not an easy choice! Share your thoughts and comments with us on the Redshirts Always Die Facebook and X pages. And Starfleet Academy drops Jan. 15, 2026, on Paramount+.