Characters | Acting
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy’s third episode, “Vitus Reflux,” focused primarily on Darem Reymi (George Hawkins) and Genesis Lythe’s (Bella Shepard) competition to prove who was the better captain of the Academy’s Calica training team.
Both Hawkins and Shepard’s acting approaches were wonderful, providing authentic feelings for their respective characters to exude realistically, which will help these characters resonate strongly with fans. Jay-Den Kraag (Karim Diane) and SAM (Kerrice Brooks) also shined, but they were used sparingly in “Vitus Reflux.”
For those wanting more of Caleb Mir (Rosta) and Tarima Sadal’s (Zoe Steiner) flirtation to continue, fans won’t be disappointed. Plus, Holly Hunter got to flex her acting muscles with an, at times, over-the-top approach to her character, particularly Nahla Ake’s initial reaction to the escalating prank war. Lura Thok (Gina Yashere) and the chancellor also have a secondary character arc, which shined more light onto their personal and professional relationships.
Also, actress Cecilia Lee had her first opportunity to appear as the War College’s vocal and antagonistic Romulan cadet, Dzolo. Lee commanded the screen virtually EVERY time she was on screen, which is an extremely hard feat to pull off given limited acting opportunities in a secondary role. Lee was a pleasant surprise in “Vitus Reflux” that I simply wasn’t expecting.