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Starfleet Academy pays homage to classic horror film in 'Vitus Reflux' (non-spoiler review)

Pranks get way out of hand between the Academy and the War College in episode 3.
Bella Shepard in season 1 , episode 1 of Starfleet Academy streaming on Paramount+. Photo Credit: Brooke Palmer/Paramount+
Bella Shepard in season 1 , episode 1 of Starfleet Academy streaming on Paramount+. Photo Credit: Brooke Palmer/Paramount+
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Production

Beta Test
Screengrab from Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, episode 2, season 1, streaming on Paramount+, 2025. Photo Credit: Paramount+.

Cinematography remained a strength of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy in episode 3, particularly the darkly lit, orangish-yellow Calica training sequence, which included SAM’s (Brooks) hilarious realization from the sneak-peek clip that the cadets were NOT playing a simple game of laser tag.

The combination of post-production phaser fire and camera lens flares gave “Vitus Reflux” a true Star Trek (2009) feel as if J.J. Abrams himself, not Doug Aarniokoski (Discovery, Picard ), were directing the third episode of Starfleet Academy. And the combination of visual effects and Starfleet Academy’s massive and wonderfully constructed practical sets continued to create a sense of wonderment crucial to the sequel series’ success.

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