The Digital Dean of Students was shown up by a beautiful nod to Star Trek: Prodigy.
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy is finally streaming. However, if fans watched the new show just to hear Stephen Colbert’s performance as the Digital Dean of Students, there wasn’t much to “see.” In fact, a massive homage to Star Trek: Prodigy clearly overshadowed Colbert’s voiceover at the beginning of Starfleet Academy episode 2’s “Beta Test.”
After the Starfleet Academy intro fades out and into the second episode, Colbert’s Digital Dean of Students can be heard over the intercom system saying: “Specialist Krebs to Science lab seven.” Unfortunately, for Colbert, who is already serving in a miniscule role, his dialogue is one-upped by what can be seen on the screen — and it's amazing!
A human cadet walked along with a classmate as Colbert’s superfluous resonated, but the alien classmate in question was none other than a member of the Brikar. And I’m absolutely certain that the other Prodigy fans out there, like me, were cheering because this was a clear nod to the lovable Rok-Tahk character from the must-see animated Star Trek series.
Personally, the only thing that would have made this Brikar cameo better was if it had been Rok-Tahk. Unfortunately, the Starfleet Academy student was a different color than Rok, and the character's voice was clearly not performed by that of Prodigy 's actress Rylee Alazraqui.
Did you “blink” and miss Colbert’s Digital Dean of Students, too, because you were focused on the homage to Rok like I was? Certainly, the Starfleet DDS kept making announcements throughout episode 2, including that mention of the James T. Kirk Pavilion. Unfortunately, whatever the dean had to say was constantly being overshadowed by the more interesting moments happening on screen.
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Live long and prosper, Trekkies!