In a recent interview with MovieWeb, which was pulled down because it gave away a DS9 spoiler, Noga Landau, co-showrunner of Starfleet Academy, expressed her desire to maintain and improve the Star Trek legacy. Her goal is to produce a show that keeps the Trek vibe while moving the plot along. She intended to make every episode of Starfleet Academy "really felt like an episode of Star Trek." This was a reference to the 60-year-old canon that influenced her own understanding of narrative.
Landau added that Star Trek taught her everything she knows about writing, and she and the rest of the team should remember that while they create this new chapter. The show isn't supposed to be a break from the franchise's roots and Roddenberry's vision; it's designed to be a continuation that preserves the character-driven storytelling, moral themes, and pulses that have made Trek so successful for so long. Even while it tries out new styles, tones, and points of view, Starfleet Academy bases itself on this kind of respect for the past.
Landau also said that following the canon doesn't only mean doing what has already been done. She says that it's "really important" to push the limits of what can be done in Trek. This could entail making an episode that is "stylistically bold" or doing something with a character that we "have never done before." She thinks the franchise stays alive by pushing itself to be more creative and emotionally difficult. This helps new types of tales and character arcs emerge within the basic Starfleet framework.
Landau believes that seeing this evolution on television is "really, really important" to her and is a huge part of her journey. She argues that Gene Roddenberry's original idea for Star Trek was based on representation, "before that was even a cool thing to do" or a common goal in the the franchise. Landau thinks there is no doubt that the notion should be kept going. Starfleet Academy needs to illustrate how varied, challenging, and real-life experiences are for today's audiences, but it also needs to stay faithful to the positive, welcoming world that Roddenberry created.
Landau makes sure that Starfleet Academy feels like original Star Trek while still pushing the bounds of what Trek can be. This puts the series in a position to be a bridge between eras. This keeps the franchise new, important, and looking to the future for the next generation. Star Trek: Starfleet Academy is now streaming on Paramount+.