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Star Trek: Starfleet Academy release schedule – when is the next episode out?

Holly Hunter and Paul Giamatti star in the latest frontier for the long-running franchise.

Holly Hunter stars in Star Trek: Starfleet Academy; in this scene, Captain Nahla Ake sits in her chair on the USS Athena's piloting deck

Paramount Plus

Published: Thursday, 22 January 2026 at 11:28 am

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Star Trek: Starfleet Academy is facing some major turbulence in its early weeks on Paramount Plus, as the sci-fi drama becomes the latest target of review-bombing (echoing the reception of The Acolyte and She-Hulk: Attorney at Law).

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Despite reasonable reviews from critics (including our own three-star verdict), Starfleet Academy's user scores are tanking on sites such as Rotten Tomatoes, IMDb and Metacritic as it becomes a flashpoint in culture war debates.

Although its format was bound to divide longtime fans – sharing more in common with a high school teen drama than a typical Star Trek show – many of the most vocal critics appear to be targeting the show's perceived politics.

Polygon notes that Star Trek has always been a progressive franchise, dating back to The Original Series of the 1960s and its commentary against racial discrimination.

Therefore, efforts to paint Starfleet Academy's representation as a radical politically-motivated departure suggest a lack of knowledge on what came before, but there are certainly other valid criticisms to be levelled at the spin-off.

RadioTimes.com's Sci-Fi and Fantasy Editor Louise Griffin praised the performances of lead actors Holly Hunter and Paul Giamatti, but criticised the bloated size of the supporting cast and a tone that is "too sickly sweet" for some palates.

If you're sticking with the show and want to know when class is next in session, read on for your full guide to the Star Trek: Starfleet Academy release schedule on Paramount Plus.

When is the next episode of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy out?

Paul Giamatti as Nus Braka and Holly Hunter as Chancellor Nahla Ake

Holly Hunter as Nahla Ake in Star Trek: Starfleet Academy. Brooke Palmer/Paramount+

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy is following a weekly release schedule on Paramount Plus, meaning that new episodes of the sci-fi drama will be released on Thursdays.

The show premiered on Thursday 15th January 2026 with a double-bill launch, introducing USS Athena captain Nahla Ake (played by Holly Hunter) and her team of fresh-faced cadets. Expect episodes to keep dropping until the finale in mid-March.

How many episodes are in Star Trek: Starfleet Academy?

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy season 1 will consist of 10 episodes in total.

If that leaves you wanting more, rest assured that a second season of the spin-off is already in production.

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy release schedule

Here's an overview of the Star Trek: Starfleet Academy season 1 release schedule, so you can mark your calendars for when each episode drops.

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Check out more of our Sci-fi coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.

Authors

Black and white cut-out portrait headshot of David Craig, smiling against a lime green background.

David CraigSenior Drama Writer

David Craig is the Senior Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest and greatest scripted drama and comedy across television and streaming. Previously, he worked at Starburst Magazine, presented The Winter King Podcast for ITVX and studied Journalism at the University of Sheffield.

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