Star Trek Series Faces Fan Backlash Over ‘Woke’ Labels

The new addition to the Star Trek franchise, titled “Star Trek: Starfleet Academy,” has encountered increasing criticism from fans who label it as “woke.” This comes despite favorable reviews from critics, who have already greenlit a second season.

Debuting on Paramount+ last week, the show garnered an 87% “Certified Fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes. However, audience reactions are more polarized. The series’ cast argues that the essence of Star Trek has always had a progressive angle.

Actress Gina Yaschel, portraying Lula Tok, defended the show on CNN, stating that Star Trek has embodied a “woke” spirit since its inception. During the interview, she remarked, “Being ‘woke’ is just about being aware of everything around us,” noting how the term has taken on negative connotations.

Robert Picard, a veteran Star Trek actor, echoed this sentiment, suggesting that the show was ahead of its time with its inclusive messages.

Currently, the series sits at a 43% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, a slight uptick from a previous low of 35%. Meanwhile, it holds a 4.7 out of 10 on IMDb, with a significant number of one-star reviews. Some critics and commenters attribute the poor ratings to coordinated review bombing, while others express that the dissatisfaction stems from the show’s quality rather than its political messaging.

Viewers have expressed their discontent, claiming the show strays from its core values. White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller has also added his voice to the criticism, suggesting that Paramount+ should make amends with William Shatner and hand him creative oversight of the franchise.

His comments came in response to a viral clip from the series, which has been viewed over 3.6 million times. In the scene, a character takes a moment to don glasses, which some fans found particularly unfaithful to the Star Trek ethos. Billionaire Elon Musk jokingly reacted to the clip, suggesting that this futuristic version of Starfleet would impose bans on certain medical procedures.

William Shatner, the original Captain James T. Kirk, responded with sarcasm to Miller’s suggestion, humorously critiquing the lack of foresight from the writers regarding medical advancements in the 32nd century.

The backlash began prior to the show’s debut, fueled by cast mentions of inclusivity and progressive themes. “Starfleet Academy” joins a trend of series facing backlash amid ongoing culture wars; for example, Disney’s “Star Wars: The Acolyte” faced similar reactions after its creators labeled it as the “gayest” installment in the franchise. Notably, Netflix’s “Stranger Things” encountered review bombing after its main character came out as gay.

Interestingly, “Starfleet Academy” was already renewed for a second season before its first episode aired.