Summary
With the 2026 release ofStar Trek: Starfleet Academylooming, fans have questions, concerns, and more than a few feelings aboutLower Decksvoice actor Tawny Newsome joining the project. Her presence has theStar Trekcommunity split like a Romulan secret directive.
Currently in production,Starfleet Academyhas a stacked cast that includesPaul Giamatti as the villainand promises a bold new chapter in theStar Trekfranchise—one centered on a younger generation of cadets navigating life, learning, and high-stakes interstellar science. The addition of Newsome to the writers’ room, known primarily for voicing the chaotic-good Ensign Beckett Mariner onStar Trek:Lower Decks, has stirred up a cocktail of excitement, hesitation, and good old-fashioned Federation-level fan discourse.
Why AreTrekkiesSoDivided Over Tawny Newsome Writing ForStarfleet Academy?
Newsome isn’t new to Trek, and she’s certainly not a stranger to a script. She’s made her mark across multiple creative disciplines—comedy, music, podcasting, and acting. But her voice work onLower Decksput her squarely in the heart of theStar Trekconversation. As Mariner, she brought both a rebellious edge and vulnerability to the show that straddles parody and tribute. In episodes like “Crisis Point,” a satirical take on Trek’s cinematic tendencies, or “We’ll Always Have Tom Paris,” where hallucinations of the famedVoyagerhelmsman lead to hilarious chaos, Newsome helped craft something that both pokes fun at and deeply honorsStar Trekcanon.
Despite that, the idea ofher writing forStarfleet Academy—a live-action drama meant to capture younger, possibly first-timeTrekfans—has left some longtime viewers wary. “How about getting a WRITER,” oneReddituser wrote. Another added harshly, “Gilmore Girlswriting levels is not what I seek.” Their concern isn’t that Newsome doesn’t knowTrek—it’s that she doesn’t have a very long writing resume. And most of the writing she has done has been comedy.
Critics of the decision also argue that even if she did make creative contributions toLower Decks, the animated show is too irreverent to be a tonal match—and fans have been burned before.Discovery’s shift from classicTrekspace exploration to serialized action and melodrama alienated some longtime fans. EvenPicard’s dystopian introspection didn’t sit right with viewers hoping for a return toTNG’s hopeful spirit. The fear is thatStarfleet Academycould veer into teen drama tropesor comedic excess instead of delivering the nuanced morality tales that defined episodes likeTNG’s “The Measure of a Man” orDS9’s “Duet.”
Tawny Newsome Wants to MakeStarfleet AcademyCanon-Conscious and Credible
If Newsome’s heard the skepticism—and she has—she’s not brushing it off. Instead, she’s taken a direct approach, speaking to fans’ concerns in recent interviews. “I think people hear ‘comedy writer’ and think I’m going to turnStarfleet Academyinto a sketch show,” she said. “But I know what show I’m working on. And I loveStar Trek— deeply.”
In an interview withTrekMovie, Newsome emphasized that canon integrity is a top priority. “We’ve got canon cops in the room. We’ve got people with encyclopedic Trek knowledge. You know, I’ve got every ship memorized, every admiral’s name memorized. We’re ready,” she said. This commitment to detail and respect for established lore is precisely what some fans needed to hear.
She’s not wrong about the assumptions. But Newsome’s critics might be overlooking her ability to shift tone. InLower Decks,Mariner isn’t just a walking punchline. Her complicated relationship with authority—especially her Starfleet Admiral mother, Carol Freeman—adds emotional weight. Episodes like “No Small Parts” balance quippy dialogue with life-or-death stakes and real character growth. It’s not just funny—it’s Trek.
That’s the side of Newsome her supporters point to. “I loveLower Decks[.] Newsome is someone I’m starting to put in the ‘give the benefit of the doubt’ category,” one fan wrote. Many agreed, with one user adding, “Tawny is the best thing to come out of new[T]rek.” To them, bringing her into the room isn’t a gamble—it’s a chance to get thingsright. Many fans even expressed thatNewsome’s involvement actuallyincreasedtheir interest in a show they might’ve otherwise overlooked.
“Hollywood is full of psychopaths, and they really managed to find some sweeties who loveTrek. I’ve been having a blast and I think that the audience is going to love the show. I really do.” - Newsome
What The Franchise’s History Says About Comedy Vs. Drama InStar Trek
The Original Serieshad Spock dryly roasting McCoy.The Next Generationgave us Data’s search for laughter and Riker’s jazz phase.Deep Space Ninefeatured Quark as a Ferengi foil amidst war and existential crisis. EvenVoyagerhad The Doctor’s sardonic witoffering relief from the Delta Quadrant’s endless threats. In the right hands, humor complements drama rather than undercutting it. Even in its most serious incarnations, humor has always been part ofStar Trek’s DNA, and for that matter, so has hiring actors in creative roles behind the camera.
WhileLower Decksleans hard into comedy, it’s often through those funny moments that seriousTrekthemes emerge: what it means to serve, to lose, to question command, and to confront legacy. The show doesn’t just knowTrek—it understands it. That’s part of what makes Newsome’s involvement such a wildcard. She’s proven she can deliver both comedy and weight. The question is whether she can recalibrate for a writers' room and a live-action format that plays by different rules.
The Raised Stakes ForStarfleet AcademyAnd The Future OfStar TrekAs A Whole
Every newStar Trekshow shoulders the expectations of a franchise that’s been evolving since 1966 and its extremely passionate fanbase.Starfleet Academywill be the first major seriesfocused entirely on cadets. The potential is huge: new faces, untapped themes, and the opportunity to examine the Federation’s ideals through fresh eyes.
That makes the choice of writers—especially ones like Newsome—all the more important. Her work could help the show avoid clichés and offer something that’s sincere without being stuffy, modern without being hollow. After all, Trek has always been about more than starships and phasers. It’s about people—flawed, curious, evolving—and their place in a larger cosmos.
Still, some fans won’t be swayed until they see it for themselves. They remember the tonal dissonance of shows that tried to do too much or cater to too many. They wantTrekto beTrek. UntilStarfleet Academyairs, the jury’s out on whether Newsome will help or hinder that mission.
