I like this show. But let me be blunt from the outset: I'm not a big fan of the Discovery setting, now 800 years in the future, or the pre-TOS setting for Strange New Worlds. I do like these shows for their characters and (most of) their stories. But the settings don't quite work for me. Something feels missing in that future, post-"burn" world, though I can't put my finger on exactly what. Maybe both Federation and Starfleet culture should have changed far more over that vast span of time. Doesn't the pace of change increase with time? Shouldn't this society be barely recognizable instead of just another familiar reflection?

That said, both the post-Burn and pre-TOS settings do provide plenty of fun nostalgia opportunities. The most recent episode of Academy demonstrates this perfectly, with its many references to Deep Space Nine. That was fun, and I loved the development of the "photonic" species. Great stuff, very Trek.

Another downside is that it's more rom-com than sci-fi adventure. I expected a show about education and mentoring in a tumultuous galaxy, but what I got was more like Star Trek: 90210.

The upside is that it's not nearly as agenda-heavy as Discovery sometimes got. I think the showrunners have refined their approach, and the audience has changed over the past ten years. It's still diverse and progressive, as Star Trek should always be. But the emphasis has shifted back to good storytelling and interesting characters, and I'm happy about that. Mind you, I never lamented "woke Trek"—as social media dwellers love to point out, Trek has always been that way. (Indeed, I'd argue that all science fiction and fantasy has always been progressive, for reasons that have far less to do with ideology and far more to do with marketing and public interest.)

Overall, I'd say Starfleet Academy is worth watching if you're a Trek fan. It's not breaking new ground, but it's entertaining, thoughtful in places, and manages to balance nostalgia with fresh perspectives. I'll keep tuning in.