It's a new day for Star Trek. The classic science fiction franchise looks to launch a brand new chapter in its long, celebrate run of content with Starfleet Academy. While the vast majority of Star Trek projects are focused on the future as a concept, this one is focused on the future of the franchise itself - as it places the spotlight on the first new class of Starfleet cadets in over a century.
A coming-of-age series, it will spotlight them as they train in their field and experience the highs and lows of the 32nd century. And to say that audiences are ready to meet the new class of Star Trek faves (along with potentially catching up with a longtime fan-favorite or two) would be an understatement. With that in mind, here's when you can expect the series premiere of the new show.
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy episodes 1 and 2 release date and exact time on Paramount Plus
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy episodes 1 and 2 will premiere on Paramount+ in the US on Thursday, January 15, at 12:00 a.m. PT, 3:00 a.m. ET, 1:00 a.m. MT, and 2:00 a.m. CT. This has become a pretty common practice release time for US TV shows as this particular release time tends to work for streaming releases (however a number of streamers have opted for primetime releases instead).
Of course, Paramount+ is a global streaming service, which means fans can tune in around the world. For India, in which the streamer is not available, Starfleet Academy will be available to watch via JioCinema like all other Paramount content.
With all of that in mind, here are the release times for the first two episodes of Starfleet Academy if you're watching from outside of the US.
- Hawaii: 9:00 p.m. HST on Wednesday, January 14
- Alaska: 11:00 p.m. AKDT on Wednesday, January 14
- West Coast of the US: 12:00 a.m. PT on Thursday, January 15
- Mountain Time: 1:00 a.m. MT on Thursday, January 15
- Midwest of the US: 2:00 a.m. CT on Thursday, January 15
- East Coast of the US: 3:00 a.m. ET on Thursday, January 15
- Brazil: 4:00 a.m. BRT on Thursday, January 15
- UK: 8:00 a.m. GMT on Thursday, January 15
- France: 9:00 a.m. CET on Thursday, January 15
- Germany: 9:00 a.m. CET on Thursday, January 15
- India (JioCinema): 12:30 p.m. IST on Thursday, January 15
- Italy: 9:00 a.m. CET on Thursday, January 15
- Spain: 9:00 a.m. CET on Thursday, January 15
- South Korea: 4:00 p.m. KST on Thursday, January 15
- Japan: 4:00 p.m. JST on Thursday, January 15
- Sydney, Australia: 5:00 p.m. AEDT on Thursday, January 15
The first two episodes of the show ("Kids These Days" and "Beta Test") will premiere at once before the show then reverts to a weekly release format after that, unveiling one new episode per week across the next eight weeks.
Interestingly, US audiences will also be able to tune into the series premiere for free on the Paramount+ YouTube channel shortly after its streaming premiere. This is also common practice for Paramount+ shows and it will only be available to stream for a limited window of time.
A new age for Star Trek
There have been a multitude of classic Star Trek shows over the past half-century. From the good old days days of William Shatner's classic Captain Kirk in the 1960s' Star Trek: The Original Series to the bonkers and bizarre adventures that they crew of Strange New Worlds get up to today, there is a story for all kinds of Trekkies. We've witnessed the origins of this thrilling future, the highs of The Next Generation, the lows of the decade-plus without any new installments from the original TV franchise, and the epic nature of its modern comeback. And now, we get to witness a new chapter. The next generation, if you will.
Starfleet Academy is a new kind of Star Trek show - one that isn't just for devoted Trekkies. That makes it an excellent starting point for anyone hoping to get into the franchise as - much like Star Wars' Skeleton Crew - it is led by a whole new band of characters looking to spice up the long-running franchise. Mary Wiseman also reprises her Star Trek: Discovery role as Sylvia Tilly.
But for those of you who are longtime fans of the classic franchise, you might just see some beloved faces from previous Star Trek installments - including none other than Robert Picardo who once again reprises his role as the legendary holographic Doctor. There will also be a host of guest stars, including Tatiana Maslany, Paul Giamatti, Stephen Colbert, and Gina Yashere.
Here's hoping that Star Trek: Starfleet Academy lives long and prospers as this show already has so much potential! We can't wait to see it debut.