By Chris Snellgrove | Published
Starfleet Academy is a show that has shamelessly relied on old Star Trek shows to tell new stories. Accordingly, one of the major criticisms of this new outbreak is that it does not have many ideas of its own. After all, the season’s most memorable episodes serve as shameless sequels to beloved episodes of Deep Space Nine again Voyager.
However, the Season 1 finale “Rubincon” finally put a new spin on the old trope. Among other things, this episode relied heavily on the trial, and such courtroom drama was part of the Golden Age of the franchise (especially in The Next Generation). However, Starfleet Academy puts its own spin on this classic trope by using a mini-trial to explore ethical dilemmas and other explorations of ongoing character conflict.
Star Trek: Law & Order
So, when did pilot episodes become the basis of Star Trek? There was flirting from the start The Original Serieslike when Captain Kirk is court-martialed. Arguably, however, this trope was not something Star Trek was famous for until The Next Generation.
This was the show where Data had to fight in court to be seen as a human and not a toaster, and Picard had to give a speech about freedom versus security to a crazy admiral. Speaking of Picard, he started too TNG and ended TNG the same way: by testifying on behalf of humanity before an almighty judge.
Star Trek: The Next Generation established a core element of these early trials: instead of character testing, courtroom drama was used to test ideas. In “Human Scale,” the fans at home already believe that Data should be treated as a human, so no one watching may have their beliefs about this character changed by the evidence. Instead, we’re here to enjoy the poignant philosophical question at the heart of the episode: “How do we explain life in the distant future?”
The Case Is Never Ended, Picard
Similarly, “Drumhead” is about an overzealous lawyer who investigates the alleged destruction of the Enterprise, and ends up interrogating Captain Picard himself in his quest to eliminate suspected traitors. As viewers, we like to believe Geordi La Forge and Data when they report that the explosion that sparked the investigation was just an accident. What we are seeing here is a cross-sectional examination of the question that once troubled Benjamin Franklin: “is better security really worth giving up all our personal liberties?”
This trend continued in other Trek shows: on Voyagerfor example, Voyager’s “Death Wish” explores the morality of assisted suicide. However, the Starfleet Academy The end of season 1 “Rubincon” changed the formula by including the champion Nus Braka who puts the Federation itself in the case. His old nemesis, Captain Ake, was in defense, while Anisha Mir (also Ake’s former nemesis) gets to play judge, jury and executioner.
Putting the Federation to the Test
What made this episode different was that there was no subtle philosophical question being explored. Obviously, viewers may briefly consider the veracity of Nus Braka’s claims, but “briefly” is the key word here: no Star Trek fans are watching to think that the franchise’s latest spinoff has suddenly made the Federation the bad guys; instead, the trial is mostly a vector for Nus Braka’s megalomania and an excuse to have actor Paul Giamatti chew up all the space in the quadrant. More than that, though, the courtroom drama is a vessel for something that was often used under Trek creator Gene Roddenberry: juicy, juicy character conflict.
After all, this case is the only place where the show allows Anisha Mir to speak up for Captain Ake, accusing the Starfleet officer of wrongfully imprisoning her and separating her from her son. Meanwhile, Ake gets to explain how this other woman became an instrument of brutal murder. Along the way, he gets to unravel Nus Braka’s sad history: he says that the Federation destroyed his colony, but he proves that his father did it Picard the show could stand for “sheer f*cking hubris.”
The girls are arguing
Fortunately, the interplay of characters is pretty good: both Holly Hunter and Tatiana Maslany are great actresses, and it’s fun to see them interact on screen in such a powerful way. Giamatti, arguably the show’s best actor, now serves as an agent of chaos, stirring the pot whenever things start to calm down. The result is the next scene of captivating tension that enhances our understanding of these three characters and their relationship.
That doesn’t make these scenes perfect, of course: in my review of “Rubincon,” I noted that the ridiculous trial is the worst part of the episode. This is true on a storytelling level because Ake is really buying time before the inevitable Starfleet rescue and equally inevitable happy ending. But everyone watches Star Trek for different reasons, and if you like seeing the characters bring out the best in each other (a very good reason to tune in), it’s hard to beat these courtroom scenes.
If nothing else, Starfleet Academy deserves credit for proving you can teach an old Targ new tricks: the show still leans heavily on classic Star Trek tropes, but this season finale shows the writers are learning to do something new with them. Also, the worst thing about this episode is three of television’s best actors giving it their all in the best part of the hour. If that’s the worst “Rubincon” had to offer, that’s a sure sign of a good story!
