Anika and Liz step through the 32nd century arches that give them new outfits and sprawl in their chairs to discuss the first two episodes of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy. And we like it a whoooooole lot. 

• "I think I just quoted Joe Biden. I did not mean to."
• Character beats - Caleb can handle himself, but in a crisis, he's an engineer; Jay-Den and Sam are simply too pure and we love them; Darem and Genesis are mirror images: privileged high achievers, but one is a natural leader and the other is a bully; Tarima is a character specifically for Anika. We are here to wax rhapsodic over Captain Ake. Nus Braka is giving Harry Mudd.
• Starfleet Academy is unusually interested in depicting disability, assistive devices and accommodations
• We have one problem with the premiere -- breaking down boot camp tropes, Black hair politics, what does "regulation" even mean in this context and when Caleb's peers are wearing piercings and jewellery?