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Sure, people think of Star Trek as an embodiment of creator Gene Roddenberry’s utopian ideas about humanity’s future — think about the show’s core philosophy of IDIC, ‘Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations!’ — but the franchise’s latest series, Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, will place the literal next generation of Trek in the distinctly dystopian 32nd century of Star Trek: Discovery lore. According to series co-creator Alex Kurtzman, that’s a very intentional move.

“The idea of setting it in the 32nd century was specific because I felt strongly that if you put it in the halcyon days of the Federation (when The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine were set) — where everything’s fine and the cadets are not particularly challenged by the world around them other than whatever plot of the week there is — you’re not speaking to the moment,” Kurtzman told the Series Business newsletter. “Whereas if you put it in the 32nd century, and you have kids who are inheriting a very broken universe that they are responsible for putting back together and for maintaining optimism, now you’re talking. It’s a beautiful reinforcement of Roddenberry’s essential vision of hope. It felt like a great way to underscore Star Trek and a great way to bring in people who have no connection to Star Trek.”

First introduced in 2020’s third season of Star Trek: Discovery, the 32nd century is a period where the galaxy has been torn apart by an event called ‘The Burn,’ which resulted in both the destruction of the majority of dilithium — the element that allows starships to travel at warp speed — as well as a disruption of the collective spirit that bound Starfleet together since its foundation in the 22nd century. While Starfleet became re-established as an organization throughout the final three seasons of Discovery, the galaxy that Starfleet Academy takes place in is still one being rebuilt and far from its best… making it the perfect setting for the show, in Kurtzman’s opinion.

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy debuts on Paramount+ January 15.

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