First broadcast 19 February 2026.

I have always wondered, whenever Star Trek gives something a name that includes random apostrophes and other odd punctuation, precisely for whom those details exist. This seventh episode of Starfleet Academy, “Ko’Zeine”, comes from the long-running franchise that brought you such names as Qo’noS, T’Pol, and Jem’Hadar. Given 99 per cent of the audience is only going to hear these names said out loud, one wonders why they bother with such odd spelling. It is sheer madness, I tell you.

“Ko’Zeine” offers viewers some light relief following the high drama of the previous episode. It is a long weekend for the Starfleet cadets, which means an unexpected wedding for Darem (George Hawkins) and a series of increasingly badly behaved challenges around the campus for Caleb (Sandro Rosta) and Genesis (Bella Shepard). Essentially this is an episode split into two parallel storylines. One could argue that both involve characters facing key choices for their future, but honestly it would be a pretty weak argument. This seems a very old-fashioned Star Trek episode in many respects. You can watch it, and maybe even enjoy it, but there’s never going to be a need to watch it more than once.

The episode also feels a little short-changed in the budget department, possibly to allow the extra bells and whistles in the last episode. Director Andi Armaganian is saddled with some very unconvincing digital sets here.

Caleb does not want to go anywhere for the long weekend, and so gets permission from Captain Ake (Holly Hunter) to spend the time alone in the Academy building. He is soon joined by Genesis, who has just been promised the elite command stream in her studies – fast-tracking her from cadet to captain. They start pushing challenges on each other, and silly games involving irresponsibly touching other people’s stuff and breaking into locked rooms. It is enjoyable enough, and does progress to a character-related plot with some insight into Genesis, but it is generally low-stakes, low-key stuff. Fans of Reno (Tig Notaro) have plenty to be entertained by.

The episode’s other stream sees Darem kidnapped from the Academy, with Jay-Den (Karim Diané) in hot pursuit to rescue him. There’s no need – the kidnapping is part of a pre-wedding ritual, and Darem has returned to his homeworld for a pre-arranged marriage to childhood friend (and heir to the planet’s throne) Kaira (Jaelynn Thora Brooks). Jay-Den awkwardly assumes the role of “Ko’Zeine” – an unnecessary alien term for best man – while Darem struggles between his desire to enter Starfleet and his duty to his people.

It is not a struggle. This feels like such a tired trope for Star Trek. A regular character must choose between staying in Starfleet or leaving the series, and they chose the ongoing regular role every time. It is weak suspense based on a false premise, usually littered with pointless alien names, and just fills up the episode’s running time without remembering to entertain the audience. Darem does not wind up marrying Kaira, in a move so predictable it honestly cannot count as a spoiler. What is worse, writing-wise, is that it isn’t even Darem who makes the choice; instead it is Kaira, allowing his character to return to Starfleet Academy without any personal impact or consequence whatsoever. In all likelihood Kaira will never score so much as a mention ever again.

When a season of Star Trek ran for 26 episodes per season, such filler episodes were an understandable consequence of needing so many script written per year. When seasons now run for 10 episodes, and potentially not even on an annual schedule, there is no need, purpose, or indeed excuse for such filler. It is a waste of time: for the cast, the crew, but critically for the audience. This season has done much better. Hopefully it will again, in the three episodes it has left.