Jonathan Frakes Reacts to ‘Absurd’ Star Trek: Starfleet Academy Gag

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One scene from the first season of the Paramount+ show really stuck with viewers: the infamous ‘glitter vomit’ scene. Now, Jonathan Frakes, a well-known figure in the series, has shared his opinion on it.

Jonathan Frakes, famous for his role as William Riker on Star Trek: The Next Generation, directed an episode of Starfleet Academy titled “300th Night.” That episode featured the character Darem vomiting glitter – a running gag, as Darem had previously vomited glitter in the episode “Series Acclimation Mil.” Frakes recently discussed the glitter joke in an interview, explaining that he also added extra glitter to the episode’s party scenes.

Jonathan Frakes Accepted the Glitter

Frakes mentioned they showed him a clip of the glitter vomit from a previous episode, which he found strange. He explained that while it wasn’t much, it was a recurring element – glitter has been a consistent visual motif thanks to Noga Landau, a showrunner working with Alex Kurtzman. Landau specifically requested a lot of glitter in the opening scene where the characters walk down a hallway in slow motion and fast motion, signaling the start of their end-of-year celebration.

He explained that she really wanted a lot of glitter incorporated into something. He was surprised by the request, jokingly asking if she meant actually throwing it in the hallways. It turned out she’d started signing all her emails with a glitter emoji or mention of glitter.

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy Is Polarizing

The series Star Trek: Starfleet Academy has received mixed reactions, with critics and viewers disagreeing about its quality. While Rotten Tomatoes gives it a high 88% critic score, the audience score is much lower at 51%. Considering it’s part of the well-known Star Trek franchise, the show’s streaming numbers have also been surprisingly modest.

Despite any challenges, the show will return for a second season. Paramount+ renewed Starfleet Academy for Season 2 even before the first season premiered, demonstrating strong belief in its potential. Given the high production costs of Star Trek shows, growing the audience for Season 2 will likely be crucial to getting a third season approved. The creators are hopeful this will happen, and they’ve recently shared that .

Set 300 years in the future, Starfleet Academy centers on a fresh group of cadets – the first in over a hundred years – as they undergo rigorous training to become Starfleet officers. The show features a talented cast including Holly Hunter, Sandro Rosta, Karime Diane, Kerrice Brooks, George Hawkins, Oded Fehr, Bella Shepard, Gina Yashere, Brit Marling, Tig Notaro, and Robert Picardo. The cadets will confront a new danger in the second season.

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy is . Season 2 does not yet have a premiere date.

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2026-03-18 01:38