I’m very glad that Jonathan Frakes will have a big role as a director inStar Trek’s next two series on Paramount+,Star Trek: Strange New Worldsseason 3andStar Trek: Starfleet Academyseason 1. The long-awaitedStrange New Worldsseason 3 will premiere this summer on Paramount+, with the Tribeca Film Festival hostingStar Trek: Strange New Worldsseason 3’s world premiere on June 14.Starfleet Academyseason 1 wrapped filming in winter 2025 and is expected to premiere on Paramount+ in 2026.
Jonathan Frakes has had a pivotal role as a director of every live-action Star Trek on Paramount+ TV seriessinceStar Trek: Discoveryseason 2. Frakes consideredDiscovery,which ended with season 5in 2024, his"home" Star Trekshow, but Jonathan also directed several episodes ofStar Trek: Picard, and he helmed the acclaimedStar Trek: Strange New WorldscrossoverwithStar Trek: Lower Decks.Frakes also voiced Captain Will Riker onLower Decksand played Riker in live-action onStar Trek: Picard.
Paramount+‘sStar Trekcontent has been streamlined to just two series:Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, which releases season 3 in 2025 and is currently in production on season 4, andStar Trek: Starfleet Academy, which also has a 2-season order. Thankfully,Jonathan Frakes will influence bothStar Trekshows as a director, guaranteeing the high-quality and fan-favorite traits that have defined Frakes’Star Trekdirecting work.
Jonathan Frakes Directed An Episode Of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 3
Frakes Helmed Strange New Worlds’ “Murder Mystery” Episode
The next chanceStar Trekfans have to see an episode Jonathan Frakes directed will be summer 2025 duringStar Trek: Strange New Worldsseason 3. In a 2024Varietyarticle about theStar Trekfranchise,Frakes beamed that hisStrange New Worldsseason 3 noir-inspired"Hollywood murder mystery"is“the best episode of television I’ve ever done.”Frakes spoke a bit more about hisStrange New Worldsseason 3 episode onTrekMovie’sAll Access Star Trekpodcast:
Star Trek: Strange New Worldsseason 3’s teaser trailershowcased footage from Jonathan Frakes' murder mystery episode. Frakes' noirish whodunit is apparentlyaStar Trekholodeck episode, and it includes the cast ofStrange New Worldsclad in 1970s-inspired attire. Jonathan’s Hollywood murder mystery is one ofStrange New Worldsseason 3’s big swings to recapture the acclaim of season 2’s crossover andStar Trek’s first-ever musical episode, and don’t bet against Frakes delivering another crowd-pleasing winner.
Jonathan Frakes Directed An Episode Of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy
Frakes Directed The First Part Of Starfleet Academy Season 1’s Finale
While appearing on Virtual Trek Con’sThe Main Viewerto promoteTrek Against Pancreatic Cancer,Jonathan Frakes fielded a question fromScreenRantaboutStar Trek: Strange New Worlds. Regarding whether he would be back to direct an episode ofStrange New Worldsseason 4, he said,“TBD. I do have a great episode coming up, dropping in August, I believe, on Strange New Worlds"before Jonathan spoke aboutthe status of his episode ofStar Trek: Starfleet Academy: “Starfleet Academy, [the] first half of the finale, is now almost in the hands of the producers. We’re in the middle of the producer’s cut. Yeah, it’s all good.”Check out Frakes' quote in 43:09:
Jonathan Frakes confirmed he’s directing the first part ofStar Trek: Starfleet Academyseason 1’s finale(likely episode 9). Similarly, Frakes directed the penultimate episode ofStar Trek: Discoveryseason 5. Jonathan has already spoken excitedly aboutStarfleet Academy, which is led by"movie stars"like Academy Award-winner Holly Hunter and Academy Award nominee Paul Giamatti.Star Trek: Starfleet Academyis carrying on the 32nd century far future introduced byStar Trek: Discovery,and the new series will have a pleasing blend of comedy and a fresh young cast buoyed byStar Trek legacycharacters likeThe Doctor (Robert Picardo) fromStar Trek: Voyager.
Jonathan Frakes Is Star Trek’s Best Behind-The-Camera Connection To Its Last Golden Era
Frakes Is One Of Star Trek’s Best & Most Popular Directors
Jonathan Frakes is a bridge from the golden era ofStar Trekin the 1990s to Star Trek on Paramount+’s modern age of dazzling visual effects and a more freewheeling, improvisational style of character dialogue. Frakes is no stranger to both qualities; after making his bones helming episodes ofStar Trek: The Next Generation,Frakes directedStar Trek: First Contact, a crowd-pleasing, special effects extravaganza that ishands down the best ofTNG’s feature films.
Beloved by the casts of Star Trek on Paramount+’s series, Jonathan Frakes brings decades ofStar Trekknowledge, technical know-how, and an ease with his fellow actors to his work behind the camera.Frakes’episodes never fail to deliver memorable character beats that don’t get lost among modernStar Trek’s requisite slam-bang moments. A prime example is his work in front of and behind the camera onStar Trek: Picardseason 3, episode 4,“No Win Scenario.”
Star Trek on Paramount+ has wisely retained Frakes' expertise as a director on multiple Star Trek series.
It’s safe to expect Jonathan Frakes' upcoming episodes ofStar Trek: Strange New Worldsseason 3 andStar Trek: Starfleet Academyseason 1 will be standout hours of both series. Star Trek on Paramount+ has wisely retained Frakes' expertise as a director on multipleStar Trekseries.Star Trek: Strange New WorldsandStar Trek: Starfleet Academyare bound to add to director Jonathan Frakes' winning streak.
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy
Cast
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy follows a group of cadets as they embark on their journey to become Starfleet officers. Facing the challenges of friendship, rivalry, and romance, they confront a new enemy endangering the Academy and the Federation under the guidance of their rigorous instructors.
