219. Liberal Arts Military School (SFA 1.01 and 1.02)

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?