Why Star Trek: Starfleet Academy's Digital Dean Of Students Sounds Familiar

The "Star Trek" universe continues to expand with exciting and fresh TV shows that explore brand new aspects of the franchise. Now that the animated comedy "Lower Decks" and the endearing and perfect "Strange New Worlds" is coming to an end, this franchise needs another lighter-tone story. Thankfully, it seems "Star Trek: Starfleet Academy" is that show. This YA-flavored series is, in the words of our own Jacob Hall, "a college soap opera that also, well, acts like a 'Star Trek' show."

The series takes place in the titular school where all your favorite "Star Trek" characters learned how to be "Star Trek" characters. It follows the first class of Starfleet cadets ever in the 32nd century, which places the show at the furthest point in the "Star Trek" timeline. At this point The Federation has gone through, well, some pretty big changes, and this class of students is the first one to experience a new kind of Starfleet. Still, they are students, after all, and deal with all the drama you'd expect from a show about young people at a school that has housed some of the biggest legends in the galaxy.

Though it's not very likely we'll get many appearances from known "Star Trek" characters in this show, we do get some familiar faces amongst the cast. Sure, there's Holly Hunter and Paul Giamatti, but if you pay close attention there is another familiar face — or voice. Whenever the students wander the halls between classes or when they eat meals, we often hear an announcer who relays news, updates, and other information about the campus over the intercom. Essentially, he's the "Star Trek" equivalent of Jim Rash's Dean Pelton from "Community." Starfleet's Digital Dean of Students is noted sci-fi nerd and current talk show host Stephen Colbert.

Stephen Colbert, in addition to being a great talk show host, is a bona fide sci-fi and fantasy nerd. He's known for being arguably the most knowledgeable celebrity around when it comes to "Lord of the Rings." He's not only quizzed multiple people who worked in the movies, but whenever he's asked about that franchise he goes long and deep into Tolkien lore. Colbert even made a small cameo appearance in "The Hobbit" trilogy, fulfilling the dream of every nerd.

But Colbert is also a big sci-fi fan. During an interview with his future "Star Trek: Starfleet Academy" co-star Paul Giamatti back in 2018, Colbert gushed about some of his favorite sci-fi authors, from Isaac Asimov and Larry Niven, to Robert A. Heinlein and Henry Kuttner (via YouTube). Colbert knows his sci-fi, both classic and modern, so for him to join the "Star Trek" universe is a big deal.

Beyond being a cool voice cameo, Colbert's role as the Starfleet Dean of Students adds a lot to the show. This being a series geared towards young adults, "Starfleet Academy" can risk being too serious or soapy. The addition of the Digital Dean of Students as a comic relief character lightens the tone of the show and helps make this a rather funny "Star Trek" show at times.

Now that he's conquered Middle-earth and The Federation, all Stephen Colbert has left to conquer is a galaxy far, far away. How long until he plays a HoloNet host in a future "Star Wars" project?