The universe of Star Trek has changed quite a bit over the decades. While the series began by following Captain Kirk as he explored new universes with his trusted crew, new captains and crews across timelines and alternate realities have taken the baton and run with it.

Amidst a 2025 TV schedule that lacked Star Trek shows in the final months of the year, the Khan audio drama provided a fix for those craving new content. The story recalled the events of what happened to the infamous villain between his appearance in the TOS episode "Space Seed" and his return in The Wrath of Khan, and produced an exciting reveal.

Marling is set to voice the ship's computer in Starfleet Academy when the series premieres next year,according to Collider. Marling will provide the voice of the computer aboard the U.S.S. Athena, which also serves as the titular Starfleet Academy in the series.

What I find especially confusing about this scenario is how well the show has been rated by critics, making it the most acclaimed episodic addition to the Star Trek saga. Fans love it too. The modern expansion of Star Trek that started with Discovery in 2017 has resulted in what feels like countless new shows being greenlit to reinvigorate and softly reinvent the franchise.