Starfleet Academy Episode 5 “Series Acclimation Mil” Turns Hologram Heartbreak into a Beautiful, Unexpected Love Letter to Deep Space Nine

Review: Star Trek: Starfleet Academy Season 1 Episode 5 “Series Acclimation Mil”

Starfleet Academy delivers a story that surely no one had on their 2026 Star Trek bingo cards, as this show uses one of its most intriguing new characters as a catalyst for a love letter to Deep Space Nine. 

Sam’s Mission

Series Acclimation Mil (Kerrice Brooks) takes the spotlight here, as we learn more about her mission at the Academy. She is supposed to be an emissary for her people, the Kasq, a race of holograms who have never left their world. She needs to learn about organics so she can report back to her people about how they might eventually integrate into organic society. 

We get some important but vague background about Sam’s species. The Kasq were created by organics who viewed them as slaves. When those organics “left,” the Kasq became sentient, created their own society, and now want to connect with other species — so long as history doesn’t repeat itself and the Kasq are subjugated by outsiders. This background sounds like perfect fodder for expanded media content; maybe we’ll learn more about the Kasq in some future comic book or novel?  

Sam finds learning about organics somewhat challenging because they can be chaotic and complex. This complexity is evident in instances like Darem Reymi (George Hawkins) accepting self-detrimental dares, or the difficulty Caleb Mir (Sandro Rosta) and Tarima Sadal (Zoe Steiner) have in acknowledging their romantic feelings for each other, or how the cadets at Starfleet Academy have engaged in a turf war with members of the War College.

To help succeed in her mission and understand the intangible aspects of organic existence, Sam is assigned by her makers to take a special course — Confronting the Unexplainable — a class that allows her to investigate an unsolved mystery: what happened to Benjamin Sisko? 

It’s fair to assume not all Starfleet Academy viewers know the story behind Ben Sisko, and this episode does a good job explaining who the man was, why he was important to the Bajorans, and what led to his disappearance from this mortal coil. We’ll assume you know the story, and if you don’t, go watch all of Deep Space Nine right now. We’ll wait. 

Sisko’s fate has been a mystery for 800 years; officially, since his body was never found after his confrontation with the Pah-Wraiths in the Bajoran Fire Caves, Starfleet has always considered him MIA. The truth of Sisko’s fate is a mystery that Sam, a fellow emissary, wants to solve. Guiding her in her quest is one of the Academy’s instructors, Professor Illa, played by Lower Decks vet and Starfleet Academy writer Tawny Newsome.

A Hologram’s Journey

This episode is about Sam learning what it means to be organic, to be human, to be sentient in a world that doesn’t always make a whole lot of sense. Her journey takes her to a few places, first of which is the Academy’s Bajor Club, where she, true to form, awkwardly tries and fails to solicit information about Sisko’s legacy — information that isn’t based on religious “nonsense,” as she so ineloquently and innocently puts it. 

Next is a virtual recreation of the Sisko Museum based in New Orleans, recommended to her in a heart-to-heart conversation with Chancellor Ake (Holly Hunter), where the pair talked about Sam’s out-sized purpose at the Academy. Appropriately, numerous items from Sisko’s legacy appear in this museum, including: 

1. A history of New Orleans
2. Information about Deep Space Nine and the Defiant
3. A typewriter (a reference to Ben Sisko’s otherworldly experience as Benny Russell)
4. A baseball glove and hat of the The Niners
5. Sisko’s Dominion War-era Starfleet uniform. 

Sam learns Sisko’s path through life was pre-determined by the Prophets, which is an aspect of being an emissary that doesn’t sit right with her. 

Notably, a legitimate Orb of the Prophets is also in this museum, which Sam uses to cathartically speak to Sisko about her own emissary mission and how she is failing at it so far. She doesn’t get any kind of response except for the Orb curiously unlighting and somewhat deflating. 

Another exhibit she interacts with is a particular lecture Ben Sisko’s son, Jake, gave 33 years after his father disappeared. Jake here is played by Cirroc Lofton, who is reprising his role from Deep Space Nine in a surprising and welcome guest appearance. Jake spoke of his father as a wonderful man, making it clear he did not view him through the religious perspective that the Bajorans held regarding Ben. Jake calls out how good of a father Ben was, and that Ben’s example served Jake well when he had children. Jake’s brief monologue here serves as a poignant reminder of the beloved, heartwarming legacy of the father-son relationship featured in DS9. 

Sam circles up with Professor Illa about her investigation into Sisko’s life and disappearance. Illa — who struck us as being somewhat mysterious — appreciates how Sam is trying to solve this question, which the professor considers unsolvable. Illa remarks how she appreciated Sisko’s choice to include tomatoes in his gumbo, a divisive decision among other chefs. Sisko’s choices in life, Illa notes, were generally an extension of his capacity for love. The discussion about food gives Sam the idea to get her and her friends to try some of the meals the Siskos made at their restaurant in New Orleans.

“My mouth is on fire, and I never want it to go out.”

– Jay-Den Kraag (Karim Diane) as he tastes food from the Sisko Family Restaurant. 

While her friends enjoy the food, Sam can’t actually taste it herself, given that she’s a hologram, so Caleb Mir tinkers with her programming to help her taste things. Sam also learns from Jay-Den that Jake Sisko was working on a book, Anslem, which was about his father, but Jake never published it. Darem, meanwhile, alerts Sam and the rest of the cadet group that there is a bar in San Francisco that Sisko once visited (as Sisko references in “Take Me Out to the Holosuite.”) The bar, now known as The Academy, is Sam’s next visit. 

The stakes for Sam in this journey are raised when she is reminded by her handlers that she needs to complete her mission — learning about organics and then reporting as much information as she can to her people. If she fails, she will lose access to organics, including the friends she has come to value over the past few months. These stakes bother the young hologram, but makes her more determined than ever to continue her mission. 

Sam goes to The Academy and accidentally gets completely wasted thanks to Caleb’s programming, so drunken hijinks ensue as the hologram loses her inhibitions and appreciates how organics manifest romance. Indeed, she gathers that Ben Sisko valued wholeheartedly the people he loved, including Jennifer, Cassidy, and Jake. Who among us hasn’t had emotional revelations after a few drinks? 

Meanwhile, War College cadets enjoying a night out confront the Academy cadets in their stereotypically aggressive manner, which leads to Sam starting a bar fight. The War College cadets are basically caricatures of bullies, for all the subtlety and complexity they offer as adversaries to the Academy cadets. It’s getting tiresome. 

In a brief conversation with Sam following the bar fight, the Doctor (Robert Picardo) notes how his creator, Lewis Zimmerman, met Ben Sisko once (see DS9’s “Doctor Bashir, I Presume”), and that the Doctor once met Jake Sisko, who struck him as an excellent writer. The Doctor is not at all empathetic when Sam laments how tough it must have been for Jake to lose his father, and we get the sense that the Doctor is harboring some serious emotional issues thanks to losing everyone he ever cared about — something Picardo alluded to us during our red-carpet interview back in January.

Journey’s End

At the end of her journey, Sam doesn’t actually solve the mystery of Sisko’s disappearance, which is okay with us, as it’s a mystery better left unanswered. Rather, Sam gains a better understanding of the eccentricities of mortal life, and of the emotions that guide, distract, and impact the lives of organics. 

The real kickers come at the end of the episode, when Sam shares a conversation with Professor Illa. Sam starts by lamenting that not only didn’t she solve the Sisko mystery, but she was saddened that Sisko never got to live the life he wanted. Illa gives Sam a gift: the only copy of Anslem, the book Jake Sisko wrote about his dad but never published. 

The moment Sam opens the book and internalizes its message, she mentally connects with Jake Sisko, providing a superb opportunity for Cirroc Loften to continue his involvement with this episode. Jake explains that he accepted his dad’s destiny of being a religious figure, even if that meant a sad ending. Jake also explains how he was proud of his dad for trying to chart his own path — as much as he could — through a pre-determined destiny. Jake ends his conversation with Sam by asserting her job as Kasq’s emissary is an important one, and that she is up to the task, a show of support that means a lot to the young hologram. 

“The Prophets were wrong sometimes. As much as they taught him, he taught them, too… by staying true to himself.”

– Jake to Sam. 

After closing the book, another surprise is in store. Upon seeing some spots on Illa’s head, Sam realizes she’s talking to a Trill, and Illa reveals she is Illa Dax, a member of a long line of Trill symbionts, and someone who knew Ben Sisko well. This explains why Illa took an interest in Sam’s journey, and how she was able to point her in certain directions someone else wouldn’t have. We do have to question why Illa doesn’t use her last name when interacting with students; when Sam first sees Illa in this episode, she refers to her simply as “Professor Illa,” and Illa’s full name is apparently only used in the course catalog. 

To close the episode, Sam reflects on what she learned — or didn’t learn — about organics, and she asserts to her handlers that organics are complex, and that she will succeed in her mission, just in her own time. As the episode closes, Sam gazes out at the San Francisco skyline as none other than Avery Brooks delivers some prophetic words:

“Divine laws are simpler than human ones. Which is why it takes a lifetime to be able to understand them. Only love can understand them. Only love can interpret these words as they were meant to be interpreted.”

It’s an incredibly touching moment to experience, as those who know Star Trek fandom know Avery Brooks has historically shied away from his Star Trek legacy — a real shame, in our opinion, but he must have his reasons. To hear his deep tones again got us downright emotional — and did you catch the ever-subtle outline of Sisko’s face in the clouds in the episode’s final shot? As a final tribute, the Deep Space Nine theme plays over the episode’s closing credits, the first card of which states simply, “Thank you, Avery.” 

Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner?

The B-story in this episode is far less interesting — but really, how could it compare to what we just described? Chancellor Ake and Chancellor Kelrec (Raoul Bhaneja) team up to tackle a situation the latter is facing. The man is frazzled as he tries to prepare for a diplomatic encounter with Chancellor Amal from the planet Alfrat. 

Amal’s people are military strategists by nature with an impressive training academy of their own. Amal apparently wants to explore a partnership between the War College and her own soldiers — and Kelrec needs to prepare a dinner for the two leaders that goes off without a hitch. Seeing a chance to mend a somewhat antagonistic relationship, and offer a good role model for cadets from both schools, Ake offers to help Kelrec prepare. 

Chancellor Ake enlists the Doctor and Jett Reno (Tig Notaro) to roleplay during the practice dinner with Kelrec, and Ake uses her assigned part as Chancellor Amal to analogize how she and Kelec can get along and help lead their respective student bodies. Picardo and Notaro bring their own particular brands of comedy to this scene, which makes it entertaining enough, but it was still hard to focus on this plot when such potential was unfolding in the A-story. 

Just when the War College chancellor thinks the Starfleet Academy faculty are helpful allies in his quest to impress Chancellor Amal, he ultimately walks away from the dinner angry at Chancellor Ake for not taking his task seriously — and furthermore, criticizing her for leaving Starfleet 15 years prior. The two chancellors do eventually reconcile their differences with the promise to work better together in the future, and Ake imparts upon him the value of trust.

Beyond the Stars 

No, we didn’t expect a follow-up to Deep Space Nine in 2026, but golly was it a welcome return to that amazing Star Trek show. The producers of “Series Acclimation Mil” really committed to the story, as fans of DS9 will be swooning over a variety of callbacks, both subtle and obvious, to that series. To see Cirroc Lofton as Jake express his feelings about his dad was poignant, especially since the poor teenager really never got his on-screen moment to distill what happened to his dad. Thus, this episode delivers a full-circle moment for the son of a god— certainly an unexpected landmark of the first season of this show.  

Avery Brook’s involvement in this episode was short and sweet — the emphasis being on sweet. He uses his brief moment of narration to deliver a powerful message about the power of love, a theme that resonates throughout the episode as Sam learns about what made Sisko tick. Sisko, the god on high, asserts not much else matters in life as long as you experience love — how could you not be touched? One day, we hope the story comes to light of how Avery Brooks was convinced to return to Star Trek, however brief it was — especially since he technically isn’t formally credited.

As far as “learning what it means to be human” storylines go, which Star Trek has certainly done before, this one felt fresh thanks to Kerrice Brown’s energetic and charming performance as a hologram who is on the outside looking in. This episode sets her up for an interesting arc. Will she ultimately come to understand organics and lead her people into a new age of sociability and discovery? Or, like the unsolved mystery of Benjamin Sisko, will such a mission prove impossible to achieve? 

While it might strike a certain group of Star Trek fans the wrong way, we also appreciated the modern directing sensibilities from Larry Teng, who utilizes things like whip pans, freeze frames, and on-screen stylized text and graphics to service storytelling in a more modern way. These embellishments feel appropriate given Sam’s colorful, child-like, and energetic personality; Teng leaves no doubt that this is a Sam-focused episode through and through, despite the looming presence of Deep Space Nine. 

Ultimately, “Series Acclimation Mil” is a testament to the fact that Star Trek can simultaneously honor its past while boldly forging its future. By using the emotional legacy of Benjamin Sisko to fuel Sam’s vital journey of self-discovery, the episode delivers a poignant, distinct hour of television. Despite a weaker B-story, the A-story’s successful emotional resonance and ambitious scope solidify this installment as an early benchmark for Starfleet Academy, leaving us eager to see how the young cast and existing mythologies continue to evolve.

Stray Thoughts: 

• In a neat bit of trivia, we learn from Sam in this episode that the Federation, in the last 1,000 years, has encountered 4,633 sentient species, totalling about 37 trillion individuals.
  
  
• This episode takes place 97 days after the students arrived at Starfleet Academy, according to Sam.
  
  
• The on-set graphics in this show are great. Besides Confronting the Unexplainable, some courses offered at the Academy are:
  • Immortal Non-Corporeal Entities (with a picture of the Guardian of Forever)
  • Psionic Effects of the Galactic Barrier (a TOS reference)
  • A class about the Omega Molecule (as seen in Star Trek: Voyager)
  • A class about Katra Stones
    
    
• At this point in time, the Bajorans revere Sisko such that they don’t even show illustrations or images of his face anymore, as they think he has transcended mere corporeal existence. And perhaps this is a creative explanation, for whatever reason needed, to not show Avery Brooks’ face.
  
  
• We have to wonder if the Orb turning off when Sam is speaking to it is a metaphor for how Avery Brooks essentially turned away from the franchise — save for a few select public appearances — after Deep Space Nine ended.
  
  
• The Sisko Museum shows the Sisko family lineage, which shows Ben’s descendants and ancestors. Notably, it seems Jake Sisko had two children with someone named Ayana.
  
  
• This episode marks the beginning of a more formal relationship between Caleb and Tarima. About time. Meanwhile, Jay-Den and Kyle Djokovic (Dale Whibley) casually flirt. There’s romance all around! 

New episodes of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy are available to stream Thursdays on Paramount+.

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