William Shatner has responded sarcastically to White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller's criticism of the new series "Star Trek: Starfleet Academy," jokingly offering to take creative control of the franchise at age 94.​

The controversy began on January 19, 2026, when Miller shared a 14-second clip from "Starfleet Academy" on the social media platform X, describing it as "tragic." The clip featured Captain Nahla Ake, played by Holly Hunter, wearing glasses while addressing crew members aboard the USS Athena. Miller suggested Paramount should "reconcile with @WilliamShatner and give him total creative control" to save the franchise.​

Shatner's social media account responded with obvious sarcasm, focusing on Miller's apparent issue with Hunter's eyewear. "I am so on the same page with you @StephenM!" Shatner wrote, according to the Times of India.

"The fact that they have not cured Hyperopia by the 32nd century is an abysmal oversight on the writers!" He continued by suggesting Paramount needed to increase the budget so Starfleet could afford more than one pair of glasses for the bridge crew.​

The response appeared to mock Miller's criticism while highlighting an irony: Shatner's own character, Captain Kirk, wore reading glasses in "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan" due to an allergy to vision correction medication. In the film, Dr. McCoy ribs Kirk about his "antique" eyewear as a symbol of aging.​

Miller initially seemed to miss the sarcasm in Shatner's response, reposting it and continuing his criticism of the franchise. He claimed Paramount "screwed up royally" when they killed Captain Kirk in "Star Trek: Generations" and argued it was "not too late for Paramount to make amends with Shatner and save the franchise," Gizmodo reported.​

However, Shatner's track record as a director raises questions about Miller's suggestion. Shatner directed only one Star Trek film, 1989's "Star Trek V: The Final Frontier," which earned a 22% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and underperformed at the box office. The film's poor reception jeopardized the franchise's theatrical future until "The Undiscovered Country" restored its momentum.​

In contrast, critics have largely embraced "Starfleet Academy," which currently holds an 87% Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The series premiered on Paramount+ on January 15, 2026, with the first two episodes available to stream.

Despite a positive critical reception, the show has faced review bombing on audience rating platforms, with a 35% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. The backlash mirrors similar campaigns against other recent franchise entries labeled as "woke" by conservative critics, as per Forbes.​

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William shatner, Star trek