Why Does It Feel Like the Star Trek Franchise Is Failing Despite TV Shows Planned Until 2026 or Later?

Star Trek, a beloved franchise known for its explorations of space and morality, currently boasts two confirmed television series for the next two years. However, many fans feel that the franchise may not be thriving as it once was. The revival began with Star Trek: Discovery, which launched in 2017—the first new series in over a decade following the cancellation of Star Trek: Enterprise in 2005. The positive reception of Discovery acted as a catalyst for a broader Star Trek presence on Paramount+, giving rise to other series such as Star Trek: Picard, Star Trek: Lower Decks, Star Trek: Prodigy, and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.

Despite the release of 13 theatrical Star Trek films, including the upcoming Star Trek: Section 31, which will premiere on January 24, 2024, Star Trek has fundamentally thrived on television. The long-form storytelling inherent to TV series allows for comprehensive exploration of the franchise’s intricate moral dilemmas and its vast array of beloved characters. Unlike films that offer brief narratives, TV series provide a rich environment for character development and thematic depth.

The franchise’s strength isn’t merely in its current offerings but in its vast history. Following the original series in the 1960s, the franchise expanded significantly, featuring numerous spin-offs from the late 1980s through the early 2000s, beginning with Star Trek: The Next Generation.

Upcoming Star Trek Series for the Next Two Years

Strange New Worlds and Starfleet Academy: Set for Two Seasons Each

Fans can look forward to Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3, set to debut approximately two years after the second season. The delay was primarily due to the 2023 SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes. With production now completed, the release date is slated for 2025. Furthermore, Strange New Worlds has already been renewed for a fourth season, with filming of the next batch of episodes scheduled for early 2025 and a target release in 2026.

In tandem, Star Trek: Starfleet Academy has also been guaranteed two seasons. The renewal occurred while season 1 was still in production, and both seasons are being filmed back-to-back. Featuring a talented young ensemble that includes Academy Award-winner Holly Hunter and nominee Paul Giamatti as a main antagonist, this series ties in characters from Star Trek’s legacy, such as The Doctor (portrayed by Robert Picardo) from Star Trek: Voyager.

Speculation suggests that Starfleet Academy’s season 1 could premiere by late 2025, followed by the second season in 2026. Regardless, fans should brace themselves for an impressive 40 hours of fresh Star Trek content on the horizon.

Why Many View the Star Trek Franchise as Struggling

A Time of Abundance: More Star Trek Content

While the anticipated releases of Strange New Worlds and Starfleet Academy are generating buzz, viewers had access to an abundance of Star Trek just recently. Between 2022 and 2023, there were five Star Trek series airing on Paramount+, leading to a thrilling schedule in 2022 where new episodes were dropped every Thursday for nearly the entire year. This trend continued into 2023 with the highly-praised seasons of both Star Trek: Picard and Strange New Worlds.

Star Trek Series on Paramount+ & Netflix Now Concluded	Number of Seasons
Star Trek: Picard	3
Star Trek: Discovery	5
Star Trek: Lower Decks	5
Star Trek: Prodigy [Netflix future TBD]	2

Although 2024 may not appear to be a strong year for Star Trek at first glance, it had its highlights. Star Trek: Discovery concluded with its fifth season, leaving audiences with a positive impression. The animated series, Star Trek: Prodigy, is preparing its second season on Netflix, and Star Trek: Lower Decks is concluding its fifth and final season with highly inventive episodes that pay homage to Star Trek lore. However, the cessation of Lower Decks on Paramount+ and uncertainty surrounding Prodigy’s future are particularly disheartening as the franchise was experiencing a renaissance in animation.

Since 2020, fans enjoyed an average of three Star Trek series each year, whether on Paramount+ or Netflix, but this number is expected to drop to just one in 2025—Strange New Worlds season 3—unless Starfleet Academy joins the lineup sooner. Even in that case, the expectation of new content is significantly lower than what fans have become accustomed to in the current era.

A Contrast to the 1990s: The Landscape of Star Trek Television

Two Current Seasons of Star Trek Don’t Equate to One Season of 1990s Programming

Originally, Star Trek: The Original Series (and its animated counterpart) was the only show until the premiere of Star Trek: The Next Generation in 1987. With the debut of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine in 1993 and Star Trek: Voyager in 1995, the franchise was in a period of prolific content. Notably, even after the success of TNG’s film adaptations that began in 1994, there were still two active Star Trek series from 1993-1999, signifying a robust era for the franchise. Although having two series simultaneously isn’t new, the television landscape has transformed remarkably since then.

Seasons of Star Trek: Discovery premiered with 15 episodes due to international financing by Netflix, while shows in the 1990s typically featured 22-26 episodes per season. In contrast, the upcoming seasons of Strange New Worlds and Starfleet Academy will consist of only 10 episodes each. Therefore, even the combined episodes of two current series fall short of a single season’s worth of content from the 1990s. This has left many fans yearning for the “filler”episodes that once gave lesser-known characters the spotlight and explored everyday dilemmas.

Star Trek’s Disconnect with Fan Expectations

Paramount+ & Netflix’s Star Trek Strategies Don’t Align with Current Fan Desires

While Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is performing well amongst audiences and Starfleet Academy presents an intriguing cast, many fans express dissatisfaction with the current trajectory of the franchise. A significant desire is for the proposed spinoff Star Trek: Legacy, a direct sequel to Star Trek: Picard focusing on the USS Enterprise-G under Captain Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan). The stall in development for Legacy, despite passionate fan backing, has left audiences and the original team disappointed.

Both Paramount+ and Netflix have come under scrutiny for being unresponsive to their audience’s wishes. The immense enthusiasm for Star Trek: Prodigy highlights its potential, which was pivotal in its acquisition by Netflix. Although it took time for audiences to embrace Star Trek: Lower Decks, it has firmly established itself as a vital part of the Star Trek universe. Season 5 demonstrated that this irreverent animated series still has plenty of stories to tell, all while the fan-adored 24th and 25th-century canon is left without continuing narratives.

Overall, Star Trek remains a vital component of entertainment discourse, with rumors of more undisclosed television projects in the works. However, Starfleet Academy will doubtlessly face the same skepticism encountered by every new Star Trek series since The Next Generation. Regardless of the quality of new content, it will take time to assuage skeptics, especially since it is a spinoff of Star Trek: Discovery. Notably, Strange New Worlds season 3 must also satisfy the high expectations set by earlier seasons. Though the Star Trek franchise is alive and evolving, it is undoubtedly experiencing a transitional phase.

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