If it wasn’t forStar Trek: Strange New Worlds,I’d be a little worried about theStar Trekfranchise right now, withso manyStar Trekshows at an end.Star Trek: Picardfinished its planned 3 seasons, with no greenlight ahead for its hotly-demanded Captain Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan) spin-off,Star Trek: Legacy.Star Trek: DiscoveryandStar Trek: Lower Deckswere canceled after 5 seasons, despite both shows hitting their strides.Star Trek: Prodigywas Paramount’s best hope for hooking new lifelongStar Trekfans, but after being canceled and shipped to Netflix, a third season isn’t guaranteed.
AfterStar Trek: Lower Decks’final season airs,Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' third seasonis the only upcomingStar Trekproject that still belongs to this new golden age ofTrek. Havingfiveongoing shows with varying takes on theStar Trekuniverse meant we were spoiled for choice asStar Trekfans. As much as I hoped it would last, I’m not surprised the model was unsustainable. Now,this transitional period that we’re in whileStar Trekfigures out where it’s going as a franchise leaves me feeling a little uneasyabout what the future will look like.
The Star Trek Slate Looks A Bit Concerning If You Ignore Strange New Worlds
We Want More Star Trek, But Is Paramount Listening?
The slate ofupcomingStar Trekprojectslooks pretty concerning if you ignoreStar Trek: Strange New Worlds,becausenearly everything else on the horizon forStar Trekcomes with some kind of caveat.Star Trek: Section 31, once promised as a full television series starring Michelle Yeoh’s Emperor Philippa Georgiou, has been reduced to a streaming movie after years of development. The Chris Pine-ledStar Trek 4as a follow-up toStar Trek Beyondhas languished in development hell since 2016. A hypotheticalStar Trekorigin movie seems like an unlikely and unusual choice.
Star Trek’s Upcoming Prequel Movie Is Pulling The Same Trick For The 4th Time
Star Trek announced an unnamed prequel movie, and the project will highlight the franchise’s 4th attempt to pull the same trick in the last 25 years.
It’s hard to feel like Paramount is listening toStar Trekfans right now. With campaigns to launchStar Trek: Legacy,andsaveStar Trek: Lower DecksandStar Trek: Prodigy, Star Trek’s dedicated fanbase knows what it wants, but hasn’t gotten responses. Paramount’s sale to Skydance earlier this year suggests thata necessary restructuring of theStar Trekfranchise is imminent, which probably means figuring out which, if any, of these ongoingStar Trekprojects can joinStar Trek: Strange New Worlds,Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, the new untitledStar Trekcomedy series, and any potential streaming movies.
Strange New Worlds Is Now The Anchor Of The Entire Star Trek Franchise
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Makes A Great Franchise Flagship Show
Star Trek: Strange New Worldsis now the anchor of the entireStar Trekfranchise, afterStar Trek: Discoverycarried the banner for its five-season run, and multiple newStar Trekshows followed in its wake. The ten episodes ofStar Trek: Strange New Worlds' third season in 2025 will make the year a far cry from 2022, when there was anewStar Trekstory nearly every week.Strange New Worldswill have to do a lot of heavy lifting to make the year count, butStrange New Worldsis theStar Trekshow best suited for the task.
Star Trek: Strange New Worldscan pave the way forward while keeping an eye on tradition.
With high production value, strong character arcs, and narrative through-line,Star Trek: Strange New Worldshas plenty ofStar Trek: Discoveryin its DNA, whileStrange New Worlds' fantastic ensemble cast, back-to-basics episodic format, and USS Enterprise setting hearken back to classicTrek.Strange New Worlds' blend of go-to comfort TV and modern innovation appeals to a wide cross-section of fans,creating a stellar blueprint for futureStar Trekshows to follow. BecauseStar Trek: Strange New Worldscan pave the way forward while keeping an eye on tradition, it’s a pretty solid anchor forStar Trekas a whole.
Why I’m Still Hopeful That Star Trek Will Come Back Stronger
I’m Excited For New Star Trek Shows To Learn From Their Predecessors
Despite the sparse year ahead, I’m still hopeful thatStar Trekwill come back stronger. There have been muchlonger waits for newStar Trekthan we’re currently facing, to be sure, so this feels less like a drought and more like a pause to regroup. Just like Marvel’s choosier MCU offerings and James Gunn building up the new DCU,fewerStar Trekshows may reflect quality over quantity. The potential forStar Trekstreaming movies afterStar Trek: Section 31keeps the door open for new ideas and diverse voices to keep pushingStar Trekforward.
A new series ofStar Trekstreaming movies could take afterStar Trek: Short Treksas an anthology of stories from all over theStar Trekuniverse and timeline, while also potentially revisiting known characters. So-calledLong Treksmight even be the best hope forStar Trek: Legacyto get off the ground.
Even if things seem a little dire right now,I’m actually really excited forStar Trek’s future.I’m looking forward toStar Trek: Starfleet Academytaking risks in the 32nd century with an on-ramp for new, younger viewers' ownStar Trek.Tawny Newsome and Justin Simien’sStar Trekcomedycan easily take afterStar Trek: Lower Decks. I have no doubt these new shows will inherit the best of modernStar Trek. And of course, I can’t wait forStar Trek: Strange New Worldsto knock all our collective socks off with genre-bending feats of storytelling.
