Star Trek’s Biggest Series Was Just Canceled
The upcoming fifth season of Star Trek: Discovery will now be its last, following Paramount+'s cancellation of what was once its flagship series.
All good things must come to an end, and apparently, Star Trek: Discovery will be one of those things. Deadline reported that the upcoming fifth season of the series will also be its last. Along with the cancellation announcement, Paramount+ revealed that there will be multiple celebrations and appearances at major events honoring the series ahead of its Season 5 premiere.
Star Trek: Discovery was the first Trek series since Enterprise ended in 2005. It was a flagship original series for Paramount+, then known as the CBS All Access streaming service. The series kicked off a Trek series revival, which now consists of five original series.
Season 5 of Star Trek: Discovery will follow Captain Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) and the Discovery crew as they seek a hidden ancient power and face off against dangerous foes who want it for themselves. Along with Martin-Green, the cast of Season 5 includes Doug Jones, Anthony Rapp, Mary Wiseman, Wilson Cruz, David Ajala, Blu del Barrio, and Callum Keith Rennie. One of Discovery‘s most notable additions to the Trek canon was introducing Martin-Green as the first Black woman to captain a ship in a Trek project.
Star Trek: Discovery also included some inclusion wins for the LGBTQIA+, with Anthony Rapp’s character the first Trek character to be conceived and announced as gay before his debut. The series has also won various Emmy and Saturn awards throughout its run. There were also two direct spin-offs from Discovery, including Short Treks and Strange New Worlds.
While Star Trek: Discovery may be coming to an end, Trekkies have plenty of other shows to enjoy on Paramount+, such as the ongoing Strange New Worlds and other series like Star Trek: Picard, Star Trek: Lower Decks, and Star Trek: Prodigy. Of course, Picard is also ending this year and is currently airing its final season. Despite this, fans shouldn’t have to worry too much about running out of content, as more series are planned for the near future.
Star Trek: Discovery showrunner Alex Kurtzman signed a five-year deal with CBS Television Studios to expand the franchise. Several shows were reported on the docket. Another direct spin-off to Discovery will reportedly follow Michelle Yeoh’s character and her adventures as a member of the Section 31 organization. Reports say they weren’t planning on making the series until one of the existing five series ended.
With Picard and now Star Trek: Discovery ending, it seems like they should begin work on the Michelle Yeoh-led series sooner than later. It would be the perfect time for them to capitalize on Yeoh’s recent successes, as she’s been winning awards left and right for Everything Everywhere All at Once, with some potential Oscars in the future. Along with the Michelle Yeoh series, there is reportedly a series set at Starfleet Academy in development.
We’ll likely hear more about these spin-offs soon enough. Until then, you can expect to see the fifth and final season of Star Trek: Discovery in early 2024. Stay tuned for more Trek news.
