Star Trek: Lower Decks Could Be On The Chopping Block, Creator Warns
There was a time, not too long ago, when there were six "Star Trek" shows running simultaneously. When Paramount launched CBS All Access (now Paramount+) in 2017, the company put all its eggs into one basket, sextupling down one of their most lucrative entertainment franchises. First, there was "Star Trek: Discovery," a prequel to the original 1966 series. To keep viewers subscribed in between seasons, the studio launched "Short Treks" in 2018. In 2020, fans of "Star Trek: The Next Generation" were granted the follow-up show "Star Trek: Picard." That year also saw the debut of the self-effacing animated comedy series "Star Trek: Lower Decks." 2021 brought the kid-friendly, Nickelodeon animated series "Star Trek: Prodigy," and the "Discovery" spinoff "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds" started up in 2023.
In recent months, however, "Star Trek" has contracted considerably. "Short Treks" has changed into "Very Short Treks," "Picard" came to an end, and "Prodigy" was notoriously canceled. "Discovery" will also come to an end after its next season. There is a planned series, "Starfleet Academy," still in the hopper, but that won't begin production until 2024. We outsiders can only speculate, but it seems that Paramount is desperate to save money and seeks to streamline "Trek" into a trimmer, less overstocked franchise. They are effectively ending the salad days. As of this writing, only two "Trek" shows, "Lower Decks" and "Strange New Worlds," still seem to have a future.
And "Lower Decks" creator Mike McMahan says not to count on that future. Although "Lower Decks" seems to be one of the franchise's bigger hits at the moment, the showrunner feels that it too may unexpectedly face execution. In a candid interview with CinemaBlend, McMahan expressed some of his worries.
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It's worth noting that "Discovery" may have been canceled, but its fifth season still has yet to air, and that the second season of "Prodigy" has also been completed. Additionally, "Lower Decks" has been greenlit for a fifth season, set to go into production when its fourth, currently airing on Paramount+, ends. There is also an upcoming "Star Trek" TV movie on the docket called "Section 31" starring Michelle Yeoh. So Trekkies are not in a desert yet; there are still several meals to have before they clear the buffet table.
But McMahan knows that the table-clearing is coming, and understands that "Lower Decks" is not inherently safe, no matter how acclaimed or beloved it might be. He has looked around at the ever-changing streaming landscape, knows that "Prodigy" and "Discovery" are over, and will take nothing for granted. After all, the only constant in life is change. McMahan currently feels the same, saying:
"Yeah, I mean, listen, we're in weird times. Everything is changing. I think everything's gonna continue to change. I would say nothing is safe. I don't have any bad news for anybody, but also, I think you shouldn't assume that this stuff is gonna stick around unless you vocally and watch it early on. I do not know if we're going to have another season after the season we're working on right now. 'Lower Decks' could very well be a five-season show."
Not that five seasons is anything to sneeze at, but McMahan would likely prefer to do more.
Given the current landscape, one can "support" their favorite show all they like — watching it multiple times, talking it up on social media — but the caprices of the studio will ultimately win out. Let's enjoy it all while we can.