Star Trek May Be Returning To Rick Berman’s Era In 1 Big Way

The modern Alex Kurtzman era of Star Trek seems to be set to follow a familiar programming pattern established by the show’s former showrunner, Rick Berman. Changes in technology and the way audiences consume media have shifted the approach to creating and releasing Star Trek content. Throughout Star Trek’s history, control of the series and movies has changed hands multiple times, leading to variations in programming styles and episode lengths. The traditional seven-season runs with over 20 episodes each, as seen in the previous Star Trek series in the 1990s, are now less common due to budget constraints and evolving viewing habits.

Star Trek: Lower Decks and Star Trek: Discovery are set to end after their fifth seasons, in contrast to the longer runs of Rick Berman’s Star Trek shows. From 1987 to 2005, Berman oversaw Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: Voyager, and Star Trek: Enterprise, which expanded the Star Trek universe and created beloved characters and storylines. However, franchise fatigue and internal management issues ultimately led to Star Trek’s decline. Since taking over in 2017, Alex Kurtzman has brought a new vision to the franchise, with some of the newer Star Trek series sparking mixed reactions among fans but still marking a fresh chapter in the iconic show’s legacy. Despite the changes resulting from Star Trek becoming a streaming franchise, recent developments suggest a return to the programming patterns established during Berman’s tenure.

Star Trek On Paramount Plus May Return To Rick Berman’s 1990s Era

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds has been renewed for a fourth season, with season 3 due for release in 2025.

Star Trek: Discovery concluding with its fifth and final season and the recent announcement that Star Trek: Lower Decks will not be renewed after season 5 marks a departure from the recent trend of multiple concurrent Star Trek shows. The forthcoming Star Trek: Starfleet Academy series will continue the franchise’s modern storytelling approach under Alex Kurtzman’s guidance, exploring new perspectives within the Star Trek universe. With Star Trek: Prodigy having moved to Netflix, Paramount is poised to enter 2025 with a focus on only two live-action shows – Starfleet Academy and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds – and plans for TV movies every 2 years.

This schedule is a nostalgic nod to the successful formula of Star Trek’s Rick Berman era in the 1990s, with Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Star Trek: Voyager on television, with Star Trek: The Next Generation movies releasing every few years. This strategic shift not only harkens back to a proven business model, perhaps more sustainable for Paramount+ than multiple high-budget multiple-season series, but it also sets the stage for a successful new modern approach to the beloved Star Trek franchise by catering to both existing fans and potential new audiences seeking consistent content and ensuring a cohesive storytelling experience.

Why 5 Star Trek Shows At The Same Time Won’t Happen Again

Star Trek: Discovery & Star Trek: Lower Decks will air their final seasons in 2024

The modern era of Star Trek has seen a resurgence with a plethora of new series and characters readily available to fans. However, the landscape of on-demand streaming is constantly evolving, reshaping how audiences interact with content as streaming services continuously adapt to meet viewer expectations. Paramount+ has positioned itself as the go-to platform for Star Trek content, but a focus on subscriptions over user experience has resulted in the temporary leasing of some Star Trek shows to other providers. The potential sale or merger of Paramount raises questions about the future of the platform and its commitment to long-term plans for established franchises like Star Trek.

Looking ahead, it seems unlikely that Paramount will invest in developing multiple simultaneous new Star Trek shows, opting instead to focus on quality over quantity. The emphasis will likely be on maintaining a smaller number of current shows, TV movies, and access to the extensive Star Trek back catalog. While the Star Trek franchise remains a valuable asset for Paramount, the days of having five Star Trek shows airing concurrently like in 2022 may be a thing of the past. Although Star Trek is secure in its place at Paramount, the focus seems to have shifted towards financial considerations rather than expanding the franchise with multiple new shows.

All Star Trek shows (except Prodigy) are available to stream on Paramount+.

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  Star Trek: Starfleet Academy

  Writers

  Gaia Violo
  , Tawny Newsome

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  Star Trek: Strange New Worlds

  Writers

  Akiva Goldsman
  , Henry Alonso Myers
  , Bill Wolkoff

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  Star Trek: Voyager

  Writers

  Michael Piller
  , Jeri Taylor
  , Brannon Braga
  , Kenneth Biller

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  Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

  Writers

  Michael Piller
  , Ira Steven Behr
  , Ronald D. Moore