‘Strange New Worlds’ Season 4 Needs To Be a Hit for ‘Star Trek’ To Survive

by

In 2026, Star Trek will celebrate its 60th anniversary, a huge achievement for the franchise. Since its debut in 1966, Star Trek has become a massively popular and successful science fiction series. After a 12-year hiatus following the end of Enterprise in 2005 – a series that wasn’t well-received – Star Trek returned to television with Discovery in 2017. However, it’s been difficult to predict how new Star Trek shows will be received until after they’ve premiered.

Some years have brought more new Star Trek content than others. 2023 was a particularly busy year for fans, with new seasons of Picard, Strange New Worlds, Lower Decks, and Prodigy. However, 2026 currently looks very quiet in comparison. Season one of Starfleet Academy is almost finished, and there’s only one other Star Trek project planned before 2027. If that project doesn’t succeed, the future of the franchise could be in trouble. Hopefully, 2026 will be a success, allowing Star Trek to continue for many years to come.

Why ‘Strange New Worlds’ Season 4 Is So Important To ‘Star Trek’s Future


Paramount

When Discovery first aired, it faced criticism for its ongoing, complex story and its focus on the character Michael Burnham. Classic Star Trek usually featured self-contained episodes and shared stories among the entire crew, requiring less commitment from viewers. That’s why Strange New Worlds, which premiered in 2022 as a direct prequel to The Original Series, was so well-received – it brought back that classic Star Trek style. However, fan enthusiasm began to wane in Seasons 2 and 3, as the show was seen as relying too much on contrived plots and misrepresenting familiar characters.

Look, the show didn’t get bad, it just started experimenting! They were clearly trying to avoid just copying the old Star Trek shows, which I appreciate. But honestly, it upset a lot of the hardcore fans, and some of them are still really critical, picking apart every little thing. The good news is it’s safe for at least two more seasons because they’ve already filmed them. But if Season 4 doesn’t go over well with viewers, it could seriously hurt the chances of getting a Season 5, and even future Star Trek projects. So, fingers crossed everyone likes it!

The success of Strange New Worlds Season 4 is particularly crucial because the other current Star Trek show, Starfleet Academy, is facing challenges. Set to launch in early 2026, Starfleet Academy is receiving criticism for being overly focused on social issues, and its return to the controversial 32nd-century timeline from Discovery isn’t helping. While some plot points feel forced, the show has delivered some strong episodes and is packed with enjoyable references to past Star Trek series, making it a fitting tribute to the franchise’s 60th anniversary.

Like all Star Trek series, this show has had its ups and downs. But as fans become increasingly disappointed, the next season of the current Star Trek series needs to be exceptionally good. Anything less than near perfection will likely frustrate fans even more and could cause viewership to drop significantly. Hopefully, Strange New Worlds will stay true to its strengths, gain the recognition it deserves, and remind viewers what makes Star Trek so enjoyable. This is crucial, especially since many fans seem to have already decided that the Starfleet Academy series doesn’t meet their very high expectations.

Why ‘Star Trek’ Could Be Left With No Way Forward After 2027


Paramount+

Currently, only two Star Trek shows are officially confirmed to be continuing after the end of Strange New Worlds Season 4: Season 5 of that show, and Season 2 of Starfleet Academy, which is already being filmed. (There’s also Star Trek: Scouts, but we won’t discuss that here.) Strange New Worlds aims for a classic Star Trek feel, while Starfleet Academy is taking a more modern approach, similar to Discovery. If neither of these directions proves successful, the future of the franchise becomes uncertain. Many fans might point to The Orville as a model for revitalizing Star Trek, but that show doesn’t offer anything new to the universe it’s inspired by.

The Orville is a wonderful homage to Star Trek, but it feels a bit dated, which might be why it’s having trouble getting a fourth season made. For Star Trek to stay relevant, it needs to evolve, and shows like Strange New Worlds and the upcoming Starfleet Academy are excellent at attracting new viewers while respecting the franchise’s history. If these projects aren’t successful enough to continue the Star Trek legacy, we could face another long gap—perhaps ten years or more—without a new series once they finish airing next year.

Read More

2026-02-22 23:05