Set in Star Trek: Discovery’s 32nd century timeline, the series follows the first group of Starfleet cadets in a generation as they learn the ropes while repeatedly battling a scenery-chewing Paul Giamatti. Its strange combo of Trekkian earnestness and teen drama antics were generally well-received by critics. However, like a lot of TV these days, it also found itself at the center of a difficult-to-discern mixture of genuine criticisms and insufferable culture war bullshit.
For example, Stephen Miller, the ghoulish White House advisor overseeing the Trump administration’s immigration policies, posted an impressively stupid take on Twitter about Starfleet Academy, implying the series had become overly progressive; Shatner poked fun at him in response. The idea that Star Trek is now suddenly “too woke,” even though it has always been boundary-pushing, is one of those opinions that only seems possible if you’re a right-wing grifter more familiar with the show through cultural osmosis rather than, you know, actually watching it.
While it’s possible that Starfleet Academy was canceled because it didn’t hit mandated viewership numbers, it’s tempting to view the decision in the context of David Ellison’s leadership at Paramount. Ellison, an ally of the Trump administration, has already arguably made moves to alter outlets like CBS News to make them more compliant with right-wing viewpoints, so it wouldn’t be a shock if progressive-leaning entertainment was also on the chopping block. One of the major concerns with the potential merger between Paramount and Warner Bros is that Ellison will seek to make editorial changes everywhere from CNN to WB’s film output.
Star Trek had already weathered a string of cancellations before Ellison’s leadership, so this entire situation can’t be blamed on the CEO, but with the imminent end of both Strange New Worlds and Starfleet Academy, the future doesn’t look particularly bright for the franchise. There aren’t currently any announced shows in development; as recently as 2023, there were five ongoing Star Trek series.
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