Though the news probably didn't come as a major surprise to many, we got word earlier this week that Paramount+'s divisive Star Trek: Starfleet Academy series will be closing its doors after the already filmed second season.
Despite strong reviews (86% on Rotten Tomatoes), Starfleet Academy simply didn't connect with the Trek fandom the way Paramount hoped it would, and this was reflected in the viewership figures (the show failed to rank on Nielsen’s Top 10 streaming viewership charts at any point during its 10-episode first season).
Critics praised Starfleet Academy for its focus on a younger cast, diverse characters and coming-of-age themes, but this also made the show a target for those who considered it "too woke." Beyond this, many felt that the series was lacking in other areas.
Now, Star Trek legend William Shatner - who recently celebrated his 95th birthday - has shared his take on the show's cancellation via a series of X posts.
Shatner makes a lot of valid points here, but his praise for the show and disappointment with the news that it won't continue beyond season 2 has come in for some backlash from those who don't view Starfleet Academy as "real Star Trek."
What do you make of Shatner's comments? Do you draw any parallels between Starfleet Academy and The Next Generation or any other Trek series?
Kurtzman, Landau and Violo released a lengthy open letter about the cancellation while also addressing some of the criticisms that have been aimed at the show.
“It’s been my and Noga’s joy and privilege to help carry Gene Roddenberry’s extraordinary vision forward with Starfleet Academy, thanks to the hundreds of hardworking humans who pour every ounce of their talents into the work daily with imagination and reverence. We are in post-production now on what will be the second and final season. We’re so proud of what we’ve accomplished together on this show, and the world will get to see the work of these extraordinary artists when season two airs. We will finish strong. Whether you’re working on Star Trek or part of the marvel that is Star Trek fandom — its very heart, soul, and conscience —the joy comes from adventuring across boundaries of time, space, and the humanly possible in service to Roddenberry’s transformative vision of the future.
That incomparable vision was fueled by an inexhaustible optimism. Star Trek places its bet on the best in human nature. It dares to imagine a society of “infinite diversity in infinite combinations,” free of war, hate, poverty, disease, and repression, and dedicated to the spirit of scientific inquiry and respect for all life, whether carbon or silicon-based, green-skinned or blue. But make no mistake: Gene Roddenberry wasn’t some starry-eyed dreamer. He was a decorated Army bomber pilot in the Pacific Theater. He had seen first-hand the grim consequences of the worst of human nature. And his vision of the future wasn’t just a promise of hope. It was also a warning. In a fraught, frightening time of intolerance and violence, Star Trek said: Look! We made it! But just barely. First, we had to put all those ancient scourges behind us. It said that what makes us glorious as a species, and gives us hope for the future and the galaxy is inextricably linked to what makes us dangerous to each other, to this one world we presently inhabit, and to ourselves. That dual message—of hope and of warning—isn’t just a pretty dream but a call to action, to think about who we are in a different way.
Please don’t take our word for it. Take Gene’s: 'Star Trek was an attempt to say that humanity will reach maturity and wisdom on the day that it begins not just to tolerate, but take a special delight in differences in ideas and differences in life forms. […] If we cannot learn to actually enjoy those small differences, to take a positive delight in those small differences between our own kind, here on this planet, then we do not deserve to go out into space and meet the diversity that is almost certainly out there.’
With enduring hope that his vision of the future is possible, for our children, their children, and every future cadet in Starfleet Academy: Live Long and Prosper.”
How do you feel about Starfleet Academy ending after two seasons?
"This thrilling new chapter follows a fresh class of cadets as they train under the watchful, demanding eyes of Starfleet’s finest. Together, they’ll face the highs and lows of academy life: forging unbreakable friendships, clashing in explosive rivalries, experiencing first loves, and stepping into their destiny as the next generation of Starfleet officers. When a mysterious new enemy threatens both the Academy and the Federation itself, these cadets must rise to the challenge or risk losing everything they’ve just begun to fight for."