The adventures of the pre-Kirk U.S.S. Enterprise will continue in Strange New Worlds, but it’s time to say goodbye to the Lower Decks crew of the U.S.S. Cerritos.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, the live-action show which span out of Star Trek: Discovery has been confirmed for a fourth season, according to the official Star Trek website.
The show, currently in production with its third season, follows the adventures on the USS Enterprise with Captain Kirk’s ill-fated predecessor Christopher Pike.
Co-showrunners Akiva Goldsman and Henry Alonso Myers, and executive producer Alex Kurtzman, said:
“On behalf of the cast and crew of ‘Strange New Worlds’ we are thrilled and grateful to continue our voyages together. We can’t wait for you to join us and the crew of the Enterprise on another season of exploration and adventure.”
The series, which has been lauded for its return to a story-of-week style and format breaking episodes, stars Anson Mount as Captain Christopher Pike, with Rebecca Romijn as Number One and Ethan Peck as Science Officer Spock.
The core cast also includes Jess Bush as Nurse Christine Chapel, Christina Chong as La’An Noonien-Singh, Celia Rose Gooding as Nyota Uhura, Melissa Navia as Erica Ortegas and Babs Olusanmokun as Dr. M’Benga.
The show’s second run brought a musical episode, as well as a crossover episode featuring characters from the animated Star Trek: Lower Decks. It also ended on a terrific cliff-hanger, in a story which introduced a young Montgomery “Scotty” Scott.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 3 is currently in production in Toronto and expected to land in 2025.
Lower Decks to end
While its good news for Strange New Worlds, fans will need to be prepared to say goodbye to Mariner, Boimler, Tendi and Rutherford. The animated series Star Trek: Lower Decks is ending with its upcoming fifth season.
The series follows the missions of the U.S.S. Cerritos and the antics of lower ranks who keep the ship running. Brimming with love for all corners of the franchise, Lower Decks has been chock full of cameos and joyful nods to previous adventures.
Series creator Mike McMahan and executive producer Alex Kurtzman confirmed the news with the following announcement:
To the fans,
We wanted to let you know that this fall will be the fifth and final season of Star Trek: Lower Decks. While five seasons of any series these days seems like a miracle, it’s no exaggeration to say that every second we’ve spent making this show has been a dream come true. Our incredible cast, crew and artists have given you everything they have because they love the characters they play, they love the world we’ve built, and more than anything we all love love love Star Trek. We’re excited for the world to see our hilarious fifth season which we’re working on right now, and the good news is that all previous episodes will remain on Paramount+ so there is still so much to look forward to as we celebrate the Cerritos crew with a big send-off.
Finally, thank you for always being so creative and joyful, for filling convention halls and chanting LOWER DECKS!” We remain hopeful that even beyond Season 5, Mariner, Boimler, Tendi, Rutherford and the whole Cerritos crew will live on with new adventures.
LLAP
Mike McMahan and Alex Kurtzman
Star Trek: Lower Decks Season 5 will arrive in the autumn of 2024.
The Star Trek Universe
With Picard finished, Prodigy presumably done, Lower Decks ending and Discovery currently airing its final run, the Star Trek slate is beginning to look a bit sparse.
However, as well as seasons 3 and 4 of Strange New Worlds, we can at look forward to the Section 31 television movie starring Michelle Yeoh. Additionally, there’s a live-action Starfleet Academy YA series in the works – although we’ve no idea how far off that is.
Maybe it’s time to press the button the adventures of Captain 7 of 9 and friends on the Enterprise-G?
And on the big screen…
Then, of course, there’s the long-awaited fourth and final big screen adventure for the “Kelvin timeline” crew, currently in the hands of writer Steve Yockey (Dead Boy Detectives). Plus, a prequel movie from writer Seth Grahame-Smith and director Toby Haynes apparently in the works too.
We’ll keep you posted on Star Trek.