Star Trek is entering the next phase in its new era, and while we know there are exciting things to look forward to, including a new season of Strange New Worlds, the Starfleet Academy series and a Section 31 movie starring Michelle Yeoh, it comes with sacrifice. As more Trek shows are cycling out of the lineup, Lower Decks showrunner Mike McMahan gave an update to CinemaBlend that felt a bit worrisome to hear.
While speaking to McMahan about Star Trek: Lower Decks Season 4, I brought up Picard's ending, Prodigy being canceled, and Discovery ending in 2024, and subsequently asked if there's any reason to worry about the future of the animated series and the current second longest-tenured show of this Trek era. McMahan kept it honest, and while he said that Lower Decks Season 5 is already in the works, the rest of his messaging is clear:
Yeah, I mean, listen, we’re in weird times. Everything is changing. I think everything’s gonna continue to change. I would say nothing is safe. I don’t have any bad news for anybody, but also, I think you shouldn’t assume that this stuff is gonna stick around unless you vocally and watch it early on. I do not know if we’re going to have another season after the season we’re working on right now [Season 5]. Lower Decks could very well be a five-season show.
Mike McMahan has long advocated for watching and supporting "all that Star Treks," and now he's asking fans to ensure they do that as Lower Decks Season 4 airs. With Paramount+ making changes to its streaming lineup and canceling shows beyond even the realm of Trek, it's a very safe assumption that Lower Decks needs strong seasonal viewership to ensure a definite future.
While diehard fans reading this are likely already firing up their Paramount+ subscription, McMahan gave some advice for all supporters of the animated series. If the fan campaigning to support Star Trek: Lower Decks is going to happen, it needs to start now and not when it's potentially on the chopping block and at risk of being removed from a platform completely like we saw earlier this year:
So, if you love Lower Decks as much as I do, I would say make sure to watch it and get people to watch it now. A letter writing campaign after a show gets canceled, it’s helpful, but what’s more helpful is campaigning to get more eyes on the show when it’s airing because it gives me the ability to push for more seasons. I would love to finish Lower Decks with the plan that I have for it. I would say, take Prodigy looking for a new [network], and take a look at Picard being wrapped at Season 3, and at Discovery wrapping as well. I would say read those as signs that if you want more Lower Decks, you should be vocal about it now and not wait.
As mentioned earlier, the overall health of the Star Trek franchise seems solid. At the same time, franchise head Alex Kurtzman and other decision-makers have made it clear they don't want too many shows running concurrently, so it was inevitable the most senior series would end as more exciting projects are pitched and developed. Like Mike McMahan said, don't assume it's a guarantee that Lower Decks will go on forever, because it could very well end after the next season.
Considering the year Star Trek has had with shows ending/being cancelled, I would trust the showrunner at his word. Fans who want to see more seasons of Lower Decks need to continue to watch new episodes as soon as possible and make an attempt to pull in new viewers as well. In doing so, it may ensure a secure future for the show and more chances for crossovers with Strange New Worlds.
Catch new episodes of Star Trek: Lower Decks Thursdays on Paramount+. It would seem this should be considered appointment television for those who want to see the Cerritos crew for many years into the future, so be sure to keep watching!
