William Shatner caused quite a stir at San Diego Comic-Con when he asserted that Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry would be “turning in his grave” due to some of the new things happening in the latest productions. Fans, and even stars of the new shows like Melissa Navia, had something to say about Shatner. Now, the discourse is still going, as Roddenberry's son, Rod, has shared how he thinks his father would feel about Strange New Worlds.
It was during an interview with Screen Rant that Rod Roddenberry took some time to discuss Star Trek and give his take on how his dad would’ve felt about Strange New Worlds. And comments on the show were definitely more optimistic-sounding than the ones that William Shatner shared:
I think he'd be very proud of it. I think something that surprised me a bit is the uniqueness of each episode of Strange New Worlds. I'm impressed that they're doing that. It kind of shocked me at first, because we've got some comedic episodes - or at least, certainly some comedic moments. And these things I would initially say when reading scripts that I don't know how this is going to play out. I don't know how the audience is going to receive this. But they've nailed it. And fans are going crazy for it. And I'm so proud of all the creators. They've done an incredible job with Strange New Worlds. And I'm thrilled for them.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds gets an A+ from Rod Roddenberry, and he believes his late father would’ve liked it as well. There's no doubt in my mind that his opinion will hold some serious weight with fans, though it’s worth noting that as an executive producer of the show, Roddenberry could be somewhat biased. The producer also told CinemaBlend about a year ago he sees Gene in all of the Trek modern shows, so one would think that he feels the same way about the other series that are currently running.
For his part, the younger Roddenberry spent a long time examining his father’s life while working on the documentary Trek Nation. I’m sure William Shatner and Roddenberry both have valid points regarding the late producer, as both obviously knew him quite well. But at the end of the day, no one can honestly say with 100% certainty how he’d feel about the franchise today, as his opinions on the franchise varied from project to project.
For example, Gene Roddenberry wasn’t big on some Star Trek projects that fans love, such as The Wrath Of Khan and Deep Space Nine (which Alex Kurtzman recently addressed revival plans for). Given that, it's possible that there could be at least a couple of things about the modern shows that he might not be a fan of.
Whether or not William Shatner is an authority on that is another story, though. After all, Shatner directed 1989's The Final Frontier -- a movie that Gene Roddenberry famously disliked. So it would appear that even they had their own creative disagreements when it came to Trek.
Rod Roddenberry’s statement is just another take to throw into the mix, as Star Trek fans await the arrival of more content, including Lower Decks Season 3 (which can be streamed with a Paramount+ subscription). I’m sure that there are many who are ready to move away from this discourse, and more content should provide just the distraction for those looking to do so.
Star Trek: Lower Decks Season 3 premieres on Paramount+ on Thursday, August 25th. And of course, if you want to form your own opinion on Strange New Worlds, you can stream that on the platform as well. Also, be on the lookout for the other upcoming Star Trek shows that are headed your way in the near future.
