William Shatner Speaks Out After Starfleet Academy's Cancellation: 'That Aspect Of Star Trek I've Always Loved'

It was reported earlier this week that Star Trek: Starfleet Academy had been canceled after only two seasons. With that, fans took to social media to share thoughts, and different corners of the fandom have varying thoughts. Amidst all the chatter, franchise veteran William Shatner added his thoughts to the mix and offered some surprising commentary on the end of the latest Trek series.

Though he hasn't watched the franchise over the past few decades, Shatner is usually unafraid to share his opinions on the overall creative direction and decisions of Star Trek as a whole. Most notably, he made comments a few years back about how creator Gene Roddenberry would "turn in his grave" if he saw some of the elements used by the modern shows. After previous attempts to be goaded into talking about the show, Shatner took to X say in the wake of Starfleet Academy ending:

Given his history of comments about Star Trek's modern shows, some may find it surprising to read what William Shatner had to say. Perhaps he was feeling extra sentimental after his recent 95th birthday, though his comments that followed suggested otherwise.

William Shatner went on to talk about the divisiveness of Starfleet Academy, which some have claimed is "too woke." The actor, who not that long ago had critics asking for him to get control of the creative direction of Trek, dropped another post:

Shatner may not be as familiar with the stories and lore of Star Trek, but he can definitely speak to what the social climate was like when he first joined the series. Progressive viewpoints and ideals have also always been a cornerstone of the franchise and, as time goes on, what's progressive changes.

Starfleet Academy is a series that's attempted to pull in a new generation of fans with a younger cast and fresh storytelling in a new era to serve as an entry point for newcomers. Unfortunately, it had a section of older fans rebel against it, which William Shatner reminded followers was the same case when The Next Generation first came out:

Fortunately, The Next Generation didn't come out at a time when ten-episode orders were the norm for a standard season. It might've had the same fate otherwise but, instead, thanks to a 26-episode run, it found an audience and went on to be one of the most acclaimed sci-fi shows of all time.

By the time it ends, Star Trek: Starfleet Academy will have had six episodes less to get fans on board, and I'm sure even fewer new fans will tune in knowing its fate in advance. For now, it seems many are already looking ahead to new announcements, curious as to what direction the franchise will head in now that no new Trek shows are in development.

Additionally, Starfleet Academy's cancellation has led to speculation on whether Alex Kurtzman's time running the television side of Star Trek is at an end. The series' cancellation seems to mark an opportunity for the keys to the kingdom to be handed over to another creative, leaving them with the decision of what's next for the franchise. Or, we could just be in for a break in Trek streaming shows, as Paramount Skydance prioritizes bringing the franchise back to theaters. Regardless of all that, more immediately, William Shatner's take on this situation gives fans a lot to chew on.

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy is available to stream with a Paramount+ subscription alongside other Trek shows. With so much chatter happening in the fandom, now might be the best time to unplug and just enjoy an old favorite while this all blows over.