Paramount+ is closing the book on its Gen Z–focused Star Trek series.
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy will officially end with its upcoming second season, despite the streamer previously renewing the show ahead of its debut. The freshman season recently wrapped its run, while Season 2 has already completed production and is now in post-production.
The decision marks a notable shift for the franchise, especially as Starfleet Academy was positioned as a younger, coming-of-age entry into the Star Trek universe—one that aimed to introduce a new generation to the long-running sci-fi world.
Set in the 32nd century following the events of Star Trek: Discovery, the series follows the first class of cadets attending a newly re-established Starfleet Academy. The ensemble cast includes Sandro Rosta, Karim Diané, Kerrice Brooks, George Hawkins, Bella Shepard, and Zoë Steiner, alongside veterans like Holly Hunter, Paul Giamatti, Gina Yashere, Robert Picardo, and Tig Notaro, with Tatiana Maslany appearing in a guest role.
Critically, the show found some footing. It holds an 87% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes, with many praising its fresh perspective and focus on younger characters navigating identity, responsibility, and purpose. But that reception didn’t fully translate to viewership. The series never broke into Nielsen’s weekly Top 10 streaming rankings, and its audience score lagged significantly at 51%.
Online, the show became a lightning rod for debate—embraced by some for expanding representation and tone within the franchise, while others criticized it as being too “woke.” That divide ultimately mirrored the larger challenge of evolving a legacy IP while maintaining its core audience.
The cancellation also comes at a transitional moment for Star Trek on television. At the time of this announcement, there are no new Star Trek series currently in production, though previously filmed seasons of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds are still set to roll out. Meanwhile, Paramount Pictures continues to develop new film projects within the franchise.
Behind the scenes, attention is also on longtime franchise steward Alex Kurtzman, whose overall deal with CBS Studios runs through the end of 2026. Paramount+ is reportedly in discussions with Kurtzman and his Secret Hideout banner about extending that partnership, though it remains unclear whether it will continue to include oversight of Star Trek. In addition to the franchise, Kurtzman’s producing credits include Hawaii Five-O, Scorpion, and Salvation.
In a joint statement, CBS Studios and Paramount+ acknowledged the series’ impact while confirming its end:
“We’re incredibly proud of the ambition, passion, and creativity that went into bringing Star Trek: Starfleet Academy to life. The series introduced audiences to a bold new group of characters, welcomed familiar faces, and expanded the Star Trek universe in exciting new ways. We’re grateful to Alex Kurtzman, Noga Landau, Gaia Violo, and the entire cast and crew who pushed storytelling boundaries in the spirit of Gene Roddenberry’s vision. We look forward to sharing the upcoming second and final season with everyone, and continuing to celebrate the cast, crew, and all that was accomplished with this series.”
While the show didn’t fully land with audiences, the creative team is making it clear—they’re going out on their own terms.
Co-showrunners and executive producers Alex Kurtzman and Noga Landau shared a letter reflecting on the show’s journey, its place within the larger Star Trek legacy, and the deeper themes that have always defined the franchise.
Below is their full letter:
Letter from Alex Kurtzman and Noga Landau
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