The bridge of the Enterprise is empty. Well, mostly. As the curtains closed on Star Trek: Discovery and with Star Trek: Picard firmly in the rearview mirror, fans have been left staring at a strangely quiet star chart. For a while there, it felt like we were drowning in dilithium. We had five shows running at once. It was a lot. But now? We’re in a bit of a transition period, and everyone is asking about the next new Star Trek TV show that will actually stick the landing.
Honestly, the buzz is almost entirely centered on Star Trek: Starfleet Academy. This isn’t just some vague "maybe" project; it’s currently the flagship of the next era of Trek. Produced by Alex Kurtzman and Noga Landau, the series is taking us back to Earth, specifically the San Francisco academy that has been mentioned in almost every iteration of the show but never truly explored as the main setting.
It's risky.
Focusing on a group of cadets—young people who haven't yet mastered the "Prime Directive" or learned how to keep their cool when a Romulan Warbird decloaks—is a massive departure from the seasoned professionalism of Picard or Janeway. It feels a bit like Degrassi meets Deep Space Nine, which is either going to be brilliant or very, very weird.
Why Starfleet Academy is the New Star Trek TV Show to Watch
The timeline is the first thing that catches most people off guard. This isn't taking place in the 23rd century with Kirk, or even the 24th with the TNG crew. Nope. According to official announcements from Paramount+, the series is set in the 32nd century.
That’s the Discovery era.
If you remember how Discovery ended, the Federation was basically a shell of its former self trying to rebuild after "The Burn." This context matters. It means these students aren't just going to classes in a utopia. They are the first class of cadets in over a century to enter an Academy that actually functions. They are the builders.
The casting is where things get genuinely spicy. We’ve got Holly Hunter playing the Chancellor of the Academy. That’s a massive get. Then there’s Paul Giamatti playing the season’s "big bad." Seeing an actor of Giamatti’s caliber step into a Trek villain role suggests that the writing is aiming for something more sophisticated than just a "monster of the week" vibe.
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The kids? They’re a mix of newcomers and rising stars like Kerrice Brooks and Bella Shepard. But the real kicker for long-term fans is the return of legacy characters. Robert Picardo is back as The Doctor. Let that sink in. An EMH (Emergency Medical Hologram) teaching a new generation of officers provides a direct bridge to the Voyager era, even if it's set a thousand years later. Mary Wiseman (Tilly) and Tig Notaro (Jett Reno) are also slated to appear, keeping that Discovery DNA alive.
The Section 31 Pivot: Movie or Series?
There's been some confusion online about whether Section 31 counts as a new Star Trek TV show. Originally, it was supposed to be a series starring Michelle Yeoh. However, Hollywood changed, streaming budgets tightened, and the project morphed into a "feature-length event film."
It’s still vital to the TV landscape, though.
If Section 31 pulls huge numbers on Paramount+, it basically greenlights the "movie-of-the-year" strategy Kurtzman has talked about. We’re looking at a story that dives into the dark, grimy underbelly of the Federation. It’s the antithesis of the Academy show. While the kids are learning about ethics, Philippa Georgiou is going to be out there doing the dirty work that keeps the "utopia" safe.
What’s Happening with Strange New Worlds?
We can't talk about new content without mentioning the absolute darling of the franchise: Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. Season 3 is coming. Season 4 is already confirmed.
In many ways, this is the show that saved the modern era. It went back to basics. It gave us episodic adventures, bright colors, and a Captain Pike who actually cooks for his crew. The upcoming seasons are expected to lean even harder into the "experimental" episodes that fans loved, like the musical or the Lower Decks crossover.
Expect more legacy characters to pop up here too. We’ve already seen James T. Kirk, Sam Kirk, Uhura, and Spock. Rumors (and common sense) suggest we might eventually see a young Montgomery Scott or maybe even a Dr. McCoy, though the showrunners have been careful not to turn it into a "cameo of the week" situation.
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The Mystery of the "Legacy" Spin-off
If you spend any time on Trek Twitter (or whatever it's called now), you know about Star Trek: Legacy. This is the fan-demanded spin-off following the events of Picard Season 3.
The Pitch: Seven of Nine is Captain of the Enterprise-G. Jack Crusher is at her side. Raffi is the First Officer.
The Reality: It’s not officially in production.
Terry Matalas, the showrunner who brought Picard Season 3 to life, has since moved on to other massive projects, including a Marvel series. This doesn't mean Legacy is dead, but it’s definitely on the back burner. Paramount is currently betting the house on the 32nd-century Academy setting rather than staying in the "present day" of the 25th century. It’s a point of contention for many who want to see what happens next with the Geordi La Forge's daughters and the rest of that era's lineage.
Production Realities and the 2026 Landscape
Making a new Star Trek TV show in 2026 is a completely different beast than it was in the 90s. Back then, you’d have 26 episodes a year. You had "filler" episodes that accidentally became classics.
Now? We get 8 to 10 episodes. Everything is serialized. Everything costs roughly the same as a small country’s GDP.
This means the shows have to be "hits" immediately. There’s less room for a show like The Next Generation to have a rough first two seasons. If Starfleet Academy doesn't land with audiences, the future of Trek might shift entirely toward these one-off streaming movies rather than sustained series.
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Where to Start if You’re New
If you are just jumping into the franchise because you heard about the new stuff, don't start with the 32nd century. It’s too confusing.
- Watch Strange New Worlds. It’s the perfect entry point.
- Catch up on Discovery if you want to understand the setting of the upcoming Academy show.
- Don't skip Lower Decks. Even though it’s animated and a comedy, it’s arguably the most "Star Trek" show produced in the last decade in terms of its deep love for the lore.
Actionable Steps for the Dedicated Trekker
To stay ahead of the curve and actually catch these shows when they drop, there are a few things you should be doing instead of just refreshing a search page.
First, keep a close eye on the official StarTrek.com newsroom. Unlike leak sites, they only post when contracts are signed. Second, if you’re a Paramount+ subscriber, make sure you’ve actually favorited the "Star Trek" category; their algorithm is notoriously finicky about showing new trailers unless you’ve engaged with the brand recently.
Finally, look into the "First Contact Day" and "Star Trek Day" events (usually April and September). That’s when the real trailers drop.
The franchise is pivoting. We’re moving away from the "Peak TV" era where five shows were running simultaneously and moving into a more curated, albeit younger-skewing, phase. Whether you're excited about a school-based drama or just want more Pike hair, the next few years are going to redefine what Star Trek looks like for the next generation of fans.
Keep your sensors tuned to the 32nd century. It’s where the most growth is happening, whether we’re ready for it or not.