Paramount+ has five Star Trek Shows streaming in 2022, which might seem like enough Trek to last a bulk of the year. Despite having such an abundance of content compared to years past, it seems the streaming service's executive team may not yet feel as if they've hit the limit, as one higher-up provided an update on the long-awaited Section 31 spinoff while also hinting at even more shows possibly being on the way.
Star Trek’s Section 31 spinoff was one of the first announced offshoot series following the premiere of Star Trek: Discovery, but the Michelle Yeoh-led project still hasn’t gone into production despite some progress made along the way. Nicole Clemens, who serves as Paramount+'s President of Original Scripted Series, offered some new info on the series at the Television Critics Association press tour (via Variety) and teased that there are other things in the works when asked about the streaming service possibly going too hard on Trek content.
Yes, we are still in development on Section 31, so there will be more news on that soon. And two, the question about ‘critical mass’ on Star Trek, I think we have some fantastic offerings in our always on slate, and I think you may see a few more very curated additions coming.
The news is mildly surprising for fans already aware that there was a possibility of more Star Trek shows beyond what has been currently announced. For instance, those in the loop know about the existence of a show that’s going to center around Starfleet Academy, and that an episode in Discovery Season 4 seemed like it might be a backdoor pilot for the series. But it's definitely still worth pondering what other sides of this universe might be explored in future projects.
The developing Starfleet series, plus the still-in-development Section 31 series, would put Star Trek well over the originally stated goal of five concurrently running series. Part of the reason why Section 31 hasn’t happened yet is due to that limiting factor, though it’s worth noting that one show is headed to a predestined end. Picard will wrap after Season 3, and with production for that season ongoing, it’s possible a slot could open up in 2024 for a new Trek series to slide in without disturbing the flow. This could mean that Section 31 could premiere sometime around then, assuming the series goes into production within the next year or so.
Paramount+ currently boasts Star Trek: Discovery, Picard, Lower Decks (a personal favorite of actor Jonathan Frakes), Prodigy, and Strange New Worlds streaming at some point in 2022. Many of those shows are already guaranteed another season, which continues the insane revitalization of Trek television that started years ago. There’s certainly been a growing period with the fandom adjusting to new series and change, but given the continued renewal and spinoffs, it seems the streaming service is more than pleased with the results to give us enough new shows to last for years to come.
Star Trek fans can catch all the new series, as well as the classic shows and movies with a Paramount+ subscription. Hopefully, we’ll get a big update on Section 31 soon, and when we can expect to see Michelle Yeoh back in action as Georgiou.
