Star Trek: Starfleet Academy To End With Season 2

Intergalactic school's almost out — forever.

"Star Trek: Starfleet Academy" will end after its forthcoming second season, TVLine has confirmed. The sci-fi drama was renewed for Season 2 in October 2024, ahead of the series' premiere. 

Variety first reported the series' ending.

"Star Trek: Starfleet Academy" is set in the 32nd Century, after the end of "Star Trek: Discovery," as Starfleet reopens its training school under the leadership of Capt. Nala Ahke (played by Holly Hunter). The Season 1 finale, which started streaming March 12, found Nus Braka (Paul Giamatti) putting the Federation on trial — with Ahke as its stand-in — for "crimes against democracy." An impassioned testimony from Caleb (Sandro Rosta), as well as Nahla's own revelation about what really killed Nus' people, led to his downfall and subsequent arrest. (Read a full finale recap here.)

A joint statement from CBS Studios and Paramount+ reads: "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."

TVLine's Dave Nemetz gave "Star Trek: Starfleet Academy" a C+ in his review, saying the latest "Trek" installment "deserves credit for trying to forge its own path." However, "it also hits some of the same stumbling blocks that have dogged recent 'Trek' outings." Viewers might have had the same thoughts: The 10-episode first season did not rank on Nielsen's Top 10 streaming viewership lists. 

Season 2, which has completed production, does not yet have a return date at Paramount+. 

"Star Trek: Starfleet Academy" executive producers/co-showrunners Alex Kurtzman and Noga Landau wrote a letter to fans regarding the ending, which you can read below: 

"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 word for it. Take Gene's: 'Star Trek was an attempt to say that humanity will reach maturity and wisdom on the day that it begins not just to tolerate, but take a special delight in differences in ideas and differences in life forms. [...] If we cannot learn to actually enjoy those small differences, to take a positive delight in those small differences between our own kind, here on this planet, then we do not deserve to go out into space and meet the diversity that is almost certainly out there.'

With enduring hope that his vision of the future is possible, for our children, their children, and every future cadet in Starfleet Academy: Live Long and Prosper."

What do you think about the upcoming ending of "Star Trek: Starfleet Academy"? Let us know in the comments!