The most beloved modern Star Trek shows are both getting renewed, but there's sad news for one of them

It's a big day of good news and bad news for Star Trek fans, as Paramount giveth and Paramount taketh away. First the good news - Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is coming back for a fourth season. The beloved Star Trek prequel series has been greenlit for season 4 even before the third season has aired.

In the kinda bad news column, Paramount has also offered up the doubled-edged sword that Star Trek: Lower Decks season 5 will premiere in fall 2024 - but it will also be the animated streaming series' final season. 

Both announcements were made on social media, with a pair of graphics, seen here:

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As a fan of both shows, I'm obviously torn. I'm delighted that Strange New Worlds is continuing - it's been a delightfully campy but still sincere throwback to the best of classic Star Trek. And I'm excited to know that Lower Decks will be back sooner rather than later.

But I'm still slightly crushed that Boimler, Mariner, Tendi, Rutherford, and their ever expanding cast of crewmates are reaching the end of their journey. It takes a lot to sell me on animated comedies, and Lower Decks hit the mark with both its humor and its loving approach to Trek lore.

That said, the best Star Trek characters have a way of living on. Strange New Worlds itself proves that, with a throwback cast of characters including Captain Christopher Pike, James Kirk, Spock, Uhura, and more.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds and Lower Decks had a fan-favorite crossover episode in SNW season 2 in which Jack Quaid and Tawny Newsome portrayed their Lower Decks voice characters in live action in a time travel episode.

Star Trek: Lower Decks season 5 will premiere this fall on Paramount Plus. No premiere date for Strange New Worlds season 3 has been set. 

A new Star Trek prequel movie set in the timeline of JJ Abrams' 2009 Star Trek film was also announced this week.