Star Trek: Discovery Season 4 Finally Releases Worldwide After Fan Backlash

For better or for worse, fan outcry works more and more often these days. The latest entity to bend to consumer will is Paramount+, who will be releasing the fourth season of Bryan Fuller and Alex Kurtzman's "Star Trek: Discovery" series sooner than previously announced. Initially, the latest season to the sci-fi series was only to air in Canada and the United States, as the Paramount+ services did not extend overseas at the time (the show's first three seasons did run internationally, but on a handful of streaming services). But a recent change opened up the international market to the new streamer, and even though there were expansions on the way, the series would not be accessible in any new locations until Paramount launched operations in each respective country. What comes out of all this is that, despite the November 18 air date for North American viewers, anyone else in the world would have to wait until early 2022 to get their Trek on. Naturally, fans found it highly illogical.

In response to the growing static on social media and beyond, Paramount has moved that release date up for international fans. Via an announcement on the official Star Trek website, the streaming service addressed global fans directly and promised a concerted effort to bring everyone access outside of the U.S. and Canada. They even threw in a subscription discount.

Trekkers can rejoice around the world now; though the premiere was still a week behind the original release date, fans in 30 countries have access they didn't have before. They can credit this to some quick agreements with PlutoTV, which makes sense as "Star Trek: Discovery" streamed internationally through Netflix in years past. Whether every episode will stay on these temporary platforms throughout the new season, or Paramount+ takes over hosting as each market location opens up is not yet clear, but fans of the long-running space franchise will surely welcome the ability to hit "Play," worldwide.

The statement, from CBS:

To all of the International Star Trek: Discovery fans: we hear you. We love this series too. We love it for the incredible cast, the hardworking crew, the imaginative storytelling, the groundbreaking, diverse characters who bring the show to life and what it represents to so many people around the world. Star Trek has always put its fans first. We want to do the same.

Therefore, during this transition, we are doing everything we can to get the new season to you as soon as possible. Where Paramount+ is available in Australia, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Finland, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Sweden, Uruguay, and Venezuela, the first two episodes will be available Friday, November 26, with new episodes being released weekly. We are also offering Star Trek fans in these markets a new membership promotion on Paramount+ for 50% off for the first three months with code STARTREK.

In Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom, Pluto TV, the leading free streaming television service, will drop new episodes at 9pm local time on Pluto TV Sci-Fi channel each Friday, Saturday and Sunday, with a simulcast running on the Star Trek channel in Austria, Switzerland, and Germany. This will begin with the first two episodes on Friday, November 26.

In the UK, Germany, France, Russia, South Korea and additional select countries, we are also making Season 4 available for purchase on participating digital platforms beginning Friday, November 26.

We too are super fans of Star Trek and incredibly proud of Discovery. We promise to give this franchise and its loyal fans all the global love and visibility it deserves in our expanding universe on Paramount+

Initially set 10 years before the events of the original "Star Trek" series, "Star Trek: Discovery" has its space explorers under the command of a non-captain protagonist, science specialist Michael Burnham (who is promoted to captain down the line), played by Sonequa Martin-Green. With Burnham at the helm, the crew of the USS Discovery is tasked with conducting scientific research and, at times, aiding in a galactic war. Kurtzman and Paradise are co-showrunners who executive produce "Star Trek: Discovery" along with Heather Kadin, Jenny Lumet, Frank Siracusa, John Weber, Olatunde Osunsanmi, Rod Roddenberry, and Trevor Roth.  

"Star Trek: Discovery" is currently streaming on Paramount+ and Pluto TV Europe.