This Isn't A Holosuite Program, Star Trek: Discovery, Lower Decks, And Strange New Worlds Just Got Renewed At Paramount+

"Star Trek" fans have a whole lot to celebrate today. Paramount+ has announced a bunch of "Star Trek" renewals, and a handful of premiere dates for the U.S. on the streamer. You can just feel your hand lifting to do the Vulcan salute, can't you?

First up we have "Star Trek: Discovery." The series is currently airing its fourth season, which will return to Paramount+ on February 10, 2022, and conclude on March 17, 2022. We'll be getting a 10-episode fifth season, as well. "Star Trek: Discovery" stars Sonequa Martin-Green, Doug Jones, Anthony Rapp, Mary Wiseman, Wilson Cruz, Blu del Barrio, David Ajala, and Tig Notaro. 

The series relaunched (sorry) interest in the "Star Trek" franchise. I know, I know. I'm a Trekker as well, so I've always been invested. It's just that having a fresh take on the future grabbed the interest of a lot of people who haven't watched since the original series (some of my relatives as an example). There is even more character development here than we saw in "Star Trek" stories of yore. A product of changing times, but also, because of the deep lore this franchise has to tap into. 

"Star Trek: Picard" will debut its second season on Thursday, March 3, consisting of 10 episodes. The series, which had to temporarily halt production on season 3 due to a Covid outbreak on set, is currently filming. The cast for "Star Trek: Picard" includes Sir Patrick Stewart, Alison Pill, Isa Briones, Evan Evagora, Michelle Hurd, Santiago Cabrera, Jeri Ryan, Orla Brady, John de Lancie, Annie Wersching, and Brent Spiner. I'm still reeling over the final episode with a certain goodbye. Picard has always been such a wonderful and beloved character, so to see him develop, change (a whole heck of a lot), and find deep connections with a whole new group has been beautiful. 

In the mood to laugh? "Star Trek: Lower Decks" will be back with the crew of the Cerritos in season 3 this summer. If you haven't watched the animated series yet, you really must. No one ever talks about the support staff or the ships that aren't out there doing dramatic things. I love the idea of looking at the "rest" of the world in shows about heroes. Plus, it's really, really funny! 

We're also getting the final episodes from the first part of season 1 of "Star Trek: Prodigy on February 3, 2022. The second half of the season will debut in the summer. 

If you've got kids in the house, this is a great way to get them into the universe young. In 2383, around when "Star Trek: Voyager" returns to Earth, some young aliens find an abandoned Starfleet ship in a prison colony. Kate Mulgrew is Hologram Janeway: The Protostar's Emergency Training Holographic Advisor, who just happens to be based on Mulgrew's character Kathryn Janeway, the captain of the USS Voyager.

On May 5, 2022, Captain Pike (Anson Mount), Number One (Rebecca Romijn), and Science Officer Spock (Ethan Peck) will be returning to the Enterprise with the debut of "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds." You can check out some info on the show from the panel they held at Star Trek Day. 

This is one I'm really excited about. We have characters you know from the original series, who appeared on the second season "Star Trek: Discovery." Pike, Number One, and Spock aren't the only characters you'll recognize from our first foray into the "Star Trek" universe though. You'll remember Nurse Chapel (Jess Bush) and Nyota Uhura (Celia Rose Gooding), and there's likely going to be more. The second season is being developed before the first season even airs, which is always a great sign!

That's a whole lot of "Star Trek." Interestingly enough, you don't hear about burnout with this franchise the way you so often do with "Star Wars." What I love about "Star Trek" is that it does indeed "boldly go where no one has gone before" in terms of exploring the whole universe. We aren't all stuck on a few planets. (Ahem, Tatooine.) There are so many discoveries and new lifeforms to explore. I don't mind delving into the past with some characters when there are so many new ones to flesh out the universe around them. 

"Star Trek" in all its forms has been a huge boon for Paramount+, a streaming service that only started back in 2014, originally as CBS All Access. The success of shows like this might mean even more "Star Trek" for the future. I hope it continues. "Star Trek" has been groundbreaking in so many ways, from depictions of gender and race issues to speculation about artificial intelligence. "Trek," along with "Yellowstone" and its prequel "1883," is driving this streamer, and maybe it will be an example of what we all actually want to watch. It never feels like hope is lost in its narratives, and we could all use a dose of hope right now. 

Alex Kurtzman, executive producer for the "Star Trek" franchise, said of all the news:

"Four years ago, we made a promise to grow 'Star Trek' into something it had never been before, and thanks to the incredibly hard work done by our many talented showrunners, writers, and directors, along with the extraordinary support of CBS Studios and Paramount+, we're keeping our word ... Now our current shows are set up for the future as we work to build 'Trek's' next phase of programming for years to come."

Episodes are currently streaming on Paramount+. Which "Star Trek" series are you most excited for? Did you ever think we'd have this many "Trek" shows on the air at the same time? Let us know @slashfilm and may you live long and prosper.