EXCLUSIVE: Roddenberry executive Trevor Roth believes that Star Trek: Discovery will be better appreciated “in time” thanks to streaming.
Summary
- Roth believes the backlash against Star Trek: Discovery will lessen over time, comparing it to The Next Generation.
- At SXSW, Roth discussed fan detractors, Paramount+ cancelation, and hopes for series reappraisal.
- He hopes Discovery’s contribution to the Star Trek universe will be recognized more as time goes on.
Roddenberry Entertainment’s chief operating officer, Trevor Roth has revealed that he believes that Star Trek: Discovery will be better appreciated in time. Since its premiere in 2017, Star Trek: Discovery has had a rough ride from certain corners of fandom, but Trevor Roth has pointed to how beloved shows like Star Trek: The Next Generation also struggled to win over some members of the audience. Roth believes that, as time goes on, the importance of Discovery to the wider Star Trek franchise will become more apparent to its detractors.
At SXSW, Roddenberry COO Trevor Roth spoke to Screen Rant about Star Trek: Discovery season 5, the detractors of the series, and why Paramount+ canceled the show. Roth discussed the changing attitudes to Discovery and shared his hopes for a future reappraisal. Read Trevor Roth’s quote below:
I mean, I hope it’s appreciated today. I think that… Star Trek fans who take issue with this or that along the way, I mean, The Next Generation, they took issue with it first, remember? And it’s pretty beloved. So I think that, as you sort of fall into the annals of Star Trek history, people start to recognize what you contributed to the overall franchise and the overall universe. And I think that if for some reason, Discovery wasn’t your cup of tea. I think that there’s definitely a softening over time. But hopefully, it was from the beginning.
Star Trek: Discovery returns in April for season 5, and here is the premiere date for every episode of Disco’s final season.
Other Star Trek Shows Found New Audiences After They Ended
Trevor Roth’s comparison between Star Trek: Discovery and Star Trek: The Next Generation reflects Jonathan Frakes’ advice about haters. However, TNG became a huge hit while it was still on screens, while other Star Trek shows struggled to emerge from its shadow. Shows like Star Trek: Voyager and Star Trek: Enterprise may have been poorly regarded by contemporary audiences, but they found new audiences on streaming services like Netflix, and their new home on Paramount+. The same will likely happen to Star Trek: Discovery as a rewatch will uncover just how important the show has been to the wider franchise.
Star Trek: Prodigy season 2, which will return to the story of Star Trek: Voyager premieres on Netflix later in 2024.
Star Trek: Discovery relaunched Star Trek TV shows for an age of prestige television, meaning the current franchise could not exist without it. The importance and influence of Discovery will become more apparent in the years that follow its 2024 finale, providing an interesting comparison with Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. DS9 was an outlier at the time, a serialized show that appeared to abandon many of the tenets of Gene Roddenberry’s vision. However, Star Trek: DS9 was a groundbreaking show that has aged better than many of its contemporaries. In years to come, it’s likely that Star Trek: Discovery will be similarly well-regarded.
