Star Trek on TV: Streaming Versus Traditional Broadcast

I’d love to see the much-rumored Section 31 series. I’m also eager to see the upcoming Season 2 of Star Trek: Picard and the Season 4 of Star Trek: Lower Decks. However, I wasn’t a fan of Star Trek: Prodigy, but we’ll have to see how it develops.

My preference leans towards streaming. As long as it’s available for streaming, I’m not particularly concerned with whether it’s accessible through traditional broadcasting. Both methods are great. I support easy access and availability.

While the writing is on the wall for traditional broadcasting, it’s worth noting that Star Trek has made a significant resurgence on the small screen. Star Trek: Discovery, a fan-favorite, is currently filming its third season, with the first two seasons available on CBS All-Access. Additionally, Star Trek: Picard has completed its first season’s principal photography. The animated series Short Treks has aired four episodes with six more on the horizon, including episodes set in Picard’s era and two animated episodes. Another animated series is in pre-production and will air on Nickelodeon. Furthermore, a Section 31 series is also in pre-production. This is an exciting time for Star Trek on TV, with a greater presence than ever before.

Despite this resurgence, Star Trek is facing challenges in the movie theater. It would be wonderful to see a return to regular TV broadcasts, especially as it could save viewers money. However, the reality is that as with other traditional TV providers, CBS has set up its own streaming service, CBS All-Access. This trend is similar to when cable TV created numerous new channels, which required a paid subscription. Now, free TV services recognize the need to adopt this model or risk losing a significant audience. Therefore, I am subscribing to CBS All-Access to watch Star Trek, particularly Star Trek: Discovery and the upcoming Star Trek: Picard series. You can subscribe, pause the service, and rejoin at any time, allowing you to binge-watch when a new season of Discovery or Picard is released.

It’s important to note that while Star Trek is still available on BBC America, viewing it there still requires a paid subscription. These days, acquiring Star Trek content typically involves subscribing to a streaming service.

So, it seems we are living in a world where streaming is the new paradigm for Star Trek. But whatever form it takes, the fact remains that Star Trek is flourishing on the big and small screens!