Uma Thurman as Charley Brown looking ahead in Dexter: Resurrection.
It's been a time of big headlines for Paramount with its purchase of Warner Bros. Discovery. However, it hasn't been all good news from the studio, especially if you're a Star Trek fan. Earlier this week, Variety confirmed that Star Trek: Starfleet Academy has been canceled after two seasons.
This marks the latest end of a Star Trek spin-off in what feels like a bigger transition away from sci-fi. If you're wondering why Paramount would give up on such a popular IP, it might be because it's having tremendous success with another popular franchise. Several 'Star Trek' Series Have Ended on Paramount+ In the 1960s, Star Trek: The Original Series launched one of the greatest sci-fi franchises ever made, creating a phenomenon consisting of decades' worth of movies and other series. In the last few years, Paramount made a big gamble by investing in several franchise spin-offs. First up was Star Trek: Discovery in 2019, which became a hit for the streamer, but concluded by 2024. Star Trek: Picard brought back Patrick Stewart's character from The Next Generation, but after three seasons, it was done as well. Paramount+ only gave Star Trek: Prodigy one season before canceling it in 2023, leading to a move to Netflix for a second and final batch of episodes. In 2024, after five seasons, Star Trek: Lower Decks came to a close. This year, however, signals a double whammy for Trek fans. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is ending with a shortened final season, and in the biggest shocker, despite good reviews, Star Trek: Starfleet Academy has been given the boot before its second season has even aired, presumably the victim of low ratings. Paramount may have had too much of a good thing with Star Trek. The Taylor Sheridan-built universe, consisting of shows like Tulsa King, Landman, The Madison, and the upcoming Dutton Ranch, is still going strong, but the streamer's greatest hope for both the present and future may lie with a recently resurrected thriller franchise. Related 5 Years Later, ‘Dexter: Resurrection’ Season 2 Is Officially Bringing Back a Franchise Best Dexter Morgan is reuniting with his past. Posts 3 By Shawn Van Horn 'Dexter: Resurrection' Season 2 Could Hint at a New Direction for Paramount+ Michael C. Hall first took off on HBO's Six Feet Under, but as the star of Showtime's Dexter, he pushed his acting chops to the limit. Hall played Dexter Morgan, a serial killer unlike any other, whose traumatic childhood led to an obsession with death and blood that gave him an insatiable urge to kill. Rather than becoming another monster preying on the innocent, his adoptive father, Harry , gave Dexter a code that saw his urges aimed at bad guys who fell through the cracks of the justice system. For eight seasons, Dexter dominated Showtime, although the show arguably started to fall apart in the latter half of its run, and its original series finale was regarded as one of the worst final episodes in TV history. With Dexter's story arguably left open-ended, Hall returned as the character for one season of Dexter: New Blood in 2021, but even that spin-off ultimately failed to satisfy fans. That could have been it for the popular anti-hero, but refusing to give up IP with big-name recognition, the character returned for a third time with the dreaded prequel tag, which usually signifies a franchise has lost its way. However, Dexter: Original Sin, starring Patrick Gibson as a younger version of the lead, was surprisingly good. The biggest risk of all happened after that; at the end of New Blood, Dexter is presumed dead, but last year, Hall returned once again for the aptly titled Dexter: Resurrection. What could have been the worst decision imaginable ended up becoming one of the best shows of the year and arguably the best season in Dexter franchise history. Moving away from Miami and the dullness of northern New York to the bustle of New York City was refreshing, but what makes Dexter: Resurrection a welcome return to form is the story's biggest emotional throughline. Dexter can't just think of himself anymore; he has to make sure his son, Harrison , doesn't follow in his footsteps. With Dexter: Resurrection, the show's lead earns his comeback with a well-written season that doesn't simply exist for fan service. The proof is in the pudding. Dexter: Resurrection was a top 10 hit on Paramount+, and the ratings even boosted viewership for the original series. Even though Original Sin was canceled after one season and a prequel about John Lithgow's Trinity Killer was pulled before it ever went into production, the Dexter franchise represents a clear path forward for Paramount. Dexter: Resurrection succeeds on its own without any more spin-offs, and if it continues to do well, look for Paramount to invest in more dark thrillers in the wake of its latest Star Trek cancellation.Powered by Expand Collapse
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