Time, and the advent of the streaming age has benefited three Star Trek shows that were unfairly maligned on broadcast. Now that all of Star Trek is available to stream online, there's been a significant reappraisal of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: Voyager, and Star Trek: Enterprise. Each of these 21st century Trek shows were overshadowed by the huge success of Star Trek: The Next Generation. This struggle wasn't unique to these shows because even TNG struggled to emerge from the shadow of its predecessor during its first three seasons.
The jaw-dropping cliffhanger to the TNG season 3 finale "The Best of Both Worlds" is regarded at the moment the show finally hit the mainstream. TNG's popularity spawned three more Star Trek shows as Paramount were keen to capitalize on the huge success of Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) and the crew of the USS Enterprise-D. While none of these spinoffs ever reached the populist heights of TNG, they pushed the franchise in new and interesting directions. As the decades have ed, each of TNG's Star Trek stablemates can now be judged on their own considerable merits.
Why Time & Streaming Helped DS9, Voyager & Enterprise
For years, Star Trek: Enterprise was unfairly seen as the show that killed the franchise. This perception wasn't helped by its controversial finale that sidelined the Enterprise cast for the return of beloved Star Trek: The Next Generation characters Commander William T. Riker (Jonathan Frakes) and Counselor Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis). Now that the show is available to stream via Paramount+, it quickly becomes clear how good Enterprise actually is. Enterprise went right back to basics to explore the origins of the Star Trek universe, charting the mistakes made along the way, and the lessons learned by Captain Jonathan Archer (Scott Bakula) and his crew.
On broadcast, Star Trek: Voyager felt like a pale imitation of TNG, with a diverse starship crew exploring strange new worlds. Rewatching Voyager years later reveals how it pushed Star Trek in a new direction. The struggle of Captain Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) to follow the Prime Directive in a quadrant of space that had no Federation presence is utterly compelling. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine had a better time, thanks to its Dominion War arc. That said, the early seasons were deemed inferior to TNG because the crew were "stuck" on a space station. However, revisiting the early seasons reveals just how daring DS9's depiction of religion in Star Trek was.
Will Star Trek: Discovery Be Reconsidered In Time?
When it first aired in 2017, Star Trek: Discovery caused controversy with its dark tone, graphic violence, and redesigned Klingons. However, all these headline controversies detracted from what was a fresh take on the Star Trek formula. Discovery reimagined Trek for the age of prestige television, complete with the morally complex characters and interpersonal conflict of high-end drama. The first season of Discovery is a fascinating examination of how major scientific advancements are often made during wartime. Similar politically resonant stories defined the Discovery journey from the 22nd to 32nd century, and they'll hopefully become clearer to audiences with the benefit of time.
The disappointment on social media about Star Trek: Discovery season 5 being the last suggests that the tide is already turning in of the show's perception. Discovery tells very good Star Trek stories, and has updated Gene Roddenberry's mission statement for the turbulent times of the 2020s. In years to come, viewers will look back on Discovery as yet another shining example of what makes Star Trek such a beloved and enduring franchise.