Alex Kurtzman’s ‘Star Trek’ Era Is Being Unfairly Criticized

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Alex Kurtzman has been in charge of Star Trek since the franchise was revived in 2009 with the first film directed by JJ Abrams. While it’s not official yet, signs point to Paramount not renewing Kurtzman’s contract later this year – sets are being taken down and production is slowing. This has been met with celebration by some, who feel Kurtzman didn’t contribute much to the Star Trek universe. However, I strongly disagree with that assessment.

Before J.J. Abrams finished his Star Trek movie trilogy with Star Trek Beyond in 2016, Alex Kurtzman started a production company called Secret Hideout in 2014. His work on the films led to his studio being chosen to bring Star Trek back to television, which resulted in the 2017 premiere of Star Trek: Discovery. While the show’s look and feel seemed connected to the alternate “Kelvin Timeline” movies, it was actually set within the original Star Trek universe – the same one as The Original Series and The Next Generation. This new style initially alienated many longtime Star Trek fans, and that feeling hasn’t entirely disappeared. But after a decade of new Star Trek shows and movies, has the criticism been fair?

Alex Kurtman’s ‘Star Trek’ Era Has Had Way More Good Than Bad

I’ve been a Star Trek fan since childhood and enjoyed all the original series, though some resonated with me more than others – which is perfectly normal. I was incredibly excited when the 2009 movie came out and revitalized the franchise. Even though Star Trek: Enterprise had only ended a few years prior, it felt like a long time without any new Star Trek on screen. I really appreciated J.J. Abrams’ choice to create a new timeline with his films, as it allowed everything from the past to still be considered canon. In my opinion, it remains one of the most clever reboots ever made.

I’ve always thought of Star Trek as a TV series first and foremost, even though some of its biggest stories have been told in movies. So, I was really excited when I heard Kurtzman was bringing it back to television with Discovery. At the time, I was just happy to have a new Star Trek show, and I enjoyed it when it first came out. Looking back, while I still think the first season is very good, Discovery is probably one of the weaker modern Star Trek series. It’s enjoyable, but not outstanding. I’ll probably rewatch it eventually, but I don’t feel any immediate urge to do so.

Bringing back Star Trek meant finding a way to continue old stories while also creating new ones, and I think the show has done a really good job of striking that balance in recent years.

Look, Discovery felt like a necessary stepping stone, a bit of a learning curve for Kurtzman and his team. While it was running, other shows really started to shine – Picard, Strange New Worlds, and even the animated Lower Decks all impressed me in different ways. What I really appreciate about the current Star Trek universe is how unique each show feels. The original series were fantastic, don’t get me wrong, but looking back, they all had a very similar tone. I enjoyed that consistency back then, but now I think Paramount+ could have pushed for more distinctive identities for each of those classic shows.

It looks like the run of Star Trek shows led by Alex Kurtzman is ending on a disappointing note with Starfleet Academy. While it’s not a perfect show, I believe it was better than some fans acknowledge and deserved a longer run. It’s surprising how much negativity stemmed from something as minor as Klingons wearing skirts! Still, looking back, I have many great memories of watching all the new Star Trek content and felt lucky to be a part of it. Not everything was flawless, and even the best shows have weak episodes, but that’s inevitable with so many projects happening at once. However, I’m still frustrated by the decision to cancel Star Trek: Prodigy after just two seasons. It was a show everyone enjoyed, with plenty of story left to tell, and it was one of the best new Star Trek shows in years. I really don’t understand that choice, Kurtzman.

‘Star Trek’ Fans Act Like the Classic Era Was Perfect (It Wasn’t)

I love Voyager more than any other Star Trek series, but I know a lot of fans who don’t feel the same way. It’s similar with Deep Space Nine – I never really got into it, but many Star Trek enthusiasts consider it brilliant. Even within the same show, people have very different opinions, and that’s nothing new. Some people believe Discovery is the best Star Trek, especially those who became fans later, and that’s perfectly valid. Ultimately, the original series isn’t necessarily better than the more recent shows produced under Kurtzman – they’re just different approaches to the same universe.

It’s easy to remember older shows fondly, and nostalgia can often make us overlook their flaws. Even my favorite, Voyager, had some truly bad episodes, and the other classic Star Trek series weren’t perfect either. Despite this, many longtime fans believe the key to reviving Star Trek is to simply go back to the way things were. But ordering 20+ episodes per season with self-contained stories will likely result in just as many weak episodes as we saw in the past. It’s simply unrealistic to expect a show to be consistently excellent week after week.

The idea that older Star Trek is always superior often stems from how recent shows rely heavily on familiar characters and storylines from decades past. A prime example is Star Trek: Picard Season 3, which essentially functioned as a continuation of The Next Generation. While nostalgia played a big role in its success, it’s been widely praised as one of the best Star Trek projects in recent years. It wasn’t necessarily better than other strong modern storylines, but it effectively tapped into the fond memories of longtime TNG fans. Essentially, Star Trek has benefited from revisiting and highlighting beloved elements from its past, making newer, entirely original stories seem less satisfying in comparison.

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2026-04-19 01:19