If you click on a link and make a purchase we may receive a small commission. Read our editorial policy.
Star Trek actor Robert Picardo is worried about the state of the franchise under Paramount, and doesn’t want to see it become “America First in space”
Star Trek actor Robert Picardo says the franchise has always been about diversity and inclusion, and critics are missing the point
Popverse's top stories
- Jean Grey actress Famke Janssen says Marvel Studios “made a mistake” by not including her in Avengers: Doomsday
- Spider-Man: Brand New Day's new trailer tells so much of the story, is it worth going to see the movie?
- After four decades away, John Byrne is rewriting X-Men history on his own terms
Robert Picardo is worried about the state of Star Trek. The actor - who has been playing holographic curmudgeon the Doctor since Star Trek: Voyager premiered in 1995 - isn’t sure if the current owners of Paramount know what to do with the franchise, or if they even understand it.
As of this writing, there are two Star Trek shows on television, Strange New Worlds and Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, and both of them are currently producing their final seasons. (Picardo's Doctor appears in the latter show.) Once those shows conclude, Star Trek will be officially on hiatus, and Picardo is worried about where the current leadership at Paramount, known to have close ties to the current President and his administration, will take the franchise next.
“I’m a little concerned about Star Trek moving forward because we were criticized for having too much diversity and inclusion, and that’s a core value of Star Trek. I don’t know how you make Star Trek without it," Picardo said during an appearance at Spacecon 2026. "I’m hopeful that whatever next Star Trek, and I know there’s going to be a hiatus, that it keeps those values. That it always is the United Nations in space, not America First in space. And that it remains cooperative. It’s a vision of cooperation between space faring planets in the future and it’s not let’s go out and conquer the planets of Venezuela, Iran, Greenland, and Cuba.”
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy Season 1 is currently streaming on Paramount+. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 4 is set to debut on Paramount+ on July 23, with the final seasons of both series expected in 2027.
Space may be the final frontier, but there's no end to Popverse's love of the Star Trek universe. Hop aboard the starship Enterprise with our Star Trek watch order, explore strange new worlds with our upcoming Star Trek TV shows and movies list, seek out the new life of the franchise, and boldly go where no Star Trek film has ever gone before - with Quentin Tarantino?
About Spacecon
SPACECON is America’s newest comic con created by PMX Events. Attendees will see celebrity guests from the likes of Star Wars, Star Trek, Guardians of the Galaxy and other intergalactic movies and TV shows. Con goers will discover an immersive show experience to get up-close and personal with their favorite celebrities, voice artists, and comic artists with hundreds of exhibitors and special attractions to exhilarate any fandom.
Dates
-
Location
San Antonio, Texas
UA
Follow Popverse for upcoming event coverage and news
Find out how we conduct our review by reading our review policy
Let Popverse be your tour guide through the wilderness of pop culture
Sign in and let us help you find your new favorite thing.
Comments
Want to join the discussion? Please activate your account first.
Visit Reedpop ID if you need to resend the confirmation email.