Star Trek Veteran Laments Trend of Shorter Seasons, Advocates for Return to “Longer, More Sustained” Storytelling
HOLLYWOOD, CA – A prominent figure in the Star Trek universe has voiced concerns over the increasingly common practice of shorter television seasons, comparing them unfavorably to the longer runs of classic Star Trek series. Ronald D. Moore, a producer on Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, described the current trend of 10-episode seasons as “Tinder relationships,” suggesting they lack the depth and development afforded by extended storytelling.
Moore’s comments come as Paramount continues to navigate the future of its Star Trek television franchise. Star Trek: Picard and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds have both aired three 10-episode seasons over the past four years, with Strange New Worlds receiving a final, six-episode season after a two-year wait between runs.the upcoming debut season of Starfleet Academy will also adhere to the 10-episode format.
While acknowledging that 10 episodes is becoming the norm-driven by rising episode budgets and audience expectations for higher quality-Moore expressed hope for a return to longer seasons. “It’s a new paradigm,” he stated, “And some shows are still doing [long seasons]… NCIS does like 22 [episodes]. But I really don’t no what’s in store for the future of star Trek, the TV franchise anyway. But I hope, I hope that eventually they get back to a longer, more sustained season.”
The shift to shorter seasons isn’t without internal debate.Actress Rebecca Romijn recently revealed that securing a six-episode final season for Strange New Worlds required negotiation with paramount, which initially favored concluding the series with a TV movie.
Moore’s remarks highlight a broader industry discussion about the optimal length for television seasons in the streaming era,and the impact of those decisions on narrative depth and character development.
