Actor William Shatner rejected criticism that the latest "Star Trek" series is "woke," following confirmation that "Star Trek: Starfleet Academy" will end after its second season.
CBS Studios and Paramount announced the cancellation Monday in a statement to Variety, praising the show's cast and production team for pushing "storytelling boundaries in the spirit of ['Star Trek' creator] Gene Roddenberry's vision."
The series had drawn a mix of critical acclaim and online backlash since its January debut, with some social media and YouTube users accusing it of being overly "woke."
Shatner, who originated the role of Captain Kirk, used a post on X to challenge that criticism by pointing to similar reactions throughout the franchise's history.
Referencing a controversial moment from the original series, he wrote, "During the first airing of my Star Trek series where a kiss was objectionable; many southern stations pulled the episode & condemned the show."
He added: "Using today's vernacular it would absolutely be called 'woke DEI c**p' because it went against 'norms' of society for its time," before concluding, "Not a lot seems to have changed."
Shatner said "Star Trek" has always gone beyond science fiction to explore broader ideas about humanity.
"Star Trek exists in more than one world. It exists in the fantasy of science fiction — weird and wonderful things that play unimaginable possibilities of exploration and human endeavor," he wrote. "But it also exists in the fantasy of human beings, the perfection of human beings, the exploration that human beings have made since the dawn of time and the continuing exploration — physically mentally and morally."
While criticizing the "woke" label, Shatner also shared his disappointment at the show's cancellation.
"I for one would love to see its continuity. It's with sorrow that I hear about the cancellation of the new Star Trek series," he said.
He further argued that backlash to new installments in the franchise is not new, noting that "Star Trek: The Next Generation" initially faced strong fan criticism. He said it received "tons of hate" when it first aired, concluding, "'Star Trek' is different for everyone."
Debate over the series' content has also been addressed by its cast.
Karim Diane, who portrayed the franchise's first openly gay Klingon character, said in an interview with Xtra Magazine that some criticism stems from prejudice.
"When haters or angry people attack me on the internet for something that they don't know the truth about — because it has never come out of my mouth — I realize that it has nothing to do with me," he said. "It is rooted in racism, homophobia, and sexism. These negative things have nothing to do with me."
Diane also acknowledged that creative disagreements are part of audience response.
"I understand that people have different opinions creatively about the show, and that is fine," he said.
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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