Mind-Blowing Twists and Emotional Farewells: Jonathan Frakes Unveils Star Trek Discovery's Epic Series Finale
Jonathan Frakes, renowned director, reflects on his unexpected role in directing the Star Trek Discovery series finale, unaware it would mark the end The future of the beloved show remains intact, as Season 5 is set to premiere in 2024 on Paramount Plus
Summary
Star Trek: Discovery's season 5 finale became the series finale after Paramount+ canceled the show, leaving fans emotionally shocked.
Jonathan Frakes, a highly esteemed director of Star Trek, helmed the initial portion of the concluding episode and openly conveyed his astonishment over the show's sudden conclusion. Additional filming was undertaken to reshape the finale into a conclusive culmination for the series; however, the ongoing labor strikes may cause a potential delay in the launch of season 5 on Paramount+.
Star Trek icon Jonathan Frakes delves into his experience directing the climactic season 5 finale of Star Trek: Discovery, ultimately becoming its unintended series finale. Renowned as one of the most esteemed directors within the Star Trek universe, Frakes has earned a special place in the hearts of the cast members. Since joining the esteemed lineup of directors for the show, he has played a pivotal role in curating some of Star Trek: Discovery's most gripping and emotionally charged episodes. Frakes holds a deep affinity for the show, considering it his cherished "home" series within the Star Trek universe on Paramount+.
In a pre-strike interview with Variety, conducted before the SAG-AFTRA strikes, Frakes recounts his entrance onto the scene as the director for the first half of the season 5 finale of Star Trek: Discovery, only to later discover that Paramount+ decided to bring the curtain down on the show, effectively turning season 5 into its conclusive chapter. Feast your eyes on his profound insight below:
Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 Is Still Scheduled For 2024 On Paramount Plus
"I directed the first half of the Season 5 finale, which unexpectedly turned out to be the actual conclusion. It was a deeply emotional ending, considering we weren't aware at the time that it would mark the end. Subsequently, the 'Discovery' executive producer and director, Olatunde Osunsanmi, had to return and shoot additional scenes for two or three days to truly solidify the finale as the ultimate conclusion."
The unexpected cancelation of Star Trek: Discovery in March 2023 reflects the challenges faced by streaming services like Paramount+, which are struggling to maintain profitability. Presumably, financial constraints also led to the cancellation of Star Trek: Prodigy by Paramount+. In their original plan, Paramount+ aimed to generate excitement for the final season of Star Trek: Discovery through a series of publicity events in 2023. However, the strikes initiated by the WGA and SAG-AFTRA prevented writers and actors from promoting their work for the studios and streamers involved in the strikes. As a result, the hype for Star Trek: Discovery's fifth season at San Diego Comic-Con was limited to the release of a 5-minute clip from an episode of that season.
Reshoots were conducted in Toronto several months ago to transform the season 5 finale of Star Trek: Discovery into a conclusive episode for the entire series, as mentioned by Jonathan Frakes. It is unclear whether this affects the heartfelt episode directed by Frakes, which is episode 9 of season 5, or if the reshoots are solely for episode 10. Regrettably, if the strikes persist and the studios and streaming platforms fail to reach a fair agreement with the WGA and SAG-AFTRA, it is possible that the release of Star Trek: Discovery season 5 on Paramount+ may be delayed until the actors and creators can participate in promoting the final season. Alternatively, it would be unfortunate to release season 5 of Star Trek: Discovery without their support, but that scenario is also plausible.
