With shows on streaming services (in this case, CBS All Access in the US, Netflix in the UK), it can be tough to know exactly how many people are watching a show. But American network CBS is clearly happy with the performance of Star Trek: Discovery, as the show will return for a second season.
The darkly hued prequel to the original series has been grabbing decent reviews and finds the usual mission of discovering unexplored worlds and new life forms side-stepped for a story of Starfleet at war with the Klingons. There are still a few discoveries (no pun intended) to be made, though, even if several of them are of the personal variety.
What shape a second season will take has yet to be specified – there was a plan, back when original executive producer Bryan Fuller was in charge, to use an anthology format and follow a different story each year – but it seems likely we'll be sticking aboard the Discovery with Sonequa Martin-Green's Michael Burnham and Jason Isaacs' Captain Lorca.
"In just six episodes, Star Trek: Discovery has driven subscriber growth, critical acclaim and huge global fan interest for the first premium version of this great franchise," says CBS Interactive's Marc DeBevoise. "This series has a remarkable creative team and cast who have demonstrated their ability to carry on the Star Trek legacy. We are extremely proud of what they’ve accomplished and are thrilled to be bringing fans a second season of this tremendous series."
The first half of the first season will end on 11 November in the States, with the show resuming in January.
First Look At Jason Isaacs As Star Trek: Discovery's Captain Lorca