I've got this sneaking feeling that they're none too pleased about CBS launching its own streaming service and giving Picard to Amazon, despite Netflix getting behind Discovery and having Trek on its platform for years, which is why Lower Decks hasn't been picked up either. It'd be pretty standard for how Trek has been (mis)managed for so long.
Erm... when Netflix BOUGHT the international rights to this show, it was already a CBSAA series. That isn’t something that came up after, and took Netflix by surprise. They’ve always known they were just an international distributor for the series.
People read too much into the Picard rights going to Amazon, and we’ll never have a simple explanation as fact, because that info just never comes out. But, the honest truth is likely as simple as Amazon offered more money. I doubt Netflix would hold a grudge over that, and I fully expect they were given a fair opportunity to meet or outbid the figure from Amazon.
Lower Decks wasn’t meant to debut, until this month. We know that the schedule change meant that the international deal was still being sorted, and couldn’t be sped up. Let’s see what gets announced over the next month.
Also, with CBSAA going international, it’s not actually in their interests to give away Lower Decks to any other streaming platform. Perhaps they’re offering less countries as part of the deal, knowing where they plan to launch AA next year? We have no idea.
I wouldn’t be surprised to see them put LD on linear TV, and keep the streaming rights for themselves.