Spoilers Why I think Discovery is ending after season 4

[Takeru]

If Discovery was ending this Season, the series would still be airing on Netflix. Paramount/viacom/cbs wouldn't have forked out money to pay out the contract with Netflix if they intended on cancelling the show. The whole reason the deal fell apart was because Netflix wanted another multi-season contract, which obviously didn't jive with the plans for Paramount +. There is also the recent interview with Bob Bakish the head of viacom, indicating that he was pretty pleased with the amount of new subscriptions Discovery brought with it in november.

My guess is the delay on announcing season 5 has something to do with the end of the netflix deal.

I'm quoting this because it needs to be said again. There will be a fifth season and more beyond that, they clearly want to use Discovery to get people to sign up to the international Paramount+ services. Pulling the show of Netflix and paying a lot of money to be able to do so only makes sense if the show is successful and they have longterm plans, not of it's ending before the international P+ even get off the ground.

 

[Char Kais]

I'm quoting this because it needs to be said again. There will be a fifth season and more beyond that, they clearly want to use Discovery to get people to sign up to the international Paramount+ services. Pulling the show of Netflix and paying a lot of money to be able to do so only makes sense if the show is successful and they have longterm plans, not of it's ending before the international P+ even get off the ground.

There is no writers' room set up as of today (compare that to PIC and SNW):
https://directories.wga.org/project/1134306/star-trek-discovery/
https://directories.wga.org/project/1186679/star-trek-picard/
https://directories.wga.org/project/1216548/star-trek-strange-new-worlds/

There is no studio space booked in Toronto:
https://www.iatse873.com/current_productions

For previous seasons you could see studio space bookings months in advance.
You can see the reservation for Strange New Worlds S2 (codename Lily and Isaac - Season 2)

EDIT:
Anthony Pascale from TrekMovie.com (hardcore NuTrek fan, not a NuTrek hater), speculated the rights of Discovery were entangled with spin-off shows like Strange New Worlds, and that is the reason they got it back.
ViacomCBS wanted a clean-cut and that Strange New Worlds has no ties to Netflix anymore.

 

[STEPhon IT]

The writers have mentioned in tweets about getting back to work a few months ago, it seems like they're planning out a fifth season and writing it even if it hasn't been announced yet. I highly doubt it's ending anytime soon.

Probably a good sign the studio could be gearing DISCO up for a major motion picture run; something I always felt should've been from the start.

 

[Dukhat]

Probably a good sign the studio could be gearing DISCO up for a major motion picture run; something I always felt should've been from the start.

Not if Paramount has anything to say about it.

 

[F. King Daniel]

Probably a good sign the studio could be gearing DISCO up for a major motion picture run; something I always felt should've been from the start.

Long Treks on P+, but would anyone really go to the cinema to see Michael, Saru and Tilly?

 

[Awesome Possum]

Probably a good sign the studio could be gearing DISCO up for a major motion picture run; something I always felt should've been from the start.

I don't think that's going to happen anytime soon. I wouldn't doubt that they have plans for some sort of straight to streaming movie, but I fully expect season 5 of Discovery.

Long Treks on P+, but would anyone really go to the cinema to see Michael, Saru and Tilly?

P+ is already producing a lot of direct to streaming movies, so far they've done two South Park specials and a Reno 911 movie in the past two months. They will almost certainly do some sort of Trek movie like this at some point.

 

[Char Kais]

The writers have mentioned in tweets about getting back to work a few months ago, it seems like they're planning out a fifth season and writing it even if it hasn't been announced yet. I highly doubt it's ending anytime soon.

Writing for Discovery is a union job. If they are writing on season 5 for months now, why is it not in the union database?

https://directories.wga.org/project/1134306/star-trek-discovery/

And "few months ago" they were still shooting S4 https://web.archive.org/web/20210912215057/https://www.iatse873.com/current_productions (last day of shooting for S4 was August 21, 2021). Maybe it had to do with that.

 

[DaveyNY]

Yet we've already heard that They are in the middle of writing episodes for Season 5.

If there were no changes to the folks writing the show, then there probably would not be any reason to have a new union listing.

 

[Cyrus]

But what about season 6? There has been no mention of it anywhere, not even in this thread. I am getting worried.

 

[The Wormhole]

But what about season 6?

Cancelled, obviously.

 

[Vger23]

Cancelled, obviously.

Not only is the show obviously cancelled, but it’s been cancelled 4 times already, making it the worst, most hated show in the history of mankind.

Additionally, I have it on good authority that not only will it not see a 5th season, but all the previous seasons and episodes will be erased from existence due to how universally despicable the series is.

 

[The Wormhole]

I understand all this will be elaborated on when it's officially announced that Kurtzman's been fired. Again.

 

[STEPhon IT]

Long Treks on P+, but would anyone really go to the cinema to see Michael, Saru and Tilly?

I would, and I'm sure my friends would too, despite the disbelief here... DISCO's world feels a lot like JJTrek. Taking these characters to the big screen and leaving out or better yet cancelling out all of the connect the dots crap to TOS and move forward in creating an appropriate cinematic tale for them would be interesting. General Audiences don't need much homework to know they're watching Star Trek, and whatever the budget is - these projects are events when done right.

 

[gblews]

So I think there’s no reason that the show is needed or unique. And I am enjoying it.

You could have led with this and saved some typing.
To me, your thoughts sound like you think that because some storylines have been resolved and there has been character development, the show has completed it’s journey.You could write these same things about just about any show, especially in a show’s fifth season.

You’re entitled to think the things you list are a definite indication DSC is in it’s last season, but I think it’s unlikely. I don’t think there is any way DSC will end before advance notice is given that it’s in it’s final season. This is not network TV.

Additionally, your statement above sounds like you don’t like DSC and are possibly interpreting some (supposed objective) thoughts through a negative lens.

BTW, there are lots of people who “need” more DSC. Oh, and DSC is yet another spinoff, so it can only so “unique.” It’s about as unique as all the other spins.

 

[STEPhon IT]

When DISCO end its run, I am sure every media outlet will let the world know it is happening. Every Trek series had this treatment and I doubt it will be no different with this one. This show was the 1st running streaming Trek series; it means something I think.

 

[Odo]

TBH, I wouldn't be surprised if we got another three seasons of DISCO.

 

[Vger23]

TBH, I wouldn't be surprised if we got another three seasons of DISCO.

At this phase, it probably depends as much on the lead cast’s willingness to hang in than any studio business decisions.

 

[STEPhon IT]

I am really shocked, no one here would like to see DISCO as a major motion picture??? I am not a fan of this show but I would like to see what these characters could do on a larger canvas in cinemas, but not DISCO fans. Wow!

 

[fireproof78]

I am really shocked, no one here would like to see DISCO as a major motion picture??? I am not a fan of this show but I would like to see what these characters could do on a larger canvas in cinemas, but not DISCO fans. Wow!

Not really, no.

 

[Ray Hardgrit]

I'd definitely be down to watch a big budget Discovery movie in four or five years time. I'd rather they did a few feature-length stories like Dark Frontier or Way of the Warrior first though.