Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 Returns to Its Action-Adventure Roots, Says Jonathan Frakes

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Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 Returns to Its Action-Adventure Roots, Says Jonathan Frakes

Actor and director Jonathan Frakes says the fifth and final season of Star Trek: Discovery will return to its roots as a sci-fi television series heavily focused on action and adventure.

Frakes, best known for his portrayal of Commander William Riker in Star Trek: The Next Generation, has continued his journey in the Star Trek universe as the man behind the camera. He has also directed multiple episodes of Star Trek: Discovery, including the final season.

During an interview published in Star Trek Explorer #8 (via ComicBook.com), Frakes compared the upcoming season to the action-packed Indiana Jones films, saying, “The first half of the season finale of Discovery, by the way, is Indiana Jones this year instead of the heavy emo of season four.”

He went on to say that Season 5 brings the sci-fi series back to its roots. “Discovery is back on track as an action-adventure show, and I guess they got their marching orders to maintain that. Everybody has embraced it, from Michelle Paradise and Alex, down through the cast. There’s a new energy and a new mandate,” he said. “It was a thrill for me to find some levity in some of those scenes. That’s why First Contact was successful, because you build and then add just a little levity to let them steam out, so you can restart.”

Star Trek: Discovery’s Previous Season Took an Emotional and Intimate Turn

Star Trek: Discovery was an action-adventure series from the get-go, though Season 4 explored a rather different direction, following Cleveland “Book” Booker’s (played by David Ajala) grief after losing his home planet of Kwejian, as well as his strained relationship with Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green). Now that Frakes is teasing that the series will be back where it started, fans of the show can expect an action-filled season finale of the beloved television show.

The synopsis for Season 5 reads: “The final season will find Captain Burnham and the crew of the U.S.S. Discovery uncovering a mystery that will send them on an epic adventure across the galaxy to find an ancient power whose very existence has been deliberately hidden for centuries. But there are others on the hunt as well . . . dangerous foes who are desperate to claim the prize for themselves and will stop at nothing to get it.”

Created by Bryan Fuller and Alex Kurtzman, Star Trek: Discovery also stars Doug Jones as Saru, Mary Wiseman as Sylvia Tilly, Blu del Barrio as Adira, Anthony Rapp as Paul Stamets, Callum Keith Rennie as Rayner, and Wilson Cruz as Dr. Hugh Culber.

Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 will reportedly premiere in early 2024.