Alex Kurtzman acknowledges the primary fan base of Star Trek needs to be served first

There are plenty of fans who don't like the new Star Trek series or the changes that have been made to the canon. For instance, introducing Michael Burnham as Spock's adoptive sister didn't go over very well nor did the initial appearance of the Klingons in season one of Star Trek: Discovery. Discovery has continued on for five seasons, though, and the series will wrap this May. So it found its place among Star Trek fans.

Still, those who never liked it or the humor in Star Trek: Lower Decks or the darkness of Star Trek: Picard usually point the finger in one direction—Alex Kurtzman. Even though he has said before he does listen to the fans, that doesn't mean he always does what we want him to do. But at least he listens, and in a recent profile of Star Trek in Variety, Kurtzman acknowledges something many fans think he's long forgotten about—the primary fan base.

"“You cannot create new fans to the exclusion of old fans. You must serve your primary fan base first and you must keep them happy. That is one of the most important steps to building new fans.”"

- Alex Kurtzman

Many fans will argue that Kurtzman was the wrong choice to head the Star Trek franchise and expand it on streaming channels and on movie screens. But success can't be denied, and the Trek series that debuted beginning in 2017 have all been successful. Yes, they have garnered their fair share of dislikes, but they have also brought in new fans and encouraged primary fans to get more involved in the Trek community.

Trek fans are speaking out more, making their voices heard on social media, and because of that, we were gifted with a spin-off from Star Trek: Discovery, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. Fans also worked together to find a new home for Star Trek: Prodigy after it was cancelled by Paramount+. So our voices are loud, and even though we think we aren't being heard, Kurtzman's words tell us that we are.

Will Star Trek ever be as it once was when viewers were first finding the shows like The Original Series or The Next Generation? No because time moves on, things change, and different paths are taken. Sometimes, those paths aren't the best, but oftentimes, they create a stellar entertainment experience. And that's the ultimate goal.