Star Trek: Lower Decks will "send off" the series but not without some possible new stories to tell

We've said goodbye to so many shows so far in the last two years. Star Trek saw Discovery, Picard, Short Treks, Prodigy, and now Lower Decks all canceled. All of them, save for Lower Decks, have aired their final episodes. Finals that were spurned on due to rising costs, lowered interest, and a streaming service that's hemorrhaging money worse than a Xenomorph victim. Already this year Discovery has said goodbye, and while Prodigy has a second shot at life, Lower Decks likely does not.

It's been canceled and there appears no interest from anyone else to pick up the animated comedy series. Likely due to a lack of comparable fan support, as opposed to something like Prodigy. Despite that, and the fact a season six seems beyond unlikely, that hasn't stopped the cast and crew from really hitting it home with the final episodes.

Mike McMahan, the creator of the show, recently spoke to the Verse Podcast (via TrekMovie.com) and revealed that this ending was the one he wanted to tell, saying;

"“The ending of season 5 it is the ending of a chapter that I knew I wanted to do."

He's quick to say there are potential spinoff jumping points in the final season, should Alex Kurtzman want to further explore those ideas, but he's also aware that a new show, or even film may not happen. Which is why he's open to continuing these stories any way he can.

""...it feels like the end of a chapter, not the end of a series. I would always be into doing more seasons, movies, comics, novels…”"

Perhaps he's right. Maybe we'll see Lower Decks in a new film or comic or novel sometime soon. I wouldn't hold my breath, however. The comic seems the most likely medium to see an official continuation, as it's among less expensive options, but a film doesn't seem as likely. If there was enough interest for a film, we'd hazard to guess that the show wouldn't have been canceled in the first place.