Star Trek's newest series, Starfleet Academy, is in production for the first season of the series, but in October 2024, the series was renewed for a second season. Paramount executives don't know how the new series will be accepted by fans, and it's a risky manuever to take a chance on the first season, let alone a second.
Though there has been some speculation that this is a cost-effective measure because there are fans looking forward to the series due to its setting and going behind the scenes of the Academy where every Starfleet officer got their start...well, most of them. There were one or two, like Jeri Ryan's Seven of Nine that got a field commission. So once the sets are built, it's easier to renew the series than to invest in an even newer series.
However, there are plenty of fans still wondering why Starfleet Academy was chosen over Star Trek: Legacy. Yes, there is the object of money, but with stars like Holly Hunter, Robert Picardo, and Paul Giamatti joining the roster, this new series can't be inexpensive to produce. On top of that, there were massive sets to be built, whereas sets for series like Star Trek: Discovery were already in place. And Lower Decks already had a built in fan base with dedicated viewing numbers. So that goes back to my question of why Starfleet Academy was renewed before the execs have any idea what to expect in terms of viewers?
Yes, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds was renewed for season two before season one aired, but because of the fan campaign to get a series led by Anson Mount, Paramount already knew it had viewers waiting. Star Trek: Discovery was renewed for a second season due to the increase in the number of subscriptions for CBS All Access during its first season. While there are plenty of fans talking about Starfleet Academy, that's not a guarantee those fans will tune in.
Star Trek fans have already expressed the types of series they want, and one about the Academy wasn't at the top of the list. That isn't to say it won't be successful. But Paramount made a risky move when it cancelled Star Trek: Prodigy, and Paramount+ lost subscribers because of it. Though we want Starfleet Academy to succeed, many fans aren't happy with the cancellation of Lower Decks, Discovery, and Prodigy. So Paramount really is taking a chance on this series.