Star Trek has a new opening for its 60th anniversary – but there’s one major problem

In the United States, Gene Roddenberry’s science fiction series “Star Trek” debuted on September 8, 1966, a date often considered the series’ official anniversary. Of course, if you’re Canadian, you have to see the series debut two days earlier, so the “official” anniversary isn’t entirely accurate. Regardless, “Star Trek” will celebrate its 60th anniversary in 2026, which is a cause celebre for Trekkies everywhere. Naturally, the creators of “Star Trek” would like to remind you of this fact as often as possible, and one way to do that is to include a 60th anniversary vanity card at the start of each new “Star Trek” series on Paramount+.

Since 2017, all Paramount+ “Star Trek” shows have started with a specialized vanity card that depicts a Starfleet ship plotting a Starfleet delta, all to the strains of the original “Star Trek” theme song by Alexander Courage. The ship would change depending on the series. “Star Trek: Discovery” featured the USS Discovery, “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” featured that show’s version of the USS Enterprise, and so on. The new series “Star Trek: Starfleet Academy” will be the first to introduce the all-in-one 60th anniversary vanity card, which features every notable starship from every high-profile “Star Trek” series to date, from the original Enterprise, through the Enterprise-D from “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” and the title ship from “Star Trek: Voyager.”

Fans of the animated series “Star Trek: Lower Decks”, however, will be upset to learn that the USS Cerritos, the central ship of this series, is unfortunately absent. It’s an infuriating omission, given that “Lower Decks” is one of the most successful (and, frankly, best) “Star Trek” series in recent memory. Also missing is the USS Protostar, the high-speed central ship of “Star Trek: Prodigy.”

The omission of the USS Cerritos from “Star Trek: Lower Decks” is baffling. The animated series, to remind readers, was about a lesser ship in the Starfleet fleet, usually tasked with the less sexy and more boring tasks in the Federation. The main characters of the series were not the bridge superiors, but a quartet of ensigns who performed very tedious jobs on the Cerritos. If we are to accept “Star Trek” as a workplace show, then “Lower Decks” served as a perfect counterpoint to shows like “Star Trek: The Next Generation.” Sometimes work in Starfleet isn’t very dignified. Regardless, the four main characters managed to grow, if only a little, over the course of the series, all reaching the rank of lieutenant, junior rank. The series had a lot of heartand was lousy with the “Star Trek” references. Attentive Trekkies were well rewarded with “Lower Decks”.

The series was a success that ran for 50 episodes over its five seasons. It’s as long as “Star Trek: Discovery.” And yet the Discovery was included in the 60th anniversary vanity card, and the Cerritos was not. For what?

Of course, the ending of “Lower Decks” is part of a massive selection of “Star Trek” shows in the franchise. There was a brief period where six “Star Trek” shows aired simultaneously, which clearly wasn’t sustainable. “Lower Decks” was allowed to air for five seasons, which was generous considering the fate of other series in the franchise.

One could perhaps understand why the creators of the 60th anniversary vanity card were asked to omit the USS Protostar, in light of how “Star Trek: Prodigy” was treated.

“Prodigy”, as his fans can tell you (in a frustrated tone), was infamously canceled before its second season aired. Then, to rub salt in the wound, Paramount+ bafflingly removed the series from its service completely. Paramount+ billed itself as the “Star Trek” network and wanted to be the only place “Star Trek” was available. Removing “Prodigy” from the available lineup of “Star Trek” content seemed counterintuitive to everyone. All this brouhaha gave Trekkies the impression that Paramount wanted nothing to do with the series. He was the rejected younger brother of the family, kicked out of the house for unknown reasons. Of course, maybe the show’s cancellation wasn’t personal; this also happened during the great slaughter. (The “Star Trek” franchise had its own metaphorical version of The Burn, a cataclysmic event depicted in “Discovery.”)

The second season of “Prodigy” has finally been picked up by Netflix. Despite a cadre of passionate advocates, “Prodigy” was not renewed.

Of course, the new series “Starfleet Academy” does not hesitate to make references to “Prodigy”. A Brikar, Rok-Tahk’s species from “Prodigy”, makes an appearance in one of the first episodes. The vanity card does not recognize the series, but will still contain “Prodigy” Easter eggs.

As it stands, the 60th anniversary vanity card includes the Enterprise, Enterprise-A, Enterprise-D, Defiant, Voyager, Enterprise NX-01, Discovery, Enterprise again (as in “Strange New Worlds”), and Athena.