The actor pointed out that one pivotal moment from the OG series would now be labeled “woke DEI crap,” adding, “Not a lot seems to have changed.”

William Shatner shuts down ‘woke’* Star Trek backlash after Starfleet Academy* cancellation

The actor pointed out that one pivotal moment from the OG series would now be labeled "woke DEI crap," adding, "Not a lot seems to have changed."

By Shania Russell

Shania Russell

Shania Russell is a news writer at *, *with five years of experience. Her work has previously appeared in SlashFilm and Paste Magazine.

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on March 25, 2026 5:17 p.m. ET

William Shatner and Nichelle Nichols on 'Star Trek'. Credit:

William Shatner is sharing his take on the negative backlash directed at *Star Trek: Starfleet Academy*, which some critics have deemed "too woke" for the franchise.

Following news that the YA-centric *Star Trek* series will conclude after its second season, Shatner took to social media to express his "sorrow" over the cancellation — and also took time to mock the critics celebrating the show's abrupt end.

"*Star Trek *exists in more than one world. It exists in the fantasy of science fiction — weird and wonderful things that play [out] unimaginable possibilities of exploration and human endeavor," Shatner began a series of social media posts on Monday. "But it also exists in the fantasy of human beings, the perfection of human beings, the exploration that human beings have made since the dawn of time and the continuing exploration - physically mentally and morally."

He continued, "It’s that aspect of *Star Trek *that I’ve always loved, to look at something physically that doesn’t exist now by these talented writers & designers but also to tackle the eternal human questions, the agonies, the ecstasies."

William Shatner in 2025.

Erika Goldring/Getty

*Starfleet Academy* made its polarizing debut in January. While some viewers praised the show as a fresh and charming addition to the franchise, others on social media mocked its diverse casting and spread of storylines, which included the introduction of the first openly gay Klingon character.

The series even caught the attention of President Donald Trump's Homeland Security adviser Stephen Miller, who shared a clip from the show and urged Paramount to "save" the franchise by giving Shatner "total creative control."

But Shatner, who first took on the iconic role of Captain Kirk in 1966, argued that the criticisms of* Starfleet Academy* are not so different from the backlash that *Star Trek *sparked in its earliest days. He illustrated his point by referencing the 1968 kiss between Kirk and Nichelle Nichols' Uhura, a moment widely considered to be the first interracial on-camera kiss to occur on scripted American television. It came at the height of America's civil rights conflicts and earned a controversial response.

"During the first airing of my *Star Trek* series where a kiss was objectionable; many southern stations pulled the episode & condemned the show," Shatner wrote. "Using today’s vernacular, it would absolutely be called 'woke DEI crap' because it went against 'norms' of society for its time. Not a lot seems to have changed."

William Shatner and Nichelle Nichols share a groundbreaking kiss on 'Star Trek'.

Shatner pointed out that a similar backlash was sparked by the *Next Gen* series, writing that it received "tons of hate" because it "wasn’t *Star Trek*."

He concluded, "*Star Trek* is different for everyone."

*Starfleet Academy* takes place in the universe's 32nd century, after the events of *Star Trek: Discovery. *Combining college life with the high-stakes energy of interspace missions, the show follows a new class of students and teachers attending the re-established academy, as they work together to pursue a common dream of hope and optimism

The first season aired its season finale on March 12. On Monday, CBS Studios and Paramount+ released a joint statement announcing that the second season, which recently wrapped production, would be the last.

Kerrice Brooks as Sam and Holly Hunter as Nahla on 'Starfleet Academy'.

"We’re incredibly proud of the ambition, passion, and creativity that went into bringing* Star Trek: Starfleet Academy* to life," the statement read. "The series introduced audiences to a bold new group of characters, welcomed familiar faces, and expanded the *Star Trek *universe in exciting new ways… We look forward to sharing the upcoming second and final season with everyone, and continuing to celebrate the cast, crew, and all that was accomplished with this series."

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This was accompanied by an open letter from series co-showrunners and executive producers Alex Kurtzman and Noga Landau, who expressed their appreciation to the "hundreds of hardworking humans who pour every ounce of their talents" into the making of the show.

"*Star Trek *places its bet on the best in human nature," they added. "It dares to imagine a society of 'infinite diversity in infinite combinations,' free of war, hate, poverty, disease, and repression, and dedicated to the spirit of scientific inquiry and respect for all life, whether carbon or silicon-based, green-skinned or blue."

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