CBS reveals schedule and plot details for Star Trek: Short Treks series

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

The second season of Star Trek: Discovery won't debut until early next year, but thankfully, there will still be a little bit of Star Trek in our lives throughout the remainder of the year. CBS had previously announced that a series of four stand-alone Star Trek stories would fill the gap between the first and second season's of Discovery. "There is no shortage of compelling stories to tell in the Star Trek universe that inspire, entertain and either challenge our preconceived ideas or affirm long-held beliefs, and we are excited to broaden the universe already with Short Treks," Star Trek: Discovery showrunner Alex Kurtzman said at San Diego Comic-Con in July.  "Each episode will deliver closed-ended stories while revealing clues about what's to come in future Star Trek: Discovery episodes. They'll also introduce audiences to new characters who may inhabit the larger world of Star Trek." Now, CBS has revealed just when these shorts will air as well as plot details for each one.

“Runaway” – Thursday, Oct. 4

Onboard the U.S.S. Discovery, Ensign Tilly (Mary Wiseman) encounters an unexpected visitor in need of help. However, this unlikely pair may have more in common than meets the eye.

Written by Jenny Lumet & Alex Kurtzman. Directed by Maja Vrvilo.

“Calypso” – Thursday, Nov. 8

After waking up in an unfamiliar sickbay, Craft (Aldis Hodge) finds himself on board a deserted ship, and his only companion and hope for survival is an A.I. computer interface.

Teleplay by Michael Chabon. Story by Sean Cochran and Michael Chabon. Directed by Olatunde Osunsanmi.

“The Brightest Star” – Thursday, Dec. 6

Before he was the first Kelpien to join Starfleet, Saru (Doug Jones) lived a simple life on his home planet of Kaminar with his father and sister. Young Saru, full of ingenuity and a level of curiosity uncommon among his people, yearns to find out what lies beyond his village, leading him on an unexpected path.

Written by Bo Yeon Kim & Erika Lippoldt. Directed by Douglas Aarniokoski.

“The Escape Artist” – Thursday, Jan. 3

Harry Mudd (Rainn Wilson), back to his old tricks of stealing and double-dealing, finds himself in a precarious position aboard a hostile ship – just in time to try out his latest con.

Written by Michael McMahan. Directed by Rainn Wilson.

Each of the episodes will run approximately 10-15 minutes and will be an "opportunity for fans to dive deeper into key themes and characters that fit into Star Trek: Discovery and the expanding Star Trek universe." As pumped as I am for a little more Star Trek in my life, I would hope that future installments of Short Treks will branch out and explore more characters that we're not already familiar with. Given that CBS seems intent on expanding the Star Trek franchise considerably over the next few years, it's probably a good bet that Short Treks will continue. In addition to Star Trek: Discovery and Short Treks, there's also another series in development which will see Patrick Stewart return as Jean-Luc Picard.