The animated Star Trek show, cancelled by Paramount+, was saved by Netflix.
The story of Star Trek: Prodigy, franchise’s children-focussed animated spinoff, has been an eventful one.
Launched on Nickelodeon and Paramount+, the show was a success and swiftly recommissioned. However, it later fell foul of Paramount’s cost-cutting last June. With a second season all but complete, it seemed that new episodes might never air.
That’s until Netflix (Star Trek: Discovery‘s former home) stepped in, with a deal to take both runs of the show. Season 1 debuted on Christmas Day, with Season 2 expected to arrive some time in 2024.
The show, Star Trek’s first aimed at younger audiences, following a crew of young aliens who must figure out how to work together while navigating a greater galaxy, in search for a better future. These outcasts begin knowing nothing about the Protostar, the Federation ship they commandeer, but over the course of their adventures discover Starfleet and its ideals.
While the crew are all-new, franchise characters play a part – principally Kate Mulgrew reprising her role as Voyager‘s Captain, now Admiral, Janeway. Other guest voices include her former first officer Chatokay (Robert Beltram) and the second season promises the return of Robert Picardo’s holographic Doctor.
The future?
Now, the show’s creators Dan and Kevin Hageman are optimistically holding the door open for a Season 3. Speaking on an episode of Virtual Trek Con’s Star Trek and Chill podcast, which we picked up via ComicBook.com, Dan Hageman talked about how Season 2 ends saying:
“It really wraps everything you want out of Seasons 1 and 2, but really opens the door to what Season 3 potentially could be. And whether that hits now, or in five years, or whenever the time is right, it’ll feel natural, which I’m really happy about.”
Kevin Hageman added:
“Dan’s saying, worst case scenario, we never get picked up again, there’s no more Star Trek: Prodigy ever, we feel like the end of Season 2 is a really beautiful closing,” he says. “It’ll feel complete. But there’s still… what we do is there’s a great little promise of something.”
However, that note of hope comes with the caveat that, as an animated show, we’d be looking at a two or possibly three year gap. We’re keeping our fingers crossed.
Star Trek: Prodigy comes from CBS Studios’ Eye Animation Productions, Nickelodeon Animation, Secret Hideout and Roddenberry Entertainment. The co-showrunners and executive producers are Kevin and Dan Hageman, along with Alex Kurtzman, Heather Kadin, Aaron Baiers, Rod Roddenberry and Trevor Roth. Additionally, Ben Hibon directs, executive produces and is the show’s “creative lead.”
We’ll keep you posted.