Plot: A group of lawless teens, exiled on a mining colony outside Federation space, discover a derelict Starfleet ship. Dal must gather an unlikely crew for their newfound ship if they are going to escape Tars Lamora, but the Diviner and his daughter Gwyn have other plans.
Review: When Lower Decks premiered last year, it held the distinction of being the first animated Star Trek series since the 1973 original series cartoon. While Lower Decks has enjoyed success in its blend of Rick & Morty humor crossed with Seth MacFarlane’s The Orville, it was still aimed at a decidedly mature audience. Now, Paramount+ and Nickelodeon have collaborated on Star Trek: Prodigy, an ambitious CGI animated adventure that emulates the style of Star Wars series Clone Wars and Resistance. The result is an action-packed journey through a very different lens that takes Star Trek in an exciting new direction. And, while it is aimed at a younger demographic, it is absolutely the most fun Star Trek has been in years.
Star Trek: Prodigy manages to succeed mainly because it skirts the restrictions that every other Trek series has faced over the years by taking most of the main mythology out of the equation. Set in the far reaches of the galaxy with characters who are unaware of Starfleet or the Federation, Prodigy is able to reintroduce the core elements of what Star Trek has meant without all of the bureaucratic layers of government and hierarchies of rank. In fact, over the three episodes made available for this review, the lone elements of Star Trek are the presence of Kate Mulgrew as Star Trek Voyager‘s Captain Kathryn Janeway and a single Federation starship, the Protostar. Just how this advanced ship found its way into the far reaches of the Delta Quadrant is not answered at the outset of the series, but by taking a reverse course from Voyager (these characters are heading towards Earth and the Alpha Quadrant), we get to see them develop relationships and bonds as the story progresses.
The characters that populate this series are all unique designs from what we have seen before. Led by Dal (Bretty Gray), a purple-skinned alien of unknown origin, the characters are mostly younger. Dal is 17 as is his frenemy Gwyn (Ella Purnell), the daughter of The Diviner, warden of a prison colony asteroid that opens the series. We also have Zero (Angus Imrie), a non-corporeal Medusan who lives in a containment suit, Rok-Tahk (Rylee Alazraqui), a giant stone-like alien who is really an 8-year-old child, and the always funny Jason Mantsoukas as Jankom Pog, a Tellarite engineer who always says the opposite. These characters come together as the crew of the Protostar and learn about the morals and principles of Starfleet from the ship’s emergency hologram, played by Mulgrew.
The Diviner, voiced by the great John Noble (Fringe, Lord of the Rings), is a scary antagonist reminiscent of Ricardo Montalban’s Khan with his sights set on controlling the Protostar. He is aided by robotic enforcer Drednok (Westworld’s Jimmi Simpson) who could be the Trek equivalent of Darth Vader. Both villains are impressively dastardly and could easily rank as some of the most memorable Trek bad guys. Along the way, we are to expect appearances from famous voices like Daveed Diggs, Jameela Jamil, Jason Alexander, and Voyager alum Robert Beltran as Chakotay, but in these first episodes, the focus is squarely on the newly created characters and their journey.
Created by Kevin and Dan Hageman, the team behind LEGO Ninjago, Trollhunters, and Scary Stories To Tell in the Dark, Star Trek: Prodigy reminded me instantly of Star Wars: The Clone Wars in that both series are appropriate for younger viewers but are both absolutely engaging for long-time franchise fans. The animation style is vibrant and the action is intense while still featuring the hallmarks of Star Trek. Michael Giacchino provides the theme which anchors moments in the Trek universe while giving this series a distinct and unique feel that is carried on by composer Nami Melamud. At various times while watching these episodes, I forgot that I was watching an animated show. The character designs are clearly not rooted in realism, but even the appearance of Janeway looks very much like Kate Mulgrew. The quality of this series is far better than I was ever expecting it to be.
As a lifelong Star Trek fan, I have always heard people brush off the series as being the polar opposite of the space opera action of Star Wars. Prodigy proves that it is entirely possible for Gene Roddenberry’s vision to be both action-packed and thought-provoking. I am excited for this series to debut so a new generation can be introduced to Star Trek. I imagine this series gaining a level of popularity similar to The Clone Wars. If that means we get more Star Trek in animated form because of this show, I am all for it. Star Trek: Prodigy is a rip-roaring adventure that will keep adults engaged, make kids think, and opens up endless possibilities for Star Trek more than any other series since the 1966 original.
Star Trek: Prodigy premieres on October 28th on Paramount+.
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