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Star Trek: Prodigy to Debut on Paramount+

The children's oriented animated Star Trek series marks a first for the franchise

By Pedigo Tue 02 Mar, 2021 2:34 PM - Last Updated: Tue 02 Mar, 2021 11:33 PM
Turns out, there's going to be even more Star Trek on Paramount+ than initially anticipated.

Star Trek: Prodigy will now be making it's premiere on the newly branded platform later this year. Originally the kids orientated CG-animated series was set for Nickelodeon. The 20-episode first season of the series created by Kevin and Dan Hageman will have a second window on the cable channel following its Paramount+ premiere. The debut date for the first ever Star Trek series for children has yet been announced.

Prodigy centers on six young outcasts who know nothing about the ship they have commandeered, a first in the history of the Star Trek franchise. Over the course of their adventures together, they will each be introduced to Starfleet and the ideals it represents. Kate Mulgrew was previously announced as reprising the iconic role of Captain Kathryn Janeway to lead this brand new Prodigy bridge crew.

Speaking with TrekMovies, Mulgrew explained how she never thought she'd be back in the captain's chair. Mulgrew explained, "Frankly, the negotiations took quite a long time. It(s) animated as you know. I think only of live-action when I think of Captain Janeway, live-action being what it is: very rigorous, very challenging, and often quite daunting. So when Alex Kurtzman presented me with this idea I wasn’t entirely sure, and then over the months the conversation evolved into what we could bring to an entirely new demographic of watchers. This being of course young people, and their mothers and their grandmothers. There will be crowded living rooms. I thought that the idea of bringing this to young minds is too exciting, too provocative, and too promising. And that is what sold me in the end."

Similar to what Disney+ has done with their Marvel and Star Wars properties and what HBO Max has done with its DC superhero content, Paramount+ will now have its entire Star Trek franchise in one place. Along with Prodigy, there will be Star Trek: Discovery, Star Trek: Picard, the animated series Star Trek: Lower Decks, and the upcoming Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. There will be hundreds of episodes of the original Star Trek series, the Next Generation, all the rest, plus the Star Trek movies.


What are your thoughts on Prodigy? Is it something you plan on watching with your kids? Sound off below!


WRITTEN BY Pedigo
EDITED BY Silek
10 Comments
Tue 02 Mar, 2021 2:39 PM
Not gonna lie, I'm looking forward to prodigy, it will be refreshing having a trek show with such uniquely designed characters instead of the standard fare. Another excellent article, well done.
Tue 02 Mar, 2021 2:45 PM
Something else to look forward to.

Here's hoping that Netflix holds onto its Star Trek catalogue as there's no date for when Paramount+ will be available on this side of the pond...
Tue 02 Mar, 2021 3:48 PM
Enjoy my thoughts using these Dragon's Den gifs, consider it a special episode!











Tue 02 Mar, 2021 4:11 PM
Honestly even if it's aimed at younger audiences if it's anything like Star Wars: Resistance, Rebels or Clone Wars to some extent it should be pretty good. Those three (especially Resistance) seem to be quite good at tying in to the bigger universe whilst still having time for some fun and games for younger viewers.
Tue 02 Mar, 2021 11:55 PM
Something else to look forward to.

Here's hoping that Netflix holds onto its Star Trek catalogue as there's no date for when Paramount+ will be available on this side of the pond...
My exact thought too.

I am definitely curious to see the direction they will take. A ST show aimed at a younger audience might bring a whole new generation of fans to the table, plus, the remark that older fans too will find enough to enjoy gets me all the more curious as to what the show will bring to the table for our age groups.
Will it be plenty of references to fan favourites like they did in Lower Decks, or will we get multi-layered stories. In the best case both.

The art style looks solid, and I generally like the design of all the characters.
My personal favourite fact is, that they are all aliens.
They can use the format to go wild with non-humanoids, which I am definitely looking forward to.
(On that remark though, I was a little sad to not see any 'known' exotic aliens. It might have been a perfect chance to sneak in something like a Gorn or so.)
Wed 03 Mar, 2021 2:09 AM
I am always excited about "fresh, new, trek" coming to us. This one being purposed for kids makes it even more exciting. My kid never got into Trek as much as he did into Wars. Seing my own 'timeline', starting at age 6 and 9 on Star Wars (1980 and 1983) i didn't get into Trek myself until "encounter at farpoint" aired in my country (early 1987) and that was when i was 13. My kid being 11 now, having grown up on Star Wars (and almost making me weep with joy and pride when he said "Dad, Kylo Ren is not, and never will be, a Sith. He'll never be worthy of being called that" just thinks Star Trek is boring. I guess it might also be a sighn of the times: Everything that might take effort, attention and an actual brain to enjoy (like most of Star Trek) is labeled boring and dumped down the drain by kids these days it seems. But this animated series sounds and looks like something he, and therefore WE, can enjoy together and create father son moments we'll remember forever and he will want to recreate with his children later!!!!
Wed 03 Mar, 2021 3:20 PM
The 'get them hooked while they're young strategy' has worked in the past. Even with 'Picard', the first one was free.
Thu 04 Mar, 2021 11:29 AM
Sounds interessting, whole new cast, new species. Personally I enjoy new experiences and I fell Star Trek Prodigy got alot of potential.
Thu 04 Mar, 2021 6:59 PM
So am i reading this right and is it not set to air on Nickelodeon?
Or will it be on both?
Thu 04 Mar, 2021 7:40 PM
The way I read it, it will premier on Paramount +, then be licensed to Nickelodeon for a second run.