Summary
Netflix is set to beat Paramount+ to the punch by streamingStar Trek: Prodigyseason 2 before a single minute of Paramount’s nextStar Trekshowis filmed.Prodigyseason 2 has had a rocky road to screens, first being canceled by Paramount, before finding a new home on Netflix thanks, in part, to a passionate fan campaign.Star Trek:Prodigyseason 2will pick up the story of Dal R’El (Brett Gray) and his crew as they gain hands-on experience of what it takes to be Starfleet officers, courtesy of the mentorship of Admiral Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) and the Doctor (Robert Picardo).
Although they’re set 800 years apart, the upcoming YAStar Trek: Discoveryspinoff,Star Trek: Starfleet Academy,bears similarities to Netlfix’s animated series.While the target audience ofStar Trek: Prodigyis certainly younger than that ofStarfleet Academy, both shows areStar Trekcoming-of-age stories. These similarities make the timing ofStarfleet Academy’s announcement andProdigy’s suspicious, but it’s likely just an unfortunate coincidence. Another unfortunate coincidence is thatNetflix dropsProdigyseason 2 in July, months before Paramount+’s upcoming YAStar Trekshow is scheduled to start shooting, meaning thatStarfleet Academycould pale in comparison.
Star Trek: Prodigy Cast Guide: All Returning TNG & Voyager Characters In Season 2
Star Trek: Prodigy’s cast of young alien heroes are joined by legacy characters from TNG and Voyager in season 2.
Netflix’s Star Trek: Prodigy Season 2 Will Beat Paramount Plus’ Starfleet Academy To The Punch
Despite how rigidly compartmentalized Alex Kurtzman has made it, theStar Trekfranchise has dueling Starfleet Academy shows.Star Trek: Prodigywill largely be set aboard the USS Voyager-A, as Dal and his fellow Warrant Officers join Janeway’s mission to save Captain Chakotay (Robert Beltran). While theend ofProdigyseason 1confirmed that Dal and his crew aren’t officially Starfleet Academy cadets, season 2’s theme of coming-of-age and learning what it takes to become an officer is the whole premise of the upcomingStar Trek: Discoveryspinoff.Prodigyalso has the benefit of being aStar Trek: Voyagersequel, meaning that it has a firmly established fictional universe in the form of the 24th century.
As well as Kate Mulgrew, Robert Picardo, and Robert Beltran, it’s been teased that other classicStar Trekcharacters may cameo inStar Trek: Prodigyseason 2.
Compared to theStar Trek: Prodigycharacters rescuing a Starfleet legend from an alternate future,Star Trek: Starfleet Academy’s story of fresh recruits finding their way into higher education sounds incredibly dry. Hopefully, itwon’t be as Earthbound as suggested by the construction ofStarfleet Academy’s primary San Francisco locationon a soundstage in Toronto. However, it could be difficult for the show to escape unfavorable comparisons with a thematically similar yet more vibrant animated series. Not least because,likeProdigy’s Admiral Janeway,Starfleet Academyalsohas a charismatic female mentor, in the form of Holly Hunter’s unnamed Academy Chancellor.
Why Star Trek Is Now So Focused On Starfleet Academy
Constantly trading on the 1990s glory days of the franchise, or revisiting the legendary adventures of theStar Trek: The Original Seriescrew will only go so far.
Star Trek’s dueling Starfleet Academy showsare emblematic of a forward-thinking strategy for the wider franchise.As theStar Trekfranchise approaches its 60th anniversary, it makes sense to start building the next generation of Starfleet legends, be that inStar Trek: ProdigyorStar Trek: Starfleet Academy. Constantly trading on the 1990s glory days of the franchise, or revisiting the legendary adventures of theStar Trek: The Original Seriescrew will only go so far. WhileStar Trekis something that multiple generations enjoy together, kids and young adults often desire a corner of the franchise that’s just for them.
Star Trek: Prodigyseason 1 was such a joy because, as well as telling a greatStar Trekstory, it was a hugely enjoyable and accessible primer for the history of Starfleet and the Federation. Kids that fall in love with the adventures of Hologram Janeway and the crew of the USS Protostar could then ask their parents to show them the adventures of the real-life Janeway and the USS Voyager. Hopefully,Star Trek: Starfleet Academywill have a similar effect on its YA audience, building the next generation of fans and securing the longevity of the franchise for generations to come.
Star Trek: Starfleet Academyseason 1 is scheduled to start production in Fall 2024.
Star Trek: Prodigy season 2 premieres on Netflix on July 1st.
Star Trek: Prodigy
Star Trek: Prodigy is the first TV series in the Star Trek franchise marketed toward children, and one of the few animated series in the franchise. The story follows a group of young aliens who find a stolen Starfleet ship and use it to escape from the Tars Lamora prison colony where they are all held captive. Working together with the help of a holographic Captain Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew), the new crew of the USS Protostar must find their way back to the Alpha Quadrant to warn the Federation of the deadly threat that is pursuing them.
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy follows a group of cadets as they embark on their journey to become Starfleet officers. Facing the challenges of friendship, rivalry, and romance, they confront a new enemy endangering the Academy and the Federation under the guidance of their rigorous instructors.
