A group of children stranded on a hopeless planet gain access to a starship and embark on the adventure of a lifetime. Sound familiar? To any fan of Star Trek: Prodigy (2021), it certainly will.
For this week’s Trek Tuesday, we’re counting down five reasons to watch Prodigy. The animated series is currently streaming on Netflix and available on home video.
An All-Ages Adventure
Prodigy is a series that can truly be enjoyed by viewers of all ages. In some cases, a show or movie being called “all-ages” denotes that it is geared exclusively toward younger audience members. This is not the case with Prodigy.
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While there is nothing in the show that would be inappropriate for young viewers, Prodigy will prove engaging to audience members of any age. This means it’s a show that the entire family can watch together without parents becoming bored or kids losing track of the plot. Better yet, there are both children and adult characters, so everyone can find someone to whom they relate.
A Great Introduction
If you’ve never watched a single episode of Star Trek before, Prodigy is an ideal point of ingress. At the beginning of the series, the main cast has never heard of Starfleet. This is because they’re trapped and exploited on a backwater planet where they’re being forced into menial labor against their will.
For this reason, much of the early episodes are focused on discovering the nature of Starfleet and space travel. Concepts like the definition of a “M-Class Planet” are explained. Some of the alien species you’ll meet in other Franchise shows are introduced. The mechanics of Franchise mainstays, like warp drive and teleportation, are demonstrated. After watching Prodigy, viewers will better understand any of the other Star Trek shows.
Fantastic for Legacy Fans
But that isn’t to say that deeply entrenched Trekkies will find Prodigy redundant: quite the contrary. For one thing, reviewing some of the basic tenets of the Franchise can be an enjoyable experience. This is especially true if you’re watching it with someone uninitiated and learning about beaming for the first time. However, over the course of Prodigy‘s two seasons, there are plenty of things for longstanding Trekkies to enjoy. Naturally, this includes Easter eggs and callbacks.
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But it also includes the legitimate continuation of myriad legacy Star Trek storylines. Curious what happened after the U.S.S. Voyager arrived back at Earth in Star Trek: Voyager? Several characters’ storylines are continued, including those of Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew), Chakotay (Robert Beltran) and The Doctor (Robert Picardo). And in the second season, a significant Star Trek: The Next Generation character (who did not get their due on Star Trek: Picard) gets a full storyline. Hint: The Next Generation fans will find it’s worth Traveler-ing as far as necessary to see it.
Science and Star Trek: Prodigy
Like all Star Trek shows, Prodigy features a focus on science. However, given the young age of its main cast, a different side of science is spotlighted. Specifically, through the character of Rok-Tahk (Rylee Alazraqui), the fledgling scientist is explored.
Due to her size, strength and durability, Rok-Tahk is initially assumed to be interested in security. However, as the series progresses, it becomes clear that Rok-Tahk’s brain is even larger than her Brikarian frame. This leads to a journey of exploration as Rok-Tahk discovers the various schools of scientific study and determines which one embodies her true calling. For young viewers drawn to the sciences, this will make her an exceptionally relatable role model.
Ad Astra Per Aspera
Finally, Prodigy embodies a core tenant of Star Trek: offering a hopeful vision for a better tomorrow. When we are introduced to the characters, they are in dire straits. Unjustly incarcerated in a mining operation, they are forced into labor for a draconian authoritarian.
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However, thanks to science, teamwork and worthy (if holographically simulated) leadership, our heroes are able to escape these conditions. Furthermore, what they learn on their journey allows them to help others ensconced in the same bad situation they had been trapped in. And finally, their faith of the heart allows them to reach the post-capitalist utopia of the Federation. Now that’s a goal to which any Earthbound 21st century Star Trek viewer can relate and aspire.
All 40 episodes of Star Trek: Prodigy are currently available for streaming on Netflix.
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