We’re barreling towards this year’s San Diego Comic Con event, and once again the Star Trek Universe will be a central part of the year’s entertainment panels — returning to the show’s largest stage.
On Saturday, July 27, the cast and showrunners of all the upcoming Trek productions will hit Hall H to give a 90-minute update on the state of the Star Trek franchise, with surprises likely in store for many of the projects.
— Star Trek on Paramount+ (@StarTrekOnPPlus) July 10, 2024
Here’s the breakdown of what’s coming on July 27 at 1:45 PM (PT):
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds:Cast members Anson Mount, Rebecca Romijn and Ethan Peck, alongside executive producers Alex Kurtzman, Akiva Goldsman and Henry Alonso Myers.
Star Trek: Lower Decks:Voice cast members Jack Quaid, Tawny Newsome, Noël Wells and Jerry O’Connell, along with creator and executive producer Mike McMahan and executive producer Alex Kurtzman.
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy: EPs and co-showrunners Alex Kurtzman and Noga Landau.
Star Trek: Section 31: Cast members Omari Hardwick, Sam Richardson and Kacey Rohl, along with executive producer Alex Kurtzman and director Olatunde Osunsanmi. Everything is moderated by filmmaker, director and executive producer Justin Simien.
JULY 11 UPDATE — Star Trek: Prodigy will also get its own featured panel, on Sunday July 28, where one of the new Season 2 episodes will be screened for attending fans, along with a Q & A session with the show’s creators and stars.
STAR TREK: PRODIGY panel in Room 6DE. CBS Studios invites you to a special screening of a season two episode of STAR TREK: PRODIGY, followed by an exclusive conversation with Star Trek legend and voice actor Kate Mulgrew, voice actor Brett Gray and executive producers Kevin & Dan Hageman to discuss the new season currently streaming on Netflix. Moderated by Ryan Britt, editor at Inverse, the panel will also include a special giveaway item. Sunday, July 28, 10:00–11:00 AM, PT, Room 6DE
In addition to the stage presentation, Paramount+ will also be showcasing “creatures and specimens from the Star Trek universe” at the Star Trek Menagerie Booth (#3529) on the SDCC show floor:
Behold the STAR TREK Menagerie booth on the convention floor, displaying creatures across renowned STAR TREK properties. Come one and all to get an up-close look at exciting specimens from STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS, STAR TREK: DISCOVERY, STAR TREK: LOWER DECKS, STAR TREK: PICARD, STAR TREK: THE ORIGINAL SERIES and more!
Become part of the Menagerie yourself as you enter the human display for an immersive photo opportunity. An SDCC badge is required for entry. Booth #3529.
San Diego Comic Con begins on Thursday, July 25 and you can expect TrekCore coverage from the show floor and during the Hall H panel to bring you the latest news and updates from the Star Trek Universe.
Following the major casting of Hollywood heavyweights Holly Hunter and Paul Giamatti, CBS Studios and Paramount+ today announced the first three cadets set to join Star Trek: Starfleet Academy’s freshman class.
Relative newcomers Kerrice Brooks, Bella Shepard, and George Hawkins are the first members of Starfleet Academy’s younger cast — but that’s about all we know, as the studio has not shared character names or backstories as part of today’s announcement.
New ACADEMY cadets Kerrice Brooks (photo credit, K. Brooks), Bella Shepard (photo credit, David Muller) and George Hawkins (photo credit, Yellowbelly)
Here’s the full press release from Paramount+:
KERRICE BROOKS, BELLA SHEPARD AND GEORGE HAWKINS JOIN THE PARAMOUNT+ ORIGINAL SERIES STAR TREK: STARFLEET ACADEMY
July 9, 2024 – Paramount+ today announced that Kerrice Brooks (My Old Ass), Bella Shepard (Wolf Pack) and George Hawkins (Tell Me Everything) have joined the cast of the original series STAR TREK: STARFLEET ACADEMY. The upcoming series will follow the adventures of a new class of Starfleet cadets as they come of age in one of the most legendary places in the galaxy. Produced by CBS Studios, the new series will begin production later this summer.
Brooks, Shepard and Hawkins will play cadets, joining previously announced cast members Holly Hunter as the captain and chancellor of Starfleet Academy and Paul Giamatti as the season’s villain.
STAR TREK: STARFLEET ACADEMY introduces viewers to a young group of cadets who come together to pursue a common dream of hope and optimism. Under the watchful and demanding eyes of their instructors, they discover what it takes to become Starfleet officers as they navigate blossoming friendships, explosive rivalries, first loves and a new enemy that threatens both the Academy and the Federation itself.
Brooks, an actress and professional dancer, will make her feature film debut this year in My Old Ass produced by Margot Robbie and directed by Megan Park. She will also star in the 70s coming-of-age comedy, Feeling Randy. Brooks’ credits include The Prom, The Cypher, How We Roll and On My Block. Brooks got her start in the entertainment industry as a professional dancer performing with elite artists including Billie Eilish, Kanye West, Lil’ Nas, Kelly Rowland and more.
Shepard was recently the lead of the Paramount+ Series, Wolf Pack and is best known for her previous Brat Series’ On the Ropes and A Girl Named Jo, and as the lead in the series, Two Sides. Shepard was also seen in The Wilds, Witch Hunt,, and the iCARLY reboot . She also had a lead guest role on the final season of Orange Is the New Black, and recurring roles on Life in Pieces and Grace and Frankie.
Hawkins is best known for playing Dylan in Tell Me Everything. His previous credits include Sean in the BAFTA-nominated film Boiling Point and Adam in the feature film Gassed Up. In 2023, Hawkins graduated from London’s Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts.
It’s still going to be a while, it seems, until we know more about the new cadets’ characters — and their roles in the Starfleet Academy story — so stay tuned until Paramount+ has more to share.
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy is in preproduction now.
Greetings, Starfleet Academy hopefuls! We’ll be recapping and reviewing every episode of Star Trek: Prodigy Season 2 — two episodes at a time — here at TrekCore this summer, starting with the two-part season premiere today.
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“Into the Breach” does its duty to open the season admirably. The recap on what we missed since the Season 1 finale is short and sweet and satisfying, while the set-up of the new settings and season mystery is comprehensive and intriguing. A fabulous tone setting two-parter whose ending is somehow both self-contained and open-ended.
We start with an update on each of our Protostar crew who are attending Starfleet Academy prep school: Murf (Dee Bradley Baker)is tearing it up in security, and Rok-Tahk (Rylee Alazraqui) is flourishing in her science track, causally solving the tribble problem to everyone’s astonishment.
Ok, class, raise your hand if you thought the first Star Trek reference of the season would be to Lieutenant Edward Larkin from “The Trouble with Edward”? I certainly did not see that coming — he was an idiot! This first reference, though, is a perfect example of the depths this season plunges into Trek lore. Its just delightful to catch these deep cut references scattered like so many tachyon particles throughout the season.
The breadth of Trek connections is there, too, as this season I counted at least one reference to the Original Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, Enterprise, the TOS movies, the TNG movies, the Kelvin Timeline movies, Discovery, Short Treks, Picard, and Lower Decks. Incredible!
Rok-Takh teaches her fellow students about tribbles. (CBS Studios / Netflix)
They also do a great job of referencing themselves with great little touches. Our catch-up for Zero (Angus Imrie) includes the wistful line “Ah, the joys of being corporeal…” as they witness two students interested in each other touch hands for the first time. This mimics their sincere “Ah, the joys of being non-corporeal” line from last season. Considering the Season 1 line was about not having to smell a fart, this is a nice subtle way to show how much our cadets have grown up a little.
Jankom Pog (Jason Mantzoukas) even tries to get into the spirit of growing up as he is making more of an effect in manners and hygiene. Dal (Brett Grey), though? Not so much, as we see him skipping class even before he gets his evite from Janeway. At one point he calls it a “study snooze fest”. This prompted my daughter to say “I think school is boring too, but if that was my school I wouldn’t think that!” So Prodigy does an excellent job of making the academy prep school a dreamy place to be.
The cadets gather at the bus stop to their study abroad and watch a shuttle touch down labeled with “NCC-74656-A” — the first thrilling indication of where they are headed. The direction and music do a great job of misdirection that Janeway herself might be here. And the headless shot of a blue uniform with a mobile emitter on the arm gives the seasoned Trek fans watching a split second advantage in knowing who it really is. This scene is a great introduction to the hero of the delta quadrant himself: the EMH.
He is the same as ever, proud and long-winded and not to be trifled with. He’s a doctor, not a butler, and a personal friend of the Admiral. It’s great to hear Robert Picardo play this role again and it’s a smart addition to the cast to have him be the one “in charge” of our cadets. And the debrief he gives them on the shuttle was a great refresher of relevant portions of the previous season.
The Lamarr-class USS Voyager (NCC-74656-A). (CBS Studios / Netflix)
The introduction to our new ship, the gorgeous Lamarr-class science vessel Voyager-A is a highlight of this episode. We get the classic Trek trope of coming up to the ship in space doc with admiration and astonishment on everyone’s faces and some great pans of the ship, The beautiful Voyager theme-inspired music adds to the wonder of it all.
We get the stats and a great tour of the ship. The ship tour last season in “Starstruck” was mostly directed at the kids watching, giving them a crash course on different locations in a starship. This ship tour felt like it was more for fans of the previous Voyager ship and they spent a good amount of time showing off the upgrades.
The ship itself feels a little sterile, but that is in keeping with the modern aesthetic of the show. The bridge in particular feels a little generic, but what did I expect? Carpeting? Janeway’s captain chair is great. It looks admiral-worthy and comfortable. Engineering is a highlight as the consoles and catwalks do a great job of evoking the original Voyager’s engineering set, which is one of the best engineering sets in all of Trek.
The animated warp core itself looks magical. “It’s the delta radiation!” that makes a warp core look so beautiful up close, Zero explains later. Taking the time to throw that line in made me grin. This show is such a celebration of all things Trek.
The Doctor guides the crew to their study assignments. (CBS Studios / Netflix)
Another highlight of the tour is the promise of Cetacean Ops, which according to the doctor “houses our finest navigators.” A long standing area of a starship that we’ve never gotten to see until the also animated Lower Decks finally gave us a tour of the Cerritos version of Cetacean Ops in “First First Contact.” I enjoyed the glimpses we got in “Into the Breach” and I can not wait to fully see Prodigy’s take on this legendary department.
When the EMH tells Rok that “we thought Cetacean Ops would be the place for you,” I turned to my marine biology-loving daughter and told her that I thought Cetacean Ops would be the place for her, too. And since she didn’t know what that meant, we took the time to look up the word ‘cetacean’. The look of astonishment on her face as she said “There are whales on this ship?!” made me so excited for her. Aye, darling, there be whales here!
Next Dal has a catch up call with Gwyn (Ella Purnell) who is still on her way to Solum. They use this time to try to explain how Gwyn stopping the Solum civil war won’t change history. I’m glad they took the time to mention that and try to frame it in a way that makes sense. I’m not sure I buy it, but what do I know? I’ve never read Temporal Mechanics 101 either. Further, I don’t really care. Time travel is a device that is never going to “hold up” to logical scrutiny. But it’s fun — and thought provoking!
Prodigy Season 2 does an amazing job of maintaining an internal consistency in it’s particular set of “rules” of time travel. And throughout the season they make the gears in my kids’ brains (and my own) turn in the best way.
The Voyager-A encounters multiple spatial anomalies. (CBS Studios / Netflix)
After all that setting the stage, it’s finally time for the type of cockamamie plans that we know and love from Prodigy. The crew discovers a mysterious, invisible ship — “cloaked is the proper term”, Zero informs Dal and my kids — hidden in an unmarked shuttle bay. The Infinity, which is an experimental Federation support courier with a temporal shield emitter. (I genuinely love that Jankom could tell all that by just looking at it).
A great use of Murf’s abilities here as he grabs everyone and hangs from the ceiling so they won’t get caught by Admiral Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) and her crew. It’s so comforting to hear the conversation between Janeway, Noum, Tysess, and the Doctor, as the same Star Trek loyalty and bravery present in the first Voyager crew and with our Protostar crew is on full display here as we learn of their plan to enter the wormhole.
As Part II begins, we catch up with Gwyn as she finally arrives on Solum. Solum feels like a truly fleshed out civilization here, with gorgeous architecture and fashion and cultural touchstones such as the heirlooms and dreadnoughts. The “Elders of Solum,” their guards, and their chamber itself feel very otherworldly and very much of this place. Gwyn’s dad calls his bot “The Lorekeeper”, which also feels particularly of the Vau N’Akat.
Gwyn tries to warn Solum’s leaders about Asencia’s intentions. (CBS Studios / Netflix)
The reveal of Asencia (Jameela Jamil) is delicious. Of course she traveled to Solum to provide her own isolationist spin to try to influence the Vau N’Akat. She is a political villain with the cunning of Kai Winn and the bombast of Gul Dukat. Gwyn’s frustrated “She’s trying to trick you!” also shows her a relevant and timely villain and I feel that same sense of frustration in the best way every time she’s on screen.
Jameela Jamil’s performance is a highlight of the season as she chews up her lines and spits them out with genuine super-villain venom and a little bit of camp, while still maintaining the sense of her motivation being her warped idea of “protecting” Solum rather than crossing over into just “being evil.” Absolutely delightful.
Next we are treated to a classic observation lounge briefing as Janeway dials the crew into her plan. The log Chakotay (Robert Beltran) left was a beautiful reminder of his love for Janeway, but also gave our crew personal stakes in his rescue. It’s because of his sacrifice that they all embarked on this life changing adventure in the first place. Both these pieces of information make Chakotay’s rescue relevant to kids watching who haven’t known him for seven seasons of Voyager. He saved their beloved Protostar crew; now they have to save him.
Gwyn meets a younger, kinder version of her father on Solum. (CBS Studios / Netflix)
Of course they can’t keep it a secret and the formidable Maj’el (Michaela Dietz) realizes something is up — and sends Nova Squad to the restricted hanger. The turbolift vs. Jeffries tube race is fun and the ensuing chaos in the Infinity is a plausible enough way to get the kids on their voyage into the wormhole. Zero strapping everyone in for the trip puts a nice bow on this introductory two-parter as we all strap in for whatever lies ahead this season.
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Stay tuned for our next review — covering “Who Saves the Saviors” and “Temporal Mechanics 101” — coming next week. We’ll also be keeping up with all the Star Trek franchise references with the return of our Canon Connections series along the way, because this season had enough to fill two wormholes!
Star Trek: Prodigy Season 2 is available to stream now on Netflix globally (excluding-Canada, Nordics, CEE, Netherlands, Spain, Portugal, Poland, Russia, Belarus, and Mainland China). The show can also be viewed on SkyShowtime in the Nordics, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and Central and Eastern Europe.
We’re just three weeks away from the start of this year’s massive San Diego Comic Con event — and following Factory Entertainment’s news last weekend, today we’ve got more details about new exclusive Star Trek merch launching later this month!
The first new release is a take on Captain Archer’s duty uniform from Star Trek: Enterprise, designed after the zipper-filled jumpsuit seen in the prequel series, featuring elastic around the cuffs and waist, and lined with schematics of the NX-01 starship.
(Hero Within)
NX-01 Flight Jacket
Celebrate the first warp 5 starship with the NX-01 Flight Jacket. Designed after the crew jumpsuits, this flight jacket features multiple pockets, two shoulder patches and an interior schematics of the NX-01.
Available to preorder at Hero Within SDCC booth #1943. Preorder price: $99 USD.
The second new jacket is modeled after Wesley Crusher’s acting ensign uniform from Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 1, adorned with the signature tri-color stripe and lined with an episodic image from “Where No One Has Gone Before.”
(Hero Within)
The Wesley Jacket
Represent your favorite acting Ensign and space genius with our Wesley Jacket. Inspired by Wesley Crusher’s season 1 uniform, The Wesley features a brush cotton shell, interior pockets and an inside print from “Where No One Has Gone Before” (When Wesley first meets the Traveler).
Available to preorder at Hero Within SDCC booth #1943. Preorder price: $99 USD.
Fans not attending San Diego Comic Con are likely to get their chance to see these jackets in person at Creation Entertainment’s upcoming Star Trek convention in Las Vegas, running August 1-5.
More information about these jackets will be available soon at HeroWithinStore.com.
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Hallmark is expanding their 2024 Star Trek holiday ornament lineup — which we first told you about back in April — with one more starship this summer: a special convention-exclusive variant of their upcoming USS Enterprise-B starship.
Debuting at Hallmark’s SDCC booth (#3348) on July 25, this “Nexus Damage” Enterprise-B variant ornament celebrates the 30th anniversary of Star Trek: Generations, and is limited to only 3200pc of total production.
The ‘Nexus Damage’ variant Enterprise-B holiday ornament. (Hallmark)
Retailing for $35, this will be only available in person at San Diego Comic Con and will not be available through Hallmark’s online store (with small quantities reserved for Hallmark Keepsake Ornament Club members). There will be an allotment planned for each day of the convention… so if you want it, get to Hallmark’s booth ASAP when you get to the convention.
(East Coast fans, you’ll also have an opportunity to get this ornament on site at New York Comic Con in October.)
Keep checking back to TrekCore for all the latest in Star Trek collectibles news!
It’s been 48 hours since the long-awaited Netflix debut of Star Trek: Prodigy’s second season, and today we’re diving deep into the creative choices behind these twenty new episodes with series creators and showrunners Kevin and Dan Hageman.
We last talked with the Hageman brothers a year ago, shortly after the series disappeared from the Paramount+ library and was searching for a new home. Now, after nearly 8 hours of Prodigy episodes dropped into fans’ laps this week, we chat with the duo about the season’s full-circle ending, surprising character cameos, and more.
This interview contains spoilers for the entire season.
Proceed with caution if you haven’t finished watching!
The Protostar travels back in time to Tars Lamora. (CBS Studios / Netflix)
TREKCORE: There is so much about Season 2 — especially the ending — that points right back to where the show began in “Lost and Found,” and personally I thought the whole season concluded in a very satisfying way. Tell us about how you developed this year’s story arc.
KEVIN HAGEMAN: When we got to the end of Season 1, we realized that there was so much more story here that we hadn’t even delved into. When we were doing Season 1, Dan, did we know how Season 2 would end?
DAN HAGEMAN: Well, really, Season 2 really has two endings, including the coda connecting to Star Trek: Picard. Because of the time period, we knew we were going to run up against some touchy subjects within the Star Trek lore. But then there is the full-circle aspect of finding the time-travel fix.
KEVIN: We knew that the end of Season 1 had this sort of Wrath of Khan ending, in the farewell to the Protostar and to Hologram Janeway. We knew that wasn’t going to be the end – but we wanted to have them earn back both the ship and Hologram Janeway.
TREKCORE: And the whole time-loop thing of sending the Protostar back to Tars Lamora?
DAN: No, we didn’t know about that when we wrote the series pilot. After we had finished Season 1, we knew a few things — Chakotay is stuck in the future as a POW, we know Gwyn has to go to current-day Solum — so that meant there would need to be time-travel elements to the next part of the story. Then the questions become, “What could happen? What’s the nexus point that makes everything go wonky?”
Then you just kind of follow the breadcrumbs, and as writers, you follow your instincts about the characters: where they need to go, what needs to happen, and what are the big challenges ahead of them?
DAN: But it all needs to add up, too, right? I hate it when I watch a show and it’s clear that the creators didn’t know where the story was going — and I’m really happy that you said that things wrap up nicely.
KEVIN: Yeah, thanks for saying that — it’s not like a time travel story in a Marvel movie or something, where you can do whatever… it’s time travel in Star Trek, people are going to hold you to the fire!
Temporal Mechanics 101 with real-life TREK science advisor Dr. Erin MacDonald. (CBS Studios / Netflix)
TREKCORE: Speaking of all the time travel, there are a lot more complicated story elements in Season 2 – not just the time loop, but alternate universes, temporal paradoxes, and more.
When you’re targeting the story towards younger viewers, how do you approach presenting these heady concepts in a way that won’t leave them confused about what’s happening?
KEVIN: Well let me ask you: if you were a kid, would you want us to dumb it down for you?
TREKCORE: Oh, definitely not! But there were moments where one of the kids would say, “Well, I don’t know what you’re talking about, but it sure sounds exciting!” — and you can’t do that every time, right?
KEVIN: No, but that’s why we have Dal — who’s new to a lot of this stuff –and he can say “I don’t understand all this timey-wimey stuff.” That let’s everybody else go, “Well, that’s because you didn’t read Temporal Mechanics 101!”
DAN: And there has to be a simpler version that works for kids, so they don’t need to know the details — but they can still understand what’s happening, and it can work on both levels.
TREKCORE: One of the big sources of that ‘timey-wimey’ business is the inclusion of Wesley Crusher from Star Trek: The Next Generation. How did you go about deciding to bring that character into the show, and making Wil Wheaton a big part of Season 2?
KEVIN: That started in the writer’s room, discussing would could happen. Jen Muro in our writer’s room, she had a Wesley Crusher poster on her wall as a teenager! (Laughs)
When we started to realize this was going to be a time-travel season, we were like, “Who better than the Timelord himself?” We looked back at his last Next Generation episode, and felt like it was a bit of a disservice to the character, because we wanted to know a lot more — he was the original ‘kid on a starship,’ the original prodigy!
Once his name was brought up in the writer’s room, it was just, like, “Yes, yes, yes!” And then when we worked with him, it was even greater. Wil is such an amazing guy, and how much he cares about children and about Star Trek? These two things are his greatest loves, and to see those come together in the show — and having him be on it — was a real treat.
DAN: He was in the recording booth and just loved doing it. He and the other legacy characters, like Chakotay, it was interesting to explore how they have changed since we last saw them? They all had so much fun in their roles.
Wesley with Kore Soong (Isa Briones) in PICARD’s “Farewell.” (Paramount+)
TREKCORE: Were you planning to utilize Wesley before Wil’s cameo at the end of Picard Season 2?
KEVIN: Oh, yes! We were already writing Season 2 when Akiva Goldsman and Terry Matalas — Picard’s showrunners — reached out to us and say “Hey, we heard you’re using Wesley, and we were hoping to do a little thing with the character…”
It was great, you know — and that let us learn about what’s going on with Jack Crusher, Wesley’s brother, and to find a way to see how we could touch that in our show and acknowledge what Picard was doing.
TREKCORE: Bringing in Beverly (and that little Jack cameo) was really an interesting thing to see happen, especially after those trade reports about Trek showrunner coordination efforts — it makes everything feel so much more cohesive when you can see the shows directly influence each other so directly.
DAN: And we wanted to be at the same table as the other shows, right? We could have ignored the Picard moments — the Mars attack and its ramifications — but we thought it would be more powerful to acknowledge it. Then, we have to find a way to separate Prodigy from the dark cloud now hanging over the Federation, and keep our kids and our show in the light.
The synth attack on Mars, first illustrated in the SHORT TREK ‘Children of Mars.’ (CBS Studios / Netflix)
TREKCORE: Touching on some of the character moments, tell me a little about Zero’s arc — giving them a physical body, and then putting an expiration date on it?
KEVIN: When we talked about the character arcs, we were always imagining them as Starfleet Academy hopefuls, and it was clear to see what each character would act like. When it came to Zero, we loved exploring those themes — as a complex non-corporeal entity, what would it feel like to, well, feel? To touch?
DAN: Zero is a teenager, you know? I mean, even though they may be however many years older than the other characters, they’re still a teenager in Medusan terms — and these are coming of age stories.
KEVIN: So it started with wanting to get Zero a body — and then once we know they were going to get that body, and what kind of body it would be… we knew it wasn’t going to last. They would have to choose between that new body and their friends — which is a difficult choice — but again, it goes back to the whole found family aspect of the show.
Where do they belong? How do they feel about things? That was always the basis for a lot of different conversations: what kind of body would they choose? What kind of body would they want? What’s the best kind of body they could explore in? So there was a lot of talk about Zero and their different potential, uh, exteriors.
The crew embraces Zero (Angus Imrie) and their new body. (CBS Studios / Netflix)
TREKCORE: And speaking of that ‘found family,’ this season you added Maj’el to the gang. After spending Season 1 building the relationships between the original six kids, was it a challenge to integrate another new character in a balanced way?
DAN: With Maj’el, she joins them — but she’s not just another friend who comes along, right? She’s a bit of an antagonist. She’s that mirror that’s held up to our gang, and the example of a true ‘top gun’ sort of a young officer.
KEVIN: She’s not into shenanigans. (Laughs)
DAN: Yeah, she’s like the adult in the room. Plus, we never explored Vulcans in Season 1 — remember, our show is meant to be an on-ramp for kids and new viewers, introducing everyone to the main elements that make up Star Trek’s DNA. So we’ve gotta have a Vulcan now — and a teenage one at that.
TREKCORE: Then with Chakotay… you left him on a planet for 10 years, and you didn’t undo it! I was waiting for some kind of reset on that, and I have to say I was impressed that never came. Was there much of a debate on that?
TREKCORE: I know you finished Season 2 quite a while ago, and there’s plenty of talk about what could happen next, like a third season — if Netflix, or whoever is making those decisions now, has the inclination to move forward — and I’m sure you have ideas for more adventures.
But if this is the end of Prodigy’s story — how do you feel about that?
KEVIN: Well, I’m happy with our ending for Season 2. Like, it’s an ending that does wrap things up without leaving a bunch of hanging questions. It really does feel satisfying. But of course, yes, we want to do more! I mean, we always envisioned more for Prodigy when we first created the show — we wanted toys, and all that.
But it’s got to perform really, really well on Netflix, I think. That’s going to be the challenge, because today’s market there are so many shows…
DAN: And that’s nothing to do with the quality of Prodigy. There’s just so much content out there – and most shows don’t get more than two seasons. You have to be on the level of like Wednesday or Strange New Worlds, something that really hits the button.
The USS Prodigy and its acting ‘captain,’ Gwyn (Ella Purnell). (CBS Studios / Netflix)
KEVIN: But you know, there is also the chance that we do well — but not necessarily well enough to warrant a third season. But could it be ‘good enough’ to warrant a 90-minute animated feature? That’s certainly cheaper than doing 20 more episodes, right? There are different ways that Prodigy could keep going.
DAN: With this show, though, you could take a ten-year hiatus and come back to the story. Like, now Rok-Tahk has an eyepatch, what’s that about? (Laughs)
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Star Trek: Prodigy Season 2 is available to stream now on Netflix globally (excluding-Canada, Nordics, CEE, Netherlands, Spain, Portugal, Poland, Russia, Belarus, and Mainland China). The show can also be viewed on SkyShowtime in the Nordics, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and Central and Eastern Europe.
Starting from August 1-4, the trio and their team will be hosting a wide swath of special panels on the DeForest Kelley theater, the second-largest venue in the STLV convention space. Covering everything from scriptwriting to directing, comics to cartoons, and everything in between, we’re already thinking we may spend more time in the Treksperts hall than at the convention’s main stage!
Along with the trio of Treksperts, panels will be also moderated by Scott “Movie” Mantz (host, Enterprise Incidents podcast), Matt Mira & Andrew Secunda (hosts, Star Trek: The Next Conversation podcast), Peter Holmstrom & Daniel Noa (hosts, The Young Indy Chroniclers podcast), and more.
Here are just some of the highlights, starting with Thursday, August 1:
VIEWER ON: STAR TREK: THE MOTION PICTURE AT 45
Won’t you please sit down as Daren Dochterman (associate producer, Star Trek: The Motion Picture – Director’s Edition) presents an exclusive look at the history of ST: TMP for its 45th anniversary and a presentation about the making of the critically acclaimed Director’s Edition.
SHE’S A BEAUTIFUL LADY AND WE LOVE HER: THE ENTERPRISE – FROM A TO G
A look back at the history of designing and creating the Starship Enterprise from 1964 to today with John Eaves (illustrator/concept designer, multiple Trek series), Doug Drexler (make-up and visual effects, concept designer, multiple Trek series), Dave Blass production designer, Star Trek: Picard) and Daren Dochterman (visual effects supervisor, Star Trek: The Motion Picture – Director’s Edition). May history never forget the name… Enterprise.
NOTED & LOGGED: THE MUSIC OF TREK
Trek composers Jay Chattaway (composer, The Next Generation), Nami Melumad (composer, Strange New Worlds) and Chris Westlake (composer, Lower Decks) sound off about the history of scoring the final frontier in a conversation moderated by The Music of Star Trek author, Jeff Bond. Plus: giveaways from La-La Land Records!
Friday, August 2:
SLIPPERY DIPSY-DOODLE: EXPLORING THE PRODIGY GALAXY
Star Trek: Prodigy co-showrunner/co-creator Dan Hageman is joined by writer Aaron Waltke (co-executive producer, Prodigy) and Bonnie Gordon (“Computer Voice,” Prodigy) as they look back at the first two groundbreaking seasons of the series and reflect on their hopes for future adventures of the Protostar.
SPOTLIGHT: OUR MAN BASHIR
Join the hosts of the popular SpyHards podcast as they do a deep dive into this delightful James Bond/Derek Flynt Deep Space Nine homage as well as espionage and spycraft and Section 31 in Trek with Cam Smith and Scott Hardy and Deep Space Nine showrunner Ira Steven Behr and writer/producer Ronald D. Moore (co-creator, For All Mankind, Battlestar Galactica).
LOST IN SPACE: VOYAGER WRITERS REUNION
We find coffee in that nebula as we reunite the Voyager writers room with showrunner Brannon Braga (The Orville, Salem) and writers Bryan Fuller (Hannibal, American Gods), Lisa Klink (Pandora), Andre Bormanis (The Orville) and Michael Sussman (Perception, The Last Ship).
Saturday, August 3:
SATURDAY MORNING FEVER: THE ANIMATED SERIES TO PRODIGY
Join us in your pajamas and get ready for some breakfast cereal (while supplies last) and vintage TV commercials as we party like its 1973 with a look back at the original animated series with the Inglorious Treksperts and Aaron Harvey (author, The Making of The Animated Series) and then jump forward in time to celebrate Lower Decks and Prodigy with Dan Hageman (co-creator/showrunner, Star Trek: Prodigy) Aaron Waltke (co-executive producer, Prodigy) and Bonnie Gordon (“Computer Voice,” Star Trek: Prodigy).
TAKING THE HELM: DIRECTING TREK
Directors David Carson (Emissary, Yesterday’s Enterprise), Rob Bowman (Q Who, Elementary, Dear Data, Brothers; The X-Files), David Livingston (Power Play, Flashback, Borderland) and Paul Lynch (The First Duty, 1001001, A Matter Of Time) talk about the triumphs and challenges of directing for Trek.
LET’S GO: ENTERPRISE WRITERS ROOM REUNION
Go back to the Enterprise writers room and learn why it was a long road getting from there to here with showrunner Brannon Braga and writers David A. Goodman (The Orville, Family Guy), Andre Bormanis and Michael Sussman.
STAR TREK III: THE SEARCH FOR SPOCK – 40th ANNIVERSARY REUNION
We still haven’t had enough of you as we reunite the cast and crew of Star Trek III for a remarkable reunion as we take you to the Promised Land with producer Ralph Winter, star Robin Curtis (“Saavik”) and Leonard Nimoy’s personal assistant, Kirk Thatcher (Inside Out 2, Muppet Haunted Mansion, Werewolf By Night).
STAR TREK: GENERATIONS – 30th ANNIVERSARY REUNION
Time is the fire in which we burn as we discover time is a predator with teeth as we reunite director David Carson and screenwriters Ronald D. Moore and Brannon Braga as they talk about the challenges of continuing The Next Generation on the silver screen and killing Captain James Tiberius Kirk.
STAR TREK V: THE FINAL FRONTIER – 35th ANNIVERSARY REUNION
Everyone hides a secret pain, so get ready as we grow stronger through the sharing, with the cast and crew of Star Trek V: The Final Frontier including Laurence Luckinbill (“Sybok”), Cynthia Gouw (“Caitlin Dar”) and producer Ralph Winter (X-Men, Star Trek VI).
Sunday, August 4:
HELLO, LARRY: UP CLOSE & PERSONAL WITH LAURENCE LUCKINBILL
We get up close and personal with Laurence Luckinbill as we discuss his long career including Star Trek V, The Boys In The Band, Cocktail as well as his new memoir, Affective Memories. Followed by a book signing at the Inglorious Treksperts booth!
WRITING FOR STAR TREK & GENRE TELEVISION
We assemble writers from across the Star Trek universe to talk about the unique challenges of writing in the 23rd, 24th, 25th and 31st centuries. Join Onitra Johnson (Strange New Worlds), Robert Hewitt Wolfe (Deep Space Nine, Elementary), Gabrielle Stanton (Deep Space Nine, Haven, The Vampire Diaries), Michael Sussman (Voyager, Star Trek: Enterprise; The Last Ship, Perception), Lisa Klink (Star Trek: Voyager, Pandora), Jesse
Alexander (Star Trek: Discovery, Lost), David A. Goodman (Star Trek: Enterprise, The Orville), Christopher Monfette (Star Trek: Picard), Deric Hughes (Quantum Leap, The Flash), Matt Okumura (Star Trek: Picard) and Aaron Waltke (Star Trek: Prodigy).
SPOTLIGHT: THE LAST GENERATION
The hosts of Star Trek: The Next Conversation, Matt Mira & Andrew Secunda, sit down with Picard: Season Three showrunner, Terry Matalas (showrunner, 12 Monkeys, Vision) and Picard: Season Three writers Christopher Monfette and Matt Okumura to talk about the Picard series finale, and Terry’s lasting Trek legacy.
In addition to all those Trek-takular panels, the Inglorious Treksperts stage will also be hosting a cast reunion Picard showrunner Terry Matalas’ time-travel series 12 Monkeys on Saturday, August 3 — with series leads Aaron Stanford, Amanda Schull, Todd Stashwick, Emily Hampshire, and Kirk Acevedo joining Matalas and writer/producer Christopher Monfette on stage.
(We also have it on good authority that the Treksperts will be hosting several exclusive signings at their booth in the STLV vendor’s room during the convention weekend, plus more surprises still in the works!)
You can check out the entire Inglorious Treksperts weekend-long panel lineup below:
It may seem overwhelming to receive that many gigaquads of data all at once — it is definitely the Star Trek franchise’s first time having a whole season drop on one day — but the epic storytelling and modern pacing of Season 2 are tailor-made for this. Prodigy’s second full season is smart, imaginative, and Star Trek to its core. It’s an intriguing mix of high-concept sci-fi and thrilling adventure that will make you grateful that it’s all available to binge as you see fit.
Rok-Tahk (Rylee Alazraqui), Jankom Pog (Jason Mantzoukas), Dal (Brett Grey), Zero (Angus Imrie), and Murf (Dee Bradley Baker) return. (CBS Studios / Netflix)
And for kids on summer vacation, it’s a dream scenario for open schedules and later bedtimes that cry out for “just one more episode.” Such was the situation at my house, as the serialized nature of the season hooked my kids in to the point where they always wanted to keep going.
We watched it in movie-sized chunks, and thanks to the multiple two-part episodes in the Season 2 lineup, each one felt like event viewing for the whole family. It was one of those rare instances where both the kids and the adults in the room were equally invested in what we were watching.
Here’s the full list of Season 2 episode titles — skip past it if you don’t want to know!
201: “Into the Breach, Part I”
202: “Into the Breach, Part II”
203: “Who Saves the Saviors”
204: “Temporal Mechanics 101”
205: “Observer’s Paradox”
206: “Imposter Syndrome”
207: “The Fast and the Curious”
208: “Is There in Beauty No Truth?”
209: “The Devourer of All Things, Part I”
210: “The Devourer of All Things, Part II”
211: “Last Flight of the Protostar, Part I”
212: “Last Flight of the Protostar, Part II”
213: “A Tribble Called Quest”
214: “Cracked Mirror”
215: “Ascension, Part I”
216: “Ascension, Part II”
217: “Brink”
218: “Touch of Grey”
219: “Ouroboros, Part I”
220: “Ouroboros, Part II”
Prodigy’s second season is serialized a bit more than Strange New Worlds’ episodic nature — though thankfully nowhere near the level of Star Trek: Discovery — but it has found the best of both shows, maintaining the theatrical feel of a season-long story arc while feeling slightly more self-contained in each individual episode… and even slowing down for some fabulous stand-alone adventures.
It’s been nearly three years since Star Trek: Prodigy premiered — a lifetime ago in kid years, as my 11, 9, and 7-year-olds have grown to 14, 12, and 10. The good news is that Prodigy has grown along with them: the more robust, complex storyline is almost indistinguishable from a plot you would find on a show aimed at adults. Prodigy does a wonderful job of explaining where it needs to explain without talking down to its audience and otherwise just letting the plot elements — and thus the watchers’ imaginations — breathe.
While this step up in maturity worked for my family, it does make the whole 40 episode series a little uneven overall. Very young children who can follow Season 1 might not be quite ready for the added complexity in Season 2 — as Star Trek staples like wormholes, time loops, alternate realities, and more pepper the season’s adventure. Another wrinkle of temporal mechanics!
If Prodigy’s first season was Star Trek 101, than Season 2 could definitely be called Advanced Starfleet Studies — as the references and canon connections are deeper, more frequent, and integrated into the show in some unexpected ways. The result is that it makes the show’s environment feel very lived in and fleshed out, but you don’t need to have a background in Trek to appreciate it. It does, however, make it that much richer if you are steeped in the lore. I had a lot of fun gleefully explaining the references I thought were worth interrupting the show to explain and just as much fun letting the others wash over me with a smile on my face.
There is something here for fans of every incarnation of Star Trek as almost every single series and group of movies gets referenced in some way. While Voyager obviously gets a focus — thanks to the continued presence of Admiral Janeway (Kate Mulgrew), more involvement from Chakotay (Robert Beltran), and the return of The Doctor (Robert Picardo) — it’s not the only corner of the Star Trek universe to shine, as parts of other Trek shows get some big-time attention.
Prodigy delightfully answers some long standing questions, both big and small, using everything from major plot points to seemingly throwaway lines. This show has firmly staked it’s position as a relevant piece of one of the most interesting time periods in the greater Star Trek universe.
Vulcan cadet Maj’el (Michaela Dietz) brings a new logic to Season 2. (CBS Studios / Netflix)
This season is also completely comfortable in its own skin, independent of those wider Trek connections. The characters we got to know so well last season — Dal (Brett Grey), Gwyn (Ella Purnell), Rok-Tahk (Rylee Alazraqui), Jankom Pog (Jason Mantzoukas), Zero (Angus Imrie), and even Murf (Dee Bradley Baker) — continue their personal journeys in very satisfying ways.
They are more themselves than ever even as they change and grow, as Gwyn faces challenges on her homeworld and Dal’s well-meaning desire to stay in the middle of the action begins to chip away at his stubborn nature. Zero’s journey in particular this season sparked emotions and conversations with my kids, and stands out as a season highlight.
The new additions, from legacy Trek characters to brand new friends, fit in seamlessly, to the point of feeling like they’ve always been there. I was totally unprepared for how quickly my kids and I all fell for young Vulcan cadet Maj’el (Michaela Dietz) and — believe it or not — the long-lost Captain Chakotay, given more to do here than in most of his time on Star Trek: Voyager. A sense of love permeates the entire show, with generations of found family the way only Star Trek can do it.
Gwyn rides with Chakotay (Robert Beltran), sporting a new beard. (CBS Studios / Netflix)
Add to that gorgeous ships (that lovely Voyager-A!) and otherworldly landscapes (Solum world building!), excitingly choreographed action sequences, intelligent writing, new takes on classic Trek tropes, and incredible vocal acting from an immensely talented cast… the level of production in all areas of this show is beyond expectation.
The overall Season 2 experience makes creators/showrunners Kevin and Dan Hageman and co-head writer Aaron Waltke seem like masterminds whose long-laid plans are finally coming together. Building on the franchise’s past, they sneakily made some of the best Trek in decades right under our noses, all under the guise of a ‘kid’s show’ — and to say that the end of Season 2’s storyline “sticks the landing” might be the understatement of the year.
Rok-Tahk, Zero, and Maj’el study science mysteries. (CBS Studios / Netflix)
Star Trek: Prodigy remains one of the best parts of the modern Trek era, and Season 2 can be held near the top of the 16 seasons of televised Trek since Discovery launched in 2017. It’s an ambitious, challenging, rewarding show that will appeal to both kids and adults, which opens minds to sci-fi concepts the way great Star Trek always does: with a dose of wonder.
With that wonder, Prodigy brings an appreciation of what came before, but also an excitement for the future that feels fresh and energizing — an excitement that exists within the show itself and extends to the future of Star Trek as a whole. It’s a gift and one that fans should embrace and share!
The Lamarr-class USS VOYAGER-A. (CBS Studios / Netflix)
We’re going to give you all time to get through Prodigy‘s twenty new episodes — then come back on Wednesday, July 3 for our super-spoilery interview with Kevin & Dan Hageman where we talk with showrunners about many of Season 2’s plot and character moments!
They stay tuned for episode-specific reviews, beginning with the season-opening “Into the Breach” two-parter, starting at the end of the week. In the meantime, please keep the comments below as spoiler-free as possible as viewers start their Season 2 journey.
Star Trek: Prodigy Season 2 is available to stream today on Netflix globally (excluding-Canada, Nordics, CEE, Netherlands, Spain, Portugal, Poland, Russia, Belarus, and Mainland China). The show can also be viewed on SkyShowtime in the Nordics, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and Central and Eastern Europe.
Convention season is right around the corner, and for the fifth year in a row our friends at Factory Entertainment will be bringing out some new Star Trek offerings to kick off San Diego Comic Con next month!
Available for preorder today (even if you can’t make it out to San Diego!), the company has unveiled two new Trek items for the event, starting with a prop replica from one of the less-well-remembered episodes of the Original Series: “Catspaw.”
“Catspaw” aired as the classic series’ Season 2 premiere in October 1967, with a spooky theme timed right for Halloween — and in a memorable moment from the episode’s third act, Sylvia magically creates a miniature Enterprise and dangles it from a chain over an open flame to torment Captain Kirk and his crew.
The tiny Enterprise seen in “Catspaw.” (CBS Studios)
Factory Entertainment — 'Catspaw' Enterprise Prop Replica
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Retailing for $100 USD each and available for preorder now, this limited-edition 1:1-scale “Catspaw” prop replica contains a machined-aluminum miniature Enterprise model inside a block of clear acrylic, all of which hangs from a metal chain matched as closely as possible to the surviving prop.
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In addition, the company is also rolling out another one of their popular Star Trek bottle openers Following their Original Series Type I phaser opener, Factory Entertainment his week debuted their Star Trek: The Next Generation ‘cricket’ phaser bottle opener as the second exclusive for the 2024 convention season.
Available for preorder at $22 USD, the bottle opener is made from solid die-cast metal and is perfect for popping open a bottle of your local craft synthale.
The new TNG ‘cricket’ phaser bottle opener. (Factory Entertainment)
While both convention-exclusive releases can be preordered at their website today (with shipping expected in August), those of you heading to San Diego Comic Con and the Las Vegas STLV Star Trek convention at the end of July can visit the Factory Entertainment booth where they’ll be on sale directly to event attendees.
You can also enter to win one of these collectibles directly from Factory Entertainment using the entry forms below.
In addition, stick around to hear Jodi’s belief that it’s still a good time to be a Star Trek fan — despite the recent cancellations of Star Trek shows — and Alex’s desire for more soundtracks from the recent shows.
WeeklyTrek is available to subscribe and download each week on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and Spotify— and we’ll be sharing the details of each new episode right here on TrekCore each week if you’re simply just looking to listen in from the web.
Do you have a wish or theory you’d like to share on the show? Tweet to Alex at @WeeklyTrek, or email us with your thoughts about wishes, theories, or anything else about the latest in Star Trek news!
We’re just over a week away from the July 1 return of Star Trek: Prodigy, and today CBS Studios has release several new images from the upcoming season.
Spanning the whole length of the season, these relatively spoiler-free images show a number of moments from the 20 new episodes arriving next month — including a new look at Chakotay (Robert Beltran) and new cadet-aged character Ma’jel (Michaela Dietz).
STAR TREK: PRODIGY — Season 2 Preview Images
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The gang examines a spatial anomaly. (CBS Studios)
Gwyn looks worried. (CBS Studios)
Ma'jel and Dal. (CBS Studios)
Rok-Tahk meets... a whale? (CBS Studios)
The crew faces a challenge. (CBS Studios)
Dal, Jankom and Rok-Tahk are joined by a new alien friend. (CBS Studios)
The crew looks out onto a sunny view. (CBS Studios)
Gwyn and Chakotay. (CBS Studios)
Ma'jel and Gwyn. (CBS Studios)
The Voyager-A encounters an unusual phenomenon. (CBS Studios)
A face-off in space. (CBS Studios)
A view of Solum. (CBS Studios)
Admiral Janeway is not happy. (CBS Studios)
The gang at Starfleet Headquarters. (CBS Studios)
Star Trek: Prodigy will stream on Netflix globally (excluding-Canada, Nordics, CEE, Netherlands, Spain, Portugal, Poland, Russia, Belarus, and Mainland China) and is available on SkyShowtime in the Nordics, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and Central and Eastern Europe and season 1 will be available in Canada on CTV.ca and the CTV App.
We’ll be back with more coverage of Star Trek: Prodigy’s return as the Season 2 premiere date approaches!
