Jason Alexander on how Star Trek: Prodigy balances characters

Jason Alexander portrays Dr. Noum on Star Trek: Prodigy.

Dr. Noum is a different type of character for Jason Alexander. The enigmatic Dr. Noum has, for the most part, stayed on the periphery of Star Trek: Prodigy with his time aboard the U.S.S. Dauntless, and that’s okay with Alexander. In a recent conversation with TV Insider, the actor was asked about what’s in store for Noum in season two of the series. And he’s fine with however Prodigy choose to utilize his character.

"It’s interesting. I’m not downplaying it by saying he’s one of the more peripheral characters in some ways, but he is such a strong color that there’s only two ways they can go: Either they sort of keep him in that same mode or they elevate him to being much more of an abrasive or surprising element in the show. And either way they go is fine with me."

Jason Alexander says he hasn’t gotten tired of a character, storyline, or arc on the show.

With so many characters, it would be easy for Prodigy to overuse one and underutilize another, but, according to Alexander, that hasn’t happened. He goes on to say the series has “spread the love beautifully amongst the entire cast, and they’ve got all these splendid guest artists that come in and everybody is a wonderful flavor and a wonderful color. I don’t know what they’re gonna do, but I’ve always been really thrilled; even when I have two lines in an episode, I go, that’s a really fun little color right there.”

I’d have to agree with Alexander that Prodigy does a wonderful job of giving each character just enough so that they don’t feel like they’re peripheral characters. Even Murf, who one would think might be an on-the-edge character who is only there for color and an occasional laugh, has been growing in characterization. With his body changing, he’s become an integral part of the running of the Protostar and protection of the crew.

Though a character might only have one or two lines, they’re essential at that time to the plot of each episode and how it moves forward. The writers and producers have a handle on how to integrate the characters seemlessly into the episodes, making it easy to keep up with each of them. Overall, Prodigy takes care of its characters. It’s no wonder fans have a vested interest in all of them.