There are Trekkies who still take issue with Alex Kurtzman producing Star Trek to this very day. However, surely everyone can see the wonderful merits of the animated children’s series from creators and showrunners Kevin Hageman and Dan Hageman, Star Trek: Prodigy. Yes, the story of teenage slaves making off with the USS Protostar came and went under Kurtzman’s tenure, but that shouldn’t diminish the series' wonderful storytelling. And now, the defunct show has garnered some serious awards consideration, even after being canceled.
The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences has officially recognized Prodigy and one of the most beloved Star Trek actors of all time, Kate Mulgrew. Yes, Prodigy has been nominated for two Children’s & Family Emmys. The first nod goes to Mulgrew, who is best known by Trekkies for playing Captain Janeway on the television series Star Trek: Voyager. In Prodigy, Mulgrew reprised her famous role, and now the actress is in contention to win the Outstanding Multiple Role Voice Performer in a Children's or Young Teen Program Emmy.
For those fans new to the fandom, and are unaware of the must-see animated series, the captain of the USS Voyager returned in Prodigy as both Admiral Kathryn Janeway and Hologram Janeway. And that is why Mulgrew is being considered of the Multiple Role Emmy. Meanwhile, Prodigy also walked away with an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Writing for a Children's or Young Teen Animated Series.
“The Devourer of All Things: Part 1” is one of the most highly rated episodes in season 2, and it is certainly deserving of this Children’s & Family Emmy nomination. However, while it hasn’t been rated or reviewed on Rotten Tomatoes, either by fans or critics, the first installment of “The Devourer of All Things” (8.5 out of 10 stars) doesn’t rate quite as high as “Part 2” (8.6 out of 10 stars) on IMDb, yet “Part 1” walked away with the Emmy nod.
After its initial run on Paramount+ in 2021 through 2022, Prodigy eventually returned but found itself on Netflix in 2024. However, after cranking out its final and most highly rated episode of the entire series, “Ouroboros: Part 2” (8.8 out of 10 stars), the incredible adventures of the USS Protostar were suddenly canceled. And it’s something that still sticks in the craw of Janeway actress, Kate Mulgrew. She explained her frustration in an interview while attending the Trek to New Jersey convention earlier this year. Mulgrew said (via TrekMovie.com):
“I love Prodigy. Sitting on somebody’s desk in Netflix on the bubble, on the bubble, on what bubble, on your bubble? Because this is genius stuff, Prodigy. Kevin and Dan Hageman created something that’s never been seen before and for an audience made for Star Trek: children.”
Mulgrew continued by saying:
“What do they do? They pulled it. I’m really furious about that. When you pour your heart and soul into something, and they call it like that in this industry, I don’t like it. Because it doesn’t make any sense. The whole world loved Prodigy. Why do they have it in stasis, to what end, when thousands, millions of young minds could be learning what we know and sharing it with their mothers, and their mothers with their mothers, the whole thing is just, I suppose, too elegant. The universe is just too elegant that way. I suppose. Mad.”
The cancellation of Prodigy is one of the most boneheaded moves ever made in Star Trek history. Yes, it ranks right up there with Captain Kirk being killed off in Star Trek Generations. Fortunately, even with future seasons of the animated series being withheld from devoted Trekkies, we can take solace in these wonderful Emmy nominations which Prodigy definitely deserved — and will hopefully win.
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Live long and prosper, Trekkies!