Sadly, it looks like one Star Trek show has come to an end and won’t be back! What is the ultimate fate, and why is it not returning?
Star Trek fans have been enjoying a bounty of great shows in the last few years. Sadly, the world of streaming is a difficult thing and too often, even the best shows can suffer cancellations. It doesn’t make it easier; it’s just the economics of the business.
That was the fate for both Star Trek Discovery and Lower Decks, which each ended their runs at five seasons. Likewise, Strange New Worlds will also end after a five-season run. At least they had that long, unlike Star Trek Prodigy.
The tale of Prodigy is a rough one. The animated series was first ordered for Nickelodeon in 2019 and premiered on Paramount+ in 2021 with some decent promotion. It focused on a group of young aliens who find an abandoned Starfleet ship and take it on a journey from the Beta Quadrant to the Alpha Quadrant.
The show was notable for having Kate Mulgrew voicing Admiral Kathryn Janeway, first as a holographic advisor for the crew, then the real Janeway. It later boasted appearances by Robert Picardo as the Doctor and Wil Wheaton as Wesley Crusher.
Prodigy had a good push by Paramount+ and earned a second season renewal just a month after its premiere. However, in June of 2023, Paramount canceled Prodigy, despite how most of the season was already finished. The creators continued to work on it as they tried to shop the show around.
Enter Netflix, which picked up the second season, which then premiered in July of 2024. The show upped the stakes in the storytelling and did end on a good note with the crew seemingly ready for new adventures. Sadly, it looks like that won’t happen.
Why is Prodigy not continuing?
In a recent TVLine piece, it was reported that it appears Prodigy has been canceled and there is no third season coming. The fact that the first season has left Netflix due to its license expiring was the first sign that no further seasons were coming.
There’s also how Paramount (which still technically owns the series) has been billing season 2 as “Final Season” for physical media releases. Also, a source close to production confirmed to TVLine that there has been no movement on a third season.
It should be noted that creators Kevin and Dan Hageman had originally intended the show to only run two seasons with 40 episodes. The season 2 finale did seem a fitting conclusion to the crew’s adventures. The pair had hoped for a third season if the show was popular enough on Netflix, but that appears not to be the case.
It’s a shame, as Prodigy did have some good spins on the Trek universe with a fresh cast of original characters, while Mulgrew was terrific as ever playing Janeway. At least the show didn’t do a major cliffhanger like far too many canceled TV shows, so it can stand on its own as a fitting conclusion.
So Star Trek: Prodigy’s voyages seem to have ended, although I hope that the characters may return one day.
More from Redshirts Always Die: