We know that the show will have action, adventure, and some “pew pew” moments, but Star Trek is so much more than that - and I can’t wait to see how this creative team delivers on that premise. (I can already imagine a lively discussion about the ethics of the Prime Directive in our future!)Īnd there is no one I’d trust more to be caretaker to my children - to pardon the pun - on their first venture into the Star Trek world than Kathryn Janeway, so how fitting is it that she’ll be shepherding the Protostar’s young crew on their wild ride through the Delta Quadrant and beyond? I know my kids will take to her right away, the same way I did as a teenager when I first saw her back on Star Trek: Voyager. Kids are smart, and Star Trek is smart - I know that it will stimulate their minds the same way it always has mine. We’ll get to see this universe through the eyes of these outsiders, and I’m definitely looking forward to hearing my kids’ thoughts and opinions as they learn about the Federation along side them. The wide variety of characters will, I hope, find someone that they can each relate to, and I’m really looking forward to seeing who each gravitates towards.
Star Trek: Prodigy can be their entry point into this glorious world that I hold so dear, and even the first brief glimpses of the sweeping, cinematic animation style has already pulled them in. I want them to experience the thrill of scientific discovery and exploration, to seek out new experiences and new perspectives, to find the beauty of different ways of thinking, and to embrace the the IDIC concept wholeheartedly, while having the courage to stand up for themselves - and for others - to protect it. Now that Prodigy is on the way, they’ll actually have a Star Trek show that can cut through the noise of today’s nearly-overwhelming media landscape and land right at their feet.Ī post shared by Nickelodeon would absolutely love for my kids to share in the joy in Star Trek that I’ve found over the years, because as a parent, this universe embodies the ethos and values that I want to see them take to heart as they grow up. These days, basically every episode of every show ever made is available on demand, making it nearly impossible to randomly stumble across Trek like I did - and most streaming services have a “kids mode” which wall off shows not specifically categorized for children, including the legacy Star Trek shows.
#Prodigy parent tv
Like many fans of my generation, I first found Star Trek through syndicated reruns as a kid, flipping through the channels or reading about it in that week’s TV Guide… but that’s just not how kids of the 2020s discover new television. I’ve showed them episodes they’ve enjoyed, like “Rascals” and “Take Me Out to the Holosuite,” and even translated “The Trouble with Tribbles” into a campfire story (which absolutely killed!), but nothing so far has sent them spiraling into Trek fandom like my experiencing watching Kirk and Spock when I was their age. I’m a lifelong Trekkie and I wear my love for Trek on my sleeve, but until now Star Trek has always just been “Mom’s thing” at my house, despite my attempts to hook them on the franchise so far. While Prodigy is ostensibly a kids show, it certainly seems to be designed for everyone to watch it together, as show’s creators Dan and Kevin Hageman have been quick to note that it truly will be for a show for all ages, and for all stages of the Star Trek fancom.Īs a parent of three children in the prime target ages for this show - at 11, 9, and 7 - that’s such an exciting prospect to me. (They even asked me if there are any books about the Protostar crew to read, which certainly must be a good omen for the Prodigy creative team!) But what did get their attention was the epic scale of this new adventure, and a cast of characters they’re already excited to learn more about. As a longtime fan, were things I noticed that didn’t register with them at all: the classic Trek sound effects, that mysterious third engine on the Protostar, and even what looked like a Kazon. There was something magical about their reactions to seeing a Star Trek show made just for them, even with less than two minutes of footage.
When I sat down to watch the first Star Trek: Prodigy trailers with my family, my children’s eyes were glued to the screen - and as they watched that ‘motley crew’ of young aliens discover and commandeer the USS Protostar, my eyes were watching them.