Just a short one this evening. I was surprised – no, positively shocked – to learn that Kate Mulgrew is going to reprise her role as Captain Kathryn Janeway! That actually isn’t the shocking part, as Captain Janeway was one of many characters who could’ve potentially appeared in Star Trek: Picard or future productions set in or around the dawn of the 25th Century. The real surprise was that she’s going to be reprising the role for the upcoming animated series Star Trek: Prodigy!
Prodigy, if you didn’t know, is a joint venture between ViacomCBS (owners of Star Trek) and children’s broadcaster Nickelodeon. The show was announced a while ago, and will be the first Star Trek production to be aimed primarily at kids. The pitch for the series says its target audience is the 5-15 demographic, but Alex Kurtzman and other producers promise that there will be plenty for older fans to enjoy as well.
Kate Mulgrew spoke during a digital panel for Comic-Con, and expressed her happiness to return to the franchise. Playing Captain Janeway in voiceover, she said, has allowed her to give the character more nuance within the privacy of a recording studio. She had apparently been reluctant at first, but after hearing the pitch of the series and speaking to Alex Kurtzman she was convinced.
Captain Janeway was groundbreaking, not just for Star Trek but for science fiction and the wider world of entertainment. She was Star Trek’s first woman captain, and now, as she says, she will be Star Trek’s first children’s captain too. Even twenty-five years after Voyager premiered, the character – and actress – are still breaking new ground.
So far we haven’t seen what Captain Janeway’s animated form will look like. Prodigy hasn’t released any teaser images as of yet; all we have is the show’s logo. But as we edge closer to the release of the series I’m sure we’ll get to see more!
Prodigy is going to be something different in the Star Trek universe. As we’ve seen with Lower Decks, different doesn’t mean “bad.” While Prodigy and Lower Decks are completely different productions, both have tried to push the boat out and expand Star Trek, bringing in new fans. If Prodigy succeeds, we’re likely to see a whole new generation of Trekkies, many of whom will jump over to watch the likes of Discovery and Strange New Worlds, and will hopefully go back to watch Voyager and other Star Trek shows too.
With Kathryn Janeway back in the captain’s chair, Star Trek: Prodigy is lining up to be a winner. I was looking forward the show before. But now I cannot wait!
Star Trek: Prodigy is due for release in 2021. The Star Trek franchise – including Star Trek: Prodigy – is the copyright of ViacomCBS. This article contains the thoughts and opinions of one person only and is not intended to cause any offence.
Trekking with Dennis 