Prodigy's Fate Sealed?

[Wouter]

I think the final nail went into the coffin when a Trek show aimed at kids failed to make any significant impact whilst it was available on a huge kids platform.

There were local successes on Netflix (it was #3 on Netflix most watched kids shows list in Germany, for example), but in order to get Netflix to even consider funding a season 3 it needed to have been a smashing success just about everywhere.

Moreover, I doubt there was much success with the actual age group, it may have been mostly adults who were already fans of Star Trek that ended up liking and watching it. Star Trek is just not "in" anymore with children, I think. They have so much other stuff, like Tiktok, nowadays. That Prodigy season 1 was locked away on the relatively uncompetitive P+ at first didn't help.

 

[Oddish]

Moreover, I doubt there was much success with the actual age group, it may have been mostly adults who were already fans of Star Trek that ended up liking and watching it. Star Trek is just not "in" anymore with children, I think. They have so much other stuff, like Tiktok, nowadays. That Prodigy season 1 was locked away on the relatively uncompetitive P+ at first didn't help.

Was the original animated series much of a success? I kind of figured that PRO was trying for a previously untapped market.

 

[Turtletrekker]

Was the original animated series much of a success? I kind of figured that PRO was trying for a previously untapped market.

I don't know about ratings, but it garnered Star Trek its first Emmy.

 

[Noname Given]

I don't know about ratings, but it garnered Star Trek its first Emmy.

Um...no it did not:

List of awards and nominations received by Star Trek: The Next Generation - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[Turtletrekker]

Um...no it did not:

List of awards and nominations received by Star Trek: The Next Generation - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

I'm talking about the animated series

 

[Noname Given]

I'm talking about the animated series

Doh - my bad.

 

[Richard S. Ta]

Was the original animated series much of a success?

It did okay, but finally low ratings put the kibosh on it.

I’ve always said the best entry point for kids into Star Trek is to let them just watch one of the shows. As a kid, I could feel that Star Trek was a bit bigger and deeper than what I otherwise watched, but I liked that.

Kids like to watch grown-up shows as well.

 

[Oddish]

Probably depends on which episode, and which kid.

I always saw PRO as a good port of entry into Trek for kids because adult Trekkies would watch it. And their kids might come into the room, be intrigued by the gorgeous Pixar-esque animation, settle down on the couch next to Mom or Dad... and then, maybe they might want to watch VOY, because it has more adventures of Janeway and Chakotay and the Doctor. And from there, who knows?

Given that, even with a mere 40 episodes, it can serve that purpose.

 

[Noname Given]

It did okay, but finally low ratings put the kibosh on it.

I’ve always said the best entry point for kids into Star Trek is to let them just watch one of the shows. As a kid, I could feel that Star Trek was a bit bigger and deeper than what I otherwise watched, but I liked that.

Kids like to watch grown-up shows as well.

It actually had good enough ratings to get it a second season on Saturday mornings when the rule for Saturday mornings in the 70s was 'one and done' - unless you were Scooby Doo, The Flintstones or Superfriends.

 

[Richard S. Ta]

It actually had good enough ratings to get it a second season on Saturday mornings when the rule for Saturday mornings in the 70s was 'one and done' - unless you were Scooby Doo, The Flintstones or Superfriends.

True, but a hugely cut down season at that. 16 episodes down to 6.

I may be wrong, but I’m sure those 6 were part of the Season 1 commission and were finished later than the others?

I probably am dead wrong about that.

Edit - NM. I’m wrong. 6 more episodes were commissioned after Season 1 production had ceased.

I do suspect that’s more down to 22 being a more sellable number than 16 rather than any great success from the show itself.

Which is a bit sad. I love TAS and could easily stand another 22 episodes of it. :-)

 

[The Old Mixer]

The live-action Shazam! series got three seasons; the first was 15 episodes, the other two were 7 and 6, which were mixed in with the existing episodes.

 

[iliescu]

Probably thought they would run it 4 to 6 seasons like other long treks. But 2 is still done for sure.

 

[inappropriate.ensign]

I thought PRO was the best show of the ‘five,’ and the one that I would have wanted to continue indefinitely. But CBS had other plans.

I certainly loved the first season and half of season two, but by the third time these kids go rouge on Starfleet it starts to seem less like Starfleet's fault.

 

[Arpy]

I just want to say that I miss this show. I could easily see a five year arc for the crew in that interesting time in Star Trek history. Season 2 was one of the finest in Trek in a while. Oh what places they may yet have gone!

 

[F. King Daniel]

I miss it too. The best of modern Trek, and better than much of classic Trek

 

[tomalak301]

I just want to say that I miss this show. I could easily see a five year arc for the crew in that interesting time in Star Trek history. Season 2 was one of the finest in Trek in a while. Oh what places they may yet have gone!

While a lot of people want Legacy, I want more adventures on the new Prodigy. Still my favorite of the modern treks. At least I'm glad I got the physical discs considering in a few months that and buying it digitally are the only ways to actually see the show.

 

[Oddish]

That's the tragedy, isn't it? You can make a brilliant show, but that doesn't guarantee success.

 

[tomalak301]

That's the tragedy, isn't it? You can make a brilliant show, but that doesn't guarantee success.

Tale as old as time. So many shows cancelled and forgotten before their time. I think it's even worse in the streaming world because it feels like you have to come out of the gates running and there is no time for a slow burn.

 

[Oddish]

One of the biggest nostalgia shows is the original Jonny Quest, which so many kids of the 70's and 80's watched religiously on Saturday mornings... but it ended after only one season. Same thing here, I think.

 

[Arpy]

While a lot of people want Legacy, I want more adventures on the new Prodigy. Still my favorite of the modern treks. At least I'm glad I got the physical discs considering in a few months that and buying it digitally are the only ways to actually see the show.

Oh I want both! One to bring in a new generation of young fans and one for the existing and older ones—who’ve loved it in the past but haven’t stuck with it. A third in ACA could be one for existing and especially new teen fans above PRO’s age range.

Plus, after the last Kelvin movie, if fans want that, a whole new series of movies with a whole new cast/set of characters not from the existing canon.

This would be my plan were I Admiral Kurtzman.