Star Trek: Prodigy was unexpectedly canceled by Paramount+, but found new life on Netflix. On Friday, June 23, 2023, Paramount+ announced the cancelation of four shows: Star Trek: Prodigy, Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies, The Game, and Queen of the Universe. A Paramount+ spokesman said those series, “have completed their runs on Paramount+ and will not be returning to the service. We want to extend our thanks to our tremendously talented cast and crew and our producing partners for their passionate work and dedication on these programs, and we wish them all the best on their future endeavors.”

Created by Kevin and Dan Hageman, Star Trek: Prodigy was the first Star Trek animated show aimed at younger viewers, and it can take immense pride in introducing a new generation to Star Trek and its lofty ideals. Prodigy featured the return of Kate Mulgrew as the iconic Admiral Kathryn Janeway, as well as a Hologram of Janeway. Prodigy’s talented voice cast includes Brett Gray, Ella Purnell, Rylee Alazraqui, and Angus Imrie, along with Dee Bradley Baker, Jason Mantzoukas, Jimmi Simpson, Jameela Jamil, and John Noble. Prodigy was a joint venture of Paramount+/CBS Studios and Nickelodeon Studios.

Star Trek: Prodigy Season 2 Is Now Streaming On Netflix

Prodigy season 2 sends the Protostar kids on another twisty, high-stakes adventure.

After its sudden cancellation by Paramount+, Star Trek: Prodigy eventually found a new streaming home on Netflix. All 20 episodes of both seasons are available to stream, and there is no indication that they will disappear anytime soon. With its massive, global subscriber count, Netflix brought in new viewers for Star Trek: Prodigy season 1, and Prodigy season 2 landed in the Netflix top 10 in various countries around the world. Star Trek: Prodigy season 2 currently sits at 100% on Rotten Tomatoes (with 6 reviews), raising the question of whether the show will get a third season.

Following the adventures of Dal R’El (Brett Gray) and his misfit crew on the USS Protostar, Star Trek: Prodigy has something for everyone. The charming young characters and their adventures appeal to younger audiences, while the many connections and shout-outs to previous Star Trek series appeal to longtime fans. Not only does Prodigy serve as a good entry point to the Star Trek franchise, but it also looks beautiful and tells a compelling story on its own. Star Trek: Prodigy season 2 picks up where the first left off, with the Protostar kids accompanying Admiral Janeway on a dangerous mission to rescue Captain Chakotay (Robert Beltran).

Why Star Trek: Prodigy Was Canceled By Paramount Plus

Paramount+ canceled several shows and removed them from the platform.

Star Trek: Prodigy was canceled as part of Paramount+’s merger with Showtime in June 2023. To add insult to injury, Prodigy and the other canceled series were removed from Paramount+ entirely. Star Trek: Prodigy season 2 still completed its post-production in December 2023, but the new episodes did not stream on Paramount+. In spite of being a joint production with Nickelodeon, Star Trek: Prodigy season 2 did not air on Nickelodeon either.CBS Studios shopped Star Trek: Prodigy to other streaming services and found a new home for both seasons on Netflix.

On Twitter, Star Trek: Prodigy‘s executive producers Kevin and Dan Hageman confirmed the news:

Executive producer Aaron J. Waltke also Tweeted to clarify that Star Trek: Prodigy will complete production of season 2:

According to Variety, the decision to cancel Star Trek: Prodigy was “data-driven, though Paramount did not share any specific data that highlighted why these shows are being canceled and removed.” The move, however, reflects the deleterious changes across the streaming industry, as services like Max, Netflix, Disney+, and Hulu have deleted existing shows and content as cost-cutting measures and for tax write-offs. Months ago, Paramount+ purged other titles from its service such as Coyote, The Real World, and The Twilight Zone.

How Star Trek: Prodigy Landed On Netflix

Passionate fan support likely helped Prodigy find a new home at Netflix.

Star Trek: Prodigy found a home on Netflix thanks in large part to the show’s fans, who launched a GoFundMe campaign that led to an airplane flying over the Netflix offices. Prodigy then became the first Star Trek series not streamed on Paramount+ since the television franchise was resurrected in 2017 with Star Trek: Discovery. (Star Trek: Discovery came to an end on Paramount+ in May 2024.) In many ways, Netflix was the perfect home for Star Trek: Prodigy. Not only is Netflix the industry leading streaming service, but it also produces many great animated projects that do well on the platform.

Regarding Netflix’s decision to pick up Star Trek: Prodigy, Kate Mulgrew said the following:

“I’ve always held that the Star Trek fan base is among the strongest and most intelligent in the world. They have shown their collective passion, and we’re happy to be able to celebrate Prodigy once again.”

When the release date for Star Trek: Prodigy season 2 was announced, Mulgrew took to social media to urge fans to watch the new season. On July 1st, Netflix released all 20 episodes of Star Trek: Prodigy season 2 on the same day, a first for any Star Trek show, and it remains to be seen how this strategy will affect the viewing numbers. With its stunning visuals and compelling storyline, Star Trek: Prodigy is not only excellent Star Trek, but also great television. Hopefully, new fans will discover the show on Netflix and realize that Dal and his friends have many more stories to tell.

Will There Be A Star Trek: Prodigy Season 3?

The door remains open for Prodigy season 3 or a Prodigy film.

Although Star Trek: Prodigy season 2 has received widespread praise from fans and critics, the show’s future remains unknown. There is a very real possibility that Netflix could decide they want more Prodigy, which could come in the form of another season or Star Trek’s first animated movie. Star Trek: Prodigy creators Kevin and Dan Hageman have expressed their interest in continuing the series and suggested they have ideas for more adventures with the young heroes of the USS Protostar.

Although Star Trek: Prodigy’s season 2 finale leaves the door open for more adventures with Dal R’El and his friends, it also serves as a nice send-off, leaving the viewer to imagine the characters’ futures. Still, Prodigy introduced some wonderful new characters to the Trek universe, and it would be a shame for their stories to be over. Time will tell whether audiences will ever see more Star Trek: Prodigy, but for now, both seasons will remain available to stream on Netflix.