Star Trek: Prodigy executive producer Aaron J. Waltke’s claim that his show introduced the Gorn in the 24th century is contradicted by Star Trek: Lower Decks creator Mike McMahan, resulting in a funny tug-of-Gorn. Both Star Trek: Lower Decks and Star Trek: Prodigy are set in the post-Star Trek: The Next Generation era of the 2380s, with Prodigy happening just a couple of years after the voyages of Lower Decks‘ USS Cerritos. Both animated series have shown the Gorn in the 24th century, but which show was really the first to show the alien reptiles?
On Twitter/X, Aaron J. Waltke posted about when Star Trek: Prodigy season 1 began its development, and what was happening with the Star Trek on Paramount+ franchise during that period in 2019:
Waltke’s Tweets continued as he noted some notable franchise firsts that took place during Star Trek: Prodigy season 1:
However, Star Trek: Lower Decks‘ showrunner Mike McMahan called out Aaron J. Waltke’s claim that Star Trek: Prodigy was the first to show the Gorn in the 24th century, sharing a GIF of Ensign Sam Rutherford (Eugene Cordero) attending a Gorn wedding in Lower Decks season 1, episode 8, “Veritas,” which premiered in September 2020, a year before Star Trek: Prodigy debuted:
However, it seems this friendly rivalry between Star Trek’s animated series wrapped up differently from just about every Starfleet Officer’s encounter with the Gorn:
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Star Trek’s Animated Series Look Forward To A Big 2024
Prodigy and Lower Decks will be more prominent than ever.
Gorn aside, Star Trek: Lower Decks and Star Trek: Prodigy have big things ahead in 2024. Lower Decks season 5 is in production for an expected release on Paramount+ during its usual late summer/early fall time frame. Star Trek: Lower Decks season 4 ended with big changes for the Lieutenants (junior grade) of the USS Cerritos, and season 5 is poised to follow up on Lt. D’Vana Tendi (Noel Wells) leaving Starfleet to return to Orion. Lower Decks is legitimately the first Star Trek show to thoroughly explore the fascinating Orion culture, and more revelations are bound to come in Star Trek: Lower Decks season 5.
Thanks to a dedicated #SaveStarTrekProdigy fan campaign, Star Trek: Prodigy season 1 debuts on Netflix, its new streaming home, on Christmas Day, and all 20 episodes of Star Trek: Prodigy season 2 will premiere on Netflix some time in 2024. Prodigy season 2 has an ambitious agenda where Admiral Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) will lead a mission to an alternate 25th-century timeline to rescue Captain Chakotay (Robert Beltran), and Aaron J. Waltke promises that Prodigy season 2 will tie into every previous iteration of Star Trek somehow. Regardless of whether Star Trek: Lower Decks introduced 24th century Gorn before Star Trek: Prodigy, both animated series are delivering some of the finest and most enjoyable Star Trek ever.
Star Trek: Lower Decks is available to stream on Paramount+. Star Trek: Prodigy is available to stream on Netflix starting December 25, 2023.
Star Trek: Prodigy
- Release Date:
- 2021-10-28
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- Seasons:
- 1
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- Story By:
- Dan Hageman
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Star Trek Lower Decks
- Release Date:
- 2020-08-06
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- Seasons:
- 3
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- Summary:
- The animated comedy series Star Trek: Lower Decks follows the support crew on one of Starfleet’s least significant ships, the U.S.S. Cerritos, in 2380. Ensigns Mariner (Tawny Newsome), Boimler (Jack Quaid), Rutherford (Eugene Cordero), and Tendi (Noël Wells) have to keep up with their duties and their social lives often. At the same time, the ship is being rocked by a multitude of sci-fi anomalies.
- Story By:
- gene roddenbury
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