Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		2.5
Overall		3.5

Star Trek: Prodigy - Season 1 Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman October 26, 2023

Star Trek: Prodigy's second half of season one (do we really need to be breaking up seasons now?) delivers a light, mildly kid-centric, but at the same time authentically Star Trek experience that is the better of the two currently running animated Star Trek shows. It finds firmer footing than the on-and-off and tonally inconsistent Lower Decks. This season sees the crew battling not their own limitations but rather Starfleet's limitless power and attempting to save the universe through heart and know-how and less so raw technological force, all the whle a familiar face pursues this ragtag crew, and its advanced ship, through the stars.

Official synopsis: In the remaining Star Trek: Prodigy Season One episodes, as the hopeful crew makes their way toward Starfleet, their dreams are threatened when they discover the U.S.S. Protostar harbors a weapon designed to tear the United Federation of Planets apart. To make matters worse, the U.S.S. Dauntless is on a manhunt for the Protostar as the real Vice Admiral Janeway is eager to uncover what happened to her missing former First Officer Chakotay. With these two ships on a collision course and destruction on the horizon, the fate of the Alpha Quadrant hangs in the balance.

Though technically still part of season one, these second half episodes certainly move away from the establishing elements from the first half and forge forward with a larger story arc that maintains character charm and ease of access while also building around a number of Star Trek elements that see the show take some risky moves along the way to working through the overarching season dilemma. There are some fun and very Trek-inspired singular episodes throughout, though that connective tissue certainly holds together and defines this episode cluster very well. The character growth is a natural product of the establishing beats in the first half, and as the stakes become higher, the show's center of gravity -- its characters -- hold it together even if the narrative grows slightly far-fetched but on the other hand pushes to some places that might feel questionable just in order to "have it" in the show. Still, there are some wonderfully unique character challenges and a great dynamic with the ship being pursued by a familiar face that is, in this season, in many ways both friend and foe. Animation is solid, character growth is steady, the writing is crisp, the music is wonderful, the action is tight, and overall, this is a solid group of episodes that delight for the different take on main character presentations while holding firm to classic Trek beats and lines that should satisfy more hardcore audiences, even as this is something of a more entry level and kid-friendly version of Star Trek.

The following episodes comprise season one's second half. Summaries are courtesy of the Blu-ray packaging.

Disc One:

• Asylum: At the edge of Federation space, the crew applies for asylum at a comm relay outpost, only for their starship to reveal its shocking true purpose.
• Let Sleeping Borg Lie: When the crew encounters a dormant Borg cube, Zero risks everything to save their ship.
• All the World's a Stage: The crew answers a distress call to find a colony trapped in Starfleet's past.
• Crossroads: When the crew attempts to secure transport to the Federation, they unwittingly cross paths with the vice admiral who is hunting them.
• Masquerade: Trapped in the Neutral Zone, the crew encounters a rogue geneticist who sheds light on Dal's past.
• Preludes: A Starfleet admiral digs into the past of the Protostar crew. Meanwhile, The Diviner recalls his life’s mission.

Disc Two:

• Ghost in the Machine: When the crew gets trapped in the holodeck by a mysterious malfunction, they aren't sure what's programmed or what's real.
• Mindwalk: Desperate to warn Starfleet of their dilemma, a daring experiment goes awry as Dal inadvertently swaps minds with a Starfleet vice admiral.
• Supernova, Part 1: Surrounded by the Federation armada, the crew attempts to stop their ship from destroying all of Starfleet.
• Supernova, Part 1: As the Federation hangs in the balance, the crew must make the ultimate sacrifice to save Starfleet’s future.

Star Trek: Prodigy - Season 1 Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

It should come as no surprise that these second half season one episodes look just about the same as the first half of season one. The material looks very good overall, with deeply colorful animation that nails Trek-specific tones (nacelles, phaser fire, and the like) while offering incredible tonal brilliance, balance, and accuracy to any number of additional elements, such as character models and various content around the starship interiors. Black levels are awesome, too, especially out in space, and white balance looks locked in. The image is crisp and lines are straight. The animation looks great at 1080p, and viewers will never be left wanting any kind of textural amplification; it's hard to imagine things looking more than slightly sharper and crisper in 4K (though a UHD would be welcome, especially for the possibility of HDR/Dolby Vision colors). The only real bugaboo here is some mild aliasing and some prominent banding, though only rarely do either of these become a distraction, the latter in particular.

Star Trek: Prodigy - Season 1 Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The second half of Star Trek: Prodigy's first season arrives on Blu-ray with a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack. The track plays very well in all elements. Music sounds great. The score is a real treat for clarity and depth, not to mention spacing with healthy wide stretch and balanced surround support; it's special. Action cues delight, whether phaser fire, explosions, ships jumping into warp, or all variety of sonic intensity. The track is always balanced and richly defined with excellent spatial awareness and high-end clarity at all times. Atmospheric elements delight, especially on the bridge and other locales with rich and satisfying atmospheric effects that help pull the listener into the environment. Dialogue is clear and centered for the duration.

Star Trek: Prodigy - Season 1 Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This two-disc Blu-ray release of Star Trek: Prodigy contains a healthy allotment of extras, all found on disc two. No DVD or digital copies are included. This set does come with a few collectible cards inside the case.

• The Odyssey of Prodigy (1080p, 21:01): A look at how the season was inspired by The Fugitive, core plot elements, writing in the Star Trek universe and context, character details, work in the writing room, animation, and much more.
• Producing Prodigy: The Planets (1080p, 14:15): A look at world design, both in terms of place in the show and how the digital constructs were achieved. It also explores score, how digital animation allows for greater world creation and exploration, and more.
• Producing Prodigy: The Ships (1080p, 12:39): Designing the Protostar and other ships in a way that remains within established ship design elements while still appearing unique.

Star Trek: Prodigy - Season 1 Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Prodigy is probably never going to rise the ranks as one of Star Trek's best shows, but what's here in these season one, part two episodes is a very enjoyable outing that meshes together a singular arcing plot line while also maneuvering through some quality standalone episodes in the classic Trek style. The show remains friendly to both younger audiences and decades-deep Trek fans, but it does play best for series veterans who will appreciate the connections and callbacks and parallels that have been so lovingly integrated into the show. Paramount's two-disc Blu-ray set is very good, offering a good collection of supplements paired with agreeable video and audio presentations. Recommended!