Review: 'Star Trek: Prodigy' Warps into Adventure for the Younger Set

Paramount+ and Nickelodeon have forged an alliance worthy of a galactic federation with the new kid-centric series "Star Trek: Prodigy."

The tenth "Trek" series overall, and the third in animated form, "Prodigy" takes us back to the Delta Quadrant – a locale its target audience is probably too young to remember, unless they watch "Star Trek: Voyager" in reruns.

As such, the new series re-introduces a long-neglected alien race, the Kazon, which featured heavily during the early seasons of "Voyager." But the show also reminds us of a host of other alien species that are part of "Trek" lore, including the mysterious, non-corporeal Medusans (whose unsubstantial form, if glimpsed by the naked eye, is enough to drive even Vulcans mad), the argumentative Tellarites, and the furry, purry Caitians (who are, as their name suggests, feline humanoids).

New species are part of the mix, as well, including series leads Dal R'El (Brett Gray) and his bestie – or maybe frenemy – Gwyn (Ella Purnell). No one, including Dal, knows who his species are, or where they live, but Gwyn, we learn, is the last of a race called the Vau N' Akat, along with her father, the ruthless "Diviner" (John Noble), who runs a shady operation mining "chimerium" on an asteroid.

The Diviner has all the hallmarks of a classic fascist strongman: He's chasing enormous power on the backs of slave labor, and doing everything in his power to prevent the people under his lash from being able to communicate with one another. Vowing to snuff out any hope for freedom among his "Unwanted," the Diviner dispatches his robotic henchman, Drednok (Jimmi Simpson), to capture escapee "Fugitive Zero" (Angus Imrie), who happens to be one of those non-corporeal Medusans. Zero gets around in a robotic body and communicates through telepathy; though Dal has no idea what Zero is up to, the Diviner and Drednok become convinced the two are working together, and task Gwyn with convincing Dal to turn Zero over.

Sensing an opportunity, especially when he's dispatched to the asteroid's deep mines in an undercover capacity, Dal sets about scheming anew for his escape – a plan that unexpectedly gets a boost when Dal and his work partner, a massive Brikar named Rok-Tahk (Rylee Alazraqui) stumble onto a Federation starship left abandoned in a deep cavern. Hurrying to seize this means of escape (and aided by the ship's translator technology, which allows him to communicate with other prisoners), Dal rounds up a Tellarite mechanic named Jankom Pog (Jason Mantzoukas), Rok-Tahk (who, when her voice can be heard properly, turns out to be a young female), Zero, and a glowing purple blob named Murf (Dee Bradley Baker), and prepares for liftoff.

But wait: It's not that easy. It turns out that finding the ship has been a secret objective of the Diviner all along – an objective he's pursuing because... well, we don't know. Conquest? Bragging rights? To restore his nearly-extinct species? That, evidently, is the mystery that will drive the first season, and maybe the whole series.

"Voyager," which ran from 1995 - 2001, contributes more to the new show than its Delta Quadrant setting, halfway across the Milky Way galaxy; it also draws on "Voyager" star Kate Mulgrew, who reprises her role as Captain Kathryn Janeway... sort of. The Mulgrew-voiced Janeway is, in this case, a training hologram, and though she doesn't appear until the premiere episode's end, she's clearly going to be a mentor for this ragtag group of juvenile castaways.

Young protagonists on the run with something a relentless adult wants. A kindly mother figure. Space, the final frontier. If it sounds like a classic mix of elements for a kid's show, well, it is; but there's also plenty of time-honored "Star Trek" tradition baked into the premise and the characters, including the ethical dilemmas faced by Gwyn (loyal to her father, but also possessed of a conscience and concerned for the well-being of the "Unwanted" slaves). Dal seems a natural leader, possessing the kind of swagger we often see in "Trek" captains, from James T. Kirk to "Discovery"'s Michael Burnham.

The action sequences and character interplay are zippy and cartoonish, but also sophisticated enough for adults to enjoy; this is no Teletubbies "Trek," despite the show clearly being aimed at children.

Most appealing of all, though, is the top-notch CGI animation, which is absolutely stellar. The show's plot has just enough substance to appeal to the over-eight crowd, but its gorgeous renderings command awe and excitement from all age groups.

Classic "Trek," especially of the so-called "Berman era" (in the 1980s and '90s) had a certain reliable formula that could be stifling even as it generated reliably diverting stories. Modern "Trek," now under the direction of Alex Kurtzman, has taken a different approach; the five shows currently in production (including the yet-to-premiere "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds") are deliberately designed to occupy different tonal niches and yet, as much as possible, appeal to "Star Trek" fans in general.

So far, it's a surprisingly effective formula. The same group universe that gives us the season-long arcs of the space opera "Discovery" and the character drama "Picard" also makes room for the comedy antics of "Lower Decks" (also an animated production). "Prodigy" lives up to its name, giving kids a smart, lovingly crafted series that opens up... you know it!... new frontiers in the long-running franchise.

"Star Trek: Prodigy" is now streaming at Paramount+, with new episodes premiering weekly.