WHY WE LIKE IT: It's back! Oh, and the Doctor!
WHY WE DON'T: What's wrong with you, Paramount+? You don't like this?!
REVIEW: Prodigy has really become Voyager's legacy show, hasn't it? Kate Mulgrew is still in the opening credits, albeit as Admiral Janeway rather than her hologram, and I see they sneaked Robert Beltran in there too even if Chakotay doesn't appear. A clear promise that he'll be rescued from the future of Gwyn's homeworld. And with the loss of the ship the Protostar, we're aboard the Lamarr-class Voyager-A, now with slipstream technology and Cetacean Ops! The biggest surprise, though, is Robert Picardo as the EMH, assigned to work with the kids on their first official Starfleet mission. Is he NOT going to be a main character going forward? Why so coy, opening credits? (It was for the surprise; he's in episode 2's opener.)
That they are called upon to work on this mission (though they're treated like the characters in TNG's "Lower Decks" here) is kind of too bad, in a way. Judging from the opening montage, this could have been the Starfleet Academy series fans actually wanted. A lot of fun bits showing us what the cast is up to, whether succeeding or struggling, and no surprise, Dal is too impatient for course work. I get it, going from captaining your own ship to being a cadet is a big step back. But a relatable one! It's a lot like being top dog in high school, only to find yourself on the bottom rung when you go to college, and then again when you join the workforce. Zero questioning their insubstantial existence, Gwyn's screen freezing during Dal's declaration of affection (it's a long-distance relationship), Rok being the straight arrow in a group that thrives on getting into trouble (which becomes a fun gag)... It's all innate of the coming of age story Prodigy is telling, and I'm there for it.
My one gripe about the colorful opening episode of Season 2 is that it seems confused about where the kids are in their academic journey. They are obviously enrolled IN Starfleet Academy, but the characters keep talking about this mission being good for their application TO Starfleet Academy. Are they just in some kind of Starfleet prep school (because they're so young)? A prep school that hands out com badges, uniforms (they look good) and training cruises?! That has a Nova Squadron?! (Or are the latter older and already at the Academy? And hey, have we not learned our lesson about Nova Squadron yet?) This confused and annoyed me, but it's a small grievance.
LESSON: Cockamamie is a good word, but cockamamie plans are not a good thing.
REWATCHABILITY - High: An exciting and promising start to the second season.
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