Kate Mulgrew’s New Star Trek Show Will Run At Least Two Seasons
Kate Mulgrew is back as Janeway and you can expect to see a lot of her.
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Kate Mulgrew’s Captain Kathryn Janeway is returning for Nickelodeon’s animated Star Trek: Prodigy series later this year, and word from the actress herself confirms what fans had hoped to hear: her performance would be an integral part of the show’s future.
Kate Mulgrew portrayed Kathryn Janeway in 170 episodes of Star Trek: Voyager, endearing her to millions of fans and necessitating a return in some form. While speaking to a fan at Galaxy Con’s Star Trek: Voyager virtual panel, Mulgrew said, “I think you will enjoy it. I certainly enjoyed doing it, and I think we’re going into the next season very soon.”
Okay, that may be a short response, but there’s so much there about which fans can get excited. Kate Mulgrew confirmed a second season and hinted that she would be part of it, which should undoubtedly get viewers pumped.
In terms of plot, we don’t know too much about Star Trek: Prodigy beyond the fact that it centers around younger characters trying to find their way in the universe (by way of an abandoned starship, mind you). Kevin and Dan Hageman created the series, with Ben Hibon directing and Star Trek creative architect Alex Kurtzman serving as an executive producer. Fun, quick fact about Hibon: he helped David Yates create the animated “The Tale of the Three Brothers” sequence in the first installment of the two-part Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows film adaptation.
For new Trekkies who may be unfamiliar with Kate Mulgrew and her character, here’s a primer: Kathryn Janeway was the lead character in the long-running Star Trek: Voyager series and the captain of the USS Voyager. She has also appeared in various Star Trek books and video games. Heck, Vulture even named Janeway Star Trek‘s best captain. To say she is a revered and beloved addition to the Star Trek mythos would be a gross understatement. Few characters have impacted the franchise quite like she so effortlessly has, and it will be exciting to see how she elevates Prodigy.
Star Trek: Prodigy is part of a Kurtzman-led push to expand Gene Roddenberry’s beloved universe, a storytelling initiative that includes the animated comedy Star Trek: Lower Decks, Star Trek: Picard, and Star Trek: Discovery. Kurtzman first brought up the possibility of the series in January 2019, with Hibon being announced as its director over a year later, in August 2020.
Despite Prodigy being a Nickelodeon show, Kate Mulgrew promises that it’s “very sophisticated.” Note that Nickelodeon has created thematically mature, sophisticated animated shows such as Avatar: The Last Airbender and its follow-up, The Legend of Korra. These two shows are obviously drastically different properties than Star Trek, but together they prove that Nickelodeon’s audience has an appetite for sophistication. And Nickelodeon, always eager to please, happily obliges.
A specific release date for Prodigy has not yet been announced, but we do know that Nickelodeon plans to release the first season sometime this year. Stay tuned for updates, and remember to scan our feed for any and all Star Trek news!
