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Star Trek: Prodigy

A kid-targeted animated adventure show with half-length episodes focusing on a handful of non-Federation misfits who stumble upon and commandeer an abandoned Starfleet ship. Guided by a training hologram modeled after Kathryn Janeway, the kids learn to work together as a crew and try to live up to the Federation’s ideals.

Episodic or serial?

Episodic with ongoing arcs. Most episodes feature standalone stories but also advance the series' broader story to some degree–usually more so at the end or beginning of a season or around a mid-season hiatus. The series is best enjoyed in order.

Idealistic or cynical?

Idealistic. A core part of the premise and ongoing story is the cast learning Starfleet’s ideals and striving to live up to them, and all the stories are written to be kid-friendly.

Worth watching?

Yes, as long as you’re okay with the idea of Star Trek as a kid’s show. And if you’re an adult Trek fan with children, it’s probably a good way to introduce them to the franchise.

Anything else that should be watched first?

No hard requirements. As is appropriate for a kid-friendly entry point, Prodigy doesn’t rely on any preexisting knowledge. At the show’s start, most of the main cast have never even heard of the Federation, so the audience can learn about it right along with them. But there are a lot of background details and references that can be a nice bonus for people familiar with the previous series (especially Voyager).

What should be watched after this?

If this is your first Star Trek, Voyager is a natural next step. Otherwise, the next series to come out is Strange New Worlds.