Since Star Trek: Prodigy was removed from Paramount+ in June, fans of the animated series have rallied behind efforts to save the show with online advocacy, purchasing the first season on physical and digital media, and other efforts. The latest move for the campaign was to literally take the “Save Star Trek: Prodigy” message to the skies and TrekMovie was in Hollywood with fans and co-executive producer Aaron Waltke to watch.
Save Star Trek: Prodigy takes flight
Even though Prodigy has been removed from Paramount+, work on the second season has continued, and Paramount has made it clear their goal is to license the show to another outlet. Earlier this month, co-creators and executive producers Dan and Kevin Hageman said they were 99% confident the show would find a new home and talks are already underway. Some fans thought they could help get the message out. After a short crowdfunding campaign (which we reported on earlier in the week) met its goals, an aerial banner with the message “Save Star Trek: Prodigy” was purchased to fly above the skies of Los Angeles on Thursday, in hopes of getting the attention of some of the potential media companies that may be considering licensing the series.
“Save Star Trek Prodigy” banner flies over Netflix offices in Hollywood (Photo: Aaron Harvey)
After some delays due to overcast weather, the banner plane eventually took off on Thursday afternoon from Long Beach Airport. It then flew straight to Hollywood to fly over the offices of Netflix on Sunset Boulevard, where it circled above the Netflix buildings, the first stop on its tour of media companies. You can see some video of one of the Netflix flybys below.
More of the #SaveStarTrekProdigy banner flying above Netflix offices on Sunset boulevard in Hollywood pic.twitter.com/zN9bZhHIpt
— TrekMovie.com (@TrekMovie) August 24, 2023
Aaron Waltke: Save Prodigy campaign “is making a difference”
Some members of the LA Away Team cosplaying group gathered on the ground at the Netflix offices to witness the flyby, joined by Prodigy co-executive producer Aaron Waltke. Speaking to TrekMovie at the event, Waltke said the banner campaign and other fan efforts to get the message out have been a big boost for the team:
It’s been a huge boost of morale, because obviously, we are in kind of unprecedented times in terms of streaming services and television in general. And so all of us are kind of working in the dark with the honest faith, that eventually the dust will settle and these great stories will get to be told. But it is really nice, whether it’s at a convention or in circumstances like these, to see the efforts of the people who actually watch the shows giving back and kind of letting us know that they see us and they appreciate the tales we’re trying to tell.
Waltke also revealed that the fan campaign including the banner was getting noticed by the powers that be:
They are [aware of the efforts]. I just spoke with a lot of folks at Nickelodeon and CBS Studios and they were delighted to hear that this is happening. So the fans are being heard. This is making a difference. They are ensuring that history will never forget the name “Prodigy.”
Aaron Waltke with members of the LA Away Team at Prodigy banner sighting in Hollywood (Photo: TrekMovie)
Also in Hollywood was Bonnie Gordon, the voice of the USS Protostar on Prodigy, there to show her support and see the aerial banner along with showing her union solidarity, joining the SAG-AFTRA/WGA picket line at the Netflix offices. Trek expert (and WGA member) Larry Nemecek also showed up to see the banner and do a little picketing as well.
Bonnie Gordon and Larry Nemecek at Prodigy banner sighting in Hollywood (Photo: TrekMovie)
Banner campaign inspired by a mom sharing Trek with her daughter
After the loops in Hollywood, the plane flew on to Santa Monica where it looped above offices for Hulu, Apple, and Amazon, other possible future homes for Prodigy. You can see a flight track for the Save Star Trek Prodigy banner plane below.
The #SaveStarTrekProdigy banner plane now circling more media compa offices in Santa Monica pic.twitter.com/ctkXtEqiQk
— TrekMovie.com (@TrekMovie) August 24, 2023
Aerial banner campaigns like this have played a part in previous fan efforts to save TV shows from cancellation, including Timeless and The Expanse. The Prodigy banner campaign was organized by UK fan Michelle Stokes using a GoFundMe campaign which raised a total of $1,517 (£1,215) to pay for the flight. Stokes told TrekMovie about how her love for the show and motivation for the campaign comes down to family:
I’ve always been a big Voyager and Janeway fan, so when Prodigy came along, it gave me a chance to share my love for Trek with my daughter. Prodigy is such a beautiful show, both visually and in the purity of its storytelling. It deserves to be given the opportunity to continue to develop and grow.
Stokes shared a video of the Prodigy banner plane taking off from Long Beach Airport:
Finally a sighting!! Just been sent this from take off of the #SaveStarTrekProdigy banner. pic.twitter.com/YvwL7gdL09
— Michele (@megsmamma) August 24, 2023
Getting noticed
The Hollywood banner flyby got the attention of a few media outlets, including The Hollywood Reporter which also reported on the fan petition which has over 33,000 signatures. The Hollywood trade also reported how CBS Studios is “committed to finding a new distributor” for the series. The Hageman brothers showed their appreciation for the fan effort by sharing images from the banner flying above Hollywood with the message that they owe fans their “lifetime devotion.”
This is incredible. We owe these Trek fans a pint and our lifetime devotion. Blessed to have people like all of you in our stratosphere. #SaveStarTrekProdigy❤️🙏🖖🛩️ https://t.co/77N1gsmWly
— Dan & Kevin Hageman (@brothershageman) August 24, 2023
Keep up with news about the Star Trek Universe at TrekMovie.com.
It’s truly lovely to know so many people are so passionate about this show. It must warm the hearts of the show’s creative team.
This is awesome and I hope it helps. Sadly, I don’t think it will. But I’d love to be proven wrong on this.
Agreed, but I share your hope here.
I don’t see Netflix happening and especially Hulu (mostly owned by Disney) but Amazon might be a fair possibility.
Amazon probably is the best shot since they still have Picard and LDS in some countries.
Ya thats the way I see it too.
This whole situation still seems baffling. They are clearly making another season of the show, and it is going to premiere somewhere. Why they took it off Paramount+ to begin with has never been adequately explained. I guess the worst case scenario is that they cannot find anywhere else to place it, and it comes back to Paramount+.
Yes this makes no sense to me either. All we keep hearing is how supportive CBS and Paramount and everone is. If you are SOOOO supportive why did you axe the series in the first place? I mean I get the whole tax argument but seriously how much money are you really recouping from killing a single season of 20 episodes of a cartoon series?
100%
It joins The Spiderwick Chronicles as a Paramount show unexpectedly looking for a new home. I do hope they can negotiate a sale to one of these streamers who aren’t attached a studio. Netflix’s bargaining position these days is pretty domineering.
The banner went to all the right places, it was a lovely gesture.
Spiderwick was a Disney show.
It’s both. It was co-developed by Disney and Paramount.
Never heard of it?
That’s cool, but I doubt that Netflix executives make their decisions based on messages they see in the sky.
Wow nice! It shows what fans are capable of when they are passionate about a show and what kept Star Trek alive for so long now. Have to at least see season 2 for Admiral Janeway, the Doctor and the kids bring Chakotay home!
Chakotay voted for trump. Let him rot.
1/2 this country voted for Trump. I am NO Trump fan myself but you can hardly cut out someone from a job purely for that reason. Especially coming up to the 2024 elections because all you are going to do is turn Trump into a psudo martur.
Unless he’s on record as being some anti-VAXer and defender of January 6th. Then he’s a liability to the studio in marketing the series. And I think that’s fine, because their market is not disaffected white people who believe everything they read on Facebook and Fox News…most of those people are not watching Prodigy, lol.
Where did you get that from. tRump won because of low voter participation. I know a lot of people that didn’t vote assuming that Hillary would win. They all voted against tRump in the last election.
Regardless if Hillary won the popular vote, Trump won the ellectoral votes. Same happened with Gore verses Bush IIRC. At the end of the day my point is enouf of the country voted for the man. Are they nuts? IMHO? Yes. Still… It happened. And now, after January 6th, will it happen again? YES!
“1/2 this country voted for Trump.”
*sigh* No, and while everyone knows what you mean, it’s not a distinction without a difference.
You Yanks are bloody weird. You would probably want to shoot me for being a Monarchist.
Yeah, because you all haven’t had any crazy leaders with bizarre hair who lie a lot recently.
Whoops! :-)) Lol
LOL 😂
This is great. Love this show for so many reasons. Prodigy is by far my favorite Star Trek Season 1! Can’t wait to watch Season 2!
Cool! Hope to hear news soon! Keep fighting!
I accept their will be no season 3 of PRO, but Paramount could atleast put season 2 on PVOD and physical media.
You’d think they would reverse their decision now that they are running out of new material to show.
Better incentive to a potential streaming buyer though that they get to premiere the season.
Isn’t it already “saved” because it’s still being produced even though it was canceled? What’s the goal here? Clearly it will find a home somewhere if they are spending the money to continue making it.
Not necessarily. GLOW had multiple episodes in the can before it was cancelled. They’ve yet to see the light of day. The latest Batgirl and Scooby Doo films were finished but WBD deems them worth more as tax write-offs than sellable product. Whatever calculus Paramount Global has for Prodigy, they determined it’s not performing the right way in their “self-dealing” strategy as Paramount+ is being scrutinized for how soon it enters the black. They are now weighing any offers to license it against its value as a tax-write off as well, hence pulling it from P+ early.
It’s likely Netflix, Amazon or Apple have expressed interest, it’s just a question if they are offering enough money. Prodigy has a loyal fan base and the Trek name in its favor. But complacency is the last thing the show needs from us.
but in the can and THEN a decision to kill it is different from what’s happening here. They killed but are still paying to produce more? (yes..yes..I know it’s a *diiferent* company but come on – it’s really just a different pocket in the same pair of pants)
I mean what’s so difficult to understand? Paramount+ (the streaming service) apparently decided that the show wasn’t doing well enough to keep it on their service. So they cancelled the show.
CBS Studios (the studio actually making the show) has hopes that they can license the show to another service so they are funding the completion of season 2, which will result in more episodes for a potential buyer.
One of the best Trek shows period! And it brought us back Janeway! This show deserves to continue and I so happy to see so many passionate people pushing to bring it back. It warms this old Trekkie’s heart! ♥️
Seriously this show pulled off a miracle by making me actually like Janeway lol
,😂
This is just fantastic. Prodigy is now the 3rd Star Trek show (fourth if you count Discovery) to be cancelled and it is getting all the same love that TOS and ENT did.
‘history will never forget the name “Prodigy.”’
This just shows the pure love the producers have for the franchise!
So true bro! It’s great to see Prodigy deserves it!
And actually it’s the fifth Trek show to be cancelled when you include TAS.
Oh, I didn’t realize TAS was cancelled!
Just a thought just, this is not unprecedented for Paramount to do. Just look at their hit Yellowstone. It airs first and foremost on the cable Network Paramount but it streams on Peacock not Paramount+
Hey, question for the moderators. Everytime I mention the “Comcast streaming service” my comment gets moderated. Is that supposed to be happening?
Maybe it’s because of the second syllable of the name. Filters are sometimes dumb.
I doubt it’s making a difference…
I don’t know if it will move the needle or not but I would bet anything that the paowers that be are taking noitice.
That just looks so desperate. This is why I don’t tell people I’m a Star Trek fan.
Absolutely lovely way to show support for this show which I personally believe is the best Trek series currently made by Secret Hideout. Hope it helps the cause.
A banner campaign is part of what convinced Amazon to save The Expanse. Maybe it will work for Prodigy.
Who’s taking the time looking up when the studios are too busy looking down upon the striking actors and writers..