Since the July release of the second season of Star Trek: Prodigy on Netflix, there has been no word on if there will be a follow-up season of the animated series. Hoping to nudge the streaming giant, fans have once again chosen a high-profile way to get their message out by flying a banner above Netflix’s offices in Hollywood.
Prodigy flies again
Prodigy fans have been rallying around online efforts to watch (and rewatch) the show on Netflix, likely the most important metric for the streaming company. But some are looking at last year’s #SaveStarTrekProdigy campaign for inspiration to help things along. After Paramount Plus removed the the animated series last summer, fans rallied online and in the skies above Los Angeles, hiring a banner advertising plane to fly over the offices of several steaming services, including Netflix in Hollywood, in hopes to get them to pick up the series, which had an almost-completed second season.
#SaveStarTrek Prodigy banner flying over Netflix offices in Hollywood, August 2023 (Photo: Aaron Harvey)
Last year’s effort has been mentioned by the showrunners and producers of the show, who say the overall fan campaign played a part in helping get Netflix to pick up the series. At the Prodigy panel at San Diego Comic-Con last month, series star Kate Mulgrew said to the fans, “You guys are responsible for season 2 because you hired that little plane that flew over Netflix and that got bought… So you have to do it again. Will you do it again?”
The answer is yes, and on Friday, August 23rd, a plane with the banner message “Renew Star Trek Prodigy! Go Fast!” flew over Southern California, taking several loops above a pair of Netflix office buildings on Sunset Blvd. There was a gathering of Star Trek fans at that location to cheer the plane on as well as it circled the Netflix offices for over an hour.
Renew Star Trek Prodigy banner flies over Netflix offices, August 2024 (Photo: Rachel Reuben)
Planning for another flight actually had already started before the Prodigy panel at SDCC last month. UK-based superfan Michele Stokes, who organized the 2023 flight, tells TrekMovie, “I was blown away by Kate’s comments, but they weren’t the main motivation. Several people had already approached me about doing another banner at that point, so whilst it wasn’t the main motivation, it certainly helped.”
On Friday, Mulgrew expressed her appreciation for the effort on Twitter/X calling it “marvelous” and praising Michele and Star Trek fans.
This is absolutely marvelous! No other fanbase IN THE WORLD can compare to #StarTrek fans. Thank you to Michele & all who donated ❤️
Proud to be continuing the #StarTrekProdigy journey on @netflix, now hoping to #SetACourseForSeason3 🙌🏻🛫 https://t.co/WdrorwO9bL
— Kate Mulgrew (@TheKateMulgrew) August 23, 2024
For 2024, Stokes once organized a crowdfunding campaign for an aerial banner, which gathered over $2100 through small contributions from dozens of fans. Excess money from the campaign was donated to UNICEF. The flight was originally planned for August 15, but was delayed a couple of times due to FAA paperwork issues. Stokes tells TrekMovie why she is putting in so much for the show: “We wanted to amplify the demand for this that exists on social media and within the fandom, and thought the best, most direct way was to repeat the stunt that helped push Netflix towards picking the series up in the first place.”
“Renew Star Trek Prodigy” banner flies over Southern California, August 2024 (Photo: Rachel Reuben)
The 2024 Netflix flyover also got the attention of the creative team behind the show. Co-creators and showrunners Dan and Kevin Hageman shared Michele’s video with their thanks and the message “Warms the soul.” Co-executive producer Aaron Waltke shared a photo from one of the people at the event, thanking all the fans from their support with the message to “keep watching” and to spread the word to get more people to watch on Netflix.
If there is one thing I have learned, it is the #StarTrekProdigy fans are passionate, dedicated, and incredible.
Thank you for all the love and support. And for raising money to fight ALS, as well.
Keep watching — spread the word to check out our series on Netflix! 🖖 https://t.co/njWyO5Rhsl
— Aaron J. Waltke (@GoodAaron) August 23, 2024
So again we wait. Things are a bit different this time, as season 2 was mostly completed when Netflix picked up the license for the series last October. Speaking to TrekMovie before the second season launched, Kevin Hageman was realistic about the 3rd season pickup chances, saying “From what I see of Netflix when they do pickup shows for a season 3, which is very rare, it’s not about doing well, it has to do gangbusters.” We do know that the second season showed up on some Netflix top 10 lists internationally, but not in the USA. The Hagemans have talked about how there are some early ideas on where to take the show in a third season, but they have also noted it could take up to three years from getting a green light to any release.
Renew Star Trek Prodigy banner flies over Southern California, August 2024 (Photo: Rachel Reuben)
If you are looking for a way to support the show, keep watching and rewatching it on Netflix, talk about it on social media, and get your friends and family to watch it too.
Video from Netflix building
Due to the flight being delayed and rescheduled multiple times, only a handful of fans were able to attend the Netflix building flyover. One of those who did make it was Jessica Edmonds, who made a video of her Prodigy pilgrimage.
Prodigy coming home in November
The second was released digitally on VOD earlier this month and it arrives on Blu-ray and DVD on November 12. The new release includes all 20 episodes as well as two all-new featurettes with interviews with the cast and creatives. You can pre-order the Blu-ray from Amazon for $24.49 and the DVD for $19.99.
DVD packaging
The Star Trek fanbase is known for its deep enthusiasm for the series, which often extends beyond the show to include collectibles, conventions, and even themed online casino games that capture the spirit of the beloved franchise.
Keep up with the Star Trek Universe on TV here at TrekMovie.com.
Star Trek: Prodigy is the best thing to come out of Star Trek for me since 2005. It’s such a delightful and inspiring show. The new characters are amazing, absolutely love Janeway and the others being back and the people making it completely gets, loves and understands Star Trek.
I really hope it gets a season 3 and so happy to see the passion from fans such as this woman. She deserves so much praise for what she has done.
As Kate Mulgrew said, no other fandom in the world has the passion and commitment as Star Trek fans and she’s totally right.
And after I finish my Voyager rewatch I plan to watch all of Prodigy again will be buying the Blu rays as well.
Hear, hear!
Totally agree! Their passion for this show is felt in every episode..It definitely deserves more.
And someone told me Prodigy season 2 now has the highest audience ratings of any new season of NuTrek on IMDB so far. That is pretty amazing if true.
That is truly amazing to hear! I still enjoy Picard season 3 more overall but Prodigy hands down is the better show.
I loved it so much I convinced two of my Trek besties to try it who never watched it either and they both loved it. And one is like me and been disappointed with most of NuTrek.
But everywhere I go online people only say great things about this show. I just wished more people watched it but I say this originally ignoring season one myself. So I understand the hesitation directly.
But everyone who gives it a chance mostly loves it.
I feel the same about PIC S3, but that season appeared to be lightning in a bottle, unfortunately. Sadly, I don’t know anyone personally who watches Trek anymore. My best friend, who was an avid Fan like myself, passed away two years ago. But I’m pretty sure he would have enjoyed Prodigy as I do. I’m glad you gave the show a chance and that you like it, Legacy – to me, easily the best written Trek show in the last 25 years. Cheers.
Danpanie,
I am very sorry you lost someone so close to you. I am now at the age where I lost a few long time friends and it still hurts. And yes like you I don’t know many people in real life who watches Star Trek anymore. It’s very different from the 70’s, 80’s and certainly the 90’s where I had a lot of friends and a few family members who watched it, many who started when TNG premiered.
Today it’s sadly different. Even people back then who never watched it knew it was around because it was all over TV at least. Most people I know has never heard of these new shows and I imagine much harder to get new fans onboard unless they already have Paramount + or something.
Prodigy itself looked like it paid the price for it. I do think Picard season 3 was stronger but it also felt more adult and serious which I naturally prefer. And seeing that cast together again will always be great. Nothing in the last 20 years will compare.
I am however very happy I gave this show a chance and it was people from this board who convinced me. I hate to say this but I don’t know if we’ll get anything this good for a long time (not counting LDS since I never seen it).
Hopefully I’ll be proven wrong. Always a treat to talk to you dear!
This is cool, though Star Trek fandom is hardly the only devoted fanbase that has convinced networks to renew shows.
Did this article say they are?
Did my comment say it had?
Well I think it’s quite obvious Star Trek is not the only show that has convinced networks to renew shows. Just wondering what was in the article that made you highlight this point? If it’s a side note not related to the article, then I misunderstood your comment.
Great to see! Both seasons of Prodigy were amazing and deserves to keep going! I want more Dal, Gwyn, Janeway, Rok. the Doctor, Jangkom, Zero and the others to continue new adventures.
I agree with the others who say Prodigy the best consistently written show put out in the ‘new age’ of Trek. I could watch this show for years, this creative team gets ‘it.’
I just started on Prodigy season 1, having ignored it as a “kiddie show” before. After just 10 episodes, I am very surprised at how good it is. It is possibly the best of all the new shows.
I think that is a very common. If the views /metrics of this show is low its because many haven’t given it a chance. Not because viewers were not retained after intial viewing.
I was the same, blew if off at first because of it’s target demographic. So glad I decided to give it a try.
I hope they get a third season. It really is the best of the modern Trek shows.
It is. Imagine if they somehow made the jump to live action – now THAT’D be 👉🎆👈!!!
I been saying since season 1 if this was a live action show the response to it would’ve been much bigger and popular. For starters you would have Kate Mulgrew coming back to live action and that alone would’ve been pretty huge for fans. Add the Doctor in season 2 and even more so.
But the stories themselves is what really drawn people in. I have no doubt this show could’ve gone 5 seasons easily as a live action show.
I’ve got no problem with animation however, it lets the original actors have a much less rigourous schedule or if they’ve somehow aged out of their roles to the degree that might not fit well with the story (and prevents an Irishman use of deaging) and in the event of tragedy or someone not being interested (ie: maybe Kes could make an appearance) they can re-cast the voice easier. Quality animation (even 2d / cell shaded, more realistic) is a far too underused brush in the toolkit as it were to let the original characters and eras live on
Exactly. I’ve been doing what I can on my end in my little corner of the world, directing more eyeballs to the show. 😊
Let’s hope there’s enough momentum, globally, for Netflix to see that there’s a sincere demand for more, as well as a recognition of high quality storytelling (compared to P+ not seeing it). 🤞
Yes, we need season 3 of Prodigy and a Traveler spinoff would be good too. If Netflix does pick it up, it will likely be a shorter season (8-10 episodes).
If they want the banners to have the desired effect, they should replace “renew” with “watch”. Getting people to watch it is what is going to make the difference.
I think getting people to watch is more effective thorough word of mouth and online lobbying. This fly sign was strategically targeting Netflix employees at that building .A specific message to Netflix.
Yeah, I think the general consensus is that there weren’t enough eyes on the release of season two to warrant a third season.
There is no consensus yet, because Netflix has not released any numbers yet and are still looking at data for the show. No one will know until Netflix says one way or the other.
I still haven’t watched it, and I watched and enjoyed season 1. Just not feeling it.
If this had been a live action reboot instead of DSC, Star Trek might still be popular and fandom less polarised. It’s the only one of the new shows that feels like the Star Trek of the past.
If you like the other stuff, more power to you though.
I like most of the other shows but definitely agree Prodigy does it the best. And why it sucks it may have the shortest life out of all the new shows.
Officially, Prodigy may only have 2 seasons but it has released as many episodes to date as Lower Decks (we know LDS has one more season coming) and actually has more episodes than Picard. Still feels too short though.
I think the biggest challenge in renewing or greenlighting the series is the cost of producing it.
It is Show BUSINESS, and investors/shareholders deserve a return on their investment. I’d pay extra for Netflix’s Trek content.
Let’s go Prodigy!!!
This and Lower Decks are easily my two favorite Trek shows so very sad for me they both can end this year.
But it’s great to see passionate fans trying their best to keep them alive. Sadly this isn’t the 90s anymore and nothing seems to last very long these days. But Prodigy deserves to go at least longer than two seasons. But I’m at least happy it completed its story if season 2 is the end.
And we can see these characters show up in other places in time. I know we will get more of the Voyager characters like Janeway and the Doctor is already coming back but I really want to see these kid characters again. They were so well developed and deserves more adventures.
Netflix isn’t going to pay for a show that belongs to a franchise that they don’t own. It makes no sense.
They are making a Ghostbusters animated show and have already made a Jurassic World show. They own neither of those franchises.
Netflix also paid for Discovery until Paramount took season 4 away from them.