Star Trek: Prodigy has to be one of the most chaotic sci-fi rides in recent years (as far as series have come), for a fan like me will be watching this every step of the way, I don't want it to die now. To suddenly have Paramount+ pull the plug on June 2023 and remove all episodes from their service, like the end of the line.
And then, something incredible happened: Star Trek fandom took to the airwaves and flew banners over L.A. and made enough noise to revive a show no one expected to see again.
Their efforts paid off — Netflix swooped in and renewed Star Trek: Prodigy Season 1, which returned on Christmas 2023, then shortly all 20 episodes of Season 2 landed within July 2024. And what an incredible season. With potential (great) future arcs, legacy characters like Admiral Janeway returned in Prodigy to set up the third season — Star Trek felt like it could see future hands everywhere.
But now, just months after that triumphant comeback, the silence around Star Trek: Prodigy Season 3 is turning into a slow, creeping sense of doom.
Why Netflix Might Quietly Let Star Trek: Prodigy Fade Away
According to a report on What’s on Netflix, the streamer has silently passed on renewing Star Trek: Prodigy for Season 3. Netflix has not yet officially said anything, but internal metrics reportedly show that the viewership numbers are lower than what they wanted or expected. It didn´t even peak on global streaming charts (over two years, it clocked in at just 3.4m total views across two years) — the sort of numbers Netflix covets from its tentpole animated series.
And to cap off the gloom, Prodigy is not a Netflix original, which makes it more disposable for the platform. The show's primary creators have disbanded since the completion of Season 2 in 2023 — its resuscitation would be rebuilding the tree from its roots, a high-stakes approach for an effort trying to meet online benchmarks.
Licensing Woes: Prodigy Could Vanish from Netflix Altogether
As if things weren't already bad, Netflix is considering the end of Prodigy. The licensing reportedly runs for just 18 months per season, meaning that the clock is already ticking. By mid-2025, both seasons could disappear from the platform without fanfare.
Because Netflix never acquired worldwide rights, with regions like Canada and France managing their own licenses, this only fragmented the show’s potential to build a truly global audience. France, for instance, got Season 2 months before the U.S., robbing the fandom of a united, loud premiere moment.
What Happens to Prodigy After Netflix? Options Are Running Out
With Netflix seeming disinterested in Star Trek: Prodigy, and Paramount already dropping it once, the series could be left off the air for yet another time. Will Paramount+ pick it up? Suspiciously doubtful, given how quickly they had axed it when conducting their content purge. And let’s not forget: even the Star Trek movies frequently disappear from Paramount+, shuttled around to wherever licensing deals take them.
How Can a Show This Good Be Cursed?
What is most infuriating is that Star Trek: Prodigy is actually one of the best shows with modern settings in this franchise. It knows what it's doing, the animatics are breathtakingly hand-drawn, and it bridges generations of both kids and adults who have been following Starfleet from the first time.
While it's an excellent show, Prodigy has had to fight far harder than any other Star Trek series to just scrape by. It shouldn't be this way. Star Trek: Prodigy needs some love once again. However, if we can drive some traffic to the streaming numbers, love the Blu-ray, or reignite the conversation on social media…maybe Netflix (or another streamer) will change their mind.
I mean, a hopeful show this imaginative and Star Trek worthy has a right to thrive.