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Star Trek: Prodigy 1×11 Review: “Asylum”

Star Trek: Prodigy returns for the second half of season 1 with “Asylum”. Just when our intrepid crew of the Protostar thought they were safe, something happens that could completely derail their quest to join Starfleet.

When we last left our crew in “A Moral Star, Part 2” , they had just staged a successful rebellion of Tars Lamora. As “Asylum” opens, we learn that it has been some time since. The Protostar dropped all the prisoners off at their home worlds and have been spending the rest of their time performing humanitarian missions in a bid to prove to Starfleet that they would be worthy recruits.

This is an episode that promises answers – if not now, then at some point in the future. Gwyn has lost her memories of the events on Tars Lamora, but she keeps experiencing flashbacks at the most inconvenient of times. Unfortunately, she can’t make any sense of what she is remembering, and she has no context for it. If she did, she might have been able to prevent what happened.

But of course, we can’t blame Gwyn for not being able to remember. After all, seeing Zero’s true form is meant to drive people to madness. Gwyn is lucky she only saw the reflection. And it’s a good thing that she eventually does remember, otherwise, the kids would have had no idea what was going on.

We finally see what the Diviner meant when he said that Starfleet would destroy itself. He actually meant that literally. It’s clever in its insidiousness.

Dal’s quest for identity has been a major part of his character up to this point, and “Asylum” makes it clear that this is a mystery that will be solved at some point this season. The bio scanners on the Starfleet outpost have a match for Dal; we just don’t learn what it is, because all that comes up is a message to report to Starfleet Command. But just the knowledge that they may have the answers is enough to raise Dal’s spirits.

I like that the kids’ first experience with Starfleet (that isn’t a hologram) is initially positive. They are all so very excited at the prospect of joining, and to have them be welcomed likely goes a long way towards easing their nerves. They are all essentially rejects and castoffs; hearing that Starfleet accepts all kinds is a balm to soothe their souls. It’s terrible that the hidden weapon aboard the Protostar – something that they had no knowledge of and nothing to do with – will probably hinder their quest.

You can tell what’s going to happen. The officer stationed at the outpost assumed that this was intentional sabotage. After hearing that they stole the ship, it’s not an unreasonable conclusion to draw. But these are children claiming that they escaped from a prison planet. Surely that would give them the benefit of the doubt.

But they won’t be given the benefit of the doubt. The story will get out somehow, and with Vice Admiral Janeway (aka real Janeway) discovering the Diviner still alive, we can only assume that he will find a way to twist events to his liking. It will only get worse when she located Chakotay’s ship with no Chakotay. It is laughably easy to use rumors and hearsay to manipulate people’s perception of an event, especially an event they themselves did not witness.

I do love the way that Prodigy is able to balance humor with the more dramatic aspects. Jankom and Dal getting pummeled with rogue hot dogs was a nice counter to malfunctioning medical equipment nearly drowning Gwyn. And Zero telling Dal that his argument was “logical, but nonsense” as they tried to figure out a way off the self-destructing outpost was a wonderful moment of levity in an otherwise tense situation.

Prodigy also continues to offer nice little throwbacks to earlier installments in the Star Trek universe. For example, the mission that Dal and the others are on at the beginning of the episode is saving a space whale.

I’m so excited that Prodigy is back! I can’t wait to get some answers and see what real Janeway will get up to.

If you haven’t yet, make sure you listen to our interviews with the cast and crew from this year’s New York Comic Con!

Author: Jamie Sugah

Jamie has a BA in English with a focus in creative writing from The Ohio State University. She self-published her first novel, The Perils of Long Hair on a Windy Day, which is available through Amazon. She is currently an archivist and lives in New York City with her demon ninja vampire cat. She covers television, books, movies, anime, and conventions in the NYC area.

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Home » ‘Star Trek: Prodigy’ 1×11 Review: “Asylum”

‘Star Trek: Prodigy’ 1×11 Review: “Asylum”

Wow! What a way to bring back Star Trek: Prodigy ! Episode 1×11, “Asylum” starts us off with a bang, a little wink and a nod to longtime Trek fans, and manages to pack a ton into a very brief 24-minute episode. Prodigy is doing what it’s always done best–making Trek accessible for the younger crowd while still providing great Trek action and excitement for the adults in the room. Let’s unpack Star Trek: Prodigy episode 1×11, “Asylum” together.

Star Trek: Prodigy—The One with the Whales?

First up, I just had to laugh when I watched the opening of episode 1×11, “Asylum.” Everyone’s favorite fun and silly Star Trek movie, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home aka “The One with the Whales” has been homaged so often in modern Trek that it’s become like a sort of inside joke. Having the crew of the Protostar open “Asylum” mid-mission to protect an endangered whale species while also nearly violating the Prime Directive is *chef’s kiss* perfect. What this scene also does is tell a lot with a little. We see that our crew has been working on learning the Starfleet ropes with lots of coaching from Hologram Janeway. They’re learning to be a real crew and that bit of growth is very satisfying.

First Contact with Starfleet

Our crew’s first encounter with Starfleet in “Asylum” didn’t go so hot. Not only is the first Starfleet officer they encounter a bit, shall we say, scattered, but through no fault of their own, the Protostar has infected the relay station. You don’t know what you don’t know and now the crew of the Protostar must feel more isolated than ever. How can they get help from Starfleet without demolishing the whole of Starfleet just by connecting with them? It’s a tough situation. The most interesting thing about this situation is that we finally get a clue about who Dal is. Apparently, Starfleet has knowledge of his species, but when he is scanned, the order is to contact Starfleet immediately. Does this mean Dal’s parents made it to Starfleet? Is there something more sinister going on? I’ve got questions! I hope our next episode has answers.

Final Thoughts

Episode 1×11, “Asylum” does a lot to show how much our crew has grown since we last left them. We see Rok-tahk has grown in her knowledge of science (we also find out that she’s a Brikar, which we’ve not encountered before in Trek lore). Zero and Gwyn are working towards a solution for her memory loss, and Jankom and Dal are just as plucky as ever. And of course, Murf is still being irresistibly cute.

Finally, with Vice Admiral Janeway and her crew finding The Diviner, I have a feeling the next episode will be some trouble for all of them. I’m also eager to find out where the heck Chakotay is, what The Diviner did with him, and how he ended up with The Protostar in the first place! Overall, this is a great mid-season opener and I’m excited for the next episode. Need something to hold you over until next week? I got to chat with Prodigy showrunners, Kevin and Dan Hageman ! Be sure to give it a watch.

What did you think of Star Trek: Prodigy episode 1×11, “Asylum”? Leave me a comment and let’s talk Trek .

The next episode of Star Trek: Prodigy will air on November 3, 2022, on Paramount+.

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Star Trek: Prodigy

Let Sleeping Borg Lie

When the crew encounters a dormant Borg Cube, Zero risks everything to save their ship.

Bonnie Gordon

Jameela Jamil

Jason Alexander

Cast Appearances

Kate Mulgrew

Ella Purnell

Jason Mantzoukas

Dee Bradley Baker

Angus Imrie

Rylee Alazraqui

Episode Discussion

Well anything that involves Borg should be good and this episode was that. Really good one.

Star Trek Best Trek

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 .

Cast & crew
Episode aired Oct 27, 2022

Dee Bradley Baker, Jason Mantzoukas, Angus Imrie, Ella Purnell, Brett Gray, and Rylee Alazraqui in Asylum (2022)

At the edge of Federation space, the crew applies for asylum at a comm relay outpost, only for their starship to reveal its shocking true purpose. At the edge of Federation space, the crew applies for asylum at a comm relay outpost, only for their starship to reveal its shocking true purpose. At the edge of Federation space, the crew applies for asylum at a comm relay outpost, only for their starship to reveal its shocking true purpose.

Gene Roddenberry
Kevin Hageman
Dan Hageman
Rylee Alazraqui
Dee Bradley Baker
2 Critic reviews

The Diviner

Hologram Janeway

Doctor Noum

Captain Chakotay

Barniss Frex

Commander Tysess

Ship Computer

All cast & crew
Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

Did you know

Connections References Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989)

User reviews

October 27, 2022 (United States)
United States
Official Site
CBS Eye Animation Productions
CBS Television Studios
Nickelodeon Productions
See more company credits at IMDbPro

Technical specs

Runtime 24 minutes
Dolby Atmos
Dolby Digital

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57. Star Trek Prodigy 1x11: "Asylum"

WELCOME BACK to regular coverage of STAR TREK! This time we are taking on the Prodigy, Star Trek's animated series following the adventures of a ragtag group of new cadets...

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Spoilers Star Trek: Prodigy 1x11 - "Asylum"

Discussion in ' Star Trek: Prodigy ' started by Commander Richard , Oct 26, 2022 .

Rate the episode...

10 - excellent, 1 - terrible.

cooleddie74 Fleet Admiral Admiral

They were in the "Mugatu, Gumato" episode and were seen inflating their faces in the self-defense reflex Phlox used in ENT.

ToddCam Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

tomalak301 said: ↑ Someone else said it at the top of the thread. I'm not ready to make that judgement yet. Click to expand...

Deks Vice Admiral Admiral

ToddCam said: ↑ That's what I had been hoping. Click to expand...

AnimationAdmiral Lieutenant Commander Red Shirt

Deks said: ↑ Well at least we saw him wearing his suit (unlike in the ending of episode 10)... so there's that. Click to expand...

jackoverfull Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

Great return, it was fun and fast. And this show also has fantastic music, by the way. Great introduction to the tractor beam, just when I was saying “what’s the sweat, the ship got to have a tractor beam”. Starfleet sure loves to display unusual stuff on all available displays…Kinda like with the Omega molecule. Worst federation officer ever. 9

ToddCam said: ↑ So I guess the kids and fake Janeway really did just leave the Diviner to die at Tars Lemora. Click to expand...

The Old Mixer Mih ssim, mih ssim, nam, daed si Xim. Moderator

jackoverfull said: ↑ Great introduction to the tractor beam, just when I was saying “what’s the sweat, the ship got to have a tractor beam”. Click to expand...

David cgc Admiral Premium Member

Deks said: ↑ ...and the Denobulan about a tale of how kids who claimed to have STOLEN the Protostar... Click to expand...

Wouter Captain Captain

The Old Mixer said: ↑ I'm sure the pod is due to be picked up by the Dauntless, because plot. Click to expand...

I'm going to speculate that Dal is one of the last members of a species and/or some manner of heir to leadership, e.g. royalty.

fireproof78 Fleet Admiral Admiral

Wouter said: ↑ That was actually the major surprise of the episode for me - Dal being scanned and all the consoles turn red with ominous warnings to alert Starfleet Command? Just what/who is Dal? Click to expand...

The Old Mixer said: ↑ I'm going to speculate that Dal is one of the last members of a species and/or some manner of heir to leadership, e.g. royalty. Click to expand...

Wouter said: ↑ I think that description may end up fitting Gwyn better Click to expand...

Tuskin38 Fleet Admiral Admiral

Hm, the description of the episode here in Canada called the station 'Deep Space 13' for some reason.

valkyrie013 Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

Quite good! Enjoyed it.

Timofnine Saintly henchman of Santa Premium Member

A lot of Prodigy episodes tend to be pretty generic and average Sci-fi ‘fluff’ yet still manage to throw in some good ‘Star Trek’ hooks, twists and turns. Other than the return of Chakotay and a homage to The Voyage Home, this weeks ‘hook’ in regards to Dal has me intrigued… the last time that a computer reacted like this onscreen was to the highly sensitive Omega particle as discussed above. This is either *something* or *nothing* as far as I can tell. Maybe Dal’s Ferengi mum (despite everything, she is still his mum I guess) knows more than she is letting on?

El Maestro Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

This show is a very good show for young people AND I (an old person) enjoy it too. Great music and the story is interesting. Great time to be a trek fan.

Paul755 Commodore Commodore

The “Into Darkness” musical cue was fun. And overall the episode was good. Janeway and Chakotay looked creepy as hell though. But I get that it’s just the animation style. biggest nitpick is the same as the last part of the season. These episodes just fly by. I mean, they really hustle thru those 24 minutes.

NCC-73515 Vice Admiral Admiral

Chakotay looks good! It's funny that they got his shoulder chevron right when they never could figure it out on Janeway

David cgc said: ↑ I can't be the only person protesting to the TV whenever they say they stole the ship that it was actually a legitimate salvage. There was nobody on it, the doors were unlocked, and it was buried in an asteroid. It was basically asking for someone to take it. Click to expand...

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The future of crossover episodes between Star Trek series' appears to be in doubt

S tar Trek made a lot of fans happy not too long ago when Strange New Worlds and Lower Decks crossed over for some shenanigans. The crossover took place in Strange New Worlds' second season and saw two of Lower Decks' best; Brad Boilmer (Jack Quaid) and Beckett Mariner (Tawny Newsome) go from animation to live-action.

It was an episode fans loved, and many had hoped for more in the coming years but recently, Trek higher-up and legendary actor and director Jonathan Frakes has seemingly put the kibosh on any future crossovers. At least for now.

Speaking to TrekMovie.com's podcast , Frakes revealed that Alex Kurtzman doesn't seem too keen on doing any more crossovers, saying;

“I think the (crossover) show did so well. You know, [co-showrunner] Akiva [Goldsman] would would certainly take the swing like that. I think [co-showrunner] Henry Alonso Myers would too. I’m not sure how Paramount Plus or Alex [Kurtzman] would feel about it, but it worked.”

The fact that Kurtzman's views on a further crossover seem unknown suggests that Kurtzman may not be as on board as Frakes and others. Considering the financial situation at Paramount+ and Paramount Global as a whole, this isn't surprising.

The only Star Trek show that Paramount+ has any say over at the moment is Strange New Worlds, and if Netflix greenlights a third season of Prodigy, they would likely have the final say if those characters could be used on a Strange New Worlds or vice versa.

With the franchise seemingly toning down television shows on the service to the point that only Strange New Worlds exists and instead focusing on cheaper Star Trek films to make, the likelihood that another Trek series crossovers over with Strange New Worlds, or even beyond isn't very likely to happen.

Now, things can always change but right now it doesn't seem likely that a genuine, character-focused crossover, will end up happening again in the immediate future.

This article was originally published on redshirtsalwaysdie.com as The future of crossover episodes between Star Trek series' appears to be in doubt .

The future of crossover episodes between Star Trek series' appears to be in doubt

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Jonathan Frakes Sees Opportunities With Streaming Star Trek Movies, Weighs In On “Filler Episodes”

| April 25, 2024 | By: Laurie Ulster 54 comments so far

Earlier this week, TrekMovie’s All Access Star Trek podcast team spoke to director and Star Trek: The Next Generation (and Picard ) star Jonathan Frakes along with Deep Space Nine star Armin Shimerman, DS9 guest star Kitty Swink, and television writer/producer Juan Carlos Coto, brother of late Enterprise writer/producer Manny Coto. They had all gathered together to talk about the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network and their team Trek Against Pancreatic Cancer for the Purple Stride walk this Saturday, April 27th. During the wide-ranging chat, Frakes weighed in some some of the latest Star Trek news.

Frakes talks Lower Decks and 2-hour streaming movie format

Jonathan Frakes had some thoughts regarding the future of Lower Decks , reacting to the recent news that the upcoming fifth season of the animated series will be its last . He directed the Lower Decks / Strange New Worlds “Those Old Scientists” crossover, and when asked if he thought there could be another crossover episode, he saw it as a possibility:

“I think the show did so well. You know, [co-showrunner] Akiva [Goldsman] would would certainly take the swing like that. I think [co-showrunner] Henry Alonso Myers would too. I’m not sure how Paramount Plus or Alex [Kurtzman] would feel about it, but it worked.”

After some talk about whether or not Lower Decks could be revived like Prodigy was on Netflix, Frakes brought up that a new format could offer possibilities:

“I do know that there’s a lot of positive energy around the Michelle Yeoh Section 31 movie. So that 2-hour format is now on the table for Star Trek going forward.”

Frakes agreed that in addition to Lower Decks , this format could also be a home for Terry Matalas’ Star Trek: Legacy pitch for a spin-off of the third season of Picard. When asked, Frakes said “of course” Matalas has spoken to him about Legacy . If Legacy did transform into a streaming movie, Frakes doesn’t expect he would direct, predicting Terry would “hire himself” to helm it as he did for the season 3 finale.

Jonathan Frakes in season 2 of Lower Decks

Frakes weighs in on “filler episodes”

One of the recent hot topics around Star Trek centers around comments from executive producer Alex Kurtzman about how the modern streaming era of 10-episode seasons forces them to “really make sure that every story counts,” noting he has talked to writers who worked on earlier incarnations of Trek with 26-episode seasons who lamented having to do “filler episodes.” When the subject of filler episodes was brought up, Frakes said of TNG:

“The only filler I thought was real was when they clearly did a clip show [“Shades of Gray”]. That was a piece of shit.”

Frakes agreed with Juan Carlos Coto (a writer and showrunner on the ABC series 9-1-1 ) who said filler episodes were “never intentional.” They pointed out that budgets get spent at the beginning and end of seasons, so “in the middle, there’s a lot of talking.” As Frakes admitted, some of the best material had to be saved for the right time:

“We made 26 episodes a year, they had a set budget for the year and you split it up 26 ways or however they saw fit… and you got to save stuff for the cliffhanger… Like ‘Best of Both Worlds,’ Picard is Locutus and we’re about to fucking blow up the ship and kill him.”

Star Trek: The Next Generation - Best of Both Worlds Part 1

Shelby (Elizabeth Dennehy) and Riker (Jonathan Frakes) in the final moments of “Best of Both Worlds” season 3 cliffhanger finale

If you can, please join Purple Stride, donate to the cause, or both. If you can’t, please spread the word via social media and word of mouth. For more info visit the Trek Against Pancreatic Cancer participation and donation page

Listen to the full podcast…

Find more stories about the Star Trek Universe at TrekMovie.

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Imagine Deep Space Nine, with 10 episodes per season and how forced and unrealistic many of the storylines and character developments would look.

Cheers to the “filler” episodes !

“Duet”, probably the best episode of Season 1, was a filler episode.

I don’t really count that as “filler”, since it advanced the evolution of Kira’s character. Now, “Looking for Par’Mach…” is filler. Sure, we get to see more Klingon culture, but I could do without the BDSM implications of said culture.

But it the moment dax and word became a couple so not a ‘filler’ ep

I think “Duet” is a bottle episode, but not a filler episode. But we are having a hard time defining filler episodes here at TrekMovie for that reason! “Duet” was a really important episode for Kira’s character that changed her in some way, and was, I’m guessing, a story they really wanted to do. I love “Explorers,” but that strikes me as more of a DS9 filler than “Duet.”

Bottle shows are money savers. Filler shows go back to the writer’s room.

You have to cram 26 episodes into a season. Episodes are being broken while others are being written while others episodes are in pre-production while others are being filmed while others are in various stages of post production. It’s the I Love Lucy chocolate assembly line. You need ideas. At times, any ideas. Some will work well, some will fail, some will have done better if more time, but we can’t worry about that now because we need to keep moving.

If season 1 of DS9 were ten episodes, instead of eighteen, we probably would have lost Q-Less, Move Along Home, and Dramatis Personae off the bat. Duet would have been kept. There would have been more time for the writers to write and write well. We may have gotten other gems that there was never time to develop.

DS9 did an amazing job later in its run running a tight ship with 26 episodes, far more than the other shows, and shorter seasons would have been sad for us – I’d have preferred 52 episodes a season, but the producers would have died. It’s about balance.

Duet was one of my favourite episodes of DS9, filler or bottle or whateverI don’t care it was a high point of the show.

Absolutely. DS9 for me still the number 1 Star Trek show. And it is because of these long story arcs and filler episodes.

Every episode is so thoughtful. This is why my expectations are higher watching the new shows, specially Discovery and Picard.

Great script. Brilliant character development. Connections. Issues. Actors. Producers. The whole thing is truly a masterpiece.

Yes to both points. TBH I don’t mind a more serialized approach like Discovery and Picard, but the so-called “filler” episodes do add a lot to the characters and world-building they can do. Yes, some of them aren’t great, but I’d gladly take that along with the great episodes that can stem from the “filler.”

And I really do think Lower Decks could thrive with a movie format, or even just hour-long specials similar to South Park.

I like the idea of multi-episode streaming movies, viewed online. What are the current series long shows like Discovery, if not that? Multi-part shows, streamed online over 8-10 weeks, loosely or tightly inter-connected. SNW’s breaks that mold a little bit with more seeming stand-alone episodes, albeit connected by the underlying plot threads – Pikes knowledge of his demise, for example.

It’s frequently commented that many seasons of the current shows feel stretched. Movie format suits the kind of storytelling modern Trek wants to do (which is emulate modern action movies).

I love this man so much and hope to see him back as Riker again someday. I would love a Legacy TV movie.

And I agree with him, I don’t look as most shows making filler episodes. As long as they give us good stories and character development I will watch them all. It doesn’t mean every episode is great of course but every viewer will judge it on their own. What people consider filler to them will be an impactful episode to others.

All I know is while none of these shows are perfect I watch TNG, TOS and Enterprise religiously and those shows have way more solid episodes than bad ones in my book.

Everything he touches, turns out amazing.

Thunderbirds has entered the chat, LOL!

I was going to leave it as a snarky comment, but come on. Everyone loves Frakes.

Best episodes. First Contact. Hope Frakes and Ira Steven Behr could direct Berman era movies.

I would love for Behr to be involved again on some level with Star Trek. Still one of the best writers to ‘this day! He and Frakes teaming up to do a movie would be amazing!

If he comes back, will be for the Return of the Sisko! :D I am an optimist. Really hope Avery is just having fun just waiting for the right time and the right script.

Yes totally agree!!! That would be fantastic.

Yep fully agree. The way people view an episode is always different. And yeah there have been tons of ‘filler’ episodes that have become pretty iconic in their own right.

The classic shows have all generally aged well because there are so many episodes and you get such a wide range of stories and character driven episodes fans have gotten to appreciate that sadly the new shows rarely have time for and never get to focus on secondary characters.

People have been complaining about the extreme lack of character development of the Discovery bridge crew for five seasons now. With more episodes and not about the galaxy being in jeopardy every season maybe we could’ve gotten at least a few Detmer or Owo focused stories.

And it’s just fun to turn on a random TOS or VOY episode that is really harder to do with the new stuff.

And yes Frakes is amazing! He embodies the Star Trek spirit like no other!

Yes this is it exactly! The ‘filler’ episodes gave us a wide range of character development this new stuff just does a passing glance at because it’s too serialized and plot driven. In the golden era of Trek you got both. DS9 hello?

Those shows can really slow down and give us some great stuff. One of my favorite Enterprise episodes is Shuttlepod One. I adore it because you get real insight into Reed and Trip. It’s no way an episode like that could ever be made today because they don’t have the room and there isn’t enough shooting or explosions.

BTW, a little off topic but have you been watching this season of Discovery at all? Any thoughts? I don’t think I’ve seen a single post from you about any of the season or episodes so far.

I just watched the first episode of the season a week ago. It was OK but just not for me. I really only watched it because it connected to The Chase, one of my favorites.

I said I would try and watch the next episode but no motivation. Discovery just isn’t for me I guess. I still haven’t finished watching seasons 3 and 4 either lol.

But I hear others are really enjoying it though. Good for them. 😊

How about yourself dear? Maybe I might try it again later when it’s over and if I hear good things about the ending.If not, no bother. I haven’t looked in any of the threads on this board discussing the season.

I am enjoying it for the most part: certainly more than I thought I would lol.

But it’s still Discovery and there are still scenes of people discussing their feelings or just a lot of back and forth discussions that feel pretty aimless or just there to pad the episode. I really didn’t like the last episode at all but the one before that one was great and felt like the type of story you would get out of a Berman era show.

So it’s up and down but I do think a lot people are liking it overall including this board which says a lot lol.

I’m still a little nervous it may not stick to landing by the end but we only have 5 more episodes and then the show is done for good. Wow.

Good to know. I do know the show is trying to connect more to classic Star Trek like TNG and DS9. That’s a big positive at least and maybe why more people are excited about it right now. But are a lot of people watching it this season? No one I know online is really talking about it as much like before but maybe just where I lurk on social media.

Hopefully it will end well for its fans.

Oh however I have started watching Prodigy for the first time and you were so right! That show is phenomenal!! I just thought I was too old for it but it’s so much fun and loving Janeway with the new characters!

I’m on episode 9 now but can’t wait to finish it. I’m really excited when the real Janeway shows up but Hologram Janeway is so much fun too. The new characters really feel fleshed out as well and loving the storyline. This feels like Star Trek of old again. I’m so happy you and others convinced me to watch it.

I really can’t wait for season 2 seeing how great season 1 is so far. 😊

Wow that’s amazing news! 😀

I’m so happy to hear that. Yeah Prodigy is great. It doesn’t mean everyone loves it and it obviously didn’t get that many viewers (but I think due to calling it a kids show and why people like you stayed away) but the show just has so much heart and why I love it.

This is the show I’m most excited to see again and can’t wait to see the kids on the Voyager A with Admiral Janeway and the Doctor.

And see there is something you like in NuTrek after all!

Haha indeed!

Prodigy does an amazing job with its characters and manage to tell fun and interesting stories. I thought I wasn’t going to like Dal or Gwynn much and they became very lovable once I realize everything they been through and becoming more of a team. Jangom Pog cracks me up and Rok is adorable.

I also love it has a strong connection to Voyager. I’m very excited to have the real Janeway back too. It’s proof I shouldn’t judge something until I see it but I never thought it was bad just not for me.

That’s great to hear, Legacy. I was similarly surprised upon first viewing of PRO, at the quality of the show’s writing, visuals and overall Trek ‘feel.’ It’s a rare example of modern Trek done Right.

So true Danpaine. There is so much of NuTrek I feel they either get wrong or too focused on action and big stakes instead of just telling a solid story which Prodigy really seems to do.

I don’t need another story about trying to destroy the galaxy. This show is more my speed and makes this old bird really appreciate the Star Trek I fell in love with again.

Get ready for the next 11 episodes. You will be surprised how great is Prodigy. Can’t wait to watch Season 2 on Netflix.

I’m going to watch the next few episodes this weekend. It’s only gotten stronger. And I peeped ahead with some of the surprises and happy Captain Jelico and the Xindi makes an appearance. I know just small cameos but still happy to see them back. I don’t know what happens next in the story so can’t wait!

Will season 2 come out this year? I really hope so now. We need more quality Trek like this show.

Great to see more Prodigy love. It’s my favorite of the new shows. I love how it walks the line of being a very unique take on the franchise, while capturing the heart and soul of the older shows. The serialized story works well as a connective tissue and giving their adventure long-term stakes, but having done a rewatch in a random order made me realize just how well a lot of the episodes work on their own (once you get past the initial part connecting to the main story).

Now I just need Netflix to hurry up and release it, lol.

Yes I really appreciate how the episodes still feel very episodic but the main story connects very well. That was the problem I had with Discovery and Picard. I felt the serialized story fell apart halfway through but there are not enough episodic stories to keep me invested.

Right now Prodigy is doing both. I’m very surprised how solid the story telling is here.

I watched the silver age of Star Trek as a kid. Now that I’m older, I appreciate the hard work that the great Rick Berman, Brannon Braga, Michael Piller, and others did. They worked tirelessly around the clock to bring the audiences the best stories and best productions they could with what they had. I don’t use or believe in “filler episodes. ”

If I was going to use that concept, I would use it to describe Disco, Picard, and SNW. These three shows have a beginning and end but nothing substantial in the middle….it’s like they are filling in stuff to get to the end.

I so agree with you dear. I really appreciate all the amazing shows we got in the 90s. It was such a great time to be a fan and I been watching Trek since the 60s. So many great stories and characters.

I think people like Berman, Piller, Moore, Braga etc gets more praise today to see how many quality stories they produced with half the time and money these new shows gets now (and still nowhere as compelling or thoughtful as we got back then).

I did really enjoy Picard season 3 but it’s still not nearly as good as TNG was but it at least tried to be.

Did Frakes threw some shade towards Kurtzman about crossover episodes? or am I misunderstanding his comments there. In any case I am also of the camp that apart from clip shows, which should never exist, fillers can be the best episodes of any series. I mean I rewatch the “filler” episodes much more, episodes like “Duet” from DS9, “Timeless” from Voyager, “The Inner Light” from TNG. Even in other series for example like Stargate or Farscape I usually prefer the excellent filler episodes rather than the ongoing serial ones. Or in the X-Files. I think that show had some phenomenal “filler” episodes.

I agree with pretty much everything except calling Timeless a filler episode. It was anything but because that was Voyager’s 100th episode and was supposedly one of the most expensive to shoot that year.

And you can’t bring Geordie on and call it that. 😉

Thanks for clearing that up actually, I knew Takei’s episode “Flashback” was an anniversary episode but didn’t realize till now that “Timeless” was actually the 100th episode.

If you go to a Star Trek Jeopardy special event, you will beat everyone. Totally forgot Timeless was the 100th episode, which by the way, it was one of my favorite VOY episodes.

“ If you go to a Star Trek Jeopardy special event, you will beat everyone.”

Unless it involves correctly spelling the given name of the D’s chief engineer.

I think Frakes did indeed throw Kurtzman under a bus there. “Those Old Scientists” is receiving a lot of accolades, so that tracks.

If Duet and (in particular) TIL are “filler” episodes, the term is meaningless.

“Filler” and “bottle episode” are getting used interchangeably lately. The Inner Light I’d say is neither. Duet is definitely a bottle episode.

YASSSS!!! Filler and bottle are getting bandied about nilly-willy.I said this when Battlestar started on SciFi and people griped about the short seasons. Even in the best of 22-26 episode seasons, I’ve always said there’s room to cut 12 hours of filler, whether it’s an entire episode or just meandering subplots.

DS9’s “Far Beyond the Stars” was a filler, and it’s still one of the best episodes of television ever. So don’t tell me that filler episodes can’t be great.

I disagree about “Far Beyond the Stars” was a filler. That was not cheap with the new sets and everything. I think a DS9 filler episode is more like “Rivals.” That one was very bad.

Sorry, friend, but “Far Beyond the Stars” was NOT a filler episode. That goddamn thing MEANT something. Filler episodes are just fluff… like the one where Quark gets the sex change.

I always welcome reading about an interview with Frakes, he’s a gem of the franchise. And I say let the films come. More opportunities to bring in variety (and hopefully quality) as to content, writers, directors. If one sucks they can move on to another in a different direction. Good interview.

It really depends on the episode in question. If the “filler” serves to advance the story or the evolution of the characters, then what could be seen as a “filler” isn’t really a “filler”, if that makes any sense. Ultimately, it all depends on the budget.

I’m glad that Frakes is basically the unofficial spokesman for all things ‘Trek, as far as the live aspects of the franchise. BTW, does LeVar Burton and any other ‘Trek alumni do work for the franchise, either in front of the camera or behind the scenes?

Not that I’m aware of. Robert Duncan McNeill was in talks to direct for “Discovery,” but the push for more diverse directors (women and POC) meant he wasn’t what they were looking for. He didn’t seem to have hard feelings about it from the interview I read over at Trekcore. A shame — I always thought he was a great director and it would’ve been interesting to see what he brought to the table. (Then again, I’m biased as I share a birthday with Robbie and saw great potential in the Tom Paris character before TPTB milk-toasted him.)

Roxann Dawson is another Trek actor/director whose name I see pop up on the odd TV drama from time to time, too. No idea why she hasn’t done any modern Trek or if she was even interested in doing so.

As for LeVar Burton I VAGUELY recall he was a bit vocal about where Star Trek was going during his “Enterprise” directing days and has been critical of the franchise’s direction since. Maybe he just wasn’t interested.

If Legacy gets green-lit, it will probably be a series of movies. I LOVED PICS3, but nostalgia can only get you so far. I don’t know if Par+ wants to pay the TNG cast the big bucks. I’d encourage everyone to watch the HECK out of the S31 movie. If Par+ sees good viewership, they’ll make more of them.

No one does ‘filler’ EPs if they can help it. Mr frakes was right about “shades of grey’, knocked together to get TNG s2 over and done with.

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Historic Timeline: Star Trek’s LGBTQ History

Published by Erica Leff on April 17, 2024 April 17, 2024

Star Trek’s LGBTQ History

I chose to make a timeline regarding one of my favorite things, Star Trek . It has a messy but increasingly positive history with LGBTQ issues. I would break Star Trek ‘s LGBTQ history into 3 “eras”:

The Original Series Era (1966-1987), where there’s no real depictions onscreen of LGBTQ issues, although fans in the late ’60s started writing Kirk/Spock fan fiction because of the characters’ relationship subtext. This is the start of the “slashfic” subgenre of fan fiction, depicting male/male relationships.
The Reboot Era (1987-2016), where the shows The Next Generation , Deep Space Nine , Voyager , and Enterprise are released, as well as the TOS reboot movies Star Trek (2009) and Star Trek Into Darkness (2013). During this time, Star Trek occasionally touched on issues of gender and sexuality and were usually slightly ahead of the times on these issues. There is a lot of gay subtext in this era, as well as the controversial first female/female kiss in 1995.
The Second Reboot Era (2016-present), starting with Star Trek Beyond , the third reboot movie, where this version of Hikaru Sulu is revealed to be gay. After this, we get the shows Discovery , Picard , Lower Decks , Prodigy , and Strange New Worlds . Here we get explicitly LGBTQ characters and stories.

It should be noted that for decades, actors playing Star Trek captains and other characters voiced their desire for more representation. Scott Bakula, who played Captain Jonathan Archer on Enterprise , said “I haven’t heard anything coming down the pipeline, but I would be in favor of it. … It would be wonderful … if it was not such a huge issue, but was just there” (Starr, 2002). Fifteen years later, LGBTQ characters became a regular part of the Star Trek universe. While Star Trek is known for always having been a progressive franchise, the lack of true LGBTQ representation until after the legalization of same-sex marriage in the United States is troubling.

Initially, when making this timeline, I simply found photos of the most important scenes. I realized that images on Imgur don’t upload very well into TimelineJS, so I decided to find videos on YouTube, which also made more sense, since a video can tell more of a story than a still image. I included the Original Series Era to make it visually clear where the eras begin and end, despite not including any points in time from that era. The timeline’s large gaps speak volumes about how afraid Star Trek and its owner, Paramount, were about including LGBTQ representation. I had a little trouble getting my timeline to work because I misunderstood the “publish to web” step. I thought I had to click out of window and copy the URL from the published version, not the spreadsheet itself. Once I figured out what I was doing wrong, it worked perfectly.

Starr, M. (2002, January 17). Starr report. New York Post .

Ted Carlson Scope & Container List

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Ted Carlson Abstract & Biographical Note

Abstract Eric Theodore “Ted” Carlson served in the United States Corps of Engineers during World War II. His papers include documents related to his military service, as well as personal, professional, and educational correspondence. Some Read more…

Screen Rant

Star trek: discovery’s biggest time travel shock is season 1 burnham.

Captain Michael Burnham faced her younger self in Star Trek: Discovery season 5, and it was shocking how much Michael has changed from season 1.

Warning: SPOILERS for Star Trek: Discovery Season 5, Episode 4 - "Face The Strange"

Specialist Michael Burnham's shocking return in Star Trek: Discovery season 5 reveals a stark contrast to her future self, Captain Burnham.
The time travel adventure in Discovery season 5, episode 4 sends Captain Burnham and crew on a dangerous mission to face their past and possible future.
Captain Burnham's evolution into a compassionate leader highlights her remarkable transformation, making her the most evolved Captain in Star Trek history.

The biggest shock of Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 4's time travel was seeing Specialist Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) from Star Trek: Discovery season 1 again, and how much Michael has changed. Written by Sean Cochran and directed by Lee Rose, Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 4, "Face the Strange," was a thrilling time travel adventure that sent Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green), Commander Rayner (Callum Keith Rennie), and Commander Paul Stamets (Anthony Rapp) into key moments of the USS Discovery's past and possible future. And what Burnham dreaded came to pass: facing her younger self.

In Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 4, "Face the Strange," the villainous Moll (Eve Harlow) and L'ak (Elias Toufexis) smuggled a Krenim Chronophage, or a Time Bug, aboard the USS Discovery. The Time Bug trapped Discovery in a series of loops, sending the starship uncontrollably hurtling through time. However, Captain Burnham and Commander Rayner were able to operate independently in the time loops, and Stamets was also spared because his tardigrade DNA allows him to live outside of space-time. The Discovery trio went about destroying the Time Bug, but Burnham had to reveal herself to Discovery's bridge crew to save the ship. Further, Michael had to literally contend with herself from Star Trek: Discovery season 1.

Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 Returning Cast & New Character Guide

Why michael burnham was shockingly different in star trek: discovery season 1, discovery season 1 michael was defined by her biggest mistake..

Captain Burnham confronting Specialist Michael Burnham from Star Trek: Discovery season 1 was as shocking for her as it was for the viewers at home. The contrast between both Michaels, who were 5 years of age and 935 years apart after the USS Discovery time traveled to the 32nd century, was stunning. Captain Burnham is physically different from Specialist Burnham, not just because her hair is longer, and she wears a Starfleet Captain's uniform. There is a warmth and compassion to Captain Burnham that is absent from her younger self , who was just weeks removed from the biggest mistake of her life.

Specialist Michael Burnham thought Captain Burnham was a changeling imposter, as she couldn't fathom herself as a Starfleet Captain.

At the point in Star Trek: Discovery season 1 that Captain Burnham arrived at, Specialist Michael Burnham was still mired in guilt and sorrow for her mutiny that ignited the Klingon War and led to the death of her mentor, Captain Philippa Georgiou (Michelle Yeoh). Michael was resigned to spend the rest of her life in prison, and Discovery season 1's Burnham does not believe she deserves to be in Starfleet. The younger Michael's appearance is harsher than Captain Burnham's , and she is more prone to judgment and not looking before leaping into action. Captain Burnham beat Specialist Burnham in hand-to-hand combat because she was more centered and in control of herself, but also filled with empathy for the younger Michael.

Michael Burnham Is Star Trek's Best Captain Evolution

No captain has changed for the better as much as burnham..

Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 4 is a powerful reminder that Michael Burnham is the most evolved Captain ever in Star Trek . By comparison to some of her peers, Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) did not change very much as he aged, except for facing his own regrets. Admiral Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) in Star Trek: Prodigy is essentially the same as when she was the USS Voyager's Captain, just with a higher rank. Admiral Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) isn't as stern as he was when he was Captain of the USS Enterprise-D, but Jean-Luc never had to overcome the obstacles to the Captain's chair that Michael Burnham did.

It was incredibly touching for Michael to see how much she changed for the better.

Seeing Star Trek: Discovery season 1's Specialist Michael Burnham again is a stark reminder of how far Burnham has come. By Star Trek: Discovery season 5, Captain Burnham is confidently at peace with herself, has reconciled her gravest mistakes, and has proven her worth by saving the galaxy multiple times. Burnham has also known true love with Cleveland Booker (David Ajala), and she has the friendship and support of her found family, the crew of the USS Discovery. Specialist Michael Burnham is only at the start of her long, hard road to redemption , and becoming Captain Michael Burnham is her destiny in Star Trek: Discovery. It was incredibly touching for Michael to see how much she has changed for the better.

New episodes of Star Trek: Discovery season 5 stream Thursdays on Paramount+

Sci-fi TV is in its golden age: What you need to know now

In a career that spans 50 years, John Peel has done it all, written it all and seen it all in sci-fi — published some 120 novels, including a few dozen tie-ins of established classics like “Star Trek” and “Doctor Who,” written sci-fi books for kids and young adults, and sci-fi series under his own name (like “2099").

But the Manorville resident since 1991 admits he has never seen anything quite like this — more sci-fi splashed across more networks and streaming services than any single human being could hope to consume in a year.

Local sci-fi author John Peel in the library/office of his Manorville house on April 18, 2024 where he has a full collections of classic sci-fi series. Credit: Elizabeth Sagarin

Much of this bounty is good, he says, much compelling, much bleak. A proud Trekkie born in England 70 years ago, Peel explains that “''Star Trek'' was very optimistic because "that was [creator] Gene Roddenberry's vision — that we can make things work. Nowadays, some of these shows say 'No we can't!' ”

Using sci-fi to stare into the dark night of our collective souls is hardly all that's behind this new golden age of sci-fi, he says. Rather, “people are really turning to sci-fi at the moment because the world has changed so much.”

We're frankly living through a moment right now that's science fictional. - Lisa Yaszek, Georgia Tech, Atlanta

The idea of science fiction as a beacon to guide us forward to a bright and distant future — or a dark and threatening one — has been around since at least the 1940s, when Isaac Asimov first began publishing his monumental “Foundation” series (about, indeed, a “dark” age that would last 30,000 years, now a brilliant series on Apple TV+). TV embraced the genre not long after (“Buck Rogers,” “Captain Video”) and hasn't let go since.

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But what's going on right now is unprecedented. There are dozens of series on a half-dozen streamers not counting cable channel Syfy (which after all is sci-fi-all-the-time, with a smattering of horror). There are another 15 shows in development arriving between next week (“Dark Matter,” Apple TV+, May 8) and well into next year (including “Dune” and “Alien” prequels).

Streaming is obviously behind this TV sci-fipalooza. The adaptations of videogames to TV series are as well.

Yet Peel and some other observers point to something else — a transformative moment in the culture at large that feels both restless and anxious. Sci-fi is, and always has been, made for times like these, they say.

Maybe we look to sci-fi to predict where we are going or to offer some answers - Ken Deep, Ridge

“There are a number of factors that have come together, but we're frankly living through a moment right now that's science fictional,” says Lisa Yaszek, Regents’ Professor of Science Fiction Studies at Georgia Tech in Atlanta. Yaszek cites the “revival of the space race,” funded in part by private billionaires, like Elon Musk, which classic sci-fi author Robert Heinlein long ago prophesied.

“And everyone's talking about AI, which is certainly not quite the way we thought it was going to look like,” she says. “But it's definitely making really science fictional changes right up to the way we do labor and the way we think about humans and how we represent ourselves in politics. So it's a very, very exciting moment — either that or terrifying. Or both.”

Ken Deep, a Ridge resident and sci-fi expert who has run “Doctor Who” conventions on Long Island since 2013 (and just published “The Companions of Doctor Who”), puts it this way: “I feel like we are living in a dystopian nightmare right now, and maybe we look to sci-fi to predict where we are going or to offer some answers. We all want to know that it doesn’t end here, that the future is bright, or at least that we make it through.

“Or maybe,” he adds, “we are just looking for a fantastic escape.”

Ken Deep, a world-leading expert on Doctor Who holds his book The Companions of Doctor Who while standing with a replica Tardis built by and standing in his friend Steven Davis' yard in Baldwin on April 16, 2024. Credit: Newsday/Steve Pfost

Indeed, this golden age of sci-fi TV has been driven by lots of disparate elements — social, cultural, and of course commercial — while television just underwent a revolution (streaming), which continues to have a huge impact.

There are a lot of genuinely great sci-fi series on TV right now, and lots of questions, too. Here's a handy guide to some of those.

First things first: What exactly is “sci-fi” anyway?

Experts like Yaszek insist that anything with a science-fictional hook qualifies, regardless of whether it's set in the past, present or future. That means the Marvel Cinematic Universe (which began on the big screen in 2008) is a type of sci-fi, and so are “The Handmaid's Tale” (2017) and “Stranger Things”' (2016). She argues that those are part of this “golden age,” too.

There are, in fact, at least two dozen sci-fi subgenres, and dozens of subgenres within those, including slipstream, which combines elements of speculative fiction with sci-fi elements (“Handmaid's”), or cosmic horror (“Stranger Things”). Many of these have become well-represented on TV in recent years, most notably animé.

But this TV boom is really about hard science fiction, or that most famous genre of them all, largely preoccupied with trips to the stars, or the application of awe-inspiring theory (quantum superposition) to wildly imaginative leaps (multiple universes).

Which series got this sci-fi TV renaissance started?

Doug Jones as Saru, Sonequa Martin-Green as Burnham, Chelah Horsdal as Rillak and Hiro Kanagawa as Dr. Hirai of the Paramount+ original series "Star Trek: Discovery." Credit: Paramount+/Marni Grossman

Two of them did. Launching in 2017 after a 12-year “Trek” break on TV, “Star Trek: Discovery” returned with that classic utopian “Trek” outlook that had been so much a part of the previous five scripted spinoffs, but with one critically important twist — the captain of the USS Discovery was a Black woman (with a male name, Michael Burnham), played by Sonequa Martin-Green. Diversity, and especially LGBTQ representation, has been a big part of this boom, and “Discovery” — which ends its five-year run next month — deserves a lot of the credit for that, says Yaszek and others. Since 1966 when the original “Trek” launched, there have been 12 “Trek” series, with five arriving after “Discovery.”

“The Expanse” deserves some credit, too. After Syfy canceled the much-beloved space opera in 2018, fans — aka “screaming firehawks” — collected 100,000 signatures for a petition that persuaded Prime Video to continue for three more seasons. (Incidentally, a letter-writing campaign also extended the original “Trek” by a season.)

But why has 'Trek' resonated so much over a particularly divisive stretch in American culture and politics?

Stefanie Gangone, a "Star Trek" fan, with her vehicle resembling The Galileo from that show, in North Babylon, on, April 17, 2024. Credit: Newsday/Steve Pfost

One of Long Island's leading “Trek” experts (and a Trekkie) has a theory.

Stefanie Gangone, a children's librarian from North Babylon, stages an annual “Trek” convention at the Hyatt Regency in Hauppauge (Gangone says she expects a record 1,200 attendees at the next one, which will run May 31 through June 2).

These newest “Trek” series are “not only about hope, but also empathy for all humankind," Gangone says. "They have characters who are gay or nonbinary. PTSD, depression and social anxiety are also depicted in many episodes. Fans can relate [and] until the Vulcans come to visit us, we aren't going to give up on hope for a more peaceful planet. 'Star Trek' gives us that.”

As Georgia Tech's Yaszek explains, “All moments where we see booms in sci-fi TV coincide with key moments in the space race, or in the evolution of small screens and the stories that we can produce for them; and key moments when we are thinking about the value of various kinds of cultural diversity, especially in terms of feminism and civil rights.”

After “Discovery” wraps May 30, a sixth “Star Trek” series will arrive later this year (“Starfleet Academy”) and a movie, "Star Trek: Section 31,” about the spy agency known as Section 31, starring Michelle Yeoh. They'll join “Picard,” “Short Treks,” “Lower Decks,” “Strange New Worlds” and “Prodigy” on Paramount+.

What are some of the other big series out there right now?

The first season of “3 Body Problem” — an adaptation of Liu Cixin's trilogy about an alien invasion of Earth — arrived last month to become the most streamed series on Netflix.

“Fallout” — based on the role-playing video game of the same name, and set in the aftermath of a nuclear war in the distant future — premiered April 12 on Prime and was also an instant hit.

Then, on May, 8, “Dark Matter” — a nine-part series drawn from Blake Crouch's 2016 bestseller about a physicist trapped between parallel universes — launches on Apple TV+.

All of this is part of a TV sci-fi wave that's not expected to crest for months. The longest-running sci-fi TV series of them all — a total of 40 seasons — the time-bending “Doctor Who,” comes to Disney+ on May 10, with a new “doctor” played by Rwandan-Scottish star Ncuti Gatwa, as the first Black actor to lead the series and the first to identify as queer.

What else is coming up?

Mae (Amandla Stenberg) in Lucasfilm's "The Acolyte"on Disney+. Credit: Lucasfilm Ltd.

Two new live-action “Star Wars” series are on deck, beginning with the “The Acolyte” (Disney+) on June 4, then “Skeleton Crew” later this year. (The former is a mystery-thriller with Carrie-Anne Moss and Amandla Stenberg, set in the last days of the High Republic; the latter about four kids lost in a galaxy.)

Warner Bros. Discovery is also about to build out the “Dune” universe with a TV series, “Dune: Prophecy” — set 10,000 years before the events of the hit movies, about the sisterhood of the Bene Gesserit, a secret order of female spies with superpowers. It will stream on Max most likely this fall.

Series based on sci-fi classics “Alien,” “Blade Runner,” “Time Bandits,” “Battlestar Galactica” and “The Hitchhikers' Guide to the Galaxy” are in production and should arrive by this time next year.

What has streaming got to do with this?

Lee Pace in "Foundation," streaming on Apple TV+. Credit: Apple TV+

The streaming revolution — and this golden age of sci-fi — really got underway in 2019 with the launch of Apple TV+ and HBO Max (now Max). The first “Star Wars” series, “The Mandalorian,” ' launched Nov. 12 on Disney+ that year and has since been followed by four others — all of them hits. “Andor,” in particular, was especially acclaimed

Apple quickly got into sci-fi and now has five ongoing series: “Invasion” (alien species on earth); “Silo” (dystopian underground community); “Constellation” (astronaut returns to earth, with problems); and “Foundation” (the long-aborning adaptation of the Asimov series, also critically acclaimed, going into a third season).

“Severance” (about workers stripped of their memories, with a second season now in production) and “For All Mankind” are especially big hits for the service, the latter an alt-history — about the U.S.-Soviet space race, which was recently renewed for a fifth season.

Sci-fi seems made for streaming, because, as Ken Deep explains, "There are no more constraints on running time or formula."

The Mandalorian (Pedro Pascal) and the Child in "The Mandalorian" season two, on Disney+. Credit: Disney+

Why do showrunners like streaming so much?

Joel Edgerton in "Dark Matter" on Apple TV+. Credit: Apple TV+/Sandy Morris

In a recent Zoom interview, “Dark Matter's” Crouch said that his serpentine story of a scientist (Joel Edgerton) morphing into identical copies of himself across multiple universes couldn't have possibly played as a movie.

“Originally when I was writing the novel, the first 140 pages leaked and we got a lot of interest in Hollywood for a movie, but I hadn't finished the book yet [and] when I finished the book, it had gotten a lot bigger than a 120-minute movie.”

He then spent years trying to write scripts that would work as one but they “just didn't have any heart to them and to have that, I needed someone to come along and say, 'Here, do nine 60-minute episodes. Just do the book. '

“We have a lot of characters playing multiple versions of themselves and to have the freedom to be able to tackle super-challenging subject matter and not have to reduce it to something that's bite-size was so freeing, and allowed me to really build out a world [over nine episodes]. I don't think it would have been possible to adapt this book back in the aughts because it needed that [streaming] platform to breathe and the resources to render that world, or worlds.” He adds, “I feel like streaming has opened the door to this current boom we're in.”

What about video game adaptations?

Bella Ramsey and Pedro Pascal in HBO's "The Last of Us." Credit: HBO/Liane Hentscher

There were countless TV series based on video games — almost all animé and few that have busted out to a broader audience. But that began to change on March 24, 2022, with the launch of Paramount +'s “Halo” (based on the game about a 26th century war between humanity and an alien race called the Covenant). It changed a whole lot more with HBO's January 2023 launch of “The Last of Us,” the post-apocalyptic-mutant-fungus game that had first arrived 10 years earlier.

That was a monster hit, and the race is now on. Gaming website TheGamer.com cites 22 series in development at Netflix, Paramount, Prime and Peacock. Most are part of the so-called “military sci-fi” genre, and include titles like “Tomb Raider,” “Mass Effect” and “God of War.”

So, why do showrunners love video games so much?

Ella Purnell, Michael Emerson and Dale Dickey in Prime Video's Season 1 of “Fallout." Credit: Prime Video/Jojo Whilden

At last year's Comic-Con, Jonathan Nolan — who co-created Prime's “Fallout” with his wife, Lisa Joy — said he started playing the game in 2008 when he was working on “The Dark Knight.” “I was always drawn to adaptations where we have a little bit of room to create. There is, for example, no one 'Batman' canon, but dozens and hundreds of writers and artists who have worked on that character for over 80 years, so we were able to pick it up and tell our own story [in 'Dark Knight'].”

The same, he said, with “Fallout” — which is sci-fi alt-history where humans are forced into underground vaults following a nuclear holocaust. Streaming, he said, allowed “us to tell an original story in the 'Fallout' universe, free to create new characters that connected us to the rest of the 'Fallout' world.”

Does this sci-fi boom on TV reflect a deepening pessimism in the culture at large?

Leonard Nimoy, William Shatner, James Doohan in the original "Star Trek" (1966-69) Credit: Paramount/Everett Collection

This depends to an extent on whom you ask, and which shows they champion. There have been many mood shifts in sci-fi TV dating to the 1960s, but the classic standard-bearers like “Doctor Who” and especially “Star Trek” have almost always taken a sunnier, more optimistic outlook on the future — and on people.

Some observers, however, say their influence has waned as sci-fi TV has turned darker and more pessimistic. If “Trek”-influenced sci-fi was all about looking into the future for signs of hope, most series now are about looking to the future for signs of the apocalypse.

Long Island “Doctor Who” expert Ken Deep says “science fiction typically will either be predictive or reflective.” But the current crop on TV, he suggests, seems to be both. Peel — the prolific author who admits that his lodestars remain “Doctor Who” and “Star Trek” — says: “It's harder to look to the future with optimism, to look for something bright on the horizon, but that's what we really need. We need something that inspires people to say, 'Yes! This is possible! There is a way [forward].' But I'm not sure a lot of people see their way out of it [and] that's what's reflected on TV.”

All doom and gloom? (Not entirely)

Cynthy Wu in "For All Mankind," streaming on Apple TV+. Credit: Apple TV+

Rowan J. Coleman, a 28-year-old sci-fi TV expert living in Scotland, who launched his popular YouTube channel as a teenager in 2013, says by email: “I don't think modern sci-fi [on TV] has become cynical, just more pragmatic perhaps. I remember a trailer for 'The Expanse,' which had the line '500 Years in the Future We're Still at Each Other's Throats.' It was gritty but many of its stories were about people defying the odds and coming together to overcome a problem.”

Apple's “For All Mankind,” is another example, he says: “That show deals with a lot of systemic problems and by no means is the world perfect, but it does show the world getting better and better with each new season.

“Science fiction may have stopped being blindly optimistic, but it hasn't stopped being optimistic.''

Verne Gay is Newsday's TV writer and critic. He has covered the media business for more than 30 years.

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'Star Trek: Discovery' season 5 episode 5 'Mirrors' is a quality installment, but weighed down by another anchor of nostalgia

This entire episode was more than likely written for the sole reason that the sets from "Strange New Worlds" could be utilized.

And this week's throwback to "Discovery"-past to add to the season-long epilogue is to the Mirror Universe

Warning: Spoilers ahead for "Star Trek: Discovery" season 5, episode 5

The chase across the galaxy for the Progenitors MacGuffin continues, offering chances to insert stand-alone, episode-length adventures along the way. And this week's installment, entitled "Mirrors" features a brief and very random reminder that the Mirror Universe exists.

And that alone would've made an genuinely enthralling episode, but...Alex Kurtzman et al could not resist the temptation for an utterly pointless and thoroughly unnecessary throwback to the USS Enterprise. Honestly, these people have a serious problem, they should seek help.

To put all of this into context, the crew of the USS Discovery continue their pursuit of Malinne 'Moll' Ravel (Eve Harlow) and L'ak (Elias Toufexis) and that chase leads them to er...well, you know, a giant, space-time swirly orifice that fills the viewscreen. Apparently, it's some sort of wormhole that's spectacularly unstable because of the constant matter/anti-matter reactions that are taking place at the opening. It's actually more than a little reminiscent of the inside of the V'ger spacecraft from "Star Trek: The Motion Picture" and that's just fine.

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a man with pointed ears in a red tunic looks confused at someone off-camera

But it's what they find inside that grinds gears. Since the Discovery is too big to squeeze through the constantly opening and closing orifice, Capt. Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) and Book (David Ajala) take a shuttle through only to find...the ISS Enterprise. Yes, indeed, last seen (and only seen, actually) in the epic "The Original Series" episode "Mirror, Mirror" (S02, E04).

While beaming back to the USS Enterprise during an ion storm, Kirk, McCoy, Scotty and Uhura materialize aboard a almost-identical Enterprise in a parallel universe. Here, the United Federation of Planets has been replaced by the Terran Empire and its inhabitants are violent and cruel. Their only hope is to artificially reproduce the effects of the storm to facilitate a return to their own universe. (" I mperial S pace S hip replaces the traditional " U nited S pace S hip.")

And while the idea of finding a derelict, 900-year-old starship from the latter half of the 23rd century is a great idea, in the name of the Great Prophet Zarquon, why-oh-why did it have to be the Enterprise? There are — at least — 10 other Constitution Class starships that could've been potentially chosen and thus still allowing the updated sets from "Strange New Worlds" to have been used.

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a woman with curly hair looks at a man in a white spacesuit

The USS Cayuga (NCC-1557), USS Constellation (NCC-1017), USS Defiant (NCC-1764), USS Excalibur (NCC-1664), USS Exeter (NCC-1672), USS Hood (NCC-1703), USS Intrepid (NCC-1631), USS Lexington (NCC-1709), USS New Jersey (NCC-1975) and the USS Potemkin (NCC-1657). And those are just the ones that are canon. Another new vessel could just as easily have been introduced as it's not unknown for Nu-Trek to bring brand new ships to the line.

And of course Burnham makes reference to the fact that her brother, Spock, served on this ship, which is probably another reason why the Enterprise was forced upon the writers. And according to some extremely rushed exposition, most of the crew escaped the weird wibblywobbly wormhole and went on to lead peaceful and productive lives — we assume somewhere not too far away given how long ago it happened and the current location in deep space — in a somewhat Space Seed scenario. Another interesting throwaway remark from Burnham was, "Crossing between universes has been impossible for centuries now," which shuts down that potential story avenue rather abruptly.

But let's also focus on why this episode could've been near-faultless if only someone could counsel Paramount showrunners on how to ween themselves off of nostalgia addiction. This week we get to see the whole Moll and L'ak backstory...and it's rather good and to add to that, Book and Moll confront the fact that they're distantly related. You know, because that makes things much more absurd orderly. (See how Burnham had to be related to Spock.)

two people in futuristic clothing sit aboard a brightly-colored spaceship interior

The pacing of this episode, and with the exception of using the Enterprise, when any other Constitution Class starship could've worked — and served to expand the Mirror Universe a little bit — this is an enjoyable episode. It's a shame though that this is following the same cookie cutter seasonal storyline template by relying very much on a quest to follow while having standalone episode-long adventures to fill in the gaps, but hey, it can't be much worse than last season. So, there's that.

The fifth and final season of "Star Trek: Discovery" and every other episode of every "Star Trek" show — with the exception of "Star Trek: Prodigy" — currently streams exclusively on Paramount Plus in the US, while "Prodigy" has found a new home on Netflix.

Internationally, the shows are available on Paramount Plus in Australia, Latin America, the UK and South Korea, as well as on Pluto TV in Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Switzerland on the Pluto TV Sci-Fi channel. They also stream on Paramount Plus in Italy, France, Germany, Switzerland and Austria. In Canada, they air on Bell Media's CTV Sci-Fi Channel and stream on Crave.

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When Scott's application to the NASA astronaut training program was turned down, he was naturally upset...as any 6-year-old boy would be. He chose instead to write as much as he possibly could about science, technology and space exploration. He graduated from The University of Coventry and received his training on Fleet Street in London. He still hopes to be the first journalist in space.

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