Star Trek: Prodigy streams new episodes Thursday’s in the North America via Paramount+.
Synopsis
The crew has their first away mission on an undiscovered planet that manifests their deepest desires, only to realize the planet has desires of its own.
Review
It has been clear from the outset that Star Trek: Prodigy would work to introduce a new, younger audience to the world of the franchise. Over the course of the prior three episodes it has taken careful steps to introduce its cast and its setting. Now with its fourth episode we’re taking tentative steps towards Star Trek’s classic explorative nature.
The crew of the U.S.S. Protostar are going on their first away mission. Of course that means chaos will ensue but it’s also a wonderful way to introduce the audience to the idea of exploring strange new worlds. It’s worth noting we’re not quite meeting new civilisations just yet though…
“Dreamcatcher” is the first to a two-part story which will wrap up the first batch of Prodigy episodes. The series will then go on a break until January. Interestingly the series diverges from Voyager history in that Hologram Janeway can’t leave the ship like the real Janeway’s holographic doctor. Though it’s a shame not to see her venturing out in to the unknown, it does give Dal (Brett Gray) and the crew chance to function on their own.
Ultimately Janeway is the mentor and our young heroes are the crew who have to find their way in the galaxy. This week that means getting to use some cool new gear like the buggy. It also means we get to witness some of their missteps as they begin to make their way in the world. As a long-time (and older) Trek fan its easy to get caught up in how Prodigy differs from other shows. What’s hard to remember is this show is aimed at and features much younger people. What we’re witnessing really is an adolescent experience of Starfleet life and in that context Prodigy is working really well.
“Dreamcatcher” has a spooky air to it also. The unknown planet presents out characters with visions from deep in their psyche. For Dal that’s a vision of his parents, their faces masked. It presents a link to his unexplored past which is a deep source of intrigue for the series. I really appreciate the series’ production team for their willingness to explore the deeper emotional motivators for its cast. It gives the show a much deeper sense of meaning which ties it back to the original idea of Star Trek.
This episode also brings some great development for Gwyn (Ella Purnell). Over the course of four weeks we’ve seen her grapple with her role in bringing children to the prison planet seen in “Lost and Found.” Here she’s able to confront The Diviner (John Noble) over her guilt and begin the process of cutting those ties and fully integrating with the Protostar crew. The cliffhanger leads me to believe there will be much more to this next week which will undoubtedly push Prodigy’s narrative forwards as we move in to the second block of episodes.
“Dreamcatcher” allows for some breathtaking visuals. The landscape of the planet and the visions is causes brings a wide breath of imagery. Once again the vastness of space is a masterpiece of artwork. Frames of this episode, like those before it, could easily hang in a gallery.
Verdict
Stunning visuals and strong emotional undertones make the first half of this two-part story one of Star Trek: Prodigy’s finest episode to-date. For a young series in its first season, “Dreamcatcher” speaks to the core of what Star Trek enduring and successful.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
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