Prodigy round-up: Terror Firma previews, behind the scenes art, and Dream Catcher extra content

This week has delivered the fifth episode of Prodigy, which will now be taking a break until January, so the last for the time being. Continue below to check out previews for the new episode, some cool behind the scenes art from across the series, and extra content reflecting on last week's episode.

There isn't an episode specific trailer for this week's new episode, but there is a new general trailer. This mostly features familiar shots, but does include one tantalisingly brief new scene on a Galaxy class bridge!

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Prodigy round-up: Second season confirmed, behind the scenes art, Starstruck extra content and more

This week brings us the fourth episode of Prodigy, and will there doesn't seem to be a new episode specific trailer for it, there are plenty of other Prodigy updates to enjoy. Continue below for the latest behind the scenes art, extra content based on last week's episode, and more.

First up this big news is that Prodigy has been officially renewed for a second season. They've also detailed the release plans for the rest of the first season, which are not as straightforward as we might have expected, now split into three blobs of episodes:

• The current run will only be continuing for five episodes, with next week's fifth episode being the the last to release this year. 
• A second block of five episodes will then return from the 6th of January onwards. 
• Another pause will follow, with the end half of the season, a further ten episodes, coming at some point later in 2022!

Which means at twenty-episodes this will be the longest season of any of the new Trek series, and going to take it's time unfolding! There's no info on the number of episodes for season two yet.

This week's new episode is Dream Catcher, and here's the blurb:

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.

But with a lack of previews that's all I've got to share about that, so onward to behind the scenes... 

Where thanks once more to director and executive producer Ben Hibon we have a cool bit of behind the scenes imagery of the bridge set. Here's how he describes the design:

We had many ideas when we started designing our USS Protostar bridge, but three factors kept coming up; all stations should be facing forward, internal lighting should always indicate its structure, and most importantly - for our kids - it should feel like an open window into space…

Starship miniatures, concept art costumes and props from TOS, The Motion Picture and more, all up for auction

In the coming hours and days two different auctioneers are offering up quite a variety of interesting props, costumes, starship miniatures, artwork and more from across numerous Star Trek TV and film productions, including a lot of items from TOS and The Motion Picture, and more spanning right up to Into Darkness. Continue below to check out some of the highlights.

The most notable item is probably the iconic TOS phaser rifle from Where No Man Has Gone Before, which is coming up for sale later today from Hertitage Auctions in their Hollywood and Entertainment Signature Auction. This large one-of-a-kind prop remains in remarkable condition 55 years on from its creation.

Prodigy round-up: A close look at the USS Protostar, concept art, character images, behind the scenes, trailer, movie-potential, and first episode for free

Prodigy it into it's third episode this week - Though it feels more like the second after the extended two-part start to the series, which you can, for a while, watch for free (more on that below).  Paramount+(ad) have of course been enthusiastically promoting the series, both looking ahead, and reflecting back on the first episodes. Plus several of the production team have shared some really cool behind the scenes artwork. Continue below to check out all the latest from the series.

First up, director and executive producer Ben Hibon shared some great images of the USS Protostar, giving us a chance to really examine the shaping and details of this shiny new starship design. In his tweets he credited designer John Eaves for the "early ideation", the final design to himself and the Nuen Studio team, and the textures to look development designer Nikie Monteleone.

Lower Decks end of season round-up

Season two of Lower Decks came to its conclusion a couple of weeks ago, and of course Paramount+ released a bunch of behind the scenes stuff and fun extra content to mark the release of the final episode, and the season as a whole. Continue below to catch up on all those little extras.

First up, we got an end-of-season episode of The Ready Room, where cast and crew joined Will Wheaton to discuss the season's adventures, plus a fun little art moment (you can also watch this on StarTrek.com if you prefer to Instagram below):

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Discovery season four trailer hints at missions to come and returning aliens

As part of the New York Comic Con this weekend a new trailer for season four of Discovery was released. Check out below (with screencap breakdown), and other Disco updates. 

I've embedded the Twitter version here, which seems to be viewable in the UK (and so I hope other non-US parts of the world, which are alas geolocked out of some other hosting platforms), but if you have an issues, check it out on StarTrek.com.

Let’s fly ✨ #StarTrekDiscovery #StarTrek https://t.co/NUVqZXAdrS pic.twitter.com/ZqJvodfqft

— Star Trek (@StarTrek) October 9, 2021

The Roddenberry Archive to digitalise Gene Roddenberry's Star Trek legacy and create new starship experiences

The Roddenberry estate have teamed up with cloud graphics company OTOY to create a new digital record of the work of Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry, The Roddenberry Archive. The project will seek to digitalise numerous documents and photographs, digitally capture and preserve 3D artefacts such as filming miniatures, and create new digital models of major Star Trek starships, with the promise of holographic experiences built off of the latter.

Here's a little intro video looking at what they're doing, featuring the the gaggle of behind the scenes Trek experts also involved: Denise and Mike Okuda, Doug Drexler and Daren Dochterman.

Their stated aim is to:

...preserve and present this information for

1) Those studying Roddenberry’s career now and, in the future.

2) For those who appreciate his work and simply want to experience a part of his invented worlds.

3) For posterity to provide accurate information for those involved in future productions and other projects based on Roddenberry’s work.

They will use the new digital assets to present life-size holographic displays, and according to Variety, will also be creating NFTs (nonfungible token), part of a current craze in crypto assets, which would presumably allow the archive to also generate income. 

Continue below for more previews of the work already in progress:

Lower Decks Tom Paris plate is REAL. Plus behind the scenes art from the series.

In perhaps the most meta big of Star Trek merchandising ever, the Tom Paris commemorative plate seen in the new Lower Decks trailer is to become a real product! Continue below for more details of this, plus some other Lower Decks merchandise and behind the scenes updates:

But first. Behold!

Original TOS phaser and other Trek treasures up for auction

This week Heritage Auctions are running their Entertainment & Music Memorabilia Signature Auction, which includes a number of original production props and artwork from various Star Trek sources. I've previously reported on the huge selection of beautiful Star Trek matte paintings in the auction, so today will have a look at some of the other items, which include some interesting bits from TOS and TNG.

Perhaps the highlight of the entire auction is an extremely rare TOS phaser hero prop. Heritage Auctions have provided a great set of photos of what will surely be of great interest to prop enthusiasts - You'll need deep pockets if you fancy getting it yourself, as this single phaser starts bidding at an astonishing $100,000!

Lower Decks season 2 teaser, plus cool season 1 production art

Paramount+ have released a new teaser video to mark the one-month countdown to the start of season two of Lower Decks. It's only a few seconds long, but packs in LOADS of fun easter eggs in typical Lower Decks style. Plus continue below for a look at some very cool season one production art.

Get in, Ensign. We're going to Season 2. Stream new episodes of #StarTrekLowerDecks starting August 12. pic.twitter.com/9rxYYIIdKd

— Star Trek on Paramount+ (@StarTrekOnPPlus) July 12, 2021

Heritage Auctions offer up stunning worlds of Star Trek matte paintings

Next month Heritage Auctions are running the "Entertainment & Music Memorabilia Signature Auction", and among the items on offer are numerous Star Trek production assets, most notably and excitingly, including loads and loads of original matte paintings and matte painting concept art.

It's a real treasure trove of artwork, allowing us a rare expanded look at some of the most icon planetscapes in Trek, and plenty of planets-of-the-week too, from TNG, DS9, Voyager, Enterprise, and movies! Continue below to check out the incredible artwork on offer.


DS9 is well represented in the auction, with some of the most familiar pieces being the major planets of the series. This includes two matte paintings depicting Bajor.

This first painting, by Robert Stromberg, established the look the planet surface from the very start, in Emissary, and was used frequently throughout the series thereafter right up the final episode What You Leave Behind. It was typically shown in a panning shot, with a foreground element adding an extra tower and giving a greater sense of depth.

Discovery season three home video extra feature details, plus behind the scenes round-up

Season three of Discovery(ad) is set for home video release in July, and CBS Home Entertainment have now revealed the full line-up of extra features. Continue below to check out the details of those, plus a round-up of the latest behind the scenes goodies shared by the series' crew and cast.

The home video release incudes a number of documentary featurettes, a gag reel, and deleted scenes, but alas no audio commentaries this time around. 

Among the behind the scenes content, the ones that jump out to me are The Voyage of Season 3, looking at how every element of the production adapted to the new future setting, and Kenneth Mitchell: To Boldly Go, dedicated to the actor now living with ALS and how the series built a new character around his wheelchair use.

Here's the full run-down:

Michael Chabon introduces the secret civilization of the Romulans

Star Trek Picard creator, writer, and executive producer, Michael Chabon has been over the last few months occasionally sharing fascinating background articles on various aspects of the people and places featured in Picard. His latest piece introduces us to Romulan society, giving us a fascinating insight into the Romulan worldbuilding that informed what we saw on screen, and hopefully will continue to expand the species' lore as the series continues. Continue below for a look at some of the highlights from this latest post, and his previous articles.

This Romulan backstory adds ever more layers of deception and subterfuge to the Romulan culture. My favourite element looks for where the roots of this might lie, in the nature of Romulus itself:

Legend holds that the basis of Romulans’ fixation on deception and the hiding of secrets is the unusually high proportion of mimetic (camouflage-using) native animals and plants that the first settlers of Romulus found on arrival, snakes that look like flowering vines, flowers like lizards, mammals that alter their coloration according to patterns in light falling on them. Best known of these to outsiders, of course, is the so-called “warbird” after which Romulans have long patterned their military starships. The plumage of this raptor has unique optical properties that mimic the wavelength of ambient light, causing the birds to “disappear” against a clear blue sky, a phenomenon that is said to have inspired the most celebrated, and most Romulan, of all Romulan technologies: the cloaking device.

Of course, that could just be a classic Romulan “cover story.” Romulans are addicted to cover stories.

Paramount+ celebrates all things Trek, after Spock, Burnham and Pike climb Paramount Mountain. Plus Trek TV updates

Ramping up for the launch of the rebranded Paramount+(ad) streaming service (soon to replace CBS All Access), CBS have released a trailer focused on how Paramount+ will be the home of all things Trek. 

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This comes after a couple of weeks of adverts featuring various Paramount characters and celebs ascending the iconic Paramount mountain in some rather peculiar crossovers. Continue below to check out the ads so far. Plus some other Trek TV updates.

Discovery aliens and costumes behind the scenes

The creators of Star Trek Discovery have, following the conclusion of season three, been sharing some examples of their work on the show, including some great looks at the alien make-up and costumes. Continue below to enjoy Vulcans, Andorians, Orions, Xaheans, and more!

First up, a very dapper look at everyone's favourite Saurian, Linus! Make-up artist Shane Zander shared these delightful photos David Tomlinson in character, and getting into character, for his final appearance this season, sporting the new uniform:

Discovery round-up: Cool art, latest behind the scenes, amazing aliens, double Captain's Logs, and more

With Discovery season three now at an end, there's still a lot of new content being shared in it's wake, celebrating the completed season, and all the amazing behind the scenes work that went into make it. Continue below to check out amazing alien make-up, cast and location photos, artwork, and more.

First up is this cool college of everything season three, which has been shared across CBS's Trek social media. It includes some nice new views of the 32nd century Starfleet ships:

Discovery round-up: That Hope Is You, Part 2 previews, plus latest behind the scenes and more

This week has brought us the final episode of Discovery season three, That Hope is You, Part 2, and as ever CBS have released plenty of previews to ready you for watching. Continue below to check out those, alongside a round-up of all the latest Disco behind the scenes.

Here's the blurb for the new episode:

As the Emerald Chain tightens its grip and the mystery of the Burn is finally solved, Burnham and the crew have one last chance to save themselves – and the Federation.

Unusually CBS seem to have neglected to upload the trailer to Instagram or Youtube this week. You can find on StarTrek.com though, and the ever helpful Nación Trek have also uploaded the copy below:

Discovery round-up: There Is a Tide... previews, and loads of season 3 behind the scenes photos

This week brings us the penultimate episode of Discovery season 3, There Is a Tide.... As ever CBS have released previews in the form of a trailer and images from the episode. There's also lots of new behind the scenes content from across the season that's popped up in the last week, so continue below to check out all that, and other Disco updates.

Here's the blurb and trailer for the episode (which you can also watch on StarTrek.com if you prefer):

After capturing the U.S.S. Discovery, Osyraa seeks a meeting with Admiral Vance while Burnham and the crew must overcome unimaginable odds as they attempt to regain command of their ship.

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TNG aliens come back to life

Inspired by some awesome restoration projects, I've gathered together some of the latest TNG behind the scenes bits and bobs I've come across to take a look at a few of TNG's aliens; including some memorable one-shot wonders, and some more established species too. Continue below for some real treats.

What sparked this exploration was seeing some amazing work done recently by Tom Spina Designs, who specialise in restorations and display models and have worked on several Star Trek projects over the years. Their newest creation is a beautiful display of one of the Solanagen-based lifeforms from the episode Schisms. Working with an original costume and mask, they recreated new hands to finish off the alien and then gave it a suitably creepy pose for display. Check it out:

Discovery round-up: Su’Kal previews, behind the scenes photos, travel poster, and Killy's log!

This week brings us episode eleven of Discovery season three, with the promise of the return to the Burn mystery in Su’Kal. Continue below for previews of the new episode, and a round up of all the latest bits and bobs from last week's mirror universe escapade, including a great new travel poster, fun new log entry from Captain Killy, and lots of behind the scenes photos.

First up, here's the blurb and trailer for Su'Kal (trailer also up on StarTrek.com if you prefer to Instagram below):

Discovery ventures to the Verubin Nebula, where Burnham, Saru, and Culber make a shocking realization about the origin of the Burn as the rest of the crew faces an unexpected threat.

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