1x03 Starstruck

[7.7/10] This episode feels like a further extension of the pilot, with throat-clearing and table-setting, rather than another step in the adventure. But I still like it. It’s a good introduction of the Janeway hologram and the Protostar, and does a good job of setting the table stakes for Dal and Gwyn’s conflicting reactions to authority.

For Dal, he equates surrendering to authority, even asking for help, as a way to get subjugated and put under someone else’s thumb. So his arc here is to bristle against the help Holo-Janeway (and by extension, the Federation) seem to be offering. His effort to lead without assistance, and ultimate realization that Starfleet (and its holographic guides) could be a help, not a hindrance, is a nice bit of growth for him.

Likewise, I appreciate the B-story with Gwyn and Rok-Tahk. It’s good that, as Prodigy moves forward, the show confronts the fact that Rok-Tahk and company will be effectively teaming up with one of their oppressors. Gwyn’s story of “just doing what I was told” and the way kids in particular can be socialized into oppression without the power or understanding to change it, is a strong one. And Rok-Tahk’s recriminations are fair based on her experiences too. It’s a good, meaty confrontation, and the fact that it takes place amid a shuttlecraft being replicated around a fight is the icing on the cake.

The visuals definitely improved here too. The character designs and movements are still a little janky to my eye. But the replicator bay combat was a visual thrill, and the imagery of the Protostar bursting through the dying star was top notch. A few episodes in, and Prodigy is already showing off what it can do in the medium of animation.

Overall, I enjoyed “Starstruck” as a way to establish the new normal for our heroes after the theatrics of their great escape, and I appreciate the way it explored Dal and Gywn’s mutual complicated relationships with notions of authority.