Who I Will Miss Most With The End of 'Star Trek: Prodigy'
Jankom Pog gave us our best look at one of Star Trek's oldest alien species
Goodbye, Jankom Pog … we hardly knew ye.
Along with the Medusan, Zero, Jankom quickly became one of my favorite characters on Star Trek: Prodigy, the animated series which Paramount just cancelled after just one season on the air.
(Others — particularly Dal and Gwyndala — grew on me but initially struck me as nothing more than ripoffs from Star Wars.)
But more importantly, Jankom (Jason Mantzoukas) became the best way for us to better know an alien species which is one of the oldest in the franchise but simultaneously one of the least understood.
Tellarites were first introduced in original Star Trek, in the second season episode, “Journey To Babel.”
In that episode, we're introduced to the species with the pig-like appearance by way of Ambassador Gav (John Wheeler).
And all we really come to know about Tellarites is that they're an irascible species, and quick to anger.
It would be decades before we really got to see Tellarites on-screen again, and except mostly for a few episodes of Star Trek: Enterprise, more often than not they were relegated to the background.
From the one we saw on the Federation Council, to the one serving as a Starfleet officer on Number One's trial board in the recent episode of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, Tellarites too often have been little more than humanoid set pieces, very much seen and not heard.
So, for being established as one of the original worlds to form the United Federation of Planets, very little Star Trek lore is devoted to them.
Friendlier than most Tellarites we've had the brief opportunities to meet, and — probably owing to Prodigy's intended tilt towards children — Jankom even appeared drawn to be less intimidating than the live-action Tellarites we've seen.
Jankom Pog had only barely begun opening up the chance for substantial new world-building for the Tellarites and their home on Tellar Prime, in a manner similar to that of Worf on Star Trek: The Next Generation or even the Denobulan Phlox from Enterprise.
We can only hope Jankom Pog isn't the last Tellarite we really get to know.
Star Trek's Newest Trope: The High-speed Car Chase
When Jim Kirk and Spock would visit the past in original Star Trek, the most they might pilfer might be a few clothes just to fit in.
These days our Starfleet heroes have graduated to grand theft auto.
High-speed car chase scenes are becoming an actual thing in Star Trek.
This week, it's the Star Trek: Strange New Worlds version of Kirk (Paul Wesley) and La'an Noonian Singh (Christina Chong) boosting a stylin' ride, in the form of a shiny red sports car during their visit to 21st century Toronto.
But last year, the franchise kicked off its entree into the world of high-speed hijinks with Seven Of Nine (Jeri Ryan) and Raffi (Michelle Hurd) appropriating their own police vehicle.
Although Kirk and La'an offered up some quality banter — taking the piss out of Kirk's middle name has been a long time coming — my vote has to be for the Seven/Raffi escapade.
The romantic tension between the two one-time girlfriends made their repartee absolutely next-level.
But what's next?
Ensigns Boimler (Jack Quaid) and Mariner (Tawny Newsome) commandeering a bus in a coming season of Star Trek: Lower Decks?!?
Hailing frequencies open….
Here's the latest that we've been keeping up with…
MOMENT FOR TREK
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds 2x04 Sneak Peek Clip 4K “The Palace” Teaser Trailer Promo
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