Star Trek: Prodigy Pays Tribute to a Classic Star Trek Episode

After previously paying homage to several of Star Trek's most beloved characters, the latest episode of Star Trek: Prodigy paid tribute to a classic Star Trek episode with its title. SPOILERS follow for the Star Trek: Prodigy episode "Time Amok." And there it is. The title of Star Trek: Prodigy's eighth episode is "Time Amok." That title might ring a bell for any longtime Star Trek fans who are familiar with Star Trek: The Original Series. That's because the title is the reversed title of Star Trek: The Original Series' second season premiere episode, "Amok Time." Directed by Joseph Pevney and written by Theodore Sturgeon, "Amok Time" first aired on September 15, 1967.

The episode is one of Star Trek's most iconic. It introduced pon farr, an aspect of Vulcan physiology where they must mate every seven years or die. When Spock begins feeling pon farr's effects, the Enterprise sets course for Vulcan, that Spock may reunite with T'Pring, whom he bonded with as a child. This trip also leads to the famous Vulcan salute's first appearance and the memorable gladiatorial combat between Spock and Captain Kirk on Vulcan.

Pon farr would come up again in many Star Trek successor series but not in "Time Amok." The Star Trek: Prodigy episode is more focused on the time aspect of the title. The USS Protostar's crew are split into five separate time fractals moving at different speeds. With hologram Janeway's help, they have to work together across these fractures in time to repair their ship's drive and reunite them into a single timeline. A surprise visit from the Diviner's right-hand robot, Drednok, doesn't help the process, but the crew comes out on top in the end.

Next up for Star Trek: Prodigy is "A Moral Star," the two-episode story that will close out the first half of the show's first season. The tale unfolds over episodes debuting on Paramount+ over two weeks. The series will return later this year with the second half of its first season.

The CG-animated Star Trek: Prodigy is the first Star Trek series aimed at younger audiences. It follows a crew of young aliens learning to work together as they explore the galaxy, searching for a better future. Though they know little of Starfleet and less about the ship they've commandeered, their adventures bring them closer and closer to achieving the ideals the Federation represents.

What do you think? Let us know in the comments. Star Trek: Prodigy debuts new episodes on Thursdays on Paramount+