Star Trek: Prodigy wins Emmy; LeVar Burton gets Lifetime Achievement Award

By Kieran Burt.

The animated series Star Trek: Prodigy was celebrated by the National Academy of Television Arts and Science for its first season. Aimed at a younger audience, it picked up an Emmy at the first annual Children’s and Family Emmy Awards. 

Alessandro Taini also won an Emmy for his production design on Prodigy. He thanked Paramount alongside fellow artists, as well as the writers and producers for the show. A special shoutout was given to director Be Hibon. He dedicated his Emmy to his late mother, and said she was like the Emmy, “an angel.”

While also nominated for the Outstanding Animated Series Award, it lost out to City of Ghosts. Co-executive producer Aaron Waltke tweeted what an honour it was to be considered among the other nominees and congratulated City of Ghosts. 

A huge honor to be nominated with so many other great shows — huge congrats to @kikutowne and City of Ghosts! And congrats to @Talexiart for winning “Outanding Production Design” for #StarTrekProdigy!

We’e so grateful to be recognized. As Janeway says, “We’ve only just begun.” pic.twitter.com/j21019BHWY

— Aaron J. Waltke (@GoodAaron) December 12, 2022

But it’s not only Prodigy that was recognised for its achievement by the Children and Family Emmy Awards. LeVar Burton, best known for his role as Geordi La Forge in Star Trek: The Next Generation, won a Lifetime Achievement Award, for his work on Reading Rainbow. 

The show aired on PBS and promoted reading for kids, ran for 21 seasons from 1983 to 2006, with Burton as its host and executive producer.  

When he picked up his award, Burton said that his story leading up to the moment was something achievable “only in America.” He thanked his Reading Rainbow colleagues and family, and mentioned his inspirations, Roots author Alex Haley, Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry and the children’s television icon Fred Rogers. 

Burton has picked up 13 Emmy Awards, a Grammy and a Peabody Award. The special Emmy was presented by Burton by Laurence Fishburne, and featured a pre-recorded tribute from TNG costar Whoopi Goldberg and Sir Patrick Stewart. 

Jack McBrayer hosted the event. He voices the evil holodeck character Badgey on Star Trek: Lower Decks.

LeVar Burton will return in Picard season three, which releases February 16 2023 on Paramount+. 
Star Trek: Prodigy is available to watch on Paramount+.