Gowron. Although he only appeared in four episodes of The Next Generation , Gowron is one of the most unforgettable Klingon recurring characters that we see in the show. With his bulging eyes, threatening smile, and fighting prowess, Gowron becomes the Klingon Chancellor and appears during some of the most important moments in this period of the Klingon Empire. In this episode of Earl Grey, hosts Richard Marquez, Amy Nelson, and Justin Oser discuss their impressions and thoughts on Gowron's appe...
Jan 30, 2018•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 213
Favorite Character Moments Season 2. The Next Generation has a mostly episodic format, but over the course of the show and the movies, there are many great character moments. Those moments, both great and small, can enhance our experience of the show and lead to a new understanding of both regular and recurring characters. In this episode of Earl Grey , hosts Amy Nelson, Richard Marquez, and Justin Oser list their three favorite character moments from season two. Each host discusses why their ch...
Jan 23, 2018•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 212
Loud As A Whisper. In the season two The Next Generation episode "Loud As A Whisper," the Enterprise-D transports a renowned mediator named Riva to help end a planet's centuries-old civil war. Riva is deaf and has an unusual method of communication through a chorus representing different aspects of his personality. In this episode of Earl Grey, hosts Amy Nelson, Richard Marquez, and Justin Oser discuss "Loud As a Whisper." They talk about the significance of Riva's Chorus, the nature of conflict...
Jan 16, 2018•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 211
Courtroom Dramas, Part 2 Star Trek has a long history of episodes with courtroom dramas, going back to the first season episode "Court Martial" in The Original Series. The Next Generation continued that tradition with no fewer than nine examples of trials, hearings, or some sort of legal proceeding, with many of those episodes putting an unusual twist on the idea of the courtroom drama. In this episode of Earl Grey, hosts Richard Marquez, Amy Nelson, and Justin Oser conclude a two-part series ab...
Jan 09, 2018•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 210
Admiral Nechayev. Admiral Alynna Nechayev appears in four episodes of seasons 6 and 7 of The Next Generation and two episodes of seasons 2 and 3 of Deep Space Nine. One of the most prominent female admirals in Star Trek, Nechayev is a strong and memorable character who is often seen clashing with Captain Picard. In this episode of Earl Grey, hosts Justin Oser and Richard Marquez are joined by special guest Brandi Jackola of Live from the Edge to discuss their impressions and thoughts on Admiral ...
Jan 02, 2018•1 hr 36 min•Ep. 209
Courtroom Dramas, Part 1 Star Trek has a long history of episodes with courtroom dramas, going back to the first season episode "Court Martial" in The Original Series. The Next Generation continued that tradition with no fewer than nine examples of trials, hearings, or some sort of legal proceeding, with many of those episodes putting an unusual twist on the idea of the courtroom drama. In this episode of Earl Grey, hosts Richard Marquez, Amy Nelson, and Justin Oser start a two-part series about...
Dec 26, 2017•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 208
Melinda Snodgrass Interview. Melinda Snodgrass is the writer of one of the most acclaimed episodes in the entire Star Trek franchise, "The Measure of a Man." This was her first experience writing for television and her background as a lawyer informed one of Star Trek's most famous legal dramas. The episode also landed Snodgrass a spot on The Next Generation writing staff in seasons two and three of the show and helped to launch a successful career as a writer for television and novels. In this e...
Dec 19, 2017•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 201
Favorite Character Moments Season 1. The Next Generation has a mostly episodic format, but over the course of the show and the movies, there are many great character moments. Those moments, both great and small, can enhance our experience of the show and lead to a new understanding of both regular and recurring characters. In this episode of Earl Grey , hosts Amy Nelson, Richard Marquez, and Justin Oser list their three favorite character moments from season one. Each host discusses why their ch...
Dec 12, 2017•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 206
Actors Who Got Their Starts on TNG, Part 2 Star Trek has helped to launch many acting careers in its 51-year history. The Next Generation is no exception with a number of actors appearing on the show and in the movies in one of their first roles in film or television. In this episode of Earl Grey, hosts Amy Nelson, Richard Marquez, and Justin Oser conclude a two-part series on actors who got their starts on The Next Generation. Actors covered in this episode are Ashley Judd, Famke Janssen, Kirst...
Dec 05, 2017•1 hr 18 min•Ep. 205
Actors Who Got Their Starts on TNG, Part 1 Star Trek has helped to launch many acting careers in its 51-year history. The Next Generation is no exception with a number of actors appearing on the show and in the movies in one of their first roles in film or television. In this episode of Earl Grey, hosts Amy Nelson, Richard Marquez, and Justin Oser start a two-part series on actors who got their starts on The Next Generation. Actors covered in this episode are Teri Hatcher, Michelle Forbes, Ken J...
Nov 21, 2017•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 204
The Next Generation has a number of episodes exploring the definition of life and the rights of different types of life forms. A memorable example of this type of episode is "The Quality of Life," in which versatile machines called exocomps demonstrate the ability for self-awareness and making decisions that affect their survival. In this episode of Earl Grey , hosts Justin Oser and Richard Marquez are joined by Patrick Devlin of The Briar Patch to provide a commentary for the episode "The Quali...
Nov 14, 2017•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 203
Unsung Episodes Season 7. Every season of The Next Generation has episodes that get overlooked or ignored. Well, not here and not today. Most fans will quickly identify "Parallels" and "All Good Things..." as being their favorite episodes from season seven. So, if we set those episodes aside, which other episodes should we celebrate and recognize from this season? In this episode of Earl Grey , hosts Amy Nelson, Richard Marquez, and Justin Oser list their three unsung episodes from season seven....
Nov 07, 2017•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 202
Spooky Scenes. Star Trek has had some very spooky moments and episodes throughout its 51 year history. The Next Generation has been no exception, ranging from entire episodes of gradually building psychological terror to brief but frightening scenes that seem to come out of nowhere. In this episode of Earl Grey , hosts Justin Oser, Richard Marquez, and Amy Nelson discuss their top three scary scenes from The Next Generation . On this spooky Halloween, we are frightened by dead bodies sitting up,...
Oct 31, 2017•52 min•Ep. 201
Qpid. In the season four The Next Generation episode "Qpid," Q makes an appearance on the Enterprise-D for the first time since having his powers taken away and then restored in the season three episode "Déjà Q." Picard's love interest from "Captain's Holiday," Vash, is also on the ship and Q decides to transport Picard, the crew, and Vash into a Robin Hood adventure. In this episode of Earl Grey, hosts Amy Nelson, Richard Marquez, and Justin Oser celebrate Earl Grey's two hundredth episode by d...
Oct 24, 2017•58 min•Ep. 200
Michael Piller, Part 2. One of the most important contributors to the Star Trek franchise, Michael Piller was the showrunner for The Next Generation from seasons three to five and many credit him with helping to improve the overall quality of the show after a rocky first two seasons. Michael Piller was also a co-creator of Deep Space Nine and Voyager . Piller capped off his career with Star Trek by co-writing "Insurrection" and sadly passed away from cancer in November 2005. In this episode of E...
Oct 17, 2017•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 199
Michael Piller, Part 1. One of the most important contributors to the Star Trek franchise, Michael Piller was the showrunner for The Next Generation from seasons three to five and many credit him with helping to improve the overall quality of the show after a rocky first two seasons. During that period, Piller is probably most famous for writing "The Best of Both Worlds" two-parter, a hugely influential set of episodes that took the show's popularity to new heights. Michael Piller was also a co-...
Oct 17, 2017•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 198
Unsung Episodes Season 6. Every season of The Next Generation has episodes that get overlooked or ignored. Well, not here and not today. Most fans will quickly identify "Chain of Command Part I and II," "Face of the Enemy," and "Tapestry" as being their favorite episodes from season six. So, if we set those episodes aside, which other episodes should we celebrate and recognize from this season? In this episode of Earl Grey , hosts Amy Nelson, Richard Marquez, and Justin Oser list their three uns...
Oct 03, 2017•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 197
The Next Generation's 30th Anniversary. On September 28, 1987, a new Star Trek show premiered in the United States. The Next Generation featured a new crew and a new ship boldly going on adventures in a new century. Although met with some initial resistance, The Next Generation would become a huge hit, helping to keep Star Trek on TV for 18 straight seasons and spawning multiple spin-off series and four feature films. The show also introduced a whole new generation of fans to Star Trek and The N...
Sep 26, 2017•1 hr 28 min•Ep. 196
"Shades of Gray" Rewrite. The second season finale of The Next Generation , "Shades of Gray," is often considered to be one of the worst episodes of the show, if not one of the worst episodes in all of Star Trek. A writers' strike, a strained budget at the end of the season, and a showrunner on his way out combined for an episode notorious for being Star Trek's only clip show. In this episode of Earl Grey, host Justin Oser is joined by special guests Brandon-Shea Mutala (of Melodic Treks, Warp F...
Sep 19, 2017•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 195
Funniest Moments. Star Trek is well-known for its great storylines and character development, but the interplay between the characters can be just as important. At times, they are witty and downright hilarious. Although Star Trek is classified as sci-fi and not comedy, there are countless scenes that are very humorous. In this episode of Earl Grey , hosts Amy Nelson, Richard Marquez, and Justin Oser pick some of their favorite funniest moments of The Next Generation . We recount the simple one-l...
Sep 12, 2017•59 min•Ep. 194
Professor Moriarty. The character of Professor Moriarty, Sherlock Holmes' arch-enemy, appears in two episodes of The Next Generation - "Elementary, Dear Data" and "Ship in a Bottle." The character is only a holographic representation of Moriarty and yet is among the most memorable and well-liked recurring characters in Star Trek. In this episode of Earl Grey, host Justin Oser is joined by special guest Lee Hutchison to discuss their impressions and thoughts on Professor Moriarty in The Next Gene...
Sep 05, 2017•42 min•Ep. 193
Realistic and Unrealistic. Have you ever watched The Next Generation and thought that a scene showed exactly how things will work in the future? Or have you ever watched The Next Generation and wondered what the writers were thinking when they wrote a certain element into the script? In this episode of Earl Grey , hosts Richard Marquez, Justin Oser, and Amy Nelson choose their top 3 picks for both realistic and unrealistic elements in The Next Generation . Their choices include technology, ideas...
Aug 29, 2017•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 192
Unsung Episodes Season 5. Every season of The Next Generation has episodes that get overlooked or ignored. Well, not here and not today! Most fans will quickly identify "Darmok", "Cause and Effect", and "The Inner Light" as being their favorite episodes from season five. So, if we set those episodes aside, which other episodes should we celebrate and recognize from this season? In this episode of Earl Grey , hosts Amy Nelson, Richard Marquez, and Justin Oser list their three unsung episodes from...
Aug 22, 2017•59 min•Ep. 191
Star Trek Las Vegas. For the past 16 years, thousands of fans have converged on Las Vegas every summer to see Star Trek actors and creatives, meet other fans, and celebrate what they love about the franchise. This is the largest Star Trek convention in the United States and is eagerly anticipated year after year. In this episode of Earl Grey , hosts Amy Nelson and Justin Oser are joined by Bruce Gibson of Literary Treks to talk about their experiences at this year’s gathering. The discussion inc...
Aug 15, 2017•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 190
Joe Menosky Episodes. One of the most influential figures in 24th century Star Trek, Joe Menosky wrote or co-wrote 67 episodes of The Next Generation , Deep Space Nine , and Voyager , including a number of fan favorites. Menosky was also a producer on Season 5 of The Next Generation and Seasons 3-6 of Voyager . He is currently a writer on the newest Star Trek series, Discovery . In this episode of Earl Grey , hosts Justin Oser, Richard Marquez, and Amy Nelson each pick their three favorite Joe M...
Aug 08, 2017•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 189
Yar and Vasquez Comparison. Gene Roddenberry held a special screening of Aliens with his staff to show a different sci-fi that was currently being released. The effects of that viewing can be seen in the character of chief security officer Tasha Yar. Even though Yar only appeared in season one of The Next Generation , her presence is felt throughout the series. Her character was strong and impulsive as we would expect the head of security to be. In this episode of Earl Grey , hosts Lee Hutchison...
Aug 01, 2017•55 min
Wesley Crusher. Wesley Crusher is an interesting character being the only teenager we see on the bridge of the Enterprise D. He is known for being a know-it-all and has been said to be very annoying. Yet he has quite the character arc throughout the seven seasons. We first learn of Wesley as Beverly's son who lost his father under Picard's command. He is anxious to please and tries to fit into the Starfleet mold. We see him training to be an officer and he eventually enters into Starfleet Academ...
Jul 25, 2017•43 min
5th TNG Movie. Captain Picard and his crew of the Enterprise E shall never be forgotten and hopes for another Next Generation movie seems to be desired by many fans. But what would this movie look like? The actors themselves have gotten older - can they do another movie justice? With Data dying in Nemesis , would he not appear in the next movie or does B4 return? Which alien species would they be fighting with and what is the conflict they must resolve? In this episode of Earl Grey , hosts Lee H...
Jul 18, 2017•57 min
Peak Performance. Games have a tendency to bring out the best or worst behaviors in players. Competition is innate to human nature and challenges are difficult to resist. Riker challenges Kolrami, a grandmaster of Strategema, knowing he has no chance of winning. We see the USS Hathaway's hand picked crew led by Commander Riker take on the seasoned Captain Picard in a battle simulation to prepare them for the Borg. The strategies used range from predicable to unexpected, especially when they enco...
Jul 11, 2017•1 hr 2 min
Unsung Episodes Season 4. Every season of The Next Generation has episodes that get overlooked or ignored. Well, not here and not today. Most fans will quickly identify "Best of Both Worlds Part II", "Family", and "Redemption Part I" as being their favorite episodes from season four. So, if we set those episodes aside, which other episodes should we celebrate and recognize from this season? In this episode of Earl Grey , hosts Amy Nelson, Richard Marquez, and Lee Hutchison list their three unsun...
Jun 27, 2017•58 min
