Rob & Kev planned to turn this entire episode over to a friendly computer super-intelligence, but it was down for a software update, so they recorded their thoughts on "In the Cradle of Vexilon" all by themselves. Prompted by the hard lesson learned by Boimler during his first command, they explore other lessons in leadership from Star Treks past, including "The Galileo Seven" (TOS), "Good Shepherd" (VOY), "Pen Pals" (TNG), and "Valiant" (DS9). Strange New Worlds stardates LD 4×03 In the Cra...
Sep 21, 2023•47 min•Transcript available on Metacast Kev & Rob narrowly avoid being merged in a transporter accident, and inspired by "I Have No Bones Yet I Must Flee", pay a visit to the menagerie of episodes in which humanity is put in a cage, including "The Eye of the Beholder" (TAS), "The Cage" (TOS), and "I, Mudd" (TOS). They also briefly discuss the first of the Very Short Treks, "Skin a Cat", as well as Star Trek Day 2023. Star Trek Day 2023 Very Short Treks: Skin a Cat LD 4×01 Twovix VOY 2×24 Tuvix LD 3×06 Hear All, Trust Nothing VOY T...
Sep 16, 2023•48 min•Transcript available on Metacast Rob & Kev float through the highlights of the season two finale of Strange New Worlds, "Hegemony", before seeking out other instances of our characters floating in zero gravity, including "Star Trek: First Contact", "Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country", and the Enterprise NX-01's "sweet spot". SNW 2×10 Hegemony TOS 1×19 Arena Vasquez Rocks Re-Uses of the Vasquez Rocks Location Marie Batel Parnassus Beta Star Trek Retrospectives SNW 1×09 All Those Who Wander TNG 3×26 The Best of Both Worl...
Aug 30, 2023•36 min•Transcript available on Metacast Kev & Rob agree that "Subspace Rhapsody" had its charms, but didn't quite live up to the hype, and that its best moment was a scene without a song at all! Taking the cue of this musical episode, they both agree that "Bride of Chaotica!" (VOY) is the last time going over the top into silliness was the point of an episode, and they talk through its highlights in detail. Finally, as a bonus, Rob re-watched Star Trek III: The Search for Spock and was surprised by how much he enjoyed it! SNW 2×09...
Aug 20, 2023•36 min•Transcript available on Metacast Rob & Kev need a sonic shower after the slow march through the Federation-Klingon war and its ugly consequences that was "Under the Cloak of War". Reflecting on the Federation at war, they look back at "Yesterday's Enterprise" (TNG) and "The Siege of AR-558" (DS9). SNW 2×07 Under the Cloak of War M’Benga appearances in TOS Mark Piper Phil Boyce Clint Howard in Discovery Gorkon SNW 2×01 The Broken Circle Section 31 TNG 3×15 Yesterday’s Enterprise Rachel Garrett DS9 6×19 In The Pale Moonlight ...
Aug 10, 2023•32 min•Transcript available on Metacast Kev & Rob would happily give several kilograms of heronium to get to see "Those Old Scientists" again for the first time. They talk through this crossover episode that had no business being as good as it was, before seeking out other examples of alien artifacts whose activation (or difficulty in activating) is a key point in an episode, including "Magic to Make the Sanest Man Go Mad" (DIS) and "The Paradise Syndrome" (TOS). TOS 2×07 Those Old Scientists DS9 5×06 Trials and Tribble-ations Spa...
Aug 05, 2023•37 min•Transcript available on Metacast Rob & Kev squint but fail to spot the USS Farragut in "Lost in Translation", despite its soon-to-be first officer hanging around the Enterprise like he knows he's going to work there someday! After a quick debrief on this week's episode, they consider two other prominent instances of communication difficulties when encountering non-humanoid life: "Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home", and "Home Soil" (TNG). SNW 2×06 Lost in Translation How Long Can Captain Kirk Stay On Strange New Worlds ? Star Tr...
Aug 02, 2023•28 min•Transcript available on Metacast Kev & Rob gush at the one-two punch of comedy and heartbreak delivered by "Charades" before breaking down the several different ways in which Vulcans are such jerks, revisiting "The Forge", "Awakening" and "Kir'Shara" (ENT), "Take Me Out to the Holosuite" (DS9), and "Journey to Babel" (TOS). SNW 2×05 Charades Doctor Who: The Empty Child , The Doctor Dances SNW 1×05 Spock Amok Star Trek Generations Mia Kirshner as Amanda Grayson Exotica Love & Human Remains The Crow: City of Angels The L ...
Jul 26, 2023•41 min•Transcript available on Metacast Rob & Kev nearly lose themselves in their analysis of "Among the Lotus Eaters", before dipping into other instances of our lead characters losing their memories, in "Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home", "The Changeling" (TOS), and "Conundrum" (TNG). SNW 2×04 Among the Lotus Eaters Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home Amanda Grayson Spock’s memory test Katra TOS 2×08 The Changeling TNG 5×14 Conundrum Eternal Sunshine of The Spotless Mind TNG 4×14 Clues (00:00) - Episode 34: Memory Loss (SNW 2×04 Among Th...
Jul 16, 2023•28 min•Transcript available on Metacast Kev & Rob are surprisingly okay with "Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow"'s revelations about where exactly in the timeline certain ill-fated experiments took place. In celebration, they explore two other significant rewritings, or retrospective continuity changes (retcons) that Star Trek has indulged in in the past, including "Affliction" and "Divergence" (ENT), and "The Host" (TNG). SNW 2×03 Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow TOS 3×23 All Our Yesterdays Eugenics Wars Doctor Who 6×06 A Good...
Jul 09, 2023•48 min•Transcript available on Metacast Rob & Kev agree to overrule all objections about the trial of Una Chin-Riley in "Ad Astra per Aspera". They then explore the legal precedents for excellent courtroom dramas in Star Trek, including "Judgment" (ENT), "Court Martial" (TOS), "Dax" (DS9), and "The Measure of a Man" (TNG). Finally, they commiserate following the shock announcement that Star Trek: Prodigy has been cancelled prior to the airing of season two on Paramount+ and Nickelodeon. SNW 2×02 Ad Astra per Aspera Yetide Badaki a...
Jul 03, 2023•1 hr 1 min•Transcript available on Metacast Kev & Rob celebrate the return of Strange New Worlds by punching a corridor full of Klingons before sitting down to share their thoughts about "The Broken Circle". They then explore other notable examples of crews operating without their Captain (or station Commander, as the case may be!) in "The Tholian Web" (TOS), "Family Business" (DS9), "Little Green Men" (DS9), "Two Days and Two Nights" (ENT), and "The Quickening" (DS9). SNW 2×01 The Broken Circle Jefferies Tube Crossfield class TOS 3×0...
Jun 20, 2023•42 min•Transcript available on Metacast Much like "The Last Generation", this Subspace Radio had about 40 minutes of footage cut out of it, and it's *still* a double-length episode! Rob & Kev comb through every morsel of the series finale of Star Trek: Picard, before turning back the clock to other finale episodes of series past, including "All Good Things…" (TNG), "What You Leave Behind" (DS9), "Endgame" (VOY) and "These Are the Voyages…" (ENT). PIC 3×10 The Last Generation Planetary distress signal Pavel Chekov Anton Chekov PRO ...
May 09, 2023•1 hr 17 min•Transcript available on Metacast Rob & Kev sequence the genome of "Võx", the penultimate episode of Star Trek: Picard. Then, agreeing the Changleing plot to re-sequence the DNA of every member of Starfleet was a lot to take in, they set out to trace the twin helix of DNA as a plot point in Star Trek. They discuss "Genesis" (TNG), the Jem'Hadar (DS9), "Threshold" (VOY), and "Vaulting Ambition" (DIS). PIC 3×09 Võx Battle of Wolf 359 Irumodic syndrome Elizabeth Shelby Will Wheaton touring the bridge of the Enterprise D TNG 7...
Apr 30, 2023•1 hr 4 min•Transcript available on Metacast Kev & Rob find a lot to talk about in "Surrender", an episode where relatively little happened. Vadic's sudden decision to phaser a member of the bridge crew whose name we hadn't even heard before leads them to contemplate other times background characters made the ultimate sacrifice and made an impression (or didn't) in the process. From Voyager they discuss Hogan ("Basics, Part II"), Pete Durst ("Faces"), and Joe Carey ("Friendship One"). Then they bemoan the wasted opportunity of that was...
Apr 22, 2023•55 min•Transcript available on Metacast Rob & Kev are getting some distinctly cybernetic vibes about Crusher & Picard's son Jack as they contemplate Section 31's worst plan yet in "Dominion". Vadic's commandeering of the Titan prompts them to revisit other times our Starfleet heroes lost control of their ships (and space stations) to the opposition, in "Star Trek: First Contact", "Rascals" (TNG), "Call to Arms" (DS9), and "Basics, Part I & II" (VOY). PIC 3×07 Dominion Tuvok Chin’toka system DS8 7×08 The Siege of AR-558 Odo...
Apr 15, 2023•49 min•Transcript available on Metacast Kev & Rob both wish that the production of Star Trek: Picard Season 3 could have afforded just one more set this week as a very special Klingon Bird-of-Prey makes its return to the screen in "The Bounty". After watching a small team infiltrate Daystrom Station, they reflect on other times our intrepid crews have sneaked in where they didn't belong, including "Chain Of Command, Part I" (TNG), "By Inferno's Light" (DS9), "Change Of Heart" (DS9), and "Extreme Measures" (DS9). PIC 3×06 The Bount...
Apr 07, 2023•58 min•Transcript available on Metacast Rob & Kev come from opposite ends of the spectrum of Ro Laren familiarity, but they both loved Michelle Forbes's return to Star Trek in "Imposters". Rob introduces Kevin to some of Forbes's other roles in "Homicide: Life on the Street" and "True Blood", then Kevin talks through the highlights of Ro's appearances in Star Trek: The Next Generation, including "Ensign Ro", "Preemptive Strike", and "The Next Phase". PIC 3×05 Imposters TOS 3×07 Is There in Truth No Beauty? IDIC pendant Morn TOS 7×...
Apr 01, 2023•40 min•Transcript available on Metacast Kev & Rob are both dazzled by what may be the best episode of modern Star Trek, "No Win Scenario", and shocked by the return of 21st century expletives to the Star Trek universe. After gushing over every other aspect of this week's episode, they share their very personal perspectives and reactions to swearing in Star Trek, and reflect on its history. Highlights of the trip include "Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home", "City on the Edge of Forever" (TOS), "The Last Outpost" and "Elementary, Dear D...
Mar 23, 2023•55 min•Transcript available on Metacast Rob & Kev agree that "Seventeen Seconds" was an episode written specifically for Rob, thanks to its loving embrace of Deep Space Nine as a core contributor to Star Trek history. Speaking of history, they take the opportunity of Worf's return to our screens to reflect on the journey of everyone's favourite son of Mogh. They touch on Redemption (TNG), Looking for par'Mach in All the Wrong Places (DS9), Parallels (TNG), and Tacking Into the Wind (DS9). PIC 3×03 Seventeen Seconds TNG 4×20 Qpid T...
Mar 17, 2023•50 min•Transcript available on Metacast Kev & Rob are only momentarily distracted by the parentage of one Jack Crusher before latching onto Amanda Plummer's performance as Vadic in Star Trek: Picard season three, episode two, "Disengage". They then count down their favourite scenery-chewing villains from Star Trek canon, including Weyoun (DS9), General Chang (ST6), Khan (ST2), and Evil Kirk (TOS: The Enemy Within). PIC 3×02 Disengage Jeffrey Combs Weyoun Brunt Live on Bowen S2 E6.4: Jeffrey Combs (YouTube) General Chang Star Trek ...
Mar 07, 2023•51 min•Transcript available on Metacast Rob & Kev greet the season three premiere of Star Trek: Picard with cautious optimism, then notice the number of broken romances strewn about the place in a single episode. They take the opportunity to revisit other loves lost from Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, In Theory (TNG), Star Trek: Insurrection, and Star Trek: Enterprise. PIC 3×01 The Next Generation Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home TNG 4×25 In Theory Jenna D'Sora Kira & Odo in DS9 7×25/26 What You Leave Behind Alfre Woodard as Lily...
Feb 28, 2023•48 min•Transcript available on Metacast Kev & Rob pass the time before Star Trek: Picard season three by doing a full watch-through of Star Trek: The Animated Series for their first time. They discuss the creation of this historical curiosity, run down all twenty-two episodes picking their best and worst, and then finally grapple with the ultimate question: is it worth watching The Animated Series today? LD 3×03 Mining the Mind's Mines The Fifty-Year Mission: The Complete, Uncensored, Unauthorised Oral History of Star Trek TAS 1×0...
Feb 18, 2023•2 hr 32 min•Transcript available on Metacast PRO 1×19 Supernova, Part 1 (Memory Alpha) PRO 1×20 Supernova, Part 2 (Memory Alpha) Locating Starfleet Buildings in San Francisco (Ex Astris Scientia) Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (Memory Alpha) TOS 3×15 Let That Be Your Last Battlefield (Memory Alpha) TOS 2×06 The Doomsday Machine (Memory Alpha) TNG 3×05 Yesterday’s Enterprise (Memory Alpha) VOY 2×21 Deadlock (Memory Alpha) VOY 5×18 Course: Oblivion (Memory Alpha) VOY 4×08 Year of Hell & 4×09 Year of Hell, Part II (Memory Alpha) Musi...
Jan 21, 2023•54 min•Transcript available on Metacast Cellar Door Society (Memory Alpha) PRO 1×17 Ghost in the Machine (Memory Alpha) DS9 7×04 Take Me Out to the Holosuite (Memory Alpha) Red Dwarf 5×06 Back to Reality (Tongue Tied) PRO 1×18 Mindwalk (Memory Alpha) SNW 1×05 Spock Amok (Memory Alpha) Best of Bruce McAvaney (YouTube) Tex Avery (Wikipedia) Robert McKimson (Wikipedia) Bob Clampett (Wikipedia) Chuck Jones (Wikipedia) Kate Mulgrew as Red Claw (Batman: The Animated Series wiki) TNG 2×03 Elementary, Dear Data (Memory Alpha) TNG 1×12 The Big...
Jan 06, 2023•1 hr 1 min•Transcript available on Metacast PRO 1×14 Masquerade (Memory Alpha) Thadiun Okona (Memory Alpha) Arik Soong (Memory Alpha) A Spelling Mistake on Star Trek Discovery (Simultation instead of Simulation) (YouTube) [Language warning] DIS 1×15 Will You Take My Hand? (Memory Alpha) Romulan Neutral Zone (Memory Alpha) Maquis (Memory Alpha) PRO 1×15 Preludes (Memory Alpha) Vau N’Akat (Memory Alpha) Drednok (Memory Alpha) Adreek-Hu (Memory Alpha) Migleemo (Memory Alpha) Kazon (Memory Alpha) Kes (Memory Alpha) Episode 2: Visiting Old Epi...
Dec 25, 2022•59 min•Transcript available on Metacast Cultural contamination (Memory Alpha) PRO 1×13 All the World's a Stage (Memory Alpha) David Garrovick (Memory Alpha) TOS 2×18 Obsession (Memory Alpha) PRO 1×14 Crossroads (Memory Alpha) TNG 2×04 The Outrageous Okona (Memory Alpha) TOS 2×20 A Piece of the Action (Memory Alpha) ENT 2×20 Horizon (Memory Alpha) ENT 2×08 The Communicator (Memory Alpha) Star Trek: Year Five #3 (League of Comic Geeks) VOY 3×05 False Profits (Memory Alpha) TNG 3×08 The Price (Memory Alpha) Remembering Leslie Jordan: A L...
Dec 11, 2022•41 min•Transcript available on Metacast PRO 1×12 Let Sleeping Borg Lie (Memory Alpha) Star Trek: First Contact (Memory Alpha) TNG 2×16 Q Who (Memory Alpha) TNG 1×25 Conspiracy (Memory Alpha) VOY 5×07 Infinite Regress (Memory Alpha) TNG 3×26 The Best of Both Worlds (Memory Alpha) TNG 5×23 I Borg (Memory Alpha) Music: Distänt Mind, Brigitte Handley...
Nov 24, 2022•50 min•Transcript available on Metacast LD 3×10 The Stars At Night (Memory Alpha) TOS 2×24 The Ultimate Computer (Memory Alpha) TNG 4×21 The Drumhead (Memory Alpha) Norah Satie (Memory Alpha) Star Trek: Insurrection (Memory Alpha) Dougherty (Memory Alpha) Star Trek Into Darkness (Memory Alpha) Alexander Marcus (Memory Alpha) Section 31 (Memory Alpha) Badgey (Memory Alpha) Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (Memory Alpha) Cartwright (Memory Alpha) Valeris (Memory Alpha) Music: Distänt Mind, Brigitte Handley...
Nov 09, 2022•37 min•Transcript available on Metacast LD 3×09 Trusted Sources (Memory Alpha) TNG 1×22 Symbiosis (Memory Alpha) PIC 1×01 Remembrance (Memory Alpha) Jake Sisko DS9 4×03 The Visitor (Memory Alpha) DS9 5×26 Call To Arms (Memory Alpha) DS9 6×01 A Time To Stand (Memory Alpha) Live on Bowen S2 E6.4: Jeffrey Combs (YouTube) ENT 1×13 Dear Doctor (Memory Alpha) Star Trek #1 (IDW Publishing) Star Trek #1 (Amazon) VOY 2×20 Investigations (Memory Alpha) Star Trek Generations (Memory Alpha) Music: Distänt Mind, Brigitte Handley...
Nov 03, 2022•44 min•Transcript available on Metacast 
