It's Got Star Trek

We celebrate our 100th episode by responding to your listener mail! The discussion is vigorous and wide-ranging, covering our favorite bits of Trek (as well as our least favorite), which episodes are most thought provoking, things Trek could have done better, what other fandoms each of us partakes in, and much, much more. Thanks to everyone who sent in their questions and comments, and here's look...

The U.S.S. Cerritos offers a whole new angle on "Naked Time." Join your uncomfortably-exposed hosts as they discuss the closing (and opening) of series-long character arcs, examine the masterful story-crafting by Mike McMahan and his clever team of creatives, and stumble upon a new, wicked slur against Orions. Spoiler warning! We dive right into a detail-rich discussion of this episode, so if you...

A cross-cultural examination of entry-level organizational structure reveals key insights into successful management strategies. Join your anomaly-consolidating hosts as they discuss this masterpiece of plotting and characterization, the introduction of new characters that mirror the situations and personal traits of a few of our heroes, and one particularly intriguing theory about Tamarian mayonn...

The Upper- and Lower-Deckers switch roles and in the process learn that the true enemy of efficiency is a meddlesome organizational consultant. Join your holopod-dwelling hosts as they discuss the use of callbacks for both humor and metacritiques of classic Star Trek tropes, how Mariner and Captain Freeman are alike while retaining differences based on career level and experience, and the magnific...

Chief Engineer Billups navigates emotional repairs while Mariner and Boimler babysit a manipulative CPU. Join your divided-on-the-value-of-black-licorice hosts as they discuss the mature manner in which Billups' seemingly prurient storyline was handled, the increasing beauty of the animation in Lower Decks, and how we might handle an encounter with aggressively sexual space-courtesans. Spoiler war...

Boimler gets a taste of leadership while Tendi slugs it out with Mariner and Rutherford. Join your properly-labeled-crystal-loving hosts as they discuss who may be pulling the strings behind the newly-powerful Pakled Planet, the close attention paid to promoting character growth while maintaining consistent characterization, and the Lovecraftian horror evoked by a screaming mollusk. Spoiler warnin...

Captain Freeman finds herself in a bit of diplomatic tribble while Mariner and Boimler learn that the aviary is for the birds. Join your Spirk-loving hosts as they discuss how Lower Decks is taking advantage of its animated format to maximize worldbuilding, the brilliant use of meta-commentary to reflect upon the Trek fandom, and why Mr. Okona is so beautifully outrageous. Spoiler warning! We dive...

Rutherford and Boimler discover the intersection between diplomacy and animal husbandry. Join your Ferengi laser whip-wielding hosts as they discuss the the complexities of the Star Trek canon, Lower Decks' continued habit of negating past over-homogenization of alien cultures, and the practical (if unfortunate) constraints on presenting carnal pleasures in all their animated glory. Spoiler warnin...

Tendi and Mariner bond over their efforts to avoid getting on Dr. T'Ana's bad side while Boimler takes a tour through the ship. Join your Klingon acid punk-loving hosts as they discuss the resurrection of bridge officers, the morality of intergenerational sex toys, and the durability of Starfleet-issued commemorative plates. Spoiler warning! We dive right into a detail-rich discussion of this epis...

Commander Ransom suffers from a God-complex while the Cerritos' chief of security navigates love in a new environment. Join your Easter-egg-hunting hosts as they discuss the upgraded animation style for Season 2 of Lower Decks, the debate about following protocol versus gut instinct, and an audience split over the inclusion of one very conspicuous giant skeleton. Spoiler warning! We dive right int...

Captain Picard is beside himself. Join your cross-eyed hosts as they discuss this episode's unusual use of near-time time travel, learn about the original ending that retroactively resolves a lot of loose plot threads, and rage about Riker's supposed skill at cooking. Also, though we talk primarily about "Time Squared" there is perhaps more than expected discussion about My Three Sons, Martin, Thr...

Harry Mudd tangles with a terse Tellarite while Ephraim and Dot take the audience on a tour of TOS's greatest hits! Join your Jipper-loving hosts as they discuss the importance of making room for humor in Star Trek, the clever way that 'Ephraim and Dot' combines nostalgic Easter eggs with modern Trek staples, and Dan's elucidation of Mudd's 17-step process for escaping captors. Spoiler warning! We...

Doctor Phlox goes on a date - with two species' destiny! Join your narration-of-a-letter-as-a-literary-device-loving hosts as they discuss the grounded complexity of this episode's philosophical dilemma, debate the potential reasons why personal communications are seemingly routed through Ensign Sato, and argue over the particulars of Denobulan mating practices. Spoiler warning! We dive right into...

Captain Kirk defends Lucifer while Lieutenant Commander Uhura chats up a justifiably frustrated computer. Join your increasingly perplexed hosts as they discuss the insanity of Spock using logic to justify magic, the expanded opportunities for Uhura to play an integral role during the run of Star Trek: The Animated Series, and the discomfort at seeing McCoy pine for a Southern plantation. Spoiler...

The Doctor is repeatedly antagonized by Andy Dick. Join your alpha-quadrant-oriented hosts as they discuss the importance of this episode to the overall series arc of Star Trek: Voyager, the varying styles of leadership presented in the Star Trek universe, and the enticing conundrums associated with downloadable penises. Spoiler warning! We dive right into a detail-rich discussion of this episode,...

Quark watches Rom kill a guy. Join your rag-tag team of hooman hosts as they discuss the many forms heroism can take, the influence of capitalist thinking on Ferengi strategy, and an unusually accommodating Vorta played by Iggy Pop. Spoiler warning! We dive right into a detail-rich discussion of this episode, so if you haven’t had a chance to see it yet – beware! Next week: Carefully-considered St...

Geordi and Ro navigate clashing philosophies while working to solve the mystery of their disappearance while Data attempts to pull together the best funeral the Enterprise has ever seen. Join your all-too-solid hosts as they discuss the showcasing of problem solving in Trek, the brilliance of selecting Geordi and Ro for this particular plot, and, of course, the reason why phased individuals don't...

Captain Kirk's ghost spooks the crew. Join your interphasic hosts as they praise the writers for examining Spock and McCoy's relationship by removing Kirk from the equation, discuss how this episode is connected to the larger Star Trek universe, and debate the viability of the Tholians' languid plan. Spoiler warning! We dive right into a detail-rich discussion of this episode, so if you haven’t ha...

Captain Archer's Mirror Universe counterpart needs to calm down a bit - but decides not to. Join your dimensionally-agnostic hosts as they reflect on the practical problems with Terran culture being based on constant backstabbing, the sheer joy of seeing the counterparts of our beloved characters chomp the scenery to pieces, and the early-millennium absurdity of T'Pol's uniform. Spoiler warning! W...

The senior staff of DS9 skip work to play games while Odo talks to Jake about Bajoran women. Join your whimsically-kidnapped hosts as they discuss rude aliens, "close but not quite earning the cigar" story concepts, and a number of other peculiar aspects of this bizarrely entertaining odd duck of a Deep Space Nine episode. Allamaraine! Spoiler warning! We dive right into a detail-rich discussion o...

Captain Picard catches Data in a series of increasingly ridiculous lies. Join your fraudulent-wormhole-avoidant hosts as they discuss how this episode makes for an excellent introduction to the broader Star Trek universe, alternative strategies that may have more efficiently avoided endangering the crew, and another hilarious example of Captain Picard putting on a silly accent. Spoiler warning! We...

Captain Janeway finds love where she least expects it while Tom Paris becomes a prisoner of his own imagination. Join your increasingly-inebriated hosts as they settle into the rustic comfort of Michael Sullivan's pub - and enjoy far too much of his stock of whiskey. Also, a fair bit a discussion of two often denigrated, but whimsically worthy episodes of Star Trek: Voyager! Spoiler warning! We di...

Kirk and Spock have minor cameos appearances on their own show. Join your temporarily Dan-less hosts as they discuss fascinating production history of this episode, the intriguing concepts left dangling after the Gary Seven spinoff wasn't picked up, and the bizarre inclusion of a cat that turns into a lady with her boobs covered by a bib. With special guest Jimmy filling in for Dan, who is current...

T'Pol regales Captain Archer and Trip with a colorful tale about her great-grandmother's adventures in Pennsylvania coal country. Join your Velcro-obsessed hosts as they discuss the diversity of Vulcan personalities in Star Trek: Enterprise, the thematic resonance of human compassion and potential, and the utterly ridiculous inclusion of T'Pol's nipples. Spoiler warning! We dive right into a detai...

The Doctor is embarrassed when the crew learns he sexually commodifies his female colleagues. Join your slightly-skeeved-out hosts as they discuss the brilliance of Robert Picardo, the opportunity for the cast to play their characters to the goofy hilt, and the difficulty divorcing the 1990's-style over-sexualization of women from an otherwise clever and entertaining episode. Spoiler warning! We d...