Alienating Ourselves Podcast

Note: This episode begins with a special 7-minute memorial to two actors we lost within the last 8 days, Walter Koenig of "Star Trek" and "Babylon 5" and Patrick Stewart of "Star Trek: The Next Generation" and the "X-Men" movies. This week we take a long & detailed look into the classic & possibly under-rated TNG episode, "The Most Toys." D...

This week Nick & Todd review the 2nd "Alien Nation" TV movie "Body & Soul," in which a giant Tencotnese man escapes from a secret installation along with a small physically disabled girl for whom the giant seems to have some kind of psychic connection. After they are separated, it is up to our regular characters Matt, George, and Cathy, to unravel the mystery behind thi...

This week we set course for the Klingon homeworld as Lt. Worf defends his family honor against a high council that blames his father for collusion with the Romulans. - Is this objectively an impressive & respectable episode, subjectively a highly likable favorite, or a little bit of both? - How impressed were the co-hosts with the performance of Tony Todd as Kurn? - What mixed feelings did one...

Note: I'm publishing this literally 16 minutes before the parade on Saturday at Dragon Con, so I'll come back to type an actual episode summary later. Stay tuned for that update. Enjoy our review of TNG episode "Yesterday's Enterprise."

We take a slight departure from TV reviews this week to discuss Dragon Con, the huge pop culture event that occurs every Labor Day weekend in Atlanta, Georgia. It's part of the reason this podcast exists, and Dragon Con 2026, the 40th anniversary of the event, is just a few days away. - How did Nick & Todd get started with Dragon Con? - Do either co-host have any specific favorite thing ab...

Nick and Todd return to "Alien Nation" to review the show's first TV movie continuation, "Dark Horizon." Retconning a few minor details, the movie essentially picks up where the cliffhanging season/series finale left off. Two members of the Francisco family are poisoned by purists, and a stranger from the desert emerges to help Cathy find a cure. But, there's more to Ahpossno and his motivations t...

This special "Star Trek: The Next Generation" bonus episode contains extra material from our reviews of "The Measure of a Man" and "Deja Q." - Why did Todd think Captain Phillipa Louvois was such a terrible judge? - Why does Todd think that "The Measure of a Man" shouldn't exist in the first place (regardless of how good it is)? - What complaint about Ri...

Have your ever lost your powers and sought refuge amongst those you've previously tormented to protect yourself from others you've also tormented. Well, then maybe you'll relate to this week's review of the "Star Trek: The Next Generation" season 3 episode "Deja Q" where the once all powerful Q depends on the good will of the Enterprise crew, especially its arti...

We finished our reviews of the "Alien Nation" TV series, but sprinkled in between our upcoming reivews of the five "Alien Nation" TV movies, we'll be reviewing our top 20 episodes of "Star Trek: The Next Generation." First up is one of many people's favorites from season 2, if not the whole series, "The Measure of a Man." This is the one where Lt. Cmdr. Data is on trial regarding his status as Sta...

The journey reaches a milestone. Nick & Todd have rewatched & reviewed the season finale, and sadly the series finale, of "Alien Nation." It's called "Green Eyes" and involves purists assassinating prominent Tenctonese via poisons transmitted by smell. Don't worry; there are still five "Alien Nation" TV movies to review, and Nick & Todd have a plan...

This week's episode is finally a Cathy Frankel centered story. It's not about her background as a scientist or her attraction to Matt but about her connection to a traumatized boy, named Andron, from the slave ship. When Cathy crosses paths with him again and suspects he's being abused, she risks everything to protect him. - What do we learn from this episode about Kleezantsun, the Ove...

Gimme, gimme some more "Alien Nation" reviews, you ask? Okay, we'll do that. This week, we review episode 1.20 "Gimme, Gimme" which is all about inventions, investments, good luck, bad luck, the lottery, cars, 2nd jobs, joy, and toxicity -- not the social media kind of toxicity...but actual hazardous chemicals & noxious fumes. - What did Nick do to help advertise the po...

What happened to Matt? Who or what brought him back? Was it a Tenctonese spiritual healer, a Tenctonese special power, a Human medical anomaly, or just an unexplainable miracle? Were crystals involved, and where did Matt get a crystal? We watched & reviewed this episode of "Alien Nation," and we're still not sure. Listen now and help us figure out, "Rebirth." - Where would one or both co-hosts...

This week is the first of two Sikes-centric episodes, first with Sikes obsessing over a particular murder case right when he's supposed to start a vacation to Hawaii, in "Crossing the Line." Meanwhile, the Franciscos are preparing a special ceremony for newborn Vessna, and one family member isn't quite sure how to honor the baby. - Does the new support character, Beatrice Zepeda,...

She's finally here! Little Vessna Francisco has arrived. The conception, gestation, and...pod transferral...of this alien baby has provided the show "Alien Nation" with some of its best storylines, quirkiest moments, and some of the wildest sci-fi imagery. And, her birth is no different. In this episode, "Real Men," George's self-confidence is challenged by the last day...

In this week's episode of "Alien Nation," Matt and guest character Theo Miles were former partners on the force, Matt & George are current partners on the force, and Susan & George are partners in the gestation of their baby...well, pod, for now (baby later). That's right, if you want to learn what it's like for a male Tenctonese to become pregnant, listen to our revi...

This week's episode of "Alien Nation" is guest starring Oscar-nominated, SAG award winner, BAFTA-nominated, DGA-nominated, Emmy-nominated, Golden Globe winner, Angela Bassett, Queen Mother of Wakanda herself, as a local TV news reporter in an episode appropriately called, "Eyewitness News." - What line, delivered by Angela Bassett, made Todd laugh out loud? - What sexually-...

Uncle Moodri is back, Matt becomes a big brother, and we explore the "Heart of Tencton" in this week's review of "Alien Nation" episode "Generation to Generation." - How good is it to have Uncle Moodri back? - What do the co-hosts think of the name Vessna for the upcoming Francisco baby? - How strange is it to see the depiction of an auction where the main items f...

It's election week...maybe not in real life, but it is in this week's episode of "Alien Nation." We review "The Spirit of '95" when there's a referendum for giving Tenctonese the right to vote. - How tough is George for going into enemy territory to defend his family? - What was going on with the bag that Matt was carrying down the hall and that he dropped? Was...

After a brief "Star Trek" detour, we're back to our "Alien Nation" rewatch with 1.12 "The Red Room," an episode that explores another dark secret in George Francisco's past. - What did Nick like so much about the Monopoly scene? - What did Todd notice & appreciate so much about the episode? - What is special about this week's medical examiner character...

This week, we take a quick detour from "Alien Nation" to review the recently completed 1st season of "Star Trek: Starfleet Academy." - Which co-host leaned toward not liking this show? And, which co-host accepted that he may not be the target audience and liked it a little better than other recent "Star Trek" incarnations? - Which opinion about female leadership in th...

This week Nick & Todd reach the halfway point through "Alien Nation" with the episode "Chains of Love." Someone is drugging unsuspecting victims with the Tenctonese love potion Sardonac, a potential victim is accidentally bonded to Matt via Sardonac, and George & Susan consider using Sardonac themselves to strengthen their marriage. - Nick & Todd read listener e-mai...

This week, we review one of the best episodes of "Alien Nation." It's called "The Game," and it's an episode that keeps on giving, with multiple big reveals and an emotional ending. - With both co-hosts agreeing that this is a great episode, Todd focuses on performances, and Nick focuses on the world-building. - How does this episode have not just one "Babylon 5&qu...

This week we review "Three to Tango," one of the best episodes of "Alien Nation" and a great episode of sci-fi TV in general. This installment explores gender, sex, procreation, faith, and religion -- topics that you wouldn't think go together, but that's the beauty of science fiction. We learn that the Tenctonese species has a 3rd gender that is required for Newcomers...

We are back and with another slight detour from "Alien Nation." We cover a review of 2025 with a focus on the following... Movies "Captain America: Brave New World" "Thunderbolts*" "Fantastic Four: First Steps" "Superman" Mentions of "Wicked For Good," "Tron: Ares," "Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle," and "Mission Im...