A Star to Steer Her By

Now that the gang's back together, it's time to continue the hunt for Starfleet and the Federation in "People of Earth"! But it turns out the titular people have become real jerks and are under attack by mysterious space jerks, and the "Discovery" crew is caught in the middle of it all! Meanwhile Stamets finds someone new to be smug at. Also this week: unsubtle costume coding, music choices, and t...

The "Discovery" crew may have been separated from Michael, but their arrival in the future also starts off with a jolt. A search for where and when they might be leads them to a "Trek" tradition: the alien locale that is suspiciously similar to a Western, complete with spur sounds and swinging doors! And on the ship, Stamets continues to be so stubborn as to risk his life. Classic Paul! Also this...

Season 3 of "Discovery" starts off with a bang—rather literally, as Michael's first act in the future is to have a space-car accident. In "That Hope is You, Part 1", Burnham finds her plan to save all living things from Control might have succeeded, but in its place a new crisis arose: a dilithium-destroying cataclysm known simply as "The Burn". Now with her new...friend?...Book, she begins her se...

Welcome all to the 400th mainline episode of "A Star to Steer Her By"! While it was always theoretical we'd make it this far, it's still a little mad that we actually have (and more, really, when you consider all the Ten Forwards and Shore Leaves that are counted separately). And we're celebrating by doing our own little twist on "Star Trek" Trivial Pursuit, with a little help from a piece of lege...

Back when the New Era of "Trek" was...new...they did "Short Treks". We looked at the first batch back between Seasons 1 and 2 of Discovery and have lamented since more than once that it's something they should have done more of. But considering we were largely cooler on the second batch, maybe there was a reason... Also this week: weird messages, back to cartoons, and ranking the lot! [Timestamps:...

We've reached the end of S.2 of "Discovery" and...it's a LOT, guys. "Such Sweet Sorrow, Part II" is mostly action sequences all just strung together rapid-fire with only a few, regrettably-brief pauses for character work. Also one of the worst lines in the history of "Star Trek" is here. All we need is some Beastie Boys and we're at the crossroads of all off JJ Abrams' worst impulses. Also this we...

We're coming to the end of Season 2 of Discovery, with the penultimate episode "Such Sweet Sorrow"! With the Sphere Data scuppering the Janeway Maneuver, the crew decides to recycle the time travel plan on a larger scale. But they're going to need some help from the "Enterprise" and a familiar face! Well, familiar if you watched the related "Short Trek", which was not possible in all regions...goo...

The Klingon Soap Opera returns and Michael takes a merry jaunt across space in "Through the Valley of Shadows". Pike is seeking the rather mystical-sounding Time Crystal from a Klingon monastery that looks like it was plucked straight from Earth, while Burnham has gone rogue yet again in search of information on Control. And along the way they both encounter familiar faces that aren't at all famil...

It's all happening now, finally getting into gear...kinda near the end of things. Oops. In "Perpetual Infinity", Control makes its big play as we find out what Ma Burnham has been up to since her apparent death! Also this week: drone editing, Supercorn, and "Enterprise" minor characters! [Perpetual Infinity: 00:53; ENT Cadet Review: 57:53] [Yes, "Enterprise" is back. Sorry. But here's some stuff w...

We're running out of season so it's time to have a bunch of reveals at once! Turns out we know who the Red Angel is, and now we've got to capture them in their titular episode! Also Michael gets an in-person retcon courtesy of Section 31! Also also we moan about "Picard" for a bit and get a little spoilery, so maybe watch out for that (37:28 - 40:00). Meanwhile this week: civilian clothes, the sca...

The sum is somehow greater than its parts this week on "Discovery", as an overwrought trope plays a sort-of central role and we get to know someone just in time to never see them again in "Project Daedalus". The plot doesn't so much ramp up as spiral off into a whole new direction as the real villain is finally/suddenly revealed. Meanwhile, Spock is in A MOOD. Also this week: the Oilers, the relen...

Brace yourself for the earliest possible "Trek" nostalgia as we return to Talos IV to check in with some oddly beefy Talosians and a somewhat less messed-up Vina in "If Memory Serves"! The first ever "Trek" antagonists return to help unscramble Spock's eggs, but at a price! Will the big reveal of the source of Michael and Spock's rift feel worth the buildup?! Meanwhile, back on the ship, Culber co...

Bit of a double-filler show this week, as Michael drops in on the folks and Pike decides to chill with Tyler in "Light and Shadows". Just kind of spinning our wheels here until we FINALLY see Spock, tho he's not really in a state to do much more than be there. Back with the ship, we're laying some groundwork for later payoff, maybe? Also we remember Stamets has a weird relationship with time. Also...

Slight change of plans this week! The latest season of "Black Mirror" recently dropped, bringing with it the new "USS Callister: Into Infinity". Since we loved and covered the original a surprisingly long time ago we knew we had to check out the new one. The crew may be free of Daly but the stakes are higher, as prohibitive monetization makes survival almost impossible. And they don't have infinit...

The Prime Directive is about as strong as wet tissue paper as usual, as Starfleet's need to dig into the Red Signals outweighs their morals. Then again, how moral was sitting by watching what was happening on Kaminar? No one except now-fearless Saru really cares about that, though, but luckily everything spirals out of control as usual and civilization is turned upside-down in "The Sound of Thunde...

We're bouncing hard and fast between plots this week, and they don't quite gel. In "Saints of Imperfection" Section 31 is in everyone's face, which is weird for a supposedly-secret organization, and Stamets continues the search for Tilly...and finds someone very unexpected. Well, unexpected in-universe. In the real world we all knew it was coming. Also this week: Ghostbusters, Spaceballs, and reca...

"Star Trek" has always loved its various probes, from Nomad to V'Ger to the "Inner Light" time capsule, and now "Discovery" is getting in on it with their mystery info sphere in "An Obol for Charon". Unfortunately it ends up wreaking havoc on ship systems AND Saru's biology, threatening both! And I guess everyone, at least based on the former. Also the Tilly Mushroom Friend (?) plot continues. Als...

Hope you like "General Hospital", because "Discovery" is going full "Eastenders" this week with "Point of Light". There's a secret baby and a sort-of-love triangle on the Klingon side of things, and while Tilly might not have an evil twin, she has a weird imaginary friend/infection! Oh, and Section 31 shows up. Ugh. Also this week: middle naming, running lights, and recasting DS9 - part one! [Time...

The "Discovery" crew is jumping farther than they've ever gone before in "New Eden". A new Red Signal from the far end of the Beta Quadrant leads them to a colony somehow descended from WW3-era humans. Meanwhile, Tilly makes bad choices with a rock and Owo gets convenient-but-pointless background! Also this week: up yours, Phlox; empathy, in this economy?; and recasting TNG! [Timestamps: New Eden:...

The second season of "Discovery" is underway, and it's bringing Captain Pike along for the ride! In "Brother", mysterious signals have appeared simultaneously throughout the galaxy and it's up to the "Disco" crew and her new commander to figure out what's going on. The trail leads to an unnecessarily action-packed asteroid field and a much more stoic engineer. Also this week: tons of setup, unsubt...

Back in the day, streaming "Trek" tried a fun little experiment that actually worked out pretty well! So of course they only did it twice. This week we're looking at the first four "Short Treks", bite-sized bits that go a bit outside the usual realms of the show. This time around we've got a stowaway, two different kinds of rescue, and a rascally con-man! Also this week: kids shows, cartoons, and...

And with that, we come to "Will You Take My Hand?", the season 1 finale of "Discovery"! A daring mission to the Klingon Homeworld, led by the Mirror Georgiou, is suspicious from the off and soon revealed to be another case of Admirals Behaving Badly. Will the Federation give up on its values in the face of its seeming destruction, or will cooler heads prevail? Also this week: introf*cktion, the Ho...

It's almost the end of the first season of "Discovery"! In "The War Without, The War Within", Starfleet and the Federation are on their back foot. Having the cloak-detecting algorithm may not be enough on its own, so what can our heroes do? How about have a variety of scenes that don't quite add up to a proper episode? Oh. That's what we're going with. Hm. Also this week: magical science, pacing p...

In "What's Past Is Prologue" everyone really doesn't get that just because someone is identical to a lost loved one doesn't mean you can expect them to BEHAVE like that lost someone. Especially if they're from an alternate universe with diametrically opposite morals! Idiots! Everyone is idiots! And Saru makes a speech. Also this week: the reality of mushrooms, the idiot ball, and Mayweather! [Past...

Well great. now we've got Mirror Georgiou to deal with! in "Vaulting Ambition" the mirror universe gets more complicated and more ridiculous in equal measure as Michael has to change plans on the fly. Meanwhile, the season has ANOTHER twist to fling at us! Also this week: Voqler, goofy eyes, and Hoshi Sato! [Timestamps: Vaulting Ambition: 00:39; Ensign Sato: 44:15] [Hailing frequencies open: https...