Transporter Lock - A Star Trek podcast

The season’s third episode gets three subplots, and Bri and Ken are here to review them all! We’re disappointed with the illogic of a rogue Qowat Milat, though we’re always up for a good sword fight. We love Paul Stamets’ empathetic side, and we’re eager to see what comes next for Gray and Adira — as fraught as it may be, if history is any lesson. Oh, and we&#821...

When Bonnie Gordon  joined the ranks of Starfleet as a cast member at Star Trek: The Experience in Las Vegas, she never expected a decade later that she’d be a part of Trek canon. That mission was accomplished last month with the debut of the animated series  Star Trek: Prodigy , on which Bonnie plays the voice of the ship’s computer on the USS Protostar . In this interview,...

Despite the generic episode title, “Anomaly” nonetheless does a fantastic job of interweaving intense action with character moments, including metaphors for transitioning and the normalization of discussions about mental health. We also get teasers of new tech, from programmable-matter tethers to the cone of silence. Collectively, “Anomaly” continues a direction for Discove...

“Kobayashi Maru” is an explosive start to Discovery ‘s fourth season, raising questions for which Bri and Ken have no answers but plenty of theories. Will the Federation, still recovering from the Burn, now face an intergalactic threat? Is the Federation’s president evil, or just a politician? Where have cadets been going for the last 150 years, if not Starfleet Academy? An...

Lt. (j.g.) Kraft joins Sabriel and Ken to review the first five episodes of Star Trek: Prodigy ‘s debut season. The animated show is meant to be a family-friendly entry point, and it’s the only show to have persuaded Kraft’s six daughters to give Star Trek a chance. What is it about this series that makes it so appealing and accessible? From Voyager tie-ins to character developme...

Chief Archivist Amanda returns to Transporter Lock and brings with her Ensign Modeler Andrew to review the final two episodes of Lower Decks’ second season. Predicted romances didn’t materialize, and we’re relieved and excited by what we got instead. We’re heartened by the return of Sonya Gomez and want to see more returning alumni. We were pleasantly surprised to finally s...

Ken and Bri are joined by Chief Scientist Velda to review three more episodes of the second season of Lower Decks : “The Spy Humongous”; “Where Pleasant Fountains Lie”; and “I, Excretus”. We also chat Babylon 5 , Dr. Who , Quantum Leap , and Magnum P.I. while debating such earnest topics as, what constitutes a spoiler? And should we expect a romantic conclusion...

Ken and Sabriel review three episodes of Lower Decks : “We’ll Always Have Tom Paris”; “Mugato, Gumato”; and “An Embarrassment of Dooplers”, before getting excited for Star Trek Day’s Prodigy , Picard , and Strange New Worlds trailers. Videos Prodigy opening Prodigy trailer Picard Season 2 Strange New Worlds casting announcement Links Sabriel’s...

Robb Pearlman is an author and editor of dozens of books on pop-culture phenomena, ranging from Bob Ross to Alien to Rick and Morty . His latest book, Star Trek: Starfleet Is… , depicts the many qualities of Starfleet and the heroes who manifest them, spanning the centuries and series of Star Trek . A portion of the sales of the book, which features a foreword by Kenneth Mitchell (Kol, Auriello),...

Lower Decks is back for season 2! Ken and Bri catch up on Star Trek news of the last four months before diving into the return of the USS Cerritos and its many inside jokes, from Ransom going all Gary Mitchell to a Tamarian ensign being caught by a Collector. Stream the audio edition of Transporter Lock above or subscribe on Apple Podcasts , YouTube Music , Spotify , Amazon Music , Overcast , Pand...

First Contact Day 2021 saw the arrival of teasers and trailers for three new seasons of Star Trek : Lower Decks (Season 2), Discovery (Season 4), and Picard (Season 2), featuring the return of John de Lancie as Q. Ken and Bri share their analyses and predictions for what the future holds for our favorite series, including the June 9, 2023 release of the next Star Trek movie . Stream the audio edit...

Commander Susan Arendt returns to Transporter Lock as we look back at the entirety of Discovery ‘s third season. How well did the show handle the far future, the loss of the Federation, a new nemesis, and a revolving captain’s chair? Does this season hold up to the previous ones? How do the Short Treks tie in? And should we be watching The Orville instead? Join us for this recap before...

Part two of the Discovery ‘s third season premiere is also the conclusion of the three-part season finale and a three-season arc — did you follow that? Ken and Bri review the episode’s glut of action and some curious command decisions while considering what the conclusion means for the next season. Stream the audio edition of Transporter Lock above or subscribe on Apple Podcasts , YouTube Mus...

Burnham goes full-on Die Hard to recapture Discovery , Osyraa pursues an unexpected ambition, Vance breaks his rank’s stereotype, and Tilly stands up to an old foe. Captain of Engineering Neil A. Beardsley of Blue Bag Red Bag joins us to review the season’s penultimate episode, formerly known as “The Good of the People”! Stream the audio edition of Transporter Lock above or subscribe on Apple Podc...

A child being raised in a holodeck — where have we seen this before? Have we truly found the source of the Burn? How well did Tilly perform as captain? What unthinkable crime did Book commit? And how will the crew reunite in the next episode? Ken and Bri are joined by Starfleet Academy librarian Kay Savetz , who’s warping into Discovery midway through the third season without having seen what come...

Georgiou emerges from her native Mirror Universe a changed person, only to face the judgment of Carl, who needs his own Star Trek spinoff. Ken and Bri are joined by Archivist Amanda to discuss character evolution, the nuances of torture, and the editing of Terra Firma ‘s conclusion. Stream the audio edition of Transporter Lock above or subscribe on Apple Podcasts , YouTube Music , Spotify , Amazon...

Georgiou returns to her element thanks to Carl the Guardian! Bri and Ken are enamored of both the Mirror Universe and TOS, so this week’s episode gave us a lot to analyze and squee over. Join us for this review of the first half of “Terra Firma”! Stream the audio edition of Transporter Lock above or subscribe on Apple Podcasts , YouTube Music , Spotify , Amazon Music , Overcast , Pandora , Pocket...

Sabriel and Ken are visited by returning guest Commander Jessica Janiuk , aka Punder Woman , to review Discovery ‘s adventure on the planet Kwejian and their faceoff with Emerald Chain leader Osyrra. While the main plot focused on estranged brothers, sea locusts, and Orions , we were more enamored of Detmer and Tilly taking charge, and Stamets and Culber in the roles of Space Dads. Stream the audi...

Michael Burnham must defend her thesis to her Romulan & Vulcan advisors! Bri and Ken revel in this week’s scientific nerd-off while quoting Kay Savetz and performing a dramatic reading of Susan Arendt ‘s Twitter thread . Stream the audio edition of Transporter Lock above or subscribe on Apple Podcasts , YouTube Music , Spotify , Amazon Music , Overcast , Pandora , Pocket Casts , iHeartRadio ,...

Discovery gets new tech, new romance, and new insights into the Burn! Ken and Sabriel invite guest Dana Ross to join us in celebrating the return of Grudge , a cat who clearly needs her own Star Trek series. Stream the audio edition of Transporter Lock above or subscribe on Apple Podcasts , YouTube Music , Spotify , Amazon Music , Overcast , Pandora , Pocket Casts , iHeartRadio , TuneIn , Podchase...

Discovery is finally reunited with the Federation — but, like on Earth, the reception is frosty. Nonetheless, Bri and Ken drool over our first look at Starfleet vessels of the 32nd century, catching all the references and Easter eggs to familiar characters and civilizations. We also have a working theory of what “The Burn” was — tune in to hear our idea! Stream the audio edition of Tra...

Star Trek returns to the Trill homeworld in this powerful, touching episode about love that defies binary genders, while the rest of the crew cope with PTSD and learn that it’s okay to not be okay — something Ken and Bri really needed to hear during a difficult Election Week. Stream the audio edition of Transporter Lock above or subscribe on Apple Podcasts , YouTube Music , Spotify , Amazon Music...

Discovery and Michael, reunited, return to Earth, only to receive a frosty reception. In this special Halloween episode of Transporter Lock , Sabriel and Ken are fans of the show’s character development, we wonder about Michael Burnham’s and Cleveland Booker’s relationship, we contemplate how we’d feel to know our loved ones had been gone for centuries — and we want to see more Earth, please! Stre...

Ken & Bri are joined by First Officer Tiffany Bridge to review the second episode of Discovery ‘s third season. From the Old West tropes and Georgiou being a force to be reckoned with to Stamets’ and Reno’s witty repartee and tie-ins to the Short Treks episode “ Calypso “, we are here with theories and enthusiasm. Stream the audio edition of Transporter Lock above or subscribe on Apple Podcast...

Discovery returns for its third season! Michael Burnham arrives 930 years in the future, where she’s more impressed with the technology than Ken and Bri are. We ponder the fate of the Federation, gripe about Andorians, and map out the inevitable reunion of Michael and her crew. Stream the audio edition of Transporter Lock above or subscribe on Apple Podcasts , YouTube Music , Spotify , Amazon Musi...