Accession

Episode 133

Friday 15 November 2024

Kira in her quarters, fed up, in closeup. She's resting her head on her hands and looking at the crudely made clay birds that surround her.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Series 4, Episode 17

Stardate: Unknown (2372)

First broadcast on Saturday 24 February 1996

This week, Miles and Julian learn about larping and friendship, Kira learns about clay and the inevitability of authoritarian male religious figures, and we learn about subtext and delightful character development — all thanks to Jane Espenson, who, it turns out, is the real hero of the episode.

Duration: 1:04:08 · Recorded on Tuesday 5 November 2024 · Download · Open in new window

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

The Survivor

Episode 132

Friday 8 November 2024

In a corridor on board the Enterprise, McCoy, Spock and Kirk are all being attached by a giant spindly orange cartoon octopus with a row of glowing yellow eyes.

Star Trek: The Animated Series

Series 1, Episode 6

Stardate: 5143.3

First broadcast on Saturday 13 October 1973

This week, crudely-drawn slow-moving simulacra of the Enterprise crew interact listlessly in a crudely-drawn slow-moving simulacrum of Star Trek. Except for the shapeshifting red octopus, which is awesome. Meanwhile, Joe drops £2.50 renting a Star Trek episode whose budget was nearly ten times that, adjusted for inflation.

Duration: 0:38:18 · Recorded on Tuesday 5 November 2024 · Download · Open in new window

Star Trek: The Animated Series

Man of the People

Episode 131

Friday 1 November 2024

We're in Ten-Forward. Deanna Troi is looking both alarming and extremely glamorous, her hair piled high on her head with a grey curl on her forehead and wearing a very spangly and highly revealing blue dress. She is baring her teeth angrily at a pudgy middle-aged man, while behind her another middle-aged man look on, concerned.

Star Trek: The Next Generation

Series 6, Episode 3

Stardate: 46071.6

First broadcast on Monday 5 October 1992

It’s an outstandingly stupid episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation this week, except for the astonishingly brilliant idea of giving Marina fun things to do and a range of fabulously fun things to wear. Actually, let me start that again. It’s an astonishingly brilliant episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation this week,…

Duration: 0:58:30 · Recorded on Tuesday 29 October 2024 · Download · Open in new window

Star Trek: The Next Generation

Supernova, Part 1 / Supernova, Part 2

Episode 130

Friday 25 October 2024

We're looking out over San Francisco Bay. The Golden Gate Bridge is  on our right. It's sunset. In front of us are Jankom, Murf, Dal, Zero and Rok, who is standing up raising her arms in triumph as Gwyn's shuttle rises from a platform and heads off into the distance.

Star Trek: Prodigy

Series 1, Episodes 19–20

Stardate: Unknown (2384)

First broadcast on Thursday 22 December 2022
and Thursday 29 December 2022

You may think you need me to get there, but after seeing everything you’ve accomplished, I have full confidence you’ll find your way. Because together your potential is infinite.

Now, go boldly.

This week, the crew of the USS Protostar save the Galaxy in the most selfless and heartwarming way imaginable, in a version of Star Trek that’s complex, enthralling and breathtakingly beautiful.

Duration: 1:23:21 · Recorded on Tuesday 22 October 2024 · Download · Open in new window

Star Trek: Prodigy

His Way

Episode 129

Friday 18 October 2024

We're in a darkened jazz club. In the foreground is a man playing  a double bass, just behind her, looking at him, is (a hologram of) Kira Nerys, with bold red lipstick. She is gazing into his eyes and singing.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Series 6, Episode 20

Stardate: Unknown (2374)

First broadcast on Wednesday 22 April 1998

Fly me to the moon
Let me trek among the stars
Let me taste the cocktails
In some holographic bars
In other words, please be true
In other words, I love you

Duration: 1:07:41 · Recorded on Tuesday 8 October 2024 · Download · Open in new window

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Kobayashi Maru

Episode 128

Friday 11 October 2024

On the bridge of Discovery, Book is facing us, looking into the viewscreen at something horrific, and the realisation is just beginning to hit; his eyes are welling with tears. Behind him, small and out of focus, the bridge crew are looking at him with sympathy and love.

Star Trek: Discovery

Series 4, Episode 1

Stardate: Unknown (3190)

First broadcast on Thursday 18 November 2021

The crew of the USS Discovery are really settling down and starting to enjoy their new life in the 32nd century — fixing some butterflies’ GPS network, giving a commencement speech to some socially-distanced Starfleet Academy students, and fixing the unexpected and alarming angular velocity of a Federation space station. Then suddenly an unimaginable tragedy strikes.

Duration: 1:12:17 · Recorded on Tuesday 1 October 2024 · Download · Open in new window

Star Trek: Discovery

The Quality of Life

Episode 127

Friday 4 October 2024

In an image familiar from a well-known meme, a handsomely bearded Geordi LaForge expresses his approval by pointing with his index finger.

Star Trek: The Next Generation

Series 6, Episode 9

Stardate: 46307.2

First broadcast on Saturday 14 November 1992

Data is excited to get a new puppy and understandably miffed when Riker decides to explode it in order to solve this week’s space problem. Back on Earth, Nathan is delighted by the story’s optimism and sheer nerdery, while Joe remains sceptical.

Duration: 1:07:25 · Recorded on Tuesday 24 September 2024 · Download · Open in new window

Star Trek: The Next Generation

Death Wish

Episode 126

Friday 27 September 2024

It's Janeway and Q, standing on the bridge of the USS Voyager,  looking at something offscreen with some incredulity.

Star Trek: Voyager

Series 2, Episode 18

Stardate: 49301.2

First broadcast on Monday 19 February 1996

Opinions are split on this week’s Untitled Star Trek Project, with Nathan leading the prosecution and Joe the defence. Will Nathan sentence Death Wish to be imprisoned a comet, subsisting only on a rare form of Nogatch hemlock? Or will Joe prevail with the argument that at least it’s Voyager trying to have something to say and giving John DeLancie a new thing to do?

Duration: 1:06:16 · Recorded on Tuesday 17 September 2024 · Download · Open in new window

Star Trek: Voyager

A Mathematically Perfect Redemption

Episode 125

Friday 20 September 2024

In a beautiful arboreal village on a distant planet, a handsome bird man holds up a small pineapple-sized robot and stares lovingly into her optical sensors.

Star Trek: Lower Decks

Series 3, Episode 7

Stardate: Unknown (2381)

First broadcast on Thursday 6 October 2022

This week, a mathematically perfect recurring villain gets her own episode of Star Trek, and we discover how much fun the show can be without all that relentless moralising, just moments before we also discover how much fun it is to watch a villain get her comeuppance while some dunderheaded bird people shake off the dead shackles of a stupid tradition.

Duration: 0:45:16 · Recorded on Tuesday 17 September 2024 · Download · Open in new window

Star Trek: Lower Decks

Bread and Circuses

Episode 124

Friday 13 September 2024

Two shirtless sixties-hot gladiators, ready for a bout,  looking slightly embarrassed about their fake-ass shields.

Star Trek: The Original Series

Series 2, Episode 25

Stardate: 4040.7

First broadcast on Friday 15 March 1968

In hoc episodio, cum nautae astronavis Enterprise ad Urbem Aeternam pervenissent, brevi tempore magister Kirk amicos suos in harena certantes spectavit, passerem garo elixum gustavit, ancillam formosissimam futuit, postremo festinanter discessit. Sed dum navem solvit, cognoscit se testem fuisse novam religionem pacis ac fraternitatis oriri.

Duration: 1:06:10 · Recorded on Tuesday 10 September 2024 · Download · Open in new window

Star Trek: The Original Series