Kobayashi Maru

Hi, Joe. Hi. So, we are doing an episode of Discovery this week. It's Discovery season four, episode one, Kobayashi Maru, and I can't remember when this came out, but I'm thinking probably 2021 or something like that. New enough to still feel very new indeed. Yeah, no, exactly. And I have watched it a few times since then. Discovery's a bit of a funny thing because the main unit of narrative is the season really rather than the episode. And so you always feel like you're embarking on a big thing, but this is reasonably self-contained despite all the plot admin that it needs to do. It manages to tell a sort of satisfying story and ends with a pretty great cliffhanger. How did you find this episode? I enjoyed this episode scene to scene, and afterwards, I thought, I don't think I'm going to remember much about this episode at all and I think that is a problem with these season-long arcs, is, of course, I'm going to remember concept of the week, next generation episodes, because it is unique unto itself, whereas this is part of a larger narrative. But that is, you'll say to me in a year's time, Kubayashi Maru, and I'll say, which discovery episode was that again? You know, you'll say remember me and I'll go, oh, that's the one where Dr. Beverly was being sucked into all those lights, you know. Yeah. And the other thing that I sort of came away from this was discovery isn't really my Star Trek. And I realise I've said this 2 weeks on the trot now. And it's the 2nd week I've said it where the episode has been very Star Treky indeed. And I do not want the listeners of Star Trek project to think, I don't like any Star Trek, but I realise that I am coming across that way. So before we even embark on the episode, will you please just give me a moment to explain the sort of Star Trek that I do like? Yeah, I've assembled a very small list. There isn't anything like Quality of Life and Kubayashi Maru. Is a night in Sick Bay on the list? Oh, it could be, actually, under one of these subheadings, yes. Okay. So I've decided my sort of Star Trek is high concept episodes, like Mirror, Mirror, Frame of Mind, Children of Time, Blink of an Eye character dramas, like chain of command, chimaera, and 17 seconds. Day in the Life episodes, like Day to Day, Whispers and Tinker Tenor, Doctor Spy, Empire spanning, and that's mostly sort of DS9 4 to 6, and some of Discovery. Something to say episodes, like Past Tense and Darbok, Comedy episodes, like Trouble with Tribbles, DejRQ, the Magnificent Ferengi, Spock a Mock, all of Lower Decks, I put, all of it. Parcel episodes like Remember Me, Clues, Civil Defence, and especially Truly Abysmal Trek Schlock episodes like Sub Rosa Fascination, and Warlord, and I suppose we could throw in a night in Sick Bay in there as well. So there are lots of facets of Star Trek. And some of those things are unique to Star Trek. Some of them aren't that I do really, really like. I think the sort of Star Trek I don't like is the sort of Star Trek you love, which is, and you said it perfectly in quality of life. It's people pleasantly coming together either to solve some sort of a problem or, you know, to say something. But doing it in a positive, affirming way. And there was a bit of that going on in the 1st half of this episode and I was sort of looking at my watch going, come on now when a planet's going to start exploding. Let's get on with it. Yeah, you see, it's the competent people solving space problems is what I like. But the other thing that I like, in a really unironic way, is just the ethics of the Federation. And, you know, that was always something that we kind of read into original series. It's not quite there. It's more there in Star Trek The Next Generation, which is all about building alliances and stuff like that, achieving things through diplomacy. But I think discovery kicks it up a level to the point where you've got this crew that all love each other and constantly tell one another how much they love each other. Yeah, next journey. That's more a bureaucratic approach. That discovery is a more sentimental approach. Yeah, and because they've been thrown into the future together and they have each other and stuff. And so they're kind of like a family. They seem to have gotten over that, though, Nathan. I did notice in this, no one seems to be too worried anymore, that they're away from all their family and friends in the past now. No, that's right. They are. yeah that's right. And also the stuff just about the Federation reaching out. You know, the the idea of rebuilding the federation, which means that we get to see them making connections with other people and trying to win people over through kindness rather than sort of military strategy or or being tactical or politics. I love that And I think the reason that it's not what you love. And I think the reason that I love it is that if I want sort of real politic and manipulation and kind of, you know, miserable people being horrible to one another, well, I've got real life for that. And, and... previous form of doing those things extremely well and creating very good television through them. But I think that I like it that Star Trek leans into this. You know, it can do other things, and I think in the 90s where, you know, it was the end of history and everyone was very complacent and, you know, America probably needed to remember that it still was involved in sort of military expeditions and was still a kind of large scary empire. that didn't really necessarily live up to the ideals that thought it lived up to. And that's what Deep Space 9 is often doing. But this is Star Trek for the Trump era, and it very definitely is saying, no, we don't have to behave like that. We can actually prosper and benefit from sticking to our ideals rather than having to jettison them when it becomes complicated. And, you know, Deep Stace Night does have a tendency to sort of think that being kind and stuff like that is all very well, but you have to be terrible. And I just think, let's have Star Trek is the one series where that's not the case. And there is a little bit of a room for maneuver in this episode and I think the conflict between Relax and Michael is interesting but, you know, there's nothing that quite compares to sort of Garrett blowing up that Romulan senator and his attractive bodyguard in the pale moonlight. Unsurprisingly, that scene with Relak at the end was my favourite part of this entire episode where there was a bit of conflict. It is really great. But also as well, I mean, I do understand where you're coming from. And I do think there is like a corner of Star Trek fandom that agrees with you. You can go too far with this bleeding heart approach, though, as well. And there's some episodes of discovery where you're drowning in syrup from them all hugging each other and oh, we all and I'm starfleet. Oh, fucking hell. Get over yourselves, all right? I just want someone to blow the fucking ship up half the time. They're so in love with each other and the universe and spreading them. can be a bit much. It can be. I think it's fantastic. And I have to say, like, the one that you're thinking of, the one that we did forget me not, which is in series 3, where they're all hugging at the end and they have movie night suggested by Zora and everyone's friends again. No, I like that one. that does happen in the context of stress and conflict between the crew. I'm talking about that one at the end of episode series 2 where just before they go off on the terrified mission in the last episode, the penultimate episode is the whole crew telling each other they love each other and hugging for an hour. It's interminable. Yeah, yeah, that's not the best. Star Trek Discovery. I have to say. That is fair enough. There is a lot of standing around talking about love and stuff and it is a little bit much. But I do think there's a point to be made about people's reaction to discovery because, and you and I are a good example because you really like it, even though you think it's flawed. I'm less keen, like a lot of very vocal people in Star Trek fandom. But unlike those people, I think there is a space for this. And I think it's an interesting show and I think it does a lot of really good things and it really irritates me because I see it more and more online. People just dismissing 5 years of Star Trek as woke nonsense. It really annoys me. Whereas I do think this is a bit woken a bit too twee. and not really the trek I want to watch. Fuck me, go and watch these 5 seasons, right? The production values, the performances, you know, the different approaches that they took. There's so much to talk about in discovery as they sort of try and figure out what they're doing. And I think they have landed on something in three, four, and five where they're quite confident, you know, and they know what they're doing. And according to you, this season, you know, is the best season of all, where they have this big, huge science fiction idea at his heart and you can see it for me in this episode, you know, with that brilliant cliffhanger at the end of the episode. Yeah, I just, it does bother me. It bothers me that people think what I think. But they won't give this a chance at all. You know, they reject it outright because it's saying positive things. Yeah. Oh, and and of course, because the usual fan backlash against, you know, having sort of women and non-binary people in the show, you know, we had one woman in in original track and that's all we needed, you know, she don't get a line off the time. No, that's right. So, so, you know, one of the things that I did fear when Strange New Worlds came along was that it would be Trad, Star Trek, for the people who objected to having a black lady as the main character. Fabulous women. More women than men in the opening credits. Are they all prior, loyal? Yep. So good. So good. All right. I think we should go in. do you think? Well, there's one last thing to say, of course, and that is, you pointed this out last week when we chose the episode. This is, in fact, series two, episode one of Star Trek Discovery. So I feel as if we should watch it and see if you're, well, you love series 2 episodes, don't you? to see how they adjust to the new format. Yeah, yeah. We'll definitely talk about that. All right, I will count us in. Five, four, three, two, one and we're off. Can I do it just because I miss it? da, da, da, da, da, da, da, da, da, da, da, There we go. So we do get a, um, previously on Star Trek Discovery, which obviously we need to do. But it is a little bit of a shame because I actually think the opening scene does a tremendous job reintroducing the show and it does that by just doing a Star Trek episode in about 5 minutes. It's really, really good. We'll get there in a 2nd because we're still recapping last season. It does strike me, you know, that every time Discovery does want to make, you know, the Federation and and this overarching happiness amongst the... Well, 1st of all, they do the burn and blow up every starship we ever had. So that, yeah, that sort of put a crimp in the Federation's plans for a little while. Now they've started destroying entire planets. You know? The sensor cannot hold, can it? Yeah, well, I mean, things have to happen. Not according to you, they don't. No, I think things have to happen. But what happens is that our characters work together to overcome them and that's where the drama lies. And drama doesn't lie in them bitching at each other all the time. Um, although sometimes that's fun and certainly we see in this episode, we see Relic and Michael having different viewpoints on an important issue. He's Michael. Oh, she is taken for that. where we always knew she was going to end up. That beautiful smile. Gosh, she's a beautiful woman. I liked her in series one, you know, where she was on the back. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. No, I don't. I don't. I much prefer her now. Now she's now she's a bit more emotional. So we are now on the planet Al Shane 4, and we are about to have this thing where we do an episode of Star Trek in the in the opening tea. Look at the ship just coming apart for absolutely no reason. It's so good. So we see these Discovery always does visuals for no reasons, but they just look cool. The butterfly satellites around the ship, around the planet. The jets that look like they're made of brass. on the planet now. Let's not forget all those 90s episodes when they go down to a planet and it's just the rocking runabout, you know. Yep. There we see a butterfly coming out of its chrysalis, which is obviously a metaphor for what's about to happen here and important visual, which becomes important because the people here are butterflies. I mean, they do look a bit like 90 straight aliens, which I did like. Yeah, yeah, they do. But what's great about it too, is that just, um, they are not all white people and they don't all look like white people. They not, you know, made to look like white people and it is just like their people and so they're diverse and that's pretty awesome. But dreadful costumes, though. But the costumes reflect like they look like the wings of butterflies. Do you know what I mean? Like there's an element of that in the in the design of the alien. You think they're going to be shitty 90s costumes and then all the butterflies come along and create enormous glowing wings for them and it looks fabulous. Although, I've got to say, I will say, I don't, I think they want this to be really very funny, and it's not quite as funny as they think it is. But it is fun. It's light. I think, you know, like it's not super funny, but it is light. And what it does. We see, I also like the fact that they expect that this alien won't know what no strings attached to me. And he kind of goes, yeah, no I know that. And then he makes the gag, you know, I'm going to give you dilithium all for the low, low price of no strings attached. So he doesn't talk like a space person from 90s trek. He talks like a normal person which is pretty good. There's a couple of moments in this, you know, where I thought people were going to talk like 90s trek characters and then they swear or something like that. And I'm like, oh, WhatsApp him. Yeah, that's really good. And so the whole mission goes wrong because grudge is on the ship and the description of grudge, you know, oh, I feed her, I look after her. Does she appreciate it? No. You know, it's like... They learn nothing from bringing that dog on there, all the missions in Star Again Surprise. Come on. I do like all this sort of stuff flying in the air around them. Yeah, dust particle. It's like snow isn't it? gorgeous. It makes it real. Like, I think the environment looks incredible. It's dark. you know, we're clearly in the studio but it just looks amazingly good. Um, can I talk about um, the visual realisation now? Because I've got a few things to say about this action that's coming up. I know you're just going to say that I'm an old man and I can't handle snappily edited television because I was very confused at points as to what was going on because the editing was so fast. We were cutting from bit to bit to bit to bit to bit to bit to bit so far. So I was like, I'm not entirely sure what's going on. And I wondered if it was my problem. And then I watched an episode of Obi-Wan Kenobi yesterday, which had a similarly very expensive fast-paced action in it, but I was so, it was so clear what was going on. And I do, I do think it's not so much the action is the editing that I object to. Right. Well, I mean, this looks great. We are on location. We're not in the studio here. The aerial view shot of the forest. It's gorgeous. just incredible. And then they leap down and land in this, you know, thing which is pretty great. Why did you say can't of order the butterfly people? Why do you even have a pet? Just have a holographic goldfish. Like the doctor? Because no, the cat ate the goldfish. See, this is kind of fun and it's the 2 of them having fun. They're great together as well, the 2 of them. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. And of course, this primary relationship is going to break up midseason in the 2 episodes that we've already seen, remember? But to connect and then all in, where the episode breaks up for political reasons. And it's the same argument that they're actually having here, where he says that we just need to get out of here, we can't afford to be all federation in, give them things. So what, what, what's about to happen is she's going to realise that they, they aren't firing on them and they're not flying straight because something's happening to the satellites in orbit. And so she's going to fix the satellites to help them. And he says that's a shitty idea. And it's like, no, no, we have the Federation. We're here to help out. We're here to build bridges. And he says, no, it's not safe. We shouldn't do it. And that's exactly the argument, that breaks them up. in the middle of the season. I thought that was very good. Except this is over our sort of fluffy set piece and the later argument is over the destruction of his world and the people that did it. Oh, I still don't know who they are. still don't know. No. This is great. Now we're back on discovery, and in this very quickly... where they're sciencing in order to solve the problem and they're doing real science rather than just metaphasic science rather than just sort of bullshit made up words. You know? all of my favourites as well. It's a deer, it's stamets, and it's Tilly. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And they're excited. They love, they love the sciencing, you know. It's... Look at the 2 of them. She's so cute, isn't she? I love it when they say the techna bubble at the same time, you know? And then they're so excited. They've reached a safe conclusion. It's wonderful. Oh, and I've realised in this episode as well, I like these 2 on you know, on the bridge as well. What are the names? Yeah, yeah, yeah. I won't, yeah. They're sort of getting a bigger slice on the pie as we go along. Yeah, because the intention, I think, originally was that they were just scenery. And in fact, we get a little bit about Bryce and Christopher, too. So Bryce starts to disappear and he's the sort of, I think he's communications or something. He's like a, um, he's a sort of tall black guy with a beard and then there's a shorter guy who look at the dots repairing the cellar. Yeah, it's good. so good. You could put this on the big screen. You know, it looks fabulous. I just was a bit confused in places. Now they can aim. Yeah? Look at her smiling. That's the other thing. It's so much fun watching her have fun. You know, like she's chill. She's fun. She, you know, they're having an action adventure thing. But a lot of the stuff she does in this pre-tartle sequence are things that are criticised of her later in the episode. Yeah, about her going down on dangerous missions and things like this, you know? So I'm glad that we do get to see some of it. Otherwise, it would feel as if the president is just picking on that. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But this is kind of the status quo. This is what they've been doing. Like this, you know, this version of Discovery gets interrupted by the anomaly at the end. But this is what we're doing. And that moment, I just think that moment where she just goes, here have the dilithium and he just looks at her and can't believe it. And do you know what I mean? It's just like, here, have some time with him. He doesn't even say anything and then we leave. We're going to fix your satellites and we're giving you the dilithium and we'll see you later. And I just think that's so good. You know, like, that's so great. here she is. She just looks so fucking smart. I just want to wipe that smile off her. I love her. She's so beautiful. And like, there's Christopher, by the way, that who's replacing Bryce. And so they get... Does he do much? Yeah. No, he's only turned up. He's starting to turn up. Series five. You know, they couldn't get all the regulars for the whole season. So was they giving Dittmer and Owe more to do then that season? No way, Detmer and I won't go off. Oh, she was... What happens when you have all those years between seasons, you know, people get other work? Yeah, well, that was it. Oh, that was it. You know, we had COVID, which we will mention a little bit later. Come on. What was that alien on the bridge, though, with a head like an enormous arse? I know. I know. What was that? I don't know. Somebody from the future Federation that we've not... Yeah, we've never spoken to properly yet. because they have Linus remember? is the saurian. And I think they did have a big-headed alien in the 23rd century in seasons one and two. Well, the thing I'll definitely say about discovery at this point is they've nailed the regulars. Like, they, you know, they kind of rejected having a crew in series one, didn't they? and it was sort of people coming and going and absolute arseholes in charge and all of those things we don't do on Star Trek. Then they decided, no, actually, we're going to make Star Trek because nobody really likes that, except Nation Bottomley. And so now by this point, they have pulled together a crew with great chemistry, but just really distinct personalities as well. When you get to an episode, like the one we did, the one just before the mid-season break, but to connect. Yeah, where, you know, you're doing therapy sessions and things like this, and you can just see how those characters are like reaping rewards. Yeah. Yeah. And like, that's what always happens because I don't watch Discovery all that often, but when I come back, It's kind of like oh, I like spending time here. I like these people. You know, it's, it's, it's nice, I think. I should... I like spending time with these people, but I just wouldn't wish more terrible things would happen to them. Well, I know terrible things happen. You've seen the... Oh, yeah, it sounds great. Now we're underwater on caminar and I can't remember quite what's happened here. There's a short trek, um, said on Kamenawa, we get a bit of Saru's backstory, and his people, the Kelbians, were, um, obviously the prey to these monsters that we see floating outside the window, uh and they preyed on them, like just use them as food and oppressed them and stuff, but now they're working together. I will say this. The CGI coming down was gorgeous. The design here, the set is beautiful, the prosthetics are absolutely stunning, but I really couldn't give a shit about any of these scenes. I was like, I'm not sure why this is relevant at all to this episode. Yeah, so this is some of the plot admin that they have to do as sort of winding up what happens at the end of series 3. And I think that they need to establish that no one is being unkind to Sukal because of his role in the burn. And also what we're having here is a conversation that is thematically linked to what's going on in the rest of the story because it's, It's about what we're doing in the Federation. And so he's a hologram of caminar, and then we're going to see a hologram of the system, and then we're going to see a hologram of the galaxy, which he describes as an island, beyond which is space and that island is where we all live. And I think, you know, like that, you know, because that's how we should be regarding the world that we live in now, you know, in the 21st century, is it's an island that we all share that we're all on and that we all have a part of. And this is just him stating absolutely what Star Trek is about. Maybe that was my problem then. Yeah, yeah, but I love the... It's just people in a ton of latex talking space stuff. You know me. That just isn't that. I mean, I'm a fan of sci-fi, I think. But look at how beautiful it is. I love the dogs delivering that speech. Look, that dot just goes past the scene. No reason at all. Yeah, I love it. It reminds me because I've just watched the Star Wars movies this week. I watched Empire Strikes Back in the cinema and you've just got random sort of, they look like little dustbins going around the set for no reason whatsoever, you know? Of course you should have little touches like that. God, these 2 are... together, are they? Ridiculous. This description here, there's her growly face and he goes, you get that 11 between your eyebrows and she has like a little 11 between her eyes. A trible. She's a tribble and past. don't know why. No, I brought back from extinction. Like, they truly are embracing Star Trek at this point, aren't they? Disgusting. Oh, yeah, yeah. Oh, absolutely. But it always was. Do you know what I mean? It was set 10 years before original Trek. It was as Star Trek as possible. It had Klingon to sort of aliens that we were scared of, you know like it, it was properly Star Trek originally. But it was, I think it was rejecting some of the conventions of Star Trek in that 1st series. ain't doing that anymore. Well, yes, that's right. That's right. It still kind of rejects the narrative conventions, but absolutely the idea that it's the story of a crew on a ship centring around the captain, which it wasn't at all. Yeah, see, even you get booked calling her captain just then as... I mean, he literally could have just walked opposite that. He walked into that by there was DOS everywhere. People, everyone, HQ. Oh, no. They just they love putting the money on the screen in this show good. I'm pleased they do. Yeah. So here we are. This is the beginning of Starfleet Academy, which is just reopening after 125 years or something. And we're talking about Star Trek Academy. We're going to be seeing the new series, is it? Yes. Is this one, the future one? Yeah, yeah, it's going to be Tilly's in it. Oh, why did I think it was going to be 90s trek? Oh, because Robert Picardo's in it, but my theory is that Robert Picardo is the version of the doctor from distant origin. No, from Living Witness, from Living Witness, which is also said in the 32nd century. I mean, he's a hologram. could have just, you know, they just kept using it. Yeah, yeah. Um, the other thing is that visible among the cadets here is a Telleride, um, and he will come back in Tilly's last regular episode, which is called all is possible. And that's a quote from Michael's speech here. Um, and so, oh, here we get, Relick, for the 1st time. Oh, yay. Applause, applause, applause. Someone kill them all. Yeah, she's so good. Yeah, so it's just all started nice to me at this point. There's a Starfleet Academy episode coming up and that Tellorite character will be in it playing a big role and that's quite a good episode. I just like the idea of the president going along on the ship in this episode and observing everything, proving absolutely vital to the mission because if that didn't happen, it's like, well, why is she there? And but also then critiquing several things as well. I do think I think that takes the edge off the tweeness of it. I think I think what's good here too, is that she's like, Michael is suspicious of her and says, you know, she's just a politician. She's here to get the limelight. And so that's why she's here. And what does she do? She comes, she talks about giving dilithium to people. She talks about the mission that Michael's just been on. She talks about, you know, Michael. like all of this proper stuff. She's not a federation. You know, but she's... She's not like a politician. Well, yeah, but she's not like these prick politicians you get in the 90s that are just there to complicate the plot. She's also very wise. The things that she says. The critiques that she makes are valid. Yeah, but this is her absolutely saying, I believe in the ideals of Star Trek. I respect what, you know, Captain Burnham and the crew of the Discovery have done. And, well, look at her, she's a big fan of Star Trek Enterprise as well. And... We actually did that. There's our Telleride. Yeah, we actually do that, which I think is great. Also, to Nathan, I was looking at my phone when this bit came on. I can't remember why now. I think I was probably reading Jammer's review. And this music came on and suddenly my head snapped around. I was like, what's going on? Good. I think that's Voyager up there. I just love those dots. Can't we have an episode all about the dots? We do. There's a short trick. Oh, fabulous. about the dot a dot. So this is Lieutenant Christopher, I want to say, and Lieutenant Bryce. Bryce is the one on the right and the 2 of them alternate a bit from here on in in that role as, you know, communications officer or something. What's Wilson Cruz's character called? dialogue about that. Culba. Culba. Culba. He just checked the 2 of them out and why wouldn't he? That's the other thing about Discovery is everyone is very hot which doesn't hurt at all. Including Mary Wiseman, my gosh. So here's Mary, who is kind of. I really like this thing where she says that Starfleet Academy being in Starfleet Academy is like yesterday and a 1000 years ago and it literally is that, you know, which I just think is adorable. But this is starting to sow the seeds of her leaving midseason to go and work at Starfleet Academy. She's like one of the MVPs on this show. Oh, they weren't riding her out deliberately. I think she wanted to do it, do it less this season. She is back for full season in season five. They do manage to get her back Um, and apparently she's in uh, to some degree in Starfleet Academy, which is uh, being shot at the moment, I think. You know, I love to keep doing this, but will you look at that man Vance? He's so hard. Oh, isn't he? Look at him. Can you see his wife and kid? Like, it's like there was that thing he's mentioned before how his family weren't here and Michael says to him, I'm really pleased to see that your family, ah, here, we get to see that. So he's living here with his family. You know, there's this thing where, uh, in series 3, beginning of series 3, Federation headquarters was cloaked and shielded and secret and, you know, um, under siege and now it's outward looking and, you know, heading out to explore the galaxy and and make alliances. It's great. It's fabulous. It's what you want. The only way it could be Eddie hotter, do you know, because he's got a lovely gray beard would be if we squeezed you into that uniform. That's the only way I could display... But of course, as well, because it's a very subtle thing, but because the makeup is much more subtle than in 90s trek. But having her half Bajoran, half Cardassian as well. I mean, that's just Star Trek in a nutshell, isn't it, right? Two warring races that have now come together. Yeah. She says that she has some ancestry on earth as well. Because Earth's not in the Federation at this point, it's isolationist at the moment. But yeah, yeah. I can only hope that I age as well as Vance, you know. Yeah, no, he's a good looking man, isn't he? Oh, don't you love it? Oh, sorry, go on. No, no, I just love how he says, you know, you have to wear it. You know, you just have to wear it. Oh, I love the, I love it when the, um, when the president comes on the ship, Burden's a bit embarrassed and she sort of goes, so yes, the president's here as well, and everyone's so awkward aren't they? Like no one knows, no one knows. We're normally a bit sassy, but no one's saying anything, you know? No, but did you see, Michael arrives on the ship and she's got kind of annoyed face happening. Look at Teddy's face, she's got a fixed grin like, oh, hello. I like this too. You might want to hold on to something when we do our, you know 1st jump. And then we cut to outside where the ship, you know, literally flips around. And then drops. No reason, not an effect. But she's complete, we look back and she's fine. In fact, she's smiling. So good. She's so cool, the president. Nothing phases her in this. Look at this too. This is great. Why have we never seen this before? They've never thought of doing this before. So this is a spaceship. space station, but it's been struck by something. And so not only is it flying through space, but it has this incredible rotational velocity as well, which they talk about in comprehensible sort of normal term. It looks great. Yeah, straight past the camera. Yeah, yeah. That's sort of on Star Trek project, and I'm not sure, really isn't it? You talking about the science of the thing and me just going whee. Oh, here we go. So, here we are on the lush verdant world of... Oh, thank you. The most beautiful forest you've ever seen in your life. You know, dappled in sunlight, with fabulous singing trees, and a child running around, having a great time. A terrible child actor. This could not have flown off. It's really bad. Fast enough for me, this planet. For a 2nd, I thought to myself, because I did know players were going to, I thought, oh, we're going to have loads of scenes this year, sit on this planet. No, by the end is a smoking crust. Yeah. Although he's very hot. What is going on in this episode? So these 2 are brothers and they're both incredibly handsome and then they have this weird looking child who looks very old. They does look very awful. I think they get him. he has to deliver some chanting equation and he actually does a reasonable job of it. But he delivers one line of dialogue, which is really shockingly bad. Bless him. Oh, did you hear the line? We do this to explore how the universe is unknowable. Oh, God. But it's also no, but again, it's all about connection, isn't it? You know, like the tree connects them. Time connects them. Like it is all about the people equation being connected and it's also just to show how fabulous this world is before we destroy it horribly. So we understand why he's so upset. Because we did go back there. Um, we went We went there last year at some and we did meet. We did meet his brother and he hadn't been back. Remember, he was doing eco terrorism or something as a job and being a... What's he doing? He's putting his blood in with the sap of the wood. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Because it's the that joins them together. I'll be with you always until you're dead at the end of the end the end of the episode. Yeah, that's right. So the kid's chanting as well. I think that he does a reasonable job of that. Yeah, look at him. You know, this shows you the difference between Star Trek Discovery and Battlestar Galactica, right? Because on Galactica and the very 1st episode, they show a kid just sort of swinging their legs before death hits them in the face, whereas we don't ever see the kid again, do we? We don't see him on the planet dying as the planet blows up. No, no, of course we don't. But we do see flashbacks because next week is obviously all about books reaction to this. And I think next week episode is extremely strong. Like it does a really good job of portraying his grief, like just on screen, but also portraying it through the space problem that we have. This is great. This, the birds flying away from danger. Yeah. And then, like you said, that very disturbing, very jarring image of all the birds hitting the window. You just know something is very wrong. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. It's something that you've never seen on Star Trek before again. Unfortunately, before we start blowing up planets, we've got to go to this space station and deal with this intransigent base commander and upside down gravity and all your usual Star Trek cliches. gravity is great. I do it, of course. As we've said many times in this episode, just because. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Because it's interesting. you know, visually and because it's another threat and because we can do it. I will say, though, I will say, DS1 did do it 1st when the uptar down Gem'dar ship. Oh, really? Okay. Yeah, yeah, yeah. brilliant. brilliant. It's not like they can't do it in the 90s. They just choose not to more often than not. Well, they mostly can't afford to do it. And certainly they've just built a big upside down set and a whole heap of the episode. would you like this man? What's his name? Uh, I... Base command, I'll call him. remember? His name is... You know, I've been doing some really intricate scratch art lately and the pictures all look a bit like his face. Yeah. I like him like how the earth people on board the station have said this is a shit show and he says that's that's earth for bad. And then later he says all of the machinery is quiddled. I know you say this just makes him sound like a normal person. Yeah. Yeah, but I mean, he's still Star Trek, but just the kind of dialogue that we get on Star Trek now is so much better than what we had in the 90s because it's a little bit more relaxed and a little bit more naturalistic, even though here it's a fairly standard, shouting at orders at each other's scene. What we do have for the next 15 minutes is a very sort of standard Star Trek going onto the station. We've got a problem. We'll send 2 of our people. There's somebody getting in the way of all the solutions, which is this fella. They find the solution involving the president and we're going, and it's all done very competently. But it's not exactly riveting Star Trek, is it? No, no, no, no. And it is, it's fairly sent, a lot, too. It's Adira's 1st mission. Why does Adira keep seeing?.. Yeah. Well, just remember that Gray was their previous host was the tile symbian's previous host. So, so Adira has the symbient that Gray had, and ever since then, a little bit like how Jansia can sometimes see her previous hosts in special things, because these 2 loved one another or, you know like whatever. So they see him all the time, uh, and then later on, he gets a synth body and is actually in the show and everyone else can see him as well. I still think that's my favourite of all the discoveries we've done so far, you know, that character on about them too. But also as well, I think the 2nd that Grey appears, that portion of the audience I was talking about earlier, then heckles her up you know? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Fuck those people. yeah I think gray is gorgeous. Yeah, yeah, yeah. He's adorable. And just sort of terribly wise. I think the 2 of them are really great together. And like Adira is so funny, they're such a nerd. It's just... I don't know how to sound say this without sounding like, I don't mean it. I mean this in an entirely positive way, yeah. But you go back to 90s trade and all the men and all the women yeah, are standard looking men and women, yeah? There's nothing really sort of out of the norm from their, you know, square jaw American men and beautiful. Whereas the diversity, the visual diversity. I love it. Adira, Tilly, Giorgio. Yep. Yeah. No, I think it's wonderful. I love this shot too, where they've matched rotation. So not completely. So it still appears to, because that was the thing I was thinking of. You know, its frame of references moving as well. So, you know, it just looks like it's spinning because Discovery's not. And so then they match it. But see, all of this stuff, this whole plot is just being told this way through just fading back and forwards, interior shots of them working on the thing, exterior shots, a bit of dialogue because it doesn't matter. This part isn't particularly, you know, it's what they're there for. But what is interesting is what happens when it goes wrong. And, of course, what we see at the end and what caused it, you know, what caused the problem. But then, so if it's if it's this beautiful looking, and I don't disagree, with these regular characters, which are really great why is it more interesting? I think this episode's properly interesting. no, no. I mean, this plot, this part of it. Oh, yeah, yeah. I think the plot gets properly interesting when Michael goes out there and there was one thing that absolutely shocked me. I mean, look at this. So these are, these, this is frozen methane from an ort cloud which is, you know, the big cloud of sort of frozen objects that comets come from and stuff that's part of our solar system. It's a thing that doesn't get mentioned very much in Star Trek, but the sort of thing that should be mentioned, given that we're in space and we're in star systems. And so we're just having all of these catastrophic sort of chunks of methane hurling themselves at the ship and the station. That's, you know, that looks visually interesting. It gives us sorts of explosions. There are rocks. I hope you, I hope you... I'm just watching the 30 seconds belching out of the walls for no reason whatsoever. No, no. Excuse me, they haven't just got rocks. We've gone up in the world in discovery from 90s. There's rocks on the floor. Slow motion rocks. They fly up in slow motion. Look, I mean, I'm sorry, that flame belching out of the wall is so funny. It's awesome. Someone's just constantly pressing the button. Yeah, no, it looks great. I'm not saying it doesn't look great. I'm just like, all of Discovery looks great, which means the story has to be good. Yeah, yeah. But I think I think that you can afford to do for this, a fairly standard Star Trek thing, the sort of thing that Star Trek does because it is, after all, Star Trek, but just do it well and do it in a discovery way, I think, is absolutely worth doing because it's not the only game in town this episode. Do you know, there is a comparison actually. We haven't covered it yet. In DS9 series 6, episode one, a time to stand. That's establishing a whole new setup as well. And in the 2nd half of the episode. They go to the catch to white facility and it's a sort of 15 minute plot that doesn't really impact too much beyond them getting the Jem'adar ship for the next one. And it is the same sort of thing. But I really remember that. I don't know if I'll remember this plot. Well, you also have to remember that that Deep Space 9 episode is something that you've been living with, you know, 30 years. I know, Nathan, but I'll never forget that go on episode of Strange New Worlds, and I've only seen that choice. Yeah. So this, I think, is really interesting because she shouldn't be saying this. The president shouldn't really be saying this. But he does. Very Star Trek, though. I've heard this quite a bit. Should the person in charge really be leaving at this point? And she looks concerned. Like she's not being a dick. And she's never a dick. which she says, she says, a question doesn't imply questioning, Karen. love that line. And Michael just goes, you know, you can hear her saying to herself, yes, it fucking does, obviously it does, but she doesn't say anything. She just walks off. Do you know what I mean? You're clearly questioning me. I'm walking off. And and she's right because the way that this crew operates 1st under Saru and under her is that they're really collaborative. She's not the king. She's not like Kirk or Picard. They work together in such a collaborative way in discovery, and less so in Stranger World, but very, very obviously here, and partly because we have a year where Saru is in charge, and that's his kind of way of being a manager. And and because they're used to being in touch all the time, you know, like they're always in touch with one another. And so even if she's off the ship, she's still able to give orders and stuff like that just as much. And I think it calls back to our 1st episode, doesn't it? The 1st episode of discovery where she goes out in a B or whatever it is in an EVA suit to investigate the Kleon monument. I think it really is the DS9 equivalent in Kurtzman track. Because I think it's more flat team structure in DSNI as well. You get these big problems and they all chip in. A Brian, Kira, Dax, whoever. Whoever's got a solution at that moment. And Cisco was just steps back unless he absolutely has to step in. Yeah. Yeah. And it's also the outlier of its iteration of Star Trek as well. And it reinvents itself every season and, you know, doesn't quite know what it's doing and makes it up as it goes along. And it's sort of character based and this sort of thing too. So this scene here, I think, merely exists to finalise last year like the finale for last year. And we established that, that, um, Saru has been away for 7 months or something. You know, we had book and Michael missing Saru, but we've never seen Saru on the ship with Michael as the captain. Um, and, you know, that's just sort of drawing a line under the Sokal plot so that he can go back. fair enough. I just wouldn't have done this at this point in the episode because the pace just grinds to a hole. We're in the middle of all this action. And then we have this long character saying, this is very nice straight, this. It's not too long. It's a minute or two. It's not too long, but yes, I agree. I suppose it gives burn enough time to get from A to B. Right. She's there now, good. Yeah, now she's here. Look at that shit. I know it's great, isn't it? Like an enormous bubble. Yeah, so she calls it a B, which I think is adorable. So clearly it's a bubble so we can see her. No, it's just a bubble because it looks cool. And because it looks cool, but we want to see her and we want to see the, you know, what's going on outside. So as well, lit up console, a hologram. And it just, it's bits, you know, that open and shift around and stuff. I don't think there's any shocking moment. I don't think any of the other Kurtzman tracks. put as much money on the screen as Discovery. It does look great, but that moment absolutely shocked me when the whole top of the thing gets sheared off. And then we have no sound at all. And like I just, you know, I was really, really quite shocked. like I'd forgotten that that happened. and it does, it's well directed like it comes out of nowhere. Everyone's in slow motion now looking shock. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Honest to God, particularly those braids flying in slow motion. No, we're sharp. We're back out of slow motion now and she's back and she's in a suit, which is made of programmable matter, and now she's going to fly over to the ship and pull manually pull the debris of the escape ship. It's the one thing I could never criticise about. cannot fault the execution of this show. Yeah, it looks so... I can't be interesting occasionally, but I just can't. I cannot fault the how much they try and impress you with the visuals. Yeah. Because they always do. They always do. Because that's what sold me on it originally. That very 1st episode. more different. Yeah, they have for mourning. They're just about every every season. Oh, wonderful. Nice to see the races that survive through a 1000 years in the future. Yeah. Yeah. So here she is pulling debris off. It's just absurdly good looking. She's there on top of the bloody thing with a cord. Yeah. So what about this bit, though? We mentioned it before. So Relick is now speaking to Nalas, who's losing his shit? And she's talking about his home planet and how much she likes, she talks about the fisher of something or other and some feature that's beautiful and she's calming him down and she succeeds by saying that she's been on the planet, she knows what it's like. It's very beautiful. We're going to get you home and it does calm him down. He lowers his weapon. Um, and then we get the scene later where um, Michael says to her Is that true or did you just look up, look it up on Wikipedia a bit earlier? And um, And she says, does it matter? And I think that's super interesting when it comes to whose side we're on in the argument between Relak and Michael. I don't know. Do you know what I mean? Like, I don't know. Or nodding away at a lot of relaxers, but then I'm not the biggest fan of Michael Burnham, and you know that. But, but I mean, the thing is that Michael relies on the fact that she is the lead in the show and that the, that discovery is not going to be destroyed because it's the main sheep in the show. Do you know what I mean? Like, in a way, she's right. A lot to put your lifetime, you know? That's right. That's right. In a way, she's right. But, you know, what Relick says is true in universe, isn't it? You know, you, uh, you could have destroyed us all, including me um, Is that why we were so shocked at a change of face of evil whether the fire blew up? This is not supposed to happen. I'll wait 2 episodes later. there's a defiant Marto. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. But did they ever blow discovery? Even in an alternative universe or anything. I can't remember. Probably. They usually do at one point in this show. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Do you know, a 2nd ago there, I will not stop going running about the visuals. I'm so sorry. They were cut in between Michael on the outside of the station, to them upside down in the station, to them the right way up in the state. and I was like, bloody hell. It's just one great visual after another. That's really good, isn't it? It's really good So, so, it meanwhile, um, pork is in the atmosphere above quasion. Look at his console. Sort of made out crystals. programmable matter. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It looks beautiful, doesn't it? That's a great, that's a, that ship gets destroyed, but it's a very, very sexy sad. What are those strange things? sort of things going up and down in the background there. Yeah, yeah. I rely on you for the technology. I don't know what that is. But just dead birds hitting the windscreen is something that you would never have thought of. If there was ever a portent of doom. This, look, look. He's watching the moon as the moon gets destroyed in front of him like the shockwave hits Guajon's moon, and then hits him and knocks him out, so he never sees the planet being destroyed. A lot of rocks on the ground. So many rocks. Honestly. They fought at night straight. We don't have enough. We'll pack a few more in. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Upside down again. flaws in discovery too. I was just, but at this point, right, I was just waiting for this base, please just get out of the way now. come on, let's just all this out. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Well, the other thing too, which I think is really good, is that they make his death matter. You know, like his death matters and... And I kind of like that. You know, we can. Of course, I get better at doing these flames because it's billowing out of the ceiling now. It's clearly, it's clearly like a pyrotechnic effect. No, of course it is. But it just looks like it's belching every time. don't know what's on fire. But well, the trouble is, the flame always comes from the same source in every set. Do you notice, do you notice, though, that all the sparks and stuff are flying upside down as well? That is really great, yeah. Slow motion sparks. I mean, you just can't get back. so good. Oh, and these, the panels, like the way the panels are so much better on in, in this version of track, including the ones that are on. look at this. This is so good. Watch, watch, watch. Wow. Do you know what's great about it as I thought, oh, they're just going to go upside down before it hits them. No, it hits them. And they've taken a lot of damage and then all of a sudden it's all emergency personnel to dot, dot, dot. good, isn't it? And that, like that ruin, like in the shuttle bay, there's this sort of just massive destroyed ruin and you've got, you know, Tilly and Adira appearing. Oh, I did love the bit where Paul says how's a deer. Oh, and everyone else. Do you know what I mean? Because a deer is his child, like essentially, um, oh, I don't like this scanner, you know, that says patient deceased in massive letters. Just in case you're not sure. No, he was a bit irrescame, though, wasn't he? Having, it's better than having him turn to us and then shaking his head. We always love that with McCoy. He's dead Jim. Yeah, yeah, yeah No, we just have patient deceased. Oh, dear. Oh, look at the dot look, assessing it. I've got a clear all this fucking mess up. Jesus Christ. That's all it's doing. It's looking around, it's putting out some fires. You better be prepared to pay me some overtime. Okay, so that plot is over with now. We've murdered off, you know, the guy that was in the way. Good. Yeah, but I think does she say that 4 people have died? Like a number of people die? on the, like in a 3 dead 4 wounded? I really like this scene. Because suddenly all the fireworks were over and it's about people you know? Yeah. And this is my kind of Star Trek. And the Kobayashu Maru thing is really interesting because Relick doesn't know about it and Michael does. And I like the fact that they interpret it differently as well, the 2 of them. Yeah. There's no win scenario. And and that's the name of the episode as well. You know, the episode's focus is on her command decisions. So is there no win scenario that they couldn't solve this problem without these people being killed? The no-win scenario, like the idea is that it's designed to teach you to cope with failure and loss because there's no way out of it. And remember that Jim Kirk goes back to the simulation, hacks it so that he doesn't have to so that he doesn't have to move. And that's seen as a flaw in his character because he's never had to face that. But I do like this where she says, you know, logic says that I should try and get everybody home and that is the only answer. And we know this is not true. That's not always, you're always going to lose people. I think what she's saying is she will always try. Yeah. Yeah. I also really like, too, that Relick is not oppositional, and she's an older woman. Do you know what I mean? Who has sympathy for Mike? Well, you said it earlier, actually. You know, she's not a dick, and these characters usually are. Yeah, yeah. And I think it's really good that they get to have proper political disagreement. Does this thread through the whole year? Like their relationship is super important, but obviously they're absolutely on the same side when it comes to how do we deal with a 10 C as we saw. You know, we saw the big conference that they have, you know, at Federation headquarters about it. Yeah, and in fact, Michael's a bit defensive enough this. isn't she? She says you're not ready for this new technology. Oh, don't get me wrong. You're eminently qualified, but you're not ready. There is a difference there. Oh, that's it. She goes, you're not ready to accept all the potential outcomes of a scenario. You're so focussed on I will get everybody home safe. Home, yeah. It's great dialogue this. It is really good too. And, and like we know, like she was never going to take a thing on board Voyager, because this ship is, you know, from the 23rd century, and these people all chose to come here with her. Like it is her home in a way that is true of this show, but not other shows necessarily. Um, And look at the respect that she... Yeah, she said, you know, you just... You saved us all. I'm not saying you're bad at your job. You're extremely competent And she's a bit sad to have to criticise her like this. It played really well too. And look, Michael is really kind of struggling to hold it together. It's good. It's the sort of scene if it was on Voyager. It would be very confrontational in a very unrealistic way, isn't it? The sort of the subtleties of acting in the last 20 years means this place really well. And that's the other thing that I like about this show as well is just, you know, like we don't have to manufacture conflict here. These people can be both well-intentioned people who want what's good for each other and for the federation. and they can disagree about something. And Michael is in a position where she just has to wear a bit of criticism because she's the president. You know, they brought the one person on the ship, she has to listen to, unfortunately, in advance as well. and Vance was critical of her last year a bit. Oh boy, this is the end now. So he's still not sure, is he? He doesn't know. No, because he woke up and it was gone. He saw the moon being destroyed and the shockwave heading towards him. And there's so much about this beyond the stunning visual of that planet that's cracked with all the sort of love of like, was, how do you ask an actor to respond to your entire planet has been blown up? And then how do you ask the other actors to respond to that? And it's all done in total silence. A line of dialogue. And I had chills watching this. Just from their reactions to them. The incredible sympathy. Do you know what I mean? Like, just... It's a... She's so shocked. And then she looks at him and she's like, oh, my God. all looking at him in this final shot as well. You know, they're all looking at him. It's beautiful. God, that's really good. It's listen, the best. Oh, absolutely. So amazing. planets are being blown up. Hurrah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Oh, yeah. You're like, well. That was the thing, wasn't it? Serious to episode one. how did it do Yeah, no. Well, I mean, in a way, like Deep Space 9, every episode one is kind of a reboot because we don't... Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Because the series 4, things all been resolved and we have a new plot to start. And because, as I said, before, the narrative unit of Discovery and Picard is the season primarily and then the episode. And, you know, as I said before on on Titled Star Trek project, I think that this season gets the serialisation absolutely right that each episode has a character and something an arc, something starts and ends. I don't think it has any of those episodes like vaulting ambition in series one. Remember the Mirror Universe episode that we did where just everyone's plot gets itched along or changing face of evil. That weird episode that went back to Talos, whatever it was in series two. You know? It's just plot admin happening and inching the threads along. This one does a really good job of it, and it starts here, and I thought that that was a good solid episode introducing the problem and setting everything up for what's going to go on this season right from that very, very 1st incredibly accomplished scene, which just, like, does a fun action adventure Star Trek episode in about 5 minutes where the central conflict, the central idea is the central idea of the entire season, but we just don't know that yet. So well done. If I'm not on board with the sentiment and the editing at times, I do think this is very confident. Like they're really confident in what they're doing now. especially visually, but with the characters as well. So, whereas I'm not as thrilled by this episode as you are, because I do think that plot 2 thirds into the episode was pretty dull. I feel like they know what they're doing. And just because this isn't Star Trek, for me, that doesn't mean it isn't really good Star Trek. Yeah, I think that's fair. I think that's absolutely fair. Alright, it's the end of the episode, and it is time for us to find out what we're going to be doing next. I think this was my choice. And so it's your go on the randomiser, Joe. What are you picking? Well, we've had far too much visual dynamism, realistic dialogue and subtle acting for my tastes. And after... Could be anything from the 90s, let's be honest. Yeah, after 2 weeks of me going, oh, well, this ain't my Star Trek. I would like to take us swing us back round to very much my Star Trek and you know what that is. Be Space 9. I absolutely love it. And I think I think this is the longest we haven't done DS9 for because we've done a Voyager, we've done an enterprise. We done a TNG, we've done a lower decks, and we've done a discovery since the last time we did DS9. So I think that's fair. Okay, good. Let's go. Season finale. Season three, episode 26, the adversary. It's a I really like that episode. It ends on a suggestion of conflict to come rather than a cliffhanger. Do you remember? Because it's series 3, did you say, the final episode of series 3. So we go into Way of the Warrior next time. So we would just watch that one. That could be interesting. That's what I said, Odo, go in. You're too late. We're everywhere. Um, I would love to do that, but I've already pressed the button again. Okay, fair enough. It's let he who is with, no, it's not. It's not. Season five, episode. This is another good episode. Season five, episode 10, Rapture. Locusts, heading towards Bajor unless it stands alone. It's another episode of Avery Brooks going crazy. Oh, really? Okay. Okay. And is he going crazy? He's getting visions of the ancient city of Bahala. And the province are basically pouring the entire timeline of the universe in his head. He's seen the distant past and the far future. Right. Is there another emissary? Is that the one? No, that's a session. you're thinking of there. Okay. Oh, Dell, I do love Rapture, but maybe it's too good. I'm going to press it again. Okay. Oh, this is the one. This is... I was saying this, and you'll say, yes, we're doing it. Oh, I'd love to do move on home. Count to four. No, your round of Star Trek D Space 9 episode is season six. Episode 20. His way. Oh, yeah, yeah, let's do that. Yeah, absolutely. I mean, this is precisely the sort of trek that those people I was talking about earlier. really hate. We're doing it. I'd come over there and take the phone out of your hand if you tried to press the button again. I mean, it's Renee, of course. Jimmy, we've just lost Jimmy Darren, so it's a good time to do an episode that's entirely focussed on him and it does have potentially the rubberiest kiss ever in Star Trek. That's right. That's right And a musical number. Several musical numbers. It's exactly what you were talking about earlier. Because season 6 is sort of like Discovery 4 in that pretty much every single episode, whether it's a big piece or a tiny piece adds to the jigsaw of the season. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But his way doesn't do that at all. It's just, let's take a trip to Vegas. That's awesome. Absolutely. let's do that You've been listening to untitled Star Trek Project with Joe Ford and Nathan Bottomley. We're online at untitled Star Trek project.com, where you can find subscription links and links to our social media accounts. Our podcast artwork is by Kayla Ciceran, and the theme was composed by Cameron Lam. This episode was recorded on the 1st of October 2024 and released on the 11th of October. You'll see you next time for Star Trek Deep Space 9, his way. Oh, yeah, that was a good choice. That was a good choice. I suppose we get to listen to a lot of pets. Oh, no, that's the one where she sings fever, isn't it? I know, I know. It's one of my favourite things. You've seen Rita Marino singing Fever on the Muppet Show. You sent it to me. Yes. Good. Yeah, yeah. She was so great in that sitcom one step at a time. was so good in that. So I watched it. I tried to watch it because I love her a lot. But it didn't... I love a low effort sitcom. I might not have been in the mood for it. Did you watch all of it? Or just one. Yeah. I was with Robert and we thought we would... In the 2nd season, the daughter was outed as a Doctor Who fan which is wonderful. So in random episodes. She's dressed up like Tom Baker for no reason at all. Which is very funny. Oh, I really enjoy it. I should give that another watch through. His way. Oh my god, what fun. Yeah, that's great. I'm going to go and watch it now, but unfortunately, I am going to go and get them finally. I'll seduce you, Niles. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. all that time. See, I shaved my head this morning. I can't, why did I do that? I went out to lunch. Yeah. and the beard. is, I think that was Friday. Was that Friday? Okay, cutting it down quite so much. I mean, look, mine's really long at the moment.