Episode 85
Friday 20 October 2023
Star Trek: Voyager
Series 2, Episode 25
Stardate: 49690.1
First broadcast on Monday 13 May 1996
Nathan, Joe, Kathryn and the Medium Robert are all enjoying themselves this week in a genuinely entertaining Star Trek romance spoiled only by the untimely and unwelcome intrusion of Star Trek: Voyager itself at the very end of the episode. Hey ho.
Episode 84
Friday 6 October 2023
Star Trek: The Original Series
Series 1, Episode 16
Stardate: 2821.5
First broadcast on Thursday 5 January 1967
When a metal box containing seven strange creatures lands outside his village, gentle giant Oleg (Buck Maffei) leaves a pregnant wife and an ailing mother in his humble yurt and trudges off to present the creatures with his people’s traditional gift of welcome — a set of giant novelty spears. This simple act of hospitality is met with violence, and soon matters escalate despite Oleg’s repeated attempts to appease the newcomers’ anger — giving one an affectionate hug, offering the others his precious polystyrene boulder, and finally trying to hold down the box when the wind threatens to blow it away. A heartrending story of faith and hope in the face of indifference and cruelty. Five stars.
Episode 83
Friday 29 September 2023
Star Trek: Voyager
Series 5, Episode 26 / Series 6, Episode 1
Stardate: Unknown (2375, 2376)
First broadcast on Wednesday 26 May 1999
Moral dilemmas abound in this week’s season finale of Star Trek: Voyager. Is it permissible to kill a bunch of people if you miss your bus home? Is it permissible to shoot Slimer from Ghostbusters in the face if he’s intent on drinking all of your precious bodily fluids? Is it permissible to torture Rick Worthy if you’re having a really bad day? And it is obligatory to endow the characters in your Star Trek show with clear and consistent motivations?
Episode 82
Friday 22 September 2023
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Series 3, Episode 8
Stardate: 43385.6
First broadcast on Monday 13 November 1989
Comfort food this week, as Star Trek: The Next Generation tries and fails to create a romantic comedy about an exciting new space wormhole. Deanna learns a valuable lesson about the dangers of enjoying herself, some Ferengi learn an urgent lesson about paying attention to their GPS, and the rest of us learn a timely lesson about straight, white American men in the late 1980s. We still have fun though.
Episode 81
Friday 15 September 2023
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Series 6, Episode 2
Stardate: Unknown (2374)
First broadcast on Monday 6 October 1997
Star Trek goes outside this week, for a top-tier episode in which Sisko and Kira are both confronted by radical integrity and self-sacrifice in the face of overwhelming opposition. Solid and memorable.