Episode 93
Friday 12 January 2024
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Series 4, Episode 7
Stardate: 44246.3
First broadcast on Monday 5 November 1990
After just over a season of reliable and competent, this week, Star Trek: The Next Generation goes for dramatic and surprising — with amazing results: a memorable epsiode full of good performances and the sort of direction that lets those performances shine. One of the best.
Episode 92
Friday 5 January 2024
Star Trek: Picard
Series 3, Episode 4
Stardate: 78183.1
First broadcast on Thursday 9 March 2023
This week, an episode of Star Trek: Picard makes a compelling case for the existence of 21st century Trek, as familiar and well-loved characters find themselves in a show with dramatic lighting, beautiful special effects and witty and clever dialogue. But even more than that, they learn that no matter how bleak or unwinnable a situation, as long as you and your crew remain steadfast in your dedication, one to another, you are never ever without hope. Or giant squid.
Episode 91
Friday 8 December 2023
Star Trek Movie #4
Stardate: 8390.0, and also 1986
Release date: 1986
This week, Star Trek makes a triumphant return to form, as we are joined by Tom Salinsky to watch the 1986 film Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, in which the crew of the Enterprise meet their match, as they confront the most terrifying alien species of all time — Americans from the 1980s.
Here’s a link to Tom Salinsky’s Trekaday blog, which is currently heading towards the end of Star Trek: Enterprise. You can also pre-order his upcoming book on Star Trek from Amazon UK.
Episode 90
Friday 1 December 2023
Star Trek: The Original Series
Series 3, Episode 14
Stardate: 5718.3
First broadcast on Friday 3 January 1969
A Very Important episode of Star Trek: The Original Series this week, in which we tackle the Serious Issue of Mental Illness, a Terrifying Social Problem which causes ordinary people to conceive an Unquenchable Desire to Take over the Entire Galaxy and to Use Capital Letters Unnecessarily. Fortunately, it can be cured by a Simple Intravenous Injection, which seems to have started working almost immediately. So, no harm done really. Except to this episode’s guest woman, who is dead.
Episode 89
Friday 17 November 2023
Star Trek: Voyager
Series 2, Episode 15
Stardate: 49373.4
First broadcast on Monday 29 January 1996
– Guess who I get to meet today. The Creator of Fair Haven, Captain Proton himself: Lieutenant Tom Paris!
– No way! That’s awesome! Is he still a salamander?
– No, that’s not… It was a celerity-induced accelerated somatic mutation rate, and he’s fine now. He was the first human to break the transwarp barrier, and today, he’s on the Cerritos!
Boimler and Mariner, We’ll Always Have Tom Paris
When I first read that script, I couldn’t believe they were going to shoot it.
Robert Duncan McNeill
Episode 88
Friday 10 November 2023
Star Trek: Lower Decks
Series 1, Episode 9
Stardate: Unknown (2380)
First broadcast on Thursday 1 October 2020
This week, Joe and Nathan work on their most pressing psychological problems by smashing the ship’s counsellor’s favourite bonsai, storming off to the holodeck, making fun of the Star Trek movie series, and playing the most violent (and possibly racist) video game in the history of the franchise. Everything turns out for the best, though, because good friends forgive, and they’ll always have time to hang out and admire the warp core.
Episode 87
Friday 3 November 2023
Star Trek: Voyager
Series 6, Episode 22
Stardate: 53918.0
First broadcast on Wednesday 26 April 2000
These stories will continue for as long as we have the breath to tell them. And as long as our patrons remain wise and compassionate. And Voyager will continue on her journey to the gleaming cities of Earth, where peace reigns and hatred has no home.
Enjoyable. And unexpectedly beautiful at times. Much like Star Trek, really.
Episode 86
Friday 27 October 2023
Star Trek: Enterprise
Series 4, Episode 9
Stardate: Unknown (2154)
First broadcast on Friday 3 December 2004
A new experience for Joe and Nathan this week, as they enjoy an episode of Star Trek: Enterprise without irony or reservations. The Vulcans have been behaving oddly for three and a half years, for some reason, but this week, they decide to be normal again, for a dumb reason. But in spite of all that, there’s a lot of fun to be had here.
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.