Episode 139
Friday 10 January 2025
Star Trek: The Original Series
Series 3, Episode 20
Stardate: 5832.3
First broadcast on Friday 21 February 1969
This week, we learn a valuable lesson previously only known to the most tedious middle-aged people: that young people these days are arrogant, embarassing, and stupid — and also probably communists. Meanwhile, the crew of the Enterprise have all forgotten to remove their “Nixon’s the One!” badges, upsettingly.
Episode 138
Friday 27 December 2024
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Series 1, Episode 10
Stardate: Unknown (2369)
First broadcast on Sunday 14 March 1993
This week, we travel back to a time in the distant past aboard Deep Space Nine, a time before anyone has worked out how the show should be played, written or directed. There’s some fun to be had, of course, but not from watching this episode.
Episode 137
Friday 20 December 2024
Star Trek Movie #8
Stardate: 50893.5 and 4–5 April 2063
Release date: 1996
After a botched first attempt back in 1994, the Star Trek movie franchise brings back many of the beloved characters from Star Trek: The Next Generation in a thrilling adventure, packed full of action, scares and laughs — as well as some sexy moments with an undead cyborg lizard and an optimistic message about the future of humanity. Five stars, really.
Episode 136
Friday 13 December 2024
Star Trek: Picard
Series 1, Episode 4
Stardate: Unknown (2399)
First broadcast on Thursday 13 February 2020
It’s been thirty-five years since the Romulans turned up again out of the blue, but now we couldn’t imagine a day without them. And so many of them! Narek and Narissa, two English Romulan Game of Thrones fans who are trying to kill Data’s (remaining) daughter. Zani, a stunningly calm and beautiful Romulan Sincerity Nun. Her ward Elnor, an adorably elfin Romulan Truth Ninja from Melbourne. And a whole angry mob of hot refugee Romulans bearing a justified grudge against Picard for making a loud moral stand while failing to actually help them in any way.
And Rios, Agnes and Raffi are here too of course, in a transitional episode that gives us the chance to talk about where Picard goes wrong, and what it still manages to do very well.
Episode 135
Friday 29 November 2024
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Series 5, Episode 20
Stardate: Unknown (2373)
First broadcast on Monday 21 April 1997
Again, the story doesn’t really have a legitimate theme, it’s just More Ferengi Farce, but without any solid laughs. In fact, I’d put “Ferengi Love Songs” on or near the bottom of the Ferengi episode list.
It’s all pretty trivial and unamusing. The only reason this is watchable at all is that Armin Shimerman is so accomplished. Moogie is right – leave your action figures in their original packaging.
It was a show that worked well in dailies, in little snippets, but put it all together and you’re saying “Enough already!”
– I don’t think that that episode was as good as either A Night in Sickbay or Genesis, but I do think it was pretty fun, and I’m glad that Deep Space Nine does it.
– Yeah, I don’t think that was an amazing episode, but pretty fun, I’ll take.