To Baldly Go

Aaron continues watching Star Trek for the first time from the beginning, joined by Nate as we continue through Season 5 of Star Trek: The Next Generation with “Unification I,” “Unification II,” and “A Matter of Time.” Spock has arrived on The Next Generation — which immediately raises the question: Why Spock? Why now? “Unification I” and “Unification II” give us a pair of seemingly disparate storylines that slowly move toward one another. We talk about the advantages of having the time to properly tell a story on television, narrative storytelling versus how information might actually be communicated, and the effectiveness of bringing one of Star Trek’s most recognizable characters into TNG. But watching in release order adds another layer. With Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country right around the corner, we discuss the timing of Spock’s appearance, using a television series to promote a movie, movie-release strategy, and how differently audiences consumed media in 1991 compared with 2026. Along the way, Aaron makes a painful admission, we ask why everyone calls the planet “Vulcan,” revisit Sarek’s relationship with humans. Then there’s “A Matter of Time.” Nate doesn’t like it. Aaron thinks it’s...fine. Naturally, that sends us into a deep dive through Matt Frewer’s IMDb profile, the Dumb and Dumber cartoon show, Robin Williams nearly playing Rasmussen, Foo Fighters, and whether an otherwise average episode is lifted by just how good The Next Generation has been lately. Never give up! Never surrender!

We continue Season 5 of Star Trek: The Next Generation with “Silicon Avatar,” “Disaster,” and “The Game.” This week, we get: An episode with a great premise that can’t quite stick the landing The Enterprise crew thrown into unexpected situations and unusual pairings A story about addictive technology that feels a little more relevant every year We covered: In “Silicon Avatar,” an old threat returns when the Crystalline Entity attacks another colony. The Enterprise picks up a scientist who has dedicated her life to studying the Entity, but her interest turns out to be a lot more personal than scientific. We discuss the callback to Data’s origins, whether this episode ever had a chance at a satisfying ending, subtle character development, actors pretending to play instruments, and what it means to dedicate your entire life to finding and destroying something. In “Disaster,” the Enterprise is crippled and the crew is scattered into some very unusual combinations. Picard gets stuck with a group of children, Worf finds himself delivering a baby, and Troi unexpectedly ends up as the senior officer on the bridge. We talk about why these unlikely pairings work so well, Troi being forced into command, whether her empathic abilities should have been more useful, questionable space physics, science words, and why sometimes a little cheese is exactly what Star Trek needs. Galaxy Quest also enters the conversation. Finally, in “The Game,” Wesley returns to the Enterprise just in time for nearly everyone aboard to become hopelessly addicted to a new game. On paper, it has everything we should love...a mysterious conspiracy, addictive technology, a solid discussion of screen addiction, and even the return of Wesley. But, we just couldn’t get invested. We discuss social media, phone games, dopamine hits, South Park, Neuralink, Super Nintendo, Nintendo 64, jigsaw puzzles, anti-drug specials, and, of course, Kwazy Kupcakes from Brooklyn 99! Three episodes with plenty of interesting ideas — even when the execution didn’t always work for us. A quick production note: I had some internet issues while we were recording, so there are a few moments where the audio might get a bit jumpy Next time: TBG 069 — Unification I | Unification II | A Matter of Time Never give up! Never surrender!

We begin Season 5 of Star Trek: The Next Generation with “Redemption II,” “Darmok,” and “Ensign Ro.” This week, we get: A Klingon civil war on a massive scale A first contact where understanding the words isn’t enough The introduction of a complicated new member of the Enterprise crew We covered: Data in command and what happens when he decides not to follow orders The continuing legacy—and tragedy—of Tasha Yar Klingon politics, culture, and the difference between a society and its government Whether Data actually gets angry Communication through metaphor, memes, GIFs, and shared stories The Epic of Gilgamesh and the stories we use to understand one another The limitations of the Tamarian language How “Ensign Ro” builds an entire history around a character before she even appears Riker’s immediate reaction to Ro Competing loyalties and what ultimately motivates Ro “Redemption II” brings the Klingon Civil War to a satisfying conclusion while giving Data one of his strongest command stories yet. The episode operates on a huge scale without losing sight of its characters.  And we thought we already knew Tasha Yar's tragic story... Then comes “Darmok,” one of the best-known episodes of The Next Generation. The words are understandable, but their meaning isn’t, leading us into a conversation about metaphor, shared cultural references, memes, ancient storytelling, and what communication actually requires beyond simply translating vocabulary. Finally, “Ensign Ro” introduces a character who somehow feels established before she even walks onto the bridge. We talk about the episode’s worldbuilding, Riker’s visceral response to Ro, her competing loyalties, and the motivations behind a character who immediately makes the Enterprise a little more complicated. It’s a great start to Season 5. Join us as we continue watching Star Trek for the first time, in release order, one episode at a time.

We’ve reached the end of Season 4 of Star Trek: The Next Generation! This week, Data tries his hand at romance in “In Theory,” and Worf finds himself caught between Starfleet and the Klingon Empire as a civil war begins in “Redemption.” This week, we get: Relationships and programmed behaviors Klingons We covered: In Theory Redemption In “In Theory,” Data decides to enter into a romantic relationship and approaches dating in perhaps the most Data way possible: by creating a program for how a boyfriend is supposed to behave. We talk about projecting expectations onto other people, Data’s attempts to understand human behavior, and how Brent Spiner continues to somehow make all of this work. Then, “Redemption” takes us deep into Klingon politics as Gowron’s claim to leadership sparks a civil war and Worf finds his Starfleet duties increasingly at odds with his family and his people. We talk about the continued Klingon world building, Picard’s role as arbiter and kingmaker, and how this episode feels less like a self-contained story and more like one piece of something much larger. Finally, we look back at four full seasons of The Next Generation, talk a little about “New Trek,” and compare Seasons 3 and 4. Season 3 still gets the slight edge, but four seasons in, the series continues to be remarkably strong — and Aaron is still loving it. Next time: We begin Season 5 with “Redemption II,” “Darmok,” and “Ensign Ro.”

Star Trek, The Next Generation First-Time Watch – Season 4, Episodes 22-24 In this episode of To Baldly Go, we continue our first-time watch of Star Trek: The Next Generation with three episodes that take us from questions about aging and societal rituals, to the nature of identity, to some good old-fashioned Romulan manipulation. This week, we get: Rituals and societal structure A story we've seen before Romulans We covered: Half a Life The Host The Mind’s Eye In Half a Life, Lwaxana Troi unexpectedly finds herself at the center of one of an uncomfortable moral dilemma. We talk about different cultural approaches to aging, euthanasia, finding nuance in what initially feels like a black-and-white decision, and the difference between knowing your days are numbered and actually knowing the number of your days. Along the way, Aaron develops a newfound appreciation for Lwaxana, and we establish that it’s Worf, not Woof. In The Host, the Trill make their first appearance, giving us a story with some genuinely interesting questions about identity, relationships, and how much of our essence is tied to our physical bodies. Unfortunately, the execution doesn’t always live up to the premise. We discuss some questionable character decisions, what exactly happened to Riker’s personality while he was serving as the host, bottle episodes, missing Dr. Pulaski, Men in Black, and, naturally, The Amazing Race Season 7. Finally, The Mind’s Eye brings the Romulans back into the picture with a Geordi-centered take on The Manchurian Candidate. We talk about why the Romulans work so well as villains, the value of recurring adversaries, episode Easter eggs, who actually benefits from the Klingon conflict, and one of the reasons TNG’s developing continuity works better for us than the largely standalone nature of TOS. Join us as we discuss Star Trek: The Next Generation, Season 4, Episodes 22-24: “Half a Life,” “The Host” and “The Mind’s Eye.”

First-Time Watch This week, we continue our first-time, release-order journey through Star Trek with three episodes from the fourth season of The Next Generation. We begin with Barclay suddenly becoming the smartest person on the Enterprise in The Nth Degree. Then Q returns to teach Picard a lesson about love by dropping the crew into his own version of Robin Hood in Qpid. Finally, an investigation into sabotage aboard the Enterprise grows into something much larger in The Drumhead. This week, we get: The next stage of human evolution Q and his Merry Men Conspiracies We covered: The Nth Degree Broccoli Another trip to the center of the galaxy Data's IQ Life 3.0 Becoming one with the computer A strong ending Barclay's redemption Qpid Was this a fun episode to make? Q is back A disjointed, forced plot Nate sounds like Gregg Weird and disappointing What did Q actually add to the episode? The Princess Bride Swearing Robin Hood vs. Camelot themes The Drumhead Sabotage and treason? An ambitious episode Was the ending deliberately unsatisfying? Did they try to do too much? Not all conspiracy theories are real—but conspiracies exist The difference between asking questions and drawing conclusions When our discussion is more compelling than the episode Picard's pronunciation of "Aaron" Parallels to McCarthyism Final Thoughts Three very different episodes give us plenty to talk about this week. Barclay gets an unexpected chance at redemption, Q returns for an adventure that doesn't quite work for us, and The Drumhead takes a swing at paranoia, conspiracy, and the dangers of reaching conclusions before the evidence supports them. Next time, we continue Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 4 with: Half a Life The Host The Mind’s Eye Never give up. Never surrender.

First-Time Watch – Star Trek: The Next Generation, Season 4, Episodes 16-18 This week on The To Baldly Go Podcast, we continue our first-time, release-order journey through Star Trek with three episodes from the fourth season of The Next Generation. This week, we get: World building for the fans A potentially interesting, but possibly underdeveloped idea Incomplete victories We covered: Galaxy’s Child Night Terrors Identity Crisis In “Galaxy’s Child,” the real Dr. Leah Brahms visits the Enterprise and discovers the holodeck simulation Geordi created in her image. Meanwhile, the crew accidentally kills a massive space-dwelling life-form and must save the newborn creature left behind. We discuss creepy Geordi, the differences between Geordi and Barclay, Easter eggs for longtime fans, speed and distance in Star Trek, radiation measurements, Picard’s speech about destroying a life-form, Guinan messing with Geordi and whether the creature looks more like an empanada or a calzone. “Night Terrors” begins with the Enterprise discovering the USS Brattain adrift, its crew dead except for a single traumatized survivor. The Enterprise soon becomes trapped in the same region of space as its crew gradually loses the ability to dream. We discuss whether the episode’s central idea received enough development, its similarities to other episodes, Starfleet ship classes and crew complements, real-life lessons from Star Trek and old Star Trek DVDs from China. In “Identity Crisis,” Geordi reunites with Susanna Leijten, a former member of an away team whose surviving officers have begun disappearing five years after visiting Tarchannen III. As Geordi and Leijten undergo a mysterious transformation, the Enterprise attempts to reconstruct what happened during their original mission. We discuss why Geordi could seemingly have done everything from Sickbay, another round of Enterprise security problems, shuttlepods versus shuttlecraft, How I Met Your Mother, Earth: Final Conflict and a resolution that only feels partially successful. Join us as we discuss Star Trek: The Next Generation, Season 4, Episodes 16-18: “Galaxy’s Child,” “Night Terrors” and “Identity Crisis.”

First-Time Watch – Star Trek: The Next Generation, Season 4, Episodes 13-15 This week on The To Baldly Go Podcast, we continue our first-time, release-order journey through Star Trek with three episodes from the fourth season of The Next Generation. This week, we get: Feeling like a TOS episode Ron Swanson’s favorite Star Trek episode What happens when a society learns they are not alone in the universe? We covered: Devil’s Due Clues First Contact In “Devil’s Due,” the Enterprise arrives at Ventax II just as the planet’s people prepare to surrender themselves to Ardra, a supposedly supernatural figure returning to collect on a thousand-year-old contract. The episode feels like a lost TOS story performed by the TNG cast, leading us into discussions about Q, religion, explanations, knowledge problems, Troi’s empathic range, and whether Ardra would make a good Dungeons & Dragons villain. “Clues” gives us a tightly constructed mystery after the Enterprise crew apparently loses only thirty seconds while passing through a wormhole. The evidence says otherwise, but Data refuses to explain what really happened. We discuss the episode’s handling of time, warp speed, relativity, the one explanation that might have improved everything, and plant reconciliation studies. In “First Contact”—not the movie—Riker is injured while secretly observing a civilization approaching warp capability. Picard must decide how and when to reveal that the people of Malcor III are not alone in the universe. We discuss fear, uncertainty and doubt, the Prime Directive, Bebe Neuwirth’s unmistakable voice, and the discovery that Riker is apparently a freak. Join us as we discuss Star Trek: The Next Generation, Season 4, Episodes 13-15: “Devil’s Due,” “Clues,” and “First Contact.”

First-Time Watch – Star Trek: The Next Generation, Season 4, Episodes 10-12 This week on The To Baldly Go Podcast, we continue our first-time watch of Star Trek: The Next Generation with The Loss, Data’s Day, and The Wounded. This week, we get: Counselor Troi working through the five stages of grief after losing her empathic abilities Data documenting an ordinary day aboard the Enterprise The introduction of the Cardassians Great performances elevating material that does not always live up to them A tense confrontation with a decorated Starfleet captain who may be right for the wrong reasons We covered: The Loss Troi suddenly loses her empathic abilities and struggles with the possibility that an essential part of her identity may be gone forever. We discuss the episode’s exploration of grief, Marina Sirtis’s performance, the infamous “space seed,” and whether this story needed more than a single episode to reach its full potential. Data’s Day Data records a day aboard the Enterprise for Commander Maddox, giving us weddings, dancing, mispronounced names, Spot the cat, and something pulled directly from Nate’s nightmares. We discuss Brent Spiner’s performance, the passage of time aboard a starship, missed opportunities, and the question of what “night” means when traveling through space. The Wounded A celebrated Starfleet captain launches unauthorized attacks against Cardassian ships, forcing Picard to stop one of his own officers while navigating a fragile peace. We discuss the introduction of the Cardassians, the episode’s constant tension, its restrained use of action, combat distances, and the uncomfortable possibility of being right for the wrong reasons. Final Thoughts: The Loss and Data’s Day both give talented performers material that does not completely work for us, but The Wounded delivers one of the strongest episodes of the season so far. It introduces a major new adversary, raises difficult questions without offering simple answers, and keeps the tension high from beginning to end. Next time: Devil’s Due | Clues | First Contact Never give up. Never surrender.

Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 4, Episodes 7-9: Reunion | Future Imperfect | Final Mission This week on The To Baldly Go Podcast, Aaron and Nate continue their release-order watchthrough with three more episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation. This week, we get: Worf confronting the consequences of his past decisions Riker trapped inside Star Trek: Inception What appears to be Wesley Crusher’s final mission We covered: Reunion K’Ehleyr returns to the Enterprise with a surprise: Worf has a son. Her investigation into the Klingon succession brings Worf face-to-face with Duras and forces him to decide how far he is willing to go to protect his family and restore his honor. We discuss IMDb burying the lede, the return of K’Ehleyr, the increased depth of TNG compared with The Original Series, Picard being both disappointed and angry, and whether the bat’leth is a decent weapon after all. Future Imperfect After an away mission goes wrong, Riker awakens sixteen years in the future. He is now captain of the Enterprise, has a son he does not remember, and is negotiating peace with the Romulans—but pieces of his new life do not add up. We discuss a well-constructed mystery, callbacks to one-off characters from the first season, Riker recognizing the flaws in the illusion, and a strong episode weakened by a dumb ending. Final Mission Wesley joins Picard on what is supposed to be a routine diplomatic mission before leaving the Enterprise. When their shuttle crashes on a desert moon, Wesley must solve an ancient mystery while Picard’s condition grows worse. Aaron and Nate see the episode differently, despite giving it similar ratings. We discuss strong character moments with weak setups, Beverly’s absence from the bridge, protection from the “sun,” comparisons with Tasha Yar’s departure, Code of Honor, and the show’s attempted sendoff for Wil Wheaton. Join us as we discuss Reunion, Future Imperfect, and Final Mission on The To Baldly Go Podcast.

This week on The To Baldly Go Podcast, Aaron and Nate continue their journey with the next three episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 4: Suddenly Human, Remember Me, and Legacy. This week, we get: Different cultures, children making decisions, and abuse The importance of appreciating people when they are still around A not-very-good episode, so we talk about other stuff We covered: Suddenly Human Remember Me Legacy In Suddenly Human, we talk about futuristic Enterprise racquetball, whether the title is trying to be too clever, and why Nate may hate this episode. The conversation gets into the limits of network TV, kids making lasting decisions, adults making decisions for kids, internal series inconsistencies, and whether Picard and the crew get this one wrong. In Remember Me, we discuss a much stronger episode built around worry, anxiety, confusion, and clarity. Beverly Crusher has to figure out the nature of the universe as the people around her disappear, and the episode works because it lets the audience figure things out at the right time. We also touch on the Star Trek: The Original Series intro lyrics and how TNG is finding more depth than TOS. In Legacy, we hit one of the weakest episodes we have seen in a while, which means the side conversations take over. We talk about bad TV poker, 2-7 triple draw, card tricks on YouTube, Penn & Teller, and the milestone of The Next Generation surpassing The Original Series in total episodes. Join us as we discuss Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 4 episodes Suddenly Human, Remember Me, and Legacy. Nestor Hato card trick on Fool Us

Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 4, Episodes 1-3: The Best of Both Worlds, Part II | Family | Brothers This week on The To Baldly Go Podcast, we kick off Season 4 of Star Trek: The Next Generation with the fallout from one of the biggest cliffhangers in Star Trek history, a quiet but powerful family story, and Brent Spiner putting on a full acting showcase. This week, we get: Triumph and consequences All in the Family Is there anything Brent Spiner can’t do? We covered: The Best of Both Worlds, Part II The Borg crisis comes to a close, but the emotional fallout is just beginning. We talk about the drop in tension from Part I, Picard’s trauma, the somber ending, the aftermath of the battle, the Captain’s chair, impulse power, and whether seeing the wreckage was more effective than seeing the battle itself. Family Nate revisits an episode he hated when he was younger and now loves. We discuss why Family feels different from a typical Star Trek episode, how it still fits the series, Picard in crisis, family dynamics, the limits of technology, and whether this is really The Best of Both Worlds, Part III. Brothers Brent Spiner takes center stage in an episode that feels like another mini movie in TNG’s growing run of weekly stories. We talk about Data, Lore, Dr. Soong, 24th-century deep fakes, how standalone episodes can still build something larger, and, somehow, 2025 movies and Minnesota versus Florida summer weather. Join us as we continue our first-time watch through Star Trek: The Next Generation.

First-Time Watch – Star Trek: The Next Generation, Season 3, Episodes 25-26 This week on The To Baldly Go Podcast, Abbie is back as we finish Season 3 of Star Trek: The Next Generation with “Transfigurations” and “The Best of Both Worlds.” This week, we get: A conversation about evolution that may be more interesting than the episode itself A return to the Sarek discussion from last week More awkward Geordi romance, whether we wanted it or not The starship dating scene and a surprisingly long 10 Forward discussion A near-perfect slow-burn Borg episode Captain Picard absolutely not surrendering the Enterprise Shelby making waves without necessarily being wrong A cliffhanger that leaves Aaron genuinely unsure how Star Trek gets out of this We covered: Transfigurations: “Transfigurations” gives us a mysterious patient, questions about evolution, and a society afraid of what its people may become. We talk about how groups respond to customs and beliefs that clash with their own, especially when they are visitors in someone else’s house. We also spend time on the starship social scene, 10 Forward, and why the awkward Geordi episodes are starting to wear out their welcome. In the end, our conversation may have gone deeper than the episode did. The Best of Both Worlds: Then comes “The Best of Both Worlds,” one of the biggest episodes we have watched so far. We talk about the Borg, the perfectly executed slow burn, Shelby’s role, Riker’s dilemma, the cost to the crew, and whether this episode represents a turning point for the franchise. Aaron also insists that Picard did not surrender the Enterprise, and we struggle our way through some Season 3 trivia. Final Thoughts: As Season 3 comes to a close, we reflect on how much stronger The Next Generation has become. The storytelling is improving, the performances are more consistent, and the whole show feels like it has found another gear. A rising tide lifts all ships, and this season may be the clearest example yet. Next time: Star Trek: The Next Generation S04E01-03 – The Best of Both Worlds, Part II | Family | Brothers Never give up. Never surrender.

This week on The To Baldly Go Podcast, Aaron and Nate continue their release-order watchthrough with three more episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation: "The Most Toys," "Sarek," and "Ménage à Troi." This week, we get: Evil, terrifying characters Allegory Shakespeare We covered: The Most Toys Sarek Ménage à Troi In "The Most Toys," Data is left for dead and finds himself in the possession of a truly evil collector. We discuss how the episode works as part of the well-oiled machine of Season 3, the challenge of building tension when we know major characters are probably safe, and whether Data may be one of the most terrifying characters on the Enterprise when pushed far enough. In "Sarek," The Next Generation continues to stand on its own while still maintaining a strong connection to The Original Series. We talk about Patrick Stewart’s remarkable performance, Sarek’s emotional decline, aging, dignity, and whether the episode works as an allegory for Alzheimer’s or dementia. We also discuss the apparent rule against referencing Spock. In "Ménage à Troi," Lwaxana Troi returns, Shakespeare takes center stage, and the Ferengi are once again very Ferengi. We discuss judging episodes by their titles, whether Lwaxana is growing on Aaron, and how this episode lands after two heavier stories.

Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 3, Episodes 19-21: Captain’s Holiday | Tin Man | Hollow Pursuits This week on To Baldly Go, we continue our first-time watchthrough of Star Trek: The Next Generation with Captain’s Holiday, Tin Man, and Hollow Pursuits. This week we get: - An archaeological adventure looking for artifacts from the future - All the elements to make a great episode, but just missing the mark - Impostor syndrome In Captain’s Holiday, Picard takes some much-needed time away from the Enterprise, only to end up pulled into a time-travel archaeological adventure. We discuss the difficulties of time-travel stories, whether Picard is too trusting, unexpected chemistry between actors and characters, Star Trek shovels, Parks and Rec, and the real-life ramifications from this episode. In Tin Man, we talk about an episode that seems to have so many of the right ingredients, but never quite comes together the way it should. We get into The Story of the Tin Woodsman, fairy tales, the lack of tension, the music, strange sound-effect techniques, the number 47, and Starship Farragut. Finally, in Hollow Pursuits, we meet Barclay and discuss impostor syndrome, holodeck fantasies, unclear messaging, the fact that the holodeck apparently doesn’t lock, and whether the ending was inevitable. Join us as we discuss Captain’s Holiday, Tin Man, and Hollow Pursuits. Find us on X @BaldlyGoPodcast, on Facebook at To Baldly Go Podcast, and at tobaldlygopodcast.com.

This week on To Baldly Go, Aaron and Nate continue Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 3 with The Offspring, Sins of the Father, and Allegiance. We get a major Data episode that leads to a surprising split in ratings, a huge leap forward in Klingon lore, and a Picard mystery that feels a little like Star Trek: Among Us. This week we get: - Humanity and parenting - The Scarlet K - Do intentions matter? In The Offspring, Data creates a child, leading us into questions about humanity, parenting, knowledge, understanding, and whether this is one of the better “is Data alive?” stories. In Sins of the Father, Worf is pulled into Klingon politics, family history, and a major cultural reckoning that could fundamentally change his future. And in Allegiance, Picard is placed in a strange test of identity, authority, and intention, while an imperfect copy of him causes problems back on the Enterprise. Join us for another first-time reaction discussion as we continue our release-order watchthrough of Star Trek.

This week on To Baldly Go, we continue our first-time watch of Star Trek: The Next Generation with Season 3, Episodes 13-15: Deja Q, A Matter of Perspective, and Yesterday’s Enterprise. This week we get: Q becomes human and mortal Judicial standards in the 24th century A masterpiece? In Deja Q, Q returns to the Enterprise stripped of his powers and forced to experience life as a human. We talk about Q growing on Aaron, the relationship between Q and Picard, Data explaining the human experience to Q, and Q explaining experiencing the human experience to Data. In A Matter of Perspective, Riker finds himself accused of murder, and the Enterprise crew must work through competing versions of the same events. We discuss whether anyone really wants to be in court in the 24th century, burden of proof, hearsay, and how being wrong does not necessarily mean someone is lying. And then we arrive at Yesterday’s Enterprise, widely considered one of the best episodes in all of Star Trek. We discuss the return of Tasha Yar, the alternate version of the Enterprise-D, Picard refusing to surrender, and why this episode shows exactly what this medium can do when Star Trek is firing on all cylinders.

In this lost episode of To Baldly Go, we return to early Star Trek: The Next Generation with Season 1’s “The Big Goodbye,” “Datalore,” and “Angel One.” This week we get a decent episode with a weak close, a possible “Enemy Within” redux, and an episode that may be a bit too clever for its own good. We discuss Crusher’s strong showing in “The Big Goodbye,” the limits and missed potential of the holodeck, Brent Spiner’s excellent work in “Datalore,” Lore’s tell, Wesley’s role, and the strange execution of “Angel One.” We also wander into fake mystery novels, Sons of Anarchy, original-series movie lighting, Parks and Recollection, Romulan references, and Gates McFadden trivia.

In this episode of To Baldly Go, we continue Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 3 with “The Defector,” “The Hunted,” and “The High Ground.” This week, we get: One hell of an episode to come back to Have we seen this before? An interesting concept, poorly executed We start with “The Defector,” a tense Romulan story featuring the return of Tomalak, a powerful ending, Data performing Shakespeare, and a big step forward in Star Trek storytelling. Then, in “The Hunted,” we discuss what happens when soldiers are created for war and then abandoned afterward, with side trips into MKULTRA, The Original Series, James Cromwell, and Enterprise security procedures. Finally, “The High Ground” gives us an episode with a provocative concept that we wanted to like more than we did, raising questions about terrorism, perspective, historical references, and whether the execution lives up to the idea. Join us as we discuss the next three episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation on To Baldly Go Podcast.

This week on To Baldly Go, we continue our first-time watch of Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 3 with episodes 7 through 9: “The Enemy,” “The Price,” and “The Vengeance Factor.” This week, we get: Worf going against expectations The ethics of the empath Personal connections to Star Trek In “The Enemy,” Geordi is stranded with a Romulan on Galorndon Core, giving us a strong example of what Star Trek can do when it mixes survival drama, political tension, and character conflict. We talk about Worf’s surprising refusal, Romulans in Federation space, disability representation among Romulans, and how the episode deepens the lore. In “The Price,” the Ferengi are back, and Troi gets pulled into both a romantic story and a moral dilemma around empathic abilities. We discuss why this one does not really work for us, the creepier moments, and whether there was a version of this episode that could have landed better. In “The Vengeance Factor,” the Enterprise gets pulled into a murder mystery involving old feuds, tribalism, and revenge. We talk about Riker, Yuta, Worf’s very different relationship to vengeance, and why we are all the villain in somebody’s story. A bunch of generally solid episodes this week — even if one of them is definitely doing more heavy lifting than the others.

First-Time Watch – Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 03, Episodes 04-06 Welcome to another episode of the To Baldly Go Podcast, in which I – a newbie to the Star Trek universe – am watching through Star Trek from the beginning, in release order, and discussing with some of my long-time Trekkie friends. This week, we get: Explanations for things we don’t understand No man can step in the same river twice Human intuition We covered: Who Watches the Watchers The Bonding Booby Trap “Who Watches the Watchers” gives us a damaged Federation observation post, a pre-warp civilization, and a Prime Directive disaster that accidentally turns Captain Picard into a god figure. We talk through the episode’s critique of religion, whether that critique is fair, and how much of belief comes from trying to explain things we do not yet understand. “The Bonding” is a heavier episode centered on grief, loss, and a child trying to process the death of his mother. We discuss how difficult the episode is to get a clean read on, how life experience can change the way we receive a story, and why this may represent an important turning point for Star Trek: The Next Generation. “Booby Trap” traps the Enterprise in an ancient battlefield and gives Geordi a holographic engineering partner who helps him work through the problem. We get into the cool sci-fi premise, the uneven execution, Picard’s ship-in-a-bottle enthusiasm, Geordi being a bit creepy, and somehow end up talking about Tommy Boy, Chris Farley, John Candy, John Belushi, and Rick Moranis. Next time: Star Trek: The Next Generation S03E07-09 — The Enemy, The Price, and The Vengeance Factor.

First-Time Watch – Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 03, Episodes 01-03 Welcome to another episode of the To Baldly Go Podcast, in which I – a newbie to the Star Trek universe – am watching through Star Trek from the beginning, in release order, and discussing with some of my long-time Trekkie friends. This week, we get: Twister in space The less-funny Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy The Man Trap, Part 2 We covered: Evolution The Ensigns of Command The Survivors “Evolution” – What is life, anyway? Season 3 kicks off with what may be the most solid premiere episode of The Next Generation so far. Wesley’s experiment with nanites spirals into a crisis aboard the Enterprise, raising questions about intelligence, responsibility, and what qualifies as life. We also talk about Wesley owning his mistake, Nate — usually our resident Wesley apologist — having to wrestle with Wesley’s role in the crisis, the continued production-quality upgrade, Beverly’s return after a season away, baseball, vinyl versus streaming, and, of course, twister in space. “The Ensigns of Command” – Diplomacy, stubborn colonists, and excessive honesty Data is sent to evacuate a human colony before an alien race arrives to destroy them, but the colonists are not especially interested in being saved. What follows is part land-rights dispute, part diplomacy problem, and part lesson in creativity. We discuss whether you can save people who refuse to be saved, the value of guile in negotiation, Data’s brutally honest approach, and a little behind-the-scenes talk about ADR. “The Survivors” – Empathy for a monster The Enterprise finds an entire colony destroyed, except for two elderly survivors who remain mysteriously untouched. As the crew investigates, the episode becomes something stranger, darker, and more morally complicated than it first appears. We talk about how The Next Generation feels like it is operating at a higher level, Riker’s skepticism, the emotional weight of the reveal, and what happens when someone commits a crime so enormous that no law seems big enough to cover it. Season 3 is off to a really solid start. Next time: Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 3 continues with episodes 4-6: Who Watches the Watchers, The Bonding, and Booby Trap.

First-Time Watch – Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 02, Episodes 19-22 Welcome to another episode of the To Baldly Go Podcast, in which I – a newbie to the Star Trek universe – am watching through Star Trek from the beginning, in release order, and discussing with some of my long-time Trekkie friends. This week, we get: Betazoid chaos Klingon honor and worldbuilding Strategy, competition, and AI A very weird season finale We covered: Manhunt The Emissary Peak Performance Shades of Gray “Manhunt” – Lwaxana Troi returns to the Enterprise for an episode that is silly, awkward, and strangely effective. We talked about whether the comedy works, whether Lwaxana is basically the ultimate Boomer, and some of the odd Betazoid details the episode throws into the mix. “The Emissary” – A strong Worf-centered episode that adds real depth to Klingon culture, identity, and codes of honor. We talked about how K’Ehleyr completes Worf, Aaron’s confusion between this episode and the Deep Space Nine premiere, and yet another moment where ChatGPT failed us. “Peak Performance” – Strategy and competition take center stage as the Enterprise crew faces war games, shifting victory conditions, and Data confronting failure. That opened the door to discussion about knowing your opponent, Deep Blue and AlphaGo, AI versus humans in games, chess timers, and whether changing the rules is clever or just cheating. “Shades of Gray” – The infamous clip show finale gives us a weak setup, recycled footage, and a reminder that budget problems are very real. Even so, it gave us plenty to talk about, from Aaron’s wandering train of thought to whether clip shows are automatically bad in the first place. We also wrapped up Season 2 of The Next Generation, including Abbie ducking out while still giving the season a 10, whether sometimes less is more, and why this season may be greater than the sum of its parts. For Aaron, it also reinforced the sense that TNG is already showing greater depth than The Original Series. Next time: Star Trek TNG S03E01-03 — Evolution, The Ensigns of Command, and The Survivors

Star Trek V: The Final Frontier – “What Does God Need with a Starship?” | First Time Reaction – To Baldly Go Podcast First-Time Watch – Star Trek V: The Final Frontier Welcome to another episode of the To Baldly Go Podcast, in which I – a newbie to the Star Trek universe – am watching through Star Trek from the beginning, in release order, and discussing with some of my long-time Trekkie friends. This time, we get: Spock’s boots “The movie where they go to hell” Style over substance A few genuinely powerful moments in a very uneven movie We covered: Star Trek V: The Final Frontier In this episode, we talk about a movie that feels like it might have made a solid TV episode, but struggles to work as a feature film. Even so, it still gives us a few memorable character moments and some big ideas We discuss the group’s surprisingly consistent ratings, the movie’s reputation, the “Great Barrier” premise, reused sets, missing a key reveal thanks to Paramount+, and why the film seems to aim for something bold and philosophical but never quite lands. We also get into Rotten Tomatoes scores, trivia, quiz time, and whether directors’ cuts can really rescue a movie like this one. If you’re watching along with us, this is the one where they go looking for God.

Star Trek TNG S02E16-18 Q Who?, Samaritan Snare, Up the Long Ladder – “Nobody Asked Your Opinion” | First Time Reaction – To Baldly Go Podcast (Ep. 046) First-time watch of Star Trek: The Next Generation continues as we cover Season 2, Episodes 16–18. This week, we get: A new big bad Federation road trip “I think I’m a clone now” We covered: Q, Who? Samaritan Snare Up the Long Ladder Episode highlights: Q, Who? – First encounter with the Borg. A massive shift in tone as the Enterprise faces an enemy unlike anything before—and survives only through Q’s intervention. Samaritan Snare – Picard opens up about his past while Geordi and Wesley deal with the deceptively dangerous Pakleds. Up the Long Ladder – Two human colonies, two extremes: one rejects technology, the other depends on cloning. Classic Trek morality play—with mixed execution. Key discussion points: Experiencing the Borg reveal for the first time Q’s role and relationship with Picard Patrick Stewart putting on a masterclass The Pakleds: dumb… or not? Clones, autonomy, and ethics That very “Original Series” feel Final thoughts: A major new threat enters the picture Picard had a wild past Anti-technology protests… on a spaceship Next time: Star Trek V: The Final Frontier As always — Never give up! Never surrender!

Star Trek TNG S02E13-15: Time Squared, The Icarus Factor, Pen Pals – “Podunk Bunnyville” | First Time Reaction – To Baldly Go Podcast (Ep. 045) First-Time Watch – Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 2, Episodes 13–15 Welcome to another episode of the To Baldly Go Podcast, where I – a first-time Star Trek viewer – watch through the series in release order and discuss it with long-time Trekkie friends. This week, we get: • Thoughts of Interstellar • Family reunions • Violations of the Prime Directive We covered: • Time Squared • The Icarus Factor • Pen Pals “Time Squared” – Would you like to meet your future self? The Enterprise encounters a shuttle containing Captain Picard from six hours in the future. As a strange spatial distortion pulls them in, the crew must unravel a temporal paradox before it’s too late. “The Icarus Factor” – Character over career Riker is offered command of his own ship and must confront unresolved tension with his father, while Worf explores his Klingon heritage in a parallel story of identity. “Pen Pals” – One does not simply walk into Mordor! Data forms a secret friendship with a young girl on a doomed pre-warp planet, forcing the crew to confront the ethical boundaries of the Prime Directive. Things we discussed: • Patrick Stewart playing two Picards • Picard, Riker, and leadership dynamics • Riker’s father and family tension • Worf’s background and Klingon culture • Violating the Prime Directive • Wesley’s growth and leadership • Defining “interference” • When and why we break the rules • Is Data an existential threat? • Philosophy as a people-centered exercise • Lord of the Rings trivia and randomness Additional discussion: • Remembering 9/11 • Bottle-feeding kittens • Studying the moon Final thoughts: • It’s hard to solve problems we can’t clearly define • Icarus wasn’t just warned about flying too high—but also too low • Somehow, a pre-warp civilization has tech the Federation lacks As always—Never give up! Never surrender!

Star Trek TNG S02E10-12 The Dauphin, Contagion, The Royale – “Junk Food Episodes” | First Time Reaction – To Baldly Go Podcast (Ep. 044) First-Time Watch – Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 2, Episodes 10–12 Welcome to another episode of the To Baldly Go Podcast, where I — a newcomer to the Star Trek universe — am watching through the entire franchise from the beginning, in release order, alongside my long-time Trekkie friends. This week we discuss: • Shape-shifters, first love, and growing up • A Starfleet-level phishing test gone wrong • Ancient Iconian technology and looming threats • Romulans + Neutral Zone tension • A story trapped inside a story • “Junk Food Episodes” — not great, but still fun • Worf constantly ready for a fight Episodes covered: • The Dauphin – Wesley’s first romance comes with unexpected complications when his love interest isn’t what she seems. • Contagion – A deadly computer virus spreads through starships as the Enterprise uncovers ancient Iconian technology near the Neutral Zone. • The Royale – The away team gets trapped inside a badly written novel and must play along to escape. We also talk about: • Worf getting humbled (and wanting revenge) • Riker and Guinan moments • Star Trek logic vs. “dumb decisions” • Acceptable ambiguity in storytelling • Deep dive tea discussion • How many idioms we’re still using from centuries ago This week introduced a new category: “Junk Food Episodes” — episodes that may not be great, but are still enjoyable for what they are. Even when TNG stumbles a bit, it continues carving out its own identity separate from The Original Series. As always — Never give up. Never surrender.

Star Trek TNG S02E07-09 Unnatural Selection, A Matter of Honor, The Measure of a Man – “If You Don’t Give this Episode at Least a Six…” | First Time Reaction – To Baldly Go Podcast (Ep. 043) First-Time Watch – Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 2, Episodes 7–9 Welcome to another episode of the To Baldly Go Podcast, where I — a newcomer to the Star Trek universe — am watching through the entire franchise from the beginning, in release order, alongside my long-time Trekkie friends. This week we discuss: • The ethics of genetic engineering • Riker serving aboard a Klingon Bird-of-Prey • Whether Data is truly a person • Picard surrendering the Enterprise… again • Klingon culture and honor • Transporters as video-game checkpoints • One of the greatest episodes in Star Trek history? Episodes covered: • Unnatural Selection – Genetic research leads to a rapidly aging disease that infects the Enterprise crew, forcing them to find a cure before it’s too late. • A Matter of Honor – Riker joins a Klingon crew in a rare officer exchange program and must prove he belongs among the warriors of the Empire. • The Measure of a Man – A courtroom battle determines whether Data is Starfleet property… or a sentient individual with rights. We also talk about: • Klingon worldbuilding • Pulaski’s evolving relationship with Data • Star Trek courtroom drama • Nate threatening to quit the podcast • Why some actors are forever tied to the first role we saw them in This week gave us a solid episode followed by two of the best episodes we’ve seen yet. Season 2 is definitely starting to find its stride. As always — Never give up. Never surrender.

First-Time Watch – Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 2, Episodes 4–6. Welcome to the To Baldly Go Podcast, where I experience Star Trek for the first time by watching the entire franchise in release order with some long-time Trekkie friends. This week we discuss: Picard joking about surrendering… or is he? When a disability becomes an advantage Where does our humanity really lie? Data trying to learn stand-up comedy Geordi’s choice and Troi’s abilities Nepotism in Starfleet? Transporter capabilities Consciousness and identity The disturbing origin story of the Tin Woodsman Episodes covered: The Outrageous Okona Loud as a Whisper The Schizoid Man Some episodes swing for the fences and miss. Others ask deeper questions about communication, identity, and what it means to be human. This week gives us a mix of both. What we learned this week: Worf is already more effective than Tasha ever was Prompting people is a lot like prompting AI The Tin Woodsman story from the original Wizard of Oz is deeply unsettling TNG still feels like it’s discovering its identity, but it’s getting closer. As always: Never give up. Never surrender.

Star Trek TNG S2E01-03 – The Child, Where Silence Has Lease, Elementary, Dear Data “Not Very Effective” | First-Time Reaction – To Baldly Go Podcast (Ep. 041) Season 2 begins… and Riker grows the beard. This week, I continue my first-ever watch of Star Trek in release order, joined by my long-time Trekkie friends. We’re covering: The Child – Space curiosity, questionable execution, and character shifts Where Silence Has Lease – A void, a godlike entity, and questions about reality Elementary, Dear Data – Sherlock Holmes, self-aware holodecks, and AI vs. humanity We discuss: Whether The Child is truly that bad Primitive humanity in the face of cosmic beings Another version of Q? AI debates in the 1980s… that sound exactly like today Data, originality, and what it really means to understand Plus: Star Trek vs. Star Wars trivia, Abbie officially loving the crew, and why “effective” became the word of the day. A generally strong start to Season 2 — The Child notwithstanding.

Star Trek TNG S1E24–26 – “The Biggest Trekkie” | First-Time Reaction | To Baldly Go Podcast (Ep. 040) We’ve reached the end of Season 1 of Star Trek: The Next Generation — and apparently… I’m now the biggest Trekkie on the podcast. In Episode 040 of The To Baldly Go Podcast, we break down: “We’ll Always Have Paris” “Conspiracy” “The Neutral Zone” This week’s highlights include: Exceptional mediocrity Practical effects worthy of a Michael Scott production Alien parasites and exploding heads A Romulan setup that could have been great Cryogenically frozen 20th-century humans Writers’ strike fallout all over the place “We’ll Always Have Paris” So mediocre… we barely had notes. We discuss Picard’s backstory, time paradox implications, and why this episode somehow left all of us shrugging. “Conspiracy” Federation intrigue. Paranoia. Callbacks. And special effects that feel like they wandered in from Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan — with just a touch of Threat Level Midnight. Is there still an existential threat lurking in the shadows? “The Neutral Zone” The Romulans return… sort of. What could have been a massive episode instead feels crammed with side stories that dilute the tension. Missed opportunity? Writers’ strike casualty? Both? TNG Season 1 Wrap-Up We close out the season with: Season 1 trivia & quiz Robin Williams discussion (including why you should not watch Whose Line Is It Anyway? post-appendectomy) Full Season 1 retrospective And the shocking revelation that I may now be the most committed Star Trek fan on our little away team Having now completed: Star Trek: The Original Series Star Trek: The Animated Series Four original films And Season 1 of TNG …it feels less like the end of something and more like the beginning. Unlike TOS Season 1, which felt like it peaked, TNG feels like it’s just getting started. Season 2 begins next week. Never give up. Never surrender.

This week on the To Baldly Go Podcast: Smart devices try to kill us. Star Trek does an after-school special about drugs. And a main character dies… suddenly. We’re discussing: TNG S1E21 – Arsenal of Freedom TNG S1E22 – Symbiosis TNG S1E23 – Skin of Evil Topics include: Thanking Alexa Nate hating Geordi The Prime Directive vs. addiction Evil space pharmaceutical reps Stoicism and sudden loss Armus vs. Jigsaw The 24-treatment for shocking deaths These and more as first-time reactions meet veteran Trek opinions

This week: Home Soil, Coming of Age, Heart of Glory Devil in the Dark, redux? Ugly bags of mostly water What is life? Is Data alive? Is Data human? Is Data just ChatGPT in a synthetic skin suit? I step away while Abbie and Nate continue the conversation, looking ahead to things I haven’t seen The love of being wrong Observations of ADR and television production Picard’s maturity Distinct storylines that don’t come together Series continuity Worf the Stoic A Gentleman in Moscow I relate to the bad guy – sort of Sometimes life isn’t fair Only competing against yourself Starfleet entrance exams. What is the test? Worf isn’t yet who Abbie remembers The challenge of Tasha Yar Geordi-vision Nate is the biggest nerd on the podcast Death in the Federation Is TNG better than TOS at this point? Picard, the hot head

This week: 11001001, Too Short a Season, When the Bough Breaks Nate concedes a point Season 1 has been underwhelming, but we have the best episode yet More commentary on the medium of network or syndicated TV The holodeck Abbie’s anesthesia dream Deliberate scientific inaccuracies in Star Trek An unrelated story in the Star Trek universe 21st century ozone hole An appropriate use for Wesley What is a society? Stories that would work for other series Nate really hates Code of Honor Looking ahead

This week: Ferengi less cartoonish Still difficult to take them seriously as adversaries Lore and worldbuilding Nate sees Picard giving up early A/B storylines and storytelling in Star Trek Improvements in the medium over the 1960s Suspension of disbelief and faster than light travel Solar system versus other star systems Nostalgia Music in Next Gen Returning characters Q is kind of weird Using Q to explore human nature Assuming Q isn’t gone More solar system discussion We’re nerds Personal anecdotes about mutual friends Reusing footage from other episodes and movies Season 1 released immediately in syndication “Bill” Riker? Security lapses Character actors Thoughts on Lwaxana More worldbuilding and lore Filming order Things we miss from The Original Series Conflict in Star Trek

This week: A tribute to Scott Adams Where No One Has Gone Before, Lonely Among Us, Justice Abbie realizes how annoying Wesley is Similar to The Original Series, but different enough Thoughts and prayers to get home What is the time range of this iteration of the Enterprise? Curiosity Stoic philosophy Self-proclaimed experts and hubris Confidence without arrogance A body-swap episode?  No way! Sherlock Data Sometimes efforts and attempts just don’t work Security fails again Detectives’ Credo and Bayesian analysis Unbelievable!!!!! The Movie rabbit hole (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIaySADwGp4) A better job telling an ok story Prime Directive Captain’s Calculus Did Picard consider just surrendering the ship? Life is an exercise in exceptions Wesley is smart but naïve The death penalty Broken Window Theory

In this episode: The Naked Now, Code of Honor, The Last Outpost I feel like we’ve seen this before An homage? Gregg’s 9s and 10s and his one problem with the series Gregg doesn’t like Wesley Stories are more refined Too early to have a “different characters” episode? Visionary vs executor Aaron’s Data moment Feeling like Original Series episodes Issues with Tasha Yar Even bad Star Trek is still great Star Trek Prime Directive discussion Minimal character development and bad storytelling Terrible ship security The Ferengi TNG villains Picard surrendered the Enterprise TNG vs TOS beginnings Expectations moving forward Swearing in Star Trek Excited for more

In this episode: The premiere of Star Trek: The Next Generation – Encounter at Farpoint Joined by my old friend, Gregg Gregg’s background with Star Trek Felt like a pilot episode, but overall good Original Series comparisons Star Trek feel with a much bigger scope A hopeful future with a bleak near-term view Gregg rates a 9 and says it can only go up from here Nate’s old technical manuals Next Generation trailer Target demographics Who is the main character? Differences between the two series Androids and AI My questions or things I hope to see What we are all looking forward to Interesting characters Wesley discussion Nate was the captain of the quiz bowl team in high school

This episode we discuss: Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home Didn’t go full Captain Planet Nate surprised by his rating Felt like a long episode Ralph Winter – producer Chekov in 1980s San Francisco The pitfalls of knowing there is more to come Plot holes No butterfly effect? Different timelines? A Commander Random sighting Plot devices vs. realistic story progress Star Trek: Movie Memories – by William Shatner Sulu’s lost movie moment Eddie Murphy in Star Trek? Nate is not a biologist Trivia Production battles Similarities with Star Trek: The Motion Picture Other time travel stories – Stephen King’s 22.63 Home video release included a trailer for Star Trek: The Next Generation

In this episode we discuss: No more Animated Series Enjoying the dialogue more upon second viewing How Abbie remembers Star Trek Two years thinking Spock was dead Leonard Nimoy directs Curse of the odd-numbered Star Trek films Choppy scenes missing the emotional, dramatic effect Another Yeoman Rand-om sighting Sacrificing the Enterprise Krug – the Klingon John Wick? A compelling villain Extra-Kirk What happened to Spock’s body? Star Trek IV trailer Ferngully in space? Time travel done right Trivia

This week, Nate and I discuss: The Emmy-award winning Star Trek: The Animated Series Stopped rating the episodes Less than the sum of its parts? A bad series Animated Series as punishments Spaceships and aliens Target demographics Shortcomings of TAS No Chekov The great episode of TAS – a top episode for the franchise to this point Political implications of airing certain episodes Is TAS canon? Life support belts Kirk was the Devil’s advocate? Missing charm and disjointed dialogue Unrealized potential What non-Star-Trek fans think Star Trek is Felt like the Gorn fight from Arena TAS trivia Nate’s Star Trek models Star Trek production guide Looking ahead to Next Generation Planning future podcast discussions and watch order

In this episode Abbie, Nate, and I discuss: Final seven episodes of The Original Series Another episode it feels like we’ve seen before Fairy Tale by Stephen King Abbie wanted to DNF episodes Creepy, ick factor Valentine’s Day Star Trek episode Worst episode of The Original Series DC Fontana Qualified ratings – a “Season 3” Seven Mixed messaging Space Lincoln Anti-war, but winning a war at all costs A real, not real Abraham Lincoln speech When do we learn to not fear words? An ok episode, but terrible series finale – but does that say more about today? And just like that, it’s over Better than Nate remembered Greater than the sum of its parts Unprecedented If it was more successful initially, would we be talking about it today? Remembering the good moments and forgetting the negatives Original Series trivia Up next

This week I am joined by my wife, Abbie, and our friend, Nate, as we discuss: Let that Be Your Last Battlefield, The Mark of Gideon, and That Which Survives The Trouble with Tribbles story Elaan of Troyius recap now that Abbie is back Overt messaging in shows Star Trek without Gene Roddenberry Is a good message enough to carry an episode? A Captain’s responsibility to keep the ship out of enemy hands Great Enterprise security The transporter as a weapon Nuclear codes in history Strangelove A good message – “Don’t hate” Terrible movies with heavy-handed messaging Watching people watch people on TV Episode context What is the call to action in this episode? Being extra-Spock Spock needs to be more precise Abbie gets attacked by a kitten The Tunguska Event Another callout to The Beginning of Infinity Limits on human knowledge? A victim of the medium at the time? The decline of the series Over Warp 14 More multi-culturalism on the Enterprise A game plan to finish The Original Series Planning a Star Trek trivia challenge Looking ahead to The Next Generation Abbie fires some shots at DS9 Nate throws down the gauntlet for the best episode ending in all of Star Trek A Star Trek producer spoke in my video production class in college Something about whales

This week we discuss: The Empath, Elaan of Troyius, and Whom Gods Destroy Star Trek: Saw What do you do if you have limited resources and can’t save everyone? Low-percentage vs no-percentage Intellect alone is not sufficient Kirk acting in slow motion? Book recommendation – Shadow Divers – don’t get the bends! Star Trek’s Helen of Troy? Stories about things that the stories aren’t about Elaan hit first Tony Soprano is a bad person who does bad things Kirk has bad moments but isn’t a bad guy How was non-slapstick violence received in the late-1960s? Old tropes that are uncommon today Power struggles over resources When does the Prime Directive apply? Warp speed, physics, and suspension of disbelief Baggage when watching Star Trek A Spaceballs connection Litmus tests for how much I enjoy an episode Two Kirks and memories of X-men Pirates of the Caribbean and too much of a good thing Ensemble strength Powerful, yet helpless. Art imitating reality Episodes that are less than the sum of their parts Fan fiction from a simple line The Cochrane Deceleration High-stress turns in space? Planning some competitive trivia

This week we discuss: The Tholian Web, Plato’s Stepchildren, and Wink of an Eye We continue last week’s debate and how Nate is wrong A traditional Star Trek episode Ratings with qualifiers Episode and series hero journeys Scotty the full-blown alcoholic? A weak spot in the episode? Explaining to the audience instead of the characters Grown-up storytelling Shatner stepping back in an episode Could this have been a TNG episode? Star Trek memorabilia at auction Scotty’s hair Another back-in-time episode First television inter-racial kiss, at least in the US Abbie wants internal consistency Subtle vs overt messaging in shows then and now Motor control vs mind control We can again see why the series was canceled Things that take us out of the story Inception and X-Men did it better Star Trek Customizable Card Game How the series was experienced in the late-1960s Cinematography Kirk’s coffee Why didn’t they harness the power when they had the antidote? Abbie is refusing to watch The Animated Series Star Trek graphic novel Getting rid of Kirk? Hanlon’s Razor? A Waffle House story

In this episode, we discuss: Spectre of the Gun, The Day of the Dove, and For the World is Hollow and I have Touched the Sky Budget issues during Season 3? Nate is over the non-spacey episodes Some bourbon discussion Klingons with swords Nate rejects the premise of the episode Nate nearly rage quits the podcast over the IMDB rating I claim victory in the discussion We’ve seen this episode before A Star Trek Sith Lord Who is pulling the strings? How does Kirk run into the same Klingon multiple times? Captain Uhura? Truth, religion, and dogma Prime Directive Is Bones married? Characters are always safe (except the redshirts) Similarities to other shows

In this episode, we discuss: Abbie and I had an opportunity to watch Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan and a Q&A session with William Shatner For a 92-year-old man, Shatner was ranting and raving and moving around pretty well An education in COPD and lung disease The impact of the Actors’ Strike on the show Stories about bow hunting and pranks on DeForest Kelley Getting pulled over dressed as Captain Kirk No shit, Shatner! Shatner was what we expected. A master of his craft Curiosity Seeing the movie in the theater was a trip A better appreciation for the movie on a second viewing The experience of watching this kind of movie in that kind of setting A great movie in its own right. But even better for a Star Trek movie Felt like Star Trek Shatner’s thoughts about Star Trek: The Motion Picture Space Seed holds up Movie reshoots after leaks Gene Roddenberry intrigue Kirk’s forgotten plots Leonard Nimoy was ready to be done as Spock Why is the Genesis technology a threat in Khan’s hands? Vulcans can cry? Learning why things work on a Starship. If you don’t know why, you can’t adapt.  You can’t be creative William Shatner and George Takei don’t get along Ricardo Montelban’s real chest Character names changed because of clerical errors Continuing voyages of ongoing missions… Original story proposal TV in the ‘90s

In this episode, we discuss: The Paradise Syndrome, And the Children Shall Lead, and Is There in Truth no Beauty? Star Trek: Renegades Other TV discussion The worst episode yet? Was life in the past better than life today? Life without Advil… House spoilers Tahiti Syndrome Differences between cultural appropriation and cultural assimilation Greek mythology Kirk’s fear We decide on an episode title Without followers, evil cannot spread Star Trek and Zodiac connections Do we see reality for what it is? Or for what is useful? Sciencey-sounding words Beauty What could go wrong? Smart decisions and storytelling Trying different technical things in the episode The IDIC medallion Word salad Spock’s French Stewart eyes? Completely unrelated music discussion Nate and I discover our mutual love of Blues Traveler

In this week’s episode, we discuss: Star Trek: The Motion Picture, Spock’s Brain, and The Enterprise Incident The movie worked a lot better on a big TV than The Original Series Strong opening to the movie Klingons look and seem very different Enterprise porn Remastered version of the movie – probably looked better on my TV at home than it would have in the theater Characters felt different What somebody who doesn’t know anything about Star Trek might think Star Trek is like William Shatner doing a Captain Kirk impersonation Differences between the series and the movie For all the criticism of the movie, it was stunning Is human consciousness just a physics and chemistry question? Some timely Oscars talk – debating Avatar vs. The Hurt Locker Absurd moments for a Star Trek episode Future technological understanding Was Gene Roddenberry holding up a mirror to society? Star Trek and Black Mirror Star Trek as a Trojan horse Mutual respect with the Romulans? Lies of omission Space pirates The Vulcan Death Grip Genetic similarities between Vulcans and Romulans Self-destructing Enterprise A pleasant surprise for early season 3

Welcome to another episode of the To Baldly Go Podcast. As usual, I am joined by my wife, Abbie, and our friend Nate, as we discuss: The final two episodes of Season 2: Bread and Circuses and Assignment: Earth Abbie is over The Original Series More episodes we feel like we’ve seen before Prime Directive Kirk’s character judging abilities Parallel development vs Earth influence Religious references Dropping the things that worked in Season 1 South Park: Cartoon Wars and Star Trek Mad Libs Will Abbie still enjoy other Star Trek series after this? Will I become a bigger Trekkie than Abbie? Our scoring system is like Who’s Line is it Anyway? Would Kirk risk his crew to save Spock and Bones? Another Gene Roddenberry episode Are fun character traits a crutch? Lazy? Do Star Trek characters make something a Star Trek story? Spinoffs! Do Star Trek and Doctor Who take place in the same universe? How shows are influenced by the time in which they are made Top shows from the late 1960s Fewer “timeless” stories in Season 2 More discussion about technological evolution faster than biological evolution Bioshock spoilers The choice of character names can tell a lot Overall ratings of season 2 Different ways to experience TV Our next plans