Trek By The Numbers

Episodes

1. 75

   TBTN 70: Stocks, Bonds, and I-ROC Zs

   We genuinely can't figure out what Gul Dukat would drive. He's too complex to distill down to a single car.

   Jan 27, 2021

   55m
2. 74

   TBTN 69: The book is called "The Wealth of Nations"

   Josh can't remember the title of the most notorious book in (neo)liberal economics, which really sets the tone for this discussion of property rights.

   Jan 21, 2021

   55m
3. 73

   TBTN 68.9: Seeking joy in a ceaseless void

   Things got off the rails but it seemed appropriate, given the attempted coup and all. It's a scary world, find some comfort with us.

   Jan 14, 2021

   56m
4. 72

   TBTN 68: The Hauer Power Hour with Billy Farts

   Discovery Season 3 is Actually Good. That's it. There is no joke. If you (understandably) got turned off by season 1 & 2, check out season 3. And hey kid, grab yourself some cubed meats.

   Dec 30, 2020

   1h 26m
5. 71

   TBTN 67: How much latinum for ear pics?

   Andorians, those fun blue folks with antennae? They're not supposed to have ears, but sometimes they do. And when they do... We're also drinking deep of wisdom of Jeffrey Combs this episode.

   Dec 16, 2020

   57m
6. 70

   TBTN 66: Into the Clancyverse

   Oh, I'm sorry - you thought this was going to be about the Klingon High Council? No no no, it's all about Tom Clancy and Chris Isaak.

   Dec 10, 2020

   59m
7. 69

   TBTN: A Very Special Insurrection

   With friend of the show, Jesse Balzer! In honor of Thanksgiving, we're covering the TNG movie Insurrection, because it's about the forced relocation of peoples at the hands of a hegemonic power. Above all else, remember: Mr. Baaku, may I?

   Nov 25, 2020

   1h 49m
8. 68

   TBTN 64: Wesley Crusher & Big Shrimp

   We tried talking about mundane things on the ship, but all we got was Makeout Point, cigarette burns in the battle bridge, and Big Shrimp.

   Nov 18, 2020

   1h 03m
9. 67

   TBTN 63: Behind The Neck with Gul Skrain Dukat

   See it's like Behind the Music but it's the Neck.

   Nov 11, 2020

   53m
10. 66

    TBTN 62: A Brighter Tomorrow Where Counting Votes Isn't Controversial

    Election Special live from Skrain, AL! We talk about how the Federation, as a government, functions.

    Nov 5, 2020

    52m
11. 65

    TBTN 61: Dr. Crusher's Pretty Good Weed

    Who is Doctor Crusher, really? Turns out she's a good doctor, an ok-to-middling mother, and an expert botanist. Too bad Picard stabbed her husband with a Nausicaan. Follow us: @TrekByNumbers

    Oct 28, 2020

    1h 04m
12. 64

    TBTN 60: Riker's Holo-Daddies

    Riker is a tragic character:daddy issues, low self-esteem, and a prisoner of his own libido. He can't make real connections or friends, even though he's surrounded by colleagues that respect him. It's a sad tale, told by idiots; full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.

    Oct 21, 2020

    1h 08m
13. 63

    TBTN 59: Barclay's Musketeer Kissing Program

    Barclay. What's that guy's deal? He seems nice, at least. Does he get a happy ending? We turn to the "beta canon" novels to find out.

    Oct 14, 2020

    1h 19m
14. 62

    TBTN 58: Miles Does a Violence

    Miles sure loves yelling at babies. Ghosts have taken over the bodies of 3 officers (androids are susceptible to ghosts?) and want only to escape their eternal imprisonment and torture. Picard says "lol, no" and that's that. But yeah, Miles holds his family at gunpoint in a surprisingly smart...

    Feb 17, 2020

    54m
15. 61

    TBTN 57: Honor Among Nick Tate

    NickTate.com is here to put in a delightfully heartfelt performance in a very stupid episode of DS9, so turn off your brain and enjoy NickTate.com's performance as Miles, working as an intelligence asset with the worst handler ever, befriends and betrays the Loneliest Mobster.

    Feb 10, 2020

    47m
16. 60

    TBTN 56: How long until Picard becomes elderly abuse?

    There's some new Trek on the horizon, and it's.... kinda good so far? At least the first episode is! We unpack it, we throw out some brilliant ideas (Alex, call us), and we say stupid things.

    Feb 3, 2020

    42m
17. 59

    TBTN 55: Miles Yeets Molly Down A Well

    We did it, everyone. We made it to The Episode We Always Make Oblique References To. The one where Miles O'Brien hucks his daughter through a time vortex, and also yells at a baby. This also begins our examination of the Life and Times of Miles Edward O'Brien.

    Jan 27, 2020

    1h 04m
18. 58

    TBTN Back At It Again

    Hey, how are you, huh? How were the holidays? Did you go to your aunt's..? Oh, I see. Yes, nice to see other parts of the family too. Oh, me? Well...

    Jan 13, 2020

    55m
19. 57

    TBTN 53: The Wrath of Khan, pt2

    It's more Khan, bay-BEE!

    Nov 25, 2019

    52m
20. 56

    TBTN 52: The Wrath of Khan pt1

    Part 1 of the Thanksgiving Special is here for you with return of friend-of-the-show Joe. It's The Wrath of Khan, the one legitimately good Star Trek movie. And it's such a treat. Enjoy and thank YOU for listening.

    Nov 18, 2019

    50m
21. 55

    TBTN 51: Klingons! "Broken Bow" (ENT)

    "Bow" like "bow," not "bow." Anyway, this is the first episode of our new arc: KLINGON HISTORY! And for sake of fun, we're following in-universe chronology with this arc, so it's Enterprise first. Trip and Archer get VERY passive aggressive with T'Pol, and we try to figure out how Enterprise…

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    Nov 11, 2019

    1h 23m
22. 54

    TBTN 50: LOVE! "Threshold" (VOY)

    Happy 50th episode, everyone. We've got something slimy and uncomfortable for you: the one where Tom Paris & Captain Janeway turn into lizards from going too fast and they *do it.* Also, look out for PEPPERONI, and Tuvok goes fly fishing.

    Nov 4, 2019

    1h 24m
23. 53

    TBTN 49: LOVE! "The Empath" (TOS)

    Coming to you live from the Des Moines Community Players playhouse, it's The Empath. Kirk, Spock, and Bones find a mute woman lying on a chez lounge in a void and, after some brutal torture, teach a pair of aliens about love and compassion. We pitch a new Riker show, and we discuss Geordi's gait.

    Oct 29, 2019

    1h 06m
24. 52

    TBTN 48: LOVE! The Dauphin (TNG)

    Welcome to our new arc: Love in the 24th Century. Poor Wesley Crusher. It's the classic "boy meets girl, girl is a shapeshifting ball of light" story. He tries to get help from the adults around him, but they just keep screwing with him. Also: Riker pitches a new video game, and Worf finds a new...

    Oct 21, 2019

    1h 27m
25. 51

    TBTN 47.5: Moonraker 2: The Cucumber Sandwich Files

    Can I tempt you with a cucumber sandwich? No? In this episode, we wrap up on out Moonraker discussion, which is the best-worst Bond film with also the thriftiest expository dialogue. But... can I tempt you with a cucumber sandwich?

    Oct 14, 2019

    1h 26m
26. 50

    TBTN 47: SPECIAL Moonraker (1979) pt1

    For this, our 47th episode, we offer you Moonraker in all its glory. Because why not? If you haven't seen it recently, you're really missing out...

    Oct 7, 2019

    1h 15m
27. 49

    TBTN 46: Time Travel! "Time's Arrow Part 2" TNG

    Data's head done popped off. Mark Twain pulls a gun on Captain Picard after spending some time alone with a young Jack London. Snake sock puppets. And maybe a weird reference to a cult? Anyway, here's the conclusion of Time Travel! Catch us next week for our episode 47 special: Moonraker.

    Sep 30, 2019

    59m
28. 48

    TBTN 45: Time Travel! "Time's Arrow Part 1" TNG

    Oh boy oh boy are we going to wrap up our Time Travel arc. TNG. Data. The past. Guinan. Mark Twain. "BIG MONEY" MARC ALAIMO. What more could you ask for? I mean, honestly! It's so good to be back after being away.

    Sep 30, 2019

    52m
29. 47

    TBTN 44: Time Travel! "Far Beyond the Stars" DS9

    Top tier Star Trek in this episode. Truly. Is he Captain Benjamin Sisko, or Benny Russell, a struggling black science fiction writer living on Earth in the 1950s? Heavy, thoughtful stuff that brings an insightful conversation to broadcast TV. Next week we'll be back to the goof-a-minute stuff…

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    Aug 5, 2019

    58m
30. 46

    TBTN Talks: Picard and DISC Season 2

    In this episode we alienate our two biggest fanbases: fans of the Canadian pop punk band Sum 41 and the Wahlberg brothers. You know, the hamburger guys? And we sorta talk about the Picard trailer, what it's for and what we can learn from a single trailer. And we talk about Bob's favorite TNG...

    Jul 31, 2019

    49m
31. 45

    TBTN 43: Time Travel! "Storm Front" (p2) ENT

    Have you ever been bitten by your pet targ while out on the hunt? Then be sure to get some of Gowron's famous beef juice bandages! We finish up Storm Front, which is Enterprise finishing up the whole temporal cold war thing by literally shrugging and saying "chicken and egg?" It's ... great?

    Jul 22, 2019

    1h 17m
32. 44

    TBTN 42: Time Travel! "Storm Front" (p1) ENT

    Thrill as Manny Coto (of "24" fame) desperately tries to save the ailing series by utterly jettisoning the Temporal Cold War non-story. And he does it by riffing on TOS' "Patterns of Force" (aka the Nazi episode), which is a wild choice but ok. There's not-quite-Reman bat people that are trying…

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    Jul 15, 2019

    55m
33. 43

    TBTN 41: Time Travel! "Tomorrow is Yesterday" TOS

    Welcome to our new arc: TIME TRAVEL! I mean, you get it, right? I don't have to explain it. Ok? Good. Anyway, the Enterprise is thrown back in time by a black hole or something and then they abduct a guy and it's all very silly, but then they send him home. Or actually they probably scatter his...

    Jul 8, 2019

    1h 18m
34. 42

    TBTN 7/4 Special with Jesse Balzer: Nemesis (2002)

    Happy 4th of July week, people. To celebrate independence and freedom, we watched... Nemesis for some reason? It's Tom Hardy's first big role! Jesse's back and it's a great time talking about Nemesis and analyzing it. What an awful, awful movie! (CW: the movie depicts rape in a scene, and we...

    Jul 1, 2019

    2h 51m
35. 41

    TBTN 39.5: SPACE LAW! p5 "The Drumhead" TNG

    And now the conclusion of SPACE LAW!. We've seen incredible growth in these past 3 months, so THANK YOU! And please - tell your friends! Catch us next week with our 4th of July special. Friend-of-the-show Jesse will be back to enjoy (?) Star Trek Nemesis with us.

    Jun 24, 2019

    34m
36. 40

    TBTN 39: SPACE LAW! p5 "The Drumhead" TNG

    This is a big one. We've got everyone here to send us off for the end of SPACE LAW!. The Drumhead is so damned good that just couldn't stop talking about it. So we're splitting it into two episodes to avoid killing your data plan.

    Jun 24, 2019

    59m
37. 39

    TBTN 38: "Spock's Brain" w/ special guest Jesse Balzer

    This week we're taking a break from SPACE LAW! to bring you an episode with special guest Jesse Balzer of Ruining Trailers (https://bit.ly/2FaeXuU). We dive head first into the infamous "Spock's Brain" and in the end we learn that maybe we were Morg all along. Next week we'll wrap up SPACE LAW!...

    Jun 17, 2019

    1h 14m
38. 38

    TBTN 37: SPACE LAW! p4 - "Author, Author" VOY

    SPACE LAW! continues with a weird one. Need some tips for proper ponytail care? The Doctor wrote a holonovel, but the publisher claims he has to rights since The Doctor is a hologram. Bob drops knowledge on all sorts of law, and Josh admits he's not much of a pugilist. And hey, you may not like…

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    Jun 10, 2019

    1h 25m
39. 37

    TBTN 36: SPACE LAW! p3 "Rules of Engagement" DS9

    More SPACE LAW! Bob plugs a bartending school and Josh calls upon his knowledge of cheesy hair metal, and they both explore Ferengi multi-level marketing. Gowron and Worf having a major falling out over a boy. (Klingon courtship practices are complicated!) Bur at the heart of it all, this is a...

    Jun 3, 2019

    1h 13m
40. 36

    TBTN 35: SPACE LAW! p2 - "The First Duty" (TNG)

    More SPACE LAW! Wesley does a bad, maybe even so bad that someone dies: a cable knit avocado green sweater. Almost Tom Paris! Boothby! And air shows! And Egyptian cotton! Catch us next week for DS9's "Rules of Engagement" (S4e18).

    May 27, 2019

    51m
41. 35

    TBTN 34: SPACE LAW! p1 - "Devil's Due" TNG

    Get a sick pull off your vape for this one, dads. We're diving into SPACE LAW for our next arc and boy oh boy is it a good one with "Devil's Due." Bob makes a case for the Devil and Josh points out that the aliens are probably slavers. But really, Ardra was undone by her own hubris. Also, where's...

    May 13, 2019

    1h 18m
42. 34

    TBTN 33: Prime Directive p5 "Captive Pursuit" (DS9)

    The stirring conclusion of the Prime Directive arc! We dig into this real sleeper hit of a DS9 episode. The compassion, thoughtfulness, optimism are all here. And there's some decent action and some goofy costumes to boot. What's not to love? Next week we'll be starting our next arc: SPACE LAW!...

    May 6, 2019

    1h 19m
43. 33

    TBTN 31: Prime Directive p4 "Prototype" (VOY)

    We continue our exploration of the Prime Directive, but take a little detour to Little Italy on Qo'noS along the way. And we take a peak at some Voyager actors' Twitter feeds. Good stuff abound. Anyway, B'elanna makes a robot friend who turns out to be not much of a friend. Oops, robot war! Catch...

    Apr 29, 2019

    1h 11m
44. 32

    TBTN 31: Prime Directive p3 "Dear Doctor" (ENT)

    This week we continue our exploration of the Prime Directive by visiting a time and place without a Prime Directive. How noodly is your Phlox? Hey, remember how good Data's Day was? Well has the team responsible for Enterprise got something for *you!* Also, would you please boss Scott Bakula...

    Apr 22, 2019

    59m
45. 31

    TBTN 30: Prime Directive p2 "Pen Pals" (TNG)

    Hey you. Yes, you! YOU are the reason we do this show, and we are grateful for you. A teensy little favor, though. Share us with your friends? Tweet about/at us? Post on Facebook? Thanks! Anyway, we're onto part 2 of our Prime Directive arc with "Pen Pals." It's a great TNG episode with some…

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    Apr 15, 2019

    1h 13m
46. 30

    TBTN 29: Prime Directive pt1 "Patterns of Force" (TOS)

    WELCOME to our first arc: 5 Crucial Prime Directive episodes, starting with TOS "Patterns of Force" aka "Wow, the aliens are just Nazis, huh?" or "Why does Kirk keep saying 'Natzi?" The Prime Directive is seemingly simple - don't interfere with other cultures unless asked - but the application is...

    Apr 8, 2019

    1h 16m
47. 29

    TBTN 28: Stardate 2.4.11 "Data's Day" (TNG)

    Is this secretly a Crusher episode? How much summer sausage can you replicate? What about manflesh? Data's Day is a great episode of Trek, which is a kind respite for Bob & Josh. So good that we ended up going long. Catch us next week with the beginning of our new format, starting with 5 Crucial...

    Apr 1, 2019

    1h 22m
48. 28

    TBTN 27: Stardate 2.1.9 "Once Upon a Planet" (TAS)

    McCoy yearns for a simpler time when white people could live in houses built and maintained by slaves, then bemoans "females." The crew tells a computer how it should fight for its freedom. But hey, Josh wedged a "I am Kirok!" reference in here, so it can't be all bad. Join us next week for TNG...

    Mar 25, 2019

    45m
49. 27

    TBTN 26: Stardate 6.2.17 "Canamar" (ENT)

    What's in Johnny Frakes' snackle box? This episode of ENT really is an exemplar of a filler episode but at least we jazz it up with some "Panama" references for 45 minutes. We also enter into some high-level negotiations with CBS over more new Star Trek show, like a Golden Girls type show set...

    Mar 11, 2019

    50m
50. 26

    TBTN 25: Stardate 2.2.1 - The Pirates of Orion (TAS)

    Pop open a can of Diet Trek with us, and cozy on up to the TV to watch some NCIS. This is the episode where we finally lose that lucrative NERF money. What's there to talk about when the episode says so little? Our answer may surprise you! Check us next week with Stardate 6.2.17: Canamar (ENT)

    Mar 4, 2019

    43m