The Ready Room: A Star Trek Podcast
117: The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

For the Uniform.

We knew from the start that Benjamin Sisko had a temper. After all, he punched Q in the face in the sixth episode of the series. But if you really make Sisko mad he’ll do more than just punch you. He’ll chase you down in a broken ship and then try to punch a holographic projection of you. That’s what happened to Michael Eddington when he decided to escalate the Maquis-Starfleet conflict by sabotaging the Defiant and attacking a Cardassian colony with biogenic weapons. In this episode of The Ready Room we’re joined by Ben McCormick, Mike Schindler, and Max Hegel to discuss Peter Allan Fields’s futuristic take on Les Misérables, the extreme tactics of both Eddington and Sisko, and how this episode paves the way for another of Fields’s classics, “In the Pale Moonlight.” We also explore the creative communication methods employed in this story, including the holographic communicator and the shouting Ferengi. In news we get into the Halloween mood with our favorite scary or spooky Star Trek episodes, debate the results of a poll that asked which character should have died differently, take a look at a new Starfleet uniforms infographic, and hear a few tidbits about the next Star Trek film. 

Direct download: trr-117.mp3
Category:Deep Space Nine -- posted at: 9:00pm MDT

116: The Dyson Sphere In the Room

Relics.

Generations officially passed the baton from TOS to TNG on the big screen, but the relay began long before The Nexus swept away Kirk and Picard. Doctor McCoy appeared in "Encounter at Farpoint," Spock played a central role in "Unification," and Scotty was found hiding in a transporter buffer in "Relics." In this episode of The Ready Room we're joined by Larry Nemecek as well as Phillip Gilfus and Daniel Proulx from our TNG show Earl Grey to discuss the Enterprise-D's encounter with TOS's miracle worker, how Scotty serves as the true bridge between generations, and try to uncover where exactly Troi was the whole time a man from the past needed counselling.

In news we check in on the release date for the Enterprise Season Three Blu-rays, find out more about the behind-the-scenes creations of reunions and extras, discuss the TNG Season Five Blu-rays and the "Unification" feature release, and explore the chances of Star Trek returning to television soon—including the intertwined rights ownership between CBS and Paramount and the obstacles that Star Trek faces in making it back to the small screen. Plus, Larry gives us the lowdown on The Trekland Trunk. 

Direct download: trr-116.mp3
Category:The Next Generation -- posted at: 9:00pm MDT

115: The Cage 2: Electric Boogaloo

The Man Trap.

After "The Cage" was rejected by NBC, Gene Roddenberry was given an unprecedented second chance to bring Star Trek to the screen. Three new pilot outlines were written and finally one was chosen. The public's first glimpse of Star Trek was to take place on planet M-113—a world left deserted by a civilization with an apparent salt and stacking fetish—and tell a story that the studio felt was a safer first impression with its straightforward plot, monster action, and not-too-exotic setting.

In this episode of The Ready Room we're joined by Mike Schindler and Drew Stewart to discuss "The Man Trap," why it was chosen as the first episode to air, how it stacks up to the other choices both as science fiction and as an introduction to Roddenberry's concept, and how the franchise might have differed had it followed this episode's format and approach to alien life.

In news we learn about the next stop for Destination Star Trek—Frankfurt, Germany—how you can build your own NX class refit, look at the wide variety of 2014 Star Trek calendars, and discuss Bryan Fuller’s desire to bring Star Trek back to television—and what form that might take. Plus, we learn about Mike's get-rich-quick scheme involving his cat, an ink pad, and a Star Trek convention. 

Direct download: trr-115.mp3
Category:The Original Series -- posted at: 9:00pm MDT

114: A Statue People

Home.

Following the successful destruction of the Xindi weapon, Archer and the Enterprise crew returned home just as Picard and his crew did after defeating the Borg in "The Best of Both Worlds." Unlike Picard's crew, however, the men and women of the NX-01 returned to a world that was not entirely happy with what they represented. Hailed by many as heroes and by others as a threat to Earth's security, each had to come to terms with the events of the past year. For Archer it was the isolation at the top of the command chain while struggling to accept the change in his mission and what he was forced to do in The Expanse. For Phlox is was the sudden onset of xenophobia on Earth. And Trip? For him it was the realization that he was losing T'Pol. In this episode of The Ready Room we're joined by Matthew Rushing and Kate Walsh to discuss how "Home" brings the Xindi Arc to a close and sets up many of the threads explored in the fourth season. Along the way we find out how much Vulcans love their statues and that Porthos is a good listener.

In our news segment we look at the Enterprise Season Three Blu-ray trailer and cover art, get our pets ready for Starfleet duty, preview two tracks from Five Year Mission's upcoming album Year Three and tell you how you can help the band, and debate whether Spock or Data is the most human character in Star Trek. 

Direct download: trr-114.mp3
Category:Enterprise -- posted at: 9:00pm MDT

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