Mon, 26 June 2017
The Cloud Minders. Kirk has a history of getting involved in the domestic disputes of other worlds and trying to set the locals straight. That’s why the little Federation clean-up ship is always trailing the Enterprise. Of course, when the planet in question is a member of the Federation, is refusing to do its part to help another member world, and is torturing its own people, it’s a lot easier to justify stepping in. That’s what happened in the third-season episode “The Cloud Minders.” In this episode of The Ready Room, host C Bryan Jones is joined by Zachary Fruhling, Amy Nelson, and Justin Oser to discuss this story of a city in the sky, cave dwellers, the stratification of society, and deadly gas. Along the way we debate what it means to be part of the United Federation of Planets, how laws might apply to such a vast political organization, and why Spock is so flirty when his head is in the clouds. In our news segment, we examine Mike Okuda’s new design for NASA’s flight operations emblem, talk about the winners of the Qualcomm Tricorder XPRIZE, and explore what it will take to make a Star Trek-style medical tricorder a reality. News Feature Hosts Guests Production |
Thu, 21 July 2016
Plato’s Stepchildren. Uncontrolled power will turn even saints into savages. This is what Captain Kirk explains to Parmen, the sadistic leader of the Platonians in “Plato’s Stepchildren.” Despite saving the man’s life, Kirk, Spock, and McCoy are held hostage and tortured—along with Uhura and Nurse Chapel—when they refuse to leave the doctor behind and accept some random gifts. In this episode of The Ready Room, we’re joined by Aaron Harvey, Andi VanderKolk, and Mike Morrison to discuss this episode that—despite being amongst TOS’s campiest—has been an inspiration to many since it first aired in 1968. In our news segment, Aaron shares a first-hand account of the Star Trek Beyond press conference held at the Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills on July 14, and his spoiler-free impressions of the movie, which was shown the day before at LA’s Century City. We also discuss the news that there will be a fourth film set in the Kelvin Timeline and how they should handle the loss of Anton Yelchin. News Feature: Plato’s Stepchildren Hosts Guests Production |
Thu, 9 June 2016
Return to Tomorrow. Having your body taken over by an alien is a risk every Starfleet officer takes. And, as Kirk has said, risk is our business. Being possessed of your own free will, however, isn’t usually how it works. But when the disembodied voice of Jimmy Doohan asks a favor, it’s hard to resist. That’s what happens to Captain Kirk when the crew of the USS Enterprise visit a long-dead planet being used to store giant lightbulbs. In this episode of The Ready Room, we’re joined by Brandon-Shea Mutala, Zachary Fruhling, and Phillip Gilfus to discuss the classic Star Trek episode “Return to Tomorrow.” Why did Kirk decide to let Sargon take over his body? Why was Doctor Pulaski so eager to be possessed as well? And how did Leonard Nimoy master the art of leaning at a 45-degree angle? Plus, what’s with all the seed spreading? Join us to find out. In our news segment, we discuss details about the new TV series, straight from Les Moonves himself, and the stamp craze that has now spread to Canada. News Feature: Return to Tomorrow Hosts Guests Production |
Sat, 6 February 2016
The Lights of Zetar. You probably already know that it’s not a good idea to stare into a bright light. When there are many lights—and they’re multi-colored—doing so becomes an even worse idea. You could damage your eyesight, or perhaps have you brainwave replaced by that of a group of alien minds searching for a body to call home. That’s what happened to Lt. Mira Romaine in “The Lights of Zetar,” the third-season TOS episode that plays with character personalities, limited financial resources, and has a connection to a beloved children’s show. In this episode of The Ready Room, we’re joined by Larry Nemecek and Brandon-Shea Mutala to discuss Memory Alpha, Scotty in love, how you can blame anything on space, and why horses might not make the best engineers. We also delve into some Season Three trivia, production shortcuts, and remastered TOS elements. In our news segment, Chris and Larry discuss whether the ascension of Les Moonves to Chair of CBS Corp. will have an impact on Star Trek, when we’ll hear first details about the Star Trek 2017 series, and the future of Star Trek on streaming services not called CBS All Access. Plus, Larry fills us in on the latest happenings in Portal 47. News Feature Hosts Guest Production |
Sun, 25 October 2015
Friday’s Child. When fans think of Klingon episodes on TOS, they think of “Errand of Mercy,” “Day of the Dove,” and “The Trouble with Tribbles.” The second appearance of the classic villains was made in what is really a Bones story—they just happen to be there. “Friday's Child” gets overlooked by fans, yet it builds upon the Organian Peace Treaty and allows Dr. McCoy to step into the spotlight all at the same time. In this episode of The Ready Room, we’re joined by Larry Nemecek, Charlynn Schmiedt, and Zachary Fruhling to discuss the other Vasquez Rocks show, those dastardly Klingons, wearing carpet in the desert, how Dorothy Fontana handles the symmetry between Kirk, Spock, and McCoy, and whether or not “Friday’s Child” is the most undervalued TOS episode. In our news segment, we discuss the recent Beverly Crusher Day and upcoming Deanna Troi Day, more from the Star Trek Beyond Dubai set and its alien faces, and we discuss the StarTrek.com poll that asked which series has the saddest episodes. News Feature: Friday’s Child Hosts Guests Production |
Thu, 27 August 2015
The Trouble with Tribbles. They’re the cutest, most prolific aliens in the Star Trek universe—and also the furriest. They are, of course, Tribbles. And at six credits a head—or a body—they also make for good business. At least that’s what Cyrano Jones thought … until the critters got hankerin’ for some wheat. “The Trouble with Tribbles” remains one of the most beloved Star Trek episodes nearly 50 years after it aired, and in this episode of The Ready Room we’re joined by Matthew Rushing, Andi VanderKolk, and Zachary Fruhling to discuss why that is. In our news segment, we discuss Nichelle Nichols’s upcoming NASA flight, Shatner’s mosaic tribute to Leonard Nimoy, and Creation’s plans for Star Trek’s 50th anniversary in Vegas. And, we also remember TOS guest star Yvonne Craig.
Hosts C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing
Guests Andi VanderKolk and Zachary Fruhling
Editor and Producer C Bryan Jones
Executive Producers Matthew Rushing and Norman C. Lao
Associate Producers Renee Roberts and Zachary Fruhling
Production Manager Richard Marquez
Content Manager Will Nguyen
News Remembering Yvonne Craig (00:03:55) Nichelle Nichols to Fly with NASA’s SOFIA (00:07:27) Shatner’s Creates a Mosaic Tribute to Nimoy (10:40) Star Trek Las Vegas 2016 Dates Set! (00:15:19)
Feature: The Trouble with Tribbles Synopsis and Initial Thoughts (00:22:32) Blending Seriousness and Humor (00:32:49) Ecological Messages (00:44:10) The Proto Quark (00:49:30) Continuity in TOS? (00:52:55) There Be Klingons Here! (00:57:38) Different Perspectives (01:03:13) An Elegant Symmetry (01:10:26) Final Thoughts (01:19:54)
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Wed, 13 May 2015
The City On the Edge of Forever. Nearly 50 years after it was written, “City” remains one of the most beloved of all Star Trek episodes. It’s the first time travel story that most fans remember (sorry “Naked Time” and “Tomorrow Is Yesterday”) and made screwing with the past cool long before it became Star Trek’s go-to trope. But, as a story that really lacks most of what makes TOS what it is, why does this story transcend time? In this episode of The Ready Room, we’re joined by Phillip Gilfus, Andi VanderKolk, and Daniel Proulx to seek out the answer. We explore the premise, the time travel mechanism, soft-focus lighting, Edith Keeler’s place in time, Kirk’s dilemma, and what the story might have been like had it been set in Chicago—as Harlan Ellison originally wrote it. And, along the way, we find all the culture. Or at least most of it. In our news segment, we share our thoughts on Jonathan Frakes’s recent comments about Star Trek not returning to television, and we remember the woman who, with her beehive hair and just eight appearances, helped define The Original Series.
Hosts Christopher Jones and Phillip Gilfus
Guests Andi VanderKolk and Daniel Proulx
Editor and Producer Christopher Jones
Executive Producers Matthew Rushing and Norman C. Lao
Associate Producer Renee Roberts
Production Manager Richard Marquez
Content Manager Will Nguyen
News Remembering Grace Lee Whitney (00:04:11) Frakes Says No New Star Trek on TV (00:10:48)
Feature: The City On the Edge of Forever Intro and Synopsis (00:23:31) First Impressions (00:29:27) The Grandaddy of Time Travel Stories (00:37:40) Edith Keeler Must Die! (00:47:56) Spot-on Spock and Kirk (00:58:47) Kirk’s Decision (01:01:05) Unitards, Sequels, and CULTURE! (01:07:38) Final Thoughts (01:15:13) Closing (01:27:13)
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Tue, 17 February 2015
The Tholian Web. The third season of TOS is a divisive one for many Star Trek fans. The fight for survival behind the scenes led to shoestring budgets, sparse sets, unbalanced scripts, and—in eyes of many—questionable directions for Spock. But before this feeling really set in, Judy Burns and Chet Richards delivered a bottle show that put Spock in the command chair, at odds with Bones, and in search of Captain Kirk. What’s more, they delivered one of the franchise’s most intriguing attempts at a truly different alien in the Tholians. In this episode of The Ready Room we’re joined by Larry Nemecek and Norm Lao to discuss “The Tholian Web,” the mysterious disappearance or the USS Defiant (not that one), Captain Kirk (yes that one), spacesuit design, the poor track record of Constitution-class starships not named Enterprise, Scotty’s love of drinking, and why nerve gas can sometimes save your life.
In our news segment we discuss Simon Pegg and the next Star Trek film script, and the possibility of a TNG reunion on screen.
Hosts Christopher Jones and Larry Nemecek
Guest Norman C. Lao
Editor and Producer Christopher Jones
Associate Producer Renee Roberts
Production Manager Richard Marquez
Content Coordinator Will Nguyen
News Simon Pegg co-writing Star Trek 3 (00:03:07) Could the TNG crew come back to the screen? (00:15:34)
Feature: The Tholian Web Intro and Synopsis (00:26:53) The Original Defiant (00:37:30) The Roots of the Tholian Web (00:39:27) An Enterprising Follow-up (00:49:18) Spock In Command (00:58:41) Super Spacesuits and Chaos (01:04:42) Watch with Scotch (01:13:08) Final Thoughts (01:26:39) Closing (01:33:38)
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Fri, 21 November 2014
The Naked Time.
The Next Generation went out of its way to avoid connections with The Original Series, but one thing they have in common is crew members getting drunk on water. TNG fans know it as the Psi-2000 virus, but in Kirk’s day it was just good ole polywater. Thanks to highly questionable environmental suit design and procedures that would make the CDC cringe, the crew of the Enterprise fell victim to some fancy water molecules that almost killed them. Potential cause of death? Strange behavior.
In this episode of The Ready Room we’re joined by John Mills, Drew Stewart, and Norm Lao to discuss newly introduced characters acting out of character, crying Vulcans, and why there’s always room for time travel. We also explain how to deal with shrinkage and space madness, and we do it all whilst singing a rousing rendition of “I’ll Take You Home Again, Kathleen.”
In our news segment we discuss Paramount's plans for a resort in London, Kate Mulgrew's upcoming memoir Born with Teeth, and look back at 20 years of Star Trek Generations.
Hosts Christopher Jones and John W. Mills
Guests Drew Stewart and Norman C. Lao
Editor and Producer Christopher Jones
Associate Producer Renee Roberts
News Looking back at 20 years of Star Trek Generations (00:02:44) Paramount plans to open London resort with Star Trek (00:22:33) Kate Mulgrew to release memoir in 2015 (00:32:08)
Feature: The Naked Time Intro and Synopsis (00:36:10) Initial Thoughts (00:41:41) Vulcan’s Don’t Cry (00:46:02) Space Madness! (00:58:15) Dealing with Shrinkage (01:04:40) There’s Always Room for Time Travel (01:10:08) Final Thoughts (01:25:10) Closing (01:30:05)
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Thu, 9 October 2014
Catspaw. Many TV series have Halloween specials, but Star Trek is NOT one of them. Of course, it isn’t like they didn’t try. The Original Series did its part; the later series just didn’t follow suit. On October 27, 1967, Kirk, Spock, and Bones got quite a fright with the airing of “Catspaw.” It was the first episode produced for Season Two, yet was held until the week of Halloween. In this episode of The Ready Room we're joined by Charlynn Schmiedt, Drew Stewart, and Jennie Zell to discuss the concept of a Star Trek Halloween episode, haunted house aliens Korob and Sylvia, sympathetic magic, dungeons, cats, and, of course, Chekov's hair. In our news segment we break down the results of StarTrek.com's Captains vs. Zombies poll, check out some spiffy new LCARS wallpaper for iPhone, and tour the country to find out which state has the most Star Trek fans.
Hosts Christopher Jones and Charlynn Schmiedt
Guests Drew Stewart and Jennie Zell
Editor and Producer Christopher Jones
Associate Producer Renee Roberts
News Star Trek Captains vs. Zombies (3:53) New LCARS wallpaper for your iPhone 6 and 6 Plus (10:59) The States with the most Star Trek fans (18:13) Sponsor: Audible (26:33)
Feature: Catspaw Intro and Synopsis (29:20) Halloween in Space (40:30) Have You Met Chekov's Hair? (48:10) Meet the Koroborator (54:41) Sylvia [Actual Chapter Title Redacted] (1:07:15) Sympathetic Magic and Other Oddities (1:16:12) Final Thoughts (1:22:30) Closing (1:31:49)
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Support the Network!
Become a Trek.fm Patron on Patreon and help us keep Star Trek talk coming every week. We have great perks for you at http://patreon.com/trekfm |