Set Phasers: A Highly illogical Star Trek Podcast: Recent Episodes
Set Phasers: A Highly Illogical Star Trek Podcast
Set Phasers is an uber-mega-nerd Star Trek podcast from two musical trekkies (Akie Bermiss and Stevie Manns) with a lot of time on their hands.
Each week they tackle the latest episode of Star Trek (from Picard, Lower Decks, Star Trek Discovery to Strange New Worlds) and talk about how much they love the show, breaking down the stats, discussing the larger themes at play, the volatility of Vulcans and the curious culture of Klingons... and much more.
Join us, won‘t you? The ”final frontier” of Star Trek awaits us!
It is the end. And the end. And the end! Will Michael find the progenitor's technology? Will Moll be able to bring L'ak back to life? Will Rayner and DISCO be able to hold off the Breen? Will Saru be able to engage in diplomacy with Primarch Tahal? And most importantly: is there going to be a wedding at the end? Come for the science fiction, the pew-pew, and the fate of all the galaxy -- stay for a cute wedding sequence. Hope everyone you love got out alive. It's time to say goodbye, old friends. Live long -- and prosper.
A race to find the progenitor's tech between Discover and the newly minted Moll's Dreadnaught. DiSCO gets there about a moment before Moll, only to spend a few minutes indulging in wonder get scooped by the Breen.
While Michael, Book, Adira, and Rhys go undercover to get the progenitor's "structure", folks back at Fed HQ are concern because Primarch Tahal (a different Breen overlord) is steaming for the same location to absorb Ruhn's former soldiers into her squad as the Breen prepare for a possible civil war. The Federation and the Breen; DISCO and Moll et al -- and we torn between (at a lagrange point of sorts) wondering what will befall the galaxy!
To the Archive! A beautiful, harry potter-esque, castle-in-the-sky full of books and things. There, Book finds a piece of Kwejian and Michael finds an artifact in Dr. Derex's book Labyrinths of the Mind. When she touches it, she is transported to a literal figurative labyrinth and her body goes catatonic.
Meanwhile, the Breen (and Moll) follow DISCO's trail to the Archive and begin to bombard it. Raynor and Book do their best to fight off Breen incursions as Michael hunts through the maze with an AI Book. And DISCO (with Cmmdr Rhys at the helm) does their best to keep the Breen incursion limited. Everything comes to a head -- and the poor, poor books! What will become of them?!Join us on Patreon for more! http://patreon.com/setphasers
Finally, Moll and L'ak are finally caught. L'ak is still in pretty bad shape after the fisticuffs on the ISS Enterprise. When they are brought to Federation HQ on Discovery, it is just as a "primarch" of the Breen Imperium is headed there to collect the prisoners and their blood-bounty (see: "erigah").
Culber races to heal L'ak. Adira and Tilly (with the help of Commander Reno) begin to decipher the location of the final clue. President T'rina is in charge of diplomacy as the Breen make contact with the Federation for the first time since The Burn. And Raynor is hiding something about his past.
Should work out just fine... Join us on Patreon for more! http://patreon.com/setphasers
The penultimate clue to the "progenitor tech" leads Discovery to a pre-warp, pre-industrial world called Halem'no, where the denizens speak via voice and a form of "whistlespeak." Michael and Tilly go undercover as Halemnians and have to run a race up a mountain to gain access to a temple where the fifth clue may be hidden! In a classic Trek turn of events, the race's reward is not exactly what it seems and the clue is not exactly where it seems -- and, briefly, all hell breaks loose.
Meanwhile, on the ship, Dr. Culber is experiencing a spiritual awakening and an emotionally remediated Commander Rayner does an "ok" job of helping Adira overcome their self-confidence issues. Also, Book plays pong‽ Join us over on patreon http://patreon.com/setphasers to join our community chats and get early access ro episodes!
Discovery figures out where Moll and L'ak have gone. It was right in front of their faces the whole time! A blinking wormhole made of exotic matter that leads into interdimensional space. No biggie. Michael and Book head in to find the next clue, Rayner has the conn, and the science folks work to find ways to keep up communications and/or get the ship back.
Inside the wormhole? Why, there's the Mirror Universe Enterprise, a stranded couple of courier-lovers with an extensive, operatic backstory -- and, the next clue. Much is revealed but, perhaps the most staggering thing of all: the Breen have two faces(?!)!Join us over on patreon http://patreon.com/setphasers to join our community chats and get early access ro episodes!
The time is getting VERY wimey in this episode of Discovery. Just as the crew heads to the coordinates they got from the ancient Trill host Jinaal scratching their heads at an empty pocket of space, Moll's trap is sprung. Apparently, she put a "time bug" on their ship which, once it connected to the ship's engineering, causes them to hop about willy-nilly in time. Thus, are Michael and Rayner sent on a merry chase through Discovery's past -- and one harrowing presentiment of their future.
They'll have to band together with Stamets, who is always somewhat out of time (so to speak), to kill the bug and get back to the present. And the race to get to the Progenitor Tech. Should be simple... unless Michael and her past-self have to duke it out in an elevator. But what are the chances?Join us over on patreon http://patreon.com/setphasers to join our community chats and get early access ro episodes!
Everyone is simply trying to settle in. Book is settling in as a "consultant" on Discovery as they hunt down the map pieces to the Progenitors' "treasure." First Officer Raynor (nee Captain of the Antares) is trying integrate with the DISCO crew... sorta of. And the consciousness of an 800 year old Trill scientist is trying (and succeeding) to settle into the body of Dr. Hugh Culber so that he can lead and/or mystically cajole Michael and Book toward the hidden second piece of the puzzle.
Saru, in his new gig, gets a hint of what arguments will be like with his Vulcan wife-to-be (and, possibly, with the folks on her planet); Grey and Adira come together after months apart... and break up; and giant angry carnivorous fly-bears give everyone's favorite space druid a walloping. Join us over on patreon http://patreon.com/setphasers to join our community chats and get early access ro episodes!
The hunt is on for the hiding place of the Progenitors' tech. The couriers/outlaws Moll and L'ak have a head start on the Federation — but the Federation has DISCO! Captain Burnham is excited be off on an adventure to uncover the origins of sentient life in the galaxy, but changes are afoot. Book is back on board. Tilly is back on board! Joy is back on board the starship Discovery.
Alas, though, Saru is leaving to become an ambassador. He and Michael have one last away mission romp on a mysterious planet with curious clues, dangerous drones, and marvelous mysteries!Join us over on patreon http://patreon.com/setphasers to join our community chats and get early access ro episodes!
The opening episode to Star Trek: Discovery's final season has EVERYTHING. There's phaser fights and fisticuffs, hover-bike chases, love burgeoning, love quickening, and love fading — hell, there's Soong style android with a love of speech pathology. Aaaaaand there's a top-secret Red Directive to find a journal which contains secrets pertaining to the advent of all life in the galaxy that must not fall into the wrong hands, else life as we know it will inherit the whirlwind!
As such, Akie and Stevie have reconvened to discuss these goings-on and what might come in future. It's good to be back! Togetherness, yes? (Yes!)
Join us over on patreon http://patreon.com/setphasers to join our community chats and get early access ro episodes!
Check out our video episodes on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@setphaserspodcast
It is the finale. It is a Gorn attack. It is Captain Marie Betel down on a planet with 5000 colonists and the USS Cayuga blown to bits in orbit (save a healthy chunk of saucer section and a single survivor). It is the Gorn drawing a demarcation line in space and getting ready to feed.
And: it is Pike et al to the rescue (sorta)! At least, there's tactical gear and there are phase rifles and there is a death-defying flight down to the planet (her name is Erica Ortegas -- and she flies the ship).
We'll make some new friends and meet some old enemies (and there will be some pew-pews and some boom-bangs) but all's well that en-- Wait. What? How does it end? A CLIFFHANGER?!?!?! Oh, for the love of Khaless.
In a literally musical episode of Strange New Worlds, the folks on the Enterprise throw themselves into the the thick of it. Singing? Check. Dancing? Check? Harmony and counterpoint and a big cast number? CHECK. It is very possible that viewers thereof will be as divided and passionate in their reactions to this episode as the characters themselves are about their own lives. We disagreed. And yet, debate is the spice of life, is it not? Also, music. And love -- which, apart from figuring out what subspace instability has caused them all to break out in song and how to fix it, is the front and center in this penultimate episode of the season!
In a very special episode of Strange New Worlds, a very special guest is on board the ship: former Klingon warlord turned Federation diplomat Dak'Rah. While he may charm a lot of folks on board with his mild-mannered temperament and his charms, the veterans of the Federation-Klingon war are not so easily won over by the former "Butchet of J'Gal." Among them, two of the Enterprises finest -- who happen to also have been on J'Gal when Dak'Rah committed atrocities -- Doctor M'Benga and Nurse Chapel.
An accidental portaling causes Ensign Boimler, of the USS Cerritos, to travel back in time to Pike's Enterprise. Boimler is ecstatic to meet his heroes, but they are more concerned with him not screwing up the timeline. An attempt to send him back is thwarted by Orion scientist/pirates who steal the portal. Once that's back, a second attempt is thwarted by Ensign Mariner coming through to rescue Boimler -- using up the last of the specific element the portal needs to work. Cerritos/Enterprise mash-up ensues. Orion hurricanes, Vulcan laughter, and a whole lot of shenanigans.
Just a regular ol' deuterium mining operation in Bannon's nebula on the edge of Gorn space. Pike is made fleet captain over the refinery and the USS Farragut as they try to get things online securing a future refuel hub for Star Fleet ships to come.
Meanwhile, Uhura is hearing things and having hallucinations. She isn't sleeping well and no one aboard the Enterprise thinks it is anything more than lack of sleep and slight deuterium poisoning. Fortunately, the Farragut's new First Officer, James T. Kirk, is aboard the ship engaging in fraught family-time with his brother Sam -- and he believes Uhura might be on to something (after she punches him the face). Will Uhura and "the Kirks" be able to save the day? Probably. But it'll be a helluva time getting there! And maybe we'll make friends along the way?
Just a cute little episode in which Spock and Chapel head down to a moon of Vulcan, inexplicably live through a shuttle crash, and Spock is changed (by advanced beings on the far side of a tear in spacetime) into a full human -- with emotions and body odor, and everything.
It would be cute, at least, if Spock's fiancee, T'Pring, and her parents were not coming aboard the Enterprise to have a formal Vulcan engagement dinner -- and if T'Pring's mom didn't already REALLY dislike her future son-in-law. Yes, shenanigans. Yes, matters of the heart. and, YES, there is passionate KISSY KISSY in the offing!
Well. It's a bronze age planet where an officer thought to be KIA years back has actually given the locals Starfleet tech and made himself king. Also, he is bitter because he was left behind by the Enterprise.
Also there are asteroids on the planet that give off radiation that affect a person's memory and make them forget nearly everything -- their name, their history. So the landing part of Pike, La'An, and M'Benga are up a creek.
And it's just as bad on the Enterprise. Everyone is forgetting.
Thankfully, there is a hero waiting in the wings. She flies the ship!
How would you feel about a La'an episode? Like just La'an, you know, chief security officer dealing with her job, her demons, her heritage, her past? That's a yes, isn't it?!
Now, what if we told you we would do that but also add in some time travel (to the 21st century), slick leather outfits, a hot (red) muscle car, a massive explosion, gun fights, street food... AND a little side-quest romance with none other than James Tiberius Kirk?
Double-yes? I mean, is it confusing? You betcha. But is it also delightful? Yes. Yes. A thousand times, yes.
It is one of the mightiest of all Trek tropes: a court case! Full with all the pomp and drama of courtroom procedurals. Stodgy judges, tense side bars, esteemed witnesses and surprise cross-examinations, and even a delightful micro-mystery running through out. One that is, of course, solved by our plucky lawyer/investigator.
It's a real romp, is what we're saying. And all of it save Una's career -- and prevent her from having to serve TWENTY years in a Federation penal colony.
All rise, baby! Http://patreon.com/setphasers
Set Phasers returns to run down the new season of Strange New Worlds!!
And we begin... Enterprise is in space dock at Starbase 1. Pike is taking some personal days to find a lawyer (maybe?) to help Una Chin-Riley get out of jail and leaves Spock in charge. It should be a sleepy couple of days.
Except, Spock is kind of in love with Nurse Chapel these days and his Vulcan emotional barriers have come down in a big way. Also, former security chief La'an calls with an emergency and so, against orders, acting captain and crew steal the Enterprise to go to the edge of Klingon space. There they discover a radical syndicate called The Broken Circle who are attempting to get the Federation-Klingon Empire war started back up again. Also, M'Benga and Chapel get kidnapped, then take drugs, the kick a lot of Klingon ass, and then nearly get completely blown up and space-froze. And Spock is put through the ringer. Join us at http://patreon.com/setphasers and get behind the scenes access including live viewing of our run downs on YouTube for subscribers only!
It's over. It's all over. And it's so hard to say goodbye!
But before that, Picard et al have to save his son from the clutches of a vengeful Borg Queen [in a giant borg cube on Jupiter] and save Earth (and, indeed, the galaxy) from being assimilated by the new, youngling bio-borgs!
It's all about parents and children and generations -- and passing the baton. These are the voyages, right? stiff upper lip, and all that. We're not crying, you're crying. Join us for more BTS and early access Set Phasers fun at http://patreon.com/setphasers
The truth is out about Jack -- he's Borg, baby! That's how he's been able to mysteriously control other people (for better or worse). Upon discovering this about himself, Jack absconds on a shuttle to a mysterious place in space where he will meet the Borg Queen that has been calling for him all of his life.
Meanwhile, the crew of the Titan head to Sol System to warn Star Fleet about the Changeling/Borg conspiracy-- showing up just a bit too late. Assimilation goes off all over the fleet (via biological borg tech). Only the young people are affected, the Olds have to make a run for it. The La Forges fall under the sway; Captain Shaw dies so the others may flee; and the original crew of TNG return to their old ship. The Enterprise NC 1701-D is back! ENGAGE! Join us on http://patreon.com/setphasers to boldly go with us for more Star Trek fun!
Vadic has control of the USS Titan and she is planning to off bridge-crew members every ten minutes if Jack doesn't turn himself over. It springs many desperate plans into motion. Among them, trying to wake Data up to take control of the ship (even though the mind of his brother threatens to devour him) and Jack going to the bridge with a bomb in-hand to "negotiate" with Vadic.
To put it shortly, things are tense. Also, Riker and Trio have a lovely conversation while stuck in a jail cell on the Shrike. Join us at http://patreon.com/setphasers for BTS fun and early access and more!
A "bottle" episode, as they say. The action takes place primarily on the Titan. With Picard et al, realizing that their backs are against the wall and no one can help them, allow Vadic and the Shrike to find them.
When Vadic and her boarding party come to the Titan, the crew tries desperately to trap them all and to get some answers out of them. Beverly and Picard talk to Vadic and learn about Project Proteus; Jack and Sydney LaForge have to team up against some baddies and that has... unexpected consequences. And Data and Geordi have a heart to heart -- with occasional interruptions by Lore, who is hell-bent on creating utter chaos. Join us on Patreon for early access, behind the scenes fun and hang outs at https://patreon.com/setphasers
The USS Titan is on the run! Not only from Starfleet but from a still-kicking Vadic on the Shrike. Things are getting pretty intense, but at the same time: it is an episode of reunions (keep your tissue box close). Worf and Geordi and Raffi and Seven and... Data?!?! An away team beams aboard the Daystrom Station to find out what the changeling radicals have stolen; Picard's son and Geordi's daughter get up to some "minor larceny"; Riker is taken prisoner by Vadic -- and Data returns to (most of) his old crew.Oh... And it's almost Frontier Day! Key moments timestamped!5:23 Run down22:41 Quick Chat27:21 Easter Eggs32:07 Quotable Moments35: 16 Next Time! Join us on Patreon for watch parties, zoom hangs, exclusives and more at http://patreon.com/setphasers
The plot thickens. The USS Titan has returned to Federation Space after the brutal battle with the Shrike in the nebula. Effecting repairs to their ailing vessel. Riker gives control of the ship back to Captain Shaw — who has already notified the Federation about his and Riker’s shenanigans.
Picard prepared to take the blame only to discover the person sent to investigate is none other than former ensign (now Commander!) Ro! As Jack struggles with his, let’s say, sanity, Ro drops her guard to tell Picard that Starfleet is compromised by changelings!
Meanwhile, Worf and Raffi take on a brutal Vulcan gangster on Matalas IV.
It’s bleak, folks!
2:19 Akie runs down the major plot points of this changeling filled episode!
16:15 Quick chat - Akie and Stevie decide their favourite plot lines involving Ro and Picard
13:02 Easter Eggs how many did you spot... or hear?? Terry Matalas gives us some retro throwbacks if you're ears are keen enough to find them
30:06 Tribute to our fallen cast members...
31:12 Quotable moments! Raffi held it down this time in Stevie's opinion!
33:08 A special next time where WE throw it back to some retro Trek music...
Don't forget patron-only hang Sun 26th for a Ro Laren watchalong http://patreon.com/setphasers Join us!
Well, the USS Titan has far too many captains (and would-be Captains on it). It isa falling into the gravity well of mysterious nebula, it is being pursued by a warship captained by a psychopath, and everybody is mad at everybody.
Nevertheless, they will band together (as Starfleet crews do) to win the day. Seven-of-Nine will hunt down the changeling saboteur on board, Picard will connect with his son, Beverly will determine that the nebula is really a womb, Jack will come up with a plan to ride the energy waves of the nebula to get out, Riker will think of using it to charge the warp core, and even Captain Shaw (a former, self-avowed, "grease monkey") will hotwire the nacelles to make it all work. If they just. Work. Together! 3:19 - Rundown: Akie gives us a run down of all the key moments in the episode.25:03 - Quick Chat: What did we make of the No Win Scenario and Shaw's big reveal...29:04 - Easter Eggs: What fun Star Trek Easter Eggs did you spot this episode? Think back to Ten Forward and perhaps some space babies...34:03 - Quotable Moments: Our favourite quotes from the ep!38:44 - Stevie raps...40:00 - Next Time! What's coming up next episode! Join us and boldly go where we do at http://patreon.com/setphasers
With the USS Titan delving deeper into the nebula and the Shrike on its tail, tensions heat up on the ship. Picard and Beverly confront each other about Jack. The surly captain Shaw, injured in one of the Shrike's attacks, gives the command codes to Riker. Riker and Picard then face off about whether to fight or run. It's pretty intense on the Titan. Meanwhile, Raffi meets Worf and they have tea and go interrogate a baddie about stolen weapons. Jack and Seven discover sabotage on the Titan and manage to get it fixed. Sadly, the sabateur (whose work is not done) and the baddie both turn out to be changelings! Which is not good.And then the warp coils get exploded on the Titan and it falls into the nebula. Which, oh, I might have mentioned: ain't just a nebula. Good times. 3:52 - Rundown: Akie gives us a run down of all the key moments in the episode.22:42 - Quick Chat: What did we make of the big chat with Beverly and Picard and what else struck us?28:30 - Easter Eggs: What fun Star Trek Easter Eggs did you spot this episode? Some really deep cuts here from Seven's quarters through to Worf's choice in opera...34:03 - Quotable Moments: Our favourite quotes from the ep! 35:50 - News: What is the latest Star Trek news from the Trek verse? Big announcement this week for Disco Season 6... Join us for some patreon fun at http://patreon.com/setphasers
A real romp in the offing now, as things heat up in the nebula. Picard, Riker and Jack Crusher are narrowly saved from complete destruction by a reluctant Captain Shaw of the Titan -- only to then have the mercurial Captain Vadic introduce herself and her heavily armed ship (the Shrike!) and give them one hour to turn Jack over or be annihilated.
Meanwhile, Raffi continues to hunt down the missing Daystrom weapons. In a rendevous with a ferengi arms deal named Sneed, she attempts to uncover who actually has the weapons. When things take a bad turn there, she too is saved from near annihilation by a mysterious silver-haired, black-clad Klingon who looks very familiar. So, everyone is in danger and everyone is fighting their way out of it -- and Picard has a son! Join us on Patreon for early access to episodes, video episodes, zoom hangs and MORE at http://patreon.com/setphasers
Calling all Star Trek fans! Do you love deep dives inside the latest episodes of Star Trek? Do you long to nerd out over the best parts with other fans?
You’re in luck, on Set Phasers, we will fill your Klingon blood wine goblet with all the Star Trek goodness you need! From Pt’ach to ponfar! Join us as we uncover the easter eggs, the plot twists, the Trek tropes and more in our after-show, Set Phasers A Highly Illogical Star Trek Podcast.
Subscribe to Set Phasers now!
So, how's things in the 25th century? Well, Dr. Beverly Crusher is vaporizing baddies trying to board her beleaguered ship and sending coded messages to Picard -- whom she has not spoken with in 20 years. Raffi is working undercover to find stolen weapons on M'talas IV. Seven of Nine is working as first officer (under a pig-head of a captain) on the USS Titan.
As for Jean-Luc? He is moving house to join his girlfriend(?)-bodyguard(?)-housekeeper(?) Laris on her diplomatic posting in the Chaltok system. And, you know, letting go of the past. And that is when he gets the message from Beverly -- and, as is typical, all hell(bird) breaks loose. Join us and go boldly with our Patreon crew at http://patreon.com/setphasers
One of our patrons jokingly asked for a Star Trek style meditation after Akie and I were messing around during an episode, and so here it is!
The first of a bonus mini-series of immersive Star Trek styled soundscape to put YOU inside the world of Star Trek.
In this meditation you head to Ten Forward for an after-shift beverage, are served by none of than Guinan herself and enjoy the musical 'stylings' of Commander Riker...
Close your eyes and follow along!
HEADPHONES RECOMMENDED FOR THE FULL IMMERSIVE AUDIO EXPERIENCE
If you would like to submit an idea, join our patreon at http://patreon.com/setphasers
Mariner’s gone; the Cerritos is in dry dock; and the new Texas-class ships are all the rage.
In a meeting with the admiralty, Freeman learns of Buenamigo’s plans to scrub all the Cali-class ships and replace them with automated Texas class. In response, she challenges him (and the USS Aledo) to a “mission race.”
Meanwhile, Mariner tries to uncover what mystery benefactors are behind her new gig as a private (pirate) space archeologist.
The LDers play John Henry and they can’t win for losing — until a dangling thread gets pulled...
Just your nerdy friends Stevie and Akie at https://patreon.com/setphasers
Finally, Captain Freeman's initiative for "follow-up" missions is getting underway. The Cerritos is headed to the planet Ornara (where Picard made first contact 17 years prior) to, you know, see how they're doing. If it goes well, it could become an initiative for all California class ships.
And the admiralty is so stoked about it that they're sending an FNN news anchor to cover this maiden voyage of the program. Freeman is free-ked out about a reporter seeing how bonker the Cerritos can be. It sends her into a tizzy. At the same time, Mariner is getting the cold shoulder because she seems like the source of much of the "shenanigans". Things come to a head, but it's penultimate episode of the season, so we're sure everything is gonna work out fine...
It's time for the big movie episode of Lower Decks! How about a sequel?! Crisis Point 2?! Time travel? Mysterious super-beings?! Romulan baddies?! Sounds like fun. Weirdly, though this sequel was written by Boimler, he seems uninterested in following his own wacky plot after learning that his transporter clone, William, is dead. And yet, the adventure continues, nevertheless.
Other things to note: Tendi is in charge; time-travel is absurd; gods spout empty aphorisms; and, last but not least: it was friendship all along. Join us on patreon https://patreon.com/setphasers
A very peculiar episode of Lower Decks. Well, we find out what happened to the exocomp Peanut Hamper after they abandoned the crew of the Cerritos at the end of Season One. They wandered around for a bit, found their way to pre-warp planet, and do what Peanut Hampers do.
There's some romance, some flying snakes, some more explicit romance, a bunch of secret places shared, and a big reveal (or two) at the end. So to speak. What have we learned from this episode? Peanut Hamper gonna Peanut Hamper.
ANNNNND - we find out about all the latest Trek News from NYCC! And don't forget to join us on http://patreon.com/setphasers
We're on Deep Space Nine, people. This is not a drill! We are on DEEP. SPACE. NINE! Yes, the Cerritos is headed to that tacky Cardassian eye-sore, just next to the Bajoran Celestial Temple / Wormhole to the Gamma Quadrant to help with some diplomatic negotiations.
...And when those negotiations go terribly wrong (because of, you guessed it, Quark!), it's just a good thing the right people were in the right place at the right time. This episode has everything: romance, interpretive dance, piracy, and gambling. And [akie cries a single tear]: Sisko's baseball!!!!!!!
This episode is all about the Ruthefords, baby. Because there are two of him! One is the original Samathan – and the other is EEEVIL!?
Or, really, is an amalgam of the erased memories of Rutherford ten years past. They spend the episode fighting over control of Rutherford's body and it leads to some brief shenanigans on the ship. Who will win out in the end? Only a deadly space race will give us an answer! Also, Mariner and Boimler go to a sort of career day festival/bazaar on Tulgana IV and Boimler loses his cool – all the way. http://patreon.com/setphasers
In third episode of the fourth season, the Lower Deckers are getting back to business as usual. Where "business" is: crawling through jeffries tube in order to be their mortal enemies, Delta Shift, to a hidden terminal that will determine the winners of a lottery for a handful of luxury rooms on the first deck.
And where "usual: is: just after Captain Freeman has been possessed by a cursed mask that gave her strange technological powers in the name of some ancient entity named Minooki that wanted to turn the Cerritos into a early civilization-style temple. Also, Rutherford and the engineering team attempt to relax on a spa space station. Http://patreon.com/setphasers
Remote science planet. Glowing orbs that make your fantasies come to life. A hidden spy-plot. Klingon clowns with bat'leth's for arms. An amorous Dr. Leah Brahms. A guy gets his foot cut off with a chainsaw. Oh, and remember the Zaldan race from TNG?!
These are all things that appear in S3E3 of Star Trek: Lower Decks. Believe us, it makes sense. Eventually. Well, sorta. Join us to go more boldly than you ever have before at hhtp://patreon.com/setphasers
It's game night on the Cerritos! The Lower Decks crew is playing Klingon role-playing game with wigs and everything. And that's the whole episode, and we loved it...
...ok, no. That's a lie. The real plot is one in which Mariner is forced to learn how to follow orders (or seem to) even in the face of poor judgment (on the part of Ransom) and Rutherford gets into diplomatic trouble and almost sacrificed to a volcano on a sexy, pleasurey planet. And Boimler decides to say yes to everything and winds up being hunted throughout the ship by a creature called K'ranch. But, in the end, they do get back to game night – and it's spectacular. http://patreon.com/setphasers
The Cerritos Lower Deckers are back! ...but they are also grounded on Earth while Star Fleet looks into the accusations that Captain Freeman blew up the capital city of Pakled planet. So... it's not great.
Nonetheless, the Lower Deckers are making the most of it. Rutherford and Tendi are making the most of it, seeing the sites on earth. Boimler is working hard at his family's raisin vineyard.
And Mariner... well, Mariner, believing Star Fleet is looking for someone to take the fall for the Packled planet incident, is not supremely confident the trial will go well for her mother. Frustrated with the advice from her father to trust in the system, she enlists the rest of the LDers on a desperate (and very much unsanctioned) mission to clear her mother's name.
It goes... well.
Links mentioned in today's episode:
Our website for all things Set Phasers: http://www.setphasers.com
Star Trek Day portals: https://vrscout.com/news/star-trek-day-2022-will-feature-ar-delta-portals/
Lower Decks T-shirts: https://www.startrek.com/gallery/star-trek-lower-decks-t-shirt-collective-season-3/star-trek-lower-decks-t-shirt-collective-week-1-4503/3
Wrath of Khan 40th anniversary screening:
https://www.fathomevents.com/events/Star-Trek-II-The-Wrath-of-Khan-40th-Anniversary-presented-by-TCM
Akie and Stevie get together to discuss all the late-breaking Star Trek news dropped at San Diego Comic Con 2022. From Lower Decks and Strange New Worlds cross-over to the cast announcements from Picard Season 3 to the as-yet-untitled new Star Trek (Kelvin timeline!) movie that might come out in 2023.
It was an eventful few days as SDCC – and this is an eventful podcast, replete with at least a few occasions of bursting into song, some tin-foil hat plot theories, and yet another plea for Alex Kurtzman to hire us consult on a musical episode of Star Trek. So. A totally reasonable episode of the podcast. Join us for our patreon zoom hang July 31st at 4pm by becoming a patron here: Http://patreon.com/setphasers
In the season finale of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, Pike travels forward in time to a future where he has avoided the disastrous explosion that the time-crystals of Boreth showed him. He is sent there by his future self to learn how that alteration to the timeline is bad for the universe.
How so? Well, let's just say there are varied Romulans involved, a noble commander, a snivelling and duplicitous sub-commander, and a mean ol' Praetor. And on the side of Star Fleet, a confused Pike, his crew (sans, Una for some reason)... and Captain James T. Kirk (of the USS Farragut).
Things go awry the future sucks. Pike returns, makes a noble decision. And then his lady-friend, Cpt. Batel, shows up and arrests Una for being an Illyrian. So... I GUESS WE'LL JUST PATIENTLY WAIT FOR SEASON TWO OR WHATEVER. http://patreon.com/setphasers
NO ONE DIES IN THIS EPISODE. I PROMISE. The above statement is a lie. In this penultimate episode of the season, Enterprise is called to an L-class planet to rescue a Federation ship that has crashed there. A landing party goes down, it's icy and cold. they get to the ship, no life-signs. The enter and it's full of blood and strewn body parts. It's not long before they discover that, yes, there are GORN (!!!!!!) aboard and the battles for survival begin. An action-packed, heart-wrenching episode of Star Trek is what follows. And though things worked out in the end, I, Akie, may still be somewhat in denial... At least Uhura decided to stay. There's that. Join us for a zoom hang at the end of July http://patreon.com/setphasers
Sometimes you just need to get away from it all. Sometimes, you're working so hard on a cure for your terminally ill child that you're just worn out to the bone. Sometimes, a noncorporeal god-like entity living inside of a massive nebula makes the story-book fairytale that you read to your daughter come true in the real world and it transforms your starship into a sort-of middle school production of Little Red Riding Hood and all hell breaks loose because the crews minds have been taken over and they believe that they are who the are cast as – and the only person you can trust is the cantankerous engineer who isn't affected by the entity but has been cast as a powerful wizard and is... sorta taking to the role.
That's if you're Dr. M'Benga of the Enterprise in this week's episode of Strange New Worlds. JOIN US for bowtie madness at http://patreon.com/setphasers
So... how do we feel about pirates?!!? Cool pirates with face tattoos and a stunning command of language and charisma who are, incidentally, posing as an aid worker in order to lure Enterprise out of Federation territory and take over the ship and sell the crew in slavery and exchange Spock for a prisoner in a Vulcan rehabilitation center?!
Because, if you're OK with that, you're going to be pretty happy about this episode of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. It's got everything, folks! Swashbuckling adventure, turnabouts, a phaser shootout on the bridge, a pirate mutiny, star-crossed lovers, AND Spock and Chapel do some HEAVY kissy-kissy.
'twas a serene squall, indeed! Join us on patreon at http://patreon.com/setphasers
Just a routine cartographic survey! Should be pretty boring, actually. Except, the Enterprise comes out of warp and receives a distress signal from a vessel under attack and when they save them and beam the survivors aboard, one of them is old shoulda'/coulda'/woulda' love interest of a young Lieutenant Pike.
Also, one of them is a child monarch/deity of the people on the planet Majalis that is destined lead their people through some unspecified sacrifice. And his dad. Needless to say, things get hairy. There are crosses and double-crosses, there is romance, and intrigue. And there is a critical moral quandary at the center of things. Finally, Cadet Uhura is doing her crew rotations in security with La'an Noonien-Singh. She's learning a lot, as usual. And also, breaks the whole things wide open when it counts! Join us for more in our Patreon community! http://patreon.com/setphasers
Shenanigans! Rigamarole! HIJINKS!!!
That is the basis of this fifth episode of the season. Enterprise is docked at Starbase 1 for some much needed repairs and also much needed R&R for the crew. Spock has big ideas of spending some quality time with his fiancee, T'Pring – but work keeps getting in the way. Eventually, in an attempt to share their souls in a Vulcan ritual, they swap katras and can get them swapped back. Didn't i say there was hijinks?! Meanwhile, Number One and La'an are wandering the empty decks of the Enterprise wondering why people think they aren't fun – when they discover the game of "Enterprise Bingo." Nurse Chapel finds her casual relationship has taken a serious turn and has to extricated herself from the poetry-spouting Lt. Devers, even while giving Spock advice on his more serious relationship. Oh, also, there is a SUPER important diplomatic thing going on with the R'ongovian Protectorate, where the Federation really needs to get a deal together as they own the only safe route through Klingon and Romulan space. But, you know, I'm sure this will all make sense one day. Join us on patreon for hijinks! http://patreon.com/setphasers
The Enterprise is off to Finibus 3 just to deliver some much needed atmospheric filtering equipment when the find the scientific installation there abandoned and burning. There's blood all over the place and torn scraps of clothing – but no bodies...?!
Then some survivors show up in a cargo ship saying they were attacked but not sure by whom. And that's when La'an talks to a young girl who saw her father get taken and mentions a click noise and we find out it is... dunh dunh dunh! The GORN!!!!!! AAAAAAAAAAHHH! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES! THERE IS NO ESCAPE, THERE IS NO WAY OUT! WE ARE THE PREY. THEY ARE GOING BITE US OPEN AND FEED US TO THEIR HATCHLINGS. ...unless, Pike, Spock, La'an and crew can figure a way out of this pickle that involves a dying star with a black hole at its center. but what are the chances of that?! Join us at http://patreon.com/setphasers to join in the fun with Akie and Stevie!
Everybody's got secrets! As the Enterprise explores an abandoned Illyrian colony planet for evidence of what happened to the gene-experimenting people, Spock and Pike are trapped down on the planet by an ion storm and the Enterprise is beset by a strange disease that makes people super randy for light and heat.
Number One, Una Chin-Riley, appears to be affected by the disease but also not at all affected by it and has to do a lot of heavy lifting to keep the Enterprise under control. Matching wits with Doctor M'Benga, engineer Hemmer, AND chief of security La'an. Meanwhile, Pike and Spock are dealing with weird ghosts/entities down on the planet that are trying to break into their little shelter. Secrets are revealed, lives are saved, and friendships tested and renewed. Strawberries! Join us on Patreon at http://patreon.com/setphasers
Cadet Uhura attends a dinner at the captain's table with a bunch of senior staff and other officers during which she admits that though she beat out several thousand applicants for the job on Enterprise, she might not be "all that Star Fleet."
Meanwhile, a comet the Enterprise is observing is on course to destroy a nearby planet with a young, pre-warp culture and when they try to push it off course, they discover that it has some alien tech on it. What follows is an away team (which includes Cadet Uhura on her first away misson) that goes to the comet and gets trapped by a force-field and has to learn to sing to a giant egg to get free. Meantime, the Enterprise is getting shook down by "shepherds" of the comet who think of the away team as a desecration. And it all comes down to clever math and translations, fancy flying from Ortegas, sneaky-sneakiness from Spock, and nerves of pure steel from Captain Pike. Can they pull it off? Will they pull it off?! and will Uhura stay with Star Fleet?! No telling! Join us for more BTS nerdy fun on http://patreon.com/setphasers
It all begins with Una (AKA Number One) goes missing on a routine First Contact mission. Pike, who has been roughing it out in the wild with a beard and a lady-friend, gets the call to return to the Enterprise and find out what went wrong. Then he calls Spock who was in the middle of... an adult consenting adults do with his betrothed, T'pring. Despite the inconvenient timing, Spock comes running.
Pike returns to an Enterprise that being shipped out a week earlier than planned, reluctant about returning to space after having glimpsed his own death ten years in the future, and meets a crew of new, young, very capable people. They go to the planet to find Number One and, of course, all hell breaks loose. And that is just the beginning (the VERY beginning) of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. Strap in, folks! Join us for more nerd fun at http://patreon.com/setphasers
Ok, well the Borg-queen/Jurati has absconded with the ship and Picard et al are stuck in the past. But the past still needs saving. Renee Picard needs to go on the Europa mission and Adam Soong is still out there trying to stop it from happening.
Thus begins a desperate play to ensure Renee's safety and foil Soong's plans as best the team can. IF they wrap that up, there is only the issue of Soong's final daughter/experiment Kore still on the lam and... Q, i guess?! Also all the many ways that the team has screwed with the timeline. And, finally, how or if they'll ever get home? Also, it would be nice if Elnor wasn't dead. We really liked him. Is there any way to wrap ALL this up in a single episode?! Well. We get by with a little help from our friends, don't we just?
Join us why don't you http://patreon.com/setphasers
Nobody freak-out, ok? It's the penultimate episode of season two of Picard. Everything is going to be fine! Picard has everything under control and the future is in good hands!
Now. Are we a little concerned about the full blending of Jurati and the Borg Queen and their ability to turn Adam Soong’s super-soldiers into Borg super-soldiers? And that they have remote accessed la Sirena’s transporters and are coming to chateau Picard en masse to overwhelm Picard and his team and take over the ship and go fly to the Delta Quadrant and build-up an immense Borg army to fight the Confederation of Earth forces from the evil timeline?!
…yes. But, I really do think that if Picard can just unlock the suppressed memories of his youthful trauma, and Raffi and Seven can work out their differences and work together, and Rios can say good-bye to Dr. Ramirez in with the just most perfectly smoldering smooch – I really do think that everything will be fine!
What's that you say? Q? Q who?! Join us on patreon for all of the video fun, zoom hangs and early access http://patreon.com/setphasers
It's Season 2 Episode 8 of Picard!
Well, Picard and Guinan are in an undisclosed location, some basement FBI facility, being questioned by the tenacious Agent Wells, who has a real bee in his bonnet about aliens.
Meanwhile, Borg/Jurati (AKA "Borgati") is running rampant through LA. Raffi and Seven are on her trail, but catching up to her has disastrous consequences. They are, however, able to figure out what she's up to– namely building nanoprobes to start assimilating folks. Borgati heads to the house of Adam Soong and sweet talks him into helping her with visions of personal grandeur. He is entirely susceptible because his daughter/experiment has just walked out on him with Q's blue-serum that allows her to endure sunlight and dust, i guess. And otherwise, Rios is making kissy-kissy with Dr. Ramirez on La Sirena while her son Ricardo eats too much cake. Little do they know, Borgati and Soong and a couple recently proto-assimilated super-soldiers are about to drop in on them and let loose the dogs of war. Joiin our patreon at http://patreon.com/setphasers
Recapping Star Trek Picard Season 2 Episode 7 "Monsters" A funky little episode. We spend most of the time romping around in Picard's subconscious. Meeting his mother, Yvette, whom he stylizes as a queen, and his father, Maurice, whom he calls a monster. And also young Jean-Luc, a little prince. Tallinn uses her Watcher technology to go in there with young Picard and they navigate a literal metaphorical dungeon of dangers and monsters and darkness. Eventually, we learn that the monsters without were actually monsters within and that Yvette was hounded by some sort of illness that made her prone to episodes of intense darkness and mania. Also, Picard's dad died young but got to keep all his hair. And we almost get to the bottom of what darkness makes Picard tick... before we leap back into the real world.
While all that is happening, Rios is taking Dr. Teresa Ramirez and her son, Ricardo, to visit La Sirena (in direct contravention of all the rules about time travel) and Seven and Rafi are scrambling across LA in search of Dr. Jurati who is being piloted by a vengeful and ambitious Borg queen.
Finally, Picard wakes up. Goes to visit Guinan for help. And they both wind up getting arrested by the FBI.
Fun! Join us on patreon at http://patreon.com/setphasers
A lot transpires at this halfway point of season 2 of Star Trek: Picard. Firstly we meet the Watcher. It's not Laris. She calls herself Tallinn. Her job is to watch one person and make sure their movement through time is protected. That person is Renee Picard! And Renee is supposed to leave on the Europa mission in three days times.
And would except that she struggles with inner demons. And, also, her therapist appears to be actively encouraging her not to go on the mission. When Picard and Talinn look in on a session and see the therapist – it's Q.
What else? Adam Soong is here, driven as all Soongs appear to be, into a mindless pursuance of his goals. He has a "daughter" Kore that is 100% like Soji, but not from the good future and confused or whatever. This is apparently what happened.
He gets approached by Q who wants him to take out Renee Picard in return for Q helping to save Kore, who suffers from a genetic defect that makes sunlight poison to her.
What else?
The gang breaks Rios out of ICE detention, the Borg Queen calls the police, Jurati shoots the queen with an ancient musket, the Borg Queen puts assimilation feelers into Jurati's face. The gang party-crashes a gala for Europa mission, Picard talks Renee into following her destiny, Soong tries to run them over with a car, Doctor Jurati is an incredible singer, but that let's the Borg Queen completely take over her body... and we end up back at Dr. Teresa Ramirez's clinic with Picard on the table in a coma.
So, things are going pretty poorly, I guess. And Elnor is still dead!
The crew of La Sirena manages to fend this alternate-reality magistrate and his soldiers, only to be pursued by more ships of the "Confederation" of Earth. Things seems dicey, but then the hook the Borg Queen up to the ship, she converts the whole thing over to Borg and sends them back to the year 2024. Which is before whatever timeline divergence took place.
So. Ok. But Elnor got shot in the chest. And he died....(DUN DUN DUN) Now everyone is on edge. They crash-land at an abandoned Picard chateau, and folks go into LA to find this "watcher" that the Borg Queen was talking about. Meanwhile, Doc Jurati and Picard hook her up to the Queen to get her back online. Tragedian-level antics ensue. There are pratfalls, car jacking, car chases, and arrests. A trip to the hospital for Rios. A trip down Jurati's subconscious for Picard and the Queen. And straight-up trip for Seven and Rafi, as they try to find the watcher and then try to find Rios. Notable Mentions: a young Guinan, a new nickname for Rios, and you'll NEVER guess who the Watcher is! Join us on Patreon for zoom hangs, early access and MORE http://patreon.com/setphasers
And we're back with a brand new season of Picard! Meet Jean-Luc. He's a formerly disgraced and retired, now reinstated, Star Fleet officer. He has just been named chancellor of the Star Fleet Academy. His friends are doing pretty all right, actually. His buddy Rios is back in Starfleet as a captain, and his buddy Raffi is back in Starfleet, and his buddy Seven-of-Nine is saving people in the galaxy as a Fenris ranger, and his buddy Elnor just graduated from Starfleet Academy! Hey, even doctor Agnes Jurati is doing... fine. Things are great! Except, Picard is awkward in love. And there is a big rift in spacetime calling his name. He goes to it. He tries to contact it. Things get messy. Things blow up. Meet Jean-Luc. He's a bloody thirsty general for the Confederation of Earth. He keeps the skulls of his enemies on pikes in his office. Seven is the president of the confederation. Rios is killing Vulcans. Elnor is a terrorist. Things have gone very sour indeed. Enter Q... and that's when the whole thing really get interesting. BECOME A PATRON and join us for all things Trek, BTS, community zoom hangs and MORE http://patreon.com/setphasers
Now we come to end, my friends. The End! Tarka has locked Book up and taken over his ship to gain access to the DMA controller so he can go universe hopping, DISCO is trying to get out of their bubble and get after them, and – meanwhile, at Earth – Admiral Vance and Tilly are running the evacuation effort, hopeless though it may be, for as many people as they can get out before the DMA debris hits the planet.
This episode has up and downs. People under stress, near-death experiences, beautiful speeches, crazy new aliens, certain-death situations, and many, many, many bitter tears. But surely it will all be right in the end?! Captain Burnham et al will find a way. They must, mustn't they? And Tarka will realize the error of his ways? And Earth won't be smashed to smithereens? And Michael and Book will get back together?! Oh please, oh please, oh please. Let it be so. For the end (of season 4) cometh! Join us on http://patreon.com/setphasers for all of the access all areas and hangtime with us and fellow nerds!
Finally, we are at the hyperfield bubble of Species 10C! The whole season has been leading up to this! Will Michael, President Rillak, et al be able to find a way to communicate with this vastly advanced species and get them to stop mining the alpha quadrant and accidentally destroying whole planets?!
With the help of Dr. Harai and Saru and a few members of the bridge crew, they are able to figure out the beginnings of a "bridge language" and the 10C send a silver egg sphere to the loading bay with a door. Michael, Rillak, T'rina, and Saru go aboard to make a case for the civilizations of the milky way galaxy. I mean... this could really work, people! EXCEPT, Tarka and Book are still planning a desperate mission to grab the DMA controller and power down the DMA so that Tarka can use it to go parallel universe hopping. And they took Jett Reno hostage and she is able to spy on Tarka's calculations and sees that if they take the controller it will cause a catastrophic implosion destroying the hypersphere and the 10C and sending a subspace rift caroming back to the alpha quadrant. That's a lot of lives being snuffed out for Tarka's ambition, but he gets the better of Book, lock him up with Reno and makes a run for the DMA controller. So... maybe this won't work at all. Join us for the month of March for Access All Areas at all levels at http://patreon.com/setphasers
Closer and closer to the object of all this season's fussing about – but not quite there yet. Convinced that they need to do a bit more research before entering the "hyperfield" and trying to establish first contact with species 10C, Captain Burnham takes Discovery to a former gas giant planet where it is theorized species 10C may have originally come.
While she and the away team look for clues, Book and Tarka are busy trying to hitch a sneak-ride on DISCO's hull without Zora getting wind of it. That means they have to sneak on the ship and add some code to the system. While there, Book attempts to enlist in the help of a new ally. The away team comes back, after some harrowing experiences, with some theories on how to proceed; DISCO takes off for the hyperfield; and Book returns to his ship to discover that Tarka was in a tight spot and had to take a hostage. Jett Reno. Oops.
Join our Patreon for the month of march for $3 a month and receive ALL TIER BENEFITS FOR ONE MONTH! Try before you buy with us. Watch Parties, Zoom hang outs, Early episode access, Exclusive Video access and MORE! http://patreon.com/setphasers
Things are really heating up as the first contact task force heads to the Galactic Barrier. DISCO is the ship that will carry them out to species 10C's weird energy/Dyson sphere and there is no time to waste as the new DMA is bigger and badder (and perhaps slightly less predictable) than the old one.
So DISCO heads out. A bunch of the delegates that were on their way are unable to make it and so folks have to improvise. Also, President Rillack hands power over to her Vice President so that she can attend the mission as the ambassador representing the Federation. Meanwhile, Book and Tarka haven't given up the fight. They go searching for programmable antimatter on the planet where all of Tarka's secrets are buried. Buckle up for FLASHBACKS. And so there is no safe place – in space or in memory – where one can shrug off the heightened stakes are we careen into these final episodes of Season four of Star Trek: Discovery. Join our Patreon for the month of march for $3 a month and receive ALL TIER BENEFITS FOR ONE MONTH! Try before you buy with us. Watch Parties, Zoom hang outs, Early episode access, Exclusive Video access and MORE! http://patreon.com/setphasers
Well, it's time for the rubber (or starship nacelles) to meet the road (or hard vacuum). Michael and the crew of DISCO attempt to ambush Book and Ruon Tarka as they are building the explosive isolytic device (using the tracker Michael planted). The Federation, concerned about Michael's closeness to Book, put someone on the bridge that will make the hard choice if she can't do it when the time arises. And it's none other than Commander Nhan (back from her Barzan rumspringa)!
Of course, when they make the attempt to infiltrate Book's ship, Tarka has secretly added new security protocols that almost lead to the death of some major crew members. And then, they jump away to the DMA with their bomb. Then DISCOVERY follows suit and the hunt is on. Michael still thinks she can reason with Book – but Nhan has a Federation-approved last resort plan (the only downside is... it'd kill Book, almost assuredly). And thus do they dance within the anomaly. Violence meets violence; tactic meets tactic – a stalemate of manoeuvring that can only lead to some climactic conclusion. Who, indeed, will be the first to cross the proverbial Rubicon, to make the deadliest move, and go past the point of no return?!?! Join us on http://patreon.com/setphasers for ALL ACCESS TO ALL LEVELS for the month of March, our next watch party and hang out is February 27th 4pm EST!
....and we're back at the DISCO!
Since Book and Ruon Tarka took matters into their own hands and decided to steal the next generation spore drive and go build their own isolytic bomb and take a punch at species 10C on their own, the Federation is in a shambles. Michael has been told that she and DISCO cannot go after Book (the president feels she is too close to it), but then in private Admiral Vance asks her to very try to go after Book. What's an enterprising Star Fleet captain to do but screw her courage to the sticking place and find a nice loophole. Since it was unlikely the Fed knew about her connections on a distant planet and that would be a good play to go for isolynium as well as extra-galactic starmaps – Michael jumps in a shuttle with Lt. Comm Owosekun and they head to... ...Haz Mazaro's Karma Barge. Shenanigans ensue. A changeling, a fightclub, a couple rounds of poker... all for a little isolynium (and the safety of billion of lives). WHAT'S NEXT?!?!
This week as Discovery is on hiatus for just one more week, Stevie was asked to join some other Trek podcast hosts to take part in a Star Trek Jeopardy...
Akie (our champ) was unfortunately busy being a cool musician guy so Stevie stepped up, how do you think they did?
Check out Keeping up with the Cardassians and Star Trek Podcast: Trek Cast
Discovery resumes so normal Set Phasers service will also resume next Monday!
In other news join our Patreon and our next Netflix watch party February 13th for patrons only where we'll get together and watch some Star Trek go to http://Patreon.com/setphasers
So, this is it. Finally, we are doing a watchalong of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. A regular contender for the "best Star Trek movie of all time." And it does not disappoint. From the sartorial splendor of Kirk's wardrobe, to increasingly slower and slower chase scenes with higher and higher stakes, to – let's just call it like it is – Ricardo Montalban's chest and pretty much every line he delivers in this.
You'll laugh, you'll cry. You'll have a strange hankering for popcorn (if you're anything like us). And, in the end, you'll feel young again. That's a promise. Join us for our next watch party in February where you can watch Star Trek with us virtually!! Super nerdy and fu. Http://patreon.com/setphasers
Another watch-along monday! We screwed our courage to the sticking place and made valiant effort to watch the third of the JJ Abrams Star Trek movies – Star Trek: Beyond. High was the anticipation for this film when it came out in 2016, but alas, it proved to be well below most people's expectations.
Why? Who can say? Maybe because Abrams didn't return to direct this one because he was already wrapped up in making the new Star Wars trilogies. Maybe it was because the storyline was hard to follow or, when followed, fathom. Maybe because there wasn't much "beyond" gone to in the movie – just one planet in a rocky nebula. Heck, maybe it was just the lack of lens flares. Either way, it maybe isn't as good as its predecessors. That said, it has some wonderful comedic turns, offers plenty of that ol' Star Trek feeling. There are good turns by each of the main characters, some odd choices, a touch of Idris Elba's character chewing the scenery and, last but not least, an epic Enterprise-crash-into-the-planet sequence. Surely that is enough. Enough to watch along, at least! Join our Patreon to join our next Watch Party the first weekend in February http://patreon.com/setphasers where we'll watch a favourite episode of Star Trek TOGETHER virtually!
And we're back! The DISCOVERY hiatus continues, as does our series of watchalongs. We continue with the 2013 follow-up to Star Trek entitled Star Trek: Into Darkness. Kirk et al are hoping to start their five-year mission when, because of his flaunting of the rules, Kirk's command of the Enterprise is revoked and Spock (who dropped dime on him) is transferred to another ship. How will Kirk become the captain we know he can be? How can he and Spock have the friendship we know they must have? And what part does Admiral Pike play in all of it? [Spoiler Alert: he dies.]
Is this a strange, kelvin-timeline rehashing of Wrath of Khan? yes. Is it slightly disorganized and a little too long? yes and yes. but does Akie still get misty eyed when Kirk is dying and Spock is talking to him through the glass?! yes, yes, a thousand times yes! that and other affirmations await you, dear listeners, as we watch and comment upon all things Into Darkness-esque. Klingons and hovercraft fights and, rarest of all, Spock-tears! All that and, also, Akie's heavy breathing when he gets too involved in the movie.
The year was 2009. Barack Obama was president in the United States. The economy was tanking. ands JJ Abrams had made a new Star Trek movie. It had Kirk and Spock and Bones... Uhura, Sulu, Chekov... the whole gang. And, for many, it is was jump started this new era of Star Trek shows.
So... we did a watchalong. Akie and Stevie start with the movie that (re)started it all. the blandly titled "Star Trek." That said, apart from its title, there is very little bland about it. From the fight scenes, to Sulu's sword, to Eric Bana as the distraught captain Nero, to, yes, a cameo by Leonard Nimoy! Also, every few seconds: LENS FLARES. I mean, what more could you want?! Our episodes are livestreamed on video to our patrons, you can join us for livestreams, early access and watch parties and more at https://patreon.comsetphasers
It's the mid-season finale of Star Trek Discovery. What it's all be leading up to (before, you know, the rest of the season).
The Federation has called together an assembly of all the major worlds and races, Federation and otherwise, from all four quadrants of the galaxy to discuss what must be done about the DMA and "Species 10C."
At the same time, Zora (Discovery's erstwhile computer), has used all the data from the subspace rift to find out the coordinates of whoever made and sent the DMA – but she is unwilling to give that information to the crew because she thinks it will put them in danger. Enter Dr. Kovich to help figure out what is going on there.
Meanwhile, at the assembly things breakdown along the lines of dealing with thing. One faction wants to make a show of strength and strike back, destroying the anomaly; the other faction wants to try and established first contact before jumping to any conclusions. Book and Michael find themselves on opposites sides of the debate.
So. Will the Federation attack? will they make peaceful overtures? Will Zora hand over the coordinates to the crew of Discovery? Will she be determined a sentient AI and be forcibly expunged from DISCO's computer?
Do androids dream of electric sheep?!?!?!?!?
We'll answer most of those questions in this episode of Set Phasers: A Highly Illogical Star Trek Podcast.
This episode was livestreamed on video to our patrons, you can join us for livestreams, eary access and watch parties and more at https://patreon.comsetphasers
DISCO has been ordered to go into the subspace rift made by the DMA to gather any readings or information they can about the anomaly. Things are going nominally at first, but when the ship gets inside, there is nothing to be found. They are in a data-less void.
Zora, the AI that lives in and runs the ship, is having a rough day with no data to crunch. There is an invisible barrier closing in, about to chew the whole ship and crew into smithereens. Book is having deep hallucinations about his father. And an ensign is lost when there is a sudden hull breach. Gray teaches Zora how to play games; the crew launches a desperate plan using 20th century earth sonar technology; everyone but the captain goes into a pattern buffer; and Zora sings an old jazz standard while superheated plasma starts to melt the ship to slag. Are we having fun yet?!
This episode was livestreamed as a video to our patrons, join our continuing mission and receive more benefits including video pods and early access at http://patreon.com/setphasers
A fairly straightforward day on the DISCOVERY. The ship is sent as part of a rescue mission to a string of asteroids that are about to get his by the crazy dark matter anomaly in that is tearing through the quadrant. there's only a couple of hours to get everyone off the planet before the gravitational situation send everything haywire. So its hard work
Meanwhile, Stamets is working with Dr. Ruon Tarka, the person in charge of the 2nd generation spore drive, on making some progress on the DMA, because it is discovered that that thing aint at ALL natural. Turns outs Tarka is kind of a character. And finally, Michael and Book stage a prison break where all the guards are giant, explosive beetles. This episode was livestreamed to our patrons, you can become one! Join us at http://patreon.com/setphasers
What is happening?! Michael and Saru get called down to the surface of Ni'var to help President Rillak close the deal with Ni'Var joining the Federation.
Tilly goes to Starfleet academy, with Adira in tow, to run some critical team building exercises. Book sits down for a therapy session with Dr. Culber. I guess it's gonna be a pretty chill episode.
Except, Book is really resistant to confronting his trauma no matter what Culber does... and Tilly and the bickering cadets crash land on the wrong moon and are being pursued by giant, predatory crustacean creatures... and the Ni'Var President asks for a last minute amendment to the agreement with Star Fleet that is completely non-negotiable. So, there's that.
Here's hoping that the episode's title means all that can be resolved in an hour (cause it seems pretty bad!)
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When a rogue Qowat Milat sister goes, well, rogue and starts knocking over Starfleet ships delivering dilithium to planets in need (and, incidentally, kills a Starfleet officer in the process), Ni'Var, the Federation, and the Qowat Milat have to team up to hunt her down.
Yes, Michael's mother is the Killer-Romulan-Warrior-Nun representing the order and, yes, Michael's representing the Federation. And yes, Tilly is along for the ride. And–YES–they have to give up their phasers in favor of swords! Also, Gray Tal is getting his new body and Dr. Stamets and Book head to the Ni'Var Science Institute to get some help analyzing the anomaly that is eating planetary systems. So swash your buckles as we attempt to unravel all that, well, unravels in this episode of Star Trek: Discovery! Join our patreon to watch our episodes LIVE-STREAMED, early access to the audio episodes and be part of our monthly Netflix watch parties AND patron shout-outs: http://patreon.com/setphasers
So. There's a space anomaly about five light-years in diameter that is chewing up solar systems like a swarm of piranha. No worries! Discover jumps in to take some measurements and can't get close enough to get good readings. Pas de problem! Booker, who is definitely somewhat out of sorts because his entire planet was the last victim of the anomaly, wants to take his ship in. Stamets, with whom he does not get along, is going along for the ride as a holo. So, it's awkward. No sweat. Then, Discovery has to back up or be destroyed so they release the tether and Book has no navigation systems and he's have waking hallucinations of his nephew Leto who he lost to the anomaly and he is not being responsive to Stamets or Cpt Burnham. Do we look worried?! Also, Grey's gonna get a new body. And Saru is back on the ship! Join our patreon to watch our episodes LIVE-STREAMED, early access to the audio episodes and be part of our monthly Netflix watch parties AND patron shout-outs: http://patreon.com/setphasers
It's a beautiful day in the galactic neighborhood of the 32nd century. The Federation is back, Starfleet no longer needs to hide behind a cloak, and there's plenty of dilithium to go around. Michael and the crew of Discovery are just humming along with the pace of progress. So the new Federation President and Michael aren't getting along so well; and so Saru is still on the planet Kaminar taking his leave of absence from Star Fleet; and so not every planet is super excited to join up with the Fed – it's still a pretty good life.
But then a deep space outpost gets into some trouble and the causes for it are mysterious and Michael gets chewed out by the President (who decides to tag along) for being to desperate to save everyone and then Kewjian (Book's home planet) gets blowed all the way up. And, well, it's off to the races in Season 4 of Star Trek Discovery! Join our patreon to watch our episodes LIVE-STREAMED or to catch the video episodes, be part of our monthly Netflix watch parties, early episode access AND patron shout-outs: http://patreon.com/setphasers
Stevie and Akie return for MORE TREK!
After starting this podcast in summer of 2020 (because.. well you know, we had time!) and covering all recaps of the new Trek seasons and series from Discovery Seasons 1-3; Lower Decks Seasons 1 & 2; and Picard Season 1; these two nerds are ready to tackle the new Season of Star Trek Discovery this fall and of course all the new Trek coming down the...PIKE... (see what we did there?) in 2022!
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In the season finale of Lower Decks, the Cerritos is headed to the Laaperian system to assist the USS Archimedes in a first contact mission. Things go awry when a solar flare causes an unstable planetoid to blow and completely knocks out power on the Archimedes. The Cerritos must devise a miraculous plan to save them, all hands on deck!
But, also, just before the mission started Mariner overheard that Capt. Freeman is getting a promotion to a better ship and going to have to leave the crew of the Cerritos behind. Everyone is upset. But SURELY this will end well. It's Star Trek, ain't it?! For our patrons only, this episode is live-streamed as a video with exclusive early access for patrons. You can join us on our continuing mission at http://patreon.com/setphasers.
It's a long warp for the crew of the Cerritos, 12 hours. So Captain Freeman is giving folks the day off. To chill and hang. Boimler is excited to spend time with the gang but they're all hanging out with various "bridge buddies." He wonders if life is as dull on lower decks of other ships. Well, we get a look at life on the lower decks of other ships: Klingon, Vulcan, Pakled... And also, something strange is afoot. Strange energy readings! Perhaps a convergence of these disparate groups is in the offing? Or maybe it's just a casual day off of pottery making and free-climbing and mother-daughter target practice. Probably that. For our patrons only, this episode is live-streamed as a video with exclusive early access for patrons. You can join us on our continuing mission at http://patreon.com/setphasers.
Mariner's feeling a bit sour because she and the lower decks gang go left out in space for six hours when the Cerritos has to warp away to help another ship in trouble. Also, a Starfleet drill instructor is showing up to run the entire crew through performance reviews and Captain Freeman wants everybody to be at their best. When the drills involve the lower decks folks assuming senior staff positions (and the senior staff being lower decks), the event become a chance for Mariner et al to show just how well they would do if they were charge. Nothing goes wrong, of course. For our patrons only, this episode is live-streamed as a video with exclusive early access for patrons. You can join us on our continuing mission at http://patreon.com/setphasers.
First, there's this evil supercomputer that caused a hundred years of war on a nameless planet. Boimler and Mariner are tasked with bringing it to the Daystrom Institute to be put on ice, but when they get stranded on a deserted planet. AGIMUS, the aforementioned, does his best to put them at each other's throats
Meanwhile, Chief Billups is apparently descended from royalty. and, also, is a virgin. And if he ever has sex, he'll automatically become king of the Hysperions. Good thing his mother, the Queen, is visiting the Cerritos and begging Andy for help fixing her "dragonsbreath" engines. Captain Freeman and Ransom try some "alien street food" and regret the decision. Really. For our patrons only, this episode is live-streamed as a video with exclusive early access for patrons. You can join us on our continuing mission at http://patreon.com/setphasers.
There is, indeed, a spy humongous on the USS Cerritos. Capt. Freeman and Shaxs have gone down to the Pakled planet (which they called "Pakled Planet") to try and negotiate a peace. But then a "prisoner" from the planet "escapes" to the Cerritos and asks for "asylum" – and also schematics for the ships defensive capabilities.
Meanwhile, Mariner, Tendi, and Rutherford are on Anomaly Consolidation Duty. Basically, they are collecting dangerous science trash that senior staff has collected on away missions. The results are... messy. Also meanwhile, Rutherford gets recruited into "The Red Shirts," and club of enterprising young officers who see to help each other get promoted through the ranks. If it seems like a cult, or just a bad idea, it is. So, you know, the usual. For our patrons only, this episode is live-streamed as a video with exclusive early access for patrons. You can join us on our continuing mission at http://patreon.com/setphasers.
The Cerritos is headed to Starbase 25 for the annual Command Conference (which is purported to have one of the most outrageous after-parties in the quadrant!) and it will be the only California-class ship attending. Captain Freeman is rather chuffed.
There's just the problem of the Doopler Ambassador who gets to "dooplercating" himself when he gets insulted and results in the ship having to be locked down until he can stop multiplying. Mariner and Boimler take advantage of the chaos to sneak aboard the station and attend the party on their own. Things go promptly south when they run into one of Mariner's old "associates." Meanwhile, Tendi and Rutherford just want to complete their Cerritos miniature model. Well, Rutherford really wants to complete it – but all those dang Dooplers are getting in the way!
So there's this big scary mugato creature on on Frylong IV, precisely where it shouldn't be. Cerritos is dispatched to get to the bottom of it. So what if they're poisonous, carnivorous, and incredibly strong? Shaxs leads the away mission and turns out there are Ferengi (like old school electro-whip Ferengi!) behind it. Chaos promptly ensues.
Meanwhile, Boimler and Rutherford have heard a rumor that Mariner is a Black Ops agent from Section 31 and during the fighting they watch her stab Shaxs. Surely, they will be next, those silly-billies! Finally, Tendi is tasked by Dr' T'ana with scanning all the personnel who have been avoiding their check-up. It's all going well until the very last scan-dodger proves to be rather catty about it. For our patrons only, this episode is live-streamed as a video with exclusive early access for patrons. You can join us on our continuing mission at http://patreon.com/setphasers.
Lieutenant Paris is visiting the Cerritos! You know, Janeway’s hand-selected, to-be-redeemed, ace pilot. He’s visiting!
Also, Tendi is sent on a mission by Dr. T’Ana and decides to bring Mariner along for a “Girl’s Trip.” Hijinks ensue.
Rutherford wants to know how Shax is back from the dead but knows it is a taboo to ask; Boimler is stuck in the bowels of the ship the whole time.
For our patrons only, this episode is live-streamed as a video with exclusive early access for patrons. You can join us on our continuing mission at http://patreon.com/setphasers.
Season two of Lower Decks rapidly picks up speed. First we meet the new head of security (a Tanarian named Kayson) and then we see Boimler hard at work trying to fit in with the pugilistic types on his new ship.
Lt. Kayshon leads the Cerritos gang (along with Jet, who has been transferred) on to a deceased collector's ship, a security protocol is engaged, he gets turned into a doll and the team must fight their way off the ship. Meanwhile, on the Titan, Boimler is part of an undercover squad infiltrating a mining camp to find out about the nefarious intentions of some Pakleds. Things... don't go super well. And Captain Freeman gets her command performance review. Apparently... she's a bit of a micro-manager. For our patrons only, this episode is live-streamed as a video with exclusive early access for patrons. You can join us on our continuing mission at http://patreon.com/setphasers.
It's strange energy indeed, as we return to life aboard the Cerritos with Ensign Mariner and her mother Captain Freeman. Things are going great – and they both secretly hate it! You would think they could talk about it, but it seems like they can't. It takes Ransom heading down to a planet and getting blasted with "strange energies" and become a young, narcissistic godling for them to admit it to each other. Also, Tendi thinks Rutherford's cybernetic implants are malfunctioning and will stop at nothing to fix him! A new season of hijinks and shenanigans is in the offing. Huzzah! For our patrons only, this episode is live-streamed as a video with exclusive early access for patrons. You can join us on our continuing mission at http://patreon.com/setphasers.
Star Trek: Nemesis. The final TNG-movie watch-along! Released in 2002, the last of the four TNG movies is an uncharacteristically dark affair. It has very little of light-hearted hijinks of the previous three and ends pretty sadly. That said, it starts with the wedding of Troi and Riker; Data has been promoted to new first officer; everything is peachy-keen.
Then the Romulan senate is attacked by a poison bomb or something, killing everyone present and we learned of the sister planet to Romulus–namely, duh, Remus. Apparently there is some enmity there? Enterprise is dispatched to figure out what is going on and how to bring peace back. That still seems well in hand. But then he learns that the leader of the Reman forces is a young clone of himself (Tom Hardy). Thus begins a psychological game of cat and mouse (or cat and cat) with just the future of the entire planet of Earth hanging in the balance. Be sure to have tissues at the ready.
Another Watch-Along! This time, well, we decided to do all the TNG movies and we will not be thwarted! Even if this one is somewhat hard to watch it is still full of the wonder and joy and space (and unasked for group singing) that are the hallmarks of a rollicking Star Trek film. There is the obligatory crooked admiral, Data malfunctioning and beating a bunch of people up, a scenery chewing bad guy, and a love interest for Jean-Luc.
Once again in Frakes’ steady hands, we set sail to the stars with the crew of the Enterprise on a (sorta kinda) cool adventure!
Strap in as we watch through 1996’s Star Trek: First Contact directed by none other than TNG’s own Jonathan Frakes. It’s got everything you could want — space fights, ship fights, the Borg, time travel. And poor Captain Picard must battle not only the Borg but also his own internal demons. Thankfully, he gets help from a very drunk James Cromwell.
Also, Data gets real skin for a while (it’s creepy).
Are you ready for a watch along?! Your intrepid hosts, Akie & Stevie, get together to watch the all the TNG movies adding our own... uh... incisive commentary. First up is 1994's Generations – replete with cameos by Scotty, Chekov, and James T. Kirk himself. There is funky time stuff (of course), as well as obligatory big-budget film exploding things. A fight on a cat-walk on top of a mountain? Sure! And, the kicker, Picard and Kirk teaming up to take down the black-clad, british-accented, megalomaniacal bad guy. Through it all, we'll keep interrupting to talk. Sync up the movie and watch along with us!
Season Finale?!?! ALREADY?!?!?! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.... ok. So, Boimler let's slip that Mariner is the daughter of Captain Freeman. Everyone starts coming to Mariner to curry favor and so she considered applying for a promotion to the USS Sacramento – the same one Boimler is gunning for. That would be drama enough, but then a group of extremely advanced Pakled's destroys a federation ship and takes a crack at the Cerritos. With the ship disabled, the captain injured, and imminent destruction hanging over their heads – Mariner, Boimler, Rutherford, and Tendi each have a part to play in getting out of a deadly situation.
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Mariner and Captain Freeman's constant arguing comes to a head but instead of throwing Mariner in the brig for subordination, Freeman makes her take mandatory therapy. Mariner thinks it's worthless, but decides she can really work through some stuff when Boimler reveals a holodeck program with complete personality work ups for the whole crew. Only... Mariner may not realize quite how much work she needs to do on herself before it's too late...
Mariner, Tendi, Rutherford and Boimler are thrown in a jail cell and then brought before a tribunal to testify as to the actions of senior crew on a particular stardate in question. Mariner remembers nothing important, Boimler remember nothing other than his embarrassment, Tendi remembers waaaay too much, and Rutherford's implant was jacked up so he remembers... some strange things. But why was the ship in the Neutral Zone and what was the package they were sent to pick up and WHO IS "THE CLEANER"?!! The answer to these questions may surprise you, but not nearly as much as it does our hapless lower decks crew. Can they save their senior staff (and themselves) from a grisly death in the Tank of Contempt (which is replete with eels AND fire)?!?!? Another surprise, I guess. Join our patreon for fun Netflix watch parties and more at http://patreon.com/setphasers
Captain Freeman, Ransom, and Shaxs are called away on an urgent, covert, seed-planting mission, so there will be a visiting captain on board the Cerritos. At first, Mariner is upset by this, but then she discovers it is her old friend from the academy, Amina Ramsey. Ramsey selects Mariner to be her first officer and help her not be just a "babysitter" for the crew, but Mariner is having a hard time not screwing up everything she does for some reason...
Also, Brad Boimler gets kicked out of phase by a transporter experiment and is sent to "The Farm" on a Division 14 ship – where all the victims of recent Star Fleet accidents reside. He tries to stave off a mutiny. Tendi creates a dog that is horrifying. Meanwhile, Stevie can't find her sound effects and Akie's Easter Eggs theme keeps changing... Join our next watch party June 27th at http://patreon.com/setphasers
This week the Cerritos is locked in a pitched and literal tug-o-war with a ship of Drookmani over some ancient Starfleet wreckage and Captain Freeman is doing her best to resolve the issue without violence. In response, the Drookmani start throwing debris at the Cerritos with their tractor beams to provoke a fight. Meanwhile, on the lower decks, Mariner and Boimler have to work together to fight a semi-sentient isolinear coil that their crewmate broke and tried to hide and that is weakening the shields. it's eating every bit of technology in sight. Oh, also, Rutherford and Tendi are stuck on the holodeck when the ships systems malfunction with a fully sentient and wholly murderous hologram named Badgey. So. A regular day, I guess. http://patreon.com/setphasers
Brad Boimler has a girlfriend! Her name is Barbara Brinson. Try saying that fast. Akie does a bunch this episode and it pretty much broke him. Mariner thinks Brinson is too good to be true and is on a mission to prove that she is some sort of man-eating alien. Meanwhile, Rutherford and Tendi are exploring the bowels of the Vancouver doing diagnostics in a competition to win a new T88 tricorder... but the contest is rigged because someone's grandma was the Admiral's neighborhood? Oh, also, a moon is supposed to be destroyed but the denizens of Mixtus II & III can't seem to agree on whether the moon should be destroyed and time is running out. But in the end, this is an episode about love.... AWWWW Join us over on patreon for Netflix watch parties and more http://patreon.com/setphasers
The Cerritos is hauling an ancient generation ship across space with the USS Merced. The ship has some kind of super biology juice inside of it that turns anything it touches into trees and rocks and water. So, careful, everyone! Meanwhile, Captain Freeman is sick of Mariner's disrespect and immaturity and wants her off the ship. She hatches a plan to make life unbearable for her daughter in the hopes it will drive Mariner to ask for a transfer (it doesn't). Tendi accidentally ruins a shipmates attempt to ascend to a state of pure energistic being and tries to make it up to him by relentlessly trying to help him re-achieve inner peace. Oh, and the captain of the Merced is NOT careful; and the generation ship springs a leak; and the bio-juice travels up the tractor beams and threatens to turn both ships in to, well, trees and rocks and water. Boimler cleans the conference room.
What do you know about "buffer time?" You know, like, the crew of ship says it takes four hours to fix the dilithium mix, but it really on takes two hours? I mean, we all kind of know that, right?!
Captain Freeman didn't and when she cracks down on buffer time everything goes all to hell. Morale drops and things stop working. And then, also, the ship is attacked and boarded. Meanwhile, Mariner and Commander Ransom are in prison on the surface fighting over who gets to fight to the death in order prove the Federation's innocence on Galrack V. And to think – this all could have been avoided if the Cerritos had just gone to Cardassia Prime... If you care to support us on our continuing mission to explore that all Star Trek has to offer check out http://patreon.com/setphasers. If you're enjoying boldly going with us, rate and subscribe!
Ensign Boimler is SUPER excited to be shuttling a Klingon ambassador down to the surface but Mariner crashes the party. She and General K'orin drink too much bloodwine and the ambassador passes out... then he steals the shuttle and goes joy-riding around the Klingon district wreaking havoc. As they pursue K'orin, Mariner proves herself quite the Starfleet officer, constantly getting poor Brad Boimler out of dangerous trouble – except when she almost gets them kidnapped by a Ferengi?! Meanwhile, Rutherford is trying out all the different color uniforms on the Cerritos. With spectacular results. #Smourgasborg
Welcome aboard the USS Cerritos (small hills?!), listeners! Meet ensigns Boimler (nervous goody-two-shoes), Mariner (bad-ass rebel and rule-breaker), Tendi (hyper enthusiastic science officer), and Rutherford (innocent, newly-cybernetic engineer) – our plucky heroes. Don't worry about the command staff on the bridge, we're plumbing the depths of this starship – where the real action is! Namely, picking up after the higher-ups and trying to not to die. In this pilot episode, the crew of the ship is infected with some sort of rage virus causing them to try to kill and eat each other; Tendi holds a man's heart on her first day working in sickbay, Rutherford has a date with a trill, and Boimler and Mariner fight a giant (and, as it turns out, non-carniverous) spider during a "second contact" mission. It's good clean fun. Join us on May 16th for our patrons-only Netflix watch party by becoming a patron for as little as $2! http://patreon.com/setphasers
The stage is set, the players are ready, and the Romulans are about to show up and destroy EVERYTHING. So much happens in this season one finale of Picard that it is hard to even summarize it. There's tears and laughter, dogfights in space, the hatching of plans, the dashing of hopes. Soji builds an antennae, Jurati shows some serious backbone, Rios and Raffi make bets, Seven settles a score, and Elnor – sweet Elnor – he weeps when it is appropriate. Picard, well. He confronts the "ego" that is "en Arcadia" and he does not look away. Also, Data! Don't forget about the merch!! You can buy your Set Phasers merch as mentioned in the episode right here: https://www.zazzle.com/store/set_phasers_podcast
The crew of La Sirena arrives in orbit at Soji home planet; they fight Narek; Seven of Nine shows up with a borg cube. Then giant orchids fly up from the planet's surface and knock all three ships out of space. Once there, the race is on. The Romulan fleet is still on its way to eradicate the synths! Picard et al find Soji's people and, at first ,it does seem like an idyllic little paradise. There are synthetic lifeforms like Soji, and one of her creators (yet another Soong!) is there. But after one of the synths, Sutra, does a mind-meld with Dr. Jurati and sees "The Admonition" in a whole new light – well, things get complicated... and we get left holding a big, fat "to be continued."
Picard, S1, E8. And they don’t call it “Broken Pieces” for nothing! EVERYBODY is broken in the episode. We learn the tortured, mind-breaking origins of the Zhat Vash (and why they are dead set on destroying all synthetic life) and we learn that Soji and Rios have met before – but they were different people then. Soji, literally, and Rios, figuratively. Speaking of Rios, we also finally gather all of his holographic versions in one room and find out what exactly has got him so existentially angsty. Jurati wakes from her coma and explains herself. And Raffi - dear, sweet Raffi – sees the matrix and identifies all the parts and puts it all together and knows what is coming next.
Also, Soji takes over the ship and steers the crew into the Borg trans-warp network and Seven shows up on the Artifact to kick ass and chew bubblegum… and she’s all out of bubblegum.
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It's Episode 7 of Picard. When last we left off, Picard and Soji basically stepped through a weird energy-window in a Borg Queen's bedroom suite and we headed to a planet called Nepenthe. What's on Nepenthe, you ask? Why, Will Riker and Deanna Troi, of course. And their daughter Kestra - and the memories of the deceased son, Thaddeus.
Troi scolds Picard into getting his head on straight, Riker makes pizza and listens to jazz. Soji confronts her memories and identity and human-ness... or lack thereof?! Friends are made, stories are told, plans are hatched! There is just enough delightful hugging. Oh yeah. Meanwhile, Rios and Raffi are trying to out-run Narek and get to Picard in time to head on to Soji's homeworld and the secret behind everything. It's possible Dr. Jurati knows the secret behind everything, be she is also the traitor! so she eats cake, cries, vomits, and then puts herself in a coma. Just another day about La Sirena, the fate of the galaxy in their hands! Join us April 11th for our monthly Patrons-only Netflix watch party where we will watch a TNG episode where Troi takes the con! Head to https://patreon.com/setphasers
Things are really heating up on Picard. After the mysterious death of Bruce Maddox – the man who could have answered all the questions – Picard et al set a course for Soji and the Artifact, the only thing Bruce was able to tell them before he "died."
Meanwhile, Soji and Narek are growing closer as Soji plumbs the depths of existentialism and Narek tries to steal her secrets. Raffi is drunk, Elnor is earnest, Jurati and Rios do the nasty after soccer practice, and Picard will once again set foot on a Borg cube. But will he get there in time to save Soji before she ends up quite dead?
Gosh, we hope so, we want more episodes!
Another Frakesian masterpiece. This time, big heist energy. Picard et al go to Freecloud, the negotiate with the black market there in order to track down Bruce Maddox. Raffi goes off on her own (mis)adventure for her own reasons. There’s outlandish disguises, plenty of phasers and plenty of tears. All in all, we just hope we’ll get the answers we so desperately want once we find the elusive Maddox. [Spoiler Alert: no traitors are revealed in the episode.]
Absolute Candor is more than just an episode title – it is a way of life! In this episode, Picard revisits some past mistakes, acquires a new crew member, and considers the effects of his actions. We’ll meet the Qowat Milat, and lost about hopeless causes. And the non-love/love-triangle of Narek, Soji, and Narrisa grows ever more strained and uncomfortable. It’s got Akie and Stevie all over it. And so: we are!
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Picard S1, E3: Three former Starfleet officers, all hounded by the ghosts of their former service, and an expert in artificial life forms walk in to a bar. Well, no, they walk into each other. And Picard tells them it is crucial they abscond from Earth and find Bruce Maddox to see how he created Dahj; Meanwhile Dahj’s sister, Asha, continues to work on a Borg cube in Romulan space and carry on a relationship with an undercover Starfleet... Tal Shiar... something… covert agent.
It’s high stakes espionage, folks. Chateau Picard is attacked, Asha gets a mystic reading, and there are drugs. It’s a trip.
Also: Hugh is back!!!
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Ok. So, Dahj is dead and she may have been Data’s daughter, somehow. But isn’t Data dead? How does he have a daughter now? Synthetics are banned by galactic treaty, so even if they both were alive, their existences would be illegal. Picard will investigate, but he can’t go to Star Fleet for aid – so he’ll need to assemble a crack squad of non-Star Fleet members. Fortunately he can, and no one tries to stop him either. I mean: he’s Picard! Who would dare?!?!!
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...And we are BACK! With Picard S1 E1, no less. An ageing, sometimes proud, sometimes sad Jean-Luc struggles with dreams and waking life. Though difficult, it has become commonplace. And then a stranger walks into his garden and one last [?] adventure begins anew!
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Season 3 wrap up! What happened? Who’s captain? What’s the Burn? What’s The Chain? The Mirror Universe?!! Answers abound. Also, Akie and Steph’s favourite moments. A joyous celebration of Star Trek Discovery. And... some theories about Season 4, maybe? (Definitely)
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SEASON 3 FINALE!! No spoilers. You'll just have to listen ;)
AND..... we have a VERY special surprise for you after Quotable moments... DOUG JONES is in the house!!!!
Ok. No biggie. Osyraa stole the Discovery and is headed to Federation HQ; Book and Michael are in hot pursuit. Captain Tilly is in charge of the crew held hostage as Osyraa tries to get her way with the Fed. Stamets is being worked over by an evil [?] scientist! By the way, Saru, Culber, and Adira are still stuck in the Verubin nebula suffering the effect of radiation and dying. So, yeah: no biggie....
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Season 3, Episode 11. This episode begins one ways and end the other. We can’t bear to talk about, but... we will. We will talk about pregnant Kelpiens, planets made of dilithium, and the most jacked-up holodeck episode in Trek history; we will talk about Tilly having the con, Book having some chutzpah, and Stamets having a hard time; finally, we will talk about Michael getting to the bottom of The Burn, Ossyra getting away with Discovery... and Saru and Dr. Culber getting left behind. gah!
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Season 3, Episode 10. Still in the mirror universe!
Thus, Emperor Georgiou races against the clock to change the disastrous events that destroyed her empire before. A blood-thirsty Michael is hard to tame; a blood-thirsty Tilly/Killy is up to the challenge. You know what? Everyone is thirsty for blood, I guess. But I’m sure it will all work out just fine in the end....
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The episode we’ve all been waiting for: the return of Mr. Glasses.
Georgiou is not doing super great. DISCO travels to a strange world to try and help her. Everything is illuminated (jk. Very little is) in this first part of a two-parter....
Hold on to your butts!
Season 3, Episode 8: And things are heating up! Finally, we get to see just what Book’s deal is, sort of. We find out what the infamous Emerald Chain is all about, as well. The stories of Book, and Ryn, and Ossyra unfold a bit. Stamets and Adira make a dynamic duo. And Georgiou finally sees a doctor...
Oh - and Akie has FINALLY come up with a musical interlude for Book...
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Season 3, Episode 7: A demoted Michael is still burning with a the desire to answer the questions of The Burn. Evidence points to a program that was run by Starfleet on a mysterious planet called Ni'Var. Well, it's Vulcan, actually. And the Vulcans live there with the Romulans. Unification! ...But they left Starfleet 100 years ago and want nothing to do with it. Can Michael, sister of Spock, convince them otherwise? Will she be able to keep it together when her mother shows up?! [nb: her mother shows up] Will there be sweet, sweet Vulcan logic courtroom drama?!?! These are real uncertainties. Unlike the following two questions: (a) Is Tilly going to make an awesome Number One? (b) Will Book remove his shirt within the first five minutes of the episode? All will be revealed (Mr. Book included) as we run it down!
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DISCO gets a retrofit - sexy new controls, detached nacelles, and comm badges that do EVERYTHING!
They are told to stand-by for an important mission. Unfortunately, Michael finds out that Book is in trouble and so she and Georgiou jump on his abandoned ship to launch a rescue. AWOL on the first day on the job! Captain Saru is displeased.
Meanwhile, the crew continues to bond; Linus is all over the place (literally); and Tilly is not a cat person.
In Season 3, Episode 5 DISCO finally makes its to Star Fleet/Federation Headquarters... And everyone is very suspicious of them. The powers that be want to split up the crew and maybe even the ship (DUN DUN DUN!)
Captain Saru and First Officer Michael Burnham must race to prove their worth to this advanced Federation and keep the crew (and ship) together — but the future is a very strange place and sacrifices must be made...
So there is a Federation out there somewhere (though the location is a secret)! Fortunately, Adira, the newest member of Discovery’s crew, is hosting a symbiont that knows where that is. She just can’t access its memories!
DISCO heads to Trill and tries to convince them to help her. In the meantime, the crew’s morale is starting to fray in a dangerous way, so: Captain Saru throws a dinner party!
A tearful reunion begins Episode 3 of Season as Michael and the crew of Discovery are back together again. But Michael has been here in the future for a full year all alone, things have changed, she has changed...
Is Discovery still home for her? Saru becomes Captain, Book comes aboard, and DISCO jumps home to Earth to find that much has changed since 900 years ago... If you want to become an official patron and join in our monthly watch parties head over to https://patreon.com/setphasers to find out more and join the ranks of the Set Phasers crew!
In Episode 2 of Season 3, we get to see what happens when the Discovery comes through the time-rift...
The crew is still pretty badly beaten from their fight with Control, but they are picking up the pieces (in the case of the USS Discovery, literal pieces) as they race to get the ship functioning after a crash landing and discover a future that is not at all what it was cracked up to be...
Star Trek Discovery is back!! 930 years in the future, Michael Burnham arrives alone and injured.
She meets an unkind stranger (with a very large cat) who informs her that the Federation had collapsed! And then... they go shopping (and all hell breaks loose)! Akie and Steph get all excited and discuss the episode and all the fun facts and theories from this brand new episode of our favourite series that is... Star Trek: Discovery! Join us over at our patreon to join in the fun of Netflix Watch Parties and much more at http://patreon.com/setphasers
It’s the season 2 finale of Star Trek: Discovery. It’s the end, it’s the end, it’s the end! Who is the red angel? Why is the red angel? CONTROL has control of all of Section 31. It’s seem like utter self destruction is the only way to ensure it doesn’t get the Sphere data.
Michael and Spock are in a real bind until they realize the most important question really is: WHEN is the Red Angel?
Answer that and “the end” might only be the beginning...
We’re in the home stretch of Season 2 but things are getting very hairy...
First off, Michael’s Mom is the Red Angel (let that sink in) – but it ain’t all hugs and kisses. Secondly, remember Leland? Who had his brain poked at through his eye by a periscope of some sort? Well he’s fine (that’s a relief!) but he is acting a little strange. There is yet another red signal DISCO has to check out where Pike is confronted with a fairly unfair choice. Oh, and evil supercomputer Control? It’s back, baby!
In episodes 9 and 10 of Season two, there is a traitor onboard — and everyone thinks it’s Ash! But there is really no time to hunt that down. The DISCO is on the run, and so is Admiral Cornwell (because Section 31 has stopped responding to her hails, what the what?!)
Spock has arrived and he has an axe to grind with his adopted sister, Michael. There’s a minefield (both emotional and literal) to navigate. and the traitor? it’s Airiam — but she tells Michael to find “Project Daedalus” before she gets ejected out of the airlock! WHAT IS PROJECT DAEDALUS? (spoiler: we’ll tell you!)
The search for Spock continues!
Captain Pike gets caught in a time rift, Michael returns home to Vulcan, Tyler struggles to gain acceptance after his... episodes during the Klingon War. Section 31 is a dangerous place full of people with dangerous secrets.
Oh, and we find Spock. And he has a beard! And well, that’s when things get really weird
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What does it mean to be Kelpien? To be human? to be Starfleet?! Explorations go deeper as Akie and Steph discuss episodes 5 & 6 of Discovery’s second season.
We go into the Mycelial network to lose new friends and find old ones; we go to Kaminar to, well, kick butt; AND we go to Section 31 where we must confront our own intentions. What does it mean, after all, to be unified?
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With Season 2 underway, the happily ever after is starting to show some signs of stress....
The nascent Klingon Empire is have some stability problems, Tilly is still seeing visions of her deceased friend May Ahearn (and that may lead to some ship-wide troubles), Mr. Saru is suffering some deadly growing pains, and Michael’s mom, Amanda, drops by with news about her estranged brother Spock - ever heard of him?! And, oh yeah, there’s still the mysterious Red Angel to deal with...
The adventure begins anew... While still reeling from the Klingon war (peacefully concluded at great cost) giant, inexplicable red “signals” in the cosmos have the entire Federation worried and confused. Is it science? Is it divine design? Is it destiny?!
Season two of Star Trek: Discovery starts furiously and doesn’t let up for a moment. Captain Pike said it and we mean to honor it: make some noise.
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All’s well that ends well, right?! Season one comes to a defending climax with the Klingons having control of most of Alpha Quadrant, the DISCO attempting a suicidal mission to find the weaknesses in Qo’Onos, and this could be the end. Will it be well?! Or just: all’s that ends?
The good news is, the Kelpian feasting, murder ambitious, machiavellian emperor from the Mirror Universe is in charge of this new assault so — wait. Is that good news?
Oh dear. Will you take my hand?
In episodes 13 and 14 of Season 1 of Star Trek Discovery, things get complicated; things get very complicated...
Evil Lorca, who is the only Lorca we ever knew, makes a renewed attempt at his coup of the fascistic Terran Empire. Michael is conflicted about stopping him which will save Evil Georgiou, the Emperor. Ash Tyler is no longer a Klingon sleeper-agent, but he’s not quite human either. There is war in the Mirror Universe, there is war in the “prime” Universe – and everyone is sorta at war with themselves.
There is only one episode left in the season: will it end in complete and utter annihilation?! ARGGGGH!
Oh my, oh my, oh my. We’re late for an appointment at the palace! In this episode of Set Phasers, Steph and Akie discuss the insanity of the Mirror Universe, the nameless Emperor of the Terrans is revealed, delicacies are shared — and also: secrets? Or maybe not.
Also, there’s a war on, folks and Lt. Stamets is having a heart-to-heart...with Lt. Stamets ?!
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Where to begin? This week Steph and Akie discuss Star Trek: Discovery's eighth and ninth episodes in which there is some glorious Klingon battling, some disturbing (and progressive) loss of control of mental faculty, not a little bit of dire intrigue, and a great deal of everything else being turned completely inside out and all hell breaking loose!!! PANTS
In short: it doesn't matter where we begin – we shall end up somewhere completely unexpected!
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Strap in tight and hold on to your butts!
In episodes 7 & 8 of Star Trek: Discovery we are forced to contend with the consequences of serial time loops, the curious biology of Space Whales, sentient planets and the perverse nature of perpetual fear.
It is, indeed, “magic to make the sanest man go mad.” and in the end, no matter how lofty our goals, we’ll all end up in the Mudd.
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Stage a prison-break on a Klingon warship? And inject your head-scientist with the 23rd century equivalent of psychedelic (quantum) mushrooms? AND engage in dangerous liaisons with superior officers?! AND do a Vulcan mind-meld across time and space?! AND FALL IN LOVE?!?!?!
In episodes 5 & 6 of season one of Star Trek: Discovery the crew of the USS Discovery does it all – proving they have what it takes to stay alive in the 23rd century! Also, Akie really wants one of those sweet DISCO shirts...
Akie and Steph discuss Season 1, Episode 4 of Star Trek: Discovery.
Discovery's fancy new "displacement spore drive" doesn't seem to be working and a nearby mining colony is under attack. AND they only have six hours to get there!! AND Captain Lorca is not all that understanding when it comes to failure!!!
Also, when Klingons fall in love over dilithium processors, we all get hot and bothered...
Akie and Steph discuss Season 1, Episode 3 of Star Trek: Discovery. New ship, who this? The chief engineer is a bit prickly, the captain hoards secrets, and the new roommate... snores.
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Akie and Stephanie discuss Episode 2 of Star Trek Discovery: wherein Michael Burnham has to face the music and has to decide whether she Vulcan (or Vulcan’t) live with the consequences of her actions. Also, the Klingons attack!!! (after...100 years!!)
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Akie and Stephanie discuss the pilot episode of Star Trek: Discovery!
It's called The Vulcan Hello, it's all about Klingons (who haven't been seen for 100 YEARS!), and we get thoroughly confused a couple of times. Nonetheless, nerd-dom prevails in this first episode of Set Phasers: A Highly Illogical Star Trek Podcast.
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Akie and Steph give you the low-down on what you can expect when you beam aboard... Every episode will delve into the Nerd-verse of Star Trek: Discovery breaking down all of the plot-twists, the timelines, the stats, bringing you the best #StametsStingers, #TillyTime moments, #SpoilerAlerts and much more!
Join us, won't you? The "final frontier" awaits us!