Shuttle Pod - The TrekMovie.com Podcast: Recent Episodes
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This is a special bonus episode for both the TrekMovie podcasts: All Access Star Trek and Shuttle Pod. This is a live recording of the TrekMovie “Star Trek Status Report 2026” panel from Creation’s Trek to Vegas convention in Las Vegas, recorded on the opening day of the convention, Wednesday August 5. On the panel were TrekMovie founder Anthony Pascale along with his All Access Star Trek co-host Laurie Ulster, and Shuttle Pod co-hosts Matt Wright and Brian Drew, all TrekMovie.com editors. We had a spirited discussion about how Star Trek is at a pivot point, with things appearing to wind down while there are some some signs of optimism for the future. There were some interesting comments and questions from audience members as well. A regular episode of the All Access Star Trek podcast will post on Friday, with a review of SNW 403, followed by a supplemental featuring interviews with Scotty actor Martin Quinn and an exciting guest star from episode 403. Look for that supplemental to drop on Saturday.
Anthony and Laurie took a trip to Ticonderoga with Kayla, Brian, and Andy from the Shuttle Pod podcast to visit the Star Trek Original Series Set Tour, which exceeded all of their extremely high expectations. Listen as they talk about the immersive experience, the personal tour they got from owner James Cawley, the special events that happen there yearly, and the experience of the town itself.
This is a live, unedited stream of TrekMovie’s “Star Trek Status Report: 2025 And Beyond” panel recorded at the STLV: Trek To Vegas convention on Thursday, August 7, which also happens to be the day Skydance officially took over Paramount. Here is the official description: “TrekMovie editors and podcasters Anthony Pascale, Laurie Ulster, Matt Wright, and Brian Drew will talk about where things stand and where things are headed for the franchise on television, film, and beyond. Please come and say hi, there will be a Q&A to ask any burning questions you have.” This is a supplemental podcast from TrekMovie’s All Access Star Trek and Shuttle Pod podcasts. All Access Star Trek will be posting our regular weekly pod on Friday, August 15th with Tony and Laurie recapping STLV 2025 and reviewing Strange New Worlds episode 306.
The Shuttle Pod crew was recalled “by a little known, seldom used reserve activation clause” to record a quick update for our sister podcast, All Access Star Trek, to respond to questions about the Shuttle Pod’s current status and possible future. Since we recorded it, we thought we’d also release it in our podcast feed with a small bonus introduction.
Brian Drew from the Shuttle Pod podcast joins Anthony and Laurie this week. They talk about the latest twist in the Paramount merger (now that another bidder has emerged), round up the news on Starfleet Academy, Section 31, Strange New Worlds, Lower Decks, that Star Trek workplace comedy Tawny Newsome and Justin Simien are developing, and the Nicholas Meyer audio drama about Khan we haven’t heard about in a while. They touch briefly on the upcoming Blu-ray & DVD releases of Prodigy season 2 and all of Discovery, and then it’s time to dig in to all things Star Trek Las Vegas. The trio discusses the changes this year and goes over the highlights of the convention from panels, to events, to the hotel and much more. They wrap up with some bits of interesting and fun moments from STLV.
This is a live recording of the TrekMovie.com “Star Trek Status Report: 2024 And Beyond” panel held on Saturday, August 3rd at Creation Entertainment’s STLV event in Las Vegas. This is the biggest Star Trek convention of the year and Tony and Laurie from the All Access Star Trek podcast were joined by Matt and Brian from Shuttle Pod to talk about the current status of the Star Trek franchise, focusing on TV and film, as well as where things are headed with announced, potential, and rumored projects. They also discuss how the changing media and business landscape is impacting the franchise, and what the pending Paramount/Skydance merger could mean for Star Trek.
Following up on our emergency podcast in June about Star Trek: Prodigy being removed from Paramount+, Kayla from Shuttle Pod and Tony and Laurie from All Access Star Trek reunite to talk about the great news that the show has been saved. Season 1 and Season 2 are coming to Netflix. The trio talks about the news, speculates about season 2, and offers hope that the move to Netflix could lead to a third season.
This is a special live joint podcast from the 57-Year Mission convention, recorded on Thursday, August 3rd. At Star Trek Las Vegas the two TrekMovie podcasting teams got together for a “State of Star Trek” panel to discuss what’s going on with the franchise and where things are going, especially in light of the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes along with changes in content strategy at Paramount+. The panel was comprised of the All Access Star Trek duo of Anthony Pascale and Laurie Ulster joined by The Shuttle Pod‘s Kayla Iacovino, Brian Drew, and Matt Wright. the panelists offered their thoughts on Star Trek in 2023 and also took questions and comments from the crowd.
After the big news broke on Friday that Paramount Global is canceling and removing a number of shows including Star Trek: Prodigy, the TrekMovie podcasting teams assembled for an emergency pod to talk about it. Kayla and Brian from the Shuttle Pod join Tony and Laurie from All Access Star Trek to break down the news and put it into context with what is going on with Paramount and the streaming business. The podcasters also express their sadness to see such a great show get canceled but are hopeful it will find a new home, as Paramount has said they plan to license both season 1 and the upcoming second season to another network. They also have a frank discussion about the state of Star Trek merchandise and about what all of this could mean for the future of Star Trek on TV.
The full compliment of the Shuttle Pod crew gathers to discuss the final two episodes of ‘Star Trek: Picard’ season three. Brian, Kayla, Jared, and Matt also look back at the season as a whole, and look forward to the potential ‘Legacy’ show.
Shuttlepodder Jared Whitley invites John Duchak and Laurie Ulster to join him in a celebration of ‘Star Trek: Deep Space Nine’ in honor of the show’s 30th anniversary. After a not-so-quick overview of the series as a whole, they each pick three episodes to talk about—not the most venerated ones, necessarily, but ones that stuck out to them as favorites that demonstrated some aspect of what the show does best. NOTE: We’ll be back in a few weeks when we can reconvene with the full complement of the Shuttle Pod crew for a ‘Star Trek: Picard’ Season 3 wrap up.
Brian, Kayla, and Matt climb aboard the shuttlepod to talk Ultra HD Blu-ray, 35mm film restoration, and of course the issues around, and possibilities for, remastering the beloved ’90s Trek shows (DS9 and VOY), and more. https://www.dotheysellamurfplushyet.com/
Kayla and Matt climb aboard the Shuttle Pod to discuss “Dominion” and “Surrender.” The podcasters worry about a slight mid-season slump, but everything comes out on top by the end of the 8th episode. They praise Vadic’s interesting backstory, Marina Sirits’ and Jonathan Frakes’ chemistry, and Brent Spiner’s ability to seamlessly switch between Data and Lore. The crew discuses how Jack has become the star of these two episodes, and they talk about how they really just want to know what’s on the other side of that red door now.
Brian and Matt climb aboard the Shuttle Pod to discuss “Imposters” and “The Bounty.” As the final season of ‘Star Trek: Picard’ hits the mid-point, there’s lots to talk about including starship fan service done right, the welcome surprise returns of Ro Laren, Geordi LaForge, and maybe even Data?
In this episode of the Shuttle Pod podcast, Brian, Matt, and Kayla sit down to go over the latest two episodes of Star Trek: Picard, representing the end of Act One of the season-long story arc. The crew are enjoying this season, even more than they thought they would, and Kayla has a couple of deep cut clues she may have uncovered in these two episodes. Plus, the crew come up with a very realistic and definitely correct fan theory about the Changelings’ buckets. Perhaps the most fun clue we uncovered is the provenance of the knife used by Vadic to turn her hand into some kind of Changeling communication device. It reminds us of a certain Reman knife, but it turns out that (at least in non-canon works) the knife isn’t Reman at all… it’s Jem’Hadar. Listen in to find out more! Relevant images to go along with this week’s podcast: Picard and Beverly share a moment in sick bay That alien language looks familiar… Come to think of it, so does that knife…
Shuttlepodders Kayla and Brian tackle the first two episodes of Star Trek: Picard’s third season, and ask the tough questions, like what is the deal with Jack Crusher? Is Captain Shaw a jerk, or justified in his actions? Is there a mole on the Titan? Why is Raffi always talking to screens? Is showrunner Terry Matalas all that and a bag of chips?
The Shuttle Pod crew gathers to go over the final trailer for ‘Star Trek: Picard’ season three that was released Sunday evening. Brian, Kayla, Jared, and Matt talk about their hopes, questions, and concerns for the upcoming season, which is billed as a “proper send off” for the ‘Next Generation’ crew.
With the return of the second half of the first season of ‘Star Trek: Prodigy’, shuttle pod’ers Kayla and Matt are joined by Laurie from All Access Star Trek to discuss all things ‘Prodigy.’
Brian and Matt board the Shuttle Pod to commemorate the 35th anniversary of ‘Star Trek: The Next Generation.’ They recall their first encounters with TNG, reflect on previous TNG anniversary celebrations, and look forward to ‘Star Trek: Picard’ season 3 in February. Then the pair discuss the unsurprising news that the next Star Trek movie has been pulled from Paramount’s schedule. They mull over the various scripts that have been prepared over the last few years, and wonder if there’s even a need for a Trek film at this point.
This special podcast features a live recording of the TrekMovie.com “State of Star Trek” panel from the 56-Year Mission Las Vegas Star Trek convention. On the panel were TrekMovie.com editors and podcasters: Anthony Pascale, Laurie Ulster, Kayla Iacovino, and Matt Wright.
Brian, Kayla, Matt, and the co-host of TrekMovie’s ‘All Access Star Trek’ podcast, Laurie Ulster, talk about the life of Captain James T. Kirk and try to separate myth from reality. Was he an arrogant, rule-breaking womanizer who never looked before he leaped, as pop culture says? The answers we came up with may surprise you. We also look at the newest iteration of the character, played by Paul Wesley on ‘Star Trek: Strange New Worlds’, and our hopes for how Kirk will be portrayed in the show’s upcoming second season.
Brian, Kayla, and Matt reflect on the life and lasting influence of Nichelle Nichols. Then, the Shuttle Pod crew look forward to the festivities at the Creation 56 Year Mission convention in Las Vegas later this month. And lastly, the trio discuss some of the news out of San Diego Comic-Con, including: the look we got at the ‘Next Generation’ crew in ‘Picard’ season 3, and they ponder just how a ‘Strange New Worlds’ and ‘Lower Decks’ crossover will work.
This time on the Shuttle Pod, the crew discusses the known whereabouts of the classic characters from the original ‘Star Trek’ during the first season of ‘Strange New Worlds’ (set in 2259). But first the crew share their general impressions of the first half of season one of ‘Strange New Worlds.’ NOTE: For international fans, be warned there’s some SNW spoiler talk in this episode.
The Shuttle Pod crew is back, and this time they’re discussing the 2022 ‘Director’s Edition’ of ‘The Motion Picture.’ Which is easily the biggest “Legacy Trek” project since the remastering of ‘Next Generation.’ Join them as the podcasters give an overview of the rushed release in 1979, and why legendary director Robert Wise didn’t really get his final cut until the 2001 release of The Director’s Edition on DVD which helped to refine the film with a more polished narrative. They delve into what exactly makes the DE different from other versions out there, with a brief overview of the changes, along with a specific discussion of the new 2022 version.
The crew talks about the breaking news on the day of recording, James T. Kirk is coming to ‘Strange New Worlds.’ Then Brian, Kayla, Jared, and Matt tackle the main topic for this installment of the podcast: their impressions of “The Star Gazer” and “Penance,” the first two episodes of ‘Star Trek: Picard’ season two.
The Shuttle Pod crew uses IMDb rankings of the seven seasons of ‘Star Trek: The Next Generation’ as a jumping off point to discuss their own rankings of TNG. Seasons 3-6 are quite popular, but where do they rank for each podcaster? does a consistent season make it worthy to be higher on the list? or is it about the best episodes of a season? listen along and see if you agree with their rankings.
The full complement of the Shuttle Pod crew discuss their (potentially) unpopular opinions about Trek. The Star Trek: Discovery season one prologue (“The Vulcan Hello” and “Battle at the Binary Stars”) is actually a good introduction. Sulu’s orientation in Star Trek Beyond was not on screen, only in press interviews. The USS Cerritos is actually a cool looking ship. And perhaps most controversial, Next Generation season 2 is better than season 7. Listen along and see if you are persuaded.
The Shuttle Pod crew is back after a brief winter hiatus and ready to ring in 2022. It can’t be understated just how much Star Trek is happening this year. With 51 new episodes of Trek on TV, documentaries, video games, comics, and much more, it’s certainly a big time for Trekkies. The full TrekMovie gang already went over some of the most anticipated items for the year, and Brian, Jared, and Kayla use this as a springboard to take a bit of a deeper dive into what we are looking forward to and why.
This week, the Shuttle Pod feed has been taken over by the SyFy Sistas: Yvette, J.D., Subrina, Fran, and Tamia. The SyFy Sistas cover Sci-fi movies, books, comics, TV series, conventions, and podcasts from a black female point of view. It’s where science fiction meets Afrofuturism! You can read more content from the Sistas on their website or listen to their podcast on the Trek Geeks network. For this takeover episode, the SyFy Sistas ask: can any Star Trek movie pass the SyFy Sistas Inclusion Checklist test? Many listeners may be aware of the Bechdel test, in which a film or television show passes the test if two female characters have at least one conversation that is not about other male characters. The test became famous because, despite the extremely low bar for female representation in film, a surprisingly large number of movies and TV shows fail. The Sy-Fy Sistas have taken a similar look at the Star Trek movie universe, but with respect to characters of color. The Sy-Fy Sistas Inclusion Checklist consists of six key points that a Star Trek film must have to pass the test: At least two named characters of color Dialog of those characters must be more than merey supportive of the white characters Characters of color must have a skill that contributes to the survival of the group Characters of color don’t have a criminal record Characters of color must have a positive relationship with another character Characters of color are not magical stock characters The first run of this podcast episode is exclusively here on The Shuttle Pod, and will be published on the SyFy Sistas podcast on TrekGeeks.com later this week.
Kayla sat down with Howard Jackowitz and Craig Spurrier of Wines That Rock, makers of officially licensed Star Trek Wines. Their team is made up of real Star Trek fans who have worked with CBS, the Klingon Language Institute, and even some Star Trek writers to create top-quality products that feel like they are taken right out of the Star Trek universe. And they don’t skimp on what’s inside the bottle. Not only is the packaging cool, but the wine is also delicious and meant to be enjoyed. The trio discusses the wines, the bottles, and the history of how these products were made. We highlight the newest wines in the Star Trek Wines lineup, a Kanar red wine blend, and a United Federation of Planets Andorian Blue Chardonnay. In particular, the story behind the making of the Kanar bottle makes you realize just how much Wines That Rock cares about authenticity. One of only a handful of original bottles still in existence plus a metal stopper prop used in TNG’s “The Wounded” were used to create 3D models. Brand new Kanar bottles were produced at a glass forge in Italy, making these really unique. You can purchase all of the Star Trek Wines and the Chateau Picard wine crate at StarTrekWines.com. GIVEAWAY: Enter to win! TrekMovie and Wines That Rock have teamed up to give away some amazing Star Trek Wines prizes, including a Chateau Picard wine crate ($199), a Kanar bottle (empty) with topper and glass stopper ($45), a Federation metal medallion wine label ($20), and a $300 Star Trek Wines gift card! Learn more about the wines, the contest, and ENTER TO WIN here.
The full complement of the Shuttle Pod crew re-examine four episodes that are considered oddballs, underdogs, or just plain weird episodes. Before they jump into the weirdness, the podcasters also announce the 100th episode contest winner. Then, on this installment of The Best Of The Weird, Brian, Kayla, Jared, and Matt discuss “Spock’s Brain,” “Phantasms,” “If Wishes Were Horses,” and “Threshold.” Are these episodes as strange as you remember them? or just plain bad? listen along and see if you agree with the podcasters.
Join Kayla, Brian, and Jared as they celebrate the 100th episode of Shuttle Pod (not including supplementals and episode reviews), and learn how you can win a Shuttle Pod prize pack (for contest details, see TrekMovie.com)! Fresh from their journey to Las Vegas for the Creation 55-Year Mission, the team reflects on the new Star Trek Las Vegas and what it was like to do a con during a pandemic. We go over all the con highlights and favorite moments and look ahead to 2022 when the event will be moving to a new location.
Creation Entertainment’s annual Las Vegas Star Trek convention, now dubbed “The 55-Year Mission Tour”, will return next Wednesday, August 11, after last year’s show get postponed twice due to the pandemic. While this year’s convention is a go, it hasn’t been without its challenges. The Delta variant has caused a surge of infections in Nevada, with mask mandates returning in various counties in the state, including Clark County, where Las Vegas is located. This development has made both fans and celebrities understandably concerned about traveling to the city. Most of the TrekMovie team will be heading to the con, including Shuttlepodders Kayla, Jared, and Brian. In this episode, they preview the convention, their own concerns about navigating a convention during a pandemic, and more. We also spoke to DS9’s Chase Masterson, who will be a guest at the con, about how Creation is working to keep the actors safe as well as her work with Pop Culture Hero Coalition, which she’ll be promoting at the show.
Yes really, the Shuttle Pod Crew discusses chairs. What started as a goofy idea developed into a serious topic of discussion. From the all important captain’s chair to the lowly standard office chair. Having a place to sit is important, it shows that you have a place at the table, or a center seat to command from, or maybe it’s a funky art piece for more for display than function. Kayla, Jared, and Matt discuss all of these aspects and more!
John de Lancie is returning to play Q in Star Trek: Picard, so Kayla, Brian, and Jared take a look back at this iconic character from Star Trek: The Next Generation and peer forward to imagine how he might fit into the new TV show. Will the immortal Q return as an older man, mocking Picard? Will he and Guinan make jazz hands at each other once again? We speculate about this and much more on the latest Shuttlepod!
With so much news coming out of Star Trek First Contact Day, it was only logical for the Shuttle Pod crew to team up with All Access Star Trek—our first crossover event—to debrief! Kayla, Jared, Matt, Tony, and Laurie discuss the new teasers, trailers, and intel on Star Trek: Picard, Star Trek: Discovery, Star Trek: Prodigy, Star Trek: Lower Decks, the panels about the Nichelle Nichols documentary Woman in Motion and Star Trek: First Contact’s 25th anniversary, and the announcement of a new (and official) yearly Star Trek convention.
Wish the legendary Bill Shatner a happy birthday with this podcast celebrating the legend! To honor the 90th birthday of our dear Captain Kirk – today, March 22! – Brian, Jared, and Laurie share their favorite William Shatner moments, whether he’s out there hopping galaxies or pushing Priceline.com.
In honor of half-price boxes of chocolate after Valentines Day, Kayla, Jared, and Matt join together to discuss Trek romances, couplings, unrequited loves, bromances, and a little bit of fanon ‘shipping.
Jared and John are joined by TrekMovie founder Anthony Pascale to take a deep dive into Section 31, discussing how the inclusion of Starfleet’s enigmatic clandestine organization has worked over the years. The Shuttle Pod team examines the organization’s Star Trek history—from its first appearances in Deep Space Nine to popping up in season four of Enterprise and being the real bad guy in Star Trek: Into Darkness, and its prominent role in season two of Discovery. With Section 31 possibly being central to a potential upcoming Michelle Yeoh-led Star Trek spinoff series, we discuss whether this story device works best as a super-secret covert action organization (as seen on DS9 and Enterprise), or as a more militaristic branch of Starfleet (as seen on Discovery and Into Darkness).
How well do you know the Shuttle Pod Crew? For that matter, how well do you know your Trekkie friends? Think you could guess their top three favorite characters in all of the Star Trek franchise? This week, Kayla, Brian, and Jared sit down to discuss their top three, but with a fun twist. They first have to try and guess each others’.
Kayla, Jared, and returning host John Duchak discuss one of their favorite episodes of Star Trek — The Next Generation’s season 4 episode “The Drumhead” — in the context of how Star Trek has done social commentary. And, importantly, Kayla invites you to join her in never again being able to unsee the fact that the interrogation chair is actually a mediocre 1990’s office chair, complete with caster wheels, arm rests, and those little levers to adjust the height. So, go ahead and sit down in an office chair while we probe into the ancestral origins of your great-great-great-granduncle to decide whether or not you are allowed to hang out with us.
Brian and Kayla sat down with filmmakers David Zappone and Joe Kornbrodt who, through their production company 455 Films have brought eight Star Trek documentaries into the world. Zappone, who runs the company, started working with William Shatner and produced William Shatner’s Gonzo Ballet in 2009. The pair worked so well together that the rest, as they say, is history. The company’s latest product is a special 4- or 5-disc set (depending on which set you buy), The Captains Collection, which Brian reviewed before our chat. We spoke with David and Joe on the new box set and much, much more including What We Left Behind, the Deep Space Nine documentary that debuted in 2018, plans for another DS9 doc that is planned, and their work on the currently in production documentary on Star Trek: Voyager. The Captain’s Collection Box Set Definitely check out Brian’s thorough review of the set, which includes: The Captains The Captains Close-up Chaos On The Bridge Get A Life! Extended interviews and William Shatner’s Gonzo Ballet (5-disc Special Edition set only) You can grab the 4-disc set for $42.51 on Amazon and the 5-disc Special Edition, which retails exclusively through Shout Factory, for $74.98.
Seasons 1 and 2 of ‘Star Trek: The Next Generation’ are often lumped together. The crew discusses how season 2 is quite a different show than the first. Season 2 took risks with the introduction of Kate Pulaski, and because they were still finding their footing the writers gave us a variety of styles of stories. Season 2 also introduced many mainstays for the series, including: Guinan, the weekly poker game, The Borg, Riker’s beard, plus Worf and Geordi get their key positions in the senior staff.
The full compliment of the Shuttle Pod crew hunker down by the campfire and discuss the cooky, the spooky, the disturbing, and the downright scary episodes of Star Trek. Listen along as Brian, Jared, Kayla, and Matt pick episodes from all over the franchise, creating a non-exhaustive list (of course there’s too many to talk about in just one episode!) of fun frights for your All Hallows’ Eve viewing pleasure.
Using Noah Hawley’s recent comments about making a smaller budget Star Trek movie as a springboard, Brian, Jared, and Matt discuss the business of making movies. The podcasters discuss where Trek fits into the current business models, and the pressures to make Star Trek films a worldwide success.
Kayla, Jared, and Laurie celebrate Star Trek: Voyager’s 25th anniversary by choosing two standout episodes, one from each category: pre- and post-arrival of Seven of Nine. They also discuss some of the early plans for the series that never happened, and look at its overall legacy.
Kayla, Jared, and Matt sit down and chat about episodes of the Star Trek franchise that they’ll watch again and again, episodes that they’ll watch if they’re having a bad day. Their “comfort food” of Trek if you will. Each podcaster selected two episodes to discuss. Listen along to hear their picks and why they like them.
Brian, Kayla, and Matt catch up about the latest goings on with the CBS Star Trek Universe — including ‘Discovery’ season 3, ‘Picard’ season 2, and what 2021 will probably look like for Trek content. Then the crew review “Second Contact” the first episode of the highly anticipated animated comedy ‘Star Trek: Lower Decks.’ And they give their (spoiler free) impressions of the next three episodes.
This year’s San Diego Comic-Con was quite a bit different, with pre-recorded virtual panels. Join Brian, Jared Kayla, and Matt as they break down everything from the CBS Star Trek Universe event.
TrekMovie editor Laurie Ulster sits down for a phone interview with Gates McFadden. The two talk topics from virtual Star Trek conventions to politics to what it was like for Gates to play a role that inspired so many in the medical profession. Take a listen! The interview was recorded on June 29th and is available, in part, as a transcription at TrekMovie.com. Shuttle Pod Supplemental: Interview with Gates McFadden Your browser does not support the audio element.
Kayla has been rewatching all of ‘Star Trek: The Next Generation,’ and has reevaluated season one. She feels the common wisdom of TNG S1 being generally poor, and often hard to watch, is flawed. She presents her points to fellow her Shuttle Pod crew members — Brian, Jared, and Matt. Listen along to see where the podcasters land in their appraisal of season one of ‘Next Generation.’
Listen to the audio of our full interview with Kate Mulgrew. TrekMovie editor Laurie Ulster sat down with Kate to talk the state of the world, reunions with the Voyager cast, and new projects in Kate’s life. Listen in! Note that this interview was recorded just before the murder of George Floyd, and so while Kate discusses the COVID-19 crisis, the recent Black Lives Matter protests hadn’t yet happened and so are not discussed.
This week, Brian and Kayla welcome back special guest Anthony Pascale, owner and founder of TrekMovie.com, to discuss the recently announced Captain Pike show, Strange New Worlds and take a bit of a dive into the business side of Star Trek, CBS All Access, the CBS-Viacom merger, and what it all means for Trek going forward.
This week the entire complement of the Shuttle Pod crew look back on how Star Trek looks forward. Many fans are drawn to Trek due to its positive outlook on the future of humanity and the way in which the show handles the exploration of the human condition. In these tumultuous times, we could all use a bit of positive escapism, and so Brian, Matt, Kayla, and Jared offer up some of their favorite examples of aspiration in Trek (plus some just plain feel-good eps that you’re sure to enjoy). Come on a new kind of journey with us this week, as we dive into the philosophical and the inspirational, after some stirring words from John Kennedy, some of our on-screen heroes, and the Great Bird of the Galaxy himself. Looking for some Star Trek to make you feel warm and fuzzy inside? Try these episodes and movies: The Original Series TOS S1 E02 “The Corbomite Maneuver” TOS S1 E19 “Arena” TOS S1 E23 “A Taste of Armageddon” TOS S1 E26 “Devil in the Dark” TOS S1 E27 “Errand of Mercy” TOS S2 E21 “By Any Other Name” TOS S1 E28 “City on the Edge of Forever” The Next Generation TNG S2 E12 “The Royale” TNG S4 E13 “Devil’s Due” TNG S5 E02 “Darmok” TNG S5 E26 & E27 “Time’s Arrow” Parts 1 and 2 TNG S7 E25 & E26 “All Good Things…” Parts 1 & 2 Deep Space Nine DS9 S1 E01 “Emissary” DS9 S4 E08 “Little Green Men” Voyager VOY S6 E12 “Blink of an Eye” Enterprise ENT S2 E02 “Carbon Creek” ENT S4 E21 “Terra Prime” Movies “Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home” “Star Trek: First Contact” …and so many more! Tell us your favorites in the comments!
Based on a question from a listener (and Shuttle Pod patron), Brian, Matt, and returning guest Tony discuss the business of making Star Trek — appealing to advertisers and the consumer public from TOS to the new CBS era. They discuss why Hollywood is interested in the younger market demographic (people in their 20s), and ponder if there’s room for more niche Trek shows that aren’t trying to chase both new and existing fans all at once.
The Shuttle Pod crew gather round their mics to discuss the final episode of the first season of Star Trek: Picard. Feelings are mixed among the crew. We all agree that the show ultimately delivered a heartwarming as ever scene providing closure we’ve been waiting for for twenty years. And, the episode did tie up a lot of key story threads from the season. But, so many other narrative threads were left hanging, and Picard’s new reality opens up one huge can of worms for the franchise.
The entire complement of the Shuttle Pod gather round their podcasting mics to discuss the penultimate episode of the first season of Star Trek: Picard. The episode came as a bit of a change of pace after the previous eight episodes. Particularly after episode 8, “Broken Pieces”, where our heroes really start “putting the pieces together” (I don’t care if you excuse the pun, I’m going to keep using it), episode 9, “Et In Arcadia Ego, Part I” felt like a bit of a step backwards in terms of directionality for the plot. Can the writers deliver a cracking finale next week?
Kayla, Brian, and Jared hop onto the Shuttle Pod to discuss last week’s episode of Star Trek: Picard – “Broken Pieces”. This episode was jam packed with new information, so there is a lot for our crew to discuss! Join us as we break down our favorite moments, including some of the best character moments on the show to date. And, please, make sure to avoid any glowing pizza tables you may encounter in back alleys. Stay safe, kids.
Jared and Kayla gather round the dinner table to talk Nepenthe, action on the Borg Cube, and some revelations on La Sirena. Have a listen as we discuss the latest episode of Star Trek: Picard, “Nepenthe,” or as we like to call it, “Reunited, and it feels so good.”
Matt, Brian, and Kayla discuss this first episode of the second half of Season 1, “The Impossible Box”. The Shuttle Pod crew discuss how all of the season’s storylines are starting to merge together, the beautiful reunion of Picard and Hue, and how Narek’s antics with Soji seem to finally be paying off.
Join Jared, Kayla, and Matt as they delve into the divisive fifth episode of the season, “Stardust City Rag.” The Shuttle Pod crew breaks down the episode, celebrates the return of Seven of Nine, and discusses the issues, questions, and concerns with the world that ‘Star Trek: Picard’ has shown us. Listen along to hear why Kayla calls what we’ve seen so far heartbreaking, it’s probably not for the reasons you’d expect.
Brian, Kayla, and Matt discuss “Absolute Candor” the fourth episode of ‘Star Trek: Picard.’ Just as we get into space, Picard detours to get help from Elnor, a young Romulan he knew 14 years ago on the planet Vashti. As Raffi says, “Man can’t even take a guilt trip without using a starship.” We also get to see two new holographic facets of Chris Rios, and Soji has a seed of doubt planted about her past by Narek.
Join Brian, Kayla, and Matt as they discuss the third episode of ‘Star Trek: Picard,’ the aptly titled “The End is the Beginning.” We’ve come to the end of the first third of the season, and we’re finally setting off into space. But not before rehashing the past with Admiral Picard and Raffi Musiker, and meeting the roguish captain of his own ship Cristobal Rios (and his holographic doppelgängers), while Soji finds herself the subject of Romulan myth, and the bad guys pose in black leather and sunglasses.
Join the full complement of the Shuttle Pod crew as they discuss the second episode of ‘Star Trek: Picard,’ titled “Maps and Legends.” The episode definitely felt like the “middle child” of the first third, setting up more plot threads and introducing new villains, who seemed a bit over the top. But it was still a generally satisfying episode overall. Also the podcasters give special kudos to Orla Brady as Laris, who was “fecking” great this week!
Join the full complement of the Shuttle Pod crew as they discuss the premiere episode of ‘Star Trek: Picard.’ First, Brian, Jared, Kayla, and Matt catch up on some exciting news about season two of ‘Picard,’ and then they dive into the return of Jean-Luc Picard in the episode “Remembrance.”
With ‘Star Trek: Picard’ premiering this week the Shuttle Pod crew thought it would be valuable to do a deep dive into ‘Next Generation’ episodes they think (or hope!) will inform the series. Brian, Jared, and Kayla discuss “The Measure of A Man,” “The Offspring,” “The Drumhead,” and “Devil’s Due.”
The Shuttle Pod crew record one last podcast before the holidays. Jared, Laurie, and Matt catch up on the latest news including Michael Chabon’s changing role for ‘Star Trek: Picard’ season 2, and the “will he? won’t he?” question of Quentin Tarantino directing his Trek script. Lastly, the trio discuss the two animated ‘Star Trek: Short Treks’ released this month.
The Shuttle Pod crew gather to celebrate the lives of Dorothy Fontana and Rene Auberjonois. Join Brian, Jared, Laurie, and Matt as they discuss the careers of these two creative professionals and their contributions to Star Trek.
The first Star Trek movie, released 10 years after the “failed” run of ‘The Original Series,’ did something unprecedented in Hollywood at the time: it resurrected a TV show and transitioned it to the silver screen. Join Brian, Jared, Kayla, and Matt as they discuss the 40th anniversary of ‘Star Trek: The Motion Picture.’ The crew share their memories of seeing TMP and discuss the legacy of the film which deserves a place in Trekkies hearts, warts and all.
Brian, Matt, and Laurie man the shuttle pod this episode, where they touch on the silver anniversary of ‘Star Trek Generations,’ and the second season of ‘Star Trek: Discovery’ on Blu-ray. Then the team gets into the news of the week — that a fourth Kelvin movie may be back on, this time with writer/director Noah Hawley. Lastly, the trio reviews the latest ‘Short Treks’ episode “Ask Not.”
Host Matt talks with Laurie about what it was like to be in the stadium for the New York Comic Con “Star Trek Universe” and ‘The Orville’ panels. Then the duo goes in depth — discussing the two newest ‘Star Trek: Short Treks’: “Q&A” and the rather polarizing “The Trouble With Edward.”
Kayla and Brian welcome on special guest and friend of the show, Larry “Dr. Trek” Nemecek to do a bit of a New York Comic Con debrief. Listen along as we discuss the new trailers for ‘Star Trek: Discovery’ and the much anticipated ‘Star Trek: Picard.’ All this talk of new Star Trek stories had us looking back at old ones that never got off the page of a script. In particular, we looked at how Discovery season 3 compares to pitches such as ‘Star Trek: Federation’ and the would-have-been animated series ‘Star Trek: Final Frontier.’
The Shuttle Pod crew celebrate September 8th with reflections on their early fandom. Join Brian, Jared, Kayla and Matt, as they discuss a bit of news since the last podcast, and then jump in to discussing their earliest memories of Star Trek, and how they became a Trekkie.
While Trek news is light, and a few of the podcast crew are off traveling, Brian and Matt try something a different and record a commentary for the classic ‘Star Trek: The Original Series’ episode “Balance of Terror.” The hosts offer up trivia and and behind-the-scenes tidbits while watching the episode. Cue up your copy of the episode and listen along!
The Shuttle Pod crew reconvene after Las Vegas to discuss the big the news of the last week, along with our reflection on the big Star Trek Las Vegas convention earlier in the month. Of course the big news is that CBS and Viacom finally came to an agreement to merge, bringing Star Trek back under one roof. Brian, Kayla and Matt discuss the history of Star Trek ownership and what the future of Trek could look like now that things are reunified. The other big Trek topic of late was what happened in Star Trek Las Vegas. The podcasters discuss the general vibe of the convention this year, and the top panels that they were most excited to attend: ‘Star Trek: Picard’ and ‘Lower Decks.’ Lastly, there’s a grab bag of news items since the last podcast that the trio of hosts discuss.
The Shuttle Pod crew assembles to discuss all the news out of San Diego Comic-Con. The Star Trek Universe panel didn’t disappoint, giving us updates on the new expanded universe of CBS Trek on TV. The big one, of course, was ‘Star Trek: Picard,’ plus the irreverent fun of ‘Lower Decks,’ more ‘Short Treks’ coming this fall, and a small glimpse into season three of ‘Discovery.’ The podcasters also discuss the happy surprise that there may be a ‘Star Trek: The Motion Picture – Director’s Edition’ 4K version in the works, and ‘The Orville’ moving to Hulu for season three.
To celebrate the 10th anniversary of the movie that was influential in the creation of TrekMovie.com, Shuttle Pod crew members, Jared, Kayla, Laurie, and Matt travel through “a lighting storm in space” to discuss the first Kelvin universe movie. Listen along as the podcasters discuss the buzz around the movie when it was released in 2009, the casting, the music, and more.
The full complement of the Shuttle Pod crew report in to celebrate ‘Star Trek III: The Search For Spock’ on its 35th anniversary. Brian, Jared, Kayla, and Matt discuss the middle child of the unofficial “Genesis Trilogy,” as they reflect on the good, the not so good, and the downright cheap. And yet also the movie created new costumes, props, ships, and tweaked the makeup of the Klingons, all of which would be carried through the rest of the franchise. Listen along and see if you agree with the opinions of the podcasters.
Recorded on the day the ‘Star Trek: Picard’ teaser dropped, Brian, Jared, Matt, and Laurie discuss the Picard show news. Plus, writing on ‘Lower Decks’ is well underway. Then the Shuttle Pod crew discuss the long awaited ‘Deep Space Nine’ documentary ‘What We Left Behind.’
Brian, Jared, Kayla, Matt, and returning guest Laurie, look back on the second season of Star Trek: Discovery. The Shuttle Pod crew discusses the season’s themes, writers’ goals, plot arcs, and general feelings about the season as a whole.
Jared, Kayla, and Matt board the shuttle pod this week to discuss the finale of season two. With lots of excitement, and top notch special effects, the final episode of the season was both nail biting and gorgeous, but there were a number of issues, including needing to service nearly every character from the season. Also, it’s not clear what happened to Control now that Leland has been neutralized, and whether the Discovery really needed to go to the future in the end. The epilogue, with everyone lying to Starfleet felt out of place, and not particularly satisfying. Lastly, the final minutes of the episode, while an obvious love letter to Pike’s Enterprise and the 23rd century, was a bit of a confusing scene to end on.
Brian, Kayla, and Matt board the shuttle pod this week to prepare for the coming battle with Section 31 as they discuss the penultimate episode of season two. The episode sets up the final battle and whatever the future holds for the USS Discovery crew quite nicely. Po brings the weird science back to Discovery, and apparently the Red Angel suit is easy to whip up. Also Sarek and Amanda show up, but don’t bring help? The podcasters also discuss their thoughts on seeing the reimagined Enterprise interiors, and spend a bit of time on their predictions for the finale and what it may mean for the show.
Jared, Kayla, and Matt board the shuttle pod this week and head to Boreth to discuss the twelfth episode of season two, which sets up the two-part finale. The episode offered nice moments of closure with L’Rell and Tyler, so they can go their separate ways for the next season. The podcasters discuss how Boreth is not only home to the devout Followers of Kahless monks but also time crystal keepers, which adds a new fantasy element to the Klingon culture. The big scene on Boreth was when Pike’s future was revealed to him, which was beautifully acted by Anson Mount. The trap set for Burnham on the rogue Section 31 ship was an exciting subplot, but once again it showed that universe revolves around Michael Burnham. The crew also praises the quieter scenes with Reno and Stamets and Culber.
The full complement of the shuttle pod crew (Brian, Jared, Kayla, and Matt) made it this week to discuss “Perpetual Infinity.” The episode was well acted, with major kudos going to guest star Sonja Sohn as Dr. Gabrielle Burnham. We have questions about just how the Red Angel suit works, and why it’s tethered to a point 950 years in the future. The newly AI rebuilt Leland also raises a number of questions about the end goal for Control, and of course we discuss the (Borg) elephant in the room about the way that Control seems to be taking on a physical host.
Jared, Matt, and returning guest Laurie strap themselves in and discuss “The Red Angel.” The episode was well crafted, and most of the questions or concerns we had were part of the larger season themes and not with this episode specifically. The podcasters still have questions about Section 31, and the notion of a temporal arms race. Outside of these larger season long plot questions, there were lots of satisfying smaller character moments, with especially poignant scenes between Burnham and Spock, Culber and Cornwell, and Burnham and Tyler. The reveal of who was in the Red Angel suit has us speculating on what’s next, as the season long mystery is quickly coming to a head.
This week, Matt and returning guest host Laurie navigate through the minefield of “Project Daedalus.” There were lots of good character moments, and we loved finally learning about Airiam, but we weren’t so happy that this all just happened for the first time now. In a TV show that is supposed to be serialized, we’d have liked to have seen Airiam’s character growth sprinkled in all season long. Michael and Spock’s continued icy estranged sibling relationship was another highlight of the episode; Ethan Peck and Sonequa Martin-Green nailed it. There were also a few scenes that didn’t quite feel right, as if the script needed another pass or two to polish it up, but they were carried through by the consistently excellent performances of the cast.
Brian, Matt, and returning TrekMovie editor Laurie land the shuttle pod on Talos IV and discuss “If Memory Serves.” There’s a lot of TOS love, specifically for “The Cage.” Burnham attempts to fix Spock with some Talosian memory tricks, and Spock returns to coherence, with sharp sibling barbs in tow. And the reveal of what drove a wedge between the two is heartbreaking, but also struggles to live up to the hype that’s been building. We feel Stamets’ confusion and loss over the new Culber, and find catharsis in Hugh’s fight with Tyler. Vina appearing to Pike is lovely, and helps to flesh out the “second act” of Pike’s life. Section 31’s storyline continues to be met with ambivalence by the podcasters, but at least Emperor Georgiou’s place in the universe is getting better defined.
Jared, Kayla, and Matt board the shuttle pod this week and head to Vulcan in “Light and Shadows.” Before diving into the episode, the team just had to briefly talk about the movement on the Picard show; more details are starting to come out since production begins in mid-April. Refocusing on this week’s episode, the search for Spock comes to an end after half a season of teases. Burnham airs the Sarek family’s dirty laundry, and the character of Amanda continues to show new depth. Sarek’s behavior is questionable. Back on the Discovery, a classic Star Trek time distortion opens up and Pike and Tyler go in for a closer look and start to hash out their differences. Finally, there’s more scheming afoot with Section 31, including a well-choreographed fight between Georgiou and Burnham. On to Talos IV!
This week the full Shuttle Pod compliment of Brian, Jared, Kayla, and Matt was aboard to talk about Saru’s big episode. Beautiful performances from Doug Jones and Hanna Spear carried the episode through the exciting adventure. While he wasn’t given much time this week, the small moments with Wilson Cruz as Culber were also nicely done. The Shuttle Pod crew was rather flabbergasted at the ease with which Pike and the Discovery crew decided to transform all the Kelpiens, plus they discuss a number of questions they had about the science of the episode.
Jared, Kayla, and Matt board the shuttlepod this week and wedge themselves halfway in to the mycelial network to discuss “Saints of Imperfection.” We’re greeted with yet another Spock fake out (have we found him yet?), then Tyler the liaison officer to Section 31 comes aboard leaving us all a little uneasy. In a real bright spot of character development, we get to see Pike acting like a captain who may not always make friends with his staff and properly keeps untrusted visitors at arms length. And of course we get deep into the spore scheming with Stamets’ “very bold, deeply insane” plan to get Tilly back out of the mycelial network. Listen along as we discuss the twists and turns in this dense fifth installment of the second season.
This week Kayla, Matt, and TrekMovie editor Laurie discuss “An Obol For Charon.” As with most Discovery episodes, there’s a lot going on: We get our first few moments with Number One, right before the ship encounters a huge sphere–a classic Trek mysterious entity that’s misunderstood. Saru goes through a change of life and exposes a truth that his society has obscured with mythology, while Stamets and Reno face off in a delightful exchange of barbs, then team up to solve a crisis. Tilly’s “friend” May morphs into a symbiont, and we learn from some painful head drilling that she’s a member of a sentient species that lives in the mycelial network. Ouch.
This week Brian, Jared, and Matt discuss “Point of Light.” There were lots of narrative threads to keep track of this week. We got to check back in with L’Rell and Tyler and get some classic Klingon politics. Poor Tilly breaks down on the bridge, and Amanda brings Michael a new piece of the puzzle to finding Spock. Oh yeah and Georgiou, now in the employ of Section 31, pops up too.
Jared, Kayla, and Matt crew the Shuttle Pod this week, as they discuss the second episode of the season, “New Eden.” There was much to discuss about the season’s themes of science and faith coming to the forefront, with the Discovery being in the right place at the right time to help the displaced residents of New Eden. Tilly gets serious with dark matter, and Saru continues to show his leadership skills. The Prime Directive is always a subject of debate, and it was no less the case in this week’s episode. Listen along and see if you agree with the Shuttle Pod crew.
Welcome back to the Disco, and another season of Star Trek: Discovery! The whole Shuttle Pod crew gathers to discuss the premiere episode of the second season, “Brother.” We discuss the action and adventure of the new episode, our warm feelings for Pike, and ponder the question the episode title calls attention to: Oh brother (Spock) where art thou?
In the past week we’ve been treated to quite a lot of information about upcoming CBS Trek TV shows. The final trailer for Discovery season two was released just before Christmas along with more images and interviews in the new year. We learned some very important background information for the Picard show, and that there’s more animated Trek in the works. The Shuttle Pod crew is excited to discuss all of this, plus the fourth Kelvin movie is described as “shelved” by the Hollywood trades, as the director, SJ Clarkson, moves on to a new project. Last but certainly not least, Brian, Jared, and Matt discuss the fourth installment of Short Treks, “The Escape Artist.” Staring and directed by Rainn Wilson and written by Mike McMahan, this fun and quirky short entertained and fit nicely in the 15 minute limit.
TrekMovie’s adopted show, The Orville, is about to return for a second season on December 30. Before the new season starts, Brian, Jared, Kayla, and Matt discuss the first season. Multiple Berman-era Star Trek veterans are involved in writing, producing, and directing on the show. Not to mention that The Orville is a clear homage to TNG-style Trek both visually, and in much of the plot themes and episodic nature of the show. Listen along as the team delves into the characters, as well as how they feel the show handled the mixture of social commentary, sci-fi themes, and comedy. The crew wraps up the podcast by talking about the standout episodes of the first season.
This past week a number of little bits of information about the upcoming Picard TV show have come out and the Shuttle Pod crew is excited to discuss them. We also talk about the news that Star Trek: Discovery’s second season was extended by an episode for a total of 14. Plus the Kelvin universe movies still seem to be stuck in limbo. We’re excited for the new Twilight Zone coming to CBS All Access next year too. Last but certainly not least, Brian, Kayla, Jared, and Matt weigh in on the latest installment of Short Treks, in which we see a pivotal point of Saru’s early life in “The Brightest Star.”
Inspired by the news of the animated show Lower Decks, which we discussed on the previous episode, the Shuttle Pod crew looks at a smattering of comedy-influenced episodes in the Trek franchise. Listen along as Brian, Jared, Kayla, and Matt chat about: “The Trouble With Tribbles” (TOS), “Qpid” (TNG), “Little Green Men” (DS9), “The Magnificent Ferengi” (DS9), and then end with perhaps the most broadly comedic episode of the franchise, the delightful “A Piece of the Action” (TOS).
Brian, Jared, Kayla, and Matt work through the latest news and rumors about upcoming CBS Trek shows. Including: the official announcement of a new cartoon series called Lower Decks, and the rumors of a Michelle Yeoh show focusing on Emperor Georgiou in Section 31. We also discuss some of the comments author Michael Chabon has made about his outlook on writing for the untitled Picard show. Finally, last week saw the release of the second Short Treks episode, co-written by Chabon, titled “Calypso.” Listen along as we discuss this rather unusual Star Trek short.
The full complement of the Shuttle Pod crew discuss the beloved second Star Trek movie The Wrath of Khan. Brian, Jared, Kayla, and Matt go in depth: touching on the history of how Wrath of Khan came to be made, why the movie is generally regarded as the best of the franchise, and the long ranging effects Khan has had on the larger franchise — Khan in some way touches all eras of Trek. Listen along with the crew as they recollect about their first viewings of Khan and more!
The final convention of the season, New York Comic Con, was last weekend and we learned more about season two of Star Trek: Discovery. Kayla, Brian, and Matt discuss the Star Trek: Discovery panel and trailer from New York Comic Con. Also at NYCC we learned a tiny bit more about the upcoming Picard show. Lastly, we review the first Short Treks episode, the Tilly centric “Runaway.”
On this episode of the Shuttle Pod, Jared and Matt talk with Thomas Marrone of Star Trek Online about favorite starships, starship design, and of course working on Star Trek Online. We also touch on the news that the new Picard series will take place in 2399, which is a stone’s throw away from the early 25th century were Star Trek Online takes place.
Brian, Jared, and Matt discuss the latest in Trek happenings since the big Star Trek Las Vegas convention. Probably the biggest news in the last few weeks was that Ethan Peck was announced as Spock in Season 2 of Star Trek: Discovery. We discuss our thoughts on the casting, and just how much we’ll actually see Spock this season. The next big piece of news is that Chris Pine and Chris Hemsworth are threatening to walk away from the next Kelvin universe movie. Paramount wants to renegotiate their salaries to help control costs for the fourth film. We discuss what that might mean and the options Paramount has to try and handle the situation. Plus a few other smaller news items: CBS All Access finally gets surround sound support. And be sure to check out Star Trek: Lost Scenes from Titan Books, it’s an excellent book looking at TOS production, deleted scenes, alternate takes, and more.
Another summer and another big Star Trek Las Vegas convention has come and gone. The Shuttle Pod crew was there in Las Vegas, we share our thoughts on the main events of the convention. The biggest, most exciting, news was of course the announcement of the return of Sir Patrick Stewart as Jean-Luc Picard, also nearly the entire the cast of Star Trek: Discovery came out to Las Vegas, and the 25th anniversary of Deep Space Nine was celebrated. Listen in as Brian, Jared, Kayla, and Matt look back at the convention.
On this episode of the Shuttle Pod, Brian and Matt are joined by TrekMovie founder Anthony Pascale for a look at San Diego Comic-Con 2018. Anthony was one of the “boots on the ground” in San Diego, and has gone to Comic-Con many times in years past, so we get his thoughts on what Comic-Con of today looks like compared to previous years. Of course we discuss the big Star Trek: Discovery news from the panel and press conference, as well as our impressions of the First Look trailer CBS released during the con. We also touch on the announcement of Short Treks, the four mini-episodes that will be released in the fall to help tide us over until Season 2 starts in January. Lastly, we talk about our adopted show, The Orville, which also had a panel, press conference, and trailer released at Comic-Con for their second season.
On this episode of the Shuttle Pod, your crew is joined by TrekMovie’s social media maven and Star Trek Las Vegas veteran Christine Rideout (better known as “Starfleetmom” on social media). Brian, Jared, Kayla, and Matt discuss what to look forward to for this year’s convention, and then we chat with Christine about her Vegas convention going tips and tricks. Including how to save money on airfare, what to pack if you’re driving, how to save money once you’re in Vegas, and more!
After the news that the Star Trek: Discovery showrunners Aaron Harberts and Gretchen Berg were suddenly ousted, the Shuttle Pod assembled her crew to talk about the news and place it within the context of Star Trek history. This week’s podcast looks forward to what’s to come for season two of Discovery and then looks back at the history of leadership shakeups throughout the franchise. *Podcaster’s note: This podcast was recorded the day before the news that Alex Kurtzman, who is replacing Harberts and Berg as Discovery showrunner, would take the reins on the expansion of Star Trek on television.
The Shuttle Pod crew scrambled to our shuttle so we could talk about the recent announcement by CBS that Alex Kurtzman and his production company Secret Hideout would be expanding the Trek TV franchise with a new 5 year production deal. Jared, Kayla, and Matt discuss what the official press release says, the rumored project pitches for new series, mini-series, and a cartoon. One of more exciting rumors is that there may be a Captain Picard mini-series in the works with Patrick Stewart. Lastly, we walk through Alex Kurtzman’s relationship with CBS and the Trek franchise, and his general work as a writer and producer.
You're out-manned, you're out-gunned, you're out equipped... what else have you got? These four often overlooked episodes.
Today can be a good day for nostalgia. But can too much nostalgia – which can be like “the pain from an old wound” – feel like getting hit with a pain stick? In this episode of the Shuttle Pod, we discuss the retro-fixation of modern media, exploring the differences among nostalgia, references, continuity, and the divisive concept of fan service. Brian, Jared, and Kayla take a deep dive into the nostalgic themes and content of 21st century Trek: Enterprise, the Kelvin-verse, fan films, and of course Discovery. What’s the right way to do nostalgia? Why does all Trek-stalgia seem to be focused on TOS and not the Berman-era shows? Could Discovery please bring Clint Howard back for DSC season 2? All this and more in this, our milestone 50th episode of The Shuttle Pod!
Pilots are important to any series. They set up the story arc and introduce us to the people who will guide us through a brand new world over the coming years. In this episode of the Shuttle Pod we discuss the pilots made during the Rick Berman-era of Star Trek. This includes four pilots, from Next Generation through Enterprise: Encounter at Farpoint (TNG) Emissary (DS9) Caretaker (VOY) Broken Bow (ENT) Brian, Jared, Kayla, and Matt each take a pilot and discuss. We also asked ourselves: “How well does this pilot set up the series?” and “How well does the pilot episode work on its own as a story?” NOTE: We covered the TOS pilots right before the premiere of Star Trek: Discovery, in episode 42. So be sure to check out that podcast too if you haven’t already.
This week on the Shuttle Pod, your podcast crew discuss the exciting news that came out last week. In the same week we got a quick look at the start of production on Star Trek: Discovery season two, and then official confirmation that Paramount was planning not just one, but two, feature films. Brian, Jared, and Matt discuss. We were excited to get a glimpse at the USS Enterprise crew uniforms on Discovery, and that both the fourth Kelvin movie, with Chris Hemsworth returning as George Kirk, and the separate Tarantino project will be allowed to move forward. Lastly, the crew indulges Matt in a little soapbox speech about placing The Original Series in its proper context to help reframe the current pop culture idea that TOS was “cheap.”
This week on the Shuttle Pod, your podcast crew discuss what’s on the horizon for the Star Trek franchise. And, a lot is brewing. Oh Captain, My Captain (and Discovery Season 2) Earlier this week, CBS announced the casting of a well-known Star Trek character for Season 2 of Star Trek: Discovery sure to have the fan base buzzing. Anson Mount is set to play the determined Captain Pike of the USS Enterprise, a ship whose redesign we got a glimpse of at the tail end of the Season 1 finale. He certainly looks the part, but he’s got some piercing eyes to fill (have I stretched that metaphor too far?). The news comes after a deluge of cryptic clues about the next season of Discovery gleaned from panel appearances and interviews at last month’s WonderCon. Matt, Brian, and Kayla break down all we learned, with just a light dusting of pithy commentary. A Script Too Far For The Kelvinverse? While still not much more has come to light since we last spoke about the next Trek movie back in December (check out our podcast about that). There are some little bits of information that have come out as the Kelvin cast are out and about promoting other projects. Perhaps the biggest bit of information that’s come to light is that there are at least 2 possible pitches for the next movie: the Patrick McKay & JD Payne script JJ Abrams hyped during Beyond’s press junkets; and the Quentin Tarantino/Mark L. Smith project. We had suspected Pegg and Jung were asked for a sequel idea. In December 2016 Simon Pegg tweeted a tease of Simon and Doug sitting in the Bad Robot offices, but of course no context and no follow up. Pegg has now clarified that his tweet was not about Trek, saying: “Doug [Jung] and I were never going to write the fourth [Star Trek]. That was never the deal. Doug and I are doing something together at Bad Robot, which I probably can’t talk about just yet.” Star Trek’s Real Life Parallel Universe: CBS/Paramount Many Trek fans know that Star Trek is a split franchise. CBS holds all of the television and merchandising rights, while Paramount makes the feature films. The companies have had a long and complicated history, and it seems they may be getting the family back together. CBS and Viacom (Paramount’s parent company and previous parent company to all of Star Trek) are currently in talks to merge back together. What does this mean for the franchise?
“Everybody remember where we parked!”, the Shuttle Pod crew goes to find a “nuclear wessel” as they do a look back at the success and general all around love Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home gets from fans and the movie going public alike. Listen in as Brian, Jared, Kayla, and Matt discuss their memories of the movie, how it holds up today, and how the success of The Voyage Home helped sow the seeds for the return of Trek on TV with Star Trek: The Next Generation.
There are good Star Trek episodes, there are bad Star Trek episodes, there are forgettable Star Trek episodes, and then there are the just plain weird ones. This week, the Shuttle Pod crew went back to the well of oddball episodes and we each chose a weird episode of Star Trek on television to rewatch and analyze. For Volume 2 of The Best of the Weird, we watched the The Next Generation episode “Sub Rosa” (Dinnae light that candle!), Voyager’s “The Thaw“, The Animated Series “The Magicks of Megas-Tu” (Friend Kirk!), and we wrap it up with The Next Generation‘s “Home Soil” (we’re all just “ugly bags of mostly water”).
The Shuttle Pod crew has a final Star Trek: Discovery episode to wrap up the season. We look back at the development of Discovery, starting all the way back in November 2015, and how it changed after the loss of the person who initially conceived the show, Bryan Fuller. First seasons are always a little rough, and creating a first season of an entirely new Star Trek show — the first show since since Enterprise was canceled and CBS split from Viacom – makes for even more challenges. Listen in as Jared, Kayla, and Matt discuss the trials and tribulations of Season 1 of Star Trek: Discovery.
The whole Shuttle Pod crew is back this week to discuss the season one finale of Star Trek: Discovery. So, take our hand (sorry) and dive into this season’s last episode of Shuttle Pod At The Disco. Star Trek: Discovery Season 1, Episode 15 – Debuted Sunday February 11th, 2018 Written by Aaron Harberts and Gretchen J. Berg and Akvia Goldsman Directed by Akvia Goldsman After a rocky penultimate episode and with so many narrative threads left in the balance, did Discovery pull off a satisfactory conclusion to its inaugural season? The short answer is yes… and no. There really isn’t a short answer, which is why we droned on for an hour and a half dissecting what worked — and what didn’t — in this last week’s finale. In general, many of the pieces that were there were utterly fantastic. As always, the actors brought their A game. The sets on Qo’nos were perhaps some of the best we’ve seen in any Trek TV show, ever. Tilly delighted as always, and her performance was only boosted by the addition of a familiar face who enhanced to a comedic overtone that really worked (plus Tranya). But, think about this episode too hard, and the foundation — the parts of the storyline meant to tie the season’s arc into a nice bow — starts to crumble. Victory comes much too easy for our heroes, and as an audience, we’re not really convinced of why things worked out the way they did. As Jared so aptly pointed out, “they haven’t earned this.”
Jared, Brian, and Kayla come together once again this week to discuss the penultimate episode in Star Trek: Discovery‘s first season, which kind of felt like a long setup for next week’s finale. Star Trek: Discovery Season 1, Episode 14 – Debuted Sunday February 4th, 2018 Written by Lisa Randolph Directed by David Solomon None of your hosts were particularly enthralled with the latest installment of Discovery. Lots of loose ends were left hanging or cut awkwardly short in an episode that felt like filler leading up to next week’s big finish. Can the show wrap everything up next week? The pseudo-resolution to the Tyler/Voq/Burnham storyline was welcome in principal (we haven’t heard from our dear friend Voqler in a couple of weeks now), but the soap-opera overtones of Tyler and Burnham’s heartfelt reconciliation left something to be desired. Discovery seems like it wants to struggle with the ethical issues surrounding Voqler (who, as Voq, killed a man) but instead seems to sweep them aside in favor of everyone just being glad to see their old pal Ash (who, again, killed a man as Voq) in an awkward mess hall scene led by Tilly. In this storyline, Stamets seems to be the only one acting rationally, and Anthony Rapp lays on a great bit of emotional acting in the confrontation between his character and the now de-Voqed Tyler. It was great to see Admiral Cornwell back again. The scenes in the briefing room (so Star Trek!) and between Cornwell and L’Rell were particularly fun. But, just like the other threads of this episode, we’re left feeling like the characters in the story have lost their minds. A Vulcan and human admiral conspire with a treacherous genocidal maniac to win a war against the Klingons? And they do so by parading said maniac around as a fallen war hero, which was a mentor to many of the people now serving on the Discovery? The writers may have kept some of the pieces from us, but it’s hard to imagine a world in which this makes much sense or leads to a satisfying conclusion. All-in-all, your Shuttle Pod crew was left confused and dismayed. But, of course, the show has one more chance to pull this all together. What could possibly await us this coming Sunday?
Star Trek: Discovery Season 1, Episode 13 – Debuted Sunday January 28th Written by Ted Sullivan Directed by Olatunde Osunsanmi Brian, Jared, and Matt discuss the fourth and final episode in the Mirror Universe arc, a beautifully directed, briskly paced installment that featured strong performances from the cast. We dive into that, as well as some things we weren’t too thrilled with. We also discuss what bringing Mirror Georgiou back to our universe could mean for the Klingon War arc, and speculate about how the season is going to tie up all the many threads with just two episodes left. Transport over during an ion storm, and join us as we discuss the latest episode of Star Trek: Discovery
Star Trek: Discovery Season 1, Episode 12 – Debuted Sunday January 21th Written by Jordon Nardino Directed by Hanelle M. Culpepper Jared, Kayla, and Matt discuss the third episode in the Mirror Universe arc. We were a bit less enthusiastic about this episode feeling the shorter run time worked against it somewhat. The return of Michelle Yeoh is always welcome, and we think she does a fantastic job being an imposing Emperor, with a scary “fidget spinner of death.” A few new plot twists were revealed in this dark episode, one many fans have long suspected, and a few smaller unsettling bits too. Enjoy the threat ganglia! Don’t forget to tip your waiter! Onboard the Discovery, there were some quieter moments with Anthony Rapp (and Anthony Rapp) and Wilson Cruz that showcased their acting talents. We wonder just what is it that Stamets is experiencing in the Mycelial Network? We also ponder just what exactly did L’Rell do to Voq/Tyler? Join us as we discuss the latest episode of Star Trek: Discovery
Star Trek: Discovery Season 1, Episode 11 – Debuted Sunday January 14th Written by Lisa Randolph Directed by T.J. Scott Kayla and Brian sit down to discuss an exciting follow up to “Despite Yourself” which sees our heroes stranded in a strange dark universe where all Vulcans have fantastic facial hair. “The Wolf Inside” was packed full of plot development, much like the previous episode, even if the “surprises” it had in store were anything but. We were finally treated to a couple of big reveals, which is good fun, but really, where the episode shines is in between the manufactured shock. In particular, Shazad Latif delivered another absolutely stunning performance as Tyler — er, Voq — er, Voqler? Sonequa Martin-Green also offered a top notch performance as her character is dragged through some incredibly emotional turmoil. Burnham is taken nearly to her breaking point having to live and lead in the Terran Empire. Tyler was her last tether to normalcy, but even that was taken from her. Still, she upholds her Starfleet values and saves the lives of many innocent rebels fighting against the Terran Empire. A group, she believes, is a glimmer of hope in this otherwise desolate universe. Of course, her plans are cut short by the return of a fan favorite.
The entire Shuttle Pod crew is on deck to discuss the exciting return of "Star Trek: Discovery" from the Fall hiatus.
With Discovery on hiatus for a few more weeks, The Shuttle Pod crew examines a handful of news items that have come up since the last episode. The biggest by far were the reports of Quentin Tarantino pitching a story to J.J. Abrams for the next Star Trek movie. Tarantino is known to be an Original Series fan, but the movie could be about any part of the franchise. Is it a Kelvin Timeline movie? A TNG movie? Something altogether new? He’s got a story idea, but what are the chances he will direct it too? We put on our speculation hats and dive in! Back on Star Trek: Discovery news, we chat about the new soundtrack release, and how Discovery has made a number of “shows to binge this winter” lists. We also discuss the official announcement of a new version of The Twilight Zone for CBS All Access. The show is being developed by Jordan Peele (Get Out), Simon Kinberg (X-Men franchise), and Marco Ramirez (Daredevil). Come listen in as Brian, Jared, and Matt discuss.
The Shuttle Pod Crew discusses the pros and cons of serialized and episodic TV, and how it relates to the Star Trek franchise and its newest member, Discovery. Historically, TV shows were told in a narrative where there’s a pilot as the backstory and no particular end in sight, with every story just fitting somewhere in the middle – kind of like comic books. DVDs, DVRs, Internet resources, and notably streaming services have changed this, to where many shows (including comedies) will only do serialized storytelling over the entire season or series: you can’t just pluck one episode out of order and watch it because you’ll be lost. Listen in as we discuss the finer points of serialized versus episodic Trek.