Out of Contreks

OOC Special 3: Lower Decks, Season 2

Ryan and Brady are back early for a bonus episode, discussing the second season of Star Trek: Lower Decks. We get into the details of what makes this season work, as well as hopes for Season 3 and that one screenshot that split Star Trek fans online.

Ep. 68: ”Fascination” (DS9 S3E10) PLUS Discovery Season 3 Mini Special

Hey guys, Ryan here. You know how during the last episode's description, I said we were going to do a mini-special about Discovery Season Three, and then we actually talked for a long time about Space Jam? The reason I was wrong is that I got this episode mixed up with this one, where we actually spend a good amount of time talking about Discovery Season Three at the beginning before ultimately getting around to this unusual, and sexual, DS9 episode. Is it too much, and how much IS too much? We seek to find out, but not before we complement Cirroq Lofton's performance and complain about O'Brien character assassination.

Ep. 67: ”Business As Usual” (DS9 S5E18)

On this episode, Ryan and Brady have a brisk discussion about arms dealers, DS9's ongoing timelessness, the inherent contradictions of humanity (as portrayed by a Ferengi), and even take a small detour into present-day foreign policy at the end.

Ep. 66: ”Vaulting Ambition” (DSC S1E12)

Ryan and Brady grapple with more Discovery Mirror Universe stuff in their second in-person recording. We also talk a lot about Space Jam for some reason. When Brady emailed Ryan this episode, his email subject was "Execute episode 66," which made Ryan laugh. Maybe it will do the same to you!

Ep. 65: "Author, Author" (VOY S7E19)

In this late period Voyager installment, Ryan and Brady talk about surprisingly efficient storytelling, hologram repression, and how much holodeck human Torres looks like Ripley from Alien. There's a surprising amount to unpack from this deceptively simple episode premise, and we get into it in an intimate, in-person recording.

Ep. 64: "Ferengi Love Songs" (DS9 S5E20)

Ryan and Brady talk about this, perhaps the most sitcommy episode of Star Trek we've yet covered for this show. Also, Ryan was going on vacation and he couldn't get the screenshot from Netflix to load, so it's a short description this time. Fun episode, though!

Ep. 63: "Return to Grace" (DS9 S4E14)

It's a real two-hander of an episode between Kira and Dukat. Even though it's a good episode, it's not necessarily the kind you can talk about for too long, but fortunately, Ryan and Brady dive deep into the ongoing narrative of Deep Space 9 to explain how exactly this episode could even come to be. By the end, we're talking about DS9's place as the most leftist Trek show and making analogies to real world terrorist attacks. It's a journey! Why not join us?

Ep. 62: "By Inferno's Light" (DS9 S5E15)

It's one of the best episodes we've watched for this show, probably a top five DS9 episode overall, and arguably the best ever episode for Worf, the galaxy's most dejected Klingon. Ryan and Brady discuss the catharsis of Worf finally getting his due, the momentous nature of this episode overall, and what might be Ryan's favorite line ever uttered in a Trek show.

Ep. 61: "Silicon Avatar" (TNG S5E04)

In a kind of sequel to our last episode, we discuss the end of the Crystalline Entity, uh, saga? Can something be a saga if it's only in two episodes and then mentioned a couple other times?

Regardless, Ryan and Brady talk about a great guest star turn, a dark ending for a TNG show, and mull the classic question: Why isn't Riker creepy? This episode is a little on the short side, but we pack in some very fun discussion.

Ep. 60: "Brothers" (TNG S4E03)

It's a Brent Spiner-stravaganza! For this important world-building episode of The Next Generation, Ryan and Brady talk about how much Brent Spiner loves to cut loose, camera tricks, and also how that one little boy in this episode is a huge tool.