Out of Contreks

Ep. 46: "Nothing Human" (VOY S5E08)

Our scheduling is back on track, at least for now, so here's that Voyager episode we promised you! We talk medical ethics, faulty hypotheticals and get into a discussion of just what the Cardassian/Bajoran conflict is supposed to be an allegory for. It's a classic Voyager episode: We don't agree with the conclusion, but we appreciate the thought it took to get them there!

Ep. 45: "Statistical Probabilities" (DS9 S6E09)

We return to DS9 and try to figure out what this late period episode is about. Relating to neurodivergent people? The triumph of the human spirit over computers? Eugenics? Oh yeah, and how does a transporter handle velocity when beaming in a moving object?

Ep. 44: "First Flight" (ENT S2E24)

Not a very good episode of Star Trek, but one that opens up a variety of questions about the Star Trek universe, including the following: "Do offices go back to looking like they did in the late '90s in the future?" "When did the Starfleet fighting style change from 'actual fighting' to 'pretend karate chops'?" "What were the other cast members doing the week that Scott Bakula, Connor Trinneer and Jolene Blalock shot this?" "What is the Temporal Cold War, and why can't we ever watch an episode about that instead?"

Ep. 43: "Dreadnought" (VOY S2E17)

We talk about nuclear proliferation and the unified Torres theory of the Delta Quadrant in another Voyager episode. We also neglect to mention that this episode takes place one episode previously than the last episode we talked about. Isn't that weird? The random number generator works in mysterious ways!

Ep. 42: "Death Wish" (VOY S2E18)

Brady's computer crashed while he was editing this one, so the audio might be a bit wonky at times. Still, we think the conversation about this episode, one of the best we've yet watched for the show, is worth it. We talk about Q, mortality, bureaucracy, and how a guest star choice almost made this episode much, MUCH worse.

OOC Special 2: Lower Decks Season 1

Is Lower Decks the best Star Trek put to screen since Voyager? Ryan and Brady think so. Join us for our overview of the first season of the latest CBS All-Access Trek offering.

 

*As with the Picard special, the Lower Decks special was recorded one day before air and consequentially received a somewhat looser edit. We still think it's a fun hang, though!

Ep. 41: "This Side of Paradise" (TOS S1E24)

OK, look. I (Ryan) was editing this episode and realized that we spent the cold open talking about whether Brady looks like Spock, a conversation that no listener would have context for. Thus, the image for this episode: At left, Brady when he was 16 (I have cropped out his mullet). At right, everybody's favorite Vulcan. Now you can decide for yourself if my wife was correct. 

 

Or, you can skip ahead and listen to the rest of the episode, about a pretty goofy, weirdly capitalist episode of TOS.

 

I did not ask Brady if I could use this picture, so it might change later and you'll be left wondering whether any of this was worth it. The internet, like life itself, is an ephemeral being.

Ep. 40: "Live Fast And Prosper" (VOY S6E21)

This is one of the best episodes we've talked about yet. It has one of the best names, one of the most fun plots, and one of the best one-shot guest stars either of us have seen. It's a rollicking good time; why not join us?

Ep. 39: "Time's Orphan" (DS9 S6E24)

It's a tale as old as time: Bad A Plot, Good B Plot. On our first DS9 episode in a while, we talk adorable Worf, the engineer who's bad at math, and how misconceptions about mental health sadly continue to exist in a socialist utopian future.

 

Also, here's the unfortunately relevant article mentioned on this episode on the sexism in Star Trek during this and other time periods.

Ep. 38: "Equinox, Part 1" (VOY S5E26)

OK, folks, seriously... Why don't people like Voyager? It rules! This episode is really good! There are ethical dilemmas and bad Doctors and Slimer aliens.