Out of Contreks

Ep. 86: ”Proving Ground” (ENT S1E13)

This is probably the best episode of Enterprise Ryan and Brady have talked about for the podcast so far. Is that because Jeffrey Combs bumps up the rating of every Trek episode he appears in? Well, it's not not because of that. Listen in to hear us talk about solid direction, Death Star rip-offs, how cool the Xindi are (at least in theory), and more of that good good Shran.

Ep. 85: ”Catspaw” (TOS S2E07) (feat. That’s Not How Science Works)

Caitlin and Nicole of That's Not How Science Works have joined us once again, this time to talk about the bonkers Catspaw -- the only holiday-themed episode of Star Trek ever recorded. Join us in an extra-long recording as we talk about the junk science of "racial memory," charming old production values, and how the remastering process can fundamentally change a work.

Ep. 84: ”Dramatis Personae” (DS9S1E18)

Ryan and Brady have another short episode this week, discussing a minor "everyone acts weird" entry from Season 1 of Deep Space 9. We also talk about why Voyager often lives better in your memory than on the screen and ponder what it would be like if this was the first DS9 episode someone ever watched.

Ep. 83: ”The Shipment” (ENT S3E07)

I think we all just have to accept that the random number generator has decided to make Star Trek: Enterprise a regular part of our lives. This episode is a key moment, perhaps not in the show's journey, but in Ryan and Brady's personal journey: a growing realization that we like the episodes more when they, like this one, look like any amount of money was spent on them at all. Yes, I did switch between third and first person in that last sentence. Peek behind the veil; you think we have a producer putting these things online? It's just us!

OOC Special 5: Picard, Season 2

In this lengthy, free-wheeling conversation, Ryan and Brady go deep on Season 2 of Star Trek Picard -- a mixed bag of a season that featured the good (time travel fun), the bad (more awful trauma plotting), and, most importantly, the Q.

Here is a link to the Star Trek timeline we discuss at length in the episode.

Ep. 82: ”Drive” (VOY S7E03)

Ryan and Brady dig into a real mixed bag of an episode, swerving between the joyous highs of a race through space and the dreadful valleys of Tom and B'Elanna's relationship problems. Along the way, they get into some Star Wars prequel talk, comment on the episode's fashionable outfits, and muse about how much of the takeaway from the episode was strictly intended.

Ep. 81: ”Fallen Hero” (ENT S1E23)

Sorry for the slightly later in the day post, listeners. At the time of posting, Ryan has COVID, and his brain fog caused him to forget that today was a new episode day. Anyway, enjoy this pre-Ryan-has-COVID recording about yet another Enterprise episode, with a good guest star performance and... also some other stuff happens. Look, is the lack of detail in this description due to Ryan's brain fog preventing him from remembering what was discussed in this Brady-edited episode, or was this Season 1 outing of Enterprise just not that memorable? Either way, Ryan and Brady got together for a good talk!

Ep. 80: ”Peak Performance” (TNG S2E21)

Ryan and Brady's first lovefest in a while sees them lavishing praise on this low-stakes Season Two TNG episode. Topics include an Armin Shimmerman sighting, Michael Dorn appreciation, that feeling when the A plot and the B plot are both great and work together, and our ongoing discussion of Pulaski's robo-racism.

OOC Special 4: Discovery, Season 4

Ryan and Brady kick off what is shaping up to be quite the year of specials with a long conversation about the recently-completed Star Trek Discovery Season 4. Buckle in for lengthy discussions of tighter plotting, sentient computers, and, most of all, the show's increased reliance on trauma as its primary form of character development.

Here's a link to the article we talked about on the show, The Case Against the Trauma Plot.

Ep. 79: ”Skin of Evil” (TNG S1E23)

It's time for, qualitatively, what is probably one of the worst Star Trek episodes ever made. Ryan and Brady dive into a cool-looking villain, a dumb-looking funeral, and the unreal amount of standing around in a small patch of sand that is Skin of Evil, TNG's farewell to Tasha Yar.