The Bicks Do...Shakespeare

A sad goodbye to the origin character of our podcast: the one and only David Lynch. There are few organized thoughts, just vibes, in this podcast as we speak from the heart (and the gut) about the loss of one of our biggest creative and intellectual influences of all time.   Note: We are still working on figuring out our new recording situation, and Lindsay's audio is still less than optimal. We will continue to improve this in the future. Note 2: Check out the Blue Rose Task Force Podcast, on which Lindsay is a guest for an upcoming episode, here: https://www.podbean.com/podcast-detail/taed2-22e1c1/Blue-Rose-Task-Force-A-Twin-Peaks-Obsessive-Podcast 

The Bicks are back! Nearly 8 years after we started our podcast, and ten since the gum we liked was clearly coming back in style, we've returned from our year-long hiatus to revisit an old favourite: Twin Peaks. We talk about the fandom of the show itself, its lasting impressions on us, and whether or not it has impacted television the way the original Twin Peaks did way back in 1990. Our new approach is focused primarily on discussing whatever topics we feel like, whenever we feel like it, so fair warning that episodes are not likely to be regular, on any specific topic, or with any coherent structure. Thank you in advance to anyone who has stuck with us over the last 8 years! We have new social media @s as well, having left the hellsite that is Twitter and the stupid that is Facebook. We're currently on Tumblr, because we are really just internet children of the 2010s, as well as Instagram and Threads. Feel free to drop us a line there whenever you want! Notes: Here is that Drew Gooden episode about how annoying media production is these days. And here is the F.D. Signifier Drake v Kendrick video that bucks the trend of too long video essay. Zero excess. Aidan could not find any physical copy of Dark for sale. He is tres sad. Twin Perfect was released over 4 years ago, just FYI. Intro and Outro music is by The Impossibulls, as always. It's our theme at this point.

Note: We will be taking a summer break for the next 4-5 weeks to coincide with some vacation plans, but will be returning in the second half of summer with Season 5. For this week, join us as we revisit the episode that had the largest divergence of opinions in our Season 4 breakdown, "First Contact" complete with Riker sex innuendo and reactionary martyrs. It may not be the perfect episode, but it did provide some fodder for banter with The Bicks.

Season 4 -- the first full 90s season, as Lindsay says -- doesn't feature a whole bunch of changes on screen or behind the camera, but did bring a lot of depth to the characters and the world they inhabit. Join us as we talk about family, friends, drama, and First Contact, one of the greatest episodes of the show! (Yes, Aidan wrote this intro...) Episode Sponsor: Ancestry.federation. To find out more about your genetic heritage, use the promo code 'TheBicksFamSentYou' to get a discount on your premium testing kit! Bicks Log: What does it say about genetic families in Star Trek that they're so secondary to the one found on board the Enterprise? Notes: Once again, it was time for a tier ranking of Season 4 episodes, so be prepared for Aidan to defend how great (almost) every episode is, while Lindsay tries to knock them all down a few pegs. Recognitions: Intro Music: Chasing Stars by AG Music Outro Music: Idle Hands by The Impossibulls  

Another season, another watchalong of TNG, this time the season 3's classic exploration of Star Trek's greatest philosophical topics, the Prime Directive. Join us as we chat and joke our way through "Who Watches the Watchers".

Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 3 is widely considered the start of "good Trek" in the TNG era. Whether you agree with that or not, this season definitely ups the ante in terms of storytelling, characterization, thematic links, and philosophical import. This week, Aidan and Lindsay deep dive into the production history, some of the changes behind and in front of the camera, and explore the larger story arcs that are going to take us into the second half of the series' run. Episode Sponsor: Rexadrin Cliffhanger Episode Anti-Anxiety Pills: Find Your Calm With Rexadrin Bicks Log: How useful is the Prime Directive? Notes and Recognitions: The intro music is different between Season 1 (strings high in the mix) and Season 2 (strings lower) and again to Season 3 (strings seem to not be there at all in some places) so Lindsay is kinda right but also kinda full of shit... OrangeRiver has a great Season 3 breakdown video we watched in preparation for this podcast as well: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smEzxaVfTAw&ab_channel=OrangeRiver  Intro Music: Chasing Stars by AG Music Ad Music: Coconut Grove by Hotham is licensed under a Creative Commons License. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... Stream: https://linktr.ee/hothammusic Free Download: https://hypeddit.com/hotham/coconutgrove Support by RFM - NCM: https://bit.ly/3TzyYA1 Outro Music: Idle Hands by The Impossibulls 

Join us for another watchalong episode of TNG, this time the season 2 dark horse favourite "The Royale". One note: Fermat's Last Theorem had a first proof published in 1995, only a few years after this episode.

The arrival of Riker's Beard heralded the start of the shift towards a more updated, distinct Star Trek, ready for the Next Generation of fans. While many will tell new explorers of Trek to skip over season 2, we love it for its inconsistency and the truly high highs that you only get by introducing the Borg, or debating the nature of sentience (should be sapience but we'll let it slide) on behalf of our beloved Data. Join us as we discuss those highs (and some of the lows), as well as give a bit of a history of what was going on behind the scenes. Episode Sponsor: SudVPN! Keep your data safe in these trying times! Bicks Log: Does artificial intelligence require sentience to be considered intelligent? Do AIs as we understand them now deserve rights? What will happen when computer systems are given – or acquire – consciousness? Notes: As a reminder, this was recorded before Picard Season 3 aired, so there may be some odd references. If, for some reason you haven't seen the greatest short film of the 21st century so far, please do check out Too Many Cooks. Lindsay deeply regrets her comments about the 1988 WGA Strike. At least Aidan assumes so, since she's been happy to see the 2023 version. The novel that Lindsay mentions involving the Trill's connection to the Conspiracy bugs is called Trill: Unjoined, which you can read about on Memory Beta. Aidan's Tier Ranking of Season 2 Episodes: S-Tier: Measure of a Man (9), Q Who (16) A-Tier: Elementary Dear Data (3), A Matter of Honour (8), The Royale (12), The Emissary (20) B-Tier: Peak Performance (21), Pen Pals (15) C-Tier: The Child (1), Outrageous Okona (4), Loud as a Whisper (5), The Dauphin (10), Time Squared (13), Samaritan Snare (17), Manhunt (19) D-Tier: Schizoid Man (6), The Icarus Factor (14), Up The Long Ladder (18) F-Tier: Shades of Gray (22), Where Silence Has Lease (2) Lindsay's Tier Ranking: S-Tier: Measure of a Man (9), Q Who (16), Elementary Dear Data (3) A-Tier: Pen Pals (15), The Royale (12), The Emissary (20) B-Tier: Peak Performance (21), Manhunt (19), A Matter of Honour (8) C-Tier: Outrageous Okona (4), Loud as a Whisper (5), Time Squared (13), Samaritan Snare (17), Schizoid Man (6) D-Tier: The Icarus Factor (14), Up The Long Ladder (18), The Dauphin (10) F-Tier: Shades of Gray (22), Where Silence Has Lease (2), The Child (1) Twin Peaks actors appearing this season: David L. Lander Madchen Amick (Who we forgot to mention in the episode somehow!!!) Intro Music: Chasing Stars by AG Music Outro Music: Idle Hands by The Impossibulls

Watchalong episodes are back baby! Today we're watching Season 1 Episode 15 of Star Trek: The Next Generation "11001001" (the one with the Bynars).

Boldly going where no one in 1987 was really sure they wanted to go - 100 years into the future - Paramount greenlit Star Trek: The Next Generation. And a seed was planted. Join us as we talk about the behind the scenes work that eventually led to one of the most iconic of Star Trek series' and heralded the rebirth of Gene Rodenberry's vision of the future - ready to go for a new generation (your hosts' generation, as it turned out). We also discuss the characters, episodes, and issues that cropped up repeatedly in the first season, as well as the bones of the show that we grew to love and idolize. Episode Sponsor: CubeSpace - it's time to build your online presence! Bicks Log: What are the things in Season 1 that the show messed up the worst, but was corrected over the course of the show? Notes: As a reminder, this was recorded before Picard Season 3, so there may be some odd references Sadly "Crusher is a mom" has remained extremely true Aidan had this large (for a child) version of the mini phaser used frequently in the first few seasons He also had the rounded tip version of the fuller handheld phaser, though he can't find any photos so he might be imagining that Lindsay had the more ubiquitous and cool-looking pointed-tip phaser Chaos on the Bridge is the Shatner-hosted documentary that provides a great insight into the crazy ship that was TNG Seasons 1 & 2 For clarity's sake around syndication: the local station would sell 5 minutes of local advertising per episode, and Paramount got the money from 7 minutes of national advertisements The UK didn't receive any TNG until September 26, 1990, three years after "Encounter at Farpoint" first aired in the United States "You'll have to speak up, I'm wearing a towel." Other videos to learn more about Season 1 include: Rowan J. Coleman's Retrospective Part 8: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LB08m-d1hhc&ab_channel=RowanJColeman  Was TNG Season 1 Really That Bad?: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPGSKOIu1dI&ab_channel=OrangeRiver Twin Peaks actors appearing this season: Brenda Strong Carel Struycken Robert Knepper  

As we say goodbye to Star Trek: Picard after three seasons, lit in the warm glow of nostalgia, we'll take a look at the entirety of the series, our likes and dislikes, what's next for these characters and what we might have done differently to address the shortcomings we felt took away from our experience of these stories. Episode Sponsor: PokerGalaxy.net Bicks Log Double-Header: Question #1 - If you could make one change to Picard Season 3 to better reflect what you wanted out of the series, what would it be? Question #2 - If you had to pick your "Engage" one-liner, what would it be? Notes and Recognitions: Intro Music: Chasing Stars by AG Music Ad Music: "Swing Time" by Music by Pedro Outro Music: Idle Hands by The Impossibulls Borg Shootout Remixes feat. The Beach Boys as well as the always-good Beastie Boys  The Reddit post both Lindsay and I read that discussed how the season just didn't address all the issues it raised After we recorded, we came across this amazing review of Season 3 that really summed up Aidan's feelings and thoughts better than he managed to get across at all in the episode. It's truly a great read of what failed in Season 3.

You hear that? The voices of those we've come to know and those we've missed for years now, coming back to shepherd us towards the endgame for Star Trek Picard. Join us as we talk a lot about that one moment we were waiting for all season, as well as even more talk about many other moments of this episode that we could have frankly done without. Despite our ups and downs from this episode and others, we are excited for the finale and hope you'll join us next week as well!   Episode Sponsor: Tuvix Instant Transporter Services (Aidan apologizes for the terrible acronym, he was very tired when he wrote this and thought it was funny, even though it's not). Bicks Log: Which kid of the Enterprise D crew would perform which function in the renewed Enterprise D? Notes and Recognitions: Aidan has an epic rant-down from about 24:45 to 34:10 all about Jack Crusher and the sequence at the start of the episode where he delivers himself to the Borg. A quick rundown of TikTok's congressional hearings and the sad state of US Congress' understanding of technology. Lindsay's own rant goes from 46:30 to 50:30, all about Seasons 1 & 2 of Picard and how it's been completely abandoned in this Season. Soji was the Data-type android that survived, Dahj was the one who did not make it. We needed to look it up. Intro Music: Chasing Stars by AG Music Outro Music: Idle Hands by The Impossibulls

Surrender with us as we mentally prepare for the final voyage of The Next Generation crew, finally re-united in this week's episode. While we found this episode repeated a few of the foibles from previous Picard that have turned up earlier in the season, we nonetheless enjoyed this week's outing and are eagerly looking forward to the final two episodes with the characters we grew up loving so dearly. Episode Sponsor: Vadic's Frozen Foods Bicks Log: Has this season done a good job adapting the TNG characters for a future 25 years removed from the last episode of the television series? Notes and Recognitions: Swear Trek (in case you haven't seen it before) Ad music: "Fly the Friendly Skies" "Dance of the Dream Man" by Angelo Badalamenti RIP Paul Cattermole of S Club 7 Intro Music: Chasing Stars by AG Music Outro Music: Idle Hands by The Impossibulls

As we continue on into the back half of Season 3 of Picard, we are starting to see the outlines of an endgame, and, well, we have thoughts. Less about the endgame itself than about how we're getting there, as we found this particular episode a little more uneven than the previous ones, all the while loving certain elements and craving more of others. It's another bickering filled episode for your listening pleasure (or pain? we don't know why anyone listens to us). Episode Sponsor: Masterclass Bicks Log: How has this season of Picard changed our interpretation of the utopianism that the TNG era was known for? Notes and Recognitions:  Intro Music: Chasing Stars by AG Music Ad muzak: "Sixty Second Commercial #1" by Mmigo/Michael Reynolds Outro Music: Idle Hands by The Impossibulls

For a show that we all knew was going to be (at least partially) about getting the gang back together, this week's episode of Star Trek: Picard did a lot of work getting the gang back together. Join us for a discussion of the sentimentality of those reunions, the plot mysteries still waiting to be discovered, and our thoughts about this season's level of fan service!   Episode Sponsor: World of Warships! Bicks Log: Does this season sport too much fan service? Notes and Recognitions:  The director's name is Dan Liu, who also directed the stellar episode of Strange New Worlds: "Memento Mori". Intro Music: Chasing Stars by AG Music Ad Muzak: "Friendly Skies" from Fly the Friendly Skies of United Outro Music: Idle Hands by The Impossibulls 

Season Three of Picard reaches its midpoint with a compelling mystery amping up to new heights of tension as a familiar face returns to confront an old mentor about new threats to the entire Federation. Aidan and Lindsay take a flyby of Episode 5 -- "Imposters" -- to discuss Captain Sassypants, Jack Crusher's subconscious, and that cameo in this week's Bicks Pod. Episode Sponsor: Bajoran's Box Bicks Log: Would you change how Ro Laren was used in this episode? Notes and Recognitions:  If you're into this sort of thing: Dreams about Doors "The Hedgehog's Dilemma" from Neon Genesis: Evangelion TV Tropes' entry on "fridging" Intro Music: Chasing Stars by AG Music Ad muzak: "Sixty Second Commercial #1" by Mmigo/Michael Reynolds Outro Music: Idle Hands by The Impossibulls 

Is "No Win Scenario" a winner? Join us to find out! We talk about the exploration of new characters like Captain Shaw and Vadic, as well as the (sometimes strained) characterization of old favourites like Picard and Riker. We also discuss the mysteries being presented, the cool moments and the heartfelt scenes that are starting to become the backbone of this season of the show.  Episode Sponsor: Space Junk Clean-up Crew Bicks Log: If we had to identify one another as a Changeling, how would we do it? Notes and Recognitions: Jessie Gender (After Dark) on YouTube - "Star Trek Picard 3.04 'No Win Scenario' Review" Another Reddit thread where Aidan got into it with the community, this time about fan service. Yet another Reddit thread about the holodeck (though the writer was more forgiving than either of us). And yet another Reddit thread (with link to video) comparing the scenes from First Contact (Jean-Luc) and this episode (Jack). We do actually have access to Paramount Plus in Canada. But we're still a Crave household. Intro Music: Chasing Stars by AG Music Ad Muzak: "Friendly Skies" from Fly the Friendly Skies of United Outro Music: Idle Hands by The Impossibulls 

Is the sophomore slump over for Picard Season 3? Join us to find out! We talk about the highs and lows of the third episode, start delving into some of the fan theories, and dive head first into that conversation from this week's episode. In summary: the wait between Thursdays is getting a bit too long for our liking!   Episode Sponsor: Hail - the Federation's Premier Home Surveillance System Bicks Log: Who was right - Picard or Crusher? Notes and Recognitions: Trek Culture on YouTube - "Ups and Downs From Star Trek Picard: Picard 3.3 - Seventeen Seconds" Lindsay was (probably) thinking of "17 People" the West Wing episode where the staff are told that President Bartlet has Multiple Sclerosis. The Reddit thread where Aidan got really pedantic. Intro Music: Chasing Stars by AG Music Ad Muzak: "Friendly Skies" from Fly the Friendly Skies of United Outro Music: Idle Hands by The Impossibulls 

Star Trek: Picard is off to rip-roaring start, introducing us to new villainy and adventures and reintroducing us to fan fave characters we haven't seen in decades. It doesn't mean there hasn't been any controversy with the various plot points and character moments we've seen in the past two episodes so far...and The Bicks are not immune to this. Join us as we bicker our way through Picard Season 3 Episode 2 "Disengage". Episode Sponsor: Accomplishment Allotment Bicks Log: What's the deal with Captain Liam Shaw? Notes and Recognitions: Trek Culture on YouTube - "Ups and Downs from Star Trek: Picard 3.2 - Disengage" Jesse Gender After Dark on YouTube - "Star Trek Picard 3.02 'Disengage' REVIEW" The Reddit thread about milking the reveals And the Reddit one about Jack Crusher being wanted because of Wesley's abilities Turians from Mass Effect Vox: "Why we all need subtitles now" Intro Music: Chasing Stars by AG Music Ad Muzak: "Friendly Skies" from Fly the Friendly Skies of United Outro Music: Idle Hands by The Impossibulls 

After a brief 5 year hiatus, we're returning to our roots with a weekly, episodic podcast devoted to covering a media in media res - in this case, Star Trek: Picard, Season 3. Join us for a look at this early hint of the storytelling to come, as well as our takes on the characters displayed so far, the numerous easter eggs, and which of our gripes about Seasons 1 and 2 of Picard are still ringing in our ears early in Season 3. Notes: Couldn't find any reference to Q turning Picard human again at the end of Season 2, just for clarity's sake. Episode Sponsor: Today's episode is brought to you by the near-mythical Portal 3! Now you're thinking with portals! Bicks Log: We dig into the question: "Do you think this season is going to live up to the hype, or will it be another disappointment?" Credits: Intro Music: Chasing Stars by AG Music Outro Music: Idle Hands by The Impossibulls

Modern fanfiction may very well have had its start with the original trio of Kirk, McCoy, and Spock. So today we're joining the numerous fans before us who decided to tell stories about the crew of the USS Enterprise (no bloody B, C, or D). Join us as we talk about our process for writing these stories, the issues we ran into along the way, and even have a bit of a mini writing workshop right on the podcast. After years of hearing us call ourselves writers, now you can judge for yourselves! Notes: Aidan's story is called "Middle Decks" and is all about the four secondary characters of the series who never got quite the love of the main trio. Lindsay's story is called "Rumours" and is a peek behind what preceded Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country - the series of phone calls that got the gang back together. Credits: Intro Music: Chasing Stars by AG Music Outro Music: Idle Hands by The Impossibulls

The final farewell of The Original Series crew is a great summation of all the threads that we've touched on in our previous episodes and which have constituted some of the best parts of the series. The conclusion of the Klingon/Soviet cold war, the gathering of the film series' creative dream team, and the three main characters being front and centre - with Kirk being most central of all - provides a fitting end to the characters and setting that had been running for over 20 years. Join us for a chat about this classic (possibly science fiction) film, as we bid farewell to these characters (at least in their first iteration). Notes: Nancy Meyers is indeed a romantic-comedy legend. No relation to Nicholas Meyer beyond the last names. Plummer and Shatner were said to have a long-standing friendship, but the story of Shatner getting his big break as Plummer's understudy in Henry V is a real one, apparently.  Animorphs most certainly did have a TV Series.  This was Aidan's original movie box-set, which was actually released in the later 90s: https://images.app.goo.gl/KoaVtRsWrWg3UJPB8  Neither of us have acquainted ourselves with any of the definitions of Science Fiction. Though Aidan may regret his stance on the Doctor Who franchise, he otherwise stands by his belief that Science Fiction can be pretty much anything. Today's Sponsor: So happy to be partnered with the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, located in Bar' Dak, Qo'nos. Make sure to visit today, and tell them the Bicks sent ya! Bicks Log: Does Star Trek VI (and similarly themed Star Trek films/episodes) count as Science Fiction, or not? Credits: Intro Music: Chasing Stars by AG Music Outro Music: Idle Hands by The Impossibulls

Star Trek V: The Final Frontier is widely derided as the worst (or one of the worst) films in the Star Trek canon. Despite this, Lindsay still has fond memories of watching this film as a child and she'll be damned if she lets Aidan bring her down to reality! Join us for a discussion of God, starships, and campfire singalongs in this week's episode Episode Sponsor: Prophetic Titles. Totally not a scam. We promise. One low price gets you the right to title yourself Kai. Own your plot of space in the Celestial Temple today! Bicks Log:  Notes and Recognitions: iMDB trivia page, where we got some of our background details Check out Rowan J Coleman's YouTube channel for a ton of amazing retrospectives and history of Star Trek -- his channel is a repository of info and if you aren't already a fan, you really ought to be! Ad break music: "Beautiful Noise" by the Nick Perito Orchestra "The Mountain" by Jerry Goldsmith Intro Music: Chasing Stars by AG Music Outro Music: Idle Hands by The Impossibulls

Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, collectively known in The Bicks home as "The One with the Whales." A classic 80s film, a classic Trek film, and a unique entry in the series all at once. We loved chatting about this one and hope you'll enjoy our wandering discussion of the most populist of Star Trek movies! Notes: It was Alan Silvestri who did the music for Back to the Future. Moores is a Canadian men's clothing company. The Home Depot is an American hardware and home improvement chain. These two pieces of information will help clarify the odd bit around the 36-37th minute of the podcast. Episode Sponsor: Today's episode is brought to you by Whales Alive, the very real album that really featured Leonard Nimoy really doing spoken word poetry over top of very real whale song. Please go listen right now. Bicks Log: Was the success of The Voyage Home a template that could have saved the second fourth movie of Star Trek - 2002's Star Trek: Nemesis? Would a funnier, less dramatic and serious Next Generation movie have changed the trajectory of the Star Trek franchise?

By the time The Search for Spock was announced, it was fairly clear that the Star Trek brand was more than strong enough to justify its continued return to box offices; within a few years, it would return to TV screens, as well. But not before Kirk & Co. return to the Genesis planet from The Wrath of Khan to rescue Spock. Which is what we're going to be talking about today.  Episode Sponsor: I Can't Believe It's Not Gagh! Bicks Log: Was David's death an earned emotional moment, or mere manipulation? Notes and Recognitions: Intro Music: Chasing Stars by AG Music Outro Music: Idle Hands by The Impossibulls

The second film entry for our original cast -- Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan -- reinvigorated the franchise after The Motion Picture drew big bucks but tepid critical reviews. A lesser version of Khan might have put the nail in Star Trek's coffin. Thankfully, it didn't, and forty years later we're still chugging away through the Alpha Quadrant. Let's explore why, with Kirk & Khaaaaaaan!, Kirk & Spock, Kirk & Carol & David, Chekov and the ear bug (*shudder*), the Enterprise & the Reliant, and the birth of a new  Episode Sponsor: Genesis To-Go! Bicks Log: Is The Wrath of Khan a perfect/the best encapsulation of what makes Star Trek what it is? Notes: Monster Maroon Trek Culture Aidan here: Lindsay...Bruce McLean??? If you're going to reference Die Hard in my presence, you'd best get the name of the main character right... Lindsay here: And yet you sat across from me and listened with your own two ears and didn't correct me, so...check and mate.

Star Trek's first foray onto the big screen has experienced a recent reevaluation by fans, but what we wanted to know is how was it seen by original fans at the time of its release? Lucky for us we have a pair of OG fans in the family -- so today we're welcoming Aidan's parents to the podcast to talk all about that original experience in all its glory! Episode Sponsor: Kivas Fajo's Toy Emporium Bicks Log: We bypassed today's debate in the interest of sparing our guests! Notes: After looking through the depths of the internet, we couldn't find any specific release history for The Animated Series in Canada, which may explain why today's special guests never heard of it until recently. Intro Music: Chasing Stars by AG Music Outro Music: Idle Hands by The Impossibulls

After one of the most competitive polls in our short lived Twitter campaign (which, if you don't follow us there, we're likely abandoning soon), this watchalong came down to a coin toss, followed by a unilateral decision to negate the coin toss entirely. The result is our watchalong with The Lorelei Signal, one of the better Animated Series episodes, and the only one to feature (acting) Captain Uhura! It's a short episode this week, so hope you all enjoy! Notes and Recognitions: Intro Music: Chasing Stars by AG Music Outro Music: Idle Hands by The Impossibulls 

This episode is about one of the least known shows in Star Trek, but one we thoroughly enjoyed. The Animated Series holds a special place in Star Trek history, as a bridge between TOS and the films, and also as the first series to truly be freed from the constraints of what was possible to film in a live action series. The result is a strange, sometimes silly/sometimes serious batch of episodes that feel truly unique. Join us for a talk about what brought the series to fruition, what makes it so unique, and our talk about whether it's worth your time as a Trekkie (spoiler alert: we think so!). Episode Sponsor: The Vulcan Science Institutes Atomic Alarm Clock for Children (or VSIAACC for short). Help keep your youthful, impetuous and overly-emotional Vulcan child in check with this chronologically indestructible clock! Get one today! Bicks Log: Does The Animated Series stand on its own as a distinct product, or is it merely the much-vaunted fourth season of The Original Series? Notes: Be sure to check out the amazing Next Generation and Voyager reimaginings of famous scenes, in the original art and animation style of TAS. They're simply stellar. Also check out the mini behind-the-scenes featurette about how the team that created the series built them. Intro Music: Chasing Stars by AG Music Outro Music: Idle Hands by The Impossibulls  

This time our lovely Twitter voters (follow us on there if you want to decide future watchalongs!) chose one of Aidan's all-time favourite Trek episodes "The Tholian Web" to enjoy alongside you, dear listeners! In one of the few high points of Season 3, this episode had it all: a great sci-fi premise, interesting character moments, and most importantly, a break for dear William Shatner. Join us to hear every inane thought about the episode that enters our heads, including our takes on just why the USS Defiant glowed green, and what makes this episode work so well among all TOS standouts.  Notes and Recognitions: Intro Music: Chasing Stars by AG Music Outro Music: Idle Hands by The Impossibulls 

If you've ever wondered what frustration sounds like - congratulations, you've found it in this episode of The Bicks Do Star Trek! Season 3 of The Original Series is one of the more frustrating seasons in Star Trek history - for producers, writers, actors, and even the creator - and that frustration seeps into the episodes themselves, and by conduit, your hosts. In a season filled with episodes that pale in comparison to what came before, we found a few nuggets of joy and a whole lot of... other nuggets. Join us for a chat about why these episodes fail to impress, the few highlights we could pull out, and the numerous specific problems *cough*sexism*cough* that plague the show this year. Also a brief chat about the production and what the potential legacy of the show could have looked like if this was indeed the final piece of Star Trek to ever exist. Episode Sponsor: Eden's Enterprises! Whatever joyous road you're taking, man, you can get there with Eden's Enterprises! Bicks Log: With the crew on light duty rotations, we had time to ponder whether "Turnabout Intruder" - one of the most detested episodes of TOS - was salvageable. Notes: We are so very dumb and confused "Spock's Brain" and "For The World Is Hollow And I Have Touched The Sky". However this is kind of indicative of our level of devotion and love for this season as a whole. Aidan claimed D.C. Fontana was the showrunner/story editor - which was true for Season 2, but not Season 3! She left to go do freelance work after Season 2 concluded. And boy was her lack of presence noted.

In which we sit down and watch through the classic Season 2 episode "The Trouble With Tribbles" with you, dear listeners! So cue it up and boldly go with us as we learn about just why, in fact, the Klingons and the Tribbles have such a rich history of animosity...(jk we don't know why and no one ever really explains it in this episode, it's just a thing that is and we have to learn to accept it...) We look forward to more watchalongs in the future, and will probably be having semi-regular polls to help us decide which episodes to cover in our watchalongs on our Twitter, so follow us there and please do let us know if there's an episode you'd love to watch with us! Notes and Recognitions: Intro Music: Chasing Stars by AG Music Outro Music: Idle Hands by The Impossibulls   

In this foray into pretty well known, we're examining the second season of The Original Series in all its didactic glory. Whether your joy is faraway trips to places that feel very much like home, or a few light-hearted romps through the less serious parts of the galaxy, the second season has a lot to offer, and a fair bit for us to talk about. So sit back (or walk, or commute, or do whatever you want really we're not your parents) and listen in as we chat about the second season of Star Trek. Today's Sponsor: Mudd's Emporium! If you're looking for the very latest in HoloSuite technology, look no further than the HoloHeaven 3000, available exclusively through Mudd's Emporium. Don't forget to tell them Harry sent you! Bicks Log: Today we discussed which style of episode best fits Star Trek as a whole: the serious, deep, sci-fi or character heavy ones, or the lighthearted, comedic ones that have a bit more fun with the possibilities of a sci-fi universe? Notes: For those who are not familiar with Sonic Screwdrivers or Doctor Who generally... Assignment Earth is pretty much an outright theft of the idea, with the addition of a cat!

Friends of the podcast, welcome to something new from The Bicks. A watch along episode! Join us for a viewing of one of the most acclaimed Star Trek episodes of all time: The City on the Edge of Forever. As our first watch along, our apologies if it's a little rough, but we were just excited by the thought of plunging our voices into your eardrums as you watch an episode of Trek. So throw us on in the background and listen as we blabber about whatever comes to mind during one of our favourite episodes from TOS. We look forward to more watch alongs in the future, and will probably be having semi-regular polls to help us decide which episodes to cover in our watch alongs on our Twitter, so follow us there and please do let us know if there's an episode you'd love to watch with us!

...in which your stalwart Ensigns Aidan and Lindsay take you on a tour of Star Trek's very first blockbuster season. The one that started it all! Join us for a retrospective look at the origin of the series, the ups and downs of getting it on the air (with a little help from America's favourite redhead!), highlights and lowlights of the episodes and story arcs, as well as our... Episode Sponsor: Food Cubes! For the time conscious -- not necessarily the culinarily evolved -- among us, Food Cubes are the perfect way to efficiently fill your nutritional needs! Try "Food Coobs" today! Bicks Log: Who is the best villain from The Original Series? Notes and Recognitions: Mea culpas: "The City on the Edge of Forever" was the second-last episode of the first season, not the last. Silly us! Definitely check out The Center Seat docuseries about Star Trek -- narrated by Gates McFadden! -- which is available on Crave (in Canada) and Amazon Prime and Apple TV. We cannot recommend Rowan J Coleman's Star Trek retrospective series highly enough -- you can watch the whole thing on YouTube. Intro Music: Chasing Stars by AG Music Outro Music: Idle Hands by The Impossibulls 

Earth date September 8, 2022. Happy Star Trek Day to one and all! To commemorate this once-a-year occasion, we'd like to welcome listeners both new and old to this podcast with a (re)introduction to The Bicks. After plumbing the depths of Mark Frost and David Lynch, then William Shakespeare, we're back to talk about Star Trek in all its many forms: the TV series, the films, the universe, and the fandom. This episode we go over our personal history and experiences with Trek, talk about what you can expect in our podcast, and what we may do a little differently compared to other podcasts. Join us for the first of many discussions to come! Episode Sponsor: Holonovels R Us - Don't forget to use Promocode "BicksPod" to get your already free holonovels for more free! Bicks Log: We decided to start off easy with a simple question that has not preoccupied anyone's thoughts at all on the internet: who is Star Trek's greatest captain? Notes and Recognitions: Intro Music: Chasing Stars by AG Music Outro Music: Idle Hands by The Impossibulls 

We've always appreciated the saying, "Save the Best for Last" and we followed it for this Shakespeare podcast. Nothing may draw more interest in the popular imagination of Shakespeare than whether or not he was actually the author of the works ascribed to him. So we wanted to send off our little podcast with a big topic: who was Shakespeare, if it wasn't Shakespeare? Notes: The Wikipedia master list of possible Shakespeare authorship candidates is... exhaustive. If you wonder why we say "Apparently" the way we do... And if you wonder why we say "To be fair" the way we do... Abel Lefranc was more a historian than a writer, to be faaaaiiiiir... The SCTV classic skit "The Adventures of Shake and Bake" is a nice parting gift from us to you - a bit of authorship question, a bit of pop culture, a bit of Canadiana. With love from Aidan and Lindsay. Ancient Bickerings: If Shakespeare wasn't the author of Shakespeare's works - who would you want it to be?

“Our revels now are ended. These our actors, As I foretold you, were all spirits and Are melted into air, into thin air: And, like the baseless fabric of this vision, The cloud-capp'd towers, the gorgeous palaces, The solemn temples, the great globe itself, Yea, all which it inherit, shall dissolve And, like this insubstantial pageant faded, Leave not a rack behind. We are such stuff As dreams are made on, and our little life Is rounded with a sleep.” In almost every way this play is Shakespeare's swan song, and a heartfelt goodbye to his time spent crafting entertainment and poetry for the people of London. Consequently, the play is very concerned with legacies, family, time, supremacy, and - perhaps most interestingly of all - colonialism. Despite being one of Shakespeare's shortest and most easily accessible plays, it manages to jam pack a whole lot of thought into the topics it does weave its magic on, so join us for a discussion about all things The Tempest in this, our final episode devoted to Shakespeare's work. Notes: Aidan incorrectly named the date the play was performed in front of King James - it was actually done on November 1, 1611. He also incorrectly identified the date the play was put back into production - it was actually 1667, albeit under a different name with heavy adaptations. Both Aidan and Lindsay highly recommend Barbra A. Mowat's A Modern Perspective essay (a standby of this series) for an interesting look at how Shakespeare combines time, family, and the other themes of The Tempest into a nice little package. Ancient Bickerings: If you were shipwrecked on an abandoned island and had to take 5 Shakespeare plays with you, does this one crack the list?

The incomparably funny and poignant comedian Hannah Gadsby said it best: “This adoration of the artist as a lone genius is quite misled, I think, because they are very much a part of their time and their community.” Sometimes we all need a community. Whether it's because our own expertise has fallen short or because two heads are better than one, no one among us can say that we are perfectly capable of living life without the help of our friends. Not even William Shakespeare. Join us as we examine Shakespeare's Apocrypha, a series of plays, poems, and other writings variously attributed to the Bard as well as a whole host of other Tudor/Elizabethan and Jacobean dramatists. It's a veritable who's-who of the extended theatre community to which Shakespeare undoubtedly would have belonged in late 16th/early 17th century London, which leads us to question: just how many people had a hand in writing the Shakespearean canon? Along the way, we'll explain some of the handwriting analysis and stylometry results that recent researchers have used to point to their favoured candidates for the authorship of this collection of works.  It's a jam-packed episode. We hope you'll enjoy! Notes: Folio, Quarto, and Octavo bookmaking techniques, as depicted on Wikipedia: Full text of The Shakespeare Apocrypha by C.F. Tucker Brooke Full text of William Shakespeare A Study Of Facts And Problems Vol I by E.K. Chambers Shakespeare's Collaborators - shakespeare.org New Oxford Shakespeare: Modern Critical Edition Example of Secretary Handwriting in Hand D, purportedly Shakespeare's own handwriting, in the play The Booke of Sir Thomas More: YouTube clip of a one-man play by Keir Cutler about Shakespeare and the authorship question All available text of The Booke of Sir Thomas More, courtesy of The British Library "Shakespeare By The Numbers: What Stylometrics Can and Can't Tell Us" - a book review by Ramon Jimenez for the Shakespeare Oxford Fellowship "The Stylometric Debate Over Authorship" - Shakespeare Oxford Fellowship "Stylometry and the Shakespearean Clinic" and "Response to Criticisms on Stylometry" by David Kathman and Terry Ross Dr. Michael Delahoyde's analysis of Two Noble Kinsmen Petr Plechac's stylometric analysis of Henry VIII Ancient Bickerings: Which play would you most like to revise alongside Shakespeare?

Another problem/romance play, Cymbeline is noteworthy most of all for its intricate, multi-layered plot, and one of the bard's most noteworthy heroines in Imogen. Unlike the famous tragedies or better known comedies (but very much like his other later plays), this one is marked by the refusal to commit to any grand sweeping statement of the human condition beyond, maybe, "It's complicated." Join us as we explore the plot, characters, and themes of this late Shakespearean play! Notes: Lorenna McKennitt's Cymbeline is quite pretty and Lindsay's origin story for why she loves this play so much. Lindsay referenced a Public Theater NY discussion about Cymbeline and Imogen. Why? Ancient Bickerings: Which one of the many, many liars in the play, is the most dastardly?

If you ever travel to England (or live there), you'll know there's a lot of Shakespeare places to go and see, in particular around his hometown of Stratford-upon-Avon. As far as tourist sites go, they're basically what you'd expect. But for a pair of English language/history/literature nerds, they're a bit more interesting. Visiting the Globe to see a Shakespeare play as it was written to be performed for yours truly wasn't just a cool part of a trip to London, it was a pilgrimage. Notes: The picture of Shakespeare's birthplace with the working roads directly in front of it is available through Wikipedia: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:William_Shakespeare_-Birthplace_-England-8.jpg#/media/File:William_Shakespeare_-Birthplace_-England-8.jpg  King Edward VI School was where Shakespeare attended school - Lindsay got there eventually. Ancient Bickerings: This episode we revisited our recurring "let's time travel Shakespeare to the modern day" idea, and asked: which Shakespeare site would you like to bring the bard to if you could?

What do you get when you combine three acts of a tragedy, two acts of a pastoral romantic comedy, and a sprinkle of the supernatural on top for good measure? A problem play for the ages: The Winter's Tale. If it feels like we've been down this road before, it's because this late Romance borrows many of its themes from some of the great tragedies of Shakespeare's career, like Othello. Jealous husbands, chaste wives, and accusations of infidelity abound in the first half of the play. Then -- as we've seen very recently in Pericles -- we jump sixteen years into the future, following the fallout of Leontes' disastrous accusation of Hermione, the death of son Mamillius, and the banishment of the infant Perdita to discover that all may not be lost after all. This smash-cut tonal shift that leads us from wintry Sicilia to summer-time Bohemia and the introduction of a long-lost daughter and a marriage crisis that brings the destroyed family back together again, possibly with a little help from the gods, perhaps (shades of Macbeth, anyone?) But unlike Othello, Leontes is given this second chance to prove himself to his family and friends after the damage has been done because, unlike hero Pericles, Leontes has a lot of prove. And despite the magical overtones of the final climactic reunion, there is no shade thrown on witches here, unlike the Weird Sisters that haunt Macbeth. So what is Shakespeare playing at, mixing these old tropes to new effect? That's the focus of today's episode -- we hope you'll enjoy! Ancient Bickerings Who is the worst husband in all of Shakespeare? Notes: Reddit AITA post (which -- shockingly -- has been marked "No A-holes Here", which only goes to show that a) men are not okay and b) Reddit is the asshole of the internet.) Shout out to Shmoop for, once again, helping us with some background info and thematic points to hit

Religion is always a touchy subject, but for most of the world today it's not nearly as dangerous a point of discussion as it was during Shakespeare's lifetime. Protestant and Catholic debates hadn't just destroyed previously unassailable assumptions on articles of faith, they'd led to war, religious persecution to the point of murder, and constant political and religious upheaval. While Shakespeare's time was one of relatively steady Protestant rule, the crises of the past hundred years hadn't disappeared magically upon Shakespeare's birth, and his plays reflect a conflicted mixture of religious viewpoints in the shape of his characters and the stories they live through. This episode we looked at the history of religion in England, and then how that history manifested in the plays. Notes: The video Lindsay references around anti-Judaism practices in Elizabethan England is a good watch! The Folger Shakespeare Unlimited episode on religion is also a fabulous listen and we'd highly recommend it if we say anything remotely interesting. As promised, Aidan quoted two scholarly articles, so here are the requisite MLA format citations for both: Ribner, Irving. “SHAKESPEARE, CHRISTIANITY, AND THE PROBLEM OF BELIEF.” The Centennial Review, vol. 8, no. 1, Michigan State University Press, 1964, pp. 99–108, http://www.jstor.org/stable/23737596. Hunt, Maurice. “VISIONARY CHRISTIANITY IN SHAKESPEARE'S LATE ROMANCES.” CLA Journal, vol. 47, no. 2, College Language Association, 2003, pp. 212–30, http://www.jstor.org/stable/44325209.  Ancient Bickerings: Which of Shakespeare's plays is his most religious?

For a place almost synonymous with class distinctions, England was only occasionally the site of class confrontations in Shakespeare's plays. He saved the really juicy bits for his final Roman play - Coriolanus. Join us for a chat about the class distinctions, gender conflict, and (naturally for us) politics prevalent across one of Shakespeare's darker plays. Notes: Despite Lindsay and Aidan's best guesses at history, the plebian voice in the Roman Republic were called tribunes, not praetors (who performed a different political function). Having the text nearby might help in the future, kids. Ancient Bickering: For a play focused deeply on the past, we wanted to bring the topic back to the present: if Coriolanus were to run for political office today (in the United States), would he find success?

We are not Shakespeare scholars. We have neither the education, resources, or frankly the intelligence to engage with Shakespeare's work the way anyone who's actually published a paper about Shakespeare does. We are amateurs. But none of the names we're talking about today are amateurs. All of them have left some sort of important imprint on the study of Shakespeare. And we've rounded up the highlights and put our own Bicks-ified spin on it for your listening pleasure. We hope you'll enjoy! Links: A decent history summary (via Encyclopedia Britannica)  Another quick summary of big names Francis Meres: https://shakespearedocumented.folger.edu/resource/document/palladis-tamia-one-earliest-printed-assessments-shakespeares-works-and-first John Weever: https://shakespearedocumented.folger.edu/resource/document/epigrams-oldest-cut-critical-responses-and-allusions-shakespeare-and-three-his Ben Jonson: https://literatureessaysamples.com/a-biting-elegy-ben-jonson-on-shakespeare/ John Dryden: https://archive.schillerinstitute.com/fid_97-01/973_dryden.html Alexander Pope: http://jacklynch.net/Texts/pope-shakespeare.html Samuel Johnson: https://www.jstor.org/stable/24776308 Samuel Taylor Coleridge: http://theshakespeareblog.com/2015/10/samuel-taylor-coleridge-and-shakespeare/ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe: https://frenchquest.com/2020/12/01/goethe-on-shakespeare-a-tribute-1771/ New Criticism: https://whatapieceofwork.wordpress.com/2009/02/02/the-new-criticism/ Northrop Frye: https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.3138/9781442689886 Stephen Greenblat: https://www.nytimes.com/2004/10/03/books/review/will-in-the-world-reinventing-shakespeare.html Feminist Criticism: https://www.britannica.com/biography/William-Shakespeare/Feminist-criticism-and-gender-studies Deconstructionist: http://ejournals.org.uk/bjll/%5Bpp3-pp12%5D_ARTICLE_1.pdf Shakespeare in Africa: https://folgerpedia.folger.edu/Shakespeare_in_Africa Shakespeare in Asia: https://asiatimes.com/2016/12/asian-scholarship-william-shakespeare-second-none/ Shakespeare in Central/South America: https://www.wordtrade.com/literature/shakespeareR.htm Shakespeare in Indigenous Contexts: https://fellowsblog.ted.com/why-shakespeare-deserves-a-native-american-perspective-fd5ab5ba556e https://www.publicnewsservice.org/2019-10-15/native-american/umaine-lecture-why-native-theater-is-embracing-shakespeare/a68040-1 Ancient Bickerings Which academic school (if any) would you describe the other one belonging to?

Getting into the late romances -- starting here with Pericles -- means we're nearing the end of our sojourn through William Shakespeare's career. But these are a fascinating quartet of plays, and Pericles is a fantastic introduction to the complicated morality and plot cues that we find Shakespeare playing with throughout these final plays, after years of creativity and success under his belt. And because these are less well-known plays (with the exception of The Tempest), discussing them feels fresh and interesting. We hope you'll agree. Join us as we journey through the Mediterranean with Pericles, Prince of Tyre and his trials and triumphs on his search for family. Notes - John Gower's poem "The Tale of Apollonius of Tyre" from his Confessio Amantis, a 33,000 line poem from 1386-1390  - Lindsay's confusion stems from this dude, who shares a name but not a life with the titular Pericles. - The authorship of Pericles has always been questioned, and this New Yorker article illustrates the "confusing riddle" of it well. Ancient Bickerings Who is the villain of this play?

It's something we've talked about relentlessly on this podcast: teaching Shakespeare is hard. Between the dense language, historical context, and cultural weight of the name "Shakespeare" there are a ton of barriers to getting students invested in the words of Billy S. So this episode we gathered together three teachers (including Lindsay) and talked all about the educational process. Resources, special techniques, success stories and challenges - all the topics we could think of to discuss with other educators. If you've ever wondered what goes into a teacher's plan for Shakespeare class, or considered sending your child off to a summer drama camp that's all about Shakespeare, take a listen in on our experts' discussion! Notes: Huge shout out to our two guests, Francis and Rachel, who joined us from the UK and Oregon, respectively, to share their experiences and wisdom about teaching Shakespeare! Majestic Theatre is where our Rachel plies her trade as bard director and performer for hire. If you're in Oregon, go check them out!  

It's a play all about dualities that don't duel quite as much as we might think. Antony and Cleopatra - man and woman - Rome and Egypt - Love and War - every way you look at this play there are nice, clean delineations... until there aren't. We enjoyed reading and talking about this one because it refuses to be pinned down or defined, much like its titular characters. We hope you enjoy the conversation as well! Notes: If you don't know anything about Ptolemaic Egypt (like Aidan, who spent a solid three minutes explaining it very poorly), check out the Wikipedia entry at the very least. Cleopatra (1963) is only 3 hours long, not 5, but we still couldn't bring ourselves to watch it. Let us know if you did and enjoyed it though! Ancient Bickerings: Which type of betrayal is more damaging in the play - the romantic, or the political?

There were lots of ways we could have looked at the topic of Shakespeare's most famous plays. A deeply analytical examination of what makes some plays rise above others. A detailed case study of a single play, like Romeo & Juliet or Hamlet, that has remained popular over the years. Or even a dismissal of the very idea of popularity. Instead, we decided on a listicle format. What can we say? We've been moving all week, and we needed to relax and have some fun. We hope you'll have some too as we rank our top five most popular plays - if we were the sole deciders of what is popular. Notes: The Shakespeareances list of most often produced plays was our basis for winnowing down the list to the most common productions for establishing our lists. Our five categories for ranking the popularity-factor (TM pending) of each play were as follows: Characters Plot/story Quotability Accessibility Relevance

Macbeth may be Shakespeare's second most famous play after Hamlet, and for good measure. The speeches and quotes have been seared into English-speaking culture, the phrase "Lady Macbeth" denotes all sorts of things (depending on your point of view), and it may be our most durable parable for the dangers of too much ambition. It's also one of Shakespeare's shortest plays (and the shortest tragedy), with numerous well-received film adaptations over the years to help keep it in the public consciousness. We were lucky enough to be joined by returning fellow Shakespeare nerd (and David Lynch fan) Brittany, who brought a much needed third perspective on some of the key themes and character discussions of this play: is Lady Macbeth to be understood as a woman, or a unsexed would-be male competing in a man's world? Are the central pair a good couple? And a return to our old question: what does this play have to tell us about what makes a good king? We talk about all that and more in this episode! Notes: We discussed a number of film adaptations, including: The 2015 Justin Kurzel and Michael Fassbender version The 1971 Roman Polanski and Jon Finch version The 1957 Akira Kurosawa and Toshiro Mifune adaptation "Throne of Blood" Ancient Bickering: Just like your high school English class discussion on this play, we were looking at the timeless question of: "Did Macbeth choose to commit his acts of heinous violence, or was it destiny as foretold by the witches?"

It is natural to wonder what Shakespeare was trying to tell us about money. He was, after all, the owner of his own theatre company, a man who made several wise financial decisions involving his land holdings in his later years. He'd grown up around money. Surely we can read into his plays and discover something of the business acumen and economic philosophy of the man, right? Maybe. Maybe not. All the same, we're going to look at the various depictions of money and economic concerns within the works of Shakespeare this week on The Bicks Pod.   Ancient Bickerings: If Shakespeare were writing a play based on a modern financial or economic news headline, what story would he choose?   Notes: - For an interesting look at mentions of money in Shakespeare, check out the aptly titled "Money in Shakespeare" by Fumita Ojima - Funnily enough, the Watcher YouTube series Puppet History did a hilarious deep dive into the world of 'coin clipping' (and Isaac Newton, who was Master of the Mint from 1699 until his death in 1727) in their episode "Isaac Newton's Nemesis", so if you would like to learn more about this kind of early currency counterfeiting, check it out!  - "This is the Very Coinage of Your Brain: Shakespeare and Money Revisited" by B.J. Cook, a numismatic examination of Shakespeare's work - If you would like to hear us discuss the modern Shakespeare industry, check out our episode "Selling Shakespeare" - This 2014 BBC article breaks down the modern day economy of Shakespeare