Trek, Marry, Kill

SAIL BONDING TIME. Ben takes Jake on a trip aboard an ancient Bajoran spacecraft that utilizes a solar sail. Does this father-son adventure takeoff? Meanwhile, Bashir finds an ally in Chief O'Brien after being seemingly spurned by an impressive woman. DS9's Season Three Leap Forward theme month continues with this crucial episode.The grades begin at (20:34).

LOVE LIES SCREAMING. Garak tortures Odo to get back into Enabran Tain's good graces. Meanwhile, Sisko defies orders to mount a rescue only for he and the Defiant to come across one of Trek's biggest space battles -- to that point! DS9's Season Three Leap Forward theme month continues with the conclusion to an accidental two-parter. The grades begin at (28:41).

TAILOR MADE CONSPIRACY. Garak's shop explodes and Odo's investigation soon gets the two of them into a situation of galactic importance. Our DS9's Season Three Leap Forward theme month continues with a pivotal episode about Garak, the Dominion, and the clandestine services in the Alpha Quadrant. The grades begin at (29:06).

DOUBTING THOMAS RIKER. Kira and the crew of DS9 fall under the charms of a Riker, just not the one they think! Transporter Twin Thomas Riker has his eyes set on the USS Defiant and uses sexcraft to get what he wants. In order to stop him, Sisko must reenact Fail Safe -- or is it the TNG episode "The Wounded"? -- with Gul Dukat on Cardassia. Our theme this month is DS9's Season Three Leap Forward, looking at key episodes that showed Star Trek's middle child taking off and finding its own voice. Joining Bryan to kick things off is actor-producer-comedian Curtis Fortier, star and producer of web series 12 Sided Die, featuring Trek alumni such as Tim Russ and Andrew Robinson.The grades begin at (21:30).

NARCISSISTS AND CATHARSIS. Bryan and Katie Hampton from Geekscape's Napping Through Happy Hour Podcast shine a spotlight on a pair of sequel episodes. Do the hosts overcome their disdain towards the character of Peanut Hamper? Does another adventure in Boimler's holodeck movie universe generate the same surprise and excitement as the last time out? You'll just have to listen!The grades begin at (21:09). Jump to "Crisis Point 2: Paradoxus" at (52:35). Here's the supercut of The Most Famous Prop in Science Fiction: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phPp5oYnps0

PICARD'S BASIC INSTINCT. We conclude Spring Flings Month with a look at the time Jean-Luc Picard bonded with one of the most beautiful women to ever appear on Star Trek: Kamala, as played by Famke Janssen. But is her performance as skin deep as the script? Bryan is joined by an old friend of his, Cory Marciel, a writer and editor in Hollywood. It's two dudes bro'ing out over Star Trek. Will they find this one a TREK, MARRY, or KILL?The grades begin at (42:00).

INTRODUCING TRILL RIKER? Spring Flings Month continues as Jessi from Crusher Convo Podcast joins Bryan to discuss the episode where Dr. Crusher falls for the first Trill to appear in Star Trek -- Odan. Only, he didn't tell her about that slug inside him so, after a shuttle accident that injures his host body, she must place said slug inside Will Riker -- who's like a brother to her. Does love take many forms or does Beverly have a remarkably consistent type?The grades begin at (26:00). Get more of Jessi on Crusher Convo here: Crushing the Conversation, One episode at a Time!

HOLLYWOOD CRINGE FESTIVAL. Bryan continues Spring Flings Month with returning guest Diana Keng, a TV critic whose work you can read at Geek Girl Authority and Women at Warp. Did the nail the casting of a man who is supposed to sweep Deanna Troi off her feet? The grades begin at (22:51).

NINE OWN SELF. This month's animated spotlight features a pair of episodes that go to great lengths to give our cartoon characters some badly needed introspection. Rutherford learns about his bad boy former self and Tendi is pressed to assert the woman she wants to be over her culture's demands. Oh, and there's plenty of nostalgia for Bryan with a trip to Deep Space Nine. But will he and Katie Hampton from the Napping Through Happy Hour Podcast give these episodes TREKs, MARRYs, or KILLs? The grades begin at (26:44).

TEARS FOR LEERS. Captain Kirk falls under the spell of... a former co-star of William Shatner's? It's Spring Flings Month here on Trek Marry Kill. Bryan is joined by film critic Jordan Hoffman, who also authored the Star Trek Book of Friendship, and whose writing can be found in Vanity Fair, Foreign Policy Magazine, and his Substack -- Hoffstack.Substack.com. Will they TREK, MARRY, or KILL this season three episode? The grades begin at (24:46).

SIMPLY THE BEST? Don't sleep on Star Trek: Prodigy, which manages to capture the spirit and storytelling of the most popular Trek and aim it at kids while also being highly entertaining for adults -- especially a crusty old Star Trek fan like Bryan. He's not the only fan enchanted by the series, though. Charlynn & Marina from Mission Log: Prodigy and YouTubers Steve Shives and Jessie Gender come aboard to decide which of the show's 40 episodes (and counting?) are among its very best. Jump to Charlynn & Marina at (12:22). Listen to their show here: https://tinyurl.com/2w6ny2hpJump to Steve Shives at (45:07). Check out his channel here: Steve Shives - YouTubeJump to Jessie Gender at (1:10:16). Check out her channel here: Jessie Gender After Dark Channel Trailer and the trailer for her movie here: https://youtu.be/oYPpbfHfhG0?si=3KCXoscb8rs_wYcK

UNIVERSAL FAN FEST has kicked off at Universal Studios Hollywood and fans can stand on the bridge of the Enterprise-D as used in Star Trek: Picard - Season Three for a tour-turned-adventure. But does it and the themed food make the event a TREK, MARRY, or KILL? Bryan and Kristen take you through their experiences to decide.

DADDY DEAD CARE. A shuttle accident puts Captain Janeway on death's doorstep and death is only too happy to answer, taking the face of her dead father. But that's not the only weird thing going on in this fast-paced, wacky episode that concludes The Captain is DEAD! Month on Trek Marry Kill. The grades begin at (33:42).

THE RUBBERBAND MAN. Bryan and Shereese commiserate over dead dads and her first time watching a classic episode of Deep Space Nine as THE CAPTAIN IS DEAD! Month continues. The grades begin at (32:34)

WEB KIRK.O. Captain Kirk is dead! No wait -- he's a ghost! No... it's interspace! But, what's this? the crew of the Enterprise is slowly going mad? And now the ship is being surrounded by a web? Is this third season adventure a TREK, MARRY, or KILL? The grades begin at (13:22).

PICARD WORKS BLUE. It's the death of Jean-Luc Picard as we kick off The Captain is DEAD! month on the show. Shot through the heart and **Q** is to blame? Bryan and Kristen examine this critical episode to determine if it's a TREK, MARRY, or KILL. The grades begin at (29:44).

COME ON, CAROL! In this month's animated spotlight, Bryan and Katie Hampton of Geekscape's Napping Through Happy Hour Podcast take a look at a pair of Lower Decks episodes that are half character assassinations of Captain Carol Freeman. Are the other halves funny, though? Jump straight to "Room for Growth" at (33:44).

OH HEAVENS NO! Bryan & Kristen marvel at the tax dollars used to make the last two episodes of Star Trek: Picard's first season, but are these final two episodes a TREK, MARRY, or KILL? The grades begin at (23:26).

PIZZAS AND ADMONISHMENTS. Picard takes Soji to the Riker Troi's house to chill out and think about their next move. Narissa kills a bunch of Borg... and Rios reveals he has a direct connection to what's happening.The grades begin at (29:45).

BREAKING BAD ACCENTS. Jean-Luc Picard couldn't save all the Romulans so he opted to save none of them. Does the attempt to turn the character into a classic 21st century antihero succeed or are Bryan and Kristen too distracted by both the intentionally bad and the accidentally bad accent work throughout the series? The grades begin at (24:27).

PADDING THE RUNTIME. It's been five years since the premiere of Star Trek: Picard and the first season was a bumpy ride for all involved. Patrick Stewart trying to capture Jean-Luc Picard at a different point in his life. A host of executives, producers, and writers being largely unfamiliar with the character or episodic TV; and a first-time showrunner trying to figure out how to pace out an incomplete story. Bryan & Kristen revisit this experiment in brand extension to see how well it's held up. The grades begin at (20:55).

It's been five years since the first season of Star Trek: Picard concluded, and here in the month of March, Bryan & Kristen will be revisiting the episodes they didn't get to when they first kicked off coverage of the series. Back in 2022, Trek Marry Kill began by grading all the live action pilots, including Picard. We were joined by Hector Navarro from YouTube's Heroes Reforged, so rather than make you search through your feed for it in order to sync up with our new episodes this month that will complete season one -- here it is refreshed!

PARK AND RECREATIONS. This month's animated spotlight judges the kickoff of Star Trek: Lower Decks' third season, which include a pair of episodes that pay homage to iconic moments from throughout the franchise. One *could* say that about every episode of Lower Decks -- do Bryan and Katie do that? You'll just have to listen. The grades begin at (15:09). Jump right to "The Least Dangerous Game" at (41:27).

KIRK'S UNPLANNED VACATION. An alien obelisk gives Captain Kirk amnesia and strands him among indigenous people transported from Earth to an alien planet in the direct path of a world-ending asteroid. Our Inner Light Month concludes with this look at Kirk basically getting a chance at a normal life but still becoming the captain of a tribe. Is it a TREK, MARRY, or KILL?The grades begin at (15:49).

A GOOD STORY? That's not something Bryan and his trio of guest co-hosts expected from Star Trek: Enterprise here during Inner Lights month. Jamie, Bill, and Maria have their own show where they explain episodes of Enterprise to one another, and for "Carbon Creek," they're doing a bit of a swap with Trek Marry Kill -- look for Bryan to appear on their show in April. You can listen to Enterprisesplaining here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/enterprisesplaining/id1733657074The grades for this one begin at (39:47).

HOPE AND DESPAIR walk hand and hand, but that's not the only lesson to be learned from a classic episode of Star Trek and Deep Space Nine. From a technical standpoint, the Star Trek format is malleable and elastic if the story has a point, and the story can be about anything if there's meaningful characterization. But! Is this episode a TREK, MARRY, or KILL? Bryan and Shereese investigate as our Inner Lights theme month continues.The grades begin at (33:18).

A FLUTE OCCURRENCE. Captain Picard gets zapped into a simulation where he must live out a whole other life as a man on a dying planet. It turns out this has a profound effect on the captain of the Federation flagship, but it's something the franchise barely revisited after what many consider to be the show's finest hour. Do Bryan and guest co-host Michael Baumann agree? The grades begin at (29:03).

KLINGONS! VULCANS! PROMOTIONS! This month's animated spotlight focuses on the last two episodes of Lower Decks' second season, in which we get the introduction of T'Lyn and Ma'ah and discover that Ensign Sonya Gomez has been promoted from spilling hot chocolate on Captain Picard to captaining her own starship -- which the Cerritos needs to rescue in one of Trek's most thrilling sequences this century. BUT! Are these episodes TREKs, MARRYs or KILLs?The grades for "wej duj" begin at (21:04). Jump to "First First Contact" at (59:10).

SAY "CHEESE," TUVOK! When some surly MaQuis crewmembers refuse to conform, it's up to Tuvok to whip them into shape. Meanwhile, Neelix cuts the cheese and it winds up being so nasty that it makes the ship sick.The grades begin at (34:16).

YEOHING FOR IT. The long-gestating Section 31 TV series finally premieres on Paramount+ as a standalone movie -- or is it? Bryan and TV critic Diana Keng try to figure out just what this actually is and how the wonderful, resplendent, and popular Michelle Yeoh's contributions go insofar as making this a TREK, MARRY, or KILL. The grades begin at (33:09).

TIME IS PRECIOUS. It's been 30 years since this episode aired and yet it remains one of Voyager's most indelible hours. Is a random Romulan contacted through a wormhole friend or foe to the ship stranded in the Delta Quadrant and is the episode a TREK, MARRY, or KILL?The grades begin at (28:27).

COFFEE COFFEE COFFEE. It's the episode that gave us Captain Kathryn Janeway's most famous line *and* underscored just how much of a charlatan the show's Native American advisor wound up being. Will Bryan & Shereese give it a TREK, MARRY, or KILL? The grades begin at (29:05).

LOL (LOSS OF LUNGS). It's the 30th anniversary of Star Trek: Voyager's debut. Bryan & Shereese play Trek Marry Kill with "Phage," the episode that introduces us to the gnarly Vidiians, who mark the occasion by stealing Neelix's lungs! Is the episode compelling Trek or a drama set in a carnival? The grades begin at (25:41).

MINOR BIPEDAL SPECIES? Captain Kathryn Janeway has a problem: in order to save a childlike race of people called the Ocampa, she must strand her ship and crew 70,000 light years from their home quadrant of space, or else risk the Ocampas' future as slaves to the evil Kazon. What is a Starfleet captain to do?This week, Bryan and Kristen grapple with Captain Janeway's decision and a lot of the behind the scenes decision that went into creating Star Trek: Voyager along with "Caretaker," its pilot, specifically. Will this episode fit comfortably into any of our three labels: Trek, Marry, or Kill?

LADIES BE SCHEMING! Billups' mother has been trying to trick her son into losing his virginity so that he can leave Starfleet and take his place on his home world's throne. Meanwhile, a consultant contrives for the Cerritos crew to fail a series of tests to boost her status. Two very funny episodes for this month's animated spotlight, but will Bryan and Katie Hampton from Napping Through Happy Hour podcast TREK, MARRY, or KILL them?"I, Excretus" begins at (51:31).

ALL GOOD STREAMS must come to an end, and Star Trek: Discovery is no exception, despite putting Paramount Plus on the map. But is this final episode a fitting conclusion to Michael Burnham's and the crew of the Discovery's story? Bryan and Shereese investigate. The grades begin at (33:24).

RUNNING IN PLACE? As Discovery closes in on the Progenitors' technology, Saru and Federation negotiators must deal with the Breen. It's the penultimate episode of Star Trek: Discovery and Bryan & Shereese seek to determine if it's a Trek, Marry, or Kill. The grades begin at (26:41).

BADLANDS AND BOOKMARKS. While Discovery fends off an advancing Breen force led in part by Moll, Michael Burnham must therapyspeak her way through a mindspace to get the last piece of the puzzle needed to complete the map that will lead her to the Progenitors' tech. Is the antepenultimate episode of Star Trek: Discovery a TREK, MARRY, or KILL?

BIG EVIL HELMETS. Michael Burnham must lead the Federation against a faction of the Breen Imperium in order to protect what they know about the Progenitors' technology from falling into the wrong hands -- but is Starfleet's bluff enough to stave off a hostile force, and is the episode a TREK, MARRY, or KILL? Bryan and Shereese investigate.

DENOBULAN GOD COMPLEX. Burnham and Tilly go undercover as a pair of true believers to find the next clue which has been hidden in a malfunctioning water tower built by a Denobulan scientist who was part of the team that discovered the Progenitors' technology. Are they convincing spies? Bryan & Shereese investigate. The grades begin at (18:03).

REPLICATORS AND RESERVATIONS. This month's animated spotlight on Lower Decks looks at two episodes midway through the show's second season that show off the real strengths of the series to this point while shining a big bright light on the problematic portrayal of the Pakleds. Beyond that, there's perfect deployment of beloved character actor Richard Kind and a long overdue and novel use of Star Trek's replicator technology.The grades begin at (18:36).

VIDEO GAME LOGIC. Burnham and Book board the ISS Enterprise from "Mirror, Mirror" and engage in a series of video game levels that leads to an exposition dump via cut scene. Is this a clever stop along the clue trail or Exhibit A in the case for Star Trek: Discovery being a live action video game? Shereese the Sci Fi Savage helps Bryan investigate. The grades begin at (36:20).

SPACE-TIME BURNHAMUUM. It's training day for Michael Burnham's new first office, Commander Rayner, and he has to learn on the job as both of them are thrust through the history of Disco thanks to a pesky Krenim timebug installed on the ship by Moll & L'ak. Will the tension between the two Starfleet personnel resolve in time to save the ship and the galaxy? Only time will tell.The grades begin at (15:44).

JAKOTAY OR CHANEWAY? Did we ever settle on the label for a Janeway-Chakotay relationship? Oh well, it hardly matters, since those two crazy kids are always on the fence about making a move. It all comes to a head in this time travel adventure from season 7 where a Janeway from just before the pilot finds herself becoming more and more attracted to a season 7 Chakotay even as he fills her in on the horrible fate that awaits her during her first command. Does this episode serve as a love letter to Star Trek: Voyager or something better? Will Bryan & Kristen TREK, MARRY, or KILL IT? The grades begin at (22:15).Don't forget! We're giving away a Blu ray box set of Star Trek: Discovery - The Complete Series. To enter, all you have to do is submit a poem about Discovery to our email: trekmarrykpod at gmail. We're accepting poems until 11:59pm PST on December 1, 2024. If we like your poem the best, we will send you the box set as a Thank You!

PING PONGIN' SEVEN. It's a time travel romp as Seven of Nine gets roped into a game of chicken with a vengeful Captain Braxton previously seen (and played by a different actor) in the "Future's End" two-parter. Will Bryan & Kristen TREK, MARRY, or KILL it?The grades begin at (20:30).

RESURRECTIONS AND DIPLOMACY. Katie Hampton of the Napping Through Happy Hour Podcast returns for our monthly animated spotlight. This time out, our core four Lower Deckers get paired up unusually: Tendi & Mariner go on a Girls Trip in the first episode and Rutherford & Boimler have an adventure together in the second. Instant classic pairings that make for classic episodes? The grades begin at (19:10). "Mugato, Gumato" review begins at (51:18).

POETRY IN COMMOTION. Data's Ode to Spot is about as lighthearted as it gets in an episode inspired by the alien abduction pop culture phenomenon. It's a terrific episode to watch ahead of Halloween, but is it a TREK, MARRY, or KILL? The grades begin at (18:19).

FX AND TRILL. The clue trail leads Discovery to Trill, which gives Adira a chance to sort out their relationship with Gray while Burnham, Book, and Culber go on an adventure with a previous Trill host who was involved in the breakup of the Progenitors tech. Will any of this make sense as characters repeat plot details or is it a simple tour de force of VFX as Burnham and Book dodge exploding barbs launched from cloaked monsters that are indigenous to Trill! Meanwhile, Rayner gets to know the crew by forcing them to give brief, 20-word statements as a way of getting to know them. Will his rough edges rub the delicate crew the wrong way or will Tilly be able to sand those edges before Burnham gets back to the ship?Joining Bryan for this voyage through Disco's 5th season is Shereese the Sci-Fi Savage (@SciFiSavage on all social platforms). She has a weekly stream on YouTube called "The Savage Stream," every Wednesday night, 6pm PT/ 9 pm ET -- check it out!The grades begin at (33:41).

BURNHAM'S LAST DANCE. The final season of Star Trek: Discovery is a perfect season for those curious about the show to jump right into. It helps that the overarching story is a sequel of sorts to "The Chase" from Star Trek: The Next Generation, but more importantly, the straightforward treasure hunt plot allows the show to focus on its characters growing and changing as the series heads towards its surprising ending. Joining Bryan for this voyage through Disco's 5th season is Shereese the Sci-Fi Savage (@SciFiSavage on all social platforms). She has a weekly stream on YouTube called "The Savage Stream," every Wednesday night, 6pm PT/ 9 pm ET -- check it out!Captain Michael Burnham and the crew of the USS Discovery need to get on the clue trail to finding the technology left behind by the race of aliens Picard & crew got a holographic message from that said all the humanoid species in the galaxy are connected. That message of unity doesn't quite survive to the 32nd century and a pair of criminal lovebirds have plans to steal it and sell it to the highest bidder. The grades begin at (19:18).

THE BRITISH MUSEUM is alive and well in the 24th century in the form of Captain Picard's old archeology professor Galen, whose shuttlecraft no doubt holds artifacts from countless civilizations taken from their native lands with a reckless abandon. But during all that grave robbing, Galen stumbled upon proof that there is no God, at least as we understand one. His death spurs Picard to take the Enterprise on a rogue mission to complete a galactic jigsaw puzzle. Bryan & Kristen review a pivotal episode for Picard's backstory that just so happens to be the impetus for the season mystery in Star Trek: Discovery's final season. They also talk about the beauty of Grace Kelly and escape rooms. Is this one a TREK, MARRY, or KILL?The grades begin at (17:32).

RAINBOWS AND SKELETONS. Our monthly animated spotlight series returns as Bryan and Katie Hampton from the Napping Through Hour Podcast look at the first two episodes from Star Trek: Lower Decks' second season. How is Mariner processing Boimler's absence and the day to day of working with her mother? Meanwhile, is serving aboard the USS Titan everything Bradward hoped it would be? The grades for "Strange Energies" begin at (18:01). The grades for "Kayshon, His Eyes Open" kick in at (48:10).