Podcast appearances and mentions of Chris Doohan

In today's Star Trek Continues podcast, we talk about the episode "Embracing The Winds" which tries to address Janice Lester's claims that "your world of Starship captains doesn't welcome women" in the episode Turnabout Intruder. This episode does a good job of looking at a contemporary issue in a new way through a Star Trek lens. ----more---- Transcript Welcome to Nerd Heaven. I'm Adam David Collings, the author of Jewel of The Stars. And I am a Nerd.   This is episode 101 of the podcast.  Today, we're talking about the Star Trek Continues episode “Embracing the Winds.”   And I'm excited to announce that the third book in my Jewel of The Stars series is now available in eBook and print from all the usual retailers. You can find links to many of them by going to books2read.com/jewel3 (and that's the number 2 in books 2 read)   Let me quickly read the back cover blurb and then we'll jump into this episode.   Tourists on a cruise. Stranded in an alien battleground   When their warp drive mysteriously stops working, the luxury cruise ship Jewel of The Stars becomes easy pickings for humanity's enemy – the Dracnor. And there may be an enemy agent on board.   Before the fall of Earth, a madman made doomsday predictions on Captain Les Miller's doorstop. How did he know the invasion was coming? Now that same man has been spotted walking the promenade. Les must stop him, but the evidence contradicts what he knows to be true.   Will the legacy of an ancient war mean the end of the galaxy's last free humans? So if that sounds interesting to you, please consider checking it out. You can find the first links to all the books in the series at AdamDavidCollings.com/books   The description on Star Trek Continues.com reads   While the Enterprise is sent on a seemingly routine mission, Kirk is recalled to starbase where he faces an ethical dilemma that challenges the very core of Starfleet Command.   This episode was written by James Kerwin and Vic Mignogna It was directed by James Kerwin And it first aired on the 3rd of September 2016   Star Trek has a problem which was introduced in the original series episode “Turnabout Intruder.” That episode postulates that women are not allowed to be Starship captains in Starfleet. Of course, we'll see a number of female captains after this, in Star Trek 4, Yesterday's Enterprise, and Voyager just to name a couple, and we even saw a female Captain before this, back in Enterprise. It seems a very out-dated concept to think that there are not female captains in the 23rd century. So how do you deal with this?   This episode of Star Trek Continues is one approach to try to explain this issue, which I find very creative.   Another approach, postulated by the youTuber Lorerunner, is simply that Janice Lester was mad (just look at her) and the whole rule against women being Starship captains was all in her mind. I don't mind that explanation either.   Interestingly, Star Trek Continues re-shot the final scenes of Turnabout Intruder as a transitional short film to connect to the new show before their first episode.   So Kirk and Spock have been called down to Corinth IV. Sulu is along for sightseeing and Mckennah for work research.   We get a nice little bit of continuity back to the episode “Lolani” dealing with the fallout in the Orion Syndicate, and how things may be changing due to Lolani's influence. And that's beautiful. This is the kind of ongoing continuity you just didn't get in the original series. Not to this extent.   Sulu makes reference to one of his ancestors being in an internment camp during World War 2, which is a nod to George Takai who actually lived that experience.   I love the planet. Very TOS but with effects that couldn't have been done in the 60s.   I have to ask, are there any high ranking Starfleet officers who don't indulge in Romulan ale? Perhaps Admiral Ross really was the only one. Even Spock relents and drinks after the news he's about to be given.   They meet Commodore Gray. She and Kirk have had some differences. She also appeared in Lolani, where she ordered Kirk to return the Orion slave to her master.   The Crew of Hood have been lost. Some sort of life support failure. No evidence of foul play   Kirk and Spock have been called here because the Hood needs a new captain and crew. Starfleet have chosen Spock   Kirk has mixed feelings. I get this. He's proud of Spock and happy for him, but he doesn't want to lose his first officer, and his friend.   But there could be a complication with spock's promotion A Commander Garret had also applied for the job. They decided she wasn't the best suited for command. She has an excellent service record. She has filed an appeal that she's been selectively overlooked because she's a woman.   The Federation was founded around the time of the Romulan war. Earth needed military allies. The Tellarites were founding member. Tellarite men are very adversarial and argumentative. And they frown on female starship captains.  (They probably wouldn't be accepted into the federation at this point in time, certainly not in 24th century, but at the time of the Romulan war, Earth REALLY needed military allies, and the Tellarites were that. Plus they were one of the major races that Earth helped to broker peace with before the Federation was founded.) The Federation isn't technically bound by this but after the admission of Corridan (a continuity nod to Journey To Babel), the Tellarites are threatening to pull their seat from the council.   Kirk says Starfleet has always had female captains (see Enterprise). Laura is an example, but she commands a starbase, not a constitution class ship There is no rule officially. Kirk and Spock are both of the opinion that Garrett deserves the ship and should be given command.   But upon further reflection, Spock starts to consider that Starfleet may have been correct in their assessment of Commander Garrett. Maybe Spock IS the best person for the job. He says his opinion is not based on her gender.   Kirk says something interesting. He says “maybe it should be.”   Starfleet has never given a woman command of a constitution class starship. He's always thought that was just how the cards fell, but perhaps there is a greater good to be considered.   Spock says that if they were to actively and deliberately choose a female officer, Commodore Gray would be the better option, but she doesn't want the job.   And this is an issue which has certainly had relevance of the last century, even today.   When you have an imbalance like this, the way I see it, there are two ways you can address it. The first is to simply remove the bias, and then proceed, hiring based solely on qualifications and suitability. If you have an equal number of candidates from each group, then theoretically, over time, the imbalance will go away, and you should have a roughly even split, though there could be many other factors that would make it not so simple. And in a sense, this seems like the fairest way. Just treat everyone on their merits. The problem with this approach is that it's slow. It could take a long time for that imbalance to be corrected.   The other option, which is what Kirk seems to be proposing, is that you actively seek to correct it, by deliberately hiring from the minority group. In this case, females. You steer the ship the other way to correct it. This will set things right much quicker, but it has its own problem. It means that well-deserving people in the majority group will start to miss out. If you're a male candidate, and would make a great captain, your career is basically on hold. You'll miss out on a job you're qualified for because of your gender. Which, ironically, is the exact problem you're trying to solve. It's just that it's happening to people on the other side now. There are no perfect solutions. I'm sure people much smarter than me have been trying to solve this.   Now Spock is willing to forgoe his own opportunity in favour of Garett, maybe partly because as a Vulcan he has less ambition for personal advancement, but mostly because I think he beleives that is what is right. Spock is a good person.   So now that the desire and intention is there to hire Garret because she is part of that minority group, (and I mean minority in the sense of Starship captains, not in the sense of the population) there is one last thing to consider. Is she actually right for the job based on her merits?   Kirk is firmly on team Garrett right now. But he's been ordered to interview her and form his own conclusions. Spock points out that perhaps Kirk's opinion is coloured by his desire to keep his first officer and friend on the Enterprise. He admits he can't deny that is part of what he's feeling.   Garrett served on the Constitution, the original prototype that the class was named after. When Kirk mentions the loss of that ship, the death of her captain, at Nimbus III, nice little Star Trek 5 reference, Garrett clamps up and doesn't want to talk about it. Her testimony, and her personal logs are all on record. She feels she has nothing more to say, and doesn't want to discuss it face to face with Kirk, a matter he finds unusual, and perhaps a little troubling.   Kirk has filled McKenna in on what's happening. She decides to check in on Spock to see how he's doing, and he seeks her advice. It may not be prudent to provoke the Tellarites at this time. McKenna says the Tellarites rarely make good on their threats, which makes Starfleet's hesitance to give a woman command of a Starship that much more problematic. (which in a sense, I think, takes away some of the drama) She thinks Spock's issue is something else.   She had to work hard to convince people that having a counsellor on board a Starship was a necessary thing.  (which I find extraordinary) but she never felt that the reluctance was because she was female. However, if there is bias in Starfleet it needs to be addressed.   And I think that's a good word. I don't think Starfleet is being deliberately sexist, but there might be a bias, and it might not even be intentional. Spock, as someone whose appearance has often been perceived to be the most important aspect of his identity, has sometimes felt that bias as well.   McKenna says if she ever has a daughter, she would want her to know that anything is within her reach if she works hard enough. And as someone who DOES have a daughter, I feel the same way.   Spock points out that there are things in Garrett's past which require scrutiny. McKenna asks him if she'd be under the same scrutiny if she was a man. He feels she would. But one can never be certain about others' motives.   McKenna adds “but we can certainly be clear about our own.”   Gray growls at Kirk for antagonising Garrett, something he certainly didn't intend to do. In my opinion, Kirk certainly did nothing wrong. But Garrett has petitioned for an immediate decision. A hearing will be held, and Kirk will be one of those making the judgement. Probably the last thing he wanted.   While all of this is happening, Scotty has taken the Enterprise to find what is left of the USS Hood.   Star Trek regularly uses the AB Plot format. Where you have two distinct plots going through an episode. It's generally agreed that this works best if the two are linked in some way, either by plot, or theme. Although it honestly doesn't bother me when they are completely disconnected. But in this episode, the two plots are definitely connected.   When they find the Hood, there are no lifesigns. But also no evidence of an anomaly.  Something is ringing alarm bells in Scotty's head. He doesn't want to tow it back to the planet until he understands more. Chekov is going to remotely re-establish life support. Not sure exactly how that works, but it sounds handy.   He asks to go on the landing party, but Scotty says “not this time,” and then gives the conn to another officer. Chekov is feeling overlooked. Uhura points out that he's gifted but unfocussed. He has wide interests, doing a little of everything, but has no speciality. Uhura recommends choosing something he's really passionate about and focusing on that. Interestingly, I'd imagine being a jack of all trades would be a very useful trait in a command officer. Maybe that's ultimately why he ends up as first officer of the Reliant. In any case, it's really nice to see Star Trek giving Chekov some character development. Who'd have thought it.   Kirk was feeling certain in his decision to support Garrett before he met her, but now, after her evasiness about his questions, and now this push for a decision, he's not so sure.   The courtroom is very reminiscent of the original series episode Court Martial, where witness take the stand, touch a glowing metal disk, and have their service record ready by the computer. (They actually used a similar idea in TNG The Measure of a man.)   As usual, somebody always asks to forgo the reading, but Gray objects. Spock's qualifications are material to this case, which, of course, is true.   Stonn asks Spock how he'd feel if her were to be given command of the Hood, remembering that he is half human. Before he can answer, he asks if his human side played a part in his decision to turn down a role in the Vulcan science academy. Spock says they did not, which the computer picks up as a lie. Interesting.   Kirk objects to this questioning. Spock's race shouldn't have any more bearing on the decision than Garrett's gender. Stonn posits that a person's character, abilities, judgements and strengths are shaped, in part, by their heritage, beliefs, race, even gender. He says some people are uncomfortable with the idea of a female captain. I'm not totally clear on the point he's trying to make, but it seems he is in favour of Garrett.   Kirk speaks plainly. He is convinced that it is absolutely time for a woman to command a constitution class starship. But he is not convinced that Garrett is that woman. Aspects like race or gender shouldn't be the reason a candidate is denied, but perhaps it shouldn't be the reason (or at least the sole reason) they are accepted either.   Remember that officer a few episodes back who had the artificial arm? Well he's on the landing party and uses it to remove something from the Hood's engine. Another nice callback. I appreciate how Star Trek Continues is making use of semi-regular characters. DS9 was the absolute best at doing that. TOS was probably the worst, although the realities of 60s TV certainly play a part in that.   Garrett has been awarded a Tucker memorial medal of honour as well as an aenar award for meritorious service to disadvantaged cultures. Two very nice callbacks to Enterprise. We get a little insight into what happened at Nimbus III. The official investigation found evidence of human error on Garrett's part. An investigation carried out by a Tellarite. She, and others, “plead the seventh guarantee” during the proceedings. I'm not sure exactly what this means, but Garrett says it cannot be taken as an admission of culpability. There are countless other examples in her file. BLooking at Garrett, Gray sees a pattern of somebody who has reacted with hostility and side-stepping whenever her actions have been called into question. She defends this saying that Hostility is an appropriate response to undue scrutiny and discrimination.   The big question is, has that been the case? Has she been treated unfairly? Or does she have legitimate flaws that needs to be considered?   Gray can't say for certain whether Garrett has been held to a difference standard because she is female, but regardless of that, She says it is the duty of a Starship captain to admit, and learn from mistakes. But Garrett is still defiant in her belief that she was not in the wrong. And as viewers we still don't really know if she's right. If not then her behaviour here is not appropriate, but if she truly did nothing wrong, then she's right to defiantly stand by her innocence. But could she have been right in every one of the incidences in her file? Can anyone be that perfect?   Because that's what seems to be holding Gray back. Not the fact that Garrett has made some mistakes, but that she can't admit to them and learn from them. Nobody is saying a captain must be perfect. But they must be honest about themselves.   There's a massive power surge in the hood's engines. The Enterprise can't beam them back because the Hood's shields have gone up. The reactor is going critical. Scotty can't eject the core. It's looking hopeless.   We get some wonderful performances from Chris Doohan and Kim Stringer as Scotty and Uhura realise that they're going to die. Scotty places his hand on Uhura's. This could be seen as foreshadowing of the eventual relationship those two will have in the movie era, but I think it's more just a comfort thing, two colleagues, two friends, who know they're not going to make it. The look on Uhura's face is haunting.   Scotty orders the Enterprise to get as far away ass possibler, to safety.   But Chekov has an idea. Hadley chooses to trust him. It's a very risky manouvre, and it injures chekov, but it works. The landing party are beamed back to safety, The Enterprise escaping just as the Hood explosed.   Back on the planet, the hearing is back in session. Each candidate can make a motion and then the board will give their verdict. Neither Spock nor Garrett has a motion to make.   Stomm endorses Garrett. Gray endorses Spock. The deciding vote is up to Kirk. But before he can make it, they receive a transmission from the Enterprise. The Hood has been destroyed. There is no ship to command. So no promotions necessary.   Kirk has been saved from a difficult decision by the bell.   Garrett wants to make one final statement. There is an underlying issue that still remains. For decades, she believes Starfleet has overlooked officers for certain positions because they are women. They may admit it, it may not even be intentional,    Kirk asks her if she believes a person should be given special treatment because of their gender, religion or race. She feels that yes, they should, if their gender, religion or race has historically been used to deny them consideration.   Garrett now, has turned her focus from herself, specifically, to other female officers. “It may not be my time, but it most certainly is theirs.” And I think this is an important step in character growth for her.   Gray says “We are all in agreement with that. Kirk and Stomm nod.   As Spock leaves, Stomm says “Peace and long life” to him. I think that's his Vulcan way of saying, “nothing personal, Mate.” And Spock's reply of “Live long and prosper” seems to say, “Yeah, not worries. All good.” Chekov is awake and recovering in sickbay. Scotty scolds him a little. His stunt is worthy of a court-martial. Chekov is willing to take whatever consequence Scotty feels is appropriate. Then he realises that Scotty called him Lieutenant. “And thanks him for saving their lives.” And it turns out, this is the origin of the shield prefix code that Starfleet ships will have from now on. Refer to Star Trek II.   Scotty suggests a career in tactical. But they still don't know what caused the overload in the Hood's engine. That worries Scotty. I don't remember if they follow up on this or not. But it would certainly be cool if they did. It's an interesting setup.   Kirk talks to the Tellarite ambassador and learns that there is a growing movement on Tellar Prime that wants to change their policy regarding women in command.   When Kirk says goodbye to Garrett, she speculates, “who knows, maybe some day a Garrett will command an Enterprise. And if you haven't figured it out already, this is when you realise that she is likely an ancestor of Captain Rachel Garrett, of the Enterprise C. The way she says it is a little on the nose, but I like it.   This was another well-made episode of Star Trek Continues. I like how it delves into an issue that certainly has similarities and connections to the real world, but is just a little different. A little sideways. I think Star Trek, and sci-fi in general, tackles issues best when there isn't an exact one-to-one parallel to current events, but that it poses difficult questions that make you think.   Next time, we'll be looking at the episode “Still Treads the Shadow”. I don't remember what this one is about, so I'll find out when I re-watch it.   Don't forget to check out Jewel of the Stars Book 3   Until next time,  Live long and prosper. Make it so.  

Star Trek Continues is a fan-made Star Trek series of professional quality. We begin a new series talking about this incredible show with the pilot episode "Pilgrim of Eternity" Star Trek Continues does exactly what the name suggests, it continues TOS giving us a mythical 4th season, filling in the gap between Star Trek and Star Trek The Motion Picture. In "Pilgrim of Eternity" Michael Forest returns in the role of Apollo, the god-like alien that first appeared in the TOS episode "Who Mourns for Adonais".   Watch the episode I'm discussing at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3G-ziTBAkbQ&t=423s ----more---- Transcript Welcome to Nerd Heaven.  I'm Adam David Collings, the author of Jewel of The Stars. And I am a nerd.   This is episode 95 of the podcast. Today, we begin a new series, looking at the first episode of Star Trek Continues. “Pilgrim of Eternity.”   And if you'd like to check out my original science fiction, head over to AdamDavidCollings.com/books   The description on StartrekContinues.com reads Apollo returns to wreak havoc on Kirk and the Enterprise in the first episode of the new series.   The teleplay was written by Steve Frett and Jack Travino With story by Vic Mignogna and Jack Marshall   It was directed by Vic Mignogna And it first aired on the 26th of May 2013.   So with so much new Star Trek, with so much other classic sci-fi on TV, why cover a fan-made series?   The first answer to that is that right now, every bloke and his dog is talking about Discovery, Picard, Strange New Worlds. I've found it very difficult to stand out amongst so many podcasters and youTubers who are so much better than I am? I can't break into that.  But there aren't so many who have done an in-depth series of podcasts on Star Trek continues, in the way that I do. It's a beloved show, but I feel like there's more room to place myself in that niche.   The second, and more important answer, is that I love the show and want to watch it again and share my thoughts.   If you haven't seen Star Trek Continues before, you can watch all 11 episodes for free. They're all on youTube, and you can also download them to play locally from StarTrekContinues.com   There are a number of fan-made Star Trek shows. They all seemed to emerge after the cancellation of Enterprise. After 18 years of non-stop new Star Trek on TV, we were suddenly in this void where there wasn't any Star Trek. It was weird.   So the fans stepped up and made their own Star Trek. It was a time of great creativity and expression. So many people worked hard to share their love of the franchise. And keep it alive.   There was a lot of good stuff, but I think Star Trek Continues stands out as one of the best, if not the best. It's won a ton of awards, and has been praised by Rod Roddenberry, son of Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry. He considers the show canon and says his father would probably agree.   It all got started when Vic Mignogna directed an episode of Star Trek Farragut. He went into partnership and took part ownership of their sets, and set up some studio space where it could all live. Then he went about making his own show, assembling some very talented people around him.   So let's talk about this first episode, which of course, is a sequel to the original series episode Who Mourns for Adonais. Quite a few of Star Trek Continues stories were follow-ups to TOS episodes.   We begin in an unexpected place. A cowboy is holding Kirk at gunpoint. An old-fashioned revolver. He threatens to shoot Kirk. And for a brief moment, I'm wondering, am I watching the right episode? Star Trek has certainly done wild west planets before. But this is the one with Apollo, right?   It's a common story-telling technique to start right in the middle of a tense moment like this. They call it in media res. And it's effective. Things are cleared up quickly when we hear Scotty's voice say “Freeze program.” Turns out, this is a holodeck. A very early experimental prototype of a holodeck.   But wasn't the holodeck first invented just before Encounter at Farpoint, you may ask? Certainly the crew of the Enterprise seemed amazed by its newness.   Well, I think this works.  Voyager made it clear that as a child, Janeway played the holoprogram, Flotter. That was clearly before Farpoint. And Star Trek The Animated Series featured something very much like a holodeck. Most people dismissed the animated series as not canon back in the old days. I've even heard somewhere that Gene Roddenberry did not consider it canon. But people seem to be much more accepting of it these days. And it has been referenced multiple times in TNG, Picard, Lower Decks, maybe Discovery too. On top of all that, this is not a proven technology. It's certainly not something that is in everyone's homes. So I think we can accept that holographic entertainment has been around for some time, but in more primitive forms. The holodeck on the Enterprise D took things to a whole new level, and was soon enhanced even more by the Bynars.   In any case, I think it's pretty cool to think that Scotty may have been one of the early minds responsible for what would eventually become the holodeck. It's also nice to see Kirk enjoying some play time off duty.   The over-working hero is a bit of a tired trope at this point. And it's certainly not a healthy thing to emulate in real life.   The Enterprise is investigating a series of space-based power stations that have been drained of power and gone offline. Kirk heads to the bridge.   The casting of this show was phenomenal. The first two characters we see are Kirk played by series creator Vic Mignogna and Scotty played by Chris Doohan, the son of James Doohan, who played Scotty in the original series.   Having Chris Doohan resume his father's role is a big asset to this show. And it's not just about name recognition. He does a great job of it, and that voice is eerily familiar.   Vic also does a fantastic job of Kirk. Of all the actors, other than Shatner, who have played Kirk, I think Vic is the one that convinces me the most, that he's the same guy. I'm very curious to see how Paul Wesley goes playing the role in season 2 of Strange New Worlds.   While many fan productions used a lot of ameteur actors, Star Trek Continues fills its sets with professional, or at least, experienced, actors. And it shows. That's no slight against any of the other fan-produced shows. But this one has some very good performers.   So we pick up with Kirk as he enters the bridge. And you have to admire this set. You'd swear you were back on the set of the original series. It looks phenomenal.   Spock is in the captain's chair, played by Todd Haberkorn. Now I have to admit, I have a bit of a harder time accepting this guy as Spock. And it's nothing to do with the actor's performance. He does a great job. He does everything right. But Spock is a particularly hard character to pull off, just because Leonard Nimoy had such a unique presence to him. The look.The voice. Nobody else can truly be Spock in the way that Nimoy did. Todd Haberkorn, Zachery Quinto and Ethan Peck have all done remarkable jobs at it, but none of them have managed to make me fully believe they are truly the same person as was portrayed by Nimoy. But at some point, you just have to suspect your disbelief and accept this is the same person.   While the characters speculate on what has happened to the power station, a strange object appears. Like a big spikey rock surrounded by green glowing energy. Is it a ship? A probe?   While on the bridge, we see Sulu, portrayed by Grant Imahara, of Mythbusters fame, who has sadly passed away since the conclusion of this show, Checkov, portrayed by Wyatt Lenhard, and Uhura, portrayed by Kim Stinger. They all do a good job of portraying these characters in a realistic way, based on roles' previous occupants.   And then McCoy walks in, portrayed by Larry Nemecek. He'll be replaced later by another actor. But Larry Nemecek is a big name in Star Trek fandom. He's written a lot of Star Trek reference books. He's appeared in a number of fan productions, and a small role in the final episode of Enterprise. And he was a creative consultant on Star Trek Continues through it's run. McCoy is another character that's really hard to recast. I think the only actor who's ever come close to truly convincing me is Karl Urban. Again, nothing against Larry's performance here, but DeForest Kelly had such a presence, with his face and his voice. It's hard to replicate.   The object starts draining the Enterprise's power. Kirk has no choice but to destroy it with a photon torpedo. There are two lifeforms in the centre of thing. Kirk doesn't want o kill them, but in the end, it's a case of self-preservation.  The torpedo has done the job, but sadly,there are no lifeforms. McCoy expresses what we're all feeling in this moment. He knows it had to be done, but it's hard to see the taking of any life, even if it's to save our own.   That's when a appears in a flash of bright light. Apollo, with a woman in his arms. And he's a lot older than when we saw him last, but played by Michael Forest, the same actor that played the role all the way back in the 60s.   And that's when we cut to credits. The opening credits for Star Trek Continues are very reminiscent of the TOS credits. But featuring some much more impressive visuals of space phenomenon, thanks to around 50 years of advancement in visual effects technology.   And this is probably a good time to talk about music. One of the big things that strikes you immediately with this show, other than the sets and costuming, is the music. How faithful to the original series it sounds. That really over the top bombastic kind of music that had in the 60s. It sounds very Star Trek. And a lot of it is. They used a lot of original music recorded for TOS in this show. But they did some very clever editing. To make the music effectively fit the scenes, Vic would chop it up, move bits around, extend or contract it. And even compose and play his own original music to edit in seamlessly. All in all giving a very authentic TOS sound to the show, but still unique and custom made for Star Trek Continues. The music feels like it belongs. It's really clever what they did.   In some later episodes, they move up to a whole other level in terms of music, but we'll get to that.   So it turns out, the old woman with Apollo is Athena. Another of the Greek gods. We didn't see her on Pollux, back in the original story, but I guess he'd re-connected with her since then.   She's dying. It's a very heartfelt scene as they bid a final farewell to each other.   She vanishes, leaving nothing behind but a brooch, which Uhurua picks up. Even Apollo doesn't know where she's gone. She's just … gone.   McCoy and Scotty's reactions to Apollo are quite telling. The ever compassionate doctor, McCoy wants to get him to sickbay, not that he knows what he can do for an ageing Greek god.   Scotty is hesitant about Kirk allowing this creature on the ship. Scotty's met him before. Scotty has seen what Apollo was capable of. McCoy was there too, but Scotty was very close to the young woman that Apollo had under his thumb.   A quick external shot shows that something has gotten itself onto the hull of the Enterprise. Something from that artefact they destroyed, which presumably, is where Apollo and Athena came from.   That stuff is gonna cause a lot of problems. They're not going anywhere until it's removed. Sulu thinks they can go out and dissolve it with hand phasers.   Kirk feels somewhat responsible for whatever has happened to Apollo. It was Kirk who rendered him powerless two years ago. He and Spock can't speculate on how he has aged so much in this short amount of time.   And this is when we hear the computer voice for the first time, played by none other than Marina Sirtis of Deanna Troi fame. She doesn't try to mimic MAjel Barett's voice, which I think would have been a mistake. Her voice is a welcome familiar one to any Star Trek fan and I think it works nicely for the computer voice. It's also fitting given that Sirtis played Barett's on-screen daughter on The Next Generation.   They'll continue to make improvements and tweaks to the digital model of the Enterprise, but it already looks really good. Very recognisable as the ship from the original series.   The sickbay set looks good. Just as you'd expect it. All the sets on this show are absolutely spot on.   In addition to recasting all the old favourites, Star Trek continues introduced a number of new characters. We meet one in this scene. Doctor Ellse McKennah, the newly assigned ship's counsellor, played by Michele Specht, who was in a relationship with Vic at the time, but they are no longer together.   I really like McKennah. The character is a fantastic addition to the TOS cast, and she's played wonderfully by Specht.   The thing about bringing in a new character like this is that the show can give her a complete character arc, from beginning to end. And she definitely has that.   Back in the days of the original series, an episode like this might very well introduce a character like McKennah. She's be a part of the plot of that episode, but you'd likely never see her again after that. It was the nature of episodic TV back in the 60s. But Star Trek continues does the exact opposite, making her a regular and giving her arguably more character development than any of the characters had in TOS.   McCoy has found something interesting. The extra organ he had, which humans don't, it's barely detectable. That could explain a lot.   Apollo gives us a little exposition. His people created a place called The Realm which would give them the energy to live out their retirement for eternity. An alternative to the energy they previous received from being worshipped. But it didn't work. Instead of giving them energy, it sapped them of it. Their sanctuary became a prison.   It seems that's where he disappeared off to when he left Pollux IV. Perhaps the artefact was the physical manifestation of the realm in our universe. When they sensed the Enterprise approaching, Athena sacrificed the last of her energy to help them both escape the realm. That's why she died on arrival.   So this explains the power station and the rapid ageing.   Kirk is concerted that Apollo will once again desire their worship, to keep himself alive. But that is something they cannot give. But he no longer seeks it.  He just wants them to take him to a planet where he can live among the locals, as one of them, and die with the sun on his face.   But Kirk sees a big risk in this. He may trick the local population into worshipping him, like he did in ancient Greece. This is something Kirk isn't willing to risk. Even though Apollo swears he will won't do it, Kirk says no to his request.   Of course, if he were to seek worship, it would only be to keep himself from dying. But then, that's no different to what he did in the past. It's an interesting situation.   Kirk wants McCoy to make sure Apollo is as powerless as he claims. He has little time for welcoming McKennah aboard, and wants her to help McCoy.   Next we see Sulu and Simone phasering the stuff off the hull, live action performance integrated with an exterior view of the ship. While more modern shows like Enterprise had previous done similar shots, this is a first for TOS. We never would have seen anything like this back in the day.  Shooting in front of a blue screen was quite doable, but the shooting model of the Enterprise just wasn't detailed enough to provide a backdrop.   The interesting thing here is that Simone is played by Jamie Bamber, who was Lee Adama on Ronald D Moore's rebooted Battlestar Galactica, which I love. The amusing thing is that Lee's callsign was, of course, Apollo. So that's quite fitting.   The original series EVA suits look totally authentic. Just as ridiculous as they looked in TOS, but very faithful, which is a good thing. But it's a shame that for all of his brief appearance, Bamber is behind the grate of that helmet, so you can barely tell it's him. Something goes screwy with the phasers and YY is plunged out into space. Sulu's report to the Enterprise is not very effective. He says “emergency” and then lets it hang for several seconds. No explanation of what the emergency is. No indication of what he needs from then. Finally after what feels like an eternity, he requests an emergency beam out.” This kind of thing has been common in Star Trek for a long time. It used to drive me crazy in TNG. The crew were so slow to react to things it was painful. They should all have died well before the show ended.   Anyway, this is our first look at Star Trek Continues' transporter effect. It looks pretty authentic to what we saw in TOS.   McKennah goes to talk with Apollo. If anyone could use some counselling, it's somebody with a terminal condition. She mentions that Lieutenant Carolyn Palomys. The only mortal woman to ever spurn his love. Sadly, she's no longer alive. After her experience with Apollo she left the Enterprise. She died helping colonists affected by a plague. So that's a nice nod to her character. A noble sacrificial wasa a fitting way for her to go out. Apollo explains that they never sought out another planet where they might find worshippers, because they were so heartbroken when humanity, who they loved deeply, rejected them. And this adds a lot more texture and depth to the relationship. Far from just being evil overlords, they had deep feelings. A real connection to the humans that worshipped them. And they felt a great sense of loss and grief when that relationship ended.   The problem that Sulu and Simone experienced seems to be related to the power drain. Scotty is quick to blame Apollo. I can understand why, given his past experience, but he's being a little blinded by his emotions. His prejudice against Apollo. A likely cause is probably the very stuff they were cleaning off the hull. It was part of the realm artefact.   The next set we see is the briefing lounge. I'd tell you good it looks, how accurate to the original, but you're probably getting bored of me saying that.   A lot of the conflict in this episode comes from Scotty blaming Apollo for everything that's going on, and the others disagreeing. Even McCoy agrees with Spock, which evokes a few comical raised eyebrows.   I have to say, I think Scotty is being led a little too much by emotion and assumption right now. If he'd stop and think things through a bit more, he'd see that there are other possibilities. Others, that are more likely given the current evidence. But then, we've all been Scotty. Haven't we?   I think a lot of Scotty's perspective comes from the feelings he had for Carolyn. And while Apollo had nothing directly to do with her eventual death, he probably played a part in her leaving Starfleet. So in some way, Scotty may blame him.   Kirk wants the opinion of his senior officers, Spock, McCoy and Scotty. Spock suiggests letting Apollo go, giving him “just enough rope” to hang himself.   Now, Scotty is providing a valuable and necessary alternative opinion to Spock and McCoy. Kirk doesn't blame him for distrusting Apollo. But his outburst before he leaves the briefing room does cross a line, and certainly isn't in character with who he usually is. Just further evidence that this is personal and emotional to him.   Kirk as ever, sits in the middle, trying to take the advice of both sides. Ultimately agreeing with Spock, but tempering his actions with some of Scotty's caution.   It seems that everyone agrees that it is the realm itself that took the energy from  Simone and Sulu's suits. The real question is whether Apollo is controlling it or not.   The prime directive will not allow Kirk to put a creature like Apollo on an unsuspecting world, whether he truly intends to set up church or not. Apollo accuses the Federation of lacking the compassion they pride themselves on. And this can sometimes be a valid criticism. Certainly in The Next Generation, the way the Enterprise D crew implemented the prime directive definitely lacked compassion, and was sometimes downright immoral, in my opinion.   Apollo is glad to know that he was remembered, showing footage of the Apollo mission. But as a mythological figure, not a deity.   The episode picks up on an important element of Uhura's character. Her love of singing in the mess hall for her crewmates, and in a rather flirty seductive kind of way if I may say so. Kim Stinger can sing. And again, the set looks perfectly authentic to me. She has kept the brooch safe, knowing it was important to Apollo. When she tries to give it back, he tells her to keep it.   And then he praises her voice. At that moment, Uhura realises that Apollo was the greek god of music. How must that feel, to be complimented on someone who has a high level of ability or authority themselves in that field? And while Apollo may not be a god in a true sense, he is an extremely long-lived being of immense knowledge and experience. There are likely many things you could learn from sitting down with him. Imagine what you could learn about ancient earth history from somebody who was there!   And then he unexpectedly bursts into song. Moments like this rarely work for me. Question - are the characters in the show able to hear the stringed instrument that is accompanying him, or is that just for the audience's benefit? When watching a music, my father-in-law will often joke, “where's that music coming from?” Watching a musical definitely requires an extra level of suspension of disbelief, but it works because of the genre. But having a moment like that in a show like this, that's a whole other thing.   The crewmembers in the mess hall are quite taken by Apollo, for the reasons I just mentioned.   Unfortunately, Scotty has found that the corrosive debris from the realm has gotten into more of the Enterprise's systems than just the hull. Not good news.   So McKenna comes to Kirk's quarters to see if they can finally have that chat, but is shocked and taken aback to find he's not wearing a shirt. This kind of moment is taken directly from the original series. I found it juvenile then, and I find it juvenile now. McKenna actually seems a little flustered throughout the entire scene after this awkward beginning.   McKenna and Kirk have something in common. A need to prove themselves. Kirk, as he was the youngest Starfleet officer to make captain at the age of 32, and McKenna, as Starfleet's first on-board counsellor. It may seen kind of ludicrous that up until this point Starfleet haven't had anyone on board to look after the mental health of the crew, but this show is based on the original series, and in the 1960s, menstrual health was thought of very differently than it is today. Of course, there was Doctor Denher, in Where No one has Gone before, but perhaps she was just on board conducting scientific research, rather than taking patients from amongst the crew.   McKernna has a specific recommendation regarding Apollo. She believes in his sincerity. She believes he has changed, from what he once was. The recommendations that Kirk grant Apollo's request is implicit but unspoken.   And Kirk takes that onboard. He always takes the opinions of his crew on board, but he needs more if he's to risk Apollo become what he was in the past.   McKenna makes a decent point that within all of us, there is the potential to do good or bad. Apollo is no different in that regard.   And Apollo doesn't really have the powers he once had. So is he any more dangerous than a human begin? Well, we've seen in the original series the damage a single human being can do on a primitive world. Apollo has been worshipped as a god, and that desire to be so again was still very strong in him recently.   But being weakened, and seeing his friends die, that's the kind of thing that does change a person. He's facing death himself.   McKenna seems to be quite emotionally involved in this situation. Perhaps more so than is professional.   When  Spock calls Kirk to come to the rec room, he follows a trope you often see on TV, especially in Star Trek. He won't explain what's going on, he simply says “you should see for yourself.” Now I understand why a line like that works for a script. You don't want to bog things down in exposition. You want the audience to see if for themselves. But from an in-character point of view, I can see no reason why Spock should refuse to explain himself here. Is it that hard to say “Apollo is telling stories and the crew are entranced?” It seems a little insubordinate. Could they not have Spock's line “You need to come to the rec room, and then cut to the next scene? Maybe that would be an awkward transition.   Now I get that Kirk is concerned that the crew are enthralled by Apollo. He's worried that Apollo is up to his old tricks, wanting to be admired by lowly humans, but in the end, all he's doing is telling a story. He's doing it dramatically, but how is that any different than Uhura singing and rubbing foreheads with the males in the audience? It's a performance.   He's not actually doing anything wrong.   But the way Kirk yells “Apollo!” and then “we need to have a word.” It seems overkill for the situation. Not that Kirk shouldn't have a word with him, but it's a little overdramatic. But it's very Shatner.   It's interesting. I'm finding that I'm not entirely sure how to judge this show. By 60s standards, or by today's standards? This is a modern show, but it's being made with deliberate 60s aesthetic and sensibilities. The scene with MacKenna walking in on shirtless Kirk is another example of that.   I feel that as the show goes on, it will find a balance between modern writing and acting, but still maintain its place in the 60s inspired 23rd Century. I think it's possible, that the makers of the show, on this first episode, are still finding their way themselves. And that's perfectly understandable.   The trouble is they do such a good job of it. Everything about this, the sets, the hairstyles, the music. Honestly, if I didn't know better, I'd easily be convinced that this was made around 50 years ago.   The professionalism behind this fan-made production is seen on every level. That's why I'm podcasting about it, basically treating it no different than any other professional TV show.   Anyway, despite what I said earlier, Kirk is proven correct. They're barely into their conversation before Apollo declares Kirk unworthy and sweeps him away with telekinetic powers. So … not so powerless after all.   It seems Apollo is unchanged. He still craves humanity's worship. I'll be honest. He had me fooled along with McKenna.   He says he wants what he's always wanted. Humanity's love. Kirk counters that humanity never loved him. They feared him. No god should survive on fear.   The word worship means to give worth to something. To ascribe to another, that which it is worth. What it is rightly due.   On that level, in my opinion, Apollo fails to meet the standard of a god. He had demonstrated time and again that he is not worthy of what he craves.   It's McKenna who shorts him with a phaser, to rescue Kirk. But she's clearly torn up about it. Personally, I don't think she's spent enough time with Apollo to become near as emotionally caught up with him as she has. I think that's a flaw in this episode. McKenna is being portrayed as extremely over-emotional. Again, this is how a 60s TV show might portray a female character. So... I'm not sure if the episode should be criticised or praised for this. It's so confusing. This is actually the last we'll see of McKenna in this episode, as she's led away, in her grief, by Uhura.   Spock has an interesting perspective on all this. He feels on some level, Apollo cannot control his actions. That lifeforms generally find it very difficult to change their ways, to change deeply embedded behaviours. And he's right about that. Changing your ways is not easy. Even if you're determined. You try, you fail. Hopefully, you try again. It is often tragedies that make the difference. But the, Apollo has been through a lot of tragedy in recent time.   Kirk is determined that Apollo's therapy will not be at the expense of the crew of the Enterprise.   Apollo is voluntarily restrained. He believed he could control the deepest ancient drives within himself by sheer force of his will. But he lost control. As Spock said. And this all makes a lot of sense. Often we can't change the things about ourselves that we want to change just by force of will. We need to look outside of ourselves, to the support of friends, professional help, and yes, maybe even God.   Despite all of this, Kirk and Apollo now agree that Kirk can't, and shouldn't trust Apollo.   Kirk sees no alternative than to just leave Apollo restrained until he dies. But Apollo has another idea. That extra organ in his body, that humans don't have. It allows him to channel the power, but it apparently serves another purpose. It's what converts mortal worship into energy.    This whole idea of converting something as intangible as worship into energy is a pretty high-concept idea, but it's been done before. This is how the Ori in Stargate SG-1 get their power. Apollo now knows he can't control this organ. But he doesn't want to let it control him.    And then McCoy quotes Matthew 5:29. The idea is that if there is something in your body, or your life, that causes you to sin, get rid of it. This is exactly the wisdom Apollo is coming to. Better to not have that organ than to fight a losing battle against it.  Sometimes, the battle is best avoided. He wants McCoy to surgically remove the organ.   McCoy is hesitant. He can remove an organ easy enough, but this is an alien. He doesn't understand Apollo's physiology. The risks are impossible to predict. But Apollo is willing to accept those risks.   So, they go for it. And Scotty is having success getting rid of the gunk in the ship.   It's looking like all their problems might just be solved.   Now that Apollo likely no longer has the will to seek worship, he wants to revisit the idea of re-settling him on a planet somewhere. And being Kirk, he wants input from his most trusted advisors.   McCoy and Spock are both convinced. But Scotty still warns caution. They only have Apollo's word that removing the organ will make a difference. And that's true. There's still some emotion bubbling below the surface, but Scotty has got it more under control now. He's a little more reasonable. And he admits, he's not sure what the alternative is.   They still have no consensus. Kirk doesn't need consensus, of course, but with a decision as important as this, he'd like it. Scotty's words have really made Kirk think.   If they don't make a decision soon, Apollo will die on board the ship anyway. It seems his end is pretty close. Even if they take him to a planet now, he probably won't have enough time to cause much trouble.   I'm pretty sure Star Trek Continues is the first fan-made show to reconstruct the Jefferies tube set. It's pretty awesome, with the shot looking down the tube at him working. I love it.   Uhura gets zapped by her console. Apparently, she didn't move away from the console quick enough after Scotty's warning. I can't help but feel Scotty should have given the warning earlier.   And if the bio-bed readings are to be believed, Uhura is dead.   We know the show won't leave her dead, but despite that, Larry and Vic sell the drama of the moment with their performances.   Apollo sees Uhura drop the brooch.  He uses what energy he has left to bring Uhura back to life. Does that mean he lied about the organ? More likely, without the organ, he couldn't convert any more worship to power, but he still had a little energy left in him. Energy he needed to recover from his surgery.   Turns out it's not that simple. He has more energy now than before the surgery. McCoy can't explain it.   They have an interesting theory. Apollo's species can draw energy from sacrifice. They may have assumed that because worship empowered them, it was the only thing that did so. But without the organ that converts worship, his body now must pull energy from other sources.   Apollo has found another way. A better way. The energy he draws from sacrifice is less than what he once enjoyed, so no more thunderbolts, as McCoy puts it, but if he restrains himself from all that, he should be able to prolong his life indefinitely. A God sacrificing himself for humanity. That sounds familiar.   And even Scotty is convinced. It's a nice emotional moment he he finally nods.   The episode wraps in a very TOS way, with Kirk summing up the moral and theme of the story, and then he and McCoy sharing a silly joke at Spock's expense. I wasn't a bit fan of those kinds of endings, but it's very authentically TOS. But then, when you'd expect the credits to roll, the camera lingers on the planet.   One Year Later. We get a nice little epilogue scene as Apollo helps a local family, and we see his face is now younger. This scene wasn't necessary, but it was welcome. I really enjoyed it.   Another little tidbithere, Doug Drexler appeared in this episode as Paladin. I'm honestly not sure who that character was, but … he was in there. Drexler is a visual effects artist who was instrumental in the Berman era of Trek. He also did that beautiful opening credits footage for this show.   Also, I have to saw that Bones and Spock grew on me through this episode.   Tod Haberkorn has a very different face and voice to Nimoy, but it's the performances of both of these guys that ultimately sold me that they were these characters.   As a modern production, mimicking something of an older style, this is nothing short of fine art. The  detail, the artistry, it's all so well done. But what would I think if I were to judge this episode as if it were the beginning of TOS season 4?   It's not one of the great episodes of Star Trek. It probably wouldn't be one of the classics, but it's a better than average TOS story. It had some nice drama, some difficult decisions for the characters to wrestle with, and it gave a fitting ending to a guest character from a previous story.   All in all, I think Pilgrim of Eternity was something of a triumph, worthy of much praise, but it's not the best of what Star Trek Continues has to offer. This show is only going to get better, according to my memory.   So let's see what the show has in store for us in episode 2 - Lolani. I'll see you then.   In the meantime, have a great 2 weeks, live long and prosper. Make it so.  

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We're thrilled to welcome a panel of guests to the show for this special edition of A Trekzone Conversation. James Kerwin, Larry Nemecek, Todd Haberkorn and Chris Doohan beam in to reflect on the legacy of one of the giant Star Trek Fan Films- Star Trek Continues… The post The Legacy of Star Trek: Continues appeared first on Trekzone.

This week on Episode 491 of Priority One: We ‘Trek Out' a couple of interviews with Star Trek's Doug Jones and Sir Patrick Stewart. Chabon fleshes out some Troi-Riker backstory. Star Trek Gaming has been quiet over the Holidays but, Star Trek Adventures isn't oblivious to how table-top gaming has been affected by COVID. Later, we review Star Trek: Discovery's episode “There Is A Tide…” This Week's Community Questions are: CQ: Has Saru earned the same level of reverence as Kirk, Picard, Sisko? AND CQ: If 2021 introduced a new Star Trek Game-- what would you hope it would play like? Or if STO made sweeping changes, what do you hope they would be? Of course, as always, before we wrap up the show, we'll open hailing frequencies for your incoming messages Let us know on social media like Facebook, Twitter, or by visiting our website! TREK IT OUT Doug Jones Looks Back on Saru's Long, Strange Star Trek Journey By Elio LLeo On the heels of Star Trek: Discovery's third season episode titled “Su'Kal” --- Doug Jones is granted the opportunity to perform without layers of makeup --- io9's James Witbrook sad down with the actor to discuss his character's journey and relationships aboard the Discovery. Though it's a bit of a puff-piece interview, it definitely provides an opportunity to look at the character of Saru through Jones's perspective. For instance, when asked about being the first alien Captain of the title ship, Jones replied “Don't think the gravity of that is lost on me. I know being the captain of a title starship in a Star Trek series—it's a badge of honor. That's huge, for me. But then also to be the first alien in that position is also...wow...there's a little bit of TV history here. And to be a part of that is truly, truly a humbling honor”. Which got me thinking… Are DISCOVERY viewers already immortalizing Saru in the same way we do Kirk, Picard, Janeway, Sisko? Perhaps, what's holding me back from elevating him to those standards is the choices that the writers have made with maturing his character. The interview continued and, Interestingly, the follow-up dives into Jones's preparation: Where some actors are given an option to explore a long arch with the writers, Jones's prefers to explore the character much like we do -- episode by episode saying telling io9 // I've chosen to be...well, ‘give me some essentials I might need to prepare for, otherwise, episode-by-episode I'm fine.' When I get a script, I'm like, ‘ooh! What's this one?' I have no idea what's coming. So, when I first signed my first contract for the show—season one—I was Lieutenant Commander Saru, Science Officer on the Starship Shenzhou. I had no idea what was coming.  Sir Patrick Gets Personal By Elio LLeo In another interview, NPR's Sam Briger of FRESH AIR spoke with Sir. Patrick Stewart back in July about his reprisal of Jean Luc Picard in the new series, Star Trek: Picard on CBS All Access. During the interview, Briger asked Sir Patrick if he had revisited some old episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation to brush up on the character to which Sir Patrick replied “I'm going to watch "Encounter At Farpoint," which was our pilot episode of the series. And I never did. I ended up never watching a moment of "Next Generation" because - OK, I would have been reminded of some things that I'd forgotten. But that character was inside me.” Given the plot fo S1 of Star Trek: Picard surrounding A.I., NPR's Briger then played Picard's monologue from TNG's Measure of a Man. Despite not having heard himself deliver the speech in over 30 years, Sir Patrick had quite a bit to say about his own performance. But, that's not the interesting part of his reply -- when reflecting upon the speech, he recalled a conversation with Whoopi Goldberg “And I don't know who was responsible for that speech, but I've got a feeling that there is one word in what we've just heard that actually didn't belong to one of the writers. I use the word slavery at one point, and that word was given me by Whoopi Goldberg. I remember when she and I - it might have been the same episode, "The Measure Of A Man" - I think it could have been - when Whoopi and I had a scene in the bar of Ten Forward. And in a break, Whoopi said to me, you know, what we're actually talking about here is slavery, and I think it wouldn't be a mistake to introduce that. And so I think that was why that word cropped up. And I was so thrilled that Whoopi had proposed it and so proud that everyone approved it and it went into the episode.” The interview goes on to discuss Sir Patrick's personal life -- including his youth and relationship with his father who likely suffered PTSD after serving in the war, his start in acting, and what's different for him now as an 80 year old actor vs when he was 35. It's a fascinating insight into the man, so be sure to listen to the entire interview over at NPR. Links - of course - will be in the show notes. Chabon Talks Nepenthe By Elio LLeo Star Trek's had more than hundreds of writers, over 50 years, to invent its worlds and try to flesh out their inhabitants. So color us impressed–and heartbroken––that Thaddeus Troi-Riker invented an entire planet before he could've gotten a 21st-century driver license. Picard's season one showrunner Michael Chabon took to Medium to expand on Thad's early life aboard the Titan, briefly mentioned in the episode “Nepenthe”, and his formative interactions with its diverse crew.  It'd be in that early life, where “home” began at Fore and ended at Aft, that the linguistic prodigy started building his own homeworld. And as a natural linguist, he started with its language, Kelu – based on the crew's own native languages, and eventually adopted as the ship's unofficial slang. Before his early death, Thad would build his fictional world of Ardani based on this early exercise in, well, world-building. And when we say world, we're not talking Ardani's mere geography: its resident civilizations (six in total), their languages (six, plus the four spoken by non-humanoid “animal” species), and over 5,000 years of shared cultural and political history. The link will be in the show notes – there's a Tolkeinesque-level of sociopolitical analysis to go through. Now Elio, I remember you being unsatisfied by story content like this being put in novels and comics like Countdown, rather than on the actual shows. Nothing in Chabon's post is important to understanding Picard. And we never even get to meet Thad in the show because of his terminal case of Plot Syndrome. But do we leave Ardani feeling enlightened by what we've learned about the show, or frustrated by what we couldn't have in its 13-episode season? Doohan Smuggled into Space By Cat Hough On December 19, Chris Doohan, son of James Doohan, tweeted that he had been keeping a secret for over 12 years. What was this big secret? Well, back in 2008, his father's ashes were smuggled onto the International Space Station. His father, James Doohan, better known as Chief Engineer Montgomery Scott, died in 2005 at the age of 85, had always wanted to go to space, so his son Chris concocted a plan to get him there.  He enlisted the help of Richard Garriott, who was one of the first private citizens to make it to the ISS. Garriott carried 3 laminated cards that included some of his ashes and a photo of Doohan. One of the cards  was brought back to give to Chris and is now framed in his California home, another card, Garriott let float off into space, the other was hidden in the space station's Columbus module. Garriott stated, “James Doohan got his resting place among the stars.” https://twitter.com/ChrisDoohan/status/1342972024893759488?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1342972024893759488%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.usatoday.com%2Fstory%2Fentertainment%2Ftv%2F2020%2F12%2F28%2Fstar-trek-scotty-james-doohans-ashes-smuggled-space-station%2F4057236001%2F Notable Notes Voyager Documentary, crowdfunding campaign starts March 1 - here's the video announcement Lower Decks - coming to Amazon Prime on January 22 - finally International folks can watch!  John De Lancie - Cameo announcement - there's more of him to come!  Star Trek Gaming News by Thomas Reynolds & Shane Hoover Is Today A Good Day For Dice? By Thomas Reynolds You're stuck at home. You've gone through your bookshelf twice. And your goldfish don't have any more good Netflix recommendations. Computer: set course for immersion. If the pandemic has been a boon to anything, it has to be online gaming. But this crisis too shall pass, leaving tabletop RPG players wondering: is online play where it'll be at from now on? Are the days of dead tree sourcebooks, clacky dice, and actual physical interactions behind us? Apologies to our vast Vulcan audience, but the answer's a perfectly illogical yesno. Michael Dismuke's recent poll on the Star Trek Adventures TTRPG Facebook site posed a simple question: how many players would stay online for their STA experiences? The benefits are clear: recent explosive growth of online STA platform support, relatively easier scheduling, all in the pantsless comfort of your own home. The poll results were mixed, yet somewhat symmetrical. Half of the respondents (52%, technically) said they'd return to mixed platform play, while 18% said they were never going back or had always played online. Finally, 4% said they'd either stay on their online platform of choice, or never had used them in the first place. But what the community universally appreciates is STA's unique roots in a hopeful message. As Dismuke notes, “While we sit amidst a bed of social unrest, Star Trek promises a better future where the problems of today have been solved in the ‘morrow….[h]aving players walk away feeling like their characters have made a positive contribution to society is a big plus. Not all RPGs are designed to do this. Thank goodness we have STA.  With respect to the dataset, we can conclude...meh. People will seek their own ways to the Final Frontier, we just want them to do it safely.”

This week on Episode 491 of Priority One: We ‘Trek Out’ a couple of interviews with Star Trek’s Doug Jones and Sir Patrick Stewart. Chabon fleshes out some Troi-Riker backstory. Star Trek Gaming has been quiet over the Holidays but, Star Trek Adventures isn’t oblivious to how table-top gaming has been affected by COVID. Later, we review Star Trek: Discovery’s episode “There Is A Tide…” This Week’s Community Questions are: CQ: Has Saru earned the same level of reverence as Kirk, Picard, Sisko? AND CQ: If 2021 introduced a new Star Trek Game-- what would you hope it would play like? Or if STO made sweeping changes, what do you hope they would be? Of course, as always, before we wrap up the show, we’ll open hailing frequencies for your incoming messages Let us know on social media like Facebook, Twitter, or by visiting our website! TREK IT OUT Doug Jones Looks Back on Saru's Long, Strange Star Trek Journey By Elio LLeo On the heels of Star Trek: Discovery’s third season episode titled “Su’Kal” --- Doug Jones is granted the opportunity to perform without layers of makeup --- io9’s James Witbrook sad down with the actor to discuss his character’s journey and relationships aboard the Discovery. Though it’s a bit of a puff-piece interview, it definitely provides an opportunity to look at the character of Saru through Jones’s perspective. For instance, when asked about being the first alien Captain of the title ship, Jones replied “Don’t think the gravity of that is lost on me. I know being the captain of a title starship in a Star Trek series—it’s a badge of honor. That’s huge, for me. But then also to be the first alien in that position is also...wow...there’s a little bit of TV history here. And to be a part of that is truly, truly a humbling honor”. Which got me thinking… Are DISCOVERY viewers already immortalizing Saru in the same way we do Kirk, Picard, Janeway, Sisko? Perhaps, what’s holding me back from elevating him to those standards is the choices that the writers have made with maturing his character. The interview continued and, Interestingly, the follow-up dives into Jones’s preparation: Where some actors are given an option to explore a long arch with the writers, Jones’s prefers to explore the character much like we do -- episode by episode saying telling io9 // I’ve chosen to be...well, ‘give me some essentials I might need to prepare for, otherwise, episode-by-episode I’m fine.’ When I get a script, I’m like, ‘ooh! What’s this one?’ I have no idea what’s coming. So, when I first signed my first contract for the show—season one—I was Lieutenant Commander Saru, Science Officer on the Starship Shenzhou. I had no idea what was coming.  Sir Patrick Gets Personal By Elio LLeo In another interview, NPR’s Sam Briger of FRESH AIR spoke with Sir. Patrick Stewart back in July about his reprisal of Jean Luc Picard in the new series, Star Trek: Picard on CBS All Access. During the interview, Briger asked Sir Patrick if he had revisited some old episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation to brush up on the character to which Sir Patrick replied “I'm going to watch "Encounter At Farpoint," which was our pilot episode of the series. And I never did. I ended up never watching a moment of "Next Generation" because - OK, I would have been reminded of some things that I'd forgotten. But that character was inside me.” Given the plot fo S1 of Star Trek: Picard surrounding A.I., NPR’s Briger then played Picard’s monologue from TNG’s Measure of a Man. Despite not having heard himself deliver the speech in over 30 years, Sir Patrick had quite a bit to say about his own performance. But, that’s not the interesting part of his reply -- when reflecting upon the speech, he recalled a conversation with Whoopi Goldberg “And I don't know who was responsible for that speech, but I've got a feeling that there is one word in what we've just heard that actually didn't belong to one of the writers. I use the word slavery at one point, and that word was given me by Whoopi Goldberg. I remember when she and I - it might have been the same episode, "The Measure Of A Man" - I think it could have been - when Whoopi and I had a scene in the bar of Ten Forward. And in a break, Whoopi said to me, you know, what we're actually talking about here is slavery, and I think it wouldn't be a mistake to introduce that. And so I think that was why that word cropped up. And I was so thrilled that Whoopi had proposed it and so proud that everyone approved it and it went into the episode.” The interview goes on to discuss Sir Patrick’s personal life -- including his youth and relationship with his father who likely suffered PTSD after serving in the war, his start in acting, and what’s different for him now as an 80 year old actor vs when he was 35. It’s a fascinating insight into the man, so be sure to listen to the entire interview over at NPR. Links - of course - will be in the show notes. Chabon Talks Nepenthe By Elio LLeo Star Trek’s had more than hundreds of writers, over 50 years, to invent its worlds and try to flesh out their inhabitants. So color us impressed–and heartbroken––that Thaddeus Troi-Riker invented an entire planet before he could’ve gotten a 21st-century driver license. Picard’s season one showrunner Michael Chabon took to Medium to expand on Thad’s early life aboard the Titan, briefly mentioned in the episode “Nepenthe”, and his formative interactions with its diverse crew.  It’d be in that early life, where “home” began at Fore and ended at Aft, that the linguistic prodigy started building his own homeworld. And as a natural linguist, he started with its language, Kelu – based on the crew’s own native languages, and eventually adopted as the ship’s unofficial slang. Before his early death, Thad would build his fictional world of Ardani based on this early exercise in, well, world-building. And when we say world, we’re not talking Ardani’s mere geography: its resident civilizations (six in total), their languages (six, plus the four spoken by non-humanoid “animal” species), and over 5,000 years of shared cultural and political history. The link will be in the show notes – there’s a Tolkeinesque-level of sociopolitical analysis to go through. Now Elio, I remember you being unsatisfied by story content like this being put in novels and comics like Countdown, rather than on the actual shows. Nothing in Chabon’s post is important to understanding Picard. And we never even get to meet Thad in the show because of his terminal case of Plot Syndrome. But do we leave Ardani feeling enlightened by what we’ve learned about the show, or frustrated by what we couldn’t have in its 13-episode season? Doohan Smuggled into Space By Cat Hough On December 19, Chris Doohan, son of James Doohan, tweeted that he had been keeping a secret for over 12 years. What was this big secret? Well, back in 2008, his father’s ashes were smuggled onto the International Space Station. His father, James Doohan, better known as Chief Engineer Montgomery Scott, died in 2005 at the age of 85, had always wanted to go to space, so his son Chris concocted a plan to get him there.  He enlisted the help of Richard Garriott, who was one of the first private citizens to make it to the ISS. Garriott carried 3 laminated cards that included some of his ashes and a photo of Doohan. One of the cards  was brought back to give to Chris and is now framed in his California home, another card, Garriott let float off into space, the other was hidden in the space station’s Columbus module. Garriott stated, “James Doohan got his resting place among the stars.” https://twitter.com/ChrisDoohan/status/1342972024893759488?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1342972024893759488%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.usatoday.com%2Fstory%2Fentertainment%2Ftv%2F2020%2F12%2F28%2Fstar-trek-scotty-james-doohans-ashes-smuggled-space-station%2F4057236001%2F Notable Notes Voyager Documentary, crowdfunding campaign starts March 1 - here’s the video announcement Lower Decks - coming to Amazon Prime on January 22 - finally International folks can watch!  John De Lancie - Cameo announcement - there’s more of him to come!  Star Trek Gaming News by Thomas Reynolds & Shane Hoover Is Today A Good Day For Dice? By Thomas Reynolds You’re stuck at home. You’ve gone through your bookshelf twice. And your goldfish don’t have any more good Netflix recommendations. Computer: set course for immersion. If the pandemic has been a boon to anything, it has to be online gaming. But this crisis too shall pass, leaving tabletop RPG players wondering: is online play where it’ll be at from now on? Are the days of dead tree sourcebooks, clacky dice, and actual physical interactions behind us? Apologies to our vast Vulcan audience, but the answer’s a perfectly illogical yesno. Michael Dismuke’s recent poll on the Star Trek Adventures TTRPG Facebook site posed a simple question: how many players would stay online for their STA experiences? The benefits are clear: recent explosive growth of online STA platform support, relatively easier scheduling, all in the pantsless comfort of your own home. The poll results were mixed, yet somewhat symmetrical. Half of the respondents (52%, technically) said they’d return to mixed platform play, while 18% said they were never going back or had always played online. Finally, 4% said they’d either stay on their online platform of choice, or never had used them in the first place. But what the community universally appreciates is STA’s unique roots in a hopeful message. As Dismuke notes, “While we sit amidst a bed of social unrest, Star Trek promises a better future where the problems of today have been solved in the ‘morrow….[h]aving players walk away feeling like their characters have made a positive contribution to society is a big plus. Not all RPGs are designed to do this. Thank goodness we have STA.  With respect to the dataset, we can conclude...meh. People will seek their own ways to the Final Frontier, we just want them to do it safely.”

Brandon, Chrissie, and Justin talk about the most recent episode of Discovery, “Su’Kal” with Noah Averbach-Katz. Find us on Twitter:The Network: @UFPEarth The Show: @IDICPodcastJustin: @TrekFan4747Brandon: @BrandonMutalaChrissie: @TheGoddessLiviaAnd our guest, Noah Averbach-Katz, @N_A_K News: Jeri Ryan confirms Picard will begin production 1 February 2021: https://trekmovie.com/2020/12/26/jeri-ryan-confirms-new-star-trek-picard-season-2-production-start-date/Chris Doohan reveals that his father’s ashes are on the ISS: https://trekmovie.com/2020/12/26/ashes-of-star-treks-james-doohan-were-smuggled-onto-the-international-space-station/United Federation of Podcasts is brought to you by our listeners. Special thanks to these patrons on Patreon whose generous contributions help produce the podcast! Tim CooperPluto’s OrbitSimon De LucaChrissie De Clerck-SzilagyiKevin ParlagrecoMahendran RadhakrishnanVera BibleJustin OserVictor GamboaTom ElliotJim McMahonChristopher LutzGreg MolumbyKevin ScharfCasey PettittAlexander GatesC. Roger McCubbinsChris TribuzioThad HaitVanessa VaughanAnn MarieJim StoffelJoe MignoneYou can join this illustrious list by becoming a patron here: www.patreon.com/ufpearth

How much are your appendages worth? What about aliens? Are we living in a simulation? And does any of it matter if you're not enjoying it?Everything Chronic CuriosityContact Us: Chroniccuriosity@outlook.comSupport the show (https://paypal.me/ChronicCuriosity?locale.x=en_US)

Alaposan megbolondítja a történelmet a kordrazin túladagolásban szenvedő Dr. McCoy, aki megfékezhetetlenül rohan át az Örökkévalóság Őrzőjeként ismert időkapun. Kirk és Spock megpróbálja felkutatni a doktort a huszadik században, ahol a kapitány óriási áldozatra kényszerül az idővonal helyreállítása érdekében. Heti elemzésünk tárgya a ‘Város az örökkévalóság peremén’ című epizód. Rövid hírszekció: • Jonathan Frakes harsonát posztolt a Twitteren, és felrobbant az internet. A rendezésen kívül jut-e neki szerep a Picard sorozatban, vagy csak trollkodik a rajongókkal? • James Doohan fia, Chris Doohan az édesapja háborús történteiről tweetel. A partraszállása és a cigarettatárca, ami életet mentett. • Ronald D. Moore (Battlestar Galactica, TNG, DS9, Outlander) izgalmas, az 1960-as évek űrversenyének alternatív változatát bemutató sci-fi sorozattal tér vissza az Apple TV+ nézők képernyőjére. A kibeszélő tartalmából: • Harlan Ellison eredeti forgatókönyve sokkal komorabb volt, mint a képernyőkön látható változat: a rengeteg módosítás elmérgesítette a stáb és a népszerű scifi író közötti viszonyt, a haragos nyilatkozatok pedig éveken keresztül röpködtek. • Az eredeti sztorit vizuálisan először az IDW kiadó 2014-ben megjelent "Harlan Ellison's The City on the Edge of Forever - The Original Teleplay" című képregénysorozatában publikálták. A gondos vizuális és történeti előkészítésben maga Harlan Ellison is részt vett. • A történelem és az egyes döntések súlya: mennyin múlhatott volna, hogy a németek megnyerjék a második világháborút az Egyesült Államok távolmaradása miatt? Német győzelem esetén a Roddenberry féle jövőkép sohasem valósul meg? • Az Örökkévalóság Őrzője az aktuális epizód és a rajzfilmsorozat után számos kánonon kívüli történetben jelenik meg újra. Kik és milyen céllal hozták létre az időn kívüli Őrzőt, és milyen régóta létezik?

Discord: http://discord.thisweekintrek.com Twitch: http://twitch.tv/starmiketv Review spreadsheet https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1zWUJXbg-ShYgZLfBWIqCih3G_DgFdujgkZsrDsFllxA/edit?usp=drive_web#gid=1 News 4 Short Treks begin Oct 4 on CBS All Access: Runaway (unknown aliens) Calypso (Tilly) The Brightest Star (Saru) The Escape Artist (Harry Mudd) October 19 - 21, 2018​ you can visit the ST Continues studios for free! There will be guests including Chris Doohan. https://www.stage9studios.com/visit Ten Forward: Chris on Twitter: Which actor or actress do u think has handled the fame the best in being a part of Star Trek? Star Trek in pop culture: Leonard Nimoy narrated a Star Wars Documentary in 1982 Last week in Trek Episode insight - DS9: S6 E18 - Inquisition Character insight - Bok Subspace communications

In this week's episode we talk to Vic Mignogna about stepping into the iconic shoes of Captain James T. Kirk, as he and crew of the starship Enterprise complete their 5 years mission in the fan film series, STAR TREK CONTINUES. We chat to Vic about making the show, casting, re-creating the sets, costumes and props from the original series, and his love of Star Trek. Movie Heaven Movie Hell is a show where filmmakers Simon Aitken (BLOOD + ROSES, POST-ITS, MODERN LOVE) and Keith Eyles (FEAR VIEW, DRIVEN INSANE, CROSSED LINES) go through the A-Z of directors. Simon and Keith talk about their favourite and least favourite film from that director's body of work. Like our Facebook Fanpage at https://www.facebook.com/MovieHeavenMovieHell You can follow Movie Heaven Movie Hell on Twitter at @MovieHeavenHell You can find Simon Aitken's work at http://www.independentrunnings.com You can find Keith Eyles' work at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQ4up3c883irE6oA2Vk0T7w

Andy Farber Interview. Star Trek Continues picks up the story of The Original Series right where it left off in 1969. Essentially a fourth season, the independent production features a talented cast that includes Vic Mignogna as Captain Kirk and Chris Doohan in the role made iconic by his father. Since 2013, Star Trek Continues has brought us five incredible stories from the 23rd century, with two more on the way—the next of which, "Come Not Between the Dragons," is set to premiere at FedCon in Germany on May 13, 2016. In this episode of Melodic Treks, host Brandon-Shea Mutala is joined by Andy Farber to discuss his contributions to the fan series. As a teacher at the famous Juilliard School and a renowned saxophonist and composer, Andy has been lending his talents to the sound of Star Trek Continues. We talk with him about the influences on his music, what a leitmotif is, and why he feels that the music of the next Star Trek series should still be composed in a traditional manner. Chapters "M18 Flyby" (00:01:28) Listener Feedback (00:01:43) "M15 Flyby" (00:03:55) "M13 Little Girl" (00:06:45) Meeting Andy (00:07:13) Conductor vs Orchestrator vs Composer (00:23:30) Composing for a Documentary (00:31:37) Leitmotifs (00:34:00) Composing Continues (00:37:55) The Process (00:40:28) Discussing Rejected Scores (00:44:30) The Changing Face of Scoring (00:49:28) Star Trek Should Be Classically Scored (00:57:27) Andy Farber: Composer for Star Trek 2017? (01:05:48) Current Projects (01:17:25) "M36" (01:20:38) (All cues by A. Farber from the Star Trek: Continues episode "White Iris") Host Brandon-Shea Mutala Guest Andy Farber Production Brandon-Shea Mutala (Editor and Producer) C Bryan Jones (Executive Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer) Norman C. Lao (Executive Producer) Charlynn Schmiedt (Executive Producer) Richard Marquez (Production Manager) Will Nguyen (Content Manager)

Star Trek Continues Episode 3 with James Kerwin and Chris White. A production of Farragut Films, Star Trek Continues picks up the story of The Original Series right where it left off in 1969. Featuring a talented cast that includes Vic Mignogna as Captain Kirk and Chris Doohan in the role made iconic by his father, Star Trek Continues has brought us two episodes that are almost indistinguishable from those shot in the 1960s. Fans are eagerly awaiting the third installment, which just finished filming, and speculation about what the story might hold has struck like lightning. In this episode of Continuing Mission we're joined by director and co-writer James Kerwin and first assistant director Chris White for a sneak peak at what STC's third outing has in store for us.   Send us your feedback! Twitter: @trekfm Facebook: http://facebook.com/trekfm Voicemail: http://www.speakpipe.com/trekfm Contact Form: http://www.trek.fm/contact   Chapters 2:36 The Mirror Universe Continues 15:11 An Evolving Production 26:35 Episode 3 Guest Cast 32:23 Shooting Episode 3 41:05 Premiering Down Under 44:09 Bringing 1969 Back to Life 51:00 Keeping Tabs on Star Trek Continues 54:20 Closing

John Champion discusses his podcast's ambitious goal of analyzing every episode of every incarnation of Star Trek.

We’re pleased to announce the 25th episode of our “Life After Trek” podcast. In this episode we're featuring an interview with "Star Trek Stellar Cartography: The Starfleet Reference Library" Author Larry Nemecek. Larry's new book is available for pre-order from Amazon and will be available for sale December 3rd at bookstores everywhere.Of course many of you out there know Larry from his many other works including "Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion", The Con of Wrath, hundreds of Trek interviews featured in Trekland on Speaker, his personal site Treklandblog.com, numerous convention appearances, and pretty much every aspect of Star Trek from TNG onward.2013 has proven to be an extraordinary year for Larry. Not only has he been writing another great technical Trek book, he's also starred as Dr. Leonard McCoy in Star Trek Continues, shot tons of footage for The Con of Wrath, and started his brand new venture The Trekland Trunk.Star Trek Continues is one of the best fan series we've seen and not only includes Larry as Bones, but also features Vic Mignogna as Captain James T. Kirk, and Chris Doohan reprising his father's role as Scotty. In fact, Star Trek Continues will resume filming its second episode shortly and is looking for help to continue the saga via Kickstarter.Ever want to get your hands on truly unique Trek collectibles? Then check out The Trekland Trunk. Larry has digitized much of his Trek collection from years past and is looking for good homes for these collected gems. You can "like" the page to stay informed of when some of his Trek memorabilia will be available for auction.Be sure to check out Larry's home page Treklandblog.com for all things Trekland and pre-order his brand new book Star Trek Stellar Cartography: The Starfleet Reference Library from Amazon.DOWNLOAD THE EPISODESUBSCRIBE VIA ITUNESSUBSCRIBE VIA RSS

In association with Farragut Films and Dracogen Investments, Vic Mignogna (a Farragut Films principal), is set to direct this new web series based on the original (and still the best) Star Trek series. The premise of the series is based on the original 5-year voyage. The original series ended three years into the journey. Vic and his team are starting this new series right where the original left off. This new series is being brought to you in partnership with Farragut Films and DracoGen Investments – creators of the award-winning web series, Starship Farragut. The series is being shot in the original 4:3 format to keep the authenticity of the framing of the original series. It is very important to us that we provide a quality show and ancillary products, such as our website. Website development is provided in association with Stupidcat.com.

In association with Farragut Films and Dracogen Investments, Vic Mignogna (a Farragut Films principal), is set to direct this new web series based on the original (and still the best) Star Trek series. The premise of the series is based on the original 5-year voyage. The original series ended three years into the journey. Vic and his team are starting this new series right where the original left off. This new series is being brought to you in partnership with Farragut Films and DracoGen Investments – creators of the award-winning web series, Starship Farragut. The series is being shot in the original 4:3 format to keep the authenticity of the framing of the original series. It is very important to us that we provide a quality show and ancillary products, such as our website. Website development is provided in association with Stupidcat.com.

DS9 and The Mirror Universe. Dark, sexy, and totally unsubtle. That's the Mirror Universe. It's a place where everything you know exists but things aren't quite as you expect. First introduced in the TOS episode “Mirror, Mirror,” this universe dominated by an evil version of the Federation—the Terran Empire—is one of the most famous creations in Star Trek. Interestingly, however, this portion of Star Trek lives primarily not in TOS but rather in DS9. In this episode of The Ready Room we examine how Deep Space Nine brought us the sequel to “Mirror, Mirror” and how DS9 made this dark universe uniquely its own. In news we cover new details about the upcoming Star Trek event in London, CBS nixing the plans by New Voyages and Norman Spinrad to produce “He Walked Among Us,” Phase II's production of the original script for “The Child,” Chris Doohan's casting as Scotty in Star Trek Continues, GNP Crescendo's release of the complete score from Star Trek: First Contact, the ThinkGeek inflatable Captain's Chair, and George Takei on J.J. Abrams and original cast cameos. Plus a beloved Star Wars character makes a surprise appearance on The Ready Room. 

News: Facebook campaign to get Chris Doohan in Star Trek 2013 Mike watched the new Star Trek: TNG Blu-Ray Ten Forward: Which Star Trek: TOS episodes would you use to show someone Trek for the first time? Star Trek in pop culture: the politics edition Episode insight: "Worst Case Scenario" from Voyager Subspace communications Collectables: Stamps and autographs