Commentary: Trek Stars 92: A Fresh Coat of Paint

Abrams, Part 1: Trek.

In 2005, after eighteen consecutive seasons of television, Star Trek was suffering from "franchise fatigue." In an effort to revitalize the property, Paramount hired A-list filmmaker J.J. Abrams to direct a reboot of The Original Series.

In this episode of Commentary: Trek Stars, Max and Mike begin a new series looking at Abrams's career as a feature film director. In Part 1, we are joined by Matthew Rushing of The Orb and Literary Treks to examine Abrams's work on Star Trek. We discuss the reasons behind hiring Abrams, our initial thoughts concerning his involvement, and what exactly his contribution to the franchise has been. We also examine the similarities between the 2009 film and The Motion Picture.

Running Time: 1 hour 18 minutes 31 seconds

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Hosts 

Max Hegel and Mike Schindler

Guest

Matthew Rushing

Chapters

Intro (02:00)
Initial Thoughts (10:18)
Continuity (22:18)
The Mystery Box (33:13)
Mainstream Trek (39:52)
Final Thoughts (54:37)
Wrap-up (1:02:57)

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As a Trek.fm listener you can get a free audiobook of your choice along with a 30-day trial to see just how great Audible is. So give it a try today, catch up on all those classic Star Trek books you’ve yet to read or that latest novel from you favorite author and support the network and our programming at the same time!

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Commentary: Trek Stars 91: Mike, Max, Blue, and Green

Wheaton, Part 4: Recap.

Since his early days on Star Trek: The Next Generation all the way up to the present, Wil Wheaton has always been an entertainer; but he has never settled into one specific role. Instead, he has adapted to the changing media landscape and used whatever tools were best suited for the task at hand. And whether it has been acting, writing or blogging, he has always excelled. The same is true for his career as a television producer/host.

In this episode of Commentary: Trek Stars, Mike and Max recap their look at Wheaton's current television work. We discuss both Tabletop and The Wil Wheaton Project, as well as touch on some of Wheaton's other projects from throughout his career. We also debate the merits of Monopoly.

Running Time: 35 Minutes 44 Seconds

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Hosts

Mike Schindler and Max Hegel

Topics

Tabletop (1:43)
The Wil Wheaton Project (11:28)
Final Thoughts (19:28)
Wrap-Up (28:40)

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Sponsor

Audible is the premiere source for audiobooks with more than 150,000 titles to choose from, and new titles coming every week. From classics to current bestsellers, and even some of the most famous Star Trek books like Prime Directive, Federation, and Spock’s World, Audible has something for everyone.

As a Trek.fm listener you can get a free audiobook of your choice along with a 30-day trial to see just how great Audible is. So give it a try today, catch up on all those classic Star Trek books you’ve yet to read or that latest novel from you favorite author and support the network and our programming at the same time!

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Commentary: Trek Stars 90: Maybe... But No

Wheaton, Part 3: The Wil Wheaton Project.

Wil Wheaton's history in Star Trek and presence in online media has made him a favorite among the sci-fi/fantasy crowd. His love for the genre, as well his comedic talent, made him the ideal host for SyFy's new talk show, coincidentally named The Wil Wheaton Project.

In this episode of Commentary: Trek Stars, Max and Mike take a look at Wheaton's second series as a producer/host. We discuss the format of the show, the quality of the pre-produced segments, and Wheaton's talents as a comedian. We also fondly remember John Henson-era Talk Soup.

Running Time: 41 Minutes 23 Seconds

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Hosts

Max Hegel and Mike Schindler

Topics

The Wil Wheaton Project (1:24)
The pre-produced clips (10:53)
Thoughts on the show (21:35)
Wrap-up (28:15)

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Sponsor

Audible is the premiere source for audiobooks with more than 150,000 titles to choose from, and new titles coming every week. From classics to current bestsellers, and even some of the most famous Star Trek books like Prime Directive, Federation, and Spock’s World, Audible has something for everyone.

As a Trek.fm listener you can get a free audiobook of your choice along with a 30-day trial to see just how great Audible is. So give it a try today, catch up on all those classic Star Trek books you’ve yet to read or that latest novel from you favorite author and support the network and our programming at the same time!

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Commentary: Trek Stars 89: Outside of the Box

Wheaton, Part 2: Tabletop.

Wil Wheaton may have started his career as an actor, but he has since become a much larger creative force in the geek community. One outlet that he has used to express himself is through television production and hosting.

In this episode of Commentary: Trek Stars, Mike and Max are joined by Drew of Standard Orbit to look at Wheaton's first television series, Tabletop. We discuss the show's unusual premise, the importance of good chemistry between the guests, and how it shows that Wheaton is truly a geek. We also spoil "Journey's End" for Drew.

Running Time: 49 minutes 43 seconds

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Hosts

Mike Schindler and Max Hegel

Guest

Drew Stewart

Topics

Intro (1:09)
Tabletop (7:37)
Production Value (17:23)
Favorite Episodes (25:23)
Final Thoughts (32:46)
Wrap-up (36:38)

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Sponsor

Audible is the premiere source for audiobooks with more than 150,000 titles to choose from, and new titles coming every week. From classics to current bestsellers, and even some of the most famous Star Trek books like Prime Directive, Federation, and Spock’s World, Audible has something for everyone.

As a Trek.fm listener you can get a free audiobook of your choice along with a 30-day trial to see just how great Audible is. So give it a try today, catch up on all those classic Star Trek books you’ve yet to read or that latest novel from you favorite author and support the network and our programming at the same time!

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Commentary: Trek Stars 88: Wesley's Rosetta Stone

Wheaton, Part 1: Trek.

Few characters in Star Trek are as polarizing as Wesley Crusher. But love him or hate him, most fans are very fond of the actor behind the character, Wil Wheaton.

In this episode of Commentary: Trek Stars, Max and Mike begin a new series which looks at Wheaton's career as a television show host. In the first installment, we cover Wheaton's work in Star Trek. We discuss his growth as an actor over the course of The Next Generation, the progression of the character from "Where No Man Has Gone Before" to "Journey's End," and Wheaton's work as a voice actor on the 2009 Star Trek film.

Running Time: 50 minutes 30 seconds

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Hosts

Max Hegel and Mike Schindler

Topics

Wil Wheaton (1:12)
Wesley (10:29)
Favorite Wesley Episodes (25:24)
Star Trek 09 (34:09)
Wrap-up (39:31)

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Sponsor

Audible is the premiere source for audiobooks with more than 150,000 titles to choose from, and new titles coming every week. From classics to current bestsellers, and even some of the most famous Star Trek books like Prime Directive, Federation, and Spock’s World, Audible has something for everyone.

As a Trek.fm listener you can get a free audiobook of your choice along with a 30-day trial to see just how great Audible is. So give it a try today, catch up on all those classic Star Trek books you’ve yet to read or that latest novel from you favorite author and support the network and our programming at the same time!

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Commentary: Trek Stars 87: Yes, And... An Interview with Patrick McKay & J.D. Payne

McKay & Payne.

Over the past fifty years, from Gene Roddenberry to Damon Lindelof, 369 people have written for Star Trek. In this episode of Commentary: Trek Stars, Mike and Max talk to the 370th and 371st Star Trek writers, Patrick McKay and J.D. Payne.

In the interview, we discuss McKay and Payne's Trek fandom, their screenplays which led to Trek, working with Robert Orci, and responding to the criticisms fans have of the last film. We also try to convince them to watch Deep Space Nine.

Running Time: 1 hour 3 minutes 25 seconds

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Hosts

Mike Schindler and Max Hegel

Guests

Patrick McKay and J.D. Payne

Topics

McKay & Payne (1:02)
Trek Fans (2:02)
Breaking In (12:32)
Writing Trek (28:23)
Influences (40:57)
Responding to Fan Criticism (43:21)
Final Thoughts (51:21)
Closing (52:26)

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Sponsor

Audible is the premiere source for audiobooks with more than 150,000 titles to choose from, and new titles coming every week. From classics to current bestsellers, and even some of the most famous Star Trek books like Prime Directive, Federation, and Spock’s World, Audible has something for everyone.

As a Trek.fm listener you can get a free audiobook of your choice along with a 30-day trial to see just how great Audible is. So give it a try today, catch up on all those classic Star Trek books you’ve yet to read or that latest novel from you favorite author and support the network and our programming at the same time!

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Commentary: Trek Stars 85: Roddenberry's Rosebud

Roddenberry II: Pretty Maids All in a Row.

Despite having written dozens of hours of television, Gene Roddenberry is only responsible for writing one feature film. That film is Pretty Maids All In a Row, directed by Roger Vadim and starring Rock Hudson.

In this episode of Commentary: Trek Stars, Mike and Max are joined by film critic Todd Gilchrist to take a look at the film, which Roddenberry also produced. We discuss the social commentary present in an otherwise exploitational sex comedy, the simililarities between Roddenberry and Vadim as artists, and whether or not this film is the missing piece in understanding Roddenberry's personality. We also ponder why Quentin Tarantino calls it one of the best films of all time.

Running Time: 58 minutes 9 Seconds

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Hosts

Mike Schindler and Max Hegel

Guest

Todd Gilchrist

Topics

Roger Vadim (6:08)
Pretty Maids All in a Row (15:26)
A Roddenberry Production (22:56)
Quentin Tarantino (33:14)
Wrap-up (46:16)

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Sponsor

Audible is the premiere source for audiobooks with more than 150,000 titles to choose from, and new titles coming every week. From classics to current bestsellers, and even some of the most famous Star Trek books like Prime Directive, Federation, and Spock’s World, Audible has something for everyone.

As a Trek.fm listener you can get a free audiobook of your choice along with a 30-day trial to see just how great Audible is. So give it a try today, catch up on all those classic Star Trek books you’ve yet to read or that latest novel from you favorite author and support the network and our programming at the same time!

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Commentary: Trek Stars 84: Waiting for Gadot

Black II: Wonder Woman.

Over the past 50 years, there have been many successful comic book adaptations for both the big screen and small. But for some reason, the one marquee character which has failed to break through to the mainstream is Wonder Woman. Many writers have tried, with varying results. And the very first of these was Star Trek writer and producer, John D.F. Black.

In this episode of Commentary: Trek Stars, Max and Mike take a look at Black's 1974 Wonder Woman pilot, which starred Cathy Lee Crosby, and directly preceded the successful 1975 series starring Lynda Carter. We discuss the origins of the character, how Black's pilot rates among other adaptations, and whether or not current creators are on the cusp of a breakthrough with the character. We also ponder why comic book readers are generally unaccepting of the character.

Running Time: 59 minutes 52 seconds

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Hosts

Max Hegel and Mike Schindler

Topics

Wonder Woman (03:13)
The Character as an Icon (12:07)
The Pilot (22:23)
Other Incarnations (37:53)
Trek Collaborators (48:47)
Final Thoughts (50:27)

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Sponsor

Audible is the premiere source for audiobooks with more than 150,000 titles to choose from, and new titles coming every week. From classics to current bestsellers, and even some of the most famous Star Trek books like Prime Directive, Federation, and Spock’s World, Audible has something for everyone.

As a Trek.fm listener you can get a free audiobook of your choice along with a 30-day trial to see just how great Audible is. So give it a try today, catch up on all those classic Star Trek books you’ve yet to read or that latest novel from you favorite author and support the network and our programming at the same time!

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Commentary: Trek Stars 83: We Have a Man on the Inside

Nemecek, Part 5: Stellar Cartography Recap.

Last year saw the return of author Larry Nemecek to the world of Star Trek non-fiction with his second book, Stellar Cartography. Featuring maps by Ian Fullwood, Ali Reis, and Geoffrey Mandel, Nemecek's companion essays offer a comprehensive look at the history of the future.

In this episode of Commentary: Trek Stars, Mike and Max are joined by Larry for the second part of their two-part interview. We discuss the genesis of the book, the challenges of completing such an ambitious project in a short period of time, and how Larry made sense of the Dominion War. We also ponder how big a sector is.

Running Time: 1 hour 5 minutes 16 seconds

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Hosts

Mike Schindler and Max Hegel

Guest

Larry Nemecek

Topics

Stellar Cartography (1:45)
Connecting the Dots (15:51)
Sectors (24:49)
The Dominion War (34:29)
Wrap-up (53:10)

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Sponsor

Audible is the premiere source for audiobooks with more than 150,000 titles to choose from, and new titles coming every week. From classics to current bestsellers, and even some of the most famous Star Trek books like Prime Directive, Federation, and Spock’s World, Audible has something for everyone.

As a Trek.fm listener you can get a free audiobook of your choice along with a 30-day trial to see just how great Audible is. So give it a try today, catch up on all those classic Star Trek books you’ve yet to read or that latest novel from you favorite author and support the network and our programming at the same time!

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More recent episodes of Commentary: Trek Stars...