The State of Star Trek 2022
Running Time: 2 hours 11 minutes 44 seconds
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We long called the 1990s the golden age of Star Trek. From 1993 to 1999, two series overlapped one another on the airwaves and, once The Next Generation left the small screen, we even got doses of three incarnations of Gene Roddenberry’s vision from time to time. But it all came to an abrupt end in May 2005, with the final episode of Enterprise. J.J. Abrams would later step in and tease us through the fallow years until the battle among streaming services offered a financial incentive to dust off intellectual property and Discovery came along. And now, there is more Star Trek than ever. A new golden age is upon us.
In this episode of The Ready Room, recorded as we end an unprecedented 48 consecutive weeks of new Star Trek content, hosts C Bryan Jones and Larry Nemecek take a look at the state of the franchise in 2022. We discuss each of the “modern” series—Strange New Worlds, Picard, Prodigy, Lower Decks, and Discovery—dig into the fan split over old and new, and imagine what new series might be on the horizon. We also debate the pros and cons of the streaming model for storytelling and talk about how Star Trek and Star Wars are pushing each other forward.
Chapters
Intro (0:00:00)
The Mood at SDCC (00:05:13)
Resurgent Franchise(s) (00:14:17)
Pros and Cons of Streaming (00:20:34)
The Modern/Classic Trek Division (00:26:50)
Strange New Worlds (00:34:26)
Picard (00:59:37)
Potential Future Series (01:14:00)
Lower Decks (01:24:41)
Prodigy (01:34:19)
Discovery (01:50:37)
Closing (02:04:26)
Hosts
C Bryan Jones and Larry Nemecek
Production
C Bryan Jones (Editor and Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer) Norman C. Lao (Associate Producer) Renee Roberts (Associate Producer)
The State of Star Trek 2022. We discuss each of the “modern” series, dig into the fan split over old and new, and imagine what new series might be on the horizon. We also debate the pros and cons of the streaming model for storytelling and talk about how Star Trek and Star Wars are pushing each other forward.
Star Trek: Lower Decks after two seasons. We take a broad look back at the first two seasons and discuss how the series has connected with fans, why it has won over many early skeptics, and how it serves as a brilliant love letter to the franchise. We also ask whether some moments are a rebuke of modern Star Trek.
Marking our 10th anniversary. We deep-dive into Star Trek’s return to television, which way the fan pendulum is swinging today, screen vs. visual canon, whether Star Trek is an historical piece, dealing with toxic fandom, the status of The Con of Wrath, and more.
Adil Hussain interview. We’re to talk about the Covid-19 situation in India, the art of acting and what inspired Adil’s portrayal of Sahil, as well as Star Trek and entertainment as a coping mechanism during difficult times. He also shares thoughts on how we might reach that more prosperous future that Gene Roddenberry envisioned.
Looking Back at *Discovery* Season Three. We reflect on the story, how it played out compared with what we expected, how we feel about key plot points, and how it all fits into the overall Star Trek picture.
Discovery Season 3 preview. We discuss the premise, what the episode titles may reveal about the story, potential real world parallels, the addition of transgender and binary characters, and more.
Lower Decks midseason review. We pay a visit to the insignificant little USS Cerritos as its journey reaches the halfway point to share our thoughts on this animated rendition of Star Trek.
Expanding the Star Trek universe. Using Alex Kurtzman’s interviews from the Star Trek Emmy promotion campaign as a springboard, we explore Section 31, Lower Decks, Strange New Worlds, Prodigy, and the overall expansion of the Star Trek universe—including risks and rewards.
Lower Decks pre-launch thoughts and Star Trek Emmy nominations. We look ahead to the Lower Decks premiere and discuss the Star Trek franchise’s six Emmy nominations as well as how virtual cons are changing the nature of fan interaction in the age of coronavirus.
Picard Recap and Strange New Worlds. We look back at the full season of Star Trek: Picard and take a first look at the recently announced Captain Pike series.