The Ready Room

The Ready Room 49: Geordi's V-Chip

Trek.fm — Tue, 22 May 2012 08:45:00 +0000

Cause and Effect. We’ve all been there. Something happens and we are overcome with nIb’poH, the feeling that we’ve done the same thing before; and we don’t mean last Tuesday. It’s what we humans calls déjà vu. Only with déjà vu it only seems that events have happened before. This was not the case when the Enterprise-D became trapped in a temporal causality loop while exploring the Typhon Expanse. For Picard and his crew, they really were experiencing the same events over and over. In this episode of The Ready Room we’re joined by Tristan Riddell and Michael Fisher as we discuss the thin script that became one of TNG’s most classic tales: “Cause and Effect.” In news we cover big changes at the Nashville and Philly cons, TNG theatrical screenings and Blu-ray bonus material details, the ultimate release of the Star Trek: The Motion Picture soundtrack, an illustrated history of the Federation, new Trek jewelry from Vulcan Tourism, Star Trek 2013 shooting in Iceland, and action figures flying through space.

The Ready Room 48: Don't Call Me Cupcake

Trek.fm — Tue, 15 May 2012 12:13:47 +0000

Vulcan’s Vengeance. One of the most unexpected turn of events in the J.J. Abrams reboot of Star Trek was the destruction of Vulcan, one of the founding worlds of the Federation. The two-hour movie didn’t offer enough time to explore the repercussions of this event, but IDW has been expanding the Abramsverse in comic form through the Star Trek Ongoing series. Launched in autumn 2011, Star Trek Ongoing has mainly put an Abramsverse twist on classic TOS stories. That changed with issues #7 and #8. Titled “Vulcan’s Vengeance,” this two-part story plants the seeds for what could be a significant change in Vulcan philosophy in this alternate timeline. In this episode of The Ready Room we’re joined by Sean Tourangeau as we discuss this comic and the ideas that it explores. In addition to the comic itself we talk about the future of the Romulan-Federation relationship, the changing face of Vulcan, and the possibilities of a jump from paper to television. In news we cover the DVD release of Trek Nation, a special Trek Nation event scheduled for San Diego Comic Con, the new Shuttle Service art poster and sticker set from Bye Bye Robot, teleportation breakthroughs in China, and a project to actually build the U.S.S. Enterprise. Plus we have lots of movies news and rumors, including all the Froyo can eat.

The Ready Room 47: Forty-Two Adjusted for Inflation

Trek.fm — Tue, 08 May 2012 08:20:00 +0000

The State of Star Trek. Over the course of 45 years Star Trek has had its ups and downs—from cancellation three years into the original five year mission to revival on the big screen, the birth of The Next Generation to the golden age of the 1990s, the fizzle of Enterprise to the J.J. Abrams reboot. Through it all Star Trek has remained a part of our lives in a way few things have. In this episode of The Ready Room we’re joined by Star Trek historian Larry Nemecek, and Trek veterans Doug Mirabello and José Muñoz of Zero Room to discuss the current state of the franchise, where things are headed on the big screen, and what we might expect from Star Trek in the decades to come on television and beyond. In news we cover the reunion of the full principal TNG cast at the Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo, Geek Nation Tours: Exploring Trek Sites: Hollywood to Vegas with Larry Nemecek, and lots of news and rumors about the next movie including MTV News allegedly stumping Benedict Cumberbatch with a Star Trek quiz, Khan as the villain, and possible appearances by the Klingons and Leonard Nimoy. And we always remember two members of the Star Trek family who we lost over the past week, Joel Goldsmith and George Murdock.

The Ready Room 46: All Roads Lead to Stonn

Trek.fm — Tue, 01 May 2012 14:51:00 +0000

Amok Time. Spock is normally cool and collected. But when the seven-year itch sets in all bets are off. The urge is strong in this one, and no amount of plomeek soup can stop the uncontrollable urge to return to Vulcan and mate. It all sounds a bit humorous, but in reality “Amok Time” is anything but funny. The second-season premiere of The Original Series serves up everything that’s great about TOS: the triumverate of Kirk, Spock, and McCoy, serious social discussion, and our first real exploration of Vulcan culture. In this episode of The Ready Room we’re joined by Sean Tourangeau and Michael Fisher to discuss this fan favorite and its role in the foundation of Star Trek. In news we cover the Walter Koenig Star Celebration, the final flight of the Space Shuttle Enterprise, autograph and photo pricing for Destination Star Trek London, the international premiere of Trek Nation, and some new rumors and speculation about the next J.J. Abrams movie. We even pay a visit to the local Home Depot.

The Ready Room 45: Protecting That Viewscreen Moment

Trek.fm — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 14:15:36 +0000

Minefield. As a prequel series Enterprise had to walk a fine line. Balancing the desire to create backstories with maintaining established canon was no easy task. So when the second season rolled around and the NX-01 encountered Romulans it was important that our crew did not actually see these unknown aliens. To do so would have ruined the big reveal in “Balance of Terror.” In this episode of The Ready Room we’re joined by Down In Front’s Brian Finifter to talk about the Enterprise episode “Minefield,” how the Romulans were handled, and what the episode is really about. In news we cover Destination Star Trek London and the planned meeting of the five captains, Five Year Mission’s birthday tribute to George Takei, Shatner dining with his millionth Twitter follower, Bryan Fuller’s view of Star Trek on TV post 2013, and some news that’s erupting about the next J.J. movie.

The Ready Room 44: Acting His Hearts Out

Trek.fm — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 02:43:16 +0000

Threshold. It’s been called the worst episode of Voyager, the worst episode of Star Trek, and elicited an a negative reaction from fans like few episodes ever have. Yes, it’s “Threshold,” a tale of fast times and lizard love. But is it really as bad everyone says? At the core there are interesting concepts of what it means the be human and of the nature of our existence. In this episode of The Ready Room we’re joined by Trek.fm Voyager editor and co-host of The Delta Quadrant Charlynn Schmiedt along with Trek News & Views host Colin Higgins to examine the good moments of “Threshold” as well as where it goes off the tracks. In news we cover new details about the upcoming release of TNG on Blu-ray—including a release date, pricing, a new Crystalline Entity, and missing footage—plus a Tribble invasion of IDW comics, a sequel to “The Inner Light,” Vulcan Tourism’s transporter app, Scott Bakula’s thought on the cancellation of Enterprise, and some news about the next J.J. movie.

The Ready Room 43: Interdimensional Booty Call

Trek.fm — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 13:48:18 +0000

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.

The Ready Room 42: Today Is a Good Day to Dye

Trek.fm — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 13:24:26 +0000

Sins of the Father. Despite an early insistence that Original Series races not be used on The Next Generation, the Klingons became an integral part of TNG, and later DS9. This was of course due in part to Michael Dorn’s portrayal of Worf, but there is more to it than just that. By maturing the character of Worf and the show itself, the writers truly brought the Klingon culture to life. In this episode of The Ready Room we’re joined by Larry Nemecek to discuss the episode where it all started: “Sins of the Father.” In news we cover IDW’s Redshirt contest (we have a winner!), the delay in Star Trek Ongoing #7, Patrick Stewart hosting the Peabody Awards, Leonard Nimoy on The Big Bang Theory, Geek Nation Tours, Vintage Movie Posters, and Movie News and Rumors. Plus, Greg gets locked in a broom closet.

The Ready Room 41: Roughed Up By the V'Ger Baby

Trek.fm — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 06:09:31 +0000

The Motion Picture. It’s called “The Motionless Picture” by many, and spends its days and nights hanging out in the cellar along with Star Trek V: The Final Frontier. But there’s so much more to The Motion Picture than five-minute beauty passes, excessively revealing pastel uniforms, and a pace that would make a tortoise proud. Robert Wise’s cinematic take on Star Trek centers around an intriguing philosophical point and marked the resurrection that led to The Next Generation and all of modern Trek. In this episode of The Ready Room we’re joined by Michael Fisher as we discuss the good, the bad, and the just plain ridiculous of Star Trek: The Motion Picture. In news we cover Microsoft’s universal translator, upcoming IDW comics, Anthony Montgomery’s graphic novel Miles Away, and Jordan Hoffman’s top ten transporter moments. Plus we reveal our first-ever rejected Star Trek: The Motion Picture plot.

The Ready Room 40: The Dehner Hypothesis

Trek.fm — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 09:44:42 +0000

Operation: Annihilate, IDW Comics, and Star Trek 2013. The 2009 J.J. Abrams film set Star Trek on a new course, but did so with familiar characters. As Spock said in the film, “Whatever our lives might have been….our destinies have changed.” Under the guidance of Roberto Orci, IDW is exploring these new destinies in the Star Trek Ongoing comic series. What’s more, these comics have direct tie-ins to the next movie, scheduled for release in 2013. Clues to the plot and subplot are being placed in these new takes on classic episodes. But what are those clues? In this episode of The Ready Room we’re joined by John Tenuto and Sean Tourangeau as we discuss the TOS episode “Operation:Annihilate!” and its re-imaged storyline in the comics, along with what clues we are finding that give hints to what we’ll see in the next film. In news we cover Muckle Mannequins’ life-sized Spock figure, a visual take on TNG Season 8 by Bad Machinery’s John Allison, the new animated parody “Stalled Trek: Amutt Time,” the Vanguard finale, and the musical collection “TNG: The Ron Jones Project.”

The Ready Room 39: A Fistful of T'Pols

Trek.fm — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 13:58:26 +0000

Carbon Creek. Everyone knows that first contact occurred in Montana on April 5, 2063. Or at least that’s what the history books tell us. But is it really true? Enterprise kicked off its sophomore season by ruffling the feathers of many canon purists with the story of an earlier first contact between humans and Vulcans. In this story, which T’Pol tells Archer and Trip over dinner, the first encounter between these two founding races of the Federation took place in 1947, in Pennsylvania. In this episode of The Ready Room we’re joined by Michael Fisher as we discuss the episode “Carbon Creek,” its place in canon, and how it is an excellent example of Star Trek’s exploration of social issues. In news we cover new fine art prints from Bye Bye Robot, new Star Trek goods for your kitchen, Intrada’s extended Star Trek VI soundtrack release, STO’s “The 2800,” John Tenuto’s March events celebrating Ricardo Montalban and Khan, and some mysterious happenings in London.

The Ready Room 38: Future Time Cops

Trek.fm — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 12:46:01 +0000

Future’s End. During the third season of Voyager we were treated to one of the more creative stories in the series, a classic time travel tale that took us back to the year 1996. The episode introduced the term Temporal Prime Directive (a concept that also popped up in DS9’s “Trials and Tribble-ations,” which interestingly aired just two days before “Future’s End.”) The story also marked a critical turning point for The Doctor, who became, you could say, “footloose and fancy-free” for the remainder of the series by obtaining his mobile emitter. In this episode of The Ready Room we’re joined by two of the hosts of The Delta Quadrant podcast, DJ Onesi and Charlynn Schmiedt (who is also our Voyager editor) as we discuss the ins and outs of Voyager’s trip back to 20th-century Los Angeles. In news we cover Norman Spinrad’s lost TOS script He Walked Among Us, Dayton Ward’s new TOS novel That Which Divides, TNG Mounted Memories, new Star Trek busts from Titan Merchandise, and lots of movie news and rumors—including our take on the photos recently leaked by MTV and who we now think Cumberbatch is playing. Plus Greg does an unexpected immitation from another franchise.

The Ready Room 37: Stroking Lobes for Profit

Trek.fm — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 05:41:41 +0000

Q-Less. When DS9 premiered in 1993 the writers wasted no time in bringing one of TNG’s favorite characters to the show. Q makes his first—and only—appearance in the sixth episode of the series, and the pairing with Sisko did not necessarily work as well as the pairing with Picard. Couched within this unusual Q story is an interesting commentary by one Star Trek series about its predecessor. In this episode of The Ready Room we’re joined by Brian Finifter and Tristan Riddell as we discuss the episode “Q-Less” as well as Q in general and the nature of the society portrayed in Star Trek. In news we cover the TNG EXPOsed panel scheduled for the Calgary Comic & Entertainment Expo, IDW’s Star Trek/Dr. Who Crossover Comic, IDW’s other May 2012 Star Trek titles, Hasbro’s KRE-O bricks and KREON figures, and movie news and rumors including Chris Pine’s battle with his former agency, Quinto’s comments about the next film’s story, Cumberbatch’s intensity, and Greenwood’s contentment. Plus we reveal another of our rejected Star Trek IV plots and Greg channels Simon Pegg.

The Ready Room 36: Group Clicking

Trek.fm — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 04:09:59 +0000

Schisms and Brannon Braga. When season six of The Next Generation rolled around we started to get some seriously creepy stories, thanks largely to the influence of Brannon Braga. One of the creepiest of the bunch was “Schisms,” in which solanogen-based fish monks began kidnapping Enterprise crew members in their sleep and using them for bizarre medical experiments. In this episode of The Ready Room we’re joined by Larry Nemecek as we discuss the episode “Schisms” as well as Brannon Braga’s influence on Star Trek from late TNG forward. In news we cover Hollywood Collectibles’ 1:4 Scale Kirk Statue, Greg Cox’s new TOS-era novel The Rings of Time, the lack of social networking in the Star Trek future, the Spring 2012 issue of Star Trek Magazine (and the future of the publication), and our first impressions of the TNG “The Next Level” Blu-ray. And we also recast the missing 13 seconds from “Sins of the Father” with younger actors.

The Ready Room 35: Spock's Periwinkle Tights

Trek.fm — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 22:00:00 +0000

Errand of Mercy.

The Klingons are perhaps the best-known of all Star Trek villains, and that status is due as much to The Original Series as to their role on The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine. It’s an interesting point since they made only seven appearance on TOS and were not even the main focus of all of these episodes. Still, John Colicos’s portrayal of Kor in the first ever appearance of the Klingons ensured that they would be a long-lived adversary of the Federation. In this episode of The Ready Room we’re joined by David Taylor as we discuss the episode “Errand of Mercy.”

In news we cover the upcoming Broadway run of Shatner’s World: We Just Live In It, a possible Star Trek TV series pitch from Bryan Fuller and Bryan Singer, the TNG Remastered Season One trailer and more new surrounding the TNG-R project, and some movie news and rumors. We also dip into our mailbag for some listener thoughts on our recent discussions of “Blood Fever” and “Regeneration.” Oh… and did I mention our mind scanner?

JW Player goes here

Running Time: 1 hour 53 minutes
We recommend downloading the enhanced podcast version from iTunes. It includes chapter markers for each news item and topics during the feature discussion, plus changing artwork and links to more info.

Hosts

Christopher Jones and Greg Harbin

Guest

David Taylor

Show Notes

TNG Remastered Season One Blu-ray Trailer
Watch the trailer…

Possible Bryan Fuller and Bryan Singer Star Trek TV Series Pitch
Find out more…

Shatner’s World: We Just Live In It
Find out more…

Movie Rumors and News
Chris Pine Says Star Trek Sequel Filming Has Been “Fantastic”
Orci Tweets Behind-the-Scenes Photos From Last Movie

Feature: Errand of Mercy

First Appearance of the Klingons
To Hell With the Prime Directive!
Green Goats and the Holy Grail
Did I Mention Our Mind Scanner?
The Organian Peace Treaty
Final Thoughts

Download the enhanced podcast version from iTunes for chapter markers to each topic in the feature discussion.

Where to find us…

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Greg on Twitter and Chris on Twitter

Call us at +1.646.652.TREK.

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The Ready Room 34: Borg School Dropouts

Trek.fm — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 02:38:32 +0000

Regeneration. As a prequel series Enterprise had to perform a delicate balancing act. While on the one hand it had to serve as a lead-in to everything we knew from TOS onward, it also had to be entertaining and not be so rigidly locked into the vast canon of Star Trek as to cripple the writers. The appearance of the Borg on the series in the second season set off a firestorm even before the episode aired. The move is easily dismissed as an attempt by writers devoid of new ideas to grab a popular element from the 24th century for their own benefit. In reality, however, this was a case of Enterprise fulfilling its purpose of tying up loose ends from other series. In this episode of The Ready Room we’re joined by Michael Fisher as we discuss the episode “Regeneration” and how it fits into the bigger Star Trek universe. In news we cover Levar Burton receiving the Tufts University Eliot-Pearson Award, Patrick Stewart’s appearance on BBC “Hard Talk,” Scott Bakula signing on to Star Trek Las Vegas 2012, Jordan Hoffman’s One Trek Mind Top Tear-jerking Moments, and a bag full of movie news and rumors. Plus, we go where no dog has gone before.

The Ready Room 33: Vorik Ex Machina

Trek.fm — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 09:18:49 +0000

Blood Fever. The Original Series episode “Amok Time” established the Vulcan mating ritual known as pon farr, the effects it has on male Vulcans, and the rituals surrounding it. When Voyager launched in 1995 it was the first series since TOS to feature a Vulcan as part of the main cast, and so it was inevitable that the writers would revisit this biological trial. When the time came, however, they threw in an unexpected twist. In this episode of The Ready Room we’re joined by our Voyager series editor Charlynn Schmiedt as we discuss the third-season episode “Blood Fever” and how Voyager handled the touchy subject of the pon farr. In news we cover Priceline killing off Shatner, the ThinkGeek Electronic Door Chime, real-life transparent aluminum, Star Trek Who Wants to be A Millionaire?, updates on the TNG Remastered project, and IDW’s Star Trek Ongoing #5 “Operation: Annihilate!” Plus we take another dip into our bag of rejected Star Trek IV plots and Greg auditions for the role of “Sound Effects Guy” on Star Trek: The Original Series.

The Ready Room 32: The Albino On the Mantel

Trek.fm — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 02:39:18 +0000

Blood Oath. Jadzia Dax may be a young Starfleet Lieutenant, but she is also one of the wisest members of the Deep Space 9 crew. Thanks to the seven lifetimes of experience carried by the Dax symbiont, Jadzia is both young and old at the same time. She is Starfleet and yet not Starfleet. The writers of DS9 played this up in the second-season episode “Blood Oath,” which also marked the return of three famous characters from The Original Series—Kor, Koloth, and Kang (and the actors who originally portrayed them). This is a story that played a key role in the early development of the Jadzia character by giving us a look at how Dax had deep roots within the larger Star Trek universe and how Jadzia was tied to that past despite being only 29 years old. In this episode of The Ready Room we’re joined Brian Finifter as we discuss “Blood Oath,” how DS9 looks at the world differently from other Star Trek series, and how this story affects how we see Jadzia. In news we cover the arrival of Star Trek Online Free-to-Play, ThinkGeek’s plush Enterprise, Shatner’s response to George Takei, Scanadu’s Real-life medical tricorder, plus lots of movie news and rumors including the start of shooting, upgrades to engineering, J.J. Abrams’s thoughts on 3-D, Thor Actor Joseph Gatt joining the cast, and whether Benedict Cumberbatch might be playing Sybok? Plus Greg serves up the official show drink—a G&T. (It’s not what you think.)

The Ready Room 31: Brought to You by Brylcreem

Trek.fm — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 08:44:23 +0000

The Bonding. Few writers played a larger role in shaping modern Star Trek than Ronald D. Moore, but his first foray into Roddenberry’s universe came in the form of a spec script that was turned into the early third-season episode “The Bonding.” It’s a story that is often forgotten, but one that offers the first glimpses of the cerebral, introspective, and philosophical stories that came to define The Next Generation. In this episode of The Ready Room we discuss “The Bonding” and a number of issues that are addressed in the episode including the practice of carrying families on starships, coping with the inevitability of death when exploring the unknown, and why children in Star Trek look like little adults. We also explain the apparently extremely simplistic Klingon ritual known as The Bonding. In news we cover the third trailer for the TNG Remastered project, George Takei’s casting on Celebrity Apprentice, the new Bandai “Next Phase” expansion set for the Star Trek Deck Building Game, the casting of Benedict Cumberbatch as the villain in the next movie, and we preview the final two tracks from Five Year Mission’s Year Two. Plus we reveal yet another of our 1,000 rejected plots for Star Trek IV.

The Ready Room 30: Holographic Vaporization

Trek.fm — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 02:19:41 +0000

Worst Case Scenario. When Rick Berman, Michael Pillar, and Jeri Taylor set out to create the fourth live-action Star Trek spinoff they were faced with an enormous challenge. The franchise had become so weighted down by more than two decades of stories that it was difficult to find a new way to approach things, and Gene Roddenberry’s no-conflict rule was proving more and more difficult for the writers. Throwing the ship to the other side of the galaxy was one way of starting over with new worlds to explore and new aliens to encounter. But in addition to this an effort was made to break the shackles of the no-conflict rule by forcing Starfleet officers to co-exist with outsiders—the rebel Maquis. It was a good idea in theory, though the success of the approach is certainly questionable. In this episode of The Ready Room we discuss the third-season Voyager episode “Worst Case Scenario” and how the Starfleet-Maquis relationship played out in reality. In news we cover Nichelle Nichols’s 79th birthday, Avery Brooks and Sir Patrick Stewart confirmations for Creation’s 2012 conventions, IDW’s Star Trek Ongoing #4, clues hidden about the next movie that have been hidden in the comics, and we preview two more tracks off of Five Year Mission’s Year Two. Plus Greg sings in Klingon and an unexpected musical guest pops in.

The Ready Room 29: Rudolph In the Original Klingon

Trek.fm — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 07:08:18 +0000

Remembering 2011. The past 12 months have been busy for Star Trek despite the lack of original content on TV. Leonard Nimoy bid farewell to convention appearances, Star Trek Las Vegas saw an enourmous gathering and brought us a new World Record for fans in costume, IDW launched a new series of comics based on the Abramsverse, the gaming world was abuzz with activity, and let’s not forget about the Star Trek Light-up Feeding System. In this episode of The Ready Room we look back at 2011, remember those members of the Star Trek family who we lost this year, and look ahead to 2012. In news we cover Star Trek and the holidays plus some movie news including the conversion from 2-D to 3-D, more casting including Bruce Greenwood as Pike, whether or not any Original Series cast members will appear, and our latest villain theory… it’s someone you’ll never expect. Along the way we take many detours and are paid a visit by a very unexpected guest.

The Ready Room 28: The Search for Boots

Trek.fm — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 12:17:00 +0000

The Undiscovered Country. In 1991 we bid farewell to the voyages of the Enterprise and its original crew. In a film of heavy Cold War allegory, released just 26 days before the Soviet Union ceased to exist, we were given a final chance to spend time with the characters we had known as Star Trek for 25 years. In this episode of The Ready Room we’re joined by Larry Nemecek to discusses Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, how it worked as sendoff for TOS, and how it started us down the road to the world of TNG. In news we cover Paramount’s plan to feature Star Trek in their 2012 Tournament of Roses float, George Takei’s foray into the Star Trek vs Star Wars feud, the release of the complete Voyage Home score, movie rumors, IDW’s first original Abramsverse content, and we’ll preview two more tracks off of Five Year Mission’s new album Year Two. Plus a character from a galaxy far, far away makes a surprise appearance on the bridge of the Enterprise.

The Ready Room 27: This Thing Can Blow. Stuff. Up.

Trek.fm — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 07:59:54 +0000

The Search. Deep Space Nine shaved the head in the Season Four premiere “The Way of the Warrior,” but the shears of change started trimming a season earlier. “The Search” is a title with many meanings. It’s Odo’s search for his people as well as the show’s search for its own identity. It’s the birth of the Dominion, the introduction of the Defiant, Ronald D. Moore’s debut on the writing team, the first Romulan involvement in the series, and so much more. In this episode of The Ready Room we discusses the Season Three premiere and how it marks the beginning of DS9’s greatness. In news we cover the 20th anniversary of Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country and recount our memories of the premiere, the Dodd’s Furniture Star Trek Mattress Commercial, movie news and rumors including Benicio Del Toro, Edgar Ramirez, Jordi Mollà, and KHAAAN!!!, the results of our Alice Eve poll, and we’ll preview two more tracks from Five Year Mission’s Year Two. Plus Greg teaches us what kind of sound the Prime Spock Probe makes.

The Ready Room 26: Interns with Spears

Trek.fm — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 02:41:32 +0000

The Galileo Seven. Logic is good for a lot of things, but command may not be one of them. In the first season TOS episode “The Galileo Seven” we see Spock take command for the first time. The results almost get the crew killed, but this episode is an important turning point in the development of Spock’s character. It’s an episode that combines the best elements of The Original Series with the worst, and tosses it all at the viewer like giant spears. In this episode of The Ready Room we discusses “The Galileo Seven,” its importance in the growth of Spock, and how delightfully cheesy the execution of the script turned out to be. We also compare the new IDW Ongoing comic reimagining of the episode with its original TV version. In news we cover the Trek Nation Director’s Log, TrekCore’s SD/HD Analysis of TNG Remastered, the new issue of Star Trek Magazine, Star Trek Online Season 5, movie rumors about Benicio Del Toro and Alice Eve, and we’ll preview two more tracks from Five Year Mission’s Year Two. Plus Greg does his imitation of Patrick Stewart as Captain Picard as Captain Kirk.

The Ready Room 25: Yorushi Gasig Bashiru Mashimash!!!

Trek.fm — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 02:32:00 +0000

Five Year Mission: Year Two. A collaboration of five Star Trek fans who endeavor to write and record a song for each of the episodes of The Original Series, Five Year Mission is a favorite of ours here at Trek.fm. Their first album, Year One, quickly rose to the top of our playlists over the past year, and the wait for Year Two has been a long one. On recent shows we’ve been previewing tracks from the new album and now we are pleased to bring you the band itself! In this episode of The Ready Room we’re joined by Noah, Andy, Patrick, Mike, and Chris to discuss the making of Year Two and to give us live acoustic performances of four new tracks! In news we cover the results of our Neelix Thanksgiving poll, new movie developments that are multiplying faster than Tribbles, a contest to win a walk-on roll on the next Star Trek movie, some details from Mike Okuda about the TNG Remastered project, and the Anovos Command Division TOS Dress replica. Plus Chris makes whale noises and Greg channels Riker from “The Icarus Factor.”

The Ready Room 24: 7.1 Surround Sound Flute Action!

Trek.fm — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 03:53:53 +0000

Past Tense. Star Trek has often been prophetic, but few episodes have been more prophetic of today’s world than the DS9 two-parter “Past Tense.” Many parallels between the Occupy movement and the Sanctuary Districts of 2024 can be drawn, though it’s not necessarily a clear-cut comparison. Still this episode can come across as being “ripped from the headlines” today, despite that fact that it first aired in 1995 years ago. In this episode of The Ready Room we discuss “Past Tense” and how it shows where we may be headed as the rift between the rich and poor in our society grows. In news we cover new movie developments, more confirmed guests for Star Trek Las Vegas 2012, the second TNG HD trailer that shows some side-by-side comparison, Star Trek’s ten least-threatening villains, upcoming IDW Star Trek Ongoing comics, and we preview two more tracks from Five Year Mission’s “Year Two.”

The Ready Room 23: Let's Blame It On the Cabbage

Trek.fm — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 01:34:06 +0000

These Are the Voyages… Enterprise was a series that was often misunderstood and was cancelled before its time. Under the guidance of Manny Coto, the fourth season saw the series finding solid footing as a TOS prequel. Bit by bit we were building toward the founding of the Federation and setting up Kirk’s era. Sadly they ran out of time and hastily ended the series with a very misguided finale titled “These Are the Voyages…” also known as the 177th episode of TNG. In this episode of The Ready Room we discuss the Enterprise finale, which has been explained as an intended “valentine” to Star Trek. In news we look at the upcoming HeroClix Star Trek edition, Star Trek Online Free-to-Play details and changes to the game’s economy, the possible cancellation of Star Trek Infinite Space, Carrie Fisher’s response to William Shatner on Star Trek vs. Star Wars, Google+, and we preview two tracks from Five Year Mission’s upcoming album Year Two.

The Ready Room 22: Jeri Ryan's Magic Bag of Catsuits

Trek.fm — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 00:44:54 +0000

Scorpion. As with TNG and DS9, Voyager reached a turning point at the end of its third season. The episode “Scorpion” brought several changes and new elements to the show that shaped the future direction of the journey through the Delta Quadrant. The Borg, Seven of Nine, and even internal conflict that had been missing from the show, all come together to help Voyager grow up a bit. In this episode of The Ready Room we discuss “Scorpion” as well as the nature of Voyager before and after this turning point. In news we look at the possibility of Benicio Del Toro being cast as Star Trek’s next villain, tractor beams, The Captains on Netflix streaming, Star Trek potato heads, IDW’s Redshirt contest, Star Trek Ongoing #2, and we preview two tracks from Five Year Mission’s upcoming album Year Two.

The Ready Room 21: Docile Surrender Monkey

Trek.fm — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 09:04:55 +0000

After completing a successful first season The Next Generation continued to find its identity in season two despite a number of potential setbacks. The departure of Gates McFadden as Dr. Crusher, a writers strike in Hollywood, and continuing struggles to emerge from the shadow of TOS put this new Star Trek series to the test. In this episode of The Ready Room we discuss the good and the bad of TNG’s second season, and how it set up the greatness to come. In news we look at the Comikaze Expo, new names added to the roster for Star Trek Las Vegas 2012, Star Trek: The Exhibition at the St. Louis Science Center, Star Trek’s spookiest moments, and the state of Star Trek fiction and the Enterprise novels about the Romulan War.

The Ready Room 20: Shaving the Head

Trek.fm — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 09:26:55 +0000

DS9 promised a new kind of Star Trek from the very start, yet the early seasons had more in common with the TNG method of storytelling than the rich and intricate Deep Space Nine we came to love. Just as TNG grew the beard with “The Best of Both Worlds,” so did DS9 with “The Way of the Warrior.” Shaving the head set DS9 on a course for greatness and its place as the most unique series in the Star Trek franchise. In this episode of The Ready Room we discuss “The Way of the Warrior” and how it changed Deep Space Nine. In news we look at the official music video for William Shatner’s cover of “Bohemian Rhapsody,” Five Year Missions “Errand of Mercy,” a comparison of Star Trek technology to real-world progress, Microsoft’s progress in holodeck technology, John de Lancie reading “The Raven,” and the Roddenberry Foundation’s $5 million dollar gift to the Gladstone Institutes for stem cell research.