Saddle Up! 9: A Cloud Called Debra
“The Elysian Kingdom.” We debate going to this Trek trope so early in the run of a series limited to 10 episodes per season, delve into the resolution of the plotline involving Doctor M’enga’s daughter Rukiya, and discuss the choice to make Benny Russell a real person in the Star Trek universe.
Saddle Up! 8: Vulcan Affairs
“The Serene Squall.” We explore Spock’s struggle with identity, the rich world building of Vulcan affairs that will transform how viewers read “Amok Time” and Star Trek V: The Final Frontier, and the trajectory of the Spock–Chapel relationship. We may also do pirate imitations.
Saddle Up! 7: Hotel Majalan
“Lift Us Where Suffering Cannot Reach.” We explore the important messages in the story about our own complacency in society, the exploitation of children, and the importance of strong father figures, along with the structural flaws in the story.
Saddle Up! 6: Spock and T’Pring’s Freaky Friday
“Spock Amok.” We discuss the importance of humor in Star Trek, finding balance between comedy and social commentary, Nurse Chapel's crush on Spock, and, of course the body swap that delivers both laughs and insight.
Saddle Up! 5: Gorn to Die
“Memento Mori.” We get to know more about La’an and how her past experiences with the Gorn shaped who she is today, contrast that Pike’s future trauma, and debate whether it is too soon for the Gorn to be making a prominent appearance.
Saddle Up! 4: The Light Fantastic
“Ghosts of Illyria.” We get to know more about Number One and delve deep into the issue of genetic engineering. We also talk about the value of simplicity in plot, allowing Star Trek to do what it has always done when at its best: shed light on important issues and develop characters.
Saddle Up! 3: Musical Escape Room
“Children of the Comet.” We get to know more about Uhura, have a beer with Captain Pike, join voice training with Spock, and get punked by Ortegas. We also explore the big existential questions raised in this story about fate, faith, and free will.
The Orb 138: Boxes of Memorabilia
Top 10 DS9 episodes. We tackle this question to which answers are very subjective. Chris and Matthew independently created their top 10 lists and did not share before the discussion. How many choices will overlap? Will their top pick be the same?
Saddle Up! 2: A Little Less Mountain Man
“Strange New Worlds.” We discuss the pilot episode of the new series, how Pike’s experience on the Klingon moon Boreth may impact how he is portrayed, the tenuous nature of the warp bomb story, the social commentary, and the new cast of characters.
The Artificial Tango 10: A Thread’s Pull Away
“Farewell.” We talk about how the characters find closure to the ghosts that have haunted them, reflect on the relationship between Q and Jean-Luc, connect some final thematic dots, and explore the winding nature of the timeline.
The Artificial Tango 9: Follow the Memory
“Hide and Seek.” We talk about the revelation of what really happened to Yvette Picard, what the merging of Jurati and the Queen means for the future of the Borg, how the story of Rios and Teresa may play out, the roles Soong and Q may play in the finale, and much more.
The Artificial Tango 8: The Warm Glow of Meaning
“Mercy.” We talk about how the pieces of the story are finally converging, the spiritual implication of Q’s assertion that all humans are stuck in the past, what assimilating mercy might mean for a new incarnation of the Borg, and more.