A Matter of Time.

We’ve all asked ourselves, at least once, if the crew of the Enterprise-D has a grasp of the fundamentals. And, of course, the best way to find out would be to travel to the year 2368 and observe them first hand. That’s what Professor Berlinghoff Rasmussen did in the fifth-season episode “A Matter of Time,” where the "inventor" from 22nd-century New Jersey with a 26th-century time ship posed as a historian observing Picard's mission to Penthara IV.

In this episode of The Ready Room we're joined by Sebastian Prooth, Andi VanderKolk, and Daniel Handlin to discuss Matt Frewer's guest appearance on TNG as well as what the episode might have been like had the role been played by the actor it was originally written for, Robin Williams. We also explore the dilemma faced by Picard with the possibility of advance knowledge at hand, the concept of using time travel for historical research, and finally figure out who Future Guy from Enterprise really is.

In our news segment we talk about the premiere of The Red Shirt Diaries, explain how you can help get the USS Titan into the Official Starships Collection, and debate which captain was best under pressure.

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

News

The Red Shirt Diaries premieres (3:06)

And the captain who was best under pressure is… (8:43)

Support Trek.fm on Patreon (15:25)

Help get the USS Titan into the Official Starships Collection (17:33)

Sponsor: Audible (24:15)

Feature: A Matter of Time

Synopsis and Initial Thoughts (29:03)

Seeking Help from the Future (35:31)

Mork or Max Headroom? Choosing the Best Rasmussen (39:23)

Crew Reactions to Rasmussen (52:32)

Using Time Travel as a Tool for Historians (1:04:52)

Picard's Dilemma (1:16:20)

Final Thoughts (1:23:11)

Closing (1:29:46)

Launching TNG with Mission Log.

Few creators get a second change to explore their original vision. Gene Roddenberry got such a chance with The Next Generation twenty-one years after the original Star Trek first aired. TNG’s pilot "Encounter at Farpoint" is a restatement of Gene's utopian ideas, which are challenged by Q. But, of course, these ideas evolved a bit over the course of two decades.

In this episode of The Ready Room we're joined by John Champion and Ken Ray of Mission Log: A Roddenberry Star Trek Podcast, who are preparing to launch into TNG on their show. We talk about the transition from TOS to TNG as a platform for Gene's message, impressions of the new ship and crew, twenty-fourth-century technology, meeting Q for the first time, "Encounter at Farpoint," and more. 

In our news segment we look at Star Trek events at San Diego Comic-Con, discuss the real status of Roberto Orci as director of the next film, and reveal our picks for the best engineering set.

News

San Diego Comic-Con Star Trek events (3:22)

Prelude to Axanar premieres at San Diego Comic-Con (11:34)

And the best Star Trek engineering set is… (13:50)

Is Orci directing Star Trek 3 or not? (23:59)

Sponsor: Audible (30:05)

Feature: Launching TNG and Encounter at Farpoint with Mission Log

Impressions of TNG (33:19)

The Tone of The Next Generation (41:55)

The 1701-D and Visions of the Future (51:51)

The TNG Characters (57:40)

Meeting Q for the Very First Time (1:07:04)

24th-century Technology (1:19:24)

Final Thoughts (1:28:13)

Mission Log Podcast's Plans for TNG (1:31:35)

Closing (1:37:46)

TNG Films Face-off.

When the the Original Series cast set foot on the big screen, it was a dream come true for a generation of fans who had supported the short-lived show through the dark 1970s. For fans of The Next Generation, however, the experience was quite different. As soon as the final episode wrapped, the cast jumped right into shooting their first movie. The result was a film that felt more like the next TV episode than a major motion picture. Or did it?

In this episode of The Ready Room we're joined by Phillip Gilfus and Daniel Proulx of Earl Grey to pit the four Next Generation films against one another. We cover the good and the bad of each and discuss whether more time between the television series and the movies would have changed fan perception of these four stories.

In our news segment we discuss the controversy surrounding the sixth-season TNG episode "Timescape" and an uncorrected VFX mistake, Dayton Ward's selection of ten Star Trek episodes that could work as stage plays, and the launch of Star Trek: Axanar's official podcast, which will chronicle the production of the independent film through discussions with the cast and crew.

News

Mike and Denise Okuda speak out on the "Timescape" VFX controversy (3:02)

Star Trek: Axanar teams of with Trek.fm for its official podcast (9:23)

Dayton Ward's Star Trek episodes that could work as stage plays (14:06)

Sponsor: Audible (22:38)

Feature: TNG Films Face-off

Overview (26:01)

Generations (28:43)

First Contact (50:51)

Insurrection (1:06:04)

Nemesis (1:25:42)

Final Thoughts (1:46:42)

Closing (1:58:26)

I, Borg.

When you think about how long-lived Star Trek is, it’s incredible to think that the storytelling moment that has been nearly impossible to top came 24 years ago. “The Best of Both Worlds” was so big, so bold, so impactful that the writers shied away from returning to the story's villain, the Borg, because, well, where do you go from there? Two seasons later they finally hit on an approach that could bring back the Borg in a unique way that did not require trying to top the famous cliffhanger.

In this episode of The Ready Room we're joined by Charlynn Schmiedt, Daniel Proulx, and Tyler Johnson to discuss the story that was born during a writers' retreat in 1991. The concept became “I, Borg,” and for such a quiet story it had lasting repercussions on the future of Star Trek. We discuss the dilemma faced by the Enterprise crew, whether or not the story defangs the Borg, Beverly's seeming naivity, Geordi's way with machines, whether or not it and "The Best of Both Worlds" violate canon, and how First Contact Picard can be seen in this episode.

In our new segment we find out what kind of parade Shatner will be leading in Canada, how he and Kate Mulgrew love to jab each other at conventions, and what happens on a starship bridge when you stabilize it.

Starship Mine.

Life and death situations and small talk go together like Picard and Earl Grey, Troi and chocolate, or Geordi and PowerPoint presentations. Right? Well, they do in “Starship Mine,” a sixth season TNG episode that features a never-before-heard-of particle, a horse saddle, and possibly the most annoying commander in Starfleet. But "Starship Mine" is much more than a bad party with The Hutch. It's also Die Hard in Space.

In this episode of The Ready Room we're joined by Darren Moser, Mike Schindler, and Max Hegel to discuss Morgan Gendel's second TNG outing, how it uses the Die Hard framework without imitating it, the difference between trilithium and trilithium resin (hint: there may not be any), and why it may be a better episode than Gendel's more famous episode "The Inner Light."

In our news segment, we read a letter from one Captain James T. Kirk to a Captain James Kirk in the US Navy, find out what award the Boston chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences has for Leonard Nimoy, Oculus Rift's virtual trip to the USS Voyager bridge, and colliding timelines that combine Q and Guinan with the Abramsverse.

Emergence.

One of the stated missions of the Enterprise is to seek out new forms of life, and over the course of seven years Picard and his crew encountered a number of unusual ones. From the exocomps to the Crystalline Entity to Gomtuu, TNG showed us that life comes in many flavors. But perhaps the most unexpected discovery came near the very end of the series when the Enterprise itself began to come alive.

In this episode of The Ready Room we're joined by the Earl Grey crew of Darren Moser, Phillip Gilfus, and Daniel Proulx to discuss the antepenultimate episode of The Next Generation, "Emergence," Troi's gig as a ship counselor (literally!), what Brannon Braga described as an attempt to create the ultimate holodeck story, the tag-team PowerPoint prowess of Data and Geordi, and Beverly's secret fascination with the Orient Express.

In our news segment we discuss the trailers for TNG Season Six and "Chain of Command" on Blu-ray, the collaboration between IDW and Harlan Ellison to bring the original script for "The City On the Edge of Forever" to comics, and we remember TNG's Lt. Commander Daren, Australian actress Wendy Hughes.

Relics.

Generations officially passed the baton from TOS to TNG on the big screen, but the relay began long before The Nexus swept away Kirk and Picard. Doctor McCoy appeared in "Encounter at Farpoint," Spock played a central role in "Unification," and Scotty was found hiding in a transporter buffer in "Relics." In this episode of The Ready Room we're joined by Larry Nemecek as well as Phillip Gilfus and Daniel Proulx from our TNG show Earl Grey to discuss the Enterprise-D's encounter with TOS's miracle worker, how Scotty serves as the true bridge between generations, and try to uncover where exactly Troi was the whole time a man from the past needed counselling.

In news we check in on the release date for the Enterprise Season Three Blu-rays, find out more about the behind-the-scenes creations of reunions and extras, discuss the TNG Season Five Blu-rays and the "Unification" feature release, and explore the chances of Star Trek returning to television soon—including the intertwined rights ownership between CBS and Paramount and the obstacles that Star Trek faces in making it back to the small screen. Plus, Larry gives us the lowdown on The Trekland Trunk. 

A Matter of Honor.

One way that TNG showed us the passage of time was to bring together the Federation and Klingons as allies—at least uneasy ones. It was a great opportunity to delve into cross-cultural issues, and that's what they did when Riker became an exchange student aboard the Klingon vessel Pagh. In this episode of The Ready Room we're joined by Phillip Gilfus, Daniel Proulx, and Darren Moser to find out why Picard envies Riker, how to roll up Klingon stereotypes and diversity into one episode, and why being lactose intolerant may not be a good condition to have when serving in the KDF.

In our news segment we remember author A.C. Crispin, find out how Dayton Ward plans to use Paramount's Into Darkness Blu-ray scheme for his next novel, examine the "Unification" feature-length trailer, try to figure out what Star Trek: Terran is, and field more Questions from the Fleet—this time what we would create as the next TV series. And, of course, mark the 47th birthday of our beloved franchise.

The Nth Degree.

Following the success of “Hollow Pursuits” in TNG’s third season, the writers began looking for a way to bring Dwight Schultz back to reprise the role of Barclay. But they wanted it to be a meaningful return, and so the search began for just the right story that would do justice to the character. The end results was a tale that would see a socially challenged man transformed into a braniac. In this episode of The Ready Room we’re joined by Daniel Proulx and Phillip Gilfus to discuss the return of Barclay in “The Nth Degree” as well as his portrayal later on in the series and on Voyager.

In our news segment we look at Voyager toys and collectibles from over the years, Hallmark’s 2014 ornament lineup, critique the final cover art for the Blu-ray and DVD releases of Star Trek Into Darkness, and remember the first Klingon seen in Star Trek—Victor Lundin—who passed away at the age of 83. We also explain why putting a Horta on your Christmas tree may not be the best idea.

Yesterday’s Enterprise.

When it comes to creative work, you often don’t realize that you’re doing something special until much later on when you have time to breathe and look back. And that was the case with “Yesterday’s Enterprise,” which had one of the most convoluted writing histories of any episode. In this episode of The Ready Room we’re joined by Charlynn Schmiedt, Michael Fisher, and Daniel Proulx to discuss the Enterprise-C’s journey to the future, Guinan’s feels, Tasha 2.0, and the rest of the magic that came together to create one of the all-time fan favorites. We also reveal, for the first time ever, what actually goes on in Cetacean Ops.

In news we look at a brand new collection of scale replicas of Star Trek ships from Eaglemoss, take a walk down memory lane with Star Trek: The Original Topps Trading Cards Book, uncork some Star Trek wine from Vinport, and burn our retinae by looking at deleted scenes from “Evolution.” Plus, we put out a call for the next great card battle game.