The Ready Room: A Star Trek Podcast (voyager)
72: Janeway Goes Goth

Bride of Chaotica!

Star Trek is littered with episodes that revolve around the holodeck. But few holodeck programs have been as much pure fun as Tom Paris’s Captain Proton. Having been introduced in Voyager’s fifth-season premiere, “Night,” The Adventures of Captain Proton gave birth to a black-and-white romp through the world of 1930s’ sci-fi B-movies. In this episode of The Ready Room we’re joined by Charlynn Schmiedt and Matthew Rushing to discuss the centerpiece of Voyager’s Captain Proton series, “Bride of Chaotica.” We also reveal a few things you may not have known about the holodeck.

In news we cover the TNG Blu-ray price drop, the winter 2012 issue of Star Trek Magazine, ThinkGeek’s Trek Socks, the latest entries Hive and Ongoing comics from IDW, and we play with the new “Shatoetry” app. We also explore which series had the best overall music. You might even find a Star Wars reference of two.

Direct download: trr-072.mp3
Category:Voyager -- posted at: 8:00pm MDT

67: Handholding Is a Euphemism

Resolutions.

The relationship between Janeway and Chakotay was filled with emotional and sexual tension—or at least promise—from the start. And Voyager fans waited patiently through the first two seasons to find out if the writers would actually go anywhere with it. In the next-to-last episode of the second season, the one person who should have been able to resolve the issue penned a story with the promising title “Resolutions.” But the real question is whether or not the show was capable of delving into the issue on a meaningful level. In this episode of The Ready Room we’re joined by Charlynn Schmiedt and Lorrie Sears to discuss “Resolutions” and find out if Jeri Taylor hit the mark as Kathy and Coco shack up on the love planet.

In news we focus on the 25th anniversary of Star Trek: The Next Generation with a whole gaggle of stories about the TNG cast and their missions. And we hope you like primates, because this week we’re all about the monkey. So hop in and let’s go. Allons-y!!! 

Direct download: trr-067.mp3
Category:Voyager -- posted at: 9:00pm MDT

62: Rationalizing the Hell Out of This

Blink of an Eye.

For someone whose sworn mission was to get her crew home, Kathryn Janeway sure made a lot of unnecessary pitstops. One in particular landed the crew in the ultimate Prime Directive quandary—the kind they don’t even teach you about at the Academy. What do you do when your ship inadvertently becomes the corner of a civilization’s entire belief system and the impetus for their social and technological advancement? Well, of course, you write a book report about it! But after that, how do you set things back on the right track? In this episode of The Ready Room we’re joined by our Voyager editor Charlynn Schmiedt to discuss the episode “Blink of an Eye.”

In news we cover a chance to win a trip to Star Trek London, a special offer on Koenig Star Celebration tickets, the Wrath of Khan screening with Nicholas Meyer in North Carolina, TrekMate’s 24-hour Podathon for charity, 10 things you may not have known about DS9, and we remember Neil Armstrong and William Windom. Plus Chris and Greg return to their Southern roots. 

Direct download: trr-062.mp3
Category:Voyager -- posted at: 9:00pm MDT

57: Idiot Savant Field

Non Sequitur.

If one thing was clear by Voyager’s second season it was that Harry Kim needed to get more action. Of course, we mean he needed more to do on the show than just stand at Ops and press buttons, turn down girls, or die in alien burial rituals. What he needed was to get away from it all and stand on his own. The writers gave Harry just that chance when he was fell into an alternate reality, waking to find himself in San Francisco. In this episode of The Ready Room we’re joined Trek.fm Voyager Editor Charlynn Schmiedt and DorkTrek’s Ben McCormick to discuss the “Non Sequitur” that is Harry Kim as a Starfleet warp theorist, Harry Kim as a man on the verge of promotion, Harry Kim in bed with a girl.    

In news we cover Trek Nation’s digital download release, William Shatner’s “Get a Life!”, Virgin Media and CBS bringing Star Trek: The Original Series and The Animated Series to TiVo in the UK, TNG Remastered and the CGI Enterprise, plus the latest batch of movie news and rumors—including what happens to Karl Urban after a 22-hour flight. Plus, we explain the real reason why tech gadgets are so bulky in the Star Trek universe.

Direct download: trr-057.mp3
Category:Voyager -- posted at: 9:00pm MDT

52: Klingon Love Machine God

Prophecy.

It took Voyager seven seasons to make her way across the Delta Quadrant, and during that time we were teased with Klingons on occasion. There were holographic Klingons, Klingon Borg, a vivid dream about Klingons, and even a photograph of a Klingon. But for the real thing we had to wait until near the end of the seven-year journey. Finally, Janeway and her crew crossed paths with real warriors—three generations removed—and a little old-school pre-Khitomer action was served up. Oh… and Neelix got lucky, too.

In this episode of The Ready Room we’re joined by Larry Nemecek, who penned the original story, to talk about “Prophecy” and the long and winding road that finally led to the story of B’Elanna and Tom’s magical baby. 

In news we cover Levar Burton and J.J. Abrams at Apple’s WWDC 2012, Television Critics Association Awards nominations for William Shatner and Star Trek: The Original Series, a Gorn appearance in the upcoming Star Trek console game, Mary Czerwinski and Brandi Clark’s Glue Guns and Phasers, and lots of news and rumors about the next Star Trek film. Plus we grow enormous mustaches, redesign Starfleet uniforms (for the better), and Greg gets really serious.

Direct download: trr-052.mp3
Category:Voyager -- posted at: 9:00pm MDT

44: Acting His Hearts Out

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.

Direct download: trr-044.mp3
Category:Voyager -- posted at: 9:00pm MDT

38: Future Time Cops

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, JD 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 imitation from another franchise. 

Direct download: trr-038.mp3
Category:Voyager -- posted at: 8:00pm MDT

33: Vorik Ex Machina

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. 

Direct download: trr-033.mp3
Category:Voyager -- posted at: 8:00pm MDT

30: Holographic Vaporization

Worst Case Scenario.

When Rick Berman, Michael Piller, and Jeri Taylor set out to create the third 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 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. 

Direct download: trr-030.mp3
Category:Voyager -- posted at: 8:00pm MDT

22: Jeri Ryan's Magic Bag of Catsuits

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. 

Direct download: trr-022.mp3
Category:Voyager -- posted at: 8:00pm MDT