Star Trek TNG S03E01-03 Evolution, The Ensigns of Command, The Survivors – “TNG Season 3 Kickoff” | First Time Reaction – To Baldly Go Podcast (Ep. 049)

First-Time Watch – Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 03, Episodes 01-03

Welcome to another episode of the To Baldly Go Podcast, where I’m watching through Star Trek from the beginning, in release order, for the first time, and talking through it with some of my long-time Trekkie friends.

This week, we begin Season 3 of Star Trek: The Next Generation, and right away it feels like the show has stepped up another level. The production quality feels sharper, the stories feel more confident, and even when an episode wraps things up a little too neatly, the overall direction feels stronger.

This week, we get:

  • Twister in space

  • The less-funny Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy

  • The Man Trap, Part 2

We covered:

  • Evolution

  • The Ensigns of Command

  • The Survivors

“Evolution” – What is life, anyway?

Season 3 opens with Evolution, and I came away thinking this may be the most solid premiere episode of The Next Generation so far.

The Enterprise is hosting a high-stakes scientific experiment when Wesley’s nanite project gets loose and begins interfering with ship systems. What starts as a technological mishap becomes something more complicated when the crew realizes the nanites may have developed intelligence.

That gives the episode a familiar but effective Star Trek question: what counts as life?

We also talk about Wesley’s role in the crisis. He definitely messes up, but to his credit, he owns it. Nate is usually our resident Wesley apologist, so it was fun watching him have to wrestle with Wesley’s responsibility here. The episode gives Wesley a real mistake with real consequences instead of simply making him the kid genius who saves the day.

This episode also led us into a lot of side conversations, including:

  • Beverly’s return

  • The ramifications of her absence during Season 2

  • Bob Kelso

  • Baseball

  • Vinyl music versus streaming

  • Twister in space

“The Ensigns of Command” – Diplomacy, stubborn colonists, and excessive honesty

In The Ensigns of Command, Data is sent to evacuate a human colony before the Sheliak arrive to remove them by force. The problem is that the colonists do not want to leave.

This becomes a surprisingly interesting land-rights dispute, with Data trying to persuade people who are not especially interested in being persuaded. It raises the question of how far you can go to save people who refuse to be saved — or, as we put it during the discussion, whether you should try to save a drowning person who does not want to be saved.

The episode also gives us a fun contrast between Data’s excessive honesty and Picard’s diplomacy. Data approaches the problem logically and directly, but that is not always enough. Picard, meanwhile, has to use diplomacy, guile, and legal maneuvering to deal with the Sheliak.

We also get into:

  • The definition of creativity

  • Whether excessive honesty can get in the way of persuasion

  • Diplomacy versus brute force

  • A bit of discussion about ADR

“The Survivors” – Empathy for a monster

The Survivors is one of those episodes that starts with a mystery and slowly becomes something much bigger.

The Enterprise arrives at a devastated colony and finds only two survivors: an elderly couple living alone in a perfectly untouched house while everything around them has been destroyed. Riker is immediately skeptical, and honestly, he should be. Something is clearly wrong, and the episode does a good job letting that unease build.

By the end, the story becomes much more morally complicated than it first appears. We talked about empathy for someone who has done something monstrous, and what happens when a crime is so large that there may not even be a law capable of addressing it.

This episode really reinforced the feeling that The Next Generation is operating at a higher level now. The premise is strong, the mystery works, and the emotional reveal lands in a way that feels more mature than a lot of earlier episodes.

A few things we discussed:

  • Riker’s skepticism

  • Empathy for a monster

  • Crimes beyond the reach of ordinary law

  • The show operating at a higher level overall

Final Thoughts

Overall, this is a really solid start to Season 3.

The show feels more confident. The production feels stronger. The stories feel like they are aiming higher. Even when everything wraps up a little too cleanly, the episodes feel like they belong to a version of The Next Generation that is starting to know exactly what kind of show it wants to be.

After a sometimes uneven first two seasons, Season 3 comes out of the gate feeling like a real step forward.

As always, remember – Never give up!  Never surrender!

Listen to this episode of the To Baldly Go Podcast wherever you get your podcasts.

Where we are on our Trek:

Last week we covered:

Next week we will continue with:

  • TBG Episode 050 - Star Trek TNG S03E04-06 Who Watches the Watchers, The Bonding, Booby Trap | First Time Reaction

If you want to see my journey from the very beginning, start here:

Also, be sure to check out Nate’s and my other podcast – The In Lap with Aaron and Nate – to listen to us discuss all things Formula 1 on race weekends, wherever you listen to your podcasts.

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Star Trek TNG S02E19-22 Manhunt, The Emissary, Peak Performance, Shades of Gray – “Aaron Hates Star Trek” | First Time Reaction – To Baldly Go Podcast (Ep. 048)

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First-Time Watch – Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 02, Episodes 19-22

Welcome to another episode of the To Baldly Go Podcast, in which I – a newbie to the Star Trek universe – am watching through Star Trek from the beginning, in release order, and discussing with some of my long-time Trekkie friends.

This week, we get:

  • Betazoid chaos and awkward comedy

  • Klingon worldbuilding and Worf character depth

  • Strategy, competition, and AI comparisons

  • A season finale that is very obviously a clip show

We covered:

  • Manhunt

  • The Emissary

  • Peak Performance

  • Shades of Gray

“Manhunt” – Lwaxana returns

“Manhunt” is a silly episode, but it works more often than it does not. Lwaxana Troi arrives on the Enterprise and immediately brings her usual brand of chaos, discomfort, and oversized personality, which gives the episode a weird energy that somehow lands.

That gave us plenty to talk about, including whether Lwaxana is basically the ultimate Boomer and some of the more unusual Betazoid details the episode introduces. It is broad and awkward, but memorable in exactly the way a Lwaxana episode probably should be.

“The Emissary” – Worf gets a major spotlight

“The Emissary” gives Worf one of his strongest showcases yet, and in the process expands Klingon worldbuilding in a meaningful way. The episode digs into honor, duty, heritage, and identity, while also giving Worf a relationship dynamic that reveals more about him than we usually get to see.

We spent a lot of time talking about Klingon codes of honor and about how K’Ehleyr really completes Worf as a character. We also got into Aaron’s confusion between this episode and the Deep Space Nine premiere, along with one more reminder that ChatGPT does not always save the day.

“Peak Performance” – Know your opponent

“Peak Performance” led to one of the biggest discussion rabbit holes of the week. On the episode level, it is about war games, command decisions, and Data working through failure. On the podcast level, it turned into a conversation about strategy, competition, and the nature of winning.

That meant talking about knowing your opponent, multiple victory conditions, and the way games can change depending on how success is defined. We also pulled in comparisons to Deep Blue, AlphaGo, and AI versus humans in games, along with discussion about chess timers, changing the rules, and whether that counts as cheating or just exposes poorly defined boundaries. Somehow, Aaron Pierce from 24 also made his way into the conversation.

“Shades of Gray” – The clip show finale

Then we get to “Shades of Gray,” the Season 2 finale and one of the most notorious episodes of The Next Generation. The premise is weak, the framework is thin, and the budget-saving nature of the episode is impossible to miss.

Even so, it gave us a fair amount to talk about. My own watching experience basically turned into a running internal monologue of “Tasha? Beard? Clip show???” and that became part of the fun. We also talked about whether clip shows are always bad, why I do not automatically hate them, and why this particular one still feels like it is built on an especially flimsy excuse.

Season 2 wrap-up

We also spent some time wrapping up Season 2 as a whole. For all its inconsistency, unevenness, and weird swings, it still feels greater than the sum of its parts. There is more depth here than I found in The Original Series, and you can feel TNG getting closer to the version of itself people really love.

Abbie had to duck out of the discussion, but not before giving Season 2 a 10, which is certainly a strong vote of confidence. We also talked about the idea that sometimes less is more and how this season shows real growth even when it stumbles.

If you’re watching along with us, next time we’ll be covering Star Trek TNG S03E01-03: Evolution, The Ensigns of Command, and The Survivors.

Listen to this episode of the To Baldly Go Podcast wherever you get your podcasts.

Where we are on our Trek:

Last week we covered:

Next week we will continue with:

If you want to see my journey from the very beginning, start here:

Also, be sure to check out Nate’s and my other podcast – The In Lap with Aaron and Nate – to listen to us discuss all things Formula 1 on race weekends, wherever you listen to your podcasts.

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Star Trek V: The Final Frontier – “What Does God Need with a Starship?” | First Time Reaction – To Baldly Go Podcast (Ep. 047)

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First-Time Watch – Star Trek V: The Final Frontier

Welcome to another episode of the To Baldly Go Podcast, in which I – a newbie to the Star Trek universe – am watching through Star Trek from the beginning, in release order, and discussing with some of my long-time Trekkie friends.

This time, we get:

  • A movie that might have worked better as an episode

  • A strange but interesting central premise

  • A few strong emotional and character scenes

  • A lot of ambition that never fully comes together

We covered:

  • Star Trek V: The Final Frontier

A movie with big ideas and mixed execution

Star Trek V: The Final Frontier is a fascinating movie to talk about because it is not completely without merit. In fact, it has some genuinely strong scenes and a few ideas that feel very “Star Trek.” But as a full movie, it never quite comes together. The overall feeling from this discussion was that the movie reaches for something grand and philosophical, but misses the mark often enough that the good parts cannot fully carry it.

One of the recurring ideas in our conversation was that this might have made a fine episode of television, but not a great movie. There is an episode-level premise buried in here somewhere: a charismatic figure, a spiritual mystery, and the Enterprise crew pulled into a dangerous search beyond known space. That concept is workable. But the film version tries to scale it up into something epic without having the effects, pacing, or storytelling strength to match the ambition.

Different perspectives, same conclusion

One fun part of the conversation was that we came at the movie from different directions but landed in basically the same place. That alone says a lot about The Final Frontier. Whether you focus on the writing, the visuals, the tone, or the missed potential, the result is still a movie that feels uneven and undercooked.

That consensus showed up in the ratings too: 5s across the board. Not a total disaster, not entirely without value, but firmly in the middle-lower tier. There are enough interesting moments to talk about, but not enough to save the whole thing.

The memorable bits

Despite the film’s overall mediocrity, there are still plenty of memorable moments and discussion points. Spock’s boots somehow became part of the fun. The movie’s reputation as “the one where they go to hell” came up. Kirk’s refusal to surrender the Enterprise is exactly the kind of heroic Kirk beat you want in a Star Trek film, even if the surrounding movie does not always deserve it.

There are also some scenes here that actually work. That is part of what makes the movie frustrating rather than merely boring. You can see glimpses of a stronger version of this story. There are emotional beats and character moments that remind you why this crew works so well together. The problem is that the movie around those moments is not nearly as strong.

Style over substance… and missing the mark

We also talked about how the film seems to be aiming for something bold and mythic, but winds up feeling hollow. It wants grandeur. It wants scale. It wants to be visually and spiritually significant. But too often it feels like it is chasing the appearance of importance rather than earning it.

That led to some comparisons outside Star Trek too, including Thor: Love and Thunder, Tatooine, and Dune, as we tried to pin down the movie’s visual and tonal ambitions. The ideas are big, but the execution keeps falling short. The result is something that feels more assembled than fully realized.

The Great Barrier and the spoiled reveal

The Great Barrier at the center of the galaxy - or the edge of the galaxy - has been tackled before, so it felt a bit redundant. And we had another scenario in which the Paramount+ synopsis spoiled the big reveal.

Plus: trivia, scores, and directors’ cuts

Beyond the main review, we also got into Rotten Tomatoes scores, quiz and trivia discussion, and the broader question of whether a director’s cut can actually improve a movie like this. That led to a fun side conversation about the pros and cons of directors’ cuts in general: when they reveal the “real” movie, and when they just give you more of something that was already not working.

Final thoughts

Star Trek V: The Final Frontier is not a good movie, but it is an interesting movie to talk about. It has flashes of something better, and that may actually make it more frustrating than a straightforward failure. There are pieces here that work. There are ideas here that feel worthy of Star Trek. But the final product never pulls those pieces together into a satisfying whole.

It may be the movie where they go looking for God, but for us, it was mostly a search for the version of this story that could have been much better.

As always, remember – Never give up!  Never surrender!

Listen to this episode of the To Baldly Go Podcast wherever you get your podcasts.

Where we are on our Trek:

Last week we covered:

Next week we will continue with:

If you want to see my journey from the very beginning, start here:

Also, be sure to check out Nate’s and my other podcast – The In Lap with Aaron and Nate – to listen to us discuss all things Formula 1 on race weekends, wherever you listen to your podcasts.

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Star Trek TNG S02E16-18 Q Who?, Samaritan Snare, Up the Long Ladder – “Nobody Asked Your Opinion” | First Time Reaction – To Baldly Go Podcast (Ep. 046)

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First-Time Watch – Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 02, Episodes 16-18

Welcome to another episode of the To Baldly Go Podcast, in which I – a newbie to the Star Trek universe – am watching through Star Trek from the beginning, in release order, and discussing with some of my long-time Trekkie friends.

This week, we get:

  • A new big bad

  • Federation road trip

  • “I think I’m a clone now”

We covered:

  • Q, Who?

  • Samaritan Snare

  • Up the Long Ladder

“Q, Who?” – The universe is dark and full of terrors

The Enterprise is flung across the galaxy by the mischievous Q, forcing Picard and crew into a terrifying first encounter with the Borg. What begins as another of Q’s tests quickly becomes a fight for survival, as the Borg prove unlike any enemy the Federation has faced—relentless, unknowable, and utterly indifferent.

As the Enterprise suffers devastating losses, Picard is forced to confront the limits of Federation confidence and his own assumptions about exploration. The crew escapes only through Q’s intervention, leaving behind a chilling realization: the galaxy is far more dangerous than they imagined.

Things we discussed:

  • I was able to enjoy this episode not knowing the Borg were coming in now

  • Was Q misused?

  • Saying "Thank you" to smart devices

  • What do cold opens add to a story?

  • Consensus

  • Star Trek's Doug Judy

  • What is Q's relationship with Picard?

A very different feel than other antagonists or villains to this point.

“Samaritan Snare” – Picard and Wesley go on a trip

While Captain Picard travels to undergo a risky medical procedure, Geordi La Forge and Wesley Crusher are stranded with a group of deceptively simple aliens known as the Pakled. Initially appearing harmless, the Pakleds reveal a cunning and dangerous side as they manipulate Geordi into helping them acquire advanced technology.

Meanwhile, Picard opens up to Wesley in a rare moment of vulnerability, sharing the story of his artificial heart and the reckless youth that led to it. The parallel storylines explore themes of perception—how easily intelligence and capability can be misunderstood.

Things we discussed:

  • Wesley drawing out a great performance from Patrick Stewart

  • Nate defending Wesley

  • MST3K and RiffTrax

  • Samaritan story

Seriously – how great is Patrick Stewart?

“Up the Long Ladder” – Clones and autonomy

The Enterprise encounters two lost human colonies with drastically different ways of life—one a group of Irish settlers living simply, the other a sterile, highly controlled society dependent on cloning to survive. When the cloning colony begins abducting crew members to sustain themselves, tensions escalate quickly.

Caught between preserving life and respecting autonomy, Picard must navigate a moral dilemma involving identity, reproduction, and what it means to be human. The resolution forces both colonies to confront uncomfortable truths about survival and change.

Things we discussed:

  • Problematical elements

  • Clones

  • Original Series feel, but not as well-executed

  • HIPAA in the 24th century

  • Getting onto a spaceship in anti-technology protest

As the great Weird Al said, “Isn’t it strange?  Feels like I’m lookin’ in the mirror.”

Final Thoughts

This week, we learned:

  • A new, constantly looming threat

  • Picard was wild in his youth

  • There is an irony in leaving your society in an anti-technology protest, and doing so by getting onto a spaceship

As always, remember – Never give up!  Never surrender!

Listen to this episode of the To Baldly Go Podcast wherever you get your podcasts.

Where we are on our Trek:

Last week we covered:

Next week we will continue with:

If you want to see my journey from the very beginning, start here:

Also, be sure to check out Nate’s and my other podcast – The In Lap with Aaron and Nate – to listen to us discuss all things Formula 1 on race weekends, wherever you listen to your podcasts.

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Star Trek TNG S02E13-15 Time Squared, The Icarus Factor, Pen Pals – “Podunk Bunnyville | First Time Reaction – To Baldly Go Podcast (Ep. 045)

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First-Time Watch – Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 02, Episodes 13-15

Welcome to another episode of the To Baldly Go Podcast, in which I – a newbie to the Star Trek universe – am watching through Star Trek from the beginning, in release order, and discussing with some of my long-time Trekkie friends.

This week, we get:

  • Thoughts of Interstellar

  • Family reunions

  • Violation of the Prime Directive

We covered:

  • Time Squared

  • The Icarus Factor

  • Pen Pals

“Time Squared” – Would you like to meet your future self?

The Enterprise encounters a mysterious shuttle adrift in space containing Captain Picard – from six hours in the future.  As the crew investigates, they uncover a growing temporal paradox tied to strange spatial distortion pulling them in.

Second Picard’s broken memories present a disastrous future for the crew, confronting the unsettling possibility that his own decisions are (or will be) responsible.

Things we discussed:

  • Couldn’t tell if I fell asleep or not while watching

  • Patrick Stewart playing two Picards

  • Did Picard surrender again?

  • Great Picard and Riker scene

  • Finding solutions when we struggle to define the problem

  • Were we stuck in a time loop?

  • A captain outliving his crew

Can you be a fundamentally different person six hours from now?

“The Icarus Factor” – Character over career

Riker is offered command of his own ship and must confront long-standing tension with his father.  He must decide where he wants to be for himself and his career.

Things we discussed:

  • Abbie doesn’t like family drama and sitcoms

  • Riker’s dad

  • Worf’s background and Klingon culture

  • A different sort of episode

  • Understanding versus justifying

  • The Icarus story

  • Correct names for things that don’t actually exist

  • Incorrect pronunciations as children

A heavy, character-driven episode.

“Pen Pals” – One does not simply walk into Mordor!

Data secretly communicates with a young girl on a distant planet on the brink of catastrophe.  When he realizes the planet is doomed, the Enterprise crew is forced to confront the reality of the Prime Directive.

Things we discussed:

  • Remembering bits and pieces, but not the entire episode

  • Violating the Prime Directive

  • Wesley’s growth and leadership

  • How do you define “interference”?

  • Is Data an existential threat?

  • When and why we break the rules

  • Philosophy is about people

  • Great Picard episode.  A very un-Data episode

  • An android’s perspective of what an emotional person would do – emulating

  • Handling conflict as a people-leader

  • Lord of the Rings trivia

  • Who is TNG really about?

Does Data pose an existential threat to the Enterprise and crew with his exhibited ability to ignore orders?

Additional Discussion Points

  • Remembering 9/11

  • Feeding bottle baby kittens

  • Studying the moon

Final Thoughts

This week, we learned:

  • It is difficult to identify solutions when we struggle to define the problem

  • Icarus was not only warned about flying too close to the sun, but also about dropping too close to the water

  • Apparently a pre-warp civilization has technology that the Federation is lacking

As always, remember – Never give up!  Never surrender!

Listen to this episode of the To Baldly Go Podcast wherever you get your podcasts.

Where we are on our Trek:

Last week we covered:

Next week we will continue with:

If you want to see my journey from the very beginning, start here:

Also, be sure to check out Nate’s and my other podcast – The In Lap with Aaron and Nate – to listen to us discuss all things Formula 1 on race weekends, wherever you listen to your podcasts.

Star Trek TNG S02E10-12 The Dauphin, Contagion, The Royale – “Junkfood Episodes” | First Time Reaction – To Baldly Go Podcast (Ep. 044)

First-Time Watch – Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 2, Episodes 10-12

Welcome to another episode of the To Baldly Go Podcast, in which I – a newbie to the Star Trek universe – am watching through Star Trek from the beginning, in release order, and discussing with some of my long-time Trekkie friends.

This week, we get:

  • Shape-changers and love

  • A Starfleet phishing test

  • A novel is brought to life

We covered:

  • The Dauphin

  • Contagion

  • The Royale

“The Dauphin” – Wesley finds his first love…or does he?

When a young royal comes aboard the Enterprise, Wesley is in love.  But it’s not that simple.  There is more to the visitors than meets the eye.

As Wesley navigates his first love, he learns a bittersweet lesson about growing up, responsibility, and letting go.

Things we discussed:

  • Worf gets humbled

  • No stakes to the episode.  The threat felt manufactured

  • Riker/Guinan moments

  • Obscure title references

An episode that could have worked, but just didn’t quite pull it off.

“Contagion” – Sitting on a bomb that could go off at any second…or maybe never

Responding to a distress call from the USS Yamato, only to witness its destruction, the Enterprise soon begins experiencing similar system failures.  Uncovering a dangerous computer virus, the crew races to maintain control as they uncover the remnants of an ancient Iconian gateway network.

All of this occurring in the Neutral Zone brings the threat of Romulans facing the same system malfunctions.

The Enterprise crew must navigate both threats.

Things we discussed:

  • High standards and dumb actions

  • A spaceships and aliens episode

  • Revisiting the rating scale

  • A good adventure story

  • Looming threats

  • How was the virus transferred?

  • Worf wants a fight

  • A casualty of the medium?

  • Acceptable ambiguity – shades of gray

  • Iconian lore

Fate protects fools, small children, and ships named Enterprise.

Star Trek: The Next Generation is coming into its own.  It still feels like Star Trek, but its own thing instead of just a continuation of The Original Series.  The same.  Connected.  But distinct and different.

“The Royale” – A holodeck episode…that wasn’t

Investigating what happened to a long-dead 20th-century astronaut, the away team finds itself trapped in a narrative loop based on a poorly written novel.

To escape, they must finish the story.

Things we discussed:

  • A meta episode

  • Fun parts in an otherwise mediocre episode

  • The Blues Traveler song Hook

  • The resolution of one story line was important to the resolution of the other

  • Colonial-era idioms

  • Awkward Data

  • Two more states coming in this century?

How many idioms do we use from 300 years ago?  Evidently a lot!

Additional Thoughts

  • Some deep dive tea discussion

Final Thoughts

This week, we learned:

  • Don’t open logs from untrusted sources

  • Maybe there is more meaning in the discussion about the episode than the conclusions (or lack thereof) from the episode

  • We need to be very careful with what books we send out into space

Nate coined a new term – “Junk Food Episodes.”  Those episodes that aren’t good, but we still enjoy them for some reason.

As always, remember – Never give up!  Never surrender!

Listen to this episode of the To Baldly Go Podcast wherever you get your podcasts.

Where we are on our Trek:

Last week we covered:

Next week we will continue with:

If you want to see my journey from the very beginning, start here:

Also, be sure to check out Nate’s and my other podcast – The In Lap with Aaron and Nate – to listen to us discuss all things Formula 1 on race weekends, wherever you listen to your podcasts.

Star Trek TNG S02E07-09 Unnatural Selection, A Matter of Honor, The Measure of a Man – “If You Don’t Give this Episode at Least a Six…” | First Time Reaction – To Baldly Go Podcast (Ep. 043)

First-Time Watch – Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 2, Episodes 7-9

Welcome to another episode of the To Baldly Go Podcast, in which I – a newbie to the Star Trek universe – am watching through Star Trek from the beginning, in release order, and discussing with some of my long-time Trekkie friends.

This week, we get:

  • The ethics of genetic engineering

  • Loyalties are tested

  • Is Data human?

We covered:

  • Unnatural Selection

  • A Matter of Honor

  • The Measure of a Man

“Unnatural Selection” – Restart at last checkpoint

The Enterprise investigates a distress call from a Federation genetic research station where the scientists studying genetically engineered children have begun aging at an alarming rate.

Dr. Pulaski becomes infected while investigating the station, forcing the crew to race against time to understand the mysterious disease.

Things we discussed:

  • Establishing characters as series progress

  • Is there a Starfleet doctor who likes the transporter?

  • Reminding us of other episodes

  • Pulaski

  • Age dynamics

  • Pulaski’s development regarding Data

  • Transporter discussion

  • Isolating problem molecules vs. video game checkpoints

An exploration of medical research and its inherent risks.  A sad, though appropriate ending to the episode.

“A Matter of Honor” – Peak Riker

As part of an officer exchange program between the Federation and Klingon Empire, Commander Riker is assigned to serve aboard a Klingon bird of prey.

Riker must navigate Klingon customs, honor codes, and constant tests while proving he belongs with the warrior crew.

Loyalties are tested when both ships are affected by subatomic bacteria and the Klingons view it as an attack from the Enterprise.

Things we discussed:

  • An exploration of Klingon culture

  • Riker’s a badass

  • Sexy indifference

  • A new level of Klingon worldbuilding

  • Subatomic bacteria

  • No old warriors

  • Picard surrendered the Enterprise again

  • Following the proper chain of command

Riker really shines in this fun episode.

“The Measure of a Man” – The struggle to define consciousness

When a Starfleet cyberneticist seeks to dismantle Data in order to replicate his design, Picard challenges the order, arguing that Data is sentient, and as such, has rights.

Riker is forced to argue against Picard for a court to determine if Data is an individual or nothing more than Starfleet equipment.

Things we discussed:

  • Visceral reactions to the episode

  • A top-10 episode of all of Star Trek?

  • Nate threatens to quit the podcast

  • Reasonable doubt

  • Star Trek: JAG

  • Guinan vs. Troi

  • Comparing Data to modern computing power

  • Data’s Dr. Pulaski moment

  • Star Trek in spite of Gene Roddenberry

  • Context matters

Another great exploration of Artificial Intelligence and what it means to be alive.

We also discussed:

  • Star Trek puzzles and memorabilia

  • How I tend to remember actors from the first role I saw, and how hard it is to see them in any other way – O’Brien will forever be the FBI agent from Con-Air

Final Thoughts

This week, we learned:

  • Maybe the transporter is essentially a checkpoint in a video game

  • Picard surrendered the Enterprise again

  • Questions of AI, individuality, and consciousness are not easy to define or answer

We had a solid episode this week followed by two of the best we’ve seen yet.  Like I thought, this series is on the rise.

As always, remember – Never give up!  Never surrender!

Listen to this episode of the To Baldly Go Podcast wherever you get your podcasts.

Where we are on our Trek:

Last week we covered:

Next week we will continue with:

If you want to see my journey from the very beginning, start here:

Also, be sure to check out Nate’s and my other podcast – The In Lap with Aaron and Nate – to listen to us discuss all things Formula 1 on race weekends, wherever you listen to your podcasts.

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Star Trek TNG S02E04-06 The Outrageous Okona, Loud as a Whisper, The Schizoid Man – “If I Only Had a Heart” | First Time Reaction – To Baldly Go Podcast (Ep. 042)

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First-Time Watch – Star Trek: The Next Generation  Season 02, Episodes 04-06

Welcome to another episode of the To Baldly Go Podcast, in which I – a newbie to the Star Trek universe – am watching through Star Trek from the beginning, in release order, and discussing with some of my long-time Trekkie friends.

This week, we get:

  • Picard jokes about surrendering…but is it a joke?

  • Advantage from disability?

  • Where does our humanity lie?

We covered:

  • The Outrageous Okona

  • Loud as a Whisper

  • The Schizoid Man

“The Outrageous Okona” – Perhaps the joke was not funny

The Enterprise encounters a charming but mysterious rogue named Okona, whose small cargo ship seems to bring trouble wherever he goes. Two alien factions accuse him of theft and kidnapping, each demanding justice.

As Captain Picard investigates, it becomes clear that Okona’s charisma hides a complicated personal mess involving romance, family expectations, and political embarrassment.

Meanwhile, Data explores human humor by trying to learn stand-up comedy from a visiting comedian on the holodeck. The episode mixes a swashbuckling guest character with an early look at Data’s ongoing quest to understand humanity.

Things we discussed:

  • The continuing exploration of Data’s humanity

  • Not as bad as The Child or Code of Honor

  • Forgettable

  • What a non-comic might think stand-up comedy is

  • Timely political references

  • A poorly-written romance novel

  • SeaQuest D.S.V.

  • Worf’s effectiveness

Sometimes an episode just doesn’t work.  Sometimes they swing and miss.  This felt like one of those episodes.

“Loud as a Whisper” – Turning disadvantage into advantage

The Enterprise transports Riva, a renowned mediator known for negotiating peace between warring planets. Riva is deaf and communicates through a trio of telepathic interpreters who express different aspects of his personality.

When tragedy strikes during the mission, Riva must confront the possibility that his ability to mediate has been destroyed. Counselor Troi helps him rediscover another way to communicate, leading to a powerful moment where Riva adapts and continues his mission.

The episode explores communication beyond language and the idea that understanding others often requires more than just hearing words.

Things we discussed:

  • How does an acting ensign get to pilot the fleet’s flagship?

  • Nepotism in the 24th century

  • Geordi’s choice

  • Freud’s separation of the mind

  • Troi’s abilities

  • Geordi and ChatGPT prompts

  • Transporter capabilities

Sometimes we can find strength in our perceived weaknesses.

“The Schizoid Man” – What does it mean to be human?

The Enterprise transports the brilliant but difficult cyberneticist Dr. Ira Graves, whose mind has begun to deteriorate due to a terminal illness. Fascinated with Data’s positronic brain, Graves secretly transfers his consciousness into the android’s body to escape death.

Initially reveling in his newfound immortality, Graves soon begins to exhibit increasingly erratic and domineering behavior while inhabiting Data. As the crew realizes what has happened, Graves must confront the ethical consequences of his actions and the question of whether preserving his mind is worth sacrificing Data’s identity.

The episode explores ego, mortality, and the meaning of personhood.

Things we discussed:

  • Another great Brent Spiner performance

  • What does it mean to be human?

  • The story of the Tin Man from the Wizard of Oz

  • What is consciousness?

Lots of discussion points and questions, fewer answers.

Final Thoughts

This week, we learned:

  • Worf is already more effective than Tasha ever was

  • Prompting people is a lot like prompting AI

  • Seriously – the story of the Tin Woodsman from the original Wizard of Oz novel is one of the most messed up stories ever

We are cruising along through Star Trek: The Next Generation.  These episodes all had a very “Original Series” feel to them, but not like The Naked Now.  TNG still feels like it’s figuring out what it is, but it is getting closer.

As always, remember – Never give up!  Never surrender!

Listen to this episode of the To Baldly Go Podcast wherever you get your podcasts.

Where we are on our Trek:

Last week we covered:

Next week we will continue with:

If you want to see my journey from the very beginning, start here:

Also, be sure to check out Nate’s and my other podcast – The In Lap with Aaron and Nate – to listen to us discuss all things Formula 1 on race weekends, wherever you listen to your podcasts.

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Star Trek TNG S02E01-03 The Child, Where Silence Has Lease, Elementary Dear Data – “Not Very Effective” | First Time Reaction – To Baldly Go Podcast (Ep. 041)

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First-Time Watch – Star Trek: TNG Season 02, Episodes 01-03

Welcome to another episode of the To Baldly Go Podcast, in which I – a newbie to the Star Trek universe – am watching through Star Trek from the beginning, in release order, and discussing with some of my long-time Trekkie friends.

This week, we get:

  • New characters and Star Trek grows a beard

  • Word of the day: Effective

  • The unchanging concerns over AI

We covered:

  • The Child

  • Where Silence Has Lease

  • Elementary, Dear Data

“The Child” – Is it worse than Code of Honor?  Not quite…

Deanna Troi is impregnated by space dust that is curious about the human experience.

Things we discussed:

  • The start of Abbie loving these characters

  • Simple changes could have made it seem much less space-rapey

  • Character changes

  • Twilight

  • Debating character growth

  • Riker’s beard

There are better ways to explore the human experience.

“Where Silence Has Lease” – Did we ever make it out of the Matrix?

The Enterprise is trapped in a void with an entity that is exploring the limits of humanity.

Things we discussed:

  • How primitive Picard and crew are

  • A better exploration of humanity

  • The Expanse comparisons (Abaddon’s Gate)

  • A worse version of Q?

  • An uninspiring villain?

  • Learning all that you need to know

Another Talosian Illusion incident?  Did the Enterprise and crew get out?  Or is everything from this point forward occurring in the Void?

“Elementary, Dear Data” – AI versus humanity

Sherlock Data’s mysteries are too simple, so a new holodeck program is set up which becomes self-aware.

Things we discussed:

  • AI conversations today versus the late-1980s

  • Recitation does not mean understanding

  • Near consensus

  • Exploring Data’s humanity

  • Working with your hands, transcending time

  • Is Data capable of original thought?

  • Sherlock Holmes and copyright issues

The more things change, the more they stay the same.  The conversations surrounding AI have seemingly not changed.  The same conversations were had during The Original Series, Next Generation, and today.

A few other points

  • Gregg has some explaining to do (when he comes back)

  • Star Trek/Star Wars bar trivia

Final Thoughts

This week, we learned:

  • Abbie and I know more about Star Wars than Nate

  • Different effectiveness in stories exploring humanity

  • AI conversations have not meaningfully changed in the past 40 years (60 when we consider the same conversations from TOS)

A generally strong start to the second season (The Child notwithstanding).  Looking forward to more.

As always, remember – Never give up!  Never surrender!

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Star Trek TNG S01E24-26 We’ll Always Have Paris, Conspiracy, The Neutral Zone – “The Biggest Trekkie” | First Time Reaction – To Baldly Go Podcast (Ep. 040)

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First-Time Watch – Star Trek: TNG Season 1, Episodes 24-26

Welcome to another episode of the To Baldly Go Podcast, in which I – a newbie to the Star Trek universe – am watching through Star Trek from the beginning, in release order, and discussing with some of my long-time Trekkie friends.

This week, we get:

  • Exceptional mediocrity

  • Practical effects worthy of a Michael Scott production

  • A fight with the Romulans that could have been great

We covered:

  • We’ll Always Have Paris

  • Conspiracy

  • The Neutral Zone

“We’ll Always Have Paris” – At least there’s that much

Sometimes an episode is so great that we don’t take many notes because we can’t get pulled away from it.

Sometimes an episode is so bad that we get pages of notes to discuss how bad it really was.

And then there are episodes like “We’ll Always Have Paris” – which was so exceptionally mediocre, we were all in agreement with almost nothing to say.

Things we discussed:

  • Picard backstory and similarities with Kirk

  • Time implications

  • Nobody cared

  • Writers’ strike impacts

A mediocre, forgettable episode.

“Conspiracy” – Cleanup on Aisle Five!  Threat Level Midnight

Picard brings the Enterprise back to Earth to find answers after the USS Horatio is destroyed, uncovering an alien conspiracy.

Things we discussed:

  • Mystery and intrigue at the Federation

  • Callbacks to prior episodes

  • Worf doesn’t like swimming – or bathing

  • Threat Level Midnight

  • Practical effects reminiscent of the earworms from Wrath of Khan

  • More impacts from the writers’ strike

  • A remaining existential threat?

  • The opposite of zero-trust

We are seeing more callbacks and connections to prior episodes which we didn’t see so much in The Original Series.

“The Neutral Zone” – Romulans?  Nah…

The Enterprise investigates attacks on outposts near the Neutral Zone and a potential new Romulan threat.  While investigating, they find some cryogenically frozen, 20th-century humans from Earth.

Things we discussed:

  • Side stories that detract from the main story

  • Could have been a great opportunity to expand on the Romulans

  • Downside of the writers’ strike again

  • More space for Worf

  • “There’s still much to do.  Still so much to learn.”

What could have been an awesome episode exploring the Romulan threat just fell flat by cramming in story elements that didn’t add up.

Holy crap!  Aaron’s a bigger Trekkie than us!

As the To Baldly Go Podcast’s resident Star Trek fan, I can proudly announce that we have reached the end of Season 1 of Next Generation.

  • Season 1 quiz and Trivia

  • Dealing with internet lag

  • Robin Williams discussion

  • TNG Season 1 wrap up

Final Thoughts

This week, we learned:

  • The writers’ strike hurt the product

  • There’s much more to come

  • You shouldn’t watch Robin Williams on Whose Line is it Anyway? when you are in the hospital after having your appendix removed

  • Through the first season of Star Trek: The Next Generation, I, Aaron, am the biggest Star Trek fan of our little away team.

I have now watched all of The Original Series, The Animated Series, four movies, and the first season of Star Trek: The Next Generation.  I never would have guessed any of that just a handful of years ago.

Where the end of season 1 of The Original Series felt like it had peaked, Next Generation feels like it’s just getting started.  I can’t where it will take us from here.

As always, remember – Never give up!  Never surrender!

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Star Trek TNG S01E21-23 Arsenal of Freedom, Symbiosis, Skin of Evil – “Tarth Vader” | First Time Reaction – To Baldly Go Podcast (Ep. 039)

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This week on the To Baldly Go Podcast:

  • Smart devices try to kill us.

  • Star Trek does an after-school special about drugs.

  • And a main character dies… suddenly.

We’re discussing:

  • TNG S1E21 – Arsenal of Freedom

  • TNG S1E22 – Symbiosis

  • TNG S1E23 – Skin of Evil

Topics include:

  • Thanking Alexa

  • Nate hating Geordi

  • The Prime Directive vs. addiction

  • Evil space pharmaceutical reps

  • Stoicism and sudden loss

  • Armus vs. Jigsaw

  • The 24-treatment for shocking deaths

These and more as first-time reactions meet veteran Trek opinions

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038 - The Lost Episode

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This week:

  • Home Soil, Coming of Age, Heart of Glory

  • Devil in the Dark, redux?

  • Ugly bags of mostly water

  • What is life?

  • Is Data alive?  Is Data human?

  • Is Data just ChatGPT in a synthetic skin suit?

  • I step away while Abbie and Nate continue the conversation, looking ahead to things I haven’t seen

  • The love of being wrong

  • Observations of ADR and television production

  • Picard’s maturity

  • Distinct storylines that don’t come together

  • Series continuity

  • Worf the Stoic

  • A Gentleman in Moscow

  • I relate to the bad guy – sort of

  • Sometimes life isn’t fair

  • Only competing against yourself

  • Starfleet entrance exams.  What is the test?

  • Worf isn’t yet who Abbie remembers

  • The challenge of Tasha Yar

  • Geordi-vision

  • Nate is the biggest nerd on the podcast

  • Death in the Federation

  • Is TNG better than TOS at this point?

  • Picard, the hot head

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037 - 11001001

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This week:

  • 11001001, Too Short a Season, When the Bough Breaks

  • Nate concedes a point

  • Season 1 has been underwhelming, but we have the best episode yet

  • More commentary on the medium of network or syndicated TV

  • The holodeck

  • Abbie’s anesthesia dream

  • Deliberate scientific inaccuracies in Star Trek

  • An unrelated story in the Star Trek universe

  • 21st century ozone hole

  • An appropriate use for Wesley

  • What is a society?

  • Stories that would work for other series

  • Nate really hates Code of Honor

  • Looking ahead

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036 - The Battle, Hide and Q, Haven

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This week:

  • Ferengi less cartoonish

  • Still difficult to take them seriously as adversaries

  • Lore and worldbuilding

  • Nate sees Picard giving up early

  • A/B storylines and storytelling in Star Trek

  • Improvements in the medium over the 1960s

  • Suspension of disbelief and faster than light travel

  • Solar system versus other star systems

  • Nostalgia

  • Music in Next Gen

  • Returning characters

  • Q is kind of weird

  • Using Q to explore human nature

  • Assuming Q isn’t gone

  • More solar system discussion

  • We’re nerds

  • Personal anecdotes about mutual friends

  • Reusing footage from other episodes and movies

  • Season 1 released immediately in syndication

  • “Bill” Riker?

  • Security lapses

  • Character actors

  • Thoughts on Lwaxana

  • More worldbuilding and lore

  • Filming order

  • Things we miss from The Original Series

  • Conflict in Star Trek

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035 - Dammit, Wesley!

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This week:

  • A tribute to Scott Adams

  • Where No One Has Gone Before, Lonely Among Us, Justice

  • Abbie realizes how annoying Wesley is

  • Similar to The Original Series, but different enough

  • Thoughts and prayers to get home

  • What is the time range of this iteration of the Enterprise?

  • Curiosity

  • Stoic philosophy

  • Self-proclaimed experts and hubris

  • Confidence without arrogance

  • A body-swap episode?  No way!

  • Sherlock Data

  • Sometimes efforts and attempts just don’t work

  • Security fails again

  • Detectives’ Credo and Bayesian analysis

  • Unbelievable!!!!! The Movie rabbit hole (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIaySADwGp4)

  • A better job telling an ok story

  • Prime Directive

  • Captain’s Calculus

  • Did Picard consider just surrendering the ship?

  • Life is an exercise in exceptions

  • Wesley is smart but naïve

  • The death penalty

  • Broken Window Theory

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034 - Never Give Up...Sometimes Surrender

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In this episode:

  • The Naked Now, Code of Honor, The Last Outpost

  • I feel like we’ve seen this before

  • An homage?

  • Gregg’s 9s and 10s and his one problem with the series

  • Gregg doesn’t like Wesley

  • Stories are more refined

  • Too early to have a “different characters” episode?

  • Visionary vs executor

  • Aaron’s Data moment

  • Feeling like Original Series episodes

  • Issues with Tasha Yar

  • Even bad Star Trek is still great Star Trek

  • Prime Directive discussion

  • Minimal character development and bad storytelling

  • Terrible ship security

  • The Ferengi

  • TNG villains

  • Picard surrendered the Enterprise

  • TNG vs TOS beginnings

  • Expectations moving forward

  • Swearing in Star Trek

  • Excited for more

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033 - Encounter at Farpoint

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In this episode:

  • The premiere of Star Trek: The Next Generation – Encounter at Farpoint

  • Joined by my old friend, Gregg

  • Gregg’s background with Star Trek

  • Felt like a pilot episode, but overall good

  • Original Series comparisons

  • Star Trek feel with a much bigger scope

  • A hopeful future with a bleak near-term view

  • Gregg rates a 9 and says it can only go up from here

  • Nate’s old technical manuals

  • Next Generation trailer

  • Target demographics

  • Who is the main character?

  • Differences between the two series

  • Androids and AI

  • My questions or things I hope to see

  • What we are all looking forward to

  • Interesting characters

  • Wesley discussion

  • Nate was the captain of the quiz bowl team in high school

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032 - Something About Whales

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This episode we discuss:

  • Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home

  • Didn’t go full Captain Planet

  • Nate surprised by his rating

  • Felt like a long episode

  • Ralph Winter – producer

  • Chekov in 1980s San Francisco

  • The pitfalls of knowing there is more to come

  • Plot holes

  • No butterfly effect?

  • Different timelines?

  • A Commander Random sighting

  • Plot devices vs. realistic story progress

  • Star Trek: Movie Memories – by William Shatner

  • Sulu’s lost movie moment

  • Eddie Murphy in Star Trek?

  • Nate is not a biologist

  • Trivia

  • Production battles

  • Similarities with Star Trek: The Motion Picture

  • Other time travel stories – Stephen King’s 11.22.63

  • Home video release included a trailer for Star Trek: The Next Generation

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031 - Star Trek III: The Search for Spock

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In this episode we discuss:

  • No more Animated Series

  • Enjoying the dialogue more upon second viewing

  • How Abbie remembers Star Trek

  • Two years thinking Spock was dead

  • Leonard Nimoy directs

  • Curse of the odd-numbered Star Trek films

  • Choppy scenes missing the emotional, dramatic effect

  • Another Yeoman Rand-om sighting

  • Sacrificing the Enterprise

  • Krug – the Klingon John Wick?

  • A compelling villain

  • Extra-Kirk

  • What happened to Spock’s body?

  • Star Trek IV trailer

  • Ferngully in space?

  • Time travel done right

  • Trivia

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030 - The Animated Series

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This week, Nate and I discuss:

  • The Emmy-award winning Star Trek: The Animated Series

  • Stopped rating the episodes

  • Less than the sum of its parts?

  • A bad series

  • Animated Series as punishments

  • Spaceships and aliens

  • Target demographics

  • Shortcomings of TAS

  • No Chekov

  • The great episode of TAS – a top episode for the franchise to this point

  • Political implications of airing certain episodes

  • Is TAS canon?

  • Life support belts

  • Kirk was the Devil’s advocate?

  • Missing charm and disjointed dialogue

  • Unrealized potential

  • What non-Star-Trek fans think Star Trek is

  • Felt like the Gorn fight from Arena

  • TAS trivia

  • Nate’s Star Trek models

  • Star Trek production guide

  • Looking ahead to Next Generation

  • Planning future podcast discussions and watch order