TBG Supplemental 001 – Reflections on the Podcast and Watching Through TNG Season 5
First-Time Watch – Reflections Through Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 5
After three seasons of The Original Series, two seasons of The Animated Series, six movies, and five seasons of The Next Generation, I've now watched 227 episodes and six movies of Star Trek.
For somebody who had deliberately watched exactly one episode of Star Trek before starting this project, that's quite a journey.
And it's one I never could have anticipated.
With our regular release-order watch-through taking a brief hiatus, we're introducing TBG Supplemental, a series of episodes exploring Star Trek from some different perspectives.
For this first installment, I'm going solo to reflect on my experience discovering Star Trek, how my understanding and appreciation of the franchise have changed, and what producing To Baldly Go has meant to me.
This week, we get:
From Threshold to 227 episodes
Becoming a Star Trek fan without realizing it
Reflections on the franchise, the podcast, and the journey ahead
We covered:
My journey through The Original Series, The Animated Series, the movies, and The Next Generation Seasons 1–5
What surprised me about Star Trek
When I realized I had become a fan
What makes Star Trek special
How the franchise has evolved
What hasn't worked for me
Reflections on producing To Baldly Go
Looking ahead to the supplemental episodes and beyond
Becoming a Star Trek Fan
When I started watching Star Trek, I wasn't sure what to expect.
I knew some of the characters, recognized the Enterprise, and understood the general premise of exploring space. But I didn't anticipate Wild West adventures, gangster planets, or Space Lincoln.
And I certainly didn't anticipate the philosophical and emotional depth of so many stories.
One of the biggest surprises has been realizing how much Star Trek is ultimately a study of humanity. Beneath the spaceships, aliens, and futuristic technology are stories about morality, justice, responsibility, civilization, and what it means to be human.
But perhaps the most significant moment in my journey came during Arena, when I found myself getting genuinely defensive about the way the Metrons treated Kirk and his crew.
I had become invested in these characters.
Somewhere along the way, I stopped simply watching Star Trek and started caring about it.
That was probably the moment I realized I'd become a fan.
What Makes Star Trek Special?
What makes Star Trek different from other science fiction franchises?
I don't know that I have a complete answer, but after spending so much time with the Enterprise crews, I've developed a much greater appreciation for what makes these shows work.
The Original Series gave audiences a captain and crew they could follow on adventures into the unknown. Those characters became the foundation for a remarkable fan community that kept Star Trek alive long after its original cancellation.
The Next Generation built upon that foundation, introducing a new crew, a different approach to leadership, and a more developed fictional universe.
The two series feel remarkably different, yet both have something special to offer.
I'm also fascinated by how the franchise has evolved.
The Prime Directive has developed from a relatively loose concept in The Original Series into a much more clearly articulated doctrine in The Next Generation. Storytelling has become increasingly interconnected, with earlier events influencing future stories and characters.
And production quality has improved enormously, making the accomplishments of those original television productions all the more impressive.
Even after all these years, there's something wonderful about a television series that can tell a new story almost every week without needing every episode to become an enormous cinematic event.
Reflections on To Baldly Go
Producing To Baldly Go has been every bit as rewarding as discovering Star Trek itself.
I've loved podcasts for years, but never quite had the right subject for one of my own. Then a strange combination of a little lizard, nerdy friends, and a podcast recommendation gave me an idea.
Why not document my first experience watching Star Trek and discuss it with someone who had loved the franchise for years?
That eventually became To Baldly Go.
One of the greatest rewards has been the opportunity to spend time regularly with Nate, a friend of nearly twenty years, despite living across the country from one another.
I've also loved sharing the experience with Abbie and occasionally bringing other friends into the conversations.
We've had plenty of disagreements, memorable discussions, and moments that continue to make me laugh.
One of my favorites remains a very early Next Generation conversation when I pointed out that Picard had attempted to surrender - or actually surrendered - the Enterprise twice in the first four episodes.
The silence, reluctant acknowledgment, and immediate attempts to defend Picard were magnificent.
And, beyond the friendships and conversations, it's been incredibly rewarding to see other people discover the podcast.
As I recorded this episode, we were approaching 2,000 total downloads, with our best month yet behind us.
I'm grateful to everybody who has spent any time listening to our conversations.
I genuinely enjoy watching the episodes, recording the discussions, editing them, and sharing them with all of you.
Having listeners along for the journey is simply the icing on the cake.
Looking Ahead
Our regular watch-through is taking a temporary break, but To Baldly Go isn't going anywhere.
During our supplemental season, we'll revisit episodes, explore characters and civilizations in greater depth, discuss books and articles from Star Trek's history, and consider how the franchise has developed over time.
Some episodes will be lighthearted revisits. Others will explore more complicated themes and ideas.
And, because I'm still experiencing Star Trek for the first time, these supplemental discussions will be limited to what I've watched through the end of The Next Generation Season 5.
There is still so much I haven't seen, and preserving that first-time experience remains an important part of the project.
Our regular release-order journey resumes February 2, 2027, with the sixth season of The Next Generation.
And we've already planned our journey through the end of Enterprise, taking us all the way to TBG Episode 300.
There's a long way to go.
Final Thoughts
When I began this project, I hoped I would enjoy Star Trek.
I certainly didn't expect to become so invested in the franchise, its characters, its history, and the community surrounding it.
And I didn't anticipate how meaningful the podcast itself would become.
It's been an extraordinary journey, and I'm genuinely excited to continue.
If there's a particular episode, character, civilization, or piece of Star Trek history you'd like me to explore in a future supplemental episode, I'd love to hear from you.
You can reach us on X at @BaldlyGoPodcast, on Facebook at To Baldly Go Podcast, or through tobaldlygopodcast.com/contact.
Next week, we begin a two-part exploration of the Romulans, returning to Balance of Terror, The Enterprise Incident, and The Neutral Zone.
Thank you for joining me on this journey!
Never give up. Never surrender.
Where we are on our Trek:
Last week we covered:
Next week we will continue with:
Our regular release-order watch-through returns February 2, 2027:
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.