TTV Fan Mail
FUTURE:IMPERFECT
From: Marc Thomas
Hi trekTVfriendz I'm trying to remember what I was doing when season 4 flew it's maiden voyage. Recollections of these episodes are so terribly vague, I must have had something else to do in 1990. It was the end of my 20's and I was coming to terms with the likelihood that my livelihood was to remain a lower decks matter. Which is fine, Lower Decks is my fave of the new Treks and besides even 30 years ago I was square enough to know that Riker was trying to play Misty before the opening credits. Here's Stan Kenton's band havin' a go...That might be a trombone. Fundamentally, this is not some humdrum high stakes political intrigue but only the loneliness of an adorable orphaned alien. So sweet. They kinda need a double switcharoo since you know, going in, that it's probably not really 16 years in the future or at the very least, that some cleaver twist or another's in store but...TWO? Well, whoop dDue, indeed and thensome! These fourth season shows, show in turn, me, why you, TNG aficionados, are so damn hard on the new Treks. There are some real ideas in so many of these oldie but goodz, and while I certainly enjoy the new CBS ALL ACCESS stuff (though not without considerable equivocation) I can't say I've seen anything like this level of philosophical exploration in any of the 21st century fare. I remember being amazed at the up tick in quality TNG'd undergone and I find it wonderful to have forgotten enough of it that I can dig it anew. I so win. Well, I woulda won more if they’da mada sit com spinoff ‘bout the twitchy Bug Eyed Bambino later which they never did so boo hoo but it’s fine. marc
Reunion
From: Mark R
Mark Rumps 6:27 AM (6 hours ago) to trektv I just want to comment on the part where Worf has to go to HR and get written up! Picard is like the head of HR. "Mr. Worf, I know you are Klingon and we at Starfleet Corporation are sensitive to the cultural needs of your people but if you could keep the vengeance killings to a minimum we would appreciate it. Here is your write up and 3 days off with no pay." Mark R Lafayette, IN 43F/6C
Reunion
From: Colin H
Ah, tis the episode when we find out Klingon children are just as whiny as human children, albeit that they do it with honour and ridges. I can see Frakes sitting in his directors chair saying “roll cameras, action and whine.” Sadly we only see this incarnation of Alexander once, Frakes thinks it was because he didn’t play him with much Klingon leanings. Well of course he didn’t he was asked to whine, not shine. The roll of Alexander seems to be cursed. Bonsall who took over the roll was a precious child actor who thought he was the bees knees. Sure he had won several awards for his acting, but the TNG cast thought he was a major Diva. Then like a lot of child actors, booze took its toll when he left acting to be in a band. He then had multiple run ins with the law including charges for assault and kidnapping. The joy of making money for your parents to spend. The fight scene at the end as with all fight scenes does make me ponder a few things, Klingons tend to twirl the bat’leth around a lot when wielding it, have they not seen raiders of the lost ark? Someone could just shoot them while they are doing all that. Also this is the only time we see a Klingon use a sword. I can only assume that after Duras died using said sword, Klingons then thought. “Well fuck! that didn’t work, I’ll stick to my bat’leth.” Now let’s reverse to the start when a Vor’cha class battle cruiser (incidentally the first time it is seen) decloaks in front of the federation flagship. What no shields automatically coming on, no “holy shit where did that come from!” Not even a “well you called have called first instead of showing up unannounced.” Oh no, nothing! Still as Khan said “we are all one big happy fleet.” Right up to the point when a Klingon can beam onto your ship and commit murder, closely followed by another Klingon beaming off to take revenge. I mean I know O’Brien is probably bored shitless in the transporter room, but he doesn’t seem to even ask why all these Klingons are coming and going. I guess his just glad of something to do. Speaking off Klingons Worfs “chair” was the command chair used in Haven. I’m guessing it cost a lot and so they needed to find a use for it. Now there’s a major moment in this episode when K'Ehleyr dies, this is pivotal to Worf and his son both now and in future episodes, but is she dead? I mean when Worf is lowering her to the floor she opens her eyes to see where she is heading and lowers her arm to soften the landing. Also she is facing one way when laid down, but another way when Worf makes Alexander look at her. Meaning she moved. Ah don’t worry Alexander mommy isn’t really dead, she’s just fed up with all your whining and so is getting rid of you to your dad. After all she’s got to go and lay a Q and then be painted Blue for Enterprise. She’s to busy to be mom. Live long and podcast Colin
reUnion
From: Marc Thomas
Hi trekTV Friends I wonder what sort of policy work Klingon government concerns itself with. How would a Duras administration have differed from Gowron's. Do Klingons have regulatory bureaucracies to oversee society's non-Martial humdrummery. I just think it'd be funny if the real issue between Duras and Gowron was over funding for public transportation or subsidies to the Ghak industry. They never talk about that though,Trek loves it's mono cultures yeah,yeah there I go again... I can't remember what we learn about Alexander later but geez, Poor kid, I don't wanna be warrior either. I'd love to hear Children's Counselor Kaelin weigh in on this one, wow. He has a tough time here Saddly Jon Paul Steuer, the actor who played him passed away tragically back in 2018, he'd rocked punkishly in the bands Soda Pop Kids and P.R.O.B.L.E.M.S. He also ran a vegan restaurant, right here in Portland but I never went there. I tend not to pay for vegan food, because it can't run away. It's too easy to catch for free. One final note RE the cocktail howto uploaded by me to FACEBOOK a while back... As the nausea sets in try to pass out with your head facedown in the toilet bowl so's not to leave a mess. At this point your entire body will be strongly motivated to die and that's nothing compared to how it will feel in the morning. Also, in the morning, the friends who witnessed one's shinannigans the night before will be friends no more. So prepare for that. Serious, I got kicked out of a party once and never hung with the host again. "Just say no" is always an option kids. Vape an eDoob maybe, to play it safe.
Legacy
From: Mark R
There are a couple of prominent things that stick out to me in this episode. People in Star Trek are always so trusting. Oh, this is Tasha's sister? Ok, let her roam around the ship and we will certainly consider what she says. HUH? Also, no one mentions that the Enterprise left a HUGE HOLE on the planet. Could they at least put some cones up or something? That must be a trip hazard. You know the clothing part of the replicator is programmed by guys. They probably told her to go get some new clothes. She taps the screen and there are several options available but when you select one, the only one not currently "UNAVAILABLE AT THIS TIME" is CATSUIT. Mark R Lafayette, IN 61F/16C
Remember me
From: Colin H
Hello Trek Tv I keep meaning to write, but believe it or not I’m one of the few people who is busier than ever, despite half the world being in lockdown. What a static warp bubble would do for us now. So Wesley the so called child genius is carrying out one of his many experiments and once again fucks up, yet some how once again is seen as the somewhat saviour. Well him and creepy alien guy, his PA team is off the chart. So to dissect, Wesley is one the flag ship of the federation and decides to carry out and experiment in engineering, you know the most fundamental part of the ship where to use a pakled term, they make things go. Commander pissy pants aka Geordie no management skills La Forge, comes down to do what he does, shout at someone and in the process they zap dear old mom into a pocket of space time. Now from here on in we see a few mistakes, the “wind” from the vortex blows papers off the desk. Yet in the future they don’t use paper, it’s all electronic. Unless of course the doc was looking into ancient texts to learn new ways to perform euthanasia, I’m sure Star Fleet has cottoned on to all her other techniques. Now Aside from the fact that despite everyone, from her point of view slowly disappearing, none of the crew thinks she’s is cray cray. Now I think this is interesting because we now this reality is created by her, so we are seeing these people from her point of view. Which means she knows they wouldn’t think her cray cray. The other interesting thing is that the person who disappears from her perception last is Picard, not Wesley. Probably because she knows her son caused this fuck up on some level and beside he didn’t do he chores again so deserves to die. Gates really gets to show he acting chops here and she did all the stunts as well, later finding out she was pregnant, oops. We get so few crusher centric episodes to get one where she carries the entire episode is great. There are the standard mistakes, you see the Boom mic twice. The bubble actually expands in certain graphics when it should be shrinking, the lights in the turbo lift indicate she is going up, when in fact she got on at the bridge, so there is no up. The plus side, crusher should clearly enter a sprint race, because the bubble is collapsing at 15 metres a second, yet she outruns it. What ever she had for breakfast was good shit. Oh and “Doctor” Crusher mom to Wesley emerges from the bubble sees her son slumped over the console, Says nothing to him. Nor goes to help him, but instead talks to the traveller. Which incidentally brings me to my favourite stating the bleeding obvious bit of dialogue. “ the alien from Tau Alpha C said he was a Traveler.” “Oh you mean the traveller!” Guess the writers where on decaf that day. Oh and why is it when the traveller/Wesley do the whole manipulation thing they close there eyes. I mean the traveller is probably getting off on it, as for Wesley I can only assume it’s so he can’t see his actually pressing a blank panel. Live long and podcast Colin
Remember Me
From: Mark R
I consider this a good episode as a crew member uses logic to figure out a situation. "If everyone else is disappearing, it must be me that is different." Most would not be insightful enough to see that in time. The quick "conjuring up" of the Traveler is the only real let down here. Quick fact about me: I have visited 11 Star Trek conventions over the years in the midwest and met many cast members big and small from across Star Trek. Mark R Lafayette, IN 44F/7C today.
RE...Member Me
From: Marc Thomas
Hi trekTV Friends Did you know that between the age of candles and electricity, a briefly extant infrastructure served towns and cities by providing a lumminant gas piped into homes and other architecture which could be safely ignited to provide light? You did. Oh.Well, it was news to me Also Apparently... A 1938 stage play that got cinemafied a couple o' times was named "Gaslight" and this became a shorthanded idiom for "making someone think they’d gone crazy" kinda This episode is about Wesley using science to gaslight his own mother, SIGH, kids today. Wesley Crusher is the Mad Scientist on aboard the 1701 D, as he here he creates the Static Warp Bubble, hot on the heels of his Nanites at the start of season 3... I can't think of another to round out the rules of three so maybe this entire thesis is flawed. Nevermind. No matter...a point if not the point is... I do love a trek plot driven by happenstance rather than say...villainy Wee wittle Wesly didn't do it on perpose and that matters what does matter is This episode has some serious DI-Fi to it, I dig it. This is what Trek is for, mind bending speculation, in this instance, instances inter-dimensionality itself are under scrutiny. A far assed cry from most of the other sci fi recommended by the various Web-bourn algorithms that think that because I like this I'll like other sci fi which I won't cuz it's, likely as not, dumb fun, maybe, if guns and speed are yer kink but dumb as fuck and then some. Ok, not fair. In the last decade dramatized A/V scifi's, at long last, allowed the smart stuff in.....but as a well seasoned audiant it's hard for me for to let go of old gripes. Suffice to say, that while there are other sci fis out there, of comparable quality now, there sure weren't back in the 90’s. Not on screens anyway. Ok, maybe there were but non that caught my eye. Maybe Bab 5 Shut up, Matrix’ not sci fi. No space, no xeno bi...if it aint got Tang it dont mean a dang Speaking of xeno bi might the micro-scopic fart monsters of Venus gas light their homes with phosphine? Nope, say's that grumpy old Doc Fritz. Hopefully, further research won't have thrown a wet blanket over that potentially paradigm shifting observation which made headlines mid September. Recently a gas named posphine was discovered then independantly confirmed to exist in the upper atmosphere of Venus. On Earth this gas need life to get made. Big planets like Jupiter can produce phosphine, but rocky terresials like earth, mars and venus, it has been assumed, cannot. Not without something metabolic. Author Ben Bova hypothosized such aeriel germs 20 years ago in his book 'Venus’…part of his “Grand Tour “ series which pre-date The Ex-Pants that sort of sci fi thing Join the Trek TV Fans Facebook page…’k? k! https://www.facebook.com/Trek-TV-Fans-106672104521460/ Marc
Suddenly human
From: Kaelin
Hey folks! While I liked the episode Suddenly Human, I gotta say that as a children's counselor, I'm confused by Troy's decision. Not sure why she thought that the curmudgeon who hates children is the best choice to bond with a boy who has potentially experienced trauma... I think someone needs to make a complaint to the ethics board. On another note, I think we all need to hear more of Tracy saying Jesus H Christ. Kaelin
Suddenly Human
From: Mark R
This was an interesting episode to look at the differences between cultures. That kids culture allows the taking of the son of those you kill. We don't. Who is right? Why do we humans think we are always on the moral high ground? Who is to say the Talarians aren't right? Q talks about the hubris of humans and I think he is right on. We look at other cultures, including those on this planet, with disdain. At the end, who has to make the call to the Grandmother? Mark R Lafayette, IN
Brother
From: Mark R
Parents: "Commander, can we leave our two kids alone on this huge starship while we go on sabbatical? Also, did we mention that they have a combined IQ of a medium-sized cantaloupe?" Commander Riker: "Sure. The only thing I ask is they don't eat the death fruit." Parents: "Deal!" 10 minutes after parents leave... Low IQ kid: "I need a snack." Children have no place on a starship. If it was today and Data was attempting to enter a password it would have taken 20 minutes because the computer voice would have told him to be between 7 and 20 characters and must include at least one character that is not a letter or number and one must be capitalized and also reenter your password to verify. I see why Picard did not have one. I was the 6th like of the FB page. Everyone should go there! Mark R Lafayette, IN
WARNING: this email contains trace quantities of Mister Locke
From: Marc Thomas
Hi trekTVfriends, Usually when I....Oh lookie loo! Mister Locke is here too "I just listened to Trek TV." Usually when I see what episode is up next I read the synopsis and and go "Oh that one" but this one? Nada, man, nada damn thing. I guess I'll have to watch it. I wish I could watch it on my phone the way young folks do. Can I get a VHS to smart phone adaptor cable? Por favor? The seizure of enemy children to replace ones own reminds me a lot of a well regarded and racist John Wayne movie The Searchers Guess who else was in that....The Cage’s Captain Pike...Jeffery Hunter Nurture? Nature? Does 23 and me mean anything or maybe? Ethnicity's how yer raised not what the DNAs say. Treks specialized in creating what are basically cultures that are not alien so much as foreign or merely local variants of contemporary Norte Americana. The Talarians, may not seem like they are from California where Star Trek is from but they could be from, oh I don't know, Idaho? So far season four's going deep, looking for hard questions. Not science questions though, not this time. TV scifi still doesn't do xenobiology much. Owed mostly to pop sci and fi's insistence on evolutionary miscontrution as discussed a couple or so weeks ago on your fine show, Mr Locke, likely as not, perseverant over my recent employment of a neologism has not let the ‘evo’ go either "...evolution’s not having a beginning or an end." I think this was him paraphrasing Tracy, eager then to add... "...with CRISPR, with CRISPR..." Spit it out man! "Evolution is quickly becoming manageable by homo sapiens with CRISPR and it can be very fast" Too deep in the weeds for me but as the spouse of veterinarian Mister Locke's authority on matters biological is as unimpeachable as Vaughns archeologics Meanwhile, Jono's high pitched keening sound's super not cool...pro-tip....fix this in post Marc
Captain's Holiday
From: Marc Thomas
Hi Trek TV Friends, An archeology themed TNG? I love it! Or do I? While the plot concerns the Vorgon's McGuffining after a quantum phase inhibitor named Tox Uthat, the planetary setting of Risa is what makes this episode distinct. I'm not sure that we learn much about the future of Doctor Tracy's science, here. When I first saw this, I really wanted it to be the same planet as featured in TOS's 'Shore Leave' I would have said as much in my letter to you concerning that particular TOS outing which you covered in October of 2010 but that was before I'd become one of your regular correspondents. Knowing I'd missed airing my opinion on the aforementioned Shore Leave, I eagerly awaited the podcast for this TNG to have my say. Well, now it's here. I must admit, the planet of Alice in Wonderland’s bunny, somewhere in the galaxy’s Omicron Delta region is more like West World. In fact, when the original Yul Brenner version of ol' WW first appeared, I immediately recalled TOS 17. Risa, on the other hand, is more like a seaside party town, a tourist trap in space. Woefully under roboted. Not my cup of tea but if its parent star’s fusion got squelched, I’d, maybe, go there for the snow Thankyou for your service, Marc PS... That was so fun, writing a TTV email again. Don't feel obliged to make a podcast for it, right away. I'm a lot busier than I was 3 years ago too, so I understand. I didn't even get a pandemic brake, because I work at home! I was just so happy to hear from you, those massive Australian fires that left the news cycle once COVID 19 took the spotlight, brought you two to mind, which made me start listening to the podcast again, That was when I noticed that Trek TV had an anniversary in June so I decided I’d write to you then.
(no subject)
From: Kaelin
Hey Vaughn and Tracy, Well I wasn't planning on actually making a facebook page, but damn since you said I am doing it I guess I will. I am homeschooling my children while still working on my masters degree, and I don't know how busy that's going to keep me. But you know, I was just complaining to George that I don't have any nerd friends (or any close friends at all) in this gorgeous but boring place I live. So I am going to make a facebook page and hope to connect and argue with you other fabulous nerds over the internet. Cheers! Kaelin PS - you can pay me in quatloos.
Family
From: Mark R
Although set on a Vinyard, this episode is more like water. Not exciting and lacking flavor. I had forgotten it until you brought it up. Remembered and forgotten again. Your dog's farts were more action packed than "Family" and likely will be remembered longer. Mark R Lafayette, IN
Los Bros Robo
From: Marc Thomas
Hi trekTV Friends Doctor Noonian Soong,as a character, embodies a through back to the Doctor Zarcovs of sci fi. A mad scientist. This is one of the earliest genre arch-types. Reminiscent of primordial science's 'lone' genius, before inventiveness required the large infrastructural framework which only a governmental, academic or corporate institution could provide. Of course innovation never truly happened in a vacuum as Newton noted from the shoulder tops of giants who preceded his work on Principia. But Frankenstein reanimated the dead without society's help and that doesn't happen anymore. Mad science is fun. My physics friend Fritz is so non-insane it's sad. It seems odd that The Federation can't reproduce Soong's work. Com'on Daystrom Institute! Ol' Doc Day'd had a crazy on now 'n' then...Frankly I'da thought they'da worked out androids after the discovery of anthropomorphic AIs by Roger Korby or those others by Harry Mudd. If in fact...oh sorry. Dr Zarcov? That's from Flash Gordon. Flash Gordon was a popular science fiction property that would have been familiar to a young Gene Roddenberry. Doctor Zhivago? No, nothing to do with this. Star Trek is largely a counterpoint to Flash Gordon. The idea behind Trek was to make a smart sci fi, more inline with the headier literary stuff, something for grown ups. Interestingly, Star Wars was a reaction, in part, to Trek's high mindedness and a reversion to the innocence of comic strips and weekly Buster Crabbe movie house serials. Star Wars is Flash Gordon with a dash of dumbed down Dune. But let's not get diverted into that subject cuz this is about android science. Vaughn works in the same general area as Doc Soong right? Vaughn, is it possible that you are a mere break with wits away from making robots? If so, go crazy man, that'd be cool. Marc
Warning: This is Mr Locke not Mr Marc (a forwarded email)
From: Marc Thomas
Hello Trek TV, This is Mister Locke. Thank you, I am fine and you? It just occurred to me, that when referencing the Borg we employ plural pronouns. As a collective, ought Borg be regarded as a single entity, Borg is the epitome of Von Neumann's 'singularity' . I believe your new Brazilian guest host got it right initially until peer pressure drove her into linguistic compliance. We could, appropriately, be using the singular and non-binary 'they' when speaking of 'them' but when they address us as 'we' it confounds our efforts to be respectful and accurate. Maybe I'll have a different perspective, post assimilation. I wonder how the drones of Landru (Return of the Archons) handled this issue, but not too much. There's a lot going on right now. Ours sincerely, Mr. Locke.
Welcome back
From: Scott R
Wow, you guys are finally back. I found myself checking for new podcasts every month or two and wondering what happened to both of you . 3 year bender...alien abduction...international incident...mutual restraining orders...who knows. Now I see you've been busy, which is a little anti-climactic, but I'm glad that you're doing well and excited to be able to listen to you again.
They are Fam-il-y (mp3 attached)
From: Marc Thomas
Hi trekTV Friends, "We don't get paid by the gut load, boy, leave the bucket be" Said once, Mommy to me, working as both us were, in a vineyard when wee was I. I dug those grapes, unavailable by retail, never sold as food this fruit was grown for drinking but while I'm lead to believe that wine is fine, it was never my cup of tea. Vaughn makes, used to make beer. Better. Although my Rock Hard beverage of choice remains a 'Tang Turkey'...A cocktail wherein heaping tablespoonfulls of 'Tang' (NASA's astronautical beverage powder) are disolved into a tumbler of Wild Turkey, the American corn whiskey preferred by alcoholics and other drunks in pick up trucks. But honestly, I get a little PDSD seeing the ol' Château...I see agin me as I flee farm boy bullies, Mister Locke in tow bein' all like "Oh no, Doctor Fritz tripped in the ditch" An action trope lost to kitch, unlike in any way...this gem of a TNG! There is, like, no action in "Family" and while there's more drama than not, it avoids cheap exploitation, it's classy and adroit in handling Picard's A-plot if Worf and Crusher's 'B' side boarders on the twee. The devotion of an episode to Picard's re-assimilation into humanity was a profoundly mature decision by the powers that were. I love the lack of suspense, the lack of violence. It's like a glass of wine after a stressful day. Or in my case maybe the glass of Pepto Bismo after a stressful glass of wine Written by Ron Moore who'd later export his grim grownup attitude to an unlikely reboot, BattleStar Galactica. Did Tracy meet a BSG alumni whilst working a wine gig once? I believe so, although state of the art neuro-science says "memory is an unreliable narrator" I choose to believe that I remember with accuracy Either way good job dramaturgist Moore This episode deserves and does earn future call backs like the starship christening in 'Generations' as well as the opening episodes of this years own Star Trek: Picard. TNG had hit it's stride by this point but this one demonstrated that Trek was back for real and for keeps. Marc
Love the Show!
From: Chris W
Hello, Trek TV Podcast (Tracy, Vaughn, the doggos, and whoever else might be there)! I wanted to take a moment to thank you all for producing the Trek TV Podcast as it has really helped me get through some rough times lately. I was laid off from my job back in 2018 and it seems like my life has faced one disappointment after the next despite me working harder than I ever have to improve myself and situation. COVID-19 just seems like life putting the icing on the proverbial dirt cake as finding another job is now even harder. As a lifelong Trek fan, your podcast has made me feel like I was sitting in the room with you guys talking about what we all love and respect about Star Trek. I live in a rural part of North Carolina in a dying town where it is really hard to make friends with others who enjoy the same interests as me, Trek included, so having your podcast means a lot to me. I recently went back and listened to your reviews of the Trek films (I through VI) again, and I am staying current with your coverage of TNG. I especially love your episode on Star Trek VI as that film has a special place in my heart, it being the first Trek film I remember going to see in the theater. I appreciate the style of humor you have, especially since many Trek fans are a bit too serious-minded or intellectual when discussing Star Trek. As someone who has concerns and reservations about the current state of Star Trek, I also appreciate that you guys focus on the shows and movies when Star Trek was at its best. Please keep doing what you do, and thank you for helping me get through some rough days! -Chris
Hello
From: Mark R
As a huge fan of Star Trek I have been remiss in not writing. I have listened to your podcast for years including the dark years LOL. I wanted to comment on Transfigurations. Tracy said that "this is not how evolution happens". She meant to say, I believe, "this is not how evolution happens here as far as we know". In science we should not dismiss out of hand that which we are observing with our own eyes. We have only this planet as background information. For all we know there is this type of evolution on another planet with another species. Science requires investigation. I look forward to the next episode and I will continue writing. Mark R Lafayette, IN USA
Mentant's Dog Buys vHS (audio attached)
From: Marc Thomas
Hi Trek TV Friends, There exists a slight relatability gap 'tween Treks and me. I don't really live a normal professional life, I like my job but there's no mobility within a hierarchy to explore and I'm cool with that. It was always difficult for me to picture my place in Star Fleet. I'm pretty sure I'd be watching Star Trek on TV even if I lived in The Federation. In all too real life, that I may avoid the tribulations of employment via labor, I have, for the past 20 years, functioned as a service animal to a 'mentant' Ever read Dune? Well, maybe do. The point is, my client likes to go to thrift stores daily and he always looks for one category of merchandise. Star Trek on VHS. Sometimes there is a fellow traveler there among the stacks. Occasions such as which I am often left worse for ware. In any case, I come home with a VHS in hand daily and have accoumilated more than I can easily contain. To any college kids out there working towards a Psych or Social Work degree, that might be a fertile topic, ripe for a thesis. Star Trek's Appeal to People with Autism. It is, to coin phrase, fascinating. Star Trek always features a character whose role is to learn human social niceties, such as allowing another some one to view the ancient and discarded media. This is why I am watching TNG Season Three on VHS. I have enough Star Trek VHS Video Cassette Tapes to grout together into a Star Trek VHS Video Cassette Tape log cabin which is, after all, my back-up plan. At some point I may record each and every episode of Trek TV onto individual audio cassettes and donate them to the Goodwill, to become an amazing find for a lucky random someone. Yours in neurological curiosity, Marc
Captains Holiday
From: Kaelin
Hey friends! A while ago Vaughn had a problem with the way things were wrapped up in the episode Captains Holiday. I agreed with your observations. I think they are the result of episodic television, though. These days that story would run over three episodes, and would be referenced to in future episodes. But tng comes from different times. Hey, have you ever considered starting a facebook page? I would love to be able to talk with your other fans following trektv episodes. -Kaelin
Both Worlds at Their Best
From: Marc Thomas
Hi trekTV Friends, Are you in Melbourne now? Used to be Perth right? But I guess the point is...Stage 4 quarantine, wow. If you were in Oregon you'd be free to live as recklessly as you like, or play it safe and hope to noy catch it from those who don't. Hey, here's a Trek anecdote, more catholic in nature, Or TOSic maybe and about fear. The six year old boy in my local pandemic bubble was at my apartment recently, laughing historically at something on my wall. The wall is festooned generously with the sort of cultural mementos enjoyed by the autistic man whom I care fore professionally. One of the things this man enjoys besides high brow music and dictionaries is Star Trek. What was my six year old quasi-stepson laughing his ass off at? There were no jokes tacked to the sheetrock, but a TOS wall calendar was, and the screen cap from 'Arena' which had been chosen by the calenderists to represent the month of August featured The Gorn. The Gorn was scary when I was six. To be fair though, it's ben hilarious for a long time. I think The Borg need more time, though. Sorry, drones. Not funny yet. Still scary AF Alcumberrie! Best of Both Worlds, the two parter which straddles the hair metal and grunge eras, connecting the two like a rocking' scifi issued skin tissue. This is kind of the pivotal TNG episode. cinematic, novelistic nearly literate. More of a trilogy than a couplet with the episode Family, functioning as a calming coda to all that Borg drama. But of course when I first saw this cliff hanger...Arrg I hate cliff hangers... Agony. Wrath of Khan all over again. Their will be a sound clip from "In Between The Lions" in there, you lucky people Best part? Patty Stu says "Futile" not Feudal as 7 out of 9 Borg's surveyed would say later. Marc
Transfigured Fun (audio attached)
From: Marc Thomas
Hi trekTV Friends, Yes, having my Argentinian girlfriend back at her home along the 'conestoga' laden Oregon Trail really interferes with my trekTV work. During the previous decade of the podcast, I existed in a state of contemplative chastity. By the way, did you say Jarod had a Brazilian girlfriend? And I seem to recall Tracy having an adventure in South America about 4 or 5 years ago. Where was that? I'm currently reconsuming the TTV archive but it'll be a while till I get to that one. What? Transfigurations, right The evolution into astral consciousness trope, a trek franchise fave from the Hate Vampire of Dove's Day to Q. This is an episode about a guy who can't wait to be the next Hate Vampire or Q. Or Oraganian, or Trelane or Melvar. The idea of pure energy beings stems, I think, from that human propensity to imagine what eventually becomes the Ghost in Descart's machine. Thoughly unsupported by science, but that seldom molds what we think. Our minds can feel apart from the body, the body seems to drag it down. But trust me. Somewhere in the omniverse pureNRGings are imagining how cool it'd be to have mass. Life without chemistry, just physics. Is that evolutions goal? No. Evo's a "no goal" situation, folks. Nothing to see here Oh my Thankyou for doing this ttv f(plural s) Marc
Menage a Troi (audio attached)
From: Marc Thomas
Hi trekTV Friends, I was talking to my other friends, Doctor Fritz and Mister Locke last Thursday. We have a video chat once a week and have done so for about ten years and the reason we started doing that, talking every week via futuristic TVphone, wuzcuz we wanted to listen to Trek TV together. Or rather they were bitterly jealous of me for having trekTV friends and wanted crash the party. As veterans, therefore, of social distanceing, or misanthropes, we, three, were smug to gloat over the rest world's discovery of video chat for their-Johnny-Come-Lately-Selves. It's been great to see a profusion of apps because when Google+ died taking Hangouts with it, we were left a drift finding then abandoning a series of shitty Skype-alikes. Now,we've settled on Google Duo and you? Hi trekTV Friends, I was trying to get this letter to you before you recorded again, despite my sincere affection for the reverberent introduction which has occasionally preceded my late arriving mp3mails Oh, I remember this one. When I was a young man in the 80's I didn't care for Luxana much. But now I'm old. I probably am Luxana...I should look at my notes on her earlier appearances to see if I've already made that joke. Yes children, that was a joke. Majel was in everything Roddenbury did, not just Trek but his failed scifi pilots like Genesis 2 and The Questor tapes. Later she's be involved in Earth Final Conflict, which was a Roddenbury take on the "Childhood's End" thing. After her husband's passing she produced "Andromeda" which was a show about a spaceman trying to reboot a fallen Federation type of pyramid scheme. There was a thread of common ideas running through Roddenbiry's work and she knew how to promulgate his core themes Oh and this is the one where Patty Stu gets to get his Shakey on. I once went to Stratford Upon Avon, The Bard's hometown. It's also neartowhere the filming of Teletubbies which I consider to be Trek cannon, occured. I always imagined an episode where Kirk destroys their culture, even though they share Starfleets wardrobe palette of primary colors. I could go on but.... MARC
"The Most Toys" SOE22
From: Brian C
Hey guys and gals.😁 I was thinking if you collected rare things wouldn't you rather have Lore instead of Data? I mean he has emotions and is a better robot isn't he? I can't imagine Lore not speaking to Fago's friends . He probably would have told Fago's friend to go fuck himself.
Sarek
From: Marc Thomas
Hi Trek TV Friends, When Sarek dropped in 1990, I, as a fan emeritus, from the original era, felt well served. Best Trek since 'Journey to Babel' Despite, implausible xenobiology and the implied efficacy of ESP, Vulcans are my way fave. I probably say this every time we have an episode Vulcanic in some aspect. The point is 'fan service' is no vice. This is a great episode but it doesn't need to be because it has Mark Lenard. So, Sarek's got a type. Are his human partners cool with that? "Is it 'who' I am or "what'?" This sentiment was expressed by Mr. Locke when he found himself oversees and in demand, years ago. Remember Mr. Locke? He says "Hi" I wonder if they even asked Jane Wyatt to come back to play Amanda. She'd been insanely old but The Grinch was, demonstrably, still kicking for the TNG pilot, so why not her? Whatever It's weird watching pre-pandemic TV. People without masks touching each other's faces. Not something you see everyday, anymore. Nonetheless this episode has a touching and emotionally resonant theme which asks "How much cooler would Gramma's dementia be if she'd had psychic powers and could fuck shit up?" Much Hey check it out...Mark Lenard and Leonard Nimoy? Same name spelled differently? Maybe but... Mr. Lenard's 'Mark' with a 'k' Etymologically derives from Germanic languages and is the sort of Mark upon which one gets set before going. Mine with a 'c' is from Latin and's gotta 'God o' War' thing going so who knows(?) Citation? I left that in my other pants Marc
The Most Toys
From: Marc Thomas
Hi Trek TV Friends, The Most Toys. A 'before it's time' cautionary tale about hoarding from the hoard's own POV, which ends when Data breaks with his Asimovian upbringing. Ok, fine. Not hoarding. Collecting. I get it. Not unrecently Target stores had some sweet TOS Mirror Universe memorabilia from MEGO, which I, eventually, could not, summon the will to say "No" to. Now that I have my Naughty Sulu and Bearded Spock. I'm not entirely sure that I'd let them go, willingly, if they asked. I'd like to think I learn and practice the ethics gleaned from all this Star Trekkin' I do, but do I, really? Too bad I'm such a strict materialist cuz some soul searchings, maybe, due me. I really liked 'Most Toys' and I think I agree with 'the many' who believe season three marks the "hitting it's stride" point for TNG I'm loving this so much, having TTV in my life again! I'm trying to get this out to you before you record again but you know what I'm doing, we've done this all before. I doubt I have to explain myself to you Marc
holo pursuits
From: Marc Thomas
Hi Trek TV friends, It was great to have Jarod back for the 'Captain's Holiday' podcast and to hear a new letter from Kaelin on "Tin Man" as well as an old one, this is wonderful. I'm so glad that Julian has been in contact with you too! I was a synonym for glad to learn of your intention to reboot the website. If you need any of the old content I think I may have an archive of the Trek TV fan art, all of it, not just mine. It's on an old hard drive which I'm using as a doorstop somewhere. Hopefully this email will end up on your Hollow Pursuits commentary cuz I had something to say about that one It's the incredibly awkward episode about what the holodeck is really all about. Marc
Tin Man
From: Marc Thomas
MP3MAIL...see attached transcript below Hi Trek TV Friends, Oh, this one. I like one. ESP was never my fave as Sci Fi tropes go but sentient starships? Sign me up! I liked those Anne McCaffrey books, the weird TV show LEXX and The Bargarean Jade from Mission to Zyxx a little better than Gomtuu, but I suppose I shouldn't hold it's mopey affect against it. We've all been there, now and then. I've wondered often why Starfleet vessels don't come alive like Data or Voyager's Doctor. The only such occurrence I can recall comes much later in the franchise in the 'Short Treks' episode "Calypso" from last year. Vulcan style telepathy is used on androids in the new Picard series as well as TOS' naughty 'Nomad' but apparently Betazoid empathizm's a robo-no-go...Okay? Sure, that makes sense. The science that says ESP is real might as well say "feelings" are not "thoughts" See how accommodating I can be. As stated, I like this one, I like Gomtuu, it's like The Doomsday Machine except more sensitive. And I like doing this again, an mp3Mail, how fun! I bought this computer primarily for sound recording but decided it would be too much work to create the massive audiobook project I'd once planned. So this is, really, the first time I've tried to use this version of GarageBand. I hope we hear from some of the other emailers too..hello out there! And adios for now Marc
(no subject)
From: Marc Thomas
Hi Trek TV Friends, I think June 16, was the tenth anniversary of The Trek TV Podcast’s first episode. You continued, off and on, until April of 2017. That was a super fun, seven year long, ride for me and I just wanted to thank you for all the good times. I really hope you enjoyed doing the podcast and I hope you are enjoying whatever it is you are doing now, both Tracy and Vaughn as well as Jared and the various guest hosts and email regulars. I am fine,having accomplished nothing since TTV, resting, as I am, upon laurels accrued during my stint as an mp3-mailer for your fine program. Best wishes, best I can muster… Marc Thomas
Episode "Evolution"
From: Jason C
Hi Folks, Just finished listening to your podcast about the episode "Evolution", and a thought occurred to me about the use of "Stars & Stripes Forever" when the nanites begin disrupting the Enterprise's computer systems. I used to be a circus performer and that song has a very specific meaning in American circus tradition. It's only played by a circus band when an emergency is taking place. It's a sort of code to the circus people that something is wrong, without alarming spectators. If you are a circus person and hear Stars & Stripes Forever during a show, it's a sort of "all hands on deck" warning. Here's the Wikipedia entry on the song, and it mentions this usage: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Stars_and_Stripes_Forever So I'm wondering if back in the day, someone in the production of Star Trek TNG knew this and purposely decided to use Stars & Stripes in this episode as a form of very subtle foreshadowing. It's a long-shot, but you never know... Regards, Jason (last name withheld)
pure research
From: Marc Thomas
Hi Trek TV Friends, Red giants are what become of main sequence stars like our sun. Normally they wither into white dwarves as Jared suggested and if too big, they do, as proposed by Vaughn, become black holes or at the very least neutron stars. Way to get the science right guys. I appreciate that Star Trek portrays a universe where pure research is valued although it's a shame how often the scientists are painted in shades of Frankensteinian obssesion. This is written in responce to the season 3 premier "Evolution". That episode from 1989 introduced me to the concept of 'nano' tech. I'd been keeping some distance between myself and sci fi at the time, immersed in philoosphy which apparently teaches nothing. Marc
Too Long
From: Marc Thomas
Hi Trek TV Friends, While re-watching these TNGs for TTV I skipped "Shades of Grey" still disappointed that they concluded Season Two that way. A clip show. Can you imagine how pissed I was in 1988? This is the first time I've seen Picard's 'Trek' episodes since they were new. Like those of you in the podcast crew, I was, once long ago, struck by the horrible disfigurement time had imposed upon actress Diana Muldaur since her days as a TOS hottie. Of course from our current temporal vantage point, Mister Locke and I are a tad past the age of Pollaski in season two. If if wasn't for the mullet she'd look great. Marina Sirtis looks better now than she did then simply by having ditched that big '80's hair. "All business up front, party in the back." was the mullets pitch. It really was the defining trial of my generation, like Viet Nam for the American boomers. Thankfully, none of the dude cast memebers rocked that look and why should they have (?) Patty Stu made hair irrelevant to masculine aethetic appeal ever after anyway which sucked hardcore for shaggy fucks like me. Mister Locke wins again. It was an interesting experiment to have a Lady Grinch replace Crusher but I think it was the regional inversion more than the gender flip which made her so unlikable to viewers. While equally cantankerous, McCoy's 'old country Doctor' shtick was perceived by many as charming, whereas Muldaur's haughty trans-Atlantic spin on the character lacked the warmth of the former. They should have made Polaski a Vulcan. Her cool elitism would have worked better with pointed ears. "Welcome back Crusher." That's what I remember thinking in 1989. Also "Goodbye, Berlin Wall." as my dreams of an international workers paradise crumbled into rubble. By the way, I noticed some different artistic choises being made in the editing of the show and wondered if Vaughn was habitially vaping THC like me. Then we all learned that Jared had been splicing the reels of late. Nice work young man. Stay shaggy and just say "no" Not a role model, just a causionary example, Marc
From Steve N - lieutenant
From: Steve N
I just joined the fleet and tracy get’s kidnapped!?! This is ridiculous. What rank is she? How do I bribe my way up the chain of command, does anyone there out rank her?? Order her back to the ship immediately! I didn’t know to call her ohura, or janeway, or maybe she is more like bones, but she is acting like a red shirt from the original series. please get an armed guard. who is warf there on your bridge? lock onto that guy in bolivia and vaporize him please. well glad your alive tracy, you are too funny, but if you get some riker like bolivian ptsd we are going to have to jetison you, or worse have troy analyze your feelings.
Peak Performance
From: Marc Thomas
Hi Trek TV Friends, Is Jared's last name really Benatar? Related I assume to Pat, who trades lead vocals with Maria Callas and Cookie Monster in any number of early 21st century Swedish goth-metal ensembles. If this email should land on the Peak Performance episode of TTV I’d just like to say that the game Stratagema sounds alot like Stratego, which I used to play with Little Master Green until he graduated to those pixelated complexities which elude me. Here’s something else I don’t understand, from my notes …”What’s R2D2 doing on the Ferengi ship?” I re-watched these TNG’s a couple years ago and am working from observations scriven then but often forgotten since. My best shot, Marc
New Series
From: Marc Thomas
Hi Trek TV Friends, So there's gonna be a new Star Trek series next year. I don’t know how I feel about that. I'll have to watch it, even if it's bad, I'll have to... I’m just not really in the habit of watching TV anymore and I don't want to pay for the proprietary CBS streaming service that will carry it. Maybe I could move in with my Mom. She has lotza TV cuz she likes sports. But is it worth it to watch some variation of sportsball everyday just to watch Star Trek once a week? If it's presented in the serialized format of modern TV it could be great but I'll never be able to keep track of what's going on. I think I’ll just wait until you get around to covering it. By then it might be on Netflix, ripe for binge viewing. Of course I may be dead by then, so that presents a whole new problem. Unless they have cable in Hell. By the way, I’m way diggin’ Subjects X Marc
Manhunt
From: Marc Thomas
Hi Trek TV Friends, Man the torpedo's, Majel's back.. She so much more animated than Chaps (Nurse Chapel) What's with the eye's though? So dark here, so blue in TOS Oh, I didn't know the literal 'dress uniforms' made it into season 2. A sporran woulda made Pixey (John Luc Picard) more manly and he'da had oats to boot. (subtext: my Scottish friend who hates sci fi but likes Scotland says that without a sporran it's just a dress. He also said that men keep oats in sporrans for porridge which can be used to sate the appetite of predatory Highland grizzlies. Hey, it worked for Goldielox.) This episode nearly addresses my need to see a Jeeves and Wooster caper situated in Outer Space. Many of those PG Wodehouse stories were about men trying to avoid getting hitched. Not one of my favorites but I like Luxanna more now than I did in 1989. Remind me to mention, The Quintaglio Ascension Trilogy by fierce Canadian Nationalist Bob Sawyer when writing to you about the Voyager episode Distant Origin. That'll be in about 375 Trek TVs assuming you go through the entirety of DS9 first. Also, I just downloaded the first Subject X. I'm gonna listen to it too. Starting.....now.
Samaritan Snare
From: Marc Thomas
Hi Trek TV Friends, Weed News now. While my living situation makes smoking weed problematic, I live in the of the four American states where it’s recently become legal, so I bought an eighth at the dope shop...Just because I could. It seemed sorta futuristic, that’s all. New Wave sci fi from the 60’s and 70’s as well as 80’s cyberpunk often postulated a tomorrowland where forbidden narcotics become the banal province of well taxed retail. I believe there was scene in ST IV “...Voyage Home” where Spock is surprised to find himself busted on Haight Street after scoring a dime bag. Here's what this has to do with Samaritan Snare. Those Pakleds are clearly stoned. I meant to get this to you before you did Samaritan Snare, but I see now that I missed the tweet where you ask for emails pertinent to the episode you are about to record. Oh well. Marc
Square
From: Marc Thomas
Hi Trek TV Friends, ‘Time Squared’ is a pretty kickass handling of that mind-boning “Lotza me” concept. An older stab at it can be read in Stanislaw Lem's ‘The Seventh Voyage’ I hope the new series due to premeir next year groks that Trek is suposed to be thoughtful now and then. I've enjoyed the reboot movies but they're all speed and heroic machismo. Less dick more brain, that'd be good. Jared’s parents like Garth Brooks eh? My Mom likes Celine Dion. Interesting. Whose parents are more square? Hey, ever heard that Shatner duet with Brad Paisley? Me neither but that does round the topic back to Star Trek. It was great to hear from Alan Speaker, hope he starts emailing regularly again. Marc
booze
From: Marc Thomas
Hi Trek TV Friends, Just a quick note, it wasn't me or Julian who ratted you out to the CCSA (Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse) . Mister Locke also listens to the show and it's a safe bet that he is responsible for the inflated social reference price of Everclear. It was great to have Kaelin on the show again. Marc
Comix
From: Marc Thomas
Hi Trek TV Friends The other day I was at the comic book store with Little Master Green. We were looking for Terreria themed merchandise. He's not really into comic books except for 'The Beano', a British periodical that most Americans don't know about. Even our local comic book store proprietor doesn't know about '...Beano'. But I'll bet Julian and Collin do. Anyway, they sell lotza video game swag and that's what we usually go there to get. I used to like comics,though. Not super-heros, Archie, or any other funny or action-packed crap, I liked Star Trek comics. The Gold Key, four color processed,newsprint disposables were sold for a quarter at drug-stores and Seven Elevens. Star Trek comics are still pressed into existence today. But I don't usually buy these since they cost so very much more than twenty-five American cents. Here's the problem. Star Trek got me when I was young and I've never quite out-grown it. Planet of the Ape got me too. So when I saw a TOS/POA cross over graphic novel I had to have it. Here's my review. It was okay. Not as good as The Julep series. Also? I liked 'Mad Magazine'. 'Mad' is kind of like America's Beano, except not really. Oh and with regard to the art of mine most recently and kindly posted… That's the Uranian moon 'Miranda' looming in the sky as the anxious bi-pedal ape woman waits in line at the Titanian tele-port. I'll finish the story in about ten years and there are plenty of pictures of Uranus and other planets waiting to accompany the text. Marc
Measure of a Man
From: Kaelin
Hey guys, I'm so glad to hear TrekTV is back up! The past few episodes have been great. I wanted to share with you something that occurred to me while listening to your episode on "Measure of a Man". When Riker turns Data "off" with his off switch, Riker uses that to demonstrate that Data is just a machine. I wondered why Picard didn't mention the Vulcan neck-pinch as a counter argument, demonstrating how humanoid life-forms can be "shut off" in a similar manner. Riker's argument seems pretty weak when held next to this. What do you think? Your friend, Kaelin
Fan Mail
From: Seth in Columbus
Hello TrekTV, I'm so glad your back. I was afraid you guys got involved in some kind of love triangle and one of you murdered the other. You make me whole and give meaning to my life. I keep a binder of transcripts of your podcasts in a locked box in my closet. I pray to it everyday before I go to work and, without it, my PO would probably put me back on meds again. Sincerely yours, Seth in Columbus
Newest Fan Art
Dirty facial hair
From: Data Logan
Data Logan picture from senior year in high school. Dirty 'stache all out there Data name on letterman's jacket (for academics) Star Trek book in hand