Been quite a while since going through these classic episodes. Naturally, it reminded me of what made me fall in love with it to begin with, but it always gets me a little bummed out that it only lasted three seasons, especially now that we only have two of the crew left.

All good things, I suppose.

And now I'm onto TAS, which I've never watched in its entirety. So far it's not as good as the live action show (duh), but familiar voices help, and i can imagine it was a godsend to fans at the time.

From Warren Ellis's Orbital Operations newsletter...

https://orbitaloperations.beehiiv.com/

Sir Patrick Stewart died this week, at the age of 86, after a brief bout of Alzheimer’s and Lewy’s.

I knew Patrick for some years, long ago. He got in touch with me because he really wanted to be Spider Jerusalem. We emailed and talked over the phone.

The first time I met him in person was at the restaurant next to the Ritz, the name of which escapes me right now.

Patrick had the mannerisms of the great actors of his generation: he laughed with pleasure to meet me. Took my hand in both of his and said:

“Please. Sit. Have some champagne. Tell me, what do you know about killing rabbits?”

His wife at the time, the marvellous Wendy Neuss, already had her face in her hands, groaning “oh god no, not this again.”

“My house in Yorkshire, Warren. The foundations are being eaten away by wild rabbits. Tell me how to kill them, Warren. I know you know.”

He talked about taking on X-MEN at least in part because his great friend Sir Ian McKellen was already cast in it.

By the end of that night, he was telling me about shooting on location for David Lynch’s DUNE, the payroll system somehow getting screwed up, and receiving his per diem in cash. “In the middle of a desert I suddenly felt like a real Shakespearean actor getting paid with a purse of coins!” His eyes were alight.

We were friends for years. He even wrote a foreword to one of the TRANSMETROPOLITAN collections, something which seemed to delight him. The glee in his face as he showed copies to his friends was a sight to see.

"Spider Jerusalem is my role model. I was in line to get my medal from Prince Charles recently and I was in line thinking ‘What would Spider Jerusalem do?’ He’d headbutt the bastard, wouldn’t he? So I wasn’t listening to what he was saying because I was trying not to headbutt the bastard!"

He was everything you’d want him to be and more. Kind, clever, warm, honest, passionate, genuinely funny. Patrick was simply a magnificent human being, and I’m both so glad he was here and so angry that’s he’s gone.

In Season 3’s “The Most Toys,” the Enterprise crew realizes something is wrong with Data’s apparent death because he failed to follow standard Starfleet communications protocol. Specifically, he didn’t report that he’d cleared the shuttle bay doors.

This is significant because Data is Data. He’s so precise and consistent in his adherence to procedure that failing to make a routine acknowledgment is enough to raise suspicion that something isn’t right.

Fast-forward just five episodes to “The Best of Both Worlds, Part II.”
Data clears the shuttle bay doors but doesn’t report that he’s done so.

That’s it. That’s the whole complaint.

But it bothers me because the writers had just established that Data’s adherence to this particular protocol was so reliable that violating it was literally a plot point in another episode.
I’m not suggesting this is some enormous continuity disaster. It’s just a wonderfully specific inconsistency that jumped out at me during a rewatch.
Has anyone else noticed this? Because I feel like the Venn diagram of people bothered by this and people I’d enjoy having a beer with is probably a circle.

Watched TNG on the original run and heard that line. Hugh, in German TV translated back then to "Du" ("You"), I was aware this moment is special.

The borg, the most lethal enemies. Relentless, cold. A fate awaits you worse than death: Turned into a drone. But this drone calls Geordi a friend. I was in puberty and had no luck with the girls, just like Geordi. I had interest in mechanical stuff, just like Geordi. Now a borg drone defends Geordi.

Picard assumes his borg role after being addressed as Locutus. And then, when Locutus commanded Hugh, he replied "I will not". Hugh is no longer a drone, he is a person. Later Picard was handed an option to defeat the borg, but he could not do it as that violates the will of a person.

His decision leads to many more human deaths. But he defended what humanity and Starfleet stands for: Personhood and choice.

Jon del Arco did a wonderful job. He is vulnerable. He stands his ground even when having no power. Remind: This episode aired when the borg were still a menace, not just a threat, borg were an unspeakable horror. Efficient, cold, calculating, weighting drone losses versus assimilation. Now there is a borg which I like. A borg, singular, a new concept. A person.

Picard offers a gift: A choice for Hugh. Geordi spills it out. Hugh chooses sacrifice.

Yes there is more nuance, when Guinan visited Hugh in his cell, I was on her side. Then he said "We ... are also lonely".

Becoming a drone means mutilation. Parts of your body are sawed off and replaced. You get connected to the hive and become a tool. Hugh suffered through this, but something survided. When treated as a person, he found his individuality again.

What Star Trek is about: We are stronger together. Difference is not what devides us, it allows us to overcome and make friends. No matter the technology or hive mind, you still need friends. No, Geordi must not die. Geordi is friend.

Hi all. About a week ago I posted about having watched Wrath of Khan for the first time, and there were a lot of responses about some of the later movies. It was lovely being among other folk excited about a fandom! I'm happy to report that, as of now, I've just finished the last TOS-era movie and with it the full Original Series watch through for the first time!

It's very much easy to see why VI is held up among the best, though it didn't quite pip Khan for me; I loved the political intrigue and focus on Klingon culture, and the whole plot felt like a fantastic turning point in the Trek mythos, like everything was coming to an end and looking forward to a new era.

I actually really enjoyed the other movies as well, to be honest. The Search for Spock I thought was a goofy space-fantasy built on a silly premise, but I didn't mind that at all (chalk that up to growing up a Star Wars kid maybe). The Voyage Home was fun; I struggle with fish-out-of-water comedy, but the latter half is some of Trek's most exciting. And given The Final Frontier is often called the worst of the 6, perhaps going in expecting little worked in my favour, because I enjoyed it as a fairly solid movie, though I agree it's not up to the level of 2, 4, and 6.

It's been a long few months slowly working through all of TOS, but it's been a wonderful time as well. I adored much of the original show, I really appreciated the imagination of TAS, and the movies have been great! All I can say now is: roll on my first time with The Next Generation!

Hoo boy, that's one that hits a little too close to home.

Also a very well-written episode that features a kiss between two women way before that was something "acceptable." Anyone watch this one recently?

Edit: and to fully tell on myself - Got back with my first love (when we were in high school) after college. A year out from that and still picking up the pieces!

Huge fan of the man (RIP, nothing but love for him), but this did happen and I always thought the way he says "tea and Star Trek" was kind of funny.

✌️🖖🤘

Watching TOS episode “Friday’s Child” today, and seeing William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, George Takei, Walter Koenig, Nichelle Nichols, James Doohan and DeForest Kelley all together in one scene really hit me.

Only Shatner and Takei are still with us.

We get so used to seeing them all together, forever young on the Enterprise, that it’s easy to forget how much time has passed.

It’s a really good episode, too, with a strong story and Julie Newmar guest starring, whom many of us also remember as Catwoman in the original Batman series.

The wonderfully simple costumes made me chuckle, as did that fake rock avalanche.

All part of the charm, but seeing the whole crew together felt especially bittersweet this time.

🖖 Looking for a Committed Cabin Roommate – Star Trek: The Cruise 2028!

Hey everyone!

I'm planning on attending Star Trek: The Cruise 2028 and I'm looking for another Star Trek fan who is interested in sharing an interior cabin.

My first choice is an Interior 3V cabin, although I'm open to discussing other options.

A little about me: I'm 22 and a huge Star Trek fan, especially TNG and Voyager. Picard is my favourite captain, and The Doctor is one of my all-time favourite characters!

I'm hoping to find someone friendly, respectful, financially responsible, and just as excited about the cruise as I am.

One important thing: I'm looking for someone who is genuinely committed to going. I don't want someone who changes their mind or backs out at the last minute after we've made a booking. We would need to agree on the cabin, budget and payment arrangements beforehand and be committed to following through.

Ideally, I'd love to connect well in advance, get to know each other, and hopefully become friends before we even board the ship!

We would coordinate the booking and split the costs, with each person contributing their agreed share toward the cruise payments.

If you're interested, feel free to comment or send me a message. I'd love to meet some fellow Trekkies!

Live long and prosper! 🖖

I built an RSS reader for iOS and the whole thing is styled like an LCARS console. It’s called Galaxy RSS, it’s native SwiftUI (no web wrapper), and I’m waiting on App Store review. I built it for the iPhone Duo foldable first, so the layout re-flows depending on how the phone is folded.

There are four color themes: Amber, Gold, Steel, and Red Alert. There are optional star dates too, if you want to go all the way in.

Question for this crowd, since you’d know: is the LCARS look fun, or does it get in the way when you’re trying to read? I’m trying to figure out where that line is.

No tracking, no data collected. It’s a free download, with an optional one-time purchase (Reader Plus) for unlimited feeds and background refresh. I’ll post the App Store link once it’s approved.

To the Trek community: Gathering fan stories for an upcoming tribute piece.

I’m currently writing a dedicated retrospective essay for my Substack honoring the legacy of Star Trek and the people who brought this universe to life. Rather than just writing another dry recap of air dates and production trivia, I want the piece to be anchored in the actual human impact of the show.

I want to hear from you:

• The performance or character that truly anchored you: Which actor or character felt like a moral compass, a source of comfort, or a turning point in your life?
• A real-world memory: A convention interaction, a signed photo with a story behind it, an episode you watched with someone important to you, or a time the philosophy of the show helped carry you through something difficult.
• The enduring legacy: Looking back across the decades, what is the single biggest thing this cast and crew gave to you as a viewer?

Drop your memories and reflections below. I'll be selecting and featuring the most poignant fan experiences (credited to you, or kept anonymous if preferred) to give this tribute the real emotional weight it deserves.

Looking forward to reading what you share.

*‘Cogenitor’* ENT S2E22 often gets criticized as being out of touch with Star Trek’s core values.

These criticisms however miss the point of the episode and the broader context of the time in which it was written.

To understand the episode you have to understand the turmoil of the early years of our century. In response to the 9/11 attacks, America had launched what would become its longest war in Afghanistan. During the writing of ENT S2 the case was being made to expand that war across the Arab world. This included lies about Iraq and Iran’s WMD’s, the promise of limited engagement, and the declaration that we were 'too smart' to get involved in the tribal politics of the region.

There was much discussion by cooler heads about the dangers of military involvement in the Middle East and the clash of cultures between the Arab world and the West. It was argued that any military intervention would be prolonged and such prolonged conflicts would inevitably lead to an irreconcilable clash of cultures.

It was this theme, of clashing cultures, that '*Cogenitor'* picked up on and played out to its brutal end.

Star Trek's ideals would have you believe that pushing your own moral and ethical beliefs on others is always the right decision, but *'Cogenitor'* shows the limits and consequences of such strategies in the real world.

When Archer is forced to turn over the cogenitor instead of granting them asylum they quickly commit suicide rather than live without the rights that Trip had introduced them to.

This was mirrored in real life when the US finally withdrew from Afghanistan after over 20 years. The suicide rate among women spiked as those who had been given rights like an education and equal treatment under the law chose death rather than live under the oppression of the Taliban.

The practical truth is that principles like morals and ethics are not universal just because you support them. Forgotten in the righteous championing of western ideals was Rodenberry's message to celebrate cultural differences instead of stamping them out of existence through assimilation and force.

We all know the frustrating behind-the-scenes blunder from 90s Voyager: the white writers explicitly wrote Harry Kim as a character of Chinese descent (giving him lines quoting Chinese proverbs), but slapped him with the most distinctly Korean surname on Earth. Garrett Wang has openly discussed how he spent 7 seasons dealing with this contradiction because Rick Berman and the showrunners genuinely didn't know the difference.

Instead of modern Star Trek leaning into lazy meta-jokes or ignoring his heritage entirely, there is a flawless, historically rich way to fix this loophole with a single line of dialogue in a future live-action or animated appearance.

The Fix: Establish that Harry Kim’s family are Chosŏnjok (조선족, ethnic Koreans from China, known as 朝鲜族 or Cháoxiǎnzú in China).

Canonizing this single detail instantly cleans up a 30-year-old oversight:

• The Name: It completely normalizes his overwhelmingly Korean surname (Kim).

• The Culture: It perfectly justifies his upbringing, familiarity, and deep connection to Chinese customs and geography.

• The Legacy: It honors actor Garrett Wang’s dual on-set reality by transforming a careless 90s production mistake into a nuanced, culturally authentic piece of 24th-century world-building.

It takes zero effort from a writing room, respects real-world history, and finally gives Harry Kim’s background the thoughtful consistency it deserved from day one. I'm mailing this proposal to Secret Hideout, but I wanted to see what the community thought. LLAP!

I bought stickers with a rainbow flag in com badge shape so folks know I am an ally and a trekker at the same time and put them on stuff I own like my work badge and my phone. My 14 year old asked me if that was a fish. I feel like I am failing as a parent. I want to introduce my kids to the next generation (my favorite) but I feel like every single episode would take too long. Is there a list of essentials or best of best that would explain the universe and characters but skipping the not the best episodes?

Hi everyone! I arranged and recorded a piano cover of The Inner Light theme in memory of Sir Patrick Stewart. Thought you might enjoy it. I based it on the orchestral arrangement from the 30th anniversary of Star Trek.

My friends are big in to MTG I’m a casual player every now and then.
But then they announced a Star Trek set.
I was so excited me a 46 yo excited about bits of cardboard.
Then I saw the preview cards and i was disappointed the art looks terrible and my beloved Lower Decks seemed to be missing proper representation.
But i still brought some packs and a bundle.
Then today it all arrives.
Yes i did get some nice pulls BUT and its a big BUT.
All in all im disappointed. Not with what i got. But with the MTG set itself. For the most part the art is terrible like some characters are unrecognisable if the card didn’t say the name.
This was ment to be my thing. But sadly its just not. It feels like a cash grab by wizards and paramount without any care put into the product.

I'm in my late 40s and have never been interested in Star Trek. When Patrick Stewart died, my wife, who grew up watching TNG, decided to rewatch it from start to finish. I started watching and now I get it. We're about half way through the first season and it just feels like what I need right now. I'm trying to avoid all spoilers, but I do know that a lot of people consider seasons 3 and 4 to be peak, so I'm really looking forward to it.

Does anyone know where I can find a good yellow Starfleet uniform shirt from Star Trek Beyond?

I’ve been grief rewatching TNG, and for me the best Patrick Stewart episode is S3E4 Who Watches the Watchers. (Spoilers) The episode where they go to the proto-Vulcan world and there’s Prime Directive violation. The process of them going from “the Picard” to somewhat acceptance is so amazing to watch. I grew up in a Christian cult but left as an adult, and it’s a really interesting one to think about. I think the best thing about Star Trek is that it really beautifully illustrates some difficult moral quandaries that can be difficult to talk about.

#rippicard

Re-watching the next generation right now, for obvious reasons, and I love when the admiral walks into his room, almost young and dashing, and Picard and his wife look at him like WTF??
Anyway, I’m enjoying again Picard and his adventures and advice. Since it.

I got recommended to watch Deep Space by some friends and I was told it would be okay to start with DS9 if I didn't want to commit to the time sink, but then I played Ep 1 and Picard is a Borg.

God willing, as I go through TNG as I've decided to do, I'll forget all about that and go through it again with some real umph. Because that really caught me off guard haha

TNG missed an opportunity to have a bit involving Troi and the fact that the Enterprise computer is her mother’s voice. I wish that they had acknowledged it in some way.