Star Trek TNG S04E13-15 Devil’s Due, Clues, First Contact – “Ron Swanson Loves Riddles” | First Time Reaction – To Baldly Go Podcast (Ep. 062)

First-Time Watch – Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 4, Episodes 13-15

This week, we continue our first-time, release-order journey through Star Trek with three episodes from the fourth season of The Next Generation.

We begin with a story that feels more like an episode of The Original Series performed by the TNG cast. We then move into a mystery built around missing time, inconsistent evidence and Data’s refusal to answer a very important question. Finally, the Enterprise attempts to make contact with a civilization that is about to discover it is not alone in the universe.

This week, we get:

• Feeling like a TOS episode

• Ron Swanson’s favorite Star Trek episode

• What happens when a society learns they are not alone in the universe?

We covered:

• Devil’s Due

• Clues

• First Contact

Devil’s Due

The Enterprise answers a distress call from Ventax II, where the population believes the planet is about to be claimed by Ardra, a supernatural figure who supposedly negotiated a contract with their ancestors one thousand years earlier.

Picard is unwilling to accept a supernatural explanation when deception and sufficiently advanced technology remain possibilities. The result is an episode that feels like a TOS concept transplanted directly into The Next Generation.

Things we discussed:

• She Who Must Not Be Named

• EbeData Scrooge

• A TOS episode with the TNG cast

• Deus ex Machina

• Q discussion

• The Beginning of Infinity, explanations and knowledge problems

• A good Dungeons & Dragons villain?

• Star Trek and religion

• What is the range of Troi’s empathic abilities?

• Cinematography discussion

Clues

After the Enterprise passes through an apparent wormhole, the crew awakens believing that only thirty seconds have passed. Evidence throughout the ship suggests they were unconscious for much longer—but Data insists there is nothing more to explain.

The episode gives us a lot to unravel as Picard and the crew investigate their own missing time and Data becomes increasingly unwilling to cooperate. One additional explanation might have made the episode work even better, but the central mystery still gives us plenty to discuss.

Things we discussed:

• A lot going on in this episode

• Problems with the handling of time

• Warp speed, time dilation and relativity

• One explanation could have improved the episode

• Plant reconciliation studies

First Contact

Not the movie.

Riker is injured during a covert observation mission on Malcor III, a planet on the verge of developing warp technology. His discovery forces Picard to begin first-contact procedures earlier than planned.

The Enterprise crew encounters scientists who are eager to learn, political leaders who understand the significance of the moment and members of society who fear everything that contact with an alien civilization might mean. The episode explores how a society might react when it learns that it is not alone—and whether that society is ready for the answer.

Things we discussed:

• Not the movie

• Fear, uncertainty and doubt

• Bebe Neuwirth’s distinct voice

• Riker is a freak

• Exploration of the Prime Directive

Final Thoughts

This group begins with an episode that could almost have featured Kirk and Spock, continues with a mystery built around Data and ends with one of Star Trek’s clearest examinations of what first contact might actually look like.

“Devil’s Due” gives us questions about religion, technology and the quality of explanations. “Clues” provides Ron Swanson with his favorite Star Trek episode. “First Contact” considers how individuals, governments and entire cultures might respond when their understanding of the universe suddenly changes.

Where we are on our Trek:

Last week we covered:

• TBG Episode 061 - Star Trek TNG S04E10-12 The Loss, Data’s Day, The Wounded | First Time Watch-Through

Next week we will continue with:

• TBG Episode 063 - Star Trek TNG S04E16-18 Galaxy’s Child, Night Terrors, Identity Crisis | First Time Watch-Through

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

• TBG Episode 000 – Star Trek – “What am I doing and what do I already know?” | First Time Watch-Through

• TBG Episode 001 – Star Trek TOS S01E00-01 The Cage, The Man Trap – “The Failed Pilot” | First Time Reaction

• TBG Archive

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 S04E10-12 The Loss, Data’s Day, The Wounded – “Keeping Up with the Cardassians” | First Time Reaction – To Baldly Go Podcast (Ep. 061)

First-Time Watch – Star Trek: The Next Generation, Season 4, Episodes 10-12

This week on The To Baldly Go Podcast, we continue our first-time watch of Star Trek: The Next Generation with The Loss, Data’s Day, and The Wounded.

Two of these episodes give us strong performances working against material that does not entirely come together. The third introduces the Cardassians through a tense story about trauma, prejudice, and the dangerous distance between being correct and doing the right thing.

This week, we get:

• Counselor Troi experiencing the five stages of grief

• The loss of an ability becoming the loss of an identity

• Data learning to dance and documenting an eventful day aboard the Enterprise

• Great performances elevating weaker material

• A Starfleet captain who may be right for the wrong reasons

• The introduction of the Cardassians

• Picard not being mad, but disappointed...and really mad

We covered:

The Loss

The Enterprise encounters a mysterious group of two-dimensional lifeforms while Counselor Troi abruptly loses her empathic abilities. As the crew searches for a way to escape, Troi must confront the possibility that the ability around which she has built both her career and identity may never return.

Marina Sirtis gives a committed performance as Troi moves through anger, denial, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. The episode has worthwhile ideas about grief and the death of identity, but the story does not always give those ideas the room or nuance they need.

Things we discussed:

• A fine performance working with weak material

• The five stages of grief

• Losing an ability as a form of losing one’s identity

• Whether the story would have worked better as a multi-episode arc

• Star Trek trying something ambitious without completely succeeding

• Whatever a “space seed” is supposed to be

• The possibility that Troi’s loss could have been permanent

Data’s Day

Data records a typical day aboard the Enterprise for Commander Bruce Maddox. His account includes a wedding, professional dancing lessons, a Romulan diplomatic incident, the care and feeding of Spot, and several reminders that an ordinary day aboard the Enterprise is rarely ordinary.

The episode gives Brent Spiner another opportunity to explore Data’s perspective on humanity, although Nate is not as enthusiastic about this particular Data-centered story. We also examine the episode’s treatment of time, daily routines, relationships, and several opportunities it appears to leave unexplored.

Things we discussed:

• Mispronouncing names

• A Brent Spiner episode Nate did not love

• Professional dancing

• The thing of nightmares

• Missed opportunities

• Lighting aboard the Enterprise

• What “night” means during space travel

• Data’s cat

• How the episode communicates the passage of time

The Wounded

A decorated Starfleet captain begins attacking Cardassian ships despite the recently signed peace treaty between the Federation and Cardassia. Picard must protect that peace while determining whether Captain Maxwell is a traumatized officer acting on prejudice, a dangerous vigilante, or someone who has recognized a genuine threat.

The Wounded is a strong episode from beginning to end. It introduces the Cardassians without relying on a conventional action-heavy conflict, maintaining constant tension through conversations, competing loyalties, and the knowledge that another battle could begin at any moment.

Captain Maxwell may be right about the Cardassians’ activities, but his actions force the episode to examine whether being factually correct can justify violence, hatred, or the violation of a fragile peace.

Things we discussed:

• A Season 1 “9”

• A really good episode from start to finish

• Being right for the wrong reasons

• Picard being disappointed—and really mad

• The best of the episodes we have rated an eight

• The introduction of the Cardassians

• Constant tension despite limited action

• The distances involved in starship combat

• The story’s juxtaposition with real-world events

Final Thoughts

The Loss and Data’s Day both contain worthwhile ideas and committed performances, but neither episode fully delivers on its potential. The Wounded is different. It introduces an important new adversary, challenges both Picard and the audience, and builds tension without depending on spectacle.

The Cardassians immediately feel more complicated than a simple collection of new villains. By the end of the episode, Maxwell’s methods are clearly indefensible—but his suspicions may not be entirely wrong.

Where we are on our Trek:

Last week we covered:

• TBG Episode 060 - Star Trek TNG S04E07-09 Reunion, Future Imperfect, Final Mission | First Time Reaction

Next week we will continue with:

• TBG Episode 062 - Star Trek TNG S04E13-15 Devil’s Due, Clues, First Contact | First Time Reaction

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

• TBG Episode 000 – Star Trek – “What am I doing and what do I already know?” | First Time Watch-Through

• TBG Episode 001 – Star Trek TOS S01E00-01 The Cage, The Man Trap – “The Failed Pilot” | First Time Reaction

• TBG Archive

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 S04E07-09 Reunion, Future Imperfect, Final Mission – “Star Trek: Inception?” | First Time Reaction – To Baldly Go Podcast (Ep. 060)

First-Time Watch – Star Trek: The Next Generation, Season 4, Episodes 7-9

This week on The To Baldly Go Podcast, Aaron and Nate continue their release-order journey through Star Trek with three episodes that force members of the Enterprise crew to confront family, false realities, and the consequences of their decisions.

Worf learns that one past relationship came with a lasting responsibility. Riker wakes up inside a future that appears too perfect to be true. Wesley prepares to leave the Enterprise, provided he and Picard can survive one final mission together.

This week, we get:

• Accepting the consequences of our decisions

• Star Trek: Inception?

• Three very different versions of family and responsibility

We covered:

• Reunion

• Future Imperfect

• Final Mission

Reunion

K’Ehleyr is back—and she has brought little Worf with her.

The Klingon Empire is preparing to choose its next leader, and Picard has been selected to oversee the succession. K’Ehleyr’s investigation soon connects the political conflict to Worf’s discommendation and the actions of the Duras family.

The episode moves with little wasted time. It expands Klingon culture, revisits Worf’s history, and gives his choices consequences that cannot be erased when the credits roll. It also shows how much more depth and breadth The Next Generation can now bring to its stories compared with The Original Series.

Things we discussed:

• IMDb should bury the lede

• Wanting to revisit The Emissary

• K’Ehleyr’s return—and Worf’s unexpected son

• The strength and pacing of the episode

• The continuing expansion of Klingon society

• Of course, it is Duras

• Picard is not mad; he is disappointed—and mad

• Whether the bat’leth is a decent weapon

Future Imperfect

Following an accident on an away mission, Riker awakens sixteen years later. He is now captain of the Enterprise, has a son, and is helping negotiate peace with the Romulans. There is only one problem: he remembers none of it.

The episode builds its mystery with clear thought and planning. Riker notices small inconsistencies, questions the people around him, and begins pulling apart the reality constructed for him. Details and returning characters that might once have passed us by now become important clues.

It is a great episode with a dumb ending.

Things we discussed:

• Whether the Romulans are Inceptioning Riker

• Picking up on details we might have missed earlier in the series

• The return of one-off characters from Season 1

• How Riker recognizes that something is wrong

• The careful construction of the mystery

• A strong episode undermined by its final reveal

Final Mission

Wesley joins Picard on a diplomatic mission before leaving the Enterprise for Starfleet Academy. Their routine trip turns into a survival situation when their shuttle crashes on a desert moon and Picard is injured.

There are good moments between Wesley and Picard, but many of them depend on weak setups. Aaron and Nate came away with different reactions to the episode, even though their final ratings were not far apart.

The episode is presented as a farewell for Wesley, inviting comparisons with the show’s handling of Tasha Yar’s departure. It also gives us plenty of opportunities to nitpick the danger posed by the “sun,” the decisions made aboard the Enterprise, and the mechanics of the episode’s central puzzle.

Things we discussed:

• Is this really Wesley’s final mission?

• Where Beverly was during the bridge scenes

• Good character moments built on weak setups

• Aaron and Nate’s differing reactions

• Wesley’s sendoff compared with Tasha Yar’s

• Protection from the “sun”

• A return to our Code of Honor discussion

• Wil Wheaton’s apparent departure from the series

Final Thoughts

These three episodes explore different kinds of responsibility.

Worf must accept that his relationship with K’Ehleyr created obligations he cannot ignore. Riker must reject a comfortable life when he realizes it is built on deception. Wesley must prove that he is ready to move beyond the Enterprise, even when the episode surrounding his departure does not give him the strongest material.

Reunion is the standout of the group, delivering an important chapter in Worf’s story with strong pacing and lasting consequences. Future Imperfect builds an effective mystery before stumbling at the finish. Final Mission contains meaningful moments for Wesley and Picard, but struggles to earn them.

Where we are on our Trek:

Last week we covered:

• TBG Episode 059 - Star Trek TNG S4E04-06 Suddenly Human, Remember Me, Legacy | First Time Watch-Through

Next week we will continue with:

• TBG Episode 061 - Star Trek TNG S04E10-12 The Loss, Data’s Day, The Wounded | First Time Watch-Through

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

• TBG Episode 000 – Star Trek – “What am I doing and what do I already know?” | First Time Watch-Through

• TBG Episode 001 – Star Trek TOS S01E00-01 The Cage, The Man Trap – “The Failed Pilot” | First Time Reaction

• TBG Archive

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 S04E04-06 Suddenly Human, Remember Me, Legacy – “Futuristic Enterprise Racquetball” | First Time Reaction – To Baldly Go Podcast (Ep. 059)

First-Time Watch – Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 4, Episodes 4-6

This week on The To Baldly Go Podcast, we continue our release-order watchthrough with the next three episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 4: Suddenly Human, Remember Me, and Legacy.

This week, we get:

• Different cultures, children making decisions, and abuse

• The importance of appreciating people when they are still around

• A not-very-good episode, so we talk about other stuff

We covered:

• Suddenly Human

• Remember Me

• Legacy

“Suddenly Human” – Different Cultures, Difficult Decisions, and Futuristic Enterprise Racquetball

Things we discussed:

• Futuristic Enterprise Raquetball

• I bought a Jurassic Park mug at Universal

• Too clever with the title

• Nate hates this episode?

• More limitations of network TV and nuanced discussion

• Kids can be annoying

• Adults versus kids making lasting decisions

• Internal series inconsistencies

• Picard and crew sometimes get it wrong

• Athenians and Spartans

“Remember Me” – What Is the Nature of the Universe?

Things we discussed:

• Figuring it out when you’re supposed to figure it out

• Well-executed episode

• “What is the nature of the universe?”

• Worry, anxiety, confusion, clarity

• Enjoyable episode

• Star Trek: The Original Series intro lyrics

• More depth than TOS

“Legacy” – A Weak Episode, Bad Poker, and Card Tricks

Things we discussed:

• Very weak episode

• Lost focus while watching, in multiple spots

• Worst episode we’ve seen in a while

• Poker follies take me out of the episode - what people who don’t know poker think poker is

• Deep poker discussion with some 2-7 triple draw

• Card trick videos on YouTube

• Penn and Teller

• Surpassing TOS in total episodes

Final Thoughts

Suddenly Human gives us a messy discussion about culture, trauma, abuse, children, and authority. Remember Me is the clear standout of the week, with a strong Beverly Crusher story and a mystery that unfolds at the right pace. Legacy does not work well for us, but it does send the conversation into poker, card tricks, and the kind of side discussion that sometimes happens when the episode itself is not giving us much to hold onto.

Listen to this episode of The To Baldly Go Podcast as we continue watching Star Trek in release order for the first time.

Where we are on our Trek:

Last week we covered:

• TBG Episode 058 - Star Trek TNG S04E01-03 The Best of Both Worlds Part 2, Family, Brothers | First Time Reaction

Next week we will continue with:

• TBG Episode 060 - Star Trek TNG S04E07-09 Reunion, Future Imperfect, Final Mission | First Time Reaction

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

• TBG Episode 000 – Star Trek – “What am I doing and what do I already know?” | First Time Watch-Through

• TBG Episode 001 – Star Trek TOS S01E00-01 The Cage, The Man Trap – “The Failed Pilot” | First Time Reaction

• TBG Archive

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 S04E01-03 The Best of Both Worlds Part II, Family, Brothers – “TNG Season 4 Kickoff” | First Time Reaction – To Baldly Go Podcast (Ep. 058)

First-Time Watch – Star Trek: The Next Generation, Season 4, Episodes 1-3 | Best of Both Worlds Part 2, Family, Brothers

This week on The To Baldly Go Podcast, we kick off Season 4 of Star Trek: The Next Generation with The Best of Both Worlds, Part II, Family, and Brothers.

After the massive cliffhanger at the end of Season 3, The Best of Both Worlds, Part II gives us the resolution to the Borg crisis, but the bigger story may be what happens after the victory. Picard is changed, the Enterprise has changed, and the series itself seems to have found a new level of depth.

Then Family slows everything down in the best possible way. It is not a typical Star Trek episode, but it may be one of the clearest examples yet of what this version of Star Trek can do. Picard’s trauma, family conflict, and life back on Earth all make this feel like an essential continuation of The Best of Both Worlds.

Finally, Brothers gives Brent Spiner a chance to remind everyone just how much he can do. Data, Lore, and Dr. Soong all give the episode a different flavor, and we talk about how TNG is starting to feel like a collection of mini movies that stand alone while still building something larger.

This week we get:

• Triumph and consequences

• All in the Family

• Is there anything Brent Spiner can’t do?

We covered:

The Best of Both Worlds, Part II

The Borg story reaches its conclusion, but the episode leaves us with a somber aftermath instead of a clean celebration. We talk about the tension level compared to Part I, Picard’s PTSD response, whether Picard tried to surrender the Enterprise again, Data being left-handed, and the storytelling choice to show the aftermath of Wolf 359 instead of the battle itself.

Family

Nate hated Family when he was younger. Now he loves it. We discuss why this episode works better with age, how it handles Picard in crisis, where technology should or should not solve human problems, and why family dynamics may be just as important to Star Trek as space battles and alien encounters.

Brothers

Brent Spiner gets the spotlight in Brothers, and we spend plenty of time talking about his performance. We also discuss Lore, Dr. Soong, 24th-century deep fakes, the way TNG is developing into something bigger than isolated episodes, and the unexpected side quests into 2025 movies and the difference between Minnesota and Florida summers.

Final Thoughts

Season 4 starts with three episodes that show how much The Next Generation has grown. The Best of Both Worlds, Part II gives us the triumph and the consequences. Family gives us the emotional aftermath. Brothers gives us another strong Data story and another reminder that Brent Spiner can carry a lot of weight when the show asks him to.

Where we are on our Trek:

Last week we covered:

• TBG Episode 057 - Star Trek TNG S3E25-26 Transfigurations, The Best of Both Worlds | First Time Watch-Through

Next week we will continue with:

• TBG Episode 059 - Star Trek TNG S4E04-06 Suddenly Human, Remember Me, Legacy | First Time Watch-Through

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

• TBG Episode 000 – Star Trek – “What am I doing and what do I already know?” | First Time Watch-Through

• TBG Episode 001 – Star Trek TOS S01E00-01 The Cage, The Man Trap – “The Failed Pilot” | First Time Reaction

• TBG Archive

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 S03E25-26 Transfigurations, The Best of Both Worlds – “X-Men did it better” | First Time Reaction – To Baldly Go Podcast (Ep. 057)

First-Time Watch – Star Trek: The Next Generation, Season 3, Episodes 25-26

This week on The To Baldly Go Podcast, Abbie is back as we close out Season 3 of Star Trek: The Next Generation with “Transfigurations” and “The Best of Both Worlds.”

After a season full of stronger storytelling, better performances, and more confident worldbuilding, we end on an episode that gives us a surprisingly rich discussion and another that feels like it may be one of the defining moments of the entire franchise.

This week, we get:

• Better conversation than the episode

• Near perfection

• Greater than the sum of its parts

We covered:

• How society reacts to evolution

• Why X-Men may have done this idea better

• A follow-up to last week’s Sarek discussion

• The starship dating scene

• 10 Forward and other lounge spaces aboard the Enterprise

• Why awkward Geordi episodes are getting old

• How to handle another group’s customs when you are in their house

• Difficult decisions for a captain

• A perfectly executed slow-burn Borg episode

• Whether “The Best of Both Worlds” is a turning point for the franchise

• Why Picard did not surrender the Enterprise

• Shelby’s role and whether she was actually wrong

• The number of crew lost

• A TV Guide top-100 episode of television

• Our rough attempt at Season 3 trivia

Transfigurations:

“Transfigurations” gives us a mysterious patient with no memory, strange abilities, and a society that fears what he represents. The episode raises interesting questions about evolution, identity, and how a culture reacts when some of its people begin to change into something new.

We come to the conclusion that X-Men did it better.

But even if the episode itself does not fully live up to the ideas it raises, the conversation gives us a lot to work with. We talk about how societies respond to change, how outsiders should behave when another group’s customs do not match their own values, and what a captain should do when respecting another culture may also mean allowing harm.

We also follow up on last week’s Sarek discussion, spend time on the social lives on the Enterprise, and explore 10 Forward and the other lounge spaces aboard the ship. And yes, we talk about Geordi. Again. The awkward Geordi romance episodes are starting to feel a little tired, and this one does not do much to reverse that trend.

In the end, our conversation may be deeper than the episode itself, but that still makes for a worthwhile stop on the journey.

The Best of Both Worlds:

Then we get “The Best of Both Worlds,” and everything changes.

This is a perfectly executed slow burn of an episode, building dread piece by piece until the Enterprise is facing one of the most dangerous threats we have seen so far. The Borg feel terrifying, inevitable, and unlike anything else in Star Trek up to this point.

We talk about whether this episode represents a true turning point for the franchise, not just for The Next Generation. The stakes feel bigger, the storytelling feels sharper, and the episode trusts the audience to sit with tension in a way that feels different from almost anything we have watched so far.

We also discuss the Terran System, the number of crew lost, and the command decisions facing Riker. Shelby creates friction, but we do not think she is necessarily wrong. She pushes hard, sometimes too hard, but she also understands the seriousness of the threat.

And, shockingly, Picard did not surrender the Enterprise.

By the end of the episode, Aaron genuinely does not know how they are going to get out of this. That alone says a lot about how effective the cliffhanger is. It is no surprise this episode has been recognized as one of the greats, including being named a top-100 episode of television by TV Guide.

We also attempt some Season 3 trivia, with mixed results.

Final Thoughts:

Season 3 feels like a major step forward for Star Trek: The Next Generation. The stories are stronger, the performances are more consistent, and the show feels more confident about what it wants to be.

Even the episodes that do not fully work often give us something meaningful to discuss, and the best episodes are now reaching heights we had not seen from this series before.

A rising tide lifts all ships, and Season 3 may be the season where The Next Generation truly becomes The Next Generation.

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:

• TBG Episode 056 - Star Trek TNG S03E22-24 The Most Toys, Sarek, Manage a Troi | First Time Reaction

Next week we will continue with:

• TBG Episode 058 - Star Trek TNG S04E01-03 The Best of Both Worlds Part 2, Family, Brothers | First Time Reaction

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

• TBG Episode 000 – Star Trek – “What am I doing and what do I already know?” | First Time Watch-Through

• TBG Episode 001 – Star Trek TOS S01E00-01 The Cage, The Man Trap – “The Failed Pilot” | First Time Reaction

• TBG Archive

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 S03E22-24 The Most Toys, Sarek, Ménage à Troi – “We don't talk about Spock” | First Time Reaction – To Baldly Go Podcast (Ep. 056)

This week on The To Baldly Go Podcast, Aaron and Nate continue their release-order watchthrough with three more episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation: "The Most Toys," "Sarek," and "Ménage à Troi."

This week, we get:

• Evil, terrifying characters

• Allegory

• Shakespeare

We covered:

• The Most Toys

• Sarek

• Ménage à Troi

The Most Toys

"The Most Toys" gives us a Data-centered episode that feels like part of the well-oiled machine Season 3 has become. Data is left for dead, which creates an interesting tension problem because, as viewers, we know he is probably going to be safe. Even so, the episode finds its strength in the exploration of loss, adjustment, and the way real-life experience can shape how a story impacts us.

We also spend time discussing Kivas Fajo as a truly evil character, whether Data might be one of the most terrifying people on the Enterprise, and the uncomfortable question of what Data was prepared to do at the end of the episode. Also, Data lied.

Sarek

"Sarek" is a great episode and another reminder that The Next Generation is now clearly its own show while still remaining connected to The Original Series. Patrick Stewart delivers a remarkable performance as Sarek’s mind, and the episode gives us a lot to talk about when it comes to aging, dignity, emotional control, and how we respond when people we admire begin to decline.

We also discuss whether "Sarek" works as an allegory for Alzheimer’s or dementia, and the strange writing rule that apparently prevented the episode from directly referencing Spock.

Ménage à Troi

"Ménage à Troi" is one of those episodes where the title does not exactly inspire confidence. Still, Lwaxana Troi continues to grow on Aaron as a character, Shakespeare becomes a major part of the episode, and the Ferengi return to cause trouble in the way only the Ferengi can.

After the heavier conversations in "The Most Toys" and "Sarek," this episode gives us a very different kind of Star Trek discussion.

Final Thoughts

This set of episodes gives us evil collectors, aging Vulcans, emotional allegory, Shakespeare, Ferengi nonsense, and one very important question:

Do we talk about Spock?

Listen now to To Baldly Go Podcast Episode 056 as we continue our first-time journey through Star Trek: The Next Generation.

Where we are on our Trek:

Last week we covered:

• TBG Episode 055 - Star Trek TNG S3E19-21 Captain’s Holiday, Tin Man, Hollow Pursuits | First Time Watch-Through

Next week we will continue with:

• TBG Episode 057 - Star Trek TNG S3E25-26 Transfigurations, The Best of Both Worlds | First Time Watch-Through

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

• TBG Episode 000 – Star Trek – “What am I doing and what do I already know?” | First Time Watch-Through

• TBG Episode 001 – Star Trek TOS S01E00-01 The Cage, The Man Trap – “The Failed Pilot” | First Time Reaction

• TBG Archive

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 S3E19-21 Captain’s Holiday, Tin Man, Hollow Pursuits “Science Words” | First Time Reaction – To Baldly Go Podcast (Ep. 055)

In this episode of To Baldly Go, we continue my first-time watchthrough of Star Trek: The Next Generation with Season 3, Episodes 19-21: Captain’s Holiday, Tin Man, and Hollow Pursuits.

This week we get:

• An archaeological adventure looking for artifacts from the future

• All the elements to make a great episode, but just missing the mark

• Impostor syndrome

We covered:

• Picard taking a vacation that very quickly stops being a vacation

• The difficulties of telling time-travel stories

• Whether Picard is too trusting

• Unexpected chemistry between actors and characters

• Star Trek shovels

• Shocker - a Parks and Rec tangent

• An episode with all the ingredients to be great, but missing the mark

• The Story of the Tin Woodsman and fairy-tale influences

• Music and strange sound-effect techniques

• The number 47

• Starship Farragut

• Barclay, impostor syndrome, and holodeck escapism

• The holodeck’s ongoing inability to be a normal, safe room with a lock

Captain’s Holiday

In Captain’s Holiday, Picard is encouraged to take some time away from the Enterprise and visit Risa. Naturally, this being Star Trek, his relaxing vacation turns into an archaeological mystery involving artifacts from the future, time-travel complications, and a character who may or may not be set up to return.

We discuss how difficult time-travel stories can be, whether Picard is too quick to trust the people around him, and how this episode balances sci-fi adventure with something closer to a romantic comedy. We also talk about unexpected chemistry, Star Trek shovels, real-life ramifications from the episode, and of course, once again, Parks and Rec.

Tin Man

In Tin Man, the Enterprise is sent to make contact with a mysterious living ship before the Romulans can get there first. This episode feels like it has a lot of the right pieces: a strange alien presence, a troubled guest character, bigger thematic ideas, and has nothing to do with the story of the Tin Woodsman.

But for us, it never quite comes together as strongly as it could have. We talk about the episode’s lack of tension, the things that almost worked, the music and sound-effect techniques, and whether this had all the elements of a much better episode hiding just under the surface.

We also discuss Starship Farragut.

Hollow Pursuits

In Hollow Pursuits, we meet Barclay, a socially anxious crew member who is struggling with confidence, connection, and his place aboard the Enterprise. The episode opens with the question of what exactly is happening, before revealing that, of course, the holodeck is involved.

We discuss impostor syndrome, unclear messaging, the uncomfortable way the episode handles Barclay’s holodeck fantasies, and the fact that the holodeck does not seem to have a basic lock. We also talk about whether the ending felt inevitable and how the episode’s ideas compare with its execution.

Final Thoughts

This week’s episodes gave us a Picard adventure, a near-miss with some interesting science-fiction ideas, and a Barclay introduction that raises some surprisingly relatable questions about insecurity and belonging.

Join us as we discuss Captain’s Holiday, Tin Man, and Hollow Pursuits.

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:

• TBG Episode 054 - Star Trek TNG S03E16-18 The Offspring, Sins of the Father, Allegiance | First Time Reaction

Next week we will continue with:

• TBG Episode 056 - Star Trek TNG S03E22-24 The Most Toys, Sarek, Manage a Troi | First Time Reaction

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

• TBG Episode 000 – Star Trek – “What am I doing and what do I already know?” | First Time Watch-Through

• TBG Episode 001 – Star Trek TOS S01E00-01 The Cage, The Man Trap – “The Failed Pilot” | First Time Reaction

• TBG Archive

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 S03E16-18 The Offspring, Sins of the Father, Allegiance “The Scarlet K” | First Time Reaction – To Baldly Go Podcast Ep. 054

First-Time Watch – Star Trek: The Next Generation, Season 3, Episodes 16-18

In this episode of To Baldly Go, Aaron and Nate continue Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 3

This week we get:

• Humanity and parenting

• The Scarlet K

• Do intentions matter?

We covered:

• The Offspring

• Sins of the Father

• Allegiance

The Offspring — Humanity, Parenting, and Data’s Child

In The Offspring, Data creates Lal, an android child, and the episode uses that premise to explore what it means to be human, what it means to be a parent, and whether knowledge is the same thing as understanding.

This one led to a huge divergence in ratings, with plenty of discussion about whether this is one of the better Data-centered explorations of life and sentience. We also get into Data’s inability to use contractions, the difference between knowing a definition and understanding experience, and trying to figure out what the “sky” is.

Sins of the Father — Worf, Honor, and the Scarlet K

Sins of the Father moves fast and gives us one of the biggest Klingon episodes of The Next Generation so far. Worf is pulled into a political and family crisis that opens up a much deeper look at Klingon culture, honor, discommendation, and the complicated difference between personal truth and public survival.

This episode gave us a lot to talk about: Worf as Klingon first, whether this story could have been even stronger in a TOS-style or modern streaming format, and how these events might reshape Worf going forward. We also dig into what Klingon society seems to value, what honor really means in this context, and whether this is the purest form of Klingon culture we have seen yet.

Allegiance — Star Trek: Among Us

In Allegiance, Picard is taken from the Enterprise and replaced with an imperfect duplicate, leading to a mystery built around identity, command, and the limits of imitation. Back on the ship, the crew slowly realizes that something is off, while the real Picard is placed in a strange test with other captives.

We talk about whether the people behind the experiment are evil or simply misguided, how difficult it is to create a perfect copy of someone, and why Nate may finally understand Picard’s habit of surrendering the ship. We also discuss Star Trek: Among Us, an unintentional Monty Python callout, and the idea that an “okay” episode in Season 3 can still be a pretty good episode overall.

Final Thoughts

This set gives us three very different kinds of Star Trek: a Data humanity story, a major Worf and Klingon lore episode, and a contained Picard mystery. The result is another strong Season 3 stretch with big character implications, deeper worldbuilding, and a few very different ideas about identity, duty, and intention.

Listen now to To Baldly Go Podcast Episode 054 as we continue our first-time journey through Star Trek: The Next Generation.

Where we are on our Trek:

Last week we covered:

• TBG Episode 053 - Star Trek TNG S3E13-15 Deja Q, A Matter of Perspective, Yesterday’s Enterprise | First Time Watch-Through

Next week we will continue with:

• TBG Episode 055 - Star Trek TNG S3E19-21 Captain’s Holiday, Tin Man, Hollow Pursuits | First Time Watch-Through

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

• TBG Episode 000 – Star Trek – “What am I doing and what do I already know?” | First Time Watch-Through

• TBG Episode 001 – Star Trek TOS S01E00-01 The Cage, The Man Trap – “The Failed Pilot” | First Time Reaction

• TBG Archive

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 S3E13-15 Deja Q, A Matter of Perspective, Yesterday’s Enterprise "Masterpiece Theater" | First Time Reaction - To Baldly Go Podcast (Ep. 053)

First-Time Watch - Star Trek: The Next Generation, Season 3,
Episodes 13-15

This week on To Baldly Go, we continue our first-time watch of Star Trek: The Next Generation with three very different episodes. This week we get:

• Q becomes human and mortal

• Judicial standards in the 24th century

• A masterpiece?

We covered:

• Deja Q

• A Matter of Perspective

• Yesterday’s Enterprise

Deja Q

Q returns to the Enterprise, but this time he is not quite the all-powerful being we have come to expect. tripped of his powers and forced to live as a human, Q has to confront mortality, vulnerability, fear, hunger, pain, and all of the other strange experiences that come with being one of us.

We talk about Q growing on Aaron, the evolving relationship between Picard and Q, and how surprisingly effective it is to put Q in a position where he has to learn about humanity from Data. There is a great dynamic here as Data explains the human experience to Q, while Q, in turn, explains experiencing the human experience to Data — something Data can understand intellectually, but not truly experience himself.

We also discuss the strange weight Q carries in The Next Generation. He only appears in a handful of episodes, but his presence feels much larger than that. Add in some peer pressure, some pretending to play musical instruments, and a little bit of Star Trek Doug Judy energy, and Deja Q turns into a solid, entertaining episode.

A Matter of Perspective

In A Matter of Perspective, Riker finds himself accused of murder after a scientist is killed in an explosion. The Enterprise crew then has to sort through competing accounts of what happened, with the holodeck being used to recreate different versions of the same events.

This one left us asking some serious questions about courtroom standards in the 24th century. What counts as hearsay? Where is the burden of proof? How much confidence should anyone have in recreated testimony? And would any of us really want to be in court under this system?

We also talk about perspective itself, and how the episode plays with the idea that multiple people can remember the same event differently. Being wrong does not necessarily mean someone is lying, but the episode still leaves plenty of room to debate how well its mystery and legal framework actually hold together.

Yesterday’s Enterprise

And then we get to Yesterday’s Enterprise.

The Enterprise-C emerges from a temporal rift, and the familiar world of The Next Generation is suddenly replaced by a darker, militarized timeline where the Federation is at war with the Klingons. It is a huge shift in tone, and the episode immediately feels bigger, stranger, and more consequential than almost anything the series has done so far.

We talk about the return of Tasha Yar, the alternate version of the Enterprise-D, the way the episode uses Guinan, and Picard once again refusing to surrender even when the situation appears hopeless. We also touch on how this kind of story points toward the broader possibilities of Star Trek, including some discussion of Deep Space Nine.

Yesterday’s Enterprise is widely considered one of the best episodes in all of Star Trek, and after watching it, it is easy to understand why. This is the kind of episode that shows exactly what is possible with this medium: alternate timelines, moral choices, sacrifice, legacy, and a story that feels both massive and deeply personal.

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:

• TBG Episode 052 - Star Trek TNG S03E10-12 The Defector, The Hunted, The High Ground | First Time Reaction

Next week we will continue with:

• TBG Episode 054 - Star Trek TNG S03E16-18 The Offspring, Sins of the Father, Allegiance | First Time Reaction

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

• TBG Episode 000 – Star Trek – “What am I doing and what do I already know?” | First Time Watch-Through

• TBG Episode 001 – Star Trek TOS S01E00-01 The Cage, The Man Trap – “The Failed Pilot” | First Time Reaction

• TBG Archive

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 S1E12-14 The Big Goodbye | Datalore | Angel One - “Another Lost Episode” | First Time Reaction – To Baldly Go Podcast (Ep. 036.5)

First-Time Watch – Star Trek: The Next Generation, Season 1, Episodes 12-14

In this special bonus episode of To Baldly Go, we’re releasing another lost episode as we return to early Star Trek: The Next Generation with “The Big Goodbye,” “Datalore,” and “Angel One.”

This episode we get:

• A decent episode with a weak close

• The Enemy Within redux?

• A bit too clever?

We covered:

• The Big Goodbye

• Datalore

• Angel One

The Big Goodbye

“The Big Goodbye” gives us one an early TNG holodeck story, with the crew stepping into a detective noir simulation that becomes more dangerous than expected.

We talk about this being a strong Crusher episode, the limitations of the holodeck, and why the Enterprise crew doesn’t seem to use the holodeck more often to simulate difficult situations and possible outcomes. We also discuss the episode’s weak ending, how a bad close can sour an otherwise decent story, Brent Spiner’s acting, fake mystery novels, and somehow, Sons of Anarchy.

Datalore

“Datalore” introduces Data’s brother, Lore, and gives Brent Spiner another chance to show just how much range he can bring to the role.

We discuss Spiner’s performance, our disagreement over the episode’s rating, Lore’s tell, Wesley’s role in the story, Riker’s reactions, Beverly running away, and the idea of Data’s human form. We also touch on original-series film and lighting styles, plus some fun name trivia along the way.

Angel One

“Angel One” brings the Enterprise to a planet with a matriarchal society, but the episode struggles to turn its premise into a clear and satisfying story.

We talk about the fun vignettes that don’t really add much to the main plot, why the episode felt unclear and poorly executed, and whether it was trying to be a little too clever. We also get into talking my rating down, Parks and Recollection and the art of writing great television, the first TNG reference to the Romulans, and some Gates McFadden trivia.

Remember - Never give up! Never surrender!

Where we are on our Trek:

If you want to continue in series order, the next episode in line is:

• TBG Episode 037 - Star Trek TNG S1E15-17 11001001, Too Short a Season, When the Bough Breaks | First Time Watch-Through

Our regularly Tuesday release will continue next week with:

• TBG Episode 053 - Star Trek TNG S3E13-15 Deja Q, A Matter of Perspective, Yesterday’s Enterprise | First Time Watch-Through

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

• TBG Episode 000 – Star Trek – “What am I doing and what do I already know?” | First Time Watch-Through

• TBG Episode 001 – Star Trek TOS S01E00-01 The Cage, The Man Trap – “The Failed Pilot” | First Time Reaction

• TBG Archive

Star Trek TNG S3E10–12: The Defector | The Hunted | The High Ground - "Hard to make better episodes than this" | First Time Reaction – To Baldly Go Podcast (Ep. 052)

In this episode of To Baldly Go, we return to Star Trek: The Next Generation with Season 3, Episodes 10–12: “The Defector,” “The Hunted,” and “The High Ground.”

This week, we get:

• One hell of an episode to come back to

• Have we seen this before?

• An interesting concept, poorly executed

We begin with “The Defector,” a tense Romulan episode that feels like a major step forward in storytelling from what we saw in The Original Series. The return of Tomalak gives the episode real weight, but the heart of the story is the defector himself — a man whose choices raise questions about loyalty, duty, and whether someone can betray a government without betraying their people.

We also talk about the episode’s devastating ending, Data’s objectivity, Picard’s refusal to surrender the Enterprise, and the role of Shakespeare in Star Trek. Naturally, Nate finds room for a DS9 tangent, and we also take a few detours through Battlestar Galactica and the ways science fiction handles stories that end on low notes.

Next is “The Hunted,” an episode with a fascinating concept: what happens to engineered soldiers after the war is over? That leads us into a larger discussion about military ethics, mind control, MKULTRA, and how societies treat the people they create or train for violence once they no longer need them.

There are some strong ideas here, and James Cromwell gives the episode an added spark, but we also talk about the missed opportunities — especially how the story could have done more to flip expectations or explore the scale and consequences of its own premise. We also compare it to The Original Series, especially “Dagger of the Mind,” and find time for A Gentleman in Moscow, gulags, and the Enterprise security strategy of simply yelling, “Double it!”

Finally, we watch “The High Ground,” an episode that wants to explore uncomfortable political and moral territory, but doesn’t fully land for us. There are interesting ideas here about terrorism, resistance, historical perspective, and whether it is possible — or responsible — to see a conflict from more than one side.

We talk about nuance, real-world responses to “historical” references like Irish unification, changing episode ratings, and whether this is another example of The Next Generation setting a higher standard for itself — one where a strong concept is no longer enough if the execution doesn’t quite work.

Join us as we discuss the next three episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation on To Baldly Go Podcast.

Where we are on our Trek:

Last week we covered:

• TBG Episode 051 - Star Trek TNG S03E07-09 The Enemy, The Price, The Vengeance Factor - “The Fiftieth*” | First Time Watch-Through

Next week we will continue with:

• TBG Episode 053 - Star Trek TNG S3E13-15 Deja Q, A Matter of Perspective, Yesterday’s Enterprise | First Time Watch-Through

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

• TBG Episode 000 – Star Trek – “What am I doing and what do I already know?” | First Time Watch-Through

• TBG Episode 001 – Star Trek TOS S01E00-01 The Cage, The Man Trap – “The Failed Pilot” | First Time Reaction

• TBG Archive

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 S03E07-09 The Enemy, The Price, The Vengeance Factor – “The Fiftieth!!!” | First Time Reaction – To Baldly Go Podcast (Ep. 051)

This week on To Baldly Go, we continue our first-time watch of Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 3 with episodes 7 through 9:

• The Enemy

• The Price

• The Vengeance Factor

This week, we get:

• Worf going against expectations

• The ethics of the empath

• Personal connections to Star Trek

The Enemy

“The Enemy” feels like a great example of what Star Trek can be when the formula is executed well. You have a dangerous planet, a stranded officer, an enemy soldier, escalating political tension, and a medical crisis that forces everyone to confront their assumptions.

We talk about the emotional responses from the characters, the way the episode plays with expectations, and especially Worf’s refusal to save a Romulan life. It is a striking character moment because it does not go where the usual Star Trek moral structure might lead us to expect.

We also get into Romulans in Federation space, the idea of disability among Romulans, the deeper lore around Station Salem One, and how our ratings of the episode shifted as we talked through it. Plus, we find our way to Babylon 5 connections and Picard’s chorus.

The Price

The Ferengi are back in “The Price,” and unfortunately, this one does not really work for us.

This episode gives Troi a central role, a high-stakes negotiation over a wormhole, and a romantic subplot that raises some uncomfortable questions. We spend a lot of time talking about the ethics of empathic abilities, Troi’s moral dilemma, and the creepier parts of the episode.

There are interesting ideas here, especially around negotiation, manipulation, and emotional vulnerability, but we are not sure how this episode could have been shaped into something that fully worked. Sometimes Star Trek takes a big swing. Sometimes it hits. Sometimes it gives us this.

The Vengeance Factor

“The Vengeance Factor” feels like it is operating on a slightly bigger scale than some other episodes, with political factions, old rivalries, a murder mystery, and a larger conversation about revenge.

We talk about Riker, Yuta, and the episode’s use of personal attraction as part of the mystery. We also compare Worf’s feelings about Romulans in “The Enemy” with Yuta’s inherited mission of vengeance here. Both stories deal with old wounds, but they lead to very different places.

This one also gives us a chance to talk about tribalism, cycles of violence, and the idea that we are all the villain in somebody’s story. Nate also has a personal connection to this episode, we struggle to think of an episode title, and we ask the important question: is there a default speed when setting a course?

Also: Brull and Wesley. That happened.

Final Thoughts

Overall, this was a bunch of generally solid episodes. “The Enemy” stands out as the strongest of the three, “The Price” gives us plenty to discuss even if we do not love it, and “The Vengeance Factor” brings in some bigger ideas about revenge, identity, and inherited conflict.

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:

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

Next week we will continue with:

• TBG Episode 052 - Star Trek TNG S03E10-12 The Defector, The Hunted, The High Ground | First Time Reaction

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

• TBG Episode 000 – Star Trek – “What am I doing and what do I already know?” | First Time Watch-Through

• TBG Episode 001 – Star Trek TOS S01E00-01 The Cage, The Man Trap – “The Failed Pilot” | First Time Reaction

• TBG Archive

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 S03E04-06 Who Watches the Watchers, The Bonding, Booby Trap – “The Actual 50th Episode” | First Time Reaction – To Baldly Go Podcast (Ep. 050)

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

And this time, we have officially made it to TBG 050: the actual 50th episode*.

This week, we get:

• Explanations for things we don’t understand

• No man can step in the same river twice

• Human intuition

We covered:

• Who Watches the Watchers

• The Bonding

• Booby Trap

“Who Watches the Watchers” – Is Picard a god?

In “Who Watches the Watchers,” the Enterprise visits a hidden Federation observation post studying the Mintakans, a proto-Vulcan civilization that has not yet developed warp technology. When the observation post is damaged, the Prime Directive gets very messy very quickly, and Captain Picard accidentally becomes the center of a new religious belief.

This episode gave us a lot to talk about. It is clearly critical of religion, but the question becomes: is it wrong? Or, at least, is it unfair?

A lot of the episode centers on explanations for things people do not understand. When something impossible seems to happen, what do people do with that information? Do they build a theory? Do they build a faith? Do they build a god? And how different is that from what any of us do when we hit the limits of our own knowledge?

Some of our talking points:

• The episode’s critique of religion

• Whether that critique feels fair or too simplistic

• Explanations for things we do not know

• Knowledge problems and the limits of understanding

• Physics limitations and how people interpret impossible events

• Picard as an accidental god figure

• Star Trek jiu jitsu

• The Prime Directive creating yet another impossible problem

• Distracted watching vs. rewatching episodes with better attention

• The value of welcoming questions

• “The Tucker and Dale vs. Evil of religion”

• Crusher vs. Pulaski

• Somehow: lionfish

This is one of those classic Star Trek setups where the philosophical problem is more interesting than the plot mechanics. The Enterprise crew knows the “truth,” but the Mintakans are trying to make sense of the same events from a much more limited frame of reference.

And that is where the episode works best: not just asking whether superstition is bad, but asking what any of us do when reality seems bigger than our ability to explain it.

“The Bonding” – Grief, loss, and not knowing how to read the episode

“The Bonding” follows the Enterprise after an away mission goes wrong and a crew member is killed, leaving behind her young son, Jeremy Aster. The episode becomes less about the mission itself and more about grief, trauma, memory, and the ways people try to comfort someone after an impossible loss.

This was a harder episode to get a clean read on.

On one hand, it deals with universal themes. Loss, childhood grief, found family, and the desire to undo tragedy are all powerful ideas. On the other hand, the execution does not always make it easy to know how we are supposed to feel about the story.

Some of our talking points:

• Not having a good read on the episode

• Whether this represents a turning point for Star Trek: The Next Generation

• Life events impacting how we receive episodes

• Grief and loss as universal themes

• How our ratings can change over time

• Ronald D. Moore’s impact on Star Trek

• The emotional weight of the premise

• Whether the episode fully earns that emotional weight

This episode also gave us a chance to talk about Ronald D. Moore, who wrote “The Bonding” and would go on to become one of the major creative voices in Star Trek. Even if this episode does not fully land for everyone, it feels like part of the show’s evolution into something deeper and more emotionally ambitious.

It is also the kind of episode that may depend heavily on when you watch it. Different life experiences can make the same story hit very differently. No man can step in the same river twice, and sometimes no viewer can watch the same episode the same way twice either.

“Booby Trap” – Ships in bottles, ancient traps, and creepy Geordi

In “Booby Trap,” the Enterprise investigates the ruins of an ancient battle and becomes trapped by a centuries-old automated weapon system. With the ship slowly losing power and options running out, Geordi works with a holographic recreation of Dr. Leah Brahms to find a way out.

This episode has a lot of cool ideas. Ancient space battles. A lost civilization. A trap that still works long after the war is over. The Enterprise stuck in a problem that cannot simply be solved with brute force. Picard getting excited about ships in bottles. On paper, that is a great setup.

But the execution felt like it was missing something.

Some of our talking points:

• The cool premise of the ancient booby trap

• Good ideas with uneven execution

• Picard taking the controls

• Picard’s love of ships in bottles

• Human intuition as the thing technology cannot quite replace

• Geordi’s awkward relationship with the holographic Leah Brahms

• Creepy Geordi

• The episode feeling like it needed one more pass

• Tommy Boy

• Chris Farley, John Candy, John Belushi, and Rick Moranis

The strongest part of the episode may be the idea that the Enterprise cannot calculate its way out of every problem. Sometimes the answer is not just raw data, but instinct, judgment, and human intuition. That is a very Star Trek idea, even if the surrounding story does not completely come together.

And then there is Geordi.

The holographic Leah Brahms material gives the episode one of its more memorable elements, but also one of its more uncomfortable ones. The intent may be to give Geordi a connection and a problem-solving partner, but it plays strangely, especially looking back at it now.

Final Thoughts

This batch gave us three very different episodes.

“Who Watches the Watchers” is a Prime Directive and religion episode with a strong philosophical hook. “The Bonding” is an emotional grief episode that may be more important as a sign of where the franchise is heading than as a fully successful individual story. “Booby Trap” has a great sci-fi premise, a very Picard-y love of ships in bottles, and some Geordi material that does not age particularly well.

Together, they make for a fitting episode 50: thoughtful, uneven, funny, philosophical, and full of the kinds of tangents that make this podcast what it is.

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:

• TBG Episode 049 - Star Trek TNG S03E01-03 Evolution, The Ensigns of Command, The Survivors - “TNG Season 3 Kickoff” | First Time Watch-Through

Next week we will continue with:

• TBG Episode 051 - Star Trek TNG S03E07-09 The Enemy, The Price, The Vengeance Factor - “The Fiftieth*” | First Time Watch-Through

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

• TBG Episode 000 – Star Trek – “What am I doing and what do I already know?” | First Time Watch-Through

• TBG Episode 001 – Star Trek TOS S01E00-01 The Cage, The Man Trap – “The Failed Pilot” | First Time Reaction

• TBG Archive

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 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:

• TBG Episode 048 - Star Trek TNG S02E19-22 Manhunt, The Emissary, Peak Performance, Shades of Gray – “Aaron Hates Star Trek” | First Time Reaction

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:

• TBG Episode 000 – Star Trek – “What am I doing and what do I already know?” | First Time Watch-Through

• TBG Episode 001 – Star Trek TOS S01E00-01 The Cage, The Man Trap – “The Failed Pilot” | First Time Reaction

• TBG Archive

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

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:

• TBG Episode 047 - Star Trek V: The Final Frontier - “What Does God Need With a Starship?” | First Time Reaction

Next week we will continue with:

• TBG Episode 049 - Star Trek TNG S03E01-03 Evolution, The Ensigns of Command, The Survivors - “TNG Season 3 Kickoff” | First Time Watch-Through

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

• TBG Episode 000 – Star Trek – “What am I doing and what do I already know?” | First Time Watch-Through

• TBG Episode 001 – Star Trek TOS S01E00-01 The Cage, The Man Trap – “The Failed Pilot” | First Time Reaction

• TBG Archive

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

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:

• TBG Episode 046 - Star Trek TNG S02E16-18 Q Who?, Samaritan Snare, Up the Long Ladder - “Nobody Asked Your Opinion” | First Time Reaction

Next week we will continue with:

• TBG Episode 048 - Star Trek TNG S02E19-22 Manhunt, The Emissary, Peak Performance, Shades of Gray – “Aaron Hates Star Trek” | First Time Reaction

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

• TBG Episode 000 – Star Trek – “What am I doing and what do I already know?” | First Time Watch-Through

• TBG Episode 001 – Star Trek TOS S01E00-01 The Cage, The Man Trap – “The Failed Pilot” | First Time Reaction

• TBG Archive

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

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:

• TBG Episode 045 - Star Trek TNG S02E13-15 Time Squared, The Icarus Factor, Pen Pals - “Podunk Bunnyville” | First Time Reaction

Next week we will continue with:

• TBG Episode 047 - Star Trek V: The Final Frontier - “What Does God Need With a Starship?” | First Time Reaction

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

• TBG Episode 000 – Star Trek – “What am I doing and what do I already know?” | First Time Watch-Through

• TBG Episode 001 – Star Trek TOS S01E00-01 The Cage, The Man Trap – “The Failed Pilot” | First Time Reaction

• TBG Archive

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

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:

• TBG Episode 044 - Star Trek TNG S02E10-12 The Dauphin, Contagion, The Royale - “Junkfood Episodes” | First Time Reaction

Next week we will continue with:

• TBG Episode 046 - Star Trek TNG S02E16-18 Q Who?, Samaritan Snare, Up the Long Ladder - “Nobody Asked Your Opinion” | First Time Reaction

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

• TBG Episode 000 – Star Trek – “What am I doing and what do I already know?” | First Time Watch-Through

• TBG Episode 001 – Star Trek TOS S01E00-01 The Cage, The Man Trap – “The Failed Pilot” | First Time Reaction

• TBG Archive

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:

• TBG Episode 043 - 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

Next week we will continue with:

• TBG Episode 045 - Star Trek TNG S02E13-15 Time Squared, The Icarus Factor, Pen Pals - “Podunk Bunnyville” | First Time Reaction

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

• TBG Episode 000 – Star Trek – “What am I doing and what do I already know?” | First Time Watch-Through

• TBG Episode 001 – Star Trek TOS S01E00-01 The Cage, The Man Trap – “The Failed Pilot” | First Time Reaction

• TBG Archive

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.