Episode 66 – Strange New Star Trek
The New Gorn
The guys take the opportunity to discuss the full season of Strange New Worlds. As always, CavMan loves it and Mack… likes it also? It’s a weird day when Mack actually appreciates the new Star Trek that is being churned out.
Episode 65 – The Badass Episode
The guys get back to talking about Sci-Fi! Mack discusses how he finally was able to cast the female co-lead in his audio drama and DT angles for a bit part that Mack intended on playing himself. They then talk about great voice actors and how their childhoods were shaped by them. Finally the guys get into some of the greatest Bad Asses of Sci-Fi spanning Lord of the Rings, Star Trek and even Hercules.
Episode 64 – The Comedy Revue
The guys are back from their break! They discuss what they did over that time and how their summers have shaped up so far. Then they just travel down the conversational road discussing the great comedians of past and present, Don Rickels, Rodney Dangerfield, and others. It’s admittedly not much of a sci-fi episode but it’s a good journey through comedy
Episode 63 – The Pet Project Pod
A Stranger in the Woods…
The guys welcome each other back after their break. CavMan discusses home life and finally having all his possessions with him and the family to make their house a home and how they spent July 4th. Mack discusses his July 4th blowout and how he vacationed in Yosemite for the week prior. They then go into their own pet projects. Mack announces his new audio horror episode that will be making a debut in August under the banner of Haunted Griffin. CavMan talks about his Star Trek Fan fiction continuing how he wanted the TNG universe to go for the last decade, his ships, his crews, and how the MACO’s play a better part in it.
Episode 62 – Hello There – The Kenobi Recap
The first fight…
Mack opens the show with a confession that they recorded a whole episode prior but forgot to his record. CavMan talks about the family finally being in the same town but staying how parents as they wait for the moving truck. Then they go into the finer point of the Kenobi series. Both love the show despite much internet rage and talked about the highlights and a couple problems they both noticed in real time as they recorded.
Episode 61 – The All Nostalgia Extravaganza
The Micromachine set
This is a special episode in which the guys talk about their favorite sci-fi memorabilia from their past. Mack shows some items that he was able to save throughout the years despite all the moves and the changes in his life. CavMan talks about some of his and they both discuss their shared childhood and what items were more special then than what they would be today.
Episode 60: - When the Fans Become the Star (Trek)
Seth MacFarlane on Enterprise
The guys start the show about celebrities who were fans of Sci-Fi and how they guest starred on certain programs such as Star Trek and Star Wars. Then the conversation devolves into the guys fantasizing about being extras on Star Trek themselves as Mack reads an article by a person who lives the dream of being an extra on Enterprise.
Episode 59 – When You Go Full Grogu
Gizmo and Grogu - Who knew?
The guys decide to delve into the general interest in Baby Yoda, otherwise known as Grogu. What makes him a fan favorite and are there other characters that are similar? Mack throws out a few ideas, but neither can really see an equivalent other than Elmo. Well, maybe Gizmo.
Episode 58 – Treason or Opportunity
Majel Barrett in Babylon 5
The guys open up discussing the special meeting with Memorial Day, it’s dual meaning in who we honor and getting ready for the summer with family. Mack then talks about an amusing and humbling moment he had with his French high school teacher at the grocery store. Then the guys talk about the subject of different stars who appeared in multiple franchises and some who were rivals with each other.
Episode 57 – The Stars that Guest Starred in the Stars
Christopher Plummer in Star Trek VI
The guys open up with how tired Mack is after coming back from Disneyland. He describes the new Avengers campus and the shows they have. CavMan describes buying new patio furniture and the benefits of having a back yard on the east side of the house. They then segue into the topic of big Hollywood stars that have starred in Sci fi shows/movies for a one off.
Episode 56 – Strange New Worlds Indeed
Rebecca Romijn, Anson Moun, and Ethan Peck
The guys use this episode to discuss the first two episodes of Star Trek Strange New Worlds. CavMan loved it. Mack actually liked it! They go through the plots and what they liked and didn’t like. While Mack was appreciative of the change in style he points out some sloppy writing practices and how there still seems to be a lack of scientific principles. But they both agree that a show can be stronger when it is more episodic. It greats seminal episodes and it can also move on from bad episodes and not ruins the whole season.
Episode 55 – Is that Picard?
Picard and Q’s first hug…
The guys open up with DT lamenting about being away from his family and how the school his daughter attends did not stream her school play the way they advertised. They they begin to dig into Picard Season 2 and things that DT liked about it and things that Mack hated about it. There really wasn’t much middle ground.
Episode 54 -Those Who Need Spinoffs
Captain La Forge
The guys open up with DT discussing going to a country concert for a local boy that grew up in their town trying to break through and giving him a plug. Then they begin the discussion of characters in Sci-Fi that may deserve a spin-off. Mack goes against the mold and says that Worf would not need a spin off as it would be boring but Geordie would be great. Then it ends with them agreeing a Brisco County Junior Movie would be fantastic.
Episode 53 – The DS9 Episode Part Deux
A Call to Arms
The guys open up after their short break. Mack talks about volunteering for the rodeo and helping to raise funds for Mack Jr’s Boy Scout troop. They then go into more details about DS9 such as A Call to Arms and how the Dominion Arc started in Season two but Season 5 was when we first saw a sequential list of episodes in a single story arc. Then they discuss how the characters in the show were developed and then just begin to gush about the overall greatness of DS9.
Episode 52 – The DS9 Episode
DS9 - The Begotten
The guys take the opportunity to bask in the kind of Star Trek that they both can agree on: Deep Space 9! They peruse through some of their favorite, mostly focusing on the middle of fifth season where the show really got into a new groove.
Episode 51 – Is Current Sci-Fi Still Good?
Prometheus… wasn’t that good…
Mack opens up with asking DT how he plans to spend the weekend for Easter. Then DT brings up the death of Gilbert Gottfried and they discuss their favorite memories of him and how they grew up watching him. Then DT brings ups the question based off of Mack’s cynicism of new Star Trek: Is new Sci-Fi any good any more? They talk about the perils of so many writers in the industry and how there is great Sci-Fi now but why we see such hit and miss projects too.
Special Episode - Mother’s Day
Deanna and Lwaxana
The guys host a special episode where they discuss the role of mothers in Sci-Fi. It starts off slow and not discussing sci fi but then they get into what Mack would originally be a negative representation of mothers but what turned out to be a SLEW of great moms in Sci-Fi. And then they discuss Picard. Happy Mother’s Day!
Episode 50 – We Reached Fifty!!!
The guys marvel at this special episode and talk about how they got this far. They discuss their favorite episodes and least favorite episodes and what they wish to see change or come about in the future. Then Mack’s internet starts giving them fits and that’s when they decide to call it a night.
Opening Music Credit:
Evening Melodrama by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3722-evening-melodrama
License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Episode 49 – When Normal Shows Go Ful Sci-Fi
Mork on Happy Days
The guys briefly talk about how they have been watching Moon Knight and what a pleasant surprise it is. Then they dig in and discuss shows that are not sci-fi but have specific episodes to them that are fully sci-fi in their canon. This includes examples from Happy Days, Bones, and Punky Brewster. Then DT tries to give Mack a pep talk on how to enjoy life when The new Star Trek has him down.
Episode 48 – I Get No Respect
The guys open up discussing how Mack went to see Hamilton and his realization he may be losing hearing ability in the lower band tones. Or there was something wrong with the sound system. DT advised he was never a musical person but loves 1776 which is on brand. Then they discuss the characters in Sci-Fi who are extremely underappreciated in their shows or stories.