The Joy of Trek

"I Wish You Would" by lauraschiller, can be found at https://archiveofourown.org/works/53020297"Tom Paris has to admit that a publicity tour may not have been the best idea."The Joy of Trek is hosted by Khaki & Kay, with editing & production by Chief Engineer Greg and music by Fox Amoore (Bandcamp | Bluesky)Send us your recommendations, or support us on Patreon.Find us at joyoftrek.com · Twitter · Facebook

Progress (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (DS9), S1 E15) was recommended by Bryan Love(Blackrain), who said: When I first watched this episode when it air way back in the early 90s, I was only 13 years old. It felt pretty much like a filler bottle episode. Something they needed to write out to fill in for the 19 episode for the first season. Even when I did different re-watches of DS9 over the years "Progress" still felt like a first season bottle episode, something that the writers were trying out as they were finding their footing of what DS9 was going to be. It wasn't until the start of my latest re-watch of DS9, along with having watched more of the newer Star Trek(Lower Decks, Discovery, Strange New World, etc.) along with more life experiences I had more to bring to the re-watch this time.There are the two different plots that run through this episode. Plot A Major Kira having to choose between her duty or who she was. Plot B Nog and Jake trying to earn Profit!Plot A: The Federation is helping Bajor with need power by tapping into the core of one of its moons. This unfortunately will make the moon uninhabitable, the few people living on the moon will have to relocate before the mining operation can begin. Everyone leaves, but one old farmer Mullibok that refuses to leave. He's the sweet old grandfather or uncle Eeveryone has or knows. The old man of a thousand stories. Major Kira finds herself question herself. She was a resistance fighter during the occupation, fighting against the cruel overbearing governmental authority. Now she's part of the new Bayoran government and it's her job to be that governmental authority to remove Mullibok from his home. Even if she doesn't want to. She gets for a very short time to leave all the pressure of her duties, as she get to play pretend with Mullibok listening to his stories. Captain Sisko comes to remain Major Kira of her duty.Plot B: The more light hearted and has always brought up the question. The Federation doesn't use a currency base system. But other races still value things, and other humans not in Star Fleet have to earn a living. Nog and Jake put the practice of the art of the trade to full test here, or "I have a paper clip, bet I can trade it up to..." Nog like most Ferengi only wants gold press latinum. It's with Jake's help, I think it helps Nog to start seeing the value in other objects. What is its worth in trading vs it's monetarial valuee. The item might be nothing to me, but someone might gladly pay a small fortune for it.As much as the A Plot with Kira was the main part of this episode, I much more enjoyed Nog and Jake master the art of the deal or trade. Working on that humon and Ferengi friendship.Progress first aired on May 9, 1993, written by Peter Allan Fields, and directed by Les LandauKira has to deal with a stubborn farmer (Brian Keith) who refuses to leave his home even though it is slated for demolition.The Joy of Trek is hosted by Khaki & Kay, with editing & production by Chief Engineer Greg and music by Fox Amoore (Bandcamp | Bluesky)Send us your recommendations, or support us on Patreon.Find us at joyoftrek.com · Twitter · Facebook

"Irish Drinking Songs" by tornyourdress, can be found at https://archiveofourown.org/works/55777156"Seven songs Miles O'Brien sings, over the years."The Joy of Trek is hosted by Khaki & Kay, with editing & production by Chief Engineer Greg and music by Fox Amoore (Bandcamp | Bluesky)Send us your recommendations, or support us on Patreon.Find us at joyoftrek.com · Twitter · Facebook

A Fistful of Datas (Star Trek: The Next Generation (TNG), S6 E8) was recommended by Izaak from Trek 365 (he/him), who said: I love your format and indeed you guys.I’m Izaak from Tasmania, Australia. I’m the host of the Trek 365 podcast and I’d like to suggest an episode I’m embarrassed to like.I should hate this episode. And when I find myself enjoying it, I hate myself a little bit too.- it’s a holodeck episode- it’s not remotely sci fi- no one is better for itIt’s just ridiculous, obvious filler and not attempting to be cutting edge sci fi at all…however, isn’t that what I miss about modern trek? That you don’t have a 23rd episode of the series where you’re trying to fill up the schedule with something cheap? This one is dumb and isn’t trying to trick you; it’s not trying to be the best episode of all time, so the low bar is met. It’s just a safety blanket to keep you warm.Most people would skip it and have it in their bottom 10. I’m happy just to see my crew have fun with no danger or plot.As my grandfather used to say “I like my trash to be trashy”.A Fistful of Datas first aired on November 7, 1992, written by story by Robert Hewitt Wolfe, teleplay by Robert Hewitt Wolfe & Brannon Braga, and directed by Patrick StewartData's mind is connected to the ship's computer, which creates unforeseen effects on the holodeck.The Joy of Trek is hosted by Khaki & Kay, with editing & production by Chief Engineer Greg and music by Fox Amoore (Bandcamp | Bluesky)Send us your recommendations, or support us on Patreon.Find us at joyoftrek.com · Twitter · Facebook

"(not really) an only child" by thestarsarewinning, can be found at https://archiveofourown.org/works/45128077""What brothers and sisters?”“The lizard ones.” Miral reminds him, patient and only slightly patronising in a way most six-year-old’s are just beginning to learn."The Joy of Trek is hosted by Khaki & Kay, with editing & production by Chief Engineer Greg and music by Fox Amoore (Bandcamp | Bluesky)Send us your recommendations, or support us on Patreon.Find us at joyoftrek.com · Twitter · Facebook

Blink of an Eye (Star Trek: Voyager, S6 E12) was recommended by Sandy Cleary, she/her who said: I've always loved "Blink of an Eye." I like stories about history, and stories that feel epic by having some mechanism to take the reader from the present to the past, or by exposing them to a sense of scale that really captures the grand sweep of human history. The "where we've come from tells us why we wanted to come from there" narrative. Walter Miller's Canticle for Leibowitz, say, or the Babylon 5 episode "The Deconstruction of Falling Stars" that IMO transparently draws from it.In that same way, "Blink of an Eye" is the Voyager writers having used the main deflector to remodulate Robert Forward's 1980 novel Dragon's Egg. But here, I love how the framing device captures both the scale of capital-p Progress and the desire to explore and understand the universe—the kind of optimism that, on its best days, Trek has always been good at embodying. And I love seeing the evolution from making offerings to this strange new apparition, to making efforts to communicate, to the inevitable first contact.It is a story about well-intentioned people trying to make the best sense they can of a vast and mysterious universe, without real antagonists—where even the figures who would normally be antagonists, like the hawks in the military, are clearly acting in good faith. In this it reminds me of Close Encounters of the Third Kind, which also inspired my current journey. I think you could draw a direct link between "Blink of an Eye" and me changing my degree from linguistics to anthropology, and probably to the kind of approach I've taken whenever I need to write fantasy.Also, it's a great Picardo vehicle. Picardo's EMH, like Data (TNG), was theoretically on a journey to become more "human." The difference is that the EMH was always finding new experiences and *loving the hell out of them* rather than clinically tilting his head and going "well. That happened." He has the same breathless excitement here as he did in, say, "Message in a Bottle"—for mostly the same reasons and with the same mix of passion and humor that, I think, really makes him "work" as a character. Both Picardo as an actor and the EMH as a character are in absolutely top form.Finally, I'm a sucker for the extremely cheap trick of old people knowing that their lifelong goal has been accomplished. Daniel Dae Kim getting to watch the Voyager's departure makes me choke up every time.Blink of an Eye first aired on January 19, 2000, written by story by Michael Taylor, teleplay by Joe Menosky, and directed by Gabrielle BeaumontVoyager is trapped in orbit about a planet with a spacetime differential such that, while its inhabitants live through years, Voyager experiences mere minutes.The Joy of Trek is hosted by Khaki & Kay, with editing & production by Chief Engineer Greg and music by Fox Amoore (Bandcamp | Bluesky)Send us your recommendations, or support us on Patreon.Find us at joyoftrek.com · Twitter · Facebook

"Venom in the Blood" by Lady_Sci_Fi, can be found at https://archiveofourown.org/works/37568197"The Defiant responds to the distress signal from Empok Nor, to find a simple salvage mission gone wrong, and Julian finding Garak in a state he never imagined."The Joy of Trek is hosted by Khaki & Kay, with editing & production by Chief Engineer Greg and music by Fox Amoore (Bandcamp | Bluesky)Send us your recommendations, or support us on Patreon.Find us at joyoftrek.com · Twitter · Facebook

By Any Other Name (Star Trek: The Original Series (TOS), S2 E22) was recommended by Toledo (toe-LEE-dough), he/him, who said: I first encountered this episode, as I did many TOS episodes, in elementary school while I read collections of James Blish's novelizations from the 70s. Even in text, there were elements I found to be genuinely horrifying: super-powerful aliens that apparently are normally giant, tentacled Lovecraftian creatures; they're coming to conquer the galaxy; machines give them the power to immobilize people and to transform them into helpless, easily- and callously-destroyed polyhedra.It give us a rare example of intergalactic travel in Star Trek: the Kelvans are from Andromeda, arrived in a generation ship, and wish to return.It offers a very clever narrative use of aliens looking exactly human: it's a necessary shapeshifting adaptation for the Kelvans to use the Enterprise, but it's also the key to their demise.I think this episode offers some early vocal callbacks to previous episodes, demonstrating how TOS sometimes handled continuity -- and foreshadowing later Trek. Examples include callouts to "Where No Man Has Gone Before" (galactic barrier) and "A Taste of Armageddon" _Vulcan mind tricks).Tons of genuine silliness: the Kelvans' reactions to humans, Scotty's iconic "it is green."By Any Other Name first aired on February 9, 1968, written by story by Jerome Bixby, teleplay by D. C. Fontana and Jerome Bixby, and directed by Marc DanielsTelepathic aliens take control of Kirk and Spock's bodies with the intention to build new, mechanized bodies for themselves. After receiving a distress signal from a planet deep in the galaxy and far from the last charted area, the Enterprise is contacted by a life form of pure energy that wishes Kirk, Spock, Dr. Mulhall and Bones to beam down. They meet Sargon, a conscious mind trapped in a machine. Sargon explains that their civilization travelled space just like Kirk centuries ago and left people in various star systems to colonize. But this planet suffered a war where all but a few people destroyed themselves. Sargon, his wife and another remain alive like this and wish to take control of Kirk, Spock and Dr. Mulhall's bodies to make android bodies for themselves. The Enterprise accepts their offer after deliberation and Sargon begins work. To allow the body to sustain this transformation, Henock, the third alien, makes a potion to help but has other plans. Sargon devizes a plan to destroy him, apologizes to the Enterprise and accepts their fate thereby ceasing to exist.[2]The Joy of Trek is hosted by Khaki & Kay, with editing & production by Chief Engineer Greg and music by Fox Amoore (Bandcamp | Bluesky)Send us your recommendations, or support us on Patreon.Find us at joyoftrek.com · Twitter · Facebook

"Nyota’s Wish" by Daxs10thHost, can be found at https://archiveofourown.org/works/49312207"“Okay,” Mariner says, slamming her glass down so hard its contents slosh onto the bar. “I think we should have a slumber party. Like now.”"The Joy of Trek is hosted by Khaki & Kay, with editing & production by Chief Engineer Greg and music by Fox Amoore (Bandcamp | Bluesky)Send us your recommendations, or support us on Patreon.Find us at joyoftrek.com · Twitter · Facebook

The Wounded (Star Trek: The Next Generation (TNG), S4 E12) was recommended by Crimson (he/him), who said: This is another watershed episode: We get Cardassians for the first time! Furthermore, we have Marc Alaimo playing a Cardassian, though not the one we're used to (he still chews it up nicely here...though those mutton chops, woof). It's also a great episode for giving Colm Meany a chance to stretch his legs, especially as he and Rosalind Chao carry the B plot. I love that this episode digs into war trauma and the prejudices it can breed that you don't even notice, as well as the difficulty when you move on from something and someone you respect doesn't. Plus we get some quite nice singing -- Minstrel Boy is one of my favorite tunes, though I first recall hearing it from Black Hawk Down. (And as an aside, Minstrel Boy is a prime example of how the Irish and Klingons might find a lot in common. Who else has an upbeat song about dying gloriously in righteous battle?)The Wounded first aired on January 28, 1991, written by story by Stuart Charno & Sara Charno & Cy Chermak, teleplay by Jeri Taylor, and directed by Chip ChalmersA rogue Starfleet Captain (Bob Gunton) jeopardizes the Cardassian peace treaty.The Joy of Trek is hosted by Khaki & Kay, with editing & production by Chief Engineer Greg and music by Fox Amoore (Bandcamp | Bluesky)Send us your recommendations, or support us on Patreon.Find us at joyoftrek.com · Twitter · Facebook

"Distant Origin - Painful Truth" by GrayRainbow173, can be found at https://archiveofourown.org/works/40365432"The Captain and her First Officer are being debriefed about their encounter with the Voth.Takes place several years after the episode "Distant Origin" (S03E23)."The Joy of Trek is hosted by Khaki & Kay, with editing & production by Chief Engineer Greg and music by Fox Amoore (Bandcamp | Bluesky)Send us your recommendations, or support us on Patreon.Find us at joyoftrek.com · Twitter · Facebook

That Hope Is You, Part 1 (Star Trek: Discovery, S3 E1) was recommended by Lauren Alexis Rivers She/Her, who said: The first episode when Discovery arrives in the future, it introduces one of Discovery's most complex characters, Cleveland Booker, aka Book. A courier, he is our guide to one of the furthest points in the future we have ever seen. The episode largely features Burnham alone in a strange land, much like the Alice in Wonderland she had once quoted. It introduces the new world and a galaxy very different from the one we know.I always liked this episode because rebooting a series, soft or otherwise, is very hard to do. Most shows never manage to successfully transition their characters to a new setting. But Discovery not only does it well, but they also create a unique story in star trek where for the first time we see a broken Federation and a hurting universe, and these hopeful kids are going to do what they can to make the galaxy better.That Hope Is You, Part 1 first aired on October 15, 2020, written by Michelle Paradise & Jenny Lumet & Alex Kurtzman, and directed by Olatunde OsunsanmiArriving 930 years in the future, Burnham navigates a galaxy she no longer recognizes while searching for the rest of the U.S.S. Discovery crew.The Joy of Trek is hosted by Khaki & Kay, with editing & production by Chief Engineer Greg and music by Fox Amoore (Bandcamp | Bluesky)Send us your recommendations, or support us on Patreon.Find us at joyoftrek.com · Twitter · Facebook

"The missing 5 hours" by Miss_Inquisitive_Sci_fi, can be found at https://archiveofourown.org/works/40112271"A missing scene where the crew catchup for dinner at the Captain's and discuss strange anomalies after the missing 5 hours."The Joy of Trek is hosted by Khaki & Kay, with editing & production by Chief Engineer Greg and music by Fox Amoore (Bandcamp | Bluesky)Send us your recommendations, or support us on Patreon.Find us at joyoftrek.com · Twitter · Facebook

Critical Care (Star Trek: Voyager, S7 E5) was recommended by Marky See He/Him, who said: Hi Folks,I am loving the show. Growing up, my Dad and I weren't very close, he was much more inclined to sports where I am cut from a much nerdier cloth. We do however share a love of Sci Fi and I remember vividly sitting down together to watch Voyager when it came out.Inspired by the Joy of Trek, I set out to rewatch Voyager as I haven't watched an episode since the early 00s.As a teen, I loved Voyager for the danger, action and adventure, but on the rewatch I have really enjoyed the study of humanity portrayed by characters like Seven and The Doctor.I love this episode as it adds to the numerous other discussions and the theme of whether or not The Doctor is a sentient being or just a piece of very smart technology. Building on his morals being overwritten in Equinox so he could experiment on Seven, his memory being erased in latent image so he could keep functioning and now in climax Critical Care, choosing a path of action that could actually cause harm to a patient in a tiered system of health care that sadly is not unfamiliar to us 23 years after it was aired.Critical Care first aired on November 1, 2000, written by story by Kenneth Biller and Robert Doherty, teleplay by James Kahn, and directed by Terry WindellThe Doctor's program is stolen and he is forced to work in an alien hospital, where he skillfully manipulates the system to provide ethical medical care.The Joy of Trek is hosted by Khaki & Kay, with editing & production by Chief Engineer Greg and music by Fox Amoore (Bandcamp | Bluesky)Send us your recommendations, or support us on Patreon.Find us at joyoftrek.com · Twitter · Facebook

"When on Risa..." by SeemaG, can be found at https://archiveofourown.org/works/19760191"Worf and Dax discover one of the hidden delights of Risa."The Joy of Trek is hosted by Khaki & Kay, with editing & production by Chief Engineer Greg and music by Fox Amoore (Bandcamp | Bluesky)Send us your recommendations, or support us on Patreon.Find us at joyoftrek.com · Twitter · Facebook

Masks (Star Trek: The Next Generation (TNG), S7 E17) was recommended by He/him, who said: Although many find the episodes "incomprehensible" or "incoherent," I find it a joy.First, Brent Spiner gets to really through himself into an array of personality types. He gets to show off his acting chops in ways that he rarely gets to, and almost never gets to on Star Trek.Second, I truly enjoy this quick peek at a mythology where we can recognize all the parts as familiar to Earth mythologies, but they fit together in ways that we don't normally see. We get to follow Picard into seeing how he, as an archology student himself, would piece together that mythology from just the few pieces given to him.Masks first aired on February 21, 1994, written by Joe Menosky, and directed by Robert WiemerThe Enterprise finds an ancient library that recreates its civilization by taking possession of Data and transforming the ship.The Joy of Trek is hosted by Khaki & Kay, with editing & production by Chief Engineer Greg and music by Fox Amoore (Bandcamp | Bluesky)Send us your recommendations, or support us on Patreon.Find us at joyoftrek.com · Twitter · Facebook

"The Adventures of Proton Junior" by stardustinthesky, can be found at https://archiveofourown.org/works/3717790"It was supposed to be a quiet Saturday. Tom, Harry and Miral have a different kind of day planned for B'Elanna."The Joy of Trek is hosted by Khaki & Kay, with editing & production by Chief Engineer Greg and music by Fox Amoore (Bandcamp | Bluesky)Send us your recommendations, or support us on Patreon.Find us at joyoftrek.com · Twitter · Facebook

Empok Nor (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (DS9), S5 E24) was recommended by Nerdimus Prime, who said: Empok Nor, like The Omega Directive, is an unusual episodeWe have tough characters in Star Trek. We have brave ones. We have smart and sassy characters as well. And we had evil characters (looking at you Gul Ducat).But Garrak, as it turns out, is the only Terrifying character in Star Trek.And we put him against the most competent. Oh. My.Empok Nor first aired on May 19, 1997, written by story by Bryan Fuller, teleplay by Hans Beimler, and directed by Mike VejarO'Brien, Garak, Nog and an engineering team go to Deep Space Nine's abandoned sister space station, Empok Nor, to salvage components. The away team soon discover that all is not as it seems.The Joy of Trek is hosted by Khaki & Kay, with editing & production by Chief Engineer Greg and music by Fox Amoore (Bandcamp | Bluesky)Send us your recommendations, or support us on Patreon.Find us at joyoftrek.com · Twitter · Facebook

"Life, When It Gives You Lemons" by theladygeneral, can be found at https://archiveofourown.org/works/58070146"When another workplace accident on the Cerritos leaves the hydroponics bay and Kayshon's garden in shambles, it's Ransom to the rescue."The Joy of Trek is hosted by Khaki & Kay, with editing & production by Chief Engineer Greg and music by Fox Amoore (Bandcamp | Bluesky)Send us your recommendations, or support us on Patreon.Find us at joyoftrek.com · Twitter · Facebook

Cease Fire (Star Trek: Enterprise, S2 E15) was recommended by nazzy (she/her), who said: For being a founding member of the Federation, the Andorians have gotten seriously short shrift over the years by various Trek series. Enterprise made that up to us, giving us more Andorians per capita than any Trek before or since! And best of all, it gave us Shran, quite possibly Jeffrey Combs's best role in a career full of them.And Cease Fire is a great showcase for the Andorians, and for Shran. We learn more about the long, ugly war between Andoria and Vulcan, and how that conflict has poisoned perceptions on both sides, leaving humans (in the form of Jonathan Archer) as possibly the only group capable of bridging the gap. And for a delightful bonus, we get the wonderful Gary Graham in fine form as Ambassador Soval, whose Vulcan reserve can't hide the fact he doesn't think Archer can hack it either.Cease Fire first aired on February 12, 2003, written by Chris Black, and directed by David StraitonCaptain Archer negotiates a cease fire between the Andorians and the Vulcans.The Joy of Trek is hosted by Khaki & Kay, with editing & production by Chief Engineer Greg and music by Fox Amoore (Bandcamp | Bluesky)Send us your recommendations, or support us on Patreon.Find us at joyoftrek.com · Twitter · Facebook