Discovering Trek: The Star Trek Universe Companion

PARENTAL ADVISORY: The following episode contains adult themes, adult language, and a frank discussion on child abuse and its aftermath. PARENTAL DISCRETION IS STRONGLY ADVISED. Earlier in 2019, Bill wrote a column for the Official Star Trek Website titled, "What I've Learned From Saru." In it, he discussed what the Kelpien from Star Trek: Discovery has taught him in his journey living with anxiety. As he continued to examine the character, he found that he identified with Saru in more ways than he thought. This episode contains very personal and disturbing revelations about Bill's childhood and, as a result, we are cautioning parents that this installment may not be suitable for younger listeners.

This past weekend, we hosted a Star Trek: Discovery panel at Granite State Comicon in Manchester, New Hampshire! In this live recording of Trek Geeks, we'll talk about some of the key plot points of Season 1, and talk about what we might expect from Discovery's second season coming in early 2019! Plus: AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION! It's our first-ever panel and live podcast--and we give away a TON of pins from our friends at FanSets, too! FIVE YEAR MISSION We can’t possibly thank FIVE YEAR MISSION enough. We are truly grateful to them for allowing us to use their music for every episode of Trek Geeks. You really should check them out–they’re writing and recording one original song for each episode of the classic Star Trek series from the 1960’s. YEAR 4 IS HERE! Get the brand-new album from Five Year Mission RIGHT NOW at FiveYearMission.net While you’re at it, you should also pick up Year 1, Year 2, Year 3, The Trouble with Tribbles, and of course, Spock’s Brain! Please show them some support and download all their music! =/\=

The amazing Final Season of Star Trek: Picard has concluded and, now, we begin our look at this amazing reunion of the crew of the Enterprise D.  Beverly Crusher is in trouble and, in reaching out to Jean-Luc Picard, she tells him to “trust no one,” including Starfleet. Star Trek: Picard’s final season brings together some iconic characters for an amazing last mission together, and we’re going to kick off our analysis of it with episode 1, titled “The Next Generation.”  Hey…that’s got a nice ring to it. Bill Smith & Jamie Rogers will break it down. It’s the start of a wild ride in Season 3 and we’re glad you’re here to take it with us on Discovering Trek: THE Star Trek Universe Companion, presented by FanSets!

In this special breaking news edition of Discovering Trek, Bill Smith, Ron Wrobel, and Mike Bovia discuss the announcement by Paramount+ that Star Trek: Discovery will end after Season 5.

This week on Star Trek Lower Decks' incredible Season 3 finale, the Cerritos goes up against Admiral Buenamigo's computer run starship in a test to see if the California Class of starships will be replaced by the new super AI Texas class. As with any fully automated device in Star Trek, things soon go haywire and mass destruction and loss of life ensues!  Will the Cerritos survive the onslaught of not one, but three Texas Class AI crazy starships? Also, Bold Boimler is on full display when he tries to mend fences with Shaxs after a somewhat improper impersonation of the Bajoran. And in a shocking development, we find out who is responsible for Rutherford's memory loss and cybernetic enhancements!  PLUS!! Be sure to stick around after the end credits for a surprise cliff hanger ending! The season finale The Stars At Night has it all! Dan, Kasey and Bill have a great time talking about every aspect of Episode 10! From the newest starship with a cool name to a Badmiral done the right way, we have a blast discussing what we think is the best season finale of Lower Decks so far! WE COVER LOWER DECKS LIKE NO ONE ELSE Interested in great talk about Star Trek: Lower Decks? Look no further than the Trek Geeks Podcast Network! Discovering Trek breaks down every episode with our own Lower Decks crew of Dan, Kasey and Bill. Plus, check out all of our other podcasts on the Trek Geeks Podcast Network by downloading our free Trek Geeks Mobile App! Head on over to trekgeeks.com/app for all the details! No One Talks Trek Like We Do. FIVE YEAR MISSION Music for Discovering Trek is provided by Five Year Mission. They’re writing one song for each episode of The Original Series! Plus, check out their podcast right here on the Trek Geeks Podcast Network! Find out more and download all 6 of their current albums at FiveYearMission.net

This week on Star Trek Lower Decks, Captain Freeman gets her wish as "Project Swing By" is approved by Starfleet Command!  The Cerritos has been chosen for the first mission to return to, of all places, Omara - you know the drug addict planet from TNGs Symbiosis?  You would think the mission was a piece of cake, but this is Lower Decks, so nothing goes as planned  - especially when a reporter from the FNN comes on board to do a report on the Cerritos and its mission.  Not only does Freeman have to deal with a potentially damning interview from, of all people, Mariner, but she also has to deal with an old enemy of the Federation during a sneak attack! There is a pie eating contest, there is great artwork about life on Ornara and there are great messages about trust and friendship on this penultimate episode of season 3, Trusted Sources! Dan, Kasey and Bill have a great time talking about every aspect of Episode 9! From Starbase 80 to the planet Brekka, strap in and get ready for some great fun and discussion! WE COVER LOWER DECKS LIKE NO ONE ELSE Interested in great talk about Star Trek: Lower Decks? Look no further than the Trek Geeks Podcast Network! Discovering Trek breaks down every episode with our own Lower Decks crew of Dan, Kasey and Bill. Plus, check out all of our other podcasts on the Trek Geeks Podcast Network by downloading our free Trek Geeks Mobile App! Head on over to trekgeeks.com/app for all the details! No One Talks Trek Like We Do. FIVE YEAR MISSION Music for Discovering Trek is provided by Five Year Mission. They’re writing one song for each episode of The Original Series! Plus, check out their podcast right here on the Trek Geeks Podcast Network! Find out more and download all 6 of their current albums at FiveYearMission.net

Mike and Emilie are back with Kate Mulgrew, Brett Gray, and Ella Purnell from Star Trek Prodigy! The second half of season 1 is on the way and Mike and Emilie were at the press junket for the new season portion. Find out how the stars of Prodigy feel about the influence their characters have on the next generation of Trek fans.

This week on Star Trek Lower Decks, its time for the biggest sequel in the history of Holodeck blockbusters as Boimler tries to outdo Mariners first adventure Crisis Point.  Captain Dagger (Boimler) and his crew of the USS Wayfarer have to stop the Romulans from changing history when they steal a device called the Chronogami! But after some devastating news, Boimler is more concerned with finding out the true meaning of life so he makes Tendi acting Captain while he and Mariner go on their own holodeck quest for answers. With some great callbacks to almost every Star Trek movie, as well as some awesome guest voices, plus a cliffhanger to bring the house down, Crisis Point 2: Paradoxus comes at us at warp speed with some great character development and amazing visuals! Dan, Kasey and Bill have a great time talking about a sequel that is better than the original (kinda like TWOK and TMP) and also some big moments like Tendi wanting to be a Captain for real and how back fat can actually show you where the secret of life can be found (and yeah, that is as gross as it sounds).  We have a fantastic time discussing everything that takes place in episode eight of Star Trek: Lower Decks Season 3 - "Crisis Point 2: Paradoxus"!  Get your popcorn, take your seat and get ready for some great fun and discussion! WE COVER LOWER DECKS LIKE NO ONE ELSE Interested in great talk about Star Trek: Lower Decks? Look no further than the Trek Geeks Podcast Network! Discovering Trek breaks down every episode with our own Lower Decks crew of Dan, Kasey and Bill. Plus, check out all of our other podcasts on the Trek Geeks Podcast Network by downloading our free Trek Geeks Mobile App! Head on over to trekgeeks.com/app for all the details! No One Talks Trek Like We Do. FIVE YEAR MISSION Music for Discovering Trek is provided by Five Year Mission. They’re writing one song for each episode of The Original Series! Plus, check out their podcast right here on the Trek Geeks Podcast Network! Find out more and download all 6 of their current albums at FiveYearMission.net

This week on Star Trek Lower Decks, it's the unexpected return of the Exocomp Peanut Hamper! After abandoning the crew in the Season 1 finale, Peanut Hamper has been floating in the Pakled/Federation battle debris field.  She manages to escape a Drookmani salvage ship and finds herself on an isolated planet called Areolus (no really, that's what it's called). While adjusting to living with the bird like Areore, we see her start to change and look to redeem herself and the choices she made in the past....or is she?  Plus, at the end of a great episode, we get a hint of a new super menace that we could see again in the future! Dan, Kasey and Bill have a great time talking about an episode that really takes a chance, but works on so many ways. Although we don't all agree on how good the episode is, we still have a fantastic time discussing everything that takes place in episode seven of Star Trek: Lower Decks Season 3 - "A Mathematically Perfect Redemption"!  Grab your favorite beak mask and get ready to soar as we have some great fun and discussion! WE COVER LOWER DECKS LIKE NO ONE ELSE Interested in great talk about Star Trek: Lower Decks? Look no further than the Trek Geeks Podcast Network! Discovering Trek breaks down every episode with our own Lower Decks crew of Dan, Kasey and Bill. Plus, check out all of our other podcasts on the Trek Geeks Podcast Network by downloading our free Trek Geeks Mobile App! Head on over to trekgeeks.com/app for all the details! No One Talks Trek Like We Do. FIVE YEAR MISSION Music for Discovering Trek is provided by Five Year Mission. They’re writing one song for each episode of The Original Series! Plus, check out their podcast right here on the Trek Geeks Podcast Network! Find out more and download all 6 of their current albums at FiveYearMission.net

This week on Lower Decks, Captain Freeman is assigned to negotiate a trade agreement with the Karemma while docked at...wait for it...wait for it...DEEP SPACE 9!!!  The return to everyone's favorite "Cardassian Monstrosity" is anything but normal as Tendi has to deal with a fellow Orion who is hell bent on keeping that Orion Pirate reputation well preserved, Boimler is raking in the latinum at the dabo table and Freeman and Colonel Kira have to deal with Quark and his continued, questionable methods of turning a profit. Meanwhile back on the Cerritos, Jennifer wants Mariner to come to her friends 'salon night'.  Poetry, dancing and candle making are not high on her list of fun things to do, and she is finding it difficult to play nice with Jennifer's friends. What will happen when a crisis unfolds during the shindig? Dan, Kasey and Bill have a great time talking about the amazing return to DS9 in episode six of Star Trek: Lower Decks Season 3 - "Hear All, Trust Nothing"!  Grab a root beer, pull up a chair at the bar and get ready to spend some latinum as we have some great fun and discussion! WE COVER LOWER DECKS LIKE NO ONE ELSE Interested in great talk about Star Trek: Lower Decks? Look no further than the Trek Geeks Podcast Network! Discovering Trek breaks down every episode with our own Lower Decks crew of Dan, Kasey and Bill. Plus, check out all of our other podcasts on the Trek Geeks Podcast Network by downloading our free Trek Geeks Mobile App! Head on over to trekgeeks.com/app for all the details! No One Talks Trek Like We Do. FIVE YEAR MISSION Music for Discovering Trek is provided by Five Year Mission. They’re writing one song for each episode of The Original Series! Plus, check out their podcast right here on the Trek Geeks Podcast Network! Find out more and download all 6 of their current albums at FiveYearMission.net

This week on Lower Decks, Rutherford is having some problems with his implants and when Tendi tries to help with a cache purge, things get a little crazy as a younger version of Rutherfords conscience takes over his body and fights for control.  The two Rutherfords 'duke it out' in his mind and finally decide on a shuttle race to determine who will take over permanently. Meanwhile on Tulgana IV, Boimler and Mariner are assigned to work the Starfleet Recruitment Tent at the local fair and yep, you guessed it - things don't go as smoothly as planned.  But is it Mariner or Boimler who end up making a mess of things? Dan, Kasey and Bill have a great discussion about the fifth episode of Star Trek: Lower Decks Season 3 - "Reflections"!  Grab your best Voyager fancy uniforms, take your seat in the Delta Flyer and join us for  some great fun and discussion! WE COVER LOWER DECKS LIKE NO ONE ELSE Interested in great talk about Star Trek: Lower Decks? Look no further than the Trek Geeks Podcast Network! Discovering Trek breaks down every episode with our own Lower Decks crew of Dan, Kasey and Bill. Plus, check out all of our other podcasts on the Trek Geeks Podcast Network by downloading our free Trek Geeks Mobile App! Head on over to trekgeeks.com/app for all the details! No One Talks Trek Like We Do. FIVE YEAR MISSION Music for Discovering Trek is provided by Five Year Mission. They’re writing one song for each episode of The Original Series! Plus, check out their podcast right here on the Trek Geeks Podcast Network! Find out more and download all 6 of their current albums at FiveYearMission.net

This week on Lower Decks, Boimler, Tendi and Mariner discover a scheme by the dreaded Delta Shift to manipulate a ship lottery on some fancy new living quarters.  They begin a quest to get to the one terminal on the entire ship so that they can beat the Delta's at their own game. Along the way, they run into some unexpected challenges, like a Holodeck "Bonnie & Clyde" simulation run by Shax and Dr. T'ana, as well as actually bonding with the Delta's - or so it would seem. Meanwhile, after yet another possession of Captain Freeman by those pesky Masks, the ship is a mess and the engineering crew is at wits ends.  She insists they all take time off to relax on the spa ship "The Dove", but it is soon discovered that she is more stressed out than Rutherford and his team members! Black Bander alert!! As Sara heads off for her own relaxation experience, Dan, Kasey and Bill have a great discussion about the fourth episode of Star Trek: Lower Decks Season 3 - "Room For Growth"!  If dodging bullets in a safety protocol disabled holodeck is your idea of foreplay, then come join us for some great fun and discussion! WE COVER LOWER DECKS LIKE NO ONE ELSE Interested in great talk about Star Trek: Lower Decks? Look no further than the Trek Geeks Podcast Network! Discovering Trek breaks down every episode with our own Lower Decks crew of Dan, Sara, Kasey and Bill. Plus, check out all of our other podcasts on the Trek Geeks Podcast Network by downloading our free Trek Geeks Mobile App! Head on over to trekgeeks.com/app for all the details! No One Talks Trek Like We Do. FIVE YEAR MISSION Music for Discovering Trek is provided by Five Year Mission. They’re writing one song for each episode of The Original Series! Plus, check out their podcast right here on the Trek Geeks Podcast Network! Find out more and download all 6 of their current albums at FiveYearMission.net

This week on Lower Decks, during an away mission, Boimler, Mariner and Rutherford face their ultimate fantasies as well as their most feared nightmares, all thanks to some special glowly rocks that harness thoughts and memories. Our crew soon discovers that not all is as it appears to be and it is actually up to Tendi (struggling on her first day of Senior Science Officer training) to save the day and uncover the devious plan of the planets inhabitants! Dan and Kasey welcome Bill back to the table as Sara is away this week, and they all have a great discussion about the third episode of Star Trek: Lower Decks Season 3 - "Mining The Mind’s Mines"!  Grab your bat'leth armed Killer Klingon Klown from Outer Space or your giant Borg Snake and join us for some great fun and discussion! WE COVER LOWER DECKS LIKE NO ONE ELSE Interested in great talk about Star Trek: Lower Decks? Look no further than the Trek Geeks Podcast Network! Discovering Trek breaks down every episode with our own Lower Decks crew of Dan, Sara, Kasey and Bill. Plus, check out Drawn To Trek with Aaron Harvey (co-author of Star Trek: The Official Guide to the Animated Series)! No One Talks Trek Like We Do. FIVE YEAR MISSION Music for Discovering Trek is provided by Five Year Mission. They’re writing one song for each episode of The Original Series! Plus, check out their podcast right here on the Trek Geeks Podcast Network! Find out more and download all 6 of their current albums at FiveYearMission.net

Grab your bat'leths and prepare for an amazing quest, adventurers!  During their downtime, General Martok returns (kind of) to lead our Lower Deck crew on glorious quests and missions.  When on duty, Boimler decides he is going to change his ways and be more assertive, and that quickly puts him in danger with an alien who has targeted him as prey!  Meanwhile, Mariner is at odds with Ransom (again) during an away mission when he assigns the engineers to negotiate with the Dulainians while he and Mariner try and fix the big space elevator.  This assignment swap, as you can imagine, doesn't go...well! Dan, Sara and Kasey expose their navels and break down the second episode of Star Trek: Lower Decks Season 3 - The Least Dangerous Game!  Join us for some great fun and discussion! WE COVER LOWER DECKS LIKE NO ONE ELSE Interested in great talk about Star Trek: Lower Decks? Look no further than the Trek Geeks Podcast Network! Discovering Trek breaks down every episode with our own Lower Decks crew of Dan, Sara, Kasey and Bill. Plus, check out Drawn To Trek with Aaron Harvey (co-author of Star Trek: The Official Guide to the Animated Series)! No One Talks Trek Like We Do. FIVE YEAR MISSION Music for Discovering Trek is provided by Five Year Mission. They’re writing one song for each episode of The Original Series! Plus, check out their podcast right here on the Trek Geeks Podcast Network! Find out more and download all 6 of their current albums at FiveYearMission.net

This week on the season premier of Star Trek: Lower Decks, Captain Freeman is on trial for the destruction of Pakled Planet, and Mariner is not going to sit by and watch her mom go down without a fight.  The Cerritos is in a secure location and the gang hijacks a familiar piece of history to get to the ship which holds the evidence to set the Captain free! Amazing easter eggs, wonderful callbacks to Star Trek of the past, and an unexpected and delightful guest voice actor all make the latest adventure of our favorite lower deckers a whole bunch of fun! Dan, Sara and Kasey break down the amazing season 3 premier of  Star Trek: Lower Decks - Grounded!  Join us for some great fun and discussion! WE COVER LOWER DECKS LIKE NO ONE ELSE Interested in great talk about Star Trek: Lower Decks? Look no further than the Trek Geeks Podcast Network! Discovering Trek breaks down every episode with our own Lower Decks crew of Dan, Sara, Kasey and Bill. Plus, check out Drawn To Trek with Aaron Harvey (co-author of Star Trek: The Official Guide to the Animated Series)! No One Talks Trek Like We Do. FIVE YEAR MISSION Music for Discovering Trek is provided by Five Year Mission. They’re writing one song for each episode of The Original Series! Plus, check out their podcast right here on the Trek Geeks Podcast Network! Find out more and download all 6 of their current albums at FiveYearMission.net

It's the explosive finale of Strange New Worlds! The future of the alpha quadrant balances on the terror of Pike's foreseen future as we revisit a classic TOS episode with a twist. And who is that commanding the Farragut? Is that...Captain Kirk? Is this musical captain's chairs? What is going on as we engage the Romulans on the edge of the Neutral Zone? Mike returns for this episode of Discovering Trek joined by Yvette and Matthew who talk about throwbacks to Balance of Terror, New Kirk, and why Una has to end the series as she began...in jail.

The crew comes face-to-face this time with the terrifying enemy of this first season of Strange New Worlds, the Gorn. But the enemy might be much closer than it appears when survivors of a marooned ship are rescued by the Enterprise. Between La'an's past trauma and Spock releasing repressed rage at crewmate's death, will the away team have what it takes to survive? We're joined this week by Ruthie from With the First Link who agreed with Yvette that this was a strong episode while Matthew was jarred by the darker tone. Do the Discovering Trek hosts find the beauty of the crew's resolve and self-sacrifice in the midst of the horrific story!? Find out!

The crew are transformed into the characters of the Elysian Kingdom, a book M'Benga has been reading to his daughter Rukiya who has also suddenly disappeared. M'Benga, and Hemmer, the only two crew members unaffected, must discover if there is a fairy behind this fairy tale, or is this just the effect of a failed experiment to save Rukiya's life. Yvette and Matthew are joined this week by Yvette's co-host on SyFy Sistas, Tamia Harper where Yvette and Tamia reflect on portrayals of black fatherhood on television and the importance of black love as represented in Strange New Worlds inspired by Deep Space Nine.

Yeaaargh! Pirates sighted in this episode of Strange New Worlds as the Enterprise is lured outside Federation territory in a ruse to capture the ship! A potential ally turns out to be an enemy though to they do engage Spock in a fascinating conversation about false binaries he may hold about his own identity. Human, Vulcan, both, neither? Yvette, Matthew, and guest Aiyana-Mei Tom, talk about the awesomeness that is Captain Angel, that steamy bridge kiss, and how the discourse of trans rights and trans identity helps us all better understand who we are.

"Lift Us Where Suffering Cannot Reach" has the Enterprise intervening in a world that is outside of Federation territory. While the ship and crew have no jurisdiction here, will Pike follow his heart and violate General Order One to save a child, a civilization, and his love's soul? Yvette and Matthew talk about the Prime Directive, our continued love for Doctor M'Benga, Potential Borg Origins, suggest a floating city should have railings, and try to figure out why cadet Uhura was given live fire phaser orders during a training day.