Phasers Set To Stun: Strange New Worlds S3.E1 Hegemony, Part II | S3.E2 Wedding Bell Blues

0:01 Space the Final Frontier. Join us for a bold conversation our prime directive to recap our favorite Star Trek shows, both new and old, to engage and debate about all things Trek. Prepare to energize with Phasers Set to Stunt. Hello everyone, and welcome back to Phasers Set the Stunt, where we continue to show our love for everything Star Trek in this ongoing series from a film by podcast which focuses on every quadrant of the expanding universe of Trek by covering television, animation, movies, directors, merchandise, and so much more. Plotting the course as always as your core Trek crew, I'm David Burns.

1:04 And I'm Wayne Whited. Scott is still on important way mission, so he will return to us as soon as he can, and. I'm beginning to think we might have to send a shuttlecraft for him. I think we might. I don't know. Worries that long overdue, that's for sure. All right, listeners read Alert. If you ever not caught up with the series Strange New Worlds Season three, please go do so, as there are many spoilers ahead. Oh yeah, we. Will be right here on the bridge waiting for you after you've seen them, and now for the conclusion words I have been waiting a long time to hear, especially from Pike. That'd be two strange New Worlds is back finally, I might add, with season three and wow does it open with a bang? Today we are discussing season three episodes one and two. Has been a part two. I can never pronounce that word.

2:00 I have trouble with it too. Egwny Part two and Wedding Bell Blues had Jimminy had Jimminy Part two and Wedding Bell Blues. There we go. I know many of us have been anxiously awaiting the conclusion to last season, the Cliffhanger, which was two years ago. In my head, it has been a long time. It has been a stressful wait. But here we are, and BOYD does it ever deliver. I'm like, Wayne, can you give us a quick recap of the first episode? Please? I sure, Kim. In the conclusion to last season's Cliffhanger, Captain Pike tracks down at the Gordon ship that has captured the colonists from Parisius Beta, along with lawn Doctor me Benga Ortegas and Sam Kirk. Despite orders from Starfleet to stay in Federation's space. Within Gorn's space, they discover a binary star system that could be hiding the Gorans home world. Meanwhile, Spock and Nurse Chapel attempt to save Captain Bateell's life, who have been infected with Gorn eggs that could very soon hatch and threaten everyone on board the Enterprise.

3:02 This episode opens with some serious action pack scenes. You did incredible, some incredible cinematography CGI worthy of the cinema, and I have to say, Wayne, and I'm sure you're going to agree with me on this, an outstanding score to go along with it. Yes, oh yeah, I absolutely grew. I was gonna talk to you about that. Beautiful music throughout this episode. Loved it very very much. I know there have been quite a few Star Trek fans who have been upset about the Gorn being introduced so early in the timeline, but I think we got a pretty good answer here of how this episode ends, and we'll get to that in a little bit, because I know Gorn wasn't introduced until the episode Arena, which was in the obviously the nineteen sixty seven year the original Star Trek. But how they finished this episode, I think kind of cleans that up a little bit. And I was pretty pleased with it, and I think a lot of Star Trek people should be very key with that.

4:01 Yeah, it was. It was a very satisfying conclusion in it. And you're right, it did wrap things up, in my opinion, pretty nicely. Actually, uh, you know, leaving it open for you know, Kirk to not recognize or say he had not seen a Gorn in the episode Arena. I thought it was a brilliant conclusion. You know, it's so hard to conclude two parts, especially after so much time, because you know it, it's it's rough, you knows, as a writer having to come back and making an ending that will satisfy not only the fans but the regular viewers. And I think they did nicely with this one. Yeah, I completely agree with you. I mean, this whole episode, you were literally on the edge of your seat. I didn't give you much opportunity to breathe because you were just anxiously waiting to see how this was going to wrap itself up. And a lot of our crew members were in some serious trouble here and we didn't know if anybody was going to survive, and you know, as this episode was going, I was really worried about artagus Man.

5:05 Yeah, I mean, you know, with some of the characters. I remember two years ago, now, you know, some of our predictions for this episode. Fortunately a few of those predictions didn't come come through. I think I remember I was almost certain that Bettel would not survive this episode. I'm glad you did, I really am, but yeah, I was certain of that. I thought the episode was wonderful in the fact that everyone seemed to get something substantial to do with the plot. And that's that's really tough to do, you know, when you got such a big cast, and but everyone got a little bit of time to shine and and do something, and a little bit of of of character, you know, a bit. I think I think every one of the main cast, the main characters were I'm trying to think of the best way to say that made better through the story. I know that doesn't make much sense. It's just they had, they had something to do, and I felt they came through it with us understanding those characters a little bit better.

6:10 It made their characters stronger, It gave it gave their story arcs more strength that we you know, we've seen it in the last two seasons, but this one really really made everybody better and pulled the crew together even stronger, which I don't know how that was possible, but it really does. You know, you've got you've got two things going on here. You know, we're really three things if you think about it. You've got, you know, the crew who are trying to get the Enterprise to hide from the Gorm with Scotty and Pellia, and then you've got obviously the Bridge crew on you know, on the Enterprise, who are doing their thing. And then you've got the crew who are on the Gorn ship who are basically trying to survive from being freaking food, you know, for the Gorn, and just so much is going on, and you know, when this episode opened, I was obviously anxiously waiting it because you know, as we've discussed, we've been waiting two years for this freaking thing for Crying out Loud, and it's been very highly anticipated for us. But when it opens up right in the middle of the battle and you get those really cool camera shots where the camera's like twisting as you Oh, I loved it so much.

7:19 Man kind of reminded me of JJ Abrams star Trek like you had those camera shots and I loved that and it was very fitting for this episode, you know, and obviously when they ran the ship, but I thought that was just fantastic. The whole sequence there was just incredible. But one of the things that I absolutely love, and this goes back to that developing the characters more. I love the bridge scenes on the Enterprise because we got to seat Pike really lean on his crew because he was he was looking at them, you know, brainstorming, give me some ideas, help me here, let's figure this out to help them get out of this situation. And it really showed how much the crew leans on each other.

8:04 Yeah, and for every one of the characters, this was a very stressful episode for all of the characters. You know, some of them are put through a hell of a lot of you know, mentally and physically in this episode. And there are some really big stakes that happened for some of the characters in this episode. You know, you got you know, Captain Pike Key's forced to choose between you know, the landing party and Starfleet and Federation. You know that that's a huge decision on his head. Of course, you got you got the landing party on their Gorn ship. They got to decide. You know, what do they do? You know, they sell themselves? Do they say the colonists? If possible to say both. You know, that's a huge decision.

8:46 And then you got in Sick Bay, you got Chapelin Spock. You know, they're trying to save the Tell and they're trying to make this huge decision on what to do, and they you know, it's so frustrating for them because they don't want, you know, that Gorn to be hashed and have another repea incident of that one earlier episode. Was it done? All those who wonder, you know, huge stakes in this in this episode, and it all is so incredibly wonderfully written and done and performed by all the actors. I loved it. And paced well. Yes, it did not seem like everything was crammed into that amount of time or they were just stretching it out to fill in time. It was perfect. No, they weren't. Definitely weren't stretching out because they had a lot to cover. But it doesn't feel like, like you said, everything's crammed in here, It really doesn't. The flow is beautiful.

9:34 Yeah, and What really caught me by surprise is Pike making the decision. He made the right decision. He had to worp out. There there was no there was no choice. And I love that line when he says, hang in there, guys, and and as he's as they're warping out to his his dialogue was a little you know, uh distressed or not distressed, but like it was kind of like it was caught in the warping out. I guess you could say, well, almost like you're being transported away, but you get that weird dialogue sound going. Yeah, I love that. I thought that was a really cool thing. Yeah, there was. There were some great effects and that was one of the really nice sound effects. And you know, we don't talk about the sound effects very much, and this is this episode really really has a great soundscape to it till they did a phenomenal job. You know, we didn't really see the Gorn that much in this episode, as I thought we would. But once I after I watched the episode and I was thinking about it, maybe that's for the best, you know, Like sometimes I've always learned that and heard from other writers and producers and things, especially with some other TV shows that yet less is more sometimes it is, and I think maybe that's the case here. You know, we don't need to see that much of the Goran because you know, we got we got, I mean, you know, coming up what was a few years later and everything. But they wrap it up really, really nice for the Gorn and for the Goran storyline.

10:57 Although I don't think it's quite over with yet. Well, no, I think we still got to tell that we've got to worry about. It's not she's not out of the woods yet, no, so, and we'll get we'll get to that as we're talking about episode three coming up. But what I find interesting is, like you talked about how all the characters are in different areas, working and doing their best. But one of the things I really like is the heart to heart that Chapel had with Patel right before she was putting her under, you know, and she said, you know what, I think, Bettell said, this is like a rip van Winkle, and then Chapel corrected her like no more more of like sleeping beauty, And thought I thought that was kind of kind of cool, you know, a moment between those two characters. Yeah.

11:39 I think one of my favorite things is actually a bit what you talked about, like on the Bridge, the way the characters were portrayed, you know, like I said, this is a very stretchful, stressful situation, and they showed their stress a little bit. Yeah, I can't think of the name of the one character, the helmsman. She you know, she could see the stress in her face where she you know, puts her head on her hand on her head and you know, pinches her nose and Pike knows that that, you know, you they're going through some a rough situation. But the crew is there for him, you know, the way they all pull together with your her and and Scotty and and Kellia and and number one, they make it through this.

12:21 Uh. Incredibly, the speaking of the helmsman, there was a line in this that really is like whoa. When Pike looked at her, he could tell she was exhausted, she was beat, and she hadn't had any sleep for a while. And he goes, you know, he was basically relieving her, you know, and she's like, no offense, but I'm not leaving the ship. Yeah, and I'm not leaving my post until we get everyone back. And Pike looked at her, goes copy like he was impressed with what of her, you know. And I thought that was a really cool thing between those two. Yeah, I love that scene. I thought that was a great way of showing the tension and the stress and everything that's on top of their heads.

13:03 Yep. I liked. I liked that they touched on Land's flashbacks with the Gorn. You get to see her brother again a little bit, But they didn't dwell on it too much. You just got that, like, she's in this situation with the Gorn now, and obviously she's gonna have some of the flashbacks because I mean she's freaking out right, Yeah, I mean she's been through this before and here she goes again, and now she's struggling. How the hell am I gonna get out of here and get the people who I care about out of here with me. I just thought that how they got out of there and the things that way they went through was just phenomenal. And I think that made her character even more stronger than what it was before, because she's now overcome that that fear that well, you might as well call it PTSD.

13:46 Really it is what she has had, you know, she she was in a situation where she just couldn't break down. She wanted to, but she couldn't. She had to keep pushing through because their lives and the lives of the colonists. And I think I think the whole situation, she came out of it the best out of everyone because she overcame those fears, and of course they rescued everybody. M hm, well, I think someone else on the crew is going to get that PTSD that we saw at the end of the second episode. Yeah, I think so, and we'll talk about that when we get to that episode. I loved, I absolutely loved the relationship between Pelly and Scotty. Oh yeah, that was one of the best things.

14:26 We saw a little bit of that, you know last year. Look with last season, I should say in the finale, but here it really you get to see it shine even more between these two of them. I asked, you thought it was hysterical when Pela comes in the Gordon here, the Gordon here, just the fourth him to do to fix the device, to make sure it's working. I love that. So yeah, and we we were wrong about one of our predictions. We had said that both of us agreed that we didn't think Scotty was going to become a main character, but they've added the actor's name to the uh to the main credits with the rest of the main cast, so he's here to stay. And you know, I'm kind of glad after seeing this, after seeing his interaction with Pellia, I want to see more of that.

15:08 I thought they were a great two part team to get there. They are. I cannot wait to see what else occurs between those two because they are perfect together. I love it. I mean literally, it's teacher and student, right and you know, she taught him years and years ago, so getting to see that that working because she knows how he thinks, how he processes things, even the part about him not being a big drinker. But I think was that in the next episode, wasn't or was that this one? I don't. I got the two of them kind. Of that was that was the next episode. Okay, we'll talk about that a little bit later. So sorry about that, listeners. Getting ahead of myself here, but to go back to and this is kind of giving away a little bit of who I think really was the character that shined the most, So I'm kind of jumping ahead of myself. But Erica Ortegas. I'm telling you she was phenomena in this episode when yeah, she was the part where they're arguing a little bit and they look at her. He goes, can you fly this? And she's like, don't be rude. Of course I can't. But later on, my god, Wayne, she took control of that ship and she was bleeding out like she was dying, and she knew she had to take charge to get them out of there with that ship. Phenomenal.

16:24 Well, she lost half of her hand. I don't know. Yes, she did started freaking out about that, but you know she had to pull herself through. You know, they were in such a stressful situation and they knew that the only way out was through her skills. And I think that was a great scene. I think they were all That scene with her was fantastic. Another She's another character that grew a lot. Her story grew so much from this episode. And one of the lines, there's something lines in this episode I really liked, but her we get a repeat of line she did last season, but it was like almost like she could not muster enough strength get it out. But she says it, I'm eric Otegas, I fly the ship. I cheered when she said that she's pretty much dying. Man.

17:08 I was waiting for her to say that too, and I was glad she did. Yeah, it was like her in Fras. Yeah, it was. It was kind of like a Duke moment though, and g I Joe, if you know what to talk about, which they got the message over the intercom the Ortegas is going to be okay. They did, Ortega's gonna be a okay. Yeah, yep. It was fitting because I mean it's so much that was happening. They couldn't go all over the place. We're running out of times. It was it was fitting. What else did you love about this episode? Wayne, because there's so much to. Love there was There was really was just the visual effects were absolutely incredible. I mean I've been blown away with every episode and I remember with part one just just absolutely loving the visual effects esecially for the second half.

17:51 But I think they even out did themselves this time. You know, the shots of them crashing into the ship, yeah, was so well done. The Gorn ships just you know, zooming back and forth, and then the Binary Star when he you know, flew the Enterprise in between the stars and they activated that Scotti's Machine, and I thought those effects so incredible. They were they were they like I said, it was cinema quality. Man. I mean, it impresses me on how much money they put into these stream issues now, which they can you know, and yeah, and CGI I mean is I'm not gonna say cheap, because it's not cheap, but at least they've gotten to a place now that they can bring that to television.

18:35 Well yeah, I mean, you know a lot of people, and I've seen this over the last few years, you know, they're very upset that we're only getting ten episodes of any Star Trek series now and they feel like, you know, it's just a little bit. That's this is the reason why we're able to get these cinematic episodes, these incredibly beautifully directed, beautifully acted, you know, with incredible visual effects. They couldn't afford. There's no way they could do twenty six episodes. And time is way over. It's not just Star Trek as any TV show that time is over. You know, if you look back at any of the old Star Trek shows, next Generation Voyager, you know, in order to get those twenty six episodes, they had like twelve filler episodes where there were no visual effects. Well that they're not gonna do that anymore. No, they're not going to do that anymore. And that's this is this is the result of us getting ten episodes. We get these incredible, beautiful, wonderfully done episodes that that feel like motion pictures.

19:28 It goes back to the the they saying quality over quantity and exactactly what this is, and we get in the quality. Yeah, we got two very good quality episodes this time. I'm sure we'll get eight more. Yeah. And you know, and speaking of the cg how about that shot of Land running in and killing that Gorn who is holding our tag up in the air. Oh yeah, that was a good shot. Oh man, I forgot about that. That was very impressive. Man. And again I thought, oh, there's Ortegas going bye bye, see you later. But somehow that poor girl. I am. I am really really surprised that everyone made it through this episode. I really am. I was not. I expected at least someone to die, because we really don't know how long any of these characters, especially you know, Ortegas and Lawn. You know, they're not around when the original series nomes around. So what happens to them. This could have been a good example of of you know, them being killed or written off, but they're still with us.

20:28 Their story still continues. Yeah. How about the that that ending scene where Pike gets down on his knees and starts praying, and he's basically talking about his dad, you know, if you know, kind of goes back to season two. I believe it was where they you know, they talked about Pike's dad was a science teacher, but he taught religion, right, Yeah, so Pike was kind of like, I hope you're happy when he gets down to start praying for Patel. I thought that was kind of cool. Yeah. I think that was a nice little time, you know. Yeah, absolutely, Well, we had an episode to talk about, so let's talk about some of our favorite moments. Wayne, anything for you? Well, I think we mentioned so many of them. I like, my favorite moment's beginning to end. Really this episode. I can't stress how much I really really liked this episode that it's going to be hard to top it on this this season. So we'll just have to wait and see if this continues to be my favorite. But I do want to point out we mentioned it earlier. The score of the sas so well done. And I remember when we were talking about part one we mentioned that the composer brought in some little subtle elements of James Horner.

21:38 They weren't subtle in this episode, No, they were. They were very very strong. I mean, I got so much, you know, it's it felt so much like Star Trek two. Yep. And at parts I'm and I'm pretty sure I even heard an anvil. Oh yeah, you did. I think I did too. So you know, as we know, James Warner was the master of action music, and you can clearly hear that being honored in this episode without question. Man, Oh yeah, and it's it rightfully showed too, because I mean I could see him score if he was still alive scoring this episode. This seems like something that is right up his alley, you know, the whole Aliens type of style feel that they were getting. So bringing just a little bit of his style into the score, I think was a perfect homage to the late composer.

22:29 I completely agree. And for me, I mean, there are so many moments in this episode that I absolutely love. You know, we we've talked about so many. I can't pick my favorite because there are just so many good ones for this entire episode, so many good character moments that it is really hard to pick one, to be honest with you, So I'm gonna be with you. I'm seeing this whole episode. It was fantastic. He was Watch it, everybody, just go and watch it. I think you'll be very satisfied with it. You really will. It's star Trek at its best, or about it. So if you were one of these characters, well, well, hold on, which character do you think shined the most. I've already given mine away and I'm going to keep that. It is Eric Ortegis. What about you?

23:11 Well, you had a good choice. It was really hard between the two because they both shined. Every character shined in this episode. But I chose Alan because I think I mentioned before, I think her character benefited the most from this episode, from the story that we got. You know, she gets that return to the Goren captivity that she was so terrified of and that she you know, she was dreading it, and she has to deal with all those horrible memories so quick and yeah, you know, you know, it's like I said, it's very obviously she's got PTSD from it. She suffers from it. Horribly, but this time she she overcomes that, overcomes that shock and that fear and helps save everyone, pull everyone together, save everyone, get in and save not only the landing party, but they save the colonists. Very very satisfying. I don't know exactly call it an ending to that bit of the storyline, but because I said, I don't think the Bourne storyline's quite over with yet. But she benefited so much from that.

24:14 I think, And that's a really good pick. She would have been my second choice, but I just love Erica so much in this one. But to go back to Lan, she really proved here she would be an amazing number one on a ship. Yeah, I thought that too. She led that party and helped that party survive. If it wasn't for her, I don't think they would have made it. No, she proved what a leader she was right there. And you're right, she's in a situation that she experienced when she was a kid, and not a good experience at all, a nightmare for crying out loud, and she held it together and was able to get them off that ship in one piece. That's impressive. Yeah, soick good pick. So if you could be any character in this episode, who would it be? Wayne?

24:59 And gosh, that's hard, That is really really hard because so many go through so many, so much terrible stuff. Well it's not long, not with all her trauma, and think not our take she lost half her hand and bleeds sprightly to death, and not Mattel and her Gorn eggs. I don't sound very fun. So I guess I'm gonna choose Captain Pike because only because he didn't come through this too bad. You know, he got to go against the starfleet orders, he got to fight Gorn, he saved everyone, and his girlfriend didn't die. So yeah, he came through pretty good. I'll be him fair enough. I'm going with Palea because I love her interactions with Scottie. But you know, she doesn't have to face any of the Gorn. She's as safe as she can be in a situation like that, you know, on the Enterprise, So I definitely go with her. Yeah, So, Wayne, I didn't catch any because I was so into this episode.

26:02 Any Easter eggs in this episode. There weren't very many of them. That's probably why you didn't catch very many. I've only found a few, and some of them I want to call East Eggs. But let's I want to talk about the title sequence to start off. You know, we got season three. We got some changes to that new opening credit sequence that I really liked, and I mentioned that Martin Quinn's name has been added to the main cast to our surprise, but there were several new visual effects sequences to it. We got a shot of a Klingon D Southern battle cruiser coming out to chase the Enterprise. I like that shot. I thought that was a fantastic addition. We got that shot of the shuttlecraft leaguing ship, and we got that beautifully shot of Starbase one from from the next episode with the fleet of the Federation ships floating over. So nice little update to the title sequence. Makes me wonder if they'll do another one next season.

26:54 So are they Are they doing the lower deck thing? They're adding things? I think they are. That's what I like. That's exactly what I was thinking too. Yeah. I like that they do that, you know, to keep us looking and watching it instead of skipping over, which I would never skip over that anyway. But it's kind of cool that they're doing that just to keep us on our toes. I like that. Yeah, And Another new addition is we've got a brand new enterprise engineering lap that makes us debut. I don't know if you notice, but there's water running underneath that floor. Yeah, that water is coming directly from cetacean ops, which is the first time we've ever seen anything like that on live action. We didn't get see any of the crew members at it yet, but I gotta I gotta believe that they're going to be coming. Why put that there if you're not going to use it.

27:39 Oh yeah, You're not spending that much money on a FET not to use it, right right. So now, one of the few easter eggs that I did notice, and this is one of those blink to miss it, that scene where Pike and April are talking, there is a starfleet map of the the Gorn. Hegimony behind them shows a few little familiar locations. You see star based deep space two. You see Settus that's the planet where Kirk fought the Gorn in the episode Arena, And you also see the planet Kessick, that is the birthplace of the Voyager's chief engineer, Blanas Taurus. Oh cool. And the only other thing I saw was if you'll notice those red isolation suits that Spock and Chapel are wearing.

28:24 Those are most definitely updated versions of the suits from the original series that they wore in episodes like the Naked Time whenever they were dealing with pathogens and viruses. All right, that's it, good catches. I didn't catch any of those. There wasn't much. No, clearly not. I gotta tell you. I think there was just so much going on in this episode that they really didn't have time to squeeze on THETT too many easter eggs. They had a story to deal with. Yeah, this is very, very true. All right, Well, let's take a break and when we come back, we'll start talking about season three, episode two of Strange New Worlds.

29:08 Welcome back, everybody to phaser that it's done. Where Wayne and I are continuing our discussion of Strange New world Season three, let's talk about episode two, which aired the same night. So this one is a much lighter tone, comedic relief from the heavy series that we got of the season opener, and we really needed it. We needed that. Yeah, yes, needed that break. So Wayne, give us a recap of this episode. Three months later, while the Enterprise is doc for repairs at Starbase One. The crew are taking some much needed r and r and preparing for the celebrations of the Federation's one hundredth anniversary. Spock is anticipating Nur's Christine Chappel's return, but what he didn't expect is for her to return in a relationship with doctor Roger Corby. Then Spock wakes up in a new reality where every things change and he not only is in a relationship with Christine, but is preparing to marry her. Everything seems just right, except for one thing, the mysterious wedding planner that may have a more sinister origin than they are led to believe.

30:16 A lot of stuff happening in this episode, and I know we're going to get to some of the humor of this episode, But Wayne, I think you and I in our recap last episode, we talked about what we thought was going to happen in the future, and I think that kind of this came up for us, didn't it that we were wondering about this Spock Chapel relationship of when uh, doctor Corby was going to be introduced, did we not? Yeah, we were, because you know we've had this, you know, on and off again relationship and we know where it has to go. Yep. So we were we were talking about that. We thought that, you know, this would be the end of that storyline. This season would be the end of that storyline, and would you know, finally see the conclusion of the old spot chapel uh with with the introduction of Corby.

31:05 Yeah. And I think I think we were absolutely right. Yeah kind of looks at it. Yeah, absolutely, And I'm telling you this episode was so weird, but it was so good that when when we went into that well, first off, when it opens up and he's, you know, being taught how to dance by Leon. I love that scene. By the way, I love the relationship between the two of them throughout this entire episode because I don't think we really got to explore a lot of that between these two characters, and I thought that was really well done to focus on that. But so you really didn't know where you were at in the story. You just thought you were just you know, it was going to be what Federation Day and Spock was gonna you know, they were all gonna be hosting it and you know those kind of things. But then the wedding planner shows up, so there was a scene where Spock was in his quarters and you so him appeared in the window behind him. Yeah. I don't know if you caught that or not, but it happened so fast that he appears in the window outside.

32:07 I did in the first time. I did this second time. Though, Yeah, yeah, sure, Like so you're you're thinking, did I just see what I think? I said, What's what the hell is going on? And then when you know, because he was the bartender at first and talks to Spock about that, and the spot goes to bed and then wakes up, and then we're in this different reality, and then you're really going, what the hell is going on? But you knew something was up with the wedding planner. Here, well, yeah, because everyone seems to be seeing him differently. Nobody sees him as the same type of person. Pike was seeing him as an Andrian, and I think Spock saw him as a Vulcan. And yeah, you were like, what the heck is going on with this character? But I never expected to go the direction that was it did go on.

32:49 Not at all. I I had the back of my mind, I was like, are they going to are they doing what I think they're doing. But then I let it go because it just the episode got weird and just funny that I was just like, Okay, this is this is a fun episode and I'm enjoying it. Yeah, because again we really needed it from that last episode. But there are some really good moments in here. One of the ones I actually think it's hysterical is when Pike and Patella were having that really sweet moment together and basically Pike is asking her, you know, to be with him, and then she basically jokes saying that you know, you're gonna have to move in with me on my ship and he said where we're gonna put all your hair products? Yeah, that made me laugh.

33:29 That was fantastic. Oh there were there were so many great great moments. See. I love the banter between Number one and the Benga and that new nurse. I thought that scene was so well, I mean it really you don't see Number One, you know, joking around or being that open with with characters anymore. She seems to be a lot more relaxed now, not that that cold character that we saw when they first started. So I like that. I like that new version of her. Yeah, and did they give a name to that new character, because obviously he joined the. Enterprise, not in this episode, but cheat he does have a name. It'll be coming up later. Okay, good deal. I like, I liked his character. He had that spark right away. Yeah, and I was like, I was like, he's gonna fit in nicely. But I didn't think about that he was going to become part of the crew and then then it happened. Yeah.

34:19 They seem to be peppering the series this season with new secondary characters, which I liked. I mean, all of the other Star Trek shows did have a secondary cast. Yep. It's it's great to see that the same thing happen, you know with this. Yeah. So another funny moment that I thought was hysterical is when Spock obviously goes to the transporter room to wait on Chapel being you know, beamed on board, and then obviously Corby appears next to her, and Spock doesn't think it, doesn't realize at the moment what's going on with their other crew are kind of like giving those side glances to one another, like uh, is this what we think it is? But the one that got me that I busted out laughing and applauded with Scotty when uh we realized at that moment what was going on, and Scotty gives that really weird look like, oh god, this is really happening. Dude, I lost it.

35:18 Oh yeah, that was great. Yeah it Spock was so kind of like, uh, what's happening here? Well, yeah, just in any unperfect Spock tradition. Yeah, that was really well done, the entire scene because it was very awkward. The character is kind of awkward to one another because they needed to be, because it was a situation that like, if we were caught into that, we'd be kind of like, uh, this is very uncomfortable. And one thing I really liked is, you know, talking about secondary characters and stuff. I got the introduction to uh Ortegus's brother Beto, and that little scene in the hallway with with her and and him and and you her a. There's a lot of banter there too, a lot of fun, fun dialogue. I think we were seeing the beginning of a little bit of a storyline for the season where he's going to go. I'm not sure, but I've got some some theories I'll bring up later on where maybe that character is planning on going this season.

36:17 I'm curious to hear these because I didn't really put any thought of that, but I agree with you there's definitely something going on there. They wouldn't have done what they did so, but I'm curious to hear what you have to say. Well, here here, I'll just I'll just say right here. And we talked. I mentioned this a little bit on the looking forward thing that we did looking back our last episode. They mentioned that that Beto is a documentarian. You know, he's a filmmaker, and he's filming the centennial celebration we have later on in this season. I think it's about the sixth or seventh episode. We have an episode called what is Starfleet? We were talking about what that's about. I think, I think, and for all I know, it could be this. What if that episode is exactly as the episode that is so title is and it's shown in documentary form.

37:08 Oh, that'd be incredible. That's my theory of what that could be. But if anything, I really do think that that episode is going to feature him that character. That would be a really good idea. I'm gonna be disappointed now if that episode is not that way, and it's your fault. That's brilliant. I hope that's I hope that's true because I think that is a really unique way. And you know, we talked about what we expect later on and they have those unique bottle episodes, and that could be a very unique one. It could be. I mean, you know, we we saw something last season that had never been tried in Star Trek, and this could be their new thing that they're trying. It's never been done in Star Trek, and I think I'd like that.

37:48 Yeah, which, by the way, Spot kind of alludes to that in this episode about we were we were, we were fitting you sure were the talk about it and more. Please let's move on. Well, let's let's talk about the big thing. Let's do it in the room big thing, because it's gonna it's got to be talked about. We've got to discuss this. Who's the wedding planner? Who was that? So it has to be it has to be. You pronounce his name? Is it tree Land, Trelanni, It's tru Lane, tru Lane. True. I think that's who it is. It has to be. They did not say his name in this entire episode.

38:29 We don't know but it has to be. And then Wayne, when you find out at the end who his father is, I about fell out of my chair. Well, I mean, okay, really there are you're you're missing a character to there. There are three options that who this character could be, and obviously the most most obvious is Trulaine. Yeah, once after we get done discussing this, I'll tell you the true answer, because there is a true answer to this. There is, Okay, there is, but that that's the obvious one. He's true Lan because he acts like him, He kind of dresses like him. He uses the same phrases, you know, the way he says tally ho and greetings and felicitations. You know, that was the same thing that that Churlaine did. But then also when his father appears and we all knew who his father is.

39:17 I mean, you can you can notice that you recognize the voice right away. So yeah, let's just let's just say it though as weation there, you know, spoiler alert big time. Okay, go go see this. It's Q. Okay, it's John Delancy, It's Q. And this so this is Q's son. Well, Q has a son, he does h Q Junior from we saw him in Star Trek Voyager. So option number two is this his character? Is this that that Q? You know this the Q junior Q two whatever you want to call it. After the episode was called Q two if you ever want to watch that Voyager. So that's option two. But then there's option three. They're both or he's both with maybe Q junior was Trulane. Yeah, and they're one in the same character, all right, so you know, and they left that open for everybody. Think. Now, like I said, there is an answer because the writer should be the executive producers come out and said who it is?

40:11 So what is the true answer? Let us know it is Laine. His father is cute. Good. That's the way I like it. Because soon as I heard John Delancy's voice, I'm like, holy crap. Oh yeah, yeah, that was a huge surprise. I'm thank you producers in Paramount for keeping that a secret because I love that. Yes, I'm glad that was kept very quiet and it was a pleasant surprise for the fans, no doubt about it. And I gotta tell you, Darby is awesome in this role. Oh he's great. He is fantastic. Now I know he's got that that that quirkiness about him that in his dead that is brilliant because he does a lot of the same type of characters throughout his career in film, but it's always done so well.

40:56 Mhm. And I can see why they casted him this because it was absolutely perfect and spot on. Yeah, yeah, I can't. He's a perfect choice for this character. I no doubt. It's almost like when they were cast, when they were writing this character, they already knew who they were going to get because and then they might have to be honest with you because it literally was written for Darby it was. It felt like that. Yeah, I think they probably did. They They probably wrote it with the intention of having him play the character. Yeah, and every scene he was on with with scene stealing because it was he was so good. And when he popped up, I was looking forward to it because like, oh, here we go again, and you knew you were going to get gold from him, and you do every single time.

41:44 You do, And you know that that brings me to the character that I think shines the most. I had to choose him in this episode because you know, it's it's such a fun character, yet there's just that menacing undertones there and everything he's said. He just he brings such light and fun to every scene with that menace, which reminded me so much of Q absolutely did when he did in the Next Generation. You know, it's it's a real pity that I believe this is probably a one off appearance. I don't people see this character again because I would love to see him again. I love to learn a little bit more. But you know, I'm glad that they did this. I'm glad they brought this character.

42:26 This is one of the more wacky characters of the original spheres if you really think about it, you know, when it's it's hard to deal with these godlike characters. And tying him finally solving that that what is a thirty forty year old mystery of is Turlaine? Q? Is Q Churlaine? They finally tied that in and solved it. So thank you writers and producers. For doing Thank you for wrapping it up finally for us fans so that we can really enjoy all of it. And yes, it's so good. The scene that he had where he kept Kirby at bay because Kirby obviously knew what was going on, so he was the scene where he was get him to taste the taste the food and the mother's flowers, and like how he kept giving like that that look to Corby like keep your butt back there, stay away, and kept giving him something to.

43:10 Do when he's dressed as one of the brides made with that flower thing. It said that that that made me laugh that way. Yeah, I think he was said he made me the maid of honor, kind of like, oh, that was so good, m m. But then you get the u. Spock finally gets snapped out of it because he punches Corby and immediately he realizes what's going on, and kind of foreshadowing here, I think they kind of talk about, you know if basically, if you know, like punching somebody would snap them out of it, but also some kind of highly emotional situation would snap them out of it too, which was kind of foreshadowing of what how he snapped Chap a lot.

43:56 I'm sorry, I I when you've mentioned the punching someone. I was thinking of the scene between Spock and Kirk the bridge where he wants him to punch. It. I love that, Yes, that. Was really good, but I love the scene when he gave it an amazing speech to Chapel when they were about ready to get married, and that was beautiful and even leon says it says that speech was incredible. I was really impressed with that in the middle of a very lighthearted episode. That was a real beautiful, dramatic moment and very very well written and very well performed.

44:37 It Almost it didn't almost it did. It broke your heart for Spot because you know he's half fulkn and we know he's half human, but he suppresses those emotions. And in that situation, I think he finally realized he has to let Chapel go and you know, Spock and you know that, like we were used to him just by oh, you know whatever, it's a human emotion, so it's gonna let it fly. But here you could see that in the performance that his heart was breaking, but he had to hold on and keep it at bay. Yeah. I've just I got to mention Ethan Peck's performance, not just in this episode, but in every episode leading up to this. He has done an incredible job of bringing Spock to life, this new version of him. Yes, you know, very reminiscent of Leonard Nimoy. He really honors Meimoy with his performance this episode. You can see him having that inner battle between the Bulkan and the human side of him, and many of the scenes. It was just incredibly well performed. And every episode I see him, I love him as spot more than more in I just think he's so phenomenally good.

45:56 And the fact that he had to team up with Corby yeah to fix this just made it even harder for a buck. I'm like, of course, fuck man, this is vicious. Yeah, but well written well, that was that was brilliant having to put the two of them together, it really was. So that leads me to favorite moments of this episode, Wayne, what do you got? Because there again, there's so many. Yeah, I mean we're two episodes in and we've got two phenomenally good episodes. There are a lot of of moments that I really like. And but I think one of them I I just mentioned in that little banter on the bridge between Kirk and U and Spock and you know, the whole wine choice choice and him you know, putting down the wine and and and you know, trying to get him to punch him. Just it was funny.

46:49 But I love that scene. I loved the scene with with Number one and and and the Sick Bay. It's so hard to can't choose because there's just too many. I really, I really liked this episode and now I'm now I don't know which if this is my favorite, VI Jimny is my favorite. Oh, this is going to be difficult this season. I hope they can continue to deliver episodes like this because they're. Telling you we've got eight more to go. And if they can keep this quality up, oh my god, are we intrigued for an amazing season? Yeah? For me, there's just so many. But I absolutely loved Lean and Spock dancing, especially there towards the end when we got the Jitterbug. I love good good choice of song too, by the way, I love that choice. But yeah, Leon basically saying, you know, you know, them going out and dancing, so that that scene, that relationship between the two and it's not a relationship, but you know what I mean, they're friends, but getting to see that at least come to fruition after the beginning of the episode, getting to see them dance. He wasn't gonna dance with Chapel, He's dancing with her, so none of that went to waste.

47:55 So I just loved the relationship between these two characters throughout the entire episode, because it was almost funny enough. It's lean he's leaning on because in a situation like this, that's not someone you would typically pick to lean on, I wouldn't think, but he does, and she does it so well for him. Yeah, and she realizes that Spock needs that, even though she doesn't come out and say it, she knows Spock needs somebody to lean on and she's perfect for it. Man, And I just why, I just love that scene between the two others. Yeah, I'm glad you broy that because I forgot all about the end scene, everything that took place after after Charlene and I'm just gonna call him that left the whole party, you know that, the celebration of the Federation's one hundredth and the dialogue, the dancing, the music choices.

48:47 That was a wonderful ending to the episode, a fun You just got to see the characters put their hair down and just just you know, enjoy themselves. Great, great little in cap for that episode. I loved all of that. Yeah, and let's let's backtrack a little bit. What we kind of mentioned in the first episode that another character is gonna get PTSD. Oh yeah, can't. Clearly it's Eric Erica Ortegas who has that vision of a Gorn in the window as she's you know, punching the the the bag. So clearly there's a lot of tension and stress that we're going to see from her over this season. So you definitely can see that story art coming.

49:27 Yeah, and that's why I said that. I don't think we're finished completely finished with the Gorrein storyline. I don't know if we'll see the actual Gorn again, you know, but we're going to get this. We're going to get this this trauma that she has from a result of that episode, and it's definitely going to be a major point this season somewhere along. W And I know there's no point in asking this question which characters shine the most because we both already said it, But just to go back, Darby does a fantastic job as amazing. Every scene he's in is gold. You just you just cannot wait till the next time he's on screen because he's so good.

50:09 Yeah, I agree, And he stole it's a Spock episode, but he stole that. She stole it from him, he did, He stole the show. Sorry, the rest of the cast, you did phenomenal, Yes, but this episode he really is. Yeah, all right, Wayne, if you could be any character in this episode, who would it be? And why? Oh man, I'm gonna say doctor Corby. Damn, you're talking mine. I mean, he's he's such a and I know why we're I think we're both having Yeah, he's such a lucky, lucky person. You know, he's got that relationship with with the lovely Christine Chapel. You know, I will add on that I'm not crazy about his ultimate fate, uh that you know if if everybody remembers, he ends up nearly freezing to death and having his mind transferred into an android body. But then after I say that, you know about that last part, it didn't go so badly for Jean luc Picard, so maybe you know.

51:08 This is true. But I mean, yeah, I mean I want to be doctor Corby just for the simple reason that he's on Christine's arm a lot. Yeah, but you know, he does go through a tough time here in this episode. There's there's a lot of anguish he has to deal with, and you know, first of all, he knows Spock's history with Christine, and he has to be the one to approach Spot to make him realize that this is not right. This is not the reality that we're in and this is wrong. You need to wake up and realize that. And he obviously has to take a bunch for that to happen. Yeah, you know, but still I would I would be doctor Corby question. All right, well, let's talk about some easter eggs. We already gave one of the big ones away John Delancy obviously as the voice of Darby's dad playing c And I believe we've got a line in here to count trible. Then when we're talking about so I know we got that on worlth we got one.

52:05 There were a few more in this episode. They had a little more fund so they were able to squeeze some interesting stuff from there. Spock mentions to aln that Balcans do not dance. Well, he's definitely not wrong, because Tuak said exactly the same thing to Neelix in the Star Trek Voyager episode Homestead. Just for the record, since it wasn't actually set in this episode, we mentioned it earlier that new nurse's his name is insignt Dana Gamble that's been revealed because it's very important in a later episode. Have no idea what, but it is very important. So remember that name. Right when we see Pike in his quarters, we also see that Pike apparently has one of Captain Picard's famous tea glasses setting on his table right behind his own coffee mug. I don't know how he got it, must be a very famous brand back in the twenty third and twenty fourth century.

52:56 Yep. Now, during that dan sequence, which I got to mention, I love the visual effects during that whole dance sequence in the background, and of course I'm staring at the background trying to pick out anything, and there was some nice, beautiful starships, but I also saw a Crossfield class starship flying around. You know, that's the very same style of starship that the US IS Discovery was. Now this is this is a fun one. This isn't exactly an Easter egg, but Corby mentions that the wedding planner could wish them all into the cornfield. I love that reference. Most of us old TV viewers you know of our age, recognized that reference. But if you don't know it's from an episode of the Twilight Zone callity. It's a good life that started a Billy mooe. Great episode, one of the best of the series. I also spotted two Bullions attending the wedding when he wasn't hard to spot. They you know, had the camera right on him. I think this is the first time we see the Bullions in this time frame because but they were very, very common during the next Generations time. In fact, the Enterprises the Enterprise, D's barber was a Bullian and this was I this blew my mind when I saw this, that three r armed alien bartender at the end that Pike invites onto the Enterprise.

54:09 That's an Indosian. That is the same race that Eric's was from Star Trek the animated series. This is the now the the Udosians had appeared on Lower Decks and they appeared on Prodigy, but this is the first time that we've actually seen this alien in live action. I love that. I'm so glad that they're able to bring that a little bit from the animated series into the whole Star Trek lore. So is she coming to the ship because Pike advice. Yes, yes she is. There's another one of the secondary casts that they're making bigger and Bigger, and then finally I want to add that, well, this is Beto's first full appearance on the series. He's not a new character to the mythology. His character plays a major part in the Strange New World's novel Towards the Night, which was written by Swallow and it was published earlier this year.

55:02 It's a great book. James Swallow wrote two episodes of Star Trek Voyager one and Memorial, and he also wrote some Damn Good Doctor Who audios for Big Fetish Very good. So what are we seeing in the trailer for this coming week? The episode is called Shuttle to CONFORI, what I'm getting out of it is it's takes him into Klingon space looking to find a rare cure for Tell. So one of the things again you and I talked about the last episode of what we thought was gonna happen in the future. I think it's going to come to fruition in this one because doctor Mimbinga goes on this mission to clean on space, and you know where that's going to lead because of what we saw with the close of War. I think we're gonna finally get some of that that we have left on the table somewhere that we've not you know, got to yet.

56:03 I think I think you're right. And yeah, we did mention that, and we were really hoping that they would wouldn't wait on that storyline and they'd bring it up sooner rather than later. And it looks like they are. I really do think that next episode could be ambing episode. And I think they're going to to bring that out. If they don't, they made a terrible mistake. They should. Yeah, absolutely, come on, it's perfect time to do it. Plus, I've never thought you'd hear me say this, but I'm kind of glad to see the Kling arms again. You know. I so much has happened in the first two episodes that I'm going to put this out there. I think something bad is going to happen at the end of this third episode to the C I really do.

56:45 Oh, you could be right. I mean, we've we've got little tastes of the storyline for the season. Because we know there's always a storyline for the season, we've got little taste so far in these first two episodes. I think it's probably ready for us to get hit by something big. Yeah, you're right, You're right. So what do we think is going to happen the rest of the season. I know we're gonna get some fun bottle episodes obviously, and I'm super excited about the one you mentioned if this is so, which I hope comes true. So any anything that you think you said, you think the Gorn is not gone yet, so we're probably But I don't think they're going to end the season with the Gorn again, something completely different.

57:27 I really don't. I mean, the Gorn is there their sleep right now. I don't think we're going to see the Gorn as an enemy again, but we're going to see the Gorn as in the trauma that that Ortegas has the mental things, you know, maybe maybe visions and flashes of them in her own mind. That's that that bit. It's sort of like an epilogue to the Hegemity storyline with her, and you know, it's I don't know which episode is going to be, I don't, I don't know, but I really do think they're going to have an episode that Ortegas is is going to It's going to center on her, and it's going to be about that. And I don't think they'll wait too long for all. I know it could be episode four, but yeah, we've got that coming up. We've got the Murder Mystery episode coming up, which I'm I'm looking forward to that one too.

58:13 That that looks like that could be another fun episode. It's anything like like this one, I'm going to enjoy it. What if they be bringing back Trelon and some of that's because of him? What if they do that Wayne, because we say this might be one off with him, but you never. Know, it could be, It could be We don't know. They're keeping a lot of things secret, and I'm glad they are. I'm glad they are. I loved the surprise you know this this episode, so hopefully they got a lot more of those coming up. Yeah. I remember when I was getting on episode two, you said we're gonna have a lot to talk about and I didn't realize it at the time, but then when I got to the end of the episode, Oh, I see what Wayne's talking about. That talk about like, oh wow, But two great, great episodes. Listeners, We are off to a bang on season three. Cannot wait see what's in store for the next episode and beyond. We've only got eight episodes left because we got two right away.

59:06 The good thing is we know it's going to end in season five, but we've got that means we've got two more seasons to go after this. Season four is already I believe in the can for the most part, so I know we're probably gonna get that sometime next year. A quick turnaround. Look at it this way if you're if you're a little depressed at the fact that it's ending in season five, just just think of this. We're not even halfway through the series yet. This is right, that's right. Look at it that way. It's good way to look at it. All right. Thanks listeners for joining us. What do you think is going to happen this season? What are your thoughts on the two episodes we just covered? Let us know. Wayne, as always, thanks for joining me on the bridge. It's always a fantastic time and talking to you about it.

59:47 It's a lot of fun, all right. Check out ww dot a Film by a Podcast dot com for film and TV articles and our entire library streaming free right to us at a Film by a Podcast at gmail dot com. With your questions, comments and concern we may just read your response on the show and send you some A Film by swag and to all you listen to the show, follow us on social media, and subscribe it to our Patreon. We thank you, See you next time for another episode of Phasers Set to stun