Strange New Wednesdays - Lost in Translation

0:04 Space the Final Frontier. These are the voyages of Strange New Wednesdays. It's continuing mission to explore episodes of Strange New Worlds, to seek out new information and new discussions, to boldly go where no podcast has gone before. Hello everyone, and welcome back to Strange New Wednesdays, where we continue to talk everything about the current season of Star Trek Strange New Worlds. Once again, Red alert, please be worn spoilers our head. So you haven't seen this week's episode, please stop, go watch it and then come back to join us. I am David Burns and I'm Wayne White. Once again, Scott is on an away mission. But Wayne, I'm a little bit concerned.

1:06 Last time I saw him he had a red shirt on. Oh gosh. Yeah, let's hope that nothing happened to him on his away mission. Yeah, So hopefully we'll see him on the next week's episode, but we shall see. Yeah. Today we are discussing season two, episode six lost in translation, you can let death win or you can fight back? Wayne, can you go? As a quick recap of this episode, sure, Ken, the Enterprise and its sister ship, the Farragut, are on a mission to repair a deuterium refinery when instant you Heara begins to hear strange noises and experienced hallucinations, including strained visions of her parents' death and of the enterprise's deceased former engineered hammer. The investigations into the refinery discover a saboteur who escapes and attempts to sabotage the enterprise. Uhura pursues him, and with the help of the fair Gets First officer James T. Kirk and his brother Sam, the three work to undercover the mystery of the strange hallucinations and the truth behind the saboteurus actions. Nice. First, let me say, Celia Rose Gooding is freaking knocking it out of the park as a horror She's fantastic. Yeah.

2:22 Michelle Nichols would be beyond proud of what she's doing on screen. Yeah, I would think the same thing. Yeah, I mean every time I see her now. And of course this isn't a horror episode. We get a little bit sprinkled of other characters in this and I think everybody was freaking in this episode, just a little bit here and there. But what I really loved about this episode was the fact of horror finally getting to face the outcomes of losing her family and losing Hemmer from the first season. You know, we get to see her dealing with all of those emotions. And what I think is the most incredible thing that they could have done in this episode was allowing James Kirk to be the one that truly helped her, you know, by providing empathy and shows why they worked together so well in the future, by starting to build that relationship. Oh yeah, this episode was It's so important to the mythology of Star Trek. So many firsts happened. It happened here, and they were all it was great to actually see these things that we've never seen before. We you know, we got to meet to see Kirk and HR's first meeting and they hit it off wonderfully. You got to see Kirk and Spock's first meeting at the end of the episode then, and I hope we see much more of that. Uh. And we also got to see Pike and Kirk's first true meeting. Um you know back in the

3:53 original series The Menagerie. Um. Kirk mentions that he met Pike for the first time win and he became fleet captain and they fix that really well without altering or changing any of the continuity, even though it was temporary. That that doesn't matter because Kirk didn't how long he was first was fleet captain, and he just said he met him when he became fleet captain, and this worked in perfectly. That's right. Yeah, and again, Paul Westley, Holy crap, dude, he's so Kirk Man. I mean, whoever cast is this show has just they've done a phenomenal job, man, a phenomenal job on people, on characters that we know from the past, on recasting them with new people. They're doing an incredible job in these roles. They really really are. Yes, the more I see uh Wesley as says Kirk, he um, I like him. I mean he's more and more Kirk to me every time we see him. Um, he's bringing his own parts.

4:50 But you can just get those little bits of shatnerisms in his performance. That's that makes you know, this is the Kirk that we're familiar with over the last fifty five years. You know, he's fantastic in the role. They're all fantastic, and this this episode proved that he deserves to play the part of Kurt. Yeah. Absolutely, I completely agree with that. I think it's funny that you mentioned them the fleet captain part, because I thought that was funny when Una walked on the bridge and he's all good. I didn't miss the the speech when that was so funny. I mean, I mean, obviously she congratulating for the new rank, but it was only temporary, of course. But I just thought that was kind of a It just shows you the connection between the characters there. You know, they respect each other's rank, they respect each other on the bridge and the ship and what they do, but they still can have a little fun and a little jabs from time to time with each other. I love that. Yes, So the cast has incredible chemistry. You know. We saw that with a lot of the other show, especially the Ex Generation, and we're feeling it with this show too. It doesn't happen with every TV show, and sometimes the casts don't get along or they don't mesh together, and that can make for a really rough run for a TV show. But they don't have any problem here. There's no problems here at all. They look like that they're they look like they're having fun doing this as well, and it looks like they've been doing it for a long time, which is crazy because this is the only season two, but it looks like they've been doing this for years and

6:21 years together. That's what that's what's phenomenal about this cast. Well, you know, they've been able to explore their characters so well over this last season and this season too. I mean we are learning all about their characters, and the actors are too. I'm sure it helps with their performances. Yeah, I tell you, it was neat to see Bruce Horick back as Hemmer. I know he didn't have a lot to do, but it was really neat to see him back in that role again. You know, it really made you feel that you missed that character, just like the other characters did, you know, it pulled you right in and I one of the things I really liked the touch is at the end when a horror you know it had discovered what was going on and how they were going to save the life forms. But at the end when he was like that zombie hammer and then he slowly became the hammer that we know and he's just giving her that nod like, hey, everything's fine, you did the correct thing. I loved that final touch right there. I just thought that was fantastic. Well it was. That was fantastic, And wasn't it the zombie hemmer when he frightening makeup? Let me let me say that the makeup whoever does the makeup, and I'm not sure who it is, they did a fantastic job on He said, they do a fantastic job every week, but that that was a truly frightening look for him. Yeah, it really was, and it was.

7:33 Again, we get some more Palea, but not a lot. She's in like little scenes here and there. We get a little bit more of her in this episode, but we get some character development between her and other characters because we're getting some friction, and you find out why we're getting that friction. And I loved the dialogue specifically between Una and Palea when they were on the shuttle heading back to the Enterprise there toward to the end, and you know, they have it out basically right there, you know, uh, you know, you gave me a c you know, and but basically come to find out, you know, it wasn't the sea. It's because you miss you think I'm replacing Himmer, and you know, I just I love the dialogue between those between those two characters. There's not something they explore too much on Star Trek too. You know, these characters they have to experience death a lot on their missions, and said, we're finally getting to see the characters and how they deal with losing someone major in their lives, and um, that's something that needs to be explored more. We did it a little bit. But usually with the shows they do for like one episode and minutes overworth we forget them all until like a year or two, like like a best example Tashi Yar. But this it's good because this would linger on and you know, Pelly, she's she's doing her job, steps in, but you know the other characters aren't accepting her yet. You know they're they're so attached to the original chief engineer and and hurt by his loss.

9:03 I'm glad that the writers are exploring that that type of storyline. Yep. There's there's so much that happens in this episode individually with some of the characters. You know, that kind of gets lost a little bit because you're so involved with a horror and her story, which is a good thing because this is about her and what's going on with her. But there's some other characters like Spock and Chapel and stuff like that. You get that that three D chess game going on between the two of them, Um, you know where there's a little bit more involved with them just playing the chest because it seems like they're a little bit of romance is going on there as they're talking about, you know, what's going on in the relationship, but also playing the game at the same time. I thought that was a good touch. That was a good scene, and you know, it shows that their storyline's not over with what we saw from from last episode. It's going to continue on.

9:50 That's great storytelling. Yeah, and you kind of touched a bit a little bit that these characters have to deal with death. Um. One of my favorite moments in this epid pisode was when her was breaking down and Kirk was with her, and Kirk basically talked to her about that, you know, and I'm not going to say it word for word or you know, but you know, he basically told her, you know, we have to deal with death. You know, that's what we do as officers on a star fleet ship, you know. And that's where he gets that line. You know, you can let death win or you can fight back. I absolutely love that scene between the two of them, and that is my favorite scene in this entire episode. And I know there's a lot going on in this episode, but I love that one. Well, you know, and this isn't exactly like you know, it could be, or it couldn't be a continuity thing. But you know, I had to do a little bit of research on this. But this episode takes place in twenty two fifty nine, and according to Kirk's history, only two years before in twenty two fifty seven. This was mentioned in classic series episode Obsession that when Kirk was Um was on the Farragut, he experienced a huge, huge disaster where both are his captain and over two hundred of the crew members on the Farragut died on a mission they were they were going after a gas cloud. Um and he's felt that regret, he mentioned in the episode Obsession that he had always held.

11:24 He blamed himself for not acting fast enough. He blamed himself for that all those deaths. And I mean that's years later, so now we're only two years away from that, that still has to be very freshen on his mind. So you know, he's he's telling you or hear this from his own experiences, from the only the own hurt that he holds inside him. Yeah. Absolutely, and again the end of the performances there were just phenomenal. But what about any favorite moment from you Wain? What did you thought was one of some of the best scenes. Oh, all of Kirk and you hear as scenes together. I just I loved And it's pretty close to the same scene. But when Kirk and and you Hear is talking and he offers to get to the galley and get her a cookie and she turns to I don't want a cookie. I love I don't know why. I don't know why. I love that. But you can see the friendship that that built between these two, uh, you know, evolved during the episode, and then you know it's it's great. Then then you know, of course the final scene where the three of them are sitting at that table and um and pulled back yes, right camera, Oh my god, I loved it.

12:33 What I'm loved it perfect ending for the episode. Uh, you know it's you after he you know, he met spot. I always assumed that as captains of the ship. When they become captains, said, so, you know they get to choose their their crews, their their bridge officers. They're there their heads of the departments and right and well, actually that was mentioned. I think that was mentioned in the Star Trek the motion picture. I think Kirk was putting together his crew and he remember him saying he wanted a Vulcan as a science officer. But uh, you know, seeing the three of them together, you know, you've already got the basis of what's going to be a long friendship. And I can see why he wanted to keep your hero on the bridge when he took over, and and why they all stuck together over what it was thirty years through the through the series and through the movies. So I you know, seeing that scene where the camera was Phillip pulling out. There's two camera movements in this episode that I just felt were like so good. The fat one was one where the camera Phillip pulls back from Horace Bock and Kirk talking at the table and getting to know one another. I got chills on that scene when it was pulling back through the bar and goes out the door and the door closed. I just thought that was such a beautiful touch. It was perfect. But the other camera movement that I thought was phenomenal. You know, they when she was on the bridge and they they blew up the refinery and you know, Pike told her, you know, go back to your position. There. She sits down and the camera just slowly moves around her to reveal the screen behind her,

14:07 and you get just hints of the Star Trek theme right there of her sitting there. I was just like applauding at that shot because it's just like these creators of Strange New World know what they're doing. They know the areas that they're dealing with with original characters, and they're being very gentle and careful and respecting them, and and in these shots you see that so well. Now, I agree the show has always been beautifully shot. And those two scenes and I forgot all about that that pan around here, era, and I know exactly what you're talking about. It stuck out when I was watching it. It's it's such a beautiful shot. You know. I don't know if that's due to the cinematographer the director, but bravo to them. Keep it coming. Absolutely, just so many other good scenes than this. We could be talking about this episode for probably the length of this episode, to be honest with you, because so much good stuff happened in here um even even um so when pale and her is meeting it in a cell um, you know, her explaining what she was doing there and who him or was.

15:16 I loved Palea's response, Uh, you know, I know he was one of my he was one of my finest students. And then she's like, I'm sorry, I only said that because he is dead. He was just actually okay, but look what he did for himself. I love her And that's true. We do that. I mean, we do that when a person dies. We we do. We try not to say the worst. We always say the best, even though it's not the truth on sometimes, but you know, just make people feel better. Yeah. You know. Another thing I like this is a little bit of the Treky and Me. You know, I think for the first time in any of the series, we actually got to see the Bizarre's collectors on one of the ships actually being used for what it's was meant to be used for. True, you know, it's always been there on every one of the ships, and it's it's there to collect to fuel and uh, you know, everything to to help the engines run and we've we've never really Steve are them discussed that before.

16:11 I think the only time that we've seen something similar was in the movie Starts Trek inst direction. Riker used it to collect gases and a nebula too, but then he was using it as a weapon right against the the Sona. Uh. This this is an important part of the ship and I love seeing more of the ship, especially the original Enterprise, UM, you know, seeing what it does. We learned so much about this ship that we've known for almost sixty years now. It's there's so much to explore. And we actually got to see the inside of one too. I don't think we've ever seen that before other than that we saw the Enterprise DS. But and from what I was reading, I guess that's pretty accurate to all the the blueprints that were originally written up back in the sixteen and seventies. So that's cool to the uh the design department again, they do a very good job of keeping with the continuity of Star Trek. They are respecting the original series and you know in in showing their honor to it. And I just love that, I really do, and just makes this show that much better.

17:14 It really does. Oh and we got a mention of to the Kelvin Uss Kelvin. Oh, that's right, we did. Yes, that's the first time that's ever been mentioned. I mentioned outside of the J. J. Abrams film. M of course. You know in that film George Kirk died and the Kelvina was destroyed, but not not here in the the True Star Trek universe. So its a nice little mention. The scenes between Sam and James were fantastic, Like you could you could believe they were brothers, right. A lot of sibling rivalry there, yes, but it was done so well. Well, Wayne, I probably know what your answer is going to be. It is probably gonna be mine. But which character do you think shine the most in this episode? Oh? There, there's no doubt in my mind it's your hera. This this was her episode, and I'm glad it was her episode. I think I mentioned last episode I was hoping it would be, and it is. We learned so much about her and we got to see so much more character growth from her. Uh you know we we we saw it last season. Mefort was it was briefly mentioned last season and Children of the Comet was the episode about her background, where she grew up, where about her parents death and the shuttle acts. But but here we got to see it. Yeah, we got to see see the shuttle, see the crash, um, you know. And and also it's her and her alone that can save the enterprise and save the aliens. No one else is connected like she is. Um, no one has any idea what's going on, just her. She figures it out all by herself. And then she goes to Pike and she tells him to destroy the refinery. And

18:48 I love this scene too, when when he turns her and he asked, are you sure about this? He trusts her enough at this point to take her by her word and order the struck. Of course, you know, you know she got that. I love this bit too. She got to say fire torpedoes. She did, and that was that was great? Boy? She was she was She yelled it out. Yeah. Did you did you see Pike look over just not his head to like approval. Ye? Yes, I love that too. She was just fired torpedoes. I loved it. But you could show her her determination she to save these aliens. She knew she was doing the right thing, and she knew that that you know, they had to listen to her, and Pike knew it too.

19:33 Yeah, the fact that he believes in his crew, that just shows you right there how much he respects and believes in them, Yes, and will do what they say to do. So, you know, I loved that. It was a cool touch. But the same with me. Man, I'm not going to deny or Cela Rose Goodding again knocked it out of the park. She is doing an incredible job and um, I look forward to more episodes with her and what they're going to do with her without without a question. So, um, if you could be any character in this those wood who wouldn't have been? And why? Wayne, I'm curious of your answer on this one. Well, you know, everyone was in this episode, and I really had to think about this, go through all the characters. But you know, I'm going to say you her, She's She's just perfect in this episode. She's so brilliant and I love and I've always loved the character of Kirk, you know. You know that, and I thought about choosing him, but you know, there have been times where I felt that he needed a good punch in the nose and we got it here.

20:30 Uh, And from the last person I would ever expect to punch Kirk, and that's you her, And now I know she was. She was hallucinating an image of herself. She didn't know she was hitting Kirk, but I get this feeling that maybe subconsciously she knew that it was Kirk standing there, and I think that's why I'd love to get the chance of punching him right on the nose. Sometimes. Well for me, Wayne, good choice, by the way, very good choice. But for me it is a Kirk, but it's Sam Kirk because good Um. The reason why is um? When you know I have a brother and we have that brother rivalry. So I feel very much like Sam in his situation that you know, James gets all the respect, just like my brother does. I love my brother.

21:15 He is, you know, he's awesome, but you know he was also the athletic one and the popular one wasn't me, it was my brother. So I get where Sam Kirk is coming from and the frustration he shows when James just refuses to give it to him. Sam's a great character and I totally agree with you, A good choice. M I hope we haven't seen we didn't see too much of him last episode. And I love the what we did see of him. Now we got to see more of him. I want I want to see more episode, more episodes with him. I actually would like to see an episode centered about him to him, an episode like this. Um, we we never really got to meet him much. He was dead by the time he saw him in the original series. Sou what a great dynamic between him and I want to know more. Yeah, no, I completely agree. Again, they're all doing a great job, and I hope they continue to do what they're doing, which I know they will. That there's the writers know what they're doing, the people who are directing it, everything set, everything is just knocking it out of the park.

22:19 To keep continuing to use that phrase, but it's true, they really are. They are all right. So, um, what are we seeing in the trailer for this week episode seven? Those old scientists? Boy, let me tell you about this one, right, Well, most people have already seen this episode, a little bit of a surprise that it was released a week early. Yep, I have not seen it. I don't think you David have seen it. Heads I will be seeing it very soon, but I think we know what to expect on there. I mean it's going to be fun. But I have a lot of fun watching it. I can't wait. I'm curious about the episodes afterwards. I know they also announced that there is a musical and yeah, I'm a little terrified about that. I'll tell you. I'll be very honest. I've seen other shows have done these musical episodes and I have not been impressed. So hopefully Strange New Worlds will break that record and show me something good. But you know, I have faith in these writers because they've done so well for you know, all the episode we've seen in season one and season two so far, so I'm going to give them the chance here. You're right, I'm not big on the musical episodes, but I'm very curious because remember we had that fantasy episode in season one. Yeah remember that, which was just like totally off the wall type of episode, very strange, very weird, and it turned out to be a pretty good episode. So you know, I'm very curious in what this is gonna be. Like. I believe that one's what Subspace Rhapsody is the musical episode nine, I think it is. It's just hard to get get my head around that. Did you ever in all the years of you watched Star Trek think we would ever have a musical episode, I'm not

23:52 at all. I don't know what to expect. I'm gonna I'm hoping it's fun. I'm going to I'm gonna have an open mind, of course, you know, and I'm going to expect good things because that's what we've gotten so far for this season. Absolutely. All right, Well, we're going to open up a channel. Give us your thoughts, predictions, and questions on social You can find us at www film by podcast dot com, a film by podcast at gmail dot com. A film by podcast on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Until next time, Thanks everyone, Yeah, see you later.