Transporter Lock - A Star Trek podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

Ken Gagne is joined by new co-host Em Maginnis to review the first two episodes of Strange New Worlds‘ third season!

After a two-year wait, we get a resolution to the season cliffhanger “Hegemony” — but with so many loose threads to tie up, everything felt a bit rushed and convenient. The action slows down for its more light-hearted successor, “Wedding Bell Blues”, which features some deep cuts to The Original Series and The Next Generation, satisfying these two long-time fans.

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Michelle Yeoh reprises her role as Philippa Georgiou in Section 31, a feature-length, made-for-TV movie spinoff of Star Trek: Discovery. While not without some fun moments and characters (especially Sam Richardson as Quasi and Kacey Rohl as as a young Rachel Garrett), this heist-movie-without-a-heist fell flat for Ken and guest (and show artist) Allison Holt.

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It doesn’t get more Star Trek than Tribbles and parallel universes! The combination of TNG‘s “Parallels” with Voyager‘s “Shattered” and “Living Witness” finally gives Ken the crossover he’s been waiting for since 1998. We also ponder what Klingon-Federation relations are like under Chancellor Martok, whether using retroviruses on invasive species is biological warfare, and the representation of those who live with degenerative diseases. Finally, we pay our respects to actor Patti Yasutake, TNG‘s Nurse Alyssa Ogawa, who passed away on August 5 at the age of 70.

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Even those whom Jean-Luc Picard has wronged recognize a worthy, if lost, cause when they see it. Our beloved captain continues to assemble his party as Ken, Bri, and Amanda — appearing together for the first time! — admire Romulan warrior nuns, roll their eyes at ancient Borg rituals, and get hyped for a reunion of liberated Borg, old and new.

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Captain Sabriel returns, as does Chief Archivist Amanda, to review the third-ever episode of Picard. As things heat up at the château, Jean-Luc assembles a crew to help him track down Soji and Maddox. Engage!

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The second episode of Picard introduces new characters and intrigue, rapidly advancing the plot while still not putting Jean-Luc on a starship. Ken and guest co-host Amanda are okay with this as we pull apart the threads of the Romulan’s Tal Shiar and Zhat Vash, our empathy (or lack thereof) for synthetic lifeforms, the integration of non-canon characters, and colorful metaphors in Trek.

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Patrick Stewart returns as Jean-Luc Picard in “Remembrance”, the pilot episode of Star Trek: Picard. Bri and Ken react to the return of this iconic character, how he’s changed over the last twenty years, and his ability to be the action star of this new series. We also puzzle over the connection between synthetics, Borg, and Romulan, and we spot the many tie-ins to the universe of The Next Generation as well as the 2009 movie.

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The second season of Short Treks ends with “Children of Mars”, giving Ken and Bri plenty to talk about! We examine the Starfleet educational system; the prevalence of shuttlecraft, bullying, and physical books; how labor laws and vacation time work; and how First Contact Day is observed.

More important, we piece together how this episode leads into next week’s debut of the Picard series. What involvement did Admiral Picard have in the attack of the rogue synths? What role do Section 31 and the Borg play, if any? There are many fine details hiding in “Children of Mars”; if you missed them, fear not, as we didn’t!

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For the first time in 45 years, Star Trek ventures into the frontier of animation! “Ephraim and Dot” is a comedic documentary about a tardigrade’s reproductive cycle, and “The Girl Who Made the Stars” is a tale of conquering one’s fear of the unknown. Ken and Bri review these two animated Short Treks, their place in Star Trek canon, and the promise they hold for future Star Trek series.

Finally, we look back at the cast and crew we lost in 2019: D.C. Fontana, Robert Walker, Michael Lamper, Aron Eisenberg, and René Auberjonois. We encourage all listeners who are able to make a donation to Doctors Without Borders in René’s memory.

Rene Auberjonois—Odo from DS9—has passed away.

When he autographed a photo for me, he asked if I would make a donation to Doctors Without Borders in return. I did.

Let's all make a donation to @MSF_USA in Rene's memory. https://t.co/3wBQyC7ShL #RIPReneAuberjonois #StarTrek

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When a decorated but dishonored Starfleet captain puts Cadet Thira Sidhu in an impossible situation, she must choose a side with lives on the line. To be or not to be? That is the question Sabriel and Ken pose to our guest, Dori Robinson, Boston theatre director and co-host of Shakespearean podcast The Mousetrap. Was Cadet Sidhu’s test calculating or cruel? How would we have responded in that same situation? Is any internship worth psychological torture? And what does it say about Number One? From Hamlet to Alexander Dumas’ man in the iron mask, the shortest Short Trek to date spawns the most literary episode of Transporter Lock!

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