Trek Geeks: A Star Trek Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

Visiting the Past and Discovering the Future

We kick off our 2026 in a big way as we celebrate the 60th Anniversary Year of Star Trek with a show built for fans who love both the history and the future of the franchise. This premiere is all about connection. Connection to the real places where Star Trek was made and connection to where the universe is headed next.

First up, we're joined by Larry "Dr. Trek" Nemecek and Teras Cassidy from Geek Nation Tours to talk about Exploring Trek shooting locations. From iconic West Coast filming sites to the unforgettable landscapes of Nevada's Valley of Fire, we'll dive into what makes these locations so special and why standing where Star Trek history was made hits differently in an anniversary year. If you've ever wanted to walk in the footsteps of your favorite crews, this conversation is for you.

Then we shift gears to the future with a spoiler-light discussion of the premiere of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy. We'll share our impressions of the first two episodes, what immediately grabbed us, and where the series feels like it's boldly going. From tone to characters to themes, we'll break down what's working and what we're excited to see develop as the season unfolds.

It's the perfect way to launch a new season of Trek Geeks: Thursday Night Geeks. Part celebration, part exploration, and part thoughtful fandom chat with friends. Whether you're planning your next Trek adventure or just settling in to watch the next chapter of Star Trek begin, this Season Two premiere sets the tone for what's ahead.

EMMY AND ACADEMY AWARD WINNER

This week, we're beyond thrilled to welcome a true legend of Star Trek and Hollywood craftsmanship — the one and only Doug Drexler! From his early days in the makeup department on Star Trek: The Next Generation to his groundbreaking work in visual effects on Deep Space Nine, Enterprise, and Battlestar Galactica, Doug's creative fingerprint can be found across some of the most beloved moments in science fiction. He's an Academy Award and Emmy Award winner, a designer, an artist, and above all, a lifelong fan whose passion for Trek helped shape the look and feel of entire eras of the franchise.

Doug joins us to talk about his incredible career and his newest adventure — the upcoming documentary Trek Star, now crowdfunding on Kickstarter. Directed by Jason Smith, Trek Star explores how a kid from the Bronx became one of Star Trek's most influential creative minds, chronicling a career that's as inspiring as it is entertaining. From the bridge of the Enterprise to the design labs of Hollywood, this is the story of a fan who truly made his dreams real.

We'll dive into Doug's time in makeup on Dick Tracy, his collaboration with icons like Michael and Denise Okuda, his work designing for Star Trek: Enterprise and Picard, and his love for the fans who have supported him throughout his journey. Expect laughs, insight, and heartfelt reflection as we celebrate one of Star Trek's most passionate visionaries.

This is an unforgettable conversation with the incomparable Doug Drexler — a man who embodies the creative spirit of Trek itself. This is one episode you won't want to miss.

SUPPORT THE TREK STAR DOCUMENTARY NOW!
Head on over to DrexlerFilm.com to find out more and support the Kickstarter campaign!

After a FOUR YEAR absence, a legendary fan-favorite RETURNS to The Flagship!

It's time for another thrilling edition of See It or Skip It, and this time, we're heading back to the golden age of Star Trek with Season 2 of The Original Series! Join Bill and Dan as they revisit the highs and lows of this legendary season, from iconic episodes like Amok Time and The Trouble with Tribbles to some… less memorable outings. Every episode gets a verdict: should it be essential viewing for fans, or is it one you can safely pass by?

Joining us for this mission is our Guest Geek, author and podcaster Brian Donahue! As the host of The BIG Sci-Fi Podcast and Planet Zero: An Original Science Fiction Story, Brian brings a deep love of classic sci-fi and some strong opinions about TOS Season 2. Will he agree with Bill and Dan's assessments, or will there be some heated debates over what truly deserves a "See It" rating? Get ready for fun, laughs, and maybe even a few surprises as we break it all down!

Whether you're a longtime Trekkie or just discovering The Original Series, this episode is packed with nostalgia, insight, and plenty of friendly banter. So grab your Romulan ale, set phasers to "opinionated," and join us for a lively discussion on one of the most beloved seasons in Star Trek history. 

Will your favorites make the cut? There's only one way to find out--listen now!

This week on Trek Geeks, we continue our month-long series of special episodes for Black History Month.

We wanted to elevate the voices in our fandom that we thought you needed to hear so all February long, we'll be featuring content from African American podcasters from our Star Trek fandom! Bill and Dan will bookend each episode, but we hope you enjoy the special content that has been put together by these amazingly talented and wonderful people.

In this episode, our friend David Majors from the Promenade Merchants Podcast will talk about an often over-looked character in the Star Trek Universe: Deep Space Nine's Jake Sisko! Joining him in the discussion to look at this pivotal character is his sister Maimunah!

PROMENADE MERCHANTS PODCAST
Our sincere thanks go out to David and Maimunah for sharing their thoughts and their voices with the Trek Geeks audience!

You can find out more about the Promenade Merchants Podcast which features David and co-host Heather Kirby on their Twitter page: @PromTrekPod and download their podcast on your favorite podcast app.

IT'S TIME FOR THE NEWS FROM TREKNEWS.NET!

This week, Bill & Dan discuss a new documentary featuring the iconic Nichelle Nichols, a new mem-noir from a Next Gen favorite, and cryptic comments from Alex Kurtzman!

PLUS--A CONTEST!

FanSets is giving away a set of brand new pins that won't be available to the general public for some time, and you have the chance to win them before ANYBODY else! Listen to this week's episode to find out how!

This week on Trek Geeks, we begin a month-long series of special episodes for Black History Month.

We wanted to elevate the voices in our fandom that we thought you needed to hear so all February long, we'll be featuring content from African American podcasters from our Star Trek fandom! Bill and Dan will bookend each episode, but we hope you enjoy the special content that has been put together by these amazingly talented and wonderful people.

Up first, our friends the SyFy Sistas will talk about the legacies of Nichelle Nichols and her iconic character Lt. Nyota Uhura, as well as what both of these women mean to them personally.

SYFY SISTAS PODCAST

We are so truly grateful to Tamia, Fran, Subrina, Yvette, and JD for sharing their creativity, their positivity and their Star Trek fandom with the Trek Geeks audience.

You can find out more about the SyFy Sistas on their website, syfysistas.com, and their fantastic podcast can be found just about everywhere.

Plus, you can find them on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram so be sure to give them a follow!

IT'S TIME FOR THE NEWS FROM TREKNEWS.NET!

This week, Bill & Dan discuss the new audiobook narrator for "The Autobiography of Kathryn Janeway, the upcoming Star Trek: Voyager documentary from 455 Films, and a new look for CBS All Access.

This week, Bill and Dan begin their year-long celebration of the 20th Anniversary of Star Trek: Enterprise!

From concept to characters and beyond, they'll talk about why they love this series and why the appreciation for it has done nothing but grow over the years.

Plus, we'll talk about some of our personal favorite episodes from Enterprise, as well as some of yours!

FIVE YEAR MISSION

The music of Trek Geeks comes from none other than Five Year Mission and Episode 25 of Five Year Mission: The Podcast is available now on the Trek Geeks Podcast Network!

Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you download podcasts!

5YM, of course, is every note of music you hear on Rewind, and we couldn't be more grateful. Go get yourself a copy of all their CDs: Year 1, Year 2, Year 3, Year 4, Spock's Brain, and The Trouble With Tribbles. It's easy head on over to FiveYearMission.net RIGHT NOW and get that physical media in your hands! We just KNOW you'll become huge fans of the band and their music!

This week, we're back with our first new episode of 2021! We'll take a look at the big events in Trek from 2020 and look ahead to the coming year to see what's in store.

Joining us is TrekNews.net contributor Kyle Hadyniak to look at some of our favorite news form last year.

Plus, the 6th Anniversary of Trek Geeks and news for the month of February!

FIVE YEAR MISSION

The music of Trek Geeks comes from none other than Five Year Mission and Episode 25 of Five Year Mission: The Podcast is available now on the Trek Geeks Podcast Network!

Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you download podcasts!

5YM, of course, is every note of music you hear on Rewind, and we couldn't be more grateful. Go get yourself a copy of all their CDs: Year 1, Year 2, Year 3, Year 4, Spock's Brain, and The Trouble With Tribbles. It's easy head on over to FiveYearMission.net RIGHT NOW and get that physical media in your hands! We just KNOW you'll become huge fans of the band and their music!

In this special crossover episode of Discovering Trek, Dan and Bill are honored to have Noah Averbach-Katz join them for a special discussion about his time on Star Trek: Discovery Season 3 as the Andorian, Ryn.  The character quickly became one of the most popular of the season and Noah got to live out every Star Trek fans dream by playing a role in our beloved universe.

During our conversation, we discuss his fandom when he was young, what it was like to be directed by the Star Trek legend Jonathan Frakes, and what it was like to work with his wife Mary Wiseman, aka Sylvia Tilly.  Along the way we also find out just how...interesting it was to film scenes with the Queen herself - Grudge the cat!

Bill and Dan cannot thank Noah enough for joining them on the podcast, and they hope you enjoy the conversation as much as they did on Discovering Trek!

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