Standard Orbit: A Star Trek Original Series Podcast (Commentaries)
117: Spock is a Stone Cold Playa

The Enterprise Incident Commentary.

As a follow-up to Standard Orbit 116: The Real Enemy Is War Itself, The "Refit" Crew wanted to take a look at the only other episode in the entirety of the 79 of The Original Series that featured the Romulans. We also wanted to do something a little unorthodox for this podcast. We are doing a "live commentary" of The Enterprise Incident–a very polished and exciting episode from Season Three and what we felt was the perfect compliment and a fantastic continuation of the Romulans and their alluring mystique that began with Season One's Balance of Terror.

Please note that we will be commenting specifically on the HD remastered version and several of our comments address the amazing quality of the visual effects and overall production of The Enterprise Incident. If you are listening to this show in your car, or commuting to work or school, this probably won't make that much sense to you, unless of course you have this particular episode committed to memory. We hope you take the time and opportunity to sync up your rewatch of The Enterprise Incident with our commentary to accompany you. Enjoy!

Feature
Welcome to Standard Orbit (00:00:55)
Rewatching a Remastered Classic (00:01:46)
Three, Two, One … PLAY! (00:04:57)
Should Have Been The Premiere? (00:57:41)
Hailing Frequencies Open (01:03:51)
Our Final Thoughts and Thank You (01:11:46)
Subspace Signal Sweepstakes! (01:18:52)

Hosts
Norman C. Lao and Jeffrey Harlan

Production
C Bryan Jones (Executive Producer), Norman C. Lao (Executive Producer), Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer), Charlynn Schmiedt (Executive Producer), Ken Tripp (Editor and Associate Producer), Renee Roberts (Associate Producer), Richard Rutledge (Associate Producer), Richard Marquez (Production Manager), Will Nguyen (Content Manager)

Direct download: so-117.mp3
Category:Commentaries -- posted at: 6:00am MDT

108: Chasing Crazy Bones Through the Time Thing

City On The Edge Of Forever Commentary.

Sometimes you have to save the best for last. In this episode of Standard Orbit, Mike and Drew do a commentary for arguably the best episode of the entire franchise, "The City On The Edge Of Forever". We debate if it is actually the best episode, and if you should show it to someone as a good example of what Star Trek is. We also talk about the early drafts compared to the final episode, debate which Terminator movie is the worst, if Magic Mike is Boogie Nights For Babies, and how you can't second guess every choice you make.

Hosts
Drew Stewart and Mike Schindler
 
Editor and Producer
Drew Stewart

Executive Producers
Norman C. Lao, Matthew Rushing, Charlynn Schmiedt, and C Bryan Jones

Associate Producers
Renee Roberts and Richard Rutledge, Jr.

Production Manager
Richard Marquez
 
Content Manager
Will Nguyen
 
Chapters
Instructions (00:01:25)
Commentary Start (00:02:41)
Closing (00:52:41)
 
Direct download: so-108.mp3
Category:Commentaries -- posted at: 9:00am MDT

106: Good At Acting Badly

Return of the Archons Commentary.

Before we go, there's a certain computer-god we have to address. In this episode of Standard Orbit, Mike and Drew do a commentary for Landru and "Return of the Archons". Does The Purge have the “exact same plot” as this episode? Does Mike have a radical new interpretation of this episode? What does Drew want that dungeon set for? Find out all this and more, as we talk over another episode!

 
Hosts
Drew Stewart and Mike Schindler
 
Editor and Producer
Drew Stewart

Executive Producers
Norman C. Lao, Matthew Rushing, Charlynn Schmiedt, and C Bryan Jones

Associate Producers
Renee Roberts and Richard Rutledge, Jr.

Production Manager
Richard Marquez
 
Content Manager
Will Nguyen
 
Chapters
Introduction (00:00:50)
Commentary Start (00:02:53)
Final Thoughts (00:54:10)
Closing (00:55:14)
Direct download: so-106.mp3
Category:Commentaries -- posted at: 9:00am MDT

87: The MIRROR Universe

The Tholian Web Commentary.

The final part of our Mirror Universe series starts at the end. Or is it the beginning? Either way, the ​Enterprise​ is trapped in Tholian space and Kirk is stuck in a mirror. In this episode of ​Standard Orbit​, Mike and Drew do a commentary for the classic episode "The Tholian Web". We bring up questionable editing choices, bad effects, an infinite number of Kirk recordings, and Tholian obsession with sports. Did we spot Bashir’s great-great-grandfather toward the end there? Also, Mike teaches Drew old moonshine techniques and Drew tells Mike about adding digital lobsters to Annie Hall.

Hosts
Drew Stewart and Mike Schindler
 
Editor and Producer
Drew Stewart

Executive Producers
Norman C. Lao, Matthew Rushing, and C Bryan Jones

Associate Producers
Renee Roberts and Richard Rutledge, Jr.

Production Manager
Richard Marquez
 
Content Manager
Will Nguyen
 
Chapters
Intro (00:00:48)
Commentary Start (00:01:46)
Closing (00:52:10)
 
Direct download: so-087.mp3
Category:Commentaries -- posted at: 8:38am MDT

83: Really Cruel Smirk

Plato’s Stepchildren Commentary With @FirstTimeTrek.

A lot of Season 3 episodes get a bad rap. Do they all deserve it? In this episode of ​Standard Orbit​, Mike and Drew are joined by Andi as she walks us through "Plato's Stepchildren", showing us that it may not be as bad as we think. We compare the episode to such diverse films as ​Airplane!Harry Potter & The Goblet of Fire, and Eyes Wide Shut​, while discovering that it's hard to draw the line between what is embarrassing for the character to do and what the actor has to do.

No animals were harmed in the making of this podcast.

Hosts
Drew Stewart and Mike Schindler

Guest
Andi (@FirstTimeTrek)
 
Editor and Producer
Drew Stewart

Executive Producers
Norman C. Lao, Matthew Rushing, and C Bryan Jones

Associate Producers
Rene Roberts and Richard Rutledge, Jr.

Production Manager
Richard Marquez
 
Content Manager
Will Nguyen
 
Chapters
Commentary Start (00:03:03)
Final Thoughts (00:54:05)
Farewells (00:57:30)
Closing (00:59:10)
 
 
Direct download: so-083.mp3
Category:Commentaries -- posted at: 4:06pm MDT

78: Space Bond and Ninja Cat

Assignment: Earth Commentary With @FirstTimeTrek.

For every First Time Trekker, there is a second time. In this episode of Standard Orbit, Andi (@FirstTimeTrek) joins us as she re-watches an episode of Star Trek for the first time, "Assignment: Earth"! We talk ninja cats, ear-hiding hats, short skirts, short ties, Doctor Who, Kirk and Spock's fighting styles, and so much more! Don't miss this opportunity to hear someone's first time watching an episode for the second time!

Hosts
Drew Stewart and Mike Schindler

Guest
Andi VanderKolk
 
Editor and Producer
Drew Stewart
 
Associate Producer
Richard Rutledge, Jr.

Production Manager
Richard Marquez
 
Content Coordinator
Will Nguyen
 
Chapters
​Intro To The Episode (00:01:39)
Commentary Start (00:04:04)
Till Next Time, Andi (00:54:25)
Closing (00:55:34)
 
Send us your feedback!
Twitter: @trekfm
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Become a Trek.fm Patron on Patreon and help us keep Star Trek talk coming every week. We have great perks for you at http://patreon.com/trekfm
Direct download: so-078.mp3
Category:Commentaries -- posted at: 7:42am MDT

68: A Genetic Connection

Mudd’s Passion (TAS) Commentary.

 

Continuing our talk on villains, we decided to cover the most recurring villain in TOS: Harry Mudd?  In this episode of Standard Orbit, Mike and Drew do a commentary for Mudd's animated adventure, "Mudd's Passion". Battle lines are drawn regarding what should be done with The Animated Series, as we wonder if it was the inspiration for a certain Trek film and flip out over the best cutaway in all of Star Trek.

 

Don't worry if you haven't seen this one, we try to keep you updated with what is happening.

 

Hosts

Drew Stewart and Mike Schindler

 

Editor and Producer

Drew Stewart

 

Associate Producer

Richard Rutledge, Jr.

 

Production Manager

Richard Marquez

 

Content Coordinator

Will Nguyen

 

Chapters

Mudd Continuity (00:01:46)

Commentary Start (00:03:01)

Episode Thoughts (00:27:09)

Closing (00:29:16)

 

Send us your feedback!

Twitter: @trekfm

Facebook: http://facebook.com/trekfm

Voicemail: http://www.speakpipe.com/trekfm

Contact Form: http://www.trek.fm/contact

Visit the Trek.fm website at http://trek.fm/

Subscribe in iTunes: http://itunes.com/trekfm

 

Support The Network!

Become a Trek.fm Patron on Patreon and help us keep Star Trek talk coming every week. We have great perks for you at http://patreon.com/trekfm

Direct download: so-068.mp3
Category:Commentaries -- posted at: 5:48pm MDT

62: The Butterfly Effect

Mirror, Mirror Commentary.

Wikipedia tells us that "the butterfly effect is the phenomenon whereby a minor change in circumstances can cause a large change in outcome." In this episode of Standard Orbit, Mike and Drew do a commentary for the most butterfly-effecty episode of The Original Series, "Mirror, Mirror". While Drew may not care for the concept, he has to agree that this episode is a fantastic piece of work. However, he still had a few questions he and Mike discuss: Why are people so afraid of Vulcans in the Mirror Universe? How comfortable are the space beds everyone has in both universes? And what is the most trivial trivia that could possibly be pointed out? Find out the answers to these and so much more while we talk over one of our (and your!) favorite episodes!

Hosts
Drew Stewart and Mike Schindler
 
Editor and Producer
Drew Stewart
 
Associate Producers
Become one! Support Trek.fm and Standard Orbit at the $25/month level or higher! Visit http://patreon.com/trekfm

Production Manager
Richard Marquez
 
Content Coordinator
Will Nguyen
 
Chapters
Commentary Start (00:02:29)  
Final Thoughts (00:52:51)  
Closing (00:54:27)  
 
Send us your feedback!
Twitter: @trekfm
Visit the Trek.fm website at http://trek.fm/
Subscribe in iTunes: http://itunes.com/trekfm

Support The Network!
Become a Trek.fm Patron on Patreon and help us keep Star Trek talk coming every week. We have great perks for you at http://patreon.com/trekfm
Direct download: so-062.mp3
Category:Commentaries -- posted at: 12:00pm MDT

58: That Submarine Effect

Balance of Terror Commentary.

No matter how far into the future Star Trek goes, the subject of racism never seems very far off. In this episode of Standard Orbit, Mike and Drew bring you a commentary for "Balance of Terror." During our talk, we cover weddings (specifically Mike's), the Table of Comets coffee table book, Mark Leonard's awesomeness, how the episode influenced The Wrath of Khan, and which film directors each captain would choose to shoot their viewscreen.

 

Hosts

Drew Stewart and Mike Schindler

 

Editor and Producer

Drew Stewart

 

Associate Producers

Become one! Support Trek.fm and Standard Orbit at the $25/month level or higher! Visit http://patreon.com/trekfm

 

Chapters

Commentary Start (00:02:05)

Closing (00:53:09)

 

Send us your feedback!

Twitter: @trekfm

Facebook: http://facebook.com/trekfm

Voicemail: http://www.speakpipe.com/trekfm

Contact Form: http://www.trek.fm/contact

Visit the Trek.fm website at http://trek.fm

Subscribe in iTunes: http://itunes.com/trekfm

 

Support the Network!

Become a Trek.fm Patron on Patreon and help us keep Star Trek talk coming every week. We have great perks for you at http://patreon.com/trekfm

Direct download: so-058.mp3
Category:Commentaries -- posted at: 7:55am MDT

40: Return of the Jedda

Khan-mentary 2: The Wrath of Khan Commentary, Part 2.

Khan khantinues! For the conclusion of Khan-mentary 2, Mike and Drew continue their discussion of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan with Khan expert John Tenuto. We explore what Roddenberry did and didn't like about the film, what scene is the best to quote along with in theaters, question of the nature of Jim and Carol's relationship, and dive into the Khan baby.

Programming Note: Because this commentary is very long, we have divided it into two parts. This portion of the commentary runs with the movie from 01:02:48 through the credits. Part 1 can be found in Standard Orbit 39.

 

Chapters

Intro (1:22)

Start Commentary (2:22)

Goodbye to John (53:07)

Outro (58:26)

Direct download: so-040.mp3
Category:Commentaries -- posted at: 8:00am MDT

39: Nautical But Nice

Khan-mentary 2: The Wrath of Khan Commentary, Part 1.

 

It's time to talk about everyone's favorite villain again! For Khan-mentary 2, Mike and Drew are joined once again by Khan expert John Tenuto to discuss the first half of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. We discuss the nature of spoilers in the 1980s and why Khan only wears one glove. Plus, find out which relative of Kirk's invented the sound of V'Ger and how Kirk compares to Lex Luthor!

 

Programming Note: Because this commentary is very long, we have divided it into two parts. This portion of the commentary runs with the movie from 00:00:13 to 01:02:48, just as Terrell is saying how Khan went wild on the Regula 1 scientists. Twenty seconds of music has been added to warn the listener when the split comes.

Direct download: so-039.mp3
Category:Commentaries -- posted at: 8:00am MDT

31: The Citizen Kane of Star Trek

Arena Commentary.

Events from The Original Series don't get mentioned much in the later series, so when they do, it's a big deal. When The Sisko wanted to talk to Kirk about battling the Gorn on Cestus III, it gave the impression that perhaps "Arena" was his favorite classic Trek. In this episode of Standard Orbit, Mike and Drew bring you a commentary for this fan favorite. We talk visiting the Vasquez Rocks, the aspect ratio of the Enterprise viewscreen, and the concept of trench warfare vs meeting the enemy face-to-face, among a myriad of other subjects. And don't worry, you don't have to be watching the episode to enjoy our talk!

Direct download: so-031.mp3
Category:Commentaries -- posted at: 3:00am MDT

A Piece of the Action Commentary.

Everyone loves a good gangster story. What better way to show your love than to have your television characters find a planet full of them?! In this episode of Standard Orbit, Mike and Drew are joined by Mike's partner in commentary-crime, Max, for a commentary of “A Piece Of The Action.” They discuss Chicago, how a planet comprised of nothing but gangsters would work, and what might have happened had the Horizon left behind a copy of the original Star Wars trilogy instead. In the closing, they read some correspondence and a joke contributed by a listener!

Direct download: so-014.mp3
Category:Commentaries -- posted at: 8:00pm MDT

The Trouble with Tribbles Commentary.

Everyone loves tribbles. We love tribbles. You love tribbles. Uhura and Chekov love tribbles. Bones loves tribbles. Spock loves tribbles (even if he won't admit it). Kirk loves tribbles (but not too much). Sulu would've loved tribbles (if he had been in this week's episode). And Scotty loves tribbles (even if he is responsible for all of their deaths).

In this episode of Standard Orbit, Drew and Mike provide and audio commentary for “The Trouble with Tribbles.” So grab your copy of the episode, sit back, relax, and strap it down!

Direct download: so-008.mp3
Category:Commentaries -- posted at: 8:00pm MDT

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