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!

NEWS: Star Trek 13 Director Shake-Up.

Last week, some pretty big news about the next Star Trek movie broke and we couldn't keep our opinions to ourselves. In this episode of Standard Orbit, Mike and Drew talk about what Roberto Orci leaving the director's chair means for the future of the 50th anniversary, what will happen to the existing script, and who might replace him. Does it sound like they need to replace the script? Do your hosts want to #BringBackRiker? Find out in this special news episode!

Star Trek - The Motion Picture 35th Anniversary.

Thirty-five years ago this week, Star Trek was brought back from the dead in not just a movie, but a full-fledged Motion Picture. In this episode of Standard Orbit, Mike and Drew discuss our first times seeing the film in its various forms, our first impressions, and how our opinion might have changed in the meantime. We rave about the music and the dialog scenes, and try to view it from The Original Generation who had to have been so excited to see their favorite crew on the big screen for the first time.

Creating The Standard Orbit Canon: Season Two.

It's time again to help us pare down The Original Series into something even more manageable. In this episode of Standard Orbit, Mike and Drew continue our exercise going through Season Two of The Original Series and deciding what really needs to be there to create the “Standard Orbit Canon.” No episode is automatically safe, each one must stand our test of continuity, play an important role in the future of Star Trek, and eventually lead to the finale of The Original Series, Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country and perhaps beyond!

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

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Chapters

Commentary Start (00:02:05)

Closing (00:53:09)

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IDW Ongoing Comic Comparison: Vulcan’s Vengeance.

The Star Trek Ongoing comics started out doing straight adaptations of episodes, but even when they went completely original they couldn't help but have shades of episodes present. In this episode of Standard Orbit, Mike and Drew talk about the fourth set of IDW Ongoing comics "Vulcan's Vengeance.” Mike presents his theory that, because of all the changes to the timeline, this comic is actually a secret adaptation of "Balance of Terror.” Is the Vulcans' plan logical? Is this now a story of racism between Vulcans pretending to be Future Romulans and contemporary Romulans instead of a human being racist against a Vulcan for the actions of past Romulans? Find out how the Balance works out in our discussion!

Hosts

Drew Stewart and Mike Schindler

Editor and Producer

Drew Stewart

Associate Producers

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Chapters

JJ’s Balance of Terror (1:32)

The Breakdown (3:57)

Final Thoughts (31:26)

Closing (32:47)

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Star Trek: Phase II.

Almost ten years after The Original Series went off the air, Paramount was ready to bring back the show as Star Trek II (not that one… or THAT one), also known as Star Trek: Phase II. While it went back and forth between being a movie and a series, the casting, sets, and a lot of the episodes were already prepared, and some were re-purposed into The Motion Picture and The Next Generation.

In this episode of Standard Orbit, Mike and Drew talk about the series that mostly never was. Would it have worked? Would it have ended up like Mission Impossible II (not that one) and The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles, existing but remembered by few? We go through the new characters, the possible episodes, and several tangents on our way to Phase II.

Hosts

Drew Stewart and Mike Schindler

Editor and Producer

Drew Stewart

Associate Producers

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Chapters

Launching a Fourth Network (2:42)

Look Who’s Back! (8:33)

Episode Possibilites (23:23)

Would It Have Worked? (35:59)

Closing (42:46)

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Nyota Uhura.

Of all the characters in The Original Series, probably none was more underutilized than Uhura. In this episode of Standard Orbit, Mike and Drew talk about the communications officer of the original Enterprise who could have been so much more had times been different. It seems that Uhura was just filling a seat that needed to be filled on the bridge. Was this a matter of race, or just of her not being one of the three main characters? Find out what we think of how Uhura was used, and how more plots should have rightly focused on her.

Hosts

Drew Stewart and Mike Schindler

Editor and Producer

Drew Stewart

Associate Producers

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Chapters

Meet Nyota (1:40)

Uhura in The Original Series (5:27)

Uhura in The Movies (14:26)

Uhura in The JJ-Verse (23:08)

Closing (29:18)

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Khan-mentary 3: Into Darkness Commentary.

It's finally time for the last part in our commentary series on everyone's favorite bad guy, Khan! In Khan-mentary 3, John Tenuto joins Mike and Drew to talk about Star Trek Into Darkness! We talk about how much the writers of this film may have pulled from early drafts of Wrath of Khan besides the obvious bits, whether the casting and subsequent secrecy of Khan drew unnecessary criticism, and if there's more to the movie than a series of action scenes.

Hosts

Drew Stewart and Mike Schindler

Guest

John Tenuto

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Drew Stewart

Associate Producers

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Chapters

Commentary Start (1:53)
Final Thoughts (2:11:32)
Closing (2:18:15)

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Creating The Standard Orbit Canon: Season One.

There’s a lot of Star Trek out there that doesn’t really fit into the wider continuity. What if you could focus on only the episodes that just help tell the story of Star Trek? In this episode of Standard Orbit, Mike and Drew conduct an editing exercise in which we go through Season One of The Original Series and figure out what we think really needs to be there in order to create the “Standard Orbit Canon.” No episode is automatically safe, each one must stand our test of continuity, play an important role in the future of Star Trek, and eventually lead to the finale of The Original Series, Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country.

Hosts
Drew Stewart and Mike Schindler

Editor and Producer
Drew Stewart

Associate Producers
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Chapters
The Standard Orbit Canon (0:48)
The Pilots (4:04)
The Man Trap through The Corbomite Maneuver (7:21)
The Menagerie through Court Martial (18:13)
Return of the Archons through Operation: Annihilate! (28:17)
What’s Left (30:39)
Closing (31:15)

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Klingons in TOS.

If there was ever a big bad guy for The Original Series, it was the Klingons. Devious and scheming, the TOS Klingons were always trying to undermine the Federation, even into the movies. In this episode of Standard Orbit, Mike and Drew attempt to understand these villains and how they change throughout the years. Listen to find out how far the Cold War analogy goes, and how proprietary their screws may be.

Hosts

Drew Stewart and Mike Schindler

Editor and Producer

Drew Stewart

Associate Producers

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Chapters

TOS Season 1 (3:00)

TOS Season 2 (8:21)

TOS Season 3 (12:48)

The Movies (17:32)

A Touch on TNG (30:13)

Closing (32:38)

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Season Two Top Five.

It's time again to go through a season of Star Trek and pick favorites. In this episode of Standard Orbit, Mike and Drew expose their favorite episodes from Season Two of The Original Series. We admit our love for Vulcans, Tribbles, androids, Andorians, gangsters, and even a wolf! A few of the choices are off beat, but then again, so are the hosts. Join us as we admit how funny we find the second season!

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
Intro (1:11)
Drew’s #5: “Journey to Babel” (1:58)
Mike’s #5: “A Piece of the Action” (5:30)
Drew’s #4 / Mike’s #4: “Amok Time” (7:18)
Drew’s #3: “The Doomsday Machine” (9:28)
Mike’s #3: “Wolf in the Fold” (11:55)
Mike’s #2: “Mirror, Mirror” (13:58)
Drew’s #2 / Mike’s #1: “The Trouble With Tribbles” (17:45)
Drew’s #1: “I, Mudd” (19:57)
Recap (22:17)
Closing (22:49) 

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Hikaru Sulu.

Few characters in Star Trek experience actual advancement in their careers. Even fewer of them go through as many random jobs to get there as Hikaru Sulu. In this episode of Standard Orbit, Mike and Drew take a close look at Mr. Sulu, the head of astrosciences turned botanist turned helmsman turned starship captain. We talk about his many adventures on the Enterprise, how he got his own command, and how awesome of a captain he must have been.

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Chapters
Sulu Finds His Place in TOS (2:02)
Sulu Pilots around TOS (8:51)
Casting Sulu (12:55)
Sulu In The Movies (15:02)
Sulu In The Two-Way Mirror Universe (27:48)
Closing (34:41)

Dragon Con & Parsec Awards Report.

In the game of Parsecs, you win or you lose. In this episode of Standard Orbit, Mike & Drew tell the tale of their Atlanta Adventure to Dragon Con for the Parsec Awards! What panels did we attend? What celebrities did we see? Did we win the coveted "Best New Speculative Fiction Podcaster/Team" Parsec Award? Find out all this and more in this adventuresome episode!

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Chapters

The Trip To Atlanta (2:06)
Dragon Con (5:44)
MST3K Panel (8:26)
Borg Reunion Panel (11:39)
Guardians of the Galaxy Panel (14:21)
Battlestar Galactica Panel (17:56)
The Parsec Awards (21:47)
The Voyage Home (28:26)
A Very Important Question (30:08)
Closing (31:22)

Spock in Command.

When Kirk is away, the crew will play Captain. What does Kirk try to teach his first officer when he's out of service? Does it take two passionate individuals to balance out the logical one? Does Spock use the lessons he learns under Kirk’s captaincy to make the right decisions to save his crew? Listen and find out in this episode of Standard Orbit as Mike and Drew discuss the idea of Spock in command of the Enterprise and examine instances where Spock is thrown into command, whether he wants to be or not.

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Chapters
No Galileo Seven This Time (1:33)
Gamesters of Triskellion (2:43)
The Tholian Web (12:32)
The Wrath of Khan (22:47)
The Undiscovered Country (31:51)
The Other Spock (34:16)
Closing (36:32)

Season One Top Five.

Sometimes you just have to choose your favorite children. In this episode of Standard Orbit, Mike and Drew pick their top five episodes from Season 1 of The Original Series. What choices do they have in common? Are there any surprises? And could TOS Season One be the best Season One in Trekdom? Find out in this Gorn-tastic episode!

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Chapters

Intro (1:37)

Mike’s #5 / Drew’s #5: “Balance of Terror” (3:32)

Mike’s #4: “Space Seed” (5:29)

Drew’s #3: “The Corbomite Maneuver” (7:11)

Mike’s #3: “The Cage” (8:54)

Drew’s #2: “The Devil In The Dark” (10:46)

Mike’s #2: Drew’s #1 - “The City On The Edge Of Forever” (14:47)

Mike’s #1: Drew’s #4 - “Arena” (18:29)

Comics & Star Wars Sidebar (21:14)

TOS Season One vs Other Seasons Ones (25:11)

Closing (30:33)

Aspect Ratios of The Undiscovered Country and Into Darkness.

What happens when a film can't seem to decide what it's supposed to look like? In this episode of Standard Orbit, Mike tells Drew all about the two most controversial aspect ratios in Star Trek history, those of The Undiscovered Country and Star Trek Into Darkness. What are the actual intended aspect ratios of these two films? What is the difference between 35mm and Super 35? What shape should IMAX be? Find out all about film and ratios in the final part of our aspect ratio series!

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Chapters

Back into AR (0:55)

Aspect Ratio of TUC = 2.2:1 OR 2.39:1 (1:15)

And The Rest (TNG - ENT) (18:57)

Aspect Ratio of Star Trek 09 = 2.39:1 (22:34)

Aspect Ratios of Into Darkness = 1.9:1/2.39:1 OR 1.66:1/2.39:1 OR 1.78:1/2.39:1 OR 2.39:1 (24:59)

Should Mike Get A Tattoo? (40:25)

Closing (42:56)

Standard Orbit 43: It’s Two Point Three NINE to One!

Have you ever looked at TOS or one of the movies and wondered why there were black bars on the top or sides? In this episode of Standard Orbit, Mike tells Drew all about aspect ratios, what they are and why they're different. What makes the movies look cinematic? Why does the Blu-ray of TOS not fill the screen of your HDTV? Mike answers all these questions and more in the first of our two-parter on the changing aspect ratios of Star Trek!

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Chapters

The Assignment Earth for C.TS:1 (1:34)

What ARE Aspect Ratios, Mr. Schindler? (3:44)

Aspect Ratio of TOS & TAS = 1.33:1 (10:49)

Aspect Ratio of TMP = 2.39:1 (18:22)

Aspect Ratios of TWOK - TFF = 2.39:1 & 2.2:1 (27:36)

Changing Aspect Ratios for Home Video (30:26)

Closing (33:45)

Pavel Chekov.

Some people have to struggle to fit in, especially if they're young and new to the crew. In this episode of Standard Orbit, Mike and Drew talk about poor Chekov and what he went through on the Enterprise. Unlucky at most things, Chekov finds himself in multiple positions around the ship, never really finding his place. Is he the Enterprise utility player, or a jack of all trades, master of none?

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Chapters

Introducing Chekov (1:30)

Unlucky at Love (5:15)

Unlucky at Casting (7:49)

Unlucky at Everything (10:24)

Jack of All Trades (19:23)

Unlucky at Being in TNG (25:03)

Oh Yeah, Generations (28:37)

Closing (29:10)

Racism In TOS.

Good science fiction is known for addressing contemporary issues in creative ways, and The Original Series was no exception. In this episode of Standard Orbit, Mike and Drew talk about racism and how TOS dealt with it (or didn't). We cover how the casting tried to overcome the racism of the era and how they directly tried to deal with it in the plots. We also discuss if McCoy being racist towards Spock undermined the integrity of the show's anti-racism message, and if it's okay that the entire crew acts racist towards the Klingons in Star Trek VI.

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)

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.

J. Michael Straczynski & Bryce Zabel’s Re-Boot the Universe.

With all of Star Trek’s popularity, it’s no surprise that several creators wanted to get involved to save it in the early 2000s. In this episode of Standard Orbit, Mike and Drew review of one of the pitches presented to CBS during Enterprise’s fade-out called “Star Trek: Reboot the Universe.” We talk about what the creators of Babylon 5 and Dark Skies promised to bring into Star Trek with their reboot pitch. Would the show have lasted long enough to get the full five-year plotting? Would the concept of TNG’s “The Chase” work as a huge story arc? Would we be okay with a female Scotty?

IDW Ongoing Comic Comparison: The Galileo Seven.

The missions of the new version of the old crew continue in the comics! In this episode of Standard Orbit, Mike and Drew discuss issues 3 & 4 of the IDW Star Trek Ongoing series, based on the classic Spock episode "The Galileo Seven." We point out the changes and discuss whether Spock is more self-sacrificing or more motivated to save lives after the loss of Vulcan. We also pitch the next vignette for Star Trek Continues, featuring everyone's favorite thing: Vulcan PowerPoint Presentations!

Unlikely Spinoffs of TOS.

Did you ever wish there was more than the existing 725 episodes and 12 movies that took place in the Star Trek Universe? In this episode of Standard Orbit, Mike tells Drew about three possible crossovers that you might not have considered. How does Michael Knight fit into Star Trek continuity? Does Django Unchained eventually lead into Star Trek? What else did J.J. Abrams bring into the universe? Find out all this and more in this mind-exploding episode!

Technology Influences of TOS.

Star Trek has been influencing people to better themselves for almost 50 years. But people haven’t just been bettering themselves, they’ve been bettering technology to go along with them. In this episode of Standard Orbit, Mike and Drew discuss three technologies from TOS that influenced the way we interact today. We mourn the death of flip phones in this smartphone era, cover the contest to create a real-life medical tricorder, and talk about the video-chat technologies that enable this and our other podcasts to exist.

Star Trek V 25th Anniversary.

This year's final movie anniversary we're going to celebrate is the appropriately-titled Final Frontier. In this episode of Standard Orbit, Mike and Drew reflect on Star Trek V on its 25th anniversary. We share our first viewings, what we think about it today, how it could be redeemed, and how much the lack of Rock Monsters hurt the final product. Plus, Mike tells us all about his favorite DVD bonus feature of all time, the infamous Star Trek V Press Conference. Could the press conference have been improved with more Rock Monsters? Find out in this thrilling episode!

Star Trek III 30th Anniversary.

A lot of times, the third movie in a franchise gets a bad rap. In this episode of Standard Orbit, Mike and Drew look back on The Search For Spock on its 30th anniversary, discussing our first times seeing it, what we like about it, and how it might undo The Wrath of Khan. We talk about the odd-number-movie rule and if it's accurate, and even compare the movie to Alien3.

1999 TOS Homages.

It turns out that 1999 was a big year for science fiction franchises. Not only did people finally get a new Star Wars movie, but three homages to Star Trek saw wide release that year. In this episode of Standard Orbit, Mike and Drew look at three movies that came out 15 years ago: Trekkies, Free Enterprise, and Galaxy Quest. Join us as we open up this time capsule and explore the conventions of the mid-Nineties, Mark Altman/Robert Meyer Burnett's not-really-biopic about nerds finding love in L.A., and the best movie about actors being mistaken for their characters since The Three Amigos!

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!

D.C. Fontana.

If Gene Roddenberry was the Founding Father of Star Trek, then D.C. Fontana was the Founding Mother. In this episode of Standard Orbit, we explore D.C.'s trek from secretary to script editor to writer to story consultant to show runner. We discuss her 10 episodes of The Original Series, her post-TOS episodes, and even touch on her non-Trek works. Find out more about this possible inspiration for a certain Mad Men character!

Star Trek 2009 Fifth Anniversary.

It's hard to believe that it's been five years since Star Trek was rebooted by J.J. Abrams. In this episode of Standard Orbit, Mike and Drew celebrate the fifth anniversary of Star Trek 2009 by having Matt Hansen join us to discuss this controversial movie. We cover our thoughts before it came out, our first experiences seeing it, and what we think about it today. Join us as we make the most shiny and reflective podcast you've ever heard!

Dr. McCoy with Larry Nemecek.

If Kirk was the meat and Spock was the potatoes, then Leonard McCoy was the grumpy broth that held them all together. Now, finally, the good doctor is getting his due. In this episode of Standard Orbit, Drew and Mike are joined again by Larry Nemecek to discuss the original Enterprise’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. McCoy. We find out why Larry loves him so, share our favorite Bones scenes, and reveal how McCoy is finally getting the fan base he deserved from the beginning.

Star Trek Continues with Larry Nemecek.

No one seems content with the 80 episodes of The Original Series that we ended up with. Everyone wants more, even if they have to make it themselves. In this episode of Standard Orbit, Mike and Drew are joined by Larry Nemecek to talk about Star Trek Continues and Larry's part in it. Find out more about how this continuation of TOS is being made, and even a bit about other fan projects you might never have heard of.

Season One with @FirstTimeTrek.

Believe it or not, there are some people out there who have yet to see Star Trek. In this episode of Standard Orbit, Mike and Drew talk to Andi—a.k.a. "FirstTimeTrek"— who has been live tweeting her experience of watching Star Trek for the first time. We talk to her immediately after she finished Season One of The Original Series, so don't miss this unique point of view on TOS having seen only the first 29 episodes! We talk about her favorite stories and characters, and how she manages to make her tweets stand out.

Montgomery Scott.

Every ship needs an engineer, and every engineer wishes they were a miracle worker like Scotty. In this episode of Standard Orbit, Mike and Drew discuss the always faithful Montgomery Scott. We cover him across the ages and parallel universes, with and without mustache, even comparing him to a Xenomorph from Alien for some reason. Find out all about the redshirt who defies all odds!

IDW Ongoing Comic Comparison: Where No Man Has Gone Before.

Between the first two J.J. Abrams Star Trek movies, IDW started publishing an ongoing comic of the continuing adventures featuring this new version of the old crew. In this episode of Standard Orbit, Mike and Drew discuss the first two issues of this series, based on the second pilot "Where No Man Has Gone Before." They compare show vs. comic, point out some of the more interesting differences, and find that not everything has changed as much as you'd think in this new universe. Plus, in listener mail, you can hear Mike's episode selections for his Star Trek 50th Anniversary Party.

Amok Time Commentary.

The music is just one of the dozens of great things about "Amok Time," Spock's voyage home to get married. In this episode of Standard Orbit, Mike and Drew are joined by Colin from Melodic Treks to finish their crossover on "Amok Time" by doing a commentary on the episode. Don't miss the soup throwing, fish spawning, and epic fights to the death, and that's just in the commentary!

The Enterprise.

Star Trek has been helping shape the design of the future for almost 50 years. One of the many iconic things that came out of The Original Series is the design of the lead ship, the Enterprise. In this episode of Standard Orbit, Mike and Drew discuss Kirk’s various ships named Enterprise. From the classic design to the movie refit to the most recent iteration, no ship is left unturned. We also discuss the interiors and how the bridges of the various ships might have been able to configure themselves to their crew.

Marathons for New Viewers.

With 80 episodes plus six and a half movies, The Original Series can be daunting for first-time viewers. Where does one start? In this episode of Standard Orbit, Mike and Drew go through their suggested ten-story marathon for beginners—some obvious, some not so obvious. Whether someone has never seen any Star Trek or doesn't know where to start on The Original Series, there's something here for everyone.

Where No Fan Has Gone Before Commentary.

The Original Series may have only trekked on television screen for three seasons, yet there are a surprising numbers of homages to such a short-lived voyage in various movies and television shows—a nod to the impact TOS has had on popular culture. In this episode of Standard Orbit, Mike and Drew bring you a commentary for one of the most overt homages, the Futurama episode "Where No Fan Has Gone Before." Find out what happens when you get (almost) the entire living cast of TOS in (almost) the same room, while sending them to the year 3002… where Star Trek is show forbidden!

God-like Aliens.

For just three seasons on our TVs, Kirk and the crew seemed to run into a lot of all-powerful beings. In this episode of Standard Orbit, Mike and Drew talk about the gods of The Original Series, what powers they had, and how Kirk defeated them. They also discuss how forward-thinking TOS could be before immediately taking two steps back!

Hal Sutherland and The Animated Series.

Classic Trek lost another creator recently, this time Animated Series director Hal Sutherland. In this episode of Standard Orbit, Mike and Drew discuss Mr. Sutherland and his contribution to Star Trek, while trying to unravel the twisty time of the best episode of The Animated Series, “Yesteryear.” Plus, find out why the McCoy in the movies may be a completely different person than the one in TOS!

Khan-mentary 1: Space Seed Commentary.

Of all of the villains in the Star Trek universe, none is more well-known than Khan. In this episode of Standard Orbit, Mike and Drew are joined by Khan expert John Tenuto for the first in a series of commentaries we're calling “Khan-mentaries.” The series focuses on Khan's appearances, starting with the classic episode "Space Seed.” Find out all about how Khan came to be, how he changed in drafts, and how he shaped up to be the villain we all know and love to hate.

Marc Cushman on Season Two.

A lot happened behind the scenes of the second season of The Original Series. In this episode of Standard Orbit, Mike and Drew are joined by Marc Cushman, author of These Are The Voyages, to discuss some of the topics that are going to be covered in Marc's second book in his Star Trek series. Find out how Lucille Ball lost her studio, why NBC tried to kill the show, and who really wrote all your favorite episodes.

Pitching a Piece of the Action Movie.

Ready or not, another Star Trek movie is coming. In this episode of Standard Orbit, Mike and Drew are once again joined by Max from Commentary: Trek Stars as we set up a writer's room to discuss how "A Piece Of The Action" might make for a great movie. Hear ridiculous crossover suggestions, then settle in as we break down how the third Abramsverse movie might redeem the whole thing.

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!

Janice Rand.

From the very beginning, there were big plans for Kirk's yeoman. Unfortunately, few of them came to be. In this episode of Standard Orbit, Mike and Drew discuss Janice Rand, why she was awesome, how she could have been more awesome, and how she continued to be awesome even after she left the show. Also, find out how Janice was a physical manifestation of the crew and how that affected her relationship with Kirk.