Unmade: Phase II with Ben Robinson.

Perhaps the greatest unmade project from the First Dark Ages of Trek was an abandoned series known now as "Phase II". In this episode of Standard Orbit, Mike and Drew are joined by writer/editor Ben Robinson, who shares his discoveries about the series. From unmade episodes to unused actors, we go over as much as we could in the time we had. Ben also teases about the future of the Eaglemoss Starship Collection that he manages.

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!

Ongoing Comics With Sarah Gaydos & Mike Johnson.

We spent a lot of time in the last 2 years talking about IDW's "Star Trek Ongoing" comic and comparing it to the original episodes. In this episode of Standard Orbit, Mike and Drew are joined by Ongoing editor Sarah Gaydos and writer Mike Johnson to talk about how comics get made. We talk about timelines, contingencies, academies, legacies, and how right your hosts are about more than you think.

Hosts

Mike & Drew’s Final Thoughts on TAS.

While its come up a few times in conversation, we've not really delved deep into The Animated Series. In this episode of Standard Orbit, Mike and Drew give their thoughts on the only Star Trek series from the 70's. Is the writing really that bad? Does the animation need to be updated? And who let Spock do magic?

Unmade: Planet Of The Titans.

There are so many unmade Star Trek projects out there, it's good to have a source to help us sort them out. In this episode of Standard Orbit, Mike and Drew are joined by "Knowledgeable Person Of Star Trek" John Tenuto to continue our miniseries on the post-TOS era. While there isn't an available script out there for "Planet of the Titans", there's plenty of behind the scenes information. Find out how George Lucas was involved in pre-production, who all was asked to direct, and how the story related to a similarly titled sci-fi movie.

BridgeMate Rematch.

Last week on Earl Grey 109, your "Maroon Monsters" were victorious in BridgeMates, the "how well do you know your cohost" game show. In this episode of Standard Orbit, Mike and Drew welcome guest host Phillip Gilfus and "Team Free Enterprise" to the Rec Deck for a rematch. Can our TNG friends find victory in the 23rd century? Will your hosts' friendship last long enough to make it the last 8 episodes of their tenure? FIND OUT as we play the game that's been sweeping the network!

Post-TOS with Marc Cushman.

Just because The Original Series ended didn't mean the story was over. In this episode of Standard Orbit, Mike and Drew have Marc Cushman, author of the "These Are The Voyages" book series, on to give us hints about what happened in the 70's for our intrepid crew. From Paramount not being able to get a fourth network off the ground to NBC begging for more Star Trek to how on earth a Saturday morning cartoon was able to get away with Spock drawing a pentagram on the floor so he can do magic(k), we cover all kinds of subjects on our way to The Next Generation.

Favorite Episodes of Other Series.

After 100 episodes of talking about Original Series, you have to stop and give some love to the series that inherited it's mantle. In this episode of Standard Orbit, Mike and Drew shake the other 615-ish episodes of the franchise to see what rises to the top. We spoil episodes, random movies and TV shows, and various other things that come up as we go through our favorite/best episodes, arcs, movies, and series.

DON'T MISS THE LAST HALF OF THE SHOW, where we have some VERY IMPORTANT spoilers on the FUTURE OF STANDARD ORBIT with some SECRET GUESTS!

Deep Space Nine: “Trials and Tribble-ations” with Matthew Rushing.

Anniversaries should be special times, bringing loved ones together no matter how far apart they may be. In this episode of Standard Orbit, Mike and Drew are joined by Matthew Rushing from The Orb to discuss Deep Space Nine's love letter to The Original Series, "Trials and Tribble-ations". We talk about the difficulty of picking the best episode of DS9, which version of the K-7 mission actually happened, and how it works for people who've only seen TOS.

Hosts
Drew Stewart and Mike Schindler

Guest
Matthew Rushing

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
Much Trials. Many Tribbles. (00:02:07)
In The Top Ten? (00:10:00)
Perfecting Perfection (00:16:58)
From A TOS Perspective (00:28:35)
Goodbye To Matt (00:41:32)
Closing (00:42:52)

Send us your feedback!
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IDW Ongoing Comic Comparison: The Tholian Webs.

Sometimes you can't help but go a little mad sometimes, especially when your ship gets caught in interphase and surrounded by an impenetrable web. In this episode of Standard Orbit, Mike and Drew catch up with the IDW Ongoing comics and compare their "The Tholian Webs" with the original episode. During the episode, Mike manages to fix the logic of a similar Next Generation episode, we discuss why some people pronounce "Han" differently, and Drew comes up with another theory of what character Idris Elba is going to play in Star Trek Beyond.

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

Mike Fills In The Blanks (00:03:04)

Issue 1 (00:05:36)

Issue 2 (00:23:57)

Final Thoughts (00:31:26)

Closing (00:34:21)

Voyager: “Flashback” with Charlynn Schmiedt.

Not every crossover between series can be a winner. In this episode of Standard Orbit, Mike and Drew are joined by Charlynn from To The Journey to flash back to "Flashback". While it is cool that they managed to get the entire crew from The Undiscovered Country back on board (except for Christian Slater), the episode begs a lot of questions like: How do memories see observers? Was Janeway too busy to watch TOS like the TNG crew did? Did she watch it later as inspiration for her actions in the later seasons of VGR? Is “Flashback” the canon expanded universe of Star Trek? Find out if we can answer these questions and more in our discussion! Also, we answer listener mail including a voicemail!

Trekipedia with Jeffery Harlan.

For some people, history is life, even if its fictional history. In this episode ofStandard Orbit, Mike and Drew talk to Jeffery Harlan about his website, "Trekipedia" and what has been called the "grand unified theory of Star Trek". As we get to know him and his site, Jeffery amazes us with trivia, gives us reading recommendations, and lets us know just how intensive building a site like this can be.

The Next Generation: “Relics” with Earl Grey.

Behind The Scenes of Star Trek VI.

Everyone knows the story of the making of most of the Star Trek movies, but it usually seems like Star Trek VI gets lost in the shuffle. In this episode of Standard Orbit, Mike and Drew are joined by John Tenuto, who tells us the details of what happened in the making of the original crew's final solo mission. From abandoned concepts to the production to the people who worked behind the scenes, John lets us in on everything he knows. Also Mike asks "the nerdiest question ever asked on a Star Trek podcast" and gets it answered!

Cover Photograph Courtesy of Nicholas Meyer/The Papers of Nicholas Meyer Collection at the University of Iowa Library.

Star Trek Las Vegas 2015.

Every year, the City of Lights plays host to the largest Star Trek convention in the country. And every so often, one of your hosts is there. In this episode of Standard Orbit, Mike tells Drew all about his experiences and thoughts on Star Trek Las Vegas 2015. Who'd he see? Who'd he get to hang out with? What'd he learn about? Find out this and his opinions on the convention in this Sin City-ful episode!

Hosts
Drew Stewart and Mike Schindler

Editor
Mike Schindler

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
STLV 2015 (00:01:55)
Closing (00:40:45)

IDW Ongoing Comic Comparison: Untitled Gorn Comic.

Issue 24 of Star Trek Ongoing may not have a title, but it sure is the sequel to a video game no one played. In this episode of Standard Orbit, Mike and Drew discuss the comic that references a video game that contradicts both the second movie and the comic it is also a sequel to. The Gorn are back, and more peaceful than ever! What will JJ-Kirk do when he has to face off against the Gorn? Why are these Gorn from a different galaxy? And why do the hosts talk about Indy Hat Bashing? Find out in this battle-tastic episode!

Casting An Excelsior Series.

It seems that everyone has an idea for what the next Trek series should be. In this episode of Standard Orbit, Mike and Drew go through their ideal cast list for a show following Sulu on the JJ-Verse Excelsior. We have some unique choices of the characters that should be on the show, and some really unique choices of who should play them. Find out who made the fantasy casting couch and why in this unique episode!

The JJ-Verse Movies with @FirstTimeTrek.

Every good series must come to an end. In this episode of Standard Orbit, Mike and Drew talk to Andi about her feelings on JJ Abrams' takes on the Star Trek Universe. We discuss 2009's crossover appeal, how the minor characters were used in both movies, and our shared problems with Into Darkness.

IDW Ongoing Comic Comparison: After Darkness.

There comes a time in every young Vulcan's life when he is drawn back to his home planet to mate or die. But what happens when that planet was sucked into an artificial black hole? In this episode of Standard Orbit, Mike and Drew go through the "After Darkness" comic book series and compare it to "Amok Time". We discuss the idea of comic book events in general, how many times the five year mission gets started, and how cool it is to utilize existing technology to solve the Problem of the Week.

Remembering James Horner.

When the producers of Star Trek II found they couldn't afford Jerry Goldsmith again, they found a young man by the name of James Horner to score their film. This launched Horner into becoming one of the most prolific film composers of the modern era. In this episode of Standard Orbit, Mike and Drew go through Horner's work in honor of his recent passing. We discuss the films he worked on, the themes he uses throughout his scores, and touch on such diverse topics as the Black Sox Scandal of 1919, Jim Lovell, and The Jennifer Connelly Standing On A Pier Trilogy.

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.

Enterprise: “In A Mirror Darkly” with Norman Lao.​

When the producers of ​Enterprise​ decided to do a Mirror Universe episode in their final season, they went all out and made it a sequel AND prequel to two different episodes of ​The Original Series​. In this episode of ​Standard Orbit​, Drew and Mike are joined by Norman Lao from ​Warp Five​ to discuss the cross over between the two shows. How were they allowed to spend so much money on a show they knew wasn't coming back? Was using a bunch of that money to CGI some of the TOS aliens a wise choice? Are Mirror episodes even worth it to begin with? Find out what everyone thinks about these and more in this crossed over episode!

IDW Ongoing Comic Comparison: Mirrored.

The Mirror Universe: It's always there, lurking in the shadows, even in the JJ-Verse. In this episode of ​Standard Orbit​, Mike and Drew go through the IDW comic "Mirrored" and try to figure out what it all means. We compare the JJ-Mirror-Universe with the JJ-Verse, the Prime Universe, and the Prime-Mirror-Universe. And we ponder whether the JJ-Verse itself is an alternate timeline or an alternate universe.

The Classic TOS Movies with @FirstTimeTrek.

Do you remember watching the Star Trek movies for the first time? Andi sure does, because she just did! In this episode of ​Standard Orbit​, Mike and Drew have Andi share her thoughts on each of the 6 original ​Star Trek​ movies. Find out how she feels about each movie without having the benefit of growing up with them!

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.

Creating The Standard Orbit Canon: The Movies.

The time has come to fit the final piece of the puzzle into our canon. In this episode of ​Standard Orbit​, Mike and Drew go through the movies to decide what needs to be kept to tell the story of TOS. Do we need all the movies? Do we only really need ​The Undiscovered Country​? What about those other movies? Each one goes on the chopping block in the lead up to the final reveal of the official "Standard Orbit Canon"!

IDW Ongoing Comic Comparison: The Redshirt's Tale.

Every series needs its "Lower Decks", where we witness events from the point of view of the lesser-known but still important people. In this episode of ​Standard Orbit​, Mike and Drew talk about the IDW comic that tells the story of "The Apple" from the point of view of the redshirts. This issue lets us know what the rest of the crew feels about everyone's rushed promotions at the end of ​Star Trek 2009​, but more importantly, how important redshirts are for a ship to function. We also talk sports mascots, both real and fictional, how the uniforms of background characters may actually be different from the "hero" uniforms, and ponder what sort of Thanksgiving is actually celebrated in the future.

Season Three with @FirstTimeTrek.

Is the third season of The Original Series really as bad as Trekkies make it seem? Would it break first time watchers having to sit through it? In this episode of Standard Orbit, Mike and Drew are joined again by Andi—a.k.a. "FirstTimeTrek"— who has been live tweeting her experience of watching Star Trek for the first time. Find out if she came through the season unscathed and if she managed to pluck any jewels from the slime.

What If “The Cage” Got Picked Up.

Imagine a world in which NBC loved "The Cage" and didn't request any changes to the series. In this episode of ​Standard Orbit​, Mike and Drew brainstorm the alternate universe in which this happened. Would the show have been better? Would it be more popular than what we ended up with? Would having a better show earlier actually have changed the shape of the entire franchise? Explore the possibilities with us in this reality-warping episode!

How Long Would It Have Lasted? (00:02:20)

Would It Have Been That Different? (00:07:26)

What Would Have Been Different (00:16:53)

Course Correction (00:22:42)

Comic Continuation (00:26:42)

Closing (00:28:21)

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!

"Return To Tomorrow" Book with Preston Neal Jones

​Sometimes a bad thing 40 years ago becomes a good thing today. In this episode of Standard Orbit​, Mike and Drew talk with author Preston Neal Jones about his oral history book on The Motion Picture, "Return To Tomorrow". Originally planned as a double-issue of the Cinefantastique magazine, Preston interviewed 60 people involved with the making of the first Star Trek movie while it was being made. Now these interviews are compiled into a 672-page book, making a "montage of memory" of what it was like to be there in 1979 in the lead up to release. What was the big problem with the making of the film? Was there more than one? And is it OK to call Trekkers "Trekkies"? We discuss this and more in this fascinating episode!

How A Magazine Becomes A Book (00:05:34)

You Were There (00:10:31)

Full Access Pass (00:13:55)

Getting Into Journalism (00:16:42)

Trekkie vs Trekker (00:17:35)

Portrait of a Non-Trekkie (00:19:07)

Too Many Scripts (00:26:14)

Assigning Blame (00:28:10)

Misconceptions (00:32:55)

What If… (00:36:54)

Where To Get The Book (00:39:51)

Closing (00:42:06)

Season Two with @FirstTimeTrek.

Finding someone who is willing to share their feelings on a show as they watch it is rare, especially one who isn't carrying a lot of baggage. In this episode of Standard Orbit, Mike and Drew are joined again by Andi—a.k.a. "FirstTimeTrek"— who has been live tweeting her experience of watching Star Trek for the first time. Having recently finished Season Two, Andi tells us about her favorite episodes from the season, some of her favorite moments, and what the show really does right. We also talk a bit about the fashion found in the second season and where primitive aliens could get acrylic nails. And Spock's hats, of course.

Marc Cushman on Season Three, Part 2.

Ratings are the name of the game in television. In this episode of Standard Orbit, Mike and Drew are rejoined by Marc Cushman, author of These Are The Voyages​, to find out what the creative team behind Season 3 did to garner the ratings they did. Why did the season lead off with the episodes it did? Why did they hire a lawyer to play Gorgan? Ratings, my friends! Also, learn more about the two episodes that didn't get made, and why saving your best for last may not be the best idea.

Marc Cushman on Season Three, Part 1.

The third season of Star Trek started with a lot of strikes against it, but not many people appreciate the work that went into making it the best it could have been. In this episode of Standard Orbit, Mike and Drew are joined again by Marc Cushman, author of These Are The Voyages​, to find out what really happened behind the scenes of Season 3. What happens when you have to take the action out of your space action-adventure show, while being told to leave the ship more often but also having a much more limited budget in a time slot no one wanted? You do the best you can, which is exactly what Season 3 producer Fred Freiberger did. Find out more about what he and the others did to keep things running on the Starship Enterprise during the last year of it's mission!

Remembering Harve Bennett. 

Over the last 50 years, only a handful of people can be said to have run the Star Trek franchise. In the 80's, that man was Harve Bennett, who we recently lost.  In this episode of Standard Orbit, Mike and Drew are joined by "Star Trek Khan Movie Expert Guy" John Tenuto to talk about what Harve brought to the franchise. He had a hand in writing and producing Star Treks 2-5 and worked closely with each director to help tell the best story possible and get it to the screen. Find out more about all the things Harve did for the franchise during our talk with John.

Hosts

Drew Stewart and Mike Schindler

Guest

John Tenuto

Editor and Producer

Drew Stewart

Associate Producer

Richard Rutledge, Jr.

Production Manager

Richard Marquez

Content Coordinator

Will Nguyen

Chapters

Hello John (00:01:07)

Star Trek II (00:02:15)

Collaborative Spirit (00:12:49)

Star Trek III (00:19:14)

Star Trek IV (00:25:16)

Star Trek V (00:30:17)

The Academy Years (00:35:44)

Final Thoughts (00:48:36)

Where To See John (00:52:56)

Closing (00:55:34)

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/

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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

Remembering Leonard Nimoy.

Recently Star Trek experienced a great loss with the passing of Leonard Nimoy. In this episode of Standard Orbit, Mike and Drew are joined by Marc Cushman, author of the "These Are The Voyages" book series, to talk about Nimoy's legacy.

Spock was such a unique character, and he needed a unique person to bring him to life. The part was written for Nimoy, and Nimoy took possession of it as only few could. In all things he did for the franchise, Nimoy was concerned not only for how Spock would be portrayed, but if his fellow actors were being treated fairly. He was a good friend to all. How do we deal with this loss? Marc helps us through this, and so much more.

Don't miss Marc's announcement of Books 4 and 5 of the "These Are The Voyages" series, revealed for the first time on Standard Orbit!

IDW Ongoing Comic Comparison: The Truth About Tribbles.

Everyone loves tribbles. Except for Klingons, but what do they know? I guess they know that tribbles can present an ecological menace, which is what Kirk and Starfleet finds out in this arc of the JJ-verse comic! In this episode of Standard Orbit, Mike and Drew compare the original "Trouble With Tribbles" episode with the vastly different "Truth About Tribbles" comic. While we do find some plot holes in the comic, it also presents us with the largest ties into Into Darkness outside of the actual prequel! We also find the perfect director and plot for the next Star Trekmovie!

Season Three Top Five.

Season 3 of The Original Series is not anyone's favorite season. Fortunately, there's still some good in it. In this episode of ​Standard Orbit​, Mike and Drew each choose 5 favorite episodes from Season 3, surprisingly with very little crossover. There are several good concepts mediocrely executed. Does the whole season count as being "so bad it's good"? Is this where the anthology show concept loses its grip? Are there some genuinely good stories hiding in there?

We also have a quick news segment where we talk about the new writers for Star Trek 2016, Simon Pegg and Doug Jung and if we think they'll be a good fit for the franchise based on their past works.

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

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

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

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

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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

Villains In The TOS Movies: Part 2.

Love them or love to hate them, villains are an integral part of the TOS movies. In this episode of Standard Orbit, Mike and Drew talk about the villains of the last two TOS movies and the first two reboot movies. How villainous are villains you never really get to know? Is having an diverse group of villains better? Does having a weak villain make for a bad movie? Who would win in a fight between two villains? Find out what we think of these baddies in this evil episode!

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

Sybok / “God” / Klaa? (00:01:25)
Chang & The Conspirators (00:08:05)
Nero (00:15:50)
Marcus / Khan (00:22:37)
Future Villains Teaser (00:29:09)
Closing (00:29:42)

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

Villains In The TOS Movies: Part 1.

For many people, the mark of a good movie is having a good villain. The question is, are villains really necessary? In this episode of Standard Orbit, Mike and Drew talk about the "villains" of the first four TOS movies. We discuss the finer points of villainy, question the nature of villains, and ask the question, "Does doing bad things make you a bad person?" Find out what we think in this very Probe-ing episode!

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

"Boogie Night Orbit" Backdoor Pilot (00:00:50)

Quote Unquote Villain (00:05:02)

V’ger (00:06:31)

Khan (00:11:52)

Kruge (00:17:31)

The Whale Probe (00:25:03)

Closing (00:31:21)

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/

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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

Transporter Ethics.

IDW Ongoing Comic Comparison: Return of the Archons.

The Star Trek Ongoing comics went back to their usual episode retellings in the next pair of issues, but there were still plenty of changes in the alternate timeline. In this episode of Standard Orbit, Mike and Drew discuss "Return of the Archons" and how Landru has changed over the timelines. Is Landru a 6000-year-old alien computer or a 100-year-old Federation computer? Could he be both? Has Sulu secretly been a Section 31 agent the whole time? Find out what we think as we continue our comic comparisons!

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

Return of the Archons or Return to the Archons (00:02:00)

Issue 1 Breakdown (00:04:27)

Issue 2 Breakdown (0020:41)

Conclusion (00:29:47)

Closing (00:31:09)

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

Creating The Standard Orbit Canon: Season Three.

The time has come to confront the toughest choices ever made on a podcast: which episodes of The Original Series' third season are worthy of being included in our canon? In this episode of Standard Orbit, Mike and Drew put each episode of Season Three on the scales to see how many weigh enough to make the cut to create the "Standard Orbit Canon". A surprising amount of episodes 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.

After we take or leave Season Three, we talk about the recently announced director of Star Trek 13, Justin Lin. We discuss the titling of his previous movies and what we think of what we've seen of his work. Also be sure to stick around through the closing to hear perhaps the greatest Audible book in existence!

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

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

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.

Romulans in TOS.

What happens when you put Romans in space? They become Romulans! In this episode of Standard Orbit, Mike and Drew uncloak what the Romulans were up to in and before The Original Series, and how racism is apparently still a problem in the 23rd century. Plus, don't miss the listener mail during the closing, in which Kirk faces The Borg and jokes are attempted by the crew!

Star Trek Generations with Earl Grey.

The producers of the first Next Generation movie were told they needed some Original Series to help out, so the crews of Earl Grey and Standard Orbit decided they needed to do the same. In Part I, the combined crews take a look at Star Trek Generations from a TOS point of view, discussing champagne bottles, Kirk's real dreams, and why TNG didn't really need Kirk to pass the torch. Part II will be installed on Tuesday on Earl Grey!

The Unmade Starfleet Academy Movie.

Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country is a great movie, however it wasn't the only option for the 25th anniversary film. One of the options considered would have been a prequel to The Original Series that took place while the characters were together in the Academy. In this episode of Standard Orbit, Mike and Drew discuss the outline of the Starfleet Academy movie, compare it to Star Trek (2009), and wonder if it might have been better than the existing Star Trek VI.

Rewriting Season One with Marc Cushman.

The first season of The Original Series is a great piece of television history. In this episode of Standard Orbit, Mike and Drew talk with Marc Cushman, author of the new book These Are The Voyages, about which episode of Season One the producers were most proud of and a couple of episodes that fell apart in rewrites. Find out what you missed from the first drafts of some of your less favorite episodes.

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!