Happy Birthday, Kate Mulgrew!

Treknobabble would like to wish a very happy birthday to Kate Mulgrew, Voyager's Captain Janeway!

Spoiler alert: if I ever finish and post my favorite character essay, you'll be hearing more about her...

Happy 55th, Kate M. I'm going to assume that everyone talking about "Kate" today is talking about you!

The Next Generation, Season 3: The Price

The Next Generation, Season 3

"The Price"

Airdate: November 13, 1989

55 of 176 produced

55 of 176 released

Introduction

When the Barzan people discover a stable wormhole to the Gamma Quadrant of the galaxy, the Enterprise is sent to mediate negotiations between the Barzan and several interested parties. Things swiftly go pear-shaped, however, as the Ferengi crash the party, Counselor Troi falls for an opposing negotiator, the Federation representative falls deathly ill, and the wormhole turns out to be not quite what it seemed.

This leotard is going boldly into the cameltoe neutral zone.

The Next Generation, Season 3: The Enemy

The Next Generation, Season 3
"The Enemy"
Airdate: November 6, 1989
54 of 176 produced
54 of 176 released


Introduction

Responding to a distress call, the Enterprise finds the wreckage of a small Romulan vessel on Galordon Core, a harsh, barely class M planet on the edge of the Neutral Zone. In the wreckage they find a severely injured survivor. While surveying the wreck, LaForge accidentally falls into a chasm. The atmosphere of Galordon Core allows only brief windows for transport, so Riker and Worf are forced to return to the ship with the Romulan and leave Geordi behind, they hope temporarily. On board the Enterprise, Doctor Crusher diagnoses the Romulan as needing a transfusion that only Worf can provide. On the planet, Geordi soon discovers he is not alone; another Romulan was on board and survived. Though first attempting to take LaForge captive, the Romulan soon begins to succumb to the harmful affects of the atmosphere and is soon unable to walk. The atmosphere is playing havoc with Geordi's VISOR, blinding him. Realizing they won't survive without each other's help, they reluctantly begin work together. Complicating matters, the mother ship of the smaller craft has also heard the distress call is charging across the Neutral Zone. A misstep could trigger a war. How will the crew of the Enterprise survive this crisis?

Can't we all just... get along?

The Next Generation, Season 3: Booby Trap

The Next Generation, Season 3

"Booby Trap"

Airdate: October 30, 1989

53 of 176 produced

53 of 176 aired

Introduction

Investigating the tantalizing remains of a Promellian battle cruiser, the Enterprise trips a millennium-old booby trap. In order to extricate themselves from its diabolical grip, Geordi uses a holodeck simulation of one of the Enterprise's original designers in order to test various escape strategems. But even if he succeeds in rescuing the ship, will his heart end up just as trapped by pangs of romance?

Arr, matey. You do know what women like, don't you?

The Next Generation, Season 3: The Bonding

The Next Generation, Season 3
"The Bonding"
Airdate: October 23, 1989
52 of 176 produced
52 of 176 aired

Introduction

An away team from the Enterprise is exploring the ruins of the lost Koinonian civilaztion, a race that destroyed themselves in an ancient war. Their conflict, however, claims one more victim when a member of the away team, Lt. Marla Aster, accidentally triggers a long-buried mine. She is killed instantly. Captain Picard is now left with the sad, and all too familiar, duty of breaking the news to Lt. Aster's 12-year-old son, Jeremy. As the crew tries to deal with their loss, a mysterious entity travels from the planet to the Enterprise, and magically, Lt. Aster seems alive and well again, and wanting to take Jeremy down to the planet to live. The crew know better than to accept the illusion at face value, but young Jeremy Aster is all too willing to accept it. How can the crew keep Jeremy from leaving when all they have to offer is the harsh reality of his mother's death?

Lt. Worf and his boy ward perform R'uustai upon each other.

Then, we never see the boy ward again.

The Next Generation, Season 3: Who Watches the Watchers

The Next Generation, Season 3

"Who Watches the Watchers"

Airdate: October 16, 1989

51 of 176 produced

51 of 176 aired

Introduction

The Enterprise races to rescue a duckblind installation on Mintaka III, a hidden anthropological observation post that is about to be revealed for all to see. When they fail to prevent the revelation of their technological superiority to the Bronze-Age level Mintakans, the potential for cultural contamination is vast. But even more perilous is one Mintakan's violent response to the interlopers.

Troi negotiates with the Mintakan women for Riker's hirsute "services."

The Next Generation, Season 3: The Survivors

The Next Generation, Season 3
"The Survivors"
Airdate: October 9, 1989
50 of 176 produced
50 of 176 aired

Introduction

The Enterprise is speeding toward the Rana system in response to a distress call from a Federation colony there. They find the entire planet devastated, except for a lone house. Neither the house nor its pair of elderly occupants, a Kevin and Rishon Uxbridge, seemed harmed in the slightest way. They claim to not know who destroyed the colony and have no idea as to why they were spared when 11,000 of their fellow colonists perished. Complicating matters is their insistence that they remain, alone, on Rana and that the Enterprise leave, the reappearance of the alleged attacker, and a mysterious song playing incessantly in Counselor Troi's mind - slowly driving her insane. These things must all be related, but how?

Rishon disappears like a Douwd fart on the wind.

The Next Generation, Season 3: The Ensigns of Command

The Next Generation, Season 3

"The Ensigns of Command"

Airdate: October 2, 1989

48 of 176 produced

49 of 176 aired

Introduction

The Enterprise is summoned to the Tau Cygna system by a mysterious former foe, the Sheliak. The Sheliak wish to colonize a planet in the system, but a wayward human colony has taken root there. Now, this group of humans is threatened with destruction by the Sheliak if Data cannot convince them to evacuate, and Picard cannot convince the Sheliak to delay their arrival.

"Let 'dem bitchez wait..."

The Next Generation, Season 3: Evolution

The Next Generation, Season 3
"Evolution"
Airdate: September 25, 1989
49 of 176 produced
48 of 176 aired

Introduction

The Enterprise is in the Kavis Alpha sector, preparing to observe a massive stellar explosion in a binary star system. Their task to assist a Dr. Paul Stubbs with his experiments. Meanwhile, Wesley Crusher is as busy as ever, working on specialized nanites for his latest science project, and adjusting to having his mother back aboard the Enterprise. Wesley is fascinated by Stubb's work, but perhaps there is a cautionary tale for him in seeing Stubbs' almost manic devotion to his work. When random and potentially catastrophic malfunctions begin to plague the Enterprise, Captain Picard must deal both with his increasingly disobedient ship and the fragile ego of Dr. Stubbs. How will the Enterprise handle this latest crisis? Is Wesley's experiment somehow related to the malfunctions?

Welcome to the era in which Trek's effects no longer deserve derision!

Why Star Trek Is Better Than... Star Wars

I like Star Wars. I like Star Wars enough to have pre-ordered the 6-movie Blu-Ray edition coming near the end of this year. I think it's visually splendiferous. Every once in a while, there is a great character on display. I've watched it probably a dozen times in my life, give or take.

But folks, it's no Star Trek.

Pew-pew-pew!

Why, you ask, is Star Trek so much better than Star Wars? I'm happy you asked! [Editor's note: all reasonable people have avoided ever asking his question of a fan of either franchise. But let's play along.] And since everyone loves top ten lists, I'll answer in that tried and true format.

The Great Barrier caused some communications problems.

Due to technical problems beyond our control, we couldn't get the podcast to the server before the written review was scheduled to post. We didn't want to delay that, since we knew you'd all be waiting for it. :) So, with the connection problems at least temporarily solved, here's the completed podcast. I've updated the original post with the link, but wanted to post separately just to make sure anyone following us by RSS subscription would have their attention drawn to it. Enjoy the podcast, and see you all for the Season 3 premiere "Evolution" review and podcast in a couple of days.

Star Trek V: The Final Frontier

Star Trek V: The Final Frontier

Release Date: June 9, 1989

Directed by William Shatner

Introduction

The Enterprise, still under construction, is summoned out of spacedock to answer a hostage crisis on Nimbus III, the "planet of galactic peace." There, a wild-eyed Vulcan mystic named Sybok has kidnapped three dignitaries from the major powers of the Alpha Quadrant. Little do they know that the kidnapping is a ruse designed to attract a starship, which will be hijacked and taken on a cosmic sleigh ride to the center of the galaxy. What tricks will the crew of the Enterprise pull from their sleeves in order to stop Sybok?

The joke's on them... Uhura isn't wearing any sleeves!

TNG Season 2 Recap

Introduction

Having survived an enjoyable but inconsistent Season One, TNG rockets back onto TV with a fresh spate of shows in the 1988-1989 season. Changes for this year include the loss of Gates McFadden as Doctor Crusher, replaced with TOS veteran Diana Mulduar as Dr. Katherine Pulaski. Geordi and Worf see full-time promotions to new posts. Riker grows a beard. Also new to the cast in a special guest starring capacity is Whoopi Goldberg as the wise bartender, Guinan, stationed in the new Ten Forward set. Do these changes bode well, or ill, or not really factor in to the quality level of the show this season?

Marina Sirtis is one short woman.