Abrams, Part 4: Recap.

For someone held in such high regard by the film industry, J.J. Abrams has a fairly short resume when it comes to directing. As of now, he has only directed four features, including Mission: Impossible III, Star Trek, Super 8, and Star Trek Into Darkness.

In this episode of Commentary: Trek Stars, Mike and Max recap their look at Abrams's directorial work. We also discuss his upcoming film, Star Wars: Episode VII, and answer a listener's questions about Max's opinion of Star Trek III: The Search for Spock.

Abrams, Part 3: Super 8.

In between Star Trek films, J.J. Abrams took a break from the franchise to direct his passion project, Super 8. The film, about a group of kids who accidentally film the wreck of a government train transporting an alien, is Abrams's homage to Spielberg-era sci-fi blockbusters.

In this episode of Commentary: Trek Stars, Max and Mike are joined by John Mills of Words with Nerds to look at Abrams's most personal movie to date. We discuss the motivations of alien, what's inside the mystery box, and of course, lens flares. Max also answers a listener's question about what movies he thinks are good.

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Chapters

Super 8 (3:40)

The Alien (12:11)

The Mystery Box (20:59)

Lens Flares (30:45)

Final Thoughts (40:28)

Listener Mail (50:15)

Closing (1:03:11)

Abrams, Part 2: Mission: Impossible III.

Before relaunching Star Trek, J.J. Abrams adapted another Desilu television show for the big screen with Mission: Impossible III. 

In this episode Commentary: Trek Stars, Mike and Max are joined by Tysto to look at Abrams's first feature. We discuss why Tom Cruise gave him the job, how it differs from the other Mission: Impossible films, and how it influenced his work in Trek. We also debate the merits of the script.

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Chapters

Mission: Impossible III (4:22)

The Show (10:21)

The Movies (14:13)

Similarities to Alias (23:43)

The Writing (28:07)

Final Thoughts (38:06)

Wrap-up (39:19)

Abrams, Part 1: Trek.

In 2005, after eighteen consecutive seasons of television, Star Trek was suffering from "franchise fatigue." In an effort to revitalize the property, Paramount hired A-list filmmaker J.J. Abrams to direct a reboot of The Original Series.

In this episode of Commentary: Trek Stars, Max and Mike begin a new series looking at Abrams's career as a feature film director. In Part 1, we are joined by Matthew Rushing of The Orb and Literary Treks to examine Abrams's work on Star Trek. We discuss the reasons behind hiring Abrams, our initial thoughts concerning his involvement, and what exactly his contribution to the franchise has been. We also examine the similarities between the 2009 film and The Motion Picture.

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Chapters

Intro (02:00)

Initial Thoughts (10:18)

Continuity (22:18)

The Mystery Box (33:13)

Mainstream Trek (39:52)

Final Thoughts (54:37)

Closing (1:02:57)

Wheaton, Part 4: Recap.

Since his early days on Star Trek: The Next Generation, and all the way up to the present, Wil Wheaton has always been an entertainer, but he has never settled into one specific role. Instead, he has adapted to the changing media landscape and used whatever tools were best suited for the task at hand. And whether it has been acting, writing or blogging, he has always excelled. The same is true for his career as television producer/host.

In this episode, Mike and Max recap their look at Wheaton's current television work. We discuss both Tabletop and The Wil Wheaton Project, as well as touch on some of Wheaton's other projects from throughout his career. We also debate the merits of Monopoly.