Commentary: Trek Stars: The Work of Star Trek Creators Outside of Star Trek
Commentary: Trek Stars 164: JJ is My Jam

Abrams, Part 5: Star Wars: Episode VII--The Force Awakens

 

Running Time: 1 hour 27 minutes 5 seconds

 

Many have criticized J.J. Abrams for turning Star Trek into Star Wars with his 2009 film.  But what happens when Abrams make a Star Wars movie for real?

 

In this episode of Commentary: Trek Stars, John and Mike add a postscript to their series on J.J. Abrams with a look at his latest directorial effort, Star Wars: Episode VII--The Force Awakens. We discuss the movie on the whole, Abrams' direction in particular, and the work of other Trek veterans on the crew. We also give our thoughts on the first trailer for Star Trek Beyond.

 

Chapters

The Force Awakens (00:01:12)

Crying in Movies (00:19:57)

Spoilers (00:48:29)

Trek Collaborators (01:04:51)

Wrap-up (01:17:31)

 

Hosts

John Mills and Mike Schindler

 

Production

Mike Schindler (Editor and Producer) C Bryan Jones (Executive Producer) Charlynn Schmiedt (Executive Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer) Norman C. Lao (Executive Producer) Richard Marquez (Production Manager) Will Nguyen (Content Manager)

Direct download: ctrek-164.mp3
Category:J.J. Abrams -- posted at: 9:00am MDT

Commentary: Trek Stars 163: Zom Rom Com

Pegg, Part 7: Recap.

 

Running Time: 1 hour 4 minutes 52 seconds

 

Over the course of the last decade, Simon Pegg has come to prove himself not only as a fine, but also as one of the best writers in the movie business. 

 

This week on Commentary: Trek Stars, Mike and John take a look at each of the five films which Pegg has co-written, including Shaun of the DeadHot FuzzRun Fatboy RunPaul, and The World's End. We also discuss Bad Robot's restoration of Phantasm.

 

Chapters

Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, and Run Fatboy Run (00:01:10)

Paul and The World's End (00:14:10)

Conclusion (00:33:12)

Wrap-up (00:48:24)

 

Hosts

Mike Schindler and John Mills

 

Production

Mike Schindler (Editor and Producer) C Bryan Jones (Executive Producer) Charlynn Schmiedt (Executive Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer) Norman C. Lao (Executive Producer) Richard Marquez (Production Manager) Will Nguyen (Content Manager)

Direct download: ctrek-163.mp3
Category:Simon Pegg -- posted at: 9:00am MDT

Commentary: Trek Stars 162: Twitter Dark Thirty

Pegg, Part 6: The World's End

Running Time: 43 minutes 4 seconds

Six years after the release of Hot Fuzz, Simon Pegg finally reteamed with Edgar Wright on the screenplay for the final film in the Cornetto Trilogy, The World's End.

In this episode of Commentary: Trek Stars, John and Mike take a look at the film, which is last script to be penned by Pegg prior to the release of Star Trek Beyond. We discuss how Pegg has grown as both a writer and an actor, how this film fits in with the other two films in the Cornetto Trilogy, and how the Cubs haven't won a World Series in 107 years.

Chapters
The World's End (00:00:48)
The Coda (00:14:54)
Wrap-up (00:30:47)

Hosts
John Mills and Mike Schindler

Production
Mike Schindler (Editor and Producer) C Bryan Jones (Executive Producer) Charlynn Schmiedt (Executive Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer) Norman C. Lao (Executive Producer) Richard Marquez (Production Manager) Will Nguyen (Content Manager)

Direct download: ctrek-162.mp3
Category:Simon Pegg -- posted at: 9:00am MDT

Commentary: Trek Stars 161: Alums Are My Aspect Ratios

Pegg, Part 5: Paul.

Running Time: 47 minutes 13 seconds

In 2011, Simon Pegg teamed with his on-screen partner, Nick Frost, to write his fourth screenplay, Paul. The film, directed by Greg Mottola, stars Pegg and Frost as two British sci-fi geeks who take a road trip across America to visit UFO hotspots. Along the way, they meet Paul, an alien played by Seth Rogen, who is on the run from government agents.

In this episode of Commentary: Trek Stars, Mike and John take a look Paul. We discuss why the humor did or did not work for us, whether or not the character of Paul is likable, and how well Pegg fares without Edgar Wright.

Chapters
Paul (00:00:44)
Worlds Collide (00:14:52)
Wrap-up (00:35:26)

Hosts
Mike Schindler and John Mills

Production
Mike Schindler (Editor and Producer) C Bryan Jones (Executive Producer) Charlynn Schmiedt (Executive Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer) Norman C. Lao (Executive Producer) Richard Marquez (Production Manager) Will Nguyen (Content Manager)

Editor and Producer
Mike Schindler

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

Direct download: ctrek-161.mp3
Category:Simon Pegg -- posted at: 9:00am MDT

Commentary: Trek Stars 160: Only Half a Pegg

Pegg, Part 4: Run Fatboy Run.

Running Time: 56 minutes 33 seconds

After the success of Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, Simon Pegg became a sought-after commodity for both his acting and writing. David Schwimmer's Run Fatboy Run featured both of those talents.

In this episode of Commentary: Trek Stars, John and Mike take a look at Pegg's third screenplay, which was co-written with Michael Ian Black. We discuss how accurately the film portrays a marathon, the changes that Pegg made to Black's original script, and why it's ultimately not very good.

Chapters
Run Fatboy Run (00:00:43)
John's Marathon (00:19:19)
Wrap-up (00:41:38)

Hosts
John Mills and Mike Schindler

Production
Mike Schindler (Editor and Producer) C Bryan Jones (Executive Producer) Charlynn Schmiedt (Executive Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer) Norman C. Lao (Executive Producer) Richard Marquez (Production Manager) Will Nguyen (Content Manager)

Direct download: ctrek-160.mp3
Category:Simon Pegg -- posted at: 9:00am MDT

Commentary: Trek Stars 159: Scraping at the Door

Pegg, Part 3: Hot Fuzz.

 

Running Time: 39 minutes 56 seconds

 

In 2007, Simon Pegg re-teamed with Edgar Wright to create the second film in the Cornetto Trilogy, Hot Fuzz. Much like its predecessor, Shaun of the Dead, is to Zombie movies, Hot Fuzz is an homage to Cop movies, in all their forms. 

 

In this episode of Commentary: Trek Stars, Mike and John look at Pegg's second screenplay, which he co-wrote with Wright. We discuss how the film compares to Shaun of the Dead, how it utilizes sub genres, and how it was promoted with Hot Fuzztivals. We also debate the merits of Nicolas Cage movies.

 

Chapters

Hot Fuzz (00:00:45)

Sub Genres (00:19:03)

Wrap-up (00:30:44)

 

Hosts

Mike Schindler and John Mills

 

Production

Mike Schindler (Editor and Producer) C Bryan Jones (Executive Producer) Charlynn Schmiedt (Executive Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer) Norman C. Lao (Executive Producer) Richard Marquez (Production Manager) Will Nguyen (Content Manager)

Direct download: ctrek-159.mp3
Category:Simon Pegg -- posted at: 9:00am MDT

Commentary: Trek Stars 158: Hey, Siri!

Pegg, Part 2: Shaun of the Dead.

Running Time: 52 minutes 25 seconds

In 2004, the movie world was formally introduced to Simon Pegg. Not only did star as the title character in Edgar Wright's beloved film, Shaun of the Dead, he also co-wrote the screenplay.

In this episode of Commentary: Trek Stars, John and Mike examine the first picture in the Cornetto Trilogy, and Pegg's career. We remember our first impressions of Pegg, discuss what we think about the film today, and try to determine why Pegg has become a geek icon.

Chapters
Shaun of the Dead (00:00:48)
Impressions Today (00:23:06)
Wrap-up (00:38:31)

Hosts
John Mills and Mike Schindler

Production
Mike Schindler (Editor and Producer) C Bryan Jones (Executive Producer) Charlynn Schmiedt (Executive Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer) Norman C. Lao (Executive Producer) Richard Marquez (Production Manager) Will Nguyen (Content Manager)

Direct download: ctrek-158.mp3
Category:Simon Pegg -- posted at: 9:00am MDT

Commentary: Trek Stars 157: Mola Ram's Flaming Heart

Pegg, Part 1: Trek.

 

Over the past few days, many of us here at Trek.fm have been discussing the news of a new Star Trek TV series, coming in January of 2017. But who is it that's making this show?

 

In the final season premiere of Commentary: Trek Stars, Mike and John  discuss the series, specifically looking at executive producer Alex Kurtzman and his career in television and film. We discuss his previous work, what his role on the show may be, and speculate on who may write the series.

 

In this episode, we also begin a new series on Simon Pegg in which we look at his work as a writer. In Part 1, we discuss his portrayal of Scotty in the JJverse films.

 

We also remember TOS visual effects artist, Howard A. Anderson, Jr.

 

Running Time: 1 hour 3 minutes 38 seconds

 

Hosts

Mike Schindler and John Mills

 

Editor and Producer

Mike Schindler

 

Executive Producers

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

 

Associate Producer

Become one! Support Trek.fm and Commentary: Trek Stars at the $25/month level or plus! Visit http://patreon.com/trekfm http://patreon.com/trekfm

 

Production Manager

Richard Marquez

 

Content Manager

Will Nguyen

 

Chapters

Howard A. Anderson, Jr. (00:01:04)

New Trek Series (00:08:04)

Our Thoughts (00:25:47)

Simon Pegg (00:43:42)

Wrap-up (00:56:49)

 

Send us your feedback!

Twitter: @trekfm 

Facebook: http://facebook.com/trekfm 

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

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

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

 

Support the Network!

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

Direct download: ctrek-157.mp3
Category:Simon Pegg -- posted at: 10:00am MDT

Commentary: Trek Stars 156: Riker's Brain

Eric A. Stillwell.

Every fan has dreamed of working on Star Trek. Few have made that a reality. Eric A. Stillwell is one of those few.

In the sixth season finale of Commentary: Trek Stars, John and Mike are joined by Eric to look at his career working in Star Trek. We discuss how he got a job as a production assistant on The Next Generation, the work he did as a script coordinator on the series, and how that led him co-writing one the best episodes of the franchise, Yesterday's Enterprise.

In this episode, We are also joined by Voyager writer/producer James Kahn, who gives us glimpse at his new movie, Wrongside Bob.

Running Time: 1 hour 38 minutes 23 seconds

Hosts
John Mills and Mike Schindler

Guests
Eric A. Stillwell
James Kahn

Editor and Producer
Mike Schindler

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

Associate Producer
Become one! Support Trek.fm and Commentary: Trek Stars at the $25/month level or plus! Visit http://patreon.com/trekfm http://patreon.com/trekfm

Production Manager
Richard Marquez

Content Manager
Will Nguyen

Chapters
Eric Stillwell (00:01:36)
The Writing Process (00:17:07)
Yesterday's Enterprise (00:42:57)
Prime Factors (00:59:03)
James Kahn & Wrongside Bob (01:13:32)
Wrap-up (01:25:51)

Send us your feedback!
Twitter: @trekfm
Facebook: http://facebook.com/trekfm
Voicemail: http://www.speakpipe.com/trekfm
Contact Form: http://www.trek.fm/contact
Subscribe in iTunes: http://itunes.com/trekfm

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

Direct download: ctrek-156.mp3
Category:Eric A. Stillwell -- posted at: 9:00am MDT

Commentary: Trek Stars 155: Second-Run D-Box

Bloch & Stefano, Part 4: Psycho Comparison.

You never know what might happen while recording a podcast. Your cat might run by and rip setup and rip your external hard drive out of your laptop. You might crack a tooth on a Nutri-Grain Bar. Or you might have to drive across town to purchase Star Wars tickets. If you're lucky, you will capture the unexpected on mic.

Such is the case on this episode of Commentary: Trek Stars. Mike and John try to recap their look at Psycho by comparing Robert Bloch's novel to Joseph Stefano's screenplay. But in the process, tickets for Star Wars: Episode VII--The Force Awakens went on sale. This podcast is the result.

Running Time: 59 minutes 19 seconds

Hosts
Mike Schindler and John Mills

Editor and Producer
Mike Schindler

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

Associate Producer
Become one! Support Trek.fm and Commentary: Trek Stars at the $25/month level or plus! Visit http://patreon.com/trekfm http://patreon.com/trekfm

Production Manager
Richard Marquez

Content Manager
Will Nguyen

Chapters
Psycho (00:01:15)
Star Wars (00:07:02)
The Trailer (00:34:45)
Psycho Again (00:43:22)
Wrap-up (00:50:29)

Send us your feedback!
Twitter: @trekfm
Facebook: http://facebook.com/trekfm
Voicemail: http://www.speakpipe.com/trekfm
Contact Form: http://www.trek.fm/contact
Subscribe in iTunes: http://itunes.com/trekfm

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

Direct download: ctrek-155.mp3
Category:Psycho -- posted at: 8:00am MDT

Commentary: Trek Stars 154: Gearshifting

Bloch & Stefano, Part 2: Psycho (Film).

One year after the release of Robert Bloch's novel, Alfred Hitchcock adapted Psycho for the big screen. To complete this task, he enlisted the help of Joseph Stefano to write the screenplay. The result is one of the best movies ever made.

In this episode Commentaty: Trek Stars, John and Mike take a look at Stefano's movie. we discuss the impact the film had on the culture, the similarities between the movie and Stefano's Star Trek work, and the validity of Gus van Sant's remake.

Running Time: 1 hour 7 minutes 19 seconds

Hosts
John Mills and Mike Schindler

Editor and Producer
Mike Schindler

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

Associate Producer
Become one! Support Trek.fm and Commentary: Trek Stars at the $25/month level or plus! Visit http://patreon.com/trekfm http://patreon.com/trekfm

Production Manager
Richard Marquez

Content Manager
Will Nguyen

Chapters
The Movie (00:02:07)
Gearshifting (00:18:42)
Star Trek Comparison (00:38:30)
The Gus Van Sant Film (00:45:10)
Wrap-up (00:57:49)

Send us your feedback!
Twitter: @trekfm
Facebook: http://facebook.com/trekfm
Voicemail: http://www.speakpipe.com/trekfm
Contact Form: http://www.trek.fm/contact
Subscribe in iTunes: http://itunes.com/trekfm

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

Direct download: ctrek-154.mp3
Category:Psycho -- posted at: 8:00am MDT

Commentary: Trek Stars 153: SPOILER

Bloch & Stefano, Part 2: Psycho (Novel).

Everyone thinks of Psycho as a film by Alfred Hitchcock. But in fact, the story originated as a novel by future Star Trek writer, Robert Bloch. The book tells the story of a man who runs a secluded motel, and his relationship with his very controlling, and sometimes murderous, mother.

In this episode of Commentary: Trek Stars, Mike is joined by Grace Moore from Women at Warp to look at Bloch's novel. We discuss point of view, character motivations, and connections between the novel and Bloch's Trek work. We also take a look at James Kahn's upcoming feature film, Wrongside Bob.

Running Time: 49 minutes 19 seconds

Hosts
Mike Schindler

Guest
Grace Moore

Editor and Producer
Mike Schindler

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

Associate Producer
Become one! Support Trek.fm and Commentary: Trek Stars at the $25/month level or plus! Visit http://patreon.com/trekfm http://patreon.com/trekfm

Production Manager
Richard Marquez

Content Manager
Will Nguyen

Chapters
The Novel (00:02:40)
Comparisons to Trek (00:22:15)
Wrap-up (00:35:37)

Send us your feedback!
Twitter: @trekfm
Facebook: http://facebook.com/trekfm
Voicemail: http://www.speakpipe.com/trekfm
Contact Form: http://www.trek.fm/contact
Subscribe in iTunes: http://itunes.com/trekfm

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

Direct download: ctrek-153.mp3
Category:Psycho -- posted at: 9:00am MDT

Commentary: Trek Stars 152: Piglet the Ripper

Bloch & Stefano, Part 1: Trek.

In 1959, Robert Bloch wrote his most famous novel, Psycho. One year later, Joseph Stefano adapted that novel into a screenplay for Alfred Hitchcock. The rest is history. Years later, both Bloch and Stefano would go on to write for Star Trek.

In this episode of Commentary: Trek Stars, Mike and John are joined by Grace Moore from Women at Warp to begin a new series looking at both Bloch and Stefano, and their work on Psycho. In Part 1, we examine their contributions to Trek, including Bloch's original series episodes, What Are Little Girls Made Of?, Catspaw, and Wolf in the Fold, and Stefano's Next Generation episode, Skin of Evil.

Running Time: 1 hour 5 minutes 31 seconds

Hosts
Mike Schindler and John Mills

Guest
Grace Moore

Editor and Producer
Mike Schindler

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

Associate Producer
Become one! Support Trek.fm and Commentary: Trek Stars at the $25/month level or plus! Visit http://patreon.com/trekfm http://patreon.com/trekfm

Production Manager
Richard Marquez

Content Manager
Will Nguyen

Chapters
Bloch & Stefano (00:02:08)
What Are Little Girls Made Of? (00:08:22)
Catspaw (00:16:03)
Wolf in the Fold (00:23:58)
Skin of Evil (00:34:12)
Final Thoughts (00:43:06)
Wrap-up (00:46:44)

Send us your feedback!
Twitter: @trekfm
Facebook: http://facebook.com/trekfm
Voicemail: http://www.speakpipe.com/trekfm
Contact Form: http://www.trek.fm/contact
Subscribe in iTunes: http://itunes.com/trekfm

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

Direct download: ctrek-152.mp3
Category:Psycho -- posted at: 9:00am MDT

Commentary: Trek Stars 151: Love is Made of Wildfire

Piller, Part 5: Recap.

Michael Piller was a master of many things. But one particular area in which he excelled was as a writer of pilots. 

In this episode of Commentary: Trek Stars, John and Mike recap their look at Michael Piller's pilots. We discuss the first episodes of all five of his creations, including Star Trek: Deep Space NineStar Trek: VoyagerLegendThe Dead Zone, and  Wildfire. We also discuss the merits of young adult fiction.

Running Time: 47 minutes 20 seconds

Hosts

John Mills and Mike Schindler

Editor and Producer

Mike Schindler

Executive Producers

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

Associate Producer

Become one! Support Trek.fm and Commentary: Trek Stars at the $25/month level or plus! Visit http://patreon.com/trekfm http://patreon.com/trekf 

Production Manager

Richard Marquez

Content Manager

Will Nguyen

Chapters

Star Trek Pilots (00:00:49)

Non-Trek Pilots (00:11:09)

Final Thoughts (00:32:45)

Wrap-up (00:35:58)

Send us your feedback!

Twitter: @trekfm 

Facebook: http://facebook.com/trekfm 

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

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

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

Support the Network!

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

Direct download: ctrek-151.mp3
Category:Michael Piller -- posted at: 11:28pm MDT

Commentary: Trek Stars 150: Squirrel!

Piller, Part 4: Wildfire.

 

Michael Piller may be known best for his science fiction work, but that by no means  was the extent of his talent. His final television series, Wildfire, is about an eighteen year-old girl who is released from juvenile detention to work on a horse ranch.

In this episode of Commentary: Trek Stars, Mike and John are joined once again by Star Trek writer and Wildfire associate producer Eric A. Stillwell to discuss Piller's work on the show. Eric tells us how the show came about, Piller's dedication to research, the challenges of shooting outside of California, and the impressive cast, which includes Nana Visitor. Eric also shares some more details of Michael Piller projects that went un-produced.

 

Running Time: 1 hour 1 minute 2 seconds

 

Hosts

Mike Schindler and John Mills

 

Guest

Eric A. Stillwelll

 

Editor and Producer

Mike Schindler

 

Executive Producers

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

 

Associate Producer

Become one! Support Trek.fm and Commentary: Trek Stars at the $25/month level or plus! Visit http://patreon.com/trekfm http://patreon.com/trekfm

 

Production Manager

Richard Marquez

 

Content Manager

Will Nguyen

 

Chapters

Research (00:01:48)

The Premise (00:15:45)

Collaborators (00:31:36)

Final Thoughts (00:39:33)

Wrap-up (00:49:22)

 

Send us your feedback!

Twitter: @trekfm 

Facebook: http://facebook.com/trekfm 

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

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

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

 

Support the Network!

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

Direct download: ctrek-150.mp3
Category:Michael Piller -- posted at: 10:45am MDT

Commentary: Trek Stars 149: Johnny's Quest

Piller, Part 3: The Dead Zone.

 

In 2002, Michael Piller created his fourth television series, The Dead Zone. The show, which starred Anthony Michael Hall and Nicole de Boer, was adapted from Stephen King's novel about a man who develops the ability to see events in the future.

In this episode of Commentary: Trek Stars, John and Mike are joined by The Dead Zone associate producer and Star Trek writer Eric A. Stillwell to look at Piller's work on the series. We discuss other projects that he was developing, his writing process, and the impact the he had on other writers.

 

Running Time:  1 hour 7 minutes 57 seconds

 

Hosts

John Mills and Mike Schindler

 

Guests

Eric A. Stillwell

 

Editor and Producer

Mike Schindler

 

Executive Producers

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

 

Associate Producer

Become one! Support Trek.fm and Commentary: Trek Stars at the $25/month level or plus! Visit http://patreon.com/trekfm http://patreon.com/trekfm

 

Production Manager

Richard Marquez

 

Content Manager

Will Nguyen

 

Chapters

Other Projects (00:03:00)

The Dead Zone (00:10:20)

Promoting the Show (00:28:25)

Final Thoughts (00:43:43)

Wrap-up (00:48:22)

 

Send us your feedback!

Twitter: @trekfm 

Facebook: http://facebook.com/trekfm 

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

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

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

 

Support the Network!

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

 

Direct download: ctrek-149.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:11am MDT

Commentary: Trek Stars 148: It's a Real Thing!

Piller, Part 2: Legend.

A mere three months after creating the show which launched the network, UPN debuted Michael Piller's third television show, Legend. The series featured Richard Dean Anderson as a writer in the Old West whose fictional hero comes to life with the help of an inventor played by John de Lancie.

In this episode of Commentary: Trek Stars, Mike and John take a look at Piller's first non-Trek show. We discuss the fun tone, de Lancie's under-utilized talent, and the fact that this show actually existed, despite what Max says.

 

Running Time: 46 minutes 23 seconds

 

Hosts

Mike Schindler and John Mills

 

Editor and Producer

Mike Schindler

 

Executive Producers

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

 

Associate Producer

Become one! Support Trek.fm and Commentary: Trek Stars at the $25/month level or plus! Visit http://patreon.com/trekfm http://patreon.com/trekfm

 

Production Manager

Richard Marquez

 

Content Manager

Will Nguyen

 

Chapters

Legend (00:00:50)

Piller's Pilots (00:11:34)

Westerns (00:30:26)

Wrap-up (00:36:10)

 

Send us your feedback!

Twitter: @trekfm 

Facebook: http://facebook.com/trekfm 

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

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

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

 

Support the Network!

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

Direct download: ctrek-148.mp3
Category:Michael Piller -- posted at: 3:09am MDT

Commentary: Trek Stars 147: Michael and Baseball

Piller, Part 1: Trek

 

Few people have had  a greater impact on the history of Star Trek than Michael Piller. In addition to turning The Next Generation around in Season 3, Piller also created both Deep Space Nine and Voyager.

In this episode of Commentary: Trek Stars, John and Mike are joined by Larry Nemecek, author of The Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion, to begin a new series on Michael Piller which will look at each of his television pilots. In Part 1, we cover Piller's work in Trek. We discuss how he impacted Season 3 of The Next Generation, what he brought to the creation of Deep Space Nine and Voyager, and challenges he faced writing the third TNG movie, Insurrection. We also give our thoughts on the new Starfleet uniforms debuting in Star Trek Beyond.

 

Running Time: 1 hour 15 minutes 38 seconds

 

Hosts

John Mills and Mike Schindler

 

Guest

Larry Nemecek

 

Editor and Producer

Mike Schindler

 

Executive Producers

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

 

Associate Producer

Become one! Support Trek.fm and Commentary: Trek Stars at the $25/month level or plus! Visit http://patreon.com/trekfm

 

Production Manager

Richard Marquez

 

Content Manager

Will Nguyen

 

Chapters

The Next Generation (00:02:37)

DS9 and Voyager (00:23:55)

Insurrection (00:39:15)

Wrap-up (00:51:02)

 

Send us your feedback!

Twitter: @trekfm 

Facebook: http://facebook.com/trekfm 

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

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

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

 

Support the Network!

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

Direct download: ctrek-147.mp3
Category:Michael Piller -- posted at: 5:00am MDT

Commentary: Trek Stars 146: Hijinks Ensue

Goldsmith, Part 2: The Omen.

 

In 1978, Jerry Goldsmith won the only Oscar of his career for composing the score to Richard Donner's The Omen. The film stars Gregory Peck as a man whose secretly adopted son is the child of Satan. Spoilers: They all live happily ever after.

In this episode of Commentary: Trek Stars, Mike is joined by Marcelo from The Talk Film Society Podcast to look at The Omen. We discuss the film in general and Goldsmith's score in particular. We also touch on our favorite Goldsmith scores from throughout his career.

 

Running Time: 54 minutes 58 seconds

 

Host

Mike Schindler

 

Guest

Marcelo Pico

 

Editor and Producer

Mike Schindler

 

Executive Producers

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

 

Associate Producer

Become one! Support Trek.fm and Commentary: Trek Stars at the $25/month level or plus! Visit http://patreon.com/trekfm http://patreon.com/trekfm

 

Production Manager

Richard Marquez

 

Content Manager

Will Nguyen

 

Chapters

The Omen (00:03:45)

The Score (00:15:15)

Goldsmith's Career (00:23:07)

Wrap-up (00:41:09)

 

Send us your feedback!

Twitter: @trekfm 

Facebook: http://facebook.com/trekfm 

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

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

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

 

Support the Network!

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

Direct download: ctrek-146.mp3
Category:Jerry Goldsmith -- posted at: 12:49am MDT

Commentary: Trek Stars 145: The Voice of Star Trek

Goldsmith, Part 1: Trek.

 

When Star Trek made the jump to the big screen in 1979, it was important to the filmmakers that Star Trek: The Motion Picture was not just a big episode of the television show. It had to be a MOVIE. In order to reinforce this concept, Oscar winner Jerry Goldsmith was hired to compose the film's music.

In this episode of Commentary: Trek Stars, John and Mike are joined by John Tenuto to look at Jerry Goldsmith's work on Star Trek. We discuss his score for The Motion Picture, his return to the franchise with The Final Frontier, his theme for Voyager, and his work on the Next Generation movies. We also talk a little bit about Generations. Because why wouldn't we?

 

Running Time: 1 hour 16 minutes 34 seconds

 

Hosts

John Mills and Mike Schindler

 

Guest

John Tenuto

 

Editor and Producer

Mike Schindler

 

Executive Producers

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

 

Associate Producer

Become one! Support Trek.fm and Commentary: Trek Stars at the $25/month level or plus! Visit http://patreon.com/trekfm http://patreon.com/trekfm

 

Production Manager

Richard Marquez

 

Content Manager

Will Nguyen

 

Chapters

The Motion Picture (00:01:53)

The Final Frontier (00:23:35)

Voyager (00:37:43)

The Next Generation Films (00:42:45)

Wrap-up (01:02:39)

 

Send us your feedback!

Twitter: @trekfm 

Facebook: http://facebook.com/trekfm 

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

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

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

 

Support the Network!

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

Direct download: ctrek-145.mp3
Category:Jerry Goldsmith -- posted at: 6:17am MDT

Commentary: Trek Stars 144: Makin' Some Titanic

Horner, Part 2: Titanic.

 

In 1997, James Cameron's Titanic was the king of the world. It shattered box office records and won eleven Oscars, including Best Picture. Two of those Oscars went to James Horner for his work on both the score and the song "My Heart Will Go On".

In this episode of Commentary: Trek Stars, Mike and John take a look at what is arguably the crowning achievement of Horner's career. We discuss our thoughts on Titanic on the whole, the score in particular, and, of course, that song. We also look at other highlights of Horner's career, including Aliens, Apollo 13, Braveheart, Willow, and his final film, Southpaw.

 

Running Time: 1 hour 1 minute 33 seconds 

 

Hosts

Mike Schindler and John Mills

 

Editor and Producer

Mike Schindler

 

Executive Producers

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

 

Associate Producer

Become one! Support Trek.fm and Commentary: Trek Stars at the $25/month level or plus! Visit http://patreon.com/trekfm http://patreon.com/trekfm

 

Production Manager

Richard Marquez

 

Content Manager

Will Nguyen

 

Chapters

Titanic (00:01:17)

The Music (00:20:10)

Other Work (00:33:41)

Wrap-up (00:52:47)

 

Send us your feedback!

Twitter: @trekfm 

Facebook: http://facebook.com/trekfm 

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

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

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

 

Support the Network!

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

Direct download: ctrek-144.mp3
Category:James Horner -- posted at: 6:07am MDT

Commentary: Trek Stars 143: Narrated by Roscoe Lee Browne

Horner, Part 1: Trek.

 

In an attempt to differentiate from Star Trek: The Motion Picture, and perhaps save a little money at the same time, the producers of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan hired a new composer. James Horner was a young talent just starting to make his name in the business. No one knew that he would go on to win two Oscars, leaving  his sonic stamp on the musical landscape.

In this episode of Commentary: Trek Stars, John and Mike are joined by John Tenuto to discuss Horner's work in Star Trek. We look at what led him to The Wrath of Khan, why he stayed for The Search for Spock, and why he did not return for future installments. We also review the new Star Wars novel, Dark Disciple. Because why not?

 

Running Time: 1 hour 15 minutes 15 seconds

 

Hosts

John Mills and Mike Schindler

 

Guests

John Tenuto

 

Editor and Producer

Mike Schindler

 

Executive Producers

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

 

Associate Producer

Become one! Support Trek.fm and Commentary: Trek Stars at the $25/month level or plus! Visit http://patreon.com/trekfm http://patreon.com/trekfm

 

Production Manager

Richard Marquez

 

Content Manager

Will Nguyen

 

Chapters

James Horner (00:03:20)

Thoughts on The Wrath of Khan (00:17:55)

The Search for Spock (00:31:20)

Final Thoughts (00:46:33)

Wrap-up (00:52:42)

 

Send us your feedback!

Twitter: @trekfm 

Facebook: http://facebook.com/trekfm 

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

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

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

 

Support the Network!

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

Direct download: ctrek-143.mp3
Category:James Horner -- posted at: 12:30pm MDT

Commentary: Trek Stars 142: Riker in a Dress

Hurley, Part 4: Recap.

 

Very few people have had a chance to talk to Maurice Hurley about his time on Star Trek: The Next Generation. One of them is Ben Robinson, the project manager for Star Trek: The Official Starships Collection.

In this episode of Commentary: Trek Stars, Mike and John are joined by Ben to take a closer look at Hurley's work on Star Trek. We discuss How Hurley became the showrunner during Season One, what fell apart in Season Two, and his plans for the Borg were. We also recap our look at Hurley's last two movies, The Proposal and Groom Lake 

 

Running Time: 1 hour 20 minutes 30 seconds

 

Hosts

Mike Schindler and John Mills

 

Guest

Ben Robinson

 

Editor and Producer

Mike Schindler

 

Executive Producers

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

 

Associate Producer

Become one! Support Trek.fm and Commentary: Trek Stars at the $25/month level or plus! Visit http://patreon.com/trekfm http://patreon.com/trekfm

 

Production Manager

Richard Marquez

 

Content Manager

Will Nguyen

 

Chapters

Recap  (00:01:17)

Ben Robinson (00:07:15)

Season One (00:23:53)

Season Two (00:35:23)

The Borg (00:43:35)

Final Thoughts (00:58:56)

Wrap-Up (01:08:20)

 

Send us your feedback!

Twitter: @trekfm 

Facebook: http://facebook.com/trekfm 

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

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

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

 

Support the Network!

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

Direct download: ctrek-142.mp3
Category:Maurice Hurley -- posted at: 2:05am MDT

Commentary: Trek Stars 141: Yeah, That's a Word

Hurley, Part 3: Groom Lake.

 

In 2002, Maurice Hurley teamed with director William Shatner to write the alien encounter movie, Groom Lake. The picture is about a dying woman, played by Amy Acker, who travels to an area famous for UFO sightings in an attempt to assure herself that there is more to the universe than life on Earth.

In this episode of Commentary: Trek Stars, John and Mike discuss Hurley's final movie. We also touch on his television career, including Miami Vice. And in news, we take a look at the production team assembled by Justin Lin to make Star Trek Beyond.

 

Running Time: 1 hour 6 minutes 6 seconds

 

Hosts

John Mills and Mike Schindler

 

Editor and Producer

Mike Schindler

 

Executive Producers

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

 

Associate Producer

Become one! Support Trek.fm and Commentary: Trek Stars at the $25/month level or plus! Visit http://patreon.com/trekfm http://patreon.com/trekfm

 

Production Manager

Richard Marquez

 

Content Manager

Will Nguyen

 

Chapters

Groom Lake (00:08:42)

Miami Vice (00:25:45)

Star Trek Beyond Production Team (00:49:00)

Wrap-up (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 

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

 

Support the Network!

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

Direct download: ctrek-141.mp3
Category:Maurice Hurley -- posted at: 1:38am MDT

Commentary: Trek Stars 140: Turns, Not Twists

Hurley, Part 2: The Proposal.

 

In this episode of Commentary: Trek Stars, Mike and John look at our first Maurice Hurley film, The Proposal. Directed by Richard Gale, the film stars Nick Moran and Jennifer Esposito as two cops who must pose undercover as husband and wife. We discuss the budgetary restrictions, the quality of the other filmmaking elements, and how the script is representative of Hurley's other work. We also chat about the release of William Shatner's new documentary, Chaos on the Bridge, and the casting of Idris Elba in Star Trek Beyond.

 

Running Time: 56 minutes 40 seconds

 

Hosts

Mike Schindler and John Mills

 

Editor and Producer

Mike Schindler

 

Executive Producers

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

 

Associate Producer

Become one! Support Trek.fm and Commentary: Trek Stars at the $25/month level or plus! Visit http://patreon.com/trekfm

 

Production Manager

Richard Marquez

 

Content Manager

Will Nguyen

 

Chapters

Chaos on the Bridge (00:01:06)

Voicemail (00:14:38)

The Proposal (00:20:07)

Star Trek Beyond (00:40:00)

Wrap-up (00:46:55)

 

Send us your feedback!

Twitter: @trekfm 

Facebook: http://facebook.com/trekfm 

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

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

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

 

Support the Network!

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

Direct download: ctrek-140.mp3
Category:Maurice Hurley -- posted at: 1:11am MDT

Commentary: Trek Stars 139: Life with Maury

Hurley, Part 1: Trek.

 

Of all the contributors to Star Trek: The Next Generation's creation, none are as overlooked as Maurice Hurley. The writer and co-executive producer served and showrunner for the first two seasons of the series, helping to shape it into the show we know and love. And along the way, he also created the Borg.

In this episode of Commentary: Trek Stars, John and Mike begin a new series looking at Hurley's work as a screenwriter. For the first part of the series, they are joined by the author of The Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion, Larry Nemecek, to break down Hurley's work on Star Trek. We discuss the behind-the-scenes climate of Season One, Hurley's contributions to the mythology, and his unused treatment for the film that would become Star Trek Generations. We also wonder when William Shatner's documentary, Chaos on the Bridge, will finally be released (spoilers, it came out this week).

 

Running Time: 1 hour 15 minutes 13 seconds

 

Hosts

John Mills and Mike Schindler

 

Guest

Larry Nemecek

 

Editor and Producer

Mike Schindler

 

Executive Producers

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

 

Associate Producer

Become one! Support Trek.fm and Commentary: Trek Stars at the $25/month level or plus! Visit http://patreon.com/trekfm http://patreon.com/trekfm

 

Production Manager

Richard Marquez

 

Content Manager

Will Nguyen

 

Chapters

Maurice Hurley (00:01:56)

Season Two (00:12:25)

The Borg (00:32:19)

Hurley's Departure (00:41:52)

Star Trek VII Treatment (00:48:42)

Wrap-up (01:02:32)

 

Send us your feedback!

Twitter: @trekfm 

Facebook: http://facebook.com/trekfm 

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

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

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

 

Support the Network!

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

Direct download: ctrek-139.mp3
Category:Maurice Hurley -- posted at: 12:45am MDT

Commentary: Trek Stars 138: Tomorrowland Into Darkness

Lindelof, Part 7: Tomorrowland.

 

Some movies are based on books. Others, on comics. One or two (or twelve) draw their inspiration from television shows. And every so often, there's a movie adaption of a theme park.

In this episode of Commentary: Trek Stars, Mike and John are joined by Darren of Earl Grey to discuss Tomorrowland, the new film co-written by Damon Lindelof. We discuss the movie on the whole, the writing in particular, and how the movie fits into Lindelof filmography. We also remember James Horner.

 

Running Time: 1 hour 2 minutes 48 seconds

 

Hosts

Mike Schindler and John Mills

 

Guest

Darren Moser

 

Editor and Producer

Mike Schindler

 

Executive Producers

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

 

Associate Producer

Become one! Support Trek.fm and Commentary: Trek Stars at the $25/month level or plus! Visit http://patreon.com/trekfm

 

Production Manager

Richard Marquez

 

Content Manager

Will Nguyen

 

Chapters

Tomorrowland (00:06:43)

The Writing (00:20:43)

Lindelof's Filmography (00:34:01)

James Horner (00:48:30)

Wrap-up (00:53:57)

 

Send us your feedback!

Twitter: @trekfm 

Facebook: http://facebook.com/trekfm 

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

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

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

 

Support the Network!

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

Direct download: ctrek-138.mp3
Category:Damon Lindelof -- posted at: 1:03am MDT

Commentary: Trek Stars 137: Wells, Not Ellison

Bennett, Part 6: Recap.

 

Harve Bennett's career as a television series creator spanned 30 years, from 1968 to 1998. In this episode of Commentary: Trek Stars, John and Mike recap our look at five of Bennett's shows, including The Mod Squad, The Invisible Man, Time Trax, and Invasion America. We also discuss a George Takei movie we never knew existed.

 

Running Time: 53 minutes 37 seconds

 

Hosts

John Mills and Mike Schindler

 

Editor and Producer

Mike Schindler

 

Executive Producers

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

 

Associate Producer

Become one! Support Trek.fm and Commentary: Trek Stars at the $25/month level or plus! Visit http://patreon.com/trekfm

 

Production Manager

Richard Marquez

 

Content Manager

Will Nguyen

 

Chapters

The Mod Squad (00:01:30)

The Invisible Man (00:07:02)

Time Trax (00:15:11)

Invasion America (00:27:57)

The Young Divorcees (00:34:03)

 

Send us your feedback!

Twitter: @trekfm 

Facebook: http://facebook.com/trekfm 

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

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

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

 

Sponsor

 

Audible is the premiere source for audiobooks with more than 150,000 titles to choose from, and new titles coming every week. From classics to current bestsellers, and even some of the most famous Star Trek books like Prime Directive, Federation, and Spock’s World, Audible has something for everyone.

As a Trek.fm listener you can get a free audiobook of your choice along with a 30-day trial to see just how great Audible is. So give it a try today, catch up on all those classic Star Trek books you’ve yet to read or that latest novel from you favorite author and support the network and our programming at the same time!

Direct download: ctrek-137.mp3
Category:Harve Bennett -- posted at: 9:06pm MDT

Commentary: Trek Stars 136: The Stick and the 'Stache

Bennett, Part 5: Invasion America.

 

Thirty years after the premiere of his first television series, Harve Bennett's last television series was released. Invasion America was a primetime animated series about a high school boy who finds himself in the middle of an intergalactic civil war.

In this episode of Commentary: Trek Stars, Mike and John take a look at Bennett's final series. We discuss his ability to adapt to the times, the bold nature of serialized cartoons, and his collaboration with TNG writer Michael Reaves. We also ponder the extent of Steven Spielberg's involvement with the show.

 

Running Time: 55 minutes 46 seconds

 

Hosts

Mike Schindler and John Mills

 

Editor and Producer

Mike Schindler

 

Executive Producers

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

 

Associate Producer

Become one! Support Trek.fm and Commentary: Trek Stars at the $25/month level or plus! Visit http://patreon.com/trekfm http://patreon.com/trekfm

 

Production Manager

Richard Marquez

 

Content Manager

Will Nguyen

 

Chapters

Invasion America (00:00:51)

Thoughts on the Show (00:11:52)

Trek Collaborators (00:22:21)

Final Thoughts (00:39:21)

Wrap-up (00:44:55)

 

Send us your feedback!

Twitter: @trekfm 

Facebook: http://facebook.com/trekfm 

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

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

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

 

Support the Network!

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

Direct download: ctrek-136.mp3
Category:Harve Bennett -- posted at: 10:18pm MDT

Commentary: Trek Stars 135: The Future is the Future!

Bennett, Part 4: Time Trax.

 

In the 1980s, Harve Bennett jumped to the big screen to write and produce Star Trek. After his run had ended, Bennett returned to television to create a new science fiction series, Time Trax. The show is about a police officer from the year 2193 who travels back in time to 1993 in an effort to catch future criminals hiding in the past.

In this episode of Commentary: Trek Stars, John and Mike take a look at Bennett's fourth series. We discuss the television landscape at the time, the similarities to Quantum Leap, and the questionable use of CGI. We also learn who David McCallum is.

 

Running Time: 54 minutes 18 seconds

 

Hosts

John Mills and Mike Schindler

 

Editor and Producer

Mike Schindler

 

Executive Producers

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

 

Associate Producer

Become one! Support Trek.fm and Commentary: Trek Stars at the $25/month level or plus! Visit http://patreon.com/trekfm http://patreon.com/trekfm

 

Production Manager

Richard Marquez

 

Content Manager

Will Nguyen

 

Chapters

Time Trax (00:01:09)

Thoughts on the Show (00:16:29)

The Future World (00:29:47)

Listener Feedback (00:36:18)

Wrap-up (00:44:20)

 

Send us your feedback!

Twitter: @trekfm 

Facebook: http://facebook.com/trekfm 

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

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

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

 

Support the Network!

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

Direct download: ctrek-135.mp3
Category:Harve Bennett -- posted at: 1:08pm MDT

Commentary: Trek Stars 134: A Transparent Aluminum Nerd

Bennett, Part 3: The Invisible Man.

 

In 1975, Harve Bennett teamed with another future television legend, Steven Bochco, to create his second television show, The Invisible Man. Based on the book by H.G. Wells, the series was a modern retelling of the sci-fi classic, about a scientist who accidentally turns himself invisible.

In this episode of Commentary: Trek Stars, Mike and John take a look at Bennett's second series. We discuss 

 

Running Time: 44 minutes 24 seconds

 

Hosts

Mike Schindler and John Mills

 

Editor and Producer

Mike Schindler

 

Executive Producers

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

 

Associate Producer

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

 

Production Manager

Richard Marquez

 

Content Manager

Will Nguyen

 

Chapters

The Invisible Man (00:08:18)

Changes to the series (00:21:30)

Final Thoughts (00:31:44)

 

Send us your feedback!

Twitter: @trekfm 

Facebook: http://facebook.com/trekfm 

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

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

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

 

Support the Network!

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

Direct download: ctrek-134.mp3
Category:Harve Bennett -- posted at: 11:02pm MDT

Commentary: Trek Stars 133: Freeze Frames of Terror!

Bennett, Part 2: The Mod Squad.

 

As Star Trek was entering its final season in 1968, another soon-to-be iconic series was just beginning. The Mod Squad, creator Harve Bennett's first television series, told the story of three young undercover police officers who were used to infiltrate criminal activity in an ever-changing world.

In this episode of Commentary: Trek Stars, John and Mike take a look at The Mod Squad. We discuss the similarities and differences to other police shows at the time, how it reflected the changing television landscape, and the thematic parallels to Star Trek. We also try to figure out what's going on in the opening title sequence.

 

Running Time: 38 minutes 34 seconds

 

Hosts

John Mills and Mike Schindler

 

Editor and Producer

Mike Schindler

 

Production Manager

Richard Marquez

 

Content Coordinator

Will Nguyen

 

Associate Producer

Become one! Support Trek.fm and Commentary: Trek Stars at the $25/month level or plus! Visit http://patreon.com/trekfm http://patreon.com/trekfm

 

Chapters

The Mod Squad (00:01:14)

Thoughts on the Show (00:12:53)

Social Themes (00:22:38)

Wrap-up (00:31:31)

 

Send us your feedback!

Twitter: @trekfm 

Facebook: http://facebook.com/trekfm 

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

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

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

 

Support the Network!

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

Direct download: ctrek-133.mp3
Category:Harve Bennett -- posted at: 11:31pm MDT

Commentary: Trek Stars 132: The Papa John's of Star Trek

Bennett, Part 1: Trek.

 

On February 25th, 2015, the Star Trek family lost one of its most significant members, Harve Bennett. Bennett is largely responsible for revitalizing the Star Trek film franchise after the creative and financial missteps of The Motion Picture. It is impossible to imagine what Star Trek would look like today, had it not been for the work of Harve Bennett.

In this episode of Commentary: Trek Stars, Mike and John begin a new series on Bennett, looking the television shows he created over a career spanning three decades. In the first part of our series, we examine his work on Star Trek, looking at all of the movies he produced and wrote, including The Wrath of Khan, The Search for Spock, The Voyage Home, and The Final Frontier. We also remember Grace Lee Whitney.

 

Running Time: 49 minutes 28 seconds

 

Hosts

Mike Schindler and John Mills

 

 

Editor and Producer

Mike Schindler

 

Production Manager

Richard Marquez

 

Content Coordinator

Will Nguyen

 

Associate Producer

Become one! Support Trek.fm and Commentary: Trek Stars at the $25/month level or plus! Visit http://patreon.com/trekfm http://patreon.com/trekfm

 

Chapters

The Wrath of Khan (00:02:57)

The Search for Spock (00:08:46)

The Voyage Home (00:17:14)

The Final Frontier (00:24:03)

Starfleet Academy (00:29:04)

Grace Lee Whitney (00:38:33)

Wrap-Up (00:41:18)

 

Send us your feedback!

Twitter: @trekfm 

Facebook: http://facebook.com/trekfm 

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

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

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

 

Support the Network!

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

Direct download: ctrek-132.mp3
Category:Harve Bennett -- posted at: 10:14am MDT

Commentary: Trek Stars 131: Such a Lucas Thing to Do

James Kahn.

 

In this episode of Commentary: Trek Stars, John and Mike are joined by their very special guest, Star Trek: Voyager writer/producer James Kahn. We discuss Kahn's work on Voyager episodes such as "Critical Care" and "Lineage", as well as his Next Generation episode, "The Masterpiece Society".

We also discuss Kahn's non-Trek work, including books such as The New World Trilogy, novelizations of films like Poltergeist and Return of the Jedi, and television shows, including Melrose Place and All My Children. We also find out about his upcoming film, Wrongside Bob.

 

Running Time: 55 minutes 54 seconds

 

Hosts

John Mills and Mike Schindler

 

Guest

James Kahn

 

Editor and Producer

Mike Schindler

 

Production Manager

Richard Marquez

 

Content Coordinator

Will Nguyen

 

Associate Producer

Become one! Support Trek.fm and Commentary: Trek Stars at the $25/month level or plus! Visit http://patreon.com/trekfm http://patreon.com/trekfm

 

Chapters

Breaking In (00:01:48)

The New World Trilogy (00:07:13)

Novelizations (00:13:08)

Star Trek (00:24:12)

The Writers' Room (00:34:34)

Wrongside Bob (00:42:14)

Wrap-up (00:45:57)

 

Send us your feedback!

Twitter: @trekfm 

Facebook: http://facebook.com/trekfm 

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

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

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

 

Support the Network!

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

Direct download: ctrek-131.mp3
Category:James Kahn -- posted at: 1:00pm MDT

Commentary: Trek Stars 130: The Women!

Nimoy, Part 5: Recap.

 

Leonard Nimoy had an extremely diverse career. He was photographer, a writer, a director, a producer, and even a singer. But of course, he was best known as an actor. Specifically, a television star.

In the fifth season finale of Commentary: Trek Stars, Mike and John recap their series on Nimoy's work as a television actor. We look at each of the shows he starred in, including Star Trek (TOS), Mission: Impossible, Star Trek (TAS), In Search of…, and Ancient Mysteries. We also remember the writer of "Court Martial," Don Mankiewicz

 

Running Time: 36 minutes 58 seconds

 

Hosts

Mike Schindler and John Mills

 

Editor and Producer

Mike Schindler

 

Production Manager

Richard Marquez

 

Content Coordinator

Will Nguyen

 

Associate Producer

Become one! Support Trek.fm and Commentary: Trek Stars at the $25/month level or plus! Visit http://patreon.com/trekfm http://patreon.com/trekfm

 

Chapters

Fiction (00:01:12)

Non-Fiction (00:14:25)

Wrap-up (00:23:35)

 

Send us your feedback!

Twitter: @trekfm 

Facebook: http://facebook.com/trekfm 

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

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

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

 

Support the Network!

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

Direct download: ctrek-130.mp3
Category:Leonard Nimoy -- posted at: 11:07pm MDT

Commentary: Trek Stars 129: The Costume is Now Yours

Nimoy, Part 4: Ancient Mysteries.

 

More than a decade after the end of In Search of…, Leonard Nimoy returned to the world of television show hosting with a very similar series, Ancient Mysteries. This show also focused on topics such as Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster, and Atlantis, but with a modern-day 1990s slant.

In this episode of Commentary: Trek Stars, Max, John and Mike take a look at Leonard Nimoy's fifth television series. We discuss the similarities to In Search of…, the subtle differences in Nimoy's performance, and some of the reasons why Nimoy may have agreed to do such a show once again. We also read some listener mail and contemplate the supposed title of the new Star Trek movie

 

Running Time: 1 hour 56 seconds

 

Hosts

Max Hegel, John Mills and Mike Schindler

 

Editor and Producer

Mike Schindler

 

Production Manager

Richard Marquez

 

Content Coordinator

Will Nguyen

 

Associate Producer

Become one! Support Trek.fm and Commentary: Trek Stars at the $25/month level or plus! Visit http://patreon.com/trekfm http://patreon.com/trekfm

 

Chapters

Ancient Mysteries (00:01:25)

Nimoy's Involvement (00:15:33)

Final Thoughts (00:27:27)

Star Trek Beyond (00:40:58)

Wrap-up (00:48:44)

 

Send us your feedback!

Twitter: @trekfm 

Facebook: http://facebook.com/trekfm 

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

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

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

 

Support the Network!

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

Direct download: ctrek-129.mp3
Category:Leonard Nimoy -- posted at: 9:49pm MDT

Commentary: Trek Stars 128: In Search of Max

Nimoy, Part 3: In Search of....

 

In addition to his work as an actor, Leonard Nimoy has also hosted two television shows. The first of which was In Search of…. The pseudo-documentary series looked at unexplained phenomena throughout history, touching on everything from UFO cover-ups and the Loch Ness Monster to Marilyn Monroe and Lee Harvey Oswald.

In this episode of Commentary: Trek Stars, John and Mike take a look Nimoy's fourth television series. We discuss our nostalgic fondness for the show, the influence that it had on the television of the 80s and 90s, and speculate on why Nimoy chose to work on it. We also look at the recent additions to the crew of STAR TR3K.

 

Running Time: 45 minutes 28 seconds

 

Hosts

John Mills and Mike Schindler

 

Editor and Producer

Mike Schindler

 

Production Manager

Richard Marquez

 

Content Coordinator

Will Nguyen

 

Associate Producer

Become one! Support Trek.fm and Commentary: Trek Stars at the $25/month level or plus! Visit http://patreon.com/trekfm http://patreon.com/trekfm

 

Chapters

In Search of... (00:01:17)

Nimoy's Involvement (00:17:35)

STAR TR3K News (00:28:07)

Wrap-up (00:38:29)

 

Send us your feedback!

Twitter: @trekfm 

Facebook: http://facebook.com/trekfm 

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

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

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

 

Support the Network!

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

Direct download: ctrek-128.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:53pm MDT

Commentary: Trek Stars 127: The Best Movie Ever Made

Nimoy, Part 2: Mission: Impossible.

 

When Star Trek was cancelled in 1969, Leonard Nimoy wasted no time jumping onto another television series. The very next season, he joined the cast of another Desilu production, Mission: Impossible as Paris, a master of disguise. 

In this episode of Commentary: Trek Stars, Mike and John look at Nimoy's second starring television role. We discuss Mission: Impossible as a series, why it was a perfect fit Nimoy after Star Trek, how the movies stack up to the show, and the series' life-long connection to Star Trek. We also explain why Ant-Man should be the more anticipated than The Avengers: Age of Ultron. 

 

Running Time: 1 hour 6 minutes 16 seconds

 

Hosts

Mike Schindler and John Mills

 

Editor and Producer

Mike Schindler

 

Production Manager

Richard Marquez

 

Content Coordinator

Will Nguyen

 

Associate Producer

Become one! Support Trek.fm and Commentary: Trek Stars at the $25/month level or plus! Visit http://patreon.com/trekfm http://patreon.com/trekfm

 

Chapters

Mission: Impossible (00:01:47)

Nimoy's Performance (00:12:58)

The Movies (00:24:13)

The Star Trek Connection (00:34:45)

Feedback (00:44:00)

Wrap-up (01:01:26)

 

Send us your feedback!

Twitter: @trekfm 

Facebook: http://facebook.com/trekfm 

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

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

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

 

Support the Network!

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

Direct download: ctrek-127.mp3
Category:Leonard Nimoy -- posted at: 10:08am MDT

Commentary: Trek Stars 126: The 50 Cent Cinematic Universe

Nimoy, Part 1: Trek.

Few people have contributed more to Star Trek than Leonard Nimoy. As an actor, he co-created the character of Spock as we know him. And as a director, he made the first Star Trek film which crossed over into the main stream.

In this episode of Commentary: Trek Stars, John and Mike begin a new series which examines Nimoy's career as a television star, in which we will look at his work on  Mission: Impossible, In Search of... and Ancient Mysteries. In the first part of the series, we look at Nimoy's work on Star Trek, looking at his contribution to the series as both an actor and a director. We also piece together the 50 Cent Cinematic Universe.

 

Running Time: 45 minutes 37 seconds

 

Hosts

John Mills and Mike Schindler

 

Editor and Producer

Mike Schindler

 

Production Manager

Richard Marquez

 

Content Coordinator

Will Nguyen

 

Associate Producer

Become one! Support Trek.fm and Commentary: Trek Stars at the $25/month level or plus! Visit http://patreon.com/trekfm http://patreon.com/trekfm

 

Chapters

The TV Shows (00:02:17)

The Movies (00:18:34)

Directing (00:30:43)

Wrap-up (00:37:37)

 

Send us your feedback!

Twitter: @trekfm 

Facebook: http://facebook.com/trekfm 

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

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

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

 

Support the Network!

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

Direct download: ctrek-126.mp3
Category:Leonard Nimoy -- posted at: 12:24am MDT

Commentary: Trek Stars 125: Nimoy Did It First

Shatner, Part 7: Recap.

Many people have played themselves in movies. Cecil B. DeMille in Sunset Blvd. Will Smith in Jersey Girl. 65 different people in The Player. But no one has built a fictional mythology for their on-screen alter ego quite like William Shatner.

In this episode of Commentary: Trek Stars, Max, John and Mike recap their series on William Shatner, looking at each film in which he plays himself, including Free Enterprise, Festival in Cannes, Showtime, Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story, and Fanboys. We also listen to some voicemail.

 

Running Time: 53 minutes 32 seconds

 

Hosts

Max Hegel, John Mills and Mike Schindler

 

Editor and Producer

Mike Schindler

 

Production Manager

Richard Marquez

 

Content Coordinator

Will Nguyen

 

Associate Producer

Become one! Support Trek.fm and Commentary: Trek Stars at the $25/month level or plus! Visit http://patreon.com/trekfm http://patreon.com/trekfm

 

Chapters

Free Enterprise (00:01:31)

Festival in Cannes (00:08:00)

Showtime (00:13:21)

Dodgeball (00:16:49)

Fanboys (00:23:44)

Final Thoughts (00:32:02)

Wrap-up (00:39:09)

 

Send us your feedback!

Twitter: @trekfm 

Facebook: http://facebook.com/trekfm 

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

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

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

 

Support the Network!

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

Direct download: ctrek-125.mp3
Category:William Shatner -- posted at: 9:47am MDT

Commentary: Trek Stars 124: It's Expectacle!

Shatner, Part 6: Fanboys.

 

Many Trek.fm listeners may not know this, but there is another science fiction franchise which has gained a decent amount of popularity over the years. It's known as "Star Wars." The plot is insignificant. Basically, think Star Trek with magic. 

Regardless, from 1977 to 1983, three films were made as part of something which is now referred to as the "Original Trilogy." Then, the franchise disappeared for 16 years, before finally returning in 1999 with the first film in the "Prequel Trilogy."

During those 16 years, a small but devoted group of fans eagerly anticipated the return of their beloved space opera. These fans are the subject of this episode's movie, Fanboys.

In the film, four lifelong Star Wars fans travel across country to break into Skywalker Ranch and steal a print of Star Wars: Episode I--The Phantom Menace before it's released. Along the way, they are helped by many people, including William Shatner.

In this episode of Commentary: Trek Stars, Mike and Max take a look at the final film in the Shatner Cinematic Universe. We discuss the long, complicated history of Fanboys, Shatner's role in advancing the plot of the film, and how it fits into the Shatnerverse. We also debate how excited we should be for Star Wars: Episode VII--The Force Awakens.

 

Running Time: 48 minutes x40 seconds

 

Hosts

Mike Schindler and Max Hegel

 

Editor and Producer

Mike Schindler

 

Production Manager

Richard Marquez

 

Content Coordinator

Will Nguyen

 

Associate Producer

Become one! Support Trek.fm and Commentary: Trek Stars at the $25/month level or plus! Visit http://patreon.com/trekfm http://patreon.com/trekfm

 

Chapters

Fanboys (00:05:15)

Cameos (00:17:25)

Shatner (00:29:12)

Wrap-up (00:41:58)

 

Send us your feedback!

Twitter: @trekfm 

Facebook: http://facebook.com/trekfm 

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

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

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

 

Support the Network!

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

Direct download: ctrek-124.mp3
Category:William Shatner -- posted at: 10:30am MDT

Commentary: Trek Stars 123: Six of One, Shatner of the Other

Shatner, Part 5: Dodgeball.

 

In 2004, William Shatner returned to the big screen for the fourth as himself in Rawson Marshall Thurber's Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story. The film stars Vince Vaughn and Ben Stiller as competing gym owners who face off in the Dodgeball World Championship.

In this episode of Commentary: Trek Stars, John, Mike and Max look at Shatner's portrayal of himself as the Dodgeball Chancellor. We discuss the merits of the film's comedy, Shatner's performance, and whether or not this technically counts as an entry into the Shatner Cinematic Universe. We also remember Star Trek movie producer Harve Bennett.

 

Running Time: 53 minutes 31 seconds

 

Hosts

John Mills, Mike Schindler and Max Hegel

 

Editor and Producer

Mike Schindler

 

Production Manager

Richard Marquez

 

Content Coordinator

Will Nguyen

 

Associate Producer

Become one! Support Trek.fm and Commentary: Trek Stars at the $25/month level or plus! Visit http://patreon.com/trekfm http://patreon.com/trekfm

 

Chapters

Dodgeball (00:01:10)

Shatner's Performance (00:16:46)

Does it Fit in the Shatnerverse? (00:27:44)

Harve Bennett (00:41:45)

 

Send us your feedback!

Twitter: @trekfm 

Facebook: http://facebook.com/trekfm 

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

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

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

 

Support the Network!

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

Direct download: ctrek-123.mp3
Category:William Shatner -- posted at: 12:03am MDT

Commentary: Trek Stars 122: Legitimately Brilliant

Hurley and Nimoy.

 

Last week, the Star Trek family lost two members whose contributions to the franchise were enormous, Maurice Hurley and Leonard Nimoy.

Hurley was a writer/producer who ran Star Trek: The Next Generation through its first two seasons. Amongst his many contributions was the creation of the Borg.

Nimoy was the face of Star Trek. His portrayal of Commander Spock on the original series set the tone for everything that has come since. Behind the camera, he directed two of the most popular TOS movies, Star Trek III: The Search for Spock and Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home.

In this episode of Commentary: Trek Stars, Max, John and Mike take a look at the careers of Hurley and Nimoy both inside and out of Star Trek, and discuss how their art has impacted us personally.

 

Running Time: 1 hour 3 minutes 49 seconds

 

Hosts

Max Hegel, John Mills and Mike Schindler

 

Editor and Producer

Mike Schindler

 

Production Manager

Richard Marquez

 

Content Coordinator

Will Nguyen

 

Associate Producer

Become one! Support Trek.fm and Commentary: Trek Stars at the $25/month level or plus! Visit http://patreon.com/trekfm http://patreon.com/trekfm

 

Chapters

Hurley's Trek Work (00:02:15)

Hurley's Other Work (00:18:48)

Nimoy's Trek Work (00:23:27)

Nimoy's Other Work (00:38:12)

Final Thoughts (00:49:43)

 

Send us your feedback!

Twitter: @trekfm 

Facebook: http://facebook.com/trekfm 

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

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

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

 

Support the Network!

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

Direct download: ctrek-122.mp3
Category:Leonard Nimoy -- posted at: 11:39pm MDT

Commentary: Trek Stars 121: Co-Starring William Shatner!

Shatner, Part 4: Showtime. 

One week after the release of Festival in Cannes, the third film in the Shatner Cinematic Universe made its way to the silver screen. Showtime features Robert De Niro and Eddie Murphy as two cops are forced to work together as part of a reality television show. Along the way, they receive tips on how to become TV cops, by none other than T.J. Hooker himself, William Shatner. 

In this episode of Commentary: Trek Stars, Mike, Max and John look at William Shatner as himself in Showtime. We discuss the quality of the movie, how Shatner's performance elevates the entire picture, and what the film adds to the mythology of the Shatnerverse. We also reveal Mike and Max's unhealthy obsession with William Shatner in the workplace. 

 

Running Time: 39 minutes 57 seconds

 

Hosts

Mike Schindler, Max Hegel and John Mills

 

Editor and Producer

Mike Schindler

 

Production Manager

Richard Marquez

 

Content Coordinator

Will Nguyen

 

Associate Producer

Become one! Support Trek.fm and Commentary: Trek Stars at the $25/month level or plus! Visit http://patreon.com/trekfm http://patreon.com/trekfm

 

Chapters

Showtime (00:04:15)

Shatner's Performance (00:17:49)

Final Thoughts  (00:30:27)

 

Send us your feedback!

Twitter: @trekfm 

Facebook: http://facebook.com/trekfm 

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

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

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

 

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

Direct download: ctrek121a.mp3
Category:William Shatner -- posted at: 10:28pm MDT

Commentary: Trek Stars 120: Public Persona Shatner

Shatner, Part 3: Festival in Cannes.

 

In 1999, William Shatner attended the Cannes Film Festival to promote his work in Free Enterprise. While there, he ran into his old friend Maximillian Schell, who was filming the largely improvised film, Festival in Cannes. Their reunion appears in that film, making it a part of the Shatner Cinematic Universe.

In this episode of Commentary: Trek Star, John and Mike take a look Festival in Cannes. We discuss the film on the whole, Shatner's performance, and how it fits into the Shatnerverse. We also wonder why Entrapment opened the festival in 1999.

 

Running Time: 43 minutes 14 seconds

 

Hosts

John Mills and Mike Schindler

 

Editor and Producer

Mike Schindler

 

Production Manager

Richard Marquez

 

Content Coordinator

Will Nguyen

 

Associate Producer

Become one! Support Trek.fm and Commentary: Trek Stars at the $25/month level or plus! Visit http://patreon.com/trekfm http://patreon.com/trekfm

 

Chapters

Festival in Cannes (00:01:00)

Shatner's Appearance (00:18:38)

Wrap-up (00:33:44)

 

Send us your feedback!

Twitter: @trekfm 

Facebook: http://facebook.com/trekfm 

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

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

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

 

Support the Network!

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

Direct download: ctrek-120.mp3
Category:William Shatner -- posted at: 12:34am MDT

Commentary: Trek Stars 119: Was It at the Biograph?

Shatner, Part 2: Free Enterprise.

 

In 1999, the "Shatnerverse" was created with the release of Free Enterprise. The film is about two Star Trek fans who are struggling to make it in Hollywood. During a time of personal crisis, they meet their idol, William Shatner (played by William Shatner), who may not be all that he appears to be. 

In this episode of Commentary: Trek Stars, Max, John and Mike look at the first film in which Shatner plays himself. We discuss our thoughts on the film, Shatner's performance, and whether or the movie successfully launches the "Shatnerverse". We also debate whether or not the film played at the Biograph Theater in Chicago.

 

Running Time: 44 minutes 39 seconds

 

Hosts

Max Hegel, John Mills and Mike Schindler

 

Editor and Producer

Mike Schindler

 

Production Manager

Richard Marquez

 

Content Coordinator

Will Nguyen

 

Associate Producer

Become one! Support Trek.fm and Commentary: Trek Stars at the $25/month level or plus! Visit http://patreon.com/trekfm http://patreon.com/trekfm

 

Chapters

Free Enterprise (00:00:57)

Shatner's Performance (00:15:33)

The Shatnerverse (00:22:49)

Wrap-up (00:32:06)

 

Send us your feedback!

Twitter: @trekfm 

Facebook: http://facebook.com/trekfm 

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

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

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

 

Support the Network!

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

Direct download: ctrek-119.mp3
Category:William Shatner -- posted at: 12:22am MDT

Commentary: Trek Stars 118: The William Shatner of Ideas

Shatner, Part 1: Trek.

 

William Shatner is excellent at what he does, which is everything. But one thing which he is the absolute best at is playing himself.

In this episode of Commentary: Trek Stars, Mike, Max and John begin their new series which looks at the films of the "Shatnerverse," movies in which William Shatner plays himself. These include Free Enterprise, Festival in Cannes, Showtime, Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story, and Fanboys. In the first part of the series, we look at Shatner's work in Star Trek, as both an actor and director. We also get Max and Mike's opinions on the hiring of Simon Pegg and Doug Jung as writers of STAR TR3K.

 

Running Time: 52 minutes 34 seconds

 

Hosts

Mike Schindler, Max Hegel and John Mills

 

Editor and Producer

Mike Schindler

 

Production Manager

Richard Marquez

 

Content Coordinator

Will Nguyen

 

Associate Producer

Become one! Support Trek.fm and Commentary: Trek Stars at the $25/month level or plus! Visit http://patreon.com/trekfm http://patreon.com/trekfm

 

Chapters

William Shatner (00:02:05)

Captain Kirk (00:12:36)

Directing Star Trek V (00:24:51)

Simon Pegg & Doug Jung (00:35:57)

Wrap-up (00:45:16)

 

 

Send us your feedback!

Twitter: @trekfm 

Facebook: http://facebook.com/trekfm 

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

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

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

 

Support the Network!

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

Direct download: ctrek-118.mp3
Category:William Shatner -- posted at: 12:41am MDT

Commentary: Trek Stars 117: The Best Smirk on Television

Mulgrew, Part 2: Orange is the New Black.

Up until recently, Kate Mulgrew was best known for her portrayal of Captain Janeway on Star Trek: Voyager. But in recent years, she has gained newfound popularity and acclaim for her role as Red on the hit series Orange is the New Black. 

In this episode of Commentary: Trek Stars, John is joined by Charlynn of To the Journey to look at Mulgrew's Emmy-nominated performance. We discuss the female-centric nature of the show, how Mulgrew's performance differs from that on Voyager, and the sympathetic nature of Red. We also discuss the new STAR TR3K writing team of Doug Jung and Simon Pegg.

 

Running Time: 52 minutes 9 seconds

 

Host

John Mills

 

Guest

Charlynn Schmiedt

 

Editor

John Mills

 

Producers

John Mills and Mike Schindler

 

Production Manager

Richard Marquez

 

Content Coordinator

Will Nguyen

 

Associate Producer

Become one! Support Trek.fm and Commentary: Trek Stars at the $25/month level or plus! Visit http://patreon.com/trekfm http://patreon.com/trekfm

 

Chapters

Orange is the New Black (00:02:15) 

Mulgrew's Performance (00:13:58)

Sympathetic Red (00:23:21)  

Trek News (00:39:30) 

Wrap-Up (00:47:57)

 

Send us your feedback!

Twitter: @trekfm 

Facebook: http://facebook.com/trekfm 

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

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

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

Direct download: ctrek-117.mp3
Category:Kate Mulgrew -- posted at: 11:56pm MDT

Commentary: Trek Stars 116: He Will Drink Your Milkshake

Mulgrew, Part 1: Trek.

Twenty years ago, Star Trek: Voyager, the first (and only) Star Trek series to feature a female captain, debuted on the UPN. Captain Kathryn Janeway was brought to life on screen by Kate Mulgrew.

This week on Commentary: Trek Stars, Mike and John are joined by Charlynn of To the Journey! to look at Mulgrew's work on Trek. We discuss the choice to have a female captain, the character of Janeway, and Mulgrew's performance. We also listen to some voicemail!

 

Running Time: 59 minutes 58 seconds

 

Hosts

Mike Schindler and John Mills

 

Guests

Charlynn Schmeidt

 

Editor and Producer

Mike Schindler

 

Production Manager

Richard Marquez

 

Content Coordinator

Will Nguyen

 

Associate Producer

Become one! Support Trek.fm and Commentary: Trek Stars at the $25/month level or plus! Visit http://patreon.com/trekfm http://patreon.com/trekfm

 

Chapters

Kate Mulgrew (00:01:03)

Kathryn Janeway (00:14:46)

Mulgrew's Performance (00:24:48)

Final Thoughts (00:41:39)

Wrap-up (00:52:14)

 

Send us your feedback!

Twitter: @trekfm 

Facebook: http://facebook.com/trekfm 

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

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

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

 

Support the Network!

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

Direct download: ctrek-116.mp3
Category:Kate Mulgrew -- posted at: 9:32pm MDT

Commentary: Trek Stars 115: There Can Be Only One

Burton, Part 4: Recap.

It may be surprising to some, but LeVar Burton has been nominated for more Emmys than any other actor in Star Trek. Ten of those nominations resulted in wins. But what may be even more impressive is the diversity of the work for which those nominations were earned.

In this episode of Commentary: Trek Stars, John and Mike recap their look at Burton's Emmy-nominated work. We discuss his performance in Roots, his active role in Reading Rainbow, and touch on some of his other work, both in front of and behind the camera. We also wonder whether or not Community and The Big Bang Theory take place in the same continuity.

 

Running Time: 43 minutes 19 seconds

 

Hosts

John Mills and Mike Schindler

 

Editor and Producer

Mike Schindler

 

Production Manager

Richard Marquez

 

Content Coordinator

Will Nguyen

 

Associate Producer

Become one! Support Trek.fm and Commentary: Trek Stars at the $25/month level or plus! Visit http://patreon.com/trekfm http://patreon.com/trekfm

 

Chapters

Roots (00:00:50)

Reading Rainbow (00:12:50)

Other Work (00:19:30)

Wrap-up (00:35:10)

 

Send us your feedback!

Twitter: @trekfm 

Facebook: http://facebook.com/trekfm 

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

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

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

 

Support the Network!

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

Direct download: ctrek-115.mp3
Category:LeVar Burton -- posted at: 10:27am MDT

Commentary: Trek Stars 114: Kid Book Inception

Burton, Part 3: Reading Rainbow

Years before barrel-rolling into our hearts as Geordi LaForge on Star Trek: The Next Generation, LeVar Burton was already very well established from years of work as the host and producer of Reading Rainbow. The PBS series encouraged children to read by offering book recommendations accompanied by filmed "field trips," which took a closer look at the real-world elements from the stories. Over the course of the show's sixteen seasons, Burton won twelve Emmy Awards.

In this episode of Commentary: Trek Stars, Mike, Max and John take a look at Burton's work on Reading Rainbow. We discuss its impact on the youth of America, what it means to today's generation of kids, and how it has been relaunched as an interactive app.

 

Running Time: 39 minutes 34 seconds

 

Hosts

Mike Schindler, Max Hegel and John Mills

 

Editor and Producer

Mike Schindler

 

Production Manager

Richard Marquez

 

Content Coordinator

Will Nguyen

 

Associate Producer

Become one! Support Trek.fm and Commentary: Trek Stars at the $25/month level or plus! Visit http://patreon.com/trekfm http://patreon.com/trekfm

 

Chapters

Reading Rainbow (00:00:45)

The TNG Episode (00:11:15)

The App (00:20:52)

Wrap-up (00:33:01)

 

Send us your feedback!

Twitter: @trekfm 

Facebook: http://facebook.com/trekfm 

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

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

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

 

Support the Network!

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

Direct download: ctrek-114.mp3
Category:LeVar Burton -- posted at: 9:12pm MDT

Commentary: Trek Stars 113: We Just Call Him Lou Now

Burton, Part 2: Roots.

LeVar Burton's first on-screen performance is also the first to earn him an Emmy nomination. At the age of twenty, he burst onto the scene in the television miniseries, Roots. The show looks at the history of an African American family over the span of a century, from slavery through liberation. Burton leads a huge cast of critically-acclaimed veteran actors, and received a Best Lead Actor nomination for his efforts.

In this episode of Commentary: Trek Stars, John, Mike and Max look at Burton's work on Roots. We discuss the cultural impact of the series, Burton's performance, and how his portrayal of Kunta Kinte influenced people's perceptions of history. We also remember TOS director Joseph Sargent, and take a look at who's writing STAR TR3K.

 

Running Time: 46 minutes 17 seconds

 

Hosts

John Mills, Mike Schindler and Max Hegel 

 

Editor and Producer

Mike Schindler

 

Production Manager

Richard Marquez

 

Content Coordinator

Will Nguyen

 

Associate Producer

Become one! Support Trek.fm and Commentary: Trek Stars at the $25/month level or plus! Visit http://patreon.com/trekfm http://patreon.com/trekfm

 

Chapters

Roots (00:00:53)  

Joseph Sargent (00:28:25)  

STAR TR3K Writers (00:30:48)  

 

Send us your feedback!

Twitter: @trekfm 

Facebook: http://facebook.com/trekfm 

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

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

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

 

Support the Network!

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

Direct download: ctrek-113.mp3
Category:LeVar Burton -- posted at: 2:28pm MDT

1