Enterprising Individuals

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Get ready to lose those chains as we unite with "Bar Association"!Writer, podcaster, and comedian Michael Swaim joins the show this week to discuss an episode of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine that is looking to fill the dustbin of future history. When Rom collapses on the job, Quark refuses to give him or his coworkers sick leave or paid vacation time. When Rom and his fellow workers form a union, Quark will have to find a way to make a deal with his brother before he loses his reputation, his bar . . . and his life!Star Trek is the first thing everyone thinks of when you say "benevolent future socialist utopia", but it certainly hasn't given us any tips on how to be as happy as Federation citizens are. Trek was created and is sustained by well-meaning, liberal minds, but one wonders if it's time for the Trek franchise to make explicit its condemnation of capitalism in the same way it's indicted racism, sexism, and homophobia. On this episode, we discuss the characteristics of good science fiction, whether or no

This week, Peter Aidan Byrne of TrekvsTrek.com returns to the show to talk about the ways in which Trek has evolved (or hasn't) over its 55-year history. It all started with a horny ex-cop's dream of a future paradise . . . are we there yet?We guarantee only the wackiest of doodles!Read Trek vs Trek and follow Peter on Twitter!http://www.trekvstrek.comhttp://www.twitter.com/peteraidanbyrneFind out the stories behind your favorite Trek episodes with BackTrekking!http://www.twitter.com/backtrekkingJoin our crew on Patreon!http://www.patreon.com/eistpodSubscribe to the show on iTunes!https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/enterprising-individuals/id1113165661?mt=2

Turn off the lights and light a candle as we become one with "Sub Rosa"!Author Catherynne M. Valente returns to the show this week to discuss an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation that will challenge everything you know about amorous ghosts on Scottish planets. After the death of her grandmother, Beverly Crusher discovers that her nana had a mysterious younger paramour named Ronin. As she begins to investigate their connection, she discovers a malevolent force that has stalked her ancestors for centuries . . . and she's the next target!On its face, Sub Rosa seems irredeemable as an hour of Star Trek, but if you look past the Celtic sex ghost candle, you'll find an episode that is positive about female sexuality, that provides rare glimpses into the back story of an underdeveloped main character, and one that pushes plain old Trek into cosmic gothic romance. *If* you can look past the Celtic sex ghost candle, that is. On this episode, we discuss the flexibility of Trek's setting, if and when Trek succee

This week, Star Trek: Discovery actor Noah Averbach-Katz joins the show to talk about his Trek fandom, how he became an actor, and creating the role of Ryn the Andorian!Always be yourself...unless you can be Garak. Then, always be Garak.Find out the stories behind your favorite Trek episodes with BackTrekking!http://www.twitter.com/backtrekkingJoin our crew on Patreon!http://www.patreon.com/eistpodSubscribe to the show on iTunes!https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/enterprising-individuals/id1113165661?mt=2

Take your seat at the negotiation table as we seek a "Cease Fire"!Mikanhana of Sailor Noob and Just Enough Trope is back on the show this week to discuss an episode of Star Trek: Enterprise that shows humanity finding a foothold in the affairs of the Alpha Quadrant. Vulcan and Andor have been warring over a Class-D moon for nearly a century. Now, Archer must convince them to settle for peace before the quadrant erupts into war!Enterprise is often seen as the black sheep of the Trek family, usually by fans who haven't given it a fair chance. Though it was conceived and executed during complicated political times and by creators who were fatigued, the show still finds a way to inject unique premises and interesting character studies into the legacy of Star Trek. On this episode, we discuss the circumstances of Enterprise's development and how it changed over the years, the flawed characters and sometimes flawed stories, the chameleon powers of Jeffrey Combs, the show's parallels to American jingoism, and how fa

This week, we celebrate the life and story of one of Trek's most important figures: George Takei. George tells the incredible and sobering story of his time in a Japanese relocation camp and the racism and discrimination his family faced after World War II is his graphic novel "They Called Us Enemy". On this episode, we talk about the novel, George's story, and why it's more relevant than ever today.Sakana beach!Get "They Called Us Enemy" and George's other books for yourself!They Called Us Enemyhttps://amzn.to/364FkQ1Oh, My! There Goes the Internethttps://amzn.to/3ybKuWnLions, Tigers, and Bears: The Internet Strikes Backhttps://amzn.to/3Au8qGzFind out the stories behind your favorite Trek episodes with BackTrekking!http://www.twitter.com/backtrekkingJoin our crew on Patreon!http://www.patreon.com/eistpodSubscribe to the show on iTunes!https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/enterprising-individuals/id1113165661?mt=2

Secrets and lies get exposed as we peek behind the mask to find our "Equilibrium"!Author Alex White joins the show this week to discuss an episode of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine that gives us a brief but intriguing look at the Trill homeworld. When Dax begins experiencing troubling visions, she returns to Trill for medical help. When her condition becomes grave, it's up to Sisko and Bashir to fight through a web of lies to expose a dark truth about Trill and to save Jadzia's life!The concept behind the Trill--a benevolent race of intelligent slug-like creatures and the humanoid civilization that provides for them--is one of sci-fi most creative and fertile premises. However, the privilege, wealth, longevity, and political power that near-eternal life would afford means that Trill society must accept a rigid class structure to maintain its equilibrium, a structure that stands at odd with the egalitarianism that the Federation was founded to promote. On this episode, we discuss the fleeting glimpses we get of Tr

This week, it's a special episode of BackTrekking Presents as guest Gooey Fame helps us navigate the original "The City on the Edge of Forever" teleplay by Harlan Ellison!"Hey, Scotty...you holdin', man?"LISTENER WARNING: Adult languageGet Star Trek: Harlan Ellison's Original The City on the Edge of Forever Teleplay for yourself!https://amzn.to/3iL5S0dListen to more BackTrekking and follow Gooey on Twitter!http://www.twitter.com/backtrekkinghttp://www.twitter.com/gooeyfameJoin our crew on Patreon!http://www.patreon.com/eistpodSubscribe to the show on iTunes!https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/enterprising-individuals/id1113165661?mt=2

Jack in to the mainframe and defrag your RAMs this week as we come down with "Contagion"!Pete the Retailer of Star Wars Minute and ABCD: TOS returns to the show to discuss an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation that is part of the backbone of early TNG. When the USS Yamato is destroyed by a systems failure, Picard will have to take up the enigmatic search of her late captain. But when eerily similar problems begin affecting the Enterprise, the crew must race against time, the Romulans, and their own technology to escape the Yamato's fate!Everyone knows TNG didn't get "good" until Season 3, but a closer examination of early TNG (specifically Season 2) reveals that the strength in storytelling and characterization that would galvanize the series was already well underway. Solid entries like "Contagion", "Samaritan Snare", and "The Measure of a Man" continued Trek's reputation for satisfying sci-fi fare while the show was still growing into the classic series it would become. On this episode, we discuss th

This week, Dan Deevy of Gaaays in Spaaace joins the show to talk about LGBTQ+ representation in Star Trek, pushing the envelopes of media, and partying through a pandemic!#WeWantWorfCheck out Gaaays in Spaaace and follow Dan on Twitter!http://www.gaaaysinspaaace.comhttp://www.twitter.com/gaaaysinspaaacehttp://www.twitter.com/dandeevyJoin our crew on Patreon!http://www.patreon.com/eistpodSubscribe to the show on iTunes!https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/enterprising-individuals/id1113165661?mt=2

Grab a spray can of your grandaddy's special pesticide as we marvel at "The Infinite Vulcan"!Writer Ryan Britt returns to the show this week to discuss an episode of Star Trek: The Animated Series that was written by the multi-talented Walter Koenig. When the Enterprise discovers a long-lost civilization of plant-like aliens, Spock is kidnapped and cloned by a Eugenics War scientist. Now, Kirk and crew must save their friend, stop the Phylosians' plans for galactic domination, and face . . . Spock 2!The Animated Series is an oft-overlooked wing of the Trek universe that nevertheless gave us a continuation of the five-year mission and a variety of charming and creative adventures for the crew of the Enterprise. Likewise, Walter Koenig rarely takes center stage in the world of Star Trek, but but his warmth and humor both brought Pavel Chekov to life and kept fans in stitches with his screenwriting and his non-fiction accounts of his life in Trek. On this episode, we discuss TAS as the underappreciated chapter o

Justine Mastin and Larisa Garski are back on the show this week to talk about their new book, "Starship Therapise" and the future of mental health in the Star Trek universe!Charge up the sanity laser!Get Justine and Larisa's book, "Starship Therapise"!https://amzn.to/3u5W6rwCheck out the Starship Therapise podcast and their other work!http://starshiptherapise.comhttp://https://blueboxcounseling.com/http://www.twitter.com/mindbodyfandomhttp://www.twitter.com/spocksallearsJoin our crew on Patreon!http://www.patreon.com/eistpodSubscribe to the show on iTunes!https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/enterprising-individuals/id1113165661?mt=2

We're rejecting reality and substituting our own as we enjoy “Hollow Pursuits"!Casually Comics host Sasha Wood joins the show this week to discuss an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation that introduces a character to the Trek universe who feels like an outsider but represents us perfectly. Lt. Barclay can only find solace in his holodeck recreations of his co-workers. When an invisible contaminant begins to infect the ship, he'll need to find the courage to step into the real world or his reality and his fantasies will both be destroyed!Sometimes the healthy, confident, and accomplished characters on Star Trek can feel unrelatable to our Earth-bound, replicator-free existence, but a character like Reginald Endicott Barclay III serves as the perfect avatar for many fans who also experience anxiety and detachment. In saving the ship and his crewmates, Barclay proves that a person's value isn't in their physical strength or their winning personality but in their unique viewpoints and their determination to

Dr. David A. Banks is back on the show this week to help answer a question: what would an average town in the Federation look like? A future with no scarcity, no cars, and a Creole joint on every corner sounds great, but what happens to community when property and regionalism are irrelevant?I don't let my kids watch Mr. Beast's Ghost Kitchen.Check out David's website and listen to Ironweeds!http://www.davidabanks.orghttp://www.twitter.com/da_bankshttp://ironweeds.podbean.comCommunicate with us on Facebook and Twitter and the Just Enough Trope Discord!http://www.facebook.com/eistpodhttp://www.twitter.com/eistpodhttps://discord.gg/CTjdwwjhJoin our crew on Patreon!http://www.patreon.com/eistpodSubscribe to the show on iTunes!https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/enterprising-individuals/id1113165661?mt=2

We're finding out how deep the rabbit hole goes this week as we conduct “Investigations"!Comedian, writer, and podcaster Asterios Kokkinos returns to the show to discuss an episode of Star Trek: Voyager that shakes up the Season 2 status quo. Neelix's talk show is the only place in the quadrant you can see juggling AND slides of the Klingon glottis. But when Tom Paris abruptly jumps ship, Neelix will follow a thread of mystery that leads to conspiracy and death!One of Voyager's greatest strengths as a show is in its characters and the actors that portray them. Being cooped up on a small ship in the middle of nowhere could have been an exercise in monotony, but Voyager was always adept at finding a new wrinkle of characterization to exploit for drama or comedy. On this episode, we discuss the way the Voyager mined its premise, the powerful charisma of the show's leads, the show's sometime rocky road to character development, the fandom split over Neelix, and why it's important that your characters like each ot

Artist Jenny Parks joins the show this week to talk about Star Trek Cats, science illustration, whether Federation citizens are cat people, and what Trek characters are secretly cat lovers!Odo would *totally* have a cat named "Julian".Check out Jenny's website and books!http://www.jennyparks.comStar Trek Catshttps://amzn.to/2QsojLbStar Trek TNG Catshttps://amzn.to/3tGSSLyCommunicate with us on Facebook and Twitter and the Just Enough Trope Discord!http://www.facebook.com/eistpodhttp://www.twitter.com/eistpodhttps://discord.gg/CTjdwwjhJoin our crew on Patreon!http://www.patreon.com/eistpodSubscribe to the show on iTunes!https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/enterprising-individuals/id1113165661?mt=2

We're coming out of our shell this week as we explore “For the World Is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky"!Author Greg Cox returns to the show this week to discuss an episode of Star Trek: The Original Series that is full to bursting with innovative sci-fi ideas. The Enterprise has discovered an ancient civilization living in a hollow asteroid generation ship. Can Kirk and crew save the unknowing inhabitants from their fate or will they---and Dr. McCoy---see their journey end in destruction?The short run of the Original Series was marked by unbridled creativity, with many episodes presenting multiple, original premises that made the nascent universe of Trek feel living and lived in. Supported by the work of contemporary sci-fi authors and creators, Star Trek delivered prime-time escapism that challenged the existing paradigm of sci-fi television. On this episode, we discuss the way in which TOS reflected the unbridled creativity of '60s sci-fi, what makes a TOS story, layering multiple premises into a single

This week, Justin McLachlan of EOS 10 joins the show to talk about acting, writing, and creating podcast sci-fi audio drama. In our discussion, we talk about the influence of his sci-fi and Trek fandom on his work, innovating on one of technology's oldest media, his book "Treknology", walking the DS9 Promenade, creating fiction in a hologram world, why the uncanny valley is so steep, directing (and protecting) actors, and whether or not humanity can learn from the lessons sci-fi teaches us.Fair Haven is brought to you by Squarespace!Follow Justin on Twitter and check out his podcast and book!https://www.twitter.com/justinmclachlanhttps://twitter.com/eos_10https://amzn.to/3s2NPmUhttp://planetm.io/galaxyqCommunicate with us on Facebook and Twitter and the Just Enough Trope Discord!http://www.facebook.com/eistpodhttp://www.twitter.com/eistpodhttps://discord.gg/CTjdwwjhJoin our crew on Patreon!http://www.patreon.com/eistpodSubscribe to the show on iTunes!https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/enterprising-individual

It's About Time is the Quantum Leap podcast whose mission is to pod right what once went wrong!This week, Gooey Fame of the Virtual Theater Podcast leaps in to talk about episode number 44, "Future Boy"! When Sam leaps onto the set of a 1950s sci-fi show, he meets the time-travelling hero Captain Galaxy. But when Galaxy's alter ego Moe begins to lose touch with reality, Sam will have to heal Moe's relationship with his daughter before the unthinkable occurs.This is a particularly poignant episode of QL, because Sam sees in Moe a kindred spirit, someone who is a dreamer and someone who is also curious about time travel. On the episode, we discuss the events of October 1957 including Sputnik, The Bridge on the River Kwai, alien abduction, and more. We also talk about using the blood code, subtle sci-fi elements, "Hey, it's that guy!", eccentricity vs. mental decline, having the "chops", drinking like a weirdo, Casey Jones, how Twitch replaced call-in shows, and a weird set of birthday coincidences.HOLY SMOKING