Transporter Lock - A Star Trek podcast

Discovery S4E07: …But to Connect

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We know the measure of a man; this week Ken and Bri learn the measure of a Zora. Was Stamets the right person to lead this charge against artificial intelligence? And is there anything Kovich can’t do?

We also celebrate the return of Star Trek to its roots, with lots of talking and diplomacy over action! We’re suspicious of Tarka and disappointed in Book, but we suspect things will resolve in rapid sequence when Discovery returns from its mid-season break on February 10, 2022.

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Discovery S4E06: Stormy Weather

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An insecure artificial intelligence and a crew that doesn’t know how to use space probes or transporters are the source of this episode’s fatalities. But Ken and Bri are excited to see Zora join the crew and be respected as such. We also remember a lesson from The Princess Bride about living with anger, and we ship two favorite characters we see reunited this week.

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Discovery S4E05: The Examples

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Hey, you know what’s a great idea? Performing a destructive scientific experiment right next to the spore drive during an evacuation! 🤦🏼‍♂️ Bri and Ken find much of the tension in Ruon Tarka’s visit to Discovery to be incredibly contrived, and we have to dig to determine how a prison break develops our heroes. We are however intrigued by how two “struggling” crewmen are each handling the unreasonable expectations they’ve set themselves to save everyone.

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Discovery S4E04: All Is Possible

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What do Tilly, Wil Wheaton, Ken, and Bri all have in common? We have parents who put us on paths we didn’t want to be on. We commiserate over being seen, and we value seeing Book and Culber demonstrate how men can work through difficult emotions in a non-violent way.

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Discovery S4E03: Choose to Live

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The season’s third episode gets three subplots, and Bri and Ken are here to review them all! We’re disappointed with the illogic of a rogue Qowat Milat, though we’re always up for a good sword fight. We love Paul Stamets’ empathetic side, and we’re eager to see what comes next for Gray and Adira — as fraught as it may be, if history is any lesson. Oh, and we’re impressed by the callbacks to Picard‘s and Deep Space Nine‘s traditions, technology — and food!

When you’re done with the show, be sure to check out Ryan’s Edits on both YouTube and Patreon, where Ken is a backer.

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Bonnie Gordon of Star Trek: Prodigy & Con Artist

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When Bonnie Gordon joined the ranks of Starfleet as a cast member at Star Trek: The Experience in Las Vegas, she never expected a decade later that she’d be a part of Trek canon. That mission was accomplished last month with the debut of the animated series Star Trek: Prodigy, on which Bonnie plays the voice of …

Discovery S4E02: Anomaly

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Despite the generic episode title, “Anomaly” nonetheless does a fantastic job of interweaving intense action with character moments, including metaphors for transitioning and the normalization of discussions about mental health. We also get teasers of new tech, from programmable-matter tethers to the cone of silence. Collectively, “Anomaly” continues a direction for Discovery‘s fourth season that Bri and Ken find promising!

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Discovery S4E01: Kobayashi Maru

Discovery Season 4 Episode 1: Kobayashi Maru

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“Kobayashi Maru” is an explosive start to Discovery‘s fourth season, raising questions for which Bri and Ken have no answers but plenty of theories. Will the Federation, still recovering from the Burn, now face an intergalactic threat? Is the Federation’s president evil, or just a politician? Where have cadets been going for the last 150 years, if not Starfleet Academy? And how will Burnham, who for the first time in the series’ history is finally content, weather the coming storm? All this and more in our latest podcast!

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Prodigy S1E01–05

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Lt. (j.g.) Kraft joins Sabriel and Ken to review the first five episodes of Star Trek: Prodigy‘s debut season. The animated show is meant to be a family-friendly entry point, and it’s the only show to have persuaded Kraft’s six daughters to give Star Trek a chance. What is it about this series that makes it so appealing and accessible? From Voyager tie-ins to character development, Prodigy has something for everyone — but is it enough for Trek veterans? We discuss!

Also check out the “Con Artist” Kickstarter by Bonnie Gordon of the Library Bards, who lends her voice to the USS Protostar‘s computer!

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Lower Decks S2E09–10: wej Duj; First First Contact

Lower Decks Season 2 Episode 10: First First Contact

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Chief Archivist Amanda returns to Transporter Lock and brings with her Ensign Modeler Andrew to review the final two episodes of Lower Decks’ second season. Predicted romances didn’t materialize, and we’re relieved and excited by what we got instead. We’re heartened by the return of Sonya Gomez and want to see more returning alumni. We were pleasantly surprised to finally see Cetacean Ops and to be teased by the Rubber Ducky Room. We respond to Susan Arendt’s comment whether the show is better when it isn’t trying to be funny. We love the Buckaroo Banzai sequel. And we can’t help but note that whales outrank Harry Kim. All this and more!

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