Home Blog Page 120

New STAR TREK: LOWER DECKS 109 Images: “Crisis Point”

TrekCore Staff
-
26
New STAR TREK: LOWER DECKS 109 Images: “Crisis Point”

This week brings us to the ninth episode of Star Trek: Lower Decks, and we’ve got your next round of new photos from “Crisis Point” today!

In this new episode, Ensign Mariner (Tawny Newsome) takes over Ensign Boimler’s (Jack Quaid) holodeck program to create a holonovel starring the USS Cerritos crew — “Crisis Point: The Rise of Vindicta.”

Here are 11 new photos from this week’s episode, along with one previously-released image:

Finally, if you didn’t catch it at the end of “Veritas,” here’s the preview for this coming week’s new episode of Star Trek: Lower Decks.

CRISIS POINT — Mariner repurposes Boimler’s holodeck program to cast herself as the villain in a Lower Decks style movie.

Written by Ben Rodgers. Directed by Bob Suarez.

Star Trek: Lower Decks returns Thursday, October 1 with “Crisis Point” on CBS All Access and CTV Sci-Fi Channel. International distribution for the series has not yet been announced.

STAR TREK: LOWER DECKS Review: “Veritas”

Alex Perry
-
14
STAR TREK: LOWER DECKS Review: “Veritas”

Star Trek: Lower Decks serves up its trial episode, as Mariner, Boimler, Rutherford and Tendi find themselves amidst what they believe to be a trial of the USS Cerritos’s senior officers on K’Tuevon Prime.

Asked to recount their individual perspectives of various random events, “Veritas” comes the closest of any Lower Decks episode to replicating its namesake, the original “Lower Decks” episode from The Next Generation.

Each of our lower-deckers have only a part of the full story, which told from each of their unique perspectives provides us with a complete view of one mission: the rescue of Clar (Kurtwood Smith, returning for another Star Trek role) from the Romulan Star Empire.

You see, it turns out neither the lower-deckers nor the Cerritos senior officers are being put on trial – they’re being celebrated for the rescue of Clar from the Romulans! “Veritas” is an exceptionally fun episode, and a true ensemble tale, providing a nice story for each of the four ensigns and appearances and great moments for all the senior officers.

The idea of the fundamental misunderstanding between Clar and the ensigns that it’s a party instead of a trial is a colossal stretch, even for an animated comedy, but it’s done so well and it’s so funny that the total absurdity of it gets a complete pass from me.

“Veritas” mixes a lot of funny one liners with great character moments and a stirring Boimler speech to great effect. And, this episode re-introduces a fan favorite – Q! Yes, John de Lancie returns to voice the omnipotent trickster in a hilarious cameo appearance. Mike McMahan, when he teased Q’s appearance said that it would be a quick cameo, and it is, but honestly it’s the perfect amount of Q.

We get some fun jokes and John de Lancie gets to briefly flex his Q muscles, but it’s not the focus of the episode. That feels right for a Lower Decks take on Q, as much as I could happily listen to de Lancie in the role for a full 24 minutes.

Trek Trope Tributes

  • The opening of the episode is a riff on the trial scene from Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country. The ensigns are raised on a platform towards a light on the ceiling and emerge into a tall courtroom with onlookers all around them, the judge wielding a heavy metal gavel, and a lone prosecutor with a metal eye patch. One of guest actor Kurtwood Smith’s previous roles was in that movie, playing the Federation President.
     
  • As previously mentioned, this episode is the closest in structure to The Next Generation episode “Lower Decks” that inspired the show, as we see each ensign’s perspective on an overall whole that is only revealed to the viewer at the end of the episode.
     
  • And of course, Q puts humanity on trial — though with Shaxs and T’Ana in the mix!
     
  • Mariner calls out that we’ve not seen a lot of Earth of the 24th century. “We’ll have to live on Earth where there’s nothing to do except drink wine and hang out at vineyards and soul food restaurants!” she says, referring to Picard’s family vineyard and Sisko’s Creole Kitchen in New Orleans, two of the most visited destinations on Earth in Star Trek — though creole cooking and soul food aren’t quite the same thing.

Canon Connections

Roga Danar

The ensigns are discussing the “biggest all time badass.” Mariner picks Khan (“dude was a space seed!”) but Boimler is more partial to the Angosian freedom fighter Roga Danar (from the TNG episode “The Hunted.”)

Romulan Neutral Zone

The map of the Romulan Neutral Zone given to the Cerritos by the Clicket includes the Romulan symbol introduced in ‘Star Trek: Nemesis.’

Denobulans

Denobulans, the race of Doctor Phlox from ‘Enterprise,’ get a shout out. Specifically, Shax warns about “Denobulan flesh eating bacteria on your peen,” which sounds, ahem, bad.

Vulcan Warp Sled

Shax, Rutherford, and Billups infiltrate the Vulcan museum to steal a 23rd century Romulan Bird of Prey in a Vulcan Warp Sled, first seen in ‘Star Trek’ transporting Spock to the USS Enterprise in ‘Star Trek: The Motion Picture.’

Vulcan Weapons

In addition to the Vulcan Warp Sled, a Vulcan phaser (seen previously in Enterprise) can be seen on the ground next to “Spock and Spock” after Rutherford incapacitated them with the Vulcan neck pinch.

Security Officer

The security officer at the Vulcan Museum is wearing the same protective equipment as Starfleet security officers in ‘Star Trek III: The Search for Spock.’

Museum Ships

In addition to the old Romulan Bird of Prey, also present in the starship museum are a Klingon D-7 battlecruiser (TOS), a Ferengi shuttle (DS9), a Jem’Hadar attack ship (DS9), a Federation worker bee (‘The Motion Picture’), a Tholian web spinner (TOS) a Type VI shuttle craft (TNG), a Galileo-type shuttle (TOS), and a Vulcan survey craft (‘Star Trek: First Contact’).

Romulans

The Romulan bridge seen in this episode matches that from The Next Generation episode “Face of the Enemy.” We also see a Romulan D’Deridex class warbird outside the show’s opening credits, the Romulan homeworld Romulus, Romulan disruptor rifles, and the boxy TNG-style Romulan uniforms.

Remans

We also get our first mention of the Remans since they were last seen in the ‘Star Trek: Enterprise’ episode “The Aenar.”

Salt Vampire

Mariner warns Ransom that he is unknowingly romancing a Salt Vampire, the race of aliens seen in the first episode of the Original Series that aired in the United States, “The Man Trap.”

Spock Two

“Did Kirk know about that giant Spock on Philos?” Boimler asks, referencing the — and I can’t believe I’m saying this — 50-foot Spock from the Animated Series episode “The Infinite Vulcan.”

Boimler also references “Sub Rosa,” to really round out his references to some excellent episodes of ‘Star Trek’ — “Did Doctor Crusher know about that ghost in the lamp thing from that Scottish planet that she hooked up with that one time?”

[td_smart_list_end]

Other Observations

  • The voice cast for this episode includes Kenneth Mitchell, another returning Trek vet most famous for playing the characters of Kol and Kol-Sha on Star Trek: Discovery, who voiced both a Federation Guard and a Romulan Solider in “Veritas.”
     
  • After several references in Star Trek: Picard — and a Gorn figurine in Captain Freeman’s office — we finally see a Gorn in one of Rutherford’s lucid moments between blackouts. A Gorn wedding no less, complete with Vasquez Rocks.
     
  • To distract the Vulcan guard so Shax can steal the Romulan bird of prey, Rutherford is encouraged to do “the fan dance,” a clear reference to Uhura’s similar dance used to distract the residents of Nimbus III in Star Trek V: The Final Frontier.
     
  • While dangerously low on oxygen, Billups refers to the events of two episodes of The Next Generation — both “Time’s Arrow, Part II” (with “Mark Twain’s got a gun!”) and “Skin of Evil” (with “Tasha! No! The garbage bag’s behind you!”).
     
  • We get another California-class ship – the USS Alhambra – named after a city in the state. The crew of the Alhambra look disturbingly similar to the Cerritos, but despite thinking she’s in a parallel dimension Dr. T’Ana, is merely on the wrong ship.

I loved “Veritas.” The perfect Lower Decks take on a trial episode complete with Q as voiced by John de Lancie, Kurtwood Smith, Kenneth Mitchell, and great scenes for all our main ensigns and supporting bridge crew to boot?

It sounds like it’s all too much, but the plotting is tight, the dialogue concisely funny without being overly fast, and the references on point. Two episodes from the Season 1 finale, Star Trek: Lower Decks is serving up some great, funny Star Trek.

Star Trek: Lower Decks returns on October 1 with “Crisis Point” on CBS All Access in the United States and CTV Sci Fi Channel in Canada. Additional international availability for the series has not yet been announced.

New STAR TREK Novels Centering on Troi, Crusher, Dax and Kira Announced for 2021 from First-Time Trek Writers

TrekCore Staff
-
37

It’s been relatively quiet on the Star Trek book front the last few months, but today a new announcement from publisher Gallery Books/Simon & Schuster today is introducing a pair of new voices to the Trek novel landscape, each of whom will be revisiting some of the iconic female characters of series past.

Announced today by StarTrek.com writer Swapna Krisha via Syfy FANGRRLS, there will be new books focused on the women of Star Trek: The Next Generation — Deanna Troi and Beverly Crusher — and of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine — Kira Nerys and Jadzia Dax — are on the way in 2021, and from a pair of writers who are no stranger to published fiction, but new additions to the roster of Star Trek storytellers.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine — Revenant by Alex R. White will center on Dax and Kira, and Star Trek: The Next Generation — Shadows Have Offended by Cassandra Rose Clark will focus on Deanna Troi and Beverly Crusher (and Worf as well), in a story set during the final season of TNG’s seven-year run.

Authors Alex R. White and Cassandra Rose Clarke.

Here’s the official news release from today’s announcement:

GALLERY BOOKS TO PUBLISH NEW STAR TREK NOVELS BY AWARD-WINNING AUTHORS ALEX R. WHITE AND CASSANDRA ROSE CLARKE

Gallery Books, a division of Simon & Schuster, has acquired two original Star Trek novels by authors Alex R. White and Cassandra Rose Clarke.

These acquisitions mark the addition of two critically acclaimed genre fiction authors to the Star Trek publishing program, bringing new and diverse voices to the roster and book content.

Alex R. White’s (A Big Ship at the Edge of the Universe; Alien: The Cold Forge) novel, REVENANT, is based on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and prominently features fan-favorite characters Jadzia Dax and Kira Nerys.

Cassandra Rose Clarke’s (Star’s End) novel, SHADOWS HAVE OFFENDED, is a thrilling standalone novel featuring fan-favorite characters Deanna Troi, Beverly Crusher, and Worf, set in Star Trek: The Next Generation’s epic seventh season.

On the acquisition, senior editor and licensing manager Ed Schlesinger said, “For decades, the Star Trek franchise has been at the forefront of diversity and inclusion, and we’re truly thrilled to be introducing Alex’s and Cassandra’s distinct and acclaimed voices to the ST novel program.”

“Star Trek has always struck me as a universe with a place for everyone: empathetic, intelligent, empowered and vibrant,” White says, “Those stories were there for me when I needed to hear them, and I’m privileged to tell the next set all these years later.”

Clarke echoed White’s affinity for the Star Trek franchise. “I imprinted on The Next Generation at an early age, and it continues to be my favorite Star Trek series to this day. Those characters have been an enormous source of joy, inspiration, and comfort throughout my life, and I am honored to have this chance to send them on a brand new adventure.”

The books will be published with World English rights, in a deal brokered by Connor Goldsmith at Fuse Literary (Alex R. White) and Stacia Decker at Dunow, Carlson, and Lerner (Cassandra Rose Clarke).

While there’s no cover art yet for these upcoming novels — we’ll be sure to share when they’re revealed! — you can preorder TNG: Shadows Have Offended now at Amazon ahead of it’s planned April 2021 release.

Book Review: ‘STAR TREK THE MOTION PICTURE – INSIDE THE ART & VISUAL EFFECTS’

Jim Moorhouse
-
19
Book Review: ‘STAR TREK THE MOTION PICTURE – INSIDE THE ART & VISUAL EFFECTS’

Star Trek has certainly cornered the market in recent years on comprehensive coffee table books and reference tomes, and with the September release of Star Trek: The Motion Picture: Inside the Art & Visual Effects, the franchise is again seeing its history preserved and celebrated in ways one could only dream.

Long celebrated by many as a misunderstood classic, Star Trek: The Motion Picture is well-known for its stunning visual style and the turbulent work that translated that vision to the screen.

In this beautiful, oversized book written by Jeff Bond and Gene Kozicki, the duo expertly carve through 40-plus years of history, anecdotes and images to weave both a familiar cataloging of the film’s production history, as well as some new takes on how it all came together.

The 192-page book is divided into nine easily digestible chapters focused on various elements of the film. From designing the refit Constitution-class Enterprise and V’ger to showcasing Vulcan on the big screen for the first time, the research and historical framing of the work is superb.

One of the more interesting elements in the book is the authors’ attempt at “rehabilitating some of the reputation” of Robert Abel & Associates, who are known in the annals of Trek as the visual effects house that basically couldn’t get the job done originally. The book goes into detail on hiring of Abel  — who had gained some notoriety for his original work on a Levi’s commercial (photos included! — but was clearly not equipped to upscale his work to the magnitude required for The Motion Picture.

Known as ASTRA (‘A Star Trek Robert Abel’) his group was eventually replaced by the famed VFX legend Douglas Trumbull, along with John Dykstra’s company Apogee — who were left with an impossibly short runway of about 10 months to produce the high-concept effects required to tell the film’s ambitious story.

Abel & Associates are lauded by the authors for the storyboarding and design work that was utilized on the film, but the attempt at rehabilitating their reputation was a tall task in the face of Robert Abel’s work being described by associate producer Jon Povill as “an endless song and dance that he’d be up and running in one more month.”

Ultimately, Povill’s account of director Robert Wise leaving their final meeting in January of 1979 saying, “I want that guy off the show. I never want to see or talk to him again,” is pretty damning in the case for reputation rehab.

That is but one behind-the-scenes anecdote in a book packed with them, as well as literally hundreds and hundreds of photos from the fabled production team at work beating deadlines and creating an artistic vision that has stood the test of time. From candid snapshots to frame-by-frame storyboard art, the book is a feast for the senses.

One of the standout elements in the book includes a 63-photo, 20-page spread on “V’ger’s Temple” that focuses on the creation and design of Star Trek’s original saucer section walk and the exploration of V’ger’s secrets. The model work and design of the hexagonal pathway for the crew connecting from the Enterprise hull to V’ger’s core is impressive to see in its evolving forms.

Other standout imagery in the coffee table book includes:

  • Multiple behind-the-scenes photos of the Enterprise refit model being filmed in drydock
  • Art and model work detailing V’ger concepts from early days to finish product, including the abandon memory wall sequence
  • Concept art, behind-the-scenes photos and set schematics of the Klingon bridge sequence early in the film

The book also includes an introduction dissecting the “Aborted Launch” of Planet of the Titans and Star Trek: Phase II (which is also extensively covered it the great 1997 Star Trek: Phase II – The Lost Series publication).

To say this book is comprehensive would do it a disservice.

In the end, Star Trek: The Motion Picture – Inside the Art & Visual Effects is a fully-realized history of the oft-misunderstood classic film that paved the way for Trek’s ongoing (and seemingly never-ending) legacy.

Jim Moorhouse is the creator of TrekRanks.com and the TrekRanks Podcast.
He can be found living and breathing Trek every day on Twitter at @EnterpriseExtra.

New STAR TREK: LOWER DECKS 108 Images: “Veritas”

TrekCore Staff
-
88
New STAR TREK: LOWER DECKS 108 Images: “Veritas”

This week brings us to the eighth episode of Star Trek: Lower Decks, and we’ve got your next round of new photos from “Veritas” today!

In this new episode, Ensigns Boimler (Jack Quaid), Mariner (Tawny Newsome), Rutherford (Eugene Cordero) and Tendi (Noel Wells) find themselves on trial when aliens force them to testify as a group about top secret missions and starship encounters gone wrong — with the alien leader voiced by multiple-time Star Trek guest star Kurtwood Smith.

Here are ten new photos from this week’s episode:

Finally, if you didn’t catch it at the end of “Much Ado About Boimler,” here’s the preview for this coming week’s new episode of Star Trek: Lower Decks.

VERITAS — Mariner, Boimler, Tendi, and Rutherford are caught off guard when aliens force them to testify about a series of seemingly unrelated events.

Written by Garrick Bernard. Directed by Kim Arndt.

Star Trek: Lower Decks returns Thursday, September 24 with “Veritas” on CBS All Access and CTV Sci-Fi Channel. International distribution for the series has not yet been announced.

Noah Hawley’s Stalled STAR TREK Film ‘An Argument for Why Humanity Should Prevail’, to Feature New Crew

TrekCore Staff
-
71

It’s been ten months since writer-director Noah Hawley was named as one of the architects of the next possible outing for the Star Trek film franchise — and though it seems that plans for his Trek movie are going through the same sort of stop-and-start gyrations the series has endured for the last five years, Hawley recently discussed his project in a series of new interviews.

During press interviews for the upcoming fourth season of Fargo on FX, potential Star Trek film writer-director Noah Hawley shared some insight into the themes of his ‘in stasis’ project at Paramount Pictures — a movie expected to included new characters separate from previous Trek starship rosters (with a new cast as well).

Speaking with Entertainment Weekly, the writer described plans for his film as one seemingly focused on how the Earth of today became the idyllic utopia seen in Federation times:

I can’t say much about it except it’s an argument for why humanity should prevail and why we should come together and unite, which I think is important – to look at the United Federation of Planets and remember at some point Earth is what we are now and then we invented warp technology and met extraterrestrial life and everybody came together.

But how? How did we get from where we are now to where they are then? And what happens if that utopian reality is challenged? There are times of challenge and war when we have to prove our values all over again.

Maybe there’s a time in the Federation where this ideal is challenged and it won’t survive on its own. It needs to be saved.

The project, which moved into ‘back burner’ status at Paramount Pictures in early August,  reportedly centers around a galaxy-threatening virus — a storyline, for obvious reasons, is probably not a great idea these days.

Hawley confirmed that his tale would not feature a familiar cast or crew in an interview with Variety earlier this week, but did describe his story has having at least one solid connection to known Trek canon by way of a late-story tie-in.

We’re not doing Kirk and we’re not doing Picard. It’s a start from scratch that then allows us to do what we did with [the first season of] ‘Fargo,’ where for the first three hours you go, ‘Oh, it really has nothing to do with the movie,’ and then you find the money.

So you reward the audience with a thing that they love.

While Hawley’s film still may be viable — just ‘in stasis’ — there remains two other known takes on a potential Star Trek film known to the public: the original story (first announced in 2016) featuring the return of Chris Hemsworth as George Kirk, and the Quentin Tarantino-produced take on the Original Series episode “A Piece of the Action,” where (per Deadline) the Chris Pine-led Enterprise crew would become involved in a “[1930s] gangster setting” adventure.

We’ll bring you any news on forward-moving developments on the film side of the Star Trek franchise as it surfaces.

STAR TREK: LOWER DECKS Review: “Much Ado About Boimler”

Alex Perry
-
21
STAR TREK: LOWER DECKS Review: “Much Ado About Boimler”

with Jim Moorhouse and Ken Reilly

“Much Ado about Boimler” mixes up our traditional ensign teams in this week’s episode of Star Trek: Lower Decks, but unfortunately only one of this week’s two storylines really lands.

When Ensign Boimler is injured in a transporter accident, he is sent – along with a genetically engineered dog created by Tendi – to Division 14’s “The Farm,” a specialist division that handles “unsolvable space illnesses and science missions.” Meanwhile, with Captain Freeman and the senior command crew temporarily re-assigned for a secret mission, an old Academy classmate of Mariner’s, Captain Amina Ramsey, takes temporary command of the Cerritos.

The Mariner storyline in this episode works very well and continues to significantly deepen the character and her motivations. Through Captain Ramsey, we see what Mariner could be if she applied herself: a Starfleet captain. Mariner is so scared of taking responsibility that she’s willing to jeopardize her relationship with her Academy classmate through a series of intentional mistakes designed to avoid Ramsey offering Mariner a more senior position back on her ship.

The more we learn about Mariner, the more we see her struggling between her fiercely independent streak and her desire to do and be more. At this point in her career, her independent streak is dominant, but in this episode there are moments where Ramsey brings out the best in her and ultimately together the two officers save the crew of the USS Rubidoux as it is taken over by a birthing space alien. I really enjoyed this exploration of Mariner’s character.

Unfortunately, the successful and thoughtful Mariner story is paired with a Boimler / Tendi story that just did not work for me. A clear Lower Decks take on a horror episode, Boimler is transferred to the USS Osler to travel with other injured Starfleet personnel to Division 14’s “The Farm.”

The patients aboard are deeply suspicious of the unnamed Edosian medical specialist and decide that The Farm is a lie, and try to mutiny… except that The Farm isn’t a lie. It is the idyllic sanctuary they were all hoping for.

“Much Ado About Boimler” is the first episode where I feel like the writers unsuccessfully weaved together the tropes of an adult animated comedy with the ethos of Star Trek. Honestly, this storyline was a little mean-spirited, and the plot draws too heavily upon the idea that the patients are ‘freaks’ and not desirable to be around.

This is the second episode this season where the writers have walked Boimler into some objectionable behavior — his slightly racist attitude towards the Ferengi Quimp in “Envoys,” was not great, but Boimler’s ableism in this episode towards his fellow patients is a bit offensive.

For such an otherwise great show, this is a disappointing trend.

Trek Trope Tributes

  • Boimler is sent to Division 14 because of a transporter accident caused by Rutherford trying to make it more efficient. Transporter accidents are a staple of previous Star Trek shows (“Rascals,” “Realm of Fear,” “The Enemy Within,” “Tuvix,” etc.), though usually the crews of the Enterprise or Voyager are able to solve the mystery and save the day.
     
  • With Captain Freeman away on assignment, the Cerritos is assigned a temporary captain. The episode even explicitly refers back to the most famous example of this — when Mariner compares the incoming captain to a “babysitter Jellico-type” — the famous Next Generation two-parter “Chain of Command.”
     
  • Ramsey and Mariner talk with the captain’s crew about their time together at the Academy. It has been a frequent trope of Star Trek that guest characters we’ve just been introduced to have detailed prior histories with our stars, like Cal Hudson and Ben Sisko (“The Maquis”), Admiral Pressman and Will Riker (“The Pegasus”), and B’Elanna Torres and Max Burke (“Equinox”).
     
  • Ramsey and Mariner love a good “space mystery,” and so do Star Trek writers, who have shown our crews investigating eerily empty ships many times before in stories like “The Doomsday Machine,” “The Tholian Web,” “Night Terrors,” “Empok Nor,” and more.

Canon Connections

Stealth Suits

This episode has a few “Chain of Command” references, most notably the reference to Captain Jellico already discussed. But when Freeman, Ransom, and Shax are off ship on their mission to germinate rulot seeds, they are wearing the black Starfleet stealth uniforms also see in that episode worn by Picard, Crusher, and Worf.

Additionally, the manufactured ‘expertise’ for why the trio was selected for this mission (germinating rulot seeds!) feels very familiar to the TNG trio’s ‘expertise’ in metagenic weapons and theta-band carrier waves.

Millicochranes and Milliseconds

When Boimler re-materializes slightly phased, Rutherford tells him he is just one millicochrane out of phase. The ‘cochrane’ is a unit of subspace distortion that has appeared numerous times throughout the franchise, of course named for Zefram Cochrane, the inventor of the warp drive.

Rutherford is shown trying to shave milliseconds off his transporter tests, similar to the way LaForge was trying to increase his engine efficiency by miniscule levels to best a colleague in “Force of Nature.”

Delta Radiation

One of the Division 14 patients, Ensign Jenna, is confined to a wheelchair that matches Captain Pike’s from “The Menagerie.” Like Pike, she was exposed to delta radiation.

Edosian

The Division 14 medical specialist is an Edosian, the first time we’ve seen the race since the character Arex appeared in ‘Star Trek: The Animated Series.’

As you would expect, this Edosian also includes the anatomically ridiculous third arm coming straight out of his chest, which is expertly obscured by a well-placed cloak.

Type III Phaser Rifle

When the patients aboard the Osler mutiny, the Edosian medical specialist brandishes a Type III phaser rifle — the same design that first appeared in ‘Star Trek: First Contact’ and subsequent episodes of ‘Star Trek: Voyager.’

Shakespearean Titles

A tradition, by any other name, is the franchise’s use of Shakespearean quotes in their episode titles. From “Conscience of the King” to “Dagger of the Mind,” and from “All Our Yestedays” to “The Measure of a Man,” many episodes of Trek have included nods to the Bard’s work — and now you can add “Much Ado about Boimer” to that list.

[td_smart_list_end]

Other Observations

  • The USS Rubidoux is another California-class ship, named for yet another city in California. The ship also has red striping indicating it is a command ship.
     
  • The USS Osler, which takes Tendi and Boimler to The Farm, is named for the city in Saskatchewan.
     
  • When Doctor T’Ana tells Boimler she is shipping him off to Division 14, he asks if they are ‘the time travel police,” a definite reference to the Department of Temporal Investigations (seen in “Trials and Tribble-ations”).
     
  • Captain Freeman’s ready room display wall includes a small model — or action figure? –of a Gorn.

  • Lizard-like former human Anthony bears a striking resemblance to a Warp 10 salamander, the de-evolved human form which Janeway and Paris turned into after breaking that speed barrier in “Threshold.”
     
  • The lead ‘freak’ aboard the Osler is half old-aged and half-young, and is “doomed to live out his days as half a rascal” — an oblique reference to TNG’s “Rascals” which featured Captain Picard and friends reduced to their teenage selves.
     
  • The space alien that transforms the Rubidoux looks similar to the space jellyfish encountered by the Enterprise-D in “Encounter at Farpoint.”

Overall, despite a strong Mariner story that continues to deepen the character beyond the confines of an adult animated comedy, “Much Ado About Boimler” leans a little too hard into making the patients of Division 14 the butt of the joke for me to rate this episode particularly highly.

The writers have demonstrated a number of times this season that they can make funny Star Trek without being mean spirited or indulging in 21st century prejudice. Unfortunately, this episode does not accomplish that.

Star Trek: Lower Decks returns on September 24 with the eighth episode of the season, on CBS All Access in the United States and CTV Sci Fi Channel in Canada. Additional international availability for the series has not yet been announced.

STAR TREK UNIVERSE Hits NYCC – Virtually – For Digital Panel on October 8, PRODIGY Updates Forthcoming?

TrekCore Staff
-
10
STAR TREK UNIVERSE Hits NYCC – Virtually – For Digital Panel on October 8, PRODIGY Updates Forthcoming?

Like San Diego Comic Con and virtually all other in-person fan events this year, the annual New York Comic Con celebration set for October was cancelled — but as that convention moves to the online space, the Star Trek Universe panel that’s been held for the last several years has gone digital with it.

On October 8 12 PM ET (9AM ET), the one-two punch of Star Trek: Lower Decks and Star Trek: Discovery will beam to the virtual NYCC stage as the season finale of the animated series rolls out — and as the Season 3 premiere of Discovery will be just days away — to focus on the latest behind-the-scenes news from each show.

Here’s the official announcement, released by CBS today:

CBS ALL ACCESS UNVEILS NEW YORK COMIC CON LINEUP

NEW YORK, N.Y. – Sept. 16, 2020 – CBS All Access, ViacomCBS’ digital subscription video on-demand and live streaming service, and CBS Television Studios invite fans to enter the “Star Trek” universe and be the first to experience the upcoming limited event series THE STAND during New York Comic Con’s Metaverse, taking place virtually Oct. 8-11 at YouTube.com/NYCC and FindtheMetaverse.com.

Panels will include a back-to-back block of “Star Trek” programming to kick off opening day of New York Comic Con’s Metaverse on Thursday, Oct. 8, featuring cast and producers from STAR TREK: LOWER DECKS, STAR TREK: DISCOVERY and surprise guests, plus the inaugural panel for cast and producers of the highly anticipated upcoming limited event series THE STAND on Friday, Oct. 9.

Thursday, Oct. 8 at 12:00 PM, ET/9:00 AM, PT: STAR TREK UNIVERSE

Exclusive Conversations with Casts of STAR TREK: LOWER DECKS + STAR TREK: DISCOVERY and SURPRISE GUESTS

The beloved panel returns to New York Comic Con with a special virtual edition, featuring exclusive back-to-back conversations with casts and producers from the “Star Trek” universe on CBS All Access, alongside a few special surprise guests.

Join the creator of STAR TREK: LOWER DECKS, Mike McMahan, and series voice cast for a special edition of CBS All Access’ official “Star Trek” after-show, “The Ready Room,” as they dive into the season one finale with host Wil Wheaton. Voice cast appearing include Tawny Newsome, Jack Quaid, Noël Wells, Eugene Cordero, Dawnn Lewis, Jerry O’Connell, Fred Tatasciore and Gillian Vigman.

Be the first to learn the latest about STAR TREK: DISCOVERY before season three premieres on Thursday, Oct. 15, exclusively on CBS All Access. Join series stars Sonequa Martin-Green, Doug Jones, Anthony Rapp, Mary Wiseman and Wilson Cruz; new cast members David Ajala, Blu del Barrio and Ian Alexander; and series co-showrunners and executive producers Alex Kurtzman and Michelle Paradise, for an exclusive conversation on what’s in store for the U.S.S. Discovery crew. Moderated by Sarah Rodman of Entertainment Weekly.

We’ll be paying attention during the live event, of course, and will feature running commentary on our Twitter feed with a follow-up recap of the event to bring you all the latest news and reveals that those of you who can’t watch live may miss.

Along with Discovery and Lower Decks coverage, it certainly seems like we’re going to learn more — perhaps a lot more — about the forthcoming Star Trek: Prodigy kids’ show headed for Nickelodeon next year, as several writers from the series (Aaron Waltke, Julie Benson, and the showrunning Hageman brothers) strongly hinted on social media that we should be watching the event.

 

If you’re able to ‘attend’ the event on October 8, you’ll be able to watch at online at  YouTube.com/NYCC and FindtheMetaverse.com.

Star Trek: Discovery
Season 1 Blu-ray

Star Trek: Discovery
Season 2 Blu-ray

Star Trek: Discovery
Season 3 Blu-ray

REVIEW: Eaglemoss XL — USS Enterprise NCC-1701-J

Ken Reilly
-
254
REVIEW: Eaglemoss XL — USS Enterprise NCC-1701-J

Deep in the Delphic Expanse during the mission to confront and stop the Xindi threat, Captain Jonathan Archer was whisked away — 400 years into his future — to witness the looming threat of the interdimensional Sphere Builders…. from a viewport aboard the gargantuan Universe-class USS Enterprise-J!

Agent Daniels (Matt Winston) aboard the Enterprise-J. (“Azati Prime”)

Shown to the NX-01 captain by temporal agent Daniels, this “distant relative” of Archer’s own ship — estimated to measure approximately two miles in length by Doug Drexler, the designer of the digital model seen in “Azati Prime” — the futuristic Federation vessel was only seen from the inside, during an alternate future where Starfleet forces took on the Sphere Builders during the Battle of Procyon V.

A digital render of the Enterprise-J in flight.

While the ship itself was never seen from the exterior view in “Azati Prime” — planned visual effects work for such a shot had to be scrapped for budgetary reasons — the ship has made its way into digital gaming in Star Trek Online and has been part of various Ships of the Line publications over the last fifteen years since the episode first aired.

A smaller subscription-sized version of the Enterprise-J was released in 2017, but this year brings a larger version of the Universe-class ship to the Official Starships Collection, as a 8.5-inch sized ‘XL’ edition of the futuristic starship joins the Hero Collector fleet.

If a starship model can be both skinny and fat at the same time, this is the one to do it: the Enterprise-J ship is barely an inch tall from base to the top of its spindly warp nacelles, but the heavy, all-metal saucer section measures seven inches in diameter, giving the ship an oddly wide appearance despite its thinness.

Designed to push the envelope on the traditional Federation starship elements — a round saucer and a pair of nacelles — to evoke the additional leap forward in technology for the 26th century setting, envisioned with the ability to “fold space” in a propulsion far beyond the traditional warp drive method of travel.

The nacelles on this model are come to nearly dental-floss-thin points at their rear tips, with incredibly fragile connection points to the body of the ship; just pulling the model from it’s packaging nearly resulted in one of the thin tines snapping off. It’s definitely a model that may frequently face repairs if not treated gently.

While mostly a brushed silver, the Enterprise-J model does feature some splashes of color, with bright orange Bussard collectors, slight translucent blue warp engines, a round bauble of blue on the aft section, and an orange-and-purple-painted deflector area — along with yellow and black window strips surrounding the perimeters of both dorsal and ventral sides of the saucer.

Overall, if you’re a fan of the Universe-class design (and we know not everyone is!) this is a great representation of the 26th century ship, as long as you’re able to be gentle with the easy-to-fracture warp nacelles — an unfortunate complication that comes along with accurately portraying the stretched-out starship.

If you’d like to add the USS Enterprise-J to your own fleet of starship models, it’s available now in the United States for for $74.95, and to fans in the the UK for £49.99.

We’ve got several upcoming looks at some of the recent alien additions to The Official Starships Collection coming soon, so stay tuned for more models reviews in the coming weeks!

In the meantime, let us know your thoughts on the Enterprise-J and the Universe-class design in the comments below!

CBS ALL ACCESS to Become PARAMOUNT+ in 2021

TrekCore Staff
-
71
CBS ALL ACCESS to Become PARAMOUNT+ in 2021

After months of rumors and hints from the corporate leadership team following the merger of CBS and Viacom last year, the longstanding CBS All Access streaming service — home of the growing Star Trek universe currently in production — is officially taking the name Paramount+ as part of a revitalization and expansion plan kicking off in 2021.

Announced today by ViacomCBS, the corporation formed after the two companies merged in 2019, the streaming service is set to expand both in content and in geographic availability next year, rebranding as Paramount+ in the process.

The formal announcement comes on the heels of a previously-revealed plan to overhaul the service, including the digital user interface, that came out of an investor call earlier this year.

Here’s the official announcement:

CBS All Access to Be Rebranded as Paramount+ in Early 2021

International Launch in 2021 with Initial Debut in Australia, Latin America, and the Nordics

Additional Exclusive Original Series Planned for Paramount+ from CBS, BET, MTV and Paramount to Join Its Unique Combination of Live Sports, Breaking News and Premium Entertainment

Plans Include Five New Original Series for the Service: THE OFFER, a Limited Event Series About the Making of “The Godfather,” One of the Most Legendary Films in Paramount’s History from Oscar and Emmy-Nominated Writer Michael Tolkin; LIONESS, from “Yellowstone” Creator Taylor Sheridan; a New Edition of BEHIND THE MUSIC from MTV; THE REAL CRIMINAL MINDS True Crime Docuseries; and a Revival of BET’s THE GAME

Additional Original Series to Be Announced in Advance of Launch

NEW YORK, NY – Sept. 15, 2020 – ViacomCBS (NASDAQ: VIAC, VIACA) today unveiled “Paramount+” as the brand name for the company’s upcoming global streaming service, building on a legacy of innovation and superior storytelling that distinguishes one of the most iconic brands in Hollywood. The company’s transformed subscription video on-demand and live streaming service, CBS All Access, will be rebranded as Paramount+ in early 2021 as part of the service’s expansion to feature content from ViacomCBS’ leading portfolio of broadcast, news, sports and entertainment brands. ViacomCBS will also bring Paramount+ to international markets with an initial debut in Australia, Latin America and the Nordics in 2021.

“Paramount is an iconic and storied brand beloved by consumers all over the world, and it is synonymous with quality, integrity and world-class storytelling,” said Bob Bakish, President and CEO, ViacomCBS. “With Paramount+, we’re excited to establish one global streaming brand in the broad-pay segment that will draw on the sheer breadth and depth of the ViacomCBS portfolio to offer an extraordinary collection of content for everyone to enjoy.”

Today, ViacomCBS also revealed plans for additional new original series for Paramount+:

– THE OFFER, a scripted limited event series from Paramount Television Studios, based on Oscar-winning producer Al Ruddy’s extraordinary, never-revealed experiences of making “The Godfather.” The 10-episode event series is written and executive produced by Michael Tolkin (“Escape at Dannemora” and “The Player”). Ruddy will also serve as executive producer, and Emmy-winning producer Leslie Greif (“Hatfields & McCoys”) will executive produce and be a writer on the series.

– LIONESS, a spy drama created by Taylor Sheridan (“Yellowstone”) with Sheridan, Jill Wagner, David Glasser, David Hutkin, and Bob Yari set to executive produce. Based on a real-life CIA program, LIONESS follows a young Marine recruited to befriend the daughter of a terrorist to bring the organization down from within. The series is produced by Paramount Network and 101 Studios.

– A reimagination of the Emmy®-nominated series “Behind the Music” entitled MTV’s BEHIND THE MUSIC – THE TOP 40, which will unlock MTV’s vault from the past 40 years for a unique and intimate look at the 40 biggest artists of all time, through their voices and their eyes. The series will be produced by Creature Films and MTV Studios.

– THE REAL CRIMINAL MINDS, a true crime docuseries based on the hit CBS Television series, and produced by XG Productions in association with CBS Television Studios and ABC Signature.

The service is also developing a revival of THE GAME as part of BET’s programming on Paramount+ from CBS Television Studios and Grammnet Productions.

The new original series announced today join the service’s previously announced plans for KAMP KORAL, a new original children’s series from Nickelodeon’s SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS, and the service’s role as the exclusive SVOD home to THE SPONGEBOB MOVIE: SPONGE ON THE RUN in early 2021. Additional new original content will be announced ahead of launch.

This programming will join CBS All Access’ robust existing offering of more than 20,000 episodes and movies from BET, CBS, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, Paramount Pictures and more, as well as exclusive original series including THE GOOD FIGHT, THE TWILIGHT ZONE, TOONING OUT THE NEWS, NO ACTIVITY, WHY WOMEN KILL, INTERROGATION, THE THOMAS JOHN EXPERIENCE and TELL ME A STORY, as well as upcoming series THE STAND, THE MAN WHO FELL TO EARTH, THE HARPER HOUSE, and GUILTY PARTY. The service is also the exclusive domestic home to STAR TREK: DISCOVERY, STAR TREK: PICARD, the animated series STAR TREK: LOWER DECKS and the upcoming U.S.S. Enterprise-set series STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS.

Since the transformation of CBS All Access began in late July, the service has experienced significant growth and engagement. With the addition of a diverse mix of content, including UEFA, BIG BROTHER LIVE FEEDS, STAR TREK: LOWER DECKS and more than 3,500 episodes from across ViacomCBS’ brands, the service broke a new record for total monthly streams in August and experienced one of its best months ever in terms of new subscriber sign-ups. In addition, the average age of new subscribers in August was measurably younger than the service’s overall average subscriber age, due in large part to the addition of UEFA and the newly added content from various ViacomCBS brands.

Leading up to the early 2021 rebrand to Paramount+, CBS All Access will expand its content offering to more than 30,000 episodes and movies and continue to develop additional original series across brands including BET, CBS, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, Paramount Pictures and more, transforming it into a diversified super service for the ViacomCBS portfolio.

“The response from consumers in just the early weeks of the service’s expansion already illustrates the tremendous opportunity ahead of us in bringing these phenomenal ViacomCBS brands together in one premium streaming home under the new Paramount+ name,” said Marc DeBevoise, Chief Digital Officer, ViacomCBS and President & Chief Executive Officer, ViacomCBS Digital.

“With the addition of even more content from across the portfolio as well as the new exclusive originals we are announcing today, we look forward to the early 2021 rebrand and bringing existing and new subscribers more of the compelling, genre-spanning live sports, breaking news and mountain of entertainment ViacomCBS has to offer.”

While this doesn’t change where Star Trek: Discovery, Star Trek: Picard, Star Trek: Lower Decks, or Star Trek: Strange New Worlds will be available for fans in the United States, this certainly projects a long future for the streaming service based upon the combined assets of the recently-reunited entertainment conglomerate.

Order
The Roddenberry Vault

Order
Star Trek Lost Scenes
1...119120121...331Page 120 of 331

TrekCore.com is not endorsed, sponsored or affiliated with Paramount, CBS Studios, or the Star Trek franchise. All Star Trek images, trademarks and logos are owned by CBS Studios Inc. and/or Paramount. All original TrekCore.com content and the WeeklyTrek podcast (c) 2025 Trapezoid Media, LLC. · Terms & Conditions