#117 - TRACING THE TRIBBLE TRILOGY

Starfleet has taken on many powerful adversaries in the past, such as the Xindi, Romulans, Borg and Species 8472, but all major threats paled in comparison to the overwhelming might of some unstoppable spacebound fur-balls. Since being introduced in The Trouble with Tribbles, these adorable nuisances have plagued many a crew to great audience amusement. This week hosts Cam Smith and Tyler Orton examine their landmark debut, as well the Animated Series episode More Tribbles, More Troubles and DS9's Trials and Tribulations in an effort to nail down exactly what makes these television hours so endearing and fun. Along the way, the duo also discuss the character of Koloth, the grim reality of what likely happens when Klingons deal with a Tribble infestation, and whether Discovery could bring us a fourth fuzzy encounter!

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#116 - THE EVOLUTION OF THE BORG

Remember way back in November of 1996 when First Contact landed in theatres and the universe was the Borg's oyster? Just after the triumphant end of The Next Generation, and shortly before they were exploited ad nauseum in a gazillion Voyager episodes? Well hosts Cam Smith and Tyler Orton do, and this week, in celebration of the 20th anniversary of Star Trek's much-loved 8th film chapter, they're taking a deep dive into the history of this ultra terrifying technology-driven alien race. From the species' shocking reveal in Q Who, to their explosive defeat in Endgame, the duo leave no episode stone unturned in their determination to pin down exactly where and how the Borg lost their once fearsomely potent mojo.  

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#115 - STAR TREK DS9: THE MAQUIS

One of the most popular go-to sources of drama in the Berman Trek era was the plight of the Maquis, the rebellious Federation-born colonists who often violently opposed Cardassian occupation. While they were created for Voyager, it was Deep Space Nine that introduced them to the world. But was it a strong introduction? This week hosts Cam Smith and Tyler Orton put on their finest vests and revisit DS9's second season two-parter The Maquis to answer that very question, and explore how the presence of this disenfranchised group impacts key characters such as Sisko, Kira, Odo and Gul Dukat. In addition, the duo critique how well the Maquis were ultimately handled by Voyager, and whether it was a wise creative decision to leave the fate of Commander Calvin Hudson a big 'ol question mark.

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#114 - STAR TREK'S BIGGEST LOSERS

While the lion's share of Trek's pantheon of characters lean heavily towards the hyper-capable, brave, resourceful and whip smart, not quite all are created equal. This week hosts Cam Smith and Tyler Orton officiate over their own personal Hall of Shame and induct several key figures who - either professionally, personally or both! - woefully fall short of even baseline competency. From the shockingly inept captain of the Enterprise-B, to underachieving alternate reality Picard and a certain notorious Klingon offspring, the duo call out the most hopeless offenders and try to understand the creative thinking that ultimately stranded them in such dire straights.

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