All Access Star Trek - A TrekMovie.com Podcast

Anthony and Laurie took a trip to Ticonderoga with Kayla, Brian, and Andy from the Shuttle Pod podcast to visit the Star Trek Original Series Set Tour, which exceeded all of their extremely high expectations. Listen as they talk about the immersive experience, the personal tour they got from owner James Cawley, the special events that happen there yearly, and the experience of the town itself.

Jonathan Frakes, Kitty Swink, and Armin Shimerman join Anthony and Laurie to talk about PanCAN, the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, and the Purple Stride walk to support it on April 25. They talk about the importance of identifying symptoms early and making sure you see a doctor who knows about pancreatic cancer, and the joy of doing the walk with friends and supporters. Everyone also talks some Trek, taking a look at where the franchise is now (in a post-Academy and Strange New Worlds world), the state of the fandom, and a bit of TNG and DS9 history. They also talk about changes in the industry, like mergers and using AI to replace actors. The wrap up with a reminder to walk, donate, or share all the info about PanCAN and Purple Stride.

Anthony and Laurie have a lot of news to catch up on. They start with the cancellation of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, looking at statements from Paramount as well as reactions from both the cast and the show’s fans, and have a brief debate about whether or not that factored into the decision. Robert Picardo’s recent comments about Star Trek taking “a pause” sparked a broader discussion of what might happen next with the franchise both on TV and in movies. They also take a look at a new interview with Paul Giamatti about Academy‘s Nus Braka. They chat about Project Hail Mary author Andy Weir’s comments on this era of Trek, along with his subsequent apology to Alex Kurtzman, and Tony goes through the latest on new comics and games. They recap some of the Trek Talks panels, particularly the Deep Space Nine “Trials and Tribble-ations discussion where Ira talked about nervously calling Leonard Nimoy to get his approval and the Enterprise writers panel where they talked about their pitches for season 5. Laurie gives a full Trek Talks update and then urges everyone to go check out the footage and images from the Artemis mission.

This week, we have a special supplemental podcast recorded live at WonderCon last weekend in Anaheim (so forgive the suboptimal audio). Our friend TrekLand’s Larry Nemecek was hosting a panel with a variety of podcasters and Star Trek superfans as participants, including our own Anthony Pascale. The panel was originally going to cover  the online debates surrounding Starfleet Academy, but the show not getting picked up for a third season pivoted things. Here is the official description from the WonderCon schedule. Star Trek at 60: Starfleet Academy: Real Uniter or Faux Divider? Is it 2017 again? Star Trek turns 60 with a host of anniversary plans, but Starfleet Academy has bowed with more controversy than any recent series since Star Trek: Discovery’s heated first year. With SFA’s first season wrapped, “Dr. Trek” Larry Nemecek (The Trek Files, Portal 47) asks a host of Trek industry vets for their own takes on the series as well as the meta-reaction to it: Is that initial negative reaction by some critics and fans more about clickbait-chasing talkers and review-bombing than actual criticism and nuance? an we sense whether IRL armchair Trekkies feel as mainstream critics and activist fans do—in support? Panelists included Neal Hallford (DP, Con of Wrath), Matt Jennings (1701: A Blerd Story), Tony Kim (Hero Within), Giraffe (Strange New Pod), and Anthony Pascale (TrekMovie).

Anthony and Laurie and TrekMovie contributor Bobby Oler chat with John Billingsley, Star Trek: Enterprise‘s Dr. Phlox, to talk about Trek Talks 5, the all-day marathon of Star Trek panels on YouTube benefitting Hollywood Food Coalition that’s now in its fifth year. In their freewheeling discussion, they also dig deep into John’s experience on Enterprise and his work on other shows, his reasons for giving up social media, sitting on William Shatner’s lap, and why he’s not a fan of table reads, as well as the importance of the Hollywood Food Coalition and the way Star Trek fans and pros come together to do good in the world.