OPN - Disco Inferno 3 - “Point of Light”

[00:00:02] OPN-Pike Night

[00:01:13] Harrison, the host of Green Shirt, A Newbie's Trek Through The Next Generation. Cameron, how are you doing tonight?

[00:01:19] Uh, still trying to understand that reference, but doing well, thank you.

[00:01:23] Um...

[00:01:23] Same, I was just about to be like, wait, what's happening?

[00:01:26] Look, for some of us, the season is over, okay? And we've no motivation to watch the Yankees play the Dodgers in the friggin' World Series.

[00:01:36] Oh, you watch sports ball, okay.

[00:01:39] You have a team, that's all that matters to you, gotcha.

[00:01:42] Yes.

[00:01:43] Oh, yeah, I see. You give a shit.

[00:01:46] That's true. I married into a fandom just like my wife did with Star Trek, except she was into baseball and a little team out of San Francisco, so we're just gonna not watch the series this year, and it's gonna be fine.

[00:02:00] See, my sports ball is, I just came from playing Rocket League over on the PlayStation, which I just discovered and am now addicted to, so that's the ball I'll be sporting.

[00:02:09] You know...

[00:02:10] Wait, so I live in Los Angeles and I feel like I should know that the Dodgers are going to the World Series. Is that, that's happening? That's what's going on?

[00:02:18] Yes, sir, it is. This will be their first chance in a while to win a real World Series that's not truncated, so...

[00:02:25] I'm really gonna miss Clayton Kirshner this year because he was always there to hold the Dodgers back and now they might win.

[00:02:30] Yeah.

[00:02:32] So, I promise we'll stop talking about sports. It's not what we're here to do. As I mentioned, we are here to...

[00:02:38] I feel like Steve Rogers when I'm like, I get that reference.

[00:02:40] Right.

[00:02:41] This is what happens when producer John isn't here to keep things on.

[00:02:45] Cameron...

[00:02:46] On the straight and narrow.

[00:02:47] You know how I know you're a dad?

[00:02:49] Hmm.

[00:02:49] You just discovered Rocket League.

[00:02:54] I guess so.

[00:02:55] I've heard...

[00:02:56] Get on there. We need to get an open Pike team going.

[00:02:58] I've heard good things. Look, man, I'm really busy with my competitive Pokemon team. You know this, Cameron. Jeez.

[00:03:04] I do.

[00:03:04] Now, again, I promise we're here to talk about Star Trek and in particular, we're talking about Star Trek Discovery Season 2 in our Disco Inferno coverage.

[00:03:14] And I'm very excited for tonight's episode.

[00:03:17] I forgot how much fun Season 2, Episode 3, Point of Light was. And I promise we will get into this. So, Cameron.

[00:03:28] I forgot that I watched the episode until I watched it. I was like, oh, I remember that.

[00:03:31] I was going to ask. Cameron, you always talk about not remembering what's going on in this season from episode to episode. Has watching it closer together helped you with that?

[00:03:41] I think we're starting to get to some of those arcs that I was like, boy, I should have watched these more back to back.

[00:03:46] I remember like the May stuff I was losing. Anyway, yes, our first two episodes, I was like, man, I remember not really liking Season 2 very much. What's going on? These are great episodes.

[00:03:56] And then we got to this one. And it's not that I didn't like this episode, but we took a hard turn from a hard pivot from what was like a nice season long arc set up to have these very episodic little moments as they check out each red beacon to like just being thrown headfirst into like separate storylines right in the middle.

[00:04:20] Some coming from last episode, some coming from last season, nothing getting resolved. Like we just got dumped into Game of Thrones territory and it was a little bit of a whiplash.

[00:04:31] That's a good way to describe it. I mean, you know, old school Trek TNG, for example, has an A and a B plot. And sometimes there's some filler. This episode has an A plot, a B plot, a C plot, a D plot, an E plot, and then some filler.

[00:04:44] And never do they touch. Like in previous episodes, the last two episodes, they were all very interwoven very nicely. And yeah, I mean, that's not a terrible thing, but it is like, it's interesting how they just suddenly shifted this episode.

[00:04:57] Yeah.

[00:04:57] I remember watching it and going, I remember this happening. And then the very next scene going, did I watch this episode? Knowing I just remembered the thing that I just saw. I was like, huh, how, how much damage did I take in war? Like literally how messed up is my brain?

[00:05:18] You lost that part of the brain that just doesn't recognize Klingon stuff.

[00:05:21] Yeah.

[00:05:22] Or mushroom ghost stories. One of the two, which ones were you not remembering?

[00:05:26] You know what? The mushroom ghost story I vaguely remembered. And then I went, wait a minute, what's happening again? Like, I remember bits and pieces of it going, yeah, I remember this part. And then they got to the, the, the part where they, they, they sent in a ghost trap and a proton pack.

[00:05:43] Yes.

[00:05:44] And I was like, I don't remember this, but I remember, I remember the other stuff in the episode. I'm going, oh yeah, that's right. They did a Ghostbusters thing here. Huh? Weird.

[00:05:55] Tom does not have access to my notes, but it feels like Tom has access to my notes. Uh, but yeah, I mean, pointing a Ghostbusters proton pack at somebody's face for medical reasons. Like this episode to Cameron's point takes some turns. And I got to say, I think it cranks up just the energy, which considering the first two episodes is a little crazy. Like this, this season started out hot and it is just ramping.

[00:06:25] Everything up here. And I, I have to ask though, because you know, discovery is a lot about personal growth and feelings. Do you guys journal when you feel like you failed? Like Michael does here.

[00:06:37] I mean, not since I was a 14 year old girl. Uh, I journaled.

[00:06:41] I have like five journals scattered throughout my house that have like a page and a half written in them, probably separated by five years each. So about every five years I start and then stop immediately.

[00:06:55] You know what? I guess I can't, you know what? I can't say that. Cause as a comedian, um, I do like write my stupid thoughts down just in my iPhone in a, in a, in a notes app that just, and there's a note that just says funny thoughts.

[00:07:10] And it rarely is like, what the fuck was I thinking when I wrote this? Let me give you an example.

[00:07:17] Oh, Ooh, insight into the mind of a comic.

[00:07:21] Um, let's see.

[00:07:23] Maybe this was funny.

[00:07:24] I just wrote this down.

[00:07:25] Sometimes I get happy when my friends get divorced because I never bothered learning their spouse's names.

[00:07:30] I was like, so do you, was that a joke or was that? Cause I know that just happened. Like a friend of mine got divorced and I was like, I'm glad you left. What's his name? She was like, thank you for being so supportive. I'm like, I don't remember his name. I genuinely don't remember his name.

[00:07:47] So guess what? I do journal, I guess. I just tell my type, tell my journal entries to strangers.

[00:07:54] Do you, do you write them in the, in the cadence and like the actual format you want to tell the jokes in, or is it just like, here's the thought, build the format later?

[00:08:05] Okay. Fun fact about me. Uh, I hate my own voice.

[00:08:11] So when I either I'm learning lines for a script or I'm writing a joke and I do it out loud, and this is the God's honest truth. I do it as James Kirk.

[00:08:24] So that I don't have to listen to my own voice when I'm doing this. And then I find the cadence that way, which is weird. Cause that's not how I talk, but that's how I think I, I've learned to learn the lines, especially when I was like first moved to Hollywood and worked.

[00:08:39] I've been working on, you know, projects where I have to learn scripts and I've got to learn like the other people's lines too. So I know what I'm, I'm doing. I would do my stuff, uh, in Kirk's voice. And then like whoever else is in the scene, I'll do just like a stupid, I'm Tom Holland.

[00:08:58] I thought it was going to be Scotty or bones, but okay.

[00:09:02] No, you do Oliver Twist. Okay.

[00:09:05] Now it's interesting to me that you use that specifically like a cadence tool to remember it in pieces, because if I'm not mistaken, Shatner used that cadence to help him remember and stand out when reciting Shakespeare.

[00:09:20] So it's, I mean, you're basically William Shatner, right? Like same guy.

[00:09:26] Or Michael Myers with a mask.

[00:09:28] Yeah.

[00:09:30] Oh man.

[00:09:31] Well, I feel like we've all already gotten like, uh, our money's worth with this podcast. This is going great.

[00:09:36] I also, I do love that Tom's like, I hate the sound of my voice. I'm going to go be on a podcast.

[00:09:42] And be a standup comic and work in radio.

[00:09:44] So I'm sure there are podcasters and listeners out there who identify with that a hundred percent. It's a, you know, it's a personal growth thing.

[00:09:51] Kind of like the journaling. I'm in the same place as Cam. Like periodically I'll get really cool looking journals as gifts.

[00:09:59] And I, I, I have never filled a journal in my life. Like I put show notes in one for, I don't know, three weeks.

[00:10:07] And then I was like, you know what? My phone would be way easier for this. So yeah, I mean, journals make you look cool to have around your house. Right. And just put that bookmark like halfway through. I think that's right.

[00:10:19] Listen, as an Apple, a former Apple employee, as you can tell by the hat, uh, if you use your phone to journal, uh, this is the tech, the, the Apple tech coming out. Please, for God's sake, back up your phone.

[00:10:34] Hmm. Yeah.

[00:10:36] Kirk Hammett of Metallica fame famously recorded like 200 riffs into his phone and then didn't back it up. And then the phone got lost or trashed or something. And he lost all that. We lost hours worth of Metallica because someone didn't back up their phone.

[00:10:55] Some random pawn shop has hours of Metallica unheard music lying in a display case.

[00:11:03] I'm just putting that out there. Please back up your phone, especially if you're using it to take notes.

[00:11:07] Man, that sucks. But I hope that he learned his lesson. And I got to imagine that whoever found that didn't know what it was because otherwise it'd be on Napster by now. Right. Oh, timely.

[00:11:22] Not if Mars has anything to do with it.

[00:11:25] No, he has to wait a little bit longer to get his new bar that I can't. All right. Let's move on from Metallica as much as it pains me.

[00:11:34] I let me get my big complaints of the episode out.

[00:11:36] I was going to say, I feel like you have things you need to complain about for this.

[00:11:40] Because we are entering what I remember about season two, which is just like the frenetic pacing for no reason.

[00:11:47] Like we start this episode so strong. Like we just got the the strange new worlds clip.

[00:11:53] That's presumably the opening of season three.

[00:11:57] Like this episode starts that intense, but not really like nothing intense is happening.

[00:12:02] But that camera is flipping around like they've got some camera rigs that are very impressive that add a lot of value and budget to the show.

[00:12:09] But I don't know why they're using them like this here.

[00:12:12] I don't know why the half marathon is being run during a rave.

[00:12:15] What is happening?

[00:12:18] Well, you know, when you have time, you got to take the time.

[00:12:22] And I'm going to agree mostly.

[00:12:24] But I really like that we get a callback to this exact moment in season five when Tilly is on the Whistlespeak planet and she wins their spiritual marathon because we know she has this great endurance and this drive to succeed.

[00:12:40] And again, that's just something I don't identify with like at all.

[00:12:44] She was running from a mushroom ghost.

[00:12:47] You know, everybody has different reasons.

[00:12:51] She stopped and had her own personal previously on conversation with that mushroom ghost for like a solid 30 seconds to a minute and still beat her personal best.

[00:13:01] Like, how did that happen?

[00:13:03] But also those people were not far away.

[00:13:06] She stopped and had a full ass conversation.

[00:13:08] Mm hmm.

[00:13:08] And beat them.

[00:13:09] Like, how slow were those other four?

[00:13:11] Like that could happen in Mario Kart, but not in real life.

[00:13:15] One of those cadets got blue shelled on his way through the corridor.

[00:13:18] That's what happened.

[00:13:18] Pretty sure.

[00:13:19] Well, I mean, I just I got to say, like, if I was at work and they were like, all right, we're going to do a half marathon with everybody on your team.

[00:13:27] I'd be like, I'm out, dude.

[00:13:29] Like, no, I'm disqualified.

[00:13:31] Whatever I got to do.

[00:13:32] If you need me to get a doctor's note, like I just pull a Michael Scott and try to carb load with a full thing of fettuccine just beforehand.

[00:13:41] That just sounds awful.

[00:13:42] That might be my single favorite joke in all of the others.

[00:13:46] I would have to think about that because I've seen it several times.

[00:13:50] It's one of the shows that is just on in the background, you know, of life in general now.

[00:13:55] Like, it'll be on at the dentist and stuff.

[00:13:56] But I mean, that what is that?

[00:13:58] The Michael Scott pro-am fun run race for the cure.

[00:14:02] It's got like 15 adjectives on it.

[00:14:04] But the point being, Tilly, I think, really represents a lot of people here.

[00:14:10] Not in the marathon running, but in the, you know what, I'm going to push my mental health to the side for this and just keep trying to work.

[00:14:18] And it's like, you can't do that, Tilly.

[00:14:21] And if this ship had a counselor like the Enterprise D did, I think it might be easier for her to open up about that.

[00:14:28] Hmm.

[00:14:30] I mean, eventually, a counselor later.

[00:14:32] Right.

[00:14:33] But everybody else.

[00:14:36] Yeah, this was long before they wised up there.

[00:14:39] Now, then we enter the bridge.

[00:14:41] And I do really like the camera work here.

[00:14:43] It's not as frenetic.

[00:14:44] It's just showing the cohesiveness of this crew all working together.

[00:14:47] This is how, like, a good, long, single take shot works.

[00:14:51] I really dig it here.

[00:14:54] I get what they're doing with the ghost character and Tilly and everything.

[00:14:59] But, like, it's hard to watch this.

[00:15:02] Like, she is so freaking awkward when she sits in the chair and she's, like, kind of snapping at Pike.

[00:15:08] But really, she's, you know, snapping at May.

[00:15:10] It's like, this is effective because it made me embarrassed for her.

[00:15:16] So we finally get some Amanda Sarek.

[00:15:21] What is Sarek's last name?

[00:15:22] Is it Miss Amanda?

[00:15:25] Mr. Sarek.

[00:15:25] Mr. Sarek.

[00:15:26] We finally get Sarek's wife, Amanda.

[00:15:29] Well, yeah, because Michael sees that her dad pulled up in front of her work in his car and she's like, oh, shit.

[00:15:35] It is the smoothest looking Vulcan ship ever.

[00:15:38] Like, it's that old school design, but it's just a little bit cooler than we're used to.

[00:15:42] Like, that's totally a Sarek thing.

[00:15:45] But I really like that this is definitely the same characterization of Amanda that we get in Strange New Worlds, right?

[00:15:51] Like, she's super smart.

[00:15:53] She's very aware of her surroundings.

[00:15:55] She's very competent.

[00:15:57] She's able to wield subtlety as a weapon when she needs to.

[00:16:01] Like, this is Amanda in Mama Bear mode.

[00:16:04] And I love it because she does this so well.

[00:16:08] And you get to see the difference between how she would, you know, move to protect Spock now that she feels she must and how she would move to protect Michael.

[00:16:16] And it's just I really, really love Mia Kirshner's Amanda.

[00:16:20] Can I just say Mia Kirshner's Amanda is giving me Marissa Tomei Aunt May vibes?

[00:16:27] Yes.

[00:16:28] It makes me feel weird inside.

[00:16:29] Yes, you may.

[00:16:30] I 100% know what you mean and agree.

[00:16:32] Yes.

[00:16:33] Because I just saw, I was just with Sonequa Martin-Green last night at the screening of, oh, by the way, I was with Sonequa Martin-Green last night.

[00:16:43] Please elaborate.

[00:16:44] At the screening of our movie.

[00:16:46] Just bury in the lead.

[00:16:49] Did I tell you guys last time I did a movie with Sonequa Martin-Green?

[00:16:52] That's right.

[00:16:52] I don't think you could talk about it last time.

[00:16:54] Oh, that's right.

[00:16:54] I couldn't talk about it.

[00:16:56] So for anybody who might have followed me on social media, I did a movie called My Dead Friend Zoe starring Sonequa Martin-Green and Morgan Freeman and Natalie Morales and Ed Harris.

[00:17:08] The movie was written by a very good friend of mine who was a fellow Army paratrooper, very talented writer and director.

[00:17:15] And it premiered at South by Southwest back in March.

[00:17:19] It won some awards.

[00:17:21] It got picked up for distribution.

[00:17:23] Our executive producer is a guy named Travis Kelsey.

[00:17:32] And he's dating Taylor something or other.

[00:17:37] She's a singer, right?

[00:17:38] I've never heard of you.

[00:17:39] Yeah.

[00:17:40] But the movie comes out February 28th, 2025.

[00:17:46] But there was a screening last night at the Newport Beach Film Festival.

[00:17:49] So I ran in.

[00:17:51] She was there, obviously.

[00:17:53] So the cast and crew were just kind of hanging out.

[00:17:55] So I saw her and her husband, who, of course, plays young Michael's father on the show.

[00:18:04] I don't know if I knew that.

[00:18:06] Yeah.

[00:18:06] So, yeah, yeah.

[00:18:07] Cool.

[00:18:08] Her real-life husband plays her younger Michael's father later in the series.

[00:18:15] I presume it's still older Michael's father, too, unless there's some real mind.

[00:18:21] Well, he only shows up in the scenes with younger Michael.

[00:18:24] Okay.

[00:18:25] Understood.

[00:18:25] Understood.

[00:18:27] But anyway, it was weird that I was like, when we watched the episode, I was like, oh,

[00:18:31] God, Mia Kirshner's giving these Marissa Tomei vibes.

[00:18:33] And then I saw Sonequa last night.

[00:18:37] And she was like, how are you?

[00:18:38] I was like, I want to say something about your mom.

[00:18:42] I'm going to not.

[00:18:43] Save it for the podcast, Tom.

[00:18:45] Yeah.

[00:18:46] Save it for the white dudes.

[00:18:48] Tom is low-key one of our most famous friends ever.

[00:18:52] Like, not only was he in this amazing movie that we cannot wait to take a look at, he also

[00:19:00] went to William Shatner's most recent birthday party.

[00:19:04] Like, this guy-

[00:19:05] I played it.

[00:19:05] This guy is full of cool stories.

[00:19:08] You really should be following Tom on social media.

[00:19:11] 100%.

[00:19:12] Yeah.

[00:19:13] Yeah.

[00:19:14] We played Bill Shatner's birthday party in March because the producer of the movie I

[00:19:22] did, my dead friend Zoe, is the producer of the documentary You Can Call Me Bill.

[00:19:27] Ah, yes.

[00:19:28] It was a Legion end film.

[00:19:30] So we'll talk about this after we talk about the episode.

[00:19:33] But yeah, yeah.

[00:19:34] I just want to say, Mia Kirshner, definitely Marissa Tomei vibes.

[00:19:38] Yeah, I mean, I think one of the best gifts Discovery and now Strange New Worlds has given

[00:19:44] us is expanding on the character of Amanda.

[00:19:48] She has always kind of been this fascinating character just off to the side and fleshing

[00:19:52] her out has been great.

[00:19:54] I mean, as much as like all of the retconning of Spock's past is a little like, okay, I guess

[00:20:00] we're doing this now.

[00:20:01] Like, her story is what I'm super interested in.

[00:20:04] And like the moment she walks out on Michael near the end, I was like, just give me Star

[00:20:08] Trek Amanda right now.

[00:20:10] Like I was like, she is a G.

[00:20:12] Yeah, she is.

[00:20:13] I want to follow whatever she's about to go do.

[00:20:16] Like, I'll take care of this and just walked away.

[00:20:18] I also got like traumatic memories of my mom just gone.

[00:20:23] Like, I will go fix whatever you just fucked up.

[00:20:27] Yeah.

[00:20:28] Amanda walking away like that.

[00:20:29] There are two great walk away scenes and lines in this episode.

[00:20:34] So Amanda just going, I'm going to fix this.

[00:20:37] And the last scene with George O.

[00:20:40] Oh, man.

[00:20:41] And when what's his face was like, you should work on your recruiting skills.

[00:20:46] And she just goes, don't give me notes.

[00:20:48] And fucking walk away.

[00:20:49] I was like, baller.

[00:20:51] Yeah.

[00:20:51] Baller.

[00:20:52] That's why Michelle Yeoh has an Oscar.

[00:20:55] Baller.

[00:20:55] And you feel like she may have said that to a director at some point because it was necessary.

[00:21:01] Like, do you know who I am?

[00:21:04] Like, I'm definitely got those.

[00:21:06] Yeah.

[00:21:06] I'm sure she's very humble.

[00:21:09] But like, I mean, if anybody has earned it.

[00:21:11] Yeah.

[00:21:11] I actually I think my note for that scene was I forgot how much fun she is to watch as George O.

[00:21:18] And I am so excited to see the Section 31 movie.

[00:21:21] Like, it could be all Michelle Yeoh the entire movie.

[00:21:26] And I would be happy.

[00:21:27] We happen to know that it's not.

[00:21:28] And we may have another interview coming up with somebody from that movie.

[00:21:32] Just throwing it out there.

[00:21:34] So, you know, I I'm really glad that we're we're getting into this part of the episode.

[00:21:40] I you guys we have to talk about disco Klingons because Cameron, you know, I love disco Klingons.

[00:21:49] You know, I love disco Klingons.

[00:21:51] And this is where they made the jump for a lot of fans.

[00:21:54] They gave them their hair back and they gave them some swords and some cool stuff to do.

[00:22:00] They introduce us to Admiral Rett Kahn.

[00:22:02] Oh, it'd be Rett Kahn.

[00:22:04] But I'll I'll forgive that.

[00:22:06] There we go.

[00:22:07] But I I do like that one of them.

[00:22:10] We could go all night.

[00:22:11] I I really like the Klingon interpretation of these Red Angel signals like seven drops of blood.

[00:22:19] How metal is that?

[00:22:20] Like, these are how we want to experience Klingons, right?

[00:22:25] TNG, like one of the most immersion breaking parts of TNG, in my opinion, is you see Worf kicking ass sometimes.

[00:22:34] But he's always just, you know, face palming guys or like throwing an elbow.

[00:22:38] It's like he would be cutting heads off, man.

[00:22:40] Like he has a sword on his wall.

[00:22:42] He's a warrior.

[00:22:43] This is what they do.

[00:22:45] Please let this happen.

[00:22:47] And.

[00:22:48] Let's talk about Laurel.

[00:22:49] Okay.

[00:22:51] Because regardless of how you feel about disco Klingons, I know a lot of people really love Laurel.

[00:22:57] Mary Chifo is one of my favorite Klingons ever.

[00:22:59] I feel like Laurel could take Lursa and Bator in a 2v1 fight.

[00:23:05] No problem.

[00:23:06] How are you guys feeling about Laurel?

[00:23:09] Uh, she's fine.

[00:23:11] What?

[00:23:12] I know.

[00:23:14] Look, I mean, as soon as we started with like the Klingon previously on on this episode, I was like, oh, right.

[00:23:20] That's right.

[00:23:21] Season two did not forget about one of my least favorite subplots of season one, which is the Voke Tyler nonsense.

[00:23:28] Like even this, like what they explained in the previously on that he is actually Tyler is completely like undone in the first scene with him where he's saying, no, I'm not.

[00:23:38] But then later in the scene, he's referring to himself as Voke in the third person, even though he wants to be known as Voke.

[00:23:44] I'm very confused still.

[00:23:46] Still.

[00:23:46] Yeah.

[00:23:47] I watched that.

[00:23:48] That whole subplot just had me gone.

[00:23:49] I don't.

[00:23:51] Yeah.

[00:23:52] Thank you.

[00:23:53] Thank you, Tom.

[00:23:54] It was like, how much twisting and tying do we have to endure for this?

[00:24:02] This nothing subplot.

[00:24:03] Yeah.

[00:24:04] Like it, it maybe it's the nerd in me just going, this makes no sense.

[00:24:09] This is, this is what, what was that James Bond movie where they had an Asian guy that like altered himself to look like a white guy or was Sean Connery altering himself to like, yeah.

[00:24:21] Japanese.

[00:24:21] And fuck.

[00:24:23] No, no, no, no.

[00:24:24] I think it was a Timothy Dalton.

[00:24:26] Oh, really?

[00:24:26] Where the bad guy was North Korean.

[00:24:31] Yeah.

[00:24:31] I haven't gotten to the bad on my rewatch yet, but okay.

[00:24:34] Yeah.

[00:24:35] He was North Korean and he had himself altered to look American or white.

[00:24:41] Sure.

[00:24:41] Yes.

[00:24:42] And the whole time I was like, this subplot is reminded me of that.

[00:24:46] And I was like, oh, this was the shit.

[00:24:48] These were the shitty bonds.

[00:24:50] Shitty bonds.

[00:24:51] Nothing.

[00:24:52] Timothy Dalton.

[00:24:53] He's great in a petty dreadful.

[00:24:56] But, uh, not petty dreadful.

[00:24:58] Beautician of the beast.

[00:24:58] I think it's what you're thinking of.

[00:25:00] No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.

[00:25:02] It's, uh, the DC, the DC show.

[00:25:04] Um, uh, the one with Brandon Frazier.

[00:25:09] Nevermind.

[00:25:10] Okay.

[00:25:12] Well, and I cut it out, even though we'll lose my great beautician.

[00:25:15] Leaving at their iPods right now.

[00:25:16] I mean, I think that's, that counts as engagement.

[00:25:19] So we're happy to keep it.

[00:25:20] Um, all right.

[00:25:22] So our friends over at it's got star Trek always call this character.

[00:25:27] Clem Fandango.

[00:25:28] And for me, like that helps me not worry about him quite so much, but I just, I, all of season

[00:25:35] one, I was like, why do we have this character?

[00:25:37] I don't care about Ash Tyler.

[00:25:39] Like, Volk was good.

[00:25:42] Laurel is good.

[00:25:43] We don't need half Volk, Ash Tyler.

[00:25:47] Like, and I, I don't know if it's the story or what.

[00:25:51] I just, he doesn't personally work for me.

[00:25:53] Kind of in the same way that Captain Archer doesn't always work for me, but it's just like.

[00:25:59] The hell you say.

[00:26:00] I don't need Ash Tyler.

[00:26:02] We should deal with us every episode, Tom.

[00:26:05] Blasphemous.

[00:26:06] Tom, I didn't grow up with Quantum Leap.

[00:26:08] I had not been born yet.

[00:26:10] Okay.

[00:26:11] That's.

[00:26:11] Get the hell out of here right now.

[00:26:13] You just leave me and Cam to this.

[00:26:15] That's important context to have.

[00:26:16] I am slowly giving Enterprise another shot because I respect what they were doing.

[00:26:22] And I'm, I feel like there's probably something in there I can latch on to, you know, other

[00:26:27] than Trip Tucker.

[00:26:29] So.

[00:26:29] Unpopular opinion, I think was a good theme song.

[00:26:31] I agree.

[00:26:32] Well, it's a good song for sure.

[00:26:36] I don't know that it works for what it is, but we do sing it at karaoke every time we go

[00:26:41] to a live event.

[00:26:42] So it has its place, but that was my biggest resistance to season two because spoiler alert.

[00:26:50] I love season two of discovery.

[00:26:52] I was just like, really?

[00:26:53] We're getting Ash Tyler back.

[00:26:55] We just got rid of him.

[00:26:56] Like everything was fine, but I don't know.

[00:27:00] I just, I like that.

[00:27:02] We get the Klingon story here, even if it does mean putting up with Ash Tyler from my perspective.

[00:27:09] Um, I, I really don't like the hollow communications scene.

[00:27:16] I think for me it's because it feels too Star Wars, but I actually really like when they just

[00:27:21] do that split set where it's like, you're seeing both locations at once.

[00:27:25] That works.

[00:27:26] Just do that.

[00:27:27] I get it.

[00:27:27] I don't need a hollow projection.

[00:27:30] Also, why is his like green and blue and Michael Burnham's is in full color?

[00:27:36] Like what's it either works or it doesn't as a technology.

[00:27:39] And I'm, I'm glad they kind of ended up getting away from it for the most part.

[00:27:42] They don't have 4k yet on Kronos.

[00:27:44] I just love when I mean, clearly Vogue is like, why do you insist on speaking English

[00:27:49] to me?

[00:27:49] He says speaking English, right?

[00:27:53] It's maybe, maybe your, your point is getting undercut there, buddy.

[00:27:57] Well, and it's arguably a little confusing because in this show specifically, they've

[00:28:02] done the whole, like, what is that 13th warrior where like things slowly start changing to English

[00:28:07] as he understands the foreign language.

[00:28:09] Right.

[00:28:09] So it's like, I liked that, but now it's being confusing.

[00:28:14] And then he says Federation standard and then he just calls it English.

[00:28:18] I'm like, dude, you're not supposed to do that in Star Trek.

[00:28:21] You just, you call it Federation standard or you don't mention it.

[00:28:25] But I do think this character is mentioned having been from the house of core, which is

[00:28:30] a throw forward to one of the most infamous TOS Klingons, which I think is pretty cool, but

[00:28:38] I don't know.

[00:28:39] Like, I like the Klingon stuff.

[00:28:42] I just, for me, the Ash Tyler of it all kind of makes it not hit as hard as it could for

[00:28:48] me, I guess.

[00:28:49] But thankfully, Mary Chifo is there as Laurel to bring me back in.

[00:28:53] So I'm, I'm here for the ride.

[00:28:55] I'm pretty much there with the exception that like, it did feel like I was suddenly being

[00:28:59] dropped in the middle of something in the third episode.

[00:29:01] I was like, okay, if we're going to get into like this Klingon cloak and dagger stuff,

[00:29:05] like let's, let's ease into it.

[00:29:07] Not just who dangled head first.

[00:29:10] Which is weird because like on the Federation side, we don't ease into anything.

[00:29:15] They call up this Admiral and they're like, Hey, so we think something's up with Spock.

[00:29:19] And he's like, Oh, Spock.

[00:29:20] Yeah.

[00:29:21] He murdered three people, but it's just chill.

[00:29:23] It's fine.

[00:29:23] We got it.

[00:29:24] Yeah.

[00:29:24] He straight up was just like, let me tell you some classified information under, over this

[00:29:29] unsecured line.

[00:29:30] I was like, as a, as a combo guy, I'm like, what is wrong with you?

[00:29:33] And like, so casual.

[00:29:35] You know who else is in the room?

[00:29:36] He's like, there could be two people standing just off camera.

[00:29:39] It's like, dude.

[00:29:40] Well, my thing is like just how calm they are going from like, Oh, we think Spock has, uh,

[00:29:45] self committed himself to a place to now he's wanted for murder.

[00:29:48] And they're like, Oh, okay.

[00:29:50] This is a slight wrinkle.

[00:29:52] The casual nature with which that news gets dropped.

[00:29:54] And then everybody's kind of lukewarm reactions to it.

[00:29:58] I mean, sure.

[00:30:00] They're all defiant, right?

[00:30:01] They're like, well, he didn't do that.

[00:30:02] He didn't do that.

[00:30:03] But it's also like, that's, that's a huge thing.

[00:30:07] Like you cannot just jump over that.

[00:30:10] This changes the equation a little bit.

[00:30:13] Yeah.

[00:30:14] As somebody who's had to write up paperwork for incident reports, um, killing somebody.

[00:30:22] It's a lot of paperwork.

[00:30:23] A lot of paperwork.

[00:30:25] You don't just drop that.

[00:30:27] You don't just, there's the IG gets involved.

[00:30:30] There's a lot of shit that goes down when you got to write up paperwork for use of force.

[00:30:35] I'm just saying, you know, just drop it.

[00:30:37] Well, hopefully we don't like, Hey, we got today instead of writing.

[00:30:41] Like, it's not right.

[00:30:43] Hopefully we don't have too much paperwork to fill out at the end of this podcast.

[00:30:47] But, Oh, before we, uh, uh, speaking of paperwork before people start goddamn messaging me, uh, it, I was incorrect.

[00:30:56] It was die another day.

[00:30:57] And it was, uh, Pierce Brosnan.

[00:30:59] I'm not going to do that.

[00:31:00] That's right.

[00:31:01] That's right.

[00:31:02] I don't.

[00:31:02] Still terrible.

[00:31:03] Unpopular opinion.

[00:31:04] I love that Bond theme song also.

[00:31:06] Well, and I don't know that Trekkies or James Bond fans are super worried about the specifics, Tom.

[00:31:11] Um, but we'll see what my Twitter inbox says.

[00:31:17] Another good 15 minutes before I corrected myself.

[00:31:20] Right.

[00:31:21] Well, for people who didn't, we'll cut that part out just, just for fun.

[00:31:26] We would never do that to you.

[00:31:28] Another thing of course that we would never do is be able to make this show without our wonderful callers.

[00:31:34] And there is a caller that we're going to talk about in a little bit who has actually done more prep work than the entire open pipe night staff.

[00:31:41] For the entirety of this show.

[00:31:43] But for right now, let's hear from our friend Melanie.

[00:31:47] Hi guys.

[00:31:48] Hi Tom.

[00:31:49] Here's Melanie again.

[00:31:50] My thoughts on this great episode include the following.

[00:31:53] I love Ash having to reconcile both sides of himself.

[00:31:57] And I also love Pike being like, let's ride to Spock's rescue.

[00:32:01] Without any doubt, he's innocent.

[00:32:03] Just awesome.

[00:32:04] The way he knows Spock did not do what he is accused of.

[00:32:07] Well, it's just great.

[00:32:08] It helps a lot about their relationship and what they've already been through.

[00:32:12] I also like Amanda.

[00:32:14] She was great.

[00:32:15] I love her with Michael and with Pike.

[00:32:17] I like how Pike allows Michael to hide behind his order and break into Spock's medical file.

[00:32:23] I really like the two of them and how they interact.

[00:32:26] I also share Pike's hate for their holograms.

[00:32:29] And it was like expecting Ash to say, help me Michael, you're my only hope.

[00:32:36] Anson's voice seems a bit more husky than usual.

[00:32:38] Perhaps he had a coat.

[00:32:39] Or it was meant to be like that.

[00:32:41] I mean, what he can do with his voice is just amazing.

[00:32:43] Just watch Batman and Justice, you'll see.

[00:32:46] Tilly and her half-month-on while being possessed?

[00:32:48] Awesome.

[00:32:50] Well, I still don't get over how the Klingons look.

[00:32:53] It's more scary, but...

[00:32:54] Well, I just have to accept they look like this in Discovery.

[00:32:57] Has there ever been an explanation?

[00:33:00] So that's it for me.

[00:33:01] What do you think?

[00:33:02] Take care and live long and prosper.

[00:33:03] Thank you, Melanie.

[00:33:04] And there is an explanation, and that is we do not discuss it with outsiders.

[00:33:10] Yes.

[00:33:10] See?

[00:33:11] This is why you're here, Tom.

[00:33:13] Gotcha.

[00:33:13] This is why you're here.

[00:33:14] Is there an explanation why they sound like they have those five-cent vampire teeth in their mouth?

[00:33:20] That's what I'm caught up on.

[00:33:22] It's because they have five-cent vampire teeth in their mouth, Cameron.

[00:33:26] I mean, come on.

[00:33:28] The Ferengi all sound like that because of the prosthetic teeth, right?

[00:33:32] This is clearly a prosthetic teeth thing, in my opinion.

[00:33:36] They probably had to re-record a lot of Klingon dialogue.

[00:33:39] Probably.

[00:33:41] What an interesting thing about this episode, I mean, another interesting shift this episode takes from the last two,

[00:33:46] is after the first two episodes really seeming to build Pike up as the second lead of the show,

[00:33:52] he very much takes a backseat in this episode.

[00:33:56] He does, but kind of Michael Burnham does, too.

[00:34:00] Like, I mean, arguably, this is not a heavy episode for any of our, quote, main cast,

[00:34:06] because a lot of time is spent with Tilly and with the Klingons.

[00:34:11] And it's, again, I'm cool with it, but I'll also point to the people that are like,

[00:34:16] oh, the whole show's only about Michael.

[00:34:18] It's like, no, go back and watch it.

[00:34:20] It's about everybody on the ship, and sometimes not even these people, really.

[00:34:24] But one thing I really love about Melanie's Call is that she's not only mentioned,

[00:34:29] like, all the stuff that we mentioned were on a lot of the same pages,

[00:34:32] but she's not afraid to be on the opposite page.

[00:34:36] And that's what I love so much about Make an Open Pike Night,

[00:34:39] is that everybody gets to bring their own book,

[00:34:42] and we're going to read a little bit out of all of it as we go through these episodes.

[00:34:46] Thank you for your call as usual, Melanie.

[00:34:48] Very good points.

[00:34:50] Agreed.

[00:34:50] So I will say, I mean, look, I'm Team Laurel.

[00:34:54] She is fine.

[00:34:55] She's great.

[00:34:56] Yeah.

[00:34:57] But that asshole Klingon, I mean, you got to respect the game.

[00:35:00] That was pretty badass of him to, like, you know,

[00:35:04] motivate them to wipe the listening device paint off onto their feet.

[00:35:08] It was pretty good.

[00:35:09] It was pretty good.

[00:35:10] It was good, but, you know, it was also kind of Romulan, which I don't appreciate.

[00:35:14] I was just about to say that.

[00:35:16] It seemed a little too smart for a Klingon.

[00:35:21] He's got some Romulan blood back in the heritage somewhere.

[00:35:25] It's kind of some House Duras shit, if we're being honest.

[00:35:28] Like, they're a little bit dishonorable in some ways,

[00:35:31] but that does lead me to an important question that I have for both of you guys.

[00:35:35] Have you ever discovered that you had a secret child

[00:35:38] after threatening your uncle-in-law with a knife?

[00:35:42] Listen, I don't want to answer that.

[00:35:45] Does with a fork count?

[00:35:47] I'm just going to take that as confirmation from both of you.

[00:35:50] Okay.

[00:35:51] Fair.

[00:35:53] Trans and popular, that's all I'm saying.

[00:35:57] For me, what I think sells me on the Klingons,

[00:36:01] and then I promise I'll stop talking about the Klingons until we get to the end.

[00:36:04] They're just better with blood, right?

[00:36:07] Like, they just are.

[00:36:08] Because, again, the Worf thing and the immersion breaking,

[00:36:12] but this all feels like it's leading up to a bloody fight,

[00:36:16] and we get it.

[00:36:18] So I'm like, thank you for giving the Klingons what they always talk about.

[00:36:22] And you may have noticed, Cameron,

[00:36:24] there's a little bit of a purplish-pink tint to some of that blood.

[00:36:28] I mean, it's all very CGI,

[00:36:31] but that tint is totally there,

[00:36:33] and I'm totally here for that.

[00:36:36] Yeah, written that line.

[00:36:37] Is it red or is it purple?

[00:36:40] Yeah, it's true.

[00:36:41] It gave me pink vibes.

[00:36:43] Definitely.

[00:36:44] I was like, there's a lot of Klingon blood,

[00:36:46] and it all looks kind of pinkish.

[00:36:48] Yeah.

[00:36:49] It's a way around the censors,

[00:36:52] originally, if I'm not mistaken,

[00:36:53] like to keep the rating of the movie lower than R.

[00:36:57] But, you know,

[00:36:58] if you have something like that that exists on screen,

[00:37:01] I'm fine with choosing to stick with it.

[00:37:04] Now, speaking of sticking with it,

[00:37:07] this next caller has already sent her calls

[00:37:10] for the rest of season two of Discovery.

[00:37:13] Discovery.

[00:37:14] She planned further ahead than any of us here at the show

[00:37:17] has ever planned ahead for a single episode.

[00:37:20] She is done.

[00:37:21] Her homework is finished,

[00:37:23] and she followed up by saying,

[00:37:25] hey, do you also need me to send in calls

[00:37:27] for the short treks related to this season?

[00:37:29] And I'm like, dude, I don't know.

[00:37:31] We didn't talk about it yet as a team.

[00:37:34] Like, but I gotta say,

[00:37:36] thank you so much, Abby,

[00:37:37] for really being on the ball here,

[00:37:39] and let's go ahead and hear her call for this week.

[00:37:43] Hey, hey, Open Pike.

[00:37:44] It's Abby Summer from the First Flight Podcast.

[00:37:47] I really like Point of Light.

[00:37:49] I find that it's an interesting connective piece

[00:37:53] to a lot of the story in early season two Discovery,

[00:37:56] but the part that stands out for me

[00:37:59] over and over again is Amanda

[00:38:02] and her fierce mama bearing.

[00:38:04] I absolutely adore it.

[00:38:06] And the conversation that Michael, Amanda, and Pike have

[00:38:09] where he goes, was she always this bossy?

[00:38:12] And she goes, on Vulcan, we call it persistence.

[00:38:15] And yes, she got it from me.

[00:38:17] Love that.

[00:38:18] That's an eternally good Star Trek quote.

[00:38:21] And I think that this might be my favorite portrayal of Amanda

[00:38:24] across all of the series.

[00:38:26] So I really wanted to call that one out

[00:38:29] because as a mom myself,

[00:38:30] I feel that one in this episode.

[00:38:34] So yeah, this is a great episode.

[00:38:35] The more I watch it,

[00:38:36] the more that this one rises in my estimation.

[00:38:38] So I can't wait to hear your thoughts

[00:38:40] and I hope you all are well.

[00:38:41] I think we all agree on that as a baller.

[00:38:43] Yes.

[00:38:43] And I have to explain to folks in case you don't know,

[00:38:48] we don't listen to these calls ahead of time.

[00:38:50] So parallel phrasing,

[00:38:52] like similar points being made,

[00:38:54] that's just the Trekkie fandom

[00:38:56] all showing up in the same space.

[00:38:59] Like the mama bear quote,

[00:39:01] all of that stuff.

[00:39:02] Like Abby, thank you for continuing

[00:39:04] to be one of our most consistent

[00:39:05] and insightful callers.

[00:39:07] I'm really excited to hear what else you have to say

[00:39:10] for the rest of this season.

[00:39:11] It's going to feel suspicious

[00:39:12] if somebody references Marissa Tomei.

[00:39:15] I mean, that's fair,

[00:39:16] but we actually have two mama bears in this episode, right?

[00:39:21] We do have Amanda Sarek,

[00:39:24] and we have Amanda,

[00:39:26] and we have Laurel.

[00:39:28] And at the end of it,

[00:39:29] she tells every Klingon ever,

[00:39:32] I'm your mom now,

[00:39:33] and you will refer to me as such.

[00:39:36] But she's also a literal mom here, okay?

[00:39:40] And I get it.

[00:39:43] Like I understand why they did it.

[00:39:46] I'm just going to come out and say it.

[00:39:48] I don't think we needed a dead baby Klingon head

[00:39:50] in this episode.

[00:39:53] Like, is that just me,

[00:39:54] or are you guys on the same page here?

[00:39:56] I'm trying to Red Angel myself

[00:39:58] back to when I first watched this,

[00:39:59] because I remember having a pretty strong reaction

[00:40:02] to that scene,

[00:40:03] because this time I remembered that,

[00:40:05] you know,

[00:40:06] of course,

[00:40:07] Tyler and the baby go off,

[00:40:09] and he dumps him on time travel crystal,

[00:40:11] time crystal planet, right?

[00:40:12] Isn't that what happens,

[00:40:13] I think?

[00:40:14] Like,

[00:40:15] so,

[00:40:16] but I think the first time I was like,

[00:40:18] oh shit,

[00:40:18] did Michelle,

[00:40:19] yeah,

[00:40:20] cut these people's heads off?

[00:40:21] I don't know.

[00:40:21] It worked for me.

[00:40:22] It was a big swing,

[00:40:23] and I was there for it.

[00:40:24] It's Klingons,

[00:40:24] like you say.

[00:40:26] You know?

[00:40:27] Yeah,

[00:40:28] but like,

[00:40:29] did they need a severed baby head?

[00:40:32] Win on Kronos.

[00:40:35] Listen,

[00:40:35] when I watched Aquaman 2,

[00:40:38] because I'm that guy.

[00:40:39] You were the one.

[00:40:42] And,

[00:40:43] so if anybody's followed the storyline of Aquaman and Black Manta,

[00:40:49] you know there's a comic storyline where Black Manta kills Aquaman's baby.

[00:40:56] And I remember watching the movie,

[00:40:59] and they didn't do that.

[00:41:00] Spoilers for a movie nobody watched.

[00:41:03] When they didn't do that,

[00:41:05] I yelled out loud,

[00:41:08] fucking cowards,

[00:41:09] they did it in Star Trek.

[00:41:10] They didn't actually do that.

[00:41:12] But,

[00:41:12] you know what I mean.

[00:41:13] There was a dead baby head.

[00:41:15] And I was like,

[00:41:16] you cowards.

[00:41:17] DC,

[00:41:18] James Wan,

[00:41:19] cowards.

[00:41:19] I'm just picturing you standing up in the theater,

[00:41:21] a crowded theater,

[00:41:22] saying,

[00:41:23] kill the baby!

[00:41:26] Cameron,

[00:41:26] come on.

[00:41:27] That theater was not crowded.

[00:41:29] Oh,

[00:41:29] okay,

[00:41:30] I know.

[00:41:30] You're right.

[00:41:31] You're right.

[00:41:37] That had a,

[00:41:38] had a,

[00:41:39] you know,

[00:41:40] stuck in it.

[00:41:41] Or she,

[00:41:41] you know,

[00:41:41] we could have seen like the baby hand hanging limply or something.

[00:41:45] I just,

[00:41:45] I think because it looks like.

[00:41:47] To full on go for the severed head is like a choice,

[00:41:49] right?

[00:41:50] It was a choice.

[00:41:51] I think because it looked like something you could buy at Spirit Halloween,

[00:41:53] I was okay with it.

[00:41:56] But you're mad about the Klingon teeth?

[00:41:59] Come on,

[00:41:59] man,

[00:41:59] you're playing both sides of the fence here.

[00:42:01] Just want to be able to understand what they're saying without the

[00:42:03] subtitles.

[00:42:06] I mean,

[00:42:06] she threw Ash's head into the lava.

[00:42:10] I was kind of expecting her to do that with the baby's head too.

[00:42:13] Cause I'm like,

[00:42:14] yeah,

[00:42:15] hide that evidence.

[00:42:16] Like it's almost like,

[00:42:18] I think you're full of shit.

[00:42:19] Like they could just go,

[00:42:20] you know,

[00:42:20] it goes to the baby's head.

[00:42:22] Yeah.

[00:42:22] I like how blanket and wrapped it up at the end.

[00:42:25] I'm like,

[00:42:27] that's evidence.

[00:42:28] As someone who's in evidence,

[00:42:30] you don't,

[00:42:30] you don't want to do that.

[00:42:31] if anybody has a guy to check dead babies,

[00:42:34] it's,

[00:42:35] it's probably the Klingons,

[00:42:36] right?

[00:42:36] Like that's true.

[00:42:37] That's a job.

[00:42:39] That's a job.

[00:42:40] It's like a warrior cook,

[00:42:43] medic,

[00:42:44] dead baby hire.

[00:42:45] Yeah.

[00:42:46] It's,

[00:42:46] I,

[00:42:46] it's unfortunate,

[00:42:47] but it's a,

[00:42:48] you know,

[00:42:48] it's another culture and I want to respect their beliefs.

[00:42:52] That does bring up the age old question of like,

[00:42:54] what are Klingon blue collar jobs?

[00:42:57] Like,

[00:42:57] like the Klingon carpenter.

[00:42:59] What are they like?

[00:43:00] The Klingon deli worker.

[00:43:03] Well,

[00:43:04] you have,

[00:43:05] you met the Klingon cook yet?

[00:43:06] Oh yes.

[00:43:07] Yes.

[00:43:08] I apparently,

[00:43:08] I just watched the last episode of the Klingon restaurant in DS9.

[00:43:11] You're right.

[00:43:12] He is great.

[00:43:13] But it's interesting.

[00:43:14] You would mention it because like,

[00:43:16] there is a moment in,

[00:43:17] in DS9.

[00:43:19] And I don't know if you've been there yet,

[00:43:20] but we do have an older Klingon lamenting.

[00:43:23] Some of that change in the Klingon culture.

[00:43:26] Like we have people that have jobs like this now,

[00:43:29] and they're serving food to the children of men I killed.

[00:43:33] And it's like,

[00:43:34] it's,

[00:43:35] I mean,

[00:43:35] DS9 is so good.

[00:43:36] And I can't wait for you to be all the way through.

[00:43:38] I can't wait for DS9 to dig more into the Klingon culture.

[00:43:41] Cause I,

[00:43:42] yeah,

[00:43:42] I've always loved the Klingon culture and I feel like DS9 is going to do it justice.

[00:43:45] They,

[00:43:46] they really honestly do.

[00:43:47] I have an intense connection with those Klingons who,

[00:43:51] who have those blue collar jobs because as an Asian who is a general

[00:43:56] disappointment to my family and my ancestors,

[00:43:58] because I am not a doctor,

[00:44:00] a lawyer or an engineer.

[00:44:02] And I held dick jokes for a living.

[00:44:05] Like,

[00:44:05] I feel like I am one with those,

[00:44:08] those Klingons who are like,

[00:44:10] you know,

[00:44:11] dry cleaners and lawnmowers.

[00:44:15] Like someone's got to do that shit.

[00:44:17] That's who they are.

[00:44:18] And that's,

[00:44:18] those are my people.

[00:44:20] Someone's got to muddle on.

[00:44:21] Someone's got to tell those dick jokes.

[00:44:23] I,

[00:44:24] which on,

[00:44:25] you know,

[00:44:25] Konos,

[00:44:25] there are twice as many of those jokes,

[00:44:27] but I,

[00:44:27] I,

[00:44:28] I have to wonder like,

[00:44:30] you can write that down in your notes,

[00:44:32] Tom,

[00:44:32] put that,

[00:44:32] put that in.

[00:44:34] Is there comedy on Konos?

[00:44:36] Do you guys think so?

[00:44:37] Or is it just like all opera?

[00:44:39] Ah,

[00:44:40] there's,

[00:44:40] yeah,

[00:44:41] if there's opera,

[00:44:42] there's gotta be standup comedy.

[00:44:44] Right?

[00:44:44] There's two sides of the mask.

[00:44:46] I was explaining to a girl I dated once that Klingons had two penises.

[00:44:52] You're a big Star Trek fan.

[00:44:54] I was like,

[00:44:54] uh-huh.

[00:44:57] You didn't have to specify that I dated once.

[00:45:00] We,

[00:45:00] once you said the final part,

[00:45:01] we,

[00:45:01] we knew that it didn't last.

[00:45:03] Yeah.

[00:45:04] It wasn't my fault.

[00:45:05] You say it like it was my fault.

[00:45:08] Okay.

[00:45:08] What number date was this that you were explaining this time?

[00:45:11] Cause we'll determine fault based on that.

[00:45:14] Number two.

[00:45:16] Oh,

[00:45:16] nice.

[00:45:17] Thematically appropriate.

[00:45:18] Well,

[00:45:18] I mean,

[00:45:19] on our first date,

[00:45:19] she was like,

[00:45:20] why are they called Decepticons?

[00:45:22] How do we know they're the bad guys?

[00:45:23] I'm like,

[00:45:23] cause they're called Decepticons.

[00:45:25] Yeah.

[00:45:25] It's,

[00:45:26] it's in the name,

[00:45:28] but you know,

[00:45:29] with my nonsense for a minute.

[00:45:31] Well,

[00:45:32] to play devil's advocate,

[00:45:33] the Autobots are deceiving people too.

[00:45:36] It's just that.

[00:45:36] It's true.

[00:45:37] You know,

[00:45:38] they have more friendly disguises,

[00:45:40] I guess.

[00:45:42] Yeah.

[00:45:42] I did always want to like,

[00:45:43] why are they the Decepticons and Autobots aren't like the honest bots?

[00:45:48] Right.

[00:45:49] Like,

[00:45:50] cause they all,

[00:45:51] cause they all have to hide.

[00:45:53] They all have to hide Cameron.

[00:45:54] It's a metaphor for something.

[00:45:55] I don't,

[00:45:56] I don't,

[00:45:56] man.

[00:45:57] Look,

[00:45:57] this is not a Transformers podcast.

[00:45:59] Shit.

[00:46:00] This is a Klingon dick joke podcast.

[00:46:02] And I think,

[00:46:03] you know that Cameron.

[00:46:06] Does anyone look more bad-ass,

[00:46:08] uh,

[00:46:08] just suddenly appearing out of nowhere,

[00:46:10] killing a bunch of Klingons and removing a hood.

[00:46:13] Then no,

[00:46:14] no.

[00:46:15] And you know how I know that?

[00:46:17] Because La'an in strange new worlds is wearing this exact hood.

[00:46:22] In the season two premiere,

[00:46:23] when she's infiltrating the broken circle,

[00:46:26] where her plan is to show up out of nowhere and kill some Klingons.

[00:46:29] If necessary.

[00:46:30] Oh,

[00:46:31] you're right.

[00:46:31] I loved it.

[00:46:32] I love that scene.

[00:46:33] I love that episode,

[00:46:34] but dude,

[00:46:35] nobody makes an entrance like Michelle.

[00:46:37] Yo,

[00:46:38] are you kidding me?

[00:46:39] Like this was,

[00:46:40] this was so good.

[00:46:42] And we just had this totally bad-ass throwdown with all these Klingon warriors,

[00:46:48] Ash Tyler.

[00:46:49] This might be the most respectable he's ever been to me.

[00:46:52] I just,

[00:46:54] you know,

[00:46:54] and then Georgia comes in and she's like,

[00:46:56] actually,

[00:46:56] I'm cooler than everything that just happened.

[00:46:58] And it's really impressively effective.

[00:47:02] Yeah.

[00:47:03] I do like how Laurel's plan seemed to be like,

[00:47:06] all right,

[00:47:06] come to my house and we'll talk terms.

[00:47:08] We're just going to fight to our death.

[00:47:10] Like no,

[00:47:11] no deception.

[00:47:13] They're just,

[00:47:14] yeah,

[00:47:14] we're just going to fight.

[00:47:15] We'll probably die.

[00:47:17] Cause she's not a Romulan.

[00:47:19] Yeah,

[00:47:19] that's true.

[00:47:20] That is honorable.

[00:47:22] We've got two more calls to get to tonight.

[00:47:26] One of them is somebody you'll definitely recognize.

[00:47:28] And the other one is somebody you'll probably recognize unless he's modulated his voice again,

[00:47:33] or chosen this as another opportunity to attack your humble hosts,

[00:47:37] which I got to say,

[00:47:38] I'm totally here for.

[00:47:40] And I kind of hope he does.

[00:47:41] Let's hear from Platty.

[00:47:43] Hey there,

[00:47:44] open pike night.

[00:47:44] This is Platty M3 calling in with my hits,

[00:47:47] shits,

[00:47:47] and giggles.

[00:47:48] All right.

[00:47:48] Hits.

[00:47:49] Look at Michael putting that xenoanthropologist degree to good use.

[00:47:52] And her parents thought it'd never amount to anything.

[00:47:54] And she just move on home.

[00:47:56] Also,

[00:47:56] while I'm never going to be section 31's biggest fan,

[00:47:59] damn,

[00:48:00] that ship looked awesome and quite functional on the inside.

[00:48:03] It was a hit with me.

[00:48:04] And speaking of hits,

[00:48:05] sounds like Michael delivered one hell of a blow to Spock back when they were kids.

[00:48:09] Yikes,

[00:48:10] man,

[00:48:10] thus deserving the emotional hit from Amanda in this episode.

[00:48:13] Now on the shits.

[00:48:15] Is it me?

[00:48:16] Have they just cured epilepsy in the future?

[00:48:18] Or is having to avoid a seizure during a half marathon,

[00:48:20] part of the command training program?

[00:48:23] That was a weird lighting,

[00:48:24] no lighting choice for that run.

[00:48:25] Now,

[00:48:25] also,

[00:48:26] Jesse,

[00:48:26] please don't react.

[00:48:28] Science needs our help.

[00:48:30] I can only turn to you.

[00:48:31] Or maybe Einstein.

[00:48:32] Um,

[00:48:33] how come these seven points of red light appeared tens of thousands of light years apart,

[00:48:38] yet everyone saw them in their home system at the exact same time?

[00:48:42] Trying to figure that one out.

[00:48:44] All right,

[00:48:44] giggles.

[00:48:44] I only got one and it was in the previews.

[00:48:46] Uh,

[00:48:47] because of course,

[00:48:47] they had to put the Klingon nipple scene in here on the previously on clips,

[00:48:51] because how else would everybody,

[00:48:52] anybody else know that those two banged?

[00:48:54] All right,

[00:48:55] Platty M3 signing off.

[00:48:57] Platty,

[00:48:58] this is actually a really easy answer and I know you're going to love it.

[00:49:02] The answer is time crystals.

[00:49:05] Like,

[00:49:06] not only did they appear in space,

[00:49:08] but they appeared in time because space time is a single fabric,

[00:49:11] as I'm sure you know.

[00:49:13] So time crystals makes it all work.

[00:49:16] And that's why they're called that.

[00:49:19] But,

[00:49:20] to your point about,

[00:49:21] to put,

[00:49:22] well,

[00:49:22] I mean,

[00:49:23] you can disagree all you want.

[00:49:24] They're called time crystals.

[00:49:26] That is how they work.

[00:49:27] Are you suggesting that they actually appeared at different times so that,

[00:49:30] that they would all show up at the same time?

[00:49:33] Well,

[00:49:34] okay.

[00:49:34] But that,

[00:49:35] honestly,

[00:49:36] I would imagine observer,

[00:49:38] but there's been multiple observers of these signals.

[00:49:40] All these cultures that we hear from are in the same galaxy.

[00:49:45] So they're,

[00:49:46] and they're all spacefaring.

[00:49:48] So they likely have similar levels of technology.

[00:49:51] Cameron,

[00:49:51] have you ever heard of the James Webb space telescope,

[00:49:54] my friend?

[00:49:55] I,

[00:49:55] because we can see some way far away stuff right now.

[00:49:59] Yeah.

[00:49:59] So to me,

[00:50:01] it's not that big a stretch.

[00:50:03] But the point is,

[00:50:04] is that if they all appeared at the same time,

[00:50:06] they would appear to the telescope at different times because it takes light.

[00:50:10] Not if time crystals are involved,

[00:50:12] my friend.

[00:50:12] But,

[00:50:13] but,

[00:50:13] but I'm,

[00:50:13] but there's multiple observers.

[00:50:15] So the people on Kronos,

[00:50:17] what did it see like different ones popping up at different times then?

[00:50:19] I mean,

[00:50:20] unless they were all,

[00:50:21] uh,

[00:50:22] synced up to just star base.

[00:50:26] James T.

[00:50:27] Kirk telescope.

[00:50:29] Not to get too spoilery for anybody that hasn't seen this season of discovery of which I assume there are no listeners that fit that description currently.

[00:50:38] But knowing that Michael Burnham set these points of light on purpose and with intention,

[00:50:46] you know,

[00:50:47] that combined with the time crystalliness of it,

[00:50:50] it works enough for me.

[00:50:52] Like,

[00:50:53] I,

[00:50:54] I think I,

[00:50:55] the real answer,

[00:50:56] I think for the term time crystal is that you're not supposed to ask,

[00:50:59] right?

[00:51:00] You're supposed to go time crystal.

[00:51:01] I mean,

[00:51:02] it's a,

[00:51:02] it's a flux capacitor,

[00:51:03] right?

[00:51:04] Like,

[00:51:05] that's what it is.

[00:51:05] That's what it does.

[00:51:07] Yeah.

[00:51:07] So like,

[00:51:08] and to me,

[00:51:09] that's so ballsy to be like,

[00:51:11] here's our show in late 2018.

[00:51:13] We've got time crystals in it.

[00:51:14] Like,

[00:51:15] I like that audacity,

[00:51:17] honestly.

[00:51:22] Pilepsy of running around this marathon while all this stuff is happening,

[00:51:27] man,

[00:51:27] have you ever been in a space battle platy?

[00:51:29] Like there's a lot of flashing lights.

[00:51:31] All the weapons are based on light,

[00:51:33] photon torpedoes,

[00:51:35] phasers.

[00:51:36] Like light is a thing that happens.

[00:51:38] Of course they'd have to be used to that.

[00:51:39] These weak ass kids we have in this century,

[00:51:42] you can't watch a Pokemon episode without freaking out.

[00:51:47] How are we ever going to get to the point where we're going to run a marathon with

[00:51:50] disco lights going on?

[00:51:52] Tom,

[00:51:53] when I first learned how to use the internet with a capital I,

[00:51:56] I looked so freaking hard for that episode of Pokemon.

[00:51:59] I was like,

[00:52:00] I have to know.

[00:52:01] Cause like,

[00:52:02] there's no way it's that bad.

[00:52:04] Right.

[00:52:04] But like,

[00:52:05] I still haven't seen it to this day.

[00:52:08] And also I don't have epilepsy,

[00:52:09] so I don't mean to sound like insensitive or anything,

[00:52:12] but you know,

[00:52:14] it's,

[00:52:14] it's,

[00:52:15] it's a TV show about cartoon animals and send you a link.

[00:52:20] Thank you.

[00:52:21] This will be the first time that I have ever seen this Porygon episode.

[00:52:25] Yes.

[00:52:25] I know exactly what he's talking about.

[00:52:28] I think I put together the context clues.

[00:52:32] So you've been talking up the use of the Klingon blood.

[00:52:38] There is a shot of Klingon gore in this.

[00:52:42] And I mean,

[00:52:43] I didn't freeze frame and zoom in or anything,

[00:52:45] but it looks like a goddamn earthling fly crawling around on those

[00:52:49] intestines.

[00:52:49] Like just a,

[00:52:50] a normal house fly.

[00:52:52] Uh,

[00:52:53] it's a,

[00:52:53] the guy that doesn't Kronos.

[00:52:55] I mean,

[00:52:59] I don't know if you've been,

[00:53:00] it's pretty dirty.

[00:53:03] It's,

[00:53:04] it's just,

[00:53:04] it's not known for its cleanliness.

[00:53:06] We'll just leave it at that.

[00:53:07] Like,

[00:53:08] but I mean,

[00:53:09] the flies are universal.

[00:53:11] It's with,

[00:53:11] they just,

[00:53:12] they evolve on every planet.

[00:53:13] Okay.

[00:53:14] All right.

[00:53:14] Doesn't that seem to fit?

[00:53:16] Yeah.

[00:53:19] Anyways,

[00:53:20] Platty,

[00:53:21] I gotta say,

[00:53:22] I like that.

[00:53:23] You're always calling in,

[00:53:24] giving us the business.

[00:53:25] You've got this cool structure to everything.

[00:53:27] Thank you so much for calling again.

[00:53:29] This is,

[00:53:29] you're bringing up important questions.

[00:53:31] I mean,

[00:53:31] we've been talking about it for a minute now,

[00:53:33] so clearly it matters.

[00:53:34] And that's what I love about being a Trekkie.

[00:53:36] This is the kind of stuff we argue about.

[00:53:38] Go ahead,

[00:53:39] Kim.

[00:53:39] You know,

[00:53:39] Michael has the line.

[00:53:40] I need a problem I can solve.

[00:53:42] And I just feel like that is Michael in a nutshell.

[00:53:44] Like a single line that explains her character.

[00:53:48] Yeah.

[00:53:48] And it's kind of the most she gets to do in this episode.

[00:53:51] And it's kind of toward the end of the episode,

[00:53:54] which I think it works.

[00:53:57] Like it gives us some color on the rest of the crew.

[00:54:00] It shows us again,

[00:54:02] this is somebody we can rely on.

[00:54:03] If we need something fixed,

[00:54:05] this is somebody who knows what she's doing.

[00:54:07] But I think you're right.

[00:54:08] Michael's Michael's line about like,

[00:54:10] I need a problem.

[00:54:11] I can fix this.

[00:54:11] I feel like that's.

[00:54:13] I was just thinking that the other day,

[00:54:15] I was like,

[00:54:16] man,

[00:54:16] I,

[00:54:17] my girlfriend came in the room.

[00:54:18] She's like,

[00:54:19] um,

[00:54:19] are you doing this prop,

[00:54:21] this completely unnecessary project instead of working?

[00:54:25] Um,

[00:54:27] or are you just trying to like complete something?

[00:54:29] And like,

[00:54:30] I felt Michael so much when she said that I was like,

[00:54:32] yeah,

[00:54:32] sometimes I just need a thing that I can do that instead of like sitting here and

[00:54:38] working out an email to a,

[00:54:40] uh,

[00:54:41] somebody that I can't figure out.

[00:54:42] Like,

[00:54:42] I just,

[00:54:43] I need to sit here and build a thing.

[00:54:44] So when she said that,

[00:54:45] I was like,

[00:54:45] I feel your girl.

[00:54:47] Well,

[00:54:48] yeah,

[00:54:48] it works on a few levels.

[00:54:49] Cause on one hand,

[00:54:50] it's just her in this moment.

[00:54:51] She's dealing with this,

[00:54:52] this regret in this past kind of trauma.

[00:54:54] And so she needs a distraction,

[00:54:56] but it shows both sides of her.

[00:54:57] Like the fact that she is a giver,

[00:54:59] she's a helper.

[00:55:00] She's always looking to help out where she can and help her friends.

[00:55:03] But I mean,

[00:55:04] it can be taken too far.

[00:55:05] Like she can never rest.

[00:55:07] She always needs to find a problem to fix even when there isn't one presented to

[00:55:11] her.

[00:55:12] So yeah,

[00:55:12] I thought,

[00:55:12] I thought it was a nice summary of her.

[00:55:15] Well,

[00:55:15] I think not only that it's the juxtaposition of Tilly's problem,

[00:55:19] which she feels like she can solve with her own spot problem,

[00:55:22] which she feels like she cannot solve.

[00:55:24] Right.

[00:55:25] It's,

[00:55:25] it's like Tom saying like,

[00:55:27] there are different levels of goals that you have on any given day.

[00:55:30] Right.

[00:55:30] Like you have the longterm running goal where you're like,

[00:55:33] you may not be able to tell,

[00:55:34] but I'm totally working on that.

[00:55:36] But right now I'm building this Lego set because I will eventually be done with

[00:55:40] it.

[00:55:41] And then I'll get to put it on the shelf and you'll see that I finished it.

[00:55:44] Right.

[00:55:44] Like there are two different kinds of goals at least.

[00:55:48] And sometimes attaining those smaller ones can really help you build up what

[00:55:53] you need to get to the longer ones.

[00:55:54] That's why when,

[00:55:55] you know,

[00:55:56] people tell you if you're going to make a checklist for your day,

[00:56:00] start with stuff you're going to get done,

[00:56:01] get out of bed.

[00:56:02] That counts.

[00:56:03] Like,

[00:56:03] you know,

[00:56:03] if you're fighting depression,

[00:56:04] take a shower,

[00:56:06] that counts,

[00:56:07] right?

[00:56:07] Like get dressed,

[00:56:08] that counts.

[00:56:09] Like there's a reason that those things get recommended.

[00:56:11] It's because they are attainable.

[00:56:13] And once you take some of those definitive small steps,

[00:56:17] you realize,

[00:56:18] Oh,

[00:56:19] this giant marathon,

[00:56:21] a callback that I'm running is just a series of smaller goals that I need to

[00:56:26] accomplish in order to get there.

[00:56:29] Do I,

[00:56:30] you guys are only because I'm fighting depression or just like,

[00:56:33] in general,

[00:56:35] it was as a,

[00:56:36] for instance,

[00:56:37] like,

[00:56:38] when actually fighting depression,

[00:56:39] because you took the shower,

[00:56:40] oddly enough,

[00:56:42] it's,

[00:56:42] you know,

[00:56:43] it's person to person.

[00:56:44] It just takes so long sometimes.

[00:56:46] Cause you're like,

[00:56:47] net,

[00:56:47] I'm going to be completely wet and I got to dry all the way off.

[00:56:50] Then there's all those little check boxes.

[00:56:52] You got to fill dry off,

[00:56:53] put on clothes,

[00:56:54] fine,

[00:56:54] clean underwear.

[00:56:56] Can I tell you how much I hate soft water?

[00:56:59] That's the thought that I had the other day.

[00:57:01] You hate soft water.

[00:57:03] You never feel clean.

[00:57:05] Like soft water.

[00:57:06] Like no matter how much you scrub,

[00:57:08] you're like,

[00:57:08] it's still soapy.

[00:57:11] I don't know.

[00:57:12] Yes.

[00:57:12] Okay.

[00:57:13] Yeah.

[00:57:13] Yeah.

[00:57:13] Yeah.

[00:57:14] Now I can just picture Kramer with the shampoo stuck in his hair and

[00:57:18] Seinfeld.

[00:57:18] And I'm like,

[00:57:19] yeah,

[00:57:19] it's a low flow showerhead.

[00:57:21] I I'm you guys,

[00:57:22] this could be like a four hour podcast if we let it.

[00:57:25] So,

[00:57:26] and I'm not opposed to that,

[00:57:28] but I know everybody has lives to live.

[00:57:30] And I know the listeners have other stuff to do.

[00:57:31] I assume one of those things being get out of bed,

[00:57:35] check that off.

[00:57:35] Right.

[00:57:36] I mean,

[00:57:37] just to reiterate,

[00:57:38] yes,

[00:57:38] this last scene of Michelle,

[00:57:40] yo,

[00:57:41] not walking around this bridge,

[00:57:43] but absolutely strutting around this bridge.

[00:57:48] It just,

[00:57:48] I cannot be more excited for section 31.

[00:57:52] I know a lot of folks are like,

[00:57:53] that's antithetical to star Trek.

[00:57:55] I'm like,

[00:57:56] yep.

[00:57:56] That's the point of it.

[00:57:57] Like it's a way for them to examine this utopia that they've told us so

[00:58:01] many times is real and functioning.

[00:58:04] So I'm,

[00:58:05] I'm happy to see where they go with this movie.

[00:58:06] Am I guaranteed to like it?

[00:58:08] No,

[00:58:09] but do I promise to give it a shot?

[00:58:11] Yes.

[00:58:11] It's got fricking Michelle yo in it.

[00:58:14] And they use Beyonce for the trailer.

[00:58:17] Like,

[00:58:17] what is your problem?

[00:58:18] Give it a shot.

[00:58:19] People new Rachel Garrett.

[00:58:22] I am 100% down for that.

[00:58:24] Yeah.

[00:58:26] Like I'm,

[00:58:27] there's nothing about it that I've seen.

[00:58:29] That's made me go,

[00:58:29] this doesn't deserve a chance.

[00:58:32] Like,

[00:58:32] and I,

[00:58:33] I just honestly don't understand that mindset in general,

[00:58:36] but you know,

[00:58:38] if you see something and you go,

[00:58:39] Oh,

[00:58:39] that's not up my alley.

[00:58:41] Fine.

[00:58:42] But like,

[00:58:42] if you're a Trekkie,

[00:58:44] give the star Trek a chance.

[00:58:46] That's all I'm asking.

[00:58:47] Do you want less star Trek?

[00:58:50] Right.

[00:58:50] Cause that's how you get it.

[00:58:51] Like,

[00:58:52] yeah.

[00:58:53] Mike McMahon told everybody,

[00:58:55] Hey,

[00:58:55] yeah.

[00:58:55] Letter writing campaigns after the show has been canceled.

[00:58:57] They're great,

[00:58:58] but I would really appreciate if you would just go watch my show right now

[00:59:01] while it's on.

[00:59:01] So they can see the viewership numbers.

[00:59:03] And guess what happened?

[00:59:05] Lower decks got canceled because not enough people watched it.

[00:59:08] And now they're like mounting a campaign to save lower decks.

[00:59:11] I want more lower decks.

[00:59:12] I'm just saying this is,

[00:59:13] this is like a case study in how to get more star Trek.

[00:59:17] Please give us a chance.

[00:59:21] But speaking of songs,

[00:59:23] the Beyonce reference,

[00:59:25] there is something we have been doing and a reason we're calling this

[00:59:28] coverage disco inferno.

[00:59:30] And that is because we have been bringing a song of choice to every

[00:59:34] episode that we feel the lyrics or the theme or the vibes,

[00:59:38] I think is what the children say just seem to fit the episode for us.

[00:59:43] And because he was not able to be here with us for the majority of this

[00:59:48] discussion,

[00:59:48] we are going to go ahead and hear from producer John himself on this topic.

[00:59:55] Hey,

[00:59:56] all you wonderful listeners.

[00:59:57] This is producer John.

[00:59:58] I hope you've had a great time listening to cam and Jesse and Tom

[01:00:02] discuss point of light.

[01:00:03] I really enjoyed this episode and it definitely started some of the other

[01:00:09] storylines for season two.

[01:00:10] Um,

[01:00:12] one might say the goofier storylines for season two,

[01:00:15] but also kind of the darker storylines for season two.

[01:00:18] So there's a lot coming up ahead.

[01:00:20] Um,

[01:00:21] this episode is a lot.

[01:00:22] There's a lot of people being lonely,

[01:00:25] a lot of loneliness from Michael,

[01:00:28] from Spock,

[01:00:30] from Tilly.

[01:00:31] I would even say,

[01:00:32] uh,

[01:00:33] obviously may is having some kind of issues and then Laurel invoke are having

[01:00:37] bears.

[01:00:38] Uh,

[01:00:39] it really just seems like everybody is seeking connection,

[01:00:43] seeking ways to keep connected.

[01:00:45] And you might think I'm going to pick,

[01:00:47] keep us connected from the,

[01:00:49] uh,

[01:00:49] subspace Rhapsody,

[01:00:50] but I'm not because there's also a severed baby head.

[01:00:53] And that's when this episode gets,

[01:00:55] uh,

[01:00:56] starts getting a little crazy.

[01:00:57] Thank you.

[01:00:57] So I'm thinking loneliness,

[01:01:00] you know,

[01:01:01] loneliness killed that baby.

[01:01:03] Loneliness is killing Tilly.

[01:01:05] Just everybody's loneliness is killing them.

[01:01:07] Just like a Britney Spears and hit me baby one more time.

[01:01:10] And that is my song pick for this episode.

[01:01:13] So everybody enjoy that.

[01:01:15] And let's hear what the other hosts have.

[01:01:18] Even when he's not here,

[01:01:20] he's a consummate professional.

[01:01:22] What a lead in producer,

[01:01:25] John.

[01:01:25] Of course you as the listener who's dedicated to open Pike already know that we are going to be covering the 2002 box office smash hit Crossroads starring Britney Spears,

[01:01:37] Anson Mount,

[01:01:39] Zoe Saldana,

[01:01:40] and Kim Cattrall here on the show with Ben and Adam of greatest Trek and greatest generation.

[01:01:45] I couldn't build a segue better than that if I had tried,

[01:01:48] John.

[01:01:48] And also I don't care.

[01:01:51] Baby one more time is a banger.

[01:01:53] That's another thing that children say,

[01:01:54] right?

[01:01:54] Banger or no,

[01:01:55] it slaps.

[01:01:57] What do you guys think of John's pick?

[01:01:58] I think there was a stretch.

[01:01:59] I think there was a long way around.

[01:02:00] I was,

[01:02:01] I was walking down the yellow brick road with him and I went,

[01:02:03] Oh,

[01:02:03] he's just going to throw me off the edge here.

[01:02:05] Isn't he?

[01:02:08] You poor munchkin threw a bucket of water on you.

[01:02:12] Yeah.

[01:02:12] I'm,

[01:02:12] I'm down with it.

[01:02:13] You know,

[01:02:14] when I was growing up in my small town,

[01:02:16] Alaska and all that was played on the radio was Christina.

[01:02:18] Aguilera and Britney Spears and NSYNC and Backstreet Boys.

[01:02:22] I hated it.

[01:02:23] But now whenever I,

[01:02:24] you know,

[01:02:25] when Deadpool starts dancing to NSYNC,

[01:02:27] I am there for it.

[01:02:28] These,

[01:02:28] these songs slap.

[01:02:30] I can't deny it.

[01:02:30] I'm down.

[01:02:31] I'm,

[01:02:31] I'm there for it,

[01:02:32] John.

[01:02:33] There's a reason that they became insanely popular.

[01:02:36] They were all lonely,

[01:02:37] but what I picked up on this is,

[01:02:39] you know,

[01:02:40] going into that final scene with Michelle Yeoh,

[01:02:43] you know,

[01:02:43] they make the point that this is where the misfits belong.

[01:02:46] And she goes,

[01:02:46] the freaks have more fun.

[01:02:47] And that's when I realized that that was the unifying theme of this episode

[01:02:51] is that everyone is a bit of a misfit.

[01:02:53] We've got,

[01:02:54] you know,

[01:02:54] Tilly thinking she's going crazy and she's the only one dealing with her issues.

[01:02:57] Of course,

[01:02:58] you've got Laurel and Vogue,

[01:03:00] both just not quite fitting into their new society.

[01:03:03] You've got Spock and Michael as kids,

[01:03:07] both growing up as misfits in their own ways.

[01:03:10] And so that's why I am going with,

[01:03:13] I was very tempted to keep up my,

[01:03:15] my David Bowie streak and go with Rebel Rebel,

[01:03:18] but no,

[01:03:19] you,

[01:03:19] uh,

[01:03:20] I'm not going to do every song is a David Bowie song.

[01:03:22] I'm sorry,

[01:03:22] but I can't,

[01:03:23] I can't promise.

[01:03:24] I won't do another one at some point.

[01:03:26] I'm going to go Radiohead.

[01:03:27] Creep.

[01:03:31] Obviously a song about feeling on the outside of things,

[01:03:35] feeling like a bit of a weirdo,

[01:03:36] but you know,

[01:03:38] finding your own way.

[01:03:39] It of course has the line,

[01:03:40] you're just like an angel,

[01:03:42] which I feel fits into the season.

[01:03:43] And the bridge is of course,

[01:03:45] she's running out the door.

[01:03:47] She's running out just like Michael Burnham did in the past as a child.

[01:03:51] So I'm going Creep.

[01:03:53] I can only hear Eric Cartman singing that song and it's absolutely a deficiency on my part.

[01:04:00] It's not your fault.

[01:04:01] I can only see a rocket raccoon listening to the song.

[01:04:04] So that's my deficiency.

[01:04:07] We're,

[01:04:08] we're,

[01:04:08] we're a group of freaks too.

[01:04:10] Where's our Michelle?

[01:04:12] Yo,

[01:04:12] come on.

[01:04:12] You're so fucking special.

[01:04:14] Jesse.

[01:04:15] I think people have been telling me that forever.

[01:04:17] Wait a minute.

[01:04:18] All right,

[01:04:18] Tom.

[01:04:19] There's only one song that comes to mind after watching this episode,

[01:04:24] because there's only one scene that sticks out in my head.

[01:04:26] And that is the ghost trap in the proton pack.

[01:04:31] And the mushroom does.

[01:04:32] So I'm going to go with Ray Parker Jr.

[01:04:35] No,

[01:04:36] I'm not going to go with Ray Parker Jr.

[01:04:37] I'm going to go with Huey Lewis and the news.

[01:04:39] I want a new drug,

[01:04:40] which is what Ghostbusters was derivative of.

[01:04:43] That's how my brain works.

[01:04:45] That's how my brain works.

[01:04:47] So we're going Huey Lewis and the news.

[01:04:49] I want a new drug.

[01:04:50] Why?

[01:04:51] That's just,

[01:04:52] that's what happens when you jump out of airplanes for 10 years and slam

[01:04:56] your head on the ground.

[01:04:56] Thank you.

[01:04:57] You can,

[01:04:58] you can thank the U S military for that song.

[01:05:00] Pick everybody.

[01:05:02] I mean,

[01:05:03] it's no sense to me.

[01:05:05] I,

[01:05:05] what I really like about that is that Tom built his own yellow brick road,

[01:05:10] much as producer John did.

[01:05:12] And then it was like,

[01:05:12] guess what?

[01:05:13] You're not going to fall off of this.

[01:05:15] You're going to hit it from an airplane.

[01:05:18] Like talk about thematically,

[01:05:20] appropriate.

[01:05:21] Well done.

[01:05:21] And thank you,

[01:05:21] sir.

[01:05:23] All right,

[01:05:23] guys,

[01:05:23] I am going to continue my little thematic jaunt here through the music of

[01:05:28] Star Trek discovery.

[01:05:31] And this episode to me boils down,

[01:05:35] not to the baby head,

[01:05:37] like,

[01:05:37] like John was mentioning,

[01:05:38] but it,

[01:05:39] it is,

[01:05:40] it does have to do with Klingons.

[01:05:41] I feel like these are the Klingons we've always been promised.

[01:05:45] This song was absolutely written for Klingons.

[01:05:48] By way of eighties power metal mixed with some,

[01:05:53] some deep guttural screaming.

[01:05:56] So with lyrics like flash of iron,

[01:06:00] leather,

[01:06:01] spikes,

[01:06:01] and swords,

[01:06:02] mighty warriors with metal on their side,

[01:06:05] enemies of metal.

[01:06:06] Your death is our reward.

[01:06:08] Triumphant victory.

[01:06:10] When you bring this steel to life,

[01:06:12] I am going with deadly sinners by a band called three inches of blood.

[01:06:18] I,

[01:06:19] this is a song that when I put on,

[01:06:21] if I'm in the car,

[01:06:22] I will drive faster.

[01:06:24] It is just like an automatic response that I have.

[01:06:27] I promise you,

[01:06:28] this song is not to everybody's tastes.

[01:06:31] It took me probably two or three listens to be like,

[01:06:34] Oh no,

[01:06:34] this is 100% something for me.

[01:06:37] And now I cannot get over deadly sinners by three inches of blood.

[01:06:42] I can't wait to get to the end of this season and have people say whose playlist they like the best,

[01:06:49] because we're giving some seriously wide ranges of options here.

[01:06:54] I'm glad you did pause in the name of that band.

[01:06:59] I was like,

[01:07:00] wow,

[01:07:01] where's this going?

[01:07:01] I don't like this.

[01:07:02] Is this another one of those Klingon jokes?

[01:07:04] Well,

[01:07:05] all right,

[01:07:05] gentlemen,

[01:07:05] we have had a lot of fun tonight.

[01:07:07] We've had some great calls.

[01:07:09] I've had a lot of fun discussing star Trek discovery season two,

[01:07:13] episode three point of light with both of you,

[01:07:16] as well as with our wonderful callers.

[01:07:18] And I'm just,

[01:07:19] I'm so excited to get to the rest of this season.

[01:07:22] I'm really excited for the return of lower decks.

[01:07:25] Watch our patron feed.

[01:07:27] If you are a patron,

[01:07:29] if you're not,

[01:07:29] you can sign up for as little as $2.

[01:07:31] Come on.

[01:07:32] That's,

[01:07:32] that's cheaper than any streaming service you can think of even paramount plus.

[01:07:37] I have to ask though,

[01:07:39] gents,

[01:07:39] have you got anything else that you feel you just have to get out before we wiggle our way onto the section 31 ship and into the circus of freaks?

[01:07:51] Yeah.

[01:07:51] I mean,

[01:07:51] I think,

[01:07:52] uh,

[01:07:52] Abby hit it when she said like,

[01:07:54] this is a bridge episode.

[01:07:55] It's very much feels like connecting the first two episodes with the rest of the season.

[01:08:00] And that's why I feel like I can't say that I really enjoy it or even dislike it because it does feel like it's just connectors.

[01:08:36] Um,

[01:08:37] they're intertwined in so many different ways.

[01:08:40] And to Abby's point,

[01:08:42] you're totally right.

[01:08:43] This sets up so much for what's to come.

[01:08:46] And some of the stuff that's to come doesn't even get set up in discovery.

[01:08:50] Some of it's in short treks.

[01:08:52] So it's,

[01:08:54] it's a complicated season.

[01:08:55] I'm not going to say it's perfect,

[01:08:56] but I think for me,

[01:08:57] it still might be my favorite season.

[01:08:59] I,

[01:08:59] I'll have to reevaluate that at the end,

[01:09:01] but I totally agree with you.

[01:09:03] This is not a milestone episode.

[01:09:05] This is an absolute setup episode.

[01:09:08] It feels like the first half of at least a two parter.

[01:09:14] Um,

[01:09:14] I,

[01:09:15] I want to say that as someone who doesn't have kids because,

[01:09:19] uh,

[01:09:20] my plug game is strong.

[01:09:21] Um,

[01:09:22] and who has spent an irresponsible amount of money on Starfleet uniforms.

[01:09:29] And it having been so many years since I've seen this season and us,

[01:09:35] having so many years of strange new worlds and then later seasons of

[01:09:39] discovery.

[01:09:41] Um,

[01:09:42] I hate the blue uniform seeing Chris Pike in it.

[01:09:44] Just gave me enterprise vibes.

[01:09:47] And I'm like,

[01:09:49] don't just don't do this.

[01:09:51] Don't do this.

[01:09:52] Um,

[01:09:54] yeah,

[01:09:54] I,

[01:09:54] I don't want to see Chris Pike in a blue uniform.

[01:09:57] Just give the man his yellow sweater.

[01:09:59] Yeah.

[01:09:59] In the first episode of the season,

[01:10:01] they,

[01:10:01] they kind of take a jab at the enterprise group with like,

[01:10:04] oh yeah,

[01:10:04] real colorful.

[01:10:05] All your outfits.

[01:10:06] I'm like,

[01:10:06] yeah,

[01:10:06] damn right.

[01:10:07] They are great to look at.

[01:10:09] Yeah.

[01:10:09] Yes.

[01:10:10] Yep.

[01:10:10] I agree that enterprise has the worst uniforms.

[01:10:13] I'm sorry,

[01:10:13] Abby,

[01:10:14] please,

[01:10:14] please don't hold that against me.

[01:10:15] Yeah.

[01:10:16] Just a straight up blue with a little bit of piping.

[01:10:18] I'm like,

[01:10:18] no,

[01:10:19] no,

[01:10:20] that's not like,

[01:10:21] I get it.

[01:10:22] You're the,

[01:10:22] the sciencey ship and you're different and you have to just don't know.

[01:10:27] Yeah.

[01:10:28] Don't Chris,

[01:10:29] a yellow sweater,

[01:10:30] gold sweater.

[01:10:31] And you could see where they'd want to be,

[01:10:32] you know,

[01:10:32] saying like,

[01:10:33] well,

[01:10:33] this is part of the design lineage.

[01:10:35] They had the blue jumpsuits,

[01:10:36] you know,

[01:10:37] this is not that much later,

[01:10:38] but I'm full agreement.

[01:10:40] I can't,

[01:10:41] especially with,

[01:10:43] we talked about it a couple episodes ago,

[01:10:45] but how much physically smaller Anson Mount is in this season?

[01:10:48] Cause he had not yet been in a Marvel movie.

[01:10:51] It's just like,

[01:10:52] put that guy in the tightest t-shirt you have.

[01:10:55] It's fine.

[01:10:57] Yeah.

[01:10:59] All right.

[01:10:59] Well,

[01:11:00] before we get out of here,

[01:11:01] Tom,

[01:11:02] I know you're always working hard.

[01:11:04] You always have something cool on the horizon or in the immediate past.

[01:11:09] Is there anything that you would implore our listeners of yours to go check out?

[01:11:14] Obviously other than your wonderfully insightful commentary on season two,

[01:11:19] episode eight of strange new worlds under the cloak of war.

[01:11:21] My dead friend,

[01:11:22] Zoe is the movie that I did with Sonequa Martin-Green.

[01:11:25] And when I say I did it,

[01:11:26] I was there.

[01:11:27] I was on set for a few days and I,

[01:11:29] I watched the movie last night.

[01:11:30] I was like,

[01:11:30] I'm in this a remarkably small amount of time for how much time I spent on set,

[01:11:36] which is fine.

[01:11:37] I'm definitely not one of the lead characters.

[01:11:39] It's,

[01:11:39] I was just very honored that my,

[01:11:41] my friend asked me to be in this movie.

[01:11:43] But that comes out February 28th,

[01:11:47] 2025.

[01:11:48] Um,

[01:11:49] it's a great film.

[01:11:50] I mean,

[01:11:51] uh,

[01:11:53] biases aside,

[01:11:53] I've watched it,

[01:11:54] uh,

[01:11:55] three times now.

[01:11:57] Um,

[01:11:58] even knowing how little I'm in the movie,

[01:12:00] I still watch it.

[01:12:02] Maybe I'll kiss myself again.

[01:12:04] Listen,

[01:12:05] I'm going to be quite honest with you.

[01:12:07] Anytime they kill me off on a TV show,

[01:12:09] I'm like,

[01:12:09] I'm done.

[01:12:09] Like I was on four episodes of Bosch legacy this year.

[01:12:13] And then they killed me.

[01:12:14] I was like,

[01:12:14] I don't need to watch.

[01:12:18] So that tells you how good of a movie this is.

[01:12:21] I'm like,

[01:12:21] I will watch this again and again,

[01:12:23] despite how little my face is in it,

[01:12:26] which is fine.

[01:12:26] Cause the movie is not about me.

[01:12:28] Um,

[01:12:28] but it's a great movie.

[01:12:29] February 28th,

[01:12:31] 2025,

[01:12:32] uh,

[01:12:33] in theaters nationwide.

[01:12:35] Um,

[01:12:36] I'm doing a thing.

[01:12:38] Well,

[01:12:39] Hmm.

[01:12:39] Can I say this yet?

[01:12:41] This will be dropping in two weeks.

[01:12:44] Um,

[01:12:45] okay.

[01:12:46] So I don't know if,

[01:12:47] okay.

[01:12:48] So nothing is in the books yet,

[01:12:51] but I had a meeting with,

[01:12:54] I told,

[01:12:55] I told you guys who I met in Atlanta.

[01:12:57] Yes.

[01:12:58] Yes.

[01:12:59] Yes.

[01:13:00] So I had a meeting with him and,

[01:13:03] uh,

[01:13:04] something could be in the works.

[01:13:06] Interesting.

[01:13:06] Um,

[01:13:07] that's such a tease for our listeners.

[01:13:09] It really,

[01:13:10] it's,

[01:13:11] it's,

[01:13:11] it's kind of awesome.

[01:13:13] And it's very Star Trek related.

[01:13:16] I mean,

[01:13:16] the project isn't,

[01:13:17] but the person that I met with,

[01:13:19] uh,

[01:13:20] literally,

[01:13:21] literally.

[01:13:23] Tom knows what he's doing folks.

[01:13:25] Make sure you follow him on social media at.

[01:13:29] Underscore Tom Tran,

[01:13:30] T H O M T R A N.

[01:13:33] Um,

[01:13:34] yeah,

[01:13:34] my podcast,

[01:13:35] scary,

[01:13:36] funny might be coming back.

[01:13:37] I'm working on a bunch of stuff obviously right now with,

[01:13:40] uh,

[01:13:40] between the movie and a new comedy album.

[01:13:43] Um,

[01:13:44] I've got a bunch of shows coming up in LA.

[01:13:45] If you go to my website or,

[01:13:47] uh,

[01:13:47] my social media,

[01:13:48] anytime you want to come to a show that I'm,

[01:13:50] I'm,

[01:13:50] I'm doing,

[01:13:51] uh,

[01:13:51] let me know,

[01:13:52] let me know that you're a podcast listener and I will put you on my guest list and I will get your tickets on me.

[01:13:59] Um,

[01:13:59] but yeah,

[01:14:00] there's,

[01:14:00] I'm doing some cool thing with,

[01:14:03] I want to tell this story.

[01:14:06] We'll bring you back once it happens.

[01:14:08] Okay.

[01:14:08] But I will tell you guys after what happened at the meeting that you will,

[01:14:12] and then,

[01:14:13] okay.

[01:14:14] And then if this,

[01:14:15] if this happens or even if it doesn't happen,

[01:14:17] I'll,

[01:14:17] I'll,

[01:14:17] I'll,

[01:14:18] I'll bring it up later,

[01:14:19] but I got another meeting coming up with this person.

[01:14:21] So,

[01:14:22] well,

[01:14:22] thank you as always,

[01:14:23] Tom,

[01:14:23] we will always make time for you.

[01:14:25] If you are in California and you had any amount of fun listening to this episode,

[01:14:31] go see Tom live.

[01:14:32] I promise you will laugh and I promise you'll have some feelings.

[01:14:36] Like this guy knows what he's doing.

[01:14:37] And thank you,

[01:14:38] Tom,

[01:14:39] for making some time to come back to the open Pike night stage.

[01:14:43] Yep.

[01:14:43] Thanks for having me guys.

[01:14:44] Certainly.

[01:14:45] Cameron,

[01:14:46] if folks need to hear more Star Trek from you,

[01:14:49] what should they do?

[01:14:51] Yeah.

[01:14:51] Speaking of Klingons,

[01:14:52] I'm over watching,

[01:14:53] uh,

[01:14:54] Worf hit it with Troy twice only to find out that neither time was real.

[01:14:59] Well,

[01:14:59] one was real,

[01:15:00] but it was a different universe.

[01:15:01] And then the other one was just in Troy's head.

[01:15:03] It's crazy stuff happening over on TNG in the final season.

[01:15:07] I have seven episodes of TNG.

[01:15:09] I've never seen left.

[01:15:10] So come join us for that at green shirt 87.

[01:15:14] You'll find us on Twitter.

[01:15:15] Green shirt and newbies.

[01:15:15] I track the next generation,

[01:15:17] wherever you catch your pods.

[01:15:19] We're also covering deep space nine,

[01:15:21] nine minutes at a time.

[01:15:23] So,

[01:15:23] uh,

[01:15:23] be sure to listen in there.

[01:15:24] We're in season two of deep space nine and I'm loving it.

[01:15:27] You know,

[01:15:28] there was a universe where Worf said it was real to me.

[01:15:32] All right.

[01:15:33] Open Pike night has a lot of stuff to do.

[01:15:36] We have a ton of stuff coming up to do.

[01:15:39] We're really trying to make the best non strange new worlds coverage that we can

[01:15:44] while we wait for more strange new worlds.

[01:15:46] Keep your ears open for our next episode.

[01:15:49] Featuring Adam and Ben of greatest Trek and greatest discovery.

[01:15:53] There are more interviews on the horizon.

[01:15:55] We're working hard for you guys.

[01:15:57] And thank you of course,

[01:15:58] as always for coming with us into the disco inferno.

[01:16:03] With that said,

[01:16:04] make sure you clean up after yourselves.

[01:16:06] Make sure to tip your servers.

[01:16:08] You can go anywhere you want,

[01:16:10] but you can't stay here.

[01:16:20] Tom,

[01:16:21] do you have any notes before we get to our final call?

[01:16:23] Sorry.

[01:16:24] I got to fart so bad.

[01:16:25] Totally leaving that in.

[01:16:27] I don't think your mic will pick it up,

[01:16:30] man.

[01:16:31] I'm pretty good.

[01:16:34] and a pretty good ass.

[01:16:36] But in the next season we're going to bring that up,

[01:16:36] I'm pretty good at all.

[01:16:36] Thank you.