Altered Trek

Aaron Pollyea and his wife Darlene watch some classic sci-fi from the 1950s and '60s, good and bad. They'll talk about what makes these films memorable and fun, and if you should take a trip back in time and enjoy these films as well.

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The hosts break down the conclusion of the third season of Star Trek: Discovery, focusing on the unresolved plot points, questionable creative choices, and the general inconsistency of the narrative. They discuss the specific problems with the season finale, including the logic behind the "Burn," the scale issues of the ship's interior, and the overuse of CGI. The panel also highlights their frustrations with the show's departure from established franchise lore, the reliance on mystery-box storytelling, and their reactions to the return of the Guardian of Forever.

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The panel discusses their frustrations with the later half of Star Trek: Discovery Season 3, critiquing the show's lack of a unifying vision, inconsistent writing, and character development. They compare the show's emotional tone to daytime soap operas and highlight how the "burn" plot device feels like a hollow mystery box. The group also compares the storytelling and character arcs in The Mandalorian to Discovery, while expressing deep dissatisfaction with the portrayal of the mirror universe and the treatment of the character Philippa Georgiou. Finally, the team analyzes production issues including cinematography, lighting choices, and the overwhelming number of executive producers.

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We break down the initial four episodes of the third season of Discovery, discussing the show's jump to the future, the 'Burn' storyline, and the overall execution of the series compared to previous seasons and other sci-fi properties like Stargate and Andromeda. We also analyze the show's production design, the consistency of its CGI, the portrayal of the Federation, and how the series handles ensemble dynamics when Sonequa Martin-Green's character is centered versus when it highlights supporting bridge crew.

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A group of fans discuss the first season of the animated series Star Trek: Lower Decks. They share mixed reactions to the characters, particularly Mariner and Tendi, while comparing the show's comedic tone and lack of strict adherence to series canon to previous iterations of the franchise. The conversation also covers the technical inconsistency of the ship designs, the sound design's authentic feel, and how the season finale set up future storylines for the crew of the U.S.S. Cerritos.

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The hosts discuss their personal favorite science fiction video game franchises, sharing insights on lore, gameplay mechanics, and lasting impacts on the genre. The conversation covers the expansive history of the Halo series, the fast-paced competitive nature of Unreal Tournament, and the pioneering open-universe exploration found in Starflight. The group also touches on the influence these titles had on modern gaming and their individual experiences playing them across various platforms.

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In this episode of "Future Imperfect," Admiral Phillips returns with Alex from ThisWeekinGeek and Aaron Pollyea to discuss The Orville! All this and more on Future Imperfect!

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The hosts share their creative backgrounds before pitching concepts for new or rebooted science fiction series. The discussion covers potential live-action and animated takes on franchises like Battletech, Halo, Mass Effect, and Terminator, debating the merits of different narrative approaches and production formats. Finally, they introduce an original pitch for a cyberpunk horror series titled Wetworked, which blends classic Lovecraftian elements with a futuristic setting.

In this episode of "Future Imperfect," Admiral Phillips is on shore leave with Captain Mike and Alex from ThisWeekinGeek and special guest, Aaron Pollyea taking the reigns. The trio discusses some interesting Sci-Fi book series and why they think you should check them out. All this and more on Future Imperfect!

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The panel discusses their favorite science fiction television programs outside of the Star Trek universe. They reflect on the premise, casting, and memorable episodes of the 90s series Sliders, examining its parallel world mechanics and how early episodes like "The Fever" hold up today. The group also explores The Orville, debating its evolution from comedy-focused origins to a serious narrative structure that mimics the philosophical storytelling of classic genre shows.