Altered Trek

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Actor Walter Koenig discusses joining the web series Star Trek Renegades and shares insights from his decades-long career in television and theater. He touches on the challenges of finding work in the industry, his approach to acting, and why he found his role on Babylon 5 particularly rewarding. Additionally, he reflects on his early years in acting and the unique experience of performing on stage.

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Voice actor and producer Vic Mignogna joins the show to discuss his lifelong passion for the original Star Trek series and how it inspired his own fan-production, Star Trek Continues. He reflects on the evolution of geek culture from his early days attending conventions to the mainstream success of science fiction today. Mignogna also details the creative goals behind Star Trek Continues, explains his approach to playing Captain Kirk, and shares his excitement about joining the cast of the Star Trek Renegades project.

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This episode explores the nature of artificial intelligence, robotics, and sentience, drawing parallels from characters like Data, The Doctor, and Vic Fontaine. The discussion touches on the ethics of AI, the evolution of synthetic life, and themes of self-sacrifice and humanity. Additionally, there is a review of Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 4 on Blu-ray, alongside a breakdown of Soong-type androids.

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[display_podcast] In today’s special interview Birdman gets a chance to sit down with actor/director Tim Russ to talk about the project known as Star Trek: Renegades. Birdman and Russ get a chance to talk what goes into a creating a Trek project that is darker,grittier and different from the Trek we have known before. Renegades …

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A deep dive into the impact and legacy of Star Trek: The Next Generation. The hosts discuss their personal connections to the series, how it influenced their interest in science and space, and why the show’s character-driven storytelling set a new standard for science fiction television. The conversation covers the development of the crew across seasons, the memorable performance of John de Lancie as Q, the departure of Denise Crosby, and the show's enduring cultural significance.

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The team discusses J.J. Abrams' second entry in the rebooted franchise, covering the handling of Khan, the film's inconsistent tone, and various plot holes. They analyze the technical aspects including the 3D post-conversion, the film's heavy use of fan-service nods, and the depiction of warp drive. Despite enjoying the action-packed nature of the film, they express frustrations with the writing, character choices, and how the movie stands up against the rest of the series canon.

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An exploration of time travel in the Star Trek universe, including an analysis of temporal mechanics, the Department of Temporal Investigations, and recurring themes like alternate timelines and parallel worlds. This episode also features a review of the Star Trek: The Next Generation 'The Best of Both Worlds' Blu-ray release, focusing on the technical quality of the transfer, the inclusion of the 'Regeneration: Engaging the Borg' featurette, and the standout performances of the cast.

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A deep dive into the 1970s animated continuation of the original series produced by Filmation. We discuss the show's unique production history, the return of the original cast, iconic episodes like 'Yesteryear,' and the limitations of the animation style. We also consider the series' place in canon, its impact on Trek history, and whether it holds up for modern viewers.

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A discussion on the state of science fiction on television, exploring why the genre seems to have shifted away from traditional scripted programming in favor of reality TV. The hosts evaluate J.J. Abrams' influence on the Star Trek and Star Wars franchises, considering the risks and rewards of rebooting established properties. They reflect on cult favorites and cancelled sci-fi series from the 90s and 2000s, including Babylon 5, Farscape, Andromeda, Firefly, and Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles. The conversation also touches on the impact of Doctor Who and The Big Bang Theory on the current cultural visibility of geek-centric media.

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A retrospective look at the cinematic entries of the The Next Generation crew, discussing the highs and lows of each film. The conversation touches on the bridging nature of Generations, the action-heavy success of First Contact, the perceived pacing issues of Insurrection, and the disappointment surrounding the box office performance of Nemesis. The hosts also briefly discuss production context, including deleted scenes, the cast's changing roles, and comparisons to the original series movies.