“What Is Starfleet?”

The long-teased documentary by Umberto Ortegas has finally been released. “Starfleet presents themselves as our quadrant’s shining example of duty, honor, peacekeeping,” says the little brother of Erica Ortegas, who flies the ship. “But what separates a federation from an empire? Both colonize. Both impose their laws and doctrines on others. Are they explorers as they claim? Or soldiers as they appear? They call their vessels starships. What distinguishes them from warships?” Filming a mission during which the Enterprise is ordered to transport cargo that turns out to be a sentient being that turns out to have been transformed into a weapon certainly begs answers to those questions. As viewers, we watch the findings of this young investigative reporter unfold and lead him down a path he may not have expected.

In this episode of Saddle Up! hosts C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing continue our journey through Strange New Worlds with “What Is Starfleet?” We discuss the documentary concept, Beto's agenda, and pacing in short seasons as well as the big question (and whether the story answers it).

Chapters
Intro (0:00:00)
An Age-Old Question (00:03:26)
Speed Bump for the Season? (00:17:36)
Journalistic Standards (00:21:49)
Are We Too Impatient As Viewers Today? (00:27:46)
Core Elements (00:36:43)
Seeking Out New Life (00:41:04)
There Be Whales Here! (00:47:57)
Final Thoughts and Ratings (00:51:09)
Closing (01:01:57)

Hosts
C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing

Production
C Bryan Jones (Editor and Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer)

“The Sehlat Who Ate Its Tail”

During a survey mission to Helicon Gamma, Commander James T. Kirk of the USS Farragut thinks it would be a good idea to put boots on the ground and explore the world firsthand. Think again. Just as he pitches the idea to his Vulcan captain, the planet is vaporized by an incredibly powerful weapon fired from a ship that looks like a giant sea creature. With most of the crew, including Captain V’rel, injured, Kirk takes command of the Farragut. His first time in the chair under pressure takes a life-or-death turn when the Enterprise is captured by space pirates and swallowed by the beast. He must overcome his crisis of confidence and rise to the occasion to save both ships, a tall task aided by a group that will one day become his own trusted crew.

In this episode of Saddle Up! hosts C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing continue our journey through Strange New Worlds with “The Sehlat Who Ate Its Tail.” We discuss Kirk's backstory and evolution, bringing together the original series crew, pack rat Pelia and her '80s solution, and the story's closing twist.

Chapters
Intro (0:00:00)
Playing Kirk (00:02:12)
Building Kirk (00:14:38)
Bringing the TOS Crew Together (00:18:29)
Pack Rat Pelia Saves the Day (00:27:29)
The Twist Ending (00:32:10)
When Star Trek Is at Its Best (00:42:48)
Final Thoughts and Ratings (00:49:00)
Closing (00:52:34)

Hosts
C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing

Production
C Bryan Jones (Editor and Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer)

Young Indiana Jones and the Curse of the Jackal.

If adventure had a name it would be Indiana Jones! In this special bonus show of The 602 Club hosts Matthew Rushing and Yancy Evans are looking back at the show that helped audiences understand history behind the fedora. So join us as we discuss the first episode of The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles that first aired on ABC on March 4th, 1992!

“Through the Lens of Time”

Nurse Chapel’s new beau, Doctor Roger Korby, pays a visit to the Enterprise to get help with a dig on Vadia IX, a planet that’s home to the descendants of an ancient, highly advanced civilization believed to have been capable of traveling across multiple galaxies and to have discovered immortality.

The mission quickly takes a dangerous turn when the landing party becomes trapped inside a temple—or is it a prison? The structure and technology are clearly ancient and advanced, but uncovering their mysteries won’t be easy. The team finds itself split up, trapped in different rooms—or maybe planes of existence. But they can still talk to each other and must put their noggins together and romantic tension aside to escape. Meanwhile, back on the ship, a lizard fight has broken out in sickbay.

In this episode of Saddle Up! hosts C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing continue our journey through Strange New Worlds with “Through the Lens of Time.” We discuss the mystery and its film inspirations, AI, flying cameras, and the Q, Vezda, and Gorn.

Chapters
Intro (0:00:00)
Connecting Mysteries (00:02:49)
Q Gorn Amok? (00:11:22)
Ancient Evil (00:17:18)
Not Relative Terms (00:24:53)
Beto in the Moment (00:33:06)
A Trio of Love (00:37:11)
A Whiter Shade of Red (Shirt) (00:43:47)
A Leap of Faith (00:48:18)
Final Thoughts and Ratings (00:55:00)
Closing (00:57:48)

Hosts
C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing

Production
C Bryan Jones (Editor and Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer)

“A Space Adventure Hour”

While studying the neutron star at the center of the Kitolian Belt, Captain Pike and Number One decide that it’s the perfect chance to test a new Starfleet innovation that should make extended missions easier: the Holodeck. What better time to push the ship’s power resources to the limit than when circling the gravitationally collapsed core of a massive supergiant? What could possibly go wrong? Well, for one thing, a burgeoning television show could be canceled. Also, La’an could get trapped in a simulation with the safeties off. And, in the worst case, the entire crew could be lost as the crushing gravity of the collapsing star pulls the ship apart. But don’t worry, Amelia Moon is on the case. But first, some diction lessons.

In this episode of Saddle Up! hosts C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing continue our journey through Strange New Worlds with “A Space Adventure Hour.” We discuss the use of the Holodeck, La'an and Spock's tango, and the Last Frontier cold open as we also ask whether this very meta episode is really a love letter to Star Trek.

Chapters
Intro (0:00:00)
The Holodeck before the Holodeck (00:02:35)
Amelia Moon Saves the Day (00:16:17)
The Spock–La'an Tango (00:22:41)
Love Letter or Insult? (00:31:18)
Gimmicks or Playground? (00:52:28)
Final Thoughts and Ratings (01:00:12)
Closing (01:04:39)

Hosts
C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing

Production
C Bryan Jones (Editor and Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer)

The Fantastic Four: First Steps.

It is 1961, two comic creators join forces to make a comic that is free of some of the restrictions they’ve felt, to tell a story about characters they think they’d enjoy reading about, birthing a fantastic family. 

In this episode of The 602 Club host Matthew Rushing is joined by Yancy Evans to talk about Fantastic Four: First Steps. We discuss coming into the movie, the setting, the cast, the action and effects, a question, Galactus, the music, H.E.R.B.I.E., where we stand by the end and our ratings. 

Chapters
Coming Into the Film (00:02:24)
The Setting (00:07:46)
Pedro Pascal (00:23:55)
Vanessa Kirby (00:32:46)
Ebob Moss-Bachrach (00:35:00)
Joseph Quinn (00:37:12)
Julia Garner (00:38:58)
The Action and Effects (00:40:17)
A Question (00:44:17)
Galactus As the Villain (00:47:03)
The Music (00:53:17)
H.E.R.B.I.E. (00:54:36)
Where We Stand By the End (00:55:35)
Ratings (01:16:02)

Host
Matthew Rushing

Guest 
Yancy Evans 

Production
Matthew Rushing (Editor and Producer) C Bryan Jones (Executive Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer) 

Social
Twitter: @The602Club
Instagram: @the602clubtfm

“Shuttle to Kenfori”

With Captain Batel facing the possibility of becoming an extra in the 1980s miniseries V, Doctor M’Benga and Spock hatch a plan (no pun intended) to save her by using a rare chimera blossom to combine the residual Gorn DNA in her body with her human DNA. The catch? That very special episode of Blossom only airs in one place, a planet once disputed by the Federation and Klingons. Captain Pike, wanting to play a role in saving his girlfriend, kicks Spock off the mission and assigns himself to accompany M’Benga. When they arrive on Kenfori, they find themselves in an episode of The Walking Dead. But escaping the zombies won’t be as easy as they think, thanks to the arrival of Bytha, daughter of Klingon ambassador/mass murderer Dak'Rah, who is determined to exact vengeance on M’Benga.

In this episode of Saddle Up! hosts C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing continue our journey through Strange New Worlds with “Shuttle to Kenfori.” We discuss the continuation of M'Benga's story, future paths for Batel, designing TOS-inspired Klingons, insubordination, and a few creative ideas we maybe should keep to ourselves.

Chapters
Intro (0:00:00)
An "Under the Cloak of War" Sequel (00:04:25)
The Walking Dead (00:08:59)
No Signs of Life (00:14:36)
Crafting Klingons (00:21:09)
Gorn to Be with You (00:28:10)
Insubordinate Ortegas (00:36:02)
Trek As a YA Novel (00:41:33)
Final Thoughts and Ratings (00:48:03)
Closing (00:57:21)

Hosts
C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing

Production
C Bryan Jones (Editor and Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer)

Gateways: No Man's Land. 
  
At one time, Christie Golden was the preeminent author in the Star Trek: Voyager novel line with 13 of her 16 Star Trek stories being with the crew of Voyager. In fact, even Kirsten Beyer hasn't surpassed Golden's contributions to the series. 

In this episode of Literary Treks, hosts Casey Pettitt and Jonathan Koan discuss No Man's Land. Topics include characterizations, Janeway-Chakotay shipping, Seven instigating a slave uprising, not one but two murder mysteries, and, oh yeah, the gateways. Plus, we ask a very important question: What happens to Fluffy?

In our comics discussion, we talk about IDW's Star Trek issues 25-30, When the Walls Fell (not to be confused with the Tamarian legend of Shaka).
 
News
Star Trek 25-30 (00:04:12)                 

Feature: No Man's Land
Classic Voyager (00:16:55)
Gateway Issues (00:21:43)
Continuity (00:24:30)
Something Fun (00:27:59)
Meat of the Story (00:31:33)
The Weirdest Part (00:35:46)
What Holds it Back (00:37:05)
Seven’s Story (00:40:41)
Arkathi (00:44:20)
Ratings (00:51:14)
Final Thoughts (00:53:54)         

Hosts
Casey Pettitt and Jonathan Koan

Production
Matthew Rushing (Editor and Producer) C Bryan Jones (Executive Producer) Greg Rozier (Associate Producer) Casey Pettitt (Associate Producer)

“Wedding Bell Blues”

Nurse Chapel wraps up her three-month fellowship with Dr. Roger Korby by returning to the Enterprise to celebrate Federation Day with a big glass of … awkward! It’s a spirit the ship’s Vulcan bartender can work with, especially since he turns out to be none other than galactic trickster Trelane. But he’s not just a drink slinger, he’s also a wedding planner—and an Andorian. At least that’s how he appears to Spock and the rest of the crew as they prepare for a celebration of his and Chapel’s love for one another. Korby, channeling Guinan à la “Yesterday’s Enterprise,” realizes that the timeline has changed. And while he manages to snap Spock out of the delusion, they can’t get anyone else on board, at least not until the last moment when Daddy Q shows up to scold junior.

In this episode of Saddle Up! hosts C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing continue our journey through Strange New Worlds with “Wedding Bell Blues.” We discuss Chapel's character arc, contrast her and Spock's relationship with that of Pike and Batel, question the story's tone, and, of course, delve into the return of the lonely squire of Gothos.

Chapters
Intro (0:00:00)
Chapel Don't Care (00:02:34)
Wrong Focus? (00:11:01)
Teeing Up TOS? (00:14:16)
Mature vs. Teenage Relationship (00:19:43)
Of Course He's Trelane (00:24:46)
Emotional Whiplash (00:35:33)
Final Thoughts and Ratings (00:39:32)
Closing (00:47:52)

Hosts
C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing

Production
C Bryan Jones (Editor and Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer)

“Hegemony, Part II”

With part of his crew abducted in cold blood and orders to stand down and stay on the Federation side of the demarcation line, Captain Pike must balance duty as a Starfleet officer with duty as a leader responsible for the lives under his command. As La’an, Ortegas, M’Benga, and Sam Kirk fight their way out of the serpents’ den, Spock and Chapel prepare for some unorthodox surgery to save Captain Batel’s life while Uhura and Una hatch a plan to rescue their kidnapped crewmates. After preparing for ramming speed, the Enterprise punches back at the big lizards in their backyard and uncovers a surprise in another battle at the binary stars. The ultimate solution? Put the lizards to sleep and kick the can down the road. Sound familiar?

In this episode of Saddle Up! hosts C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing continue our journey through Strange New Worlds with the Season 3 premiere, “Hegemony, Part II.” We discuss the challenge of continuing a story after a two-year break, the character progressions, the potential end of the Gorn threat, and the familiar nature of the resolution.

Chapters
Intro (0:00:00)
Picking Up the Story (00:03:15)
Gorn Your Own Way (00:12:56)
Bye Bye Gornie (00:18:41)
Spock and Chapel (00:27:08)
Martin Quinn's Scotty (00:40:18)
Done with the Gorn? (00:48:04)
Final Thoughts and Ratings (00:50:10)
Closing (00:53:14)

Hosts
C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing

Production
C Bryan Jones (Editor and Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer)