We're getting right back into it. Nonsense Data storylines. Tasha Yar baby mama drama. Worf being a huge nerd. The gang is all here, except for Doctor Pulaski.

We often talk about how this show transcends its limitations and it does not do that here. I'd say that this was as good a galaxy-spanning political drama could get within the confines of Star Trek: The Next Generation except for the fact that they burned four scenes on a Data story instead of doing anything with Worf.

Man, if only Star Trek could do galaxy-spanning politics centered on Worf that would make him a pivotal player who--*clink*

The Beige and The Bold is hosted on Anchor and is available on most podcasting platforms. New episodes go live on Sunday nights at 10:00 PM CST.

We’ve come so far, and got so far, but in the end…it was really, really far. I don’t have a head for lyrics.  

We look forward, I talk a bit about ruts versus grooves and Derek speculates on Season Five.  We’re considering a number of changes for when we get back from the hiatus. I’m going to be studying the production stuff more thoroughly than I have been. I’ll be digging a bit deeper on guest stars, and I’ll try to come up with a few more format-disrupting ideas to mix things up.  

I think we’ve got a small, but dedicated fan base. Are there any ideas you all have? I’m wide open for pitches. Contact me here, on my twitter @VanVelding, or on any other platform you can find me.

Unedited, slightly incoherent, and mostly redundant, The Beige and The Bold Solo Sessions are episodes where I run through a show without Derek. 

To break tradition somewhat I’m going to be watching the much-touted episode of Black Mirror, “USS Callister.”  I watched “Bandersnatch” before and was a bit disappointed. I’ll be honest: Black Mirror has been nothing if not consistent for me. Are these episodes really the best the series has to offer? I keep hearing good things, but I’m not interested in a pointless, techno-scare circle-jerk.

I feel strongly that “Shut up, Toral” should replace “Shut up, Wesley” as one of TNG’s bedrock memes. I get that he’s a victim in all of these power games to some extent and that he has mentors who refuse to help him understand his situation because they’re using him as a means unto an end.  

But shut up, Toral.  

I’ll try to make fewer “Game of Thrones” jokes in part two, I swear, but while “Redemption” is an oft-overlooked episode, it laid down so much that Deep Space Nine did structurally and canonically.  

It’s more than just a prototype for another series, it’s a clever way to tie in several (relatively) long-running plot threads into a conflict that has stakes for our characters and the larger world.  

For those of you who don’t know the story about Denise Crosby’s reappearance: clone, doppleganger, or long lost twin? Place your bets!

I wanted to go deeper on impostor syndrome in relationships, but we covered it well enough. What I can’t get over is the B-plot here.  

I’m sorry, “the bull**** plot here.” On the one hand, I’m angry the space/time bubbles aren’t explained better, on the other I’d be furious if they wasted time on doing that. It’s no “garbage scow that’s immune to physics,” but it’s a terrible plotline.  

It’s gotta be top ten worst, right?

“The Mind’s Eye” is a pretty straightforward episode. There’s not a big idea and or real character moment. Things happen in it, but they’re good things that drive a clear, well-developed plot.  

It turns out that triangulation is really complicated. To the point that there’s also a thing called trilateration, which I don’t have time to read the wiki on. I haven’t really read up on them, but I’m willing to believe any number of data points Lieutenant Commander Data needs to find a signal source .

I feel like we skipped over how Geordi’s visor is a negative here. I think it’s fair game that the differences of the crew are sometimes drawbacks. Troi losing her telepathy in “The Loss” and Data being controlled in “Brothers” are both instances that spring to mind.  

Derek’s episode pitch for a story where the senior staff is constantly implicated but not investigated for crimes is a lot like TOS’ “The Enemy Within.”

We’re back after a little break with a classic episode.  

There’s a lot to unpack with this one, and even if the lesson seems lost on some of the production staff, we try to stay focused on the most culturally relevant takeaway.  

Also, it was Tiresias. He was apparently a dick to some mating snakes and Hera made him a woman as punishment.  

I’ve made my fair share of "Trill are different" jokes, but is it a big deal that the Trill, like the Cardassians, vary a bit from their original introduction? Even Spock added/changed details the Vulcan people as we learned more about him.

We lost the tape.  

We’ve got so many twists and turns in the reasoning behind this one. Ironically, this was recorded at the height of the fervor over the Mueller Investigation and so there’s a lot to uncover in terms of “what makes an investigation legitimate”? We could have gotten deeper into it, but like most of TNG’s good episodes, there’s a lot to discuss.  

I guess, to get a bit political, it is weird how much the warnings about villains appearing to be good people has turned policies intended for the common good are turned into some kind of clandestine, slippery slope conspiracy. Are any of the moral lessons of Star Trek actually useful if they have to have the words, “but be reasonable” appended to them?

This one got me thinking about Star Trek and fanfiction. I don’t judge Star Trek fanfiction, mainly because I make improvisational Star Trek fanfiction every week with my friend Derek under the presumption it will amuse other people. Also because Star Trek’s ability to inspire people is part of its strength.  And yet…

I feel like there’s a transition from when a show is true to its premise and fights hard to establish its characters to when it feels established enough to take itself less seriously.  TNG goes from “Symbiosis” to “Qpid.” Deep Space Nine goes from “If Wishes Were Horses” to “Badda Bing Badda Bang.” Buffy: the Vampire Slayer eventually makes that musical episode.  

Even shows that are comedic or tongue in cheek seem to do it. Scrubs went from having a very serious core with humor around it to the sitcom it celebrated not being in “My Life in Four Colors.” Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, already tongue-in-cheek, eventually threw up its hands and recast its entire cast as its own production staff in “Yes, Virginia, There Is a Hercules” and “For Those of You Just Joining Us…”  

Maybe I’m cherry-picking. Law and Order is on its billionth, tonally-even season. Firefly seemed to consistently have fun with itself. There are definitely anime series which start light, but buckle down–the one with Vash the Stampede comes to mind.  

Who knows? Maybe I’m just finding patterns in the static.

It’s another Barclay episode. It’s great to see the range of Dwight Schultz, even if our leads get warped a bit to make it work. Is it necessary for shows to have bad guys and good guys? Is it necessary just for episodic shows like The Next Generation?