We've got some wild and occasionally disturbing Star Trek episodes this week, episodes that also introduce us to a couple of very important characters. First up it's the father of the space warp in Metamorphosis, then we spend some quality time with Spock's folks in Journey to Babel!

CHAPTERS:

(00:00:00) - The Nextlander Watchcast Episode 142: Star Trek: Metamorphosis and Journey to Babel

(00:00:30) - Intro.

(00:02:09) - Launching right into Metamorphosis, and some of our beefs with it.

(00:06:42) - Production notes (and several asides about Cochrane and warp drive).

(00:16:11) - Our guest stars this week.

(00:19:03) - Kicking the episode off proper with a stranded shuttle and a pissed off commissioner. 

(00:25:44) - Running afoul of a psychedelic space cloud.

(00:27:42) - Zefram Cochrane? Here? Now?

(00:32:43) - The commissioner gets pissy, and Nimoy does a stunt roll.

(00:37:09) - What is the Enterprise up to during all of this, and now it's time to talk to the Companion.

(00:42:15) - Cochrane's turn.

(00:48:34) - Kirk's last big plea, and the Companion decides to become a human lady.

(00:57:40) - Final thoughts.

(00:59:24) - Break!

(00:59:48) - We're back, and it's time to Journey to Babel.

(01:04:15) - Production notes.

(01:12:00) - Cast chat.

(01:20:12) - A diplomat AND a parent.

(01:28:41) - Some special effects talk, and meeting a room full of alien diplomats.

(01:38:20) - The mysterious vessel of the week, and murder is afoot.

(01:43:39) - Kirk gets shanked, and Spock's command snafu.

(01:49:50) - Kirk's ruse, Sarek's surgery, and when an Andorian is not an Andorian.

(01:55:52) - Sarek is saved!

(02:01:01) - Final thoughts.

(02:05:30) - Next week's episodes, scheduling housekeeping, and outro.

On this week's Watchcast Star Trek gets proper goofy as we tackle the distinctly Halloween-flavored episode, Catspaw, as well as the return of swarthy space scumbag Harry Mudd in I, Mudd!

 CHAPTERS:

(00:00:00) - The Nextlander Watchcast Episode 141: Star Trek: Catspaw and I, Mudd.

(00:00:14) - Intro.

(00:02:13) - Leading things off with the first of our two very silly episodes today, Catspaw!

(00:06:36) - Before we talk too much about the ending, let's talk about who made Catspaw.

(00:13:08) - Beaming down to a Scooby Doo planet.

(00:20:06) - Wizards and dungeons and whatnot.

(00:28:48) - Finally, Catgirls have arrived in Star Trek.

(00:37:56) - GIANT CAT GIANT CAT GIANT CAT

(00:43:03) - Smoking pipe cleaner puppets.

(00:48:53) - Final thoughts.

(00:50:08) - Break!

(00:50:33) - We're back, and it's time to get stuck in the Mudd.

(00:53:39) - Production and cast talk.

(00:59:57) - Androids hijacking the Enterprise.

(01:05:47) - King Mudd.

(01:12:04) - The many temptations of the Enterprise crew.

(01:16:20) - The animatronic battleaxe, and the crew needs to figure out how to outsmart these androids.

(01:24:33) - Death by improv exercises.

(01:29:30) - Mudd's horrible fate.

(01:32:43) - Final thoughts.

(01:44:14) - Next week's episodes, and outro.

This Wagon Train to the Stars keeps rolling right along as we continue our way through Star Trek season 2, and this week we've got two episodes on fairly different ends of the quality spectrum in The Apple, and The Doomsday Machine.

CHAPTERS:

(00:00:00) - The Nextlander Watchcast Episode 140: Star Trek: The Apple and The Doomsday Machine

(00:00:14) - Intro.

(00:02:37) - Let's kick things off by reckoning with The Apple.

(00:08:31) - Who is responsible for this?

(00:12:32) - Our guest stars this week, and a brief note on saucer separation.

(00:18:22) - A paradise planet that is anything but.

(00:21:19) - How are we imperiling the ship this week?

(00:24:05) - Boxing Akuta, and a brief aside about Kirk's tunic.

(00:28:36) - Vaal is really stupid looking, and Chekov's a creep for some reason.

(00:36:11) - First comes love, then comes the skull cavings.

(00:41:23) - Spock gets one in the back, and it's time to waste Vaal.

(00:47:14) - Final thoughts.

(00:48:58) - Break!

(00:49:29) - We're back, and it's time for The Doomsday Machine!

(00:51:08) - Talking about the changes to the special effects, and musings about galaxies.

(00:57:52) - Production background and cast talk.

(01:05:30) - Kicking things off with a derelict ship, and a long diatribe about transporters.

(01:14:47) - Our first look at the titular tube of doom.

(01:18:03) - Maybe bringing Decker to the Enterprise was a bit of an error.

(01:27:40) - How to destroy a world destroyer (and yet another transporter diatribe).

(01:43:22) - The epilogue, and final thoughts.

(01:49:02) - Next week's episodes, and outro.

Star Trek Summer is officially under way, and this week we've got a pair of bona fide classics. First up we've got a rogue AI with a distaste for the chaos of organic life in The Changeling, then the crew has to tackle the sexy evil alternate universe of Mirror, Mirror.

CHAPTERS:

(00:00:00) - The Nextlander Watchcast Episode 139: Star Trek: The Changeling and Mirror, Mirror

(00:00:34) - Intro.

(00:04:29) - Kicking things off with The Changeling, and Vinny has some immediate questions.

(00:11:35) - BILLIONS and BILLIONS of dead Malurians.

(00:15:14) - NOMAD's power rankings seem...inflated?

(00:19:20) - A funny little robot running (or hovering) around the ship.

(00:25:52) - We're wiping brains, we're killing redshirts, we're resurrecting Scotty. Everything's crazy.

(00:34:39) - Do not mind meld with a probe. It will void the warranty.

(00:41:52) - Oops, we made the doomsday machine mad.

(00:45:24) - You're imperfect, idiot.

(00:49:19) - Final thoughts on The Changeling, and some scattered original cast movie talk.

(00:54:07) - Break!

(00:54:39) - We're back, and it's time to look into Mirror, Mirror.

(00:57:42) - On the frequency of transporter accidents, and the frequency of the Mirror Universe.

(01:01:25) - Those pesky ion storms.

(01:05:44) - The transporter goes haywire, and Spock has a kickass beard.

(01:13:06) - Kirk won't do mass murder, and Mirrorfolk get tossed in the regular universe brig.

(01:18:37) - Sexy times in Kirk's quarters.

(01:23:33) - Evil Sulu.

(01:26:46) - The plan to get home, and it's a donnybrook in sickbay.

(01:35:55) - Kirk just can't get on that transporter pad without making one last speech.

(01:39:28) - A final cheeky moment on the bridge, and talk about where the Mirror stuff goes from here.

(01:50:54) - Final thoughts.

(01:52:35) - Next week's episodes, and outro.

Star Trek Summer is finally here! That's right folks after literal years of demanding it, we've returned to the bridge of the Enterprise to rejoin Kirk, Spock, and the gang as they swing their way through space. Join us as we spar with ancient gods and get terminally horny in Amok Time, and Who Mourns for Adonais!

CHAPTERS:

(00:00:00) - The Nextlander Watchcast Episode 138: Star Trek: Amok Time and Who Mourns for Adonais?

(00:00:24) - Intro.

(00:01:52) - FINALLY, the Watchcast has returned to Trek.

(00:05:43) - Kicking things off with Amok Time (and a brief refresher on Vulcans and production codes).

(00:15:23) - Talkin' Pon Farr, hand gestures, and other production stuff.

(00:18:49) - Our guest stars this week, and our brand spankin' new moptop ensign.

(00:27:21) - Let's start the season off right with some aggressively flung soup.

(00:33:20) - Bones discovers a roiling ocean inside Spock, and a brief Star Trek history lesson.

(00:41:23) - Hellooooo Nurse Chapel.

(00:44:10) - To Vulcan for the very first time.

(00:49:45) - Bucking traditions left and right, and ending up in mortal combat.

(00:54:15) - Kirk's dead (tired)!

(01:00:45) - Kirk's back!

(01:02:08) - Final thoughts on Amok Time (and more historical diversions).

(01:05:20) - Break!

(01:05:53) - We're back, and it's time to find out Who Mourns for Adonais?

(01:13:42) - Give 'em a hand!

(01:17:19) - An excursion to Planet Greece.

(01:23:14) - What if God was just some space guy?

(01:30:41) - Apollo is sweet on this human lady.

(01:41:45) - Greek architecture vs. Starship phasers.

(01:45:03) - How this episode could have ended, if not for the network.

(01:49:31) - Final thoughts, and what we've got coming up next week.

(01:53:44) - Outro.

For our final music movie for the month of May, we visit with our good bud Tom Hanks as he takes us through the whirlwind music industry adventure of The Wonders, and at the end of today's episode, Alex finally unveils his giant ordered list of every movie we've done on the Watchcast so far.

CHAPTERS:

(00:00:00) - The Nextlander Watchcast Episode 137: That Thing You Do! (1996)

(00:00:08) - Intro.

(00:05:44) - We watched the extended cut. Here's why we did that.

(00:09:04) - How did Hanks get inspired to make this thing? How did the big song come together?

(00:18:44) - Our cast of young squires.

(00:26:59) - Break!

(00:27:21) - We're back, and it's time to take a trip to Erie, PA.

(00:33:21) - Let's get Guy into this band, and let's make that song faster.

(00:40:51) - Doing the Italian restaurant circuit, and cutting the first record.

(00:44:28) - Time to get a manager for about 15 minutes, then crash out in front of 2000 people.

(00:52:23) - Play Tone comes calling.

(00:59:12) - That high flying county fair life.

(01:04:19) - To the coast! Stardom awaits!

(01:08:22) - Weekend at Party Pier.

(01:12:58) - An awful label executive? Will wonders never cease.

(01:16:51) - The first cracks begin to show, and Guy has himself a night.

(01:24:42) - The Hollywood Television Showcase.

(01:31:36) - This is the thing we're breaking up the band over?

(01:39:24) - The slight difference in endings between the two cuts.

(01:46:57) - Vinny puts it on the list, and Alex finally unveils his.

(01:54:43) - Outro.

On this week's Watchcast we dive into the wild and wonderful musical world of Frank, a movie about a peculiar band and the even more peculiar man at the center of it.

CHAPTERS:

(00:00:00) - The Nextlander Watchcast Episode 136: Frank (2014)

(00:00:36) - Intro.

(00:03:01) - Our first impressions of this week's movie, Frank!

(00:08:07) - The Frank Sidebottom connection.

(00:15:20) - What this movie gets right about band dynamics and chemistry.

(00:25:30) - Some cast chat, and our introduction to Jon.

(00:38:09) - Break!

(00:38:31) - We're back, and it's time to hook up with the Soronprfbs.

(00:43:01) - The other band members (and a brief Ednaswap diversion).

(00:46:28) - John absconds to Ireland with the band.

(01:01:13) - They finish the record, but not everyone makes it out alive.

(01:09:04) - Jon's secret agenda.

(01:15:33) - To America!

(01:22:37) - Clara's under arrest, Baraque and Nana leave, everything falls to pieces.

(01:29:43) - To Kansas.

(01:35:50) - The terrific final scene.

(01:42:30) - Final thoughts.

(01:45:37) - Housekeeping for next week's episode: That Thing You Do!

(01:48:54) - Outro.

(00:00:00) - The Nextlander Watchcast Episode 135: Metallica: Some Kind of Monster (2004)

(00:00:13) - Intro.

(00:08:35) - Our histories with Metallica.

(00:19:18) - Is Lars Ulrich a good drummer? The answer may surprise you! But probably not.

(00:21:09) - Where is Metallica at before this whole thing kicks off? (Also, an aside about Guitar Hero stems.)

(00:30:48) - For Whom the Phil Towles.

(00:34:19) - How did the idea of this documentary first bubble up?

(00:44:20) - Break!

(00:44:59) - We're back, and it's time to learn more about Bob Rock.

(00:49:31) - Why move forward without a permanent bass player? (And more on Lars and his art collection.)

(00:58:08) - The first recording sessions do not go well.

(01:05:47) - The Mustaine factor.

(01:16:27) - Echobrain's grand debut.

(01:23:17) - Lars' dad rules.

(01:27:59) - James goes through rehab, and then it's back to work.

(01:30:38) - The whole Napster thing.

(01:34:50) - James goes through rehab, and the whole Napster thing.

(01:44:26) - The record is getting done, but there are still fights to be had.

(01:51:16) - A bass player emerges.

(01:55:59) - Where do things land with Phil?

(02:00:14) - St. Anger is here, and it's a hit!

(02:05:45) - Final thoughts.

(02:15:54) - Our movie next week is Frank (and Vinny's ranking for this one.)

It's a new month for the Watchcast, and with that comes a new theme of music movies! And kicking things off is the 2021 ?uestlove film Summer of Soul, a doc that unearths a treasure trove of musical performances from the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival.

CHAPTERS:

(00:00:00) - The Nextlander Watchcast Episode 134: Summer of Soul (...or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) (2021)

(00:00:38) - Intro.

(00:02:32) - The times in which this festival takes place.

(00:07:05) - We love a documentary that unearths footage people haven't ever seen before.

(00:12:26) - What an insane lineup of great music.

(00:16:45) - How did this festival happen, and why did this footage disappear for so long?

(00:30:13) - Break!

(00:30:58) - We're back, and it's time to get into the festival itself.

(00:34:48) - The marvel that is Stevie Wonder.

(00:39:12) - The Chambers Brothers.

(00:40:48) - The youngest any of us have ever seen BB King look."

(00:42:46) - On jazz flute and The 5th Dimension.

(00:45:48) - A whole lot of gospel.

(00:53:15) - David Ruffin sans Temptations.

(00:55:56) - Shout out to Gladys Knight (and The Pips!)

(00:58:15) - Here comes Sly.

(01:03:37) - The broader cultural shifts.

(01:08:03) - Max Roach and Abbey Lincoln.

(01:10:06) - The power of Nina Simone.

(01:17:27) - How good this movie is at weaving its history with the performances.

(01:22:43) - Final thoughts.

(01:28:34) - Housekeeping for Alex's upcoming list, and next week's movie: Metallica: Some Kind of Monster!

(01:34:41) - Outro.

We close out April on the Watchcast with the weirdest documentary of the slate, notorious street artist Banksy's examination of himself, the scene he stood at the vanguard of, and his (perhaps) unwitting hand in the commercialization of the movement, Exit Through the Gift Shop.

CHAPTERS:

(00:00:00) - The Nextlander Watchcast Episode 133: Exit Through the Gift Shop (2010)

(00:00:17) - Intro.

(00:00:53) - Alright, let's just get into it. Is any of this shit real?

(00:14:32) - It's time to uncover Banksy (not really).

(00:23:34) - The Space Invader connection, and the arc of Thierry's career through the movie.

(00:29:04) - Thierry films EVERYTHING.

(00:35:02) - Break!

(00:35:26) - We're back, and Thierry breaks in.

(00:47:10) - Banksy and Thierry become fast friends, and the street art scene becomes mainstream.

(00:56:52) - Life Remote Control.

(01:02:14) - Banksy becomes a filmmaker, and Thierry becomes an artist.

(01:13:05) - Life Is Beautiful (is a nightmare).

(01:21:01) - A rousing and tragic success.

(01:28:59) - What, if anything, did we learn?

(01:32:35) - Final thoughts.

(01:46:08) - Housekeeping for next month's theme: Music Movies!

(01:54:49) - Outro.