“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)

“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)