“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)

“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)

“Hegemony”

A Gorn attack on the Federation colony on Parnassus Beta threatens to turn mounting tensions into a full-blown war. When Captain Pike’s partner, Captain Batel, gets caught in the attack, he defies Admiral April’s orders and mounts a rescue mission. With Chapel also missing, Spock is happy to help, but to do so will require suiting up and flying through space.

With the help of another familiar face, Pike and Spock return to the Enterprise with their lovers, but others—not all wearing red shirts—aren’t so lucky. With part of his crew abducted in cold blood, what will Pike do? A big lizard now truly is in the Federation’s backyard as the second season of Strange New Worlds wraps up with a dramatic finish manufactured just for the occasion.

In this episode of Saddle Up! hosts C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing continue our journey through Strange New Worlds Season 2 with the season finale, “Hegemony.” We discuss the challenges of creating drama in a prequel, elements of diplomacy in Star Trek, parallels (and not) with “Arena,” and try to make sense of the Gorn.

Chapters
Intro (0:00:00)
Getting to Know the Gorn (00:03:16)
Jumping the Gorn (00:09:06)
Internal Consistency Matters (00:16:04)
Manufacturing Drama (00:21:16)
Crate 32 (00:26:24)
Right Place, Right Time (00:29:06)
Series Identity (00:36:15)
Diplomatic Connections (00:40:46)
Bye Bye Batel? (00:49:10)
Spock and Chapel (00:54:03)
Montgomery Scott at Your Service (00:57:29)
Final Thoughts and Ratings (01:00:15)
Closing (01:04:13)

Hosts
C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing

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

“Subspace Rhapsody”

The discovery of a naturally occurring subspace field leads Spock to speculate that the speed of communications could be tripled. And he was sort of right, at least on a personal level, when his quantum probability field experiment goes wrong and the crew breaks out into song. Again and again. As the improbability field expands, people on other ships also begin singing. And if the Enterprise crew cannot pull off a grand finale, the phenomenon could spread across the entire subspace communications network.

In this episode of Saddle Up! hosts C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing continue our journey through Strange New Worlds Season 2 with “Subspace Rhapsody.” We discuss the concept, how they pulled it off, using the musical format to boost communications, advance storylines and clear the deck for the finale, and more.

Chapters
Intro (0:00:00)
Breaking Down Walls … and into Song (00:02:56)
Say What You Need to Say (00:11:23)
La'an and Kirk (00:17:02)
Spock and Chapel (00:21:23)
Pike and Batel (00:33:46)
To Live Alone or Together (00:38:10)
The Songs (00:40:28)
The Source of Our Great Dishonor (00:46:07)
Final Thoughts and Ratings (00:47:31)
Closing (00:52:24)

Hosts
C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing

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

“Under the Cloak of War”

For Doctor M’Benga and nurse Christine Chapel, the horrors of war come rushing back when Dak’Rah, a former Klingon general who defected to the Federation, comes aboard the Enterprise. Now an ambassador for the Federation, trying to bridge the two sides in the aftermath of the 2256–57 war, Dak’Rah came to be known as the Butcher of J’Gal for his brutal tactics. But for M’Benga, the actions that earned Rah that moniker hit closer to home than anyone knew. And the end game plays out in the Enterprise’s sickbay.

In this episode of Saddle Up! hosts C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing continue our journey through Strange New Worlds Season 2 with “Under the Cloak of War.” We discuss the impact of war, atonement, responsibility for one’s actions, the DS9 feel of the episode, and more.

Chapters
Intro (0:00:00)
Inappropriately Spaced Mixtape (00:02:21)
A DS9 State of Mind (00:06:44)
The Impact of War (00:12:08)
The Conscience of the King (00:22:07)
Does the Truth Matter? (00:27:43)
The Needs of the Many (00:33:15)
Clint Howard Treks Again (00:42:41)
Boatswain! (00:45:02)
Final Thoughts and Ratings (00:47:08)
Closing (00:52:17)

Hosts
C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing

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