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PODCAST

A Star to Steer Her By

A Star to Steer Her By

New episodes every Thursday! Podcasts: a frontier that isn"t actually very final at all. These are the voyages of the podcast A Star to Steer Her By. Our continuing mission: to watch every single episode of Star Trek (even the dumb ones), to comment on and snark at whatever suits our fancy, to boldly split infinitives that no man has split before. Follow our crew of Chris, Jake, Ames, and Caitlin as we explore the universe of Trek, go on wild tangents, crack wise, and make more fart jokes than

tv & film

All Episodes

01:08:00

Episode 58 Frog Men And A Con Man

A Star to Steer Her By ·

2017/11/16

It's a "first appearances" week on SSHB! First up, the Ferengi step out of the foreshadows in "The Last Outpost," and oh boy they are NOT exactly the cool new enemies they were made out to be. After that, we first meet The Traveler in the guise of the assistant to warp propulsion "expert" Kosinski, who claims his incomprehensible equations can upgrade the warp efficiency of the "Enterprise" in "Where No One Has Gone Before." Things don't go great. And then they get worse when Wesley gets a job on

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01:21:25

Episode 57 Back To The 60s

A Star to Steer Her By ·

2017/11/09

After "Encounter at Farpoint" established the new world of TNG, things take a decidedly unoriginal step backwards this week. "The Naked Now" is a sequel/rehash of the TOS classic "The Naked Time," only without any of the fun and lazier writing. After that, Tasha Yar is kidnapped by a man who would make her his bride in the deeply uncomfortable "Code of Honor," which also has shades of "Amok Time" and any of the TOS resource plots. Also this week: Riley v. Wesley, Data's workings, and toxic

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01:05:16

Episode 56 The Next Iteration

A Star to Steer Her By ·

2017/11/02

And so we come to the next phase of the program, as we hit TNG and its first episode, "Encounter at Farpoint"! The groundwork for what will become, for many, the most beloved "Trek" series is laid here, as Captain Picard assembles his staff and has his first encounter with the enigmatic Q! The powerful alien has decided to put humanity on trial via a mysterious test, which has something to do with the "Enterprise"-D's inaugural mission to Farpoint Station... Also this week: we try to have a serious

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01:11:32

Ten Forward 05 Galaxy Quest

A Star to Steer Her By ·

2017/10/26

By Grabthar's hammer...what a movie! It's time for us to talk "Galaxy Quest," the definitive love letter to/paraody of "Star Trek!" Jason Nesmith, the washed-up, Shatner-esque lead of sci-fi series "Galaxy Quest" is unwittingly tasked by actual aliens who have based their entire society on his series to save their species from a genocidal alien warlord. He ropes his former castmates in, but they soon find that there's rather a big difference between playing and being space heroes. Boasting an

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01:27:10

Episode 55 Pithy Shakespeare Quote Title

A Star to Steer Her By ·

2017/10/19

It's the end of an era, as "Trek" wraps the last collective outing of the TOS crew and the Klingon/Cold War metaphor all at once in "Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country." The Klingon Empire is about to collapse, and a hasty peace summit is arranged. But old habits die hard, and folks on both sides of the aisle are terrified of what peace may mean... Also this week: Chancellor Gherkin, racism everywhere, and geKNEEtals. [content warning: discussion of the non-consensual mind meld/assault]

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01:26:14

Episode 54 What Does God Need With A Podcast?

A Star to Steer Her By ·

2017/10/12

Gather 'round the campfire and settle in for what has become the most infamous of the TOS "Trek" films: "Star Trek V: The Final Frontier." It's a series of idiotic events as Starfleet decides that a barely-functional "Enterprise"-A should be sent to save hostages from Spock's previously-secret half-brother who eventually reveals he just really wants to meet God. Also this week: marshmellons, trying to fix five, and Chris's favorite story.

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01:25:29

Episode 53 The One With The Whales

A Star to Steer Her By ·

2017/10/05

Hello, computer! Order a Michelob and settle in, it's time for "Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home"! In a plot that would seem heavy-handed if it weren't so darn fun, Kirk and Co. have to bop back in time to bring some humpback whales to the future to get a mysterious alien probe to stop having a tantrum that could destroy the Earth! Also this week: paradoxes, pigeon murder, and horses becoming tornadoes!

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01:08:45

Ten Forward 04 Discovery Premier

A Star to Steer Her By ·

2017/09/28

"Star Trek" is back! Well, maybe it is, depending on your definition. While we won't be covering the whole thing live, we're taking a break from our regularly scheduled programming this week to give our first impressions on "The Vulcan Hello" and "Battle at the Binary Stars"! Spoilers everywhere, as we're assuming you've watched them. If not, please come back as soon as you have! Also this week: new (regrettable) streaming platforms, new Vulcan BS, and new Klingons! [note: if you don't want to

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01:17:05

Episode 52 Spock's Marbles

A Star to Steer Her By ·

2017/09/21

Brain and brain what is brain?! Well, this time it's gone from physical media to digital downloads, as Spock has made Bones into an unwitting Johnny Mnemonic so Paramount can undo the end of "Khan" in "Star Trek III: The Search for Spock." Also this week: headcannons, proving Caitlin's fic, and unearned pathos.

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01:29:26

Episode 51 A Tale Of Two Starships

A Star to Steer Her By ·

2017/09/14

After a bit of a rough start with "TMP," everything came together for "The Wrath of Khan"! Forget the hopeful ending of "Space Seed," everything's gone wrong and Khan is out for Kirk's blood! Oh, and since this is a movie and that wouldn't be enough he happened to find out about the existence of a terraforming device that can also be a doomsday weapon so he figured, okay, I'll take that, as well. Also this week: "Red Dragon," one of our planets is missing, and inane marketing. Also also: spoiling

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01:36:03

Episode 50 The Return Of Koenig

A Star to Steer Her By ·

2017/09/07

"The Animated Series" is finally over, time to dive into the films! Unfortunately we have to start with "The Motion Picture," which was brought to you by confused Paramount executives desperate for their own "Star Wars," but turns out more like a dumbed-down "2001" that really, REALLY needed another go in the editing bay. Also this week: terrible uniforms, changing hair, and what could have been. Also also: this episode is the one going up closest to our One Year Anniversary! Thank you to everyone

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00:46:20

Ten Forward 03 Futurama - Where No Fan Has Gone Before

A Star to Steer Her By ·

2017/08/31

We've been talking about it since day one, and here it finally is: the TOS Love Letter episode of "Futurama," featuring almost all the then-surviving members of the cast reprising their roles and more references than you can shake a fing-longer at! Also this week: Frakes' directing, Worf's dandruff, and Ames' reasons.

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00:45:49

Episode 49 End Of Side B

A Star to Steer Her By ·

2017/08/24

It's over. Oh, thank goodness, TAS is OVER! Unfortunately we ran out of gas for this blasted show last week, and we can't really muster up any enthusiasm for talk about the racist (but HOW racist?) "How Sharper Than a Serpent's Tooth" nor the backwards-universe shenanigans of "The Counter-Clock Incident" (in the backwards universe, is TAS good?)We've also got another top and bottom 5! Well..."top" and bottom. Also this week: they'll give anyone an award, who was the audience, and lizard

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00:59:17

Episode 48 The TAS Home Stretch

A Star to Steer Her By ·

2017/08/17

We're so close to the end, but TAS isn't making it easy to get through. First up, the title character of "Bem" is the worst, after which the Romulans are jerks in "The Practical Joker" before the Dramians wrap things up by going full d-bag in "Albatross." Also this week: Catilin discovers Neelix, Ames loves homicidal holodecks, and we're all out of patience for TAS. Timestamps: synopses: 0:38; Bem: 13:43; The Practical Joker: 29:13; Albatross: 42:34

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00:54:49

Episode 47 The Incredibly Stupid Journeys

A Star to Steer Her By ·

2017/08/10

Let's start off with a fun fact: you should be able to narrow down when we recorded this episode to a specific window if you listen carefully to our conversation! Meanwhile, things are feeling kind of familiar as telepathic aliens make a space zoo in "The Eye of the Beholder," after which a bird-brained plan to spark holy war is revealed in "The Jihad." And then we wrap this week with "The Pirates of Orion," a masterwork of acceptableness in TAS's rank world of mediocrity. Also this week: ion pod

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00:59:21

Episode 46 Trapped Underwater With Cats

A Star to Steer Her By ·

2017/08/03

It's nothing but hard questions this time around from TAS. "The Time Trap" makes us wonder what the devil is up with the "Bonaventure" since we know the first warp ship was Zephram Cochran's. If the elders in "The Ambergris Element" hate land-dwellers, why did the younger citizens try to help Kirk and Spock by making them seapeople as well? And why did "The Slaver Weapon" bother including a psychic since it barely factored in? Also this week: the plural of rhombus, Dad jokes, and improper sandwich

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00:49:01

Episode 45 Vacation, Potion, And Shrinkage

A Star to Steer Her By ·

2017/07/27

It's double familiarity followed by a mediocre original idea from TAS this week. Kirk and Co. find things are more dangerous than ever on the Shore Leave world in "Once Upon a Planet," before Harry Mudd's latest scam threatens the safety of the "Enterprise" crew yet again in "Mudd's Passion." Then "The Terratin Incident" happens and everyone starts shrinking. No, really. Also this week: cat visits, Vulcan ventriloquism, and ham spray. Timestamps: synopses: 0:32; Once Upon a Planet: 6:24; Mudd's

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00:54:39

Episode 44 Surviving Infinite Magicks

A Star to Steer Her By ·

2017/07/20

After things began looking up last week, we take another turn for (mostly) awful again. "The Survivor" is a highlight which your stalwarts generally enjoyed, while "The Infinite Vulcan" was a brave attempt by Walter Koenig himself to write an episode, but that Roddenberry meddling turned into a weird story of hop-heads that we find mostly uninspiring. And then there's "The Magicks of Megas-tu." We end up mostly talking about ANYTHING else... Also this week: lots of tentacles, we give some terrible

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00:51:46

Episode 43 What Is He Doohan

A Star to Steer Her By ·

2017/07/13

Things are looking up this week, as at least one of your stalwarts likes EVERY episode this week! Alright, we're not exactly raving about any of them, but this is a vast improvement. We've got what feels like a subtle rehash in "One of Our Planets Is Missing" and an outright sequel in "More Trouble, More Tribbles," bookending "Trek" dipping its toes lightly into a bit of feminism with "The Lorelei Signal." Sort of. Also this week: Jake has florophilia, Ames has hashtags, and we all have fun coming

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00:58:55

Episode 42 The (Barely) Animated Series

A Star to Steer Her By ·

2017/07/06

And so the next phase of SSHB begins! Unfortunately we're off to an inauspicious start, as The Animated Series presents us with animation that might actually be WORSE than we were expecting, a plot that was stale by the time TOS ended with "Beyond the Farthest Star," and a time-travel story that makes no sense even by "Trek" standards in "Yesteryear." Also this week: the debut of our CLOSING theme, taken from the same public domain recording of Debussy's "La Mer" by the US Air Force Band that you,

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