Ep. 157 - "Divergence" | Season 4, Ep. 16

Episode 161 - Season 4 Mailbag Part 7 First Flight is chatting about Season 4 and we have YOUR thoughts to discuss. Chris and Abby respond to the feedback they have gotten from the First Flight Community over the middle part of the season (Daedalus through Divergence).  The conversations range from fun to serious and heaps of great contributions from the Carrot Crew! Feel free to let us know your Porthos' Picks, Grappler Ratings, Viewscreen On picks, VAMF and Flipping Duras Awards and/or your general thoughts so we can share them on our next Mail Bag episode.  (Please note, contributions might be shared on the podcast!)   Find Us on Instagram, Threads, Bluesky and Facebook:  @FirstFlightPod Abby: @abbymsommer Chris: @ShelfNerds  Find Us on YouTube: Chris' Channel : Completing the Shelf Email us: [email protected]

Episode 160- BONUS 60 Years of Hope in Trek Part 2- The Movies First Flight loves ALL Trek and today we bring you a bonus episode that lets Abby and Chris celebrate the theatrically released Star Trek movies and their message of hope.  For each iteration of movies, (TOS, TNG and Kelvin) they will highlight one movie that really celebrates the hopeful theme of Trek. The movies discussed are: Star Trek IV- The Voyage Home (TOS), First Contact (TNG) and Star Trek 09 (Kelvin). Feel free to let us know your thoughts on this thread or any Porthos' Picks, Grappler Ratings, Viewscreen On picks, VAMF and Flipping Duras Awards and/or your general thoughts so we can share them on our next Mail Bag episode.  (Please note, contributions might be shared on the podcast!)   Find Us on Bluesky, Instagram, Threads and Facebook:  @FirstFlightPod Abby: @abbymsommer Chris: @ShelfNerds    Find Us on YouTube: Chris' Channel : Completing the Shelf

EP 159 BONUS- Interlude #5 October 2026   Welcome to First Flight's Bonus Interludes, our bimonthly short chat about two tracks of Trek music that we love. Chris and Abby love ALL Trek and have given themselves, and the Carrot Crew, some franchise spanning, music moments to highlight and analyze.  This month of (October) we are discussing "Page" from Short Treks, "Proteous" from Picard, "Feeling Fear" from TNG and "Joran's Nocturne" from DS9. Feel free to let us know your thoughts on these bimonthly music tracks and if you have any connections or Grappler Ratings or thoughts of your own.  (Please note, contributions might be shared on the podcast!)   Find Us on Bluesky, Instagram, Threads and Facebook:  @FirstFlightPod Abby: @abbymsommer Chris: @ShelfNerds    Find Us on YouTube: Chris' Channel : Completing the Shelf

Episode 158- Season 4 Ep 17 Bound Season 4 is here and First Flight, and the Carrot Crew, have many things to discuss!  It's time for a whole lot of green, unforeseen connections and a big Orion reveal. After Archer forges a deal with the Orions, the trader presents the captain with a gift - three alluring Orion women, who proceed to seduce all the men on board, except Trip for some mysterious reason. Meanwhile, Trip's continued presence on Enterprise begins to grate on new chief engineer Kelby.    Season 4 Format: -Welcome & Reed Alert (spoiler warning) -Captain's Log & Haiku (episode recap) -Pros and Decons (analysis of episode) - Viewscreen On (calling out a beautiful visual shot or director's choice of shot) - Flipping Duras and/or VAMF (Vulcan as a Mother Flipper) Awards as needed -Porthos' Pick (our favorite parts) -Trivia -Vulcans' Verdict (rating the episode on a scale of 1-10 grapplers) Feel free to let us know your Porthos' Picks and Grappler Ratings, VAMF Awards, Flipping Duras and/or your general thoughts on this episode! We save these and share them on special Mail Bag episodes.  (Please note, contributions might be shared on the podcast!)   Find Us on Bluesky, Instagram, Threads & Facebook: @FirstFlightPod Abby: @abbymsommer Chris: @ShelfNerds    Email us feedback and voice recordings (90 secs or less) [email protected] Find Us on YouTube: Chris' Channel : Completing the Shelf

Episode 157 - Season 4 Ep 16 Divergence Season 4 is here and First Flight, and the Carrot Crew, have many things to discuss!  It's time for warp tethers, forehead drama, angsty Malcolm, a medical gamble and Phlox being amazing, as always. With Columbia's help, the Enterprise crew grapples with sabotage to their ship as they pursue the truth behind the kidnapping of Phlox.  Season 4 Format: -Welcome & Reed Alert (spoiler warning) -Captain's Log & Haiku (episode recap) -Pros and Decons (analysis of episode) - Viewscreen On (calling out a beautiful visual shot or director's choice of shot) - Flipping Duras and/or VAMF (Vulcan as a Mother Flipper) Awards as needed -Porthos' Pick (our favorite parts) -Trivia -Vulcans' Verdict (rating the episode on a scale of 1-10 grapplers)   Feel free to let us know your Porthos' Picks and Grappler Ratings, VAMF Awards, Flipping Duras and/or your general thoughts on this episode! We save these and share them on special Mail Bag episodes.  (Please note, contributions might be shared on the podcast!)   Find Us on Bluesky, Instagram, Threads & Facebook: @FirstFlightPod Abby: @abbymsommer Chris: @ShelfNerds  Email us feedback and voice recordings (90 secs or less) [email protected] Find Us on YouTube: Chris' Channel : Completing the Shelf

EP 156 BONUS 2026 Trek of the Month Welcome to First Flight's bimonthly Bonus Trek of the Month episodes chat! Chris and Abby love ALL Trek and Melanie has assigned them two great episodes to discuss. This month is (September) and our episodes are (A Fistful of Datas- TNG) and (Something Borrowed, Something Green- LOW).  Take a listen and hear what we love, what we question, what we find important and a Grappler Rating. Feel free to let us know your thoughts on these bimonthly episodes and if you have any connections or Grappler Ratings of your own.  (Please note, contributions might be shared on the podcast!) Find Us on Bluesky, Instagram, Threads, and Facebook:  @FirstFlightPod Abby: @abbymsommer Chris: @ShelfNerds  Find Us on YouTube: Chris' Channel : Completing the Shelf

Episode 154- Season 4 Ep 15 Affliction   Season 4 is here and First Flight, and the Carrot Crew, have many things to discuss!  It's time for Columbia to launch, Phlox to get kidnapped and Malcom to be shady.  Of course, Chris and Abby have lots to say about it. While Enterprise visits Earth for the launch of Columbia, Phlox is kidnapped and forced to help the Klingons deal with a grave threat toward their species.    Season 4 Format: -Welcome & Reed Alert (spoiler warning) -Captain's Log & Haiku (episode recap) -Pros and Decons (analysis of episode) - Viewscreen On (calling out a beautiful visual shot or director's choice of shot) - Flipping Duras and/or VAMF (Vulcan as a Mother Flipper) Awards as needed -Porthos' Pick (our favorite parts) -Trivia -Vulcans' Verdict (rating the episode on a scale of 1-10 grapplers)   Feel free to let us know your Porthos' Picks and Grappler Ratings, VAMF Awards, Flipping Duras and/or your general thoughts on this episode! We save these and share them on special Mail Bag episodes.  (Please note, contributions might be shared on the podcast!)   Find Us on Bluesky, Instagram, Threads & Facebook: @FirstFlightPod Abby: @abbymsommer Chris: @ShelfNerds    Email us feedback and voice recordings (90 secs or less) [email protected]   Find Us on YouTube: Chris' Channel : Completing the Shelf

Episode 154 - Celebrating 60 Years of Star Trek, Part 1 | The Classic Series (TOS-ENT) First Flight loves ALL Trek and today we bring you a bonus episode that lets Abby and Chris celebrate the six classic series of Star Trek and its unique brand of hope.  For each classic series they will highlight one episode that really explores the hope. The episodes discussed are: City on the Edge of Forever (TOS), The Time Trap (TAS), The Chase (TNG), Far Beyond the Stars (DS9),  The Void (VOY), and First Flight (ENT). We have to give a special shout out to those who submitted their own thoughtful picks for Star Trek episodes that reflected Roddenberry's unique brand of hope. Do you have a pick from the Kurtzman Era of Star Trek? We would love to include your voice in Part 2 of this celebration of Star Trek coming out later this year. Feel free to let us know your thoughts on this thread or any Porthos' Picks, Grappler Ratings, Viewscreen On picks, VAMF and Flipping Duras Awards and/or your general thoughts so we can share them on our next Mail Bag episode.  (Please note, contributions might be shared on the podcast!) Find Us on Bluesky, Instagram, Threads and Facebook:  @FirstFlightPod Abby: @abbymsommer Chris: @ShelfNerds    Find Us on YouTube: Chris' Channel : Completing the Shelf

EP 153 BONUS- Interlude #4 | Featuring Music from Star Trek: Generations and Star Trek: Nemesis August 2026 Welcome to First Flight's Bonus Interludes, our bimonthly short chat about two tracks of Trek music that we love. Chris and Abby love ALL Trek and have given themselves, and the Carrot Crew, some franchise spanning, music moments to highlight and analyze.  This month of (August) we are discussing "Star Trek Generations Overture" & "Kirk's Death" from the Movie Star Trek Generations, and "Repairs" and "Ideals" from Star Trek Nemesis. Feel free to let us know your thoughts on these bimonthly music tracks and if you have any connections or Grappler Ratings or thoughts of your own.  (Please note, contributions might be shared on the podcast!)   Find Us on Bluesky, Instagram, Threads and Facebook:  @FirstFlightPod Abby: @abbymsommer Chris: @ShelfNerds    Find Us on YouTube: Chris' Channel : Completing the Shelf

Episode 152 - "Level-Five Transporter Accident" (BONUS) First Flight loves ALL Trek and today we bring you a bonus episode that lets Abby and Chris critique and celebrate the Star Trek: Strange New Worlds episode, "Level-Five Transporter Accident." Then stick around for Chris to share a way of shifting the online discourse around Strange New Worlds into more productive, nuanced language based on the philosophy of aesthetics. Feel free to let us know your thoughts on this thread or any Porthos' Picks, Grappler Ratings, Viewscreen On picks, VAMF and Flipping Duras Awards and/or your general thoughts so we can share them on our next Mail Bag episode.  (Please note, contributions might be shared on the podcast!)   Find Us on Twitter (X), Instagram, Threads, Bluesky and Facebook:  @FirstFlightPod Abby: @abbymsommer Chris: @ShelfNerds  Find Us on YouTube: Chris' Channel : Completing the Shelf