The Pensky Podcast

The Star Trek 60th-anniversary reunion episode! The bridge crew is back, and they have opinions.We kick off by carving a Mount Rushmore of American rock bands, then get to why modern Star Trek keeps missing the mark: streaming budgets, prestige-TV ambitions, and a cliffhanger style borrowed from airport thrillers.From there we look back on ten years of the podcast, including our favorite moments, the Voyager slog, and what we'd do differently.The episode wraps with Nolan's Batman trilogy, the new Resident Evil, and whether physical media is worth holding on to now that PlayStation is dropping the disc drive.Grab your last bottle of Star Trek wine and settle in.Timestamps:00:00 – A Mount Rushmore of American rock bands: CCR, Nirvana, Springsteen, Metallica, and whether the Beach Boys count as a band07:54 – Catching up on new Trek (Strange New Worlds, Starfleet Academy, Shatner's The Return) and why modern Star Trek is so hard to get right26:36 – How thriller novels shaped modern TV: empty cliffhangers, The Chair Company, Twin Peaks: The Return, Pluribus37:07 – New Trek or new sci-fi? Franchise fatigue, House of the Dragon vs. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, and the Harry Potter series44:26 – Looking back on the podcast: favorite moments, Voyager burnout, what we'd change, and the case for a puppet or late-night-show version58:27 – Obsession and the rise of movies made by YouTubers1:02:17 – Rewatching Nolan's Batman trilogy and why third movies fall apart1:10:18 – What we've been watching: Lanterns, The Chair Company, The Rehearsal1:20:26 – Zach Cregger's Resident Evil: faithful adaptation or expensive fan film?1:26:09 – PlayStation drops the disc drive: physical media, cassettes for the kids, vinyl, and the ideal album length

Well, folks, we’ve finally made it. Welcome to the grand, or maybe not-so-grand, finale of The Pensky Podcast. After a decade of dissecting every nook and cranny of Star Trek, we’ve reached the bittersweet end. In this final episode, we tackle the Star Trek: Voyager series finale, “Endgame,” with all the enthusiasm of a Borg […] Are you looking for older episodes? Find this and every other episode at The Pensky Podcast! Thanks for listening. Stay connected: • https://thepenskyfile.com/links/ • e-mail: thepenskyfilevideo(at)gmail.com

In this episode of the podcast, Wes explains why the Star Trek is coming to an end and what this means for the channel, Patreon, and other shows! Are you looking for older episodes? Find this and every other episode at The Pensky Podcast! Thanks for listening. Stay connected: • https://thepenskyfile.com/links/ • e-mail: thepenskyfilevideo(at)gmail.com

In a desperate last stand, Jean-Luc Picard and generations of crews both old and new fight together to save the galaxy from the greatest threat they've ever faced as the saga of Star Trek: The Next Generation comes to a thrilling, epic conclusion. In this episode of the podcast, Wes and Clay discuss "The Last Generation" and the *final* appearance of the TNG crew. Plus! The guys chat about the Changeling-Borg Alliance, epic space battles, and the raison d'etre of Star Trek: Picard. Are you looking for older episodes? Find this and every other episode at The Pensky Podcast! Thanks for listening. Stay connected: • https://thepenskyfile.com/links/ • e-mail: thepenskyfilevideo(at)gmail.com

A devastating revelation about Jack alters the course of Picard’s life forever – and uncovers a truth that threatens every soul in the Federation. The final battle begins as Picard and his crew race to save the galaxy from annihilation – but not without a gut-wrenching cost. In this episode of the podcast, Wes and Clay discuss "Võx" and the reveal of what's behind the red door. Plus! The guys chat about the difference between a story and things happening, finding out what's behind Door 12, and the carpet being more important than the theme. Are you looking for older episodes? Find this and every other episode at The Pensky Podcast! Thanks for listening. Stay connected: • https://thepenskyfile.com/links/ • e-mail: thepenskyfilevideo(at)gmail.com

Vadic forces Picard to make an impossible choice – deliver what he can never give... or watch his crew perish. Their only salvation lies in the mind of an old friend and old foe. In this episode of the podcast, Wes and Clay discuss "Surrender" and the abilities of the Vadic-Changelings. Plus! The guys chat about the moral fortitude of Liam Shaw, realizing you can't reveal plot points in the middle of a scene, and what to expect on Frontier Day. Are you looking for older episodes? Find this and every other episode at The Pensky Podcast! Thanks for listening. Stay connected: • https://thepenskyfile.com/links/ • e-mail: thepenskyfilevideo(at)gmail.com

Crippled, cornered, and out of options, Picard stages a gambit to trap Vadic and reveal her true motive – a gamble that puts the Titan in the crosshairs and forces Picard and Beverly to question every moral code they've ever held. In this episode of the podcast, Wes and Clay discuss "Dominion" and the anxiety of waiting for Frontier Day. Plus! The guys chat about torturing puddles of goo, the location of Worf and Raffi, and episode seven blues. Are you looking for older episodes? Find this and every other episode at The Pensky Podcast! Thanks for listening. Stay connected: • https://thepenskyfile.com/links/ • e-mail: thepenskyfilevideo(at)gmail.com

Now on the run, Picard and the skeleton crew of the USS Titan must break into Starfleet's most top-secret facility to expose a plot that could destroy the Federation. Picard must turn to the only soul in the galaxy who can help – an old friend. In this episode of the podcast, Wes and Clay discuss "The Bounty" and replacing lost ships. Plus! The guys chat about the definition of pacifism, fleshbot bodies, and Hallmark families. Are you looking for older episodes? Find this and every other episode at The Pensky Podcast! Thanks for listening. Stay connected: • https://thepenskyfile.com/links/ • e-mail: thepenskyfilevideo(at)gmail.com

Caught by Starfleet and facing court martial, paranoia grows as Picard struggles to uncover whether a prodigal crewman from his past has returned as an ally – or an enemy hellbent on destroying them all. In this episode of the podcast, Wes and Clay discuss "Imposters" and the many chances of Ro laren. Plus! The guys talk about gun-kata, mispronouncing "Ferengi", and the Changelings as Aliens. Are you looking for older episodes? Find this and every other episode at The Pensky Podcast! Thanks for listening. Stay connected: • https://thepenskyfile.com/links/ • e-mail: thepenskyfilevideo(at)gmail.com

With time running out, Picard, Riker and crew must confront the sins of their past and heal fresh wounds, while the Titan, dead in the water, drifts helplessly toward certain destruction within a mysterious space anomaly. In this episode of the podcast, Wes and Clay discuss "No Win Scenario" and Trek lore being treated as sincere reality. Plus! The guys chat about Picard's hot date, the holodeck's power systems, and Changeling downtime. Are you looking for older episodes? Find this and every other episode at The Pensky Podcast! Thanks for listening. Stay connected: • https://thepenskyfile.com/links/ • e-mail: thepenskyfilevideo(at)gmail.com