The Orville Review

Engage! Altered Trek is back, with Captain Phillips and his defiantly optimistic co-host, TFG1 Mike, at the helm! This episode boldly goes into the inaugural season of Star Trek: The Next Generation. Prepare for a deep dive into the show's early days, exploring its formative moments and setting the course for future adventures. But before plunging into the final frontier of discussion, activate the LCARS for essential context! See you, out there...

In Episode 086 of Altered Trek join Admiral Phillips and TFG1Mike as they rebrand Future Imperfect to Altered Trek, and give you a brief breakdown of what this GCRN Star Trek podcast will be all about as they endeavor to engage the Star Trek they enjoy! As always Live Long, and Prosper! And Make It So!GCRN Universal Ratings System!Use TFG1Mike's LinkTree to Follow Him!!Follow Steve/Megatron on X and Threads!Send Us Email HERE!

In this episode of "Future Imperfect," Admiral Phillips returns with Birdman and Alex from ThisWeekinGeek and Aaron Pollyea dig deep and discover their favorite must-watch episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation - Season 2. Listen in to find out what those are and what they plan to discuss next. Live Long, and Prosper!

The team revisits Season 1 of Star Trek: The Next Generation, examining three standout episodes: "The Naked Now," "The Battle," and "The Big Goodbye." They discuss the character dynamics between Tasha Yar and Data, the Ferengi-focused narrative regarding the USS Stargazer, and the first major holodeck failure involving the Dixon Hill simulation. The discussion also covers the technical details of the Constellation-class starship, the science behind the show's depictions of stellar evolution, and the logistical implications of the "Picard Maneuver."

The hosts break down the conclusion of the third season of Star Trek: Discovery, focusing on the unresolved plot points, questionable creative choices, and the general inconsistency of the narrative. They discuss the specific problems with the season finale, including the logic behind the "Burn," the scale issues of the ship's interior, and the overuse of CGI. The panel also highlights their frustrations with the show's departure from established franchise lore, the reliance on mystery-box storytelling, and their reactions to the return of the Guardian of Forever.

The panel discusses their frustrations with the later half of Star Trek: Discovery Season 3, critiquing the show's lack of a unifying vision, inconsistent writing, and character development. They compare the show's emotional tone to daytime soap operas and highlight how the "burn" plot device feels like a hollow mystery box. The group also compares the storytelling and character arcs in The Mandalorian to Discovery, while expressing deep dissatisfaction with the portrayal of the mirror universe and the treatment of the character Philippa Georgiou. Finally, the team analyzes production issues including cinematography, lighting choices, and the overwhelming number of executive producers.

We break down the initial four episodes of the third season of Discovery, discussing the show's jump to the future, the 'Burn' storyline, and the overall execution of the series compared to previous seasons and other sci-fi properties like Stargate and Andromeda. We also analyze the show's production design, the consistency of its CGI, the portrayal of the Federation, and how the series handles ensemble dynamics when Sonequa Martin-Green's character is centered versus when it highlights supporting bridge crew.

A group of fans discuss the first season of the animated series Star Trek: Lower Decks. They share mixed reactions to the characters, particularly Mariner and Tendi, while comparing the show's comedic tone and lack of strict adherence to series canon to previous iterations of the franchise. The conversation also covers the technical inconsistency of the ship designs, the sound design's authentic feel, and how the season finale set up future storylines for the crew of the U.S.S. Cerritos.

The hosts discuss their personal favorite science fiction video game franchises, sharing insights on lore, gameplay mechanics, and lasting impacts on the genre. The conversation covers the expansive history of the Halo series, the fast-paced competitive nature of Unreal Tournament, and the pioneering open-universe exploration found in Starflight. The group also touches on the influence these titles had on modern gaming and their individual experiences playing them across various platforms.

In this episode of "Future Imperfect," Admiral Phillips returns with Alex from ThisWeekinGeek and Aaron Pollyea to discuss The Orville! All this and more on Future Imperfect!