The Quality of Life

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Series 5, Episode 20. First broadcast on Monday 21 April 1997. Again, the story doesn’t really have a legitimate theme, it’s just More Ferengi Farce, but without any solid laughs. In fact, I’d put “Ferengi Love Songs” on or near the bottom of the Ferengi episode list. Jamahl Epsicokhan, Jammer’s Reviews It’s all pretty trivial and unamusing. The only reason this is watchable at all is that Armin Shimerman is so accomplished. Moogie is right – leave your action figures in their original packaging. Tom Salinksy, Trekaday It was a show that worked well in dailies, in little snippets, but put it all together and you’re saying ‘Enough already!’" Ira Steven Behr, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion – I don’t think that that episode was as good as either A Night in Sickbay or Genesis, but I do think it was pretty fun, and I’m glad that Deep Space Nine does it. – Yeah, I don’t think that was an amazing episode, but pretty fun, I’ll take. Nathan and Joe, Untitled Star Trek Project

Star Trek: Enterprise, Series 3, Episode 18. First broadcast on Wednesday 3 March 2004. This week, the Xindi and some big-ass lizard guy get to beat the crap out of (a) Enterprise and (b) Captain Archer, respectively. Meanwhile, Nathan and Joe are delighted, not because they’re mean (although they are), but because this is such a thoroughly entertaining hour of Star Trek: Enterprise. Who knew such things could be?

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Series 4, Episode 17. First broadcast on Saturday 24 February 1996. This week, Miles and Julian learn about larping and friendship, Kira learns about clay and the inevitability of authoritarian male religious figures, and we learn about subtext and delightful character development — all thanks to Jane Espenson, who, it turns out, is the real hero of the episode.

Star Trek: The Animated Series, Series 1, Episode 6. First broadcast on Saturday 13 October 1973. This week, crudely-drawn slow-moving simulacra of the Enterprise crew interact listlessly in a crudely-drawn slow-moving simulacrum of Star Trek. Except for the shapeshifting red octopus, which is awesome. Meanwhile, Joe drops £2.50 renting a Star Trek episode whose budget was nearly ten times that, adjusted for inflation.

Star Trek: The Next Generation, Series 6, Episode 3. First broadcast on Monday 5 October 1992. It’s an outstandingly stupid episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation this week, except for the astonishingly brilliant idea of giving Marina fun things to do and a range of fabulously fun things to wear. Actually, let me start that again. It’s an astonishingly brilliant episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation this week,…

Star Trek: Prodigy, Series 1, Episodes 19–20. First broadcast on Thursday 22 December 2022 and Thursday 29 December 2022. You may think you need me to get there, but after seeing everything you’ve accomplished, I have full confidence you’ll find your way. Because together your potential is infinite. Now, go boldly. This week, the crew of the USS Protostar save the Galaxy in the most selfless and heartwarming way imaginable, in a version of Star Trek that’s complex, enthralling and breathtakingly beautiful.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Series 6, Episode 20. First broadcast on Wednesday 22 April 1998. Fly me to the moon Let me trek among the stars Let me taste the cocktails In some holographic bars In other words, please be true In other words, I love you

Star Trek: Discovery, Series 4, Episode 1. First broadcast on Thursday 18 November 2021. The crew of the USS Discovery are really settling down and starting to enjoy their new life in the 32nd century — fixing some butterflies’ GPS network, giving a commencement speech to some socially-distanced Starfleet Academy students, and fixing the unexpected and alarming angular velocity of a Federation space station. Then suddenly an unimaginable tragedy strikes.

Star Trek: The Next Generation, Series 6, Episode 9. First broadcast on Saturday 14 November 1992. Data is excited to get a new puppy and understandably miffed when Riker decides to explode it in order to solve this week’s space problem. Back on Earth, Nathan is delighted by the story’s optimism and sheer nerdery, while Joe remains sceptical.

Star Trek: Voyager, Series 2, Episode 18. First broadcast on Monday 19 February 1996. Opinions are split on this week’s Untitled Star Trek Project, with Nathan leading the prosecution and Joe the defence. Will Nathan sentence Death Wish to be imprisoned a comet, subsisting only on a rare form of Nogatch hemlock? Or will Joe prevail with the argument that at least it’s Voyager trying to have something to say and giving John DeLancie a new thing to do?