Vulcan Hello (An aftershow for new Star Trek)

“Starfleet Academy” finishes the end of its first season with the conclusion of numerous plot lines, a lot of character moments, and some problem solving. We discuss how this episode worked, the season as a whole, and how “Starfleet Academy” builds on the shows that came before it. See you again when “Strange New Worlds” returns! <p>Scott McNulty and Jason Snell.</p>

School’s out, but adventure is in! Scott and Jason discuss the penultimate episode of the first season of “Starfleet Academy,” including stealing shuttlecrafts, insulting your friends, hiding out in airlocks, and the perils of having to automate an entire starship! <p>Scott McNulty and Jason Snell.</p>

From the space-time weirdness of Kasq to the stage of “Our Town,” it’s a “Starfleet Academy” episode where theater helps process trauma and a certain hologram learns to love again. Oh, and Tilly shows up, reminding us why she’s a top-tier Star Trek character. Come join us in our little one-act play, or as we call it, a podcast. <p>Scott McNulty and Jason Snell.</p>

Get out your space swiffers and prepare to visit the Dry Moon of the Fish People! It’s time to discuss the change-of-pace episode “Ko’Zeine,” which we found to be… fine. If this is the baseline for “Starfleet Academy,” that’s good news, but we do have some thoughts on all the ways this episode failed to rise above being perfectly cromulent. We do love that Warp Slug, though. <p>Scott McNulty and Jason Snell.</p>

This one gets pretty dark, with a training mission that goes horribly wrong, leading to casualties. Meanwhile, Holly Hunter watches Paul Giamatti chew scenery (in the best possible way). Plus, don’t forget the YA-mandatory and story-arc-relevant sexy times! <p>Scott McNulty and Jason Snell.</p>

This week the fate of The Sisko is revealed, sort of, as Sam investigates one of the great mysteries of the universe: What exactly happened in the “Deep Space Nine” series finale? More than a nostalgia trip, it’s a story that sets one of the “Starfleet Academy” characters on a new course. Plus: Our boy Kyle is back! <p>Scott McNulty and Jason Snell.</p>

The Klingons are back, and they’re not doing so hot! We discuss debate etiquette, podiums, who writes The Doctor’s introductions, and maybe a little cultural imperialism, Federation style. <p>Scott McNulty and Jason Snell.</p>

Like a mocking plant that just keeps growing, Vulcan Hello returns to break down the latest episode of “Starfleet Academy.” Why don’t they just play basketball? Why does Holly Hunter love furniture? Why should we try French-Klingon fusion? And who’s the sweaty man in that Mugato costume? <p>Scott McNulty and Jason Snell.</p>

It’s the second episode of “Starfleet Academy,” and things are picking up speed. Political negotiations via college debating society! Betazoid mental shields! Many, many, many robots and aliens. But is it too much, or just enough? We break it all down, reassess “Star Trek Voyager” and complain about theme songs, and ultimately make an Important Contribution To (Head) Canon with the introduction of Whale Academy. <p>Scott McNulty and Jason Snell.</p>

A new “Star Trek” series arrives! Scott and Jason discuss their expectations for this new series, then dive in and break down their (surprising?) reactions to the first episode of “Star Trek: Starfleet Academy.” [We’ll cover episode 2 in a few days, in a separate episode.] <p>Scott McNulty and Jason Snell.</p>

It’s almost time for “Starfleet Academy,” but before we sit down to watch the newest “Star Trek” series, we’ve got to wrap up our “Wreath of Khan” series with a look at “Star Trek Into Darkness.” Khan is in it (spoilers!), but should he be? What makes this movie work, and where does it fall apart? <p>Scott McNulty and Jason Snell.</p>

The Wreath of Khan rolls on with part 3 of 4, as Scott and Jason spend some time discussing one of their favorite movies, “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan,” after having followed Khan from “Space Seed” through “Star Trek: Khan.” We don’t know how many times we can say that we love this movie, but we tried and it seems like we could do it forever. <p>Scott McNulty and Jason Snell.</p>

The Wreath of Khan continues with our review of the “Star Trek: Khan” audio drama—available where you get podcasts. <p>Scott McNulty and Jason Snell.</p>

We kick off “The Wreath of Khan,” our monthlong celebration of Star Trek’s favorite mad tyrant, with a look back at where it all started: “Space Seed.” At least, after Khan wakes up 15 minutes into the episode… <p>Scott McNulty and Jason Snell.</p>

A season of “Strange New Worlds” comes to an end, and so does this season of our podcast! But before we go, we have thoughts about Pike and Batel, “Doctor Who” plots, ley lines, parallel timelines, and even “Star Trek: Scouts” and “Star Trek: Khan”! <p>Scott McNulty and Jason Snell.</p>

Who knew that the opposite of an Arena was an Enemy Mine? <p>Scott McNulty and Jason Snell.</p>

Never before has Vulcan Hello said hello to so many Vulcans. (And a Romulan, but shh, don’t say Romulan for canonical reasons!) We discuss Trek comedy, the delightful true fan of Humanity known as Doug, the depth of Number One as played by Rebecca Romijn, the action buddy comedy starring Kirk and Scotty, Batel’s jerk Vulcan boss, and Chapel’s inability to make good Plomeek soup. <p>Scott McNulty and Jason Snell.</p>

“Strange New Worlds” gets the documentary treatment this week, as the Enterprise is confronted with some difficult choices that call into question some of Starfleet’s most deeply held beliiefs. The documentary has a real character arc, going from deep skepticism to a final understanding in just 40 minutes. Unfortunately, that’s not how documentaries work! <p>Scott McNulty and Jason Snell.</p>

Captain Kirk takes control of the USS… Farragut! While he’s facing his first crucial command decisions in an emergency situation with the help of a few familiar faces, Pike and company are repelling a monstrous boarding party. (The monsters are, in hindsight, exactly who you should have expected.) <p>Scott McNulty and Jason Snell.</p>

Not all red shirts wear red! (But some do!) This episode has a lot of death, an alien mystery, some questionable archaeology, a reversal of cause and effect, and multi-dimensional layering. In other words: It’s Star Trek! Also, Jason passes on a wild theory about Batel’s new Gorn-chimera lifestyle. <p>Scott McNulty and Jason Snell.</p>

This week’s “Strange New Worlds” is an homage to 1960s Star Trek, 1970s murder mysteries, and all murderous holodeck stories throughout Trek history. Also, Paul Wesley gets to do his best Shatner. It’s called acting! <p>Scott McNulty and Jason Snell.</p>

This week we’re balancing Moss Zombies with Gorn Consumption as Pike and M’Benga take a “Shuttle to Kenfori!” It’s a character episode with some zombies in the background, and also one particularly grumpy Klingon. Jason looks up the Klingon word for “redshirts.” Also: Paramount finally gets bought, and there are new pictures from “Starfleet Academy!” <p>Scott McNulty and Jason Snell.</p>

A nigh-omnipotent wedding planner threatens the Enterprise crew with a good time! We’re here to talk about the second new “Strange New Worlds” episode of the premiere week, in which Spock and his romantic rival must unite to find a way to bring back reality, or become dogs trying. <p>Scott McNulty and Jason Snell.</p>

And now, the conclusion! “Strange New Worlds” returns with the resolution of the season 2-ending storyline involving the Gorn, including Chris Pike’s very bad day. We dive into the action after a discussion of the precarious position Paramount and Star Trek are in right now. <p>Scott McNulty and Jason Snell.</p>

Scott and Jason review the Paramount+ original movie “Star Trek: Section 31” and then, just for fun, rank all the Star Trek movies from worst to best! <p>Scott McNulty and Jason Snell.</p>

This is it! We’re reviewing a new “Star Trek: Discovery” episode for the last time. From binary stars to binary black holes, we’ve been here through it all. This time we’re doing our usual nonsense, expressing feelings first, then discussing the specially shot series-end segment, then backing into the main core of the episode. Mind-bending corridors! Lengthy bridge discussions! Fancy dress wedding! Book’s new living room! We cover it all. <p>Scott McNulty and Jason Snell.</p>

The season-long plot nears its conclusion—but this is “Discovery,” so there’s still time for a heart-to-heart while wearing Breen helmets. Jason and Scott have an oil bath to get to, but before they do, they break down the penultimate episode! Saru’s back! Vulcan flower holders! And the most dramatic scene of a man sitting in a chair that we’ve seen in years. <p>Scott McNulty and Jason Snell.</p>

Into the space library we go! Burnham faces a mental labyrinth while on the outside, the Breen are busy doing Breen stuff—being annoying, mostly. We discuss Moll’s commitment to her husband, delight in library wardrobes, and more—but only after Jason makes strange, brief digression to discuss “Magnum, p.i.” and how it’s not connected to “Star Trek.” Except where it is. <p>Scott McNulty and Jason Snell.</p>

Discovery rolls on toward its end, with an episode that should involve a lot of plot pivoting, but ends up being an old-fashioned talky diplomatic dilemma crossed with scientific puzzle solving. Also, so many Breen! And Rayner learns that when you’re in trouble, you have to take the walk of shame instead of beaming home. <p>Scott McNulty and Jason Snell.</p>

What’s more Star Trek than violating the Prime Directive? This week’s “Discovery” episode feels familiar in a very good way. Jason defends Captain Burnham in imaginary Prime Directive court, but Judge Scott is not hearing it. Also, we spend a surprising amount of time wondering about how replicated food works. We blame Culber’s abuela. <p>Scott McNulty and Jason Snell.</p>

At long last, this episode of “Star Trek: Discovery” answers the question fans have been asking about for decades: What’s under that Breen helmet? Wait, was that not your question? How about some backstory for this season’s antagonists? No? You wanted to know more juicy details about the Mirror Universe? Well, we don’t know what to tell you. Look in the mirror. We did. <p>Scott McNulty and Jason Snell.</p>

Time may change me, but I can’t trace time! We ping-pong through the personal history of the USS Discovery as Michael tries to teach herself how far she’s come, Rayner learns to let the Burn go and live a little, and Stamets gets to construct a box to crush a Time Bug. Also, a Short Trek is surprisingly relevant! We break it all down. <p>Scott McNulty and Jason Snell.</p>

This week Burnham and Book take another hike to find a clue; Tilly explains to Rayner that he’s not on his old “Star Trek” show anymore; Saru tumbles into a Ni’Varian episode of “Veep”; and Gray and Adira go their separate ways, worlds apart. It’s all about connections, you see. And this episode connects Scott and Jason to each other, and both of them to you. See, we’re going with the Disco flow. <p>Scott McNulty and Jason Snell.</p>

Live Star Trek is back in season! “Star Trek Discovery” has returned with a two-episode premiere, and we’re here to break it down. Once again, we profess our love for Jerks Who Are Right. We discover what form a Vulcan Proposal takes. Our new villains look like they’re space Bonnie and Clyde, but maybe they’re just misunderstood. And we enter Conspiracy Corner in order to ponder secret clues for what might be coming next—but not before a moment’s silence for Fred. <p>Scott McNulty and Jason Snell.</p>

With season 2 of “Strange New Worlds” in the rear-view mirror, Jason recorded a season overview on the Mothership. But so many people watched and enjoyed the season that we have brought back the Vulcan Hello season wrap-up panel, too! <p>Moisés Chiullán with Cicero Holmes, David J. Loehr, Heather Berberet and Houman Sadri.</p>

We wrap up season two of “Strange New Worlds” with a discussion of canon breaking and why it’s okay, how we liked the season as a whole, and why the most Star Trek solution to a problem involving enemy alien monsters may be to try to understand them better. To be continued… eventually! <p>Scott McNulty and Jason Snell.</p>

We’re so excited about this episode of “Strange New Worlds” that we’ve gotta sing! But we’re not going to dance very much. And Scott doesn’t sing. What we can do, though, is talk about Star Trek! <p>Scott McNulty and Jason Snell.</p>

War! Finally, we get (some of) the story about M’Benga and Chapel’s time during the Klingon war. There’s a “Deep Space Nine” level of darkness in this episode, but did it succeed at what it was trying to do? Or was it just a cup of cold replicated Raktajino? <p>Scott McNulty and Jason Snell.</p>

Jason and Scott return, and sooner than expected, to cover the surprise release of the “Strange New Worlds”-“Lower Decks” crossover episode. It’s full of jokes, and references, and—what’s this?—unexpected emotional heft and character nuance! Plus more jokes! Grab an Orion cocktail and pull up a chair, there’s an ancient game of Dom-jot to be played! <p>Scott McNulty and Jason Snell.</p>

Scott is joined by his wife Marisa to discuss an episode in which creepy things are happening on the Enterprise… but only to Uhura. <p>Scott McNulty with Marisa McClellan.</p>

We’re sorry, your podcast was damaged in transit and has been repaired in accordance with our warranty policy. Your regular hosts Scott and Jason were scanned and returned to you in their original condition. All extraneous instructions have been discarded. There is no need to reply to this message. <p>Scott McNulty and Jason Snell.</p>

We can’t really remember what happened on this episode, but it made us FEEL GOOD. And feeling is the important part. Also, how long has this episode been going on? Hand me a helmet! I fly the ship! <p>Scott McNulty and Jason Snell.</p>

Captain Kirk is back—sort of—in this week’s La’an-focused “Strange New Worlds,” which takes viewers on a time-travel ride reminiscent of some of Star Trek’s best movies and episodes. Does it deliver top-notch Trek vibes? We think so. <p>Scott McNulty and Jason Snell.</p>

It’s time for a courtroom drama—and the career and life of Una hang in the balance! We discuss Star Trek courtroom dramas, how modern Trek undermines the utopian vision of Gene Roddenberry and makes something even better out of it, and then we enter a Spoiler Closet that’s not particularly spoilery but does involve us trying to make sense of Star Trek economics. <p>Scott McNulty and Jason Snell.</p>

Scott and Jason are back for another season of “Strange New Worlds,” but what’s this? Captain Pike and Number One sidelined? Carol Kane inviting starship theft? A potent injection of punchy-punchy juice? This was an episode that defied our expectations, for sure. <p>Scott McNulty and Jason Snell.</p>

It’s all over! Scott and Jason break down the big finale, as we say farewell (again) to classic Star Trek characters. But it’s not a goodbye, of course, but a passing of the torch to… the next generation. How did the episode and season make us feel? How much do we care about the details of the plot? Who else might have been a changeling? We’ll see you back here in mid-June for “Strange New Worlds” season two. <p>Scott McNulty and Jason Snell.</p>

Jack Crusher’s secret has been revealed! And while it’s not that much of a surprise, we think it works thematically and admire the broad, audacious plan that sets up the series’ final episode next week. Meanwhile, the nostalgia trip we thought we were taking turns out to be a much more thorough and detailed nostalgia trip than we could have ever expected. And while we’re all out of conspiracy theories, Scott saves some time at the end to ask Jason some surprising questions about what the final episode of “Star Trek: Picard” might bring. <p>Scott McNulty and Jason Snell.</p>

The final season of “Star Trek: Picard” creeps ever closer to its climax in this episode, which features Riker family grief struggles, Data giving away his Data memorabilia, Jack Crusher making an important decision, Shaw regressing into being a bit of a Bad Captain, and Vadic’s henchmen being of questionable value. Jason has some theories about how this plot will finally be resolved, but we all have to wait until next week to begin finding out! <p>Scott McNulty and Jason Snell.</p>

Action takes a bit of a pause this week, as Picard and company deploy their plan and Vadic reveals hers. We also react to the “Strange New Worlds” and “Starfleet Academy” news. <p>Scott McNulty and Jason Snell.</p>

We cover an episode that’s busy pivoting the plot of “Picard” season 3 but manages to also throw in fan service, plot twists, surprising character development, and the first appearance of one classic TNG character! But why is Lucille Ball’s body being stored in a Paramount warehouse? <p>Scott McNulty and Jason Snell.</p>