Tapestry

After being attacked on an away mission, Picard dies and meets Q in the afterlife who offers him the chance to change a crucial moment in his history and prevent the mistakes he made in his youth.

Random Trek #1 with Scott McNulty

Jason Snell, The Incomparable host and Star Trek fan, joins Scott to talk about the TNG episode Tapestry (S6E15).

Topics include Jason’s voyage to Star Trek fandom, to Q or not to Q, space casino games, the message of the episode, and much more.

Hosts

• Scott McNulty
• Jason Snell

By Any Other Name

Extragalactic aliens hijack the Enterprise and turn the crew into inert solids, leaving the four senior officers on their own to exploit their captors' weaknesses.

Random Trek #2 with Scott McNulty

Dan Moren of The Incomparable and Not Playing fame joins Scott to talk about Random Trek’s first Original Series episode: By Any Other Name (S2E21).

The Galactic Barrier will be breached as topics such as Kirk’s worthiness as a captain and the difficulty of acting as though you’re frozen are discussed.

Hosts

• Scott McNulty
• Dan Moren

Life Line

The Doctor is sent to the Alpha Quadrant to cure the dying creator of his program, Lewis Zimmerman, but the holographic engineer wants no part of him.

Random Trek #3 with Scott McNulty

Serenity Caldwell, of the Incomparable and roller derby note, brings with her the first episode of Voyager to grace Random Trek: Life Line (S6E24).

Beam yourself across to galaxy and be ready to ponder the meaning of holographic animals, chocolate ice cream, and the scarcity of trained counselors in the 24th century.

Hosts

• Scott McNulty
• Serenity Caldwell

Waking Moments

The crew begins to experience vivid nightmares, all containing the same mysterious alien.

Random Trek #4 with Scott McNulty

Dave Caolo, of TUAW, joins Scott McNulty to talk about Random Trek’s second Voyager episode: Waking Moments.

Grab your skis and don’t fall sleep or the aliens will get you!

Hosts

• Scott McNulty
• Dave Caolo

Doctor's Orders

In order to traverse a trans-dimensional disturbance safely, Phlox must put the rest of the crew in stasis and pilot Enterprise himself.

Random Trek #5 with Scott McNulty

Greg Knauss, he of the Incomparable, Romantimatic, and EOD, has the honor of being on the first Enterprise Random Trek episode: Doctor’s Orders.

An awful theme song, a cute dog, a naked Denobulan, and a frustrated Vulcan? Sounds like a typical Enterprise episode.

Hosts

• Scott McNulty
• Greg Knauss

Reunion

Captain Picard is selected to arbitrate the selection of a new Chancellor for the Klingon Empire and, in doing so, find out who dishonorably murdered the old Chancellor. Also involved is Ambassador K'Ehleyr, who has a surprise for Worf: their son.

Random Trek #6 with Scott McNulty

Grab a bat'leth, chill some Klingon bloodwine, and get ready to delve into the intricacies of the Klingon Empire's sometimes complicated rite of Succession (unless you use the EZ form). Also, Alexander makes his first appearance and anomalies are ignored. This episode has it all!

Hosts

• Scott McNulty
• John Moltz

The Apple

The Enterprise crew discovers an Eden-like paradise on Gamma Trianguli VI, controlled by a machine that is revered by the local humanoid primitives as a god.

Random Trek #7 with Scott McNulty

Steve Lutz, of The Incomparable, joins Scott to discuss The Original Series’ “The Apple.”

Vaal loves us all, except Spock. Steve loves most of us but totally not Chekov.

Hosts

• Scott McNulty
• Steve Lutz

Looking for par'Mach in All the Wrong Places

Worf helps Quark woo Grilka, his Klingon ex-wife.

Random Trek #8 with Scott McNulty

Moisés Chiullan, Founder/Host of ESN.fm, joins Scott to talk about the very first Deep Space Nine episode on Random Trek: Looking for par’Mach in All the Wrong Places.

Quark loves a Klingon. Worf loves the same Klingon. Oh, and Kira is carrying Miles O’Brien’s baby. Add a few massages and inappropriate remarks from Dr. Bashir and you’ve got yourself an episode of Deep Space Nine.

Hosts

• Scott McNulty
• Moisés Chiullan

Errand of Mercy

Kirk and Spock try to protect the planet Organia from the Klingons, but the natives don't want the Federation's help.

Random Trek #9 with Scott McNulty

Erika Ensign, frequent Incomparable panelist and Hugo nominated (!) Verity Podcast member, classes up the joint with Scott to discuss the TOS episode Errand of Mercy).

What’s the deal with the blue jumpsuited man Scott is obsessed with? How come every Klingon doesn’t get a sash? And is Captain Kirk a warrior, explorer, lover or all of the above?

Hosts

• Scott McNulty
• Erika Ensign

11:59

Kathryn Janeway discovers the truth about one of her famed ancestors, Shannon O'Donnel, realizing that who Shannon was differs vastly from what Janeway had believed all her life.

Random Trek #10 with Scott McNulty

Ged Maheux, of the Icon Factory and Gedblog, joins Scott to discuss Voyager’s “11:59”. Why does everyone in the Year 2000 drive cars from the 1970’s? Will they or won’t they? Do we care?

Email everyone in a 100 mile radius because this episode of Voyager is perplexing.

Hosts

• Scott McNulty
• Gedeon Maheux

Conspiracy

After Captain Picard receives a dark warning from an old friend, the Enterprise-D returns to Earth to stop an alien invasion from taking over Starfleet Command.

Random Trek #11 with Scott McNulty

Michael T. Rose, of TUAW, joins Scott to discuss the first season The Next Generation episode Conspiracy.

Put on your tin foil hat and watch out for Trapper Keepers. Aliens have infiltrated the highest ranks of Starfleet Command and Riker is pretty ok with it.

Hosts

• Scott McNulty
• Michael T. Rose

Collective

Voyager finds a Borg cube controlled by assimilated children who have been separated from the Collective mind.

Random Trek #12 with Scott McNulty

Glenn Fleishman, editor and publisher of The Magazine, host of The New Disruptors (which isn’t a podcast reviewing new Klingon and Romulan weaponry), and tweeter of 14 million tweets, joins Scott to talk about Voyager’s Collective (Spoiler: it features the Borg).

This Voyager episode has it all: card playing, Borg babies, Harry Kim being totally lame, and 7 of 9 getting things done.

Hosts

• Scott McNulty
• Glenn Fleishman

Timescape

Aboard a runabout, Picard, Data, La Forge, and Troi encounter time distortions; they also discover the Enterprise, frozen in time, seconds away from destruction.

Random Trek #13 with Scott McNulty

Swoozy Clancey is a nerdy nurse who has embarked on a journey of watching all of Star Trek: The Next Generation in order. Why not invite her onto Random Trek to talk about a random episode? Luckily for her, the fates were kind and picked a TNG episode: Timescape.

Romulan and temporal anomalies, plus a dash of conference going make this an episode not to miss!

Hosts

• Scott McNulty
• Swoozy Clancey

Hope and Fear

Janeway and Seven clash

Random Trek #14 with Scott McNulty

Brianna Wu, Head of Development at Giant Spacekat and one of the hosts of the Isometric Podcast, joins Scott to talk about Voyager’s Hope and Fear (S4E26). Bri explains why Voyager is the best Trek there is, we discuss Harry Kim and his love of bulkheads, and suggest some changes to Voyager’s lax security protocols.

Hosts

• Scott McNulty
• Brianna Wu

Remember Me

Following an anomaly in a warp bubble experiment, Dr. Crusher finds that crewmembers are beginning to disappear, while she is the only one who seems to notice.

Random Trek #15 with Scott McNulty

Jacqui Cheng, Editor-in-chief of The Wirecutter, joins Scott to talk about TNG’s Remember Me (S4E5). In this episode who let Wesley fiddle with the Warp core and why, The Traveller as “Q Light,” and how Dr. Crusher definitely isn’t crazy (despite all the men thinking otherwise).

Hosts

• Scott McNulty
• Jacqui Cheng

Phage

Neelix's lungs are removed by a race that suffers from a deadly phage that is slowly destroying their population prompting them to harvest replacement organs and tissues from other species.

Random Trek #16 with Scott McNulty

David J. Loehr, Incomparable panelist and playwright, joins Scott to discuss Voyager’s Phage (S1E5). Neelix’s lungs are stolen, and yet he still talks too much in this episode. Good old Harry Kim scans a wall, and the crew forgets the most important rule: never split the party.

Hosts

• Scott McNulty
• David J. Loehr

Indiscretion

Kira and Dukat search for the six-year-old crash site of a Cardassian freighter that was carrying Bajoran prisoners. Also, Sisko deals with Kasidy moving onto the station, a new development in their relationship.

Random Trek #17 with Scott McNulty

John Siracusa, of ATP and Incomparable note, joins Scott to talk about DS9’s Indiscretion (S4E5). Scott explains the deal with Deep Space Nine, John questions the central premise, and some parallels to Star Wars are identified.

The end of this episode features a Random Trek theme song written and performed by listener Adam Sakellarides. Thanks, Adam!

Hosts

• Scott McNulty
• John Siracusa

I, Mudd

Harry Mudd, now ruler of a planet of androids, captures the Enterprise and attempts to imprison Kirk for revenge.

Random Trek #18 with Scott McNulty

Monty Ashely, Incomparable panelist and Internet writer, joins Scott to talk about The Original Serie’s second Harry Mudd episode: I, Mudd (S2E12). Uniforms, the concept of computers (and if the Star Trek writers have any idea how they work), and Kirk taking the law in his own hands are all discussed.

Hosts

• Scott McNulty
• Monty Ashley

Sleeping Dogs

While exploring a gas giant, the Enterprise finds the wreck of a Klingon scoutship sinking into the atmosphere.

Random Trek #19 with Scott McNulty

Lex Friedman, famous for not having seen it, being Daily, Rebounding, and Turning a Car Around, joins Scott to talk about Sleeping Dogs (Enterprise S1E14). Scott expresses mild shock and then major regret after learning that this episode is the first Star Trek episode Lex has ever seen (spoiling: Sleeping Dogs is not a great first Star Trek experience). We determine that T’Pal is a Vulcan, Hoshi is better than the Universal Translator, and ponder just how badly it smelled on that Klingon ship.

Hosts

• Scott McNulty
• Lex Friedman

First Contact

An injury to Commander Riker during a reconnaissance mission threatens the prospects for first contact with a culture on the verge of warp travel.

Random Trek #20 with Scott McNulty

Tony Sindelar, the Incomparable and co-DM of Total Party Kill, joins Scott to discuss TNG’s First Contact (S4E15).

Topics include Riker’s total lack of guile, Malcorian facial hair, the naming of planets, alien groupies, and when it is appropriate to beam somewhere.

Hosts

• Scott McNulty
• Tony Sindelar

Starship Mine

On an evacuated USS Enterprise-D, Picard plays a deadly game of cat-and-mouse with terrorists who want to steal explosive toxic waste from the warp core as a lethal beam sweeps the ship.

Random Trek #21 with Scott McNulty

Jordan Cooper, host of the Tech Douchebags podcast, joins Scott to have some small talk about “Starship Mine” (TNG S6EP18).

We discuss Capt. Picard’s fake horse-riding affinity, Tuvok’s shady past, why Geordi is the only hungry officer, and how to get out of attending a funeral when you’re a Starfleet Captain.

Hosts

• Scott McNulty
• Jordan Cooper

Minefield

Enterprise strays into a Romulan minefield and is disabled by a cloaked mine. While deactivating another mine, Reed gets pinned to the ship's hull.

Random Trek #22 with Scott McNulty

Matthew Yglesias, executive editor of Vox, joins Scott to discuss Minefield (ENT, S2E4). Among the topics discussed include Matt’s crazy Trek lists, why no one on the Enterprise seems capable of doing anything, and what’s the deal with those crazy complicated mines anyway?

Hosts

• Scott McNulty
• Matthew Yglesias

Rivals

Quark feels threatened when a con artist arrives on the station and opens up a competing bar. Meanwhile, Chief O'Brien is determined to beat Doctor Bashir at racquetball.

Random Trek #23 with Scott McNulty

Anthony Pascale, the man behind TrekMovie.com, joins Scott to talk about DS9's "Rivals" (S2E11). Topics include the finer points of space racquet ball, Prince Humperdinck, how pressing a button on an orb makes not a compelling casino game, and what Sisko does when he is alone in his office.

Hosts

• Scott McNulty
• Anthony Pascale

Where No Man Has Gone Before

An encounter at the limits of our galaxy begins to change Lieutenant Commander Gary Mitchell and threatens the future of the Enterprise and the Human race itself. (Second Pilot)

Random Trek #24 with Scott McNulty

Katrina Griffiths, of the Verity Podcast, joins Scott to discuss the second Star Trek TOS pilot: Where No Man Has Gone Before (TOS S1E1 or 3). 60’s contact lenses, Creepy Gary Mitchell transforming into Creepier Gary Mitchell, and the fate of Dr. Dehner are all covered.

Hosts

• Scott McNulty
• Katrina Griffiths

Babel

A virus infects the station's residents, making almost everyone unable to speak coherently.

Random Trek #25 with Scott McNulty

Jamelle Bouie, staff writer at Slate, joins Scott to talk about Babel (DS9 S1E5). This episode features an aggrieved O’Brien, a poorly emoted Jake, and a goatee-less Sisko. Listen as we talk about why anyone would pay for replicated food, uncomfortable Ferengi characteristics, and how Voyager could have been good.

Hosts

• Scott McNulty
• Jamelle Bouie

Who Watches The Watchers

The Enterprise must undo the damage when a primitive civilization discovers a Federation observation team and concludes that the Starfleet personnel are gods.

Random Trek #26 with Scott McNulty

Don't miss your chance to buy a Random Trek Shirt, now available for a limited time.

Hosts

• Scott McNulty
• Guy English

The Mark of Gideon

Kirk is held captive on an empty duplicate of the USS Enterprise.

Random Trek #27 with Scott McNulty

Jean MacDonald, founder of App Camp for Girls, joins Scott to talk about “The Mark of Gideon” (TOS S3E17). Overpopulation, cranky Spock, the Gideon’s seeming complete lack of knowledge about how disease works, and the horrible life sucking powers of bureaucracy are all touched upon.

Random Trek shirts are available for a few more days. You don’t want to be the only one at the Star Trek convention without one, do you?

Hosts

• Scott McNulty
• Jean MacDonald

Pen Pals

Data makes contact with a young girl from a pre-warp civilization on a planet facing imminent annihilation. The Enterprise must wrestle with the moral dilemma of violating the Prime Directive or standing by while Data's friend dies.

Random Trek #28 with Scott McNulty

December 4, 2014 • 46 minutes • Scott McNulty with Deborah Stanish

Hosts

• Scott McNulty
• Deborah Stanish

The Measure Of A Man

Picard must prove Data is legally a sentient being with rights and freedoms under Federation law when transfer orders demand Data's reassignment for study and disassembly.

Random Trek #29 with Scott McNulty

Brett Terpstra, a man of many projects, joins Scott to discuss The Measure of a Man (TNG S2E9).

Such topics as the existence of souls, how to disarm (literally) an android, and how Riker evolves as a character are all touched upon.

Hosts

• Scott McNulty
• Brett Terpstra

Initiations

Chakotay becomes caught up in a young Kazon's rite of passage.

Random Trek #30 with Scott McNulty

Lisa Maria Martin, content strategist and information architect, joins Scott to discuss Initiations (VOY S2E2). This episode is one of those rare gems: a Chakotay centric story. Topics discussed include the deal with Neelix and what it is, Chakotay’s ambiguous tribal associates and fake rituals, and why the Kazon can build starships but can’t find water.

Hosts

• Scott McNulty
• Lisa Maria Martin

Darmok

Picard is captured, then trapped on a planet with an alien captain who speaks a metaphorical language incompatible with the universal translator. They must learn to communicate with each other before a deadly planetary beast overwhelms them.

Random Trek #31 with Scott McNulty

Christina Warren, tech analyst, podcaster, and internet maven, joins Scott to talk about “Darmok” (TNG S5E2). Does this episode of TNG live up to the hype? Is Capt. Picard a their? And were did he get his Members Only jacket? All this plus Emoji on this Christmas episode of Random Trek.

Hosts

• Scott McNulty
• Christina Warren