[Lower Decks review starts at 24:07]
Anthony and Laurie start the week discussing the release of the Roddenberry Archive’s latest short film Unification, which has fandom buzzing over the return of William Shatner’s James T. Kirk. Roddenberry also released some cool new interviews with Shatner, Robin Curtis, and George Takei. They catch up on the latest news on Strange New Worlds and discuss Laurie’s conversation with DS9’s Nana Visitor about the journey she took writing Open A Channel – A Woman’s Trek.
The podcasters then pivot to Lower Decks’ “Of Gods and Angles.” Both agree it was a lot of fun but also predictable, while the highlight was the Boimler story with Dr. T’Ana. They roll in some audio from Tony’s new interview with Gillian Vigman talking about how she ad-libs T’Ana’s signature curses.
They wrap with a former NASA official who flashed the Vulcan salute while being sworn into for Congressional testimony, and how to stay in the loop on Trek Talks, which has a growing lineup of star-studded panels for the January 2025 charity event in support of the Hollywood Food Coalition.
Links:
Watch: William Shatner’s Captain Kirk Returns In “Unification” Short Film From Roddenberry Archive
Nana Visitor On Star Trek Under Gene Roddenberry And Rick Berman, And Hollywood Culture
Bits:
Laurie: Follow Trek Talks on social (Facebook, BlueSky, Threads, Instagram) to get the latest on the benefit coming in January
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I love you guys, but your dismissal of Unification was extremely disappointing. I feel like the short was both a free gift and a beautiful, heartfelt, and compassionate celebration and endcap of Kirk and Spock’s friendship and honestly your take was a bit of a gut-punch, especially since your review seemed to only kind of graze the surface of the thing itself.
My recommendation is to give it another shot after a glass of wine or a joint and letting yourself sink into the feelings they’ve chosen to create. You’re my favorite pair of Trek reviewers, but sometimes I think your cynicism leaks into things that didn’t deserve it. This was supposed to be something for everyone to come together over and I just hate seeing it not get the appreciation it deserves.
I don’t think we dismissed it. I simply said it didn’t work for me. I don’t think we were even cynical about it, it just didn’t click with me. Not everything resonates with everyone, you know? Some people’s favorite episodes are ones other people don’t care about. And it’s getting lots of appreciation from many people!
Agreed, I’m actually pretty embarrassed about this. I’ve been trying to delete it for six hours but the links won’t work.
Don’t be embarrassed. I admire your passion.
@Laurie While I liked it more than you did, I also was really confused about the opening scenes of Gary Mitchell, Colt, what seemed like a random city scene…that whole montage at the start seemed like there was some previous knowledge needed about what was going on. Can Trek Movie do one of its patented deep dives through the film scene-by-scene to try and tease out what was going on there?
I believe the patent is pending. As we said on the podcast. I do plan on a follow-up. We could do a basic shot by shot but I really want the input from the people behind it so that it isn’t purely speculation and interpretation. So we could answer some of the questions that we have and you have hopefully and other fans have as well. So look for that sometime next week perhaps
Thank you.
Thank you for loving the show and I’m sorry you thought we dismissed Unification. We dedicated about 12 minutes to it at the top of the pod giving it prominent position. I said I liked it and called it beautiful and I believe that. I think it is amazing. That being said, you know we had some commentary on it. I think we didn’t completely agree but fans never do. But for sure we feel that like it’s important. I had been working on that article since last week and I believe we were the first to report on it. As we said in the podcast, we plan on follow-up articles. I’ve been in touch with the people behind it And those plans are in the works.
Speaking to the team behind this endeavour would be wonderful, so thanks for reaching out to the creators. I loved it but like many, would like to know more about the artistic intent and what messages they were trying to convey.
Looking forward to that, Anthony. Many thanks.
Great podcast as usual.
Instead of a Strange New Worlds muppet episode, may I suggest Supermarionation…Gerry Anderson style.
Oh, yes!!!
TOS kind of did that with the end of CATSPAW.
Gates McFaddon has some history with Jim Henson, so you never know.
I really enjoyed the short film ‘Unification’ but can understand Laurie’s reasons for not really connecting with it.
There were some things that didn’t make sense to me as well. Like what role Gary Mitchell plays at the beginning and also why it appears to show Colt wearing a Kelvin Universe uniform from the 23rd century while monitoring the display showing Kirk’s bones from Picard S3, which would be in the 24th century Prime Universe.
I hope you all can get an interview with some of the creatives involved or even the director of the short to try and explain some of the things shown in it.
That is Tony’s plan!
having just watched it, i am wondering if the story is: Gary Mitchell in the Kelvin universe still has his powers (and isn’t dead) and brings Kirk over/back from the dead to say goodbye to Spock. Beyond that I don’t have a clue.
Thank you for another great podcast, Laurie & Anthony! Personally, I do not detect even a micron of cynicism in your commentary.
Thank you. A few years back I went to talk with Rainn Wilson and BJ Novak about Rainn’s book “Soul Boom,” and he said that when you get cynical, “they win,” because it’s the opposite of hope. I tend to agree with that and I try not to get cynical when I can help it.
Yeah this was another great podcast. And yes count me in as one of the people who loved Unification. I think for most old school TOS fans who grew up with the show like me, we appreciate it a lot more just for the basic tone and emotion it was going for. In other words even if it doesn’t make complete sense it’s still a very moving and nostalgic piece of work. I watched it 5 times straight lol.
But I totally get what you guys were saying obviously and others have said the same thing; it would’ve been nice if someone talked and the entire Colt and Gary Mitchell additions does feel left field. And to be honest I don’t really understand Colts involvement in any of it. They turned this very basic character into something more mythical. But maybe after a few more of these we will learn she was secretly a Q or Traveler or something.
And I really like the Yor addition. I’m always happy when they fill out the Trek universe a little more and with characters we know little about. That said maybe it would’ve been a better idea to just use Q since most people don’t seem to remember or know who Yor is, especially if they don’t watch Discovery.
And thank you for explaining the technique better. I knew actors were playing the roles but thought it was more CGI based like what they did with young Leia in Rogue One.
But can’t wait to see the interview with the makers of this amazing project
I’m also old school and loved every minute of it. The scope and scale of some of the planetary landscapes which appeared, was absolutely breath taking. I have to say that this meant more to me than the last 3 seasons of Discovery combined, a show I didn’t dislike, but at the same time wish I had stopped watching during season 3, rather than press on with it.
Yeah it was great. I don’t know if its canon or not but it doesn’t matter. It was just a beautiful way to give those characters closure.
And many people feel the same way you do about Discovery lol.
Yeah, I too have been a fan since TOS’s original NBC run, and I can’t say I understand exactly what Unification means, but I’m really happy it exists!
Well said. In fact this would’ve been a nice gesture for fans for the 60th anniversary as well if they weren’t celebrating Generations.
My Generations pain runs deep – nothing to celebrate there. Where’s Sybok when you need him?
What? Not following.
I thought I was the only one who didn´t care for Unification! Thank you for joining me in our small club. You expressed my feelings exactly. Sure it was beautiful and well acted but that´s it. Great as proof of concept that´s it.
Just listened to the podcast, and I’d have to agree with your observations on Unification. It did strike me as chewing gum for the eyes.