Vulcan Hello (Star Trek Discovery, Picard, Strange New Worlds)

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. Scott McNulty and Jason Snell.

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. Scott McNulty and Jason Snell.

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. Scott McNulty and Jason Snell.

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. Scott McNulty and Jason Snell.

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. Scott McNulty and Jason Snell.

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! Moisés Chiullán with Cicero Holmes, David J. Loehr, Heather Berberet and Houman Sadri.

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! Scott McNulty and Jason Snell.

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! Scott McNulty and Jason Snell.

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? Scott McNulty and Jason Snell.

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! Scott McNulty and Jason Snell.

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

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. Scott McNulty and Jason Snell.

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! Scott McNulty and Jason Snell.

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. Scott McNulty and Jason Snell.

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. Scott McNulty and Jason Snell.

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. Scott McNulty and Jason Snell.

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. Scott McNulty and Jason Snell.

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. Scott McNulty and Jason Snell.

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! Scott McNulty and Jason Snell.

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. Scott McNulty and Jason Snell.