Open Pike Night - A Star Trek Strange New Worlds Show

Ranking all SNW Episodes with Jim from Trek Ranks!

• OPN Productions, LLC • Season 2 • Episode 39

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Let's not kid ourselves, this episode is absolutely a top fiver, if you disagree you should call in!

Join John, Cam and Jesse as we discuss all of the existing Star Trek Strange New Worlds episodes with the amazing Jim Moorhouse of Trek Ranks!

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John T Bolds:

This thing on hello hello welcome to open fire ignite the strange new worlds podcast where your personal logs are the prime directive. I'm your host John T bolds. here tonight with my co host and amazing guest on the open bike night stage. Joining me the first step the man who ranks using only his heart, Jesse Bailey

Jesse:

it's been a while since sack podcast with you guys

John T Bolds:

and the man who ranks using only his head posts of green shirt a newbie struck to the next generation Cameron,

Cameron:

a I've got a very good head on my shoulders, and another one lying on my desk whispering all the answers to me.

John T Bolds:

And our guest tonight is possibly the most qualified person ever to rank anything having to do with Star Trek, because he runs trek ranks. Please welcome Jim Morehouse. Hey,

Jim Moorhouse:

guys. Great to finally be here on the OPN open. Rake some trek We love talking about all the things we love about Star Trek.

Cameron:

You could tell he's a real fan because he says OPN

John T Bolds:

OPN Yeah, it's great to have you here man. I'm thanks for coming. I

Jim Moorhouse:

can't wait to talk with all s and w strange new worlds. All the acronyms. Let's do this.

Jesse:

I love SN W because it's actually longer than strange new.

Jim Moorhouse:

W W W

John T Bolds:

we had some great callers tonight. But man, they seem to be like put on the spot when they had to pick out of all 20 episodes. I'm excited to hear what they had to say what their what their choices, we asked them to send in top three. And we asked some folks on Twitter to so we'll hear from them throughout our ranking system. But speaking of ranking system cam, you want to take it from here?

Cameron:

For sure. Yeah, so we decided to do a collaborative draft, which is a bit of a misnomer, because it's gonna be a little collaborative, little, maybe confrontational competitive as we, we try to ensure our favorites move higher up the list, you'll see as it plays out, but I was inspired by the movie drafts podcast, which I've listened to a lot check them out. And they were in turn inspired by screen draft. So I've kind of stolen based on their rules from screen drafts, and I kind of stole them from them. And we've each modified so this will be the open pike night version of the collaborative draft. So we'll each be picking an episode for each rank in the list from 20 to one, but there will be some, some rules to mix things up in there will have four positions. So position D will pick slots 2017 13, nine and five. And they get two vetoes and a veto. Of course, if someone picks an episode you think belongs higher up the list, you can veto it and ensure that it moves up higher. Now position C will pick slots 1916 12 eight and four. They get one veto and one veto override the only veto override in the game that allows you to Jesse, what do you think it allows you to do?

Jesse:

I would imagine that allows you to override a veto. That's absolutely

Cameron:

correct. Jesse points for you. However, you cannot override your own picks so you can override the veto and someone else's pick. But if you chose Elysian Kingdom at number 20 And someone veto that you would not be able to veto override that. Oh, someone else's Yes.

Jesse:

So it's basically just you can't change your mind once you've made it up. Correct. Sweet. What Gotcha. Because you can't veto override your own right.

Cameron:

Well, you can't you can't save your own. Yeah,

John T Bolds:

you can't save your own. I mean, yes, you also can't be to override your veto.

Cameron:

That's also true. Okay, position B, we'll choose 18 1511. seven and three are first in the top three, they get one veto because they get a top three pick. And the position A is kind of the crazy one, they don't actually get to pick in the first round. They don't get to pick until slot 14, then they get 10 Six and they get both two and one only because once you pick two, there's only one episode left. So essentially, they're choosing what order the last to go in unless there's a veto. Whereas to Balian fudge. Now how we determine who gets what position we've got a magic wheel that is going to select a name randomly and they'll get to choose their position. All right,

John T Bolds:

there we go. Spin

Unknown:

my jersey. Oh, oh,

Cameron:

away from my name. Jesse was chosen?

Jesse:

Oh my gosh, this is actually more pressure than I thought it would be. Because it was like, well, obviously, you'd want to pick the first slot. Oh, wow.

Unknown:

What do you think? Wow, that

Jesse:

is difficult. I think you know what, because I know that I have a complete inability to be objective about any of this. I am going to pick position B, I still get high picks, I still get my veto. And you know, that way, if I'm not happy with some of the pics, I can complain about them and not be blaming myself.

Cameron:

Less well reasoned. Yeah. All right.

John T Bolds:

Here's our next spin. Good sound effects on this who?

Cameron:

Jim? All right, Jim.

Unknown:

I am going

Jim Moorhouse:

to take position. See then. Yeah, let's do.

John T Bolds:

Oh, nice. Oh, you

Cameron:

get the override? Yeah. All right. DNA are left. Interesting. I think those are the two I would have gone after. So I'm okay with this. All

John T Bolds:

right. Here's the next pic. I

Jesse:

really liked the artificial slowdown of the wheel at the end like yeah, there's no pegs to facilitate that. Like, what does it do it? Oh,

Cameron:

here we go. All right.

John T Bolds:

Oh, man,

Cameron:

I think I think my position coming into this ranking is that I've got some underdogs I want to see move higher up the list. So I am going to choose position D, I want those vetoes. I just want to make sure things get in the top five after that I'm going to be okay. So I will I will take D which leads so

John T Bolds:

I get position joncas Position A All right. Yeah, I get that. All right, Jim, how does your ranking system usually work when you guys are talking something? What? What's what's it like if you're listening to trek right?

Unknown:

Now

Jim Moorhouse:

on trek range, we just pick a topic. And our whole goal is to just we pick only positive topics, and we just have a conversation about all the things we love about Star Trek. So there's never any negative and we're a bottomless it's just like some topic and everyone picks five things that they love about that topic that they want to highlight and talk about. So we just celebrate Star Trek for an hour or 90 minutes every every week. So and we introduce each topic with our five words and a hashtag, which I will be doing tonight with every one of my pics previewing our pic with five words and a hashtag to tease our pic. That's fantastic as I'm gonna I'm gonna guess if hopefully some of our callers tonight will have some five words event hashtag, we'll see. Oh, very

Jesse:

cool. Also, I just realized what Cameron actually did was pick the slot that lets him pick first. Yeah, like, oh, that too. Yeah.

Cameron:

I honestly that I didn't really love I don't want to pick. I don't want to have to throw out the first bit of negativity. But I've got my pick. I know what I'm picking. So

Jim Moorhouse:

there's no negative

Cameron:

top 20 episode.

Jim Moorhouse:

Number 20. There's nothing negative that

Cameron:

I did want to say that like Yeah, I mean, every episode is strange. Two Worlds is immensely watchable,

Jesse:

of course. So the way that I picked it was, I thought, Okay, I've got an hour and change to kill. I know I want to watch strange new worlds. Which episode Am I putting on? And I kind of went through that order? Because the answer, of course, is any episode of strange new worlds. Watch any episode. But if I were time constrained, and I could only watch one for whatever reason, which has never happened to me. This is the order that I would watch

Jim Moorhouse:

them. Well. It's funny you say that Jesse. So for me when I've been doing trek max out for seven or eight years, I've done 187 episodes. So I'm on every episode, right? So I'm picking it every week. And so my prime directive each week, we asked everybody their prime directive on how they came up with their list. And my driver is always the main thing is always if I had to choose one, right, so if you're facing the front, if I'm faced with the have to choose one for the rest of my life, what am I picking? That's always kind of my underlying driver for everything I do in my in my picks in my ranks.

Cameron:

I mean, that was my my prime directive but my sub prime during that there wasn't an element of like when I say the title when I think of that episode, like how big a smile Do I get that I that did play into it a little bit, especially kind of like separating the top five like into into an order.

Jesse:

I mean, that's a great Prime Directive. Yeah, and Cam I'm just hoping you don't have a sub prime directive crisis at some point. Yes.

John T Bolds:

I get the joke. Jesse says if you lived through 2008 You'll get that joke. I went with it's funny, I went with i i started to approach it like okay, if it's 10 years from now and somebody said Have the first two seasons of strange new worlds. What should I want? Like if you had to pick the top one for me to watch and they never watched one? That's how I approach like, what do I think is timeless? What do I think is gonna hold up and be one of those that people will talk about for the next 30 years like we do with tng?

Jim Moorhouse:

Interesting. That's a great way to do it, too. And

Cameron:

then did you guys bring like, Did you rank every episode, you have a personal one through 20? Rank? Because honestly, I kind of did. I tried to do it, break it into five, just groups of five. And I couldn't do a top five, I had to do a top six. Okay. But then after that, it's just like, second tier three. Yes, here, I

John T Bolds:

have more tears than specific, but when you have come

Jim Moorhouse:

through with the full range? Well, what

Cameron:

we're here to do, that's what we're here to do.

Jesse:

And I know me, I don't like to say this. But in Cameron's defense, I did assign a rank to every single episode individually, but I have like squishy tears associated with those because, you know, it's like, as long as people pick this episode, kind of close to where I got it. I'm probably okay with it.

Jim Moorhouse:

Right. The other key elements is truck races. We always say we always had to at the end of everything today. Right? Right. Yeah. The Right. Pick something else for your ranks?

Cameron:

Yep. And that gives you just endless content for episodes. Exactly. Rewriting, which is something we wish we had here at open.

John T Bolds:

Come on season 320 episodes of the TV show and we are on episode 60 Something of the podcast. Right? So yeah. Well, I'm

Cameron:

very excited for this episode. You know, I think you know, John, Jesse. And I think we're all pretty close in our estimations of episodes. But we all have like one or two episode hot takes I think that are going to make things interesting. And then meanwhile, Jim, of course, as a wildcard, I haven't looked at your strange two worlds ranking. So I have no idea where where you fall on some. So I'm very excited to see how things play out.

John T Bolds:

Should we open with a call first, just to get things? Okay, I'm gonna pick a caller, who I think probably fits in there. Pics all fit in with like, oh, yeah, of course. These are gonna be in the top three. If most people were pulled here is our friend Michelle.

Michelle from Crusher Convo:

Hey, open pike night, I heard you were asking fans to give our top three episodes for strange new worlds. And I gotta say, even though it's only been two seasons, the struggle is real. But for what it's worth, here's my list. And I'm sure it's gonna be pretty basic with some crossovers with other fans. But here we go. Number one, the lower decks crossover directed by Jonathan Frakes. It has art, it has humor, it is time travel, all things that go into making a great Trek episode. And it's kind of a comfort episode too. I think so. Yeah. Love that one. Number two subspace Rhapsody. I adore this soundtrack. It was Star Trek's first musical. So creative. Everyone did a great job. And some of y'all open pikers heard me karaoke to one of those songs during Tropical Island weekend. So that one has a special place for me. Number three, Ad Astra per Aspera it has these Measure of a Man vibes that I love. It has una which we need more hashtag more Tigges. We also need more una and this is going to lead into my Crusher connection, which is UTD docky, who was excellent in this episode. I hope we see her back soon. I had a great conversation. Briefly with her trek Long Island. She was a huge tng fan. We talked a little bit about Beverly Crusher, which was cool and many other things with tng. But I really hope to see her back in strange new worlds and Star Trek but that's my list and I also wanted to add it was great to meet you guys at trek Long Island. Jesse We missed you but it was so cool to hang and be in person and hope to do it again soon. Live long and prosper.

Jesse:

Okay, let me just say I am so glad to hear Michelle's voice back on open pike night you always bring the not necessarily hard hitting but very heartfelt analysis which is something that's very close to my heart. And yeah, I got to agree I really wish I could have met you know I'm really sad but cam and John had kind of indicated to me that it kind of seems like your tea day but ducky is gonna be back as an era Cthulhu and she just couldn't quite confirm that when they spoke with her at trek Long Island.

John T Bolds:

A lot of couldn't quite confirms going on a trek.

Cameron:

Ya know, Michelle is as delightful in person as she is as a caller. I can confirm all of that. 100% was great. Talking to her check Long Island and yeah, great hearing her call him back.

John T Bolds:

Yeah. Oh, and yeah,

Jesse:

her pics to her point. They were. I mean, we so we did another little supplemental thing on Twitter where I had folks just reply to a tweet with their top three episodes. Those three episodes very frequently popped up. And if I'm not mistaken, subspace Rhapsody was submitted for an Emmy. So I'm very excited to see how that would open. I'm very excited to see Yeah, I'm very excited to see where these episodes end up on the official

Cameron:

list. Oh, yes. Well, speaking of let's get started with that, I've got the first pick at slot 20. Um, and I think I've made my choice. Again, just going back to like, these aren't necessarily the bad ones. Because this episode has some of my favorite lines of the entire series. I mean, there's two lines that might be the funny lines. Oh, sorry. I'm supposed to wait. Sorry. Somebody's entire to it. And hopefully this isn't a veto bait. I don't know if it is. Spock amok and putting Spock Amok at 20. Wow. Yes. It's, I think as, as we said, in our episode, sometimes humor is hard. Sometimes comedy is hard. Wait,

John T Bolds:

how does it work? If some one of us does veto, do you pick the next number? 20 in that I would, then

Cameron:

I would have to pick another one. Okay, okay.

Unknown:

I,

Jesse:

as much as it pains me, I'm gonna keep my veto in my pocket. Because in my opinion, which is, of course, a subjective thing. Let's be very clear all the way through this episode. I think that Spock Amok is amazing. I love it. Cameron, you're totally right lines, like we are not in a town. Like yes, I know what a door is for that sort of thing.

John T Bolds:

I'll get the good dog. Yeah,

Cameron:

thank ya. Yeah. I live for the gang line. But

Jesse:

I think if I'm being honest with my heart, Spock Amok really sets up a lot that charades knocks out of the park. Like, they were getting their comedy legs under them. They were learning what works and what doesn't work with Vulcan style humor. I will caveat that by saying I think Spock totally works all the way through and I'm 100% in love with it. But I could say that about any episode here because you guys know how I am.

Cameron:

Indeed, but wow, I feel

Jesse:

like that's a little bit hot. Wow,

Cameron:

there's a lot of good episodes. There's a lot of good episodes.

John T Bolds:

John, I'm gonna hold my veto. Yeah,

Jim Moorhouse:

you are not going to veto this. Well, I'm gonna save you guys the embarrassment of having Spock from Mach number 20. Freaking list. Oh my god, I have to veto it. I mean, I think you know, right off the bat. I mean, this is why I love ranking. ranking because you get all these incredibly fresh takes. All right, so yeah, I'm 100% the way Spock McCann Okay. All right. It's number four.

Cameron:

Wow, that's the time to be doing it right

Jim Moorhouse:

so it's obviously not going to be number four on this list. But yeah, so I spoke about it works for me across the board as the old time Freaky Friday just when when classic trouble with Tribbles here where the just works on every level. And five words that hashtag rhetorically, what are friends for hashtag humans almost as easy to tease as? Yeah, okay, I love Vito to

Cameron:

camera and go. I will say Spock Mach has raised in my esteem upon repeated viewing, so maybe maybe I just need to watch it a couple more times. All right, how about again, another episode that there's a lot I like in it, but I think we were all kind of agreed on that it just didn't quite come together for various production reasons. How about season two, episode one, the broken circle. Are we okay with that being at the bottom. Again, lots of great moments, some truly great moments. But you know, without answering there without pike. It felt like it was just kind of spinning its wheels a bit.

Unknown:

I

Jesse:

I still wouldn't put that at 20. For me. I think both season premieres ended up lower on my list than I expected. But that's not because I don't think they're good. It's just they both have so much work to do. And for me, it was difficult because I remember feeling just unbridled excitement for both of these episodes. I mean, strange new worlds when it first came out. I was like, new Star Trek. We've got a show about it. I love this. It's so classic. It feels a lot like tos. I love a lot of these pieces. And the broken circle. I mean, same thing, we get our introduction to pelea we get the stealing of the enterprise which no doubt

John T Bolds:

short, short comments 20 episodes.

Cameron:

Jesse Jesse

Unknown:

My point being

Jesse:

I wouldn't put this here, but I still don't know if I can use my veto. Especially if cameras gonna be putting episodes like this. Yeah, something important.

John T Bolds:

I wouldn't say 20 But I'll accept it as 20 I wouldn't take it for 2020 Yeah, I can definitely accept it.

Jim Moorhouse:

My favorite thing about the broken circle is how much better it got after under

Trev:

the cloak of war.

Cameron:

Yes, that's true. All right. And Jim, you will be choosing a number 19 Then level. Oh, yeah,

Jim Moorhouse:

that's easy. Here we go five words and a hashtag. It's just fine you know, hashtag but not going to make many Best of lists. So yeah, this was just a that's my review nothing about them. So it is season two, Episode Four among the Lotus Eaters. words I

Jesse:

could see Kevin bristling already

Cameron:

trading vetoes already I see

Jim Moorhouse:

number number 20 on trek ranks All right Ken we're going back and forth

Cameron:

let's see I mean Jesse Do you Do you want to throw a veto out

Jesse:

or i i still have episodes that I'm worried I'm gonna need to defend so I might hold mine and you know cam I love to put you in a tough spot and you have you

Cameron:

have to veto this episode is why I chose to vetoes and yes I will be using one for among the one of my favorites

Jesse:

I actually go back to the weld again as much as it pains me I gotta agree with Kim I think this is higher than 19 it definitely pays differently than the rest of the season but I absolutely love it

John T Bolds:

I fully would have accepted this at nine All right, so what's your backup?

Jim Moorhouse:

Okay, season one episode six five words and I asked tag may be heavy handed in its reveals hashtag with still a gut punch it is lift us were suffering cannot really dark episode, but some good stuff and I really I do like that episode. I loved kind of the whimsical nature of it but it's kind of got this whimsical Ren Faire and then also this really dark kind of stuff at the end.

John T Bolds:

Oh, John has a right Jimmy is the wildcard Yeah, seriously? I mean, I

Jim Moorhouse:

will say this money in 19 on my list, this

Cameron:

is much higher on my list. This is top 10 But I'm not burning my last veto on it.

John T Bolds:

Oh, yeah, I'm not gonna Oh, burnin. I

Cameron:

got mine. Okay, all right.

Jesse:

I think this tops out my top 10 list I do really love this episode. It gave us a lot it gave us our first servant Power Company baby battery sticker. Yeah. But I mean this is gonna be a long night you guys especially if we burned all our vetoes right away and the rest of it's gonna be so much harder. So I am going to accept Jim's pick all right.

Jim Moorhouse:

This is collaborative. Yes,

Cameron:

for me left us for somebody cannot reach us one of the two perfect episodes in the series so far. But it is a heavy Episode Three watchability isn't quite as high as my other perfect.

Jim Moorhouse:

Which again, remember my prime directive? I could only watch one for the rest of my life. Understandable. Yeah, it's not gonna be worth suffering cannot reach or among the Lotus Eaters. Yeah. Which both are really well made. Yeah, we're both really

John T Bolds:

well made that buddy jazz. Like I think these heavier, darker ones are going to be harder to recommend this time because those

Cameron:

are both like two of the more classic kind of trick TOS episodes to

Jim Moorhouse:

absolutely love, which I love. Yeah. All right, Jesse.

Cameron:

Will you bring us in with 18

Jesse:

I'm really hoping to be the first person with no controversy surrounding. For me, for me number 18 is ghost of Illyria and that was difficult for me because it does give us whatever tweaks here freak from Ortegas it gives us some solid backstory on Luna. It has Spock and pike cuddling on an alien planet like there's a lot to love about this episode. But when it comes to rewatching it just isn't high on my personal rewatch list. You know, like I remember all of ghosts of Illyria I you know so much that gets laid there gets used later and I just it's not that I need to rewatch it end on end. So my pick for 18 is ghosts of Illyria

Cameron:

I'm fine with that.

John T Bolds:

I can take that I can accept that.

Jim Moorhouse:

I love ghosts malaria. Number 14 on my list. I don't have a veto and I probably wouldn't have vetoed it anyways but that's it's it's a it's a fun one. It just I love this is such a big game changer for number one. Okay,

Unknown:

Read. Yeah. Wow.

Cameron:

Guys, we could do it. Alright,

John T Bolds:

let's get another call real quick. I'm gonna go with pixie.

Tessa:

This isn't Sophie's Choice people I know everyone is going to act like this is the hardest decision of the week, but we really have a clear cut top three episodes. Number one, the best horror episode of modern TV playing homage to classics like the thing and mixing practical and special effects in a way that really showcases the artistry of both of those who wonder number two, a fantastic comedy and incredible microcosm of interpersonal relationships on the ship and an all around blast that lets us look at characters in a slightly different angle than other episodes do. Spock amok. And finally, number three, an episode that makes my little bio student heart sing giving us a look at some characters that feels severely underrepresented in the show. Bringing us back to some indoor dynamics and balancing tension with humor and a delightful harmony. My only season to pick lost in translation. This is pixie the artist formerly known as Tessa and I am glad to be back pixie

Jim Moorhouse:

fantastic list Glad to have you back and one of my one of my deep cut favorites on that list. Nice is gonna

Jesse:

hate your pics Cameron.

John T Bolds:

Yeah, as soon as you said Spock amok and like, Ooh, boy. Yeah.

Jim Moorhouse:

Oh, yeah. Now,

Jesse:

here's something that I really like about this list, you know, outside of the list itself, which I do really like. Most of the folks that I spoke with on the social medias were hard pressed to pick Season One episodes at all, it seemed like season two, there seems to be a consensus that season two, you know, episode two episode was much stronger. And while I understand that impulse, I don't know that I agree with it. So I'm really glad to hear season one getting some love here. Yeah,

Jim Moorhouse:

I'm split right down the middle on. Three out of my top five are season one and five out of 10 or season one.

Unknown:

Okay. All right. So I'm split.

Jim Moorhouse:

By the way, I like that picks the heavy four and comedy right there. Yeah, that's really Yeah. Really good.

Cameron:

All right. Well, it's coming back to me. Do I just throw Spock Amok back on there? I don't know. We've got two lovers of it. Maybe

Jim Moorhouse:

the both of you are be true to yourself, man. That's that's, that's important. It's collaborative. But also be

John T Bolds:

right, maybe okay,

Cameron:

but I think what I'm going to pick Yeah, might be controversial as well. I think my next one might be might be met with some dissatisfaction. I don't know. Look, I love the premise of this episode so much. The idea is so good. And I just I feel like it didn't quite hit what it wanted to do. For reasons I've talked on this podcast. The season one finale, quality of mercy is what I'm going to slot in here. Now. I got angry eyes from Jim. Why do you what do you guys think? Where do we fall on the quality of mercy?

Jim Moorhouse:

Well, let me

Cameron:

go ahead, Jim. Make it make a case. That's not locked in yet. No.

Jim Moorhouse:

My case is how familiar are you with bounce a tear?

Cameron:

I mean, I watched it right. But after watching quality mercy, and then watch quality and mercy again, I think

Jim Moorhouse:

Jessie and John, how familiar are you without some tear out the same? I

John T Bolds:

love tears, the

Cameron:

better is to live with

Jim Moorhouse:

1000 Tara for like 60 years. And when this thing Yeah, it's just such a great idea. It's, it's,

Cameron:

it's really it's professionally I'd problem is they, they present a different scenario and quality and mercy than what happened, imbalance a tariff. So you can't say oh, it should have been though. Like, we don't know that if pike had been in the exact same position as Kirk and balanced the terror that he would have made different choices. They gave him a different scenario and quality and mercy. And that kind of Mulder caught the entire premise.

Jesse:

I was more leaning toward like, I love it. It's amazing. I have no actual problems with it. But do I think it kind of requires that knowledge of balance of terror for you to love it as much as you possibly could? I think it does. Whereas, like, just for example, those old scientists you don't really need to know lower decks to have a ton of fun with that episode. I'm going to accept Cameron's pic here. I still have a quality of Mercy higher than he does. But this is within a range for me that I find acceptable.

John T Bolds:

I'm with Jessie there the with that same exact comparison Elise, the episode that those old scientists strengthens is in the same season as those old scientists not almost 60 years before those old scientists. So yeah, same thing. It's kind of the marvel marvel itis where you got to do a bunch of homework to understand everything you're watching. It's not a bunch of homework, but it is homework. And it's it's probably right about where I want to put this episode.

Jesse:

With apologies to both Jim and Matthew MacFadyen who we

Cameron:

oh yeah, he was amazing. All right. Jim Well, you get to pick another one of my favorites. Oh,

Jim Moorhouse:

this one. This one's hard for me to pick here but I'm gonna do it because I'm sticking to my ranks here because I actually I enjoy this episode a lot but you know there's a lot of episodes about it that I just liked better. So that's that's the challenge of ranking right there. season one episode seven five words and a hashtag, twisty brotherly reveal of redacted hashtag instantly elevate Star Trek five. Speaking of connections, this is the serene Squall and I love that ending of the serene Squall. And I love Angel. And I love a lot of the stuff happening in this episode. But it's my pick here at number 16.

Cameron:

Okay, I did not get a slot or to hire but I mean, yeah, it's I love Angel. Love Captain angel. I enjoy the reveal. I think there's a lot of fun stuff happening on the planet with the cooking and the mutiny. But yeah, I mean, again, it's just, it's a good episode. amongst a lot of great episodes.

Jesse:

That's, that's where I'm at. I'm comfortable with this pick. I think I actually had it maybe one or two slots lower. But I again, same thing. I don't hate this episode by a longshot. A little bit of the tonal dissonance for me, I think played into it because, yes, it's campy. And yes, I get that and that's the DNA of Star Trek, but the shift is so massive in this episode that it kind of messed with me for probably like 510 minutes where I was like, I thought we were doing this that we're doing this okay. All right.

Jim Moorhouse:

Yeah, that's that was my number one issue Jesse. Yeah, total dissonance inside the same episode is a big challenge.

John T Bolds:

It is a big deal. It's an it's a weird choice. And I kind of think that the ending reveal that after you know, we've had a lot of time, but not a lot of episodes since that reveal. But we have had years. People only talk about the last shot of that episode these days. They don't talk about the rest of the episode when you're talking about it. So I think it's which is a shame because there's some great stuff. Like again, it's an enjoyable episode, but I think it's part of its crime. Maybe that's a little forgettable and overshadowed by the last 10 seconds. So

Jim Moorhouse:

well angels angels not forgiving

Cameron:

as a character what excites me is not Ooh cybox Ooh cevok is like a Natural Born Killers relationship with Angel with this like starcrossed lovers and is using them or not. And that's what excites me about bringing them back. Cool. Yeah,

Jesse:

yeah. And there's a lot of I mean, let's be honest, there are a lot of Spock needs to deal with both his halves in strange new worlds. So like, you know, of those I think this I think this is about property slavery.

Cameron:

Yeah.

John T Bolds:

Let's hear next from our friend plaidy

Platty:

Hey, open Fight Night. This is the peerless plaidy and the three first off before giving you my top three, I'm just gonna set the crossover Elysium kingdom and musical episodes aside, they're too awesome to fairly compete here and I'm sure my fellow callers will give them their due so my top three here no particular order tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow. Still not a huge fan of our new James T. Kirk so him getting killed was fun in this but basically I was on board with everything in this episode. I found it all just amazing. From the fish out of water moments to connections to Khan and enterprise with the temporal wars. It was all fun and it began lons emotional journey in season two, which I simply adored. Number two was Ad Astra per Aspera after rewatching most of Berman trek this past year I've seen better from and I've seen dramatic recently, they're fresh in my head, but this one trumped them all. It's my favorite trek legal episode from the amazing guest our attorneys to the commander in a backstory and the themes of acceptance that are incredibly necessary these days. All just cool stuff. First episode I just had to immediately rewatch the second I was done watching it and I guess it wouldn't be a strange new worlds list. If I didn't mention an episode with a stranger world lift us up where suffering cannot reach was an amazing experience for me. Maybe it was because I caught it at 4am in the desert on the Arizona border while waiting for the sun to rise above a mesa we can't hear or maybe because after nearly a quarter century of teaching elementary school I immediately had plenty of battery candidates flashed through my mind and its moral quandary was completely compelling. Not every episode of Trek has to have all the answers I just enjoy the journeys where they at least ask the hard questions all right I'm running out of time so plenty of three out

John T Bolds:

I love it when somebody's job defines a horrific episode is hilarious

Jim Moorhouse:

I love that plenty immediately came on to the secret trek ranks thing where they cheated right right away and list of five picks five picks off the bat which I love because anytime you cheat and you get more Star Trek in that we approve of that greatly. So yeah, five picks from plaidy

Jesse:

There we go. And thank you plaidy for giving lift us its proper place. Because you know because therefore So I'm not going to agree with the official list all the way through so I appreciate that deeply. And it sounds like you had kind of a spiritual experience with that one which is really really great.

John T Bolds:

I remember him mentioning that when he called for our episode when we discussed it. He was out there camping and loving it and now he's great

Jesse:

at spinning a narrative. Oh, yeah.

Cameron:

All right, number 15. Jessie Okay,

Jesse:

so I'm trying here, Jim. Spock Amok is gonna slot in right here at 15 for me for most of the reasons that I said earlier I love this episode. I think it sets up charades to be arguably an old timer and I have a ton of fun with it and I did I did on my personal list it's actually slightly higher than this but I don't think I'm going to escape this tear. If I don't slot Spock amok in at 15 Vito Just kidding.

Jim Moorhouse:

I veto your veto.

John T Bolds:

You do still have that, Jim?

Cameron:

I know. How do we feel guys? Yeah, I mean, I said my piece. You got it. You got it. What would you get? You got five spots hires Jim with your veto. So I think I think he could feel happy about that. That's a that's a well used veto.

Jim Moorhouse:

Yeah, I'm still stewing about quality and mercy.

Jesse:

Yes, well, that was Jim from

Cameron:

not a good collaborative draft. And if someone leaves in a huff

John T Bolds:

I can I can accept Spock amok? That 15 I think, I mean, I think it could fit in, in a lot of places. I don't know that it could be number one, but I think it could fit in almost anywhere on this list and 15 works.

Jesse:

And as Jim says, it's 15 today. Exactly. That's

John T Bolds:

right. Exactly. That's right. All right, John, you your first pick. All right, and actually, it's a great way to say it, Jesse because I do think this one is for me. Number 14. Today. I'm gonna have to pick hegemony. Huh, I mean, yeah, it's a solid episode. It's a fun episode. It's but it is it right right now, it's not a full episode. It's not a full story. And if I had one episode to watch, I'm not going to you know that Gemini is not going to be anywhere near the top 10 of those are the top five this is gonna make you mad. Pretty much so yeah, I'm going to be a little I'm gonna little angrily pick hegemony from my number 14.

Jesse:

I have this basically proximate to where you've got it. I have it at number 10 I think for me, it's because it does carry a lot of special memories. Like this was the first episode I think that all three of us watched in the same room together. And that was that was a big deal for me. And I think I could see on all three of our faces the realization that this was gonna get split. And that was huge for me. And we're going to end up waiting longer for this than anybody has ever waited for a Star Trek cliffhanger resolution so that makes it special to me. But I can't disagree with you like if I need some quick trek to pick me up. It can't be this because I'm just going to be mad that I'm still waiting. Yeah,

Cameron:

that's fair. This is much higher on my list. It was in my I can't choose five so top six tear. However part of that might be to what Jesse said like the memories of watching it all with you guys. I mean, I remember like it just being over and me being like the fucking nailed it. Good for them. Yeah, so that's why it's so high up but I think John you're right, it is half an episode and for that reason, I will allow it to be as low as number 14

Jim Moorhouse:

All right, camera my trek brother. See it's number seven on track rank. Oh, by the way, it's all it can only go up from here because you know when it comes back, and that's right, exactly. Episode One. It's only going to be linked to it and get stronger. So yeah, awesome episode. But your reasoning John makes perfect sense.

Jesse:

I think this is to this day, still the only episode I've seen Cameron, watch and then say no notes. Yeah,

Cameron:

I came up with some notes later, but at the moment.

Jim Moorhouse:

Yeah. It's awesome. All right. So

Cameron:

let's get back to me and I know I'm gonna make some waves with this one. I'm sorry. I don't know if you guys but from our callers, I can already tell that we will. Um, again, there's a lot to love. But tomorrow, and tomorrow. Oh, Maura. Wow. That's just a little too clunky. For me. There are moments that are exquisite. But overall, again, I think a lot of the comedy didn't quite hit. I wasn't. I've come around on our Kirk since then. And this episode helped me learn to like him more. But this is my 13th for whatever reasons. It's the last one in my bottom bucket. What do you guys say?

Jim Moorhouse:

I've been waiting here for 30 years to be on Monday night

Unknown:

this is you

Jesse:

guys this is shaping up to be a super contentious top 10. Like, what? What else gonna throw that out there? What's, um, I don't know, which I'm not opposed to. I think it's gonna make it really fun. I Oh, this is difficult. So I have this within five picks of where you've got it, Karen, I do have it higher than you do. But I like I think I get it. Right Like, I love this episode because it feels like the Voyager episode features and it gives us our best look yet at law on we get a lot of canon tie ins with DTI, things like that. I think this episode solidified law on as a way better than anybody thought she was going to be when the series started, especially when they announced Oh, yeah, there's a Noonien Singh on this crew. Everybody was like, why? Yeah. And the answer is this episode, because we got this actor who can put this much of behind a performance and really make you care about this character that you know, is not going to end up in tos. So I get it when people put this really high on their list, but at the same time, I don't know that I can super disagree with your camera. And I know that strange new worlds does a lot of past dishes and like the whole rom com staying in the hotel room with like the fluttery sheets and slow motion. It just kind of didn't do it. For me. I think

Cameron:

going back to quality and mercy. I tend to be harder on episodes that I'm like, I can see what you're going for. And you didn't quite get there like like episodes, I feel have more promise than execution than episodes that I'm just like, Oh, that was all right. And you know, for better or worse, you can disagree with me. But like for me, that's always that that does drop things down. For me. I think that's where I'm coming at. Because I see an amazing episode with this. And they got part of the way there. Yeah,

John T Bolds:

it's a streaming show. Show them hooking up come on everybody what they want.

Cameron:

Red Shoe diary diaries.

Jesse:

All I know of that is that I was not allowed to rent those off of the shelf at Blockbuster, which used to be a physical store that rented movies out for younger listeners. Do I Do we have any vetoes here? Do we have any disagreement? I

John T Bolds:

can accept this.

Jim Moorhouse:

All right, our I love tomorrow and tomorrow tomorrow, but it's number nine on my list. So it's only four. Yeah,

John T Bolds:

you're close enough to my range that I can't I can't be mad about 13.

Cameron:

You got your five words and hashtag. Yeah,

Jim Moorhouse:

you know what I love about this episode, I said it about a couple others five words in the hashtag this episode keeps paying off hash tag we combined with full season. It's amazing how much the rest of the season connects back to this episode. That's true with long story and Kirk and all his I think I think the current narrative throughout the seasons amazing, which I'll talk about at some point with one of these pigs. All right.

John T Bolds:

All right. All right. Well, let's hear from another one of our callers. Here is Peter with his rankings.

Peter:

i It's Peter here on my top three episodes of strange new worlds. And number three is subspace Rhapsody. This was an experimental story, which was an excellent musical episode. We had lots of singing, dancing, and the story also moved several character arcs along. When I play one specific song from its soundtrack. More often than not, I end up listening to the entire album. And number two is those old scientist. While Trek has had characters crossing over to other trek shows, this crossover episode with lower decks was on a whole other level. Jack Quaid gave a slightly more serious interpretation of Beutler here and like subspace Rhapsody. The story also moved some of this character arcs along such as pike Spock and chapels. Finally, number one is a quality of mercy. This alternative future episode connects with TOS his balance of terror and provides a riveting What if story, which has Admiral pipe trying to correct what went wrong. Spock realizing that hikes actions helped him in some way also explained Spock's action from TOS is the menagerie. Yeah, I look forward to hearing everyone's list of favorite episodes. Live long and prosper.

Jim Moorhouse:

My boy Peter, three time guests on track right? Through with the quality of mercy, right. That's right. Yeah.

Jesse:

Peter knows his stuff. And I gotta say, Peter, you're number one on my list for saying a whole other instead of a whole nother, thank you so much for that.

Cameron:

Fair. All right. Well, Jim, you've got number 12.

Jim Moorhouse:

Well, this, you guys you among malodorous theater lovers got a reprieve because I forgot I had to pick it up. I wasn't gonna say anything. So here we go. It's gonna be number 12 season two episode four I'm not doing my five words again. So it's a manga Lotus Eaters at number 12

Jesse:

That actually lines up exactly with my number 12 So I am good with this pic.

Cameron:

I really want to see it higher up. I think it's the second I think Perfect episode of the series. There's not a bad beat in it. We get the whole Ortegas it's the most Vegas we get that you get all the fun stuff down on the planet pike like dealing with you know his nature over who he wants to be. Who he sees himself as who he is like we see what he is when you strip away the Starfleet ideals. I think it's a classic feeling episode that still highlights character while managing to get in those big ideas. But I do want to save my veto for maybe some other episodes higher up so I will leave why is that it pains me among the Lotus Eaters at number 12

Jim Moorhouse:

Well you have one detail left

John T Bolds:

I have one veto left John C Are you out? No I'm not gonna monka No

Cameron:

Please I

John T Bolds:

was with Jim the first time

Cameron:

I know this is my hot take in the group but I also know how some callers who are going to give it some justice i i liked

Jesse:

this episode but yeah I and I'm gonna just you know flat out disagree with you cam This is a huge chunk of Ortegas but I don't think it's the most tickets we get so I'm I'm comfortable putting among a load of cedars number 12

Cameron:

Sir audio doesn't count that's their audio.

Jesse:

Yeah, you and I disagree on that episode.

Cameron:

Glad I saved that veto. All right, well, I'm gonna slot it in if there are no objections, objections where it goes now. All right, on this highly incorrect list.

John T Bolds:

Now this is the official list for sending to Paramount they said we choose and they they listed that way.

Cameron:

So now right well, now I'm worried going into Jesse's pick where you got for 11 The final Okay, bottom 10

Jesse:

I I really struggled here you guys. For the reasons Cameron just mentioned. I you know me, you know, I love all these episodes, it's hard for me to pick a slot for any of them. I especially loved our time with Kay Handley and Tom Pollachi. I love Bill Wolkoff. I love subspace Rhapsody I really, really do. And it has a lot of meaningful character moments and plot progression in it. But it is a ton of fun. And I it's either in the top 10 For me, or it's just outside the top 10 And because of the way these picks are going to be structured I am going to attempt to slot subspace Rhapsody right here at number allow

John T Bolds:

I don't want to figure that would be in your top 10

Jesse:

It's very close to my top 10 Yeah, I

Cameron:

mean I have it in my next tear up but it's not far off. i There's so much to love about it. Is that amazing that it works as well as it does. But I've talked about how like the third acts kind of aren't we all great working together doesn't pay off as well as it should because we don't see the cast really in disarray before that. And I feel like it focuses on character arcs. I personally wasn't as invested in the series. So yeah, I'm it's a little lower than I put it but I'm okay with it here.

Unknown:

I can see a lot of wheels turning on the screen listening.

Jim Moorhouse:

Remaining. Listen, there's just one outlier that there's only one outlier. That'd be like, Wow, I can't believe that one's gonna finish outside of subspace Rhapsody.

John T Bolds:

I'm not gonna say

Cameron:

okay, well, John's got a veto.

John T Bolds:

Oh, no, no, this is literally exactly where I have SubSys rapsi on my pick. Oh, two. So

Cameron:

yeah, all right. Well, we did it guys. We got the bottom 10 Who knows the

Jim Moorhouse:

second 10 km.

Cameron:

Secondary. You're right. You're right. Thank you.

Jim Moorhouse:

This is the best, man great episodes because it's a top

Cameron:

20 episodes. That's right.

Unknown:

Right.

John T Bolds:

All right. Well, for number 10 It's harder as hard now here I'm going back it does get harder. And is a beautiful episode. But I'm gonna have to I'm gonna have to give it to all those who wander. I like it. I think it's I think it's fun to see actual monster horror on Star Trek. But I think I think you know, people immediately said oh reminds me of this and this, this, this and this. That's not going to change that's never going to change. It's just going to remind people those same things more and more. Yeah, I gotta go with all those who wander

Cameron:

off That's about where I had it. Yeah. I agree. It's got some of the best moments. I mean, jeez, what? Who's Who's the guest alien? And that one that says no, no, he was great. His death was phenomenal. But I agree there's, it maybe takes a step or to past homage at times.

Jesse:

I'll go the opposite direction and say with how new this show is, I bet there were people watching this who have not seen alien, and we're like, why do you gotta do that to me,

Cameron:

Jesse? Well, that's what people are not that old.

Jesse:

So they probably heard all that and went oh, well, I'm gonna go check out aliens. So I think that's a point for this episode rather than against it. I you know, I miss hemmer with all my heart. And I love that he got to be the guy that Spock rips off in Wrath of Khan, but I think I'm going to allow this to sit at number 10 for me. All right.

Jim Moorhouse:

Number 10 On track right. Oh, hey,

Cameron:

look at that. Oh, we're finally starting to sync up.

John T Bolds:

All right, let's hear from our buddy tribe. We haven't heard from him in a little while.

Jim Moorhouse:

Yeah. Hey, it's

Trev:

Trev beaming in from failure to franchise the podcast devoted to failed movie franchises. Top three episodes. I'm gonna go with those old scientists is number one and subspace Rhapsody is number two. Well, it's kind of something you can throw on and revisit whenever you just need a quick blast of joy in your life. Those old scientists merging these two awesome shows that the new trek era getting to see our lower decks characters in live action. Great jokes, really fun performances. Yeah, I think it's just an episode I will definitely revisit. And similarly subspace Rhapsody I don't know that anyone expected trek to try and ever pull off a musical really good songs. You know, I've listened to the soundtrack multiple times. And today, and I think again, I'll we're time I'll keep coming back to this one. So for number three, I wanted to give season one some love. And I also wanted to have a little bit of a more serious episode and mix. So I will actually go with all those who wander. You know, I'm a big horror night in addition to being a Trek fan. So it's really cool to see trek play with a lot of the you know, kind of typical horror tropes. Yeah, it was maybe a little cliched. Maybe they're just playing in some of the horror movies we've seen in the past, but they did really, really well. And more importantly, hammers death at the end was just so striking and so surprising in the moment. You know, it was the I think that was the moment where I realized this wasn't just going to be the predictable kind of play it safe trek prequel. This could have been, and instead made me sit up in my chair and realize this show is something special. So yeah, that's my top three. Really looking forward to hearing what everyone else has to say seeing what the final rankings come down to. But yeah, at the end of the day, hasn't been a bad episode yet. Hopefully, then keep that streak going. Alright, thanks, guys. I'll talk again soon word agree

Jesse:

with Trev there has not been a bad episode. Yeah. And I that's what's making this so hard for.

Cameron:

Yeah, so let's see. I'm looking I've got a I've got some episodes on my third tier that again, not bad episodes, but I cannot have higher than other episodes coming up. So I think for number nine, I'm gonna play strange new worlds. Look, I get it is the episode that introduced us all to this new fabulous show. There's a lot of great stuff in it. I love I love whenever Starfleet gets to be the alien in the sky, the UFO. Great stuff. But yeah, I think the show just got stronger from there. You know? Like I think Jesse said they had a lot to do had to introduce us to these characters this world. It's it's a great foundation for more episodes to build off of. Yeah, I

Jesse:

I actually have this fairly lower on my list. But again, the draft constraints and with how much I did really enjoy this. And I think you've got to give it its due when it comes to introducing a new Star Trek series. So I am I'm happy with strange new worlds at number nine. Yep.

John T Bolds:

I also again, this is exactly why I had strange worlds on my legs to like, I can't drop a pillow top 10 Again, because you said Damn. It introduced us. It made us you know, it may not have been a pilot like we talked about when we first talked about this episode, but as a premier as an introduction. It's like man, it sucks you right in. You're right into this world. And there you go. Thank you like you do have to give it its due for what it did for the show. A whole

Unknown:

lot of fun. Yeah.

Jesse:

All right, so slotting that one in all right,

Cameron:

Jim. Number eight, the OCE

Jim Moorhouse:

speaking of a whole lot of fun. Okay, at number eight. I love this episode. Five words and a hashtag get TOS DNA guides nostalgic classic hashtag abra cadabra. Oh, and it is the Elysian kingdom. season one, episode eight. All right, an awesome episode. And listen, we're splitting hairs at this point you're talking about top eight up so these are all awesome episodes.

John T Bolds:

Yeah,

Jesse:

I still think there might be a veto coming. Let's find out.

Jim Moorhouse:

I mean, you gotta burn your beat. was a sample like

Cameron:

this that I'm burning this veto faster than nuclear fire when you're leasing Kingdom at number 800%

Unknown:

Wow All right. All right. So

Cameron:

my vetoes are gone but I'm glad with what I had to play them for. I feel good about it. Okay,

Jim Moorhouse:

well, let's see if I can go for two for vetoes here. Here's a two for veto. We're gonna get a two in a row on veto that's my prediction. season two episode two genius addition to courtroom pantheon. Hashtag asylum. It's an Astra per Aspera is my number eight choice now that's about a Yeah, I love this episode, but man, I got about seven episodes ahead of it, guys.

Cameron:

I'm feeling so good for swapping leasing kingdom for that Ad Astra Aspera right now I'm feeling good. I feel like I'm winning this draft right now. Like,

John T Bolds:

I'll just say right now I'm not doing this. I do think it's a great episode. I think it's a beautiful episode. I think it gets made better by another episode. So that means the episode isn't quite there like I I think it will stand the test of time though. I do think like all the ones that are left I think will stand the test of time, even some that people would be surprised at So eight, eight works. Jessie's

Cameron:

stroking his beard with one veto in his lap.

Jesse:

And that's because there's an episode that hasn't been ranked yet that I'm like, This is not a top eight episode. I think we just haven't gotten to it for a number of reasons. But to me, it's squarely outside the top eight. But I don't know if Jim would end up putting it here if I veto this. And would I be happy with the top seven overall?

Jim Moorhouse:

You don't want to know my next one. Well, now I kind of do. Do

John T Bolds:

there's one episode I'm amazed as still in the running, but I

Jesse:

legitimately think we just mostly forgot about it, John. I really do. I haven't. Okay, any

Jim Moorhouse:

of these? I got it all mapped out.

John T Bolds:

Do I'm gonna do it? But

Jesse:

if I do then that makes that other episode higher and I don't think that other episode is higher. I mean, it gets it would be higher either way.

Cameron:

Either way. Well, unless he picks it all right, and you haven't picked it? How come you haven't

Jim Moorhouse:

picked that other episode? Because

Unknown:

I forgot and I got worried.

Jim Moorhouse:

Collaborative.

Jesse:

I'm gonna put a I'm gonna put an editor's note at the end of this ranking. Okay, so I'm going to veto that pick mostly because I think at Astra is a top three. All right, maybe top five of all of strange new worlds.

Jim Moorhouse:

I think I'm about to get the triple detail. I know Wait, who has a veto? I do. Just the only person that okay. Yeah, this could happen here we go. Tie words and a hashtag genius comedy partner to a mock hashtag impossible to not be ranked any higher. It is season two episode five charades?

John T Bolds:

I fully accept that pic? Absolutely. Okay.

Jesse:

I'm okay. No

Jim Moorhouse:

problem. Right.

Cameron:

I have it in the five to 10 range for sure. Yep.

Jesse:

I like it as a top 10. I'm still just devastated that I yeah, we'll get into it. All right. It's time for

Cameron:

a call or another. Yeah,

John T Bolds:

let's do let's hear is Abby. Hey,

Abby from First Flight:

open pike. This is Abby summer from the first flight podcast talking fast because this is a lot to get into 90 seconds. And I have to say I make a huge caveat between my favorite episodes and the best episodes, they're not necessarily the same. So and these change every single day. So I wanted a humor episode in my top three and I had to go between Spock amok and charades no surprise, Vulcan aesthetic for me. And it falls down to spec them up because it's just so quotable. And I can put that on and just fall into it and absolutely adore every part of it. So for my comfort episode, this was really hard. It was between those old scientists and subspace Rhapsody partly because I watched both of them repeatedly with my daughter's and again, quote and love those but I can rock out to subspace Rhapsody in my car super loud. So that's why it's on my top three. And a trek for all time. There's so many equality of Mercy under the cloak of war tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow. But I landed with Ad Astra per Aspera because I wear that on a t shirt all the time, you know, to the stars through hardship, what else could be more trick and that's a lesson we need all the time and so is that episode, and powerful women and amazing costumes including those dress uniform, so it had to come out on top for me. So I know I'm pushing time but for today, my top three are going to be Spock Amok subspace Rhapsody and Ad Astra per Aspera this was hard hope your brains don't explode. Talk So,

Jim Moorhouse:

my good friend Abby come in through time guest hosts on trade. We love her.

Jesse:

We gotta get out of here.

Jim Moorhouse:

I just saved her. She's gonna keep listening to your show, because

Cameron:

you're last,

Jim Moorhouse:

but not number 20

Cameron:

All right, well, Jesse, I think we know what you're going to choose now.

Jesse:

I I'm I feel like I've been railroaded into this pick.

Cameron:

One. So Jesse, it's a really good episode.

Jesse:

It's a it's a good episode I had. I think that this episode that I'm going to slot in here at number seven, only suffers because of where it was placed in the season. Yep. Following up an episode like charades. And being right before an episode, like those old scientists is a really tough spot to be on. I mean, sometimes it's hard act to follow. And I think that definitely colors my feelings on Lost in Translation. And I think I have to slot it in here because it is not a top five. For me. It is not a top three. For me. I think I actually have it fairly low. I want to say it's 18 or 19 on my list. And again, it's not because I don't like it. It's just that there are so many other episodes that if I'm going to sit down and rewatch a single episode would come before this. But I am running out of space you guys so I'm gonna put lost in translation at number seven.

Unknown:

Yeah. Yeah, I'm

Jim Moorhouse:

so glad you forgot about this. So this is number five on my episode rules and is the absolute The Forgotten gem of the first two seasons? It is?

John T Bolds:

Yeah, I can't argue that it is the Forgotten gem. It is a beautiful episode, but it is forgotten because it's surrounded by so many brighter gems. Not better, just brighter, just so many more memorable moments. But also, it's not a totally original or newer, shocking story. It's not it's a story we've seen before. It's it's a you know, ultimately, the plot is like, oh, yeah, like I definitely know this story. I know what's going to happen halfway through. But man, is it a beautiful episode and fun to see zombie ember? Like and and I really I know, it's really controversial, especially with Cam I like the Kirk Spock who her a shot of the end I small enough to be to fit but yeah, it's fine.

Cameron:

I was gonna say I'll do them that shot though. I don't know why Kirk's in this episode. He doesn't need to be in this episode. Other than getting current on

Jim Moorhouse:

stuff connects so but well, it's

Cameron:

not about that tomorrow. I like Kirk and subspace Rhapsody better than I like him here. But

Jim Moorhouse:

the line would agree with threads through this whole season. This is part of it. It connects all the way through and then you get subspace Rhapsody This is that's all part of the this incredible woven thread they do in the show so well. This is key to that. And this is the episode where Kirk is just

Unknown:

This is Kirk.

John T Bolds:

You're right This is Kirk. This is the first real Yeah, it's the first real Kirk episode of strange new rights like absolutely yeah, it's the first non alternate so

Jesse:

and I don't mean to take anything away from Selia good things performance because like the scenes where whoever is in the hallway and start seeing things like it is incredibly well acted it's all very good. We get some great stuff between una and pelea I do really like the episode I don't want it to come across that I don't because I do but you know that having been said I love all these episodes like I said at the start and that's what is making this so difficult

Jim Moorhouse:

in the famous words of Kingdom. I love that this came in at number seven and now I feel like I'm winning

Cameron:

all right, John. Well you got the last pick before we get to our top five. I

John T Bolds:

do and I love this episode. I love it more than I did the first time I watched it I think it's wonderful and I think it tells a great story and I think it has a great sense of tension but I have to put under the cloak of ward number six I

Jim Moorhouse:

Where's the perfect spot

Cameron:

where's my veto

Jesse:

you forced me into my veto

Cameron:

no yours There's another a title I was waiting for you to say John Yeah really? under the cloak of war here

John T Bolds:

Yeah, I It's a great episode but I don't know that it's these top five you know

Cameron:

that we haven't played children in the comment yet. Right? Yeah,

John T Bolds:

I think children are the comment is a better episode than under the cloak of war. Again looking at it the way I ranked it in 10 years. What would I recommend to somebody you didn't bet your ass shoulder the comment is higher than under the cloak.

Cameron:

I get under the with that with that qualifiers. Yes. Step

Jesse:

still disagree. This is a top three episode of strange new worlds, but I have no power with which to constraint. You want

Cameron:

to veto yourself, John, we can convince him to veto himself Jesse, let's do this.

John T Bolds:

Wait. Oh, so you can so Jim has to veto my veto. But he doesn't have to, but that's his only chance to Okay. Yeah, right. Interesting.

Jim Moorhouse:

Yeah, I'm watching you like a hawk. John T. bolds.

Cameron:

Yeah, honestly, under the clinical it's not far from my my ranking. I probably have it in the four to six slots. So it's, I just, I like children with the comment, but I don't know if it's top five.

Jim Moorhouse:

But it was no, it isn't. For me,

Jesse:

it was,

Unknown:

it was Tom Tran. For me, it

Jesse:

was having Tom Tran on an actual combat vet to talk about how well he thinks they nailed this episode. We spoke with Davey Perez about some of the things that he mixed into the DNA of this episode like the Star Trek six. i This is one of my favorite episodes of Star Trek ever. So yes, I cannot do anything about this placement but just know that I am entering under the cloak of war at number six under heavy

Jim Moorhouse:

I mean six is pretty great. Yeah, that's high. Sorry. Yeah.

John T Bolds:

My final argument against this being any higher is it does require other episodes to be as good as it it requires the knowledge I mean, it requires a requires the broken circle to be as good as it is.

Unknown:

I don't

Cameron:

think it does. I don't think it does. I don't have any power here. The world building is so good. I

Jim Moorhouse:

think that's a good thing. John's saying so I'm agree with Jim. But I think it's a good thing.

Cameron:

Okay, well I tipped my hand at my number five I think I do love children the comment it reminds me of like a live action mist and that's awesome. But not much of it really stands out and and my beloved Sam Kirk is a her as mentor is just dashed to pieces after this episode. So yeah, that's true. Children

Jim Moorhouse:

in the comment the only time he's gonna be dashed a piece

Cameron:

Yeah, 60 years too soon. Yeah. Children common number five, John.

John T Bolds:

Yeah. Yeah,

Jim Moorhouse:

you gotta veto. Yep. No, I know.

John T Bolds:

I know. I do. Three more choices to analysis after this. I know. And I have a passion to choice. Yeah. All right,

Jim Moorhouse:

number eight on my list. And I think it's another underrated classic that people overlook. So the fact that it's in the top five, I'm thrilled.

Jesse:

Okay, all right. Agreed. It's in my it's in my top seven. And I love this episode. One strength I think it has is you could show it to somebody who is not a Star Trek fan, and they would

John T Bolds:

completely love structure. But it is a pickup standalone, great example of strange new worlds. And that's why it's definitely so hi for me. Let's hear from our good friend, Mark,

Engineer Mark:

engineer mark here and what a difficult question as all 20 episodes are really, really great. Pictures three. Well, here goes. Number three. Among the Lotus Eaters, we get to see who they are when they even they don't know who they are, with a far more importantly, Morty egos. This is the episode we were all asking for. She is Erica Ortegas and she flies the ship all by herself. She figures it out finds a way to hold on to her identity and saves the ship and everyone on it. No matter what happens on the planet without the ship and crew. They be just stuck like pikes loss crew person number two, and I was a kid the first thing I hung on my wall wasn't a rock poster or some pinup it was a Larry Elmore artwork so have to include lesion kingdom for their truly fancy font it brings to this crew and a story ending that is a little sad, but also very positive. Number one Ad Astra per Aspera is a truly essential episode of Star Trek one I would recommend with some others in the Trek universe as one to watch for someone who has never seen trek. Everyone works towards a positive answer and none more than Neeraj played by guest star UTD so brilliantly that she takes what was already a high standard for this cast and brings it that much more. Well Until next time, live long and prosper.

John T Bolds:

All right, Mark, thank you very much.

Cameron:

Thank you, Mark. I knew I could count on you for some among Lotus here love you guys,

Jesse:

before we go any further I just want to say I'm looking at the four episodes that we have left to ranking and I think I'm gonna be happy with how this shakes out.

Cameron:

I yeah, I mean, I don't have as much personal love for it at Astra per Aspera but I recognize I mean it's really good and I recognize how many people do have it on their top three so I'm I'm not shedding tears yet. Yeah. All right, Jim, give us number four. Okay,

Jim Moorhouse:

let's go back to my five words and hashtag already season one, episode eight, the Elysium Kingdom once. It's an episode I freaking love it's, it's fantastic. It's got literally everything the TLS vibes on this episode are spectacular. And when this episode dropped in season one it was like, Okay, this show can do anything just like TLS which I love as an old school TLS

Cameron:

I have a feeling John is not going to veto this placement here. So it's in my top three, but yeah, I can't complain about number four. I've talked about how maybe other episodes struggled with comedy Elysium Kingdom showed how every joke could land magnificently. It showed us the range of this cast. It was able to give us uproarious laughter and then hit us with a gut punch and tears at the end. It's it's it's a great episode. Is it my favorite episode?

Jim Moorhouse:

Yeah, probably. Is your number one.

Cameron:

I mean today? Yes, yeah. Okay. Yeah,

Jesse:

there's so much that's good about it. I mean, they get around, they get around not being able to do holodeck episodes because of the place in the timeline that it takes place. And I think it absolutely nails that tonal shift that we were talking about a little bit with the serene Squall where it's like, oh, this is vastly different now than it was. But Cameron is right, this is masterfully executed all the way through. You're laughing you're having a great time and you kind of sense they might tear your heart out. And then they do and it's still totally works.

John T Bolds:

Yeah, that's, I mean, it is. I believe it deserves fourth, I think that's an excellent pick and excellent place for it. I think I think my main comment about it back when we first talked about it was like, wow, this is really early in a show to have an episode like this with this big gut gut punch. We're only you know, eight episodes in and we're already getting a gut punch this big. It could have simmered for longer, but it's still great even without that.

Jesse:

And the fact that it has so many characters playing against type only eight episodes into the first season it it's very, very

Cameron:

impressive work, but it shows how well they establish these characters in those first seven episodes. Yep.

Unknown:

Yeah, yeah.

Jim Moorhouse:

And this is a shout out to Nami melanoma on her score on this one too.

Jesse:

So seriously.

Cameron:

Speaking of calls

John T Bolds:

here is our second to last caller let's hear from our friend Michelle

Cameron:

and that transition. Speaking Uncle

Unknown:

John Hi cam and Hi Jesse. Wow, what a complicated task gave us choosing our top three out of 20 outstanding and so different episodes is tough and really difficult. I wouldn't need to think about that. But in the end I think I found them in third place season two episode four among the Lotus Eaters. I love how it starts with Erica finding joy in lending party but no she has to stay abroad and pipelines shut down. I also love for seen when memory loss kicks in. She goes to quarters finds out she's the pilot and flies the ship I love your talks versa for transit a bridge and finds a confused spot. Additionally, I love the way packet status in this episode, the second last year so season two, Episode Seven those all scientists. It is a funny, witty and fantastic episode that fans can relate to. I suppose I would be as overwhelmed as pointless. But I find myself on the Enterprise Pfizer facing my heroes. Every time he asked me they included it's great and it has way too many great moments to count. And finally, in the first place is season one, episode one. It is the first episode and it has excellent seems like the beginning that we are the aliens intruding into a foreign civilization. And of course, pike on horse is fantastic. Seeing him riding in a snow covered landscape is a sight to behold, not to talk about the speech he gave later. Well, I get goosebumps whenever I watch it. That was a challenging task, guys. And now take care and live long and prosper. Thank you, Melanie.

Cameron:

Thank you, Melanie.

John T Bolds:

We like all of our callers cam. Thank you very much.

Cameron:

Yeah, but I break her in like my top bucket.

John T Bolds:

Buckets. That's our next episode. Our callers

Jesse:

I refuse to be a part of I will not even attempt that. I do I want to say thank you to Melanie for helping on Twitter with you know, reminding me like we should probably also tell everybody what our top three personal picks are. I think that's probably the way to go. And we'll also put together a list that the callers you know, which which episodes were mentioned the most and we'll build a top five out of that as well.

Unknown:

No lavas ranking. So all

Jesse:

right. Just know I was complaining earlier about not having power. But I realized I can kind of slot whichever two episodes I want at the top here by forcing John to either veto or pick one of my favorite episodes somewhere in the top two.

Jim Moorhouse:

Yeah, then John has power. But then I have an

Cameron:

interesting point in this game. This I just didn't hear this. I

Jesse:

think this probably works really well for the top three picks to have this kind of play still in the dynamic. Yeah. I am gonna put those old scientists right here at number three, the love the episode. It's an instant classic, very rewatchable. I have frequently rewatched it. But due to its sort of split identity, not being a pure strange new worlds episode, nor a pure lower decks episode. I am going to slot it in here at number three. And watch John try to figure out where to put the last two remaining episodes

John T Bolds:

on this lease. Think I didn't say you were to put the last two because I'm not videoing this choice at all. No, no veto. I fully accept this. Oh, Jim is in pain. It's a beautiful episode. It's a it's a heartfelt episode. It's a meaningful episode. It requires another episode to be as good as it is. require at least

Jim Moorhouse:

913 And I know. But I was telling you it's one long mythology that's connected. Yeah,

Cameron:

it's a character serialized show John. They all do. Now. I mean, I've got the subset of number four. So I'm fine with three it works really well. I feel it gets a little meandering in the middle at one point. And that's that's the only reason that drops from the top three for me. But otherwise, I just it's a much like losing kingdom. It's uproariously funny. They hit the jokes, and there's a tear jerker moment and it like I'm not asking for more than that. Yep. To

Jesse:

your point, Kim, I actually have this at number six. But because of the way the draft and the rankings and all the leaders agreed to this system, Jesse, I'm not. I'm not saying it's a bad system. I'm saying personally, this falls outside my top.

John T Bolds:

I'm just happy. I'm in the seat with all the power now.

Jim Moorhouse:

Okay, we're going into John's power. All right, I'm gonna say that. So there's one outcome here that I'm gonna be I had those old scientists at one, by the way. But there's one episode that has not been mentioned and more today, as we've been saying time and one message, one message, not one person. That's true. That's true. If it ends up in number one, I will be thrilled. And this draft has been a massive, massive success. I

John T Bolds:

fully agree with GRI I yeah, I definitely have my top two picks and call from our friends. Oh, so here's our friends. Oh, calling in no.

Zo from Back Look Cinema:

Open pipe night. This is the USS cinema is over 210 Captain commanding, and also the host of backlog cinema to podcast. And that's a very interesting question. You posed our favorite three episodes, the two seasons of strange new worlds. And that that's a tough one because they're all great. And I wanted to split it between the first Season The second season, and I couldn't really do it. I feel like all of my favorite episodes are in the second season. So at Astra per Aspera because it is one of the best courtroom episodes in Star Trek subspace Rhapsody because who would have thought that Star Trek could have a musical and those old scientists because I mean just a crossover between the animated series and a live action series. It's that's incredible and it was incredibly well done. So those are my choices. I'm eagerly waiting to see how the rankings come out. Richardson out

John T Bolds:

all right, thank you so from backlog cinema calling in to remind everybody that yes, there are some standout episodes and especially those those three were highly popular and all the pics So my number two is an episode that like I think builds tension incredibly well. I think it really is just doing you cannot stop watching this episode. You are your eyes are glued to the screen and this episode, much like the eyes of the entire crew are there watching the trial. In Ad Astra per Aspera is number two leaving memento mori as the number one episode of strange new worlds hands down. This was my first pick and my only first pick. The minute I started the list and I am So glad I got to put it there flexmove John

Cameron:

brought it in

Jesse:

this is the episode with the most Tigges Cameron we get piloting skills we get to see her attitude we get to see how confident how good she is. I absolutely am happy with putting memento mori at number one. I will fully concede that Ad Astra per Aspera could take that slot any given day of the week. That's what makes these objectives and that's what makes this fun John thank you sir.

John T Bolds:

I deeply guys thank you for not making me I was so worried some of you like 16 memento mori if you do this that yes, memento

Cameron:

mori is a weird one. It's my number two so I'm fine with it being number one 100% But behind the leasing kingdom but it is one that I always have to like what are my favorite episodes and I do have to think about it before that one pops up and I go oh right. Memento Mori that was fucking great. And I think maybe it's just because it was so long ago when because Season Two has such a big swings you kind of forget these just like amazing solid episodes. Memento Mori was the first episode we loved the first three episodes. Even children in the comments, no children's comments great. But I think moving to Mario was the first episode where we kind of all leaned forward and said, Oh, the show's gonna be amazing. This show can do some amazing stuff and yeah 100% I'm I'm glad to see it at number one. Me too. Good.

John T Bolds:

Excellent.

Jim Moorhouse:

Check for Jim. Yeah. Oh, yeah, I do. Oh, yeah, it's good when it's five words and a hashtag mental mores my number three right find a quality of Mercy words so sorry, first Balance of Terror Omaze hashtag is as good as the second.

Jesse:

I have to agree with them. I

Jim Moorhouse:

want they're my second and third episodes. Okay.

Cameron:

You love the summary. It's

Jesse:

so much TOS in Memento Mori you get so you get Wrath of Khan like you get hey, here's a problem. It's already happened now the crew has to react like that's a classic TOS episode setup.

John T Bolds:

I I'm very happy for this to slot in at number one. And it's it's also fun to see an episode where it's like, hey, the good guys massive air quotes one in this episode, like nobody won in this episode. Yeah, like that ship is and

Jesse:

you get that great teaser at the end where pike says you know, don't worry next time we'll be ready for him. Spoiler alert. They are.

Cameron:

Yeah, well, let's go back through and see how we feel about our official collaborative draft list at number 20 We have the broken circle number 19 lift us we're suffering cannot reach 18 This goes to Valeria 17 equality of mercy 16. The serene Squall. 15 Spock a MK 14 hegemony 13 Tomorrow and Tomorrow and tomorrow. 12 Among the Lotus Eaters 11 subspace Rhapsody 10. All those who wander nine strange new worlds eight charades seven loss in translation, six, the cloak of war and then our top five are children of the comet, the Elysian kingdom, those old scientists at Astra per Aspera and memento mori.

Unknown:

How do we feel list? That it's a really good list.

Cameron:

It's not my personal list, but I feel like it's a good list. I feel like it's a good collaborative list. I do I do. I think we did it guys.

Jesse:

I think we did. i There are maybe three picks where I think they are too low or too high. But with it being collaborative, I think that we kind of nailed this list. I mean, I'm actually I'm interested to hear the reactions to this list because I think people are going to be a little surprised with some of this, especially with how many Season One episodes we got into the top 10. But I I'm very happy with it. You know, just think back to how you were feeling when you were watching season one. You were so excited. You were so happy to be on a new Star Trek series with such an amazing cast. It looks amazing. Production is always amazing. I am very happy with how this list shook out ultimately.

John T Bolds:

And for everybody wondering yes, we kept track of what our callers chose. Ad Astra per Aspera those old scientists and subspace rappers they were all tied with five picks each from our callers combined. So obviously, you know there there is a there are some very, very hivemind popular episodes out there that we didn't pick for our one, two and three, but they're still excellent episodes because every one of these episodes is an excellent episode,

Jim Moorhouse:

this list of 20 Strangely worlds episodes on it. Exactly.

Cameron:

Alright, well that was our callers top three. I mean, you could probably parse our top threes from listening to the last hour and a half but maybe we should just give them for some plus City. Yeah,

Jim Moorhouse:

yeah, let's

Jesse:

do it. Let's stick with the draft order. Yeah, go ahead cam.

Cameron:

Yeah. So I would say among the Lotus Eaters does meet my top three. For all the reasons I said it's number three. Then number two is memento mori. And final and again, this kind of just goes to like, if I'm going to pick one episode to watch what's my comfort episode, it is, at least in Kingdom love that

Jim Moorhouse:

my top three from season one, episode four memento mori number two, season one episode 10, a quality of mercy. And number one, season two, Episode Seven those old sciences and the ultimate crossover.

Jesse:

It is it's better than any crossover Marvel has ever done in my opinion. So I think the only one of mine that I had real contention with is my second pick. But I had memento mori as number one. Thank you, John. I just re watched it again last night. It absolutely holds up. Number two I have under the cloak of war, which fell further than I wanted it to, but it's still in the top 10. So I think I can live with that. And for number three, I actually have charades I went with that whole tonal dissonance thing on my list itself. And charades is just too much fun. I think anybody can enjoy that episode. You don't even need to be a Star Trek fan.

John T Bolds:

I by by have a very similar list to Jesse I started with Memento Mori, I think it is an outstanding perfect hour of television. under the cloak of war I have severely come around on i It is my second favorite. I was glad to be able to get it into the top six but I knew I kind of had to get it out of the way. I really really like more and more I enjoy left us where suffering cannot reach so there's no tonal dissonance on my list.

Cameron:

I like do we need an intervention?

Jesse:

You just just throw it out there John is a huge DS nine fan I believe he has described yes nine is his favorite trips.

John T Bolds:

Surprising no contest. Yeah.

Cameron:

But what I love about fantasy worlds as you can look at all these top threes and all the lists people sent us and like it's you know, sometimes there's some that pop up a lot but there's a lot of variety like people like a lot of different stuff that strange the world is throwing at not

John T Bolds:

one caller mentioned our number one pick the number one light. Yeah,

Jim Moorhouse:

I know. That's amazing.

Jesse:

I'm really happy about that. I'm like I said I'm kind of hoping we get some good engagement once we actually release this list on the day we put the episode out, because I'm hoping some people will be like, What the hell is wrong with you guys? And I can be like, please go listen to the episode. That's what we call a teaser. Yeah.

Jim Moorhouse:

Two of my top three were in the top three and the other one was number 17.

John T Bolds:

Jim, it has been great having you here man.

Cameron:

Seriously? Absolutely.

Jesse:

You You brought a great dash of we will call it open pike night objectivity because you're not necessarily fighting against the three of us whose opinions are node by heart, so I just meant you killed it. Thank you so much for bringing this to us. Where can folks get more trek ranks if they're fiending after the

Jim Moorhouse:

Dave guys's great being on track Ranger, you can find us at Trek range.com where we have ranks of all the tracks and a list of all the episodes. And our trek ranks podcast is a podcast about all the things we love about Star Trek again, no negative topics. It's just positive topics. We've done 180 episodes, a million different topics and we just get people on and we talk about all the things that we love about Star Trek and the ranks don't matter. It's just our crush just to kind of talk about the things we love about Star Trek. So Trek ranks.com and on Twitter and on blue sky. Find me there. Oh, and enterprise and extra on

Unknown:

Twitter. Good deal.

John T Bolds:

So, Jim, open pi Ignite is an open mic night themed podcast. And so we ask all of our guests to bring a joke to tell us Do you have a joke for us today?

Jim Moorhouse:

Yeah, I have a back pocket joke I always have for when I'm speaking and stuff for like 2030 years and I hate toilet humor. But here, but here we are. It's a toilet humor joke. So I'm getting old to this one gets a little bit. It hits home a little bit more every every year. So these there's these three old retired scientists living in a Starfleet convalescence home. Yes. I made this a Star Trek ified that and they're kind of complaining about their ailments in their old days. And the first guy says, you know, man, if I could just have a good steady number one again, I just just want to have a good number one strong strong you know not in like dribs and drabs just a strong number one second guys like you know if I could just have a solid number two a good good solid number two at that's that's all I want and the third guys like you know I can do a great number one like sector flowing rivers on caspary A prime every morning at 730 It's like it's like the Ganges herself. It's at 730 Every morning just great powerful streams. And then at 730 Every morning it's sorry, and then at like 735 Every going to edit that edit that so I get this right. And then it's 735 Every morning I have an incredible number to like a volcano erupting. I'm learning core it's like solid and flowing. It's just it's great. My number ones and twos are great. So the first guy says Then Then what's the problem? What do you what are you complaining about? It's like well, I don't get a bed till nine o'clock

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