TFM (Trek.fm & The 602 Club)

“Charlie X” 60th-anniversary reflections
While investigating the planet Thasus, the crew of the Antares takes in a young crash survivor who had been stranded alone for 14 years. The boy, Charlie Evans, is then transferred to the Enterprise where his teenage angst becomes amplified as he tries to fit in with other humans. Attempts by Kirk, Rand, and others to help him acclimate are made far more difficult thanks to Charlie’s psychokinetic powers. Acting out whenever something doesn’t go his way, Charlie eventually takes over the Enterprise and the non-corporeal Thasians, who protected him during years of isolation and are responsible for his powers, are forced to step in and bring Charlie back “home.”
In this episode of Standard Orbit, hosts C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing continue our 60th-anniversary retrospective that takes you through all of the original Star Trek, one episode at a time. In this installment, we continue Season 1 with the second aired episode, “Charlie X,” as we discuss its relevance in today’s world, the challenges of growing up, the importance of guidance, why you can’t always get what you want, and more.

Chapters
Intro (00:00:00)
Nature vs. Nurture (00:02:04)
The Drive of Adolescence (00:09:17)
Base Instincts (00:12:29)
Kirk as Father Figure (00:18:08)
Please Like Me! (00:21:17)
You Can’t Always Get What You Want (00:29:51)
Thasians Take Me Away (00:35:55)
United Earth Space Probe Agency (00:38:12)
Final Thoughts and Ratings (00:40:34)
Closing (00:45:35)

Hosts
C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing

Production
C Bryan Jones (Editor and Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer)

“Tomorrow’s Enterprise”
As the Enterprise studies a white hole, the theoretical counterpart of a black hole, Uhura begins hearing strange music. Soon, an energy pulse strikes the ship and Uhura hears Scotty screaming for help. But no one else hears his cries, and she is left bleeding. Once cleared by Doctor M’Benga, Uhura sets out to investigate what happened … and ends up contacting her future self. With one year to work with, the two Uhuras must collaborate through time to solve the mystery of the anomaly and help birth a space baby to save Scotty and restore the timeline.
In this episode of Saddle Up! hosts C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing wrap up our look at Strange New Worlds Season 4 with the finale, “Tomorrow’s Enterprise.” We discuss Uhura’s journey, hopping timelines, visiting Kirk’s Enterprise, how the story could have served as a series finale, and more.

Chapters
Intro (0:00:00)
Temu Interstellar (00:03:18)
Uhura’s Journey (00:06:42)
Pike’s Influence (00:12:47)
A Show on Its Own Terms (00:17:00)
Timelines (00:19:54)
Natural Interactions (00:24:09)
Boyce Not So Noice (00:27:58)
Full On Animated Series! (00:30:40)
Space Baby! (00:39:41)
The TOS Feel (00:47:12)
Potential Series Finale? (00:49:30)
Looking Ahead to Season 5 (00:54:17)
Final Thoughts and Ratings (01:02:41)
Closing (01:09:49)

Hosts
C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing

Production
C Bryan Jones (Editor and Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer)

Godzilla Minus One.

The giant kaiju tormentor of Japan first burst on the big screen in 1954 and since that time has never been far from theaters either in Japan or in the USA.

In this episode of The 602 Club hosts Matthew Rushing and Ry Paulson talk about Godzilla Minus One. We discuss our Godzilla fandom, going back to the beginning, so many themes, the need of community, men need purpose, forgiveness, the production and our ratings.

Chapters
Godzilla Fandom (00:02:25)
Going Back to the Beginning (00:08:35)
So Many Themes (00:13:06)
The Need of Community (00:23:13)
Men Need Purpose (00:28:51)
Forgiveness (00:33:56)
The Production (00:40:30)
Ratings (00:46:25)

Host
Matthew Rushing

Co-Host
Ry Paulson

Production
Matthew Rushing (Editor and Producer) C Bryan Jones (Executive Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer)

Social
Twitter: @The602Club
Instagram: @the602clubtfm
Letterboxd: the602club

“Initiations” 30th-anniversary reflections
While on a solo shuttle trip to perform a quiet ritual for his late father, Chakotay wanders into Kazon-Ogla space and finds himself face-to-face with his would-be executioner: a teenager named Kar. Overcoming the boy is not a problem, but Chakotay’s refusal to kill him is—at least among the Kazon. Death would give Kar’s life meaning (don’t think about that for too long). Back on the Kazon ship, they both get chastised by First Maje Razik as total failures for not doing their killing duty properly. After escaping the ship and becoming stranded together on a Kazon training moon, Chakotay and Kar continue their standoff until Chakotay finally stages his own death so that Kar can both live and earn his name.
In this episode of To The Journey, hosts C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing continue our 30th-anniversary retrospective that will take you through all of Star Trek: Voyager, one episode at a time. In this installment, we discuss “Initiations,” another attempt to make the Kazon work, a chance to explore Chakotay’s background, Aron Eisenberg on Voyager, and more.

Chapters
Intro (00:00:00)
Neelix Does Way More Than Cook (00:02:30)
Fleshing Out Chakotay (00:06:23)
Based on Gang Research (00:12:17)
Aron’s Performance (00:21:12)
Indoctrination (00:25:16)
Final Thoughts and Ratings (00:26:44)
Closing (00:30:45)

Hosts
C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing

Production
C Bryan Jones (Editor and Executive Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer)

“Once La’an a Time”
When the Enterprise comes across what appears to be a flat planet, it’s just the beginning of things that probably shouldn’t exist. The entity that swept away M’Benga’s daughter in Season 1 has apparently expanded on the original storybook for a sequel: The Elysian Kingdom II: Swords and Dragons. As the landing party becomes tangled in a fantasy web, La’an must fight herself and her inner demons—literally—to get two new companions aboard the Enterprise: Runa the dog and Jim the Kirk.
In this episode of Saddle Up! hosts C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing continue our look at Strange New Worlds Season 4 with “Once La’an a time.” We discuss the return to the Elysian Kingdom, resolving La’an’s inner conflict, narrative hijinks in Star Trek, and more.

Chapters
Intro (0:00:00)
The Elysian Kingdom, Part II (00:01:47)
The Most Clichéd Solution (00:09:04)
Griffin Confusion (00:16:33)
Jim’s Back Again! (00:19:29)
A Sword Fight Is All You Need (00:22:57)
Bye, Bye Pelia (00:28:00)
Narrative Hijinks (00:33:09)
Final Thoughts and Ratings (00:42:13)
Closing (00:49:09)

Hosts
C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing

Production
C Bryan Jones (Editor and Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer)