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Ever thought the universe of Star Trek was all phaser battles and philosophical ponderings? Well, occasionally it tosses in some eerie tales from the crypt keeper. As we get closer to the chills of Halloween, let's navigate those episodes where Starfleet's bold journeys felt more like spooky detours. The iconic TOS episode "The Tholian Web" kicks things off. Captain Kirk has gone missing, and now there are eerie doppelgangers aboard? Here, Captain Kirk's haunting apparitions create a spectral atmosphere after his mysterious disappearance in an alternate dimension. With the Enterprise trapped in the mesmerizing snare of the Tholians, one can't help but feel an impending sense of dread. And, let's face it, a ghost Captain Kirk really gives the Enterprise a haunted mansion vibe! But, if you thought things got weird there, Star Trek: The Next Generation’s "Schisms" takes the eerie cake. Alien abductions? Check. Creepy examination tables? Double-check. While it's a tad unsettling, it does make you wonder if the Enterprise crew might have benefited from a space neighbourhood watch program. As the crew grapples with memory lapses and the disturbing realization of being abducted and studied by aliens, the episode masterfully constructs a chilling environment where the known universe's boundaries seem to blur. Our voyage takes a terrifying detour with Star Trek: Enterprise's "Impulse". The discovery of a Vulcan ship with its crew transformed into violent, mindless beings serves as a stark reminder of the unpredictable dangers lurking in space's uncharted territories. Imagine visiting a ship only to find its Vulcan crew has gone full-on zombie mode. If there ever was a "turn the spaceship around" moment, this was it! But, as if to remind us that not all that's unsettling is necessarily tangible, Star Trek: Voyager presents "The Haunting of Deck Twelve". Our ghostly bard Neelix's recounting of an electromagnetic lifeform's eerie presence aboard the ship merges the essence of a classic ghost tale with the limitless enigma of space, making us question the very nature of the stories that echo through the galaxy's corridors. Ancient mariners would nod in approval. Lastly, but definitely not least, the abandoned setting of "Empok Nor" in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (DS9) eerily resonates with themes from classic horror narratives. As the crew finds themselves hunted in a desolate Cardassian station, the sense of claustrophobic terror reaches its zenith, culminating our trek through Star Trek's darker episodes. It's all fun and games until the lights go out. From spooky spectres to zombified Vulcans, Star Trek's brilliance lies in its diverse storytelling, sometimes making us marvel at space's beauty and at other times making us apprehensive of its unpredictable abyss. Join in the fun, cast your vote for the most unsettling-yet-quirky episode, and remember - in space, no one can hear you scream... Or can they? 🌌🎃🖖

This month’s poll celebrates the bottle show, a Star Trek production hallmark since the franchise’s earliest days. The term “bottle show” refers to an episode produced with a limited budget and a self-contained storyline. Such episodes are designed to minimize production costs by using existing sets and not involving major guest stars. Bottle shows were prevalent from The Original Series through Enterprise. Producers purposely sprinkled these budget-conscious episodes throughout each season to free up dollars for more expensive episodes, such as those featuring heavy special effects, location filming, new sets, or big-name guest stars. Bottle shows have largely gone the way of the dodo since the franchise returned to television in 2017. Shorter seasons mean less need to pad them out with low-budget episodes. In addition, serialized storytelling makes it harder to plop one-off episodes mid-season without disrupting the main plot. In the case of the animated series, the entire season is written before the actors are even brought into the recording studio, and there are no sets to build, rendering bottle shows obsolete. A well-done bottle show serves strong storytelling and character study instead of flashy visual effects. When done poorly, however, a bottle show feels like pointless filler, shoehorned into a Trek season to meet the 26-episode requirement in the cheapest way possible. Some of the most disappointing Trek episodes, including “Shades of Gray” (TNG), “Elogium” (VOY), and “A Night In Sickbay” (ENT), were conceived as bottle shows. Unfortunately, this means the term has developed an undeserved reputation as a euphemism for bad. Despite their limitations, some of the most memorable moments in Star Trek have come from bottle shows. The tight focus of the episode forces the writers and actors to get creative with dialogue and character interactions. Bottle shows are an opportunity for the cast to showcase their acting skills and for fans to learn more about their favorite characters. We have bottle shows to thank for Jean-Luc Picard’s chilling monologue that begins, “With the first link, the chain is forged…,” and Beverly Crusher’s meme-able moment, “If there's nothing wrong with me, maybe there's something wrong with the universe.” Even though they’re a mixed bag, bottle shows are essential to the Star Trek legacy. They offer an opportunity to tell stories that might not otherwise be told. They force the writers to think creatively and the actors to flex their muscles. They can also be a refreshing chance to have some fun and make an episode that is pure entertainment, free from the constraints of the series’ larger narrative.

Attribution: Yogan Yalu (I don't want my name anywhere near this slander, and on her birthday! - Genkos Adea) In The Autobiography of Kathryn Janeway, “edited” by Una McCormack, the commanding officer of the USS Voyager writes of her years in the Delta Quadrant: Reflecting back now on these cases where I had to make ethical decisions, all I can say is that I did the best that I could under the circumstances… I was out on a limb—a Starfleet captain without Starfleet. I could not summon up help or stop off at a starbase for extra supplies. I could not, for most of the time, even ask for advice on the decisions I had to make. (p. 151) The Autobiography devotes five chapters to the Delta Quadrant. It expands upon many small details from the series and retells them from Janeway’s perspective. For example, she handpicked her chief medical officer, a longtime friend and former crewmate, who was then killed on Voyager’s first day in the Delta Quadrant. She writes, “I have never stopped regretting asking him to come aboard Voyager. He was a fine doctor, a good friend, and his death is one of the biggest regrets of my life.” (p. 181) The book is also an apologia, in which Janeway defends her conduct and explains the reasoning behind her many questionable command decisions. There are examples of Janeway’s erratic, ill-considered, or simply perplexing decisions throughout Voyager’s run—isolating herself from her crew as they traversed the Void (“Night”), agreeing to sacrifice the Equinox and its crew in exchange for a reprieve from attacks (“Equinox”), and attempting to apprehend two Ferengi con men rather than transit a wormhole to the Alpha Quadrant (“False Profits”) are just a few honourable mentions. This poll, however, will focus on Janeway's greatest hits. Stranding Voyager in the Delta Quadrant Without our help, [the Ocampa’s] move toward self-determination would have been stopped before it had the chance. The Kazon were waiting to move in and seize the array, whatever it might cost the Ocampa. And I couldn’t let that happen. (p. 119) Prime Directive issues aside, Janeway’s decision to protect the innocent Ocampa also smacks of the same paternalism for which she criticised the Caretaker. Killing Tuvix The Doctor would not perform the procedure, and therefore I took it upon myself. Tuvix died, and Tuvok and Neelix lived… Thinking about what I might have done differently will continue to haunt me for the rest of my life. (pp. 132, 180) The classic Trolley Problem has no correct answer. However, the fact that Janeway refers to Tuvix having “died” at her hand suggests she believes deep down that she committed a wrong. Allying with the Borg against Species 8472 What the hell could destroy fifteen Borg cubes? This, we learned, after sending an away team to one of the cubes, was Species 8472, which, as we discovered from the Borg logs, had defeated them many times before. (p. 139) Janeway’s decision to ally with the Federation’s greatest existential threat against a vastly superior enemy—instead of the other way around—feels like a short-sighted tactical error. Promoting everyone but Harry Kim My last act as captain of Voyager was to give him a long overdue promotion to lieutenant. I would have skipped a couple of ranks if I’d been able: Harry surely deserved it. (His speed of promotion since has made up for it, however.) (p. 182) The argument that the command structure on Voyager was too fragile to allow Harry’s promotion just doesn’t hold up to scrutiny. Chakotay and Torres received field commissions. Tuvok and Paris were promoted, the latter after having been demoted. Even Ayala managed to outrank Harry Kim. Changing history to bring Voyager home early The admiral complicated matters greatly by revealing details of her future to me: twenty-three years in the Delta Quadrant (dear god, the prospect…!), the deaths of Seven of Nine and twenty-two others, and the horrible thought of seeing my friend Tuvok’s faculties decline… (b. 175) Captain Janeway is steadfast against altering the timeline until Admiral Janeway reveals the untimely fates of those closest to her: Seven, Tuvok, and Chakotay. Changing the future because things didn’t pan out for you seems like a subject that would have been covered at the Academy.

So last week we had the finale of series three of Star Trek: Picard, which is confirmed as being the last series of the reunion show. So I guess the question we could ask is… which season was your favourite? A general warning that although I will not spoil the ending of S3, if you haven’t seen Picard, this might be one to avoid. Season One of Picard was all about ex-Borg, Romulans and synthetic life. We had the return (from the dead) of everyone’s favourite android, Data. The series dived deeply into his relationship with Picard, and how his death at the end of Nemesis had affected our favourite “French” captain for the next thirty years. It also included returning appearances from Seven of Nine, Bruce Maddox and an always popular Soong relation. Season Two of Picard was very Q-focused, dealing with time travel and the Borg (not former ones this time) - and ended with a rather beautiful tribute to that conniving trial master of humanity. It also included returning appearances from Guinan (both Goldberg, and a wonderful impersonation by Ito Aghayere), everyone’s favourite Punk on the Bus and an always popular Soong relation. Season Three of Picard was all about legacy and the “next” generation, bringing back everyone and their mother as returning characters, before pivoting, for the third time, to the Borg… again. It also included returning appearances from Tuvok, Ro Laren and an always popular Soong relation. So there are three seasons to choose from, each exploring an aspect of the Next Generation in an interesting deep dive. But which was your favourite? After you've chosen, please do drop us your reasonings in the comments below!

Attribution: Yogan Yalu March is Reading Awareness Month, a perfect opportunity to load up the e-book reader or visit a local library or bookshop to find an exciting new book to read. Why not make it a Star Trek book? With over 850 original novels, short story collections, episode and film novelizations, graphic novels, and omnibus editions published since 1967, Star Trek has made an indisputable impact on 20th- and 21st-century popular literature. As most Trek novels exist outside of the franchise’s official canon, they often place our heroes in unconventional and unexpected situations. Trek novels are also known for expanding minor onscreen references into major plot points. A prime example of this is a scene from the DS9 episode “Rapture,” where Sisko tells a Bajoran militia officer, “You don't belong here. Go home.” This nameless extra became Yevir Linjarin, a central character in the DS9 Relaunch book series. The first original Trek novel was 1970’s Spock Must Die!, in which a transporter accident duplicates the Enterprise first officer just as the diplomatic situation between the Klingons and the Organians begins to deteriorate. Weaving together threads from classic TOS episodes “Errand of Mercy” and “The Enemy Within,” author James Bish explores the question, “What happens to your soul in the transporter?” Although TNG fans got hints at the relationship between Will Riker and Deanna Troi during the series’ run, it was 1992’s Imzadi that delved deep into one of Star Trek’s most enduring romances. This novel tells the love story of Riker and Troi across decades, from their first meeting on Betazed to an alternate future where a bitter, aged Riker mourns his long lost love. Bonus points: Jonathan Frakes narrates the audiobook version. Una McCormack’s The Never-Ending Sacrifice is a classic coming-of-age story and recounts the events of Deep Space Nine, but from the perspective of a Cardassion boy. Christie Golden’s Homecoming picks up almost literally where the VOY finale leaves off, but instead of a “happily ever after,” the Voyager crew returns home to a weakened, post-Dominion War Federation that has little place for them. The state of the franchise in the mid-2000s means that there are fewer Enterprise novels to choose from, but J. M. Dillard’s Surak’s Soul is consistently ranked amongst the best Trek novels. In Surak’s Soul, T’Pol is forced to choose between her Vulcan ideals and her Human captain’s orders. With fewer episodes per season and a shift to more plot-driven storytelling, readers devour the newer series’ novels for the backstories of our heroes and to fill in the gaps between what is shown on screen. Una McCormack’s The Way to the Stars tells the origin story of one of Trek’s most relatable and endearing characters, Sylvia Tilly, while McCormack’s The Last Best Hope shows Picard’s evolution from admiral to vintner in the lead-up to the new series premiere. Finally, Trek novels can place our favourite characters in situations that might be impractical or unpopular for television. Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens’ Federation appeared on the New York Times Bestseller List in 1994, and has been described as a stronger Kirk/Picard crossover story than Star Trek: Generations. The Lives of Dax, edited by Marco Palmieri, isn’t even a novel at all; rather a collection of short stories about each of the Dax symbiont’s humanoid hosts.

Happy Valentine's Day StarBase 118! Today is a day to celebrate love in all its forms and what better way to do that than by taking a look at some of the most popular fan fiction pairings in the Star Trek universe. The Star Trek franchise has given us countless characters that we love, and sometimes that love extends beyond just friendship. Whether it's the classic Kirk and Spock or the unlikely Chakotay and Seven of Nine, these pairings have captured the hearts of fans everywhere. So grab a cup of hot cocoa, snuggle up with your sweetheart, and get ready to boldly go where no romance has gone before! We want to know which of these fictional love connections is your favourite. Will it be the steady and supportive Chakotay and Janeway or the electric Picard and the Borg Queen? The decision is yours! So, without further ado, let's dive into these iconic Star Trek pairings. Janeway and Chakotay take viewers on a compelling journey from enemies, to allies, to friends, to perhaps something more? Their relationship transcends space and time, and contains episodes rife with romantic tropes and subtext (“Resolutions,” anyone?) that can’t help but leave us questioning just how close they are, exactly. Garak and Bashir have palpable tension, from their very first scene through their debates of Cardassian literature and holodeck hijinks. Both were given other romantic interests throughout the series, but all lacked the chemistry the pair had together (sorry, Ezri). Whether bromance or romance, Garak and Bashir is one of the most popular pairings in the fandom. Of course, we can't leave out Kirk and Spock, possibly the oldest pairing in Star Trek. The exact nature of their relationship has been the subject of endless debates and speculation since the Original Series was on air, and prompted the creation of fandom as we know it with hand-bound fan-zines. No other pairing on this list can claim that! While the previous pairing built on a compelling history and chemistry between characters, Chakotay and Seven of Nine almost came out of nowhere. Both were complex, interesting characters who developed more complex, interesting relationships with basically everyone else on the show than with each other, only to be paired off in the series finale. Still, despite this pairing’s limited build-up, it is interesting to watch Seven learn about romance, first through holo-Chakotay and then through a relationship with the real Chakotay. And speaking of new love connections, we can't forget about the latest addition to the Star Trek universe - Star Trek Lower Decks! In this animated comedy, we have the pairing of Mariner and Boimler. These two lower deck officers may have started off as just friends, but their love story is one that has captivated audiences everywhere. With Mariner's mischievous streak and Boimler's by-the-book approach, these two complement each other in the most unexpected ways. Last but certainly not least, we have Picard and the Borg Queen. Love may be the last thing on the minds of a Starfleet captain and a Borg drone, but their interactions were electric. From enemies to... well, still enemies, but with a touch of respect and a hint of attraction. Who knows, maybe love really can conquer all. Of course, this list barely scratches the surface of all of Star Trek’s couples. Did we leave out your favourite pairing? Let us hear it in the comments!

Happy New Year! Have you made your resolutions yet? I have; to do better at the poll of the month! How am I going to do this? By considering which duty post I would like to do, if I wasn’t already a doctor… and I’m going to urge you to do the same! New year, new me and all that. So, let’s start off with the red-shirts! Helm/Com/Ops offers a chance to explore the galaxy as a pilot, whilst also being the first to hear the goings on at the bridge, and keep in touch with the life of the ship at Ops. It’s really the catch-all role; one to suit all your variable needs! Security and Tactical is more than just going pew-pew; it’s also about preventing the need to go pew-pew on in the first place. You’ll also be the first to lead investigations, defend away teams and make sure that everyone is up to date on their training; there’s more to firing a phaser than just pointing and shooting (not much, but still!) Engineering is critical to making sure the ship doesn’t fall apart (literally), and perhaps crawling around in Jefferies’ tubes, getting down and dirty in the bowels of the ship could be your new jam! Science; the final frontier (that’s the saying, right?) - do you look good in blue? Or do you just really like tricorders? Science is a great place to discover new things about the galaxy, and about yourself. I may be biased, but everyone should be a doctor - then nobody would get injured, and if they do; at least we are sorted! We also get cooler tricorders than Science, with removable doohickeys, and cool teal coats. Want to make sure the ship doesn’t fall apart (metaphorically) - join the ranks of Starfleet’s counsellors. Are you a friendly ear; a good listener; do you give good advice? Then perhaps you can avoid the dangers of the front lines (well, sometimes) and listen to those that do’s problems? Now there’s a few roles that I can’t go into as much detail for; Intelligence, the Marines, civilians, but if you are thinking of doing a new character, or swapping your existing character, into one of those, or any of the above; we want to hear about it in the comments below!

It’s November, which means that no man is allowed to shave. Well, actually, Movember is a men’s health awareness campaign; designed to raise awareness (and sweet latinum) for men’s health issues and causes. But it did raise a conversation in the Poll of the Month Discord chat - who has the best beard in all of Star Trek? There are plenty of options - the first, and most obvious, is that of Captain Sisko - for not only does the beard make Sisko look like an absolute bad-ass, but it also marks the point at which Deep Space Nine becomes a top tier show, instead of a weird TNG spin off. Speaking of TNG, the other famous beard is that of William Riker; a beard that Frakes still sports to this day (and still looks fabulous in, might I add!). Again, TNG’s greatness can be tracked alongside the development of Riker’s beard, a bizarre metric, but a metric nonetheless. Then we have some more oblique beards - the less obvious or less permanent ones. The beard that O’Brien grows in Hard Time (the one where he spends twenty years in a prison despite only being in there a few hours) is arguably the hardest won beard, but it is very unkempt. But perhaps that floats your boat. The scruff that Tom Paris grew in the Voyager episode Alice deserves an honourable mention (but is nothing compared to Robert Duncan McNeil’s current face fungus). My personal favourite beard, and the image below, is the one Leonard McCoy sports after he leaves Starfleet (but before he comes back). Affectionately known as Disco Bones, the whole ensemble is tied together by a magnificent beard of thick hair. Finally, because we have to have a joke answer on these things (it’s my stipulation for doing them), there is always Bashir’s beard. Ezri Dax was her name. Ay-o! Or perhaps you have another favourite follicle (perhaps from the Mirror Universe) - let us know in the comments!

As we make our way through the third season of Lower Decks, we thought we'd look back at the first two series and ask you all who your favourite of the main characters is. Obviously, there an absolute plethora of characters to choose from if we expanded the choice (although the correct answer is obviously T'Ana) so we're limiting ourselves to the main four Lower Deckers. First up, Brad Boimler (or Boims to his friends); arguably the POV character for the first season, Boimler is the _ "the laziest, most corner-cutting officer in Starfleet history" _... or is he? Certainly that's how he's remembered in the far far future, but in the show we're shown an incredibly eager and ambitious young man who is also very cautious and only does things to further his career. Secondly, Beckett Mariner. What can we say about Mariner that hasn't been said before? She's a hard-working officer who never cuts corners, always obeys authority and has never deserved any of her promotions. We can say that because it's not true. An incredibly hot mess, Mariner is a fantastic officer with an amazing intuition and drive, but possibly without ambition. Thirdly, D'Vana Tendi, the endlessly optimistic science officer. Someone with boundless optimism, Tendi is "not one of those Orions" and is fiercely devoted to the rest of the group. She adores Rutherford most of all, and their friendship is one of the most wholesome relationships in all of Trek. Arguably the most knowledgeable of the group, she is also the most naïve; refusing to see the corruption of Dog when it's blatantly opposite to everyone else. Finally we have Sam Rutherford - the officer who has flitted from department to department (and settled back at Engineering again). He is a brilliant officer, and his implants give him extraordinary powers (and also dangerous side effects). Like Tendi, he is full of enthusiasm and a massive Trek nerd (building his own Deep Space Nine model) - hence their glorious friendship. Which is your favourite, and why? Let us know in the comments.

We all know that Captain Picard is a lovelorn captain - he manages to find romance in most missions, whether he wants to or not. But which one is your favourite? There's only one correct answer, but I'd like to hear your opinions anyway! Let's start with the problematic one - Kamala. There was a very odd power dynamic with this one, and it's aged like an episode of Friends. Kamala was built to be "the perfect mate" (ew) and fell in love with Picard purely out of him being there and spending time with her. Vash was an archaeologist with her eye on the prize - the Captain of the EnterPrize, as well as all the black market treasure she could sell. Vash was a great character in her own right, turning up in several episodes of TNG and even a DS9. She and JL had a fabulously antagonistic relationship when it came to their conflicting opinions on what to do old relics, until Q came and tempted her away. Q - whilst I don't think it's necessarily a "romantic" relationship, I'm going to include it anyway - Q was _obsessed_ with Picard, and that smacks to me of love - plus the finale of season two of Picard - if that's not love, what is?! Finally, the correct answer is Beverly Crusher. The CMO of the Enterprise, Bev had a will-they-won't-they relationship with our beloved captain. The chemistry between the two was palpable, and if they don't kiss in season 3 of Picard, I will riot. What do you think? Who did I forget? Drop us a line in the comments

With over 800 television episodes and films, an objective ranking of on-screen Star Trek content would be impossible. However, within each series, a consensus has coalesced around a handful of episodes that are often regarded as the finest. "The Measure of a Man," "Improbable Cause/The Die is Cast," and "Deadlock" are particularly good episodes from their respective series' earlier seasons, and symbolise each series coming into its own. Even so, admiration for each series' so-called "best episodes" isn't always universal, and fans' rankings of a series' finest episodes might range as much as their selections for the worst. For ardent Trek fans, evaluating episodes on their merits can be challenging since what we appreciate most about our favourite episodes is frequently impossible to measure. The nostalgia of having grown up with these programmes raises the question of their most acclaimed episodes: “Do we love them because they’re good, or are they good because we love them?” For this month's poll, we chose two episodes from each of the first five series, as well as one TOS feature and one TNG film that are widely regarded as the best of the best. Only series with completed original runs are represented; we'll have to wait for history to weigh in on the series that are currently in production. Choose the episode or film you believe is the worst and tell us why. Is there an episode we missed you believe deserves to be the worst "best" episode? Don’t see what all the fuss was about “The Inner Light,” “The Visitor,” or “Equinox”? Tell us what and why!

For as long as Humans have been domesticating animals, they’ve been keeping certain types of them as companions. Archeological evidence indicates Humans have had pet dogs for at least 12,000 years. Ancient Greeks and Romans openly grieved over the loss of their pets. The emergence of the middle class in 19th century Britain transformed pets from a decorative symbol of status into an integral part of the family. In the 20th and 21st century, pet rocks, virtual keychain pets, and robotic pets have become budget-, space-, and time-friendly companions for many. A ubiquitous part of the Human experience to date, pet ownership is also well represented in the Trek future, with Vulcans, Klingons, Betazoids, Cardassians, and other species known to keep pets. Some of the most familiar pets to Trek fans include Livingston, the lionfish that lived in Jean-Luc Picard’s ready room aboard the Enterprise-D; Porthos, Jonathan Archer’s pet beagle; and Spot, Data’s notoriously untrainable cat. While these three have received by far the most screen time, pet appearances and references can be found all over Trek. When Liam Bilby faced certain death at the hands of the Orion Syndicate, Miles O’Brien promised to care for his cat Chester. Even after four years in the Delta Quadrant, Kathryn Janeway was comforted to learn that her former fiancé had found homes for her Irish Setter Mollie’s entire litter of puppies. Lwaxana Troi held her pet vine in such esteem that she brought it to her daughter’s engagement banquet. And a newlywed General Martok lost his beloved pet targ to the call of Kahless when his bride “accidentally” left the front door open as she moved into his house. While Trek pets are often portrayed as treasured companions, the connotation is not always so benign. Q once derogatorily referred to Neelix as Janeway’s “pet Talaxian,” turning the word into a slur. Jadzia Dax, upon seeing a palukoo for the first time, guessed that Bajoran resistance fighters kept them as pets and sang songs about them around the campfire. Given the desperate circumstances of the Cardassian occupation, Kira Nerys perhaps unsurprisingly shattered Dax’s misconception by correcting, “No, we used to eat them.”

It's April, it's Spring (at least in the northern hemisphere) and it's starting to warm up (again, only for those of us up north). This means only one thing to many people - birth, growth, renewal. All of this can be summed up in the Christian celebration of Easter - the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. To many who celebrate (and a lot of people who, like myself, don't), Easter is symbolised in the form of an Easter egg. Now we could have asked you all about your favourite forms of chocolate (correct answer: all) and maybe we'll do that next year, but instead we thought we'd ask about that other type of Easter egg - the in-joke, the reference, the little nugget of gold that's only there waiting for the fans to leap upon and write about on countless internet forums... And our Discord, of course. Fair Warning: This post contains some spoilers for the new series of Star Trek: Discovery, Picard, and Star Trek: Lower Decks. We have warned you! The most recent, and arguably the greatest Easter egg ever made by anyone ever (because it references my favourite Star Trek film) was the momentary reoccurrence of Kirk Randolph Thatcher in Picard. He originally played the "Punk Dude" who is accosted by Kirk and Spock in the masterpiece film, The Voyage Home, and memorably appears in the Picard episode "Watcher". Another little Easter egg is the delightful appearance of the famous Vasquez Rocks in pretty much every episode of the Original Series, as well as many other appearances in plenty of other Trek series (and a few other non-Trek films and TV shows including the A-Team, the Muppet Movie and the live action Flintstones). The one that cannot go without mentioning is the use of Majel Barrett-Roddenberry as the voice of the computer in almost every series since the Next Generation; for me, when I write my sims I can always hear her responses as the computer. It's like she's still with us every time. Who hasn't simmed their character climbing through the Jefferies tubes on board their ship? Those maintenance crawl spaces have more in common with the nautical vessels, where space is at a premium and tubes are the way forward. These maintenance shafts on board our starships are named Jefferies Tubes, after the Starfleet Engineer W.M. Jefferies, who was named in homage to the real designer of the original Enterprise - Matt Jefferies! And of course, absolutely every episode of Lower Decks features a ridiculous amount of Easter eggs in every scene, and to list them here would take up an entirely new poll! But suffice to say, I'm going to pick my favourite, which is the only canon appearance of the Spock Helmet toy from the 60s in Ensign Mariner's stash of contraband. But what's your favourite? One of the above, or a completely different egg altogether? I'm egg-cited to hear your answers!

The Star Trek franchise has always been known for its amazing make-up and prosthetic work. The franchise is also responsible for some of the most iconic alien races in science fiction. Makeup artists from different series have been nominated for and won different awards for their work. In 2017, the Society of Makeup Artists awarded Nancie Langlois as their Lifetime Achievement Award recipient for her work on Star Trek: The Next Generation. Vanity Fair's Best Star Trek Makeup Artist Award goes to Joel Harlow. He has been nominated for his work on Star Trek: Beyond, Star Trek: Discovery, and Star Trek: The Next Generation. This is the first time the makeup artist has won the award. His work was praised for being "so good that it’s hard to tell where the prosthetic ends and the actor begins." The best makeup artistry in the Star Trek series would have to go to Michael Westmore who has been working on the show since 1987. He has won five Emmy Awards for his work on Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Voyager, as well as an Oscar for his work on James Cameron’s Avatar (2009). The Andorian species in Star Trek: The Original Series is one example of a great makeup job. They have blue skin and antennae which were done in a way that was very believable and realistic for the time period it was made in. This is also true for their eyes which were done in such a way that they looked like they had eyelids. Throw forward to the recent movies, and we find Joel Harlow and Don Lanning sculpting and designing the Reptilicus alien species—looking a little Cardassian—creating the scaled skin and ridges around the face to represent the curl of the ear. They look so life like, with their addition of amber-coloured reptilian eyes and sharpened teeth. We can't really say that there is a single character from any of the Star Trek series that features the best makeup artistry. It would be more accurate to say that all of them have some pretty impressive makeup artists.

February is Black History Month in America, and as such, we thought we would honour this month by looking to the future! Now, Star Trek has had some absolutely fantastic black actors and characters in their long history on screen, but we would like to know; who would you like to see more of? First up, we have the first African-American Captain in his own series, the brilliant, the sometimes bearded, Benjamin Sisko played by Avery Brooks. One of my personal favourite all-time Trek episodes is The Visitor, a story that focuses on the father-son relationship between Benjamin and his son Jake. This would be a great relationship to come back to - how has the intervening time (and Prophethood) changed them, and the world around them? And can we bring Kasidy Yates back at the same time too, please? Throwing back to the first season of The Next Generation (we know, we know), Tryla Scott wowed the audience as Captain of the USS Renegade. Unfortunately, she suffered an unknown fate at the hands of the parasites, attempting to take over Starfleet Command. As a strong Captain, it would be fantastically interesting to see what happened to her. Maybe we'll see in a new series. The most prolific character/actor in Star Fleet history (please don't @me if I'm wrong) is the brilliant Michael Dorn as Worf, son of Mogh. One of the most requested solo series that I've seen on the web is a chance to see Worf back on our screens. Would you like to see him come back as a Captain, still balancing a Starfleet with his Klingon heritage? And what about my wife's favourite character, the fabulous Tuvok, as played by Tim Russ? Arguably the greatest Vulcan we've seen on screen, Tuvok was the backbone of Voyager who had fantastically different relationships with all the different crewmen of that lost ship. Could he come back? I'd love to see him in the "modern" day; how has Voyager's return changed his life, and does he still see his old friends? There are, of course, lots of other brilliant black characters and actors; far too many to cover here, but perhaps you can let us know in the comments if there are other characters you'd rather see return? Perhaps you'd like to see the continuing adventures of Geordi LeForge or what Daystrom gets up to in his eponymous Institute. Finally, we would be absolutely amiss not to honour three key black characters in the Star Trek universe, all of whom hold a special place in our hearts. First is that of Beckett Mariner, the lead of Lower Decks (possibly one of the most gif'd shows on our Discord), voiced by the incomparable Tawny Newsome. Then we have the first black female captain, Michael Burnham; delightfully played by the great Sonequa Martin-Green. And finally, we have the legend that is Nyota Uhura, played originally by the heinous Nichelle Nichols, and soon to be back on our screens in Strange New Worlds (which I'm very much looking forward to) and to be played by Celia Rose Gooding.

It's 2022 (or 2399) and it couldn't get here soon enough! Get outta here 2021, we don't want you anymore! Every time the calendar flips to a new year, we get an opportunity to reflect. It's a natural moment for rekindling optimism and purpose, as well as a reminder that the future has yet to be written. It's only logical to apply this perspective to our science-fiction universe. Each new incarnation of Star Trek is greeted with the same sense of surprise and enthusiasm. We're excited to go on a new adventure, not knowing where we'll finish up, but ready to grab on for dear life through all the twists and turns. The power of a new "Season 1, Episode 1" is that it may set the stage for a whole season. It is a pivot point that establishes the tone of the series. Will it be about exploration and science, or about conflict and danger? As the key characters are introduced in the pilot, we ask ourselves: Is the commanding officer an experienced professional or a newcomer to the game? An opening episode establishes the momentum that will propel the audience into the wide unknown and keep them coming back week after week. "Emissary" from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine emphasized a less sophisticated, more frontier arena than the series that came before it. It introduced creatures that had been shown briefly in TNG but would now play key roles in the stories. What about the opener for Star Trek: Enterprise? The crew of the Enterprise NX-01 was full of hope but had no genuine experience with the perils that lay ahead. The Vulcans were painted in a different light than they had ever been previously. Meanwhile, Star Trek: Lower Decks provided us with a behind-the-scenes peek at the crew that wasn't the greatest but yet got the job done - frequently with frantic antics. But which of these series premieres was the BEST? Don't forget to persuade us in the comments about your pick!

As we enter the final year of the 24th century, we thought it might be fun to examine ways our characters might choose to ring in the New Year. We know from a conversation that Bashir has in Deep Space Nine that people (or at least humans) celebrate the New Year with parties and celebrations, but what might they entail..? And do they change with species and quadrants? Perhaps they would like to hold a massive party in their ship or base's bar (or for the more adventurous, perhaps they even venture into the holodeck?) or there's always doing something a little more... unique? Jo Marshall has threatened to go skinny dipping in the Andorian ocean, but as a doctor all I can say is that it's a sure fire way to give yourself pneumonia. On Star Trek Online, the annual event "Q's Winter Wonderland" has players being taught the Klingon New Year tradition of ice fishing? Perhaps our Klingon characters would care to teach the rest of us this brilliant skill. If not, I have a power drill and a fishing rod and I'm going to try it out myself! What about something less... chilly? Perhaps your character likes to stay in by an open (holo)fire and roast chestnuts/marshmallows (or smores)? This is of course assuming that all planets celebrate their new year celebrations in a season of cold weather, which I'm sure isn't true (it isn't even true on Earth!) so who likes going surfing or bodyboarding on NYE? A BBQ anyone? There's a few options below, but if we haven't covered your answer, then please let us know in the comments!

The Movember Foundation aims to raise awareness of men's health issues including suicide prevention and cancer support. Through fund-raising and charity efforts, they hope to change the face of men's health. One way to show support is to grow a bit of facial fuzz during the month of November. Soul patch? Glorious Klingon beard? Muttonchops, anyone? As we look at the Star Trek universe, there are many examples of facial hair across the galaxy. Each species and, indeed, each individual, has their own preferences. Most Tellarites are seen onscreen with full-length beards. Many Klingons seem to prefer it as well, including our favorite Klingon, Worf. One of the easiest to spot examples of "good-beardedness" is Commander William Riker from The Next Generation series and accompanying movies. Beginning with the second season of TNG, Will sported a beard for over a decade on the small and large screen. He shaved it during Star Trek: Insurrection much to Troi's delight who said "Yuck!" when he kissed her. In the Mirror Universe, Spock wore a mustache and goatee. Actually in the different visits to and from that universe, we see multiple characters with facial hair that their normal counterparts from our reality don't have. Is there something about the forces of evil that push the villainous to wear a beard? Probably not. Most likely its just a visual cue to the audience that this isn't your normal Spock or Bashir. Benjamin Sisko grew a Van [...] beard during his tenure aboard Deep Space Nine. His son, Jake, commented that he liked it. We have to agree! And don't even get us started on Doctor Leonard McCoy! In Star Trek: The Motion Picture he was forced out of retirement and returned to the Enterprise with what looked like an outfit and facial hair straight from the 1970s. To be fair, the movie was released in 1979 - so, yeah, kind of! Join in the fun, let us know who your favorite unshaven character is!

Few would argue that Star Trek is just a TV show or movie franchise. The far-reaching effects of our favorite science fiction universe have been felt within the very fabric of society. It has touched the minds of young and old and inspired pioneers in all fields of human endeavor. October 10th - 16th marks Earth Science Week, an international event organized by the American Geosciences Institute which helps the public gain an appreciation for Earth sciences and encourages responsible stewardship of the planet. It builds understand of fields such as climate change, impact from agriculture and industry, and highlights our responsibility in maintaining the delicate balances of Earth's natural systems. To coincide with this event, let's examine the impact of science fiction on science and technology fact. The most direct influence Star Trek has had would likely be upon the field of astronomy and space exploration. In the 1970s this was felt when NASA received thousands of write-in requests by Star Trek fans to have the prototype space shuttle be christened Enterprise. The campaign eventually succeeded and many of the main cast of The Original Series were even on hand for the unveiling. Many astronauts have credited Star Trek with kindling a desire within them to explore the stars. This week William Shatner, Captain James T. Kirk himself, flew aboard Blue Origen's rocket and became the eldest man to travel to space. Computers, robotics, and artificial intelligence have also benefited from the universe of Trek. From the interactive computer aboard Starfleet vessels to Lieutenant Commander Data - a cybernetic lifeform, we have witnessed advanced intelligences that blur the lines of what life is and how it's defined. Questions about artificial sentience are already being asked in the real world now as well. No one can deny the similarities between the Enterprise computer and the likes of Siri, Alexa, and Cortana. Many individual episodes feature plotlines that deal with real-world environmental issues. It might be something as varied as planet-wide weather control equipment on Risa going on the fritz or a meteor set to impact a planet and the need to disrupt its path. Even Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home was a commentary on the effects of mismanagement of Earth's species and resources. Science fiction has provided a medium to explore some of these "what ifs" even before they've happened to shed light on our response as a species.

September is a month where the world remembers those lost to violence: the beginning of World War II in 1939, and the tragic events of September 11th in 2001. In reality, conflict makes up a large part of modern society. Many love to escape into science fiction to forget such realities. But part of what makes Star Trek so visceral is its portrayal of dangerous conflict. Star Trek has not been shy about developing storylines that examine conflict — between individuals, peoples, planets, and empires — and the fallout of such conflict. The Maquis, freedom fighters introduced near the end of the TNG series, played a larger role in DS9 and VOY. Made up of former Starfleet officers and Federation civilians rising against the oppression of the dismissive Cardassians and rule-oriented Federation made many viewers take a hard look at real-life events happening around them. Perhaps it made some uncomfortable because in the right circumstances, they could almost agree with the Maquis and their methods. In the Enterprise series, a Xindi probe carried a devastating attack on Earth out. This precipitated a season-long story arc where Archer and crew had to respond to the attack. In the end, they found the Xindi to be responding (sort of) defensively. As someone misinformed them that the Federation would destroy their planet. Khan Noonien Singh is many times highlighted as one of the top baddies of all of Star Trek. In Star Trek Into Darkness, he causes mayhem and destruction in London and Starfleet Headquarters. However, was he just protecting his brethren from the hands of the manipulative Admiral Marcus? Was he justified in his actions? There are dozens more examples of conflict, some large and others small, that have pierced the hearts of the fans, and we want to know which ones jabbed at your soul the most? One of the above? Was it the duo-chromatic aliens in "Let That Be Your Last Battlefield" (TOS)? Perhaps it was the attack on Yorktown Station in Star Trek Beyond? Or shadows of the Dominion War in DS9?

Women's Equality Day is celebrated in the United States on August 26th. That is the anniversary of the adoption of the 19th Amendment to the United States Constitution, which gave women the right to vote in elections. That initial step in 1920 has since led to a flurry of civil rights measures that have worked to provide fair and equal access and representation to all. As our eyes fall on the universe of Star Trek as depicted in the television shows and movies, we see a galaxy that increasingly has been represented as a galaxy of equals. It is a place where anyone can attain power and authority based solely on merit. Many women have featured prominently in positions of authority and power - (unfortunately) forward-thinking for our time, but treated as commonplace in the universe of Star Trek. Kathryn Janeway, depicted on-screen by Kate Mulgrew, is a sterling example of a women entrusted with power. She served capably as the commanding officer of the USS Voyager and later was promoted to the admiralty. Janeway was a force to be reckoned with that could stand toe-to-toe with the Borg and managed to return her crew safely from being stranded at the other end of the galaxy. She is a fan favorite which is perhaps why the character is set to return in the upcoming series Star Trek: Prodigy. Doctors Beverly Crusher and Katherine Pulaski, performed by Gates McFadden and Diana Muldaur respectively, provided role models for many youths. You never got the impression that either would fail to speak their mind or act in an assertive manner when needed. Crusher was even tasked with leading Starfleet Medical for a year, a testament to her skill and ability. The long list of other powerful women in Star Trek is extensive. From Admirals Nechayev and Cornwallis to scientist Carol Marcus and the villainous Romulan Sela, we see women filling every role available in the universe - true equals, as they should be. The question posed to you is who's you're favorite?

What with today being Bastille Day, we here at the Poll of the Month have decided to examine the history of France in regards to Star Trek. Where should we begin? Well the most obvious place would be with Jean-Luc Picard, the most English Frenchman to have ever have existed. He's up there in the list of most popular Star Trek characters of all time, is the only one to have his own spin off show (so far, come on Star Trek: My People Have a Saying), and is one of the highest ranking leads. But, without leaning into stereotypes, how much "Frenchness" does Jean-Luc really display? Sure, in both The Next Generation and his own eponymous show, we see plenty of the family chateau and vineyard, but the majority of the literature he engages with tends to be skewed to the English speaking world. Why doesn't he try to teach Data about Moliere in the holodeck rather than Shakespeare, par exemple? Obviously, the out of character reason for this is that you don't cast famed classical actor Patrick Stewart and not get him to whip out his Prospero... So, what other examples are there that flit to mind? For me, the most obvious examples come from Voyager (and I don't just mean Tom PARIS). The first, Chez Sandrine, is the holodeck bar that features fairly heavily in the show, it's almost their Ten-Forward, if you will. The Doctor teaches Seven how to dance there (although she does break that poor man's arm) and the crew are trapped in there when the ship goes all curly-whirly (Twisted), to name but a few. Complete with pool hustlers and slightly dodgy accents, is this a fun representation of France? The other obvious Voyager example is La Coeur de Lion and the Resistance movement from the (frankly brilliant) episodes "The Killing Game, Part One and Two". Complete with Janeway in a white tuxedo and Mademoiselle de Neuf (plus, who isn't a fan of French peasant Neelix, the best Neelix), this cell helps to take down the Nazi Hirogen (subtlety is not necessarily Voyager's strong suit) but this does a really good job of displaying the gallic grit and valour that the Resistance movement showed during the Second World War. As a final aside, the Federation President's office is shown to be in Paris (well, unless they moved the Eiffel Tower) in Deep Space Nine's Homefront. That's fun. So, what's your favourite display of French culture in Trek? Is it one of these, or perhaps another? Let us know in the comments!

It’s June, and quite apart from it being warm and summery (at least in my part of the world) it is also Pride Month! Star Trek has a long history of racial inclusivity, from the earliest series onwards but the first main characters canonically portrayed as being a part of the LGBTQ community are Dr Hugh Culber and Lt. Paul Stamets on Discovery. Not that queerness hasn’t existed within the Star Trek universe before, it has, but portrayals of it are few and far between. But which of those portrayals is your favourite? Let’s start with Culber and Stamets in Discovery; their personal home life is regularly shown in the series (one of my favourite scenes in the whole of Discovery is the one where the two of them are brushing their teeth) and I think we can all agree that they are an excellent example of representation. What about Adira Tal in the latest series of Discovery? They are non-binary and came out to the aforementioned Stamets in one episode, preferring they/them pronouns. I thought this was an outstanding example of embracing the current shifts in thought and representing them on screen. I know it’s passe to mention the JJverse in SB118, but I couldn’t let this poll pass without at least mentioning the existence of Hikaru Sulu’s sexuality in that adaptation. Or at least in Beyond, in which he’s shown happily embracing a same-sex partner (a kiss, however, apparently fell to the cutting room floor). Finally, I will briefly pass over the small instances of LGBT inclusion in the older series. We had the genderless species of the J’Naii in The Outcast episode of The Next Generation. The focus of this episode was on Soren, who felt distinctly female, even admitting an attraction to William Riker (and having an affair with him). You had instances of bisexuality occurring frequently in Trill storylines; Dr Crusher and Odan in The Host, Dax and Kahn in Rejoined to name two, as well as Mirror Kira being romantically involved with Ezri in Deep Space 9. Do you have other instances you’d like to discuss? Are there portrayals that aren’t good portrayals? Let us know what you think!

With confirmation that Q, portrayed on-screen by the talented actor John de Lancie, will return in season 2 of Star Trek: Picard, our thoughts turn to the sly jokester. The near omnipotent Q of the Q Continuum has been a thorn in the side of Starfleet for many years. Since his run-in with Picard and crew in the first episode of TNG, Q’s acerbic humor and trickster nature have caused many headaches for our heroes. But it does make for great storytelling! After all, how do you face off against an almost unbeatable (and unbearable) enemy? One of the moral questions that meeting the Q has postulated is, “What if I was given their powers?” This question was explored in the episode “Hide and Q” when the powerful being gave Commander William Riker a taste of the Q’s power. It is said that power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Is this always true? Could a lowly human (or Andorian, Tril, Denobulan, etc.) be trusted with the Q’s power? Or would they go mad with power and devolve into the selfish and conceited use of their unthinkable might? Riker struggled with being able to control his use of his newfound powers but, ultimately, he eventually decided to reject Q’s power. In another TNG episode, “True Q”, we meet Amanda Rogers. Initially, we are led to believe that she is a normal human but soon find out that - unbeknownst to her - she is a Q. As she begins to explore her powers with Q’s help, she finds it increasingly difficult to avoid using her abilities. She makes the decision to return with him to the Q Continuum to receive further training in the use of her abilities. So, when faced with the same decision, what would you choose?

The Star Trek franchise is a living thing. Shows have come and gone over the years and each incarnation has added to the rich flavor of our favorite sandbox universe. When a show completes its original run, there are always mixed feelings - a sense of completeness, sadness, nostalgia. Once we've worked our way through the stages of grief and hit acceptance, we move on with our lives. We have little choice to do otherwise. But what if ... The trend has been up-ticking in recent years where studio executives will bring back popular shows for additional episodes - with some successes and some spectacular failures. True, there has been some distance from some of our favorite shows and the present day. Actors have moved on, aged, and we have lost some along the way. Some storylines have not aged well and may not work in the current social environment. So let's change the rules! Imagine a timeline where a Star Trek show from the past got one extra season. Which series is the lucky one to get another chance to wow us? Would you tune in to see Kirk and Spock seek out new life and civilizations during their five-year mission? What about seeing more of the continuing mission with Picard in the center chair of the Enterprise-D? Do you want to see what Kira and the gang are up to on DS9 as they recover from the Dominion War? Should there have been an extra season nestled in among the others that provides more details on Voyager's return home? Did Enterprise end before its time? Maybe you feel that all the series ended just where they should! Take our poll and extra credit to anyone who provides details in the comments on which storylines they want to see from the bonus season!