Lichfield Dean

Agreed about The Orville. Probably the best Star Trek out there at the moment. I can't stand Discovery myself, I've tried and tried but it just feels... wrong. Season 1 of Picard was very poor, but S2 has started really well, so I've got high hopes that they have worked out what to do with it now. And, unexpectedly, I love Lower Decks. It has more Star Trek per millisecond than any other series, and is clearly made by people who deeply love the show. Mariner Beckett is to me everything that Michael Burnham should have been. I haven't seen Prodigy yet, but I have heard good things about it. And I'm hoping Strange New Worlds is going to be good, although the fact they've already given in and announced Kirk will be in it makes me a tad concerned. I just hope Kurtzman can be kept at arm's length...

Another moving speech from the man himself:

Those poor workers being told like that. "Your final day of employment is today".

The mirror universe episodes are pretty good though, they have been consistent throughout Star Trek in terms of it being a very specific universe with consistent storytelling, right from the first appearance (with Spock's beard) through even to Discovery. The time travel/timeline change episodes should not be conflated with the mirror universe which is a whole different thing.

Holodeck-gone-wrong episodes are the worst. I mean, it happens so often that I can't believe Star Fleet actually allowed the things on their vessels at all!

B5 is very similar to Deep Space 9. In fact, J Michael Straczynski claims that he presented B5 to the Star Trek people, they turned him down, he made B5 anyway and was then surprised that DS9 suddenly appeared and was extremely similar. There are indeed similarities, but really, in a way it worked out well because we got two excellent series. B5 is a pretty incredible show - one big long story arc that moves in scope from the space station focus to a huge interplanetary war. It's really impressive, although sometimes a bit of a slog to get through the lesser episodes. DS9 is similarly brilliant, with a darker feel than other Trek series, being based on the "wild west" frontier of known space. Like B5 it finds its legs as the series progresses.

As there is at least one topic for that other franchise, I thought it high time we had one for the greatest and most important sci-fi shown of them all. Why do I like it so much? Doctor Who has been going longer, Star Wars has all the glam, The Expanse has the hard sci-fi, Babylon 5 has the complex political story arc... The list goes on. But only Trek does it all. And does it with heart and humour and tears and emotion. I'm currently in season seven of my Voyager rewatch, and just like Enterprise I think it is much better than I realised at the time. Yes there are a lot of filler episodes, but when it hits it hits hard. I have many more thoughts about many aspects of the show, but for now, let's spend a moment to appreciate the real hero of Star Trek: please take a bow Lieutenant Reginald Barclay.

Of all the recast Star Trek crew I thought he was the best and most convincing. Played it very differently to Koenig, but it worked. A sad loss.

Interestingly the only reason we can afford an electric car is via the Motability scheme. One of the few areas where it actually works out well for those receiving the right kind of benefits. Somewhat off topic however

That is exactly how it comes across.

This just makes no sense to me. Putin has destroyed half a country, killed thousands, lost half his army, and is preparing to withdraw with everything... exactly as it was before??? Huh?

Wasn't FGTH really a Trevor Horn product ultimately? I'm sure I heard a version of Relax from before when he took over the production and it was really feeble. I stand to be corrected though.

What in the name of God is standing in that window??? Terrifying.

That gif is more suited to the subsequent joke to be fair

I expected nothing less from The Guardian. As a Manchester paper rehomed in London they seem to have an institutional disregard for anything from Birmingham. It seems to infuse their entire output. Jay Rayner is an obvious exception to this (he's always championing Brum) and there are others, but in general, any output about Villa or the city seems to have an undercurrent of smugness and distaste.

Why should we reward him?

Withnail and I sequel?

Enjoyed Picard season 2 episode 2. Looking like it's actually going to be a good series. Huge improvement on the disastrous first season.

I imagine his engineers really really wish he'd go and be a tax exile rather than continually pestering them when they're trying to do their work.

Abortion of ectopic pregnancies is. Not aborting is death to both mother and child. There is no debate to be had.

Has this been caused to a degree by the sidepod changes? Were they struggling this much two weeks ago?

Good god, what is wrong with these monsters?

I said to my wife when he passed the ball out behind Digne, "I hope that's his big mistake out of the way now for this game" and fortunately it was.

I did think he'd completely wiped out the entire goal that time he crashed into the post. Somehow it managed to remain standing.

Wow