The Joy of Trek

"Scar Tissue" by AuroraNova, can be found at https://archiveofourown.org/works/20067424

"Dr. Bashir has always been kind to Rom. Now Rom has a chance to return the favor."

The Joy of Trek is hosted by Khaki & Kay, with editing & production by Chief Engineer Greg and music by Fox Amoore (Bandcamp | Bluesky)

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The Vulcan Hello (Star Trek: Discovery, S1 E1) was recommended by Advik Goel (he/him) - Add-vic Go-El, who said: This episode was actually my entry point into the Star Trek franchise, outside of the first of the Kelvin-verse movies, so it holds a place in my heart even if DIS as a whole doesn't relative to other series anymore.

Beyond that, I think the debate over the Vulcan Hello and its merits has always fascinated me. The show lays it out as a debate between the Federation's principles of not being the people to fire the...

"Peace and Long Life" by Ruchira, can be found at https://archiveofourown.org/works/26995765

"Twenty-four years after the founding of the Federation, a meeting between old friends."

The Joy of Trek is hosted by Khaki & Kay, with editing & production by Chief Engineer Greg and music by Fox Amoore (Bandcamp | Bluesky)

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Whispers (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (DS9), S2 E14) was recommended by He/Him, who said: Hello! Tis I, Nerdimus Prime! (Or is it The Derp Prime, we don't know yet, but we will figure it out one day... HUSH YOU, I AM TALKING RIGHT NOW!)

In Whispers we se Chief Brien'O once again. And a hint as to why I(we) called him the most Competent in Star Trek.

Here we see his investigative abilities. His skill. But remember, he keeps a station with Three Species variations of technology working properly. No Star Fleet...

"Crow" by Arctapus [archived by Warp5Complex_Archivist], can be found at https://archiveofourown.org/works/8063995

"Archer and Reed muse about the Vulcans."

The Joy of Trek is hosted by Khaki & Kay, with editing & production by Chief Engineer Greg and music by Fox Amoore (Bandcamp | Bluesky)

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Breaking the Ice (Star Trek: Enterprise, S1 E8) was recommended by nazzy, she/her, who said: This one is having fun with the show's premise - that these are the first humans to do genuine deep space exploration - as well as a great T'Pol subplot that hints at the fantastic odd-ball chemistry that would develop between her and Trip.

Breaking the Ice first aired on November 7, 2001, written by Andre Jacquemetton & Maria Jacquemetton, and directed by Terry Windell

Lieutenant Reed and Ensign Mayweather extract a rare chemical on a comet while Sub-Commander T'Pol considers marriage...

"Course Correction" by Ruchira, can be found at https://archiveofourown.org/works/26989174

"Different ending to "Course: Oblivion," VOY 5x18, if the Silver Blood Voyager had been able to launch their probe prior to disintegrating."

The Joy of Trek is hosted by Khaki & Kay, with editing & production by Chief Engineer Greg and music by Fox Amoore (Bandcamp | Bluesky)

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The Savage Curtain (Star Trek: The Original Series (TOS), S3 E22) was recommended by Kaleb, he/him, who said: So, other than that Mrs. Lincoln, how did you enjoy the deathmatch?

This is always a good episode to sit down with a friend and just take the absolute piss out of; it's an episode that has a strangely high amount of warp cores given how much I like it.

The awful Lincoln makeup, mischaracterizing my favorite historical war criminal, and the comment to Uhura (which I know was trying to Make A Point, but kinda...

"The Good, The Bad, And The Lovely" by tinynerdlet, can be found at https://archiveofourown.org/works/8034478

"Deanna Troi, Worf, and Alexander ended up trapped on the holodeck in a program based around the Ancient West. All of the villains take on Data's appearance, though none of them seem to act like Data. During the final shoot out, another familiar face appears. This one says more about Data than any of the others do, and it raises questions that Deanna really wants answered."

The Joy of Trek is hosted by Khaki & Kay, with editing & production...

The House of Quark (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (DS9), S3 E3) was recommended by Marky See He/Him, who said: I love that DS9 wasn't afraid to move beyond the stereotypes set out in earlier series, Ferengi are more than gold hungry goblins, Klingons aren't just space vikings.

When this first aired in the UK, I missed all but the conclusion of this episode so on my rewatch of DS9 I was excited to see how Quark ended up married to Klingon!

This episode delivers a glimpse into the not so simple world of...

"Pomp and Circumstance" by Vice Admiral Kathryn Janeway (Rynegade), can be found at https://archiveofourown.org/works/4323495

"She approaches the Academy's large auditorium and when she enters, she’s caught up in the memory of her own experience here. It seems like a lifetime ago; so much has happened since she was here last and the sudden nostalgia makes her breath catch in her throat. She’s only given a moment to reminisce, though, before she’s recognized."

The Joy of Trek is hosted by Khaki & Kay, with editing & production by Chief Engineer Greg and music...

Data's Day (Star Trek: The Next Generation (TNG), S4 E11) was recommended by He/Him, who said: Speaking as someone with higher functioning autism with ADHD as a cherry on top, I've always found a kinship with characters like Spock, Data and Seven. Data more so as his efforts to become more human tended to mirror my own struggles to understand social norms that made little sense to me. Half the time I was completely clueless that I ever did anything wrong in the first place.

Having an entire episode dedicated to seeing things through his eyes...

"drifting" by letek, can be found at https://archiveofourown.org/works/27252973

"Sometimes when Quark was feeling particularly masochistic, he would walk by the security station and glance inside, foolishly hoping to see a person he knew wouldn’t be there."

The Joy of Trek is hosted by Khaki & Kay, with editing & production by Chief Engineer Greg and music by Fox Amoore (Bandcamp | Bluesky)

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Course: Oblivion (Star Trek: Voyager, S5 E18) was recommended by Pascal Farful, He/Him, who said: I have been watching Voyager alongside TNG and DS9 in date-of-release order. Voyager has somewhat nested in as my third place of three. Last is a disservice, but my expectations for Voyager are... less. The writing clunks more often than it slices. As a viewer, I feel that VOY challenges me the least of the three.

"Course: Oblivion" is an episode about death. About integrity. About despair and about the meaning of self. It's an episode which does what I want...

on sparkling and lavender tea by Ericine, can be found at https://archiveofourown.org/works/50858563

"There are a lot of things that factor into success when one is growing up as an Illyrian trying to pass as a human, and Una has internalized all of them."

Una offers a glimpse beneath her mask."

The Joy of Trek is hosted by Khaki & Kay, with editing & production by Chief Engineer Greg and music by Fox Amoore (Bandcamp | Bluesky)

Send us your recommendations, or support us on Patreon.

Find us at joyoftrek...

The Enterprise Incident (Star Trek: The Original Series (TOS), S3 E2) was recommended by IronBoomer; He/Him, who said: This one is largely fun from start to finish, as we literally start with Kirk acting out of his regular character, ordering the Enterprise into Romulan Territory; where they're prompted confronted by Romulans, who now have cloaking devices.

Where this gets fun is watching Shatner purposefully overact as Kirk not acting "normal" and Nimoy getting to lean on the whole "no-emotions" with Spock purposefully seducing the Romulan commander. It really looks like he's gonna tap that Commander at...

"I Wish You Would" by lauraschiller, can be found at https://archiveofourown.org/works/53020297

"Tom Paris has to admit that a publicity tour may not have been the best idea."

The Joy of Trek is hosted by Khaki & Kay, with editing & production by Chief Engineer Greg and music by Fox Amoore (Bandcamp | Bluesky)

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Progress (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (DS9), S1 E15) was recommended by Bryan Love(Blackrain), who said: When I first watched this episode when it air way back in the early 90s, I was only 13 years old. It felt pretty much like a filler bottle episode. Something they needed to write out to fill in for the 19 episode for the first season. Even when I did different re-watches of DS9 over the years "Progress" still felt like a first season bottle episode, something that the writers were trying out as they were finding their footing of what DS9 was...

"Irish Drinking Songs" by tornyourdress, can be found at https://archiveofourown.org/works/55777156

"Seven songs Miles O'Brien sings, over the years."

The Joy of Trek is hosted by Khaki & Kay, with editing & production by Chief Engineer Greg and music by Fox Amoore (Bandcamp | Bluesky)

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A Fistful of Datas (Star Trek: The Next Generation (TNG), S6 E8) was recommended by Izaak from Trek 365 (he/him), who said: I love your format and indeed you guys.

I’m Izaak from Tasmania, Australia. I’m the host of the Trek 365 podcast and I’d like to suggest an episode I’m embarrassed to like.

I should hate this episode. And when I find myself enjoying it, I hate myself a little bit too.

- it’s a holodeck episode

- it’s not remotely sci fi

- no one is...

"(not really) an only child" by thestarsarewinning, can be found at https://archiveofourown.org/works/45128077

""What brothers and sisters?”

“The lizard ones.” Miral reminds him, patient and only slightly patronising in a way most six-year-old’s are just beginning to learn."

The Joy of Trek is hosted by Khaki & Kay, with editing & production by Chief Engineer Greg and music by Fox Amoore (Bandcamp | Bluesky)

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Blink of an Eye (Star Trek: Voyager, S6 E12) was recommended by Sandy Cleary, she/her who said:

I've always loved "Blink of an Eye." I like stories about history, and stories that feel epic by having some mechanism to take the reader from the present to the past, or by exposing them to a sense of scale that really captures the grand sweep of human history. The "where we've come from tells us why we wanted to come from there" narrative. Walter Miller's Canticle for Leibowitz, say, or the Babylon 5 episode "The Deconstruction of Falling Stars"...

"Venom in the Blood" by Lady_Sci_Fi, can be found at https://archiveofourown.org/works/37568197

"The Defiant responds to the distress signal from Empok Nor, to find a simple salvage mission gone wrong, and Julian finding Garak in a state he never imagined."

The Joy of Trek is hosted by Khaki & Kay, with editing & production by Chief Engineer Greg and music by Fox Amoore (Bandcamp | Bluesky)

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By Any Other Name (Star Trek: The Original Series (TOS), S2 E22) was recommended by Toledo (toe-LEE-dough), he/him, who said: I first encountered this episode, as I did many TOS episodes, in elementary school while I read collections of James Blish's novelizations from the 70s. Even in text, there were elements I found to be genuinely horrifying: super-powerful aliens that apparently are normally giant, tentacled Lovecraftian creatures; they're coming to conquer the galaxy; machines give them the power to immobilize people and to transform them into helpless, easily- and callously-destroyed polyhedra.

It give us a rare...

"Nyota’s Wish" by Daxs10thHost, can be found at https://archiveofourown.org/works/49312207

"“Okay,” Mariner says, slamming her glass down so hard its contents slosh onto the bar. “I think we should have a slumber party. Like now.”"

The Joy of Trek is hosted by Khaki & Kay, with editing & production by Chief Engineer Greg and music by Fox Amoore (Bandcamp | Bluesky)

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The Wounded (Star Trek: The Next Generation (TNG), S4 E12) was recommended by Crimson (he/him), who said:

This is another watershed episode: We get Cardassians for the first time! Furthermore, we have Marc Alaimo playing a Cardassian, though not the one we're used to (he still chews it up nicely here...though those mutton chops, woof). It's also a great episode for giving Colm Meany a chance to stretch his legs, especially as he and Rosalind Chao carry the B plot. I love that this episode digs into war trauma and the prejudices it can breed...

"Distant Origin - Painful Truth" by GrayRainbow173, can be found at https://archiveofourown.org/works/40365432

"The Captain and her First Officer are being debriefed about their encounter with the Voth.

Takes place several years after the episode "Distant Origin" (S03E23)."

The Joy of Trek is hosted by Khaki & Kay, with editing & production by Chief Engineer Greg and music by Fox Amoore (Bandcamp | Bluesky)

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That Hope Is You, Part 1 (Star Trek: Discovery, S3 E1) was recommended by Lauren Alexis Rivers She/Her, who said:

The first episode when Discovery arrives in the future, it introduces one of Discovery's most complex characters, Cleveland Booker, aka Book. A courier, he is our guide to one of the furthest points in the future we have ever seen. The episode largely features Burnham alone in a strange land, much like the Alice in Wonderland she had once quoted. It introduces the new world and a galaxy very different from the one we know.

...

"The missing 5 hours" by Miss_Inquisitive_Sci_fi, can be found at https://archiveofourown.org/works/40112271

"A missing scene where the crew catchup for dinner at the Captain's and discuss strange anomalies after the missing 5 hours."

The Joy of Trek is hosted by Khaki & Kay, with editing & production by Chief Engineer Greg and music by Fox Amoore (Bandcamp | Bluesky)

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Critical Care (Star Trek: Voyager, S7 E5) was recommended by Marky See He/Him, who said: Hi Folks,

I am loving the show. Growing up, my Dad and I weren't very close, he was much more inclined to sports where I am cut from a much nerdier cloth. We do however share a love of Sci Fi and I remember vividly sitting down together to watch Voyager when it came out.

Inspired by the Joy of Trek, I set out to rewatch Voyager as I haven't watched an episode since the early 00s.

...

"When on Risa..." by SeemaG, can be found at https://archiveofourown.org/works/19760191

"Worf and Dax discover one of the hidden delights of Risa."

The Joy of Trek is hosted by Khaki & Kay, with editing & production by Chief Engineer Greg and music by Fox Amoore (Bandcamp | Bluesky)

Send us your recommendations, or support us on Patreon.

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Masks (Star Trek: The Next Generation (TNG), S7 E17) was recommended by He/him, who said: Although many find the episodes "incomprehensible" or "incoherent," I find it a joy.

First, Brent Spiner gets to really through himself into an array of personality types. He gets to show off his acting chops in ways that he rarely gets to, and almost never gets to on Star Trek.

Second, I truly enjoy this quick peek at a mythology where we can recognize all the parts as familiar to Earth mythologies, but they fit together in ways that...

"The Adventures of Proton Junior" by stardustinthesky, can be found at https://archiveofourown.org/works/3717790

"It was supposed to be a quiet Saturday. Tom, Harry and Miral have a different kind of day planned for B'Elanna."

The Joy of Trek is hosted by Khaki & Kay, with editing & production by Chief Engineer Greg and music by Fox Amoore (Bandcamp | Bluesky)

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Empok Nor (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (DS9), S5 E24) was recommended by Nerdimus Prime, who said: Empok Nor, like The Omega Directive, is an unusual episode

We have tough characters in Star Trek. We have brave ones. We have smart and sassy characters as well. And we had evil characters (looking at you Gul Ducat).

But Garrak, as it turns out, is the only Terrifying character in Star Trek.

And we put him against the most competent. Oh. My.

Empok Nor first aired on May 19, 1997, written by story by Bryan...

"Life, When It Gives You Lemons" by theladygeneral, can be found at https://archiveofourown.org/works/58070146

"When another workplace accident on the Cerritos leaves the hydroponics bay and Kayshon's garden in shambles, it's Ransom to the rescue."

The Joy of Trek is hosted by Khaki & Kay, with editing & production by Chief Engineer Greg and music by Fox Amoore (Bandcamp | Bluesky)

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Cease Fire (Star Trek: Enterprise, S2 E15) was recommended by nazzy (she/her), who said: For being a founding member of the Federation, the Andorians have gotten seriously short shrift over the years by various Trek series. Enterprise made that up to us, giving us more Andorians per capita than any Trek before or since! And best of all, it gave us Shran, quite possibly Jeffrey Combs's best role in a career full of them.

And Cease Fire is a great showcase for the Andorians, and for Shran. We learn more about the long, ugly war between...

"Wearing Your Colours" by apolesen, can be found at https://archiveofourown.org/works/19244734

"Many years after the castellanship of Elim Garak, a young man finds the courage to wear a pin of his hero in an unusual colour scheme."

The Joy of Trek is hosted by Khaki & Kay, with editing & production by Chief Engineer Greg and music by Fox Amoore (Bandcamp | Bluesky)

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Bride of Chaotica! (Star Trek: Voyager, S5 E12) was recommended by Tonks (they/them) , who said: Mwahahaha! Intrepid crew of the USS JOYager and your Chief! You have finally met your match, for I, Tonks, present you with this truly magnificent episode to end your Voyager related woes!

*cough* *cough* *cough*

Where was I?

This episode is a beautiful homage to a piece of media that inspired so many properties from Star Wars to Power Rangers to Doctor Who and a legacy that Star Trek is but one of many proud torchbearer of...

"Not ready" by TFALokiwriter, can be found at https://archiveofourown.org/works/33361315

"Q fights for Picard not to be forcibly ascended by doing it the best way that he knows."

The Joy of Trek is hosted by Khaki & Kay, with editing & production by Chief Engineer Greg and music by Fox Amoore (Bandcamp | Bluesky)

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Relics (Star Trek: The Next Generation (TNG), S6 E4) was recommended by Kyyanno (Kyy for short, rhymes with Sky), he/him, who said: I've always loved the engineering side of Trek, from the designs of the ships to the entirely fictional but awesome systems that make them tick. I've read "Mr Scott's guide to the Enterprise" and the TNG "Technical Manual" from cover to cover many a time. Scotty was my favourite character from TOS, and Geordi from TNG, both making me want to pursue a career in engineering while growing up (which indeed I did!). To have both...