Huge compendium on scientific, technical, artistic, social and philosophical aspects of Star Trek
Read my review of SNW: "A Case of Chiaroscuro". The episode is steeped in a visual and narrative style that could be described as "Metropolis meets Casablanca". There is an underlying story beyond the style, even if it doesn't always convince.
Two more old articles have been updated with new references and better pictures: Observations in TNG: "The Vengeance Factor" and Observations in TNG: "The Defector".
My review of SNW: "Human Best Friend" is online now. The episode offers a surprisingly decent Scotty and Ortegas storyline. But the campy humor rarely lands and the rest of the character building feels forced.
Added more references and better pictures to Jörg's article with Observations in TNG: "Redemption I".
Here is my review of SNW: "The Griffin Incident". I suspect this one will be controversial.
My review of SNW: "Valles Marineris" is online. The producers promised season 4 would feature fewer "big swings", but the premiere takes a swing so big that discussing it comes with one really, really big spoiler warning.
Two more Enterprise retro reviews: "Fusion" and "Rogue Planet". One raises more questions than it answers about Vulcan culture and mind melds. The other strikes me as pointless and empty.
Here are two more revised Enterprise reviews: "Shadows of P'Jem" and "Shuttlepod One". Both were among my least favorite season 1 episodes back in 2002. Read my reviews to find out whether almost 25 years have changed my opinion.
I've posted two more Enterprise retro reviews: "Dear Doctor" and "Sleeping Dogs". One is among Enterprise's most controversial episodes and perhaps even more problematic than I thought 25 years ago. The other is a straightforward adventure that simply works.
Here are two more Enterprise season 1 retro reviews: "Cold Front" and "Silent Enemy".
I have added new references and better pictures to two more old articles by Jörg: Observations in TNG: "The Enemy" and Observations in TNG: "The Price".
I've posted two more Enterprise retro reviews: "Civilization" and "Fortunate Son". One is an often overlooked episode that perhaps plays it a little too nice. The other is a deserved classic that almost everyone seems to like. Read my reviews to find out whether my opinion of either episode has changed over the past 25 years.
Two more Enterprise retro reviews are online. Going into this rewatch, "The Andorian Incident" was one of the candidates I firmly expected to reassess. Read the review to find out. I also look at the quieter "Breaking the Ice", an episode about comets, human-Vulcan relations and the first cracks in the ice between T'Pol and Trip.
With my Voyager review project now complete, here is an editorial reflecting on the series and its enduring reputation. I also look ahead to the next part of the review tour, which has just started: Star Trek Enterprise.
Two more Enterprise season 1 retro reviews: "Unexpected" and "Terra Nova".
The official Strange New Worlds season 4 trailer has arrived. After the dismal third season, the bar is admittedly very low, so I definitely expect an improvement. Whether season 4 will keep the promise of being "more serious" is another question. Read my comment.
It probably isn't a surprise that the best starship designs in my view are all from classic series and movies. It may be interesting to look at my favorites from recent Trek though. Here are my 10 Favorite Starships of Modern Trek, including designs perhaps no one would have reckoned with.
Here are the next two updated Enterprise reviews: "Fight or Flight" and "Strange New World".
After completing the updates of my Voyager reviews, I am now revisiting Enterprise. All of these reviews were written when the episodes first aired, and over the past 25 years my views on many of them may have changed. So let us start with the pilot episode, "Broken Bow".
Some Star Trek TV series fill the entire screen, some are letterboxed, and the classic ones need pillarboxing. A new article investigates The Evolution of Screen Ratios in Star Trek, summarizes the formats, points out oddities and discusses the technical and artistic reasons.
For decades, Star Trek productions have relied on physical matte paintings, many of which have become iconic. A new article shows Notable Matte Paintings in Classic Star Trek and how they were used and re-used on screen. It places special focus on the contributions of Albert Whitlock, Syd Dutton and Robert Stromberg, artists whose original pieces appeared in Heritage Auctions between 2019 and…
Less than two months to go. Everything is ready at EAS for recaps and reviews of Strange New Worlds season 4, which will begin with "Valles Marineris" on July 23.
I originally just wanted to to untangle the investigations related to uniforms and inisgnias. But I went the whole way and created three practically new articles. The Changing Styles of Starfleet Uniforms keeps track of the many changes and the resulting problems. Starfleet Uniform and Rank Issues looks at mismatched insignias, odd uniform choices and bloopers like missing rank pips. The Starfleet…
I've added a lightweight image modal to all static EAS pages. You can now browse images in a clean overlay and navigate with mouse clicks, keyboard arrows or swipe gestures. And if you like things the old-fashioned way, CTRL-click still opens the plain URL in a new tab. It's intentional that the modal loads with a short delay, so it doesn't work when you click immediately after the page appears.…
I conclude my Voyager reviews with the playful but somewhat shallow "Renaissance Man" and the ambitious series finale "Endgame", which works better for me today than it did 25 years ago.
Two more old articles upgraded: Observations in TNG: "The Bonding" and Observations in TNG: "Booby Trap".
I have added more references and better pictures to Jörg's article with Observations in TNG: "In Theory".
Approaching the series finale. Here are the retro reviews of VOY: "Natural Law" and "Homestead" - one a fairly routine episode but with an interesting Prime Directive variation, the other a fitting and emotional farewell to Neelix despite some doubts.
Two more old articles have been updated with new references and better pictures: Observations in TNG: "The Survivors" and Observations in TNG: "Who Watches the Watchers".
Strange New Worlds returns with season 4 on July 23, and a new teaser trailer has been released. I have added a brief comment.
New Voyager retro reviews are up: "Author, Author" and "Friendship One". The Doctor comes off as vain and insensitive, and the story still reframes him as the victim, while the second episode wastes a strong premise on a routine hostage plot and avoids its own key questions.
I'm pleased to announce that TNG-Picard.com is a recipient of the EAE Award: a remarkable archive that shows a vast collection of screen-used costumes, props and models from TNG and Picard, built on a lifelong passion.
Two more Voyager retro reviews: "Human Error" and "Q2". Recycled ideas and unrewarding outcomes hold both episodes back, from Seven's stalled development to Q Junior's predictable character test.
Here are two more updated old articles: Observations in TNG: "The Ensigns of Command" and Observations in TNG: "Evolution".
Jörg's article on Observations in TNG: "The Mind's Eye" has been updated with new references and more and better screen caps.
Here is the last new story by Travis Anderson for now: Invasion.
Here are two more reviews from Voyager season 7: "The Void" and "Workforce I/II". These episodes offer interesting variations on familiar themes and still rank comparably high in my view.
The fifth of six new SID Rebirth stories by Travis Anderson: Criminal Underworld.
Two more old articles updated with new references, better screen caps and other improvements: Observations in TNG: "Peak Performance" and Observations in TNG: "Shades of Gray".
The next SID Rebirth story by Travis Anderson: Religious Strife.
Voyager retro reviews of two episodes that couldn't be more different: the thought-provoking morality tale "Repentance" and the hollow myth farce "Prophecy".
I have updated the Links as well, though I had to remove more than I could add.
Here is another SID Rebirth story by Travis Anderson: The Orb.
Continuing with my Voyager retro reviews. Here are "Shattered" and "Lineage". I have revised my views on both episodes, and in opposite directions.
Here is the next SID Rebirth story by Travis Anderson: Civil Unrest.
Three items can always be found on Picard's ready room desk on the Enterprise-D: a black desktop monitor, a rack of orange isolinear circuits and finally a crystal. Jörg found out much more about the latter than we would have expected. See his all-new article Picard's Ready Room Crystal.
Continuing with the SID Rebirth series by Travis Anderson. Here is the next story: Syndicate.
Starfleet Academy has been canceled after only two seasons. Read Alex Kurtzman and Noga Landau's message and my comment on this latest situation.
There are several additions and improvements in Jörg's article on Observations in TNG: "The Host".
And here are the new Discoverse Future Alien Ship Classes: Torothan, Venari Ral and, of course, Klingon.