Media Reviews

There's been a lot of discussion online recently about the new Star Trek: Section 31 movie and re-assessing past Star Trek movies that weren't well-received in light of this latest addition to the franchise. Early reviews indicate that Section 31 fails to integrate the key ingredients of Star Trek, similar to the concerns I brought up about the Kelvinverse movies. Now, by comparison, past movies perceived as weak are actually pretty good. I'd like to focus specifically on Star Trek V: The Final Frontier and how it is, in fact, a good episode of Star Trek.

Star Trek: Lower Decks concluded its 5-year run recently, cementing its place in Star Trek canon. Let's explore in more detail what made Lower Decks feel like top-tier Star Trek.

The beauty in Star Trek: Unification, a short film by The Roddenberry Archive, is not in the fancy de-aging CGI, but the exposition of a deep friendship that spans space, time, and the multiverse.

I was blown away with the incredible authenticity, emotion, and energy that Rumours of Fleetwood Mac, a cover band officially endorsed by Mick Fleetwood himself, brought to their performance. Not only did they deliver on the big hits, such as Go Your Own Way or Don't Stop, but they dug deep into Fleetwood Mac's rich catalog to perform some other less-well-known gems.

Filled with trains and deeply introspective, Mark Knopfler's new album, One Deep River, delivers another collection of songs in his wonderful, distinctive style. While there aren't as many stand-out tracks for me as Down The Road Whenever, the following highlights flow perfectly with his existing catalog.

Against all odds, the story of Michael Garibaldi is one of hope and the possibility of happy endings. Although he may be most easily recognized for his role as Chief of Security, his friendship with Jeffrey Sinclair, or his great sense of humor (fasten-zip, peekaboo, etc), in fact his biggest lesson is to never give up trying for a better tomorrow. As we celebrate Babylon 5's 30th anniversary, let's explore what makes Mr. Garibaldi such a compelling character.

Star Trek: Picard ended its third and final season recently with a phenomenal conclusion that explored powerful themes and reaffirmed that the core values and ideas of Star Trek are once again present in modern Star Trek. Let's review each season and cover the major themes.

Fans of the Red Hot Chili Peppers are graced with not one but two beautiful, rich albums in 2022 with the return of John Frusciante (and Rick Rubin). The overall theme I see in this new album is everyone performing at the top of their game. As is often the case with RHCP, the magic of these 4 musicians working together results in something incredible and greater than the sum of its parts. Read on for a full review of the album.

The Orville, Seth MacFarlane's homage to Star Trek: The Next Generation, is a phenomenal scifi show and I would highly recommend you check it out on Disney+. I'll outline some of the reasons why this show stands out below.

With the season finale of Star Trek: Picard, we finally learn if Q is a friend or a foe. Let's review the case for Q as a friend of Jean Luc Picard, and reflect on John DeLancie's phenomenal performance in Farewell.

I've been eagerly awaiting the release of the new Red Hot Chili Peppers album for quite awhile, and Unlimited Love thoroughly surpassed my expectations. Not only is this a new RHCP album, which is always exciting, but this one is imbued with extra quality, polish, and creativity. As Flea described it, "this is the best of us". Read on for a full review of the album.

JMS made a very surprising and exciting announcement yesterday (see the entire thread for additional details):

The original Babylon 5 was groundbreaking in many ways - the serialized 5-year story arc, the special effects, and the complex web of events and genres woven together. Moreover, JMS developed rich, 3-dimensional characters, many …

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In a stunning announcement yesterday, we learn that Q will be making a return in season 2 of Star Trek: Picard! This is certainly some good fortune! With this announcement, and the clear theme of time in the above trailer, I'd like to reflect on some possibilities …

There are many things I like about Mark Knopfler's work, both his solo albums as well as Dire Straits:

Personal Geography

The way he weaves memories from his own life (even seemingly mundane things) brings a personal connection to his music. For example, taking the train in Southbound Again, remembering …

Throughout the past decade, in 2013, 2015, and 2018, I've written about what I believe to be the core of Star Trek and how a new series should carry on this important legacy. I am thrilled to report that Star Trek: Picard has fulfilled and surpassed these expectations. Let's explore …

Mark Knopfler's latest solo album, Down The Road Wherever (YouTube), is perhaps his best work since Shangri-La. His other recent albums (even including Get Lucky, which I reviewed here), have felt too folky for my taste and lacked hints of Dire Straits rock. Down The Road Wherever reduces the folk …

Here's his full statement:

Introduction

Sir Patrick Stewart's recent announcement at the Star Trek: Las Vegas Convention that Jean-Luc Picard will be returning in a new series is stunningly wonderful news. As I wrote back in 2015, there are several important qualities that I believe will make the next chapter …

I've really enjoyed watching Royal Pains over the last eight years, but it took seeing the finale to be able to really articulate why I like it so much: all of the characters give, and through their giving they receive what they need. For example, Hank helped so many people …

Title image captured by NASA

Introduction

As you have probably heard, CBS announced that a new Star Trek series will premiere in January 2017! This is very exciting news for Star Trek fans, as Enterprise has been off the air for 10 years now. However, with this opportunity comes great …

Introduction

Ever since Star Trek Enterprise went off the air, there has been a void, a lack of new Star Trek TV or movies available to fans. The NuTrek films (the 2009 Star Trek reboot and subsequent movies set in an alternate universe) do not count, because although they are …

Watch this clip on YouTube

I'm thrilled that Star Trek has returned to the big screen and that JJ Abrams has helped increase its popularity amongst mainstream viewers. This is very important to the franchise in order to attract new fans and continue to grow and produce new Star Trek …

Image Source

Warning: this article contains spoilers from Star Trek: Nemesis, Star Trek: Voyager, and some minor spoilers from Star Trek Destiny.

I recently finished this 3-part Star Trek series by David Mack, which converges stories from Star Trek The Next Generation, DS9, Voyager, and Enterprise. Macks' story blends these …

It was definitely a heartfelt ending. I was skeptical to say the least of Matt Smith being able to fill David Tennant's shoes as The Doctor, but he has really done a superb job, especially with the 2nd half of the season. He brings a totally new element to The …

I have to admit, I wasn't very excited about the return of Eureka this season. Don't get me wrong, I think it is a great scifi show and really some of the best content on TV. I just wasn't in a rush or overly excited to start in on this …

Another excellent episode of Sanctuary. I am continually impressed by the rich mythology of this show. After the exploration of the Ancients and their history in the Stargate franchise, I really began to appreciate how well those shows weaved their mythology together. However, I have been even more impressed with …

What a fantastic episode of scifi. This week on Sanctuary brought a suspenseful and fast paced thriller to this already great series.

WARNING: the following review contains spoilers for the season 2 episode Veritas. After the nice character development for Henry last week, this episode was a refreshing fast-paced mystery …

Mark Knopfler's latest offering doesn't disappoint. Throughout both the Dire Straits years as well as his solo career, Mark has always shyed away from the pop sound in favor of rich imagery and sound. Get Lucky is no exception. Right from the title track, Mark's unique style of weaving a …