Earl Grey 121: U.S.S. Love Handles

1701-B.Viewers of Star Trek: The Next Generation often spotted those golden Enterprise models in the Observation Lounge over the years - but what was the story behind them? We knew the 1701 and would get to know the Enterprise-A in the TOS-era films; the heroic sacrifice of the Enterprise-C was eventually told in the season three episode "Yesterday's Enterprise." However, there was an Excelsior-class-sized hole in the Enterprise legacy.It was not until TNG's inaugural motion picture, Star Trek Generations, that fans witnessed the christening of the first "Kirk-less" U.S.S. Enterprise - the NCC-1701-B. Earl Grey discusses the ship itself - a modification of the Excelsior-class design (one that remained dormant for several generations!), that had some "extra fat" in its "dad bod," from nacelles that go on for light years to the "love handles" around the main deflector. The trio also discusses the members of the maiden crew - from the much aligned Captain John Harriman to the plucky Ensign Demora Sulu, whose story would be expounded on in the novel-verse. They also try to untangle the timeline of when the third Starfleet vessel named Enterprise entered and left the scene of the Trek verse.So don't sit down in your chair - instead make time for the important things, like this week's discussion of the starship Enterprise, NCC-1701-B.HostsDaniel Proulx, Phillip Gilfus, & Darren MoserEditor / ProducerDarren MoserExecutive ProducersNorman C. Lao, Matthew Rushing, & C Bryan Jones

Will Nguyen