7: Hotel Majalan

06/14/22 • 52 min

Saddle Up! A Star Trek Strange New Worlds Podcast

“Lift Us Where Suffering Cannot Reach”

When Captain Pike returns to Majalis, a planet where he once took part in a rescue mission, he meets a woman whom he may have been hitting on a decade earlier. While it may be crazy and unlikely that they are meeting again, Pike has arrived just in time to save her and a young boy from attack. Coincidence? Perhaps. But the situation is far more complicated than it seems and Pike finds himself faced with a troubling reality that he cannot stop when it turns out that the boy is destined to be sacrificed for the good of Majalan society. Meanwhile, the world’s medical technology holds the promise of saving M’Benga’s daughter.

In this episode of Saddle Up! hosts C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing discuss “Lift Us Where Suffering Cannot Reach,” the sixth episode of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds’ inaugural season. We explore the important messages in the story about our own complacency in society, the exploitation of children, and the importance of strong father figures. We also discuss the structural flaws in the story, but focus on how the writers transcend these to deliver important and timely commentary.

Hosts C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing

Production C Bryan Jones (Editor and Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer)

“Lift Us Where Suffering Cannot Reach”

Hosts C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing

Production C Bryan Jones (Editor and Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer)

Previous Episode

6: Spock and T’Pring’s Freaky Friday

“Spock Amok”

Spock and T'Pring rendezvous at Starbase 1 for a little R&R and quality time together, but those plans go awry when work gets in the way for both. The situation is compounded when their candle ceremony abruptly ends—or rather fails to do so—and the lovers switch bodies. Throw in Number One and La'an playing Enterprise Bingo and a fly fishing hat and the story moves dangerously close to hijinks. Ah, and don’t forget about the high-stakes negotiations.

In this episode of Saddle Up! hosts C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing discuss “Spock Amok,” the fifth episode of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds’ inaugural season. We discuss the importance of humor in Star Trek, finding balance between comedy and social commentary, and how the writers have made us care about the characters in just a handful of episodes. We also explore the R’ongovians, Nurse Chapel's crush on Spock, and, of course the body swap that delivers both laughs and insight. So saddle up and trot out onto the hull with us as we sign the scorch!

Hosts C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing

Production C Bryan Jones (Editor and Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer)

Next Episode

8: Vulcan Affairs

“The Serene Squall”

A humanitarian mission takes an unexpected turn when a visiting counselor, formerly of Starfleet, turns out to be not who she claims. With ulterior motives tied to Vulcan, this Dr. Aspen is more interested in capturing Spock than the Federation flagship. Meanwhile, Pike, Number One, and most of the senior staff plot a mutiny aboard the pirate ship where they're being held by an Orion. Along the way, all sorts of Vulcan affairs are revealed, including the whereabouts of one long-lost brother.

In this episode of Saddle Up! hosts C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing discuss “The Serene Squall,” the seventh episode of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds’ inaugural season. We explore Spock’s struggle with identity, the rich world building of Vulcan affairs that will transform how viewers read “Amok Time” and Star Trek V: The Final Frontier, and the trajectory of the Spock–Chapel relationship. We may also do pirate imitations.

Hosts C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing

Production C Bryan Jones (Editor and Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer)