There Are Four Mics: A Star Trek Podcast

Things get serious real quick, as Earth has been attacked by a mysterious species hailing from the equally mysterious region of space, the Delphic Expanse. Few options left to them Earth sends their flagship, Enterprise, to meet the Xindi threat.  Star Trek: Enterprise 02x26 - The Expanse Directed by Allan Kroeker Written by Rick Berman and Branon Braga Guest Stars: John Fleck, Vaughn Armstrong, Gary Graham, Daniel Riordan, James Horan, Bruce Wright

The Empire never forgets. A Tellarite bounty hunter kidnaps Archer to collect the price on his head for escaping Rura Penthe, meanwhile, T'Pol makes everyone very uncomfortable aboard the Enterprise. There Are Four Mics is a weekly Star Trek podcast discussing the Star Trek episodes and movies in stardate order. Join Jason Allen and Joe Heiser as we discuss the 25th episode of season two of Star Trek: Enterprise, Bounty.

After receiving news of the death of one of his former colleagues and rivals in the NX test program, Archer relates a story to T'Pol about a group of ragtag flyboys hoping to break the Warp 2 barrier.  Star Trek: Enterprise 02x24 - First Flight Directed by Levar Burton Written by John Shiban and Chris Black Guest Stars: Brigid Brannagh (Ruby) Vaughn Armstrong, Keith Carradine, Michael Canavan, Victor Bevine

Enterprise takes another risk by introducing a second species ahead of known canon. Thing is, this episode was just so fun that any minor conflicts with the Borg introduction in The Next Generation are totally overshadowed. Star Trek: Enterprise 02x23 - Regeneration Directed by David Livingston Written by Michael Sussman, Phyllis Strong Guest Stars: Vaughn Armstrong, Jim Fitzpatrick, Mark Chadwick, Paul Anthony Scott

The Enterprise crew comes into contact with the Vissians, a race with three genders. One of these genders, dubbed Cogenitors, lead a life unbefitting a sentient being by most human standards, so of course Trip is gonna get mixed up in there. 

Doctor Phlox is forced to confront prejudice on both sides when a member of a species his own once nearly decimated is dropped in his sickbay with radiation exposure. Meanwhile, planetside, Trip, Travis, and Reed go cave diving in search of some Denobulan geologists before a militaristic regime can find them first.  

This week we're taking a brief break from Star Trek Enterprise and introducing our newest project, Disco Night! A Star Trek Discovery podcast. We'll return to exploring Star Trek in stardate order next week. The crew of the USS Discovery finds itself on the wrong side of the Mirror with no way to get back to their own universe. 

Something a little different this week. Black Mirror gives us an episode that promises some Star Trek-ian vibes. The Federation ship USS Callister, Captained by Robert Daly and crewed by the true withholders of his totally deserved recognition, respect, and admiration, boldly goes where no man has gone before. Check out the soundtrack for this episode. "Space Fleet" has a good Star Trek The Original Series vibe and "USS Callister: The Next Adventures" is pretty killer. 

Travis temporarily returns to the family business after the loss of his father. Unfortunately a few on the Horizon aren't exactly excited to see fancy Mr. Starfleet return.  Meanwhile T'Pol watches a movie. 

Losing his case in a Klingon tribunal, the Captain of the Enterprise is sent to Rura Penthe, charged with crimes against the Klingon Empire.  What's neat about this episode is I can save some time when writing the summary of Star Trek VI: Undiscovered Country when that comes around.. This time we're talking about Archer though.

The Enterprise is "consumed" by a vessel inhabited by hundreds of non-corporeal beings of light. Thankfully they only wish to share their incredible abilities with the crew! While Trip may have had the time of his life, Archer is a bit suspicious. 

Archer and Trip are wrongfully held aboard a prison transfer ship when they have the double misfortune of having their ship hijacked by an Enolian and Nausicaan committed to making their grand escape at the expense of everyone aboard.

Archer can't seem to get away with much these days without incurring the wrath of the warring factions of the illusive Temporal Cold War, and as it turns out, recovering a dead body from a 31st century time traveling ship is just the type of thing to set the Suliban (and now Tholians!) on his case. 

Archer gets himself pulled into negotiations between the Andorians and Vulcans, a task everyone but the plucky captain himself seems to think is a lost cause. We start to see some tenants of the Federation shine through in this episode. Very exciting!

In this continuation of the arc started with T'Pol's assault back in episode 17 of season 1, Fusion, we see just how deeply the animosity and disdain runs within the Vulcan culture for those thought to practice mind-melds.  Also Phlox's wife, Feezal, has boundary issues.