Transporter Room 3

Episode 42: Is Star Trek Dead?

scollura@ign.com (Scott Collura and Phil Pirrello) — Thu, 16 May 2013 20:12:00 +0000

We have seen Star Trek Into Darkness. And we have wept.

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Yes, J.J. Abrams' sequel to his 2009 reboot has finally arrived. But has it been worth the wait? Scott and Phil convene for a funereal episode of Transporter Room 3 as we discuss the many ways that Star Trek Into Darkness went wrong. And also what it does right -- but, frankly, there's not all that much of that.

We also feature a very special pair of Red Shirts this week who very well might signal the end of Star Trek as we know it.

Don't forget to subscribe to our RSS feed (click the icon) to get all the latest episodes of our podcast automatically. Friend us on Facebook, star-rate us on iTunes, e-mail us at Transporter Room 3 at Gmail dot com, and talk to us on Twitter:

Scott Collura: twitter.com/ScottIGN

Phil Pirrello: twitter.com/Phil_Pirrello

Listen to the sadness of Episode 42 of Transporter Room 3 right here:

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Episode 41: Behind the Scenes of TNG Season 3

scollura@ign.com (Scott Collura and Phil Pirrello) — Sat, 04 May 2013 06:10:00 +0000

If there's anything better than Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 3 on Blu-ray, we don't wanna know about it.

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For Episode 41 of TR3, Phil and Scott review the new box set and answer the age-old question: Is this double-dip worth your allowance money? (Spoiler: Treat yo'self.)

We also break down the fun of watching Best of Both Worlds on the big screen, and Phil's handshake fandango with Geordi and Ira Steven Behr!

And our tomb full of Red Shirts gets a little more crowded, thanks to one of Nancy Crater's many salty treats in "The Man Trap."

All that, plus our reactions toeveryoneelse's reactions to Star Trek Into Darkness is our newest batch of ear food. (Why has half the planet seen Into Darkness at this point, but we still haven't?)

Don't forget to subscribe to our RSS feed (click the icon) to get all the latest episodes of our podcast automatically. Friend us on Facebook, star-rate us on iTunes, e-mail us at Transporter Room 3 at Gmail dot com, and talk to us on Twitter:

Scott Collura: twitter.com/ScottIGN

Phil Pirrello: twitter.com/Phil_Pirrello

Check out Episode 41 of Transporter Room 3 right here:

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Episode 40: Jonathan Frakes Beams In!

scollura@ign.com (Scott Collura and Phil Pirrello) — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 02:45:00 +0000

As heroes go, Commander William T. Riker is a big deal around here.

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He's battled sentient oil slicks... Open-palm punched countless alien D-bags, and, more importantly, he served the Borg a plate full of hot-buttered whoop-ass -- twice -- and lived to tell the tale.

Not bad for an Alaskan-born trombone player. And the only thing cooler than the above is getting to talk to the actor who played him, which is exactly what we did when Jonathan Frakes beamed in to Transporter Room 3 to talk about the new Next Generation Season 3 Blu-ray set!

You can practically hear the 10-year-old Phil squeal as we talk all things TNG Season 3, "Best of Both Worlds," "The Offspring" and Frakes' special visit to the set of Star Trek Into Darkness.

And in honor of Frakes Day here at TR3, Star Trek: First Contact serves us up another Red Shirt of the week. So put on your best Riker beards as we chat with Trek's Number One guy (see what we did thar?)…

Don't forget to subscribe to our RSS feed (click the icon) to get all the latest episodes of our podcast automatically. Friend us on Facebook, star-rate us on iTunes, e-mail us at Transporter Room 3 at Gmail dot com, and talk to us on Twitter:

Scott Collura: twitter.com/ScottIGN

Phil Pirrello: twitter.com/Phil_Pirrello

Check out Episode 40 of Transporter Room 3 right here:

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Episode 39: Deep Space Nine: What You Should - and Must - Watch

scollura@ign.com (Scott Collura and Phil Pirrello) — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 05:49:00 +0000

Deep Space Nine: Friend. Brother. Secret lover.

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There isn't an episode of Transporter Room 3 where Scott and Phil don't get wrapped up at least once in the nostalgic warmth of Sisko and Co.'s nerd blanket.

Want to fall head over heels too? Then check out our primer on how to best kick off DS9. The first two seasons, like our sock drawers, are frightening time sucks. You can feel the show's growing pains as it finds its footing, and most of those feelings are of the eye-rolling variety. So to save you some time, we put together this handy guide to help bypass the uneven-ness of the early episodes and get to the gravy of Season 3 and beyond.

Whether this is your first time with the series or you just want to reunion tour with it, this podcast is for you. (Sure beats watching Rumpelstiltskin run around Ops. Yep, that happened.)

We also raid the DS9 archives to whip together a quick funeral for one of the highest-ranking Red Shirts ever. All that and the figurative bag of chips await you in our latest episode!

Don't forget to subscribe to our RSS feed (click the icon) to get all the latest episodes of our podcast automatically. Friend us on Facebook, star-rate us on iTunes, e-mail us at Transporter Room 3 at Gmail dot com, and stalk us on Twitter:

Scott Collura: twitter.com/ScottIGN

Phil Pirrello: twitter.com/Phil_Pirrello

Check out Episode 39 of Transporter Room 3 right here:

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Episode 38: Scott Bakula Beams In!

scollura@ign.com (Scott Collura and Phil Pirrello) — Sat, 23 Mar 2013 16:30:00 +0000

Transporter Room 3 returns with a new episode just in time for the new Star Trek Into Darkness trailer! And with a very special guest…

Transporter Room 3, Episode 38

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Join us as Phil and Scott go all Siskel & Ebert on the latest eye candy from this anticipated sequel. Theories abound about Benedict Cumberbatch's character… and Alice Eve's underwear!

And to celebrate Star Trek: Enterprise beaming onto Blu-ray for the first time, TR3 beams in the one, the only… wait for it... Scott Bakula! The first captain of the Enterprise, Jonathan Archer, is our first captain to guest on the podcast. You're welcome!

Plus, an original series Red Shirt pays us a visit as well, albeit in a non-breathing capacity. All that and 30% more banter than the leading podcast are a click away. 'Cause that's how we roll. *drops mic, grabs Porthos, fires phase cannons wildly into air*

Don't forget to subscribe to our RSS feed (click the icon) to get all the latest episodes of our podcast automatically. Hang with us on Facebook, star-rate us on iTunes, e-mail us at Transporter Room 3 at Gmail dot com, and hit us on Twitter:

Scott Collura: twitter.com/ScottIGN

Phil Pirrello: twitter.com/Phil_Pirrello

Check out Episode 38 of Transporter Room 3 right here:

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Episode 37: What Is Captain Kirk's Greatest Moment?

scollura@ign.com (Scott Collura and Phil Pirrello) — Sat, 02 Mar 2013 22:57:00 +0000

It took us the better part of the week for our face binoculars (our eyes) to recover from seeing Captain Kirk misappropriated for Seth MacFarlane's Oscars. (The last time we'll see Shat in his iconic role is to set up a song called "We Saw Your Boobs"? *head desk head desk head desk*)

Transporter Room 3, Episode 37

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So to help us move on from one of Kirk's worst moments, we dedicated this week's podcast to discuss a few of his best. From The Original Series to, yes, even Generations, we found even more reasons to man-crush on the number one cause of death for guys named Kruge.

Plus, Transporter Room 3 gets a visit from not one but TWO Red Shirts this week, bringing the death tally to just shy of Ebola numbers. Nice work, you beautiful, nameless snowflakes. (Don't) watch out for that vampire cloud!

And, of course, a dip into the Reader Mailbag re: Star Trek 2009 and much talk of McCoy's bitching jacket from Star Trek III awaits you in our newest episode! Listen now! Exclamation marks!

Don't forget to subscribe to our RSS feed (click the icon) to get all the latest episodes of our podcast automatically. Hang with us on Facebook, star-rate us on iTunes, e-mail us at Transporter Room 3 at Gmail dot com, and hit us on Twitter:

Scott Collura: twitter.com/ScottIGN

Phil Pirrello: twitter.com/Phil_Pirrello

Check out Episode 37 of Transporter Room 3 right here:

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Episode 36: And the Best Star Trek Pilot Is...?

scollura@ign.com (Scott Collura and Phil Pirrello) — Sat, 23 Feb 2013 18:16:00 +0000

The 36th episode of Transporter Room 3 takes a look at the first episodes of our favorite Trek series as we rank and file our favorites and not-so favorite. (Sorry, Farpoint.)

Transporter Room 3, Episode 36

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We also spend some time nostalgia tripping with Star Trek gaming via our mailbag, and offer spoiler-y updates from the pages of IDW's Star Trek: Countdown to Darkness comic series.

No podcast would be complete without a Red Shirt funeral... and our new additions send our death tally to an all-time high. We may even write an Edmund Fitzgerald-type ballad. (No we won't.)

Strap on your away team belts, velcro in your Zunes and listen to the best ear food the Internet has to offer!

Don't forget to subscribe to our RSS feed (click the icon) to get all the latest episodes of our podcast automatically. Tell us what your favorite pilot is on Facebook, star-rate us on iTunes, e-mail us at Transporter Room 3 at Gmail dot com, and hit us on Twitter:

Scott Collura: twitter.com/ScottIGN

Phil Pirrello: twitter.com/Phil_Pirrello

Check out Episode 36 of Transporter Room 3 right here:

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Episode 35: Does J.J. Abrams Hate Star Trek?

scollura@ign.com (Scott Collura and Phil Pirrello) — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 22:52:00 +0000

How can a father be so horrible to that which he has created?! Oh J.J., what have you done to us?

Transporter Room 3, Episode 35

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Yes, J.J. Abrams will be directing Star Wars: Episode VII. But what does this announcement mean for his loyal Trekker and Trekkie minions? What happens to Star Trek 3? What will the press tour for Into Darkness be like with everyone asking about that other Star movie? Will J.J. ever take us to the prom again?

For the Season 3 opener of TR3, Scott and Phil are joined by special guest and StarTrek.com columnist Jordan Hoffman to discuss this situation in way too much detail than it really merits! So hold on to your seats, which aren't welded to the floor even though you're on a spaceship that can fly faster than the speed of light…

"What kind of s#!t does this guy think he's pulling?"

And of course, no podcast would be complete without another Red Shirt of the Week. Who is the poor sucker this time? Listen and find out!

Don't forget to subscribe to our RSS feed (click the icon) to get all the latest episodes of our podcast automatically. Like us on Facebook, star-rate us on iTunes, e-mail us at Transporter Room 3 at Gmail dot com. Also, hit us on Twitter:

Scott Collura: twitter.com/ScottIGN

Phil Pirrello: twitter.com/Phil_Pirrello

Jordan Hoffman: twitter.com/JHoffman6

Check out Episode 35 of Transporter Room 3 right here:

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Episode 34: Star Trek Into Darkness Prologue: Best/Worst 9 Minutes of Trek Ever?

scollura@ign.com (Scott Collura and Phil Pirrello) — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 21:16:00 +0000

SPOILER ALERT: If you haven't seen the first nine minutes of Star Trek Into Darkness, then have your mom take you RIGHT NOW. We don't care if she's at work -- you have the most valid reason ever. Her boss will understand. Oh and you probably shouldn't listen to the podcast. There be spoilers here!

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Seriously. SPOILERS. In all caps. You've been warned.

It's fitting that Transporter Room 3's last podcast of 2012 is its first ever from a minivan.

Maybe "fitting" isn't the right word -- we can find one later. But first, let's discuss Star Trek Into Darkness.

The whole world (wide web) has been on the verge of obsessive behavior concerning Mr. Spock's volcano suit and Kirk pulling a Raiders right before swimming for his underwater starship. Yep, Scott and Phil discuss the logic-be-damned nerdgasm of an underwater Enterprise, as well as what (few) clues about the film's plot can be gleaned from this nine-minute IMAX presentation.

And you know that new trailer that's out there? Oh yeah, we devote mouth sounds to that too!

Of course, no podcast would be complete without adding another Red Shirt to the memorial wall (read: our dorm-room fridge). Who's our Red Shirt -- or Shirts -- this week? Listen and find out!

Don't forget to subscribe to our RSS feed (click the icon) to get all the latest episodes of our podcast automatically. Like us on Facebook, star-rate us on iTunes, e-mail us at Transporter Room 3 at Gmail dot com and give us a hug if you ever see us on the street. Especially Phil. He's, like, an Olympic hugger. And, of course, follow us on Twitter:

Scott Collura: twitter.com/ScottIGN

Phil Pirrello: twitter.com/Phil_Pirrello

Thank you for listening to our podcast. We promise to serve up some more ear food come 2013! Until then, we'll see you on Gravett Island!

Check out Episode 34 of Transporter Room 3 right here:

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Episode 33: Star Trek Into Darkness Trailer Madness

scollura@ign.com (Scott Collura and Phil Pirrello) — Sat, 08 Dec 2012 18:38:00 +0000

Welcome back to the latest installment of Transporter Room 3, the podcast that is usually forbidden ground for non-geeks and normal folks -- but then becomes suddenly relevant when J.J. Abrams decides to show off some footage from the new Star Trek movie!

Transporter Room 3, Episode 33

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Of course, that's the topic of discussion this week, as Phil and Scott delve into the minutiae of the one-minute teaser trailer for Star Trek Into Darkness that just dropped. Who's the villain? Khan, Mitchell, your old Aunt Doris? Does the movie even take place in outer space? Will Spock die (again)? And why does it look like the Joker might show up at some point?!

We also talk a bit more about the other Star Trek 2, The Wrath of Khan, in our Listener Mailbag segment. And, of course, what would TR3 be without a Red Shirt of the Week?

Khaaaaann... uh, Gary?

Don't forget to subscribe to our RSS feed (click the icon) to get all the latest episodes of our podcast automatically. Like us on Facebook, star-rate us on iTunes, e-mail us at Transporter Room 3 at Gmail dot com and follow us on Twitter!

Scott Collura: twitter.com/ScottIGN

Phil Pirrello: twitter.com/Phil_Pirrello

Check out Episode 33 of Transporter Room 3 right here:

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Episode 32: The Next Generation Hits the Big Screen. Again!

scollura@ign.com (Scott Collura and Phil Pirrello) — Sun, 02 Dec 2012 04:09:00 +0000

Transporter Room 3 went where no man hasn't gone before -- to the movies -- to watch in glorious, face-melting HD two episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation's second season.

Transporter Room 3, Episode 32

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"Q Who" (which is harder to pronounce aloud than you'd think) and "The Measure of a Man" were screened this week to celebrate TNG's upcoming Season 2 release on Blu-ray, and the results were a damn good time. We're pretty sure buying a ticket to sit down with underdressed, overweight pals and watch episodes from a 25-year-old sci-fi TV show is exactly what someone has in mind when they say the phrase "Nerd Prom." My only regret? All this bi-coastal nonsense kept me and my date, Scott Collura, apart!

*cranks up Journey's "Separate Ways," drives all night to NYC in used Acura Legend*

Ahem. So do both episodes hold up? Of course they do. But one holds up more. Which one? Listen and find out!

And as always, we add another soiled Red Shirt to the incinerator -- and appropriately enough, this week's junior-ranking collateral damage hails from Season 2 of The Next Generation. He's just one of the many helmsmen who picked the wrong day to be on duty when the Enterprise encountered a spacial anomaly. (Important safety tip: If you ever encounter a disembodied, sentient, vaguely-Asian face -- run. Like you stole something.)

So fire up the Winamp player or whatever the kids are using these days and listen to Episode 32 of TR3! Love, Phil.

Don't forget to subscribe to our RSS feed (click the icon) to get all the latest episodes of our podcast automatically. And resistance is futile, my friends: Like us on Facebook, star-hug us on iTunes, e-mail us at Transporter Room 3 at Gmail dot com and follow us on Twitter. Do it. Or else we'll go all Borg Cutting Beam on your hometown. Yep. Make "Q Who" look like "Pen Pals." Yep. Went there. *drops mic, stalks off back into Acura Legend, resumes drive.*

Scott Collura: twitter.com/ScottIGN

Phil Pirrello: twitter.com/Phil_Pirrello

Check out Episode 32 of Transporter Room 3 right here:

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Episode 31: A Tale of Two Star Trek II's

scollura@ign.com (Scott Collura and Phil Pirrello) — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 19:35:00 +0000

We know. It's been awhile. Again. Blame the guy on transporter duty who kept us in the pattern buffer for the last forever weeks.

Transporter Room 3, Episode 31

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But we're back, along with a discussion of two Star Trek II's: Star Trek Into Darkness and Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.

We recap J.J. Abrams' plans to release the first nine minutes of Into Darkness in IMAX and the new trailer on December 14 -- two things we want in our eyes right now. Then we sing the praises of one of the best things to ever happen to nerdkind: KHAAAAAAAAAAN!! *coughs* Excuse me, Wrath of Khan.

We sing the Trek sequel's praises, stopping short at actually singing a power ballad in its honor. (It's hard to find lyrics that rhyme with "Montalban's man cleavage.")

One of Deep Space Nine's finest episodes, "Duet," also gets a shout-out in our Listener Mail segment, and we wrap things up with a Red Shirt of the Week massacre! Oh, the humanity!!

So cue up "Amazing Grace" on sad bag pipes and strap yourselves into your beanbag chairs -- Transporter Room 3 starts right now!

Don't forget to subscribe to our RSS feed (click the icon) to get all the latest episodes of our podcast automatically. And you know the drill: Like us on Facebook, really like us on iTunes, e-mail us at Transporter Room 3 at Gmail dot com and stalk us on Twitter:

Scott Collura: twitter.com/ScottIGN

Phil Pirrello: twitter.com/Phil_Pirrello

Check out Episode 31 of Transporter Room 3 right here:

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Episode 30: TNG Episodes That Should Have Ended Much, Much Worse

scollura@ign.com (Scott Collura and Phil Pirrello) — Fri, 19 Oct 2012 23:34:00 +0000

After an extended shore leave, Transporter Room 3 returns just in time for Fall Sweeps! Guest starring Dwayne Wayne from "A Different World" and VIPER, from TV's "VIPER"!

Transporter Room 3, Episode 30

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We know, we know -- the excitement is unbearable so we'll get right to it. This past month, while we were galloping around the cosmos of our day jobs, Star Trek: The Next Generation celebrated its 25th anniversary. To honor that, this week's episode looks back at a few of the series' more dubious happy endings, and goes to town on how those episodes would have ended in "real" life. Yep. That's how we roll.

You think Starfleet would let a recently Borg-ified Picard back into the center seat like nothing happened? Don't they have labor union rules or some such?! And are we supposed to believe that alien ambassadors, who have never experienced pleasure or aggression before, are gonna be satisfied solely by Troi's chocolate and wraslin' with Worf?! (Wraslin' With Worf, new band name -- calling it!)

After we re-write a few episodes, we hold one more funeral for another Red Shirt of the Week. This time, the biggest small talker in all the Alpha Quadrant gets his 21-phaser salute.

Also, sit back and buckle up for some brainsploding-good reader mailbag! Oh yeah, this S just got R.

Don't forget to subscribe to our RSS feed (click the icon) to get all the latest episodes of our podcast automatically. And you know the drill: Like us on Facebook, give us some star rating hugs on iTunes, e-mail us at Transporter Room 3 at Gmail dot com and follow us on the Twitter. And most importantly, strap on the headphones 'cause it's time for some ear food -- Transporter Room 3 style!

Scott Collura: twitter.com/ScottIGN

Phil Pirrello: twitter.com/Phil_Pirrello

Check out Episode 30 of Transporter Room 3 right here:

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Episode 29.5: Star Trek Into Darkness -- Really?!

scollura@ign.com (Scott Collura and Phil Pirrello) — Tue, 11 Sep 2012 03:06:00 +0000

Episode 29.5 of Transporter Room 3 explores what happens when powerful Hollywood types fear a punctuation mark...

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This past weekend, reports confirmed that J.J. Abrams' new Star Trek film will be titled Star Trek Into Darkness. Colon averse, Team Abrams is, so we get a title that is laughable at worst and shoulder-shrug at best. So we figured we needed to squeeze a quick half-a-podcast out of our colons to discuss! The nerdebate rages here!

But before we submit that title to some "how many lights do you see?" scrutiny, we revisit Episode 29's discussion from last week about Voyager's "Equinox, Part I and II," with help from an old interview with Trek writer Ronald D. Moore. Here, the Battlestar Galactica rebooter clubs Voyager like a baby seal over "Equinox's" story problems, going in-depth about why he thinks the show lacked a unique fingerprint.

And no TR3 would be complete without a Red Shirt of the Week -- this time, we give you double the cannon fodder for half of a normal episode! That's right, two Red Shirts working in tandem to court one of the worst phaser deaths ever. Haven't guessed who they are yet? Hint: They're racists. O.K., one more hint: Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country.

Don't forget to subscribe to our RSS feed (click the icon) to get all the latest episodes of our podcast automatically. And remember: Our show runs solely on Facebook "Likes" and iTunes star ratings. So give us at least a few batrillion of those. Also, e-mail us at Transporter Room 3 at Gmail dot com and follow us on Twitter at:

Scott Collura: twitter.com/ScottIGN

Phil Pirrello: twitter.com/Phil_Pirrello

Now less reading, more listening!

Check out Episode 29.5 of Transporter Room 3 right here:

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Episode 29: Voyager Vs. Equinox Vs. TR3

scollura@ign.com (Scott Collura and Phil Pirrello) — Fri, 07 Sep 2012 18:15:00 +0000

You had a choice: What should we devote our next episode to -- celebrating the 30th Anniversary of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, one of the genre's best films ever, or talk about Star Trek: Voyager... one of the genre's, well, shows?

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Shotgun-to-the-face surprisingly, you selected Voyager. So we strapped on our phaser rifles and threw away our Prime Directive to talk Season 5's "Equinox, Parts I and II," arguably one of Janeway and company's finest. It's Voyager vs. Equinox, another ship that got Caretaker'd to the Delta Quadrant but without Neelix's stew or Janeway's revolving hairstyles to keep them company. Equinox went dark, like zero dark thirty dark. And no I don't know what that means either. But listening to our velvet voices break down the two-parter might clarify.

But first, TR3 tackles tons (read: two or three) news blurbs about the production of J.J. Abrams' You Mean There's Still Not a Trailer Yet? Seriously?! Star Trek 2. Will Nimoy beam on back as Spock Prime? What does Spock Un-Prime have to say about his big action scene? And is Benny C. Batch really Khan?

Oh, and fans of Star Trek: The Next Generation? Ya might wanna dust off the Cmdr. Maddox cosplay -- we've got the release date for TNG's second season on Blu-ray!

All that and a Red Shirt of the Week await you in Episode 29 of Transporter Room 3, the Internet's finest piece of ear food!

Don't forget to subscribe to our RSS feed (click the icon) to get all the latest episodes of our podcast automatically. "Like" us on Facebook, star-rate us till your fingers weep on iTunes, e-mail us at Transporter Room 3 at Gmail dot com and follow us using the Twitter Machine. Do it or else we'll devote an entire month's worth of podcasts to discussing TNG Season 1's "Justice." *cringe*

Scott Collura: twitter.com/ScottIGN

Phil Pirrello: twitter.com/Phil_Pirrello

Check out Episode 29 of Transporter Room 3 right here:

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Episode 28: When Star Trek Goes Bad -- Like, Hate Crime Bad

scollura@ign.com (Scott Collura and Phil Pirrello) — Sat, 18 Aug 2012 22:14:00 +0000

There are some things you just don't do: own collectible plates, look directly into the trap, and revisit the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "Masks."

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But of course, we did that last bit. Of our own free will. We regret nothing.

Our latest episode of Transporter Room 3 tears the s#!t monster that is Season 7's "Masks" a new one, looking back at Data being possessed by the most boring alien library ever, one that's hell-bent on turning the Enterprise into a set straight from Nickelodeon's "Legends of the Hidden Temple."

And what would a podcast be without our nostalgia-fueled trip to our favorite Trek collectibles?! (Answer: Shorter.) From the old-school Mego action figures to the Playmates Next Gen playsets, our inner 12 to 30 year olds generously reflect on the days before the things we played with would become the things we wish we could feed to eBay.

Galoob Enterprise D photo courtesy of Ricardo A. Henriquez; Mego Kirk photo courtesy of Scott's tortured soul

Finally, Star Trek: First Contact gifts us our Red Shirt of the Week, and we tease what our next podcastable topic will be.

Don't forget to subscribe to our RSS feed (click the icon) to get all the latest episodes of our podcast automatically. "Like" us on Facebook and we'll double-like you back, and listen to us on iTunes where you can give us 19 stars out of 5! Also, e-mail us at Transporter Room 3 at Gmail dot com and talk to us on Twitter at:

Scott Collura: twitter.com/ScottIGN

Phil Pirrello: twitter.com/Phil_Pirrello

**Warning: Listening to any mention of "Masks" may cause severe soul aches and/or the need to cry for hours while rocking back and forth in the shower.

Check out Episode 28 of Transporter Room 3 right here:

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Episode 27: LeVar Burton Beams into Transporter Room 3!

scollura@ign.com (Scott Collura and Phil Pirrello) — Sat, 04 Aug 2012 03:03:00 +0000

What more needs to be said? In Episode 27 of Transporter Room 3, the one, the only Geordi La Forge beams in for a frank chat about Star Trek!

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That's right, in a very special episode of TR3, LeVar Burton himself graces us with his presence to talk about Geordi's legacy, Gene Roddenberry's impact on the genre, where he thinks the Chief Engineer wound up going after his final appearance in Star Trek: Nemesis, and much, much more. Plus, LeVar fills us in on the latest regarding his passion project, Reading Rainbow! You know you love it.

Phil and Scott also chat about the latest Trek news, and then of course we have a very special Red Shirt of the Week to go with our very special guest… because that's how we roll!

Don't forget to subscribe to our RSS feed (click the icon) to get all the latest episodes of our podcast automatically. "Like" us on Facebook and give us some star ratings on iTunes. Also, e-mail us at Transporter Room 3 at Gmail dot com and talk to us on Twitter at:

Scott Collura: twitter.com/ScottIGN

Phil Pirrello: twitter.com/Phil_Pirrello

LeVar Burton: twitter.com/levarburton

Check out Episode 27 of Transporter Room 3 right here:

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Episode 26: The Next Generation in HD. Hell. Yes.

scollura@ign.com (Scott Collura and Phil Pirrello) — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 23:56:00 +0000

Episode 26 of the Transporter Room 3 podcast kicks off just in time to celebrate the release of Star Trek: The Next Generation on Blu-ray!

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Twenty-five years after Picard and the space cheerleader outfit made their debut, Season 1 of Next Gen launched their HD premiere in style by screening two episodes in movie theaters nationwide. Scott and our most popular (read: only) guest star, Jordan Hoffman, Trek'd (*dodges tomatoes*) to see how "Where No One Has Gone Before" and "Datalore" hold up in 1080p. Jordan joins us to discuss!

We also have the nerd equivalent to a 'Nam flashback, as we reflect on our tour of the most recent Comic-Con. Scott reveals a close encounter with an unexpected "7 of 9" cosplayer, while Phil blames Karl Urban's non-reveal of Star Trek 2 footage on Dr. McCoy doing a little too much LDS. (Reference!)

And of course we got another Red Shirt of the Week to eulogize! This time, we go outside the ranks of Starfleet to profile one of "Datalore's" many underage causalities at the snowflake-y hands of the Crystalline Entity!

All that and 30% more Jordan Hoffman than the usual podcast fare await you and your listening holes!

Don't forget to subscribe to our RSS feed (click the icon) to get all the latest episodes of our podcast automatically. Re-configure Facebook to "Like" us and set iTunes to "never-ending love" with them there star-ratings. The first 100 million fans will receive a high-five from The Traveler! (Just don't give him s#!t about his three-fingered hand things. Or his circus carnie fingernails.) Also, e-mail us at Transporter Room 3 at Gmail dot com and power up the Twitter Machine and follow us at

Scott Collura: twitter.com/ScottIGN

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Jordan Hoffman: twitter.com/JHoffman6

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Episode 25: Inside Deep Space Nine

scollura@ign.com (Scott Collura and Phil Pirrello) — Sat, 30 Jun 2012 21:51:00 +0000

Scott and Phil scratch an item off their Bucket Lists, thanks to an exclusive interview with Star Trek writer Robert Hewitt Wolfe -- who beamed on down to celebrate the 25th episode of Transporter Room 3!

Transporter Room 3, Episode 25

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We pulled out all the stops for the big two-five: Recorded in 19.1 Dolby Brainsplode, directed by Chris Nolan, filmed in IMAX. We spared no expense in chatting with the former TNG and Deep Space Nine scribe and current writer on SyFy's really cool show Alphas. Mr. Wolfe indulged our geek hearts in all things DS9 -- offering insights about the genesis of episodes like the crazy good DS9 two-parter "In Purgatory's Shadow" and "By Inferno's Light," as well as writing his first produced teleplay, TNG's Western "A Fistful of Datas."

Also, Wolfe let us in on how DS9's staff got away with their then-unconventional serialized storytelling, as well as working with fellow Trek scribes Ira Steven Behr and Michael Piller. Also also? TR3 learned what's up with Alphas Season 2 as well as Defender, Wolfe's must-happen "space opera" currently in development. Oh and want to know what episode RHW never got a chance to write for Sisko and Co.? Listen to find out!

Don't forget to subscribe to our RSS feed (click the icon) to get all the latest episodes of our podcast automatically. Give us the gift of "likes" on Facebook. And if you're hip to iTunes, why not write us a review or two and boost our star ratings while you're at it? Also, e-mail us at Transporter Room 3 at Gmail dot com and hit us on Twitter of course at:

Scott Collura: twitter.com/ScottIGN

Phil Pirrello: twitter.com/Phil_Pirrello

Robert Hewitt Wolfe: twitter.com/writergeekrhw

So pop open a bottle of Guinan's green stuff and kick back in your captain's chair for the best episode of anything in the history of ever.

And a big thanks and high-five to Mr. Wolfe for taking a break from making quality television to chat with us!

Check out Episode 25 of Transporter Room 3 right here:

Transporter Room 3, Episode 25

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Episode 24: Does Prometheus Mean Star Trek 2's in Trouble?

scollura@ign.com (Scott Collura and Phil Pirrello) — Sat, 16 Jun 2012 18:42:00 +0000

So because Prometheus is a mess script-wise, does that mean writer Damon Lindelof is gonna bring a similar narrative litter box to Star Trek 2?

Transporter Room 3, Episode 24

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Of course not. But assuming the worst about one project given its single connection to another is kinda how the Internet works, and since everyone else is talking about Ridley Scott's Star Trek V Prometheus, Transporter Room 3 wanted to get in on the action.

We talk about what didn't work in the movie, the few things that did and why someone needs to go all "How many lights do you see?" on Lindelof and cure him of confusing ambiguity with effective mystery building. (It was either this or a "Shades of Gray" clip show. You're welcome.)

Oh, and want some real Star Trek 2 production news? Don't worry, we've rounded up all the latest scoops. We also find a few funny/interesting connections that Ridley Scott's movie has to Star Trek V. ("Why is God angry? And why does he look like a 'roid-ed out Powder...?")

Then beam on over to The Original Series episode "Arena" for our Red Shirt of the Week -- a victim of mortar shelling, 23rd Century-style!

Don't forget to subscribe to our RSS feed (click the icon) to get all the latest episodes of our podcast automatically. Give us the gift of "likes" on Facebook. And if you're hip to iTunes, why not write us a review or two and boost our star ratings while you're at it? Also, e-mail us at Transporter Room 3 at Gmail dot com and hit us on Twitter of course at:

Scott Collura: twitter.com/ScottIGN

Phil Pirrello: twitter.com/Phil_Pirrello

So strap on your Space Jockey helmet, watch out for sentient black DNA ooze and boldly go listen to Episode 24 of TR3!

Check out Episode 24 of Transporter Room 3 right here:

Transporter Room 3, Episode 24

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Episode 23: Remember the Time Wesley Almost Got Down with Ashley Judd?

scollura@ign.com (Scott Collura and Phil Pirrello) — Sat, 02 Jun 2012 02:50:00 +0000

Transporter Room 3 has fully recovered from our wee 'bout of Memorial Day Shore Leave, where we got hooked on Riker's game from Risa! Which is a bush-league segue into our topic of discussion -- the Season 5 Next Gen episode, "The Game." Remember that little gem?

Transporter Room 3, Episode 23

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Riker's "second brain" almost brings about the umpteenth invasion of the Federation when he brings back a game from Risa that's half Virtual Boy, half cocaine, all cop! Ashley Judd and Wesley Crusher are our only hope against some 8-bit Frisbees flying into blue tubas. Is it the worst episode ever? Its cousin? Tune in to find out!

"Let's do this thing, boy."

On the news front, Simon Pegg bangs the war drums and decrees that the villain in Star Trek 2 is NOT Khan. (Cough, horses#!t, end cough.) Riker pays a visit to the set of Star Trek 2 and Geordi gets rear-ended by the LAPD. (And we thought La Forge was the blind guy -- hiyo! *dodges tomatoes*). Lastly, we lower the Federation flag to half-mast and honor another fallen Red Shirt, this one from the Enterprise-D. So technically, a yellow shirt. Whatever -- you can change a tiger's stripes but blah blah… still human cannon fodder.

Don't forget to subscribe to our RSS feed (click the icon). Send some "likes" over to Facebook, raise our star rating on iTunes and follow us on the Twitter Machine. Do it after listening to the bestest Trek podcast in the Alpha Quadrant.

Scott Collura: twitter.com/ScottIGN

Phil Pirrello: twitter.com/Phil_Pirrello

Check out Episode 23 of Transporter Room 3 right here:

Transporter Room 3, Episode 23

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Episode 22: Star Trek Civil War!

scollura@ign.com (Scott Collura and Phil Pirrello) — Sat, 19 May 2012 05:56:00 +0000

We love Star Trek obviously. This podcast and the bedside jars of tears are proof of that. BUT we don't always love it equally, or share the same care space for certain episodes.

Transporter Room 3, Episode 22

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One episode in particular: "Conspiracy," from Season 1 of Star Trek: The Next Generation. Phil thinks Picard going all redrum on Starfleet officers possessed by alien cocktail shrimp* is kinda fun. Scott thinks Phil needs the stupid phaser'd out of him.

So watch with your ears, as we enter Nerd Thunderdome and clash over the merits of 25-year-old television with the gusto of warrior virgins poets.

Also this week, we catch up with all the Trek news of the last few time cycles -- from Leonard Nimoy teasing a return to J.J. Abrams' Star Trek to Leonard Nimoy teasing a version of Star Trek V that we never saw. We end the nerdcast with a 21-phaser salute in honor of our latest Red Shirt of the Week: Hemdorf, from Winterfell The Original Series.

Don't forget to subscribe to our RSS feed (click the icon). "Like" us on Facebook, high-five us on iTunes with your star ratings and drop us some love on the Twitter Machine! Right after you click below and listen to the bestest thing Audio ever made!

Scott Collura: twitter.com/ScottIGN

Phil Pirrello: twitter.com/Phil_Pirrello

*Alien Cocktail Shrimp is the name of our new folktronica band. We're opening for Data's newest poetry recital in Ten Forward next week. Beam on down! [drops mic]*

Check out Episode 22 of Transporter Room 3 right here:

Transporter Room 3, Episode 22

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Episode 21: Why the USS Enterprise Kicks Ass

scollura@ign.com (Scott Collura and Phil Pirrello) — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 02:51:00 +0000

The USS Enterprise. It's the best thing to ever happen to space combat. Given her captains' tendencies to put her between them and a variety of not-effing-around threats, she has to be.

Transporter Room 3, Episode 21

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For Episode 21 of Transporter Room 3, we honor the best ship in the fleet by taking a very nerdtacular look at her finest space battles. From The Original Series to the films, from Romulans to products of late-20th century genetic engineering, Kirk's one true love never met an ass she couldn't kick, phaser or quantum torpedo. We list our favorites. When you're done here, go over to our Facebook page to list yours.

News-wise, apparently all you need to score a key role in J.J. Abrams' Star Trek is an iPhone audition and a name ending in "-enedict Cumberbatch." And yes, Bryans Fuller and Singer are still verbally panhandling for a new Trek TV series. Meanwhile, one of the few good things to come out of Star Trek: Nemesis gives us our weekly dose of Red Shirt and we boast without shame about how awesome it is to have seen Joss Whedon's The Avengers early.

So reset your prefix codes and listen to Episode 21, right now!

Don't forget to subscribe to our RSS feed (click the icon). "Like" us on Facebook. Star us on iTunes. Chase us 'round Perdition's Flame before you… okay Khan, we get it, you're well-read and pissed. Geez, it's not like you were left for dead or anyth… oh. My bad. Carry on. *whistles, resumes vacuuming walls during red alert*

And, of course, e-mail us at TransporterRoom3 at gmail dot com and tweet at us at:

Scott Collura: twitter.com/ScottIGN

Phil Pirrello: twitter.com/Phil_Pirrello

Check out Episode 21 of Transporter Room 3 right here:

Transporter Room 3, Episode 21

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Episode 20: Deep Space Nine's Not-So Finest Hour

scollura@ign.com (Scott Collura and Phil Pirrello) — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 01:15:00 +0000

Look, we love Deep Space Nine. A passionate, illegal-in-seven-countries kind of love. (Suck it, Canada! *flips off map, drops mic*) But not even our love is blind enough to ignore the "what were they thinking?" piece of meh that is Season 1's "Move Along Home."

Transporter Room 3, Episode 20

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For Transporter Room 3's twentieth (!) podcast, Scott and Phil go all third shap on this episode, which centers on Sisko and company's first encounter with a race from the Gamma Quadrant: the Wadi. Wearing what look like full-body astronaut food packaging and sporting forehead tattoos, the Wadi play a not-so-deadly game with our station's crew. They are so evil, they make Sisko falsetto his way through the sing-songy nightmare fuel that is "Allamaraine":

Allamaraine, count to four,

Allamaraine, then three more,

Allamaraine, if you can see,

Allamaraine, you'll come with me...

No, it doesn't summon Bloody Mary or Candyman, but after that tune Ceti-Eel's itself into your brain, you're going to wish it did.

So we talk a lot about that, and a little about: Spock sporting volcano-diving attire in J.J. Abrams' Star Trek 2, the latest kick-ass trailer for the new Trek videogame and some reader mailbag concerning the climatic space battle in "Yesterday's Enterprise." And no twentieth podcast would be complete without another Red Shirt of the Week. Who's our latest victim? Click on the podcast and find out!

Don't forget to subscribe to our RSS feed (click the icon), and if you love what we do here at TR3, then "like" us on Facebook, love us on iTunes, and set phasers to "funny as sh!@" as we boldly go where no podcast has gone before! And, of course, e-mail us at TransporterRoom3 at gmail dot com and tweet at us at:

Scott Collura: twitter.com/ScottIGN

Phil Pirrello: twitter.com/Phil_Pirrello

Check out Episode 20 of Transporter Room 3 right here:

Transporter Room 3, Episode 20

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Episode 19: Why "Yesterday's Enterprise" Still Kicks Ass

scollura@ign.com (Scott Collura and Phil Pirrello) — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 20:16:00 +0000

Strap on your shiny phaser belts and watch out for exploding tactical consoles, Riker! It's time for Transporter Room 3 to embark on its finest hour by discussing one of The Next Generation's finest hours: "Yesterday's Enterprise."

Transporter Room 3, Episode 19

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For our nineteenth episode, we pull a John Hammond and spare no expense. The Enterprise-D's struggle to return an alternate timeline back to normal (dick move, Enterprise-C!) is so chock-full of awesomeness, we devote our whole podcast to it. Scott and Phil discuss this Season 3 gem like it's the Zapruder film, covering everything from the episode's early origins centered on Vulcans and Sarek (clutch the pearls!) to Lt. Castillo's search for some post-time displacement sexy time!

But wait, there's more! For just two more minutes of your time, we profile yet another Red Shirt of the Week. So who's our latest example of Federation cannon fodder? You'll just have to click on the podcast to find out. (Hint: He has a beard and he's a dick.)

Don't forget to subscribe to our RSS feed (click the icon), and if you love what we do here at TR3, then "like" us on Facebook. And really, really "like" us on iTunes by clicking some star ratings our way. And, of course, e-mail us at TransporterRoom3 at gmail dot com and tweet at us at:

Scott Collura: twitter.com/ScottIGN

Phil Pirrello: twitter.com/Phil_Pirrello

Now, less reading, more listening -- crank up your Zunes, fellow Trek legion. Transporter Room 3 is about to begin!

Check out Episode 19 of Transporter Room 3 right here:

Transporter Room 3, Episode 19