You hear that? The voices of those we've come to know and those we've missed for years now, coming back to shepherd us towards the endgame for Star Trek Picard. Join us as we talk a lot about that one moment we were waiting for all season, as well as even more talk about many other moments of this episode that we could have frankly done without. Despite our ups and downs from this episode and others, we are excited for the finale and hope you'll join us next week as well!

Episode Sponsor: Tuvix Instant Transporter Services (Aidan apologizes for the terrible acronym, he was very tired when he wrote this and thought it was funny, even though it's not).

Bicks Log: Which kid of the Enterprise D crew would perform which function in the renewed Enterprise D?

Notes and Recognitions:

• Aidan has an epic rant-down from about 24:45 to 34:10 all about Jack Crusher and the sequence at the start of the episode where he delivers himself to the Borg.
• A quick rundown of TikTok's congressional hearings and the sad state of US Congress' understanding of technology.
• Lindsay's own rant goes from 46:30 to 50:30, all about Seasons 1 & 2 of Picard and how it's been completely abandoned in this Season.
• Soji was the Data-type android that survived, Dahj was the one who did not make it. We needed to look it up.
• Intro Music: Chasing Stars by AG Music
• Outro Music: Idle Hands by The Impossibulls

Surrender with us as we mentally prepare for the final voyage of The Next Generation crew, finally re-united in this week's episode. While we found this episode repeated a few of the foibles from previous Picard that have turned up earlier in the season, we nonetheless enjoyed this week's outing and are eagerly looking forward to the final two episodes with the characters we grew up loving so dearly.

Episode Sponsor: Vadic's Frozen Foods

Bicks Log: Has this season done a good job adapting the TNG characters for a future 25 years removed from the last episode of the television series?

Notes and Recognitions:

• Swear Trek (in case you haven't seen it before)
• Ad music: "Fly the Friendly Skies"
• "Dance of the Dream Man" by Angelo Badalamenti
• RIP Paul Cattermole of S Club 7
• Intro Music: Chasing Stars by AG Music
• Outro Music: Idle Hands by The Impossibulls

As we continue on into the back half of Season 3 of Picard, we are starting to see the outlines of an endgame, and, well, we have thoughts. Less about the endgame itself than about how we're getting there, as we found this particular episode a little more uneven than the previous ones, all the while loving certain elements and craving more of others. It's another bickering filled episode for your listening pleasure (or pain? we don't know why anyone listens to us).

Episode Sponsor: Masterclass

Bicks Log: How has this season of Picard changed our interpretation of the utopianism that the TNG era was known for?

Notes and Recognitions: 

• Intro Music: Chasing Stars by AG Music
• Ad muzak: "Sixty Second Commercial #1" by Mmigo/Michael Reynolds
• Outro Music: Idle Hands by The Impossibulls

For a show that we all knew was going to be (at least partially) about getting the gang back together, this week's episode of Star Trek: Picard did a lot of work getting the gang back together. Join us for a discussion of the sentimentality of those reunions, the plot mysteries still waiting to be discovered, and our thoughts about this season's level of fan service!

Episode Sponsor: World of Warships!

Bicks Log: Does this season sport too much fan service?

Notes and Recognitions: 

• The director's name is Dan Liu, who also directed the stellar episode of Strange New Worlds: "Memento Mori".
• Intro Music: Chasing Stars by AG Music
• Ad Muzak: "Friendly Skies" from Fly the Friendly Skies of United
• Outro Music: Idle Hands by The Impossibulls 

Season Three of Picard reaches its midpoint with a compelling mystery amping up to new heights of tension as a familiar face returns to confront an old mentor about new threats to the entire Federation. Aidan and Lindsay take a flyby of Episode 5 -- "Imposters" -- to discuss Captain Sassypants, Jack Crusher's subconscious, and that cameo in this week's Bicks Pod.

Episode Sponsor: Bajoran's Box

Bicks Log: Would you change how Ro Laren was used in this episode?

Notes and Recognitions: 

• If you're into this sort of thing: Dreams about Doors
• "The Hedgehog's Dilemma" from Neon Genesis: Evangelion
• TV Tropes' entry on "fridging"
• Intro Music: Chasing Stars by AG Music
• Ad muzak: "Sixty Second Commercial #1" by Mmigo/Michael Reynolds
• Outro Music: Idle Hands by The Impossibulls 

Is "No Win Scenario" a winner? Join us to find out! We talk about the exploration of new characters like Captain Shaw and Vadic, as well as the (sometimes strained) characterization of old favourites like Picard and Riker. We also discuss the mysteries being presented, the cool moments and the heartfelt scenes that are starting to become the backbone of this season of the show. 

Episode Sponsor: Space Junk Clean-up Crew

Bicks Log: If we had to identify one another as a Changeling, how would we do it?

Notes and Recognitions:

• Jessie Gender (After Dark) on YouTube - "Star Trek Picard 3.04 'No Win Scenario' Review"
• Another Reddit thread where Aidan got into it with the community, this time about fan service.
• Yet another Reddit thread about the holodeck (though the writer was more forgiving than either of us).
• And yet another Reddit thread (with link to video) comparing the scenes from First Contact (Jean-Luc) and this episode (Jack).
• We do actually have access to Paramount Plus in Canada. But we're still a Crave household.
• Intro Music: Chasing Stars by AG Music
• Ad Muzak: "Friendly Skies" from Fly the Friendly Skies of United
• Outro Music: Idle Hands by The Impossibulls 

Is the sophomore slump over for Picard Season 3? Join us to find out! We talk about the highs and lows of the third episode, start delving into some of the fan theories, and dive head first into that conversation from this week's episode. In summary: the wait between Thursdays is getting a bit too long for our liking!

Episode Sponsor: Hail - the Federation's Premier Home Surveillance System

Bicks Log: Who was right - Picard or Crusher?

Notes and Recognitions:

• Trek Culture on YouTube - "Ups and Downs From Star Trek Picard: Picard 3.3 - Seventeen Seconds"
• Lindsay was (probably) thinking of "17 People" the West Wing episode where the staff are told that President Bartlet has Multiple Sclerosis.
• The Reddit thread where Aidan got really pedantic.
• Intro Music: Chasing Stars by AG Music
• Ad Muzak: "Friendly Skies" from Fly the Friendly Skies of United
• Outro Music: Idle Hands by The Impossibulls 

Star Trek: Picard is off to rip-roaring start, introducing us to new villainy and adventures and reintroducing us to fan fave characters we haven't seen in decades. It doesn't mean there hasn't been any controversy with the various plot points and character moments we've seen in the past two episodes so far...and The Bicks are not immune to this. Join us as we bicker our way through Picard Season 3 Episode 2 "Disengage".

Episode Sponsor: Accomplishment Allotment

Bicks Log: What's the deal with Captain Liam Shaw?

Notes and Recognitions:

• Trek Culture on YouTube - "Ups and Downs from Star Trek: Picard 3.2 - Disengage"
• Jesse Gender After Dark on YouTube - "Star Trek Picard 3.02 'Disengage' REVIEW"
• The Reddit thread about milking the reveals
• And the Reddit one about Jack Crusher being wanted because of Wesley's abilities
• Turians from Mass Effect
• Vox: "Why we all need subtitles now"
• Intro Music: Chasing Stars by AG Music
• Ad Muzak: "Friendly Skies" from Fly the Friendly Skies of United
• Outro Music: Idle Hands by The Impossibulls 

After a brief 5 year hiatus, we're returning to our roots with a weekly, episodic podcast devoted to covering a media in media res - in this case, Star Trek: Picard, Season 3. Join us for a look at this early hint of the storytelling to come, as well as our takes on the characters displayed so far, the numerous easter eggs, and which of our gripes about Seasons 1 and 2 of Picard are still ringing in our ears early in Season 3.

Notes:

• Couldn't find any reference to Q turning Picard human again at the end of Season 2, just for clarity's sake.

Episode Sponsor:

• Today's episode is brought to you by the near-mythical Portal 3! Now you're thinking with portals!

Bicks Log:

• We dig into the question: "Do you think this season is going to live up to the hype, or will it be another disappointment?"

Credits:

• Intro Music: Chasing Stars by AG Music
• Outro Music: Idle Hands by The Impossibulls

Modern fanfiction may very well have had its start with the original trio of Kirk, McCoy, and Spock. So today we're joining the numerous fans before us who decided to tell stories about the crew of the USS Enterprise (no bloody B, C, or D). Join us as we talk about our process for writing these stories, the issues we ran into along the way, and even have a bit of a mini writing workshop right on the podcast. After years of hearing us call ourselves writers, now you can judge for yourselves!

Notes:

• Aidan's story is called "Middle Decks" and is all about the four secondary characters of the series who never got quite the love of the main trio.
• Lindsay's story is called "Rumours" and is a peek behind what preceded Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country - the series of phone calls that got the gang back together.

Credits:

• Intro Music: Chasing Stars by AG Music
• Outro Music: Idle Hands by The Impossibulls