flying ghoti
@flyingghoti.bsky.social
I'm currently watching every single Star Trek episode in in-universe chronological order and posting my thoughts on every single one. It seemed like a good idea at the time.
Currently in 2399 with “Picard” season one. Make it so!
Currently in 2399 with “Picard” season one. Make it so!
LD S5E9, “Fissure Quest”: Boimler's transporter double and his motley crew seek out whoever's causing the dimensional fissures. Also, Garak and Bashir are married. (I know it's only one quantum reality version of them, but it still matters that it's in canon now.)
November 25, 2025 at 12:40 AM
LD S5E9, “Fissure Quest”: Boimler's transporter double and his motley crew seek out whoever's causing the dimensional fissures. Also, Garak and Bashir are married. (I know it's only one quantum reality version of them, but it still matters that it's in canon now.)
LD S2E9, “wej Duj”: Lower deckers on three ships go about their day. If I went kinda ham on Lower Decks today, it's because I wanted to get to this episode, which is maybe the best of the entire series. It also features maybe the best screenshot of the series!
November 22, 2025 at 5:36 AM
LD S2E9, “wej Duj”: Lower deckers on three ships go about their day. If I went kinda ham on Lower Decks today, it's because I wanted to get to this episode, which is maybe the best of the entire series. It also features maybe the best screenshot of the series!
VOY S4E5, “Revulsion”: The Doctor and B'Elanna try to help a troubled hologram. It goes poorly. Meanwhile, Harry and Seven deal with… cross-cultural differences. It goes poorly.
September 22, 2025 at 12:00 AM
VOY S4E5, “Revulsion”: The Doctor and B'Elanna try to help a troubled hologram. It goes poorly. Meanwhile, Harry and Seven deal with… cross-cultural differences. It goes poorly.
A little thing I like from the end of the episode: Janeway is shown relaxing after the travails of the episode, listening to jazz and working on a drawing or painting of some kind. And I really love that she's not, like, a hypercompetent artist. She's just enjoying making art. I think that's neat.
September 9, 2025 at 12:20 AM
A little thing I like from the end of the episode: Janeway is shown relaxing after the travails of the episode, listening to jazz and working on a drawing or painting of some kind. And I really love that she's not, like, a hypercompetent artist. She's just enjoying making art. I think that's neat.
VOY S3E12, “Macrocosm”: The ship gets invaded by macroscopic viruses and Janeway must do her best Ellen Ripley cosplay to stop them. (Or is it Sarah Connor?) If you like your fun little action romps with a side of body horror, this is the episode for you.
September 9, 2025 at 12:20 AM
VOY S3E12, “Macrocosm”: The ship gets invaded by macroscopic viruses and Janeway must do her best Ellen Ripley cosplay to stop them. (Or is it Sarah Connor?) If you like your fun little action romps with a side of body horror, this is the episode for you.
VOY S3E10, “Warlord”: Kes's body is taken over by a totalitarian despot. And as we all know, when women on Star Trek are taken over or replaced by evil versions of themselves, they inevitably a) put on a tight black bodysuit with a choker b) become heads of state and c) get super bisexual.
September 5, 2025 at 7:12 PM
VOY S3E10, “Warlord”: Kes's body is taken over by a totalitarian despot. And as we all know, when women on Star Trek are taken over or replaced by evil versions of themselves, they inevitably a) put on a tight black bodysuit with a choker b) become heads of state and c) get super bisexual.
VOY S3E8, “Future's End, Part I”: Voyager is transported back to the distant era of 1996. The Spice Girls are on top of the charts, Bill Clinton is about to be reelected, and the crew of Voyager is dressed for the occasion. Hell yeah.
September 2, 2025 at 11:34 PM
VOY S3E8, “Future's End, Part I”: Voyager is transported back to the distant era of 1996. The Spice Girls are on top of the charts, Bill Clinton is about to be reelected, and the crew of Voyager is dressed for the occasion. Hell yeah.
VOY S2E23, “The Thaw”: Voyager encounters three people being held in stasis on a frozen planet, and I thought at first I didn't remember this episode, but then I saw “The Clown” listed in the opening credits and said, out loud, “oh, goddammit.” Yeah, it's the one with the fear clown. It's bad.
August 24, 2025 at 1:55 AM
VOY S2E23, “The Thaw”: Voyager encounters three people being held in stasis on a frozen planet, and I thought at first I didn't remember this episode, but then I saw “The Clown” listed in the opening credits and said, out loud, “oh, goddammit.” Yeah, it's the one with the fear clown. It's bad.
VOY S2E21, “Deadlock”: Voyager gets split into two overlapping ships. I fucking love this episode. The concept isn't particularly exceptional for Star Trek, but the pacing is perfect, the acting is great, the threats are intense, and the plot twists are stellar. It's so good.
August 20, 2025 at 10:25 PM
VOY S2E21, “Deadlock”: Voyager gets split into two overlapping ships. I fucking love this episode. The concept isn't particularly exceptional for Star Trek, but the pacing is perfect, the acting is great, the threats are intense, and the plot twists are stellar. It's so good.
VOY S2E15, “Threshold”: Tom Paris breaks the warp 10 barrier, dies briefly, and kidnaps the captain. And then they both evolve into salamanders. And then fuck.
Hell yeah.
This episode won an Emmy.* There was a scientific paper about it.**
* for makeup
** to make a point about predatory journals
Hell yeah.
This episode won an Emmy.* There was a scientific paper about it.**
* for makeup
** to make a point about predatory journals
August 18, 2025 at 12:32 AM
VOY S2E15, “Threshold”: Tom Paris breaks the warp 10 barrier, dies briefly, and kidnaps the captain. And then they both evolve into salamanders. And then fuck.
Hell yeah.
This episode won an Emmy.* There was a scientific paper about it.**
* for makeup
** to make a point about predatory journals
Hell yeah.
This episode won an Emmy.* There was a scientific paper about it.**
* for makeup
** to make a point about predatory journals
VOY S2E12, “Resistance”: Janeway narrowly escapes capture by a military dictatorship with the help of a deeply traumatized man who thinks she's his daughter. A perfectly serviceable episode, though nothing about it really stands out. Tuvok wears a shirt I'm pretty sure I owned in middle school.
August 14, 2025 at 9:15 PM
VOY S2E12, “Resistance”: Janeway narrowly escapes capture by a military dictatorship with the help of a deeply traumatized man who thinks she's his daughter. A perfectly serviceable episode, though nothing about it really stands out. Tuvok wears a shirt I'm pretty sure I owned in middle school.
VOY S2E7, “Parturition”: Neelix and Paris have to work out their differences to care for an adorable baby Skeksis in a cave. Classic cave episode plot. Despite being mostly about Neelix's jealousy, this episode gets way more charming after the baby shows up because it's just fuckin' cute as hell.
August 5, 2025 at 5:34 PM
VOY S2E7, “Parturition”: Neelix and Paris have to work out their differences to care for an adorable baby Skeksis in a cave. Classic cave episode plot. Despite being mostly about Neelix's jealousy, this episode gets way more charming after the baby shows up because it's just fuckin' cute as hell.
I also just want to shout out the lighting in this shot. I like that they put the Intendant's face in shadow even though it doesn't really make logical sense; it's not subtle, but it's great in context. The split screen in this isn't as fancy as in TNG, but they use it well.
July 13, 2025 at 7:10 PM
I also just want to shout out the lighting in this shot. I like that they put the Intendant's face in shadow even though it doesn't really make logical sense; it's not subtle, but it's great in context. The split screen in this isn't as fancy as in TNG, but they use it well.
TNG S7E6, “Phantasms”: Data's dream program begins giving him nightmares. There's a lot to like in this one, like some genuinely unnerving dream imagery, an intriguing mystery, and Worf's response to Spot. The ending is a bit rushed, but other than that, a good – and memorable! – episode.
June 28, 2025 at 12:57 AM
TNG S7E6, “Phantasms”: Data's dream program begins giving him nightmares. There's a lot to like in this one, like some genuinely unnerving dream imagery, an intriguing mystery, and Worf's response to Spot. The ending is a bit rushed, but other than that, a good – and memorable! – episode.
TNG S6E25, “Timescape”: Listen: the USS Enterprise has come unstuck in time. First things first, though – let's all stop and appreciate possibly the best screengrab in all of TNG. Second things second, this is an extremely fun episode with impeccable effects. It's a good time! Get it? Time pun!
June 21, 2025 at 1:49 AM
TNG S6E25, “Timescape”: Listen: the USS Enterprise has come unstuck in time. First things first, though – let's all stop and appreciate possibly the best screengrab in all of TNG. Second things second, this is an extremely fun episode with impeccable effects. It's a good time! Get it? Time pun!
DS9 S1E1/2, “Emissary”: And so here we are at Deep Space Nine! Many would call this the best Trek series of the 90s, if not of the franchise, but you'd be forgiven for not guessing that after seeing the pilot. What is it about 90s Trek pilots that makes some of the most skilled actors on TV be like:
June 2, 2025 at 10:08 PM
DS9 S1E1/2, “Emissary”: And so here we are at Deep Space Nine! Many would call this the best Trek series of the 90s, if not of the franchise, but you'd be forgiven for not guessing that after seeing the pilot. What is it about 90s Trek pilots that makes some of the most skilled actors on TV be like:
TNGS6E3, “Man of the People”: Troi gets prematurely aged after being turned into an empathic sink for an evil ambassador's negative emotions. Although her Bride of Chaotica cosplay is on point, the episode is otherwise pretty awful.
May 30, 2025 at 5:52 PM
TNGS6E3, “Man of the People”: Troi gets prematurely aged after being turned into an empathic sink for an evil ambassador's negative emotions. Although her Bride of Chaotica cosplay is on point, the episode is otherwise pretty awful.
TNG season 5 introduces one of the best new characters in the series: Jean-Luc's incredible suede bomber jacket. The equally fashionable counterpart to Kirk's green wrap tunic. Love them both, don't make me choose.
May 19, 2025 at 12:04 AM
TNG season 5 introduces one of the best new characters in the series: Jean-Luc's incredible suede bomber jacket. The equally fashionable counterpart to Kirk's green wrap tunic. Love them both, don't make me choose.
TNGS4E23, “The Host”: First appearance of the Trill! Except everything about them other than “he's got a worm in his belly! that's interestin', but that's disgustin'” will get mercilessly retconned by DS9. Other than that, it's a perfect example of this phenomenon:
May 17, 2025 at 2:44 AM
TNGS4E23, “The Host”: First appearance of the Trill! Except everything about them other than “he's got a worm in his belly! that's interestin', but that's disgustin'” will get mercilessly retconned by DS9. Other than that, it's a perfect example of this phenomenon:
TNGS4E18, “Identity Crisis”: Geordi turns into an alien. There's a joke here about the Blue Man Group getting a little too aggressive in their recruiting, but I'm too tired to make it. This season hasn't had any real awful episodes, but it's got a few too many aggressively mediocre ones.
May 14, 2025 at 1:07 AM
TNGS4E18, “Identity Crisis”: Geordi turns into an alien. There's a joke here about the Blue Man Group getting a little too aggressive in their recruiting, but I'm too tired to make it. This season hasn't had any real awful episodes, but it's got a few too many aggressively mediocre ones.
TNGS4E12, “The Wounded”: The first (and I think TNG's only) O'Brien-centric episode, and the first appearance of the Cardassians. We even get Marc Alaimo, though not as Dukat, and with some absolutely wild facial hair. What is happening here. Is it fake? Does he think this looks… good?
May 11, 2025 at 2:56 PM
TNGS4E12, “The Wounded”: The first (and I think TNG's only) O'Brien-centric episode, and the first appearance of the Cardassians. We even get Marc Alaimo, though not as Dukat, and with some absolutely wild facial hair. What is happening here. Is it fake? Does he think this looks… good?
My biggest issue with this episode is that it gets this song stuck in my head. But it's a great song so I don't even mind.
youtu.be/QWVV8ZtZAD8
youtu.be/QWVV8ZtZAD8
May 5, 2025 at 12:17 AM
My biggest issue with this episode is that it gets this song stuck in my head. But it's a great song so I don't even mind.
youtu.be/QWVV8ZtZAD8
youtu.be/QWVV8ZtZAD8
I do want to stop and appreciate probably the best non-uniform Troi Look, the flowy turquoise dress with the matchy matchy tights and shoes and the classic Trek asymmetrical neckline. It gives her much more gravitas than the usual jumpsuits, in my opinion. Apparently it wasn't very comfy, though.
April 26, 2025 at 3:46 AM
I do want to stop and appreciate probably the best non-uniform Troi Look, the flowy turquoise dress with the matchy matchy tights and shoes and the classic Trek asymmetrical neckline. It gives her much more gravitas than the usual jumpsuits, in my opinion. Apparently it wasn't very comfy, though.
TNGS2E18, “Up the Long Ladder”: On the one hand, this episode revels in the worst sorts of stereotypes of the Mincéirí, or Irish Travellers, a marginalized ethnic group that's suffered discrimination in Ireland and the UK for centuries. On the other hand… I do kinda love the cable knit crop top.
April 24, 2025 at 12:21 AM
TNGS2E18, “Up the Long Ladder”: On the one hand, this episode revels in the worst sorts of stereotypes of the Mincéirí, or Irish Travellers, a marginalized ethnic group that's suffered discrimination in Ireland and the UK for centuries. On the other hand… I do kinda love the cable knit crop top.
TNGS2E16, “Q-Who?”: The Borg! I love the Borg so much. As villains go, they're hard to beat, in more ways than one. I also like both Q and Guinan, individually but especially together, so this episode is a real treat. I love that it leaves so many questions wide open at the end. Also: no Pulaski!
April 23, 2025 at 6:10 PM
TNGS2E16, “Q-Who?”: The Borg! I love the Borg so much. As villains go, they're hard to beat, in more ways than one. I also like both Q and Guinan, individually but especially together, so this episode is a real treat. I love that it leaves so many questions wide open at the end. Also: no Pulaski!