Episodes

  • FINALE - All Good Things...

    FINALE - All Good Things...
    Dec 31 2021
    ELIO Well, here we are… at the end of another year. Despite a concerted effort to try and rush towards a return to some form of pre-pandemic life, the impact of this global catastrophe will ripple for years to come. In one way, shape, or form - all our lives have been changed. Now, many of us are looking ahead and thinking of what’s to come in 2022. Cautiously optimistic and hopeful that things will gradually continue to improve and change for the better. On behalf of the entire team at Priority One: We wish you nothing but the best in this New Year and years to come – that you live long and prosperous lives. Narrowing our focus on our little corner, 2021 was a monumental year for Priority One. In March of 2021, our production celebrated its 500th episode and 10 years of weekly podcasting. That is no small endeavor. To celebrate the occasion, we were privileged to host several Trek Stars - new and veteran - and with donations from listeners like you, along with a matching gift by Rod Roddenberry - we raised over $4,000 for The Poor People’s Campaign. I can think of no better way to celebrate such a milestone than to work towards finding ways of giving back. Now, here we are - having just wrapped our 535th episode. As I look back over the last 10 years, I find myself in complete awe over all the things we’ve accomplished. The conversations we’ve had with each other and special guests. The panels we’ve participated in. The events we’ve attended and hosted. The places we’ve been. The laughs we’ve shared. The friendships we’ve forged. But… as the saying goes… All good things must come to an end. You're listening to the final broadcast of Priority One Podcast! I realize this announcement may come as a surprise to most - if not all - of you. With so much going on in the Star Trek Multiverse, why would we stop covering the latest from our favorite franchise? I wish I could give you a simple and satisfying answer but, there isn’t. Behind the scenes, we’ve had long conversations about the future of the show, our goals, our hopes. In the end, we came to the conclusion that now was the best time to jump on our horses and ride off quietly into the sunset – leaving behind an incredible legacy of passion and love for an I.P. that has touched so many of our lives. CAT It’s been such a fantastic experience being part of the podcast for the past few years. I’m truly amazed at the talented group of people that work behind the scenes that edit and assemble the show. Also to Elio and the other co-hosts and guest hosts that we’ve had - thank you so much for putting up with my dogs and allowing me to join you each week. Getting to discuss Star Trek on these shows has been one of the most enjoyable experiences and during the pandemic - it’s been a lifesaver.  With that said, we want to continue to support our Patrons since they have given so much to support us. We will be pausing all Patreon charges until further notice - but we are considering still continuing our after-hours show for you all. If you are a Patron - please reach out and let us know your thoughts.  So, even though the main podcast is ending, we still want to keep in touch via Patreon- or come and play Star Trek Online with the Priority One Armada - you know we are not going anywhere. We’ll still host our livestream every Saturday - everyone is welcome!  ROSCO I was the most recent addition to the crew. I am one of the many people on this podcast who went from listener to being part of the team.  I think I said yes because I felt welcome, and that was just by listening to the podcast.   What I soon realized was that I had found my people. I had found like-minded people who were passionate about one of the things that has been a huge influence on my life. I got the chance to talk about Star Trek EVERY WEEK!!  What a dream job. And although it’s coming to an end and we may not be producing any more episodes, you'll still find our entire back catalogue on our website and wherever you get your podcasts. I want to add my own personal thanks to my co-hosts for making me feel welcome, my respect and admiration to the team that works behind the scenes to put this show together, and to thank you for listening.  We’re an amazing community to be a part of, it has been a privilege to share the news about it. ELIO Before we leave you, I need to thank the team that has made this possible. Over the last 10 years, we have had a remarkable group of people volunteering their time and talents to this production. Fans of Star Trek from all over the world who decided to come and play with us each and every week. From as far as Australia, the UK, from Germany, Canada, from Argentina, and the US, Priority One was brought to you by a global team of amazingly talented people. Whether it be our website and social platforms, our livestreams, the copy written for our weekly shows… to the weekly ...
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    1 hr and 13 mins
  • 535 - A Departure To The New Normal

    535 - A Departure To The New Normal
    Dec 17 2021
    This week on Episode 535 of Priority One: Content deals continue at ViacomCBS, so you’ll see what IP Bob can guarantee to be on TV.  A touching farewell to Tilly, with the character’s far future plans on the tip of Mary Wiseman’s tongue.  In gaming news, some fresh and refreshed games to add to your Trek catalog, and Mudd is back with a fresh Intel in a big ship bundle.  And before we review the most recent episode of Discovery, Dr. Robert Hurt tells us how we’re looking for planets not just around distant stars, but in distant galaxies!  TREK IT OUT Edited by Thomas Reynolds Not Every Loss Is Eternal By Jake Cobb If you haven’t watched Star Trek: Discovery’s season 4 episode 4 “All is Possible” our next story contains spoilers. You’ve been warned. Still here? Good! Let’s get started! In the aforementioned “All is Possible”, Discovery said goodbye to one of its own: Lieutenant Sylvia Tilly. This week, TVInsider sat down with Tilly actor Mary Wiseman to talk about the episode, her departure, and the future of Tilly. Before going any further, let’s get the big question out of the way: will Tilly be back, and in what capacity? Wiseman answered (unsatisfyingly) ”I can say that you’ll see me later on in the season.” She continued (also unsatisfyingly) ”I’ll say that her hair is slightly different and she’s wearing a different outfit.” And she'll make new friends along the way! Image: ViacomCBS, via Tor. Being less vague, Wiseman recalled her on-screen goodbyes, telling TVInsiders Meredith Jacobs ”you tend to create a found family and that’s very much the story of our show, both on and offscreen, that we are a found family. So it felt really important to honor those relationships…[i]t kind of feels like...she’s going off to do this thing and all of these people show up for her to say, ‘we’ll still be here for you when you come back and we love you and we’ll miss you’.” It’s true, we’ll miss you–a lot. ViacomCBS: Deal With It By Cat Hough In some not very shocking news, ViacomCBS CEO Bob Bakish confirmed that Paramount+ is moving towards exclusivity for its major IP franchises, by reducing the amount of third-party licenses...just like the recent buy-back deal for Star Trek: Discovery from Netflix. In a recent media conference, Bakish was asked about the third-party licensing deals and he said that while the company continues to bring in revenue for many deals cut before the launch of Paramount+, its priorities have definitely changed and that they are not likely to renew any prior third-party deals.   They are altering the deal. Pray they do not alter it further. Image: ViacomCBS/Trekmovie Bakish elaborated on this, saying, “as we increasingly transition to leveraging our particular franchises and original production for our owned and operated streaming assets, principally Paramount+…that, in turn, will create a decline in that third-party business over time as these deals roll off. I would note that as an example of that, we just took back Star Trek: Discovery internationally from Netflix. And so we now have that property globally. That’s clearly a core franchise for us, and it’s working.” It appears that these efforts are working for Bakish, as he stated that Paramount+ had its best week ever and best month ever in November. However, Discovery has yet to be confirmed for a fifth season. Historically, additional season pickups are announced around the time of the launch of a new season, which they did for Star Trek: Prodigy. Paramount+ Opens Revenue Channels By Cat Hough Speaking of Paramount+, it just announced the launch of 18 linear channels that let subscribers surf through dedicated-themed collections of shows called Live Channels. The content comes from all ViacomCBS properties including CBS, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, BET and the Smithsonian Channel as well as from other sources. The themed “live” channels, streaming 24 hours per day, feature the service’s most-streamed genres or specific franchises like Star Trek. Just think Star Trek Channel: all Trek, all the time.   Not like this. Not like this....Image: ViacomCBS, via Space.com Paramount+ Live Channels also will potentially provide a new bucket of advertising inventory for the streaming service to sell. At launch, there won’t be ads in the channels for either the Paramount+ Premium ($9.99/month) or the ad-supported Essential ($4.99/month) tiers, but eventually ViacomCBS may introduce ads for customers with the Essential package. Through Dec. 31, new subscribers can try Paramount+ for 30 days free by using the promo code “PEAKSALE.” Quick News Roundup A Star Trek Adventures-based audio play, Star Trek: Europa, is now available as a podcast with 10 episodes online.  The series follows the adventures of the U.S.S. Europa, a Luna-class starship with a new prototype positronic-bioneural computer ...
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    53 mins
  • 534 - Farewell, Nichelle, and Thank You

    534 - Farewell, Nichelle, and Thank You
    Dec 11 2021
    This week on Episode 534 of Priority One: Kurtzman talks crossovers and Nichelle Nichols dances the night away; in gaming, two new starships are available to add to your Star Trek Online collection! TREK IT OUT Edited by Thomas Reynolds Kurtzman's Crossover Qualifications By Rosco McQueen Considering the amount of new Star Trek series either on screen or in development, you may be thinking it’s more than likely there will be a crossover event of some kind.  Turns out Alex Kurtzman is thinking along the same lines.  Kurtzman and Sonequa Martin-Green were guests on the new episode of Deadline’s Hero Nation podcast speaking about Burham’s journey into the captain’s chair.  And its many, many detours. Image: ViacomCBS, via Deadline. But the conversation came around to the idea of crossovers, and if that is a real possibility.  Kurtzman says yes, but it’s got to be good. “Here’s the thing about crossovers; I think crossovers can be really, really exciting. But they have to exist for a reason. There has to be a great story reason to do it.” Kutman said he is yet to come up with the right idea for the crossover, as the volume of productions as well as each program’s individual identity are distinct, making it a challenge. “Because the flip side to doing a crossover wrong is that people are really disappointed and it impacts both shows. So it’s just not a gamble that I would want to take randomly. that being said, it’s certainly exciting to think about certain pairings that you’re like ‘Wow, what would it be like if those two characters were together or those two crews were together?’ But I want to be careful about it.” The same podcast episode asked about the status of the Section 31 series, which has been in development for some time.  The only answer Kurtzman would give was brief, saying “We’re in a very exciting place. I can’t tell you anything yet. But it’s still very much alive.” Go ahead. You tell her the show's not happening. Image: ViacomCBS, via Superhero Hype. Nichelle Concludes Her Mission To Earth By Cat Hough If you were watching updates on Twitter from L.A. Comic-Con this past weekend, you undoubtedly saw that Nichelle Nichols made her last-ever public appearance (this was also confirmed on her website).  NASA has released a touching Thank You video to Nichols recognizing her impact on the space program through recruiting women and people of color to NASA in the 1970s. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wPMlKG16QY Quick News Roundup The story of William Shatner’s sojourn into space will be told in a one hour documentary special, aptly titled “Shatner in Space”. The documentary will screen on Amazon Prime as you might expect, seeing as Jeff Bezos, the owner of Amazon funded Bill’s flight.  It premieres on Wednesday, Dec. 13, in the U.S., Canada, UK, Australia, and New Zealand. According to Prime Video, additional territories will launch in 2022.If you haven’t been keeping up with The Ready Room with Wil Wheaton on StarTrek.com, you really should. Last week featured the new uniform designs for Discovery Season 4 and an in-depth interview with David Ajala, who plays Cleveland Booker. STAR TREK GAMING NEWS Edited by Thomas Reynolds The Great River Provides Us…with Nog! By Cat Hough Finally, the ship we’ve been waiting for…mostly because it’s not coming via lockbox and it’s free! The Eisenberg Star Cruiser [T6] was  announced as the Grand Prize award for this year’s Q’s Winter Wonderland Event. All you have to do is complete various activities available and gain enough Daily Progress to fulfill the Event’s overall quota. You can earn Daily Progress once per day, per account. https://youtu.be/8Yofx883hTc This ship features a 4/4 weapons layout and an Ensign Engineering / Command Specialist Bridge Officer Seat, and a Lt. Commander Universal/Miracle Worker Specialist Bridge Officer Seat. It also comes with the Great Material Continuum Universal Console.  This console uses a massive network of tight-beam transporter beams to strip away enemy hull at a molecular scale, briefly buffers that matter, then converts it into energy and project into a protective barrier that can be applied to allied starships even at a great distance. This console also provides a passive bonus to Starship Drain Expertise and All Subsystem Energy Levels. Also leveling up this ship will give you access to the Ingenious Tenacity Starship Trait. Using this trait and activating any Specialist Bridge Officer Ability (Intel, Command, Pilot, Temp Op, Miracle Worker) will briefly grant your starship the ability to redirect incoming damage from Energy Weapons into Shield Restoration. A portion of all Energy Damage received during this time (pre-Resistances) will be translated into Shield Restoration for the shield facing which the enemy weapon impacted. Just think of all the yamok sauce that thing could ...
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    48 mins
  • 533 - Hell Is Frozen, And All The Sweaters Are Here

    533 - Hell Is Frozen, And All The Sweaters Are Here
    Dec 3 2021
    This week on Episode 533 of Priority One: ViacomCBS tries to make amends to the world; First Contact celebrates 25 years; Badgey finally makes it into Star Trek Online; and we continue our S4 review of Star Trek: Discovery! TREK IT OUT Edited by Thomas Reynolds How World War III Really Starts By Elio Lleo Before we left you for our Thanksgiving break, we reported that ViacomCBS had pulled Star Trek: Discovery from Netflix, leaving our friends outside of the US and Canada without a way to watch the latest season until sometime in 2022. Well, ViacomCBS has performed a massive international course correction. The fact that DSC was the fourth-most pirated series during Thanksgiving? Completely unrelated. Image: MUSO, via Deadline. Perhaps it was the international uproar. Perhaps it was because their poor planning was so misguided that it made headlines on news outlets like the BBC. Whatever the case may be, Paramount+ announced that Star Trek: Discovery will now be available internationally via Paramount+ or Pluto TV. You can find a detailed list of which platform in which country Discovery will be made available here.  Turbulence On Star Trek's Magic Carpet Ride By Elio Lleo It’s been 25 years since Star Trek: First Contact premiered in movie theaters. Widely regarded as one of the best films of the franchise, its production wasn’t entirely a walk in the park. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, writer Ronald D. Moore shares some behind the scenes stories about the film–including a clash with Sir Patrick Stewart.  According to Moore, Stewart wasn’t too thrilled about some of the writing so he convinced Rick Berman to replace Moore and his co-writer Brannon Braga with some of his own writers. However, those new writers didn’t quite work out…so Braga and Moore were brought back. Awkward. Even more awkward than this, apparently. Image: ViacomCBS, via TrekNews. Moore shares the story: "I remember Patrick at the outset just said something like: ‘It’s good to see you. I hope that we can all move on from the things that have happened, and now let’s just concentrate on the work.’ And I took that in the spirit it was given: [He] wants to move on from this, he’s not going to apologize outright, but he kind of is apologizing. And it was never spoken of again. So we just moved on." The Moore You Know Moore also spoke with SyFy about his work on the film. In this interview, there’s more discussion about the actual development of the script and it’s production. For instance, did you know that one of the original drafts had Riker as the action star–facing off against the Borg aboard the Enterprise. But Sir Patrick wanted in on the action–recalling the episode “Starship Mine.” They even toyed with the idea of setting the film in medieval times! Another version had Picard trying to find affordable rent in San Francisco. Image: ViacomCBS, via American Cinematographer. When asked about scenes for stories that he wished hadn’t been cut, Moore explains: "There were just expanded sequences. There was just more action in general, more fighting the Borg in the corridors, and going into different places on the ship. And I think there was more humor. A lot of the jokes got cut down. I think we had more fun with Troi (Marina Sirtis) and Cochrane’s relationship on Earth, where he gets her drunk. We had more to that sequence scripted and that was fun to write, too. Rick might have made us cut it because he was always a little too–he was always kind of worried that maybe the humor would be too corny or something." The Other Kind of Star Trek Royalty One aspect of the film that Trekkies like to debate is the introduction of the Borg Queen. Well, Trekkies aren’t the only ones that debated her introduction. According to Moore: "...it was a choice that was also antithetical to the idea of the Borg. The whole concept of these villains was that they were a collection, and that there were no individuals. And that's what made them the faceless, implacable 'resistance is futile' enemy. But it also limited how to deal with them dramatically…[s]o we really went back and forth about it internally…[w]e decided that the story would be better if we had some individual to deal with." Comparing thee to a summer's day, you're making everyone overly sweaty. Image: ViacomCBS, via American Cinematographer. "To craft scenes around, to do an intimate kind of dialogue back and forth and help get inside characters’ heads–like Data in particular, and Picard. So what we came up with...a Borg Queen that controlled at least this collective of that particular ship, not necessarily that she was the queen of the whole Borg…" For more insight about the film and its production process, be sure to Trek Out both interviews. Whoopi Brings Trek Full Circle By Cat Hough Well, while we’re talking about Picard: the next season is premiering in ...
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    35 mins
  • 532 - Why Can’t The World Have Nice Things?

    532 - Why Can’t The World Have Nice Things?
    Nov 19 2021
    This week, on Episode 532 of Priority One: ViacomCBS upsets most of the world; Star Trek Explorer Magazine debuts; Star Trek Online introduces a new 32nd century starship–plus, we start our S4 review of Star Trek: Discovery. TREK IT OUT Edited by Thomas Reynolds Sheer ****ing Hubris, ViacomCBS By Cat Hough Well, the news broke early on Tuesday the 16th that international fans of Star Trek: Discovery will have to wait until 2022 to be able to watch Season 4–and then only watch it on Paramount+. Under the terms of an agreement finalized today between Netflix and ViacomCBS, Netflix will no longer be streaming the show. ViacomCBS was most likely pleased with the agreement since, under the 2017 deal that Les Moonves had set up with Netflix, CBS had agreed to pay the bulk of the show’s costly budget for the overseas rights.  All images: ViacomCBS, via Imgur user SaysThePenguin. This should not be a huge surprise, though, given ViacomCBS’s efforts to incentive subscribers to Paramount+. Back at the end of September The Original Series, Voyager, and Enterprise all left Netflix–Paramount+ is the only platform to watch these series.  All images: ViacomCBS, via Imgur user SaysThePenguin. But now that Netflix is out of the picture, the UK, Germany, Ireland, Austria and Switzerland will be the first international markets to stream Discovery on Paramount+. ViacomCBS has said that as part of an accelerated expansion they anticipate being in around 45 markets within the next year or so. No news on the release date for our Australian friends, though.  Star Trek 4 Hopes For Holiday Magic By Elio Lleo While we’re on the topic of disappointing news, the 4th installment of Star Trek set in the Kelvin Timeline is being delayed again. Now, the new release date is slated for a holiday release on December 22, 2023 (originally, it was scheduled for June 9th, 2022). Perhaps the marketing folks at ViacomCBS listened to our episode where we discussed the uphill battle Star Trek faces when released beside other (more popular) franchises. Or they just read the same industry articles that we do. https://priorityonepodcast.com/530-treks-better-than-wars-thats-debatable-priority-one-a-roddenberry-star-trek-podcast/ Either way Star Trek, along with other tiles like Transformers, are being pushed. Now, this could be a rarely well executed smart move on behalf of the suits in charge of these things. According to Scott Mendelson of Forbes.com, Paramount+ is betting that Star Wars: Rogue Squadron won’t be able to stick to their holiday 2023 release date–especially when there’s been little movement on that Star Wars installment. That leaves Trek to reap the benefits of the season. Mendelson writes, “the optimistic scenario is that Star Trek 4 positions itself as the Christmas event movie of 2023 and proves to be crowd pleasing enough to allow holiday legs to give the struggling franchise a kick in the butt after a disappointing third installment. That’s what happened with Paramount’s own Mission: Impossible–Ghost Protocol in December 2011 after J.J. Abrams’ underwhelming Mission: Impossible III 5.5 years earlier.” Either way, it’s still two years away and a lot can change. However the film still has WandaVision director Matt Shakman at the helm. Del Barrio And Cronenberg Take Explorer To The Future By Rosco McQueen On November 17th, Blu Del Barrio will return in Discovery Season 4 as the human host of a Trill symbiote, Adira Tal.  In an interview with new publication Star Trek Explorer, Del Barrio spoke about the positive reactions from fans in being the first nonbinary actor in the franchise, and bringing a non-binary character to the screen. Unfortunately for the actor, it meant they were also subject to some outdated attitudes, but they were few when compared to the overall welcome from the Star Trek community. “There are always people who are going to set out to be hateful, and set out to be transphobic. There’s not a lot of Star Trek fans who are like that, thank God. It’s not a universe where that fits. But there is also a lot of love, even from people who maybe don’t know anyone who is trans. There are people who are asking questions, talking about things online, having actual conversations about it, which is really wonderful.” Image: ViacomCBS, via CBR. Also featured in the first issue of the relaunched Star Trek Explorer is an interview with director David Cronenberg who plays the role of Federation agent Kovich, who is returning for Discovery Season 4.  The interview covers his relief as an actor as opposed to a director, growing up watching the Original Series, and the specific role of Kovich in season three as the Terran-interrogator.  But Cronenberg was tight lipped on what’s in store for Season 4: “I can only tell you I’ve been invited to be part of Season 4, and I was delighted ...
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    1 hr and 2 mins
  • 531 - On the Verge of a New Discovery

    531 - On the Verge of a New Discovery
    Nov 12 2021
    This week on Episode 531 of Priority One: News is sparse as we gear up for the next season of Star Trek: Discovery, but there’s plenty to discuss in the world of Star Trek gaming! TREK IT OUT Edited by Thomas Reynolds Power Seating on Star Trek: Discovery By Rosco McQueen Sonequa Martin-Green is on the interview circuit in the lead up Season 4 of Discovery. She spoke with SFXMagazine about the feeling of finally sitting in the captain’s chair, and the answer isn’t as simple as “soft and comfortable, and could they install a cup holder?” "It feels very humbling. But it also feels very emboldening. I’m grateful for it because you feel like you earned this position with Burnham. You feel like you were able to learn and grow and make mistakes and mature from them with her." It’s a new direction with a new captain, and the new series is set to premiere next week! Don't everyone cheer at once. Image: ViacomCBS, via GamesRadar. Time Enough For Mudd By Rosco McQueen Harcourt Fenton Mudd only appeared in two live-action episodes of Star Trek, and once in animated form, but he left a lasting impression [and I guess Rainn Wilson didn’t?–Ed.]. So much so that a spin-off was in the works, as revealed in an article from Fansided.  The article delves into the Starlog Magazine interview archives to discover that the pitch never got past the desk of the Great Bird of the Galaxy.  Gene Roddenberry told the actor, Roger C. Carmel, that the artists didn’t have time to develop the project, which would have seen Mudd take the lead in the series as a space pirate/intergalactic con-man. Carmel was supposed to reprise his role in a first season episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation, but the actor died before filming began.     [No thank you, I've already seen what Hell is like.–Ed.] Image: ViacomCBS, via TrekCore. Quick News Roundup Now, here are a few headlines that we didn’t discuss but might interest you.  With only three episodes of its first season having aired, Star Trek: Prodigy has already been greenlit for a second season. Additionally, season one is going to be draaaaaawn out with two breaks. After Nov 18, the season won’t pick up again until Jan 6 with another 5 episodes. Then, another 10 episodes will air later in 2022.Captain Kirk's vintage original phaser rifle from The Original Series just sold at auction for $615,000. The phaser rifle was used in the second pilot episode, entitled "Where No Man Has Gone Before" and was created by Reuben Klamer.It’s with a heavy heart that we report the passing of Trek alumnus Dean Stockwell at the age of 85. Known best for his role as “Al,” opposite Scott Bakula, in the TV series Quantum Leap, Stockwell guest starred on the Star Trek: Enterprise episode, “Detained.” Also Broadway actress Camille Saviola, who played Kai Opaka on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, passed away at the age of 71. STAR TREK GAMING NEWS Edited by Thomas Reynolds Klingons Clash To Close Out 2021 By Rosco McQueen The shattered shards of Praxis float above the Klingon homeworld, as disruptor fire scorches the hull of allied ships.  The Battle for Qo’noS has begun...again...and with it comes the opportunity for honor. And new starships! The TFO "Battle for Qo'nos" returns to PC (and soon to console) as the final event in Event Campaign III: your last chance to progress towards a free Tier 6 Infinity Promotion or Infinity Lock Box ship.  Another Klingon civil war, or as the rest of the galaxy calls it, Tuesday. Image: Cryptic Studios. After playing the event for 14 days, you’ll receive the Aakaar’s Vengeance console event reward.  If you’re a fan of electrical damage, then you are in for a treat! The console launches an electrical burst that flies to the target and immediately deals shield-bypassing Electrical Damage. It shuts down non-shield systems one by one.  See what happens when you stick a fork in a power coupling? Image: Cryptic Studios. This is also the last opportunity, if you haven't already, to complete the Event Campaign III. Once complete you can redeem a free Tier 6 Infinity Promotion or Infinity Lock Box ship. The starships included are those only released before December 31st, 2020–but the starship will be bound to account, not bound to a character.   Doing $200 to Life(time) In Star Trek Online By Elio Lleo From now until December 9th lifetime subscriptions are on sale, for PC the sale price is $199.99, and console-specific prices are discounted by 33%. Some of the lifetime rewards include species unlocks like playable Talaxians or Joined Trill plus you get exclusive access to the Captain’s Table, a membership-required social zone. You also get automatic daily dilithium refining and a Zen monthly stipend.        The Token Will Set You(r Stuff) Free By Cat Hough In non-STO, but STO-adjacent news, Cryptic’s Dungeons & Dragons-licensed MMO Neverwinter has ...
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    27 mins
  • 530 - Trek's Better Than Wars? That's Debatable

    530 - Trek's Better Than Wars? That's Debatable
    Nov 5 2021
    This week on Episode 529 of Priority One: New Jersey settles the age old question–which is better: Star Trek or Star Wars; Star Trek wins several awards; Star Trek Online gets some quality of life improvements; and we’re joined by Star Trek: Discovery’s Noah Averbach-Katz! TREK IT OUT Edited by Thomas Reynolds Great NJ Debate! By Elio Lleo, Local Correspondent As we record this episode of our show, it’s Election Night in the United States for several important political positions throughout the country. One contest, however, rises above the rest here in my home, the Garden State [my condolences–Ed.]. Which is better, Star Wars or Star Trek? A recent poll conducted by Rutgers-Eagleton attempted to give us an answer. Lead by Ashley Koning, assistant research professor and director of the Eagleton Center for Public Interest Polling (ECPIP) at Rutgers University–New Brunswick, the school took to Twitter and Facebook to poll New Jersians on the issue. The results–well, they’re disappointing. According to the poll, Star Trek lost by double digits: 41% for Wars vs 16% for Trek among 18-34 year olds. Though the gap did begin to close, as ages started to rise. But that’s not where this ends…New Jersey website nj.com put together a debate featuring Democratic U.S. Sen. Cory Booker and Rep. Tom Malinowski (D-7) on Team Trek, and Rep. Andy Kim (D-3) and Ashley Koning, director of the Rutgers-Eagleton poll, on Team Wars. The debate is a little over 24 minutes long, but it's a delightfully lighthearted discussion about how both franchises can be applicable to current political topics. https://youtu.be/eKAoQhUv-nI Another No Win Scenario for the Kelvin Timeline? By Elio Lleo Can Star Trek 4 compete and succeed? That’s the question that Scott Mendelson of Forbes.com posed in an opinion piece about the franchise. You see, Dune has already been green-lit for its second installment due to release in October of 2023. But, the announcement of a sequel before production has even begun isn’t a first. Mendelson points to the Kelvin Timeline series of Trek movies as an example. "Captain, it appears to be the timeloop anomaly known as Production Hell." Image: ViacomCBS, via Forbes. It’s been announced time and again that we’re going to get a fourth installment, but Mendelson argues that 2023 may end up hurting the franchise like it did in 2016. You see, back in 2016 Star Trek Beyond competed against the likes of Guardians of the Galaxy and Fast and the Furious. Come 2023, it’s another round of competition with films like Fast & Furious 10, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, Star Wars: Rogue Squadron, Mission Impossible, and Shazam. So, can Star Trek really take a foot-hold in the box office battles? Robbins Takes Nickelodeon To Warp By Cat Hough Speaking about Star Trek films, in a recent interview Alex Kurtzman and CEO of Paramount Brian Robbins spoke about Prodigy and the future of Trek, including the films. Robbins, who continues to serve as president of Nickelodeon, believes Prodigy is a perfect fit with the Paramount+’s current Nickelodeon content and Kurtzman’s other Star Trek content. He enjoyed Prodigy so much, he said he had wished they had released it in theaters as a full-length animated film.  Whatever you say, Beebop. Image: ViacomCBS/Yahoo. Robbins and Kurtzman say they are already developing projects that may include Prodigy merchandising and an animated feature film, as well as other live-action features. Robbins said, “We don’t know enough yet. We’re working on several fronts and obviously Alex is the key for the franchise [on Paramount+]. J.J. has been the keeper of the franchise on the film side. We hope that as a company that we do what’s right for the franchise altogether.” When pressed for more specific details on said live-action film, Robbins said, “There’s a lot going on and I’m just going to leave it at that.” But even with all that he and Kurtzman go on to say that they are planning out the next decade of the franchise.  Quick News Roundup Now, here are a few headlines that we didn’t discuss but might interest you.  According to industry trade paper Production Weekly, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds has already been renewed for a second season and will begin production in February of 2022.Star Trek: Discovery was shown some love at the 46th annual Saturn Awards- the show won Best Science Fiction Television Series and Doug Jones won for Best Supporting Actor in a Television Series.And speaking of the merchandising future of Trek...Bandai UK has licensed toys and collectibles, from classic Trek and Prodigy, for Europe and Mexico. STAR TREK GAMING NEWS Edited by Thomas Reynolds STO Certified Agile In 2411 By Rosco McQueen Star Trek Online is continuing to roll out Tier Six updates to starships, going back to refresh and upgrade some of the classics of the game. This week it was announced...
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    1 hr and 24 mins
  • 529 - Prodigy Opens Frequencies To The New Generation

    529 - Prodigy Opens Frequencies To The New Generation
    Oct 29 2021
    This week on Episode 529 of Priority One: We power up for Star Trek: Prodigy, with the cast and crew promotion peaking as the premiere prepares to play–plus we get some more details on the explosive new additions to Star Trek Online! TREK IT OUT Edited by Thomas Reynolds Star Trek: Prodigy Promotion Peaks in Premiere Preparations By Rosco McQueen This week the Trek universe welcomes a brand new adventure to our screens, with Star Trek: Prodigy to make its debut on Paramount+ on October 28.  A few sneak peeks have been filtering through, with Prodigy teasers tempting new fans during NFL Sunday Football. In the first clip, Dal can be seen making his escape from the mining facility in dramatic fashion. In the second clip, we are treated to the Protostar powering up, with characters Dal and Rok-Tahk finally being able to converse thanks to the universal translator.  https://twitter.com/StarTrekOnPPlus/status/1452347822049677315?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1452347822049677315%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fcomicbook.com%2Fstartrek%2Fnews%2Fstar-trek-prodigy-uss-protostar-sneak-peeks-nfl-sunday-football%2F Both scenes are fun and exciting, with the standout being the effort that has gone into the musical score which helps it feel very much at home in the Star Trek universe. The folks at Gizmodo felt that tiny moment highlighted something special about the Star Trek franchise—the ability of everyone to communicate freely, as well as not judging a book by its hulky rock-encrusted cover.   A Seat at the Grown-Up's Helm Station Prodigy executive producers/co-creators Kevin and Dan Hageman, and executive producer/director Ben Hibon, spoke with Trekmovie.com about the challenges around finding that entry point into the Star Trek multiverse, with Dan Hageman saying,   “We never really view it as a kid show. We view it as a show for people who don’t know Star Trek,  which could be young or old. And so we always had that perspective of the outsider and that freed us up. We wanted to keep the stakes real for an older audience. We never want to dumb things down for kids. Kids are really smart. They may have a learning curve in the show, but they’ll get there.” Image: ViacomCBS, via TrekMovie.com The creators go on to talk about how there was never any other option for the training hologram: it was always Captain Janeway from the start. They also mention she may not be the only hologram we see, and hint at real characters (like Captain Chakotay) making an appearance but not as holograms. As for Captain Janeway herself, Kate Mulgrew has also been on the interview circuit, explaining to cinemablend.com if the character was going to appear on-screen, then it was always going to be her who would play the role.   “Well, I certainly needed to come back to this character if threatened with an imitation. I think that only I can voice this character, and only I should, because I’m the only one who knows who she is. I think that the young people would recognize that very quickly. That might be arrogance on my part, but I don’t think so. I think they have a very discerning imagination.” Voyager: The Next Generation Mulgrew says she hasn't been approached about reprising her role as Kathryn Janeway in a live-action series (outside of Star Trek: Nemesis).  According to the actor, hologram Janeway won’t be as fiery as her living counterpart–as she’s helping a ship of children navigate the cosmos.  The caring side of Janeway was echoed by the cast and crew at New York Comic Con in an interview with Gizmodo. COVID-19 restrictions meant the cast was unable to record together, so for Brett Gray who plays the role of Dal, finally getting together with Mulgrew was something else. “I got to sit next to her today at Comic-Con—and it is, it’s palpable.  There’s a majesty that she has, and you can feel it when we announced she was coming out today. Just to walk on stage for the panel was like—the audience was deafening. She is an icon. And so, I feel very lucky that the first iteration of Star Trek we get to be a part of has someone like that we get to model and watch. People who are incredible fans of Janeway and all of that get to now have a way into our show, too, and see what it’s like for people who know nothing.” For the final word on the series, Kate Mulgrew spoke about now being the perfect time to bring in a brand new audience. “It is an important time for Voyager, it’s an important time for Star Trek. I think in terms of pop cultural history, now is the time to target this young demographic and introduce to them the wonderful mysteries of Star Trek and Gene Roddenberry’s splendid philosophy.” And sweet ships. Don't forget the sweet ships. Image: ViacomCBS, via io9. Soong Long, Farewell, Altman Will Go Goodbye By Thomas Reynolds We knew that Brent Spiner will be returning for ...
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    49 mins