Past Tense, Part I.
Running Time: 49 minutes 36 seconds
Download / RSS / Send us a message / Discuss the show / Support Trek.fm
A growing gap between the haves and have-nots leads to a fractured society. In Star Trek’s 2024, America has tucked away undesirables in Sanctuary Districts. Sisko explains that social problems had to reach a breaking point before the US began to address them. “Past Tense” was prophetic in its time, and it remains so today—just seven years from Gabriel Bell’s famous stand.
In this episode of The Orb, hosts C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing dive into the first part of this glimpse at the difficult road humanity had to travel to get from our present day to Gene Roddenberry’s future.
Chapters
Intro (00:00:00)
Initial Thoughts (00:03:25)
The Original Concept (00:07:49)
Giving Up? (00:14:52)
The Haves and Have-Nots (00:24:31)
The Sanctity of Human Life (00:31:46)
Path Through Hell (00:34:18)
Teching the Tech (00:36:57)
Closing (00:41:21)
Hosts
C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing
Production
C Bryan Jones (Editor and Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer) Ken Tripp (Executive Producer) Charlynn Schmiedt (Executive Producer) William Murray (Associate Producer) Kay Elizabeth Shaw (Associate Producer) Richard Marquez (Production Manager) Brandon-Shea Mutala (Patreon Manager)
“Melora” 30th-anniversary reflections. We discuss what the story says about challenges and limitations, becoming comfortable with yourself, and how the character connects to the original concept for the series.
“Cardassians” 30th-anniversary reflections. We discuss how the story expands the rich world created for the series, the return of Garak, and the difficult questions around culture and identity.
“Invasive Procedures” 30th-anniversary reflections. We discuss how the intimate story sheds light on Trill society and the relationship between symbiont and host.
“The Siege” 30th-anniversary reflections. We discuss Li Nalas's fate, what the story has to say about family and community, and how Trek's first TV trilogy ends.
“The Circle” 30th-anniversary reflections. We jump into Season 2 as we discuss how the Kira/Jaro story mirrors the start of Season 1, the timeless commentary, our fondness for middle stories, and Vedek Bareil's disturbing gaze.
“The Homecoming” 30th-anniversary reflections. We jump into Season 2 as we discuss how this story of Bajoran isolationism transforms storytelling in Star Trek and rings true three decades after it aired.
“In the Hands of the Prophets” 30th-anniversary reflections. We close out Season 1 by discussing how the story bookends the pilot while setting the series on course for its destiny of richly intricate serialized storytelling.
“Duet” 30th-anniversary reflections. We discuss how a story pitched by interns to save budget broke the dam and unleashed the potential of the young series.
Dramatis Personae ” 30th-anniversary reflections. We discuss how the writers put a distinctly DS9 twist on a TNG premise to deliver masterful character development.
“The Forsaken” 30th-anniversary reflections. We discuss how the writers put a distinctly DS9 twist on a TNG premise to deliver masterful character development.
