Commentary: Trek Stars 72: The Best of Both Worlds of The X-Files

Bole, Part 3: Bad Blood.

After the success of his first X-Files episode, Cliff Bole returned to the series the following year to direct another comedic script by Vince Gilligan, "Bad Blood." This episode pushed the boundaries of the show even further than "Small Potatoes," and the end result may be the most critically-acclaimed hour in the show's history.  

In this episode of Commentary: Trek Stars, Max and Mike take a look at Bole's second X-File. We discuss how the episode gets better with each viewing, how it departs from the tone of the series while still staying inside the basic formula, and how Bole's sense of comic timing is the key to the episode's success. We also take a look at the new Brannon Braga series, Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey. 

Running Time: 50 minutes 47 seconds

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Hosts

Mike Schindler and Max Hegel

Topics

Bad Blood 
Slapstick Comedy 
Bole's Direction 
Final Thoughts 
Cosmos 
Braga's Direction 

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Commentary: Trek Stars 71: Better Than a Public School Education

Bole, Part 2: Small Potatoes.

Cliff Bole will always be known first and foremost for his contribution to Star Trek, but he also had a huge impact on another sci-fi series, The X-Files. Four episodes of the '90s cult classic were directed by Bole, including some of the very best. 

In this episode of Commentary: Trek Stars, Mike and Max take a look at Bole's first X-Files episode, "Small Potatoes." We discuss the series as a whole, the difficulty of balancing grotesque crimes with humor, and the apparent freedom Bole was given in this series which may have been absent on Trek. We also examine the merits of The X-Files as an educational tool.

Running Time: 42 minutes 49 seconds

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Hosts

Mike Schindler and Max Hegel

Topics

The X-Files
Small Potatoes
Bole's Contribution
Final Thoughts

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Sponsor

Audible is the premiere source for audiobooks with more than 150,000 titles to choose from, and new titles coming every week. From classics to current bestsellers, and even some of the most famous Star Trek books like Prime Directive, Federation, and Spock’s World, Audible has something for everyone.

As a Trek.fm listener you can get a free audiobook of your choice along with a 30-day trial to see just how great Audible is. So give it a try today, catch up on all those classic Star Trek books you’ve yet to read or that latest novel from you favorite author and support the network and our programming at the same time!

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Commentary: Trek Stars 70: Blue-Collar Directing

Bole, Part 1: Trek.

Last month, the world lost legendary Star Trek director Cliff Bole, who helmed 42 hours of Trek—including 25 episodes of The Next Generation—more than anyone else in the show's history. Among those 25 was "The Best of Both Worlds," commonly considered to be the best TNG episode, and one of the best television episodes, of all time.

In this episode of Commentary: Trek Stars, Mike and Max kick off a new series looking at the work that Bole did in another beloved franchise, The X-Files. But first, we are joined by TNG expert Larry Nemecek to discuss Bole's work in Trek, his industry origins, his hits and misses, and his blue-collar approach to filmmaking. Larry also gives us a taste of what Bole was like as a person.

Running Time: 1 hour 5 minutes 14 seconds

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Hosts

Mike Schindler and Max Hegel

Guest

Larry Nemecek

Show Notes

Read Bole's obituary and sign an online guest book.

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Sponsor

Audible is the premiere source for audiobooks with more than 150,000 titles to choose from, and new titles coming every week. From classics to current bestsellers, and even some of the most famous Star Trek books like Prime Directive, Federation, and Spock’s World, Audible has something for everyone.

As a Trek.fm listener you can get a free audiobook of your choice along with a 30-day trial to see just how great Audible is. So give it a try today, catch up on all those classic Star Trek books you’ve yet to read or that latest novel from you favorite author and support the network and our programming at the same time!

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Commentary: Trek Stars 69: Werewolves Can't Walk Backwards

Wolfe, Part 6: Recap.

Robert Hewitt Wolfe was a key component of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine's writing team. He has since gone on to develop or write for a number of genre properties, including Futuresport, Andromeda, The Dresden Files, and Riverworld.

In this episode of Commentary: Trek Stars, Mike and Max recap their series on Wolfe, and also touch on his other works, including his two current shows, Star-Crossed and Elementary.

Running Time: 35 minutes 17 seconds

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Hosts

Mike Schindler and Max Hegel

Topics

Futuresport
Andromeda
The Dresden Files
Riverworld
Other Work
Final Thoughts

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Sponsor

Audible is the premiere source for audiobooks with more than 150,000 titles to choose from, and new titles coming every week. From classics to current bestsellers, and even some of the most famous Star Trek books like Prime Directive, Federation, and Spock’s World, Audible has something for everyone.

As a Trek.fm listener you can get a free audiobook of your choice along with a 30-day trial to see just how great Audible is. So give it a try today, catch up on all those classic Star Trek books you’ve yet to read or that latest novel from you favorite author and support the network and our programming at the same time!

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Commentary: Trek Stars 68: I Have Blue Skin! Just Go With It

Wolfe, Part 5: Riverworld.

In 2010, Syfy took their second shot at adapting Philip Jose Farmer's Riverworld novels for the small screen. This time around, Robert Hewitt Wolfe was brought in to write multiple drafts of the troubled miniseries.

In this episode of Commentary: Trek Stars, Max and Mike examine the miniseries on the whole. We discuss the challenges of building an expansive mythology, the use of historical figures in a fantasy setting, and the unusual path the project took from script to screen.

Commentary: Trek Stars 67: A Couple of Robins

Wolfe, Part 4: The Dresden Files.

In 2007, after a rather long road from page to screen, Robert Hewitt Wolfe's second series, The Dresden Files, debuted on Syfy. The show, which Wolfe developed with his Star Trek: Deep Space Nine collaborator Hans Beimler, tells the story of a wizard detective named Harry Dresden, who specializes in investigations of a supernatural nature.

This week, Mike and Max are joined by their Commentary Track Stars: Off Topic co-host Branden Myers to look at The Dresden Files. We discuss the magical noir sub genre, the curious case of the show's pilot, and the many Trek alumni who worked on the series. We also ponder the existence of Chicago accents.

Commentary: Trek Stars 66: Created by Roddenberry… Kinda

Wolfe, Part 3: Andromeda.

In 2000, Robert Hewitt Wolfe made his debut as a television showrunner with Andromeda. The series, which was based on concepts by Gene Roddenberry, followed the crew of a starship in distant future after the fall of civilization as they try to restore the Commonwealth to its former glory. 

This week, Mike and Max are joined by Colin Higgins of Melodic Treks to look at Wolfe's first full series. We discuss how the project came to be, what caused Wolfe to leave the show, and how one of the best episodes was originally intended for Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.

Commentary: Trek Stars 65: Futurepodcasting

Wolfe, Part 2: Futuresport.

After five seasons, Robert Hewitt Wolfe left Star Trek: Deep Space Nine to work on other projects. The first of those was Futuresport, a television movie directed by Ernest Dickerson and starring Dean Cain. The film looks at a world on the brink of war which tries to settle a global dispute through a game in an effort to avoid a military conflict. 

This week, Mike and Max are joined by their Commentary Track Stars: Off Topic co-host Branden Myers to look at Wolfe's first post-Trek effort. We discuss the film's Roddenberry-like optimism, the way it reflects today's society, and why it ultimately doesn't work. We also try to figure out what the theoretical series would have been like. 

Commentary: Trek Stars 64: RH Dubs, Unsung Hero

Wolfe, Part 1: Trek.

There were many talented people who contributed to the genius of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. But one of the most under appreciated is writer/producer Robert Hewitt Wolfe. 

This week, Max and Mike start a new series looking at Wolfe's work as a driving force behind television projects, including Futuresport, Andromeda, Riverworld, and The Dresden Files. 

In Part 1, we are joined by Matt Hansen of The Delta Quadrant to look at Wolfe's work on Star Trek. We discuss his Next Generation debut with “A Fistful of Datas,” his script for “Q-Less,” which led to a staff position on DS9, and his huge contribution to the series on the whole, including the co-creation of the Defiant. We also debate what metaphor best describes his place in the DS9 writing staff.

Commentary: Trek Stars 63: Talking Pizza

Behr, Part 6: Recap.

Taking the dark horse of the Star Trek franchise and turning it into one the best TV shows ever made is a tough act to follow. Such is the life of Ira Steven Behr. This week, Mike and Max recap Behr's career as a showrunner, looking at each of his shows, including Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Bob Patterson, The Twilight Zone, The 4400, Crash, and Alphas. We also discuss some of his other work, including his upcoming series, Outlander.