Our Man Bashir: 007 Reasons to Love It

This week on Trek Geeks, Bill & Dan are donning their tuxedos (metaphorically, of course) and ordering their martinis "shaken, not stirred" as they dive into the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine classic, Our Man Bashir! Join us for a lively discussion of this holosuite caper that combines Star Trek's charm with a healthy dose of spy genre flair.

But wait—there's more! The guys simply can't help themselves, so prepare for an avalanche of references to James Bond, Austin Powers, Our Man Flint, and even Matt Helm. From Sean Connery's suave moves to Mike Myers' groovy antics, nothing is off-limits as they connect the dots between 1960s spy kitsch and the future of Starfleet.

You'll laugh, you'll groan (at Dan, mostly), and you might even be inspired to watch a Bond flick or two after this episode. Is this their most over-the-top discussion yet? Possibly. Is it a blast? Absolutely. Don't miss it!

Grab your gadgets, geeks—this mission is about to self-destruct in 3… 2… 1…

[00:00:15] Oh my gosh, Trek Geeks is proud to have Fansets as our presenting sponsor. Fansets is the place for amazing pin collectibles with over 500 officially licensed Star Trek pins with new releases every month. Stay tuned for a special discount code that'll be good on your next order over there at fansets.com. Get there, go there now. Fansets, our pins have character.

[00:00:42] Hi, this is Gates McFadden who played Dr. Beverly Crusher from Star Trek The Next Generation. And you're listening to the Trek Geeks Podcast with Bill Smith and Dan Davidson.

[00:01:43] From the secret agent division of Podfleet Command, it's the biggest little show this side of the Alpha Quadrant and the flagship of the Trek Geeks Podcast Network. Greetings to you, viewers and listeners alike all over the globe and the galaxy and all the things. And welcome to the Trek Geeks Podcast.

[00:01:59] I am your co-host Bill Smith and this is episode number 319 of this fine show, which is due to celebrate its 10th anniversary in just a matter of weeks. That's 10 years behind the microphone with my co-host.

[00:02:16] He's somebody who drives me to drink. He's somebody who makes me take mental health days. He's somebody who I can only hope if he were a secret agent, he would be discovered on a knock list and dealt with summarily.

[00:02:30] He is the really untalented and classless Dan Davidson. Dan, welcome aboard, buddy. It's good to have you here.

[00:02:39] And yet here we are. It's still doing it for 10 years, buddy. It's got to tell you something. You've got problems. It's great to be here. Good to see you, man. I am excited to be here.

[00:02:49] It's been a while since we sat down behind the microphones to talk Star Trek and I'm glad that we're here to do it. Festive season. I'm in the festive mood and we're going to have a great time tonight. Absolutely great time.

[00:03:01] Well, one of us will have a great time. Maybe a few of the viewers will. Ross McKinney brings up a great point. 10 years of Dan. Wow.

[00:03:10] I've got almost 30 years of Dan and let me tell you, nobody should have to go through that.

[00:03:17] It's a wonderful life. I will tell you that. 10 years of Dan.

[00:03:24] 30 years though, too much. I'm here to tell you.

[00:03:26] I will say that's a little bit, you know, that's, you know, I got to give you a special prize for that one because that is, I don't know what's going to happen with my wife when we hit that 30 years because I can see what it's done to you.

[00:03:37] She'll have murdered you by then.

[00:03:40] Not wrong. Not wrong.

[00:03:42] You're going to wind up the subject of a Dateline NBC episode.

[00:03:46] I'm okay with that.

[00:03:47] Your body will go missing in international waters.

[00:03:50] Yes. All right. I'll look forward to that.

[00:03:53] I think anyway, no, you know, a lot of shows do an after dark episode.

[00:03:57] Ours just goes dark.

[00:03:59] I mean, we're only what five minutes and 45 seconds in and four minutes of that was all our cool special effects stuff that you put together over the last several months.

[00:04:08] So, yeah.

[00:04:09] Yeah.

[00:04:10] I do.

[00:04:10] Okay.

[00:04:11] I do.

[00:04:12] You do.

[00:04:12] Tonight, Dan, we're actually going to talk about an episode that you actually brought up.

[00:04:17] Yeah.

[00:04:18] And I don't remember why the heck you did it.

[00:04:20] Well, I do remember why.

[00:04:22] And I'll be happy to tell you, Bill.

[00:04:24] So, it was just a couple of weeks ago.

[00:04:27] I was working in my Plex library.

[00:04:29] And what I like to do in my Plex library is I like to customize the movie posters.

[00:04:34] So, I'll go around every once in a while.

[00:04:36] And I went into my James Bond collection.

[00:04:39] And boom.

[00:04:39] I'm like, whoa.

[00:04:41] Our man Bashir.

[00:04:42] Let's do it.

[00:04:43] I typey typey to Bill.

[00:04:45] Bill, let's do our man Bashir.

[00:04:47] And he gave me the thumbs up, which is extremely rare.

[00:04:50] So, I'm going to take it and run with it.

[00:04:52] I'm a little concerned you called it typey typey.

[00:04:55] Typey typey.

[00:04:56] All right.

[00:04:56] We need to break in here for a second and ask Dan.

[00:04:59] Dan, what are you drinking?

[00:05:02] Oh, I haven't even started drinking.

[00:05:04] But you would think I have for a while, right?

[00:05:05] Yes.

[00:05:06] I'm in a festive mood.

[00:05:08] And the festive drink of the season is, it's not a martini glass.

[00:05:12] But it is an eggnog martini with a hot cocoa and English toffee sugared rim.

[00:05:22] I have a lot of feelings.

[00:05:24] And that's because I don't like eggnog.

[00:05:25] It makes me want to lag.

[00:05:27] Yeah.

[00:05:28] I was not an eggnog fan until recently.

[00:05:31] And then I found this recipe.

[00:05:33] It is my wife and I.

[00:05:34] One of our favorites for the holiday season.

[00:05:37] We really like this one.

[00:05:38] The other one we like is a cranberry peppermint martini, which is also very good.

[00:05:42] But yeah, I want eggnog tonight.

[00:05:44] I'm drinking a classic beverage known to most of the world as water.

[00:05:51] Usually you need to drink when we record just because.

[00:05:56] Oh, I pregamed.

[00:05:59] You're looking very festive today, I might add.

[00:06:02] Thank you.

[00:06:02] You have your trickery going.

[00:06:04] I have mine off here to the side, which you can't see.

[00:06:06] Yeah.

[00:06:07] Haley's starting early.

[00:06:08] Haley's not wrong though.

[00:06:10] Let's give her a credit.

[00:06:11] She's not wrong, but they're extremely yummy.

[00:06:13] And so that, that take the girl factor out of it because the tastier they are, the more

[00:06:19] okay it is to drink them.

[00:06:22] So anyway.

[00:06:22] I would love it if you would just develop an affinity for bourbon or something just once.

[00:06:27] I do like, I do like some whiskey.

[00:06:29] Oh, you'll like this one then.

[00:06:30] I'm going to get off on a tangent before we start talking man Bashir because we're talking

[00:06:33] drinks.

[00:06:34] You know, we both love screwball peanut butter whiskey.

[00:06:36] We do.

[00:06:37] We do.

[00:06:37] They came out with a screwball peanut butter eggnog whiskey, which we picked up this weekend

[00:06:44] and it is good, but it is about as thick as motor oil.

[00:06:51] So thicker than Dan Davidson.

[00:06:53] So cheers.

[00:06:55] Um, well that's fantastic.

[00:06:57] Dan, of course, uh, Dan's recipe not available anywhere.

[00:07:00] Um, although he might publish it to camp Kittimer later if people ask him to.

[00:07:05] I can do that.

[00:07:06] I'd be, I'd be happy to do that.

[00:07:07] Actually.

[00:07:07] I will do it.

[00:07:08] How about that?

[00:07:09] Um, see that you do, mister.

[00:07:11] See that you do.

[00:07:12] Uh, so our man Bashir, um, I, I'm a big James Bond fan.

[00:07:16] I always have been from the days of Sean Connery.

[00:07:18] Up until now, except for those Roger Moore years.

[00:07:21] Um, do you have a favorite bond?

[00:07:23] Let us know in the comments.

[00:07:24] We're curious.

[00:07:25] Who's your favorite bond?

[00:07:26] Uh, Sean Connery by far.

[00:07:28] Okay.

[00:07:29] Daniel Craig for me.

[00:07:30] I just love he's, he's the most, um, normal humanized bond.

[00:07:35] I think.

[00:07:36] Um, so I really like him and I never, I never really had a problem with Roger Moore either,

[00:07:40] but, uh, Daniel Craig's my guy.

[00:07:42] Roger Moore.

[00:07:43] Roger Moore.

[00:07:44] All I can think of him is I can just think of him in cannonball run.

[00:07:47] Um, yes.

[00:07:49] Yeah, that was, that was good.

[00:07:51] Roger Moore.

[00:07:53] I haven't seen that in a long time.

[00:07:55] Um, it's a, it's, it's not a great movie, but it's a fun movie.

[00:08:00] Um, we have some, some votes here.

[00:08:02] Helen.

[00:08:03] Yes.

[00:08:03] Sean Connery for sure.

[00:08:04] Sean and Daniel Pierce Brosnan.

[00:08:08] That's a, that's a dark horse pick.

[00:08:09] I like it though.

[00:08:11] Even though that last movie die another day is pretty putrid.

[00:08:14] Who's, uh, uh, who's the other one who did license to kill?

[00:08:19] Timothy Dalton.

[00:08:20] I like that one.

[00:08:21] I like, I'm not a huge fan of his portrayal of bond, but I do like license to kill.

[00:08:26] I think that's a great one.

[00:08:27] That's a good movie.

[00:08:27] Your face is a license to kill.

[00:08:29] He's damn right.

[00:08:30] And don't you forget it.

[00:08:31] I don't know what that means, but okay.

[00:08:34] I don't know either, but Dan, let's do a little business here with America before we go too

[00:08:39] far.

[00:09:02] We are so lucky to have our friends at fansets, you know, each and every week be the presenting

[00:09:08] sponsor of this here, amazing podcast.

[00:09:12] And, um, I, I don't know what we do without them quite honestly.

[00:09:16] I really don't either.

[00:09:17] It's a fantastic friendship.

[00:09:19] Uh, we love seeing them when we go to conventions, they do such a great job.

[00:09:22] Um, and I gotta say, if, if anybody out there listening is looking for some amazing Star Trek

[00:09:28] gifts to rain down upon your favorite Trekkie this holiday season, look no further than fansets.com.

[00:09:33] Head on over to their website right now and pick up the latest releases that they just

[00:09:37] posted like the 2024 holiday moopsie pin.

[00:09:41] Very, very cute.

[00:09:42] Uh, the 2024 TNG holiday Delta in both pin and magnet form, which are available.

[00:09:48] I got my magnet form in the mail today.

[00:09:50] I'm very excited about that.

[00:09:51] Uh, and new from fansets, it's the starship dedication plaque collection.

[00:09:56] And you can get many versions of the bridge replica dedication plaques right now from

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[00:10:08] space nine right now over at fansets.com and more plaques will be on the way.

[00:10:14] And, uh, and bill this just in gotta let you know, we've got a black alert right now.

[00:10:18] Black alert, black alert, the brand spanking new discovery rear Admiral Delta is now available

[00:10:26] at fansets.com.

[00:10:28] Uh, again, in both pin and magnet form.

[00:10:31] Wonderful.

[00:10:32] And of course, you know what I'm going to tell you, get on over to fansets.com right now,

[00:10:36] put all of those pins, including the brand new fleet Admiral Delta in your cart and use that

[00:10:41] discount code Trek geeks for 10% off your entire order at fansets.com.

[00:10:47] That's Trek geeks and all capital letters with no spaces.

[00:10:49] And of course, don't forget when you spend more than $30 and fansets.com, you will automatically

[00:10:54] get free shipping in the United States.

[00:10:57] Fansets.

[00:10:58] Our pins have character.

[00:11:00] And we thank our friends at fansets for being the presenting sponsor of Trek geeks.

[00:11:06] Bonnie Gordon.

[00:11:07] And John Billingsley here.

[00:11:09] Bonnie, I hate memorizing shit.

[00:11:10] What about you?

[00:11:11] Oh, absolutely.

[00:11:11] Let's read it off the page.

[00:11:13] Good idea.

[00:11:13] For the fourth consecutive year, we'll be hosting Trek Talks.

[00:11:17] We call it Trek Talks 4 because it seemed like the obvious choice.

[00:11:19] To benefit Hollywood Food Coalition, January 18, Saturday, 10 to 6 Pacific time on YouTube.

[00:11:25] Find out more at trektalks.net.

[00:11:27] That's right.

[00:11:27] We have eight hours of amazing guests.

[00:11:29] That's just Kate Mulgrew, Nana Visitor, Bob Bacardo, Sonequa Martin-Granie.

[00:11:32] Ron and Fuller, Ira Baer, Dub Jones, the guys who read Star Trek novels, real life space

[00:11:37] scientists.

[00:11:38] Oh, and we're going to be auctioning off some really cool stuff.

[00:11:41] There'll be musical interludes and quite possible.

[00:11:44] John will blow up his face like a puffer fish.

[00:11:47] Oh, quite.

[00:11:48] Can you blow up your face like a puffer fish?

[00:11:51] I didn't know there would be a...

[00:11:51] I...

[00:11:52] Interact.

[00:11:53] Beeks.

[00:11:55] You brought talks.

[00:11:56] Mm-hmm.

[00:11:57] Oh.

[00:11:58] That's Saturday, January 18, 2025.

[00:12:02] MLK weekend.

[00:12:03] So, you know, before the Monday holiday, sit down for eight hours of great Star Trek discussion,

[00:12:09] Dan.

[00:12:09] I'd like to blow up your face, Bill.

[00:12:12] Wow.

[00:12:13] This is taking a distinct turn.

[00:12:14] No, I'll tell you what.

[00:12:16] This is pretty freaking amazing what we got going on on the 18th of January.

[00:12:22] This lineup is just absolutely unbelievable.

[00:12:25] You know, when we started this four years ago, we were just so excited with every single guest

[00:12:30] that we've gotten.

[00:12:30] And every year, it seems that that bar has been raised with the people who are coming on.

[00:12:36] So, so excited for Sonequa and Kate and David.

[00:12:40] And of course, Jonathan is just...

[00:12:42] I love talking to him.

[00:12:43] He's like one of the funniest people on the planet.

[00:12:45] So it's going to be fun.

[00:12:46] It's going to be awesome.

[00:12:47] We're going to raise a lot of money again for the Hollywood Food Coalition.

[00:12:51] And we can't wait for the 18th to get here.

[00:12:53] Hurry up, 18th.

[00:12:54] Get here.

[00:12:55] Hurry up.

[00:12:56] Some of us have a lot of work to do still.

[00:12:58] So let's not wish that away forever.

[00:13:00] That's true.

[00:13:01] Good point.

[00:13:02] So Dan, I know it's been a long time since we've talked about this.

[00:13:07] And, you know, it's rare for us to do it these days.

[00:13:11] But I just want to say, Dan, it's time for the news from TrekNews.net.

[00:13:22] Spanning the Alpha Quadrant.

[00:13:26] For all the news on all the Star Trek show.

[00:13:33] It's TrekNews.net.

[00:13:36] Dilly son of a bitch.

[00:13:40] Told you I had something special.

[00:13:42] Online at TrekNews.net.

[00:13:45] I think I'm about to faint.

[00:13:46] That was amazing.

[00:13:49] Dan, here we are.

[00:13:50] It's time for the news.

[00:13:51] We haven't done news in a long, long time.

[00:13:53] We've got special graphics for the news, which is kind of cool.

[00:13:57] Kind of an upgrade.

[00:13:58] Because normally I just have to look at your face and nobody wants to do that.

[00:14:02] But, Dan, up first.

[00:14:04] Yeah.

[00:14:05] It looks like there is some Star Trek Starfleet Academy casting news.

[00:14:12] Yeah.

[00:14:12] This is pretty awesome for anybody who are fans of the WWE.

[00:14:16] WWE.

[00:14:17] I happen to kind of know a couple people that are big fans.

[00:14:20] But wrestler Becky Lynch has been cast in Starfleet Academy.

[00:14:25] Kind of cool.

[00:14:27] Her real name is Rebecca Quinn.

[00:14:29] She announced it on her social media page.

[00:14:33] Quote.

[00:14:33] And I'm not going to try to do the Irish accent.

[00:14:36] But I want to do what I'm not going to do.

[00:14:38] Thank you.

[00:14:38] Quote.

[00:14:39] When you've already been champion of the world, there's really only one place to go next.

[00:14:43] And that's to the stars.

[00:14:44] I'm so excited to share with all of you that I am joining Star Trek Starfleet Academy as part of the bridge crew.

[00:14:50] And lads, this has to be the most incredible experience acting alongside a spectacular cast and crew.

[00:14:57] And I cannot wait for you, for all of you to check it out when it comes out on Paramount Plus.

[00:15:02] And hey, live long and prosper.

[00:15:04] Very exciting news.

[00:15:05] I have never seen her wrestle.

[00:15:09] I'm going to absolutely check it out now and see what it's all about.

[00:15:13] But this is good.

[00:15:14] This is big.

[00:15:15] There's been some big names.

[00:15:16] Of course, Mary Wisen will be reprising her role.

[00:15:18] Tig Notaro.

[00:15:19] Odin Fair.

[00:15:20] They'll all be back with Robert Picardo from Star Trek Voyager is also going to be part of the cast.

[00:15:24] It's going to be pretty awesome.

[00:15:26] Paul Giamatti is the villain.

[00:15:27] So check that out.

[00:15:28] That was my Paul Giamatti impersonation.

[00:15:30] But that was terrible.

[00:15:32] And don't forget, I've never done one before.

[00:15:34] Academy Award winner, Holly Hunter.

[00:15:37] Yes.

[00:15:37] How could I forget that?

[00:15:38] It's me.

[00:15:39] I don't know.

[00:15:40] Sorry.

[00:15:40] I'm sorry.

[00:15:41] That's partly because you're stupid, I think.

[00:15:44] I'm not going to agree with that one.

[00:15:48] Interesting, Jim.

[00:15:49] Starfleet Academy, I thought, is a land-based series.

[00:15:51] So I'm interested to see where a character will be.

[00:15:53] We don't actually have any detail on it right now.

[00:15:55] So I would imagine there's got to be a space aspect to it somehow.

[00:16:00] Maybe they go on little missions here and there.

[00:16:03] But who knows?

[00:16:04] Paul Giamatti is going to play like the evil principal of the Academy.

[00:16:08] I have no idea.

[00:16:09] I just don't know.

[00:16:11] If you're right, I'm going to be so pissed.

[00:16:15] One can wish.

[00:16:17] One can wish.

[00:16:18] Moving on, Dan.

[00:16:20] Recently, there was a trailer for the brand new Section 31 movie, which will stream exclusively on Paramount Plus, starring another Oscar winner who is near and dear to our hearts.

[00:16:31] Absolutely.

[00:16:31] Michelle Yeoh.

[00:16:32] You know what?

[00:16:33] She can watch.

[00:16:34] I'll watch anything she's in.

[00:16:36] I'm very happy to see her reprising her role.

[00:16:39] Yes, the Star Trek Section 31, the latest trailer, is now out and available.

[00:16:44] As Bill said, it's going to be streaming on Paramount Plus.

[00:16:48] Lots of interesting things going on in this trailer.

[00:16:51] I've only watched it once.

[00:16:54] I will be watching it again.

[00:16:55] Of course, it's going to be available on January 24th.

[00:16:57] So that's right around the corner, right after Trek Talks 4.

[00:17:00] I'll be able to download that or stream it, I should say.

[00:17:04] Looks pretty interesting.

[00:17:05] Of course, Section 31 is near and dear to my heart.

[00:17:07] I've always loved it ever since Deep Space Nine.

[00:17:09] So we'll see what happens with that clandestine group of people trying to save the galaxy from some force that we don't know about yet.

[00:17:19] Yeah.

[00:17:20] Clandestine.

[00:17:21] I said it.

[00:17:21] I don't know what it means, but I used that word anyway.

[00:17:25] I think you're more excited for the S31 movie than I am.

[00:17:29] I'm curious to see who is excited for this in the comments and who is not.

[00:17:33] I'm going to.

[00:17:35] I'm decidedly unexcited.

[00:17:36] Stop stepping on me, you jerk.

[00:17:37] I'm not trying to step on you.

[00:17:39] I will surprise you when I say this.

[00:17:41] I love Section 31.

[00:17:42] I am not very excited for this.

[00:17:45] Yeah.

[00:17:46] I'm waiting to see what happens after it comes out.

[00:17:50] The trailers have left me a little disappointed.

[00:17:55] Meh?

[00:17:56] As Ryan would say.

[00:17:57] Yeah.

[00:17:57] As Ryan says.

[00:17:59] You know, Olatande Usun-Somni is directing it, so that's a big plus.

[00:18:04] But I don't know.

[00:18:06] I just.

[00:18:07] I.

[00:18:08] The trailers have not hit me the way I thought they would.

[00:18:11] So we'll see.

[00:18:12] Yeah.

[00:18:12] I was completely unimpressed by the trailer.

[00:18:17] To me, it's Trek.

[00:18:18] I'm excited.

[00:18:19] I get it.

[00:18:20] True.

[00:18:20] Yeah.

[00:18:21] Yeah.

[00:18:21] There's a part of me that's happy to see Trek in any new form.

[00:18:24] I just want something that I'm going to enjoy.

[00:18:28] The fact that we've gotten as little as we've gotten so far leads me to wonder why.

[00:18:33] I don't.

[00:18:34] I don't know.

[00:18:35] So more Trek.

[00:18:38] Okay.

[00:18:38] The sisters have spoken and we will shut up now.

[00:18:41] I mean, Michelle Yeo.

[00:18:43] I mean, how could it go wrong?

[00:18:45] Right?

[00:18:46] Right.

[00:18:46] Yeah.

[00:18:47] I mean, I have to believe that Michelle Yeo is in it.

[00:18:49] It's going to be better than the trailer made it look because I don't think the trailer

[00:18:52] made it look very interesting.

[00:18:54] Yeah.

[00:18:54] I would agree.

[00:18:54] And Jason has a very good point.

[00:18:56] I'm excited to see Michelle Yeo.

[00:18:59] Not impressed with the trailer.

[00:19:00] I guess that's a good way to wrap it up and sum it up right there.

[00:19:03] Good.

[00:19:03] Good job.

[00:19:03] Good job, Jason.

[00:19:04] Good job, buddy.

[00:19:04] Oh, thank you for telling me to move on.

[00:19:06] I really appreciate this.

[00:19:09] Dan up next.

[00:19:10] Fandom was kind of a buzz a few weeks ago with the brand new unification short featuring

[00:19:17] the return in a way of William Shatner as Captain Kirk and people lost their damn mind.

[00:19:26] Yeah, people really did.

[00:19:27] And it's funny.

[00:19:28] I remember the day that this came out.

[00:19:29] I saw it all over the place and I was like, what is this?

[00:19:31] I'm really not interested.

[00:19:32] I'm not going to watch it.

[00:19:33] I got too much to do.

[00:19:34] Training with my new job and everything like that.

[00:19:36] So I don't watch it.

[00:19:37] But then I just kept seeing more and more and seeing these images of Kirk.

[00:19:41] So I checked it out.

[00:19:42] And interesting, to say the least.

[00:19:45] So we get this.

[00:19:46] I don't know.

[00:19:47] Should we do spoilers?

[00:19:48] Do we care about we're doing spoilers tonight or not?

[00:19:50] I don't know if you can really call it a spoiler.

[00:19:52] It's not canon.

[00:19:54] It's okay.

[00:19:55] It's been over for a few weeks.

[00:19:56] The way I look at it is it was a way for Kirk to welcome Spock to the afterlife

[00:20:03] because he was already dead and Spock was dying.

[00:20:05] So I kind of looked at it like that.

[00:20:07] You get to see younger versions of him and other words.

[00:20:10] You got to see some other characters from the Star Trek universe who, based on this,

[00:20:15] kind of maybe have also passed on, like Savick.

[00:20:19] Robin Curtis.

[00:20:20] It's always great to see her in anything because she's just one of the most wonderful people on the planet.

[00:20:25] But it was different.

[00:20:29] I'm not going to say I disliked it, but I'm not going to say it was the greatest thing ever.

[00:20:33] So it was kind of cool to see Kirk, William Shatner, reprised, of course, using AI facial technology and stuff.

[00:20:40] But yeah, it was a little strange.

[00:20:42] But I will say one of the things as I was watching and listening to it, I'm like, that's got to be Michael's music from Lost and the Star Trek reboot.

[00:20:51] And sure enough, when the credits rolled, it was him who did the music.

[00:20:53] So that made me very Apple.

[00:20:55] Apple?

[00:20:56] Apple.

[00:20:57] Apple.

[00:20:58] Apple.

[00:20:59] Yeah.

[00:21:00] Yeah.

[00:21:00] I still don't know what to think about the thing.

[00:21:04] I don't get it.

[00:21:06] Sam Witwer was fantastic in learning William Shatner's mannerisms.

[00:21:12] I know there was a mix of digital prosthetics and CGI to some extent.

[00:21:19] Um, I thought it, I thought that Sam was flawless and anyone who knows Sam Witwer knows he's an incredibly talented actor.

[00:21:26] Who's done a lot of, especially voice work is Darth Darth Maul in the Star Wars franchise.

[00:21:30] Um, among other things, he's a huge nerd, huge Star Trek fan.

[00:21:34] Um, while others were emotional, I had zero emotion whatsoever.

[00:21:41] Um, and I don't know why, maybe that's because I'm still trying to wrap my head around the whole thing.

[00:21:47] Um, that's not a criticism by any means.

[00:21:51] That's my own misunderstanding or failing, but it's, uh, it's definitely something that's been thought provoking, but it was, it made me ask so many questions about a whole bunch of things.

[00:22:05] I have a question.

[00:22:07] I'm not surprised.

[00:22:08] Yes.

[00:22:10] And, and I should know the answers and I apologize that I don't was William Shatner actually in it because he is mentioned as a cast member of this.

[00:22:19] He's also the executive producer.

[00:22:21] Um, but is he actually in this short or is it all computer generated for, for him?

[00:22:29] It's a mix of computer generation and digital prosthetics.

[00:22:33] Okay.

[00:22:33] Um, so, you know, there are, you know, um, his likeness is represented, which is why he gets a credit.

[00:22:41] I'm sure.

[00:22:41] Okay.

[00:22:42] Gotcha.

[00:22:42] If he's got an EP credit, that means he probably got paid, which is fine.

[00:22:45] Yeah.

[00:22:45] Um, I don't begrudge anybody that with regards to this.

[00:22:50] Um, but you know, it's, I, uh, in fact, uh, to me, uh, you know, hits it on right on the head.

[00:22:58] Thought provoking.

[00:22:59] It was very, it was curious.

[00:23:02] Um, yeah.

[00:23:04] I will say that the, the scenes with Spock were, were emotional, which is kind of ironic when it's with Spock.

[00:23:12] But, um, I did like, I did like those scenes where they were looking out over the sunrise or sunset or whatever it was.

[00:23:18] Um, but yeah, it was, it was, it was, it was unexpected, I guess is my best way that I would describe what I felt about it.

[00:23:25] Unexpected.

[00:23:26] It was without a doubt a top shelf job by everybody involved.

[00:23:31] Yeah.

[00:23:31] Um, it, it looked amazing, you know, from the special effects to the production design, to the finished product, to the costumes.

[00:23:43] Everything looked perfect.

[00:23:45] And I think that that is amazing in today, you know, in today's day and age, so many people nitpick so much that this was just spot on perfection as far as the way it looked.

[00:23:58] Yeah, it's really cool.

[00:24:00] Well, and one of the things that's very cool about it, if I, if I read the article correctly is the premiere of this took place up in Ticonderoga at the official set while Shatner was there with Robin Curtis and Lawrence Selleck who played Spock.

[00:24:13] Um, so that, that's kind of cool to be able to, for them to watch that world premiere on the main view screen of the bridge of the enterprise.

[00:24:20] That's kind of, that is kind of cool.

[00:24:21] Yeah.

[00:24:22] Well, Dan, lastly, um, you and I are a little bummed this week because we say goodbye to star Trek lower decks, the final episode airing.

[00:24:32] Um, as we record this, this coming Thursday.

[00:24:36] And, um, I'm really bummed.

[00:24:39] I, I'm sorry.

[00:24:40] I still don't know why they decided to cancel the show.

[00:24:42] This show could go on for so many more years, bringing entertainment, comedy, great Easter eggs, fantastic guest stars and everything.

[00:24:52] I'm so bummed out that this is, this is ending, uh, this week will be the final episode, uh, entitled the new next generation.

[00:25:01] Um, and it's, it's very sad.

[00:25:03] It's very, it's a very sad thing that a great show, it is a great star Trek show.

[00:25:10] Anybody who's like, Oh, it's animation.

[00:25:12] It's an awesome star Trek show.

[00:25:14] And I'm very disappointed that, uh, we're saying goodbye to it.

[00:25:16] Mike McMahon and his team have done a stellar job for these five seasons.

[00:25:21] I could be not be more happy for him and his success with this show.

[00:25:26] Uh, it's really too bad.

[00:25:27] I, I wish somebody would pick it up, but I don't even know if that's an option.

[00:25:31] If, if they're even looking for anybody to do a season six.

[00:25:34] Um, but it could keep going for at least seven seasons, like all of the other legacy Trek did.

[00:25:39] I think if they want, it could go on for even longer than that because it's animated.

[00:25:43] Um, it could realistically run for 20 years.

[00:25:46] Yeah.

[00:25:47] It's the cheapest of all the shows to produce.

[00:25:49] Um, you know, it's cheaper than prodigy even I'm sure just based on the animation style.

[00:25:55] Yeah.

[00:25:55] But I think this goes back to my prediction from, you know, a few episodes ago where I

[00:26:01] think wrong as I hope I am.

[00:26:04] I think we are headed for another dark time in star Trek where there is no star Trek being

[00:26:09] produced.

[00:26:09] Kind of like the, the 2005 to 2017, where there was no Trek on new, new Trek on television.

[00:26:16] Um, I just, I've got that feeling.

[00:26:18] I think that they've probably oversaturated the market again.

[00:26:21] I know Kurtzman's deal is coming up in less than two years.

[00:26:26] I'm sure that paramount is going to be looking to cut costs there.

[00:26:29] And I'm sure the first thing that's going to go is star Trek.

[00:26:32] Yeah.

[00:26:33] It's really amazing.

[00:26:34] Just a couple of years ago, two, three years ago, we were sitting here recording, talking

[00:26:39] about how it was the best time in history to be a star Trek fan because of all the new

[00:26:44] Trek that was out there, all the Trek that was out, all the Trek that was planned.

[00:26:48] And now really quickly, now it looks like stuff is starting to wind down and it's really,

[00:26:54] it's really kind of a bummer.

[00:26:56] It is.

[00:26:57] Um, I, you know, uh, episode nine of this season was just amazing.

[00:27:02] Um, I, I don't want to, if, if somebody hasn't seen it yet, I don't want to go through all

[00:27:06] the, you know, the, uh, the guest characters that are part of it, but my mind was blown a

[00:27:11] couple of times.

[00:27:12] Just people I never expected to be back in star Trek.

[00:27:15] Yep.

[00:27:16] And I, it made me so excited.

[00:27:18] I'm, I'm bummed to see it all end this coming Thursday on paramount plus.

[00:27:23] Yeah.

[00:27:23] It's, I guess the only thing to look forward to, it's not lower decks related, but strange

[00:27:26] new worlds has been kicking ass and I can't wait for season three and that's coming right

[00:27:30] around the corner because lower decks is ending.

[00:27:32] So we get to look forward to that.

[00:27:33] It better.

[00:27:36] Well, Dan, shall we move on to this week's main topic?

[00:27:40] I mean, it's only been a half an hour since we, um, we wanted to talk about our man Bashir

[00:27:46] because, um, you have an exceedingly short attention span and your ability to be creative

[00:27:55] mimics what you see in a given day.

[00:27:57] Pretty much.

[00:27:58] Yep.

[00:27:58] Absolutely.

[00:27:59] Hey, James Bond.

[00:28:00] My name is Jeff.

[00:28:02] One of the things I love about our man Bashir is just how on the nose it just pays homage

[00:28:11] to not just James Bond, but our man Flint and Matt Helm and so many other secret agent

[00:28:18] spy things that we've seen throughout the decades.

[00:28:22] Yep.

[00:28:23] Absolutely.

[00:28:23] It is, it is a great tribute to all of those type of movies from the sixties.

[00:28:31] Um, everything from the great adventure to the ridiculous villains to the rampant sexism.

[00:28:38] I mean, it's just hysterical.

[00:28:40] I mean, the first thing I wrote down in my note, I got my notebook right here.

[00:28:43] First thing I wrote down is his personal valet is Mona loves it.

[00:28:48] That's her name.

[00:28:50] That's what we started with.

[00:28:51] And it's so perfect to what those movies were like back in the sixties.

[00:28:56] It was everybody involved in this one really, really came out with their a game.

[00:29:01] Well, I mean, if you think about it, I mean, it has to kind of be way too on the nose because

[00:29:06] you look at, you know, the, the bond women of the time.

[00:29:10] Yeah.

[00:29:10] You know, um, if you, you, you can even start with, you know, start with Pierce Brosnan and

[00:29:16] just work your way back.

[00:29:18] No, you've got Xenia on a top all the way back to pussy galore.

[00:29:22] Yeah.

[00:29:22] Um, it's just, it's, it, yes.

[00:29:27] I want to laugh at it, but in hindsight, I get a little cringe over it.

[00:29:32] I really do.

[00:29:33] Oh, today.

[00:29:34] Absolutely.

[00:29:34] That I don't think it would work today.

[00:29:36] Um, no, uh, it worked back in 1995.

[00:29:39] This was at first aired on November 27th, 95.

[00:29:43] Let's get some of the information out of the way.

[00:29:45] Uh, teleplay was by, uh, Ronald D Moore.

[00:29:47] The story was by Bob Gillen and directed by Vindic Korb.

[00:29:51] I actually practiced that before we came online because, uh, want to make sure I got it right.

[00:29:56] Um, yeah.

[00:29:57] So 1995, I can see how it was successful and that, uh, and that people, you know, kind

[00:30:03] of got that, you know, sixties vibe to it.

[00:30:05] It kind of reminds me a little bit of how they did it with bada bing, bada bang, getting,

[00:30:09] making sure that the genre was just right for the entire episode.

[00:30:12] And they really, they really knocked it out with this one.

[00:30:15] I want to know how the hell you can get Vinric Korb, but not Trek geeks.

[00:30:21] Trek geeks.

[00:30:22] Yes.

[00:30:23] How, how can you not say the name of your own podcast half the time?

[00:30:26] Help me, help me spunk.

[00:30:29] You can hit Vinric Korb out of the, out of the, out of the stadium.

[00:30:33] Home run.

[00:30:34] I, you have to practice.

[00:30:36] 406 baby.

[00:30:37] You know, 20, 20 minutes before I came upstairs.

[00:30:40] I'm like Vinric Korb, Vinric Korb.

[00:30:42] But of course I've done that before and screwed up people's names too, which I guess it doesn't

[00:30:45] really mean anything, but I'll take it when I get it.

[00:30:47] So thanks for the late, great Vinric Korb, I must say.

[00:30:50] Yes, absolutely.

[00:30:51] Unfortunately, we lost him way too soon.

[00:30:54] Yeah.

[00:30:56] Jim is a hundred percent right.

[00:30:57] One of life's many mysteries.

[00:30:58] Thanks, Jim.

[00:30:59] Jim.

[00:30:59] It's amazing that Dan can say his own name, let alone anybody else's.

[00:31:02] Let's be honest about sure.

[00:31:04] I screwed it up.

[00:31:04] Let's be honest.

[00:31:06] Dan Davidson.

[00:31:08] The other thing that this episode does is it kind of takes that sort of overdone holodeck

[00:31:16] malfunction episode that the TNG did just maybe one too many times and kind of turns it on

[00:31:23] its ear in a, in a kind of different and fun way.

[00:31:26] Yeah.

[00:31:27] We've seen so many holodeck gone wrong episodes.

[00:31:29] This wasn't a holodeck gone wrong.

[00:31:31] This was, they have to go on the holodeck in order to survive, which I liked the way that

[00:31:37] they did it.

[00:31:37] They were able to give Eddington something to do because we all know what happens with

[00:31:41] Eddington down the road.

[00:31:42] They were able to give Rom something to do.

[00:31:45] He's a huge part of the success of this episode and being able to keep everybody alive.

[00:31:50] Moody.

[00:31:51] So yeah, it's very, very cool.

[00:31:53] Um, but, um, one of the things we're probably going to talk about, but I'm going to bring

[00:31:58] it up now.

[00:31:59] Um, Jason actually mentioned that this came out right after golden eye, which ended a six

[00:32:05] year gap in bond movies.

[00:32:07] And when this episode came out, the folks at Paramount got a very not so nice letter from

[00:32:14] MGM and their, what they said was making fun of James Bond.

[00:32:18] The contents were never shared, but it was not a nice letter from MGM.

[00:32:22] Yeah.

[00:32:23] You know, in all fairness, in all fairness to Paramount, MGM can fuck off.

[00:32:31] Isn't parody the highest form of flattery?

[00:32:34] Absolutely.

[00:32:34] It really is.

[00:32:36] Which is why I make fun of you all the time.

[00:32:37] And you always don't understand that's because I love you.

[00:32:39] I don't think you understand what parody is.

[00:32:41] Um, they must've been really bent over Austin Powers.

[00:32:46] Yeah, absolutely.

[00:32:47] Austin Powers does it in a great comedic way.

[00:32:50] Deep Space Nine does it in a way that's, that's actually pretty serious, but still a little

[00:32:55] wink and nod to the camera.

[00:32:56] Like, you know, we're going to call it Honey Rider.

[00:33:01] But it's a, but it's such a good story too.

[00:33:04] I mean, it's, it's, it's, it's a good 60s spy movie wrapped up in a 44 minute TV episode.

[00:33:12] They, they really hit each thing that they need to hit throughout the episode from the sexism

[00:33:19] to the villain who over enunciates to the nth degree perfectly.

[00:33:24] God bless you, Avery Brooks for your best over enunciation performance in the entire

[00:33:30] run of Deep Space Nine, because it works perfectly.

[00:33:34] I love Hippocrates, Noah.

[00:33:36] Yes.

[00:33:37] Um, love, love Hippocrates, Noah.

[00:33:41] Yeah.

[00:33:41] Um, you know, if you're going to, you know, the sort of the, the character assignments

[00:33:46] in this episode are just perfection.

[00:33:48] I mean, if Julian is James Bond, Garrick has to be his Felix Leiter.

[00:33:54] Um, and Avery has to be, has to be the supervillain.

[00:33:59] Um, and has to be, you know what?

[00:34:02] I have to look up at the credits, whoever designed that outfit that Hippocrates wears.

[00:34:08] I would love to have one of those who wears a cosplay.

[00:34:11] That is a great villain costume for a 1960 spy movie in space.

[00:34:17] Um, it's just absolutely great.

[00:34:19] And on top of that, I will say whoever designed the record for the largest tuxedo collar in

[00:34:28] history on Garrick's tuxedo has got to give a special shout out because that must have

[00:34:33] been really something to design and put on Mr.

[00:34:37] Robinson.

[00:34:38] That collar is so big.

[00:34:39] It may as well be a hang glider.

[00:34:42] And then the same with the other one that he's wearing, it's like an ascot or something

[00:34:45] like that, that he's got with the jacket.

[00:34:47] Yeah.

[00:34:48] That's an entire sofa.

[00:34:51] It probably was sofa material.

[00:34:53] Absolutely.

[00:34:54] Everything.

[00:34:55] I mean, the wardrobe and all of it, Nana's dress was, was beautiful.

[00:34:59] Um, uh, and she did a great job as, as the Russian agent, uh, Anastasia Kamamanov, come up,

[00:35:06] come up, come up, something, something, something, um, but yeah, I love the wardrobe in this episode

[00:35:12] as well as many other things.

[00:35:15] Nana's character gets the best introduction in this entire episode.

[00:35:20] I mean, it is so sixties.

[00:35:23] It is so our man Flint to some degree, which is for those who haven't seen it, it's a great

[00:35:29] sixties spy movie.

[00:35:31] It's kind of half serious with James Coburn.

[00:35:34] Um, I've never taken those movies too seriously, even though I own them.

[00:35:38] Um, but they're just, they're fun.

[00:35:41] You know, if you enjoy the genre, if you enjoy the whole spy thing, you'll enjoy our man Flint

[00:35:45] to some degree.

[00:35:46] Yep.

[00:35:47] Entering the stage on a rotating bed.

[00:35:49] I must have fallen asleep all in her little dress.

[00:35:53] And she has a great Russian accent through the entire episode too.

[00:35:56] I thought it was overdone, but it actually works pretty well.

[00:35:59] Well, that's the point.

[00:36:00] I think I know I actually loves the fact that it's, it's over the top and bad in her mind.

[00:36:06] Yeah.

[00:36:06] Um, uh, I'm going to say something that that's going to amount to heresy.

[00:36:10] Right here, right now.

[00:36:12] And you know where I'm going with this.

[00:36:14] Um, it is no worse than Chekhov's.

[00:36:17] Oh, absolutely.

[00:36:18] Yeah.

[00:36:19] Yeah.

[00:36:20] I wonder if Russian accent is horrible.

[00:36:23] Yep.

[00:36:24] Come on enough.

[00:36:25] Anastasia.

[00:36:26] Come on enough.

[00:36:27] There we go.

[00:36:28] Come on enough.

[00:36:29] There we go.

[00:36:31] Come on enough.

[00:36:32] But very nice.

[00:36:35] Very nice.

[00:36:35] You're keeping me laughing tonight.

[00:36:37] Um, everybody does greatness in this episode.

[00:36:41] Oh, Brian as Falcon is awesome.

[00:36:44] The thing that I like about O'Brien in this episode is the Falcon engraving on the eye patch.

[00:36:51] I just thought that was a really nice touch.

[00:36:53] And if memory serves, our, uh, our good friend and patronical fad cosplayed as Falcon at a convention one year.

[00:37:02] I forget which convention it was.

[00:37:04] Yeah.

[00:37:04] Um, but, uh, uh, that, that was a great, uh, that's a nice deep cut cosplay when, uh, when you get something like that showing up.

[00:37:11] You know, I, I find for this, the plot to sort of be, you know, the, the whole, uh, secret agent thing to be a little secondary.

[00:37:18] Um, because really what's at stake here is the crew has to somehow get out of the holodeck and back to themselves.

[00:37:26] Their, their energy patterns have just been stored there to keep them alive until they can figure out how to rematerialize them for want of a better word.

[00:37:34] The, the, the plot of the movie, if you will, I'm just going to call it that for shorthand is just as over the top and, and un quasi believable as it is for every other bond movie.

[00:37:50] Um, moonraker looking at you.

[00:37:53] I was going to say, especially the older Sean Connery ones, when you didn't have the technology that came about later on in movies, like you just had buttons and switches.

[00:38:03] Like when, um, Noah, like just flicks that little switch to, to shoot the laser and there's lasers all over the world, which make the entire ocean rise.

[00:38:13] And just one little piece of land Mount Everest is left to start populating the species again.

[00:38:19] Just awesome.

[00:38:20] Little switch.

[00:38:22] You know, they start populating the species again.

[00:38:24] Uh, it's going to be a while before they got a lot of land.

[00:38:28] Yeah.

[00:38:28] It's going to be pretty crowded there.

[00:38:29] Just throwing that out there.

[00:38:30] 5,000 feet.

[00:38:31] Yeah.

[00:38:32] And cold.

[00:38:32] I don't think he, I don't think they thought this through.

[00:38:35] Um, well, most supervillains don't.

[00:38:38] I think that's really the thing, you know, and you know, it's, um, I think that the thing I like about Bashir is the secret agent.

[00:38:48] Just at one point he's like, eh, whatever.

[00:38:54] It's like what, like pretty much when I'm listening to you in a meeting.

[00:38:56] Wow.

[00:38:57] Hmm.

[00:38:58] Wow.

[00:38:59] Whatever.

[00:39:00] No.

[00:39:01] No.

[00:39:01] Okay.

[00:39:01] Anyway.

[00:39:02] Uh, yes, Robert, I knew that.

[00:39:06] Um, yeah, Dan did not.

[00:39:09] I did know that.

[00:39:10] Of course I did.

[00:39:11] I said, I like the Roger Moore ones.

[00:39:12] Of course.

[00:39:13] You brought up Sean Connery.

[00:39:15] Well, I did bring it because I not, and I'm not a big Sean Connery, James Bond guy, probably because of the technology in those days in the sixties.

[00:39:22] It's just not as.

[00:39:23] Wait a second.

[00:39:24] You love the original series and you're on board with that, but you can't get past the technology and the Connery Bond movies.

[00:39:31] Uh, apples and oranges, Sheldon.

[00:39:36] A little big bank theory quote there.

[00:39:38] Yeah.

[00:39:39] I know.

[00:39:39] I just, I don't know if it's, I don't know if it's just cause I never got into Bond played by Connery, which is heresy.

[00:39:47] Cause some people, a lot of people say that he's the ultimate Bond.

[00:39:51] It just, he just never clicked with me.

[00:39:53] So I think that's probably why I don't have the respect and admiration for those movies.

[00:39:58] But as you and I have done many times, like move along home as a perfect example.