Episode 20: This Is All a Damned Inconvenience – Star Trek: Nemesis

A generation comes to its end as Star Trek: Nemesis takes its place in the latest Star Trek film vault edition of The Glenn Butler Podcast Hour Spectacular. Glenn & Scott are joined by Steven Graham to try to figure out just what Shinzon’s plan is and how it’s supposed to work, what it means to seize the means of production on Romulus, how well the movie explores its ideas about mirroring and nature vs. nurture, action scenes that feel like they’re there to be used in a video game, and how the final voyage of The Next Generation treats The Next Generation. So set a collision course for the latest edition of The Glenn Butler Podcast Hour Spectacular! (Warning: discussion of sexual assault.)

You can support the show on Patreon at patreon.com/nontoxicfanboys.

Musical Selections:

• “I Need You” from The Hunger Games: Catching Fire by James Newton Howard
• “My Right Arm” from Star Trek: Nemesis by Jerry Goldsmith
• “The Mine” from Star Trek: Nemesis by Jerry Goldsmith
• “The Scorpion” from Star Trek: Nemesis by Jerry Goldsmith
• “Repairs” from Star Trek: Nemesis by Jerry Goldsmith
• “A New Ending” (Shinzon’s theme, plaintive setting) from Star Trek: Nemesis by Jerry Goldsmith
• “The Mirror” from Star Trek: Nemesis by Jerry Goldsmith
• “Remus” from Star Trek: Nemesis by Jerry Goldsmith
• “A New Ending” (Shinzon’s theme in its final form) from Star Trek: Nemesis by Jerry Goldsmith
• “A New Ending” (main theme, slow setting) from Star Trek: Nemesis by Jerry Goldsmith

Purchase the music excerpted in this episode:

• Star Trek: Nemesis, original score by Jerry Goldsmith
• The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, original score by James Newton Howard

Episode 19: It Becomes Wrong – Star Trek: Insurrection

Star Trek: Insurrection threatens to cause an insurrection of its own in the newest dive into the Star Trek film vault on The Glenn Butler Podcast Hour Spectacular. Glenn & Scott are joined by Scott Criscuolo to break down the fountain of youth, how a family feud becomes a parable about imperialism, F. Murray Abraham, what could have been done with Data in this movie that would actually have been interesting, the late stage of Jerry Goldsmith’s career, what insights can be gleaned from Michael Piller’s book about the writing of the film, and how The Next Generation deals with being jammed into a standard action movie formula. This podcast is replete with Scotts but doesn’t get confusing…not that we care about such things in this day and age. So pop a gorch and join the latest Glenn Butler Podcast Hour Spectacular!

You can support the show on Patreon at patreon.com/nontoxicfanboys.

Musical selections from Star Trek: Insurrection by Jerry Goldsmith:

• “End Credits”
• “Ba’Ku Village”
• “The Drones Attack”
• “The Healing Process”

Buy the Star Trek: Insurrection score album by Jerry Goldsmith.

Episode 18: Where Was Your Evolved Sensibility – Star Trek: First Contact

Star Trek: First Contact tries to add The Glenn Butler Podcast Hour Spectacular’s distinctiveness to its own, as the Star Trek vintage vault series continues. Glenn & Scott discuss genre drift as First Contact lurches from horror film to action thriller to something more akin to a Star Trek story, and as the Borg lurch from zombies to vampires to insects. They also discuss the meaning of the Borg (and how that changes now that they have a queen), why Captain Picard invites the whole collective to the gun show, the bizarre eroticism of the Borg Queen, the beginning of the Star Trek future, and the beginning of the end of a Star Trek series. Now with the intense discussions of starship design you’ve all been asking for!

You can support the show on Patreon at patreon.com/nontoxicfanboys.

Musical Selections:

• “End Credits” from Star Trek: First Contact by Jerry Goldsmith
• “Main Title” from Star Trek: First Contact by Jerry Goldsmith
• “I Need You” from The Hunger Games: Catching Fire by James Newton Howard
• “First Contact” (spaghetti western version) from Escapade Velocity by Steve Greaves

Purchase the music excerpted in this episode:

• Star Trek: First Contact original score by Jerry Goldsmith
• The Hunger Games: Catching Fire original score by James Newton Howard
• Escapade Velocity by Steve Greaves

Episode 17: What’s So Civil About War Anyway?

Captain America: Civil War is here, and Glenn & company are ON IT. The Glenn Butler Podcast Hour Spectacular convenes its panel of Glenn, Scott, and special guest Tim Capel to take sides in this evitable conflict and break down Marvel’s latest marvel, including a spoiler-laden look at the causes and uses of the movie’s central conflict, how Our Heroes are used, the ways that Civil War changes the landscape of the MCU, and the Stan Lee solo movie we all really want to see. Scott gets bogged down in the physics of Ant-Man, while Tim provides the crucial perspective of someone who actually knows something about comics.

You can support the show on Patreon at patreon.com/nontoxicfanboys.

Musical selections:

• “Cap’s Promise” from Captain America: Civil War by Henry Jackman
• “Civil War” from Captain America: Civil War by Henry Jackman
• “I Need You” from The Hunger Games: Catching Fire by James Newton Howard
• “Larger Than Life” from Captain America: Civil War by Henry Jackman

Purchase the music excerpted in this episode:

• Captain America: Civil War, original score by Henry Jackman
• The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, original score by James Newton Howard

Episode 16: To Live Forever – Star Trek: Generations

The generations meet as Star Trek: Generations arrives in The Glenn Butler Podcast Hour Spectacular’s Star Trek film vault series. Glenn & Scott break down The Next Generation‘s arrival on the big screen, including all the ways and all the times the torch was passed, how Captain Picard is like Tom Bombadil, what it means to have a TV production staff making a movie, aging, regret, the pull of duty, the dual symbolism of the Nexus, James T. Kirk: Existentialist, Data & Picard’s feels, symbolic sacrifices, normality, and what we leave behind. You don’t have to wait until Tuesday for this episode of The Glenn Butler Podcast Hour Spectacular!

Find Glenn’s article on the wider Star Trek franchise in 1994 here.

You can support the show on Patreon at patreon.com/nontoxicfanboys.

Musical Selections from Star Trek: Generations by Dennis McCarthy:

• “Overture”
• “Out of Control”
• “A Christmas Hug”
• “Final Fight”

Purchase the Star Trek: Generations original score by Dennis McCarthy.

Episode 15: Goy Vey

It’s time for a quick Campaign 2016 update on The Glenn Butler Podcast Hour Spectacular, as Glenn & Scott welcome Steve Wille back to the podcast to examine how some of the candidates are campaigning among Jews in the lead-up to the New York primary. Candidates are rolling out matzah, quizzing Yeshiva students, listing their favorite figures from the Tanakh, bragging about their grandkids, and much more — and the ol’ Spectacular is ON IT. By the end of the show Scott hardly has any face left to palm. So get a bagel, try to parlay it into some votes, and enjoy a policy-light and sarcasm-heavy discussion!

You can support the show on Patreon at patreon.com/nontoxicfanboys.

Musical selections:

• “Hava Nagila” by Me First and the Gimme Gimmes
• “Hava Nagila (Christmas Arrangement)” by Me First and the Gimme Gimmes
• “Hatikvah”
• “Hevenu Shalom Aleichem“

Episode 14: Don’t Let it End This Way – Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country

It’s the end of an era, as Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country comes under the watchful eye of The Glenn Butler Podcast Hour Spectacular. Glenn & Scott examine the final voyage of the collected Original Series cast, including its story’s parallels to the end of the Cold War, the celebration of Star Trek‘s 25th anniversary from the perspective of its 50th, the crew’s abruptly increased space-racism, the return of Nicholas Meyer, things and supplies, logic as the beginning of wisdom, and more adventures in budgetary restrictions. There’s also no small amount of debate as to what exactly one should call Spock’s violation of Valeris. (Warning: discussion of rape and torture from 38:31 to 53:40.)

You can support the show on Patreon at patreon.com/nontoxicfanboys.

Musical Selections:

• “Star Trek VI End Credits Suite” by Cliff Eidelman
• “Sign Off” from Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country by Cliff Eidelman
• “I Need You” from The Hunger Games: Catching Fire by James Newton Howard
• “Star Trek VI End Credits Suite” by Cliff Eidelman

Purchase the music excerpted in this episode:

• Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, original score by Cliff Eidelman
• The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, original score by James Newton Howard

Episode 13: What Does God Need with a Starship? – Star Trek V: The Final Frontier

Star Trek V: The Final Frontier is the latest entry into the Star Trek film vault series, as The Glenn Butler Podcast Hour Spectacular investigates one of the most derided entries in the franchise. Glenn & Scott welcome special guest Erik Amundsen for an in-depth discussion of the strengths and weaknesses of Star Trek V, the character dynamics, William Shatner’s turn in the director’s chair, how the film also reflects Shatner’s interests as an artist, the film’s place in the development of the Star Trek franchise, the meaning of Uhura’s nude fan dance, Doctor McCoy’s stance on euthanasia, and whether The Final Frontier deserves the reputation it’s accrued. The three also consider two very important questions: what does God need with a starship, and why is Captain Kirk climbing a mountain?

We need our pain, but sometimes the words aren’t important, what’s important is that you have a good time singing.

Find Erik’s published fiction at Jabberwocky, Apex Magazine, Lackington’s, and twice at Clarkesworld.

You can support the show on Patreon at patreon.com/nontoxicfanboys.

Musical Selections from Star Trek V: The Final Frontier by Jerry Goldsmith:

• “The Mountain (Main Title)”
• “Life Is a Dream” (Klingon Theme excerpt)
• “Cosmic Thoughts” (AKA Kirk and Spock’s Love Theme)
• “Let’s Get Out of Here (Part 2)”

Purchase the Star Trek V: The Final Frontier original score by Jerry Goldsmith.

Episode 12: There Be Whales Here! – Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home

The Star Trek film vault continues with Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home in the latest Glenn Butler Podcast Hour Spectacular, when Glenn & Scott welcome Andy Halleen back to the show for a laid-back discussion of one of the most aesthetically and financially successful entries in the series. The three discuss The Voyage Home‘s shift into comedy, the ongoing transformation of William Shatner, colorful metaphors, orbital mechanics, the whale prime directive, and how each of the movie’s characters are used & developed. Also, Scott does his impression of whale song, because of course he does.

We won’t eschew you on the latest episode of The Glenn Butler Podcast Hour Spectacular!

You can support the show on Patreon at patreon.com/nontoxicfanboys.

Musical selections from Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home:

• “Home Again/End Credits” by Leonard Rosenman
• “Chekov’s Run” by Leonard Rosenman
• “I Hate You” by Edge of Etiquette
• “Home Again/End Credits” by Leonard Rosenman

Purchase the Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home original score by Leonard Rosenman.

Episode 11: A Fighting Chance to Live – Star Trek III: The Search for Spock

The Star Trek film vault continues with Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, as The Glenn Butler Podcast Hour Spectacular takes a turn towards the meditative. Glenn & Scott welcome Tim Capel from PTBN Comics to an in-depth discussion of the third Star Trek movie’s place in an ongoing story, its theatricality, Klingon linguistics, Christopher Lloyd & Mark Lenard’s differing approaches to gravitas, how death can be turned into a fighting chance to live, the inability of Commander Kruge to see past his own worldview, the film’s distinct lack of Kirstie Alley & Bibi Besch, and finger-sex versus finger-foreplay. Glenn sings the praises of James Horner’s lyrical score, Tim gives a brief rundown of the state of Trek comics in the early 80’s, and Scott explains why the film’s finale might be the best single scene in Star Trek history.

Get yourself an Altair water, hit the antimatter inducer, and enjoy the latest episode of The Glenn Butler Podcast Hour Spectacular!

You can support the show on Patreon at patreon.com/nontoxicfanboys.

Music selections:

• “Main Title” from Star Trek III: The Search for Spock by James Horner
• “Bird of Prey Decloaks” from Star Trek III: The Search for Spock by James Horner
• “I Need You” from The Hunger Games: Catching Fire by James Newton Howard
• “Returning to Vulcan” from Star Trek III: The Search for Spock by James Horner

Purchase the music excerpted in this episode:

• Star Trek III: The Search for Spock score by James Horner
• The Hunger Games: Catching Fire score by James Newton Howard