The Final Frontier Podcast

Arete Media

Welcome to The Final Frontier! Every week Jake and Justin watch an episode of Star Trek starting from the very beginning and dive deep into the behind the scenes, commentary and love of the franchise. Join us on our weekly mission to explore the final frontier!

  1. Aug 30

    The Final Frontier Season 2, Episode 28: Season 2 and Through

    🤖 - Use code FRONTIER to save 5% off Vizard.ai for a year: https://vizard.ai/?via=fcc8a8 💻 - Visit our website: https://aretemedia.org/ Tonight on *The Final Frontier Podcast**, we’re closing the book on **Star Trek: The Original Series Season 2* with a special live season finale discussion! After a season full of legendary episodes, bizarre aliens, questionable decisions, alternate universes, gangsters, Romans, tribbles, and more than a few classic Kirk speeches, it’s time to look back at everything Season 2 had to offer. We’ll be talking about our **favorite and least favorite episodes**, biggest surprises, standout characters and moments, how Season 2 compares to the first season, and where the series stands as we prepare to boldly go into **Season 3**. Join us LIVE, jump into the chat, and let us know which episodes you loved, which ones you’d rather forget, and what you think was the very best of Star Trek’s second season! 🖖 *Live long and prosper!*#StarTrek #TheOriginalSeries #StarTrekTOS #FinalFrontierPodcast #TOS #StarTrekPodcast #LiveLongAndProsper #aretemedia

  2. Aug 30

    The Final Frontier Season 2, Episode 27: Assignment: Spin-off

    🏔️ - Start your free trial of Paramount+: https://paramountplus.qflm.net/GKnjLL 🪨 -   / mugglemineralsandmore   The Final Frontier Podcast has reached the end of Star Trek: The Original Series Season 2…and somehow we’ve ended up watching an entirely different television show. This week, Jake and Justin dive into *“Assignment: Earth,”* an episode that sends the Enterprise back to 1968, introduces the mysterious Gary Seven and Roberta Lincoln, gives us a suspiciously intelligent cat, a sassy computer, some questionable time-travel logic…and leaves Kirk and Spock feeling like guest stars in their own series. And there’s a reason for that. We break down the bizarre story behind “Assignment: Earth” and Gene Roddenberry’s attempt to use Star Trek as a backdoor pilot for an entirely new series. Would a Gary Seven spy/sci-fi show actually have worked? Because as a Star Trek episode…we have some thoughts. Along the way, we talk about the episode’s surprising connections to real events of 1968, Star Trek accidentally predicting the future, Gary Seven’s weirdly Doctor Who-esque gadgets, Spock dressing like he’s ready for a fishing trip, Scotty’s catastrophic hair day, the mysterious NSA, the increasingly confusing rules of transporter technology, and why the Enterprise crew may have actually made Gary Seven’s mission MORE difficult. It’s the strange, frustrating, occasionally fascinating finale to Season 2. 🖖 Join us as we boldly go through *Star Trek: The Original Series – “Assignment: Earth!”* What did YOU think of “Assignment: Earth”? And be honest: how quickly did you realize you were basically watching a pilot for another show? #startrek #startrektos #AssignmentEarth #TheFinalFrontierPodcast #GarySeven #tos #SciFi #startrekpodcast #aretemedia #trekkie

  3. Aug 30

    The Final Frontier Season 2, Episode 23: Merica

    🪨 - One-of-a-kind crystals:   / mugglemineralsandmore   ⛰️ - Students get 50% off Paramount+: https://paramountplus.qflm.net/c/5940... This week on the Final Frontier Podcast, we're tackling one of the most controversial and baffling episodes in all of Star Trek: The Original Series: The Omega Glory. What begins as a routine investigation into the fate of the USS Exeter quickly turns into a story involving biological warfare, Prime Directive violations, Cold War allegory, and one of the strangest twists Gene Roddenberry ever put on television. Along the way, we examine Captain Tracy's descent into madness, the episode's uncomfortable political and cultural messaging, and the infamous reveal that has left Star Trek fans scratching their heads for decades. Jake and Justin break down the episode's production history, discuss whether its ideas are brilliant or completely absurd, and try to make sense of a story that somehow manages to be patriotic, confusing, entertaining, and unintentionally hilarious all at the same time. Is The Omega Glory truly one of the worst episodes of the original series, or is there more going on beneath the surface than its reputation suggests? Join us as we revisit one of Star Trek's most talked-about hours and decide for ourselves. 🖖 Watch Long and Prosper. #startrek #theoriginalseries #TheOmegaGlory #finalfrontierpodcast #captainkirk #spock #startrekpodcast #scifipodcast #generoddenberry #ClassicStarTrek #tos #sciencefiction #podcast #startrekreview #startrektos #aretemedia

  4. Aug 30

    The Final Frontier Season 2, Episode 21: Ding Dong the Fuhrer's Dead

    ⛰️ - Start your free week of Paramount+: https://paramountplus.qflm.net/GKnjLL 🦅 - https://futureis.org/digital-democracy/ 💻 - Visit our website: https://aretemedia.org/ How did Star Trek: The Original Series end up making one of the MOST controversial episodes in franchise history? 😳 In this episode of the Final Frontier Podcast, we dive deep into Patterns of Force — the infamous “Nazi episode” of Star Trek TOS. From the shocking first reveal of the Ekosian regime to the episode’s uncomfortable historical parallels, we break down what the writers were trying to say… and whether the message still works today. We also discuss: The ethics of satire and historical storytelling Why the episode still feels shocking decades later The real-world history behind the uniforms, symbols, and imagery Whether Patterns of Force was brave, misguided… or bothConnections to fascism, propaganda, censorship, and modern politics Behind-the-scenes trivia involving Leonard Nimoy, William Shatner, and the production team Why this may be one of the boldest episodes Star Trek ever attempted Along the way, the conversation spirals into everything from The Producers and Inglourious Basterds to Imperium, sovereign citizens, history education, and why science fiction is often at its best when it forces us to confront uncomfortable truths. Whether you love this episode, hate it, or still don’t know what to think about it, this is one Star Trek discussion you won’t forget. #startrek #tos #PatternsOfForce #finalfrontierpodcast #startrektos #scifi #williamshatner #leonardnimoy #spock #captainkirk #aretemedia #startrektos

  5. Jul 29

    The Final Frontier Season 2, Episode 26: InConJunction 2026

    The Final Frontier Podcast hit InConJunction for a special episode packed with Star Trek fans, giveaways, interviews and plenty of gloriously nerdy conversations! We met fans from across the galaxy, talked about what Star Trek means to them, handed out some great prizes and put everyone on the spot with some of the toughest questions in the fandom. Best captain? Best series? Most overrated character? And, of course, we collected some truly wild Star Trek hot takes. Join us for a celebration of the Star Trek community and all the passionate, hilarious and occasionally controversial opinions that come with it. Let us know your biggest Star Trek hot take in the comments! 🖖 Subscribe to the Final Frontier Podcast for episode discussions, character debates, convention coverage and everything Star Trek. #startrek #InConJunction #FinalFrontierPodcast #startrekfans #SciFiConvention #trekkies #startrekpodcast #aretemedia

  6. Jul 29

    The Final Frontier Season 2, Episode 25: More Gladiator Crap

    🖖 - Get your tickets for InConJunction 2026: https://inconjunction.org/inconjuncti... 🪨 - Check out Muggle Minerals & More:   / mugglemineralsandmore   🏔️ - Start your free trial of Paramount+: https://paramountplus.qflm.net/GKnjLL This week on the Final Frontier Podcast, we review the Star Trek: The Original Series season two episode, “Bread and Circuses.” The Enterprise discovers yet another suspiciously Earth-like planet—because season two has apparently never met an Earth parallel it didn’t like. This time, the Roman Empire never fell and somehow evolved into a 20th-century fascist society complete with television, automobiles, slavery, gladiatorial combat, and, strangely, the English language instead of Latin. When Kirk, Spock, and McCoy beam down in search of the missing Captain Merik, they find themselves caught between escaped slaves, authoritarian Romans, and a televised execution designed to deliver killer ratings in the most literal sense possible. It is also yet another season two episode involving slaves and fascists. Meanwhile, Spock and Bones reach a perfect 10 on the banter scale, generating enough tension and subtext to guarantee that somebody, somewhere, has written erotic fan-fiction about this episode. There is also a surprising amount of closeted homosexuality simmering beneath the surface—and then Jesus comes completely out of left field in the final minutes. Plus! The most problematic weird 1960s kiss to date! Join us as we discuss the satire, historical absurdities, religious twist, and why Roman television executives apparently had no problem broadcasting gladiatorial murder but still insisted everyone speak perfect English. #startrek #startrektos #breadandcircuses #finalfrontierpodcast #scifipodcast #aretemedia

  7. Jul 29

    The Final Frontier Season 2, Episode 24: KIRK.EXE Has Executed M5

    ⛰️ - Subscribe to Paramount+ today: https://paramountplus.qflm.net/GKnjLL 🤖 - Use AI to create shorts, reels, tiktoks & more: https://vizard.ai/?via=arete-media When the Enterprise is assigned to test the revolutionary M-5 multitronic computer, Captain Kirk is forced to hand control of his ship over to a machine. But when the M-5 begins making deadly decisions of its own, the crew must confront a chilling question: can artificial intelligence be trusted with human lives? This week on the Final Frontier Podcast, special guest hosts Atom and Ilea from the Ai Analysis Podcast take the helm to discuss The Ultimate Computer. And unlike most Star Trek fans, they're not so quick to condemn the M-5! Join us as we debate artificial intelligence, automation, responsibility, and whether the M-5 was really the villain of the story—or just misunderstood. #startrek #theoriginalseries #TheUltimateComputer #startrektos #finalfrontierpodcast #ai #artificialintelligence #m5 #captainkirk #sciencefiction #aretemedia

  8. Jun 17

    The Final Frontier Season 2, Episode 22: An Extremely Loose Shakespeare Reference

    😱 - Check out ‪The Goosebumps Crew Podcast 📺 - Start your 7 day free trial of Paramount+: https://paramountplus.qflm.net/GKnjLL 💻 - Visit our website: https://aretemedia.org/ This week on The Final Frontier Podcast, we dive into the Star Trek: The Original Series episode By Any Other Name. What starts as a routine distress call quickly turns into an encounter with mysterious invaders from the Andromeda Galaxy who seize control of the Enterprise and threaten the entire crew. Along the way, we discuss giant tentacled aliens disguised as humans, one of the most shocking redshirt deaths in the series, Kirk attempting to charm his way out of yet another impossible situation, Scotty weaponizing alcohol, Shakespeare references, Galaxy Quest comparisons, and the surprisingly dark original version of the story that never made it to air. We also explore the episode’s themes of humanity, emotion, and what happens when beings with godlike technology suddenly discover what it means to be human. Plus, as always, expect plenty of laughs, tangents, and questionable discussions about octopus grammar, Romeo & Juliet, and whether Kirk’s greatest weapon is actually diplomacy—or flirting. Join us as we boldly go through another classic episode of Star Trek: The Original Series. #startrek #theoriginalseries #finalfrontierpodcast #ByAnyOtherName #captainkirk #spock #scotty #leonardnimoy #williamshatner #startrekpodcast #sciencefiction #classictv #geekculture #tos #startrekreview #startrektos #aretemedia

See All (58)

About

Welcome to The Final Frontier! Every week Jake and Justin watch an episode of Star Trek starting from the very beginning and dive deep into the behind the scenes, commentary and love of the franchise. Join us on our weekly mission to explore the final frontier!

Information