Series 7, Episode 7 - "Well, Dukat wanted him to stroke something. I'm not sure it was his ego."

Our ongoing journey through the turbulent legacy of the Cardassians and Bajorans continues, and this week we’re diving headfirst into the psychological maelstrom that is Deep Space Nine’s “Waltz.” Joining Captain Mike this week is our steadfast Acting First Officer and Queen of all things Cardassian, Lady Vean, alongside the triumphant return of our Sci-Fi Queen, Nita. Before we tackle the intense Sisko/Dukat drama, we warm up with our Hit or Miss segment — debating the merits (or otherwise) of a key Bajoran, a classic Cardassian, a Discovery-era starship, Voyager’s youngest crew member, and one of that series’ early outings. But the heart of the episode is our passionate review of Waltz, one of DS9’s most psychologically rich and dramatically daring instalments. We dig deep into Marc Alaimo’s towering performance, the gravitas of Avery Brooks, the precision of René Auberjonois’ direction, and a script that could give Shakespeare a run for his latinum. It's bold, brutal, brilliant — and our final score might just reach as high as Dukat’s delusions. So settle down with some perfectly seasoned soup, break bread with a sworn enemy or just enjoy this intense, opinionated and insightful podcast episode.

Apologies for the slight audio popping in the first half of this episode. The source is unclear as it wasn't present during recording. Every effort has been made to minimise it as much as humanly possible.

Links

• Follow Nita everywhere - @scifiqueens

• Follow Vean on BlueSky - @LadyVean

• Sci-Fi Queens discuss Sci-Fi Personal Impact (featuring Mike Wilson) - https://www.youtube.com/live/rG9vE1AHxsI?si=B4D19WKkgOQj9zpI

Follow Mike and the podcast all over the internet via linktr.ee/mikespods

Follow Mike on Discord: MikeOfSteel#2913

Host /Editor/Producer - Michael K. Wilson

Created by Michael K. Wilson

Based on a format by Michael Wilson & Will Templar

"Tits out, that's a look. Love it."

Series 7, Episode 6 - "Yes, of course you know I'm going to have an opinion."

As our Cardassian/Bajoran series continues, we return to the Delta Quadrant for a powerful and deeply reflective discussion of Voyager’s “Nothing Human.” Captain Michael is joined once again by Lady Vean and John Adams — our Voyager away team from “Maneuvers” — for a conversation that begins lightly but quickly turns to weightier ground. After briefly touching on the first look at Starfleet Academy and our usual “Hit or Miss” segment (featuring obscure ships, characters, and a DS9 favourite), we dive into what may be one of our most serious and passionate discussions to date. This episode raises difficult questions — about medical ethics, informed consent, immoral experimentation, and disturbing historical parallels to the Holocaust and figures like Josef Mengele. These are not easy topics, and our debate reflects the complexity and discomfort they bring. While never heated, our conversation is honest, intense, and may be upsetting for some listeners. We want to be clear: the themes discussed are challenging, but we believe it is worthwhile to confront them and explore the episode’s intentions and implications with care. We also consider whether certain characters behave out of step, the strength of David Clennon’s performance, the directing, writing choices, and where it may fall short in terms of balance and execution. As always, we close with your comments, our personal highlights, and final ratings — but this time, perhaps with a little more to reflect on.

This episode contains several incidents of very strong language, and detailed discussion about topics that some may find distressing. Viewer discretion is advised.

Links:

- Follow Vean on BlueSky - @LadyVean

- Follow John Adams/Phoenix Photography on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/share/1Eh7Gz2us8/

- Follow John on Instagram - @writer41

Follow Mike and the podcast all over the internet via linktr.ee/mikespods

Follow Mike on Discord: MikeOfSteel#2913

Host /Editor/Producer - Michael K. Wilson

Created by Michael K. Wilson

Based on a format by Michael Wilson & Will Templar

"It looks like an empanada with two popsicles stuck to it."

Series 7, Episode 5 - "It is not linear."

While Mike is away with Silver Screen, here's a classic deep dive worth revisiting… This week, we’re cracking open the vault for a very relevant rerun—one that ties neatly into our current explorations of Bajorans, Cardassians, and everything in between. Originally aired some time ago, this episode sees our fearless host joined by Rick Everson of the Ten Backward podcast for a wild ride through the Trek universe. Expect tangents aplenty, including musings on much-maligned Trek films, discount Data knock-offs, cosplay chaos, animated lower deckers, and questionable holodeck packing lists. And at the heart of it all: a detailed review of Deep Space Nine's game-changing pilot, "Emissary". We reflect on its cinematic scale, its powerful opening chapter for so many now-beloved characters, and its bold use of the wormhole aliens to confront grief, loss, and fate itself. A pivotal episode that sets the stage for everything that followed. Hopefully, you’ll give this episode a warmer welcome than Sisko gave Picard—after all, watching Emissary is a journey you were always destined to take.

Follow Mike and the podcast all over the internet via linktr.ee/mikespods

Follow Mike on Discord: MikeOfSteel#2913​

Host/Editor/Producer - Michael K. Wilson

Created by Michael K. Wilson

Based on a format by Michael Wilson & Will Templar

"It turns out a lot of them are just really horny."