Podcast: Enterprising Individuals—“All Good Things...” with David R. George III

On Enterprising Individuals

Farpoint is CANCELLED because we’re being tested by “All Good Things…”!

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author David R. George III is back on the show this week for a look at the finale of Star Trek: The Next Generation, a tour de force, feature-length episode that celebrates the genius and success of the series it concludes. Captain Picard is mysteriously travelling through the past, present, and future, taking him from the Enterprise-D’s very first mission to the seeming last days of his life. But when Q appears to deliver the Continuum’s final, damning verdict for humanity, the Enterprises of three eras must cooperate to save the galaxy and the future of humanity among the stars!

Any show that experienced the kind of extended creative and critical success that Next Generation did could be forgiven for limping across the finish line or seeing its inspiration run dry. However, the Hugo Award-winning “All Good Things…” stands as one of the series’s finest entries, putting the capstone on a show that had not only brought Trek back to life, but one that had also set the standard for sci-fi shows to come. During our discussion, we talk about the evolution of the series over its seven seasons, the perfect distillation of a TNG episode, keeping time travel fresh, the real-life power of John de Lancie, the true nature of the Q Continuum, and the pressures of filming a double-sized episode while you’re making a movie.

We also talk about the source of Q’s name, never working with omnipotent children or computers, dropping the show’s name in the episode, the way that rules enable jeopardy, Q as evil Doctor Who, only Americans passing God’s tests, whether Q is an angel or a devil, the Yar that could have been, Dave praises the good parts of “Turnabout Intruder,” and Aaron’s still hung up on them god-like aliens!

No crying at the poker table!

Listen to the Podcast →

Podcast: Craft Disservices—Alien with David R. George III

On Craft Disservices

Craft Disservices presents a film whose merits were evident on its release, but the movie industry had to catch up before it was heralded as a classic. Just in time for Halloween, it’s 1979’s Alien!

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author and film critic David R. George III visits the show to talk about a film that’s more than a monster movie and more than a “haunted house in space.” When the menial crew of the mining ship Nostromo stop to investigate a strange signal on company orders, they discover a life-form that lacks eyes, weaknesses, or mercy. Now they must scour their ship for their deadly passenger, as it hunts them in return with the patience of the grave.

It’s nearly unthinkable now, but critics really were divided upon Alien’s release, and on the program, they discuss the cultural environment the film was released into, as well as address some critical specific responses. They also talk about the film’s genesis from the death of Jodorowsky’s Dune, the path it took from script to screen, the triumph of its casting, the verisimilitude of its fantastic setting, the impossible evolution of the creature, and the monumental talent of the man who designed it.

Plus they talk about the sensibility and necessity of a Veronica Cartwright, the vision and execution of Ridley Scott in creating atmosphere, talk about “that” scene, debate whether Ripley is a “Final Girl,” ask whether Dallas is amazingly brave or amazingly foolish, and wonder if God is evil in this universe. DRG III shares his taste in baseball films, and they go HAM on a hypothetical Movie Vault podcast!

The eight passenger is DEATH!

Listen to the Podcast →

DRG III at Dragon Con 2018

David R. George III will be appearing on Labor Day weekend at Dragon Con, a multimedia popular-culture convention that focuses on science fiction, fantasy, gaming, and comics. Held in Atlanta, Georgia, the four-day con commences with registration on Thursday, 30 August, opens on Friday, 31 August, and runs through Monday through Monday, 3 September. Featured guests include Star Trek actors Garrett Wang, best known for his role as Harry Kim in Voyager, and John de Lancie, who appeared a dozen times as Q in three different Trek series: in eight episodes of The Next Generation, one of Deep Space Nine, and three of Voyager. The schedule has yet to be finalized, so it is unclear in what panels or other events DRG III will participate.

See the Events page for David’s schedule, which includes an autograph session, a reading, and a solo panel in which he discusses his writing for Star Trek.

New Show: “Martians: An Evening with Ray Bradbury”

As you might imagine, I know many creative and talented people—including many writers in the Star Trek universe. I happen to be friends with a man named Charlie Mount, who excels in numerous fields, including writing, directing, and acting (not to mention his exceptional sleight of hand skills). Among his many accomplishments, Charlie had the privilege of knowing and working with the great Ray Bradbury, author of many a classic novel—such as The Martian Chronicles, Fahrenheit 451, and Something Wicked This Way Comes—and short story—such as “The Veldt,” “I Sing the Body Electric,” and “There Will Come Soft Rains.”

Now, with co-creator Jeff G. Rack, Charlie is bringing the wit, wisdom, and writing of the iconic science-fiction writer to the stage in a production called “Martians: An Evening with Ray Bradbury.” Based on the short stories “The Strawberry Window,” “The Blue Bottle,” “The Messiah,” and “Night Call, Collect,” as well as the musings of Mr. Bradbury himself, the fully authorized show will run Friday nights from September 7th through October 12th at the Whitefire Theatre in Los Angeles, California.

I’m always happy to promote the work of my friends, but rarely do I point people to fundraising efforts. In this case, though, in addition to supporting a spectacular work of art, the GoFundMe campaign for “Martians: An Evening with Ray Bradbury” also features some killer rewards. I know a lot of Star Trek readers appreciate the work of Ray Bradbury, and I’m hoping that some of you can help Charlie out, both for his sake and for the living memory of one of the greats of SF literature. Please give it a look. Any contribution at all will help.

Visit the GoFundMe Page for “Martians: An Evening with Ray Bradbury” →

 
rectangular-drg-iii-logo-no-border.jpg