The Nexus #102 "The Infinite Vulcan" / "Night Terrors"
Added 2025-02-27 11:00:06 +0000 UTCOn this month's journey into The Nexus, we're chatting about an utterly silly episode of TOSTAS and a wildly good (and surprisingly hated by the cast and crew) episode of TNG!
First up on TOSTAS, it's the GIANT episode, "The Infinite Vulcan." First airing back on October 20, 1973, this episode features a bunch of eerie plant people causing trouble, Sulu getting poisoned by a tiny little plant, Uhura reading a gleep glop's Wikipedia page, and, best of all, a GIANT SPOCK!
Then, across space and time on TNG, it's the solidly creepy episode, "Night Terrors." Premiering on March 19, 1991, this episode features a whole starship crew murdering each other, Geordi and Data trying to jumpstart a dead starship, Beverly hanging out in the ship's morgue, Worf trying to end it all, Picard having a classic elevator freakout, and Troi awkwardly floating through a wormhole in her nightmares!
The Nexus is a WHM podcast where the guys futilely go through two Star Trek series at the same time. Thank you so much for continuing to support our family of shows—we couldn't do it without you! We know you have lots of options for pods and we're super-stoked you chose to spend some time with us—thanks again!
Cover art by Felipe Sobreiro.
Comments
I love Chekov writing a script for all his undercard buddies. Would you agree that Chekov, Sulu, Uhura, and like Scottie would be the Star Trek equivalent of the J.O. B. Squad? Or maybe Blue World Order?
Mr. Bad News
2025-03-22 02:56:07 +0000 UTC😆
Jessica
2025-03-03 16:13:24 +0000 UTCIt's nice to see that the OG Alien, Prometheus, and Covenant all follow in the proud scifi tradition of putting alien things right in your face for no reason
Smaug
2025-03-02 16:17:52 +0000 UTCCabin doesn't know the term "in media res."?
Knut Farstad
2025-03-01 17:16:24 +0000 UTCI’ve been looking forward to the guys covering the Chekhov-written episode and I was not disappointed (even if it made me feel a bit sorry for poor Walter)
Craig
2025-02-28 11:20:57 +0000 UTCRing and run, eh? In the midwest we call that activity 'Ding-dong ditch' 😅 Also I believe Deanna gets a regulation uniform in mid-late S5. Picard is kidnapped by Cardassians and the guest captain (played by the great Ronnie Cox) tells her to put on a standard uniform. Edit: I'm a liar. That wasn't until mid 6, Goddamn.
johnny stocker
2025-02-27 22:34:59 +0000 UTCPicard buying drugs was exactly what broke me out of my bad mood on this shitty day, thank you!
Brent Cowan
2025-02-27 22:00:37 +0000 UTCOh, and Giant Spock is referenced in a hilarious way on Lower Decks, Andrew!
Felipe Sobreiro
2025-02-27 19:38:34 +0000 UTCThe Conversation = My fave Coppola! - Andrew
We Hate Movies
2025-02-27 17:57:03 +0000 UTCOh yeah, there are Giant Spock references in Lower Decks. One in season 2 and another in season 5.
Dennis C
2025-02-27 17:30:20 +0000 UTCThat seems about right. - Andrew
We Hate Movies
2025-02-27 17:22:48 +0000 UTCNo Spok-two-uh jokes? Seems made for “Felozians” or “Felacioian’s”. Forgive me.
Joe Price
2025-02-27 16:42:29 +0000 UTCHack-Ma(y)n? Or maybe a little bit of Gene in July…..or Gene June for less frills
RJ Cunningham
2025-02-27 16:08:35 +0000 UTCMoontrap 2 doesn't even have its own Wikipedia page; it's just tacked-onto the Moontrap page.
Dennis C
2025-02-27 16:02:33 +0000 UTCI missed the Spock's bones bit in LD, but probably because this was my first viewing of the animated ep...
johnny stocker
2025-02-27 15:56:45 +0000 UTCRIP Gene Hackman
Paul
2025-02-27 15:24:18 +0000 UTCHere’s Shatner breaking boards on ‘Circus of the Stars’: https://youtu.be/S1jgwxJ5AnY?si=hPfGlpVLHPMgxCjC
Paul
2025-02-27 14:16:27 +0000 UTCTiny little blink and you miss it thing, but I like that the anomoly they found in space was named after some Gleep Glop captain and not a human like most of the stuff they bump into out there. Little stuff like that just adds a bit more depth to a fictional universe. Although I'm sure the Space President will be renaming it something more suitable anytime now.
johnny stocker
2025-02-27 14:03:10 +0000 UTCTHIS is how I find out?! RIP Gene
Matt
2025-02-27 14:01:58 +0000 UTCHack-May? Hackuary? The man has the filmography to cover a month.
Jason
2025-02-27 13:55:51 +0000 UTCIt was pure chance but I feel these two episodes fit perfectly in Wait-WHUT-uary
Felipe Sobreiro
2025-02-27 13:37:00 +0000 UTCAnd Harrison Ford in a green suit!
Tim O'Connor
2025-02-27 12:48:53 +0000 UTCI dont know if I am explaining the joke or not but as the salmon is compelled to swim upstream and spawn and die so I am compelled to treksplain things in internet comments. The INSCRUTABLE line is a really weird racist joke; I have generally heard it applied to the sort of villains you got in the yellow peril style serials but Asian folks were apparently very hard to read/had a lack of visible emotion compared to the hot blooded white people so in an effort to make them more alien and othered they were INSCRUTABLE. So it's just a dumb racist joke that is weird for what it is even within the boundaries of racist jokes. Also as a note giant spocks bones show up in Lower Decks, no fear there
Winson Paine
2025-02-27 12:47:55 +0000 UTCI always love when Star Trek explores space horror. They don't need to go full Event Horizon or anything ("We don't need eyes to see, Mr. Data") but it's always fun to see them go a little creepy.
Michael Daniels
2025-02-27 12:03:10 +0000 UTCRIP Hackman. Everyone should watch The Conversation. Brilliant performance as well as bitchin soundtrack
RJ Cunningham
2025-02-27 11:36:41 +0000 UTCaka James Doohan workin overtime!
Marty TC (child-sized Cardassian)
2025-02-27 11:03:20 +0000 UTC
