One of the Greatest Projects Ever Made with Execution to Boot
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“I was perusing AV Club one day and saw that there was this improvisational podcast called The Improvised Star Trek. Three weeks after reading that article I've listened to every episode twice, joined the Facebook page, had an episode title accepted by the cast, stalked all the actors on Twitter, and made sure to plan a Live performance around my once a year trip to Chicago (free room and board from the family and NOW STAR TREK! Win).
Because this show isn't just brilliant but remarkably unique in that it plays out EXACTLY like The Next Generation, the show it mimics to a fault. Besides coming up with amazingly complex plots out of thin air, some of which seem like lost scripts from the show (this shows TIST's amazing and subtle ability to mimic and the TNG's writer's worst days), the actors, clearly Star Trek fans themselves, keep that level of bizarre Trek continuity in their heads: callbacks to character's backstories, references to previous events, and momentum built into the characters that build with each episode. Ch'arles Lorem, for example, has been the same character from week to week. Instead of his character changing to fit a made up plot, his character works WITH the made up plot. These aren't just comedians, but brilliant actors too.
The other amazing thing is the ability to remain consistently funny every other week. I can only recall one bad episode ('Things Past', oddly a name of an actual Star Trek DS9 episode). And sure, you won't be rolling in the aisles every episode, but the show is remarkably consistent in making me laugh. But it's built out of CHARACTER, not situation. Be it Captain Baxter's shameless pride in being he alpha male, Lady Cola's hilarious feminist behavior, or Lorem's sexual deviancy, each character is three dimensional and unique.
All the cast is brilliant. My only gripe, initially, was former cast member Joseph Wolff Phillips as Counselor Japhy Whitman. He seemed a little out of place at first and not on the same page as the other characters but, in recent re-listens, I've appreciated his very bizarre take on his own corner of the Trek universe.
And to single out cast member's for their brilliance is almost unfair because I truly love them all HOWEVER, I got to give love most especially to the two female leads, Irene Marquette and Mary Cait Walthall, who bring amazing life to Lady Cola and. . .uh, the Dr with the Zs in it (sorry) respectively. And when they work together, you get some comedy gold. Walthall in particular has a mastery of language I am extremely jealous of. Listening to her deliver her lines, completely improved, is like watching a master at work.
Matt Young as Captain Baxter is brilliant. . .he has the leading man quality but his tendency to laugh at it all makes the show especially captivating as we feel like the actor's are with us in the whole joke. I also personally love Nick Wagner as Trill Lorem. He is subtly genius, making you laugh sometimes minutes after he has departed or, in my case at times, days later.
So, enough of my prattling. . .go listen to this. Like TNG, it has an amazing camaraderie that makes you love the cast. Unlike TNG, it doesn't take two seasons worth of shows to get to the good stuff!
Will”Read full review »
William Henry Johnson III via Apple Podcasts ·
United States of America ·
07/30/12
More reviews of Improvised Star Trek
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“The months go by and the episodes keep coming and getting better all the time! Thanks for all the laughter;)”
Lady Cola Superfan via Apple Podcasts ·
United States of America ·
06/06/12
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“I'm a long time Trek fan and I recently found this podcast. Now I can't get through my work day without it. I'll be sad when I actually catch up. Thanks for the laughs.”Read full review »
Rogue Comet via Apple Podcasts ·
United States of America ·
10/29/15
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“I've had a lot of fun listening to this podcast. It's witty and funny. Keep up the great job!!!”Read full review »
Drannor420 via Apple Podcasts ·
United States of America ·
01/19/16
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