Best Exiles Network Podcasts (2024)

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TrekRanks Episode 190: Abstract V 1:42:26

33m ago1:42:26

1:42:26

We combine two of your favorites this week: our "abstract" topics with another "convention live show"! This week it is "Abstract V" live from Las Vegas with host Jim Moorhouse and a panel of five expert Trek fans (Alex Perry, Claire Little, Matt Hansen, Jamie McGregor and Ken Reilly) targeting their abstract picks related to the letter V (or is tha…

1
TrekRanks Episode 189: Top 5 Two-Hander Episodes 1:42:26

7d ago1:42:26

1:42:26

This one is a deep cut. It's the "Top 5 Two-Hander Episodes" in Star Trek, which in television parlance is a production term referencing stories centered around two characters who are often isolated together in contrast. There are plenty of examples in Trek history where scripts have focused on a pair of characters who share a number of scenes toge…

1
First Flight #74: Season 3 Ep 7 "The Shipment" 1:41:09

10d ago1:41:09

1:41:09

Season 3 is here and First Flight, and the Carrot Crew, have many things to discuss! Chris and Abby are getting to know the Xindi Arboreals better, watching minds change, and are chatting about "The Shipment."After infiltrating a Xindi-Arboreal plant that synthesizes vital explosive materials for the Xindi super-weapon, Archer, Reed and Major Hayes…

1
TrekRanks Episode 188: Top 5 Psychic Transfers or: Fal-tor-panDEMONIUM 1:50:40

25d ago1:50:40

1:50:40

"My mind to your mind…" Not sure there is anything more pervasive on Star Trek than a psychic transfer, where someone&s consciousness ends up some place it is probably not supposed to be! Which sounds like the perfect reason for TrekRanks to tackle the "Top 5 Psychic Transfers or: Fal-tor-panDEMONIUM" on this week&s amazing new episode! From Freaky…

1
First Flight #73: Season 3 Ep 6 "Exile" 1:27:33

1M ago1:27:33

1:27:33

Season 3 is here and First Flight, and the Carrot Crew, have many things to discuss! Chris and Abby are chatting about "Exile" and all spheres, crystals and castle cliffs it brings.While working to translate the Xindi database, Hoshi is contacted by a mysterious telepathic alien who offers to help Enterprise on their mission to find the Xindi. His …

1
TrekRanks Episode 187: Top 5 Mediocre Episodes 1:53:11

1M ago1:53:11

1:53:11

Honestly, sometimes nothing quite hits the spot like a good, solid mediocre episode of Star Trek, and we put that theory to the test this week on TrekRanks with a gloriously fun topic: the "Top 5 Mediocre Episodes" in Trek! This one is an absolute celebration of those mid-level, mid-tier, mid-table, mediocre episodes of Trek, that deep down, we all…

1
First Flight #72: BONUS Prodigy S2 Initial Reactions 40:34

1M ago40:34

40:34

First Flight loves ALL Trek and today The Carrot Crew knows that Abby and Chris ADORE Star Trek Prodigy and, since Season 2 just dropped on 7/1, they binged it all day one. They even got to live text with each other for a chunk in the middle of the season! Here is a bonus episode that has their initial - less than 18 hours from first full watch - t…

1
First Flight #71: Bonus Discovery Series Reflection 3:22:33

2M ago3:22:33

3:22:33

First Flight loves ALL Trek and today we bring you a bonus episode that let's Abby and Chris reflect and chat about the entire series of Star Trek Discovery, which just finished its last season.We could talk for hours, but we have distilled our five season discussion down into the following format.Bonus Discovery Reflection Format:- Welcome & Black…

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TrekRanks Episode 186: Top 5 Comfort Characters 1:49:49

2M ago1:49:49

1:49:49

It's a personal TrekRanks deep dive of those "Top 5 Comfort Characters" that everyone has. It's the go to characters you gravitate toward when you need an episode that you know is going to settle you down and bring you to a place of Zen – or that place of comfort. Our veteran panel of host Jim Moorhouse and guests Debbie Moltisanti and Ryan Riddle …

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First Flight #70: Season 3 Ep 4 "Impulse" 1:23:33

2M ago1:23:33

1:23:33

Season 3 is here and First Flight, and the Carrot Crew, have many things to discuss! Chris and Abby are chatting about "Impulse" and all the creepy shots, Vulcan zombies and the heebie jeebies it gives us.When Enterprise responds to a distress call from a Vulcan ship stranded in the Delphic Expanse, Archer and his boarding team are attacked by insa…

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TrekRanks Episode 185: Top 5 Discovery Season 5 Moments 1:59:58

2M ago1:59:58

1:59:58

"Long will we Rank! Long will we Rank!" After five great seasons, it's time to bid adieu to Star Trek: Discovery with our "Top 5 Discovery Season 5 Moments." Our panel of host Jim Moorhouse and guests Caleb Dorsch and Jordan La Fordan break it all down with TrekRanks Matrix by choosing their favorite production elements, behind-the-scenes creatives…

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First Flight #69: Season 3 Ep 4 "Rajiin" 1:38:30

3M ago1:38:30

1:38:30

Season 3 is here and First Flight, and the Carrot Crew, have many things to discuss! Chris and Abby are chatting about "Rajiin" and all the twists, Reptilians and gauzy costumes it offers.Rescued by Archer from an alien bazaar, a captivating slave girl, Rajiin, uses her sultry, hypnotic mental powers on the crew to steal data on humans for her Xind…

1
Warner Bros. Creative Freedom Vs Disneys Producer Control 2:23:07

3M ago2:23:07

2:23:07

Today we have a special podcast with the award-winning "The Reasons I'm Broke" podcast. We delve into a 9-part discussion about the fight between directorial creative freedom and risk-averse producer control. We take a deep and very philosophical dive into why artist integrity is important, especially in the largest movies, and how the attempt to "…

1
Ronin Council: Frieren Beyond Journey's End - Season 1 Review 2:03:04

3M ago2:03:04

2:03:04

One of the hottest anime to take the 2023 anime season by storm was "Frieren: Beyond Journey's End". It is a story about a nigh-immortal elf who has already finished her hero's journey and now roams the world collecting magical items and learning about humans. The story has been praised for its subtle and restrained take on the Shonen/Fantasy categ…

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TrekRanks Episode 184: Top 5 Scenes with a Beam 1:16:51

3M ago1:16:51

1:16:51

Our longest running series returns with the "Top 5 Scenes with a Beam." It's the 16th edition of our great "Scenes in Trek" series, and this time we are going broad, because a scene with a beam can be just about anything. A transporter beam, a phaser beam, a tractor beam, a deflector beam – the list just keeps on going! Our expert panel of host Jim…

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First Flight #68: Season 3 Ep 3 "Extinction" 1:48:14

3M ago1:48:14

1:48:14

Season 3 is here and First Flight, and the Carrot Crew, have many things to discuss! Chris and Abby are chatting about "Extinction" and its flames, intense squatting and moral moments.Their ongoing quest for the Xindi leads the Enterprise crew to a tropical alien world where Archer, Reed and Hoshi are exposed to a highly contagious virus that trans…

1
TrekRanks Episode 183: Top 5 Love Letters to Trek 1:25:42

4M ago1:25:42

1:25:42

It doesn't get much more clear that the "Top 5 Love Letters to Trek." This week on TrekRanks our expert panel of host Jim Moorhouse and guests Heather Kirby, Chris Chaplin and Patrick Carlin, do a deep dive into those episodes that pay respect to the core of Star Trek. Our crew covers a lot of ground from the heart and soul of the franchise, to the…

1
First Flight #67: Season 3 Ep 2 "Anomaly" 1:32:57

4M ago1:32:57

1:32:57

Season 3 is here and First Flight, and the Carrot Crew, have many things to discuss! Chris and Abby are very excited to chat about "Anomaly" and the many intense moments of the episode.The mission to find the Xindi takes a grim turn when Enterprise is crippled by inexplicable, destructive spatial anomalies that distort the laws of physics. With sys…

1
TrekRanks Episode 182: Abstract Fire 1:32:00

4M ago1:32:00

1:32:00

"Fire!" As in "Abstract Fire," which sees TrekRanks return to one of our most popular recurring topics. This week it's a discussion of one of the original "elements" – fire, which, of course, can mean a lot of different things in the Star Trek universe. This is a fun one for host Jim Moorhouse and guests Bill Mann and Craig Main to get deep into th…

1
First Flight #66: Season 3 Ep 1 "The Xindi" 1:44:40

4M ago1:44:40

1:44:40

Season 3 is here and First Flight, and the Carrot Crew, have many things to say! Chris and Abby are very excited to chat about "The Xindi" - the Season 3 premiere.Six weeks into the Delphic Expanse, Captain Archer and his crew learn of a Xindi working at a mining colony, and set out to track him down and gain information about the mysterious antago…

1
On Fiorello La Guardia and Why He Still Matters: A Discussion with Author Terry Golway 56:26

4M ago56:26

56:26

Has any American mayor ever made a greater stamp on the public consciousness than the Little Flower, Fiorello La Guardia, mayor of New York City from 1934 to 1945? La Guardia is brought to life in historian Terry Golway’s “I Never Did Like Politics”: How Fiorello La Guardia Became America’s Mayor, and Why He Still Matters (St. Martin’s Press, 2024)…

1
On Monsters, Goddesses and Myths: A Discussion with Author Katherine Marsh 44:54

5M ago44:54

44:54

“We’re not monsters, Mom. We’re goddesses—smart, fearless, and beautiful.” That’s the voice of Ava, the superpowered protagonist of Katherine Marsh’s captivating novel for children, Medusa (Clarion Books, 2024). Our discussion focuses on Marsh’s feminist retelling of the Medusa myth—and on the wider topic of the direction of children’s literature a…

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TrekRanks Episode 181: Top 5 Recurring Actors 1:35:52

5M ago1:35:52

1:35:52

We celebrate the many great guest actors that have helped make Star Trek what it has been for the past 60 years by celebrating the "Top 5 Recurring Actors." It's a huge, massive topic and we cover a lot of ground in this one with host Jim Moorhouse and guests Daniel Martin and Peter Hong. From unknown gems to recognizable names, these incredible pe…

1
First Flight #65: Bonus Enterprise Connections in New Trek 1:26:16

5M ago1:26:16

1:26:16

First Flight loves seeing Enterprise honored in New Trek so we are bringing you a bonus episode all about it!Abby and Chris will each discuss one of the many Enterprise connections from each New Trek series, plus the Kelvin-verse and a special surprise.Feel free to let us know your picks for each question so we can share them on our next Mail Bag e…

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TrekRanks Episode 180: Top 5 Final Adventures 1:10:38

5M ago1:10:38

1:10:38

In celebration of the fifth and final season of Star Trek: Discovery, we are diving deep into the "Top 5 Final Adventures" on this week's TrekRanks. A "final adventure" in Star Trek can be a lot of things. It can be super big and broad, or really small and focused. It can be a series, a season, a character, a ship, a story arc – almost anything can…

1
First Flight #64: Bonus This or That 2 With Melanie 1:02:31

5M ago1:02:31

1:02:31

First Flight is getting a visit from our co-host emeritae, Melanie, so we had to record a Bonus Episode!We&re doing a followup to our Season 1 Bonus Episode- Enterprise This or That- with new lists and wonderfully tough questions.Feel free to let us know your picks for each question so we can share them on our next Mail Bag episode. (Please note, c…

1
Looking into the Heart of Arizona: A Discussion with Author Tom Zoellner 52:46

5M ago52:46

52:46

In Rim to River: Looking into the Heart of Arizona (University of Arizona Press, 2023), Tom Zoellner, a fifth-generation Arizonan, takes the reader on a walk across the length of the state, his narrative interspersed with essays on Arizona’s history, culture and politics. Our conversation focuses on such topics as how Arizona anticipated the Trump …

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TrekRanks Episode 179: Top 5 One-Off Captains 1:27:48

6M ago1:27:48

1:27:48

"One-Off Captains" are on the table this week as TrekRanks returns to one of our favorite ongoing series. Our panel of host Jim Moorhouse and guests Heather Kirby and Michael Bentley break down those one-time appearances of captains from Starfleet to Romulus and from the 22nd century to the 32nd! Lots of different ways to analyze this one from the …

1
On America’s Blind Spot Towards the Palestinians 1:05:41

6M ago1:05:41

1:05:41

In their handling of the Israeli-Palestinian peace process over the decades, U.S. officials have displayed a “systemic blind spot” by alleviating pressure on the stronger party, Israel, and increasing pressure on the weaker party, the Palestinians, Khaled Elgindy argues in Blind Spot: America and the Palestinians, From Balfour to Trump (Brookings I…

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First Flight #63: Season 2 "Mailbag Part 3" 1:40:19

6M ago1:40:19

1:40:19

First Flight is chatting about Season 2 and we have YOUR thoughts to discuss.Chris and Abby respond to the feedback they have gotten from the First Flight Community over the last part of the season. The conversations range from fun to serious, with a deep dive into Cogenitor, and a visit from our favorite Klingon "Flipping Duras!"Feel free to let u…

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TrekRanks Episode 178: Top 5 Enterprise Vibes 1:41:22

6M ago1:41:22

1:41:22

What makes Enterprise ...Enterprise? That@apos;s the question on our minds this week as we explore the Top 5 Enterprise Vibes in our ongoing series dissecting the heart of Trek. What better way to get into the conduits of Star Trek than discussing vibes, which are defined as an atmosphere of a place as communicated to and felt by others? Characters…

1
TrekRanks Episode 177: Top 5 Kisses 1:58:11

7M ago1:58:11

1:58:11

Just in time for Valentine's Day, we get up close-and-personal on this week's TrekRanks with a deep dive into the Top 5 Kisses in Star Trek history. From hot-and-steamy to plutonic pecks and sweet little captain kisses (!!!), we embrace one of the biggest topics in TrekRanks history. (I mean, there is actually a lot of kissing in Star Trek!) Open y…

1
First Flight #62: Season 2 Wrap Up Bonanza Themes & Data 1:46:47

7M ago1:46:47

1:46:47

First Flight is wrapping up their discussion on Season 2 and, for this first part, we are focusing on themes and our data from the season! We can’t wait to discuss them and hear thoughts from you, the #Carrot Crew!Chris and Abby are very excited to dig into each of our big themes of the season, talk about our ratings and data, and award a Golden Po…

1
Putin's Exiles: Their Fight for a Better Russia 50:51

7M ago50:51

50:51

Since Vladimir Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine, some one million Russians have fled the country and gone into exile. Motivated by opposition to the war, by guilt for their country's deeds, by personal hatred for the Czar-like Putin, and by a vision of a better Russia, shorn of autocracy, the exiles have mounted an organized resistance to Puti…

1
TrekRanks Episode 176: Top 5 Episodes that Feel Like TNG 1:35:41

7M ago1:35:41

1:35:41

In honor of TrekRanks 176 (the same number of episodes in TNG's run!), we get deep into the lore of Star Trek: The Next Generation in one of the more unique topics in TrekRanks history. It's the "Top 5 Episodes that Feel Like TNG," which means everything is on the table except for TNG episodes. Our panel of host Jim Moorhouse and guests Alex Perry,…

1
On Authoritarianism: A Discussion with Author and Political Scientist Matthew C. MacWilliams 55:19

7M ago55:19

55:19

Nearly half of Americans “are inconsistent supporters of democracy and democratic institutions,” Matthew C. MacWilliams writes at the start of his book, On Fascism: 12 Lessons from American History (St. Martin’s Griffen, 2020). In the podcast, we explore MacWilliams’ thesis that “authoritarian attitudes,” typically formed in childhood, explain the …

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First Flight #61: Season 2 Wrap Up Bonanza - The Characters 1:40:01

7M ago1:40:01

1:40:01

First Flight is wrapping up their discussion on Season 2 and, for this first part, we are focusing on the characters in the season! We can't wait to discuss it and hear thoughts from you, the #Carrot Crew!Chris and Abby are very excited to dig into each of our main cast, plus a few recurring favorites, and look at their highs, lows, and growth from…

1
On Zionism and the Left: A Discussion with Author and Cultural Critic Susie Linfield 1:05:33

7M ago1:05:33

1:05:33

“How has it come to this? How has ‘Zionist’…become the dirtiest word to the international Left?” Susie Linfield poses that ripe question at the outset of her book, The Lions’ Den: Zionism and the Left from Hannah Arendt to Noam Chomsky (Yale University Press, 2019). In the podcast, our discussion focuses on three prominent figures examined in The L…

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TrekRanks Episode 175: Top 5 Episodes You Want to Watch Again for the First Time 1:57:51

7M ago1:57:51

1:57:51

This week's topic is one of the most personal and joyous episodes in TrekRanks history, tackling the "Top 5 Episodes You Want to Watch Again for the First Time." Our four-person panel of host Jim Moorhouse and guests Debbie Moltisanti, Ross Webster and Caleb Dorsch each take a personal angle in compiling their list of these episodes (both old and n…

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First Flight #60: Season 2 Ep 25 "The Expanse" 1:43:17

8M ago1:43:17

1:43:17

First Flight is chatting about the FINALE of Season 2 and we can't wait to discuss it and hear the thoughts from you, the #Carrot Crew!Chris and Abby are very excited to chat about "The Expanse" - the Season 2 finale! This is a pivotal episode for both the season, and the series, so there is a LOT to discuss.An alien probe unleashes an assault upon…

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TrekRanks Episode 174: Top 5 Ensemble Episodes 1:25:38

8M ago1:25:38

1:25:38

Everyone contributes in this episode of TrekRanks as we break down the "Top 5 Ensemble Episodes." Our panel of host Jim Moorhouse and first-time guests Anika Dane and Simon Foster highlight those episodes in which the entire cast play important roles and help portray the group as a whole, rather than as individuals. From heavy hitters to deep cuts …

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On Native American Warfare: A Discussion with Author and Historian Wayne E. Lee 55:15

8M ago55:15

55:15

How did Native Americans make war, not with European settlers, but amongst themselves? Historian Wayne E. Lee, a professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, explores this often-neglected question in his book, The Cutting-Off Way: Indigenous Warfare in Eastern North America, 1500-1800 (The University of North Carolina Press, 2023).…

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TrekRanks Episode 173: Top 5 Miles O'Brien Episodes 1:28:31

8M ago1:28:31

1:28:31

The most important person in Starfleet! It's just that simple. This week on TrekRanks we tinker around with the "Top 5 Miles O'Brien Episodes," a comprehensive analysis of the non-com who could do it all. Soldier, spy, engineer, husband, father, friend – those descriptors only begin to scratch the surface of O'Brien. So grab your ODN recoupler and …

1
Top Theology Stories of 2023 with Collin Hansen and Melissa Kruger 1:30:34

8M ago1:30:34

1:30:34

Join Collin Hansen and Melissa Kruger for their annual recap discussion on the biggest stories affecting the church around the world in the last year. This conversation was originally featured on TGC's Gospelbound podcast.By Melissa Kruger, Collin Hansen

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First Flight #59: Season 2 Ep 25 "Bounty" 1:16:28

9M ago1:16:28

1:16:28

First Flight is chatting about Season 2 and we can't wait to discuss it and hear the thoughts from you, the #Carrot Crew!Chris and Abby are ready to chat about the nuances and connections in "Bounty."Archer is captured by a Tellarite bounty hunter who plans to hand him over to the Klingons; a microbe induces the pon farr in T'Pol who finds herself …

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TrekRanks Episode 172: Top 5 Scenes on an Alien Ship 1:28:31

9M ago1:28:31

1:28:31

It's another edition of "Scenes on Trek" as our four-deep panel takes on the "Top 5 Scenes on an Alien Ship." From one-off visitors across all four quadrants to weekly regulars like the Romulans and Klingons, there are an immeasurable number of scenes taking place on alien's ship. And our panel of host Jim Moorhouse and guests Arielle K., Foz Rotte…

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First Flight #58: Season 2 Ep 24 "First Flight" 1:43:45

9M ago1:43:45

1:43:45

First Flight is chatting about Season 2 and we can't wait to discuss it and hear the thoughts from you, the #Carrot Crew!Chris and Abby are really excited to talk about the pod’s namesake episode "First Flight"While Enterprise is investigating what appears to be a dark matter nebula, Archer receives news that A.G. Robinson, his old rival in the ear…

1
On “Henry Kissinger and His World” with author Barry Gewen 1:02:29

9M ago1:02:29

1:02:29

In my talk with Barry Gewen on his 2020 book, The Inevitability of Tragedy: Henry Kissinger and His World (W. W. Norton, 2020), we explore the disparate influences that shaped Kissinger as both an intellectual and as a practitioner of power. Our conversation touches on Kissinger’s upbringing in a German-Jewish community in Bavaria at the time of Hi…

1
TrekRanks Episode 171: Top 5 Game Changers 1:33:14

9M ago1:33:14

1:33:14

We deep dive into the "Top 5 Game Changers" in Star Trek history with an analysis of those big shifts and adjustments to some of the show's regular elements. This episode is a fun companion piece to episode 107 of TrekRanks, the "Top 5 Improvements." Host Jim Moorhouse and panelists Brooke Horton and Nathan Royster cover everything from in-universe…

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