TrekRanks Podcast

A celebration of all the things we love about #StarTrek. No wrong answers. No nitpicking. Just a complete appreciation from The Original Series to Strange New Worlds, and everything in between.

TrekRanks 235: Abstract Phaser Blasts! 08/14/2026

TrekRanks 235: Abstract Phaser Blasts! It’s a return to our fun “abstract series” in which we truly get deep into dissecting what we love about Star Trek and this week it’s all about “Abstract Phaser Blasts!” (We have no idea what it means either! Which makes this episode even more fun than you can imagine!) Our expert panel of host Jim Moorhouse and guests Josh Zeller, Paige Thatcher and Hauke Fischer cover the spectrum of hand phasers, ship phasers, random phaser-like energy blasts – in making their picks from all across the 60-year history of Star Trek. This one is truly (wait for it) … a blast! Episode Rundown: Diagnostic Cycle: Where we try to define exactly what an “Abstract Phaser Blasts” could be (and relay our history of the “abstract series” on TrekRanks). Prime Directive: Each guest on this week’s panel reveals exactly how they narrowed down their list and made their final choices. The Order of Things: All the picks are revealed with the TrekRanks’ original “Five words and a hashtag” summary, along with one episode that helps frame their choice. Secondary Systems: For a few extra picks that just missed our final list. Regeneration Cycle: The panel recaps their picks and we dissect some of the interesting statistical anomalies that arose from the discussion. Temporal Inversion: We flashback to a previous episode of TrekRanks and relay an amazing statistic from one of our recent episodes (highlight by one very cool submission). If you have your own picks you would like to relay to us, please hail us at 757-828-RANK (7265) and record your own personal TrekRanks log to let us know your Abstract Phaser Blsats! list. (Or you can record it yourself and just DM us @TrekRanks.com on Bluesky.) Your comments could be used as part of a Temporal Causality Loop on an upcoming episode (and might get you a chance to be a guest on a future episode, too). And don’t forget to check out for our entire back catalog of episodes and a detailed rundown on every episode of Star Trek ever. /episode/index/show/a17675cf-9d90-4215-a192-4a476b222bb4/id/42441960

TrekRanks 234: Top 5 B-List Aliens 07/21/2026

TrekRanks 234: Top 5 B-List Aliens You can always find something new on TrekRanks, and this fun topic opens up a whole genre of possibilities for future shows. This week it’s the “Top 5 B-List Aliens” in Star Trek, with host Jim Moorhouse and serious Trek experts Carlos Miranda and Katharine Robinson. Lots of different elements in play for deciding a topic like this (who’s on the A-List? Who’s on the D-List? And who is in that B-List sweet spot! This one is more fun than a game of choose the changeling (are they B-List?), so join us as we branch into some new TrekRanks territory. Episode Rundown: Diagnostic Cycle: A deep dive into the nuance of A-List categorizations compared to B-List and C-List and D-Lists! A fun set-up for the show, with a promise of more to come. Prime Directive: Each guest on this week’s panel reveals exactly how they narrowed down their list and made their final choices. From actual B-Movies to an “obscure” UK game show known as “Pointless” (that is anything but obscure), we have quite an array of Prime Directives. The Order of Things: All the picks are revealed with the TrekRanks’ original “Five words and a hashtag” summary, along with one episode that helps frame their choice. Secondary Systems: For a few extra picks that just missed our final list. Regeneration Cycle: The panel recaps their picks and we dissect some of the interesting statistical anomalies that arose from the discussion. Temporal Inversion: We flashback to a previous episode of TrekRanks and relay some of the feedback received from listeners. If you have your own picks you would like to relay to us, please hail us at 757-828-RANK (7265) and record your own personal TrekRanks log to let us know your Top 5 B-List Aliens. (Or you can record it yourself and just DM us @TrekRanks.com on Bluesky.) Your comments could be used as part of a Temporal Causality Loop on an upcoming episode (and might get you a chance to be a guest on a future episode, too). And don’t forget to check out for our entire back catalog of episodes and a detailed rundown on every episode of Star Trek ever. /episode/index/show/a17675cf-9d90-4215-a192-4a476b222bb4/id/42172845

TrekRanks 233: Top 5 Mediocre Episodes II 06/28/2026

TrekRanks 233: Top 5 Mediocre Episodes II Everyone loves that sweet spot of a classic mediocre Star Trek episode, and for the second time now on TrekRanks, we dive deep into a celebration of Trek mediocrity with the “Top 5 Mediocre Episodes II.” It’s mid-level, mid-tier, mid-table joy in all its glory in this first-ever TrekRanks sequel. Our panel of host Jim Moorhouse, Bill Mann, Simon Foster and Kelli get deep into their personal mediocre mindsets for this fun partner show to Episode 187, which also covered a ton of delightful mediocrity. Episode Rundown: Diagnostic Cycle: Where get into the details of defining our overall take on “mediocrity” and how this episode is also going to become a game show that could be known as: “Too Good, Not Good Enough, or Just Right?” Prime Directive: Each guest on this week’s panel reveals exactly how they narrowed down their list and made their final choices. The Order of Things: All the picks are revealed with the TrekRanks’ original “Five words and a hashtag” summary. Secondary Systems: For a few extra picks that just missed our final list. And we also engage in a quick speed round of “Too Good, Not Good Enough, or Just Right?” Regeneration Cycle: The panel recaps their picks and we dissect some of the interesting statistical anomalies that arose from the discussion. Temporal Inversion: We flashback to a previous episode of TrekRanks and relay some of the feedback received from listeners. If you have your own picks you would like to relay to us, please hail us at 757-828-RANK (7265) and record your own personal TrekRanks log to let us know your Top 5 Mediocre Episodes II. (Or you can record it yourself and just DM us @TrekRanks.com on Bluesky.) Your comments could be used as part of a Temporal Causality Loop on an upcoming episode (and might get you a chance to be a guest on a future episode, too). And don’t forget to check out for our entire back catalog of episodes and a detailed rundown on every episode of Star Trek ever. /episode/index/show/a17675cf-9d90-4215-a192-4a476b222bb4/id/41853655

TrekRanks 232: Top 5 Ride or Die Characters 05/29/2026

TrekRanks 232: Top 5 Ride or Die Characters We got your back on this week’s TrekRanks as we breakdown the “Top 5 Ride or Die Characters” in Star Trek. There is a lot of ground to cover in this great topic and our expert panel of host Jim Moorhouse and guests Alex Perry and Amy Arrant each approach it in a unique and personal way to finalize their lists. The results are picks that range from major, upright characters you might expect to some deep-dive characters with reputations of disrepute. This is another fun one! Episode Rundown: Diagnostic Cycle: This week’s Diagnostic Cycle sees all three participants go off in completely different directions with completely personal ways to break down this topic. Prime Directive: Each guest on this week’s panel reveals exactly how they narrowed down their list and made their final choices. The Order of Things: All the picks are revealed with the TrekRanks’ original “Five words and a hashtag” summary, along with one episode that helps frame their choice. Secondary Systems: For a few extra picks that just missed our final list. Regeneration Cycle: The panel recaps their picks and we dissect some of the interesting statistical anomalies that arose from the discussion. Temporal Inversion: We flashback to a previous episode of TrekRanks and relay some of the feedback received from listeners. If you have your own picks you would like to relay to us, please hail us at 757-828-RANK (7265) and record your own personal TrekRanks log to let us know your Top 5 Ride or Die Characters. (Or you can record it yourself and just DM us @TrekRanks.com on Bluesky.) Your comments could be used as part of a Temporal Causality Loop on an upcoming episode (and might get you a chance to be a guest on a future episode, too). And don’t forget to check out for our entire back catalog of episodes and a detailed rundown on every episode of Star Trek ever. /episode/index/show/a17675cf-9d90-4215-a192-4a476b222bb4/id/41462375

TrekRanks 231: Top 5 Marriage Moments 05/11/2026

TrekRanks 230: Top 5 Episodes that Would Hurt Most to Only Watch One More Time 04/24/2026

TrekRanks 230: Top 5 Episodes that Would Hurt Most to Only Watch One More Time This one is kind of hard to explain, so not sure we are going to even try. But it’s episode 230 of TrekRanks – the “Top 5 Episodes that Would Hurt Most to Only Watch One More Time.” With a title that long and that confusing, our expert panel of host Jim Moorhouse and guests Charlynn Schmiedt and Craig Main are bound to come up with a bunch of unique Prime Directives (and they do!), but in the end the conversation is lively and fun and stays (mostly) focused on all the things we love about Star Trek! Let’s call this one an outlier! Episode Rundown: Diagnostic Cycle: Where host Jim Moorhouse tries to explain exactly what he means by “Episodes that Would Hurt Most to Only Watch One More Time,” but apparently fails miserably. (It’s kind of a bizarro world “Desert Island Disc,” if that helps at all.) Prime Directive: Each guest on this week’s panel reveals exactly how they narrowed down their list and made their final choices. The Order of Things: All the picks are revealed with the TrekRanks’ original “Five words and a hashtag” summary. Secondary Systems: For a few extra picks that just missed our final list. Regeneration Cycle: The panel recaps their picks and we dissect some of the interesting statistical anomalies that arose from the discussion. Temporal Inversion: We flashback to a previous episode of TrekRanks and relay some of the feedback received from listeners. If you have your own picks you would like to relay to us, please hail us at 757-828-RANK (7265) and record your own personal TrekRanks log to let us know your Top 5 Episodes that Would Hurt Most to Only Watch One More Time. (Or you can record it yourself and just DM us @TrekRanks.com on Bluesky.) Your comments could be used as part of a Temporal Causality Loop on an upcoming episode (and might get you a chance to be a guest on a future episode, too). And don’t forget to check out for our entire back catalog of episodes and a detailed rundown on every episode of Star Trek ever. /episode/index/show/a17675cf-9d90-4215-a192-4a476b222bb4/id/41000600

TrekRanks 229: Top 5 Starfleet Academy Season 1 Moments 04/03/2026

TrekRanks 229: Top 5 Starfleet Academy Season 1 Moments The first season of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy is truly special from top to bottom and we joyously break it all down in our usual TrekRanks style this week with the “Top 5 Starfleet Academy Season 1 Moments.” From the introduction to Trek of Holly Hunter and Paul Giamatti to the sheer youthful enthusiasm and vigor of the new cast and cadets, this show aced every test thrown its way. Our expert panel of host Jim Moorhouse and guest Jenn Tifft and Michael Bentley cover the entire SFA syllabus with their picks (and also commiserate on the bad timing of learning about the series’ long-term demise). This one is non-stop joy. Episode Rundown: Diagnostic Cycle: We break down the five distinct categories we use in our season recap shows. In order, this week’s panelists reveal their picks in the following categories: Production Design, Behind-the-Scenes Creative MVP, Dabo Round Wildcard, Character and Episode! We also take a few minutes to discuss the show’s cancellation, which occurred just hours before recording. Prime Directive: Our crew breaks down exactly how they defined their lists. The Order of Things: Everyone reveals their picks with the usual “Five word Summary and a Hashtag,” along with one episode that helps frame their choice. Secondary Systems: Our guests each rattle off a few additional selections for the picks that just missed our lists! Regeneration Cycle: Everyone recaps their picks and we discuss some of the interesting statistical anomalies that arose from the discussion. Temporal Inversion: We flashback to a previous episode of TrekRanks and relay some of the feedback received from listeners. If you have your own picks you would like to relay to us, please hail us at 757-828-RANK (7265) and record your own personal TrekRanks log to let us know your Top 5 Starfleet Academy Season 1 Moments. (Or you can record it yourself and just DM us @TrekRanks.com on Bluesky.) Your comments could be used as part of a Temporal Causality Loop on an upcoming episode (and might get you a chance to be a guest on a future episode, too). And don’t forget to check out for our entire back catalog of episodes and a detailed rundown on every episode of Star Trek ever. /episode/index/show/a17675cf-9d90-4215-a192-4a476b222bb4/id/40720595

TrekRanks 228: Top 5 Loudest Episodes 03/15/2026

TrekRanks 228: Top 5 Loudest Episodes It’s classic TrekRanks this week as we tackle the “Top 5 Loudest Episodes” in Star Trek history in a fun, bombastic topic in which you better keep your hand on the volume of your podcast player of a choice! Our expert panel of host Jim Moorhouse and guests Ryan Riddle and Jonathan B. get loud and broad with their definition of “loudest episodes” in a cool companion piece podcast to our previous show on the “Top 5 Quietest Episodes,” way back on Episode 152. And the best thing about this episode (spoiler alert) is that it is also a mini-Starfleet Academy Season 1 preview/recap episode. This is episode is loud and awesome! Don’t miss it! Episode Rundown: Diagnostic Cycle: Where we briefly get into the details of defining the show’s specific topic. In other words: we get loud! Prime Directive: Each guest on this week’s panel reveals exactly how they narrowed down their list and made their final choices. The Order of Things: All the picks are revealed with the TrekRanks’ original “Five words and a hashtag” summary, along with one episode that helps frame their choice. Secondary Systems: For a few extra picks that just missed our final list. Regeneration Cycle: The panel recaps their picks and we dissect some of the interesting statistical anomalies that arose from the discussion. Temporal Inversion: We flashback to a previous episode of TrekRanks and relay some of the feedback received from listeners. If you have your own picks you would like to relay to us, please hail us at 757-828-RANK (7265) and record your own personal TrekRanks log to let us know your Top 5 Loudest Episodes. (Or you can record it yourself and just DM us @TrekRanks.com on Bluesky.) Your comments could be used as part of a Temporal Causality Loop on an upcoming episode (and might get you a chance to be a guest on a future episode, too). And don’t forget to check out for our entire back catalog of episodes and a detailed rundown on every episode of Star Trek ever. /episode/index/show/a17675cf-9d90-4215-a192-4a476b222bb4/id/40488290

TrekRanks 227: Top 5 Scotty Episodes 02/23/2026

TrekRanks 227: Top 5 Scotty Episodes Starfleet’s very own “miracle worker” is celebrated this week on an extremely special episode of TrekRanks. It’s the “Top 5 Scotty Episodes” as we highlight one of the most popular characters in the history of Star Trek, portrayed now across TOS, the Kelvin Timeline and Strange New Worlds by James Doohan, Simon Pegg and Martin Quinn. From b-story, third-in-command triumphs to engineering heroics, our panel of host Jim Moorhouse and uber-Scotty fans Jenn Tifft and Daniel Martin have every corner covered of this deep-dive analysis. The haggis is surely in the fire for this one! Episode Rundown: Diagnostic Cycle: It’s never a dull moment, when we go through our roll call of past “character deep dive episodes” (this is the 22nd!). Prime Directive: Each guest on this week’s panel reveals exactly how they narrowed down their list and made their final choices, and everyone reveals their one-word to help define Engineer Montgomery Scott, and one of our panelists reveals an extremely personal connection to their affinity for the miracle worker. The Order of Things: All the picks are revealed with the TrekRanks’ original “Five words and a hashtag” summary. Secondary Systems: For a few extra picks that just missed our final list. Regeneration Cycle: The panel recaps their picks and we dissect some of the interesting statistical anomalies that arose from the discussion. Temporal Inversion: We flashback to a previous episode of TrekRanks and relay some of the feedback received from listeners. If you have your own picks you would like to relay to us, please hail us at 757-828-RANK (7265) and record your own personal TrekRanks log to let us know your Top 5 Scotty Episodes. (Or you can record it yourself and just DM us @TrekRanks.com on Bluesky.) Your comments could be used as part of a Temporal Causality Loop on an upcoming episode (and might get you a chance to be a guest on a future episode, too). And don’t forget to check out for our entire back catalog of episodes and a detailed rundown on every episode of Star Trek ever. /episode/index/show/a17675cf-9d90-4215-a192-4a476b222bb4/id/40195790

TrekRanks 226: Top 5 Jeffrey Combs Moments 02/07/2026

TrekRanks 226: Top 5 Jeffrey Combs Moments We celebrate a true legend of Star Trek this week with a deep dive into the “Top 5 Jeffrey Combs Moments.” There is no one more revered in the Star Trek fandom for his unique skillsets and broad range through more than 50 on-screen appearances, and our panel of host Jim Moorhouse and guests Adam Hunault and Mike Rittenhouse celebrate it all via his portrayal of nine major characters across four different series. We’ve been waiting a long time to tackle this one, so follow along and let us know your favorites from Jeffrey Combs' vast catalog! Episode Rundown: Diagnostic Cycle: We break down Jeffrey Combs specific history in Star Trek, with a rundown and appearance count on his nine major characters. Prime Directive: Each guest on this week’s panel reveals exactly how they narrowed down their list and made their final choices, and also reveal one word that they think of when they think of Jeffrey Combs. The Order of Things: All the picks are revealed with the TrekRanks’ original “Five words and a hashtag” summary. Secondary Systems: For a few extra picks that just missed our final list. Regeneration Cycle: The panel recaps their picks and we dissect some of the interesting statistical anomalies that arose from the discussion. Temporal Inversion: We flashback to our “Top 5 One-Word Episodes” edition of TrekRanks with an all-time great voicemail that we received that you won’t want to miss. If you have your own picks you would like to relay to us, please hail us at 757-828-RANK (7265) and record your own personal TrekRanks log to let us know your Top 5 Jeffrey Combs Moments. (Or you can record it yourself and just DM us @TrekRanks.com on Bluesky.) Your comments could be used as part of a Temporal Causality Loop on an upcoming episode (and might get you a chance to be a guest on a future episode, too). And don’t forget to check out for our entire back catalog of episodes and a detailed rundown on every episode of Star Trek ever. /episode/index/show/a17675cf-9d90-4215-a192-4a476b222bb4/id/40027795

TrekRanks 225: Top 5 "Coming of Age" Episodes 01/19/2026

TrekRanks 225: Top 5 "Coming of Age" Episodes We are commemorating the launch of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy by diving deep into the Top 5 “Coming of Age” Episodes in Trek lore. Our expert panel of host Jim Moorhouse and guests Teresa Jusino and Todd Kehoe discuss those key episodes and moments where characters move through life – often from childhood to adulthood – while learning “coming of age” really never stops throughout a lifetime. This one will have you thinking about Trek in new and different ways. Episode Rundown: Diagnostic Cycle: We get into the breakdown of what “coming of age” really means in the context of this topic. Prime Directive: Each member of our panel discuss how they defined “Coming of Age: as a topic and narrowed down their picks. The Order of Things: All the picks are revealed with the TrekRanks’ original “Five words and a hashtag” summary. Secondary Systems: For a few extra picks that just missed our final list. Regeneration Cycle: The panel recaps their picks and we dissect some of the interesting statistical anomalies that arose from the discussion. Temporal Inversion: We flashback to a previous episode of TrekRanks and relay some of the feedback received from listeners. If you have your own picks you would like to relay to us, please hail us at 757-828-RANK (7265) and record your own personal TrekRanks log to let us know your Top 5 “Coming of Age” Episodes. (Or you can record it yourself and just DM us @TrekRanks.com on Bluesky.) Your comments could be used as part of a Temporal Causality Loop on an upcoming episode (and might get you a chance to be a guest on a future episode, too). And don’t forget to check out for our entire back catalog of episodes and a detailed rundown on every episode of Star Trek ever. A very special thank you to our guests Teresa Jusino and Todd Kehoe. Teresa can be reached at , while Todd’s podcast Three For the Show can be downloaded via your favorite podcast app. /episode/index/show/a17675cf-9d90-4215-a192-4a476b222bb4/id/39790490

TrekRanks 224: Top 5 Scenes in the Snow 01/07/2026

TrekRanks 223: Top 5 One-Word Episode Titles 12/22/2025

TrekRanks 223: Top 5 One-Word Episode Titles We love just picking episodes on TrekRanks and that’s what we do this week when we set our sights on the “Top 5 One-Word Episode Titles.” It’s that simple. It’s pure TrekRanks! What are your favorite “one-word episode titles” in Star Trek history? We all know episode titles hit different in the world of Star Trek – they just do – and we get into exactly why that is as our panel of host Jim Moorhouse and guests Josh Zeller and Geoff Owen relay their personal Prime Directives and make their picks covering everything from deep cuts to popular favorites. Episode Rundown: Diagnostic Cycle: We get into a statistical breakdown of “one-word episode titles” throughout Star Trek history (spoiler alert: there are technically 254 one-word Star Trek episode titles). Prime Directive: Each guest on this week’s panel reveals exactly how they narrowed down their list and made their final choices. The Order of Things: All the picks are revealed with the TrekRanks’ original “Five words and a hashtag” summary. Secondary Systems: For a few extra picks that just missed our final list. Regeneration Cycle: The panel recaps their picks and we dissect some of the interesting statistical anomalies that arose from the discussion. Temporal Inversion: We flashback to a previous episode of TrekRanks and relay a listener voicemail. If you have your own picks you would like to relay to us, please hail us at 757-828-RANK (7265) and record your own personal TrekRanks log to let us know your Top 5 One-Word Episode Titles. (Or you can record it yourself and just DM us @TrekRanks.com on Bluesky.) Your comments could be used as part of a Temporal Causality Loop on an upcoming episode (and might get you a chance to be a guest on a future episode, too). And don’t forget to check out for our entire back catalog of episodes and a detailed rundown on every episode of Star Trek ever. /episode/index/show/a17675cf-9d90-4215-a192-4a476b222bb4/id/39495480

TrekRanks 222: Top 5 Duos 12/06/2025

TrekRanks 222: Top 5 Duos For Episode 222 we had to do something unique, since everyone knows how much we love numbers and statistics on TrekRanks. So for an episode with three “twos” in the title, we are finally doing the “Top 5 Duos” (a topic we also can’t believe we haven’t yet tackled). In this TrekRanks classic, our panel of host Jim Moorhouse and expert guests Kimberly Lawler and Paul Edinger list their favorite pairings and duos of characters from Trek’s great history. Nothing cute here. This isn’t about ‘ships or bromances or a nebulous definition of “duo” – this one is about the great character pairings in Star Trek, with quite a few deep cuts thrown in, as well! Episode Rundown: Diagnostic Cycle: We define exactly what we mean by “duos.” (This one is not about ‘shipts or bromances or doppelgangers, we did those topics back on Episodes 21 and 50 respectively!) Prime Directive: Each guest on this week’s panel reveals exactly how they narrowed down their list and made their final choices. The Order of Things: All our duos are revealed with the TrekRanks’ original “Five words and a hashtag” summary, along with one episode that helps frame their choice. Secondary Systems: For a few extra picks that just missed our final list. Regeneration Cycle: The panel recaps their picks and we dissect some of the interesting statistical anomalies that arose from the discussion. Temporal Inversion: We flashback to a previous episode of TrekRanks and relay some of the feedback received from listeners, and this week we have a fantastic “Abstact Color” voicemail for you. If you have your own picks you would like to relay to us, please hail us at 757-828-RANK (7265) and record your own personal TrekRanks log to let us know your Top 5 Duos. (Or you can record it yourself and just DM us @TrekRanks.com on Bluesky.) Your comments could be used as part of a Temporal Causality Loop on an upcoming episode (and might get you a chance to be a guest on a future episode, too). And don’t forget to check out for our entire back catalog of episodes and a detailed rundown on every episode of Star Trek ever. /episode/index/show/a17675cf-9d90-4215-a192-4a476b222bb4/id/39307445

TrekRanks 221: Top 5 Archer Episodes 11/09/2025

TrekRanks 221: Top 5 Archer Episodes “You can’t be afraid of the wind” and you can’t be afraid of the new TrekRanks as this week we salute the heroic captain of the NX-01 Enterprise with our “Top 5 Archer Episodes.” It’s a deep dive episode of TrekRanks that traverses the temporal cold war to bring you all of Archer’s greatest moments from “Broken Bow” to “Terra Prime.” Our expert panel of host Jim Moorhouse and guests Michael Angie and Melanie get deep into the defining actions and motivations of Starfleet’s original captain – the one who set the standard for all who followed. This is a very special episode of TrekRanks. Don’t miss it. Episode Rundown: Diagnostic Cycle: We go through our role call of past “character deep dive episodes” (this is the 21st!) and break down that it is the fifth and final episode showcasing the legacy Trek captains, coming on the heels of Kirk, Picard, Sisko and Janeway. Prime Directive: Each guest on this week’s panel reveals exactly how they narrowed down their list and made their final choices, and everyone reveals their one-word to help define Captain Archer. The Order of Things: All the picks are revealed with the TrekRanks’ original “Five words and a hashtag” summary. Secondary Systems: For a few extra picks that just missed our final list. Regeneration Cycle: The panel recaps their picks and we dissect some of the interesting statistical anomalies that arose from the discussion. Temporal Inversion: We reveal a secret temporal inversion hidden inside this week’s episode. It’s pretty cool, and pretty special. If you have your own picks you would like to relay to us, please hail us at 757-828-RANK (7265) and record your own personal TrekRanks log to let us know your Top 5 Archer Episodes. (Or you can record it yourself and just DM us @TrekRanks.com on Bluesky.) Your comments could be used as part of a Temporal Causality Loop on an upcoming episode (and might get you a chance to be a guest on a future episode, too). And don’t forget to check out for our entire back catalog of episodes and a detailed rundown on every episode of Star Trek ever. /episode/index/show/a17675cf-9d90-4215-a192-4a476b222bb4/id/38966120

TrekRanks 220: Abstract L 10/25/2025

TrekRanks 219: Top 5 Games and Gaming References 10/14/2025

TrekRanks 219: Top 5 Games and Gaming References “Do not pass Go! Do not collect $200!” But do make sure you listen to this episode of TrekRanks covering the “Top 5 Games and Gaming References” throughout the history of Star Trek! From Kal-toh to Kadis-kot to Kotra (try to keep those three straight!), our Trek panel of host Jim Moorhouse and guests Jenn Tifft, Caleb Dorsch and Patrick Carlin have a great time spinning the wheel and rolling dice and shuffling the cards on all the fun gaming options featured in Trek. This one is a stone cold TrekRanks classic. One of our favorites! Game on! Episode Rundown: Diagnostic Cycle: A quick review of exactly why we went with the cumbersome “games and gaming references” title, and how this episode is actually a sequel to Episode 104 of Trek Ranks: the Top 5 Sports References. Prime Directive: We get into each player’s strategy for game play and how they narrowed down their picks! The Order of Things: All the picks are revealed with the TrekRanks’ original “Five word summary and a hashtag,” along with one episode that helps frame their choice. Secondary Systems: For a few extra picks that just missed our final list. Regeneration Cycle: The panel recaps their picks and we dissect some of the interesting statistical anomalies that arose from the discussion. Temporal Inversion: We flashback to a previous episode of TrekRanks and relay some of the feedback received from listeners. If you have your own picks you would like to relay to us, please hail us at 757-828-RANK (7265) and record your own personal TrekRanks log to let us know your Top 5 Games and Gaming References. (Or you can record it yourself and just DM us @TrekRanks.com on Bluesky.) Your comments could be used as part of a Temporal Causality Loop on an upcoming episode (and might get you a chance to be a guest on a future episode, too). And don’t forget to check out for our entire back catalog of episodes and a detailed rundown on every episode of Star Trek ever. /episode/index/show/a17675cf-9d90-4215-a192-4a476b222bb4/id/38575025

TrekRanks 218: Top 5 Strange New Worlds Season 3 Moments 09/27/2025

TrekRanks 218: Top 5 Strange New Worlds Season 3 Moments The third season of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds was an incredible mix of big swings and rotating genres that now receives the TrekRanks treatment with our patented breakdown of the “Top 5 Strange New Worlds Season 3 Moments.” You can rest assured that our expert panel of Jim Moorhouse, Sam Nelson and Amy Arrant loved this season’s mélange of interesting styles and commentaries, and they cover it all with a range of picks including everything from Gorn body horror to Trelane the Wedding Planner to those pesky Metrons. Episode Rundown: Diagnostic Cycle: We break down the five distinct categories we use in our season recap shows. In order, this week’s panelists reveal their picks in the following categories: Production Design, Behind-the-Scenes Creative, Dabo Round Wildcard, Character and Episode! Prime Directive: Our crew breaks down exactly how they defined their lists. The Order of Things: Everyone reveals their picks with the usual “Five word Summary and a Hashtag,” along with one episode that helps frame their choice. Secondary Systems: Our guests each rattle off a few additional selections for the picks that just missed our lists! Regeneration Cycle: Everyone recaps their picks and we discuss some of the interesting statistical anomalies that arose from the discussion. Temporal Inversion: We flashback to a previous episode of TrekRanks and relay some of the feedback received from listeners. If you have your own picks you would like to relay to us, please hail us at 757-828-RANK (7265) and record your own personal TrekRanks log to let us know your Top 5 Strange New Worlds Season 3 Moments. (Or you can record it yourself and just DM us @TrekRanks.com on Bluesky.) Your comments could be used as part of a Temporal Causality Loop on an upcoming episode (and might get you a chance to be a guest on a future episode, too). And don’t forget to check out for our entire back catalog of episodes and a detailed rundown on every episode of Star Trek ever. /episode/index/show/a17675cf-9d90-4215-a192-4a476b222bb4/id/38378770

TrekRanks 217: Top 5 Locked-Door Moments 09/14/2025

TrekRanks 216: The. Best. (Fake.) Deaths. 08/31/2025

TrekRanks 216: The. Best. (Fake.) Deaths. We are doing it again. It’s another crazy TrekRanks live show from Las Vegas, and this one is a sequel to the show we did on Episode 166 featuring “The. Best. Deaths.” On this week’s TrekRanks live recording it’s Episode 216 and the topic is even more rowdy with a breakdown of “The. Best. (Fake.) Deaths.” This is a fun one for our host Jim Moorhouse and our massive panel of eight guests, including Star Trek experts Alex Perry, Claire Little, Ken Reilly, Matt Hansen, Jamie McGregor, Thad Hait, Carl Wonders and John Krikorian, as they power through 45 rapid fire selections for “The. Best. (Fake.) Deaths.” This one will keep you on the edge of your seat! Episode Rundown: Diagnostic Cycle: If this topic was Top 5 Fake Deaths, you’d have Spock from “The Wrath of Khan” and that kind of thing. It’s not. It’s “The. Best. (Fake.) Deaths,” which is a whole other thing. (Yeah, we don’t know what that means either, but just go with it.) Prime Directive: Each guest on this week’s massive panel reveals exactly how they narrowed down list and made their final choices. The Order of Things: All the picks are revealed with the TrekRanks’ original “Five words and a hashtag” summary, along with one episode that helps frame their choice. Secondary Systems: For a few extra picks that just missed our final list. Regeneration Cycle: The panel does not recap their picks (because there are so many of them), but we do dissect some of the interesting statistical anomalies that arose from the discussion. Temporal Inversion: We flashback to a previous episode of TrekRanks and relay some of the feedback received from listeners. If you have your own picks you would like to relay to us, please hail us at 757-828-RANK (7265) and record your own personal TrekRanks log to let us know your picks for The. Best. (Fake.) Deaths. (Or you can record it yourself and just DM us @TrekRanks.com on Bluesky.) Your comments could be used as part of a Temporal Causality Loop on an upcoming episode (and might get you a chance to be a guest on a future episode, too). And don’t forget to check out for our entire back catalog of episodes and a detailed rundown on every episode of Star Trek ever. /episode/index/show/a17675cf-9d90-4215-a192-4a476b222bb4/id/38037565

TrekRanks 215: Top 5 Episodes Nobody Likes But Me 08/17/2025

TrekRanks 214: Top 5 Sad-Sack Characters 08/02/2025

TrekRanks 213: Top 5 Hiding Places 07/15/2025

TrekRanks 213: Top 5 Hiding Places On the surface, this topic might look like a kids’ game, but in practice, the “Top 5 Hiding Places” in Star Trek is one of the broadest topics you can tackle. From objects and individuals to ships and whole planets, there is no limit to the amount of things being hidden in Trek, both tangibly and metaphysically and via cloak – the hiding just never ends. Our panel of host Jim Moorhouse and experts Katharine Robinson, Todd Kehoe and Dan Briggs, definitely go deep in defining their picks and ultimately you are going to be glad you found this TrekRanks to listen to! Episode Rundown: Diagnostic Cycle: We get into the many specific details of how this broad topic can be defined, from cloaks to metaphysical hiding and everything in between. Prime Directive: Each guest on this week’s panel reveals exactly how they narrowed down their list and made their final choices. The Order of Things: All the picks are revealed with the TrekRanks’ original “Five words and a hashtag” summary, along with one episode that helps frame their choice. Secondary Systems: For a few extra picks that just missed our final list. Regeneration Cycle: The panel recaps their final choices and we dissect some of the interesting statistical anomalies that arose from the discussion. Temporal Inversion: We flashback to a previous episode of TrekRanks and relay some of the feedback received from listeners. If you have your own picks you would like to relay to us, please hail us at 757-828-RANK (7265) and record your own personal TrekRanks log to let us know your Top 5 Hiding Places. (Or you can record it yourself and just DM us @TrekRanks.com on Bluesky.) Your comments could be used as part of a Temporal Causality Loop on an upcoming episode (and might get you a chance to be a guest on a future episode, too). And don’t forget to check out for our entire back catalog of episodes and a detailed rundown on every episode of Star Trek ever. /episode/index/show/a17675cf-9d90-4215-a192-4a476b222bb4/id/37421245

TrekRanks 212: Top 5 Visceral Episodes 06/30/2025

TrekRanks 211: Top 5 Episodes that Begin with “The” 06/15/2025

TrekRanks 211: Top 5 Episodes that Begin with “The” In the history of Star Trek there have been 185 episodes that begin with the word “The,” and on this week’s TrekRanks, for absolutely no reason at all, we are breaking down our “Top 5 Episodes that Begin with The.” Our expert panel of host Jim Moorhouse and guests Deb Moltisanti, Adam Sanders and Anthony Moltisanti each come up with their own reasons for how they made their picks, but one thing was consistent throughout – there is no doubt that many of the greatest episodes in Star Trek history being with the word “the.” This one is a surprising TrekRanks classic. Episode Rundown: Diagnostic Cycle: We break down some fun and specific “the” facts for each series of Star Trek and how often their titles begin with “the.” Prime Directive: Each guest on this week’s panel reveals exactly how they narrowed down their list and made their final choices. Critical this week for such a specific topic. The Order of Things: All the picks are revealed with the TrekRanks’ original “Five words and a hashtag” summary. Secondary Systems: For a few extra picks that just missed our final list. Regeneration Cycle: The panel recaps their picks and we dissect some of the interesting statistical anomalies that arose from the discussion. Temporal Inversion: We flashback to a previous episode of TrekRanks and relay some of the feedback received from listeners. If you have your own picks you would like to relay to us, please hail us at 757-828-RANK (7265) and record your own personal TrekRanks log to let us know your Top 5 Episodes that Begin with “The.” (Or you can record it yourself and just DM us @TrekRanks.com on Bluesky.) Your comments could be used as part of a Temporal Causality Loop on an upcoming episode (and might get you a chance to be a guest on a future episode, too). And don’t forget to check out for our entire back catalog of episodes and a detailed rundown on every episode of Star Trek ever. /episode/index/show/a17675cf-9d90-4215-a192-4a476b222bb4/id/37013575

TrekRanks 210: Top 5 Episodes that Feel Like DS9 06/01/2025

TrekRanks 209: Abstract Color Blasts! 05/18/2025

TrekRanks 209: Abstract Color Blasts! Our Abstract Series returns with an absolute classic. This one is as abstract as it gets! It’s “Abstract Color Blasts!” on this week’s TrekRanks! What’s an “Abstract Color Blast!” you ask? Well, listen in and figure it out with our panel of host Jim Moorhouse and expert color analysts Ross Webster and Anika Dane, who come at this topic from every angle. One thing we learn for sure is that an “Abstract Color Blast!” can literally come from anywhere and be anything in Star Trek! This is a colorful conversation you will not want to miss! Episode Rundown: Diagnostic Cycle: Where we briefly get into the details of defining the show’s specific topic and run through our “Abstract Series” roll call of 10 previous topics! Prime Directive: Each guest on this week’s panel reveals exactly how they narrowed down their list and made their final choices. The Order of Things: All the picks are revealed with the TrekRanks’ original “Five words and a hashtag” summary, along with one episode that helps frame their choice. Secondary Systems: For a few extra picks that just missed our final list. Regeneration Cycle: The panel recaps their picks and we dissect some of the interesting statistical anomalies that arose from the discussion (including our ROY G BIV breakdown). Temporal Inversion: We flashback to a previous episode of TrekRanks and relay a voicemail from one of our listeners. If you have your own picks you would like to relay to us, please hail us at 757-828-RANK (7265) and record your own personal TrekRanks log to let us know your Abstract Color Blasts! (Or you can record it yourself and just DM us @TrekRanks.com on Bluesky.) Your comments could be used as part of a Temporal Causality Loop on an upcoming episode (and might get you a chance to be a guest on a future episode, too). And don’t forget to check out for our entire back catalog of episodes and a detailed rundown on every episode of Star Trek ever. /episode/index/show/a17675cf-9d90-4215-a192-4a476b222bb4/id/36614035

TrekRanks 208: Top 5 Saru Episodes 05/04/2025

TrekRanks 208: Top 5 Saru Episodes It feels fitting that the first Kelpien in Starfleet is also the first character from the new era of Star Trek to get the TrekRanks character deep dive treatment as this week we jump all the way to Kaminar to take on the “Top 5 Saru Episodes.” Brought to life by the legendary Doug Jones, Saru embodied the emotions and hope on display throughout five seasons of Star Trek: Discovery, never wavering in his duty to Starfleet. Our expert panel of host Jim Moorhouse and First Flight podcast duo Abby Sommer and Chris Chaplin sense the coming of a whole lot of love for Saru in this breakdown of one of Trek’s most legendary alien outsiders. Episode Rundown: Diagnostic Cycle: We get into the details of defining the show’s specific topic with a rundown of our past character episodes and a reminder that “episodes” is really shorthand for “moments or episodes,” however you want to define it. Prime Directive: As always for our character deep dives, each guest on this week’s panel reveals one word that they think best defines the target character. This week’s choices are exemplary. The Order of Things: All the picks are revealed with the TrekRanks’ original “Five words and a hashtag” summary. Secondary Systems: For a few extra picks that just missed our final list. Regeneration Cycle: The panel recaps their picks and we dissect some of the interesting statistical anomalies that arose from the discussion. Temporal Inversion: We flashback to a couple of previous episodes of TrekRanks and relay some of the feedback received from listeners. If you have your own picks you would like to relay to us, please hail us at 757-828-RANK (7265) and record your own personal TrekRanks log to let us know your Top 5 Saru Episodes. (Or you can record it yourself and just DM us @TrekRanks.com on Bluesky.) Your comments could be used as part of a Temporal Causality Loop on an upcoming episode (and might get you a chance to be a guest on a future episode, too). And don’t forget to check out for our entire back catalog of episodes and a detailed rundown on every episode of Star Trek ever. /episode/index/show/a17675cf-9d90-4215-a192-4a476b222bb4/id/36426175

TrekRanks 207: Top 5 World-Building Episodes 04/20/2025

TrekRanks 206: Top 5 Scenes on a Bridge 04/06/2025

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