The Mark of the Rani – The Secrets of Doctor Who

The 6th Doctor shows up at the start of the Industrial Revolution in 19th century England where the Master and a new foe, the Rani, have joined forces. Jimmy Akin, Dom Bettinelli, and Fr. Cory Sticha discuss all the scene chewing between the evil villains and the encounters with great historical figures.

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Phage (Voyager) – The Secrets of Star Trek

When a character is left debilitated and permanently disabled on Star Trek: Voyager, the other characters convince them they have plenty to live for. Jimmy Akin, Dom Bettinelli, and Fr. Cory Sticha discuss how differently this would be handled today.

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The Poison Sky – The Secrets of Doctor Who

In the 2nd of a two-part story, The Doctor and two Companions deal with a sneaky clone, bad emissions, and a bratty dot-com genius. Jimmy Akin, Dom Bettinelli, and Fr. Cory Sticha discuss the smog moralizing, the world-ending stakes, and someone else who dies in the Doctor’s place.

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Comparing Babylon 5 and Deep Space 9 – The Secrets of Star Trek

Not a bash of Babylon 5 or defense of DS9 by Trekkies, but an homage by two fans of both series, Jimmy Akin and Fr. Cory Sticha, who look at what made these two series great, how they were similar, and what set them apart.

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The Sontaran Stratagem – The Secrets of Doctor Who

The first of a two-part story featuring the 10th Doctor and two Companions against an old foe. Jimmy Akin, Dom Bettinelli, and Fr. Cory Sticha discuss the return of Martha Jones, the reintroduction of Sontarans for New Who, and world-threatening plots.

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The Visitation – The Secrets of Doctor Who

The 5th Doctor ends up in the 18th century facing down aliens who want to make Earth their new home by killing off humanity in a deadly plague. Fr. Cory and Jimmy discuss the story whose premise is like so many other like it.

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Mudd’s Women (The Original Series) – The Secrets of Star Trek

In an update to an Old West tale, lovable rogue Harry Mudd is bringing wives to lonely miners through quasi-legal means. Jimmy, Dom, and Fr. Cory discuss the very Sixties view of relations between men and women and the perhaps surprising way the episode resolves.

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The Planet of the Ood – The Secrets of Doctor Who

The Ood have returned as the Doctor and Donna free them from their servitude. Jimmy, Dom, and Fr. Cory discuss this 10th Doctor story that brings back the Ood and lays the groundwork for significant events at the end of the season.

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Yesteryear – The Secrets of Star Trek

This animated Spock story told us more about his backstory *and* about Vulcan than any Original Series episode. Jimmy, Dom, and Fr. Cory talk about how the revelations here continue to echo in Discovery and the way this story confront younger viewers with the death of a pet.

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Revenge of the Cybermen – The Secrets of Doctor Who

The 4th Doctor, Tom Baker, ends his first season with the return of the Cybermen, a solid gold planet, and humanity caught between warring aliens. Jimmy, Dom, and Fr. Cory discuss the complex story that has multiple antagonists and interesting moral quandaries.

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