Nov 7 2026

Remembering Sir Patrick Stewart 1940-2026

Make it so” Captain Jean-Luc Picard, Star Trek: The Next Generation

The Worlds of Star Trek and Marvel are still numb and devastated by the news that Star Trek and Marvel Legend Sir Patrick Stewart passed away last week at the age of 86 following a brief battle with Alzheimer’s Disease and Lewy body dementia. The tragic announcement of his death on October 28, 2026 was a double gut punch for Star Trek fans and in many ways even more devastating news following the death of Walter Koenig a couple of days earlier. Despite the tragic loss, Stewart lived a full life and left behind a glorious acting legacy that was highlighted by his iconic performances as Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation (TNG) and Star Trek: Picard, and as Professor Charles Xavier/Professor X in the X-Men films.

Early Life & Career

Born in Mirfield, United Kingdom, Stewart developed a passion for acting when he was a child and studied drama. He soon participated in local theater and continued to develop his acting skills while working as a journalist. Eventually, he chose to devote his career on acting and made his debut onstage at the Theatre Royal, Bristol in a production of Cyrano de Bergerac. He then became a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company and honed his acting skills in several minor television roles and stage productions. Stewart preferred classical theater, even though he began to gain the attention of Hollywood thanks to his strong baritone voice and stage presence. Probably his best known work in the 1970s was his role as Sejanus in the BBC TV drama I, Claudius in 1976. He won the prestigious Laurence Olivier Award for his work in Antony and Cleopatra in 1979.

Stewart entered the realm of live-action genre with his small but impressive role in Excalibur (1981) and especially as Gurney Halleck in Dune (1984). One of the few highlights in that film was his character’s unexpected reunion with Paul Atreides in the battlefields of Arrakis. The moment when the two men hugged each other in the chaotic battlefield was quite heartfelt and emotional as it genuinely conveyed the deep friendship they shared. Stewart also appeared in the sci-fi/horror film Lifeforce.

The Next Generation Begins

When Star Trek: The Next Generation went into pre-production in 1986, there was an exhaustive search to find the right actor to play the Enterprise’s captain. During this period, executive producer Robert Justman saw Stewart giving a lecture about Shakespeare in UCLA and knew instantly that he would be perfect to play Jean-Luc Picard, though he was considered for the role of Data.

Stewart’s casting as Picard was not an easy road, as Star Trek creator and showrunner of TNG Gene Roddenberry did not favor Stewart. Roddenberry felt that Stewart, as a bald, middle-aged Shakespearean actor, did not fit the role of a virile starship captain and preferred Patrick Bauchau and Stephen Macht instead. It should be noted that other prominent actors like Yaphet Kotto and Edward James Olmos were considered. Thankfully, Justman persevered and finally convinced Roddenberry and other TNG executives that Stewart was the best actor for the role due to his auditions.

The rest as they say is history. When Star Trek: The Next Generation made its debut in syndicated television in the fall of 1987, many were skeptical that a Star Trek series without the original cast would work. Unfortunately, due to the tepid first season, those doubts were justified, but one thing that stood out in the early TNG episodes was Stewart’s performance. His Picard had a commanding presence with a confident and eloquent manner that quickly established that Captain Picard was a natural leader in a way that stood apart from Captain Kirk.

After a couple of seasons, TNG found its stride and gained acclaim by fans and critics as it ushered in the Star Trek Renaissance in the 1990s. Over time, thanks to Stewart and others, TNG became well regarded in many instances lauded as the best Star Trek TV series. Being that Picard and the other characters were quite different from the original Star Trek characters, the world and scope of Star Trek was able to grow into a rich and diverse universe with new characters that fans eventually embraced. During his tenure on TNG Stewart turned in some brilliant performances, notably in “The Measure of a Man”, “Family”, “Tapestry”, “Chain of Command”, “Darmok” “All Good Things…”, and “The Inner Light”. He also directed several episodes of the TV series.

picard takes charge

When the series ended after seven seasons, Stewart and the other TNG cast made their transition to films in 1994 with Star Trek Generations, which gave us the unforgettable moment with Captain Picard met the other legendary Star Trek Legend, Captain Kirk. The natural chemistry the two actors shared with each other was the best part of the flawed film and was delight for fans of the two series to watch. The TNG films ranged in quality but one constant about them was Stewart’s performances. Arguably his best TNG film performance was in Star Trek: First Contact where he emulated Captain Ahab (a role he later played in a television production of Moby Dick) in his obsessive drive to defeat the Borg.

When the TNG film series ended in 2002 with Star Trek: Nemesis, Stewart took a break from Star Trek and excelled in other roles such as Charles Xavier in the X-Men film franchise, although he reprised his role in the video game Star Trek: Legacy and lent his voice to the Star Trek: The Experience theme park attraction Klingon Encounter. However, he returned to the role that made him famous in Star Trek: Picard for three seasons from 2020 to 2023. The TV show had a mixed reception, but its third and final season was well beloved as it finally reunited the core TNG cast, as well as featuring other great Trek characters and plot lines. Given that he is no longer with us, it is quite fortunate that we were able to get a reunion of the TNG characters for one last trimuphant hurrah.

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Oct 30 2026

Two Star Trek Legends Lost: Walter Koenig & Patrick Stewart

“What we leave behind is not as important as how we lived.” Captain Jean-Luc Picard, Star Trek Generations

It has been a truly devastating week for Star Trek fans witht the sad news that Star Trek legends, Patrick Stewart and Walter Koenig passed away.

The Star Trek world and fans were shocked by the news on October 27, 2026 that Koenig died at the age of 90 on October 25 because he was one of the last remaining OG Star Trek actors, which just leaves William Shatner and George Takei as still being with us. But everyone was emotionally shattered with yesterday’s announcement from Stewart’s family that he passed away on October 28, 2026 after a brief battle with Alzheimer’s Disease and Lewy body dementia.

Both men contributed heavily to Star Trek and the sci-fi genre thanks to their iconic performances. In Stat Trek, Koenig portrayed the young Starfleet ensign Pavel Chekov who was the Enterprise’s navigator, and quickly gained a fan following with his Beatles wig (in an attempt by the show’s producer to lure in young viewers to the show). Meanwhile, Stewart elevated the world of Star Trek with his majestic performance as Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation, which redefined what Star Trek was capable of.

One thing to keep inn mind is that although both actors were very influential on the Star Trek franchise, they made significant contributions to other popular sci-fi properties, as well. Koenig’s best known non-Trek role was as the authoritative psi-cop, Alfred Bester, in Babylon 5. As most Marvel Comics fans know, Stewart appeared as Charles Xavier/Professor X in the X-Men films, with him reprising the role for the final time in the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday.

The two Star Trek actors deserve the accolades they received as their work each distinctly left an impact with popular culture. There will be a post following this one that more closely examines Stewart and his impressive body of work. For now, let’s look at Walter Koenig and his work.

Walter Koenig came to the attention of Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry when he guest starred in Roddenberry’s previous show before Star Trek, The Lieutenant. He joined Star Trek in its second season as the eager Russian Ensign Chekov which demonstrated how Earth’s cultures and nations became unified in the future. Being that Roddenberry wanted a young actor, he was partly chosen because of his resemblance to then-popular pop star Davy Jones of the Monkees. Right at the start, Chekov stood out from the many nameless extras who adorned the Enterprise bridge thanks to his thick Russian accent and comical banter with the crew, often attributing every Earth cultural development to Russia. Chekov became a fan favorite and a prominent member of the cast as he formed an easy comradery with his crewmate Lt. Sulu (played by Takei) and often joined Capt. Kirk and Mr. Spock in their adventures.

After Star Trek ended, Koenig wrote several scripts for several TV shows, including Star Trek: The Animated Series, Land of the Lost, The Powers of Matthew Star, and more. Oddly enough, even though he wrote an episode for the Star Trek animated TV show, his character did not appear in it due to budgetary reasons. He also penned a few novels including Chekov’s Enterprise, a behind-the-scenes look at his time filming Star Trek: The Motion Picture.

Naturally, Koenig returned to the role of Chekov for the first few Star Trek films, which reunited the cast of the original TV show. By this time, his character was a commander and his most prominent role as Chekov was in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, though his comical appearance in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home was also outstanding. His last film appearance as Pavel Chekov was in Star Trek Generations which introduced the cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation to the big screens. Koenig also appeared as Chekov in several Star Trek video games and Star Trek fan-made productions, with his best appearance being in Star Trek: The New Voyages episode “To Serve All My Days” and Star Trek: Of Gods and Men. He last made an appearance as a Chekov in the third season of Star Trek: Picard. This time as United Federation of Planets President Anton Chekov, the son of Pavel Chekov. Even though it was a brief voiceover work (warning people not to approach the Earth as it was under a Borg invasion), Koenig was able to stand out and delight fans.

Koenig appeared in several genre-related TV shows and films. He guest starred in the Canadian sci-fi series The Starlost, The Questor Tapes, and Babylon 5. He also had a main role in the sci-fi films Moontrap and Diminuendo; his last film appearance was in the 2024 film Raging Midlife.

Walter Koenig’s most prominent non-Star Trek role was as Alfred Bester because it was completely different than the amiable Chekov. Bester was a coldly villainous telepathic Earth agent who ruthlessly pursued other telepaths and often clashed with the main characters.

Even though Koenig was typecast due to his Trek role, he was able to stay engaged in Hollywood and turned to writing, directing and teaching throughout his life. He was also actively engaged with Star Trek fans and made numerous appearances at conventions and other venues, and he also engaged in humanitarian work in Burma. He died of natural causes in his home.

With Koenig and Stewart passing away, we are reminded of how legendary figures are only here for a finite amount of time and should be treasured. Even though we are saddened by their deaths, we should celebrate their lives and contributions to modern culture and the live-action sci-fi drama. Koenig and Stewart left their mark and their work will always continue to delight and inspire many fans long after they are gone. It is a legacy to be proud of as the two men take their place among the stars, which feel a little dimmer today without them being here with us.

José Soto

Oct 23 2026

George A. Romero’s Revolutionary Zombie Apocalypse

George A. Romero is rightly regarded as the godfather of the zombie genre, seeing as he ushered in a new era of zombie horror with his classic Night of the Living Dead in 1968. The franchise it spawned will see its conclusion next year with the release of Twilight of the Dead, starring Kate Beckinsale and directed by the Paz brothers. This group of films that he created both horrified and fascinated audiences with their graphic depiction of society falling apart as reanimated corpses ravaged the world and sent surviving humans scurrying for safety wherever they could find it. His first film, Night of the Living Dead, is the quintessential zombie film that basically every other movie of its type has copied ever since.

It starts with a woman, Barbara, and her brother visiting their father’s grave before they are attacked by a seemingly crazed man who chases the women to an empty farm house, where she and others including the main hero, Ben, barricade themselves against the onslaught of other creeping ghouls who attempt to break into the house. The eventual and seemingly inevitable triumph of the zombies against the humans is highlighted by the films shocking conclusion when a still living Ben is shot by hunters who think he is one of the living dead.

This first film wasn’t the first one to show zombies as there were others from decades past such as I Walked With a Zombie. But those creatures were basically reanimated by some crazed shaman or sorcerer to do his bidding and were more like stumbling corpses rather than dangerous predators. Romero changed all of that with the introduction of zombies that devoured the flesh of living humans. This is seen in the gory conclusion of Night of the Living Dead, when the shambling ghouls are seen eating the remnants of certain characters who tried to escape in a truck but meet with an explosive end. The stark images of violence and death stunned audiences in the late 60s, while the film also explored the issues of racial tensions and violence in society, This was best seen with Ben’s disturbing death because he was a Black man who was killed by a mob of white vigilantes . Also disturbing was the scene near the end when a mother, Helen, was killed by her recently deceased daughter, a young girl who was reanimated as a deadly ghoul. Such themes were.something that Romero would explore in his later zombie films.

This would continue in his next film, regarded as one of the greatest, if not best zombie movie of all time, Dawn of the Dead in 1978. The movie shows the zombie epidemic spreading to the rest of the world and follows four human survivors, (two SWAT agents, a traffic reporter and his girlfriend) who escape a Philadelphia descending into chaos and flee via helicopter and find safety in an abandoned outdoor shopping mall. They clear it of the undead and at first, see it as a refuge with all of the luxuries they could ever want, but they soon realize their luck will eventually run out as zombies converge on the mall and a roving band of humans threatens their safe haven. Romero continued his social commentary, this time on the risks of consumerism and apathy that would eventually prove to be our protagonists downfall. Again, the horror of the situation is expertly shown with groundbreaking special effects and gory scenes of carnage as the human population falls to the living dead outbreak.

His third film, Day of the Dead in 1985 would showcase a world that has fallen completely to the zombies, while a small group of scientists and soldiers are holed up in an underground military complex, desperately trying to find a cure for whatever caused the dead to rise. It introduced the idea of the zombies becoming more intelligent where one particular zombie named Bub was being trained to not want to attack humans by the resident mad scientist. This along with the despair of not finding other survivors would cause tensions between the two groups that ultimately dooms their fate. This holds a mirror to real-life conflict between similar segments in society that again shows Romero’s skill in showing audiences what he sees in the world today, while at the same time telling a scary zombie tale that terrifies us.

The last film in this timeline would be Land of the Dead in 2005. It presents a post-apocalyptic society that lives in walled off cities, where the rich elite attempt to ignore the issue of the living dead outside the walls, while a larger underclass try to somehow survive on the outskirts of this city. It would also demonstrate a continuation of the idea of the evolution of the zombies, who were becoming more intelligent, with one in particular, named Big Daddy, leading the ghouls to a sort of uprising against the city dwellers, further demonstrating Romero’s ideas about the problems that lead to the breakdown of the fabric of societies, with the haves increasing their stranglehold on the essentials of life, while the have nots are left to rot.

There was a remake of Night of the Living Dead that came out in 1990 and was written by George Romero. This time the film was directed by Tom Savini, the makeup effects artist who worked with Romero on Dawn of the Dead and Day of the Dead. The remake had a mixed reception when it was first released but has since developed a cult following.

Romero would make two more zombie films, both set in a new continuity, starting with Diary of the Dead in 2008 which takes place at the start of the zombie epidemic and is told via the viewpoint of a student filmmaker and his handheld camera and his companions. It’s an interesting take on the genre and was a worthy film in the franchise. The followup to Diary was Romero’s final film, Survival of the Dead in 2009, which follows two national guardsmen who also appeared in Diary. They travel to an island where two feuding families are in conflict while dealing with a population of zombies that threaten to overrun the place. This film has some interesting concepts but I think is the least of his movies that doesn’t have the same sense of dread that permeates his other films.

Before his death in 2017, Romero wanted to return to his original timeline of films that started with Night of the Living Dead, and make one last film that would conclude the story of the zombie apocalypse, He wrote a treatment that his widow would later use with other filmmakers to create his last chapter, Twilight of the Dead. After numerous stops and starts, the film was finally made and filming has been finished as of October 2026 for a release next year. The story description states that the film is set on a tropical island where the last of humanity are caught between factions of the undead.  Hopefully this new film will capture the essence of what make George Romero’s movies so memorable, the palpable sense of doom that you could feel from the start to the end, and the smart characters and situations that made these movies more than just another monster film. These movies started a whole new horror sub-genre that has continued in the ensuing decades, most notably with AMC’s The Walking Dead, as well as a slew of other remakes and films that all exist thanks to George Romero and his vivid and scary imagination.

C.S. Link

Oct 7 2026

The Batman, Part II Dilemma

Well Batfans we will have to wait longer for The Batman, Part II. As most Batfans know by now, filming for The Batman, Part II has come to a screeching halt because its director Matt Reeves had to leave production due to a family matter. As troubling and concerning this news is on a personal note for the director, it is admittedly frustrating for those who have being impatient for a sequel to The Batman.

Ever since February 2022, people who loved The Batman have been clamoring for a sequel, which was announced in April of that year, but it has been hit by delay after delay. The delays began when it was moved from October 2025 to October 2026 (this month) to October 2027 and finally to February 2028. There have been many reasons for the delays.

Let’s start with the crippling strikes from writers and actors that delayed nearly all film and TV productions in the early 2020s. Then there is the fact that Matt Reeves is a meticulous writer who wanted his script for the sequel to be just right. This is to be commended and a testament to his talent that Warner Bros. and DC Studios let him take his time with the script. After all, it took Reeves five years to complete his script for The Batman and his efforts paid off as his film was highly acclaimed and rivaled Christopher Nolan’s Batman films in terms of quality. The film also resonated with fans for its gritty and grounded take on the Caped Crusader in his younger years.

One odd thing with Reeves’ Batman films is that they are competing with DC Studios’ still-unfilmed version of Batman. As of now, there aren’t any concrete plans for a production start of The Brave and the Bold, an exploration of Batman’s relationship with his partner/son Damien Wayne/Robin. To not cannibalize each other, both films could not be released around the same time, and DC Studios head, James Gunn, supported Reeves with his film and seemed willing to pause work on the DC Universe (DCU) version of Batman until Reeves was finished.

Filming was underway for The Batman, Part II (it began in June of this year), and was about two-thirds done when the director had to leave the production. So, what now?

Essentially, we wait. Yes, this is frustrating to many but let’s be real here, personal and family matters are infinitely more important than some film. Reeves should be commended for putting his personal matters first and he should take all the time he needs to attend to his situation and we all wish him well. Anyone else who disagrees just because they can’t get their film any sooner just needs to grow up. We all went through delays during the pandemic and the strikes and it all worked out in the end. So, this isn’t any different.

Of course, Warner Bros. may choose not to wait if Reeves does not come back to the director’s chair and the studio will have to decide how to proceed.

Currently, the film is still scheduled to be released in February 2028 so perhaps Warner Bros. expects Reeves to return to work fairly soon. Then again, Reeves may have to be out a lot longer than expected. The studio could cancel the film, but that would be unwise given the popularity of Batman, and the resources sunk into the film already. We are past the age of disregarding genuinely good films like Coyote vs. Acme for tax write offs. Another director could step in and complete the filming but that idea will give many PTSD over how Justice League turned out. That was where its director Zack Snyder had to leave the film to deal with a family tragedy and was replaced by Joss Whedon, who then turned in a film that was reviled. There are already rampant internet rumors about possible replacements ranging from James Gunn to Andy Muschietti (the slated director for The Brave and the Bold). But it is premature to go there and if that were to happen it would be best to pick a director whose vision and directorial style is similar to Reeves. Possible candidates range from David Fincher, Darren Aronofsky, Gareth Edwards, Guillermo Del Toro or Michael Mann. Good luck trying to get them to agree to undertake such a task.

One thing to consider is that people want a Batman film as soon as possible, and delaying the film any further will dampen interest in it, or increase demand. Just look at what happened with Spider-Man this summer. For all we know, Warner Bros. and Gunn may be planning to fold Reeves’ version of Batman into the DCU or fast track production of The Brave and the Bold to put out some kind of DC film content in 2028.

At this point, it is too early to speculate on how this situation will turn out. But we just have to be patient and wish Reeves well, because no matter what, The Batman, Part II will come out, and it will be worth the wait.

Sep 27 2026

Too Much Kirk & Gimmicks Marred The Fourth Season Of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds started off strong when it began streaming years ago and had a competent second season that continued with its episodic nature that reminded many Trek fans of the old days of Star Trek shows that didn’t bother with complicated season-long storylines. However, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds began to falter in its third season with lackluster episodes and it was hoped that with its just-concluded fourth season that the show would course correct itself. Unfortunately that was not to be. The fourth season is a lot better than the third one, but two glaring issues have marred the season for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds–an overreliance on gimmick stories and too many appearances by James T. Kirk.

This is regrettable because the fourth season has many merits such as the acting, the production values (Star Trek has never looked better on the TV screens), and some episodes were true standouts. In fact, its premiere episode “Valles Marineris” was not only the best episode of the season but one of the best Star Trek episodes ever with a time travel yarn that reveals how pivotal the Enterprise and its crew were to our history. So imagine how disappointing it is to then be inundated with a bunch of gimmick episodes like the one where the Enterprise crew, except Spock, are turned into puppets (“Level-Five Transporter Incident”) or the crew end up in a reality that resembles a soap opera (“Like Chronitons Through the Hourglass”). Even the better received episodes can be seen as gimmick episodes. For example, “Valles Marineris” is seen as a knock-off of Jurassic Park, while “Orders of Magnitude” was a thinly veiled remake of Crimson Tide. But those are just surface-level similarities. Also keep in mind that the series will end with a short fifth season of just six episodes. It just makes one wonder why are the producers and scriptwriters wasting time with these gimmick episodes?

Defenders of these gimmick episodes will point out that Star Trek has done such episodes before, even in the original series (TOS) had them like “A Piece of the Action” or “Patterns of Force”, but the difference is that TOS and other older Star Trek TV shows had longer episode runs in their seasons, and their gimmick episodes were spread out and didn’t overtake the regular, more serious episodes. Nowadays, Star Trek TV shows only have about ten-episode runs per season. That is not a lot of episodes and given the precious few episodes and long waits between seasons, the producers should only allow one to two gimmick or comedic episodes per season. In the fourth season, instead of exploring new planets or meeting new alien races, the Enterprise crew were turned into puppets or ran around intoxicated in a pleasure planet (“Human Best Friend”) which ended being a pedestrian attempt at comedy, or acted out fantasy roles without even bothering to scientifically explain the presence of magic (“Once La’An A Time”). What made these gimmicks so frustrating was that there were attempts to tell compelling character studies. For instance, the puppet episode supposedly explains why Spock became more logical by the time TOS came along, while the soap opera episode revealed that Captain Pike is undergoing severe grief and has to confront it. The problem is that these interesting sub plots are shoehorned into the main story and were not fully developed.

Speaking of Captain Pike, the premise of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds was to showcase his time as the captain of the Enterprise, as well as the crew during that time period. At the end of the first season James T. Kirk was introduced in the episode “A Quality of Mercy” in an alternate reality and played by Paul Wesley, and he has appeared in subsequent seasons, but by the fourth season, he has supplanted Pike as the main character. Strange New Worlds is supposed to focus on Pike and his crew as an ensemble piece like most Star Trek shows, but it seems like in every other episode of the fourth season, some reason is concocted to have Kirk on the Enterprise. Sometimes the appearances were organic other times they did not make sense. For instance, in one episode Kirk goes to the ship to get a medical exam. Really? His own ship doesn’t have medical facilities? Or in one episode, he just happens to be on the same pleasure planet that the Enterprise crew visit. That’s too convenient. All in all, Kirk appeared in five episodes this season, which is half of the season. That is way too many episodes to devote to him and what is worst is that those appearances were not necessary. Take “Orders of Magnitude” a rogue Starfleet admiral commandeers the Enterprise and assigned Kirk to be the first officer who is forced to confront the admiral when the superior officer orders the crew to decimate a planet’s population. Why did this have to be Kirk? Pike could have easily filled in this role and could have fed into a narrative that he was becoming disillusioned with his career or the incident could have been why he was promoted later on.

What makes the many appearances of James Kirk so problematic has to do with the casting of Wesley. Sadly, he is not William Shatner. True, trying to fill in the shoes of the original actor to play the iconic Kirk is very difficult, but Shatner’s Kirk had a sense of bravado and charm that is not evident with Wesley’s version of Kirk. Sure, at this point in time, Wesley’s Kirk has not grown into the role yet and there have been instances where he showed hints of becoming Shatner’s Kirk, but he just lacks the sense of authority and charisma that the original Kirk had. On the other hand, Wesley’s portrayal of Kirk is more faithful and authentic than Chris Pine’s in the rebooted Star Trek films; at least he does not come off as a spoiled frat boy which is how Pine’s Kirk seems. Still, he appeared too many times and took away any desire to see more of him in the failed series proposal of Star Trek: Year One. Perhaps it is for the best. Given the way continuity has been shredded with the recent Star Treks, one can only imagine how a series set around the time of TOS would be received. The best we will get were the glimpses of Kirk’s command in the season finale “Tomorrow’s Enterprise”, an episode that could have been a great time travel episode but was undone by poor writing. At least in this instance Kirk’s appearance makes sense and Wesley’s performance is not why the episode failed.

The core issue with the fourth season of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is not just the abundance of gimmick episodes and James T. Kirk. It is with the scripts. The overreliance on gimmick scripts is a symptom of lackluster writing. It seems as if the writers grew bored with the basic premise of Star Trek and decided to write in so-called tributes to other genres. This is unforgiveable given that the show is coming to a conclusion and tepid efforts were made to wrap up character arcs, and the fact there are precious few episodes left. One should be hopeful that in the fifth and final season the writers would step up and give us some truly memorable Trek episodes and go out on a high. But that is doubtful.