Best Joseph Schuster Podcasts (2025)

1
The DS9 Season 2 RIP! 1:47:40

4d ago1:47:40

1:47:40

Your hosts have finally reached the end of DS9's excellent second season, and we have so much to talk about! Will Peter recognize the judgement of the cha'DIch? What were the best episodes of the season? What were the worst? All that and so much more!

1
Galaxy Class Level Problems (DS9 S2 : E26 "The Jem'Hadar") 1:18:46

11d ago1:18:46

1:18:46

A wacky camping adventure turns into a series defining nightmare as we review the close of DS9's second season with "The Jem'Hadar"! The goofy odd couple antics of Sisko and Quark is interrupted when the Actual Plot rolls in. The Gamma Quad Murder Hobos make quite a statement to draw the USS Odyssey, and then things definitely get much worse.…

1
Kafkaesque Nightmare Fuel (DS9 S2 : E25 "Tribunal") 1:05:46

18d ago1:05:46

1:05:46

Chief O'Brien has a little more suffering to do before we wrap Season 2 as we review "Tribunal"! When Miles and Keiko go on vacation and try to fool around in the company car, buzzkill Gul Evek shows up and reroutes the vacation into the worlds most nightmarish legal drama. Can Odo use his Saul Gackman powers to buy the Starfleet gang the time they…

1
More Like Kai Winning (DS9 S2 : E24 "The Collaborator") 57:18

25d ago57:18

57:18

Seal the doors and prep the white smoke because the Conclave is here as we review "The Collaborator"! Bajor's shadiest cleric wants to steal the Space Pope Hat away for herself, but can Cardinal McDreamy pull himself away from Kira and the Orb of Sexytime long enough to stop her?

1
Nolan L. Cabrera and Robert S. Chang, "Banned: The Fight for Mexican American Studies in the Streets and in the Courts" (Cambridge UP, 2025) 34:36

26d ago34:36

34:36

In Banned: The Fight for Mexican American Studies in the Streets and in the Courts (Cambridge UP, 2025), readers are taken on a journey through the intense racial politics surrounding the banning of Mexican American Studies in Tucson, Arizona. This book details the state-sponsored racism that led to the elimination of this highly successful program…

1
Through the Leather Pants (DS9 S2 : E23 "Crossover") 1:13:57

1M ago1:13:57

1:13:57

It turns out Peter saw the future pretty clearly when he guessed how the Mirror Universe would go when we review "Crossover"! We step into Eeeeevil DS9 as Mirror Kira vamps it up, Garak is a subtly free goon, and Mirror Odo is packed full of explodium! Strap in folks it's a wild ride!

1
Especially the Lies (DS9 S2 : E22 "The Wire") 1:00:28

1M ago1:00:28

1:00:28

Our favorite tailor that talks in italics gives us his bloody/tragic backstories as we tackle "The Wire". We get two scoops of great acting as Bashir attempts to save his enigmatic friend from the drug addiction of Happy Brain Juice. Garak is unsure he wants to be saved, but one thing is for sure - we want more Enabran Tain.…

1
The Gul Dukat Evil Smile (DS9 S2 : E21 "The Maquis Pt 2) 1:15:24

2M ago1:15:24

1:15:24

Nothing quite like the local highly charismatic genocidal bad guy to be your zany road trip partner as we review "The Maquis Pt 2". While Cal Hudson still sucks, everything else about this episode is rad. We got fights against Space Toyota Technicals, plenty of sinister dialogue, and we even get to see Quark win an argument with The World's Hottest…

1
Engage and Evade in 2025: Asad L. Asad on Latino Immigrants in America 51:48

2M ago51:48

51:48

Today I’m speaking with Asad L. Asad, Assistant Professor of Sociology at Stanford University. He is the author of Engage and Evade: How Latino Immigrant Families Manage Surveillance in Everyday Life (Princeton UP, 2023). A highly relevant book, Engage and Evade documents the interactions between undocumented people and the agents and institutions …

1
Terror in the Age of Plenty (DS9 S2 : E20 "The Maquis, Pt1." 1:19:41

2M ago1:19:41

1:19:41

At last, your faithful podcaster reach the origin point for the most underbaked, poorly explained antagonistic force in all of Berman-era Trek as we review "The Maquis, Pt1"! When a bad actor shows up to play Sisko's totally-not-a-terrorist best friend, we get a fantastic buddy cop road trip with Dukat, some seriously dickish Cardassians, and your …

1
No Quadrant for Old Klingons (DS9 S2 : E19 "Blood Oath") 59:46

2M ago59:46

59:46

It's quite a day on the station when all of Dax's drinking-and-violence buddies show up in "Blood Oath"! All of Kirk's all adversaries are here to go kill the Worst Guy Ever, Jadzia has some very awkward conversations with the local terrorist to get a feel for how murder wears on you. You know this one is good, so watch it and listen after!…

1
Tiffany D. Joseph, "Not All In: Race, Immigration, and Health Care Exclusion in the Age of Obamacare" (Johns Hopkins UP, 2025) 1:09:04

2M ago1:09:04

1:09:04

Despite progressive policy strides in health care reform, immigrant communities continue to experience stark disparities across the United States. In Not All In: Race, Immigration, and Health Care Exclusion in the Age of Obamacare (Johns Hopkins UP, 2025), Tiffany D. Joseph exposes the insidious contradiction of Massachusetts' advanced health care …

1
Garak vs. Gul Disposable (DS9 S2 : E 18 "Profit and Loss") 59:53

2M ago59:53

59:53

We are somehow on yet another episode about Quark getting laid as we review "Profit and Loss"! Garak and our favorite bartender are two great tastes that taste great together as we have an episode of romance, intrigue, and an complete lack of coherent storytelling in the final act...but hey, who cares when the rest is this good!…

1
Intergalactic Bad Girl (DS9 S2 : E17 "Playing God") 1:03:50

2M ago1:03:50

1:03:50

The third time is a charm on the Dax backstory episode as we review the shockingly good "Playing God". When some guy with limited personality shows up to learn the secrets of having a slug in the gut, we get some wacky science nonsense, O'Brien and Kira trying to indulge their murder lust, and just enough time to talk over Bajor having some suspect…

1
Delete the Village (DS9 S2 : E16 "Shadowplay") 1:04:54

3M ago1:04:54

1:04:54

Sometimes it's a boring day in the Trek office as we review "Shadowplay"! Nothing but a lot of old man actors not pronouncing words right in the A plot, but hey - at least we find out Quark isn't above nefariously getting Kira laid so as to commit crimes!

1
Lina-Maria Murillo, "Fighting for Control: Power, Reproductive Care, and Race in the US-Mexico Borderlands" (UNC Press, 2025) 1:11:27

3M ago1:11:27

1:11:27

The first birth control clinic in El Paso, Texas, opened in 1937. Since then, Mexican-origin women living in the border cities of El Paso and Ciudad Juárez have confronted various interest groups determined to control their reproductive lives, including a heavily funded international population control campaign led by Planned Parenthood Federation …

1
Ben in the Hotbox (DS9 S2 : E15 "Paradise") 1:10:38

3M ago1:10:38

1:10:38

Somehow, Commander Sisko winds up in an accidental episode of Roots as we watch "Paradise"! In between all the torture and forced field labor, can Ben and Miles find a way to deprogram a cult? Meanwhile, we find out Dax is very casual about runabout safety standards.

1
The Robber Barons 17:01

3M ago17:01

17:01

It has long been said that the industrialists of the past were referred to as "robber barons" due to the vast wealth accumulated by their factories across multiple industries. This wealth allowed them to exert significant influence and shape the world as they pleased. Now, in the present, the robber barons are at it again. Tech giants and new indus…

1
Coworker Conspiracy Simulator (DS9 S2 : E14 "Whispers") 1:13:20

3M ago1:13:20

1:13:20

We get a double dose of Irish Suffering as we review "Whispers"! Miles is doing some dramatic monologues as he tries to unravel a conspiracy, but can anything really compare to Keiko hitting the runner-runner on Sisko having to tell her bad news about her husband?

1
Ilan Stavans, "Latino USA: A Cartoon History" (Basic Books, 2024) 1:34:14

3M ago1:34:14

1:34:14

This interview includes Jeffrey Herlihy-Mera, Professor of Humanities, Universidad de Puerto Rico-Mayagüez (UPR-M); Annette Martínez-Iñesta, Instructor of Italian, UPR-M; and Baruch Vergara, Artist and Professor of Plastic Arts, UPR-M. This episode has been sponsored by the Mellon Foundation, the Department of Humanities at the UPR-M, and the Insti…

1
Christmas Elves of Chemical Warfare (DS9 S2: E13 "Armageddon Game") 56:48

3M ago56:48

56:48

We get a bit too much TNG in our DS9 as we tackle the very odd "Armageddon Game". When Miles and Julian go on an under explained work trip, some local Christmas Elves decide to murder everyone. Why is this happening? Who knows, but at least we know Julian loves feet.

1
Lori A. Flores, "Awaiting Their Feast: Latinx Food Workers and Activism from World War II to Covid-19" (UNC Press, 2025) 1:19:45

3M ago1:19:45

1:19:45

Though Latinx foodways are eagerly embraced and consumed by people across the United States, the nation exhibits a much more fraught relationship with Latinx people, including the largely underpaid and migrant workers who harvest, process, cook, and sell this desirable food. In Awaiting Their Feast: Latinx Food Workers and Activism from World War I…

1
Father Knows Best (DS9 S2 : E12 "The Alternate") 57:59

4M ago57:59

57:59

Despite all his rage, Odo is just some goo in a cage as we review "The Alternate. When Odo's step-dad pops in to annoy his son, a monster hunt ensues, O'Brien gets sent into Viet Cong tunnels, and this ensemble show casually demonstrates its power.

1
Martín Alberto Gonzalez, "Why You Always So Political?: The Experiences and Resiliencies of Mexican/Mexican American/Xicanx Students in Higher Education" (Viva Oxnard, 2023) 1:18:03

4M ago1:18:03

1:18:03

As of 2018, only about one in ten Mexican/Mexican American/Xicanx (MMAX) students graduate with a college degree. Drawing on in-depth interviews, participant observations, pláticas, document analyses, and literature on race, space, and racism in higher education, Why you always so political?: The Experiences and Resiliencies of Mexican/Mexican Amer…

1
Quark's Discount Wario (DS9 S2 :E11 "Rivals") 58:13

4M ago58:13

58:13

Our heroes have to wade through some real underbaked nonsense as we try to make some sense of "Rivals"! When a local space con man finds a handy device that breaks laws of probability, wacky events ensue! Seriously, the best part of this involves Julian and Miles playing racquetball.

1
Interview with Feral Historian 59:16

4M ago59:16

59:16

We have a true V'Ger Please special as we interview Matt, the mind behind the YouTube channel 'Feral Historian'! We dig deep on our Star Trek takes, his approach to making such layered video essays, and if there was any way to have ever made Enterprise watchable. PLEASE subscribe to Matt's channel! https://www.youtube.com/@feralhistorian…

1
Refugees from Good Skin Care (DS9 S2 : E10 "Sanctuary") 50:19

4M ago50:19

50:19

Nothing quite like like a good dose of Voyager style goo hair and untreated skin rashes to make a bad episode worse as we review "Sanctuary". Get ready to hear a very obvious message over and over for the world's least sympathetic victims of the week. Even Kira and Quark can't save this one.

1
Delete the Husband (DS9 S2 : E9 "Second Sight") 1:07:25

4M ago1:07:25

1:07:25

The most eligible widower on the Space Flying J meets the most fetching space elf of all time as we review "Second Sight". When the world's most charming douchebag shows up to Genesis device a star, Sisko falls in love with his wife. Kind of? Really just watch this one for the Ben/Jake scenes.

1
Deep Space Noir (DS9 S2 : E8 "Necessary Evil") 1:11:44

5M ago1:11:44

1:11:44

It's a dark and stormy night on Azeroth (literally) as we review "Necessary Evil". Odo puts on his sharp suit and fedora as he works to crack the case of an old murder. We got femme fatales, kablamo guns, conspiracies, Dukat, stabbed security guards, dramatic narrations...what else could you want?

1
Andrew Gomez, "Constructing Cuban America: Race and Identity in Florida's Caribbean South, 1868–1945" (U Texas Press, 2024) 46:17

5M ago46:17

46:17

How Black and white Cubans navigated issues of race, politics, and identity during the post-Civil War and early Jim Crow eras in South Florida. On July 4, 1876, during the centennial celebration of US independence, the city of Key West was different from other cities. In some of post–Civil War Florida, Black residents were hindered from participati…

1
The Rules of Love Stories (DS9 S2 : E7 "Rules of Acquisition") 1:13:07

5M ago1:13:07

1:13:07

Nothing like a story of tragic romance featuring a character named Pel to excite your hosts as they review "Rules of Acquisition"! When Zek shows up to bribe Kira and send Quark on a wine buying mission, we Twelfth Night the heck out of the Gamma Quad. Can Dax help Quark find love?

1
The Shooter Was Known To Authorities (DS9 S2 : E6 "Melora") 1:02:28

5M ago1:02:28

1:02:28

Nothing like a mid-season script hackjob to bring your hosts down as we review the difficult "Melora". A deeply irritating woman comes to DS9, Julian is attracted to her for no particular reason, we get clumsy disability allegory, but at least Odo gets to watch Quark suffer!

1
Mike Madrid, "The Latino Century: How America's Largest Minority Is Transforming Democracy" (Simon and Schuster, 2024) 1:07:56

5M ago1:07:56

1:07:56

In 2020, Latinos became the second largest ethnic voting group in the country. They make up the largest plurality of residents in the most populous states in the union, as well as the fastest segment of the most important swing states in the US Electoral College. Fitting neither the stereotype of the aggrieved minority voter nor the traditional ass…

1
Adventures with Starfleet CPS (DS9 S2 : E5 "Cardassians") 1:03:16

5M ago1:03:16

1:03:16

When a humble tailor can't keep his hands to himself, we are gifted the opportunity to review "Cardassians"! After Garak gets bit, the galaxy's most complex custody battle takes place. O'Brian gets to be extremely racist, Dukat gets to chew scenery, and Bashir might want to think about locking his door.…

1
Ops of Rage (DS9 S2 : E4 "Invasive Procedures" 1:11:53

6M ago1:11:53

1:11:53

Our man Death Row Sisko starts throwing ALL the hands as we enjoy "Invasive Procedures". When nebbish John Glover Trill shows up to claim the Dax symbiote, the most wild throwdown ever seen in Trek pops off. Did Tim Russ get hit so hard it made Tuvok bad at security? You decide!

1
Oliver Rosales, "Civil Rights in Bakersfield: Segregation and Multiracial Activism in the Central Valley" (U Texas Press, 2024) 1:10:45

6M ago1:10:45

1:10:45

In Civil Rights in Bakersfield: Segregation and Multiracial Activism in the Central Valley (University of Texas Press, 2024), Oliver Rosales uncovers the role of the multiracial west in shaping the course of US civil rights history. Focusing on Bakersfield, one of the few sizable cities within California’s Central Valley for much of the twentieth c…

1
Space Regime Change (DS9 S2 : E3 "The Siege") 1:01:12

6M ago1:01:12

1:01:12

The air is thick with plot resolutions as we wrap up the Bajoran Coup arc with "The Siege"! While Space Nixon tries to seal the deal, Sisko and company engage in annoying antics, Kira and Dax bond while nearly dying, and we stand in wonder of delightful creative arrogance of it all.

1
Aisha M Beliso-de Jesús, "Excited Delirium: Race, Police Violence, and the Invention of a Disease" (Duke UP, 2024) 56:09

6M ago56:09

56:09

In 1980, Charles Wetli---a Miami-based medical examiner and self-proclaimed “cult expert” of Afro-Caribbean religions---identified what he called “excited delirium syndrome.” Soon, medical examiners began using the syndrome regularly to describe the deaths of Black men and women during interactions with police. Police and medical examiners claimed …

1
Death Row Sisko (DS9 S2 : E2 "The Circle") 1:01:13

6M ago1:01:13

1:01:13

The Space Nixon action is only heating up as we review "The Circle". We are only two episodes in and it's like we are reading a book with this level of plot density. Bajoran coups! Single shot comedy scenes! Very sexy orbs! Jump in for a wild ride.

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Joseph Schuster Podcasts

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