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A couple months ago, I was in my basement, watching my kids as they sat on the couch playing video games together, laughing and smiling and being kids, and actually getting along without fighting — which is, of course, a key aspect of any good memory for a parent when it comes to their kids — and I had one of those moments where I was acutely aware that this is one of those moments. This is what it is all about. It exists now, and I am living it right now.
In just a few years, moments like this one will be gone, forever replaced with different types of moments, and I will look back at this particular fragment in time and remember it fondly but wistfully, with a sense of unmistakable loss. I'm already looking back at it that way right now. And a decade of earlier moments with my kids has already been forever replaced. Some of it, I fear, is being lost in the gradual fading of memory. My wife will sometimes ask me if I remember a specific moment from eight or nine years ago, and, regrettably, I can't. It has been purged from the hard drive of my mind, for whatever reason.
But that's how it works, right? Time marches on, and you can only hope to march along with it, and get what you can get that you want out of your life for yourself and your loved ones. Moments like that, if you identify them precisely and uniquely, may only happen a handful of times. If you're smart, you take a picture or write it down to be sure you don't forget that it happened. How many more times will I happen to be sitting across the room while my kids play video games together and laugh like that? Ten? Five? Two? Who can say?
It's hard to write one of these without (1) repeating myself and (2) sounding like a trite collection of sentimental clichés. I've talked before about the acceleration curve of time over age. I've talked before about the first steps down the path of creating my first website in 1994, which led to the creation of this site in 1995. I've talked before about how fast, in retrospect, a decade seems to go. And now here we are again.
Years ago, I heard the phrase "middle-aged blur" — that time in your life when you are doing your job and going about your business and raising your kids and cycling through the routines of life, and the years just melt away. The phrase stuck with me, and it is most definitely a thing. I can't tell you how many times I've cleaned the kitchen — sometimes multiple times a day. It's like I'm stuck in the time loop from Groundhog Day (or "Cause and Effect," to use a Trek reference). What do all those hours add up to? I don't care to calculate. Not too long ago I became aware of a book called Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals. I have not read the book (maybe I should), but the number in the title itself is chilling. Every Thursday night when I roll the garbage and recycling cans out to the curb, and it feels like I just did this, I think of the number incrementing upward another tick toward that 4,000. I'm rapidly approaching the 2,600 mark already.
I've marveled before at how something that feels fairly recent is somehow already 15 years ago. I had someone scoff at me and say that 15 years is nothing in the scheme of a lifetime. Sorry, I call BS. If I subtract 15 years from my current age, I see myself as a relatively young man with most of my life and milestones ahead of me. If I add 15 years, I see retirement and consignment to the role of senior citizen. And if I do that with the number 30, which I now can look back and say, "Wow, I remember that, and it couldn't possibly have been that long ago" — and then go in the other direction forward, while knowing about the acceleration curve of time over age ... it's frightening.
Apart from one's family time, I believe it to be useful to have some hobbies for yourself. You've got to fill some of that time with things that stave off insanity. For a few years I've been cycling through a few regular ones. I run this website; I redesign it from time to time. I fly my drone; I edit the videos and photos I take on it. I create levels on Super Mario Maker 2 and challenge my kids to beat them; I frequently make them too hard, because I want them to be hard enough for myself. (One day, when I complete the collection, I'll upload a full world of 40 levels, hopefully before Nintendo shuts down the servers.) I've made the kids a winter-themed level every year at Christmas for four years now, dating back to when they still believed (because I led them to believe) their Elf on the Shelf was the one who made it for them.
Lately, I've been getting back into the passive "hobby" of my home theater. This mostly consists of me browsing online for deals on speakers and subwoofers and other AV equipment and then giving up when I realize that replacing what I already have would cost far more than I want to spend after nearly two decades of inflation. I did buy a new AVR a few weeks back, and spent a week of evenings in the basement reconfiguring everything, prompting my wife to note that I had "disappeared."
And, yes, I'm one of those dinosaurs who believes in physical media, and not only will I never give them up, I'm still replacing old DVDs in my collection with 1080p and 4K Blu-ray discs, because so many of those DVDs are unwatchable on account of looking so horrid in the large-screen UHD era. Besides, there's something about owning a disc with superior quality to the streaming experience (and with no ads) that makes a movie feel more like a movie. But that's a topic for a whole other blog post.
It makes me wonder, though, how many more times I'll watch these movies before I die. I have accumulated, according to my spreadsheet (yes, I have a spreadsheet), 471 movies on disc, not to mention a bunch of TV series. (Granted, a not-insignificant number of these are kids' movies and movies my wife bought.) Surely, I will never watch some, possibly most, of them again. Some I may watch at least once a year. But there are finite hours in a day and a lifetime. How much of this collection will never be taken out of their cases again? At one point, way back in the early-to-mid-aughts, I started a project called "Jammer's DVD Collection," which was going to be a short review of every movie or TV title I owned on disc, to be posted on this website. According to the timestamp, I haven't modified it since 2010. I just looked back through the file right now, and, much to my amazement, I had written over 100 mini-reviews. It's a lost project, very likely never to see the light of day. But you never know.
Jammer's Reviews: The future
What about this website, anyway? I announced its founding on Usenet 30 years ago today. Thirty years. I think I can take a moment to note the milestone. That's quite a run. How many things, apart from your family relationships, can you say you've sustained for 30 years? It seems increasingly likely that this website will go down as my most notable public-facing work. (I don't see myself writing a novel in the near future, and my life in journalism, where I was never really a regular writer anyway, is long behind me.)
What does the future of this site look like? Honestly, I'm not 100 percent sure. Certainly, I have no plans to take it down. It's clearly a valuable resource to those who continue to use it, and people are still finding it for the first time. (I know the first thing I do almost every time I watch a movie predating 2013 is to go look up Roger Ebert's review for it, just to re-read his take. If there are people who use my site to do that with Star Trek episodes, I certainly want to continue to provide that resource.) But what about new, ongoing content?
For a while there, we were at peak Star Trek, quantitatively speaking. (Quality is another matter.) 2022 was possibly my busiest year ever, with 70 reviews posted. (Granted, a number of those were not Star Trek.) But the past few years have seen a decline — in user visits, in commenting activity, in advertising and crowdfunding revenue, and just overall. Most of this may be attributable to the bubble bursting on streaming in general, and the end of several of those Trek series from those (relatively brief) boom years. There's less Star Trek, so, naturally, there's less going on here, right?
But the decline, if we're being honest, predated the end of those shows. The activity here probably peaked in the earlier seasons of Discovery and Picard, and sort fell off after those shows disappointed. (Episodes of Lower Decks rarely got more than a few dozen comments.) I'm far less certain about the new-content future of this site than I was even a couple years ago. I was probably initially energized by the flurry of activity, but there seems to be this nagging feeling of diminishing returns given the time spent on it, and the fact that old glories can never truly be recaptured. Picard season three, as much as I enjoyed it, was simply an exercise in trying to remember the good old days now that we are all much older. Blazing a new trail seems difficult, and it's a good question whether Star Trek is the right vehicle for that, particularly under its current leadership.
I'm not sure where exactly I stand on the grind of covering more Star Trek (or, for that matter, Star Wars). Part of that may just be the current hiatus inertia talking. But, after nearly nine months, I feel particularly ill-motivated to go back and review Prodigy's second season, and it seems like that project becomes more in doubt with every passing week. I'd hoped, given its greatness, to go back and rewatch and review Andor before its second season arrived. But looking back just feels increasingly like a time drain that isn't likely to move the needle on the usefulness of this website in its big picture. It certainly doesn't benefit me personally when I should be doing other things, like spending time outdoors.
So, then, what about getting with the decade and reinvigorating this site with a podcast? Well, that's even more unlikely. Video and podcasting (which in many cases are now the same thing) require collaboration between multiple people to be useful and successful, not to mention an entire production infrastructure that I don't have and would have to build. All of it requires far more time and effort than simply writing and posting reviews to add to my existing library.
Strangely, I feel like I am at a crossroads, and this anniversary date hits right at the moment when I'm feeling the most doubt about whether the mission of this site is even a mission worth continuing. After all, as that number ticks closer and closer to 4,000, things in life will happen and this train that has been rolling along for 30 years is likely to be derailed by life's realities and a reassessment of what's truly important.
At the end of the day, is this site important at all? I know it has been important to me, because I've convinced myself that it needs to be. But it's sometimes hard to see the true motivation for the big picture with full clarity when you've been doing something so long that it simply seems unthinkable to stop.
I'm kind of meandering here, and I've probably tapped into some unfinished realizations. I'm sure when the shows come back I'll be ready to jump right back in. Hiatus has a way of making me pretty sure I don't need to ever start back up, and then the season starts, and it's game on. That's how it has always worked. But it doesn't mean it has to work that way forever. Every day, I'll need to figure out how best to fill the next of my (possible, estimated, hoped-for) 1,500 remaining weeks. And one day, maybe it won't include this site. But that day hasn't arrived just yet.
Memory lane:
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65 comments on this post
Jammer
Thirty years ago today, this website went live. Now posted are some thoughts as I reflect upon this project that has spanned three decades of my life.
David
Jammer, I wasn’t around for the first twenty years of this site. Even though I grew up in the TNG/DS9/Voyager Era, Star Trek was a mysterious and magical thing to me. As an adult, reading your reviews allows me to enjoy the magic again - with both honesty and appreciation. I know that thirty years is a long time for you, but it has been a joy for those of us who have gotten to enjoy your passion.
As many of us (especially from my time) look forward to new SNW, we hope that you will continue to be on the front of leading us to enjoy and digest it. I was randomly on the site today to look at some recaps of Season 4 of Voyager. I’m glad I did. It let me mark the 30 years with you - and make my first post after years of enjoying yours.
Gratitude to you, Jammer.
To the journey.
Bryan
Happy 30th anniversary, Jammer!
It’s incredible to think how few sites doing what you do could persevere this long, remaining active and engaging for all these years. I’ve always appreciated your fair, insightful, and often amusing reviews. Even if there's forever a Prodigy-sized gap in the otherwise complete catalogue, I don't think many will hold it against you. That gap doesn't mean you need to stop altogether if the motivation for that one thing isn’t there. The value of what you’ve built goes far beyond any completionist goal.
Even during these quieter years when there isn’t as much new Star Trek to discuss, I find myself grateful for the site. It's a place where knowledgeable voices and fellow kindred critics, both past and present, come together to discuss and analyze any episode I might watch. I’m currently making my way through The Original Series — most episodes for the first time — and there’s nowhere else I’d rather share in those thoughts and reflections.
It’s also fascinating to use the site as a kind of personal time capsule, recollecting what I thought about an episode a decade ago. That added layer of nostalgia and growth makes this place even more special.
Thank you for the time, effort, and passion you've poured into this space. May these voyages continue for many years to come!
Black Oat
I'm also a movie collector, and I've reached the "will I live long enough to watch an upgrade of this?" phase, too.
My entire life has been a series of times when I've convinced myself that something was really important so that I can distract myself from the utter meaninglessness of existence. It works for a while, then the truth sets in and I give up on whatever it is that has been obsessing me and move on to the next "really important" thing.
I have no wisdom to impart to you, I'm afraid. I can only advise you to do whatever makes you happy and try not to worry about whether you are spending your time wisely, because there is no answer to that question.
P.S. If you are looking for content, you might consider some of the old Trek tie-in novels. Most are crap, but some of them are pretty good. The DS9 short story collection "Prophecy and Change" might appeal to you.
William B
Hi Jammer -
I discovered your reviews shortly after DS9 ended, and I awaited your reviews for the next two seasons of Voyager, and for some of Enterprise (before I, honestly, lost interest in Enterprise). I'm a big fan of Ebert; I know that you have namechecked him before, and I see a lot of his sensibility in the way you approach writing. That you come from a journalism background is apparent in the way you write. Again like Ebert, your reviews try to contextualize what these shows are about, get the lay of the land, not to eliminate the "editorial I" entirely but also to keep a bit of distance. I think your site is *the most* authoritative Trek review site on the web. There are other people who have dipped into and out of it, but it's not just the completeness of your reviews (even including TAS) but that you manage to get the balance right of keeping your POV obvious but also not letting it dominate the reviews. Your preference for TNG and especially DS9 is clear (and it's my era too) but you also clearly dig what Trek is about, without everything being rose-coloured.
When you opened up the website for comments, I thought, hey, that's cool, and then it ended up being a vibrant community. I left a few comments when you were doing the TNG reviews but I started actively commenting on most episodes when my wife (then-girlfriend) was going through TNG, then TOS & the original movies, DS9 and Voyager for the first time. While I'd say that I've had a fortunate life in most respects, I've still had some tough times and this site and the community that sprang up from it helped me through them.
I haven't been commenting on this site as much recently. There are a few good reasons for that. One is simply that I'm not currently rewatching the shows, and am not wildly enthusiastic about the new (or new-ish content). I probably will watch Picard season 3 at some point. Another is that I've hit some turning points in my life that have really changed what my day-to-day time looks like.
Still: here's hoping, here's to another 30 years.
Idh2023
I first came across your site during the doldrums of COVID, where, with copious time on my hands, I undertook a watch through of TOS for the first time since I don’t know how long. I was curious to see if other people saw the same themes and insights I was noticing, and to my pleasant surprise, your excellent reviews and the intelligent tenor of the subsequent comment discussions served to drastically expand my appreciation of Star Trek. Seeing smart people write smart things about smart things turned me from a Trek admirer, to an actual fan. So thank you for setting the stage and bringing the passion. Even if you truly run out of gas and decide enough is enough, you should be proud of what you’ve put together here, and how long it’s been successful.
Baron Samedi
As a teen, your reviews guided me through Voyager, DS9, Enterprise, and BSG (as it aired). For a while, we all shared one family computer with an internet connection, and naturally my older brother and I had no idea our parents could easily check what websites we visited. My parents told me once that they'd get a laugh out of the fact that my older brother kept using it for purposes they, ahem, considered inappropriate, whereas my internet usage was mostly coming here and reading Star Trek reviews. Anyway, now I'm (believe it or not) well-adjusted, happily married, in my 30s, and raising my first kid of my own, and all the while this is one of the only websites I've checked habitually for as long as I've had internet access. Heck, your Andromeda S2 review inspired me to watch the whole thing just so see what inspired you to write it. Your writing also inspired me to think critically and also constructively. Writing's a big part of my job now, as well as a hobby of mine, and this website is undoubtedly an influence (among many others) on that. Anyway, keep up the great work, or don't if you start feeling like it isn't worth it. You have nothing left to prove and I'm sure the audience here isn't going to get mad at you if you ever decide to give it up. I just really hope the website remains operational as long as possible so people can always go back and read your archive of thoughtful reviews. Also, I officially forgive you for disliking Ennio Morricone's score to "Mission to Mars," it's a favorite of mine but to each their own ;)
Bernd Schneider
I think I have never commented around here. But I know your site for who knows how long. Not for the whole 30 years but pretty close. I was not yet a regular visitor in Golden Age until 2005, the simple reason being that I had to wait for a VHS or DVD release and I tried to avoid spoilers (besides the ones that would inevitably be mentioned in discussions on Treknology matters).
The Golden Age of Trek was followed by the long hiatus, in the course of which the public interest in Star Trek waned (well, except for the temporary hype about the first Abrams movie). Then smartphones killed the desktop computer. And social media drew away people from traditional websites. You know the story. I am so delighted that Jammer's Reviews survived. I cherish that the site is ad-free, has an RSS feed, is optimized for desktop and defies annoying design trends.
Not everything is bad today. The new age of the internet comes with one big benefit. We can stream new episodes in time, and I customarily check other people's fresh reviews after writing my own take. Jammer's Reviews is one of the sites I visit almost every time a new Trek review is out. I find myself disagreeing with you more often than not it seems, but I have respect for everything you write and for almost everything in the unusually thoughtful visitor comments. I wish I could say the same about people's interactions in social media where even the smallest disagreements on stories and other creative decisions in the franchise become insulting.
Thanks for this website and thanks for your pensive words on the passage of time.
PS: I just checked the Wayback Machine and it turns out I have been linking to ST:Hypertext as far back as the records go (2000).
Nic
My level of nostalgia has also been higher than usual lately, maybe because of all of the crazy stuff that's going on in the world. Of course, we tend to look at the past with rose-tinted glasses and the future with dark-tinted ones, that's just a feature of the human brain.
Anyway, Star Trek (especially the 90s incarnations I grew up on) has always been a source of comfort and optimism about the future for me*, and I've enjoyed reading (and re-reading) your reviews over the last 15+ years. I still check the site regularly even though there is no new Trek coming out. I've even read your Star Wars reviews even though I'm not a fan of Star Wars and haven't seen any of the recent outings. That's how good your writing is.
I'll admit I haven't been commenting as much as I used to, though; I realise I didn't leave a single comment in Season 5 of Lower Decks, even though I watched it and read all your reviews. I didn't have anything to add to them, maybe because the episodes were more forgettable, or I'm more jaded, or both.
I was/am looking forward to your reviews of Strange New Worlds' upcoming third season and of any other Trek that may eventually come out. But obviously that is entirely up to you; maintaining this site is much more time-consuming for you than it is for us!
*Another more recent source is a weekly newlsetter that I highly recommend called "Fix the News" (formerly "Future Crunch", which I thought was a much better title). It shares good news on global health, fighting climate change, conservation, and scientific progress, plus a good chunk of the subscription price goes to charity.
Martin S.
The very first review of yours I read was the one for the Voyager episode '' The Raven '' (it had aired earlier that week IIRC), some time in early October 1997. I was waiting for my dad at his office and taking the opportunity to use their much faster internet connection than what we had at home. I ended up going through your entire backlog in the following weeks and then before I knew it, Jammer's reviews became a mainstay on the favorites bar of every computer I've ever owned for the next 25+ years. Your writing has been one of the few steady things through every big stage of my life since, through all the happy times and the sad times. You've already given me a whole lot and you certainly never owed me anything to begin with, but whatever you decide to do with this site going forward, know that it did make a big difference in my life. I'll always be grateful to you !
Archer
I've been here since the beginning and weekly DS9 reviews. This is my first post. I think I've ready just about every review. This 30-year post really rings true, as it sounds like we're about the same age. Just wanted to say thanks for everything all these years and good luck with whatever you decide to do.
Dan B.
Hey Jammer,
I think we are “of an age”, since much of what you are saying above resonates very strongly with me, especially the acceleration of time and the frightening feeling that sometimes accompanies that.
I’ve read your site for decades now, through Star Trek, BSG, Caprica, and the rest. I find it invaluable and a great community - it reminds me fondly of a lot of time I spent on “Television Without Pity” in an earlier incarnation of the internet. I used to spend a lot of time in forums for shows that I enjoyed. I guess Reddit sort of fills that space now? I’ve never really gotten into that…
Thirty years is definitely something to be proud of, and I for one hope you continue, and maybe find it manageable with the clearly reduced amount of Trek we will be getting in the coming months and years. Your site is one of the first I check after a new episode drops, to get a “pre-feel” for what the community thinks of any given episode. For that I am greatful. I also used it extensively during COVID as I did a rewatch of most of the 90s-era Trek during that time.
Cheers to you, and thanks for the time you’ve invested in this site and the community. It has made a positive difference in my Trek experience.
Black Oat
"I used to spend a lot of time in forums for shows that I enjoyed."
Man, I miss the days of forums and blogs. In many ways, the internet was much better 20 or so years ago.
Greg M
Jammer,
I found you way back in 2003 when you were the DS9 moderator and this site was linked on that one. I have been coming to this site and using it as a resource ever since then and I think it's the best Star Trek review site out there. I remember a few others (Wasn't there a guy named Tim Lynch who also did what you did, and there was also Trektoday) but your dedication to the craft has always kept me coming back.
As a fan of Prodigy (and think it is the best in the new trek era), I'm bummed to read that you probably won't review it. I can understand the reasons (I feel like it's the same reasons you had when you were starting the TNG reviews), but just being a completist it seems like it will leave a gap in this website. Maybe it won't be noticeable, but it will always be there.
Maybe in time you might reconsider, and with new Trek shows the motivation will be there. However, I do understand, especially after Section 31 came and went and now that feels forgotten. Star Trek feels like it's at a crossroads, with SNW season 3 and now Starfleet academy and who knows what the streaming future will be like. Personally, if Star Trek goes on an extended hiatus (Like 5-10 years) I can understand why.
Greg M
Since I can't edit, that site I was referring too was Trekbbs. I think I might have been coming here before starting to post there because I vaguely remember when the Voyager reviews were coming out. I do remember Enterprise and that was the 2002-2003 timeframe.
Eddie
I've read your review for the better part of 30 years and appreciate the insights and the time put into it. I wish you the best for your future, whether this website is a big part of it or not.
Floris
I rarely post comments, but I have read (and re-read) just about every review on your site. Thank you for all the effort you've been putting into this over the years. Star Trek has always been a source of optimism for me. Your reviews made my viewing experience even better, up to a point that after every episode I always think "what did Jammer write about this?".
Your website also feels like it's one of those only places left, which the early internet had so many of: just someone maintaining a website to share with the world about something he loves. Not some big corporation with big marketing campaigns and business cases. Just someone with a love for Star Trek.
Thank you for the last 30 years - hopefully there are many more to come, but if not, know that you had a lasting impact on a lot of people!
Booming
To the honorable gentlemen Jamahl Epsicokhan or who it may concern
Nice, I come back after several weeks to see if Jonathan has answered and he still seems to be in such awe of my boundless brilliance that he hasn't, or at least as likely, he is too appalled by the incredible idiocy of my thoughts. I might never find out... haunting.
Be that as it may, a new post by Jammer and the poor guy is pouring his heart out.
Luckily I can put your mind at ease, Jamahl. Your memories aren't files on a hard drive. It's more like a story your brain tells itself and that has less and less to do with what actually happened every time it does. On top of that, you aren't even really you. The atoms that make up your body have been replaced many times already. Ok, this was not the comforting part but it's coming.
Right now! So, I have spent quite a bit of time researching life satisfaction. You overall seem like a fairly happy guy. Here is the good news, happiness aka life satisfaction is pretty stable. For example, having children does not make you happier, for some years it actually makes you quite a bit unhappier but then it returns to your normal level (It's called "set point theory" which is kind of correct; I'll spare you the details) but there is a little asterisk. Significant live events like getting a debilitating chronic disease or a huge war can lower your life satisfaction. So if none of that happens to you, you are golden! Get on an exercise bike every now and then and the odds are in your favor.
So yeah, most likely another 30-ish good years ahead of you.
And about this page... well Star Trek in the this new era became like an eutrophic lake. It bloomed heavily, then it began to stink and eventually died.
As I explained above, your happiness is not going to be impacted in any significant way by what you do with this page, so just always do with it what you feel is best and don't worry. Shut it down or maybe find a way to make it stay online forever. Turning this into your own personal pyramid where some of your thoughts can come to life long after you are gone.
Farewell
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HnDtvZXYHgE
Brandon
I really hope this isn't the end of Jammer content. I look forward to the Starfleet Academy series getting a drubbing from you, and I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on Prodigy.
Daltone
I absolutely love this site. I've been lurking around it, or some version of it, since I first got online with AOL.
30 years is a long old time, perhaps a bit of a break, then come back to it?
JohnTY
Hey Jammer
I first discovered your reviews during some particularly lonely days in tertiary education, when DS9 was really getting going, and I instantly found a connection with your excellent writing.
Thanks for touching part of my life for all these years, and making me feel just that little bit less alone.
Extra Bread
It sounds like you're saying "life itself is meaning enough"? (Hehe, sorry) Don't apologize for being sentimental. The depth of sentiment shouldn't be ignored just because it appears to lack originality.
I've been reading your reviews since 2001 and often go back while doing rewatches. It's a lovely refuge from hellscape of reddit and X. I hope you continue to review some live action shows going forward.
Connor
Thank you for all of the content over the years Jammer.
Nolan
Jammer, congrats on 30 years.
I have to say, this site and your reviews are seminal in how I approach media consumption. I found the site, well around 15 years ago, give or take when I was in my teens. I don't think I even watched all the Star Trek that was out there at the time. I think it was largely the BSG reviews I cut my teeth on. But ever since, I have kept an analytical process running as I watch things.
Approaching works with a more engaged eye, and feeling an intense distrust of anything that requires me to "turn my brain off" to be good. For me, being able to withstand basic scrutiny has become a basic requirement for something to be quality - except in rare occasions where a piece has sucked me in so completely it makes me not care.
A large part of how I viewed media, even before taking media study courses in university, was shaped by the engagement I saw online, particularily your reviews, which weren't just off-the-cuff, knee-jerk responses, but well thought out meditations on episodes, and exminations of how you responded to them beyond just an analysis of the structure and form that was often the baseline for your reviews. You and this site, in essence, played a huge role in my media literacy, something I cherish and value as society's ability for media literacy declines. So thank you Jammer, this site is truely a gift.
As I read this post, it also filled me with thoughts on the passage of time, but also the paradoxical nature of impermenance on the internet. How it's often said that once something is online, it's there forever, while at the same time the online space is continually recontextualizing itself and reshapung itself the algorithms and SEO best practices and combatting link rot. Thus it occured to me that this site too, will eventually be lost someday, and what a shame it would be for this site, this experience, this time capsule of thought when each review was written to fade from existence. Then I read how you felt you'd never write a novel and I thought, "this site is your novel..." A compilation of your reviews in print, your reflections on those earliest ones from a place where you have grown so much from who you were as you wrote them and your thoughts on being an engaged media viewer and amateur reviewer - I think thatvwould be neat. And, as a fellow physical media collector, we both knoa, hardcopies are better. So yes, I found myself enamkured with the idea if this site, in some form existing in the physical, tangible world, hopefully lasting long after link fot sets in and hopefully shaping and encouraging the media literacy of generations to come. Just a thought...
Here's to 30 more years of insight, active media engagement and moments snapshotted as wistfully significant.
Mal
Coming on 2,300 weeks myself (1,700 to go?), I love that I spent so many of those weeks with you!
Peak Jammer for me was nBSG, when of course they named a character after you!
But nothing beats those TrekBBS years waiting for every new episode of DS9!
One forum I'd love to see you on before you hang up your shoes (and deovte every free hour to traveling with your kids for their sports....), is Red Letter Media
RLM still hasn't yet reviewed The Undiscovered Country (check out thier TNG work https://youtu.be/Zs13fJuP0F4 )
If you could sit with RLM and review The Undiscovered Country, well, let's just say that would be the very best cross-over episode ever!
As for reviewing Babylon 5, as I've said here before, AI is doing a great job of doing that for me.
And so, just for fun, here is Grok's review of Babylon 5's "Deathwalk" in the style of Jammer. I particularly love that it halucinates a scene with Talia & Deathwalker and Na'toth beating up a racist - I mean, even Jammer makes mistakes, so an AI mimiking Jammer should too ;)
Jammer's Reviews: Babylon 5 – "Deathwalker"
Rating: ★★★½ (out of 4)
Season 1, Episode 9 – Original Airdate: April 20, 1994
"Deathwalker" is one of those episodes that feels like Babylon 5 stretching its legs, testing the waters of its own ambitious mythology while still finding its footing in the day-to-day storytelling. It’s a solid outing—intriguing, morally knotty, and packed with the kind of sci-fi ethical dilemmas that make you glad you’re not the one in charge of a space station. At the same time, it’s not quite a home run; the pacing drags in spots, and some of the character beats feel like they’re still waiting for the show to grow into them. But when it works, it’s a glimpse of the bigger, bolder Babylon 5 that’s lurking just around the corner.
The setup is classic sci-fi provocation: a notorious war criminal, Jha’dur (played with icy relish by Sarah Douglas), crash-lands on the station, offering a literal immortality serum as her bargaining chip. She’s a Dilgar, a race we’re told committed atrocities that make the Centauri and Narn look like petty squabblers, and her presence instantly turns Babylon 5 into a diplomatic pressure cooker. Commander Sinclair (Michael O’Hare) is stuck in the middle, juggling Earth’s orders, the alien ambassadors’ agendas, and his own moral compass. It’s a premise that could’ve been ripped from a Star Trek: Deep Space Nine script, but Babylon 5 leans harder into the cynicism—there’s no tidy Prime Directive solution here, just a lot of gray areas and compromised ideals.
What stands out most is how the episode uses Jha’dur as a catalyst to poke at everyone’s hypocrisy. The Vorlons blow her ship to smithereens in the end (a twist that’s both shocking and a little convenient), but not before we see the ambassadors salivating over her immortality drug, ready to overlook her genocide for a shot at eternal life. G’Kar’s rage feels righteous until you realize he’d probably take the deal if it meant sticking it to the Centauri. Londo’s bluster hides a pragmatic desperation that’s almost pitiful. Even Sinclair, our ostensible hero, can’t quite escape the taint of Earth’s willingness to play ball with a monster. It’s a grim mirror held up to the station’s supposed ideals, and while the execution isn’t flawless, the ambition is undeniable.
Sarah Douglas is the episode’s MVP, channeling a chilling mix of arrogance and detachment that makes Jha’dur a memorable one-off villain. She’s not here to chew scenery—she’s too controlled for that—but every line drips with the weight of someone who’s seen the galaxy’s worst and knows she’s still the smartest person in the room. Her final confrontation with Talia Winters, where the telepath gets a glimpse of her atrocities, is a standout moment, even if the show doesn’t fully capitalize on it. (Talia’s reaction feels a bit underwritten—Andrea Thompson does her best, but the script leaves her hanging.)
Where "Deathwalker" stumbles is in its pacing and focus. The B-plot about Na’Toth beating up a racist human feels tacked on, like the writers weren’t sure how to fill the hour. It’s a decent character beat for Na’Toth, showing her loyalty to G’Kar and her no-nonsense edge, but it doesn’t tie into the main story in any meaningful way. Meanwhile, the diplomatic wrangling drags in the middle, with too many scenes of ambassadors shouting past each other. I get it—Babylon 5 loves its council chambers—but a tighter edit could’ve kept the tension from sagging.
Still, the episode sticks the landing. That Vorlon ex machina might feel like a cop-out to some, but it’s a stark reminder of how little control Sinclair really has. The last shot, with him staring out at the wreckage, carries a quiet weight—O’Hare’s understated style works here, even if he’s not the flashiest leading man. "Deathwalker" isn’t perfect, but it’s a promising sign of a show that’s willing to ask big questions and let the answers fester. If this is what Babylon 5 can do in its rookie season, I’m curious to see where it’s headed.
Next up: "Believers" – Sinclair plays doctor, and I’m betting it’s not going to end well.
-
"Vorlon ex machina" - LOL - that's exactly the type of TM Jammer would come up with if he ever reviewed Babylon 5. Bravo, Grok, bravo!
Cymbalhead
Haven't posted on this site before. But I just want to say - Jammer, thank you for this little gem of a website and for adding a whole other dimension to my endless rewatches of Star Trek.
Dom
Jammer, first of all I hope you know that this site is a resource for Trek fans. It's one of the best accessible review guides to all Trek episodes and movies, as well as BSG and some Star Wars.
I hope you continue to live your life as you see fit. If that means no more content for this site, then so be it. But, if you do continue updating this site, I hope you do so because you feel like you have something to say about a movie or TV show. Don't post out of obligation. If you don't care about the newer Trek shows, then there's no obligation to spend your time on them.
I'll end by saying that I'd love to hear what you think of The Expanse. Even if you never write reviews, I hope you get a chance to watch it. It's one of the best science fiction shows ever.
Sid
Congrats on the anniversary, and I for one have appreciated your voice of reason when it comes to Star Trek reviews over the years. Thank you for that, and for all the hard work. Stay true to you, but make no mistake: Your voice in this "forever" community is valued and cherished!!
Daniel
Love your reviews, thanks for the work ❤️
AJD
Jammer, I've been reading your reviews since almost the very beginning; and I still return every week now that I'm doing a TNG rewatch. Your website has been one of the mainstays the internet for 30 years. (Also, Prodigy season 2 is really good!)
TrekLad
Without this site, I wouldn't have found the inspiration to do what I do. I'm sure there are plenty of other writers, critics, and media creators who feel the same way.
You're a legend Jammer.
Jason R.
Jammer I have been following you for nearly a decade and just wanted to also say that your website is a gem. You mentioned Ebert and how you would go back to his reviews and I feel the same way about you. Like with Ebert while I don't always agree with your conclusions (Civil Defence and Disaster will always be great episodes so there) I always enjoy your perspective and respect the integrity of your views. You have a real talent as a critic. Congratulations on 30 years.
Marc D
Have been reading your reviews religiously since the early 2000s. Still glad CATS wasn't able to take over forever and set up us the bomb. Still outraged about the site going to a payment-based model. Still waiting for my ticket to JammerCon to get refunded. Still waiting to see if those pitched Voyager episodes get produced (it's a planet but it goes at warp speed - the fan club from the review of VOY: "Demon" would have loved it).
I rarely comment but that doesn't mean I don't read every new review or post, and I eagerly look forward to more anniversary posts. Thanks for 30 years of terrific Trek writing!
Dabo Guy
I was looking for a show to watch after my girlfriend fell asleep each night, and I chose DS9, having never seen it but loving TNG. That first night she happened to stay up, and every since "DS9:00" is how we end most of our nights. Now two years later we are now starting the final season, we are engaged, and Jammer has been with us almost the entire way. Discovering this site has deepened our love for the series, and so often after we finish an episode we'll ask "I wonder how many stars Jammer gave it!"
That you covered the series each week contemporaneously makes it all the more special, as it feels like we are going through this journey alongside you rather than a retroactive review with spoilers. The surprises and joys and disappointments and speculations of each episode are what we are feeling now, and this site has been invaluable in making it feel vital and new as we experience it for the first time.
It also reminds me of what the world was like 30 years ago, before my fiance was even alive--before reading your take on "Take Me Out To The Holosuite" I had forgotten the Mark McGwire / Sammy Sosa insanity, and she had never even heard of them, so I showed her all the newspaper front pages after every single home run. Not only does your analysis deepen our understand and enjoyment of Star Trek, it broadens out into the real world.
Thank you, Jammer. Your words and effort have a profound effect even decades later.
dave
I am one of those guys that found you under the Url St-Hypertext if you can remember that.... I assume it was 1995.
Congrats on being online for so long. You have done a spectacular service for Star Trek fans. You gave us a place to read, ponder, think, debate, and learn; most of all to share something we have in common.
SlackerInc
These are beautifully elegiac reflections, Jammer. And yes, in the Internet age saying you've had "quite a run" is a significant understatement.
FWIW, I don't agree that doing a podcast or YouTube channel needs must require a big production infrastructure or even multiple collaborators. I created over a hundred episodes of my Spotify podcast Songs of the Years on my own. And I just started a YouTube channel, only have one "episode" (playlist) up so far, but I did it all by myself and given the learning curve involved there I have to think it will continue to get easier. Here's a link to my first one if anyone's curious: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLbrCnt3Kvko8liaoiAiVvG4w4ADi_rieX
Caloceptri
God bless, Jammer, for having maintained your site for 30 years!
“The Wrath of Khan is one of those movies where I can’t remember a time when I hadn’t seen it.”
This line from your review of that movie says it best-some things have been around for so long that their existence becomes a part of us. So it is with your site!
Thank you!
Nic
You are one of the few great things left from the old (real) internet!
Chris
I've been watching TNG for the first time this last year and I've really enjoyed reading through your reviews (and the comments) to help process what I've just seen. Sometimes you convince me that what seemed like a bum episode was a bit better than I thought; sometimes I'm aghast that something I enjoyed has got only 2 stars. It's great fun and has become a key part of the ritual.
So, I think that you've built something valuable here and I'm glad that you plan to keep it online... but you shouldn't feel compelled to keep growing it if your heart's moved on. The pyramids of the pharaohs are no less impressive because they've stopped building new ones.
BLTorres
Congrats on 30 years! Thank you thank you thank you!!!
Ensign Deathbound
Heeeey Jammer.
Happy anniversary. I was there, Gandalf , ̶3̶0̶0̶0̶ 30 years ago. Aaah. The Wild West years of the internet. I think I found your website through Alta Vista. Or maybe it was sci-fi URL address book? Yellow pages for the (nerdy) internet?
I'm dating myself.
Can't say I was always/constantly visiting your website over the years. It was mostly phases. Things kinda petered out after Enterprise. But I was a fairly constant visitor during the TNG/DS9/VOY years. I caught the backlog of your BSG reviews when I realized you had begun to cover the show. Of course I came back for Disco, Picard and (now) Strange New Worlds.
Always enjoyed your content, even when I didn't necessarily agree. Having someone else's take or perspective gave me much to think about. Sometimes it affirmed what went through my mind as I watched the ep, sometimes it gave me an alternative take to consider. But always, I appreciated the insights, from someone who clearly had a solid understanding of the subject matter.
I think, respectfully, that you ought to upgrade your TOS review of Balance of Terror to 3 or 4 stars, but I won't begrudge you the right to, well, *not.* And while I concur that many memories fade with time, I don't think I'll ever forget LMAO all alone in my Uni's computer lab while reading your review of Voyager's S04 "Demon." Good times.
Here's to the next 30.
Q-Less
You need a Succession Plan.
I think I followed your website as soon as it became available and have appreciated it all the way. But I am just a reader, you are the creator. And as we grew older - thirty years - it is only natural that your interests shift for various reasons. Your life changes, your outlook on life changes, your interests change. So having a different view on what you created thirty years ago is natural.
My suggestion: Move your website slowly to a successor who feels your vision and has the skills and capacity to move forward with what you have built. You can retain control, but see your work continued. Start with soliciting guest reviews, foster the reviewers you feel aligned with. See how things go. Maybe someone sends you an unsolicited review that has potential for more? No need to make a lasting decision at this point. But why not try to look into options to take a smaller role in your site?
Bryan
A curious suggestion. Could "Jammer's Reviews" ever become "Jammer & Friends"?
Meg
I've only found your website in the past few years. I've come to use it quite a bit as I rewatch old Trek series in order for the first time. For example, today I watched "Unnatural Selection" from TNG and the first two places I came after the episode ended were Memory Alpha and your website. When I have mixed feelings on an episode or dislike it, I like to come here and see if reading your reviews and the comments can clarify my opinion of it. It's nice to have a space on the Internet dedicated to episode-by-episode discussion.
If you stop writing reviews, I'll understand, but I have enjoyed seeing the discussions here over the past few years (even if some of them are full of bigots at times!). Whether you keep updating or not, I'm sure I will keep coming here to read what other fans have said about episodes I'm of two minds about. Thanks for 30 years of work on this labour of love!
Daya
This has been and continues to be a great site. If for nothing else, but to keep the idea of the "frontier internet" going, the site should stay. Let's preserve the few oases we have left outside the ever-amassing and ever-sucking walled gardens of the thinned out modern internet.
Mustafa
@Jammer, please keep going my friend you are a planetary treasure.
I was an off and on Voyager watcher during my univeristy years (early 2000's in Kenya) and binged watched all shows recently over the last 4-5 years. Your website has been my companion and great source for discourse and debate.
Just to give you some invite on how far and wide star trek and your content reaches, I'm from Somalia in Africa and my family loves star trek.
Keep up the good work my friend.
Janok
Hi Jammer. Just a casual reader here for the past 10 years or so. William B pretty much said what I was thinking, your reviews are thoughtful and fairly balanced. The community is likewise (mostly) civil and has a good cross section of different opinions on ethics, narrative, and science fiction. The one that comes to mind is the discussion on VOY: “Sacred Ground” and the discussion on science vs. religion had me reflecting for days. I think your reviews and this community were and continue to be an internet treasure and a bastion against the modern low-quality Internet. As someone who rewatches Trek, BSG, and Star Wars I usually come back to see what others thought on that episode. Please keep the site up.
Unfortunately, I have no idea how to drive more engagement to this site. Communities need continual external input or they stagnate. I see this happen on niche Reddit communities where there has been no new content. Let’s hope more people discover this site through AI or other mass Internet aggregation, in combination with continued Trek content. Or pivoting to more recent sci-fi, like The Expanse.
Drake
I have known about this site for a 1/6th of the time it's been around, as my first time watching Star Trek.
It's been a constant companion piece on my journey.
Gregory
Hi Jammer, congrats on 30 years
I discovered your website about 20 years ago. I think Enterprise was just finished or in it's final season. I live in Europe. Star Trek episodes were not shown here until two years after the US premiere. Wikipedia was still in it's infancy, so Jammersreviews was my principal source of information about Trek.
Unfortunately, I haven't enjoyed any of the never Star Trek shows. Nowaday's I rarely read your reviews (unless you really disliked an episode) and mostly just look at the comments. I do the same on news websites. (I know that's a bad trait and I should engage with other opinions more).
I wouldn't mind if you'd stop reviewing (unless you finaly decide to watch Babylon 5) as long as you leave the comment section open.
Cynic
Congratulations, old friend. I remember the golden years on Usenet as if they were thirty years ago :D
William B
@Cynic, I your reviews devotedly too back in the day! Incredibly funny.
Rahul
@Jammer,
Congrats on 30 years of running this site. I've always enjoyed your writing and it's clear that "Jammer's Reviews" has established itself as a go-to source for Trek reviews and analysis. What I always appreciated is how the site is structured with each series broken down by seasons and episodes with each having its own comment stream.
You talked about hobbies. Well, since coming across your site (and a couple of others like Memory Alpha and some other reviews / rankings), it's really become a hobby of mine of watching these shows not just purely for entertainment value but also through an analytical lens. So I appreciate how your comments have helped me develop a systematic approach to assessing writing, acting, storytelling.
I too am one for physical media. I have a lot of DVDs and never have had Netflix. But to pursue my hobby, I've occasionally taken on short subscriptions to the other major streaming services. (Right now it's Apple TV+ for "Foundation".)
And yes, I too have a spreadsheet! I've found it to be quite satisfying to memorialize my thoughts on an episode. And if it's not a series you've reviewed, my comments and evaluation go into my spreadsheet. That way I can always revisit it -- just as I have re-read many of your reviews.
So I hope this site keeps going and you keep reviewing. I think it's a credit to you and this site that there are some folks who for many years have consistently posted thoughtful reviews, analyses here. But I know some day all good things...
Black Oatmeal
I think you should shut it down and go enjoy the rest of your life. Wasting countless hours on the site in the future just because you wasted countless hours would be foolish, imo. If it isn't fun, and you aren't profiting from it, then what's the point? You don't owe anyone anything; people will just migrate to Reddit or wherever and life will go on.
Black Oatmeal
"Wasting countless hours on the site in the future just because you'VE ALREADY wasted countless hours"
I can't write worth a damn. :(
Anyways, "sunk cost fallacy" yadda, yadda, yadda.
P'kard
I've disagreed with you a lot, but found great appreciation in your insights thrice as many times.
Rewatching episodes of Star Trek always has me noticing different things depending on where I'm at in my own life.
This is still the first place i come when I'm wanting Trek analysis. While there hasn't been much Trek lately, the work you've done here will continue to bring new fans in for years to come.
Thanks
TheRealTrent
I first came across Jammer's website over ten years ago, when I searched "Most Attractive Trek Webmaster" on Google. Since then his site has been my stop for the best Trek reviews and discussions.
Like everyone here, I appreciate Jammer and wish him and his family well. Even though I know his reviews inside out, I still tend to come here after rewatching a Trek episode, just to read the comments by my favourite posters (Peter, William, Boomer, Jason, Mal, Omicron, Elliot, dave, david, Yanks etc etc). They wouldn't have a platform without Jammer.
Many comments above are saying that Jammer's 30th Anniversary post is sad, reflective and accompanied by a grim sunset, but I didn't get that impression at all. What I've always appreciated most about Jammer's writing is the erotic subtext of his prose and the sensual way he weaves words; there's a playful, arousing quality - a form of narratophilia evocative of William S. Burroughs at his most pornographic - to Jammer's writing, which I think one also finds in his latest piece.
Booming said: ""set point theory" which is kind of correct [...] Significant life events like getting a debilitating chronic disease or a huge war can lower your life satisfaction.So if none of that happens to you, you are golden!"
That's a good point, Booming.
Jammer, just avoid huge wars and diseases and you should be fine. We're all rooting for you. Also something about "set point theory". Not sure what that is. Maybe avoid them or eat more of them or something. Ask your doctor. Good luck.
Paul M.
Sadly, I am not aroused by Jammer's narratophilic pornography 😱, but I do love his thoughtful and beautifully written reviews. I've been following this site for... I don't know... must be close to 25 years. It's become inseparable in a way from how I experience Trek itself.
Jammer, if you are willing to continue spending time and effort on this site and community, I'll be here. If not, well, I understand. Time goes on, priorities change. Whatever you decide, I wish you and your family all the best.
Brandon
I have to say, Jammer joining forces with Red Letter Media is an interesting cosmic teamup idea.
Will Jammer prove uncouth and misanthropic enough to hang with those guys? Tune in!
EventualZen
@Black Oatmeal
>I think you should shut it down and go enjoy the rest of your life.
I've used this website everyday since 2019 and I'd be upset if it was shut down.
@Bryan
>A curious suggestion. Could "Jammer's Reviews" ever become "Jammer & Friends"?
I suggest that Jammer starts a Discord server for debates that derail comments sections and also as a backup in case anything happens to this website. It would be nice for us to chat.
nickf
More power to you Jammer (and your thoughtful commentators).
I've been reading your reviews for 20+ years now. As somebody who's completely fine with spoilers I'd read your reviews of BSG before watching the show.
90's/00's Trek is my favourite watch, closely followed by TOS. I only got around to watching Enterprise during the covid lockdowns, but I really enjoyed it. It's recognisably Trek, unlike some of the modern incarnations. I'm a big fan of Voyager too; it's a good comfort watch for me. (And I've been watching DS9 since it started, but I've yet to watch the final two episodes...haha).
Anyway, in signing off, what would Spock say?
Eric S
Wow thirty years?? I’ve been visiting this site every 2-4 years whenever i rewatch Star Trek episodes. I Make some comments, check back a few years later and continue in the comments with the years long conversations.
Stephen Collings
You have given us much and owe us nothing. But I always come looking for more.
Alex (in the UK)
Felicitations on reaching 30 years. That's amazing for any website, let alone a passion project.
I started reading your reviews when DS9 was still airing. There used to be a big gap between U.S. airing and UK airing of new episodes, especially with Voyager, and I had to exercise a lot of self-restraint to avoid reading ahead.
Several times a month at least I come and read something on here. It might be because I've been reminded of an episode of the original series, and want to reminisce, or it might be because I've watched an episode usually TNG, DS9, VOY or maybe even an ENT episode. Try as I might I just cannot get into the Kurtzman-era Trek, for various reasons. But I do periodically peruse your reviews of those newer series, or the user comments, and ponder trying again.
Civilizations have lifecycles just as any organism does. Our Western civilization is in the sunset phase, unless something breathes new life into it either through transformative destruction and reconstruction or some other kind of major transformative event. I think the change in the underlying philosophy of Trek is related to this.
Anyway, thank you for your ongoing service in providing such an excellent website and forum for discussion. It's a rare island of civility in an increasingly ugly internet, and I hope you are able to keep it going for another 30 years.
Booming
@TheRealTrent
This is the theory I meant.
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4235657/
or if you have too much time on your hand, here the 900 page standard literature of well being research. Published by the guy who essentially came up with the modern way of determining life satisfaction aka Edward Diener. It includes many other important researchers in that area. Any time you see any statistic about happiness or life satisfaction, this is guy came up with the item battery and much of the foundational research. Was a pretty cool guy overall!
https://www.nobascholar.com/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ed_Diener
Jonathan has not reappeared. I hope he is alright!
mr president
this site is a treasure!
a preservation of what the internet used to be and what we all hoped it would stay…
30 years is an amazing accomplishment, congrats doesn’t even cover it ^_^
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