Star Trek: Strange New Worlds - The RANDY Awards: Category I - Season Two

 Once again the order of presentation will be the same, and so we begin with "Best Stand Alone Episode." 

The point of this award is to acknowledge the initial renown of this iteration of the Star Trek franchise as a return to single episode story telling.  And while this true, it's only true to a certain point.  Of the episodes that qualified, this one was chosen in large part for the uniqueness of its story-line, as well.  Another nice aspect is the way in which it featured alpha shift helmsman, Lt. Erica Ortegas.  

"Among The Lotus Eaters" was the 4th episode of season two.  It was written by Kirsten Beyer and Davy Perez, and was first aired on July 6, 2023.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds - The RANDY Awards - SEASON 2

 After a few weeks to let the dust settle from they amazingly popular Season One Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Randy Awards, I'm ready to take on Season Two.  As with season one the award categories are the same--well, mostly the same.  Along with the original ten categories and 16 honorees, I have added one additional multi-tiered category in keeping up with the way in which the second season morphed from the first.

The second season relied more on recurring characters who were not a part of the formal cast, than did the first.  So here is a list with descriptions of all the possible Randy Awards for season two:

1) Best Stand Alone Episode: GOLD

2) Best Ensemble Episode: GOLD

3) Best Guest Actor in a Supporting Roll: GOLD, SILVER & BRONZE (this is an actor with multiple scenes, but no pivotal role in the story line.  It's a judgment call, and I am the judge)

4) Best Design and Set Elements: GOLD

5) Best Special Effects Design: GOLD

6) NEW Best Recurring Actor in a Featured OR Supportive Role: GOLD, SILVER, BRONZE

7) Best Make-up Design: GOLD

8) Best Costumes Design: GOLD

9) Best Actor in a Featured Role: GOLD, SILVER & BRONZE

10) Most Ambitious Concept in an Episode: GOLD  (It's like pornography--you know it when you see it!)

11) Best Episodes: GOLD, SILVER & BRONZE

Here is a list of the 10 episodes that comprise Season Two.

Why I Am Bullish On The Democrats in 2026

 

1st Stage: Birthday Candles

 What an endearing play!  "Birthday Candles" written by Noah Haidle, tells one woman's life story from her 17th birthday through to her 103rd.  Aspects toward the end seem a bit improbable; however, isn't that just like life?  Everyday is her next or a succeeding birthday.  A ping and a flash of blue light and a year has passed, or two, or ten.  And one by one everyone she knows finds their moment and quietly steps off of the stage to follow a white path into blackness.  

The writing is very generous and funny.  Key phrases are recycled from one generation to the next with great effect.  And a presiding over everything is a succession of goldfish named Altman.  The cast includes some of the most recognizable talents in the DMV.  I would characterize at least three of them as also among the most likable--something that matters in this play full of funny moments, personal foibles, failure and finally forgiveness.  

Chris Genebach as husband #1, Matt is just an every-good-guy husband, until he isn't, which makes the cracks even more pronounced.  Jacob Yeh, and husband #2, Kenneth is the balm that Ernestine (Deidra Lawan Starnes) needs to rediscover the grace and the resilience that fuels her inner being.  With 10 nominations and 2 Helen Hayes Awards over the years, I will be shocked if this performance doesn't put her name back in the running.  

The set was a beautifully detailed slice of Ernestine's home.

1st Stage is a small theater.  It is nestled on the backside of a strip mall over an auto repair shop.  With overflow folding chairs, I think you can get 116 butts in seats.  They are the most reasonably priced group, too.  There are discounts for: Seniors, Young Adults, Educators, First Responders, Active Duty Troops, and High School Students can attend for FREE.  My tickets with the Educator Discount are always $20.00, when Full Price are always $55.00.  

Hannah Taylor as Alice, Ernestine's mother.

Ernestine [Deidra Lawan Starnes] being given her first goldfish by her unrequited childhood friend, Kenneth [Jacob Yeh].

Ernestine with her children, Madeline [Hannah Taylor] and Billy, [Patrick Joy]

With her first husband, Matt [Chris Genebach].

With her neurotic daughter-in-law, Joan [Surasree Das]

Ernestine and Kenneth wed after Matt dies with dementia and they are both 70.

Mosaic Theatre: A Case For The Existence Of God

 A very strange name for a play that never once references either God or religion.  And if the implication is that if a straight white man and a gay black man can see into one another's humanity--then there must be a God...well, then that's just banal.  The playwright, Samuel D. Hunter, comes with an impressive pedigree down to writing the play, and then the screenplay adaptation of "The Whale."  

The story is about two men who grew up together but apart and finally come together when one needs the professional services of the other.  A friendship develops over shared interests, and shared tragedies until their lives become irreversibly entwined.  The start was a little off.  One of the actors seemed to be leaning on cliches to reveal his character.  The other, Jaysen Wright, who played Keith, the black, gay, Mortgage Broker who is tying to foster-adopt an infant girl, seemed to have a better handle on where the character's center of gravity was.  

As the 100 minutes or so continued to unfold, Lee Osorio's portrayal of Ryan; white, straight, former high school star jock and now divorced, and about to enter into a battle over full custody of his infant daughter with his ex-, rose with the intensity of the script.  The play is set in Twin Falls, Idaho, and so the one thing that we have to give the author, the outcome was politically resonant with the state and city.

The stage was stark and beautiful.  The outcome, a pitcher of loosely sweetened lemon aide from the bountiful harvest of life's lemons.  

Ryan [Lee Osorio] and Keith [Jaysen Wright]

2026 Mid-terms: The Senate

 The thing about the Senate is, you cannot redistrict it ever.  But what you can do is disenfranchise other voters by absurdly partisan gerrymandering so as to energize them to vote where they can be heard: the Senate candidate.

The Current Lay of the Land: December 1, 2025

First off: Blessed are the citizens of Arizona, California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Indiana, Maryland, Missouri, Nevada, New York, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, Utah, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin, for they have no incumbent or open Senate seats over which to contest.  It's like drawing a bye in a sports tournament.  There are, with two special elections in Ohio and Florida--both held by Republicans appointed to fill vacant seats; 35 elections in November 2026.  

9 of these seats will have no incumbent to contest them.  The remaining 26 will.  9 of those are held by Democrats, and 17 others are held by Republicans.  The most important thing to know about where the bets are being laid is the Democrats have an unprecedented advantage.  Let's look at the recent Virginia Elections for Governor this past November 4th.  

The change is extraordinary.  Clearly the shifts in Northern Virginia, and in the Norfolk region indicate negative responses to DOGE and DOD policies, but far western Virginia!!  These seismic shifts are not possible without considerable Republican crossover.  Mayor elect Mamdani of New York City can thank Wise County Virginia for Trump's tongue up his ass during their recent White House visit.  Trump knows which way the winds are blowing.

Given this completely sane and predictable backlash that shows no signs of dissipating with an Administration that shows little ability to back down, Democrats are left with the perfect Tsunami on the 2026 midterm horizon.

Of the incumbent seats, much ado has been made about Jon Ossoff in Georgia.  A white, Democratic, Jew.  Given that Georgia just elected two Democratic members to a statewide utilities board because they were the ONLY names on the ballot that they could use to register their anger?  Ossoff is safe.  He'll need to work for it, but he will win, and in so going signal a new "Purple" status for the state of Georgia.

Of the open seats I predict we will take: North Carolina and Iowa.  Add Maine, after Collins goes down, and this will create a 50/50 Senate where the Republican VP still gets to break ties.  But committees are split allowing legislation and nominations to languish without consensus.  In a world so bitterly divided--I can live with that.

But wait, there's more: it only takes one additional win to put the power back in the hands of the Democrats.  I hope that Democrats will use this to push forward Gen Z candidates who can ignite the imagination of voters for a better economic future.  

In proposing such a strategy, I would target 7 states: ALASKA, FLORIDA, KANSAS, KENTUCKY, NEBRASKA, SOUTH CAROLINA, and TEXAS.  All we need is one.  The more conservative the Republicans become to hold their mythical base, the better situated we are to reach the majority of voters.

Chilly Chilli