In 2022, Gates McFadden entered the podcasting space by hosting InvestiGates: Who Do You Think You Are?, produced by The Nacelle Company’s podcasting division, NacelleCast. In her first season, she mostly interviewed her friends and co-stars from Star Trek: The Next Generation, who she reunited with while reprising Dr. Beverly Crusher in Star Trek: Picard Season 3. In InvestiGates‘ second season, McFadden expands into conversations with stars from throughout Star Trek’s history, including original Star Trek icon William Shatner, Star Trek: Lower Decks star and fellow podcast host Tawny Newsome, and Star Trek: Voyager‘s Kate Mulgrew. While McFadden and her guests all have ties to Star Trek, the conversations cover varied topics, from aging and mortality, to show business at large, to religion and spirituality.

ComicBook.com had the opportunity to speak with McFadden about how the podcast has changed in its second season. She also touches on her return to Star Trek in Star Trek: Picard Season 3, revealing that she broke a memorable prop in the first episode.

Jamie Lovett, ComicBook.com: What would you say is the biggest difference between this season and the first one? Either for you in doing it, or for how it ended up turning out?

Gates McFadden: Well obviously the first group, season, was mainly people who I was very close to, in particular the people from TNG. I had known Nana and Picardo from all the different times I’ve met them at conventions and I’ve had dinner with them and we know each other. My TNG people we’re like family. We have argued, we have made up, we have laughed ourselves silly, and we’ve worked together, so it’s a very strong bond.

What’s been new territory is interviewing people like Bill Shatner or Jack Quaid, people who I’ve met but I don’t know. But I obviously know Bill Shatner’s work, and he’s done so much work. I was amazed that he agreed to do the podcast. I was honored that he would come on and spend time with me. He’s done more podcasts probably than any human being, and he hadn’t been doing them for quite a while or just being very, very selective. So I was very happy that he gave me the time.

And I learn so much about people when I’m researching them and then with the questions that I ask them, and then you also see where they go with it. Sometimes they come up with questions that are quite amazing that they’re asking me about, so I think that’s the part that I’m learning. I’m on a big learning curve with this, Jamie. I mean I really don’t consider myself an expert at podcasting. I just am trying to see how this works and see if I can get to know people better and ask questions that they might not have been asked before. And you know better than me whether it’s working or not.

Read the full article/interview in our press library.