Tag: fantasy

S01E13. Qpid

Published date April 2, 2025 Comments: 0

Blood will be spilt! Gregory brings “Qpid,” the 20th episode of season 4 of The Next Generation, written by Ira Steven Behr and Randee Russell and directed by Cliff Bole. Like “Captain’s Holiday,” this episode features the recurring character of Vash (and a lot of misogyny). We discuss historical fantasy, amatonormativity, the ideal woman, power, pedagogy, and Q. We also...

S01E04. The Sword of Kahless

Published date April 2, 2024 Comments: 0

Let this moment be remembered! Gregory brings “The Sword of Kahless,” the ninth episode of the fourth season of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, written by Hans Beimler and Richard Danus and directed by LeVar Burton. Like the Discovery premiere, this episode is concerned with the legacy of the Klingon cultural figure Kahless. We discuss ancient fallen societies, philosophical skepticism,...

S01E01. First Contact

Published date January 2, 2024 Comments: 0

Content Warnings: body horror and self-injury; alcohol; frank discussions of sex, caste oppression, misogyny, and misogynoir. In honor of our first episode, Gregory brings Star Trek: First Contact, written by Brannon Braga and Ronald D. Moore and directed by Jonathan Frakes. We discuss Star Trek’s views on exceptionalism vs. collectivism, the idea of destiny and the “right timeline,” and the...

S01E13. Qpid

S01E12. Captain’s Holiday

You’ve fulfilled your destiny all too well! Lucy brings “Captain’s Holiday,” the 19th episode of season 3 of The Next Generation, written by Ira Steven Behr and directed by Chip Chalmers. Like “Inquisition,” this episode revolves around an attempted holiday that goes awry. We talk about vacations, misogyny, bodies, liminality, archaeology, and antisemitism. We also discuss pre-trip research, amazing costumes,...

S01E11. Inquisition

I can assure you: this is no game. Melissa brings “Inquisition,” the 18th episode of Season 6 of Deep Space Nine, written by Bradley Thompson and David Weddle and directed by Michael Dorn, the actor of Worf; one of only four episodes of Star Trek he directed. Like Elite Force, this episode contains a lot of questionable military ethics. We...

S01E10. Elite Force

Content Warnings: mention of motion sickness and vomiting Consider this your personal Kobayashi Maru. Gregory brings Star Trek: Voyager – Elite Force, a video game released in 2000 by Raven Software. Like “In a Mirror, Darkly,” this episode involves the denizens of the Mirror Universe. We discuss first contact, video games, military orders, courtesy, romance, and canonicity. We also chat about Jefferies tubes, stealth, and technobabble.

S01E09. In a Mirror, Darkly

Love never fails. Lucy brings "In a Mirror, Darkly" Parts 1 and 2, episodes 18 and 19 of Season 4 of Enterprise. Part 1 was written by Mike Sussman and directed by James Conway. Part 2 was written by Mike Sussman and Manny Coto and directed by Marvin V. Rush. Like the 2009 film Star Trek, this double episode explores an alternate history. We talk about compassion, misogyny, dehumanization, censorship, and torture. We also chat about the ongoing story of the mirror universe, biblical references, and these episodes' special intro sequence.

Older Episodes »