Women at Warp: A Roddenberry Star Trek Podcast

We interview Star Trek: Discovery actors Jayne Brook (Admiral Katrina Cornwell) and Rekha Sharma (Commander Ellen Landry) at Star Trek Las Vegas 2019. Contains spoilers for the end of Discovery Season 2.

Representations of older women in pop culture often echo familiar stereotypes. Karen Chuplis joins us to discuss these tropes and the extent to which Star Trek is able to break free, examining characters like Pulaski, Lwaxana Troi, Cornwell and Amanda.

The crew takes a look at the DS9 Season 4 two-parter “Homefront” and “Paradise Lost,” discussing themes like security, individual liberty, government overreach, fear and paranoia, and arming yourself against the threat of an “invisible enemy.”

This week, we talk to film and television director Hanelle M. Culpepper about her background, her directing experience, her thoughts on the popularity of science-fiction stories, and of course her work on Star Trek Discovery (and Picard - a tiny bit). And so much more!

The crew discusses the history of queercoding in Hollywood, and the more recent phenomenon of queerbaiting, then examines Star Trek for signs of each. We also share the characters that we interpret as queer and what positive representation can mean for a community or individual.

We’re joined by Jacqueline Lichtenberg - creator of the Kraith fanfic series, author of Star Trek Lives!, and founder of the Star Trek Welcommittee - to discuss everything from her professional writing career to her thoughts on the future of Trek fan culture.

In "Cogenitor" the Enterprise NX-01 crew encounters a species that requires a “third gender” to procreate. We discuss our impressions of this episode as an allegory for trans issues and to what extent it holds up today. Content note: Discussion of transphobic violence and suicide.

Season 2 of Star Trek Discovery was jam-packed with new and reimagined characters, exciting action, plot twists and Emotions with a capital E. We discuss favorite moments, lingering questions, and what might be in store for our heroes in Season 3.

The crew is joined by Mary Chieffo, L’Rell of Star Trek Discovery, to discuss her deep-dive into Trek canon, the changes in L’Rell’s character from Season 1 to 2, how her struggles in the Klingon Empire can reflect our own, and so much more.

The crew turns an eye to the TOS episode “Catspaw,” Trek’s Halloween Special. What worked? What didn’t? What would we change, given the opportunity?

Michele Specht of Star Trek Continues joins the crew to discuss the inimitable Deanna Troi. We talk through her iconic looks, steamy romances, broken creep-meter, and the themes her character and episodes evoked around femininity and strength.

Special guest Anne Theriault joins us to talk about depictions of pregnancy and childbirth in Star Trek, covering both of Keiko’s pregnancies, Kes’ labour during time travel, Trip’s alien pregnancy, Ekora from “The Quickening”, “Friday’s Child” and more.

Gersha Phillips joins Grace and Jarrah to discuss her work as Star Trek Discovery’s Costume Designer. They talk about updating classic sci-fi looks, a new take on the mirror universe, designing gender neutral costumes, unexpected challenges on set, cosplay, and more.

Letters to Star Trek” is a 1976 collection of fan mail received during the first run and early syndication of The Original Series. We pick our favorite letters and discuss Gene Roddenberry’s responses and how Trek, society and fan mail have changed since.

It’s almost Valentine’s Day so we’re continuing our series on the Captains’ love lives, this time examining the romantic interests of the Emissary himself, Benjamin Sisko, from Jennifer Sisko to Kasidy Yates.