Taking a break

I tried, but 2020 got me! Creating a post for Discovery episodes started to feel more like work than fun — and fun is why I started this in the first place!

So I’m taking it easy on myself and having a break — but if you’re in desperate need of my opinions, fear not! I’m still podcasting, and I will be more diligent about sharing episodes here, in case you miss them.

Accordingly:

45. Affable Evil and the Chaos Agents

Source: 45. Affable Evil and the Chaos Agents

Anika and Liz are joined by Jules (of @juleshastweets and Bad Pajamas) to talk about our favourite villains! Complete with sidebars about Star Wars and Avatar: The Last Airbender, and a a brief reinvention as an Expanse podcast.

Topics of discussion include:

  • villains versus antagonists
  • redemption arcs
  • the mirror universe
  • is Emperor Georgiou the Garak of Discovery?
  • maybe Quark isn’t a villain, but he should definitely be in jail
  • speaking of incarceration — Garak gets six months for attempted genocide, while Kasidy Yates gets the same sentence for smuggling medical supplies to the Maquis? Really?
  • concept: the Prophets are not good people
  • #seskadeservedbetter
  • the magnificence of General Chang

Finally, going technically off-topic but when did we ever let that stop us, Julia talks about Picard‘s golem and Jewish myth.

Podcast: 44. Screw You, Rick Berman (Picard 1.10)

Source: 44. Screw You, Rick Berman (Picard 1.10)

Season 1 of Star Trek: Picard has come to an end! What a strange, messy show it’s been.

Special guest Sam (@retconning) joins us for the first thirty minutes to discuss Seven of Nine, queer representation throughout Trek‘s history, the heteronormativity of this particular series, and THE HANDHOLDING SCENE (the caps are necessary) in the final thirty seconds of the episode.

Then Liz and Anika talk about…

  • golems, squicks and spoilers
  • did they … forget … Narek?
  • it’s okay, they also forgot that Soji is the female lead
  • was the ending too pat? Or do we simply love space politics too much?
  • the TNG characters as desserts
  • Liz shares her philosophy of parenting with Anika, an Actual Parent
  • but seriously, Maddox and Soong are/were THE WORST
  • Agnes has come SO FAR and we LOVE HER

In conclusion, Worf is definitely a caramel drizzle and we will not be taking questions at this moment.

43. #notallorganics (Picard 1.09)

Source: 43. #notallorganics (Picard 1.09)

This week on Star Trek: The Next Generation, the crew beam down to an idyllic paradise whose scantily clad residents harbour a terrible secret.

No, wait! It’s Star Trek: Picard, and any resemblance to season one of TNG is entirely … unfortunate. This week on Antimatter Pod…

  • Anika has a shocking confession
  • apparently we are meant to consider Bruce Maddox a great loss to humanity? Really?
  • how Picard and Batman are quite different
  • why is Sutra … like that?
  • we have so many questions about the depiction of women’s sexuality in this show, and none of them reflect well on the writers
  • this week, in Anika Ships It: Sutra/Narissa!

Soji can have a little genocide, as a treat.