In this week’s episode, Janine chats about her four favorite female characters from Star Trek: Discovery to celebrate the release of season 4 of the series.
What to expect from episode 34: Disco Women!?
Welcome back
Janine welcomes listeners back and introduces the topic for today’s episode. She is doing an episode on four of her favorite female characters from Star Trek: Discovery. Janine also gives her two cents on the fact that the new season of Discovery is not available to fans worldwide.
Background on Star Trek: Discovery
Janine lists what she loves about Discovery, especially in terms of female characters. She also praises Discovery for its diversity and variety of different types of characters. Janine then lists the four characters she will discuss and confesses her girl crush on Admiral Cornwell.
L’Rell
The first character Janine discusses is the Klingon, L’Rell. Janine first gives some background on L’Rell and reflects in the huge role she plays in terms of the plot. Here, she traces L’Rell’s character arc and how she is oppressed in Klingon culture.
Here Janine remembers a funny moment between Neelix and a few Klingons in Star Trek: Voyager too. She then explains how L’Rell overcomes patriarchy and how she is empowered as a mother figure. Janine relates all this back to second wave feminism, especially radical feminism and early liberal feminism.
Admiral Katrina Cornwell
The next character Janine discusses is Admiral Cornwell. Janine discusses how she is a constant voice of reason throughout the series. She recounts a few scenes where Admiral Cornwell keeps her cool while other (male) characters are totally freaking out. Janine explains how Admiral Cornwell, as a rational female psychologist, subverts many stereotypes about women.
Michael Burnham
The third character Janine talks about is Michael Burnham. Janine praises Michael Burnham for being the first black female protagonist and Captain in a Star Trek series. As Janine explains, Michael does not fall into stereotypes regarding women and people of color. She then discusses how Michael is the ideal blend of masculinity and femininity and how this is subversive.
Emperor Phillipa Georgiou
The final character Janine discusses is one of her all-time favorites, Emperor Phillipa Georgiou. Janine discusses the Emperor’s complexity and how she is redeemed through motherhood. She explains how the Emperor shows a positive representation of adoptive motherhood.
Wrap up
Janine wraps up the episode by giving a movie suggestion – House of Flying Daggers. She thanks listeners and hopes to discuss season 4 of Star Trek: Discovery in the near future.
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The theme music is "Dashboard Light" by One Two Feet, and is licenced by Holosuite Media through Epidemic Sound.
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