DS9: Far Beyond the Stars - "Trek Was Always Political" Episodes
Summary
Hosts Tawny Newsome and Andrew, with producer Jesse Earle, discuss Deep Space Nine’s “Far Beyond the Stars.” They analyze its themes of racism and passing, drawing parallels to Gattaca and queer experiences. The episode also covers production history, including Avery Brooks directing himself and the show’s acceptance of fan scripts.
Topics discussed
Intro, Jesse Earle joins the show, and Suboptimal Pods subscription
Creation Trek to Vegas convention and Fine Alpinist Ranch dinner
Excitement for the episode and Avery Brooks directing
Spec scripts in the 90s and the history of 'Far Beyond the Stars'
Avery Brooks' meticulous direction and period details
Passing narratives in sci-fi: Gattaca and racial identity
Gattaca's eugenics themes and modern parallels
Representation, collective power, and Andrew's cold open confusion
Episode plot: Sisko's hallucination and 1950s setting
Retrofuturism, pulp magazines, and character parallels
Benny Russell's struggle and the N-word controversy
Actors in character, accents, and religious allegory
Star Trek's secularism and Afrofuturism themes
Magical realism, celestial holography, and Babylon 5
Queer theory, mirrors, and closing thoughts
Outro and credits
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