Masterpiece Science-Fiction Theater

Justin Scott Snead: Writer, English Teacher, Star Trek Fan
  • 4.5 (8)
  • TV & Film

A Podcast that Applies Literary Analysis to Classic Sci-Fi Shows & Movies

  1. 02/24/2022

    StarTrek01.34–Post Season 1 Analysis Part 3: Diversity and Inclusivity

    In this episode:  This is an audio version of my essay, The Enterprise is not a White Space: why minority representation on Star Trek was so radical and risky in the 1960s.   Much of American society, including genre TV and film, has historically been cordoned off into white spaces, which is a term coined by Sociologist Elijah Anderson to describe spaces predominantly filled with white people and where Black people are treated as outsiders. In its earliest years, Star Trek showed its audience that it was not a white space, but a diverse and inclusive space.  To prove the point, my article is a deep dive into casting choices and the creative input of Black actors in Star Trek’s first season. There is more to the story than Uhura and Sulu, as important as those iconic roles are. People of color were chosen as background extras, small speaking roles, and guest stars. Using analysis and many images, my article celebrates unheralded roles like these:  They all made an impact since even the smallest role kept the Enterprise from being considered a white space. Every week of the 1966-67 television season except for one, you would have tuned in to see Black and brown people in uniform on board a starship. Sections:  Explanation of Anderson’s thesis on white and Black spaces; brief survey of Jim Crow laws that were being passed in the 1960s Background Extras Speaking Guest Roles Guest Stars

  2. 04/18/2020

    StarTrek 01.33–Post Season 1 Analysis Part 2: World Building

    In this episode: A complete analysis of World Building in Season One of Star Trek The Original Series: A Survey of all strange new worlds (30) and all new life forms and civilizations (25)A breakdown of categories for each, from barren desolate planets to advanced ones, and primitive aliens to evolved non-corporeals The State of the Star Trek Universe after only one season: it truly is the final frontier, visiting no member worlds and only 5 Federation colonies–four of which ended in bloodshed and disaster!

  3. 01/30/2020

    Star Trek 01.32–Post-Season 1 Analysis Part 1: Narrative Structure

    In this episode: The first part of our post-season 1 analysis of Star Trek: The Original Series, with a focus on trends in narrative structure. Antagonist Type: There are more monster episodes than you might think, but the monsters and the villains are depicted in unconventional ways. Monster: 11/28 (39.2%) Villain: 9/28 (32.1%) Computer: 4/28 (14.2%) Other: 6/28 (21.4%) Science Fiction Element Spectrum: Only a quarter of episodes are heavy science-fiction; while more than a third have only one notable Sci-fi element Above Average (4+ elements) 1. Where No Man Has Gone Before (4) 9. What are Little Girls Made of? (4) 29. Operation Annihilate (4) 20.The Alternative Factor (5) 28. The City on the Edge of Forever (5) 15-16. The Menagerie (6) 22.The Return of the Archons (8) Below Average (1-2 elements) 3. Mudd’s Women(1) 10. Dagger of the Mind (1) 12 The Conscience of the King(1) 14. Court Martial(1) 27. Errand of Mercy(1) 4. The Enemy Within (2) 6. The Naked Time (2) 7. Charlie X (2) 21.Tomorrow is Yesterday(2) 26. The Devil in the Dark(2) Average (3 elements) 2. The Corbomite Maneuver 5. The Man Trap 8. Balance of Terror 11. Miri 13. The Galileo Seven 17. Shore Leave 18. The Squire of Gothos 19.Arena 23. Space Seed 24. A Taste of Armageddon 25. This Side of Paradise Conflict Resolution: A strong majority of the episodes end with the character coming up with clever solutions to get them out of their problem Wits: 12 (43%) (75%) Wits & Fists: 9 (32%) Fists: 4 (14.2%) Other: 3 (10%)

  4. 10/03/2019

    StarTrek 01.31–Operation: Annihilate!

    In this episode: an analysis of “Operation: Annihilate!” the last aired episode of Season One of Star Treka fitting season finale (even though 60s TV did not really do those as we understand them) because it has a grand scale and important character development for all three leads–Kirk, Spock and McCoy–which is unusuala strong science-fiction outing with an alien that spreads “mass insanity” throughout the galaxy–and they look like flying jellyfish.

  5. 09/02/2019

    StarTrek01.30–The City on the Edge of Forever

    In this episode:  An analysis of The City on the Edge of Forever: How the episode still lives up to the hype five decades later Edith Keillor voices Star Trek’s Mission Statement, and is a stand in for all Star Trek fansA comparison with Ellison’s script–the good, the bad and the ugly–especially Keillor, whom Ellison wrote as a Pentecostal evangelical crossed with L. Ron Hubbard. Hint: the filmed version is better.

  6. 06/22/2019

    StarTrek01.29–Errand of Mercy

    In this episode: An analysis of Errand of Mercy. The origins of the Klingon culture–hint: another Vietnam-era analogy. The Klingon look–not just swarthy villain stereotypes NOTE: I did not address connections to Star Trek: Discovery in the podcast, due to time. But I have included quotes from the episode that speak how Kirk viewed the Klingons at that point in time. I see nothing in the dialogue that contradicts the war depicted in DSC Season 1. In fact, I can sense that Kirk, Spock and Kor are speaking here with the living memory of having experienced the socio-political situation of that war.    Kirk: “We both guessed right. Negotiations with the Klingon Empire are on the verge of breaking down. Starfleet Command anticipates a sneak attack…. Well there it is. War. We didn’t want it, but we got it.” Spock: “Curious how often you humans manage to obtain that which you do not want.” Kor: “Do you know why we are so strong? Because we are a unit. Each of us is part of a greater whole. Always under surveillance, even a commander like myself.”

  7. 03/10/2019

    StarTrek01.28–The Devil in the Dark

    In this episode: A literary analysis of The Devil in the Dark Everyone’s favorite silicone-based lifefrom, the Horta Roddenberry and his producers believed this episode provided Stark Trek with its organizing thesis about how to treat aliens and “the other” and the show, but I argue this thesis was marbled through the first season back to the earliest episodes

  8. 01/18/2019

    Discovery005-Brother

    My initial throughs on Discovery’s second season premier, “Brother.” New and old characters on a new adventure. I also share some musings about where I think the season is headed thematically: the clash between secular society and religious faith. It may prove to be more controversial than a new Spock or the colors of the uniforms. If you are interested in this question below are some pre-readings on the subject. They just a small starting point to the concept of what we mean when we talk about secular society, and what it means to have faith in another way of perceiving the universe. Best to read them in the order listed below. The Secular Society Religious Experience and the Modern Self Ghosts in a Secular Age

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A Podcast that Applies Literary Analysis to Classic Sci-Fi Shows & Movies

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