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33. Gaslit by Candlelight (TNG 7.14)

Anyway, don’t read your grandma’s sex diaries

“This isn’t a romance. It’s a horror story.”

Anika and Liz take a look at TNG’s “Sub Rosa”. And, you know, we try really hard to be positive about matters Trekkish, even in the face of (say) a favourite character taking a photon torpedo in the face.

But there’s no getting around it: “Sub Rosa” is terrible.

A screencap of Beverly Crusher from this episode, with the text, "THIS EPISODE IS BADLY WRITTEN!!"

We talk about consent, depictions of sexuality in Star Trek, and the … interesting takes on this episode from the people who made it.

We also discuss…

  • Star Trek and gothic fiction: a combination doomed to failure?
  • Why the only man for Major Kira is (prime) Gabriel Lorca
  • (Really!)
  • The new comics setting up the Picard series
  • Beverly’s approach to relationships

And we wonder, does Ronin help out around the house? Do the dishes? Probably not!

Note: Given the nature of “Sub Rosa”, we’re discussing sex and rape far more than in the average episode.

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