Star Trek: Lower Decks and utopian queer intimacy | Intellect Skip to content
1981
  1. Home
  2. A-Z Publications
  3. Queer Studies in Media & Popular Culture
  4. Volume 7, Issue 1
  5. Article
Rethinking Marginality in New Queer Television
  • ISSN: 2055-5695
  • E-ISSN: 2055-5709

Abstract

While the franchise is synonymous with diversity, queerness has been unfortunately interpreted more as a tragic plot device rather than presenting fully realized queer characters in series such as and . However, the more recent programme appears to embrace Gene Roddenberry’s utopian ethos in that diversity is default in the future through multiple queer and queer-coded women. This article analyses how bisexual protagonist Ensign Beckett Mariner eventually finds support over the course of the series through her relationships with the characters Captain Amina Ramsey, Ensign D’Vana Tendi and Ensign Jennifer Sh’reyan. Unlike previous attempts at queer plots, the focal points in these moments emphasize character and community instead of violence and drama. This article proposes that signals a more positive shift in how queer characters are interpreted in the science fiction utopian franchise.

© 2022 Intellect Ltd
Loading

Article metrics loading...

/content/journals/10.1386/qsmpc_00068_1
2022-06-01
2024-04-20
Loading full text...

Full text loading...

References

  1. Bagchi, Nivedita. ( 2019), Human Nature and Politics in Utopian and Anti-Utopia Fiction, Lanham, MD:: Lexington Books;.
     [Google Scholar]
  2. ‘Blaze of Glory’ ( 1997), K. Friedman (dir.), Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Season 5 Episode 23 (12 May, USA:: CBS;).
     [Google Scholar]
  3. ‘Crisis Point’ ( 2020), B. Saurez (dir.), Star Trek: Lower Decks, Season 1 Episode 9 (1 October, USA:: Paramount+;).
     [Google Scholar]
  4. ‘Cupid’s Errant Arrow’ ( 2020), K. Arndt (dir.), Star Trek: Lower Decks, Season 1 Episode 5 (3 September, USA:, Paramount+;).
     [Google Scholar]
  5. Davidson, Fiona. ( 2017;), ‘ Owning the future: Manifest destiny and the vision of American hegemony in Star Trek. ’, Geographical Bulletin, 58:1, pp. 8–18.
     [Google Scholar]
  6. ‘Emissary’ ( 1993), D. Carson (dir.), Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Season 1 Episodes 1&2 (3 January, USA:: CBS;).
     [Google Scholar]
  7. ‘First First Contact’ ( 2021), J. Zurek (dir.), Star Trek: Lower Decks, Season 2 Episode 10 (14 October, USA:: Paramount;+).
     [Google Scholar]
  8. Geraghty, Lincoln. ( 2007), Living with Star Trek, London:: I.B. Taurus;.
     [Google Scholar]
  9. Greven, David. ( 2009), Gender and Sexuality in Star Trek: Allegories of Desire in the Television Series and Films, Jefferson, MO:: McFarland & Company, Inc;.
     [Google Scholar]
  10. Jenkins, Henry, and Campbell, John. ( 2006;), ‘ Out of the closet and into the universe: Queers and Star Trek. ’, in H. Jenkins. (ed.), Fans, Bloggers, and Gamers: Exploring Participatory Culture, New York:: NYU Press;, pp. 89–111.
     [Google Scholar]
  11. ‘Journey’s End’ ( 1994), C. Allen (dir.), Star Trek: The Next Generation, Season 7 Episode 20 (28 March, USA:: CBS;).
     [Google Scholar]
  12. Lewis, Rachel Charlene. ( 2019;), ‘ What happens to queer people who don’t have a chosen family?. ’, Bitch Media, 11 November, https://www.bitchmedia.org/article/queer-loneliness-lgbtq-chosen-family. Accessed 9 July 2021.
     [Google Scholar]
  13. McKenna, Erin. ( 2001), The Task of Utopia, Lanham, MD:: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc;.
     [Google Scholar]
  14. McMahan, Mike. ( 2021;), interviewed by StarTrek.com Staff. , Startrek.com, 18 October, https://intl.startrek.com/news/mike-mcmahan-takes-us-inside-lower-decks-season-two. Accessed 9 July 2021.
     [Google Scholar]
  15. McMahan, Mike. ( 2022;), interviewed by R. Kaplan. , Geek Girl Authority, 19 January, https://www.geekgirlauthority.com/mike-mcmahan-star-trek-lower-decks-interview/. Accessed 31 January 2022.
     [Google Scholar]
  16. ‘Moist Vessel’ ( 2020), B. Kelly (dir.), Star Trek: Lower Decks, Season 1 Episode 4 (27 August, USA:: Paramount+;).
     [Google Scholar]
  17. Moscowitz, Leigh. ( 2013), The Battle over Marriage: Gay Rights Activism through the Media, Urbana, IL:: University of Illinois Press;.
     [Google Scholar]
  18. ‘Much Ado about Boimler’ ( 2020), B. Kelly (dir.), Star Trek: Lower Decks, Season 1 Episode 7 (17 September, USA:: Paramount;+).
     [Google Scholar]
  19. ‘No Small Parts’ ( 2020), B. Kelly (dir.), Star Trek: Lower Decks, Season 1 Episode 13 (8 October, USA:: Paramount;+).
     [Google Scholar]
  20. ‘The Outcast’ ( 1992), R. Scheerer (dir.), Star Trek: The Next Generation, Season 5 Episode 17 (16 March, USA:: CBS;).
     [Google Scholar]
  21. ‘Paradise Lost’ ( 1996), R. Badiyi (dir.), Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Season 4 Episode 12 (8 January, USA:: CBS;).
     [Google Scholar]
  22. ‘A Piece of the Action’ ( 1968), J. Komack (dir.), Star Trek, Season 2 Episode 20 (12 January, USA:: CBS;).
     [Google Scholar]
  23. ‘Rejoined’ ( 1995), A. Brooks (dir.), Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Season 4 Episode 6 (30 October, USA:: CBS;).
     [Google Scholar]
  24. ‘Return of the Archons’ ( 1967), J. Pevney (dir.), Star Trek, Season 1 Episode 22 (9 February, USA:: CBS;).
     [Google Scholar]
  25. Rodriguez, Julian A.. ( 2019;), ‘ Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer media: Key narratives, future directions. ’, Sociology Compass, 13:4, pp. 1–10, https://doi.org/10.1111/soc4.12675. Accessed 4 August 2022
     [Google Scholar]
  26. ‘The Sanctuary’ ( 2020), J. Frakes (dir.), Star Trek: Discovery, Season 3 Episode 8 (3 December, USA:: Paramount;+).
     [Google Scholar]
  27. Schroeder, Daniel. ( 2021;), ‘ How Star Trek redeemed a race of sexy alien slaves. ’, Slate, 15 January, https://slate.com/culture/2021/01/star-trek-discovery-lower-decks-orions-sex-slaves-pirates.html. Accessed 19 February 2022.
     [Google Scholar]
  28. Shatner, William. ( 2014), Chaos on the Bridge, DVD, Canada:: 455 Films;.
     [Google Scholar]
  29. Song, Lin, and Tan, Chris K. K.. ( 2020;), ‘ The final frontier: Imagining queer futurity in Star Trek. ’, Continuum: Journal of Media & Cultural Studies, 34:4, pp. 577–89, https://doi.org/10.1080/10304312.2020.1750564. Accessed 2 July 2021.
     [Google Scholar]
  30. ‘The Space Seed’ ( 1967), M. Daniels (dir.), Star Trek, Season 1 Episode 24 (16 February, USA:: CBS;).
     [Google Scholar]
  31. ‘The Spy Humongous’ ( 2021), B. Suarez (dir.), Star Trek: Lower Decks, Season 2 Episode 6 (16 September, USA:: Paramount;+).
     [Google Scholar]
  32. ‘Strange Energies’ ( 2021), J. Zurek (dir.), Star Trek: Lower Decks, Season 2 Episode 1 (12 August, USA:: Paramount;+).
     [Google Scholar]
  33. ‘Terminal Provocations’ ( 2020), B. Saurez (dir.), Star Trek: Lower Decks, Season 1 Episode 6 (10 September, USA:: Paramount;+).
     [Google Scholar]
  34. ‘That Hope Is You, Part 2’ ( 2021), O. Osunsanmi (dir.), Star Trek: Discovery, Season 3 Episode 13 (7 January, USA:: Paramount;+).
     [Google Scholar]
  35. ‘There Is a Tide…’ ( 2020), J. Frakes (dir.), Star Trek: Discovery, Season 3 Episode 12 (31 December, USA:: Paramount;+).
     [Google Scholar]
  36. Vary, Adam B.. ( 2020;), ‘ Star Trek: Lower Decks EP Mike McMahan on that TNG cameo and LGBTQ characters in season 2. ’, Variety, 8 October, https://variety.com/2020/tv/news/star-trek-lower-decks-season-1-finale-riker-troi-1234798405/. Accessed 9 July 2021.
     [Google Scholar]
  37. Walks, Michelle. ( 2014;), ‘ “We’re here and we’re queer!”: An introduction to studies in queer anthropology. ’, Anthropologica, 56:1, pp. 13–16.
     [Google Scholar]
  38. ‘We’ll Always Have Tom Paris’ ( 2021), B. Kelly and B. Saurez (dirs), Star Trek: Lower Decks, Season 2 Episode 3 (26 August, USA:: Paramount;+).
     [Google Scholar]
  39. ‘What You Leave Behind’ ( 1999), A. Kroeker (dir.), Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Season 7 Episodes 25&26 (2 June, USA:: CBS;).
     [Google Scholar]
  40. ‘Who Mourns for Adonis’ ( 1967), M. Daniels (dir.), Star Trek, Season 2 Episode 4 (12 January, USA:: CBS;).
     [Google Scholar]
  41. Totter, Eileen. ( 2022;), ‘ Star Trek: Lower Decks and utopian queer intimacy. ’, Queer Studies in Media & Popular Culture, 7:1&2, pp. 55–67, https://doi.org/10.1386/qsmpc_00068_1
     [Google Scholar]
http://instance.metastore.ingenta.com/content/journals/10.1386/qsmpc_00068_1
Loading
  • Article Type: Article
Keyword(s): adaptation; adult animation; Gene Roddenberry; LGBT; Mike McMahan; science fiction

Most Cited Most Cited RSS feed

This is a required field
Please enter a valid email address
Approval was a success
Invalid data
An error occurred
Approval was partially successful, following selected items could not be processed due to error