Spoilers Star Trek: Strange New Worlds 3x09 - "Terrarium"

[Bad Thoughts]

What's an episode of Battlestar Galactica 1980 have to do with what I posted?
(And I wouldn't even consider it a more direct comparison as the Seraphs DIDN'T pit the Cylons against the Colonials as an experiment.)

My post was specifically referencing other Original STAR TREK series episodes

Because it is about two shipwrecked enemies trying to surviving together, and the main character re-evaluating his humanity.

 

[Starflight]

Read between the lines. Ortegas is queer-presenting, the Gorn is a giant lizard woman. They bond together in a desperate situation and Ortegas overcomes her misconceptions. That screams queer episode.

In what way? I never got that impression from any of her dialogue or story.

Putting aside the "Ortegas is gay because she has short hair and wears vests" implication, I'm even more intrigued by the suggestion that the presence of a "giant lizard woman" is a factor that infuses the episode with homoeroticism.

 

[HotRod]

Read between the lines. Ortegas is queer-presenting, the Gorn is a giant lizard woman. They bond together in a desperate situation and Ortegas overcomes her misconceptions. That screams queer episode.

That's a reach.

 

[Detached Nacelle]

Where in the episode was the Gorn implied to be gay?

What do you think the G in LGBT stands for

 

[Forsythe]

I am an easy pinch with Trek, admittedly. If I like the characters, I'm generally willing to take the ride. That includes every iteration since I began watching in the 70s. I thought people protested way too much, most of the time. (I'm not referring to general criticism, but the almost forensic analysis of things.)
Aesthetically, I'm willing to take the leap with regards to scale and design for TOS era in the modern age. I actually love it.
However, I am confounded at how TPTB seem to continually want to paint themselves into a corner, all in the name of 'Memberberries. The Gorn did not to need to be the Gorn in Strange New Worlds.. They could have named them anything else, La'an did not need to be a Singh. The Metrons did not need to show up in this episode. (Though I admit, I liked their modern interpretation of them, stylistically.)
The episode itself, while not breaking any new ground, was a nice character piece for Ortegas. I'm not sure adding fan service icing on the cake is having the effect they think it is. I found it to detract from things.
They've got 10 episodes a season. They need to make better choices. If you're going to put the Metrons in there, there had better be a damned good reason for doing so.

 

[Firebird]

Read between the lines. Ortegas is queer-presenting, the Gorn is a giant lizard woman. They bond together in a desperate situation and Ortegas overcomes her misconceptions. That screams queer episode.

That’s really reaching. This is a story plot other movies have done before with male characters, like Hell in the Pacific, and it didn’t have queer subtext then. Just because there’s two same-sex protagonists in the story doesn’t automatically translate to subtext.

Especially not this season when it’s dialed back a lot of the queer representation it had in the first couple seasons.

 

[Mr Awe]

I gave this one an 8 but that was being generous. It's really more of a 7.5.

I've seen this story several times already, Enemy Mine, and there was that TNG episode with Geordi. While the idea is nice and very Star Trek, I found them all a bit tedious. And seeing the same story thrice with this episode, isn't any better.

There were good moments and I liked seeing the problem solving. It was obvious they weren't going to save the Gorn so that was a bit predictable.

The Metron at the end wasn't needed. Not sure why it criticized La'an! Given the situation, her reaction was logical.

 

[Mr Awe]

I thought for sure at the end Spock was going to remark something about remembering to use a large signal flare if he's ever lost and set up that this is where he got the idea for Galileo 7.

 

[DaveyNY]

I don't believe that this was meant to be an obvious 'Gay' episode, but there may have been a slightly subtle intention with what could possibly be interpreted as a Gorn Pride Flag in the background of the Gorn's habitat ...


It kinda stood out in a more than dreary looking episode.


I gave this one an 8.

 

[eschaton]

"Queer presenting?" :WTF:

Ortegas is butch, but that doesn't say much about her sexuality. We actually know nothing about her sexuality or gender identity, other than some stuff from The Elysian Kingdom which is almost certainly unimportant (since La'an was also a prissy princess there).

I'd prefer if they play against type by making Erica a butch straight woman. Though the show has had a real dearth of queerness, other than Chapel causally dropping being bi in the first season, which was never addressed again.

 

[AntonyF]

Read between the lines. Ortegas is queer-presenting, the Gorn is a giant lizard woman. They bond together in a desperate situation and Ortegas overcomes her misconceptions. That screams queer episode.

Dear lord. There are no lines. You cut down the tree, printed the paper and drew on the lines.

Also queer-presenting is right up there with all the stereotypes that LGBT community has to live with constantly. You're not a real man if you're gay. You wear overalls and have short hair if you're a lesbian. et al.

And even if she were... there's no evidence of it being evidenced here in this story. It was a story of survival.

SNW has shown it's not a writing that it deft at subtlety or subtext either. They'd probably have the Gorn in a rainbow shuttle going "Hey gurrrl" if that was the intention.

 

[Donald G]

If you think this is bad just wait until you start listening to the Khan audio coming out soon

If they think "thinking out loud when alone" is bad, they should see video of me around the house when everyone else is away. Compared to me when alone, Erica Ortegas is a veritable Silent Sam.

 

[AntonyF]

SNW has shown it's not a writing that it deft at subtlety or subtext either. They'd probably have the Gorn in a rainbow shuttle going "Hey gurrrl" if that was the intention.

...what could possibly be interpreted as a Gorn Pride Flag in the background of the Gorn's habitat ...

 

[Starflight]

I feel like Gorn Pride would be less about same-sex attraction and more about gutting human captives alive.

 

[DaveyNY]

Dear lord. There are no lines. You cut down the tree, printed the paper and drew on the lines.

Also queer-presenting is right up there with all the stereotypes that LGBT community has to live with constantly. You're not a real man if you're gay. You wear overalls and have short hair if you're a lesbian. et al.

And even if she were... there's no evidence of it being evidenced here in this story. It was a story of survival.

SNW has shown it's not a writing that it deft at subtlety or subtext either. They'd probably have the Gorn in a rainbow shuttle going "Hey gurrrl" if that was the intention.

As I indicated above, I do not believe that this episode was intentionally meant to be Gay focused, but it's kinda harsh to completely disregard the subtle things that were included that could point in that direction.

What you don't see in your interpretation of the episode, doesn't mean it isn't there for someone else to see.

Though the poster that first pointed it out above, was, I believe, more than a bit severe in their interpretation.

 

[DaveyNY]

If they think "thinking out loud when alone" is bad, they should see video of me around the house when everyone else is away. Compared to me when alone, Erica Ortegas is a veritable Silent Sam.

Heh .. I'm constantly talking outloud to the dog around the house, even when he's sound asleep.

 

[Starflight]

I wonder if a race of reptilians (with potentially low/zero sexual dimorphism to start with) who scuttle around in breeding colonies devouring human slaves for sustenance and reproduce via chestbursters would be likely to demonise homosexuality in the way Earth cultures have, and then also undergo a resultant civil rights movement that results in the creation of symbology like pride flags.

 

[DaveyNY]

I wonder if a race of reptilians (with potentially low/zero sexual dimorphism to start with) who scuttle around in breeding colonies devouring human slaves for sustenance and reproduce via chestbursters would be likely to demonise homosexuality in the way Earth cultures have, and then undergo a resultant civil rights movement that results in the creation of symbology like pride flags.

Well, obviously, the Gorn Society is advanced socially enough for the Metrons to take an interest in them.

They got beyond their planet and developed a space faring civilization, so nothing is completely out of the question.

While they are meant to be the "Monster of the Week" at this point, we've seen plenty of the other Alien Races in Trek develop into full fledged societies over the multiple seasons of the shows.

 

[Aragorn]

In a future Star Trek series, the Gorn and humans will set aside their differences and join forces.... to invade and destroy the Metrons.

 

[DaveyNY]

In a future Star Trek series, the Gorn and humans will set aside their differences and join forces.... to invade and destroy the Metrons.

Don't know about the Metron thing, but we've already seen the two pretty much getting along in Lower Decks.