The Nexus #101 "The Survivor" / "Galaxy's Child"
Added 2025-01-30 11:00:05 +0000 UTCOn this episode of our monthly Star Trek chit-chat show, we're talking about an episode of the animated show that is somehow less uncomfortably written than the TNG episode!
First up on TOSTAS, it's the shapeshifting episode, "The Survivor." Originally airing on October 13, 1973, this episode has the Enterprise crew rescuing a presumed-dead philanthropist from his crippled ship, however the whole thing turns out to be a ruse by the Romulans involving the neutral zone, a rejected fiancée, and a delicious-looking, calamari-shaped gleep-glop that can turn into anything it wants!
Then across the galaxy on TNG, we're talking about the regrettable episode, "Galaxy's Child." When it first premiered back on March 9, 1991, who would've thought that Picard and crew accidentally murdering a space whale and then allowing its calf to feast off the life force of the Enterprise would NOT be the worst part of this episode? No, that honor would go to the horrendously icky depiction of Geordi La Forge and his eerie obsession with Dr. Leah Brahms, well, her hologram, anyway. Our jaws were on the floor as we watched what the writers had Geordi do on this episode! A true, true failure!
The Nexus is a WHM podcast where the guys futilely go through two Star Trek series at the same time. Thank you so much for continuing to support our family of shows—we couldn't do it without you! We know you have lots of options for pods and we're super-stoked you chose to spend some time with us—thanks again!
Cover art by Felipe Sobreiro.
Comments
I read that the writers made him a loser with women on purpose because they didn't want to perpetuate the stereotype of the "sexually aggressive Black man".
Brian Moreau
2025-07-24 02:57:03 +0000 UTCI almost burst out laughing in the office because I know one of those artists that did the M'Ress fanart y'all mentioned.
Daniel Hood
2025-03-17 19:08:19 +0000 UTCYep. Like the guys said on the show, this episode and others stuck in his craw for years. And I don'r blame him one bit. Geordi's such a great character otherwise, it's like the writers felt like they had to saddle him with this abhorrent social trait.
Jack B. Baker
2025-02-03 19:50:25 +0000 UTCProbably my least favorite episode of TNG. I freaking love LeVar Burton and they really did him dirty time and again with Geordi's abysmal love life. Some writer obviously thought that was a great gag. Geordi was initially my favorite character, though Worf replaced him as the series went on, partly because of the cringe shit they kept saddling Geordi with. I was in high school and college as the show aired and also awkward and struggled with dating. If they had just made the character awkward, that would've been fine, but they had to make him a creep, too. The smartest guy on the ship next to the robot, so of course he had to be a loser. Was so glad we got to see him with a family in Picard. You guys did a great job with this episode. Whenever I rewatch TNG, I always skip any of these episodes and just prefer to think of Geordi as the Chief Engineer and that cringe shit just never happened, especially given he's totally freaking normal and competent in any of the other episodes.
Jack B. Baker
2025-02-03 19:45:40 +0000 UTCGot my tickets to see this show in Oxford! Never bought tickets so fast!
Hermione
2025-02-01 10:09:30 +0000 UTCI have a uncomfortable feeling in an upcoming episode cat lady and Scotty get together due to a Harry Mudd love potion
Craig
2025-02-01 04:26:05 +0000 UTC"Replicator, ship hooters," loudly laughing in my kitchen at 5am
Smaug
2025-01-31 13:13:07 +0000 UTCThey never explicitly say who the mother is but his daughters have the same names as in All Good Things implying it’s possibly Brahms.
TJ1982
2025-01-31 09:37:27 +0000 UTCAfter the cat lady shows up I expect furry to become the new I'm stuck / giant women/ step sister joke.
Mark D Myers
2025-01-30 23:32:45 +0000 UTCPicard should have had them drive by Space Central Park and just dumped the space clam there like RFK Jr.
Michael Daniels
2025-01-30 21:20:25 +0000 UTCAt least Michael Dorn was just used as a punching bag. Levar Burton had to swallow being depicted as the dweeb from DEADLY FRIEND.
Mark Ibarra
2025-01-30 20:52:59 +0000 UTCAt least thanks to the third season of Star Trek Picard, we can confirm that that is NOT the case as Geordi did not marry Leah Brahms. - Andrew
We Hate Movies
2025-01-30 18:17:57 +0000 UTCPicard: Uh, Lt. La Forge to HR, please. You’re in trouble misterrrr. 😈
Paul
2025-01-30 17:59:00 +0000 UTCAlso I forgot to mention that it has been implied that Geordi’s eventual wife may be this woman. It is, at least, in the alternate future we see in the last episode. So not only does she get over it, she’s eventually gets on it.
Dan sulin
2025-01-30 16:01:57 +0000 UTCI hadn't heard that, but I certainly wouldn't blame him.
johnny stocker
2025-01-30 15:22:01 +0000 UTCThe fact that this woman is okay with Geordies holodeck creepery and basically apologises to him in the end says a lot about the writers of this episode, and I'd side eye them if I ever met them.
Emil Svensson
2025-01-30 15:03:01 +0000 UTCThe thing is this episode is hard to look away from. It came on Pluto yesterday and I just had to sit and watch Geordi be a total creep
Dan sulin
2025-01-30 14:59:57 +0000 UTCDidn’t he even comment about how shitty this episode is.
Dan sulin
2025-01-30 14:57:51 +0000 UTCYeah dude, this one was WILD. I love LeVar, but the writers did him noooo favors on many occasions.
johnny stocker
2025-01-30 14:30:28 +0000 UTCMacKenzie Scott is a “good billionaire” or at least as good as we’re going to get under our current system.
Sass
2025-01-30 13:33:32 +0000 UTCGeordi's excuses didn't fly even back then. Now it's just pathetic. Leah Brahms did absolutely nothing wrong, and owes Geordi jack shit.
Sarah Montgomery
2025-01-30 12:43:15 +0000 UTCGeordi’s incel bonafides were really cemented in this TNG episode, yikes
Felipe Sobreiro
2025-01-30 11:50:43 +0000 UTC
