90: The Thing That Wouldn’t Die

Primitive Culture: A Star Trek History and Culture Podcast

Talking Horror with Brannon Braga.

In space, no one can hear you scream. And while the well-lit corridors of a Federation starship may seem worlds away from the grimy darkness of the Nostromo, even Starfleet’s best and brightest are sometimes caught in the grip of a full on horrorfest. Perhaps no one in Star Trek’s history has penned more chilling and gruesome tales than Brannon Braga, whose hundred-odd franchise installments run the gamut from spine-tinglers such as “Schisms” and “Frame of Mind” to the full-on body horror of “Genesis” and “Phage.”

In this episode of Primitive Culture, host Duncan Barrett is joined by Braga for a look at some of his creepiest episodes of Star Trek. Along the way we discuss the thrill of turning the Enterprise into a haunted house, how Star Trek: First Contact narrowly escaped an R rating from the Motion Picture Association of America, and whether or not Star Trek, in the post-network-TV age, should be looking to embrace even more nightmarish imagery.

Host Duncan Barrett Guest Brannon Braga

Production Duncan Barrett (Editor and Producer) C Bryan Jones (Executive Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer) Ken Tripp (Executive Producer) Tony Black (Associate Producer) Clara Cook (Associate Producer) Norman C. Lao (Associate Producer) Amy Nelson (Associate Producer) Richard Marquez (Production Manager)