Hailing Frequencies Open Podcast

Today we welcome Laurie Ulster from TrekMovie.com, co-host of the All Access Star Trek podcast, and longtime chronicler of all things Trek! Laurie has spent years interviewing Star Trek stars and creatives, covering the latest franchise news, and helping fans dig deeper into the universe we love. Join us as we geek out with Laurie about life in the Star Trek universe, what it’s like covering one o...

With no new Star Trek shows currently in production, it's time for the fans to take the conn! Damian is joined by Zila Treks, Nzinga from Holodeck Heaux, and Derek Tyler Attico to pitch the Star Trek series THEY want to see next! Meanwhile, Mike and Lanita, operating under their alter egos Mitch and Granita , sit back and listen as the pitches fly. What corners of the galaxy should Trek explore ne...

We’re back aboard Pike's Enterprise (or is it Kirk's??) to break down Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 4, Episodes 7–10! Mike, Damian, and Lanita are joined by Jodi Pickens from the Clonestar Podcast and Derek from Make It Sew to discuss the latest adventures, character moments, twists, and big swings from our favorite crew. What worked? What left us scratching our heads? Join this queer, nerd...

What happens when you revisit Star Trek: Enterprise through a feminist lens? 🚀 This week on Hailing Frequencies Open, we’re joined by Holli and Leigh Ellen from the podcast Go Phlox Yourself to talk about their Enterprise rewatch, why a feminist perspective brings new dimensions to the series, and what the show has to say about gender, representation, and Trek’s complicated history. Plus, we get...

This week we’re joined by Anita Nittoly , a stunt performer, fight choreographer, and rigger whose work has helped bring the action of modern Trek! Anita takes us behind the scenes of creating the fights, falls, stunts, and physical performances that make Trek’s biggest action moments believable. We talk about what goes into choreographing a fight for the screen, the difference between performing...

This week on Hailing Frequencies Open , we’re joined by lesbian cosplayer, actress, model, playwright, and all-around nerd Jessica Crouse ! Jessica talks with us about her journey into cosplay, bringing iconic characters like Xena Warrior Princess, Seven of Nine, Jadzia Dax, Black Widow, and Bellatrix Lestrange to life, and what it means to create characters that resonate with the LGBTQ+ community...

Ever wonder how Star Trek’s aliens go from an actor in a chair to a fully realized character? Hailing Frequencies Open goes behind the scenes with Bradi Boulet , a talented prosthetic artist whose work has helped bring the worlds of Star Trek: Discovery and Star Trek: Starfleet Academy to life! 🖖 https://www.brandiboulet.com/ 🚀 Join the HFO Community! 🤩 Patreon (There’s a Free Option too): http...

The crew of the Hailing Frequencies Open is back aboard the Enterprise, and this time we’re breaking down the first SIX episodes of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 4! Mike, Damian, and Lanita are joined by Matt Jennings, Jodi Pickens, and Anna Rozay for a lively, hilarious, and occasionally VERY opinionated discussion of everything SNW has thrown at us so far. From the stories and character a...

Falling smack in the middle of the Star Trek / Comedy / Musical theatre ven diagram, Khan!!! The Musical! feels like it was written just for us! We sit down with creator Brent Black to talk about the wild, hilarious, and surprisingly heartfelt journey of turning Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan into a stage musical. We get into the inspiration behind the show, the challenges of adapting Trek for th...

What happens when Star Trek, LGBTQ+ advocacy, and unapologetic nerd culture collide? We sit down with Jonathan Lovitz from the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) to talk about the power of finding your community, why queer representation matters, and how fandom can help change the world. From Trek to identity to building spaces where everyone belongs, this is a conversation full of heart, hope, and plent...

This week on Hailing Frequencies Open , Mike, Damian, and Lanita are joined by @Zilatreks , a Star Trek content creator whose videos have entertained and connected fans across social media. We talk about creating Trek content, navigating fandom online, favorite series and characters, the ever-growing Star Trek universe, and the community that keeps fans coming back for more. Along the way, we shar...

Brace yourselves—this one's going to start arguments. Hosts Mike, Damian, and Lanita are joined by Nzinga, Leigh Ellen, and Sonyl to confess their biggest, boldest, and most controversial Star Trek opinions. From beloved captains and overrated series to unpopular character takes and fandom taboos, nothing is off-limits. Will you agree? Will you rage in the comments? Either way, we want to hear you...

The Hailing Frequencies Open Away Team has returned from Trek Long Island and they're ready to report in! Mike, Damian, and Lanita are joined by Audrey, Derick, Greg, Leigh Ellen, and Sonyl to recap a weekend packed with Star Trek fandom, celebrity guests, cosplay, panels, memorable moments, and plenty of convention chaos. What were the highlights? What surprised us? And what made Trek Long Island...

Episode Description: This week on Hailing Frequencies Open , we're stepping into the Holodeck with the incomparable Nzinga from Holodeck Heauxs Instagram for a conversation that's equal parts Star Trek fandom, queer joy, and unapologetic holodeck-level chaos. We talk Trek, identity, fandom spaces, and what it means to build community and creativity in the final frontier (and beyond it). Nzinga bri...

This week on Hailing Frequencies Open, we're honored to welcome Mary Chieffo , best known to Star Trek fans as the fierce Klingon leader L'Rell from Star Trek: Discovery . We dive into her journey into the Star Trek universe, the challenges of bringing a Klingon to life under layers of prosthetics, her love of Shakespeare, fandom, creativity, and what it means to be part of the ever-growing Star T...

Before AO3, before fanfic was mainstream, there was McSpirk. This week, Maxwell Warp beams aboard Hailing Frequencies Open to take us deep into the fascinating history of Kirk/Spock/McCoy fan fiction and fandom culture. From mimeographed zines to convention hall whispers, we explore how one of Star Trek's most enduring fan-created relationships helped shape modern fandom as we know it. It's nerdy,...

Damian, Lanita, and Mike dive into Legacy Returns , the latest installment from Trek Shorts from Power 543 Fan Films and friend of the pod, Samuel Cockings . From performances and production value to story choices and deep-cut Trek references, nothing is off-limits in this full breakdown review. The crew shares what worked, what surprised them, and where the film lands in the ever-growing world of...

This week, we're diving into the world of Star Trek fan films with filmmaker Samuel Cockings , the creative force behind Trek Shorts . Known for turning limitations into cinematic strengths, Samuel shares how he built a loyal following through interconnected storytelling, innovative visual effects, and a deep love of Trek. We talk about the realities of indie filmmaking in the Star Trek universe,...

Hop in the ARGO as we continue our "Lanita Watches Trek for the First Time" series with a no-holds-barred review of  Star Trek: Nemesis —and let's just say… we have thoughts. A lot of them. Joined by guest co-host Leigh Ellen, we break down everything from questionable plot choices and missed character opportunities to the chaotic energy of Shinzon and that very intense final act. For Lanita, it's...

This week, we go full warp into the world of on-screen transformation with Emmy-level hair wizard Ryan Reed —the creative force behind the iconic looks of Star Trek: Discovery , Star Trek: Section 31 , and Star Trek: Starfleet Academy . From designing bold new alien aesthetics to shaping deeply intentional character arcs through hair, Ryan pulls back the curtain on what it really takes to run a de...

In this special recap episode, we gather a full roundtable of friends, collaborators, and Star Trek superfans to break down everything that went down in Season 1 of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy . Joining us are Alex from Deosil Designs, Anna Rozay, Jodi from Clonestar, Leigh Ellen, Austin, Jackson, and Matthew Jennings from 1701: A Blerd Story —and no topic is off-limits. From standout cadets and...

Order in the court! ⚖️ This week we convene a very special session of Q's Court , where the fate of the Star Trek franchise hangs in the balance. Presiding over the chaos is our all-powerful judge, Honorable Judge Lanita Q Ward-Jones , with Austin dutifully serving as the bailiff and keeping the proceedings (somewhat) under control. Joining us for this cosmic courtroom debate are returning guests...

This week we're joined by writer and fandom historian Jackson Torii Bart for a deep dive into the origins of Kirk/Spock slash fiction and the larger history of fan-created slash. From mimeograph machines to modern fan archives, we unpack the creativity, resistance, community-building, and joy that fueled early slash writers—many of them women and queer fans carving out space in a media landscape t...

This week, we're heading to the Briar Patch and asking the big question: is Star Trek: Insurrection the most underrated Star Trek film… or a 2 hour episode?  Lanita is back in the captain's chair for another first-time watch as we continue her journey through the Trek films — and this one comes with fountains of youth, space diplomacy drama, and some extremely questionable Federation ethics. 👀 Jo...

Class is in session at Starfleet Academy —and we've got thoughts. This week, we're joined by friends of the pod Leigh Ellen and Alex to dig into the characters shaping Star Trek: Starfleet Academy , from the power players at the top to the cadets just beginning their Starfleet journeys. We break down leadership styles, messy brilliance, and the kind of character choices that tell you exactly what...