The Duras Sisters Podcast

Episode 3: Holodeck Series How did Solok convince his crew to learn baseball? Did DS9 shy away from holosuite existentialism? What is your take on Our Man Bashir? What are Quarks’ Bar Holosuite Rules? What are the pros and cons of a “woke” filter? Listen as Ashlyn and Rhianna continue program on their Holosuite series, entering Deep Space Nine. SPOILER ALERT: All of DS9 Trigger Warnings: Non-conse...

Special Release: Brighten the Corner Where You Are (With Guest, John Billingsley!) What is John’s favorite Phlox episode? Is he going to open his own bookstore someday? How was Enterprise influenced by its time? What is the Hollywood Food Coalition? How can we help people in need, no matter where we live? Listen as Ashlyn, Rhianna, and actor and activist John Billingsley discuss all things from Ph...

Episode 2: Holodeck Series Why does Geordi allow Barclay’s Non-HR Compliant Program? How many uses of the Holodeck can we discuss in one episode? What is considered the Ultimate Holodeck Episode? How many tropes can we find that were born from TNG? How successful were the two Holodeck scenes in the TNG movies? Listen as Ashlyn and Rhianna continue program on their Holodeck series, entering The Nex...

Episode 1: Holodeck Series What are the triumphs and pitfalls of holodecks episodes? Where do each of the TOS Trio go in the holodeck? Did Trek truly invent the holodeck concept? What are the biggest differences between the TAS Rec Room and the Holodeck we're used to? Where do holodeck episodes rank on your list of favorite Star Trek episode tropes? Has Spock ever laughed? Listen as Ashlyn and Rhi...

Episode 9: Spooky Series SNW: The Borg of Their Era Is the Majalin society actually a big cult? Could you go about your life knowing a child was suffering for peace in society? What’s going on with the Gorn ship? Why wasn’t Pike more on alert for Gorn attacks? Was the mind meld between Spock and La’an worth the trauma it brought to the surface? Listen as Ashlyn and Rhianna discuss all the spookies...

Episode 8: Spooky Series Can The Dog just make bats? What other roles do we want to see Jeffery Combs in? How does Lower Decks utilize foreshadowing? How will Badgey’s return go? Did you believe the farm was real? Listen as Ashlyn and Rhianna discuss all the spookiest episodes of Lower Decks. SPOILER ALERT: All of Lower Decks This is the eighth episode of our Spooky Series, where Ashlyn and Rhiann...

Episode 7: Spooky Series TRIGGER WARNINGS: Suicide, murder, Borg, PTSD, family death, climate change, facism/human supremacy, slavery, and mental illness How do X-Borg react to past trauma? Would it be more effective plot-wise if the audience didn’t know Soji was a synth? How are these scenes scarier from a child’s point of view? How well would you adapt to the alternative fascist timeline? How do...

Episode 6: Spooky Series DIS: Control has Entered the Chat Why doesn’t Nahn intervene sooner when she sees a problem with Ariam? How does emotion play a part in good horror? Was the discovery of Lt. Gant convincing or not? How does the mycelium network work? Should we judge the Ba’ul based on looks? Listen as Ashlyn and Rhianna discuss all the most chilling episodes of Star Trek: Discovery SPOILER...

Episode 5: Spooky Series How does Archer deal with his fear? What makes Enterprise episodes a different kind of spooky? Why did the writers choose to nearly assimilate Phlox? How does Hoshi handle change? How does T’Pol handle Trip’s drugged-induced xenophobia? Listen as Ashlyn and Rhianna discuss all the most chilling episodes of Star Trek: Enterprise SPOILER ALERT: Enterprise TRIGGER WARNINGS: B...

Episode 4: Spooky Series VOY: Neelix is Scared in the Kitchen What role does fear play in the lives of each crewmember? How many times do we quote Taylor Swift? What makes Voyager spooky episodes even scarier? Should Seven have been more prepared to run the ship? Is instrument negligence the spookies of them all? Listen as Ashlyn and Rhianna discuss all the most horrifying episodes of Star Trek: V...

Episode 3: Spooky Series DS9: A Scarier Possession of Keiko O'Brien Why does singing indicate a Spooky episode? What would Rom have done if he knew Keiko was possessed? Should Sisko have brought the ancient tablet to the station? Should Odo be considered a collaborator because of his work during the Occupation? Is the use of a Personal Log a good way to set up a spooky premise? Listen as Ashlyn an...

Special Release: Mulgrew Visits the Janeway Statue Ashlyn and Rhianna recount and recap their weekend in Bloomington, Indiana celebrating Kate Mulgrew’s visit to the Janeway Statue and following Q+A. Why is O’Brien always suffering? Join us next week as we talk all about the Spooky episodes in Deep Space Nine DISCLAIMER: We do not own any of the rights to Star Trek or its affiliations. This conten...

Episode 2: Spooky Series TNG: For The World is Hollow and I have Touched the Spider AKA: Breaking the Ronan Sex Cycle What finally breaks Beverly from Ronan’s grasp? Why does Barkley turn into a Spider? Does Troi give sound advice about embracing your darker side? Should they just start knocking the crew out? Why are the endings cut so short? Listen as Ashlyn and Rhianna discuss all the most terri...

Episode 1: Spooky Series What makes good horror in media? How can Spock be good at Trick or Treat? What lies in the twilight subconscious of humanity? How does Kirk face the things that haunt him? Why does Spock so readily accept that magic is real? Listen as Ashlyn and Rhianna discuss all the most terrifying episodes of Star Trek The Original Series. SPOILER ALERT: The Original Series, The Search...

Episode 8: First Officers SNW: Nobody Messes With Una AKA: Sketchy Stuff with Pike and Number One Why does Una want Spock to forget their moment in the turbolift? What is her relationship like with the crew? Why is she referred to as a computer? What makes Pikes and Una’s relationship unique? How many series does she appear in? Listen as Ashlyn and Rhianna discuss the position of First Officer and...

Episode 7: First Officers How does Ransom show his loyalty to Captain Freeman? What happens when Ransom goes godlike? How does Ransom need to grow as a commander? What does rank look like on a Klingon ship? How are Ransom and Mariner similar? Listen as Ashlyn and Rhianna discuss the position of First Officer and how Ransom fills the role in Lower Decks. SPOILER ALERT: All of Lower Decks up to S3e5...

Episode 6: First Officers How does Saru and Michael’s relationship change over time? What are Tilly’s leadership qualities? How does anyone keep track of rank in this show? How does Saru’s command style change? Why does Michael keep disobeying orders? Listen as Ashlyn and Rhianna discuss the position of First Officer and how Saru, Michael, and Tilly fill the role in Discovery. SPOILER ALERT: All o...

Episode 5: First Officers What does being a first officer mean in this show? How does T’Pol help in diplomacy situations? Why is T’Pol constantly explaining other cultures to humans? Why didn’t T’Pol want to show Archer the monastery? How does T’Pol navigate Vulcan politics and society on a human starship? Listen as Ashlyn and Rhianna discuss the position of First Officer and how T’Pol fills the r...

Episode 4: First Officers Would they have gotten out of “Year of Hell” without Chakotay? How would Janeway react to Chakotay disciplining “the Maquis Way?” When is Chakotay’s trusting nature a strength? Why didn’t Chakotay listen to orders from Janeway during “Scorpion?” How is it different being a First Officer in the Delta Quadrant? Listen as Ashlyn and Rhianna discuss the position of First Offi...

Episode 3: First Officers DS9: Kira Resistance 101 What is the dynamic between Kira and Sisko’s relationship? Is Kira already qualified to be Captain of DS9 by the pilot? How are the Bajoran Provisional Government and the Federation different? How are Kira and Sisko similar? Does Kira ever take time for herself? Listen as Ashlyn and Rhianna discuss the position of First Officer and how Kira fills...

Episode 2: First Officers What are Riker’s defining first officer qualities? Why is there so much competitive BS between Riker and Shelby? Why is Riker continuously passing up command opportunities? How do Thomas and Will interact? Why isn’t Riker a Captain by Insurrection? Listen as Ashlyn and Rhianna discuss the position of First Officer and how Riker fills the role in The Next Generation. SPOIL...

Episode 1: First Officers What makes a good first officer? Why doesn’t Spock want command? What are Spock’s failings as First Officer? What is the ideal Captain/First Officer dynamic? Would any First Officer choose duty over family? Listen as Ashlyn and Rhianna discuss the position of First Officer and how Spock fills the role in the Original Series. SPOILER ALERT: The Original Series, Wrath of Ka...

Episode 8: Death Fake Outs Was this the most epic death fake out we’ve seen yet? Why did it take longer for Shax to come back? Does everybody go to the Black Mountain? How does Rutherford react to Shaxs return? How does Lower Decks celebrate the death fake out? Listen as Ashlyn and Rhianna discuss the most shocking Death Fake Out in Lower Decks. SPOILER ALERT: Lower Decks and Wrath of Kahn This is...

Episode 7: Death Fake Outs Why did the writers choose to kill off Elnor for nearly a whole season? How is the Borg Queen like corporate America? How would you react to the death of a loved one? Why didn’t Picard tell Riker he was dying? Is Raffi right in calling out Picard about failed leadership that led to Elnors death? Listen as Ashlyn and Rhianna discuss the most shocking Death Fake Outs in Pi...

Episode 6: Death Fake Outs Why are there no death fake outs for Michael? Why is Saru’s death so impactful? Why does Michael take so many risks? What was the point of the fake out in the season four finale? How is Gray alive?! Listen as Ashlyn and Rhianna discuss the most shocking Death Fake Outs in Enterprise. SPOILER ALERT: Star Trek: Discovery This is the sixth episode of our Death Fake Out seri...