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PODCAST

Trek Politics | A Star Trek podcast with Mary L. Trump and Bob Cesca

Mary L. Trump & Bob Cesca | Star Trek Podcast

Trek Politics is a fun and insightful deep dive into the socio-political and cultural allegory of Star Trek across all series and movies, featuring author and commentator Mary Trump and political podcaster Bob Cesca.

tv & film tv reviews

All Episodes

00:32:00

Endless War and "A Taste of Armageddon" (TOS)

Trek Politics | A Star Trek podcast with Mary L.... ·

2025/11/17

In this week's episode of Trek Politics, we discuss the original series episode "A Taste of Armageddon" in which Captain Kirk attempts to broker piece between two planets at war, only to discover that the war is a computer simulation that requires actual deaths through "disintegration machines." What does this episode teach us about the absurdity of war? And how it relate to our own politics? Stick around for BOBSERVATIONS, in which I discuss some nitpicks and funny details from the episode. Watch

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00:35:06

A Private Little War: When Star Trek Took On...

Trek Politics | A Star Trek podcast with Mary L.... ·

2025/11/10

Mary Trump and Bob Cesca dig into the original series episode "A Private Little War" and it's Vietnam War allegory. What did Gene Roddenberry and the crew of the USS Enterprise conclude about the question of whether the U.S. should have gotten involved in Vietnam? Stick around for Bob's nerdy observations about the episode, including how best to defeat the shrieking Mugato creature. Make sure to subscribe and leave us a five star rating and review!

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00:42:05

Star Trek's Most Poweful Episode with Actor Spencer...

Trek Politics | A Star Trek podcast with Mary L.... ·

2025/11/02

This week's Trek Politics is a companion to our previous podcast about the Next Generation episode "The Drumhead". Bob talks with actor Spencer Garrett who played Crewman Simon Tarses, who's caught up in a McCarthyite witch hunt aboard the Enterpeise. You might also know Spencer from Once Upon A Time in Hollywood, Bosch, For All Mankind, The Comey Rule, The Residence, and so many other films and TV shows. Once you see him, you'll immediately recognize him as that guy in that movie.

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00:29:16

It's The One With The Nazis

Trek Politics | A Star Trek podcast with Mary L.... ·

2025/10/26

Mary and Bob discuss the S2E23 original series episode "Patterns of Force," in which Kirk and Spock attempt to rescue a history professor who accidentally brings the Third Reich to an alien planet, leading to all the horrible things from Nazi Germany including a genocide against a neighboring planet. There's even a Stephen Miller-type character. Stick around for Bob's weird observations about the episode. Don't forget to catch the YouTube video edition of the show at trekpolitics.com.

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00:30:37

"The Omega Glory" and the U.S. Constitution

Trek Politics | A Star Trek podcast with Mary L.... ·

2025/10/19

Mary Trump and Bob Cesca discuss the dumpster fire that is the original series episode "The Omega Glory." It's a hot mess but its use of the Constitution offers a valuable lesson about today's politics and how constitutional rights apply to all people, not just citizens. Stick around for some nerdy odds and ends from the episode, including Bob's dramatic re-enactment of Captain Kirk's Eed Plebnista speech. And more! We're getting this show off the ground and need your help. Leave us a five star

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00:25:44

TNG's The Drumhead and Donald's Political Witch Hunts

Trek Politics | A Star Trek podcast with Mary L.... ·

2025/10/05

Mary Trump and Bob Cesca discuss The Next Generation episode "The Drumhead" in which an overzealous investigator played by Jean Simmons turns an espionage investigation into a full blown witch hunt in which Captain Picard and his crew are accused of treason. From political prosecutions to racial profiling to investigatory creep, Mary and Bob examine the lessons of The Drumhead in our modern politics. Stick around for some nerdy odds and ends from The Drumhead. And more! We're getting this show off

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00:50:19

Writer Mike Sussman on the Politics of 'Star Trek...

Trek Politics | A Star Trek podcast with Mary L.... ·

2025/09/28

Mary Trump and Bob Cesca catch up with Enterprise and Voyager writer/producer Mike Sussman about his highly anticipated pitch for a proposed series called Star Trek United about Jonathan Archer's presidency. Plus, we discuss an episode of Enterprise Mike co-wrote called Detained about indefinite detention and internment camps. What does Detained tell us about our current mass deportation camps? Stick around for some odds and ends from Detained. And more! We're getting this show off the ground and

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00:39:54

'Day of the Dove' and Political Violence

Trek Politics | A Star Trek podcast with Mary L.... ·

2025/09/21

Mary and Bob review the original series Season 3 episode "Day of the Dove" in which a malevolent entity (that resembles an ocular migraine) feeds off negative energy, forcing the crew of the Enterprise and the Klingons to brink of war. What does this episode tell us about social media algorithms that incite outrage, and a president who thrives on chaos? Stick around for some weird odds and ends from the episode. Be sure to subscribe on your favorite podcast app, and don't miss the video edition of

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00:56:21

Tim Russ on Donald Trump's Revisionist History

Trek Politics | A Star Trek podcast with Mary L.... ·

2025/09/21

The great Tim Russ returns to Trek Politics to talk about an episode of Voyager he directed called "Living Witness," in which revisionist history is front and center. Mary, Bob, and Tim also discussed the Lost Cause myth, as well as Donald Trump's attempts to censor the Smithsonian and the National Parks. Be sure to subscribe on your favorite podcast app, and don't miss the video edition of this episode at trekpolitics.com! And be sure to check out Tim reprising his role as Tuvok in the amazing new

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00:50:55

What Is Starfleet? Star Trek values in the Skydance era

Trek Politics | A Star Trek podcast with Mary L.... ·

2025/09/21

Be sure to subscribe on your favorite podcast app, and don't miss the video edition of this episode at trekpolitics.com!

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01:24:46

Star Trek Las Vegas Politics Panel

Trek Politics | A Star Trek podcast with Mary L.... ·

2024/09/18

We're back with all new episodes! Our first show back is the audio of the Politics of Trek panel from this year's Star Trek Las Vegas convention. The panel was organized and co-moderated by Mark Altman from The Inglorious Treksperts podcast and David Goodman, former president of the WGA. The panelists included Mary and Bob, along with Ande Kindryd who worked on the original series, Oscar-nominated actor Mary McDonnell from Battlestar Galactica, and Tim Russ from Star Trek Voyager and Picard, The

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00:12:09

Trek Politics Is On Strike

Trek Politics | A Star Trek podcast with Mary L.... ·

2023/07/26

Mary and Bob announce a temporary hiatus for this podcast until the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes are resolved, in essence Trek Politics is joining the virtual picket line in support of the actors and writers. Per the SAG-AFTRA guidelines, our guests are unable to publicly discuss or promote Star Trek or any studio or network projects, and it's a gray area in terms of whether we, as podcasters, can discuss Star Trek on the show. So rather than struggling to navigate all of that, we decided to support

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00:38:49

Hollywood on Strike and Kirk Acevedo

Trek Politics | A Star Trek podcast with Mary L.... ·

2023/07/19

Mary and Bob talk with legendary actor Kirk Acevedo about the Screen Actors Guild strike and how it's impacting him and his career.

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01:53:44

Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tim Russ

Trek Politics | A Star Trek podcast with Mary L.... ·

2023/07/12

Mary and Bob talk with the brilliant, funny, and insightful Tim Russ, who played the Vulcan Tuvok on Voyager and Picard Season 3. We dig into Tim's politics, the most culturally poignant episode of Voyager, the downsides to AI, how we get to a Star Trek future, sci-fi pet peeves, and of course Subspace Pancakes!

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01:31:17

Ad Astra Per Aspera and Todd Stashwick

Trek Politics | A Star Trek podcast with Mary L.... ·

2023/06/28

Mary and Bob recap Strange New Worlds S2E2 "Ad Astra Per Aspera" plus civil rights and non-human personhood in Starfleet. And then the spectacular Todd Stashwick, Captain Liam Shaw from Picard S3, arrives to discuss playing a grease monkey from Chicago, his breathtaking Wolf 359 speech, toxic fandom, and more!

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01:15:37

Strange New Worlds and Jeri Ryan

Trek Politics | A Star Trek podcast with Mary L.... ·

2023/06/21

We discuss Strange New Worlds S2E1, including false flags and punching Klingons. And then we talked with the inimitable Jeri Ryan, Seven of Nine on Voyager and Picard.

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01:36:05

Introductions and Terry Matalas

Trek Politics | A Star Trek podcast with Mary L.... ·

2023/06/14

Welcome to the premiere episode of Trek Politics with Mary Trump and Bob Cesca. The incredible Terry Matalas, showrunner, writer, and director of Star Trek Picard Season 3, joins us to discuss this purely epic season of Star Trek television.

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00:01:15

Trek Politics Trailer

Trek Politics | A Star Trek podcast with Mary L.... ·

2023/05/31

Trek Politics with Mary L. Trump and Bob Cesca is a deep dive into the socio-political and cultural allegories of Star Trek across all the series and movies, plus guest interviews with Star Trek actors, crew, and famous fans.

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38 results

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