Star Trek Discovery and the Female Gothic

Carey Millsap-Spears isprofessor of communications at Moraine Valley Community College.

In the seemingly male-dominated world of Star Trek and sci-fi, this volume makes a convincing argument for the female gothic in the television series Star Trek Discovery. Drawing on the works of Ann Radcliffe, Charlotte Brontë, and Mary Shelley, Millsap-Spears demonstrates how Discovery embraces the female gothic tropes of adventure, explained supernatural, escape narratives, heroines, villains, and ineffective heroes. She furthers shows that while the female gothic is present in earlier Star Trek episodes, the traditional gothic heroine is not fully realized until the arrival of the strong central figure of Michael Burnham, the courageous, first female captain of color in the Star Trek franchise. Instead of a gloomy abbey or castle, Burnham finds danger and love on a dark planet while using her bravery and intelligence to repeatedly save herself and her crew. Fans will appreciate this fresh take on Discovery. And while the multiple references to the gothic and scholarly works may initially put off general readers, the specific examples from various episodes quickly bring balance and draw readers in. This heavily researched volume is a valuable resource for scholars across multiple fields.Highly recommended. General readers through faculty.

• DedicationPrefaceAcknowledgmentsIntroductionChapter 1: “Haven’t you ever been afraid of a ghost?”: Gothic Romances, Star Trek, and Science FictionChapter 2: “That Hope is You”: Female Gothic Heroines and Michael BurnhamChapter 3: “He Groomed You. He Chose You”: The Gothic Villain and Star Trek: DiscoveryChapter 4: “That’s How We Find Our Way”: Escape Narratives, the Female Gothic, and the VoyagesChapter 5: “I Like Science”: the Explained Supernatural, the Female Gothic, and Star Trek: DiscoveryChapter 6: “Sometimes We Know the Role We’re Meant to Play”: Starfleet’s (Ineffective) Gothic HeroesConclusionBibliographyAbout the Author