Strange New Pod | A Star Trek Podcast

Alternative Space is thrilled to welcome Star Trek: Strange New Worlds fan favorite Melissa Navia, the talented actor behind helmswoman Erica Ortegas.
In this episode, Amy sits down with Melissa for a wide-ranging and heartfelt conversation about her Latina heritage and the importance of meaningful representation in Star Trek. Melissa also speaks passionately about being an advocate for women in space and STEM, how Ortegas embodies that spirit, and what it means to help inspire the next generation of explorers.
The chat takes flight as Melissa shares her real-world journey toward earning her pilot’s license, and how that experience deepens her connection to Ortegas at the helm. They also dive into her standout work in episode 9 of Strange New Worlds, “Terrarium,” exploring the emotional depth, challenges, and craft behind one of the season’s most memorable performances.
It is an inspiring, insightful conversation about identity, ambition, and boldly going both on screen and off.
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This week on Strange New Pod, we’re diving headfirst into Starfleet Academy Episode 102, “Beta Test.” Girafe is joined by Emcee and Hawk to break down the episode’s biggest moments, character beats, and what this early Academy test run tells us about the future of Starfleet. 
Episode Synopsis: With the start of the new academic year, Caleb’s unease about his future at Starfleet Academy persists. But when a delegation from a former Federation ally arrives, and Caleb is tasked with showing their leader's daughter around campus, he must put his uncertainty aside to discover what life at the Academy is really about.
Plus, we open up the mailbag to hear your thoughts, theories, and reactions, and cover even more Trek goodness along the way. All that and more on Episode 270 of Strange New Pod. Engage!
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Thursday's Starfleet Academy premiere kicks off a brand-new era for the franchise, and we are digging into everything from character introductions and world-building to themes, canon connections, and what this premiere sets up for the future of Starfleet. 
Join Girafe and the gang as they share their immediate reactions, favorite moments, and a spoiler-filled deep dive into the episode.
Episode Synopsis: After being on the run since age 6, 21-year-old Caleb, a brilliant street kid, is offered the chance of a lifetime: to join the first new Starfleet Academy class in San Francisco in over a century. There's just one problem – the person offering him the spot is newly-minted Chancellor Nahla Ake, the Starfleet captain who sentenced his mother to Federation prison 15 years ago...
Plus, what did you think about the series premiere? Your thoughts from the mailbag and live chat. That and more on episode 269 of SNP.
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We are officially ONE WEEK OUT from Starfleet Academy, and that means it’s time for WANTS & DON’T WANTS on Strange New Pod.
This episode is primarily YOUR SHOW as we dig into your hopes, concerns, and expectations for the series, along with a few of our own. And for this special edition, we can finally address some of those wants and don’t wants without spoilers, because the review embargo lifted TODAY.
Let’s talk about what we’re hoping Starfleet Academy gets right and what we really hope it avoids as launch day approaches.
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Kick off the New Year with a brand new episode of Strange New Pod as Julian and Giraffe sit down with writer and game designer Carlos Cisco for a wide-ranging conversation spanning Star Trek and tabletop RPGs.
Carlos dives into his work as a writer on Star Trek: Discovery, his contributions to Star Trek Adventures, and his role in helping develop the brand new TTRPG Daggerheart. They also take a deep look at his latest release, Pistolheart, a Western-inspired supplement for Daggerheart that brings six-shooters, frontier justice, and genre-bending storytelling to the system.
From Starfleet to the final frontier of the Old West, this episode explores storytelling across mediums, adapting tone and genre, and what it takes to build compelling worlds, whether on screen or at the table. 
As Data once said, "Saddle up, lock and load." (and roll some dice).
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