Phobias in Star Trek. Killer clowns! Crashing planes! Confined spaces! Crumpets? When our most deep-seated fears hold us hostage, our ability to make rational decisions flies out the airlock. What hope, then, for the transporter-phobic officer serving on a Federation starship, or the claustrophobic Cardassian living in exile on an overcrowded space station?

In this episode of Primitive Culture, host Duncan Barrett is joined by Brandi Jackola of Live from The Edge to discuss the phobias of some of Star Trek’s characters, as well as our own irrational terrors. We look at transporter phobia as an analog for fear of flying in TNG’s “Realm of Fear”, claustrophobia triggered by “misplaced guilt” in DS9’s “Afterimage”, and—worst of all for a crew of intrepid spacefarers—the “nihilophobia” (fear of nothingness) in Voyager’s “Night.” In space, there are plenty of reasons to be scared … even if no one can hear you scream.

Chapters Intro (00:00:00) Our Worst Nightmares (00:04:30) Hostage to terror (00:09:40) Trapped in the Closet? (00:20:15) Federation Health and Safety (00:36:00) The Sum of All Fears (00:43:50) Saru and Barclay (01:11:20)

Host Duncan Barrett Guest Brandi Jackola Production Duncan Barrett (Producer, Editor) C Bryan Jones (Executive Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer) Ken Tripp (Executive Producer) Tony Black (Associate Producer) Clara Cook (Associate Producer) Norman C. Lao (Associate Producer) Amy Nelson (Associate Producer) Richard Marquez (Production Manager)