I have a problem with Paula Marshall.

Well, actually, I have a problem with directors and producers and casting directors who haven't found a way to put Marshall on the screen week after week. I want to see more of her — in every sense of the phrase.

I had high hopes for Cupid, a witty 1998 comedy starring Marshall and Jeremy Piven. … continue reading

Ever wondered what people with really high IQs do in their spare time? Neither have I. Well, OK, I have wondered what some of them do. To the point of distraction, in fact.

But whether you wanted to know or not, Fancast reports that MENSA chairman Jim Werdell watches about 10 hours of television every day. (The average American watches four and a half hours.) And apparently, the combination of high IQ and television addiction makes Werdell qualified to list the 10 smartest TV shows of all time.

I won't argue with No. 1, simply because my daddy's favorite television show was M*A*S*H and he was smart. That's good enough for me.

I'll also concede that Frasier, All in the Family and West Wing deserve spots on the list. (Dang, how much do you miss C.J.?) … continue reading

Back in 2004, Barack Obama was engaged in a heated battle in Illinios for a seat in the U.S. Senate. His opponent? A Rebuplican named Jack Ryan. The outcome of that race will never be known. Why? Because a certain Borg popped up and forever altered the political landscape.

OK, I might be overstating her actual influence. Jeri Ryan hasn't joined the list of celebrities endorsing the various candidates, but she is a factor in the three-ring circus we call politics. See, Jack Ryan, Obama's senate opponent in 2004, is her ex-husband. The same ex-husband she claimed had taken her to Paris sex clubs and tried to persuade her to perform various sex acts while others watched. The allegations were part of divorce papers unsealed by court order during the course of that 2004 campaign. The sex scandal resulted in Ryan withdrawing from the race. Obama went on to win in a landslide over Ryan's replacement, Alan Keyes. … continue reading

On Thursday of last week, when international space station commander Peggy Whitson welcomed space shuttle Discovery commander Pamela Melroy on board, the meeting marked the first time ever that two female commanders have hooked up (no, not like that) in space. That's a happy addition to the timeline of women's accomplishments in space.

Sometimes I think I'm the only one who still gets excited about nonfictional shuttle launches. It's amazing to me that the same culture that paid George Lucas to crank out his craptastic Star Wars prequels treats the space program like the nerd in high school who liked math and carried around Isaac Asimov novels. (You know, ignore it most of the time, but when it's having a bad day, tape a “kick me” sign to its back and watch it careen down the hall.)

But I get the fascination with space stories. I grew up with E.T. (which is 25 years old this year!), spent one summer in the '80s watching Space Camp until I wore out the tape, and yes, I, too, forked over the money for tickets to those Star Wars prequels, though that was mostly for Natalie Portman. And I do believe we should celebrate women in space-type entertainment, because they encourage us to dream of possibilities outside of our own experience. Here are a few of my favorites. … continue reading

If you’re ever at a Star Trek convention and things get a little boring, here are six words guaranteed to stir the pot. “Best Star Trek captain ever. Discuss.” Entire websites are devoted to the Kirk vs. Picard debate, and it’s not a subject that Trekkies take lightly. Here at AfterEllen.com, however, no discussion is necessary. The best Star Trek captain is obvious.

News of Star Trek XI, directed by J.J. Abrams, has fueled new debate, since the movie’s storyline is a prequel to the original series and requires casting younger versions of Kirk & crew. Our own globalgrrl had a Psychic Friends moment when she correctly put Zoë Saldana in the role of Uhura.

That got me thinking: If an AfterEllen.com woman can cast a part so perfectly, imagine the lineup if AfterEllen.com cast an entire Star Trek film. Especially if the film had an all-female cast. Now we’re talking. I can almost see the marquee. “AfterEllen.com presents: Star Trek L: Revenge of the Manatees.” … continue reading

Virginia Smith. She was my music teacher in high school. My heart beat faster in her class. Good thing it was choir, because otherwise I know she would have heard it.

One day Ms.Smith encouraged me to audition for a folk singing group. (Yes, folk singing. You do the math.) I sat next to her on the piano bench, meekly singing the notes she played, certain that I was shaking too hard to be on pitch. Then she turned to me and said, "You have remarkable voice control." I had no idea what that meant, but I floated out of the room. I folk-sang my little heart out that year, and singing has been an important part of my life ever since. A teacher can do that.

I know those of you in education get a little melancholy this time of year. Teaching is the Rodney Dangerfield of professions. (Except Rodney got rich off getting no respect.) Still, some of our favorite television characters have been teachers. Who among us didn't admire Miss Beadle for reining in Nellie Oleson? And who didn't know a Dorothy Zbornak (played by Bea Arthur on Golden Girls) who scared the hell out of us but was the best teacher we ever had?

Here are a few more: … continue reading

Sometimes it's hard for me to explain exactly why I love something. For example, I can tell you that I like guitars and women who can sing, but that doesn't really explain why I love Heart. Or I can tell you that I like cheese and beans and guacamole, but that doesn't fully capture my love of Mexican food.

Other times, though, it's easy. I can tell you exactly why I love Star Trek: Voyager, and I can do it with one word: Janeway.

It just doesn't get better than Kate Mulgrew in uniform, running a tight ship, drinking coffee, chatting with Leonardo da Vinci on the holodeck or helping Seven of Nine (make that Annika) embrace her humanity. That last thing was especially fascinating, and has inspired reams of fan fic (I recommend G.L. Dartt's stories if you haven't read them).

But in a recent interview with the Trekdom bloggers, Star Trek: Voyager doctor Robert Picardo reveals that the Captain/Borg interactions weren't always so warm. Mulgrew wasn't very keen on Seven at first: … continue reading