Case 4.17: Retrospect

***Content Warning: The following episode deals with topics of sexual assault, mental and physical abuse, trauma, and rape culture.***

The People v. Star Trek: Voyager drops the schtick to discuss “Retrospect,” an episode that began as a bad-faith critique of the mental health profession and aged into a bad-faith “cautionary tale” about how society handles allegations of sexual assault. It’s not appropriate subject matter for jokes, but it is an opportunity to reflect on responsible media creation, responsible media consumption, and how—even in a series centered on strong, competent, and dynamic women—this kind of crap is always there, waiting to slip through the filter.