Estradiol Illusions

The Pon Farr is one of the weirder aspects of Star Trek lore, making it a natural topic for Estradiol Illusions to explore! Join host Ian Thomas Malone and specials guests Johnny Kolasinksi and Dr. Jackson Vane from Hi Everybody - a Bad Medicine Podcast, as well as Dr. Courtney Nicholas and Dr. Greg Winter for a wide-ranging discussion all about everyone's favorite Vulcan mating ritual. What would happen is a transgender Vulcan underwent the Pon Farr?  Why don't any Vulcans ever want to talk about this totally normal biological function? All of that and much more ahead!

This episode covers the following Star Trek episodes, as well as parts of Star Trek III: The Search for Spock

TOS: "Amok Time"

VOY: "Blood Fever," parts of "Blood & Soul"

ENT: "Bounty"

For more of Hi Everybody, check out their website https://hieverybody.libsyn.com/ (available on all major podcast platforms). 

You can also follow Hi Everybody on Twitter, @hieverybodymd and Johnny, @cycloptiko, and Jackson, @JacksonVane

**No medical advice is given on this show.**

Star Trek logo courtesy of ViacomCBS

Why does Mando wear a mustache? Join Ian as she spends most of the episode pondering the show's existential questions (mostly kidding!), like why Boba Fett spent much of Chapter 15 hiding. Mayfeld returns, bringing American interventionism into the equation, territory that Star Wars hasn't quite presented as something its audience should worry about with regard to the New Republic. 

No Grogu this week, but never fear. A sighting of Pedro Pescal's beautiful face can go a long way toward forgetting about that adorable little fella.

Ian's written review: https://ianthomasmalone.com/2020/12/the-mandalorian-season-2-review-chapter-15/

Hop aboard your reindeer and be sure to watch out for the Miser brothers, because we are taking a journey down to Southtown. Join Ian and very special guest Barbara "Bibble" Malone as they break down the seminal holiday favorite The Year Without a Santa Claus. Santa may have wanted a year off, but a certain pink-bowed girl had other plans. We'd have a blue Christmas without this holiday classic! 

Be sure to check out all our holiday coverage! 

Film poster courtesy of Rankin/Bass Productions

Rudolph with your nose so bright, won't you guide my sleigh tonight? Such is the question Santa posed, after committing acts of intolerable cruelty against the poor young reindeer merely because he was born different.

Transgender people have heard this story before.

The TV special Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer reinforces casual bigotry. Its Santa is a giant asshole. Santa & Coach Comet can go straight to hell. No reindeer games, no presents, just a steaming pile of coal and permanent place on the naughty list. Never allow your oppressors to gaslight you into pulling their sleigh.

Ian's original article from 2017: https://ianthomasmalone.com/2017/12/a-transgender-perspective-on-rudolph-the-red-nosed-reindeer/

Poster courtesy of CBS

Holiday themed TTTE & Chill! Join Ian & Tarabelle for a trip to the Island of Sodor for a bunch of snowy shenanigans. Percy's driver abandons him on a siding to be covered in ice, while Skarloey's crew roughs it out inside the igloo. Why didn't Terence get to come to Mrs. Kyndly's Christmas party? How is he supposed to watch over her house? All of that and more!

This tape covers the following episodes: 

• It's Only Snow

**Note** We chose this tape over earlier Christmas' features as this one does not contain duplicate episodes that TTTE & Chill has already covered or is about to cover.

VHS image courtesy of Anchor Bay Entertainment

Grab your jetpack and your Sarlacc pit, Boba Fett is back! The long-awaited return of everyone's favorite tertiary bounty hunter lived up to the hype. Temuera Morrison was absolutely superb.

Ian provides some context for Boba Fett's popularity, including his debut in the beloved Star Wars Holiday Special. Mando might not be very good at watching his son, but at least Grogu has darksaber to keep himself occupied.  

Ian's written review! https://ianthomasmalone.com/2020/12/the-mandalorian-season-2-review-chapter-14/

Grab your popcorn and your membership card, because we're making tonight a Blockbuster Night! We are so thrilled to host Sandi Harding, manager of the final Blockbuster store open in the world, located in Bend, Oregon, and Taylor Morden and Zeke Kamm, director & writer/producer of the fabulous new documentary The Last Blockbuster to the show.

Sandi shares plenty of great insights as to why her Blockbuster has survived in the streaming era, a staple of the Bend community. Taylor & Zeke share their experiences crafting the documentary and why Blockbuster is a place that sparks such fond memories for so many. The film is pure joy for cinephiles.

The Last Blockbuster premieres on VOD on December 15th.

To purchase merchandise from the last Blockbuster, please visit their website: https://bendblockbuster.com/ 

Ian's review of the film: https://ianthomasmalone.com/2020/12/the-last-blockbuster-is-pure-joy-for-film-aficionados/ 

Film poster courtesy of 1091 Pictures

We are delighted to continue our holiday coverage with a panel discussion on a Boston holiday staple: The Slutcracker, joined by creator/artistic director Vanessa White, performer Jolie LaVie, stage crew Rae Mansfield & makeup artist Sparklle T. Due to covid restrictions, The Slutcracker will make its on-screen debut with Slutcracker: The Movie, available now. Vanessa and the Slutcracker talent share plenty of behind the scenes stories and talk at length about the importance of bringing inclusion to the world of ballet.

To learn more about The Slutcracker: The Movie and where to rent the film, check out their website http://www.slutcracker.com/.

Be sure to follow the official Slutcracker pages, @slutcracker on Instagram & Facebook. 

Images courtesy of The Slutcracker

100th episode of Estradiol Illusions! We dive into what Ian thought was the best episode of The Mandalorian ever, steeped in Star Wars' lore. Ahsoka Tano's live-action debut was flawless. Baby Yoda's name reveal, not so much. Do we have to call him Grogu? Ian doesn't want to. 

Thank you everyone for following us these for 100 episodes. Here's to another hundred!

Ian's written review: https://ianthomasmalone.com/2020/11/the-mandalorian-season-2-review-chapter-13/

We are delighted to welcome iconic transgender actress Candis Cayne to the show. Candis has appeared on such shows as The Magicians, Grey's Anatomy & Dirty Sexy Money. Candis recently starred in the new holiday film I Hate New Year's, which comes out December 4th on VOD. 

Candis talks about about storied career and the evolution of trans representation on screen, as well as her new role in I Hate New Year's. This holiday season will be tough for many, but the film offers LGBTQ people some much needed inclusivity in a genre often defined by its heteronormativity.