After a year-long hiatus, Lasers and Lockets is officially back behind the microphone. In this "explainer" episode, your host Lee dives into the evolution of the show, why the "strong female character" trope is getting an upgrade to "the messy female character," and a sneak peek at the massive watchlist for the upcoming season.

In This Episode, We Discuss:

• The "Why" Behind the Reboot: Lee reflects on the past year and how her passion for storytelling has evolved from seeking "strong" characters to celebrating the "messy" ones—the women who stand up even when their voices shake.
• What’s Staying the Same: We are still 100% dedicated to celebrating the heart, strength, and wit of women in sci-fi and fantasy.
• What’s New:
  • Genre Expansion: Welcoming Romantasy, space operas, and international dramas into the fold.
  • Deep Dives: Moving from broad overviews to granular character studies.
  • Journalism & Interviews: Lee is dusting off her journalism roots to bring you more creator-focused conversations.
• The Newsletter Revival: The Lasers and Lockets newsletter is back to amplify human-created art, videos, and deep-dive essays that don't make it into the audio.

Lee’s Current Watchlist (Upcoming Episodes!):

• Primeval (2008): A look back at how this British cult classic bucked 2000s sci-fi trends.
• Star Trek: Starfleet Academy: Discussing the nostalgia and the new frontier of Trek.
• The Way Home: Prepping for the final season and the emotional conclusion of this time-travel drama.
• The Superhero Rewatch: Diving back into Supergirl and Legends of Tomorrow.
• International Hits: First impressions of the Thai 4 Elements series and a standout Chinese fantasy drama from last year.

Join the Conversation

We want to hear from you!
1. Books on the Pod? Should Lee cover her recent sci-fi and fantasy reads on the show, or keep those to the newsletter and socials?
2. What are you watching? Drop your recommendations for new sci-fi, fantasy, or romance shows in the comments.

Stay Connected:

• Follow us on social media to say hi!
• Subscribe to the Lasers and Lockets Newsletter for exclusive content.

Be kind to one another, stay nerdy and curious!

Join Lee as she shares her first cozy short story and dives into why cozy fantasy is a great genre for strong and complex female characters.

Episode hashtag: #laserslockets

Books Discussed

Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree

The House Witch by Delemhach

In the Company of Witches by Auralee Wallace

Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea by Rebecca Thorne

A Psalm for the Wild Built by Becky Chambers

The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers

Series Discussed

Warehouse 13

Eureka

Xena: Warrior Princess

Join Lee as she deep dives into the women of the Apple TV+ series Silo and the ways in which the female characters both divert from traditional sci fi archetypes and also perfectly match them at the same time.

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Theme and Bumpers composed by Lee Little in GarageBand.