Have you ever wondered how things played out for Khan Noonien Singh and his wife Marla McGivers while they were abandoned on the planet Ceti Alpha V? Well, now’s your chance to find out by listening to one of the most intriguing podcasts of 2025. Star Trek: Khan is an incredibly well-written and produced audio drama, and it give Trekkies a glimpse into the lives of the unlikely couple after the events of the Star Trek: The Original Series episode “Space Seed” (1967). Wrenn Schmidt brilliantly voices a conflicted Marla, but picking up the mantle’s character was a no-brainer for the talented actress. Schmidt revealed what drew her to the character and project during an interview via TrekMovie.com by saying:
“The character and the script… I didn’t know anything of Marla McGivers before this, and that first podcast episode script that they sent me to read just to see if I was interested, as well the episode she appears in The Original Series (“Space Seed”). I just think she’s so interesting, and their story is so interesting. And I was honestly really shocked that they hadn’t done anything before now with the two of them. And then the scripts I got after I signed on were even more exciting.”
Through four episodes, Schmidt’s Marla McGivers has struggled at times to fit in with the Augments. She finds her relationship with Khan isn't easy, but they’re clearly in love with each other. So far, the two have made the best of their internment on Ceti Alpha V, but Trekkies know what’s in store for the couple — and how it plays into the fan-favorite Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982). Schmidt continued by saying in the same interview:
"It was a really cool thing to be a part of because it’s such a different beast than doing a scene in person with an another actor, in a play or film or TV show. So much of the world is already built out around you, and so much more of this is what’s on the page. I would liken it more to reading a novel because it’s just what you’re seeing on the page and then what you’re imagining. And we as actors are taking that a couple steps farther, but I’m imagining all those things for myself in the moment. You add in all those fantastical elements, and it’s really cool."
Be sure to check out the must-listen audio drama when new episodes drop every Monday through Nov. 3. Star Trek: Khan is by far and away one of the most intriguing entries in the nearly 60-year franchise. Now, for those who have already returned to Ceti Alpha V to witness what happens after Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) exiles Khan, Marla, and the Augments to their new world, what do you think about the podcast? Share your thoughts and comments with us on the Redshirts Always Die Facebook and X pages.
Live long and prosper, Trekkies!