Screen Rant

Mark Donaldson-

Mark Donaldson

Author Details

Mark Donaldson is a writer, podcaster, and freelance film programmer based in the North East of England, where he lives with his partner and greyhound. When not writing or podcasting about Star Trek or Doctor Who, Mark can be found talking about Star Trek or Doctor Who down the pub. He's also currently working on a documentary about Doctor Who fandom in the 1990s.

Industry Focus

Mark has been with Screen Rant since 2022, and recently became a full-time Core Features Writer, specializing in Star Trek and Doctor Who. Mark has podcasted about Doctor Who since 2014, co-hosting On the Time Lash, and regularly appearing on other Doctor Who podcasts to discuss all eras of the show.

Favorite Media

Mark grew up in the 1990s, which was a rich time for science-fiction on British TV. He was raised on a diet of Star Trek: the Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and Star Trek: Voyager. These shows have left a profound effect on him, and he continues to enjoy them 30 years later. During the 90s, Mark also became a huge Doctor Who fan, which was difficult because the BBC had canceled it. The lack of new Doctor Who on TV allowed Mark to cultivate a broad knowledge of Doctor Who's entire history from 1963 to 1989, and the extensive spinoff media. It's an obsession that continued when the show returned in 2005.

Whoopi Goldberg as Guinan and the crew of the Enterprise laugh and joke over drinks 1
Star Trek
5 Famous Starship Bars In Star Trek Explained

Every Starfleet officer needs somewhere to unwind after a long day saving the galaxy, so it's vital that most of Star Trek's starships have a bar.

Boimler stands in front of an image of three people looking at the disassembled Data 1
Star Trek Lower Decks (2020)
Star Trek’s A.I. Prison Is The Weird Opposite Of Picard’s Daystom Station

Jack Quaid's Boimler visits Star Trek's A.I. prison in Lower Decks season 4, and it could not be more different than Picard's Daystrom Station.

Captain Sisko, Gene Roddenberry, and Deep Space Nine 1
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993)
Would Roddenberry Really Have Hated Star Trek: Deep Space Nine?

DS9 has often been criticized for defying Gene Roddenberry's vision - would he actually hate the Star Trek spinoff and would it matter if he did?

Gul Dukat, Q, and Khan Noonien-Singh from Star Trek 1
Star Trek
10 Star Trek Arch Rivals In Movies & TV

Gene Roddenberry may have objected to conflict in Star Trek, but the best episodes and movies of the past six decades have been rooted in rivalry.

Captains Janeway and Sisko in front of the wormhole from DS9 1
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993)
Star Trek: Voyager And DS9 Had The Same Season 1 Problem

DS9 and Voyager set out to differentiate themselves from TNG and expand the Star Trek canon, however they took a while to embrace their potential.

The animated versions of the EMH and Janeway, and Captain Seven of Nine from Star Trek: Picard 1
Star Trek: Prodigy (2021)
What Does Prodigy's Netflix Renewal Mean For Star Trek's Future?

Prodigy has been saved by Netflix, but what does this new deal mean for Star Trek's future, and does it improve Legacy's chances on Paramount+?

Deep Space Nine hangs in space with an eery orange glow, Sisko looks down from the Celestial Temple 1
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993)
Every New DS9 Reveal In Star Trek Since Sisko's Show Ended

Despite a lack of a proper Deep Space Nine sequel show, Star Trek has provided many exciting updates to Sisko's space station and its beloved crew.

The USS Voyager in space and Seven of Nine in her silver catsuit 1
Star Trek Lower Decks (2020)
Star Trek Just Introduced Its New Seven Of Nine

As a former Borg drone, Voyager's Seven of Nine faced suspicion but became a valuable member of Starfleet - now Star Trek introduces her successor.

Kirk looks distraught, with an aged Dr. McCoy and Locutus of Borg standing alongside him 1
Star Trek
10 Star Trek Movies & Episodes Roddenberry Hated

Gene Roddenberry had strong opinions about what constituted good and bad Star Trek, and he wasn't shy about publicly expressing these views.

Geordi La Forge stands with a fleet of starships behind him 1
Star Trek: Picard (2020)
Geordi Is Star Trek’s Most Important Commodore & Not Just Because Of Enterprise-D

Commodore Geordi La Forge is the most important Star Trek character to hold the position, as proved by the part he plays in Picard season 3.

Captain Sisko looks at the restored USS Saratoga 1
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993)
USS Saratoga: Sisko’s Other Star Trek Ship Before DS9 Explained

The USS Saratoga was a hugely important starship to Sisko's Star Trek: Deep Space Nine backstory, but it wasn't the only ship to bear the name.

Odo looks sternly at two Starfleet Security officers 1
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993)
DS9's Odo Had A Sidekick Star Trek Forgot About

Despite Odo's protests, Starfleet Security tried to give Deep Space Nine's Constable a Star Trek sidekick, but DS9's lone wolf cop worked best alone.

Quark, Rom and Leeta  1
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993)
Star Trek: DS9’s Quark Family Returns Makes 2 Missing Ferengi Even More Tragic

Quark, Rom, and Leeta have all returned to Star Trek, but two much-missed members of their DS9 Ferengi family are notable by their tragic absences.

Peter Davison in coat and cricket whites, and Peter Davison aiming a gun at something offscreen 1
Doctor Who (1963)
Doctor Who's Harshest Truth About The Fifth Doctor Fans Often Refuse To Admit

Sat between Tom Baker and Colin Baker, Peter Davison's Fifth Doctor has a reputation as being too "nice", but his Doctor Who era is full of darkness.

A bald man in ceremonial robes stands with his back to the camera, an alien with sharp teeth and yellow eyes looks furious 1
Ron Perlman’s Viceroy: Star Trek: Nemesis' Controversial Villain Explained

Cult icon Ron Perlman played the Reman Viceroy in Star Trek: Nemesis, and played an integral role in the final TNG movie's most controversial scene.

Doctor Bashir looks angry, while an evil Bashir pilots a stolen shuttle 1
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993)
5 Times DS9's Dr. Bashir Was A Star Trek Villain

Bashir began as an idealistic young doctor, but the events of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine forced Alexander Siddig to embrace Julian's darker side.

Ishka, Quark and Nog in Star Trek: DS9 1
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993)
9 Ways DS9's Ferengi Changed Star Trek History

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine was the making of the Ferengi and Quark, Rom, Nog, and Ishka continue to make a huge impact on the Star Trek universe.

Chris Chibnall stands next to the Thirteenth Doctor in the TARDIS 1
Doctor Who (1963)
11 Ways Doctor Who Changed Forever Under Chris Chibnall

Chris Chibnall made some massive changes to Doctor Who canon during the Jodie Whittaker era, but some were more controversial than others.

A Ferengi and Bajoran in front of the crowded Federation Council chambers 1
Star Trek Lower Decks (2020)
Star Trek’s Ferengi Will Join The Federation, But Will DS9’s Bajor?

DS9's Grand Nagus Rom returns to negotiate Ferenginar's entry into Star Trek's Federation, but will his wife Leeta see Bajor follow their example?

Quark looks at the camera, while Nog holds the Nagus stick while Leeta looks lovingly at him 1
Star Trek Lower Decks (2020)
10 New Star Trek Reveals About The Ferengi 24 Years After DS9

Star Trek returns to Ferenginar for the first time since Deep Space Nine, and greatly expands Ferengi culture and the lives of DS9's Leeta and Rom.

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