Roddenberry Podcasts

It was all part of the plan: an exciting TV movie to turn the corner from Babylon 5 to its spinoff, Crusade. On today's Sci-Fi 5, how the cast and creators of Babylon 5 answered "A Call To Arms". Follow Sci-Fi 5  for your daily dose of science-fiction history. Written by Earl Green Hosted by Ryan Myers Music by Devin Curry

Mere months after the theatrical premiere of Star Wars, the BBC launched a new science fiction series with the same budget as the cop show it replaced on the schedule. On today's Sci-Fi 5, how Blake's 7 overcame its very humble beginnings. Follow Sci-Fi 5  for your daily dose of science-fiction history. Written by Earl Green Hosted by Jessica Lynn Verdi Music by Devin Curry

The first TV sci-fi saga to become a mass-media phenomenon in the U.S., today's Sci-Fi 5 rewinds to Space Patrol's national television premiere after getting its start on local TV in Los Angeles. Follow Sci-Fi 5  for your daily dose of science-fiction history. Written by Mike Richards Hosted by Earl Green Music by Devin Curry

You might know him as one TARDIS traveler or another, but there's so much more to the astonishing 79-year career of the late, great Bernard Cribbins.  Today's Sci-Fi 5 shines a spotlight on his amazing legacy of entertainment. Follow Sci-Fi 5  for your daily dose of science-fiction history. Written by Shane Vaughn Hosted by Roberto Lewis Music by Devin Curry

From unlikely, impoverished beginnings came a storyteller who would change the face of comics forever.  Today's Sci-Fi 5 pays tribute to the legendary Stan Lee. Follow Sci-Fi 5  for your daily dose of science-fiction history. Written by Ryan Myers Hosted by Earl Green Music by Devin Curry

Harlan Ellison's tumultuous history with Star Trek has been well documented. What is not known to most people is how he almost came back to the franchise with a story for The Next Generation. We look at Ellison's pitch for "The Crypt," and its unlikely origin, with special guest Ben Robinson on this week's The Trek Files. See the documents: The Crypt by Harlan Ellison - 1987 The Trek Files Season...

With familiar set pieces, ribald robots, disco-era glitz and glamour, and at least one legitimate tragically doomed star in its cast, Buck Rogers' voyage on a "Cruise Ship To The Stars" is the subject of today's Sci-Fi 5! Follow Sci-Fi 5  for your daily dose of science-fiction history. Written by John Champion Hosted by Ryan Myers Music by Devin Curry

There are plenty of offbeat holiday specials out there, TV confections with everything from Wookiees to Muppets. But as today's Sci-Fi 5 points out, none of those are Max Headroom's Giant Christmas Turkey. Follow Sci-Fi 5  for your daily dose of science-fiction history. Written by Earl Green Hosted by Jessica Lynn Verdi Music by Devin Curry

An early example of space-age television sci-fi trying to be a bit more realistic, CBS' Men Into Space spent "Christmas On The Moon" on this day in 1959.  Find out how family-hour TV portrayed a space crisis in today's Sci-Fi 5! Follow Sci-Fi 5  for your daily dose of science-fiction history. Written by Earl Green Hosted by Roberto Lewis Music by Devin Curry

Not for the the first time, the pod people were once more on the move in theaters everywhere on this day in 1978.  Today's Sci-Fi 5 tries to examine what the remake of Invasion Of The Body Snatchers was really warning audiences about. Follow Sci-Fi 5  for your daily dose of science-fiction history. Written by Brian Clayton Hosted by Kim Horcher Music by Devin Curry

In the Star Trek: Voyager episode, "Innocence," it has all the makings of a sitcom: a logical Vulcan crash-lands on a moon where he has to take care of three unruly kids. Then the dark secret they're hiding is revealed. Hosted by John Champion & Norman Lao Welcome to Mission Log , a Roddenberry Entertainment podcast, where we explore the Star Trek universe one episode at a time. Each week, Mission...

It was one of the viral sensations of streaming TV in 2018.  On today's Sci-Fi 5, find out who first opened the Bird Box and how it took flight. Follow Sci-Fi 5  for your daily dose of science-fiction history. Written by Ashley Thomas Hosted by Ryan Myers Music by Devin Curry

When "Star Trek: Planet of the Titans" was in development, legendary designer Ken Adam was briefly employed to reinvent the Enterprise along with other conceptual pieces for the big screen. This week, The Trek Files welcomes longtime Trek expert Ben Robinson to discuss the rocky development cycle for "...Titans" and the lasting legacy of Adams' designs. See the documents: Star Trek concept art by...

Sworn enemies forced to work together in a punishing environment... and that was before the cameras even rolled! We look at the behind-the-scenes drama that challenged a sci-fi classic, "Enemy Mine," released today in 1985. Follow Sci-Fi 5  for your daily dose of science-fiction history. Written by Tom Kozak Hosted by Jessica Lynn Verdi Music by Devin Curry

Who knows what evil lurks in the heart of men?  Today's Sci-Fi 5 tries to find out, unearthing what we can about a missing episode of legendary radio series The Shadow, broadcast on this day in 1954! Follow Sci-Fi 5  for your daily dose of science-fiction history. Written by Vic Sage Hosted by Earl Green Music by Devin Curry

You know Armin Shimerman as the scheming Ferengi Quark on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and possibly also as the principal of Sunnydale High on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. But if you asked him what he considers to be his primary profession, you might be surprised by his answer. "I am primarily a teacher," he tells me in the interview below. Shimerman is also a writer, and the third book in his Illyria...

A much-loved entry in the modern era of Star Wars, Rogue One's origins far predate the movie's release - in fact, one might say the original idea happened a long time ago, as chronicled in today's Sci-Fi 5! Follow Sci-Fi 5  for your daily dose of science-fiction history. Written by Ashley Thomas Hosted by Roberto Lewis Music by Devin Curry

If you're assuming that the TV series Automan, which premiered on this day in 1983, was inspired by Tron, you're not wrong. Today's Sci-Fi 5 takes a cursory glance at both that inspiration and the making of Automan! Follow Sci-Fi 5  for your daily dose of science-fiction history. Written by Ryan Myers Hosted by Jessica Lynn Verdi Music by Devin Curry

In the Star Trek: Voyager episode, "Deadlock," it's double the trouble when a Voyager duplicate appears. One is just fine, but the other is rapidly falling apart. Which one will survive? Hosted by John Champion & Norman Lao Welcome to Mission Log , a Roddenberry Entertainment podcast, where we explore the Star Trek universe one episode at a time. Each week, Mission Log  examines a single episode o...

With stars made familiar by other TV and film franchises, a bona fide rock star as its villain, and a rising genre star behind the camera and the script, 1984's Runaway - the subject of today's Sci-Fi 5 - seems like it should have been a bigger deal. Follow Sci-Fi 5  for your daily dose of science-fiction history. Written by John Champion Hosted by Earl Green Music by Devin Curry

Starting on paper, the basic concepts that would make Star Trek: The Next Generation different, and similar, to its predecessor had to be spelled out. Gene Roddenberry expresses some of his earliest ideas in this memo, and we are glad to welcome Mike DeMeritt back to The Trek Files to help us explore early TNG and the ideas that made it to later series as well. See the documents: Creative Concept...

Some say it's the worst British sitcom ever made. Some say it's the worst British sci-fi series ever committed to television. Today's Sci-Fi 5 asks... who says they can't both be right about Come Back, Mrs. Noah? Follow Sci-Fi 5  for your daily dose of science-fiction history. Written by Earl Green Hosted by Music by Devin Curry

Join the Mission Log Live crew and for the "Christmas Party in the Science Lab" as they wrap up 2022 with special guests from the Roddenberry Podcast Network and beyond! Be sure to join us live! We're on the Mission Log Facebook page every Monday at 7pm Pacific/10pm Eastern

With two simultaneously released Short Treks, animated Star Trek made a comeback - and while today's Sci-Fi 5 recounts those two tales, it also tells the story of paving the way for a new generation of animated Trek series. Follow Sci-Fi 5  for your daily dose of science-fiction history. Written by Ashley Thomas Hosted by Ryan Myers Music by Devin Curry

Mat Kaplan has been hosting the Planetary Society's podcast, Planetary Radio, since its inception 20 years ago. He recently announced that he was retiring from the program, with Sarah Al-Ahmed taking his place. Managing Editor T. Rick Jones wanted to talk to him before he left the show and also wanted to meet his successor. This video is the result. It turns out they're both huge Star Trek fans as...