Roddenberry Podcasts

Star Trek fans already know about Voyager's "Year of Hell," but they may not know about the "day of hell" that plagued production in October 1995 while filming the second season episode "Death Wish." It would take more than the power of Q to rescue cast and crew from the multiple accidents and failures the threatened to derail the epsiode. That's where the power of an experienced Assistant Directo...

In the  Star Trek: Voyager episode, "Good Shepherd," not everyone on Voyager is cut out for deep space exploration. Captain Janeway takes three misfit crew members on an away mission to help them find their place in the flock, but an alien threat turns their trip into a fight for survival. These wayward "sheep" will have to find their way home when "Good Shepherd" goes into the Mission Log. Hosted...

One of the common threads the connects all Star Trek series is the role of the Doctor. Whether human, alien, or hologram, the Doctor often represents the compassionate, human heart at the center of Trek's stories. In an excerpt from the first season Star Trek writer's guide, Gene Roddenberry spelled out the special relationship Dr. McCoy has with his crewmates. Special guest John Billingsley drops...

In the  Star Trek: Voyager episode, "Child's Play," homecoming can be tough. There's the pressure to impress your parents, the struggle to fit back in, and your old bedroom is smaller than you rememebr. It's even tougher when you find out that you were genetically engineered as a bio-weapon to defeat the Borg. "Child's Play" goes into the Mission Log. Hosted by John Champion and Earl Green Welcome...

Star Trek's very first fans were made on the night of Septmeber 8, 1966 when NBC premired its newest primetime science-fiction show. The reviews may have been mixed, but a lifetime of influence and inspiration followed. We look back at a couple of Trek's earliest reviews and get to know one of the viewers from that night. Glen Henderson, author of "All I Need to Know about Success I Learned from S...

In the  Star Trek: Voyager episode, "Ashes to Ashes," Ensign Ballard returns to Voyager, and she has changed quite a bit. There's her new life as an alien and the fact that she's not dead - which was precisely how the crew last saw her three years ago. Harry throws caution to the wind and sparks a romatic relationship, but Ballard's new alien "family" may not so easily let her go. "Ashes to Ashes"...

Continuing our conversation with Star Trek fan-turned-professional David Benjamin Tomlinson, The Trek Files focuses on a day of production from one of his favorite episodes, TNG's "Cause and Effect." The conversation sparks reflection on the intrigue of time-based stories, the challenges of working under alien prosthetics, and the special thrill of being directed by Jonathan Frakes. Document and a...

In the  Star Trek: Voyager episode, "Spirit Folk," the crew spend more time in their Irish holodeck simulation for a little R&R, but the locals start to grow suspicious of the visitors. The accusations of black magic threaten Tom and Harry's very lives while, possibly worse, they could drive a wedge between Janeway and her holo-boyfriend, Michael Sullivan. Mission Log returns to Fair Haven with "S...

Actor David Benjamin Tomlinson returns to The Trek Files for a look back at a single, pivotal page from the script of Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country. As a lifelong fan, David recounts the importance of the handoff from the classic series of feature films to a new generation of storytellers and his personal jounrey joining the production of Star Trek: Discovery. Document and additional refe...

In the  Star Trek: Voyager episode, "Collective," a badly damaged Borg cube carries young drones who survived a deadly pathogen. As Seven of Nine tries to guide them toward individuality, Janeway must decide whether these lost children are Voyager's newest allies or a lingering Borg threat. Mission Log meets a new "Collective."  Hosted by John Champion and Norman Lao Welcome to Mission Log , a Rod...

Continuing our celebration of Leonard Nimoy, we revisit a memo from 1967 in which he cheekily promised he had stolen enough pens to satisfy the needs of answering his fan mail. As our special guest to shed more light on his personality, The Trek Files welcomes Rich Michelson who was a collaborator, biographer, and long-time friend of Leonard. The two bonded over photography and literature and foun...

In the  Star Trek: Voyager episode, "Tsunkatse," Seven of Nine and Tuvok are kidnapped by the ringmaster of a deadly sport. To save Tuvok, Seven's got to step into the ring and either become a killer or face death. Voyager's Borg goes toe-to-toe with the Delta Quadrant's eyebrow when "Tsunkatse" goes into the Mission Log. Hosted by John Champion and John Krikorian Visit " Trek Profiles " podcast h...

In the collaborative, high pressure environment of film and TV production, tensions often flare between creative professionals. In the lead-up to Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, Leonard Nimoy was preparing for his first outing as a feature film director when Gene Roddenberry sent a friendly, congratulatory letter to smooth over past disagreements. In a special episode of The Trek Files, we lo...

In the Star Trek: Voyager episode, "Memorial," the crew start having nightmares about their involvement in a brutal war. As the dreams become more vivid, they seek out the location of the atrocities for some answers. What they find only leaves them with a more difficult question. "Memorial" goes into the Mission Log.    Hosted by John Champion and Norman Lao Welcome to Mission Log , a Roddenberry...

It was the very first day of filming for Christopher Lloyd as Commander Kruge, on set on the bright of a Klingon Bird of Prey, in September of 1983. Lloyd's performance was iconic in a career already full of iconic characters. In this special episode of The Trek Files, Lloyd joins host Larry Nemecek on stage at Trek to San Francisco to discuss his career an bringing Kruge to life. Document and add...

In the Star Trek: Voyager episode, "Virtuoso," the hottest singing sensation on an alien world is the Voyager's holographic doctor. Even when his duties call, fame is a powerful temptation… until the next new thing comes along. It's "Virtuosos" on the charts, with a bullet, on Mission Log . Hosted by John Champion and Norman Lao Welcome to Mission Log , a Roddenberry Entertainment podcast, where w...

There was a time when Saurians were only known for their brandy, but by the time of Star Trek: The Motion Picture, the alien species was starting to flesh out a bit more. A few decades later, Saurians came into their own when Star Trek: Discovery introduced us to beloved crew member "Linus." Special guest David Benjamin Tomlinson joins The Trek Files to talk about bringing Linus to life and his ow...

In the Star Trek: Voyager episode "Blink of an Eye," Voyager appears in the sky of a planet that evolves at an incredibly accelerated rate. Epochs pass, and the "sky ship" takes on spiritual and social meaning to the inhabitants below. As their technology evolves, will they remain curious or turn Voyager into an enemy? Mission Log examines "Blink of an Eye." Hosted by John Champion and Holly Amos...

As Star Trek often finds itself in transitional periods, the question always arises: what IS "Star Trek?" In 1986, Gene Roddenberry responded to Paramount Executive John Pike with a letter outlining his concepts for The Next Generation. Now, decades later, we welcome Rod Roddenberry to discuss the parallels of defining Star Trek then and now and striking a balance between the original concept and...

In the Star Trek: Voyager episode "Fair Haven," there's no time like some downtime to visit the holodeck. Tom's new program has it all: beer, arm wrestling, and a handsome barkeep who catches Janeway's eye. She's hesitant to let herself go in this idyllic Irish town until she realizes she can program the perfect mate. Mission Log visits "Fair Haven." Hosted by John Champion and Charlynn Schmiedt W...

In a letter to Gene Roddenberry, Dorothy Fontana makes the case for accepting a story from Larry Niven into the production of Star Trek: The Animated Series. In a separate letter to Larry, Dorothy suggests a collaborative approach to bring his story to the small screen. In this episode of The Trek Files, we are thrilled to welcome the award-winning science-fiction novelist Larry Niven himself to s...

It's time to go climb the mountain again with a fresh look at Star Trek V: The Final Frontier. As part of the Pod Crawl in support of the National Center for Science Education, we are proud to return past the galactic barrier in search of Sha-Ka-Ree. Share your pain with John and Norm in this special edition of Mission Log! Find every show in the Pod Crawl at startrekpodcrawl.com and Donate today...

In the Star Trek: Voyager episode "Pathfinder," it's time to reconnect with old friends Reg Barclay and Deanna Troi. Reg has been obsessed with making contact with Voyager, but nobody at Starfleet believes he can do it. Deanna counsels with lessons of mental health and workplace etiquette. Mission Log follows "Pathfinder." Hosted by John Champion and Amy Nelson Welcome to Mission Log , a Roddenber...

In the Star Trek: Voyager episode "The Voyager Conspiracy," Seven assimilates an overabundance of data from the ship's computer leading her to implicate the crew in nefarious plots. Is Tuvok hiding secret tech? Is Janeway leading an invasion into the Delta Quadrant? Mission Log is just asking questions about "The Voyager Conspiracy." Hosted by John Champion and Mike Rothschild During the devastati...

In the Star Trek: Voyager episode "One Small Step," the crew encounter a subspace anomaly hiding a startling artifact. Seven comes face-to-face with humanity's drive for exploration when Mission Log takes "One Small Step." Hosted by John Champion and Norman Lao Welcome to Mission Log , a Roddenberry Entertainment podcast, where we we explore the Star Trek universe one episode at a time. Each week,...