Who am I, where am I, and why did I wake up with two podcasts, one them dressed as a Mugato?  Mission Log: Reactor gets the party started as John and Jessica recap Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' "Human Best Friend", followed by Mission Log Live, where John and Holly hear our callers' opinions (but no karaoke open mic night)! If you missed our Mission Log: Reactor episode covering "Human Best Friend," be sure to check it out on YouTube for our full recap and review. Sign up at: https://www.patreon.com/MissionLog   Then join us every Monday at 7pm PT / 10pm ET for Mission Log Live, our weekly audience call-in show where you can share your thoughts about the latest Star Trek episodes.   Streaming FREE on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/missionlog   For more Star Trek podcasts, videos, and discussion: https://www.missionlogpodcast.com/

What did Star Trek fans have to say in 1976? John Champion returns to The Trek Files for a look through Gene Roddenberry's fan correspondence. This season's selection captures a moment in Star Trek history, ten years after the original series debuted, but before the arrival of Star Trek: The Motion Picture. A Cincinnati attorney credits Spock's logic for helping persuade a jury. An artist shares his hand-painted "Mr. Spock" portrait… on an egg. A teacher explains how she's bringing Star Trek into the classroom, while another fan gently reminds Gene that he still owes her friend for a videotape. Documents and Additional References Fan corresponsence with Gene Roddemberry - 1976 Letters to Star Trek by Susan Sackett Gene Roddenberry's Inside Star Trek album NASA's Space Shuttle Enterprise

It's two podcasts for the price of one! Mission Log: Reactor gets creeped out as John and Jessica recap Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' house of space horrors, "The Griffin Incident", followed by Mission Log Live, where John and Holly scare up a number of reactions from our callers! If you missed our Mission Log: Reactor episode covering "The Griffin Incident," be sure to check it out on YouTube for our full recap and review. Sign up at: https://www.patreon.com/MissionLog   Then join us every Monday at 7pm PT / 10pm ET for Mission Log Live, our weekly audience call-in show where you can share your thoughts about the latest Star Trek episodes.   Streaming FREE on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/missionlog   For more Star Trek podcasts, videos, and discussion: https://www.missionlogpodcast.com/

Authors John and Maria Jose Tenuto return to The Trek Files to share a seemingly ordinary filming notice distributed to guests at the Monterey Bay Aquarium during production of Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home. But for John, it's much more than a production handout, it's a family keepsake. In April 1986, John's parents unknowingly visited the aquarium on a day when Leonard Nimoy, William Shatner, and the Star Trek IV cast were filming. They saved the notice, recorded the production on a home VHS camcorder, and brought home an extraordinary piece of behind-the-scenes history. Decades later, that footage and flyer helped document one of the franchise's most beloved films. Larry, John, and Mary Jo explore the logistics of filming at a working public aquarium, Leonard Nimoy's commitment to the film's environmental message, and how a family vacation unexpectedly became part of Star Trek history. Documents and Additional References Document of the Week Monterey Bay Aquarium visitor filming notice for Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (April 1986) Additional References Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home Monterey Bay Aquarium Leonard Nimoy William Shatner John Tenuto Maria Jose Tenuto The Making of Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home by John and Maria Jose Tenuto (Titan Books) Previous The Trek Files appearance by John and Maria Jose Tenuto discussing Star Trek II, Star Trek III, and Star Trek IV production history.

After our Mission Log: Reactor review of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' season four premiere, "Valles Marineris," it's time to open the hailing frequencies. On this week's Mission Log Live, John and Holly say "hey" not to dinosaurs, but to our callers, sharing their reactions to the season premiere! If you missed our Mission Log: Reactor episode covering "Valles Marineris," be sure to check it out on YouTube for our full recap and review.   Mission Log Patrons get Mission Log: Reactor a day early! Sign up at: https://www.patreon.com/MissionLog   Then join us every Monday at 7pm PT / 10pm ET for Mission Log Live, our weekly audience call-in show where you can share your thoughts about the latest Star Trek episodes.   Streaming FREE on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/missionlog   For more Star Trek podcasts, videos, and discussion: https://www.missionlogpodcast.com/

Following last week's look at the earliest concepts for Star Trek: The Next Generation, Larry Nemecek welcomes back author and historian Ben Robinson to examine Gene Roddenberry's handwritten response and the surprising conversation it sparked. Revisiting documents first explored in earlier seasons of The Trek Files, Larry and Ben trace the pivotal weeks of September 1986, when Gene challenged early ideas for a Starfleet Academy-centered series, questioned the show's heavy emphasis on Klingons, and argued that Star Trek's true strength had never been its characters alone but the stories it told. Some of Gene's observations proved remarkably prescient. Others reveal how his own thinking had evolved since the 1960s. Together, they paint a portrait of a franchise at a crossroads, just weeks before The Next Generation officially became the series we know today. Documents and Additional References Document of the Week Gene Roddenberry's response to the early Star Trek: The Next Generation series proposal (September 19, 1986) Additional References Early Star Trek: The Next Generation series proposal by Greg Strangis (September 1986) (revisited from Season 1, Episode 4) Gene Roddenberry Greg Strangis Rick Berman Ben Robinson Star Trek: The Next Generation Related Trek Files episodes: Season 1, Episode 4 — Early The Next Generation series proposal Season 13, Episode 2 — Gene Roddenberry's response to Paramount's proposal Season 15, Episode 11 — Greg Strangis' earliest notes for The Next Generation

We're back! And it's time to go BACK in time with Strange New Worlds! Join us Mondays at 7PM PT/10PM ET for our live talkback for each episode, FREE on Patreon. We'll hear your thoughts and questions as we embark on this journey together! Sign up at https://www.patreon.com/MissionLog  Jessica Lynn Verdi and John Champion return to Mission Log Reactor to chat about the Strange New Worlds Season 4 premiere, "Valles Marineris," and the question isn't WHERE are we...it's WHEN are we... SPOILERS ABOUND. Also! For more Trek Content, visit https://www.missionlogpodcast.com/ Join our community on Discord to share your own theories about the premiere. Subscribe for weekly Star Trek discussion breakdowns, and let us know in the comments: which classic adventure influences do you hope to see in future episodes?

It's been a long road… and Mission Log is finally back with a long-overdue check-in. John, Norman, and Rod talk about where the show has been, what's ahead, and how the journey continues as we set a course for Star Trek: Enterprise. Along the way, they reflect on the evolution of the show, the state of Roddenberry Entertainment, and what it takes to keep a 2,000+ episode legacy going strong. Oh, and before we're done, a new voice joins the conversation. Stay tuned. Hosted by John Champion and Norman Lao Special guest Rod Roddenberry 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 of Star Trek, diving into its ethical subtext, metaphors, and cultural significance. From the show's most iconic moments to its hidden gems, we analyze what makes Star Trek one of the greatest science fiction sagas of all time. In every episode of Mission Log we… Recap the story and analyze key moments. Discuss the morals, messages, and meanings of the dilemmas presented. Debate whether the episode holds up and if the themes are still relevant. Join the Conversation: For as little as $1 a month, you can gain access to our exclusive Discord Community! There, we continue the discussion with dedicated channels and  weekly video chats with the hosts. Become a member of our Patreon today! https://www.Patreon.com/MissionLog SPECIAL THANKS the supporters of this week's show: Chris Garis, Julie Miller, Stuart, Michael Park, Paul Shadwell, Matt Esposito, Alan Simonis, Mike Richards, David Takechi, Mike Schiable, VADM Erickson, and Lars Seme Thanks to all of our Patreon Supporters https://www.missionlogpodcast.com/sponsors/ Want to share your thoughts on an upcoming episode? Email us at [email protected] for a chance to be featured during the episode. Follow us on Social Media: INSTAGRAM https://www.instagram.com/RoddenberryEntertainment THREADS https://www.threads.net/@roddenberrypodcasts FACEBOOK https://www.facebook.com/MissionLogPod Did you know we're on YouTube? Find the video versions of your favorite shows like Mission Log: Prodigy, The Orville, as well as exclusive content only available on YouTube. Subscribe now:  https://www.youtube.com/@RoddenberryEntertainment?sub_confirmation=1 Our shows are part of the Roddenberry Entertainment family. For more great shows and to learn more about how we live the legacy of Gene Roddenberry, creator of Star Trek, follow us here: RODDENBERRY PODCASTS https://www.instagram.com/roddenberrypodcasts RODDENBERRY ENTERTAINMENT https://www.instagram.com/roddenberryofficial THE RODDENBERRY FOUNDATION https://www.instagram.com/theroddenberryfoundation   THIS EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY:Listeners like you - Support Mission Log on Patreon for early access to shows and the Mission Log Discord! Subscribe and Stay Updated:Never miss an episode! Subscribe on your preferred podcast player, leave a review, and join Mission Log on the journey of weekly deep dives into the Star Trek universe. Technical Director - Earl Green Producer - John Champion Associate Producer - Jessica Lynn Verdi Executive Producer - Eugene "Rod" Roddenberry Roddenberry Entertainment | All Rights Reserved

Before Captain Picard. Before the Enterprise-D. Before Gene Roddenberry stepped back into the captain's chair of his own creation... This week on The Trek Files, Larry Nemecek is joined by author and Star Trek historian Ben Robinson to examine one of the earliest surviving documents in the development of Star Trek: The Next Generation: a September 1986 memo from writer Greg Strangis to producer Rick Berman outlining the first concepts for a new Star Trek television series. The document reveals some fascinating ideas: a Starfleet Academy setting, a young captain, a Klingon observer serving aboard a Federation starship, familiar themes of friendship, diplomacy, and the Prime Directive, but viewed through the lens of Cold War politics and 1980s television. Together, Larry and Ben explore why some of these ideas disappeared, why others evolved into the Next Generation we know today, and how the process of reinventing Star Trek began long before Gene Roddenberry ultimately reshaped the concept himself. Documents and Additional References Greg Strangis to Rick Berman — Early Notes on "Star Trek: The Next Generation" (September 4, 1986) Additional References Greg Strangis Rick Berman Star Trek: The Next Generation Gene Roddenberry Ben Robinson Related Trek Files episodes: Season 1, Episode 4 — Early Star Trek: The Next Generation series treatment Season 13, Episode 2 — Gene Roddenberry's response to the early Next Generation proposal

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan is regarded as one of the finest entries in the franchise, but even classics continue to evolve right up until release. This week on The Trek Files, Larry Nemecek welcomes authors and historians John and Maria Jose Tenuto to examine a fascinating production document: a March 23, 1982 retake script created just weeks before the film premiered. The pages reveal subtle but important changes to some of the movie's most memorable moments, from Kirk's first encounter with David Marcus to the famous "Remember" scene between Spock and McCoy. How much did Kirk originally know about his son? Who actually performed the mind-meld hand seen in the reshoot? And how did a handful of pickup shots help shape what would become one of Star Trek's greatest films? Along the way, John and Maria Jose pull back the curtain on Nicholas Meyer's production, Harve Bennett's stewardship of the franchise, and the extraordinary efficiency that turned a modestly-budgeted sequel into a science-fiction masterpiece. Documents and Additional References Document of the Week Star Trek II Retakes Script Pages — March 23, 1982 Additional References Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan: The Making of the Classic Film Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan Nicholas Meyer Harve Bennett ⁠Titan Books author page for Maria Jose Tenuto