Roddenberry Podcasts

Mission Log Reactor wraps up Season 1 of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy with our recap and review of Episode 10, "Rubincon." Jessica Lynn Verdi and John Champion take their seats in the jury box as Nus Braka puts the Federation itself on trial. With an Omega particle threat hanging over billions of lives, the crew of the Athena must hold things together while the cadets step up in ways no one expected. Can a last-minute plea change a verdict? And what happens when Starfleet's ideals are forced to defend themselves in front of the entire galaxy?  Join us for a spoiler-heavy discussion of the season finale as we break down the big moments, the character arcs, and the questions the episode raises about justice, truth, and the Federation's place in the future. Mission Log Patrons get the video version of Mission Log Reactor a day early! Support the show and get early access for as little as $1/month: https://www.patreon.com/MissionLog   And don't forget: Join us Monday nights at 7PM PT / 10PM ET for our Mission Log Live talkback, where we hear your thoughts and questions about the episode. The livestream is FREE on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/missionlog   With the Starfleet Academy finale behind us, Mission Log Reactor will take a short break until the next new season of Star Trek arrives. Until then, keep the conversation going with us on the Mission Log Discord!   For more Mission Log and Roddenberry podcast content, visit: https://www.missionlogpodcast.com/

After our Mission Log: Reactor review of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy Episode 9, "300th Night," it's time to open the hailing frequencies. On this week's Mission Log Live, John and Jessica welcome callers to share their reactions to the first part of Starfleet Academy's first season finale. Listeners have thoughts on Caleb's behavior, theories aplenty about how the cliffhanger plays out, and thoughts on the wisdom of pre-installing party lighting on the Starfleet ships of the future! If you missed our Mission Log: Reactor episode covering "300th Night," 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/

We're back with a fresh recap & review of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy Season 1, Episode 9, "300th Night"! Jessica Lynn Verdi and John Champion celebrate the Academy's 300th night with Klingon bonding rituals, awkward turbo-lift heart-to-hearts, and one very questionable plan involving a stolen shuttle. Meanwhile, the return of the Omega particle raises the stakes across Federation space as the cadets race headfirst into danger.  Join us for a spoiler-heavy conversation as we break down all the latest twists, character moments, and penultimate-episode drama from this exciting new television series. Mission Log Patrons get the video a day early! Get Mission Log Reactor first thing on Thursday morning for as little as $1. Sign up at: https://www.patreon.com/MissionLog   Also! 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! https://www.patreon.com/missionlog   For more Trek content, visit: https://www.missionlogpodcast.com/

After our Mission Log: Reactor review of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy Episode 8, "The Life of the Stars," it's time to open the hailing frequencies. On this week's Mission Log Live, John and Jessica welcome callers to share their reactions to an episode that blends Thornton Wilder's Our Town with some deeply emotional Star Trek history. Listeners weigh in on the role of the humanities at Starfleet Academy, whether theater really helps the cadets process trauma, and why the story of The Doctor and SAM struck such a powerful chord. Along the way, we get thoughtful insights from fellow theater kids, teachers, and parents about how art, empathy, and storytelling shape how we understand ourselves and each other.  If you missed our Mission Log: Reactor episode covering "The Life of the Stars," 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/

A quick check-in from John about the future of Mission Log. After wrapping Star Trek: Voyager, the show has been in transition, and this update shares what's next. We'll cover what's happening behind the scenes, what's coming up (including Enterprise), and how you can stay connected while we prepare for the next chapter. Mission Log isn't going anywhere. This is just a brief transmission to say thank you and to let you know what's ahead. Follow us on Social Media: INSTAGRAM https://www.instagram.com/RoddenberryEntertainment THREADS https://www.threads.net/@roddenberrypodcasts FACEBOOK https://www.facebook.com/MissionLogPod 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

We're back with a fresh recap and review of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy Season 1, Episode 8, "The Life of the Stars." In this spoiler-heavy discussion, Jessica Lynn Verdi and John Champion set the stage for an episode that stretches from Thornton Wilder's Our Town to SAM's home planet and straight into some of the biggest emotional questions of the season. Trauma, time, theater, and the Doctor's growing existential crisis collide as Academy attempts to reckon with the aftermath of the Miyazaki disaster. Does art heal? Does counseling help? And what happens when a character built to observe life demands the chance to actually live it? If you'd like to watch the full video version of Mission Log: Reactor — and get it a day early — you can join us on Patreon for as little as $1. Sign up at https://www.patreon.com/MissionLog (Patrons get Reactor first thing Thursday morning!) And don't forget: Join us Mondays at 7PM PT / 10PM ET for Mission Log Live, our FREE audience call-in talkback show covering each new episode. Bring your questions, theories, agreements, disagreements — and maybe even written notes. patreon.com/missionlog   For more Star Trek podcasts, videos, and discussion: missionlogpodcast.com

Spring Break for Starfleet Academy means desert weddings, warp slugs, forged transcripts, and a brand-new word entering the Trek lexicon: Ko'Zeine. After our spoiler-heavy review on Mission Log: Reactor, it was your turn to take the mic. On this week's Mission Log Live, callers weighed in on tonal whiplash, Darem's royal detour, Genesis' risky shortcut to command, and whether Caleb is the hero we're meant to root for… or the cadet we most need to yell at. Is "Ko'Zeine" a welcome breather after the Miyazaki disaster? Did the Khionian wedding work for you? Are we shipping the right couples? And what does it mean when Starfleet Academy swings from trauma to rom-com in a single jump? From Klingon bonding rituals to desert couture, you brought sharp insight, strong opinions, and just the right amount of chaos. If you caught our initial review on Mission Log: Reactor, this is the next step, the community conversation. If you didn't, you can always start there for our first impressions before diving into the live debate.   Watch Mission Log: Reactor on YouTube youtube.com/@MissionLogPodcasts (Patreon members get Reactor a day early!)     Join us Mondays for Mission Log Live Our audience call-in talkback show covering each new episode Streaming FREE every Monday at 7pm PT / 10pm ET on Patreon: patreon.com/missionlog     For more Star Trek podcasts, videos, and discussion: missionlogpodcast.com

We're back with a fresh recap & review of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy Season 1, Episode 7, "Ko'Zeine." Spring Break hits Starfleet Academy, and while some cadets plan a quiet getaway, others get swept into royal weddings, questionable science experiments, and decisions that could derail a pre-command future. Jessica Lynn Verdi and John Champion unpack the cultural clash on the Khionian "sunset moon," the consequence of cutting corners on the USS Athena, and what this episode has to say about truth and accountability. It's a spoiler-heavy discussion as we break down the latest chapter of this new Trek series' the hits, the head-scratchers, and the character turns that may shape the rest of the season.   Prefer to watch? Mission Log: Reactor premieres weekly on YouTube: youtube.com/@MissionLogPodcasts   Want it early? Patreon members get Mission Log: Reactor a day before the public release — for as little as $1: patreon.com/missionlog   And join us Mondays at 7PM PT / 10PM ET for Mission Log Live, our audience call-in talkback show — streaming FREE on Patreon: patreon.com/missionlog   For more Star Trek podcasts, videos, and discussion: missionlogpodcast.com

After our Mission Log Reactor recap of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy Episode 6, "Come, Let's Away," we opened the channel, and our Star Trek Pals delivered. This week's live discussion dives deep into the moral calculus of trusting Nus Braka (again), whether Starfleet's diplomacy still works in a fractured galaxy, and if the Federation's reputation for paternalism is something it simply can't shake. Callers unpack Ake's choices, debate whether letting the villain monologue is negotiation or naïveté, and question whether Starfleet has truly learned to meet other cultures where they are. Along the way, we get sharp psychological analysis, comparisons to Janeway and the Borg, musings on Shakespeare references, comic book lore in a post-Burn galaxy, and the eternal question: how much premise-swallowing is too much premise-swallowing? This is Mission Log Live: thoughtful disagreement, sharp insight, a few laughs, and space to wrestle with the bigger ideas behind the action.   Watch our initial reactions on Mission Log: Reactor: youtube.com/@MissionLogPodcasts (Patreon members get Reactor a day early!)   Join us Mondays for Mission Log Live, our audience call-in talkback show. Streaming FREE every Monday at 7pm PT / 10pm ET on Patreon: patreon.com/missionlog (Audio-only versions drop immediately after the live show.)   For more Star Trek podcasts, videos, and discussion, visit: missionlogpodcast.com

Before she was Tasha Yar, she was Lieutenant Commander Macha Hernandez. For the Season 14 finale of The Trek Files, Denise Crosby joins Larry Nemecek to revisit her original 1987 audition sides for Star Trek: The Next Generation, including early character descriptions that reveal a very different version of the Enterprise's security chief. Denise first read for Deanna Troi before Gene Roddenberry made a pivotal switch, reshaping the role of Macha Hernandez into Tasha Yar to fit Denise's strengths. In this week's episode, Denise reflects on the audition process, her favorite scene between Troi and Yar that was never filmed, and what those early creative decisions revealed about the direction of TNG. She also shares memories of those uncertain early days of production, the risk of launching a syndicated sequel to an iconic series, and the emotional complexity of stepping into (and eventually stepping away from) such a historic role. Along the way, Denise speaks movingly about loss after the Palisades fire, resilience, fandom, and what it means to revisit Star Trek decades later. It's a revealing look at how a character evolves, how casting can reshape canon, and how even discarded script pages tell the story of Star Trek's creative DNA. Documents and additional references Star Trek: The Next Generation Casting Character Bios & Audition Sides (January 30, 1987)  Original description of Lieutenant Commander Macha Hernandez and early security chief character concepts. Star Trek: The Next Generation Pilot Casting Sides (February 11, 1987) Troi/Yar audition scene never filmed for TNG. The Trek Files Season 14 on Memory Alpha All episodes and documents: The Trek Files on Memory Alpha Visit the Trekland site for behind-the-scenes access and exclusive merchandise. The conversation continues on Discord with live chats and the Roddenberry Podcasts community! Join today!

We're back with a fresh recap & review of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy Season 1, Episode 6, "Come, Let's Away"! Jessica Lynn Verdi and John Champion get out of the classroom and take a field trip into danger, with Nus Braka as a guest lecturer. Hope you studied up, there'll be tests. So. many. tests. Join us for a spoiler-heavy Star Trek podcast as we break down all the latest from this exciting new television series. Also! 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! https://www.patreon.com/missionlog/events/150616376   This is the audio-only podcast version of Mission Log: Reactor. If you'd like to watch the conversation, the full video edition is available on YouTube: Mission Log: Reactor on YouTube youtube.com/@MissionLogPodcasts (Patreon members get Reactor a day early!)   Join us Mondays for Mission Log Live — our audience call-in talkback show covering each new episode. Streaming FREE every Monday at 7pm PT / 10pm ET on Patreon: patreon.com/missionlog   For more Star Trek podcasts, videos, and discussion, visit: missionlogpodcast.com

Mission Log Live is all about the conversation. Following our Mission Log Reactor discussion of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy Episode 5, "Series Acclimation Mil,"we open the channel to our listeners for a wide-ranging call-in discussion that explores SAM's journey, manufactured intelligence, and what it means to "understand" humanity at all. Callers bring deeply personal reactions to SAM's story, comparisons to Data and "Data's Day," reflections on Benjamin and Jake Sisko, and thoughtful debate over whether this episode is a sincere exploration of identity or an uneven mix of whimsy, fan service, and big ideas. We hear perspectives shaped by love of Deep Space Nine, fresh eyes new to DS9, and everything in between, with space for minds to change and opinions to clash respectfully.  This is Mission Log Live at its core: a welcoming space for thoughtful disagreement and shared curiosity about Star Trek's message.   Watch our initial reactions on Mission Log Reactor: youtube.com/@MissionLogPodcasts (Patreon members get Reactor a day early!)   Join us for Mission Log Live every Monday night — our audience call-in talkback show, FREE for everyone at: patreon.com/missionlog (Audio-only versions drop after the live show.)   For more Star Trek podcasts, videos, and discussion, visit: missionlogpodcast.com

In this very special episode of The Trek Files, actor Robin Curtis joins us to revisit a little-known chapter in Saavik's story, one that never made it to screen. Drawing from a pair of early Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home script drafts, we explore a scene that implies Saavik is pregnant with Spock's child, a narrative thread begun in Star Trek III but quietly dropped by the time the final film was released. Robin shares warm memories of working with Leonard Nimoy, the late Harve Bennett, and her fellow castmates, as well as a few eye-opening truths about the unpredictability of Hollywood. Plus, she discusses her return to the role of Saavik in OTOY's Unification, and we recreate the pivotal, never-filmed scene between Kirk and Saavik. It's an emotional, candid, and deeply human conversation about legacy, missed opportunities, and what it means to carry a character with you for decades. Documents and additional references: First Draft (August 23, 1985): Conversation between Kirk and Saavik revealing her pregnancy by Spock. Second Draft (November 18, 1985): Subtle reference via McCoy's line: "I'm a surgeon, not a pediatrician." The Trek Files Season 14 on Memory Alpha All episodes and documents: The Trek Files on Memory Alpha Visit the Trekland site for behind-the-scenes access and exclusive merchandise. The conversation continues on Discord with live chats and the Roddenberry Podcasts community! Join today!

We're back with a fresh spoiler-heavy recap and review of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, Season 1, Episode 5, "Series Acclimation Mil." Jessica Lynn Verdi and John Champion enroll in a class on the unknowable, following SAM as she tries to understand organic life and the legacy of Benjamin Sisko. Along the way, we dig into big questions about identity, predestination, and whether learning can ever really be quantified. Plus:  holographic hangovers, blobfish, and just how much whimsy is too much whimsy. This is the audio-only podcast version of Mission Log: Reactor. If you'd like to watch the conversation, the full video edition is available on YouTube:   Mission Log: Reactor on YouTube youtube.com/@MissionLogPodcasts (Patreon members get Reactor a day early!)   Join us Mondays for Mission Log Live — our audience call-in talkback show covering each new episode. Streaming FREE every Monday at 7pm PT / 10pm ET on Patreon: patreon.com/missionlog   For more Star Trek podcasts, videos, and discussion, visit: missionlogpodcast.com

Mission Log Live puts the spotlight on you. Following our Mission Log Reactor discussion of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy Episode 4, "Vox In Excelso," we open the channel to our listeners for a wide-ranging conversation about Klingon identity, family, myth, debate, and what Star Trek is, and can be, right now. Callers bring everything from joyful tears to thoughtful critique. We hear deeply personal reactions to Jay-Den Kraag's story, discussions of chosen family and queer representation, debates over how truth is framed versus discovered, and even speculation about whether Caleb might be hiding something more than exceptional talent. Along the way, we wrestle with empathy versus charity, cultural self-determination, and the power of storytelling to shape identity. This is Mission Log Live at its best: respectful disagreement, unexpected insights, and a reminder that Star Trek works most powerfully when it invites conversation rather than closing it down.    🎥 Watch our initial reactions on Mission Log Reactor: "Vox in Excelso"   📺 Join us every Friday for Mission Log Reactor on YouTube: youtube.com/@MissionLogPodcasts (Patreon members get Reactor a day early!)   💬 Mission Log Live streams Monday nights and is FREE for everyone: patreon.com/missionlog (Audio-only versions drop after the live show.)

Before Star Trek: Discovery's final season sent its crew in pursuit of ancient secrets, Carlos Cisco had already taken inspiration from one of the most profound episodes of The Next Generation, "The Chase." In this week's The Trek Files, Carlos returns to explore the thematic connections between the 1993 TNG episode and Discovery's modern narrative arc. With Larry Nemecek, he discusses how "The Chase" influenced the creation of the alien species Progenitors and how its ideas about shared ancestry and unity resonated with the story of L'ak and the Breen in Discovery Season 5. Document and additional references: Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "The Chase," final draft script (revised Feb 4–10, 1993) Written by Ronald D. Moore & Joe Menosky, directed by Jonathan Frakes. The Trek Files Season 14 on Memory Alpha All episodes and documents: The Trek Files on Memory Alpha Visit the Trekland site for behind-the-scenes access and exclusive merchandise. The conversation continues on Discord with live chats and the Roddenberry Podcasts community! Join today!

SPECIAL RELEASE Before we return to our regular release schedule, here's the second—and final— specialaudio drop from our Patreon-exclusive Mission Log Live discussions. This episode focuses on Star Trek: Starfleet Academy Episode 3, "Vitus Reflux." The rivalry between Starfleet cadets and the War College heats up, culminating in a competitive game of Calica (laser tag of the future), a full-blown prank war, and a fast-growing, mockery-spouting fungus at the center of it all. As always, Mission Log Live is driven by you. Callers weighed in with reactions ranging from unabashed enjoyment to a resounding "meh," sparking a wide-ranging conversation about tone, tropes, and what this episode is really trying to say. To help put some of the criticism into perspective, we're joined by special guest Larry Nemecek (aka Dr. Trek) for additional context and critique.   🎥 Watch our initial reactions on Mission Log Reactor: https://youtu.be/_2mQ4nY7UWk?si=yTguxbip-blimEgn   📺 Join us every Thursday for Mission Log Reactor on YouTube: youtube.com/@MissionLogPodcasts (Patreon subscribers get Reactor a day early!)   💬 Mission Log Live streams weekly on Monday nights at: patreon.com/missionlog (Audio-only versions will drop immediately after the live show going forward.)

Mission Log Live: Starfleet Academy Episodes 1 & 2   SPECIAL RELEASE You asked, and we listened. To make sure no version of Mission Log Live is missed, we're releasing the audio from our Patreon-exclusive live chats into the main podcast feed. In this first special release, we dive into the opening two episodes of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy — "Kids These Days" and "Beta Test." From early reactions to cadet romances and clashing personalities, to over-the-top villains and big thematic swings, this is where the conversation really starts. Hear your comments, questions, and takes as Jessica Lynn Verdi and John Champion unpack what's working, what's raising eyebrows, and what these episodes might be setting up for the future of the series.   🎥 Watch our initial reactions on Mission Log Reactor: https://youtu.be/a1-ijIWK5_s?si=fgh1d5fnDytqYjUE   📺 Join us every Thursday for Mission Log Reactor on YouTube: youtube.com/@MissionLogPodcasts (Patreon subscribers get Reactor a day early!)   💬 Mission Log Live streams weekly and is free for everyone at: patreon.com/missionlog

Episode 4 of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy has daddy issues that could decide the fate of the Klingon Empire, to be resolved only in reasoned debate or an interplanetary pillow fight! Jessica Lynn Verdi and John Champion discuss "Vox In Excelso," which lets us in on how the Burn affected the Klingons, and gives us Jay-Den Kraag's origin story. Enjoy our honest-to-goodness, SPOILER HEAVY review and chime in with YOUR thoughts in the comments. Also! 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!

This week, we're joined once again by Cash Edwards, who shares an intimate look at his longtime friendship with Star Trek: The Next Generation producer Herbert J. Wright. Their relationship, and shared history with Gene and Majel Roddenberry, sparked a bold attempt to revive one of Gene's most personal concepts: The Questor Tapes. In 2004, Herb, Cash, Rod Roddenberry, and a team that included Mike Okuda and Jules Urbach put together a new pitch for Questor—a project updated for the post-9/11 world but still driven by the timeless Roddenberry themes of evolution, ethics, and survival. From detailed series bibles to pilot treatments and fan outreach, Cash walks us through the chaotic early years of TNG, the roots of Questor, and the bittersweet story behind its final pitch. Document and additional references: Questor promo revision 10 - 2004 The Trek Files Season 14 on Memory Alpha All episodes and documents: The Trek Files on Memory Alpha Visit the Trekland site for behind-the-scenes access and exclusive merchandise. The conversation continues on Discord with live chats and the Roddenberry Podcasts community! Join today!