Roddenberry Podcasts

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!

Episode 3 of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy answers the age old question, is it like laser tag? Jessica Lynn Verdi and John Champion discuss "Vitus Reflux," where the war college and Starfleet academy go head to head. Not gonna lie, Calica looks fun. 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 on The Trek Files: warp coils, dilithium chambers, and a whole lot of gamma rays. Returning guest Rick Sternbach joins Larry Nemecek once again for a lively exploration of Star Trek: The Next Generation's scientific backbone. Using early technical memos and a classic 1987 warp engine sketch, Rick walks us through how the team brought real-world physics into the heart of the Enterprise-D's design and when they just had to make it up. From working with Los Alamos physicists to devising the ejection system for the warp core, Rick shares stories of how he and Mike Okuda grounded the show's tech in reality while still serving the drama. Ever wonder why deuterium goes on top, antimatter on the bottom, or how a photon torpedo really works? This one's for the technobabble lovers and science fans alike. Documents and additional references: "TNG Warp Engine Concept Sketch" by Rick Sternbach, February 18, 1987 Excerpt from the internal Star Trek: TNG Technical Primer, May 1, 1989 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!

Welcome, Cadets, to Episodes 1 & 2 of Paramount's newest Star Trek series, Starfleet Academy! Did you know Mission Log Patrons get this video a day early!? patreon.com/missionlog Roddenberry Podcasts very own Jessica Lynn Verdi and John Champion deliver their honest-to-goodness SPOILER HEAVY review for the first two episodes of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, "Kids These Days" and "Beta Test." We discuss what worked! What doesn't. What has potential! And what's concerning… Join us Mondays at 7PM PT/10PM ET for our live talkback for each episode, FREE on Patreon patreon.com/missionlog. We'll hear your thoughts and questions as we embark on this journey together! For more Trek content, visit https://www.missionlogpodcast.com/ #Roddenberry #StarTrek #StarfleetAcademy #GeneRoddenberry #review #spoilers

Long before The Next Generation brought LCARS to life or 3D printers made cosplay easier, Star Trek fans relied on one book to make the Enterprise feel real: The Starfleet Technical Manual by Franz Joseph. In this week's episode, Larry Nemecek welcomes back Karen Schnaubelt, daughter of Franz Joseph, to mark the 50th anniversary of that seminal 1975 publication, just weeks after its surprise appearance atop the New York Times bestseller list. More than just a how-to guide for warp drives and turbo lifts, the Tech Manual became a cornerstone of Trek fandom and helped lay the foundation for the Star Trek revival that followed. Karen reflects on her father's unique journey from retired engineer to pop culture icon, how the Technical Manual grew out of lunch-hour sketches and club meetings, and what it was like watching fandom embrace a book that treated Star Trek like a living universe. Plus, Larry and Karen discuss how that very success may have stirred some tension in Gene Roddenberry's orbit. Documents and additional references: The New York Times Book Review – January 4, 1976 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!

Writer/producer Mike Sussman returns to The Trek Files with a personal favorite: the creative and very meta preface to Gene Roddenberry's novelization of Star Trek: The Motion Picture. In it, Gene (writing as himself and as Admiral Kirk) casts the original Star Trek series as a fictionalized dramatization of real events. Wait… what? Join Mike and Larry Nemecek as they unpack Roddenberry's playful (and possibly defensive) retcon of Trek canon, written at a time when Gene was emerging as a sci-fi thought leader in the post-Star Wars, post-lecture-circuit era. It's Roddenberry as revisionist historian, spinning group consciousness, mind control revolts, and alternate human evolution… all in the introduction to his own movie tie-in novel. You may never look at the "real" Kirk, or Trek canon, the same way again. Documents and additional references: Admiral Kirk's Preface, Star Trek: The Motion Picture novelization by Gene Roddenberry (1979) Reference: Star Trek: The Motion Picture novelization – Memory Alpha 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!

What happens when your sci-fi franchise is also a part-time science think tank? This week, Rick Sternbach returns to The Trek Files to discuss a set of internal memos he and Michael Okuda sent to the TNG production team, an essential peek behind the curtain at how plausible science and week-to-week TV production collided during the Berman era. These "tech notes" weren't just background noise. They helped shape the direction of key episodes, lent credibility to futuristic concepts like nanotechnology and AI, and quietly preserved Trek's internal logic. From computer core comparisons to white dwarf fragments, Rick walks us through how the art department helped make the 24th century feel real and even got a line read by Scotty. Whether you're a longtime fan of the TNG Technical Manual or just someone who geeks out over starship systems, this one's for you. Documents and Additional References: Technical Memo: "Evolution" – notes on nanotechnology, AI behavior, and micro-replication systems in TNG S3E1 Technical Memo: "Hollow Pursuits" – science commentary and plausible extrapolations for the episode's holodeck failure storyline Technical Memo: "The Most Toys" – suggestions on transporter physics and energy beam effects Naren Shankar (science advisor and writer, TNG Seasons 3–7) Joan Pearce (continuity consultant, Roddenberry-era Star Trek) 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!

Before Star Trek: Discovery unmasked the Breen in season 5, they were little more than an enigma in the Trek canon, name-dropped but rarely seen. This week on The Trek Files, Discovery writer and producer Carlos Cisco joins us to talk about tracing those first cryptic mentions of the Breen, buried in The Next Generation scripts for "The Loss" and "Hero Worship," and how they helped inspire the character of L'ak and a new chapter in Star Trek storytelling. Carlos reflects on working with the Discovery team to shape the Breen arc and what it means to tell stories that are simultaneously new and rooted in Trek history. Along the way, we look at how offhand script references from 1990 can fuel major plot threads decades later and how today's writers sometimes find the best inspiration in yesterday's margins. Don't miss this conversation about canon archaeology and how the smallest details can echo across centuries. Documents and additional references:  "The Loss" (TNG Season 4, Episode 10) – Final Script Pages (1990) "Hero Worship" (TNG Season 5, Episode 11) – Script Pages (1991) Character Reference: L'ak - L'ak on Memory Alpha For more on the Breen - Breen on Memory Alpha 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!

After seven seasons and one very contested transporter accident, we welcome Voyager executive producer and co-creator of Tuvix, Ken Biller, for a wide-ranging conversation about the legacy of Star Trek: Voyager. Guest co-host Earl Green joins John to explore the creative pressures behind the series finale, the constraints of '90s television, and how a light-hearted idea about a goofy transporter mix-up became one of Trek's most morally complex debates. Also: alternate titles, unwritten sequels, and that time Ken was a Jeopardy! answer. It's a candid, thoughtful look back from someone who was there from the first season to Endgame. Hosted by John Champion and Earl Green 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 MissionLog@Roddenberry.com 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

This week, we open the Starfleet personnel file for Admiral Jonathan Archer, a detailed biographical memo written by Star Trek: Enterprise writer/producer Michael Sussman for the fan-favorite episode "In a Mirror, Darkly." It was only meant to be a quick background graphic, so how did it evolve into a fan-favorite bit of canon? And why did Mike sneak "President of the UFP" into the character's résumé without telling the showrunners? Larry welcomes Mike to The Trek Files to revisit the creation of this in-universe bio, share behind-the-scenes memories from the final days of Enterprise, and unpack how a throwaway idea from 2005 became the seed of a new series pitch, Star Trek: United, which imagines Archer in his presidential years. From secret nods to The West Wing, to collaborating with Andy Probert on "Space Force One," this episode is a crash course in how Trek canon can be built with equal parts creativity and chaos. Documents and additional references: Starfleet Personnel File: Archer, Jonathan 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!

Before it was a spoon-shaped ship lost in the Delta Quadrant, the U.S.S. Voyager was a series of sketches, foam-core models, and engineering daydreams from the mind of artist and tech consultant Rick Sternbach. As we continue marking the 30th anniversary of Star Trek: Voyager, Rick returns to The Trek Files to walk us through the behind-the-scenes process of designing one of Trek's most distinctive starships. From the early design directives—"smaller, leaner, faster"—to the collaborative process with producers like Rick Berman and Jeri Taylor, we explore how Voyager took shape on paper and on screen. Along the way, Rick and Larry discuss the evolution of Voyager's signature articulated nacelles, the integration of set blueprints into exterior design, and the legacy of real-world science and scientists (including Minsky and Bussard) that informed Trek's fictional tech. And yes, Rick even drops a bit of headcanon about post-Delta Quadrant refits to the Intrepid-class. Is the EMH evidence that Voyager's computer is sentient? Did the Voyager design secretly borrow from The Runabout? Could curvier nacelles have saved the timeline? This week, we boldly go into the mind of one of Star Trek's most influential designers. Documents and additional references: Star Trek: Voyager concept art and related documents 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!