theLogBook.com is a chronicle of how we used to imagine the future – an ever-expanding logbook of what our entertainment, our culture, and even our brightest minds thought would happen. It’s nostalgia – and some real history – that gives factual context to the fiction, cultural context to the factual, and always looks to the future.
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Welcome to Gene-ology, a podcast by Roddenberry Entertainment that dives deep into the early TV writing works of Gene Roddenberry. Is this the best television script Gene Roddenberry wrote prior to creating Star Trek? Gene's singular episode of the popular medical drama Dr. Kildare is a powerful story full of rich characters and raw emotions – the bedrock of great television drama. Hosted by Earl Green & Ashley Thomas About Gene-ology Gene-ology explores Gene Roddenberry's early television scripts, including his lesser-known works before Star Trek using the Mission Log format popularized by Roddenberry Podcasts. We analyze the themes, writing style, and cultural impact of his scripts, and we even unearth stories from the Roddenberry archives that were never produced. Join us as we trace the roots of Gene's creative genius. In This Episode A breakdown of key moments and themes in "A Distant Thunder". Exploring Gene Roddenberry's evolving style and storytelling. How this episode ties into the broader TV landscape of the time and reflects the early seeds of Roddenberry's visionary work. Guest stars and unique production elements that bring this episode to life. Special Segment: Dramatic Recreation Since this script is not available to the public, we've brought it to life with a dramatic recreation! Special guests Jeff Gauntt and Bonnie Gordon perform a key section of the script. Listen in as they bring the story to life in this exclusive performance. Join the Conversation What did you think of this episode? Share your thoughts, theories, and favorite moments in the comments or reach out to us on social media or email us at missionlog@roddenberry.com Did you know Roddenberry Podcasts is on YouTube? Find the video versions of your favorite shows like Mission Log: Prodigy, Mission Log: The Orville, as well as exclusive content only available on YouTube. Subscribe now! https://www.youtube.com/@RoddenberryEntertainment?sub_confirmation=1 Follow us on Social Media: INSTAGRAM https://www.instagram.com/roddenberrypodcasts BLUESKY https://bsky.app/profile/roddenberrypod.bsky.social THREADS https://www.threads.net/@roddenberrypodcasts FACEBOOK https://www.facebook.com/MissionLogPod Our shows are part of the Roddenberry Entertainment family. For more great shows and to learn how we live the legacy of Gene Roddenberry, the creator of Star Trek, follow us here: RODDENBERRY PODCASTS https://www.instagram.com/RoddenberryPodcasts RODDENBERRY ENTERTAINMENT https://www.instagram.com/RoddenberryOfficial RODDENBERRY FOUNDATION https://www.instagram.com/TheRoddenberryFoundation Support the Show For as little as $1 a month, you can gain access to our Mission Log Discord Community! There, we continue the discussion with dedicated channels and a weekly video chat with the hosts. Become a member of our Patreon today! https://www.Patreon.com/MissionLog Subscribe and Stay Tuned Be sure to subscribe to Gene-ology for more deep dives into Gene Roddenberry's early works. New episodes are released regularly as we uncover more of Gene's television legacy. – Gene-ology is produced by Roddenberry Entertainment. Executive producer Eugene "Rod" Roddenberry. Visit https://Podcasts.Roddenberry.com for more great content. Edited by Earl Green.
Streaming service Paramount+ debuts the 13th episode of Star Trek: Picard, starring Patrick Stewart, Michelle Hurd, Santiago Cabrera, Alison Pill, Evan Evagora, and Jeri Ryan. John de Lancie (Star Trek: The Next Generation), Annie Wersching (Star Trek: Enterprise) and Jon Jon Briones guest star.
Film Score Monthly releases a CD of music from the TV series Logan’s Run, with music by Laurence Rosenthal, Jeff Alexander, Jerrold Immel and Bruce Broughton.
The 193rd episode of Chris Carter’s modern-day science fiction series The X-Files airs on Fox, starring Gillian Anderson, Robert Patrick, and Annabeth Gish. Tracey Ellis guest stars.
The third episode of Joss Whedon’s trend-setting supernatural series Buffy The Vampire Slayer, starring Sarah Michelle Gellar, airs on the WB network. Anthony Stewart Head and Alyson Hannigan also star; Robin Riker guest stars.
The second episode of the science fiction series VR.5 airs on Fox, starring Lori Singer (Fame) and Michael Easton (Total Recall 2070). David McCallum (The Man From UNCLE, The Invisible Man, NCIS) and Louise Fletcher (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine) guest star.
Star Trek VI co-writer Denny Martin Flinn completes a screenplay draft for Doctor Who: The Movie, which is at this stage a big-screen reboot of the original series stuck in development hell. A British studio, Lumiere Pictures, has assigned several writers to write successive drafts of a movie version of the BBC series, often choosing to reboot the story rather than pick up where it left off. Eventually the series’ revival falls to a one-night-only TV movie being developed seperately by producer Philip Segal.
Soyuz TM-14 lifts off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, the first space mission from post-Soviet Russia. It carries cosmonauts Alexander Viktorenko, Alexander Kaleri, and Klaus-Dietrich Flade to space station Mir. Viktorenko and Kaleri remain aboard Mir for 145 days, while Flade returns to Earth with the previous station crew aboard Soyuz TM-13. When TM-14 returns to Earth in August 1992, Viktorenko and Kaleri suffer an unusual landing, with their descent module rolling to an upside-down position, trapping the cosmonauts inside until rescue crews arrive.
Electric Light Orchestra bassist and vocalist Kelly Groucutt goes solo, releasing an album of distinctly ELO-esque tunes on the Polygram label. Virtually all of Groucutt’s bandmates appear on his first album, with the notable exception of ELO frontman Jeff Lynne.
ABC airs the 25th episode of Stephen J. Cannell’s superhero comedy series The Greatest American Hero, starring William Katt, Connie Sellecca, and Robert Culp.
American pinball manufacturer Stern Electronics releases a video game licensed from Japanese game maker Konami Industries, Scramble. Though it earns a small but loyal following among arcade gamers, Scramble‘s true claim to history will be in setting a legal precedent: it later becomes the first video game whose code is copyrighted as a literary work in its own right as Stern seeks to take down bootleggers who copy the game’s program and brazenly market it under the same name.
The 341st episode of Doctor Who airs on BBC1. This is the last story featuring Roger Delgado as the Master before the actor’s untimely death in June 1973. Madhav Sharma (Moonbase 3) guest stars.
NBC airs the pilot episode of the supernatural anthology series Ghost Story, produced by 1960s horror movie mogul William Castle and starring Sebastian Cabot. Jeanette Nolan and Sam Jaffe guest star in a script by Richard Matheson (Twilight Zone, The Omega Man). The pilot gets enough attention for production to be greenlit on a series to premiere in the fall of 1972. (This series will be retitled Circle Of Fear in 1973.)
The 108th episode of Irwin Allen’s adventure series Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea airs on ABC, starring Richard Basehart and David Hedison. Terry Becker guest stars.
The 27th episode of Irwin Allen’s science fiction series The Time Tunnel airs on ABC, starring James Darren and Robert Colbert. Jim McMullan, Whit Bissell, and Lee Meriwether geust star.
The 20th episode of Batman airs on ABC. Julie Newmar guest stars as Catwoman. (This is part two of a two-part story; each week’s story unfolds in two half-hour episodes on Monday and Tuesday.)
UK broadcaster ATV Midlands airs the 24th episode of Gerry Anderson’s Supermarionation science fiction series Thunderbirds, featuring the voices of Shane Rimmer, David Graham, Sylvia Anderson, Ray Barrett, and Peter Dyneley.
The 147th episode of Sam Rolfe’s western series Have Gun – Will Travel is broadcast on CBS in the United States, starring Richard Boone. This episode is written by future Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry.
The newly formed Weather Bureau-Army-Navy Severe Weather Unit hits the ground running with its first tornado bulletin issued to the general public for portions of Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana. This forerunner of the modern tornado watch is a misfire, however: the only two confirmed tornadoes occur, both outside the area covered in the bulletin. Critics within the Weather Bureau express doubt that such bulletins will ever be of use to the public, and may instead spark panic among the public; this attitude will all but disappear within three years.
Absolutely no generative AI was used in the creation of the content on this website. It’s mostly just some guy named Earl.
Streaming service Paramount+ debuts the 13th episode of Star Trek: Picard, starring Patrick Stewart, Michelle Hurd, Santiago Cabrera, Alison Pill, Evan Evagora, and Jeri Ryan. John de Lancie (Star Trek: The Next Generation), Annie Wersching (Star Trek: Enterprise) and Jon Jon Briones guest star. 
The CW airs the 128th episode of The Flash, a modern-day reboot of DC Comics’ superhero starring Grant Gustin. 
The CW airs the 75th episode of Legends Of Tomorrow, starring Caity Lotz, Matt Ryan, Brandon Routh, and Tala Ashe.
Epic Records releases an expanded, remastered edition of the Alan Parsons Project‘s 1985 album Stereotomy, with additional tracks from the original recording sessions. 
ITV premieres the sixth episode of the science fiction series Primeval, bringing the show’s first season to a close. 
The internet-based fan film Star Trek: Phase II releases a short vignette episode, Center Seat. 
Film Score Monthly releases a CD of music from the TV series Logan’s Run, with music by Laurence Rosenthal, Jeff Alexander, Jerrold Immel and Bruce Broughton. 
UPN airs the second episode of the animated video game spoof Game Over, featuring the voices of Patrick Warburton and Lucy Liu. 
The 193rd episode of Chris Carter’s modern-day science fiction series The X-Files airs on Fox, starring Gillian Anderson, Robert Patrick, and Annabeth Gish. Tracey Ellis guest stars.
Sci-Fi Channel premieres the 23rd episode of Farscape. Wayne Pygram guest stars as Scorpius. This is the premiere of the series’ second season. 
The third episode of Joss Whedon’s trend-setting supernatural series Buffy The Vampire Slayer, starring Sarah Michelle Gellar, airs on the WB network. Anthony Stewart Head and Alyson Hannigan also star; Robin Riker guest stars.
The second episode of the science fiction series VR.5 airs on Fox, starring Lori Singer (Fame) and Michael Easton (Total Recall 2070). David McCallum (The Man From UNCLE, The Invisible Man, NCIS) and Louise Fletcher (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine) guest star.
Star Trek VI co-writer Denny Martin Flinn completes a screenplay draft for Doctor Who: The Movie, which is at this stage a big-screen reboot of the original series stuck in development hell. A British studio, Lumiere Pictures, has assigned several writers to write successive drafts of a movie version of the BBC series, often choosing to reboot the story rather than pick up where it left off. Eventually the series’ revival falls to a one-night-only TV movie being developed seperately by producer Philip Segal.
The fifth episode of Russell T. Davies’ supernatural drama Century Falls airs on CBBC. 
Soyuz TM-14 lifts off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, the first space mission from post-Soviet Russia. It carries cosmonauts Alexander Viktorenko, Alexander Kaleri, and Klaus-Dietrich Flade to space station Mir. Viktorenko and Kaleri remain aboard Mir for 145 days, while Flade returns to Earth with the previous station crew aboard Soyuz TM-13. When TM-14 returns to Earth in August 1992, Viktorenko and Kaleri suffer an unusual landing, with their descent module rolling to an upside-down position, trapping the cosmonauts inside until rescue crews arrive.
Mute Records releases the fifth Depeche Mode album, Black Celebration, featuring the single “Stripped”. 
Electric Light Orchestra bassist and vocalist Kelly Groucutt goes solo, releasing an album of distinctly ELO-esque tunes on the Polygram label. Virtually all of Groucutt’s bandmates appear on his first album, with the notable exception of ELO frontman Jeff Lynne. 
ABC airs the 25th episode of Stephen J. Cannell’s superhero comedy series The Greatest American Hero, starring William Katt, Connie Sellecca, and Robert Culp. 
Atari releases the home version of the popular arcade game Phoenix for the Atari 2600 home video game console. 
American pinball manufacturer Stern Electronics releases a video game licensed from Japanese game maker Konami Industries, Scramble. Though it earns a small but loyal following among arcade gamers, Scramble‘s true claim to history will be in setting a legal precedent: it later becomes the first video game whose code is copyrighted as a literary work in its own right as Stern seeks to take down bootleggers who copy the game’s program and brazenly market it under the same name. 
BBC1 premieres the 37th episode of Terry Nation’s science fiction series Blake’s 7. 
The 54th episode of Wonder Woman airs on CBS, starring Lynda Carter and Lyle Waggoner. Ina Balin, Dick Butkus, and and James Sloyan guest star.
The fourth episode of the live-action series based on Marvel’s comic The Incredible Hulk premieres on CBS, starring Bill Bixby, Jack Colvin, and Lou Ferrigno. Richard Kelton (Quark) guest stars. 
The fifth episode of Buck Henry’s science fiction spoof Quark premieres on NBC. 
The seventh episode of The Bionic Woman, starring Lindsay Wagner and Richard Anderson, airs on ABC. Bert Parks guest stars.
The 341st episode of Doctor Who airs on BBC1. This is the last story featuring Roger Delgado as the Master before the actor’s untimely death in June 1973. Madhav Sharma (Moonbase 3) guest stars.
Toho releases the 13th Godzilla movie, Godzilla vs. Megalon. 
NBC airs the pilot episode of the supernatural anthology series Ghost Story, produced by 1960s horror movie mogul William Castle and starring Sebastian Cabot. Jeanette Nolan and Sam Jaffe guest star in a script by Richard Matheson (Twilight Zone, The Omega Man). The pilot gets enough attention for production to be greenlit on a series to premiere in the fall of 1972. (This series will be retitled Circle Of Fear in 1973.) 
The 108th episode of Irwin Allen’s adventure series Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea airs on ABC, starring Richard Basehart and David Hedison. Terry Becker guest stars.
The 27th episode of Irwin Allen’s science fiction series The Time Tunnel airs on ABC, starring James Darren and Robert Colbert. Jim McMullan, Whit Bissell, and Lee Meriwether geust star.
The 20th episode of Batman airs on ABC. Julie Newmar guest stars as Catwoman. (This is part two of a two-part story; each week’s story unfolds in two half-hour episodes on Monday and Tuesday.) 
UK broadcaster ATV Midlands airs the 24th episode of Gerry Anderson’s Supermarionation science fiction series Thunderbirds, featuring the voices of Shane Rimmer, David Graham, Sylvia Anderson, Ray Barrett, and Peter Dyneley.
The 147th episode of Sam Rolfe’s western series Have Gun – Will Travel is broadcast on CBS in the United States, starring Richard Boone. This episode is written by future Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry. 
ABC airs the ninth episode of the supernatural anthology series One Step Beyond, hosted and directed by John Newland. Joanne Linville guest stars.
The 98th episode of The Adventures Of Superman airs in syndication, starring George Reeves, Noel Neill, and Jack Larson.
The newly formed Weather Bureau-Army-Navy Severe Weather Unit hits the ground running with its first tornado bulletin issued to the general public for portions of Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana. This forerunner of the modern tornado watch is a misfire, however: the only two confirmed tornadoes occur, both outside the area covered in the bulletin. Critics within the Weather Bureau express doubt that such bulletins will ever be of use to the public, and may instead spark panic among the public; this attitude will all but disappear within three years.