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Featured Articles

Gene-ology 96 – Queen Anne Killer Unidentified – Gene-ology: A Mission Log Look into Gene Roddenberry's Works

Welcome to Gene-ology, a podcast by Roddenberry Entertainment that dives deep into the early TV writing works of Gene Roddenberry. It features Lee Marvin in front of a high-tech viewscreen, but this is no starship – Gene-ology opens its investigation into a very unusual foray into "true crime" with Gene Roddenberry adapting the particulars of a notorious Seattle murder case into dramatic form.  It's also a career milestone for Gene: the last script he would write for a show that he didn't also create. 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 "Queen Anne Killer Unidentified: The Michael Olds Story". 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. 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.
  1. Gene-ology 96 – Queen Anne Killer Unidentified
  2. Gene-ology 95 – Run Away Home
  3. Gene-ology 94 – V Victor 5
  4. Gene-ology 93 – The Rydecker Case
  5. Gene-ology 92 – A Distant Thunder
An arcade classic crawled onto the Colecovision courtesy of a competitor, but does Centipede have any bugs (aside from the ones trying to gang up on you in the game)? Time for some Phosphor Dot Fossils pest control. #retrogaming Phosphor Dot Fossils at theLogBook.com is one of the web's oldest archives of vintage console, computer, and arcade games; there was also a 2-DVD documentary of the same name, covering the early history of video games, produced in 2008 and 2009. And these days? PDF aims to bring a more laid-back, less-caffeinated, less-profanity-spewing experience to the retro video game longplay video. There's a complete updated list of videos at https://www.thelogbook.com/pdf-on-youtube/ Check out my other projects and podcasts: Select Game: Expanded Memories of the Odyssey2 podcast - http://www.thelogbook.com/selectgame/​ Retrogram podcast - http://www.thelogbook.com/retrogram/​ And you can also find me at Roddenberry Podcasts co-hosting Mission Log: Gene-ology - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjXp3_SMi9LSg2rcgIayf30A0bVUb2yGc And, of course, the site that started it all, combining sci-fi, retro video games, book, music and toy reviews, and all sorts of retro-futurist fun: https://www.thelogbook.com Help support the site, the videos, and the podcasts at https://www.patreon.com/thelogbook/​ or https://www.ko-fi.com/thelogbook/​ - many many thanks to everyone who has supported theLogBook.com's podcasting and videocasting endeavours! The theme music is the "Phosphor Dot Fossils Theme" by Earl Green.
Phosphor Dot Fossils: Centipede (Colecovision, 1983)
It looks like the TARDIS is going to be parked for a while - at least on TV - giving us a moment to reflect (in a level-headed way) on the state of this and other long-running franchises, and on streaming TV as a whole, while also recognizing that there's still a lot of new Doctor Who happening. Chapters 0:00 Introduction 2:56 The Showrunner's Job 4:49 The End of the Universe! 8:35 Nostalgia 9:54 Wokeness is not the problem 11:01 Social media and fandom 12:38 It's not just Doctor Who 15:45 Streaming is the worst thing ever to happen to TV 18:56 Doctor Who is still there 20:24 The reboot question 23:53 Fandom vs. Showrunners 25:20 Disclaimer & credits Doctor Who stuff aplenty in theLogBook.com Store: https://www.thelogbook.com/store/category/popular-creations/doctor-who/ (Items bought via our affiliate links help keep the site running. Thanks!) Also! I've written a couple of books on Doctor Who. Find them here: https://www.thelogbook.com/store/ (They're also on Amazon.) theLogBook.com is one of the web's oldest repositories of geeky-cult-following goodness, chronicling the obscure, the overlooked, and the forgotten alongside the obvious for more than a quarter century. Check out my other projects and podcasts: Select Game: Expanded Memories of the Odyssey2 podcast - http://www.thelogbook.com/selectgame/​ Retrogram podcast - http://www.thelogbook.com/retrogram/​ And you can also find me at Roddenberry Podcasts co-hosting Mission Log: Gene-ology - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjXp3_SMi9LSg2rcgIayf30A0bVUb2yGc Help support the site(s), the videos, and the podcasts at https://www.patreon.com/thelogbook/​ or https://www.ko-fi.com/thelogbook/​ - many many thanks to everyone who has supported theLogBook.com's podcasting and videocasting endeavours!
theLogBook: Doctor in distress – are we ready for new #DoctorWho wilderness years?
Now entering the Radar Zone. Abandon all hope, and prepare for frustration. An obscure arcade oddity goes under the Phosphor Dot Fossils microscope this week. #retrogaming Phosphor Dot Fossils at theLogBook.com is one of the web's oldest archives of vintage console, computer, and arcade games; there was also a 2-DVD documentary of the same name, covering the early history of video games, produced in 2008 and 2009. And these days? PDF aims to bring a more laid-back, less-caffeinated, less-profanity-spewing experience to the retro video game longplay video. There's a complete updated list of videos at https://www.thelogbook.com/pdf-on-youtube/ Check out my other projects and podcasts: Select Game: Expanded Memories of the Odyssey2 podcast - http://www.thelogbook.com/selectgame/​ Retrogram podcast - http://www.thelogbook.com/retrogram/​ And you can also find me at Roddenberry Podcasts co-hosting Mission Log: Gene-ology - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjXp3_SMi9LSg2rcgIayf30A0bVUb2yGc And, of course, the site that started it all, combining sci-fi, retro video games, book, music and toy reviews, and all sorts of retro-futurist fun: https://www.thelogbook.com Help support the site, the videos, and the podcasts at https://www.patreon.com/thelogbook/​ or https://www.ko-fi.com/thelogbook/​ - many many thanks to everyone who has supported theLogBook.com's podcasting and videocasting endeavours! The theme music is the "Phosphor Dot Fossils Theme" by Earl Green.
Phosphor Dot Fossils: Radar Zone (arcade, 1982)
A particularly puzzling pair of games arrive in tandem on the #GameBoy Advance, and it'll take a thorough Phosphor Dot Fossils playtest to puzzle out just how addictive the combination of Dr. Mario and Puzzle League can be. Phosphor Dot Fossils at theLogBook.com is one of the web's oldest archives of vintage console, computer, and arcade games; there was also a 2-DVD documentary of the same name, covering the early history of video games, produced in 2008 and 2009. And these days? PDF aims to bring a more laid-back, less-caffeinated, less-profanity-spewing experience to the retro video game longplay video. There's a complete updated list of videos at https://www.thelogbook.com/pdf-on-youtube/ Check out my other projects and podcasts: Select Game: Expanded Memories of the Odyssey2 podcast - http://www.thelogbook.com/selectgame/​ Retrogram podcast - http://www.thelogbook.com/retrogram/​ And you can also find me at Roddenberry Podcasts co-hosting Mission Log: Gene-ology - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjXp3_SMi9LSg2rcgIayf30A0bVUb2yGc And, of course, the site that started it all, combining sci-fi, retro video games, book, music and toy reviews, and all sorts of retro-futurist fun: https://www.thelogbook.com Help support the site, the videos, and the podcasts at https://www.patreon.com/thelogbook/​ or https://www.ko-fi.com/thelogbook/​ - many many thanks to everyone who has supported theLogBook.com's podcasting and videocasting endeavours! The theme music is the "Phosphor Dot Fossils Theme" by Earl Green.
Phosphor Dot Fossils: Dr. Mario / Puzzle League (Game Boy Advance, 2005)
Lode Runner is back, can you dig it? The #NES era reboot of the classic computer game doesn't miss a trick and doesn't lose anything in the translation in this Phosphor Dot Fossils climb into the classics. #retrogaming Phosphor Dot Fossils at theLogBook.com is one of the web's oldest archives of vintage console, computer, and arcade games; there was also a 2-DVD documentary of the same name, covering the early history of video games, produced in 2008 and 2009. And these days? PDF aims to bring a more laid-back, less-caffeinated, less-profanity-spewing experience to the retro video game longplay video. There's a complete updated list of videos at https://www.thelogbook.com/pdf-on-youtube/ Check out my other projects and podcasts: Select Game: Expanded Memories of the Odyssey2 podcast - http://www.thelogbook.com/selectgame/​ Retrogram podcast - http://www.thelogbook.com/retrogram/​ And you can also find me at Roddenberry Podcasts co-hosting Mission Log: Gene-ology - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjXp3_SMi9LSg2rcgIayf30A0bVUb2yGc And, of course, the site that started it all, combining sci-fi, retro video games, book, music and toy reviews, and all sorts of retro-futurist fun: https://www.thelogbook.com Help support the site, the videos, and the podcasts at https://www.patreon.com/thelogbook/​ or https://www.ko-fi.com/thelogbook/​ - many many thanks to everyone who has supported theLogBook.com's podcasting and videocasting endeavours! The theme music is the "Phosphor Dot Fossils Theme" by Earl Green.
Phosphor Dot Fossils: Lode Runner (NES, 1986)
The opening of a segment or a show is a chance to make a statement, tell the viewer what they're getting into, and yes, flex and leave your stylistic thumbprint on things. It's one of my favorite things, even on a #localtv budget. Infinite Sheep is a series of reminiscences (usually short) of life in the last days of analog, locally-owned broadcast TV and radio. You can also find me at Roddenberry Podcasts co-hosting Mission Log: Gene-ology - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjXp3_SMi9LSg2rcgIayf30A0bVUb2yGc And, of course, the site that started it all, combining sci-fi, retro video games, book, music and toy reviews, and all sorts of retro-futurist fun: https://www.thelogbook.com Help support the site, the videos, and the podcasts at https://www.patreon.com/thelogbook/​ or https://www.ko-fi.com/thelogbook/​ - many many thanks to everyone who has supported theLogBook.com's podcasting and videocasting endeavours! The theme music is "Please Listen Carefully" by Jahzzar (betterwithmusic.com), licensed under Creative Commons CC-BY-SA.
Infinite Sheep: The art of the show/segment open
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It happened on this date…

(You can also manually look up any other date, browse a year, or go through the whole timeline.)

Published On: June 17, 2017

Doctor WhoThe 839th episode of Doctor Who airs on BBC1 (the 140th episode since the series’ revival), starring Peter Capaldi, Pearl Mackie, and Matt Lucas. This episode is written by playwright Rona Munro, writer of the final story of the original 20th century run of Doctor Who.

This entry is forthcoming.
Published On: June 17, 2013

Herschel Space ObservatoryThe European Space Agency officially shuts down the Herschel Space Observatory, having exhausted the unmanned orbital telescope’s remaining fuel supply with a maneuver to push it safely out of Earth’s L2 LaGrange point, opening that part of space up for future missions. Herschel’s science observations had ended when its supply of helium coolant, required to keep its instruments super-cooled to detect distant objects at the far-infrared end of the spectrum, ran out in April. Its replacement, the Gaia Space Observatory, is already being prepared for launch by ESA later in 2013.
Published On: June 17, 1995

TekWarThe 12th episode of the sci-fi crime series TekWar, based on William Shatner’s novel series, airs as part of the Universal Action Pack syndication package. Greg Evigan, William Shatner, and Maria del Mar (Mercy Point) star.

More about TekWar in theLogBook.com Store
Published On: June 17, 1985

DiscoverySpace Shuttle Discovery returns to orbit for a week-long flight including the deployment of three communications satellites. American, Mexican and Saudi Arabian satellites are launched via payload assist modules. Discovery crew consists of Commander Daniel Brandenstein, Pilot John Creighton, mission specialists Shannon Lucid, John Fabian and Steven Nagel, and payload specialists Patrick Baudry and Sultan Salman Al-Saud (the first Saudi Arabian national to fly in space).
Published On: June 17, 1983

ELOElectric Light Orchestra‘s ninth album, the science fiction/time travel concept album Secret Messages, is released, featuring the single “Rock ‘n’ Roll Is King”. Originally a double album (slated to include the legendary lost song “Beatles Forever”), Secret Messages is pared down to a single LP late in production, and the resulting orphaned tracks become the source of most of the group’s unreleased songs for several box sets to come. Read more

Published On: June 17, 1969

Jon PertweeThe BBC announces that popular radio comedian Jon Pertwee will become Doctor Who‘s new star. With his penchant for character voices and other gags, the show’s producers – who will also be departing after the new Doctor’s installation – expect that Pertwee, and the series, will continue in a light-hearted vein with an increasingly comedic element. Though Pertwee’s first four-part story as the Doctor will reflect this thinking, the actor will actually take the role of the Doctor in a far more dramatic direction.
Published On: June 17, 1967

Doctor WhoThe 167th episode of Doctor Who airs on the BBC. This is the second Doctor’s second and final encounter with the Daleks, and this story also introduces Deborah Watling as new companion Victoria Waterfield. This episode is now missing from the BBC’s archives.

This timeline entry leads to an entry covering this entire Doctor Who serial; there are plans to write new episodic entries in the future. You can support this effort!
Order Earl Green’s book VWORP!1 from theLogBook.com Store
Published On: June 17, 1967

Test No. 6The People’s Republic of China conducts a nuclear weapons test under the nondescript code name Test No. 6, which is in fact China’s first thermonuclear (hydrogen) bomb test. Dropped by an aircraft, Test No. 6 has a yield of 3.3 megatons. For context, China had conducted its first nuclear test barely three years earlier.

Absolutely no generative AI was used in the creation of the content on this website.
It’s mostly just some guy named Earl.

EG