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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 18, 2012

Tiangong-1The three-person crew of Chinese space vehicle Shenzhou 9 successfully achieves an automated docking at Tiangong-1, China’s first space station. The crew spends a total of six days aboard the station, described by the Chinese government as an orbital laboratory, before undocking and then successfully attempt a manual docking maneuver. The nature of the crew’s work during its stay aboard Tiangong-1 is not revealed.
Published On: June 18, 2005

Doctor WhoThe 711th episode of Doctor Who (the 13th since the series’ revival) airs on BBC1. The ninth Doctor regenerates, making him the second shortest-lived incarnation of the Time Lord (after Paul McGann); even Colin Baker outlasted Eccleston in the role. John Barrowman and Paterson Joseph guest star; David Tennant makes his first brief appearance as the tenth Doctor. Read more

Published On: June 18, 2005

U.N.I.T.Big Finish Productions releases the fourth U.N.I.T. audio drama, a Doctor Who audio spinoff. Nicholas Courtney and David Tennant guest star in what is intended to be a “season finale”, though it will be several years before Big Finish revisits U.N.I.T. as its own audio spinoff. Read more

Published On: June 18, 1983

ChallengerThe second flight of Space Shuttle Challenger is a six-day mission to launch two more communications satellites (one for Canada and one for Indonesia), as well as featuring the first American woman in space (20 years behind the Soviet Union’s launch of Valentina Tereshkova). Challenger’s crew for this flight consists of Commander Robert Crippen, Pilot Frederick Hauck, and mission specialists John Fabian, Sally Ride and Norm Thagard.
Published On: June 18, 1977

Exo-ManNBC premieres the two-hour TV movie Exo-Man, starring David Ackroyd (AfterM*A*S*H, A Peaceable Kingdom), Anne Schedeen (ALF), and Harry Morgan (M*A*S*H). The movie is intended to serve as a pilot for a potential series, but despite decent ratings in its time slot, Exo-Man does not get a series pickup from NBC. Read more Hear about it on the Sci-Fi 5 podcast

Published On: June 18, 1977

EnterpriseMounted on the back of Boeing 747, the Space Shuttle Enterprise takes off on its first crewed flight, the first of three “captive-active” flights which see Enterprise remain in place on its carrier aircraft. For the first time, Enterprise’s computers, avionics and other flight systems are powered up in a full-up, hour-long dress rehearsal of an eventual free-flight landing test at 15,000 feet. The first crew of the Space Shuttle Enterprise consists of astronauts Fred Haise and Gordon Fullerton.
Published On: June 18, 1966

Doctor WhoThe 122nd episode of Doctor Who airs on the BBC. Frederick Jaegar guest stars. This marks the final appearance of Peter Purves as TARDIS traveler Steven, who stays behind to help guide an alien civilization. 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 18, 1956

Mr. District AttorneyThe 38th episode of the syndicated series Highway Patrol, starring Broderick Crawford, is broadcast in the United States. This story, titled Prospector, is an early TV script written by future Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry. Roddenberry, still on active duty with the Los Angeles Police Department, is also the show’s “technical advisor” on police procedure. Due to Roddenberry’s current police employment, the episode is credited to his pseudonym, Robert Wesley. Hear more about it on the Gene-ology podcast

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

EG