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. 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. ย 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. โ 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.
The 883rd episode of Doctor Who airs on BBC1 (the 184th episode since the series’ revival), starring Ncuti Gatwa and Millie Gibson. Jonathan Groff (Hamilton) guest stars.
Streaming service Disney+ releases the fourth episode of the Star Wars live-action series Obi-Wan Kenobi, starring Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen in events occurring at the midway point between the franchise’s prequel and original film trilogies. Moses Ingram and Indira Varma (Torchwood, Game Of Thrones) also star.
The CW airs the 144th episode of The Flash, a modern-day reboot of DC Comics’ superhero starring Grant Gustin. This episode marks the exit of longtime series regular Carlos Valdes as Cisco Ramon.
Soundtrack specialty label Intrada releases Australian composer Brian May’s soundtrack from the 1984 movie Cloak & Dagger. This is the movie’s first soundtrack release.
Space Shuttle Atlantis lifts off the 118th shuttle flight, on a two-week mission to resupply and continue assembly of the International Space Station. Two major structural trusses and two large solar power arrays are delivered and installed, and a damaged array is removed. Aboard Atlantis for her 28th flight are Commander Rick Sturckow, Pilot Lee Archambault, and mission specialists Patrick Forrester, Danny Olivas, Clayton Anderson, Jim Reilly and Steven Swanson. Anderson remains on the station, joining the crew of ISS Expedition 15.
The 211th episode of Stargate SG-1 airs on the Sci-Fi Channel, starring Ben Browder, Amanda Tapping, Christopher Judge, Claudia Black, Beau Bridges, and Michael Shanks.
Canadian broadcaster CHCH-TV airs the 22nd and final episode of Art Monterastelli’s sci-fi series Total Recall 2070, starring Michael Easton and Cynthia Preston, very loosely based on the 1990 film Total Recall.
GNP Crescendo Records releases the fourth CD of Star Trek: The Next Generation soundtrack music, containing Jay Chattaway’s music from the episodes Tin Man, The Inner Light, Sub Rosa, A Fistful Of Datas, Dark Page, Descent, and Birthright.
Sci-Fi Channel airs the 48th and 49th episodes of Tracy Torme’s alternate-universe science fiction series Sliders, starring Jerry OโConnell, Cleavant Derricks, and Kari Wuhrer. Genesis is the fourth season premiere, and the first episode produced for the Sci-Fi Channel; Prophets And Loss guest stars David Birney (St. Elsewhere) and Connor Trinneer (Star Trek: Enterprise). David Peckinpah has now assumed sole duties as showrunner, following Tracy Torme’s exit after criticism of Fox’s handling of the series during season three.
The first episode of Return To Jupiter premieres on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Co-produced by ABC and Japanese network NHK, this children’s sci-fi series stars Sonia Todd (Home And Away) and David Wenham (The Lord Of The Rings trilogy). This series follows up on the 1994 series Escape From Jupiter.
The 13th episode of RoboCop: The Series airs in syndication, starring Richard Eden, Yvette Nipar, Blu Mankuma, and Andrea Roth. Roddy Piper (They Live) and Lisa Howard (Highlander, Earth: Final Conflict) guest star.
Williams Electronics unleashes an arcade favorite in the making, Moon Patrol. A rare case of a foreign game (originated in Japan by IREM) licensed for American distribution by Williams, Moon Patrol forces prospective moon buggy drivers to make split-second decisions about whether to shoot oncoming obstacles or vault over them in the moon’s low gravity. The game’s colorful graphics and inordinately jaunty music make it an instant hit.
The second episode of the short-lived TVNZ series Under The Mountain premieres on New Zealand’s state-run television network. The single-season children’s fantasy show is adapted by Ken Catran from Maurice Gee’s book of the same name.
Electric Light Orchestra‘s eighth album, Discovery, is released, featuring the singles “Don’t Bring Me Down”, “Last Train To London” and “Shine A Little Love”. The album is later criticized for being the point at which ELO became part of the disco fad, and is significant in that it’s the first ELO album without the band’s usual resident trio of string players.
The unexpected runaway success of a dark horse in the summer movie race makes for a mad dash for the toy rights. The winner of that race is Kenner Products, the toy division of cereal maker General Mills, and the prize is the exclusive license to market toys and other products based on Star Wars. Prior to the movie’s release, however, George Lucas has convinced 20th Century Fox to allow him to keep all toy licensing rights, meaning that ongoing licensing payments are made directly to Lucas, providing him with the lion’s share of his future wealth. Kenner executive Bernard Loomis finds himself fighting to convince his own sales team that this movie will attract more than a momentary audience. With the late start and the long lead time on design, tooling and manufacture, Loomis concocts an audacious marketing scheme involving an “empty box” available by Christmas.
The 381st episode of Doctor Who airs on BBC1. This is the final story of the third Doctor’s era, and the final episode of Jon Pertwee’s tenure as the third Doctor. The face of the fourth Doctor is glimpsed briefly at the end of the episode.
It’s not easy to reach the moon. Just a month after the failed flight of Luna 5, the Soviet Union launches the near-identical unmanned spacecraft Luna 6 to the moon. A pre-programmed mid-course correction engine burn, meant to help Luna 6 coast toward a soft landing on the lunar surface, instead overcorrects. The engine fails to acknowledge a command to stop firing, pushing Luna 6 so far off course that it misses the moon by almost 100,000 miles, dumping the vehicle in an orbit around the sun.
Absolutely no generative AI was used in the creation of the content on this website. It’s mostly just some guy named Earl.