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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 11th episode of Star Trek: Picard, starring Patrick Stewart, Michelle Hurd, Santiago Cabrera, Alison Pill, Evan Evagora, and Jeri Ryan. Whoopi Goldberg and John de Lancie reprise their roles from Star Trek: The Next Generation in the second season premiere.
The CW airs the seventh episode of Legends Of Tomorrow, starring Arthur Darvill, Brandon Routh, Caity Lotz and Victor Garber. Callum Keith Rennie (Battlestar Galactica) guest stars.
Ralph McQuarrie, the artist who envisioned key scenes and settings of the Star Wars universe, before sets or models were built and before filming began, dies at the age of 82. As the production artist for Star Wars, McQuarrie got his licks in early on how the “universe” should look, from costumes to spacecraft to weaponry. George Lucas credited McQuarrie’s artwork with keeping the movies’ “look” on track, as well as selling 20th Century Fox on the idea of financing the first movie in the absence of any kind of test footage. McQuarrie also provided concepts for a redesigned U.S.S. Enterprise for an early ‘70s Star Trek movie project, Star Trek: Planet Of The Titans, that ultimately went unfilmed. He also contributed early concept art to Battlestar Galactica, E.T., Cocoon, Batteries Not Included, and many others, and had also worked on the animated artists’ conceptions of the Apollo moon missions played during CBS’ coverage of those flights.
The 192nd episode of Stargate SG-1 airs on the Sci-Fi Channel, starring Ben Browder, Amanda Tapping, Christopher Judge, Beau Bridges, and Michael Shanks.
Actress and casting director Cecily Adams, known to fans of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine as Quark’s mother, Ishka (also known affectionately as “Moogie”), dies due to lung cancer. The daughter of Get Smart! star Don Adams, Ms. Adams had made appearances on DS9, Total Recall: 2070, Murphy Brown and Home Improvement. Behind the scenes, she lent her casting expertise to such series as Third Rock From The Sun, That 70s Show, Eerie, Indiana, and many others. She is survived by her husband and a two-year-old daughter.
Pay cable channel Showtime premieres the first episode of J. Michael Straczynski’s post-apocalyptic series Jeremiah, based on a popular comic of the same name from Hungary. Luke Perry (Beverly Hills 90210) and Malcolm-Jamal Warner (The Cosby Show) star; guest stars in the pilot include Teryl Rothery (Stargate SG-1) and future Battlestar Galactica regulars Tricia Helfer and Kandyse McClure.
The 191st episode of Chris Carter’s modern-day science fiction series The X-Files airs on Fox, starring Gillian Anderson, Robert Patrick, and Annabeth Gish. Cary Elwes (The Princess Bride, Twister) guest stars.
The 30th 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, David Boreanaz, and Alyson Hannigan also star. Richard Herd (V, Star Trek: Voyager) guest stars.
ABC airs the 24th episode of Stephen J. Cannell’s superhero comedy series The Greatest American Hero, starring William Katt, Connie Sellecca, and Robert Culp.
The ninth episode of The Changes airs on BBC1, adapting the novels of Peter Dickinson into a ten-part television serial starring Vicky Williams and Keith Ashton. Tom Chadbon (Doctor Who, Blake’s 7) and Oscar Quitak (Brazil) guest star. The series was filmed in 1973, but has been held for broadcast until 1975.
The 21st episode of the horror anthology series The Evil Touch airs on Australia’s Nine Network, hosted by Anthony Quayle (Strange Report). (The series will later appear in the U.S. and elsewhere in first-run syndication.) Darren McGavin (Kolchak: The Night Stalker) guest stars and directs.
The 339th 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.
Apollo 9 lifts off on a ten-day mission to test the first lunar lander, but only in Earth orbit. Jim McDivitt and Rusty Schweickart put the lunar module, nicknamed Spider, through its paces, while David Scott mans the command module Gumdrop. This is the first flight of the completely non-aerodynamic lunar module, and various docking maneuvers and spacewalk scenarios are practiced. The crew returns to Earth in the Apollo command module, while Spider is left in a low orbit which decays two weeks later, allowing it to disintegrate in Earth’s atmosphere.
The 106th episode of Irwin Allen’s adventure series Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea airs on ABC, starring Richard Basehart and David Hedison. Michael Pate guest stars.
The 25th episode of Irwin Allen’s science fiction series The Time Tunnel airs on ABC, starring James Darren and Robert Colbert. Malachi Throne, Whit Bissell, and Lee Meriwether geust star.
The 16th episode of Batman airs on ABC. Cesar Romero guest stars as The Joker; Linda Harrison (Planet Of The Apes) makes her first appearance on film as a background character. (This is part two of a two-part story; each week’s story unfolds in two half-hour episodes on Monday and Tuesday.)
ABC airs the seventh episode of the supernatural anthology series One Step Beyond, hosted and directed by John Newland. Reginald Owen and Richard Lupino guest star.
NASA’s Pioneer 4 space probe is launched toward the moon atop a Juno II booster. For the first time in the Pioneer program, the target is reached, with Pioneer 4 passing the moon at a distance of 37,000 miles. The television camera designed to activate just in time to catch the first glimpse of the lunar far side fails to deploy, thanks to a light sensor that isn’t tripped by the light reflected from the moon. Measurements of radiation near the moon are taken and transmitted back to Earth before Pioneer 4 slides into an orbit around the sun.
Streaming service Paramount+ debuts the 11th episode of Star Trek: Picard, starring Patrick Stewart, Michelle Hurd, Santiago Cabrera, Alison Pill, Evan Evagora, and Jeri Ryan. Whoopi Goldberg and John de Lancie reprise their roles from Star Trek: The Next Generation in the second season premiere. 
The CW airs the seventh episode of Legends Of Tomorrow, starring Arthur Darvill, Brandon Routh, Caity Lotz and Victor Garber. Callum Keith Rennie (Battlestar Galactica) guest stars.
Silva Screen Records releases a CD of music from the 2013 made-for-TV movie An Adventure In Space And Time, composed by Edmund Butt (Life On Mars, Origin, Intergalactic). 
Ralph McQuarrie, the artist who envisioned key scenes and settings of the Star Wars universe, before sets or models were built and before filming began, dies at the age of 82. As the production artist for Star Wars, McQuarrie got his licks in early on how the “universe” should look, from costumes to spacecraft to weaponry. George Lucas credited McQuarrie’s artwork with keeping the movies’ “look” on track, as well as selling 20th Century Fox on the idea of financing the first movie in the absence of any kind of test footage. McQuarrie also provided concepts for a redesigned U.S.S. Enterprise for an early ‘70s Star Trek movie project, Star Trek: Planet Of The Titans, that ultimately went unfilmed. He also contributed early concept art to Battlestar Galactica, E.T., Cocoon, Batteries Not Included, and many others, and had also worked on the animated artists’ conceptions of the Apollo moon missions played during CBS’ coverage of those flights.
ITV premieres the fourth episode of the science fiction series Primeval. 
Sci-Fi channel airs the 32nd episode of Ronald D. Moore’s re-imagining of Battlestar Galactica. Dean Stockwell (Quantum Leap) and Richard Hatch guest star. 
Sci-Fi Channel airs the 39th episode of Stargate Atlantis. Brandy Ledford (Gene Roddenberry’s Andromeda) guest stars. 
The 192nd episode of Stargate SG-1 airs on the Sci-Fi Channel, starring Ben Browder, Amanda Tapping, Christopher Judge, Beau Bridges, and Michael Shanks. 
The 69th episode of the prequel spinoff Star Trek: Enterprise airs on UPN. 
Actress and casting director Cecily Adams, known to fans of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine as Quark’s mother, Ishka (also known affectionately as “Moogie”), dies due to lung cancer. The daughter of Get Smart! star Don Adams, Ms. Adams had made appearances on DS9, Total Recall: 2070, Murphy Brown and Home Improvement. Behind the scenes, she lent her casting expertise to such series as Third Rock From The Sun, That 70s Show, Eerie, Indiana, and many others. She is survived by her husband and a two-year-old daughter.
Pay cable channel Showtime premieres the first episode of J. Michael Straczynski’s post-apocalyptic series Jeremiah, based on a popular comic of the same name from Hungary. Luke Perry (Beverly Hills 90210) and Malcolm-Jamal Warner (The Cosby Show) star; guest stars in the pilot include Teryl Rothery (Stargate SG-1) and future Battlestar Galactica regulars Tricia Helfer and Kandyse McClure. 
The 191st episode of Chris Carter’s modern-day science fiction series The X-Files airs on Fox, starring Gillian Anderson, Robert Patrick, and Annabeth Gish. Cary Elwes (The Princess Bride, Twister) guest stars.
Pay cable channel Showtime premieres the 64th episode of Stargate SG-1. 
Showtime airs the 114th episode of The Outer Limits, a revival of the 1960s science fiction anthology series.
UPN airs the 111th episode of Star Trek: Voyager. 
The 30th 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, David Boreanaz, and Alyson Hannigan also star. Richard Herd (V, Star Trek: Voyager) guest stars.
The third episode of Russell T. Davies’ supernatural drama Century Falls airs on CBBC. 
The 46th episode of the syndicated series Superboy, starring Gerard Christopher and Stacy Haiduk, airs. Ami Dolenz guest stars.
ABC airs the 24th episode of Stephen J. Cannell’s superhero comedy series The Greatest American Hero, starring William Katt, Connie Sellecca, and Robert Culp. 
BBC1 premieres the 35th episode of Terry Nation’s science fiction series Blake’s 7. This episode, written by fantasy novelist Tanith Lee, is unique in that it features only the regular cast with no speaking guest stars. 
The third episode of Buck Henry’s science fiction spoof Quark premieres on NBC. The show returns to a half-hour format for the remainder of its run. 
The 31st episode of Wonder Woman airs on CBS, starring Lynda Carter and Lyle Waggoner. Michael Shannon (Future Cop) guest stars.
The sixth episode of The Bionic Woman, starring Lindsay Wagner and Richard Anderson, airs on ABC. Forrest Tucker and Lee Majors guest star.
The ninth episode of The Changes airs on BBC1, adapting the novels of Peter Dickinson into a ten-part television serial starring Vicky Williams and Keith Ashton. Tom Chadbon (Doctor Who, Blake’s 7) and Oscar Quitak (Brazil) guest star. The series was filmed in 1973, but has been held for broadcast until 1975. 
The 21st episode of the horror anthology series The Evil Touch airs on Australia’s Nine Network, hosted by Anthony Quayle (Strange Report). (The series will later appear in the U.S. and elsewhere in first-run syndication.) Darren McGavin (Kolchak: The Night Stalker) guest stars and directs.
The 339th 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.
Apollo 9 lifts off on a ten-day mission to test the first lunar lander, but only in Earth orbit. Jim McDivitt and Rusty Schweickart put the lunar module, nicknamed Spider, through its paces, while David Scott mans the command module Gumdrop. This is the first flight of the completely non-aerodynamic lunar module, and various docking maneuvers and spacewalk scenarios are practiced. The crew returns to Earth in the Apollo command module, while Spider is left in a low orbit which decays two weeks later, allowing it to disintegrate in Earth’s atmosphere.
The 106th episode of Irwin Allen’s adventure series Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea airs on ABC, starring Richard Basehart and David Hedison. Michael Pate guest stars.
The 25th episode of Irwin Allen’s science fiction series The Time Tunnel airs on ABC, starring James Darren and Robert Colbert. Malachi Throne, Whit Bissell, and Lee Meriwether geust star.
The 16th episode of Batman airs on ABC. Cesar Romero guest stars as The Joker; Linda Harrison (Planet Of The Apes) makes her first appearance on film as a background character. (This is part two of a two-part story; each week’s story unfolds in two half-hour episodes on Monday and Tuesday.) 
The 55th episode of Rod Serling’s The Twilight Zone airs on CBS. Burgess Meredith and Don Rickles star in an episode written by Serling.
ABC airs the seventh episode of the supernatural anthology series One Step Beyond, hosted and directed by John Newland. Reginald Owen and Richard Lupino guest star.
NASA’s Pioneer 4 space probe is launched toward the moon atop a Juno II booster. For the first time in the Pioneer program, the target is reached, with Pioneer 4 passing the moon at a distance of 37,000 miles. The television camera designed to activate just in time to catch the first glimpse of the lunar far side fails to deploy, thanks to a light sensor that isn’t tripped by the light reflected from the moon. Measurements of radiation near the moon are taken and transmitted back to Earth before Pioneer 4 slides into an orbit around the sun.
The 96th episode of The Adventures Of Superman airs in syndication, starring George Reeves, Noel Neill, and Jack Larson.