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What tomorrow looked like yesterday

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 always looks to the future.

Created & curated by Earl Green

Latest videos from theLogBook
How do you take a dynamic arcade game and reduce it to something less fun? That's the paradox of Atarisoft's port of Jungle Hunt, examined in the latest edition of Phosphor Dot Fossils. Phosphor Dot Fossils ( http://www.thelogbook.com/phosphor/​ ) 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 (now available for download at http://www.thelogbook.com/store/​ ). And these days? PDF aims to bring a more laid-back, less-caffeinated, less-profanity-spewing experience to the retro video game longplay video. 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 sites 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(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! The theme music is the "Phosphor Dot Fossils Theme" by Earl Green.
Phosphor Dot Fossils: Jungle Hunt (Apple II, 1984)
Re-released after a long and twisted journey - befitting any character wrapped up in the lore of the Daleks - Emperor Davros from #DoctorWho is unleashed at last. 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(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! The theme music "Lowrider" by Jahzzar (CC-BY-SA). Find more of his music at https://www.betterwithmusic.com.
Voyages Of Shelf-Discovery: Doctor Who Emperor Davros
It's the sequel to the game that was already a sequel! We give the underappreciated arcade game Gaplus the Phosphor Dot Fossils treatment, and the space bugs are not kind in return. Phosphor Dot Fossils ( http://www.thelogbook.com/phosphor/​ ) 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 (now available for download at http://www.thelogbook.com/store/​ ). And these days? PDF aims to bring a more laid-back, less-caffeinated, less-profanity-spewing experience to the retro video game longplay video. 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 sites 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(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! The theme music is the "Phosphor Dot Fossils Theme" by Earl Green.
Phosphor Dot Fossils: Gaplus (arcade, 1984)
Could you do Tetris on an Apple II? Yes. Could you do Tetris on the Game Boy? Obviously, also yes. Could you do Game Boy Tetris on the Apple II? Strangely, also yes - see it for yourself in the latest Phosphor Dot Fossils. Phosphor Dot Fossils ( http://www.thelogbook.com/phosphor/​ ) 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 (now available for download at http://www.thelogbook.com/store/​ ). And these days? PDF aims to bring a more laid-back, less-caffeinated, less-profanity-spewing experience to the retro video game longplay video. 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 sites 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(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! The theme music is the "Phosphor Dot Fossils Theme" by Earl Green.
Phosphor Dot Fossils: Game Boy Tetris (Apple II, 2022)
Sure, no battle plan survives contact with the enemy, but that doesn't absolve you of the responsibilty to have a plan. That was the very painful lesson of this sweeps news promo from 2004, in the latest Infinite Sheep. 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 sites 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(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! The theme music is "Please Listen Carefully" by Jahzzar (betterwithmusic.com), licensed under Creative Commons CC-BY-SA.
Infinite Sheep: Hostage Negotiator (2004)
It's a weird driving-and-shooting game until it's a weird digging-and-shooting game. And where exactly is the Borderline? The completely obscure - but kind of fun - 1981 Sega arcade game is the latest addition to Phosphor Dot Fossils. Phosphor Dot Fossils ( http://www.thelogbook.com/phosphor/​ ) 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 (now available for download at http://www.thelogbook.com/store/​ ). And these days? PDF aims to bring a more laid-back, less-caffeinated, less-profanity-spewing experience to the retro video game longplay video. 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 sites 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(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! The theme music is the "Phosphor Dot Fossils Theme" by Earl Green.
Phosphor Dot Fossils: Borderline (arcade, 1981)
One of the most intriguing additions to #DoctorWho lore in recent years gets her own action figure, a new addition to Voyages of Shelf Discovery. 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(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! The theme music "Lowrider" by Jahzzar (CC-BY-SA). Find more of his music at https://www.betterwithmusic.com.
Voyages Of Shelf-Discovery: Doctor Who Fugitive Doctor & TARDIS
Ms. Pac-Man's first appearance on the PC happened long before arcade or console emulation did. See the first lady of video games become an uncontrollable CGA oddity in the latest Phosphor Dot Fossils. Phosphor Dot Fossils ( http://www.thelogbook.com/phosphor/​ ) 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 (now available for download at http://www.thelogbook.com/store/​ ). And these days? PDF aims to bring a more laid-back, less-caffeinated, less-profanity-spewing experience to the retro video game longplay video. 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 sites 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(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! The theme music is the "Phosphor Dot Fossils Theme" by Earl Green.
Phosphor Dot Fossils: Ms. Pac-Man (IBM PC, 1983)
Life on Mars is getting just a little bit easier, so it's time to gather the nuts for winter, go on all the expeditions, and do some landscaping that'll make future expansion a bit easier. The Phosphor Dot Fossils longplay of Surviving Mars keeps happening. Phosphor Dot Fossils ( http://www.thelogbook.com/phosphor/​ ) 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 (now available for download at http://www.thelogbook.com/store/​ ). And these days? PDF aims to bring a more laid-back, less-caffeinated, less-profanity-spewing experience to the retro video game longplay video. 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 sites 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(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! The theme music is the "Phosphor Dot Fossils Theme" by Earl Green. End credit chiptunes by Kasatochi: https://www.thelogbook.com/kasatochi/
Phosphor Dot Fossils: Surviving Mars 2024 longplay, part 26
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Latest Podcasts

Gene-ology 54 – Karate – Gene-ology: A Roddenberry Podcast

Welcome to Gene-ology, where we explore the earliest TV writing works of Gene Roddenberry, the creator of Star Trek! Gene-ology begins its examination of Gene Roddenberry's 1960s TV writing with "Karate", a episode of The Detectives starring Robert Taylor, where our hosts find plenty to talk about, including some surprisingly heavy topics. Join us as we dig into the Roddenberry archives and discuss how Gene’s early writing shaped the groundbreaking worlds he would later bring to our screens. Hosted by Earl Green, Ashley Thomas and Norman C. Lao Guest starring George Broomis as Detective Russo and Scott Markus as Detective Conway 🌟 About Gene-ology: Gene-ology is a Roddenberry Entertainment podcast dedicated to exploring the formative years of Gene Roddenberry’s career before Star Trek. We explore his early TV scripts—including unproduced works—and examine the evolution of his storytelling. Buckle in and get ready for Gene-ology! 🔍 In This Episode: A breakdown of key moments and themes from The Detectives, “Karate” Insight into Gene Roddenberry’s early career and how this episode fits into his body of work. How the themes in this episode connect to the larger Roddenberry universe. 💬 Join the Conversation: What do you think of The Detectives, “Karate”? Share your thoughts and theories in the comments! 🔔 Subscribe and Stay Tuned: Make sure to subscribe for more deep dives into Gene Roddenberry’s earliest TV writing. We release new episodes every other week! Follow us on Social Media: INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/MissionLogPod X: https://x.com/MissionLogPod THREADS: https://www.threads.net/@roddenberrypodcasts FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/MissionLogPod Gene-ology is produced by Roddenberry Entertainment. Executive producer Eugene "Rod" Roddenberry. Visit https://Podcasts.Roddenberry.Com for more great content. 💖 Support the Show: Join our Patreon for exclusive content, and connect with fellow fans in our Discord community. Every contribution helps us continue our mission to explore the early works of Gene Roddenberry. https://www.Patreon.com/MissionLogPod
  1. Gene-ology 54 – Karate
  2. Have Hot Takes, Will Travel
  3. Gene-ology 53 – Beyond Atlas
  4. Gene-ology 52 – The Rescue of the Strangers
  5. Gene-ology Mailbag #2

Retrogram #7718: B.S.W. – Retrogram – theLogBook.com

The week of May 2, 1977: Before the Dark Times, before the Empire – well, approximately three weeks before the Dark Times and before the Empire – television sci-fi is just doing its thing on both sides of the Atlantic, unaware that audience expectations are about to change drastically. Retrogram examines five shows that were on the air during one of the last few weeks before a little movie called Star Wars took the world by storm. (1:06:06) Right-click here and “save as” to download the podcast – trust me, it sounds better this way than it does on 8-track. Links: Feel free to help support the show at Patreon or Ko-Fi! November 1983 in theLogBook’s History Timeline Special thanks to Ashley Thomas – The Nerdy Blogger (and all of our other Patreon supporters) Support Retrogram by purchasing through links and search boxes in theLogBook.com Store. The #1 song of that week… Music (in order): “Great Dark Spot” by Jahzzar (betterwithmusic.com) CC BY-SA “O Crebro do Morto” by Dr. Frankenstein (freemusicarchive.org) CC BY-SA “Queen” by Soft and Furious (freemusicarchive.org) CC BY-SA (break music) “League Of Mice” by Dee Zee (freemusicarchive.org) CC BY-SA “Nine Stones” by Andrew Howes (freemusicarchive.org) CC BY-SA “Theme from Man From Atlantis” by Fred Karlin “AVV Revisited” by Hermelin (freemusicarchive.org) CC BY-SA
  1. Retrogram #7718: B.S.W.
  2. Retrogram #9060: What Did You Do During The Syndication Wars?
  3. Retrogram #8347: The Day After The Day Of The Doctor
  4. Retrogram #7152: 72 @ 50, Part 1
  5. Retrogram #2214: The Little Black Bags

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: November 21, 2016

MarsThe second episode of Mars airs on the National Geographic Channel. The series is a hybrid drama/documentary about a fictional human mission to Mars in 2033, contrasted against efforts to prepare for such a mission in the present day. The series is produced by Ron Howard (Apollo 13).

More about Mars in the LogBook
Published On: November 21, 2016

Ron ThorntonInfluential British-born visual effects artist Ron Thornton, one of the pioneer proponents of computer generated animation for television whose work stretches from classic BBC sci-fi through Babylon 5 and the Star Trek franchise, dies after a lengthy illness.

Published On: November 21, 2001

Special Unit 2UPN broadcasts the 13th episode of the supernatural crime comedy series Special Unit 2, starring Michael Landes (Lois & Clark: The New Adventures Of Superman) and Alexondra Lee (Party Of Five). Tyler Christopher guest stars.

This series is not yet chronicled in the LogBook. You could help change that.
Published On: November 21, 2000

Dark AngelThe sixth episode of James Cameron & Charles H. Eglee’s cyberpunk series Dark Angel, starring Jessica Alba and Michael Weatherly, airs on Fox. John Savage guest stars.

This series is not yet chronicled in the LogBook. You could help change that.
Published On: November 21, 2000

Buffy The Vampire SlayerThe 86th episode of Joss Whedon’s supernatural series Buffy The Vampire Slayer, starring Sarah Michelle Gellar, airs on the WB network. James Marsters, Anthony Stewart Head, and Alyson Hannigan also star. Clare Kramer and Amber Benson guest star.

This series is not yet chronicled in the LogBook. You could help change that.
Published On: November 21, 1999

The X-FilesThe 142nd episode of Chris Carter’s modern-day science fiction series The X-Files airs on Fox, starring Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny. Chad Donella guest stars.

This series is not yet chronicled in the LogBook. You could help change that.
Published On: November 21, 1995

Deadly GamesThe tenth episode of science fiction series Deadly Games is broadcast on UPN, starring James Calvert, Cynthia Gibb, and Chrstopher Lloyd (Taxi, Back To The Future); Leonard Nimoy serves as the series’ executive producer. Dwight Schultz (The A-Team) and Downtown Julie Brown guest star.

This series is not yet chronicled in the LogBook. You could help change that.
Published On: November 21, 1991

Babylon 5Writer and series creator J. Michael Straczynski takes to the GEnie online message service to announce that his science fiction series, Babylon 5, has gotten the go-ahead from Warner Brothers and will be the cornerstone of a new television network. He promises that the series will begin with one or two two-hour movies to set up the premise, with a series to follow in 1993, as well as revealing that the show’s visual effects will be accomplished with computer generated graphics rather than miniature models.

More about Babylon 5 in the LogBook
Published On: November 21, 1988

Star Trek: The Next GenerationThe week-long national syndication window opens for the 26th episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation, beginning the series’ second season. This episode introduces Diana Muldaur as the Enterprise’s new chief medical officer, Dr. Katherine Pulaski, and Whoopi Goldberg as Guinan. The script is actually a holdover from the aborted 1977 attempt to relaunch the original Star Trek on a Paramount network that never came together; the barely-reworked script is dug up in an attempt to get filming started as soon as possible after the end of the Writers’ Guild strike.

More about Star Trek: The Next Generation in the LogBook and theLogBook.com Store
Star Trek: The Next Generation now streaming on Paramount Plus
Published On: November 21, 1977

VoyagerAt a distance of nearly 60,000,000 miles from Earth, NASA’s Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 spacecraft cross the orbit of Mars as the twin space probes continue their outbound race toward Jupiter. Moving at 13 miles per second, Voyager 1 will overtake its identical twin, Voyager 2, at the end of 1977, with both spacecraft expected to reach Jupiter in 1979. From here, they will plunge through the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, though fears of damage occurring in this part of space have been allayed by the successful asteroid belt passage of Pioneers 10 and 11 in the early 1970s.
Published On: November 21, 1975

ChallengerConstruction begins on Space Shuttle Structural Test Article 099 (STA-099), a full-sized structural model of the shuttle built for stress and thermal testing. Four years later, NASA decides to abandon plans to refit the test shuttle Enterprise for space duty at great expense, instead opting to upgrade the STA-099 airframe into a spaceworthy vehicle, which will eventually be named Challenger. While the refit will still be expensive, it takes less time and money than a complete teardown and rebuild of Enterprise’s airframe, which was never intended for flight outside the atmosphere.
Published On: November 21, 1973

WestworldWritten and directed by science fiction author Michael Crichton, Westworld debuts in theaters, mashing up familiar western tropes with a tale of cyborgs gone mad. Richard Benjamin (Quark), James Brolin, and Yul Brynner guest star; Majel Barrett (Star Trek) and Dick Van Patten play cameo roles. A hit for MGM, Westworld will spawn many attempts to follow up on its success, from the 1976 movie Futureworld to numerous TV revivals well into the 21st century.

More about Westworld in the LogBook
Hear about it on the Sci-Fi 5 podcast
Published On: November 21, 1967

The InvadersThe 29th episode of Larry Cohen’s science fiction series The Invaders, starring Roy Thinnes and produced by Quinn Martin’s QM Productions, is broadcast on ABC. Sally Kellerman (M*A*S*H) guest stars.

This series is not yet chronicled in the LogBook. You could help change that.
Get Doctor Who on physical media in theLogBook.com Store
Get The Mandalorian on physical media in theLogBook.com Store
Get The Mandalorian on physical media in theLogBook.com Store

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