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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.
The 759th episode of Doctor Who (the 61st since the series’ revival) airs on BBC1. This is the first full episode to feature Matt Smith as the eleventh Doctor, and introduces Karen Gillan as new companion Amy Pond (and Steven Moffat as the series’ showrunner). Arthur Darvill makes his first appearance as Rory; astronomer Sir Patrick Moore guest stars as himself.
UK cable channel Disney XD airs the third episode of K-9. (Disney XD UK skips over the second episode entirely, which instead receives its broadcast premiere in its native Australia.) The episode airs on the same day as the first Doctor Who episode to star Matt Smith as the eleventh Doctor.
Space: 1999 and Doctor Who scriptwriter Johnny Byrne dies at the age of 73. One of the most prolific Space: 1999 scribes, he helped to guide that show’s creative direction as the show’s script editor and later collaborated with fan filmmakers on a short, Message From Moonbase Alpha, wrapping the show up and leaving things open to further explore the story with new characters. He also had a literary SF career stretching back into the 1960s, as well as writing the screenplays for several British-produced films.
The week-long American syndication window opens for the 20th episode of Gerry Anderson’s sci-fi police series Space Precinct. Jack Hedley (Colditz, For Your Eyes Only) guest stars.
The 14th episode of George Lucas’ historical adventure series The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles airs on ABC, starring Sean Patrick Flanery. Anne Heche (Wag The Dog), Jeffrey Wright (Westworld), and Robert Trebor (Hercules: The Legendary Journeys) guest star.
NBC airs the sixth episode of Wes Craven’s Nightmare Cafe, starring Robert Englund (V, A Nightmare On Elm Street), Jack Coleman (Heroes), and Lindsay Frost (Mancuso, FBI). Bobby Slayton, Kevin Thompson, and Don S. Davis (Stargate SG-1) guest star. NBC cancels the series, freeing Craven and Englund up to resume their usual nightmares.
NBC airs the 46th episode of Donald Bellisario’s science fiction series Quantum Leap, starring Scott Bakula and Dean Stockwell. David Graf (Police Academy) guest stars.
The 19th episode of Love & Curses (formerly titled She-Wolf Of London) is broadcast in syndication in North America, starring Kate Hodge and Neil Dickson.
Images transmitted to Earth by NASA’s unmanned Voyager 2 spacecraft, from a distance of 129,000,000 miles, reveal a consistent feature in Neptune’s atmosphere, an oval-shaped storm system near the Neptunian equator very similar in size and position to the Great Red Spot on Jupiter. This storm, quickly nicknamed the Great Dark Spot, allows Voyager scientists to estimate Neptune’s rotational period much earlier than expected. At the distance between Voyager 2 and Neptune, the smallest features on the planet that can be seen are at least 2,400 miles across, meaning the newly detected storm system is gigantic.
The Soviet Union launches Soyuz T-11 en route to space station Salyut 7. Spending nearly eight days in orbit, cosmonauts Yuri Malyshev, Gennady Strekalov and the first space traveler from India, Rakesh Sharma, perform experiments aboard the station as well as bringing supplies. They return to Earth on April 11th aboard the station crew’s Soyuz T-10 capsule, leaving the newer Soyuz T-11 docked at Salyut 7 for the station crew’s use.
The Osborne One portable computer is given its public debut at the West Coast Computer Faire in San Francisco. Despite being billed as “portable”, the computer is huge – packing 5¼” floppy disk drives and a tiny CRT monitor and a full-sized keyboard into a suitcase-sized enclosure, it weighs at least 30 pounds. The Osborne I’s native operating system is CP/M.
NBC airs the 22nd episode of Buck Rogers In The 25th Century. Sid Haig (Jason Of Star Command), Pamela Hensley and Michael Ansara guest star. This concludes the series’ first season, and a significant rethink of the show’s premise and cast takes place before a second season begins filming. The series will return in 1981.
BBC1 premieres the 26th episode of Terry Nation’s science fiction series Blake’s 7. This season-ending episode concludes the story arc concerning Blake’s search for the Federation’s central control facility, and sees the exit of some of the show’s regulars, inclduing Jenna Knyvette (Jenna), Brian Croucher (Travis) and even Gareth Thomas (Blake).
The week-long syndication window opens for the 14th episode of The Next Step Beyond, a revival of the 1950s/60s supernatural anthology series One Step Beyond, hosted and directed by John Newland.
The Soviet Union launches a second space station, and the first station designed exclusively for military tasks in orbit. Salyut 2 is the first station to use the Almaz military space station design devised in the 1960s as a response to the US Air Force’s never-flown Manned Orbiting Laboratory. Within two weeks, however, technical difficulties take their toll: Salyut 2 begins to tumble out of control, and its crew compartment depressurizes. (The redesigned Soyuz vehicle is not ready to fly yet, so no crew ever visits Salyut 2.) The second Soviet space station burns up in the atmosphere less than two months after launch.
The 65th episode of Doctor Who airs on the BBC. This is part two of the story now collectively known as The Crusade. This episode is now missing from the BBC archvies.
Madison Gate Records digitally releases the soundtrack from the 2014 sci-fi comedy film Space Station 76, with music composed by Marc & Steffan Fantini. 
The 19th episode of Arrow, a modern-day reboot of DC Comics’ Green Arrow superhero starring Stephen Amell, airs on the CW.
The 759th episode of Doctor Who (the 61st since the series’ revival) airs on BBC1. This is the first full episode to feature Matt Smith as the eleventh Doctor, and introduces Karen Gillan as new companion Amy Pond (and Steven Moffat as the series’ showrunner). Arthur Darvill makes his first appearance as Rory; astronomer Sir Patrick Moore guest stars as himself. 
UK cable channel Disney XD airs the third episode of K-9. (Disney XD UK skips over the second episode entirely, which instead receives its broadcast premiere in its native Australia.) The episode airs on the same day as the first Doctor Who episode to star Matt Smith as the eleventh Doctor. 
The eighth episode of Joss Whedon’s futuristic “spy-fi” series Dollhouse airs on Fox, starring Eliza Dushku. Amy Acker (Angel) guest stars.
Space: 1999 and Doctor Who scriptwriter Johnny Byrne dies at the age of 73. One of the most prolific Space: 1999 scribes, he helped to guide that show’s creative direction as the show’s script editor and later collaborated with fan filmmakers on a short, Message From Moonbase Alpha, wrapping the show up and leaving things open to further explore the story with new characters. He also had a literary SF career stretching back into the 1960s, as well as writing the screenplays for several British-produced films.
The 19th episode of the Star Trek prequel spinoff Enterprise premieres on UPN. Rene Auberjonois (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine) guest stars. 
Showtime airs the 72nd episode of The Outer Limits, a revival of the 1960s science fiction anthology series. Maria Conchita Alonso guest stars.
The week-long American syndication window opens for the 20th episode of Gerry Anderson’s sci-fi police series Space Precinct. Jack Hedley (Colditz, For Your Eyes Only) guest stars.
The 14th episode of George Lucas’ historical adventure series The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles airs on ABC, starring Sean Patrick Flanery. Anne Heche (Wag The Dog), Jeffrey Wright (Westworld), and Robert Trebor (Hercules: The Legendary Journeys) guest star.
NBC airs the sixth episode of Wes Craven’s Nightmare Cafe, starring Robert Englund (V, A Nightmare On Elm Street), Jack Coleman (Heroes), and Lindsay Frost (Mancuso, FBI). Bobby Slayton, Kevin Thompson, and Don S. Davis (Stargate SG-1) guest star. NBC cancels the series, freeing Craven and Englund up to resume their usual nightmares.
NBC airs the 46th episode of Donald Bellisario’s science fiction series Quantum Leap, starring Scott Bakula and Dean Stockwell. David Graf (Police Academy) guest stars.
The 19th episode of Love & Curses (formerly titled She-Wolf Of London) is broadcast in syndication in North America, starring Kate Hodge and Neil Dickson.
Narada Records releases the instrumental album Heart & Beat by German jazz guitar virtuoso Ralf Illenberger, his second solo album on the label. 
Images transmitted to Earth by NASA’s unmanned Voyager 2 spacecraft, from a distance of 129,000,000 miles, reveal a consistent feature in Neptune’s atmosphere, an oval-shaped storm system near the Neptunian equator very similar in size and position to the Great Red Spot on Jupiter. This storm, quickly nicknamed the Great Dark Spot, allows Voyager scientists to estimate Neptune’s rotational period much earlier than expected. At the distance between Voyager 2 and Neptune, the smallest features on the planet that can be seen are at least 2,400 miles across, meaning the newly detected storm system is gigantic.
The week-long national syndication window opens for the 38th episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation. 
The 44th episode of Steven Spielberg’s anthology series Amazing Stories airs on NBC. 
The Soviet Union launches Soyuz T-11 en route to space station Salyut 7. Spending nearly eight days in orbit, cosmonauts Yuri Malyshev, Gennady Strekalov and the first space traveler from India, Rakesh Sharma, perform experiments aboard the station as well as bringing supplies. They return to Earth on April 11th aboard the station crew’s Soyuz T-10 capsule, leaving the newer Soyuz T-11 docked at Salyut 7 for the station crew’s use.
The eighth episode of Brian Daley’s radio drama adaptation of the Star Wars sequel The Empire Strikes Back airs on National Public Radio stations in the U.S. Mark Hamill and Anthony Daniels reprise their movie roles; Billy Dee Williams provides the voice of Lando Calrissian. 
The Osborne One portable computer is given its public debut at the West Coast Computer Faire in San Francisco. Despite being billed as “portable”, the computer is huge – packing 5¼” floppy disk drives and a tiny CRT monitor and a full-sized keyboard into a suitcase-sized enclosure, it weighs at least 30 pounds. The Osborne I’s native operating system is CP/M.
NBC airs the 22nd episode of Buck Rogers In The 25th Century. Sid Haig (Jason Of Star Command), Pamela Hensley and Michael Ansara guest star. This concludes the series’ first season, and a significant rethink of the show’s premise and cast takes place before a second season begins filming. The series will return in 1981. 
BBC1 premieres the 26th episode of Terry Nation’s science fiction series Blake’s 7. This season-ending episode concludes the story arc concerning Blake’s search for the Federation’s central control facility, and sees the exit of some of the show’s regulars, inclduing Jenna Knyvette (Jenna), Brian Croucher (Travis) and even Gareth Thomas (Blake). 
The week-long syndication window opens for the 14th episode of The Next Step Beyond, a revival of the 1950s/60s supernatural anthology series One Step Beyond, hosted and directed by John Newland.
The Soviet Union launches a second space station, and the first station designed exclusively for military tasks in orbit. Salyut 2 is the first station to use the Almaz military space station design devised in the 1960s as a response to the US Air Force’s never-flown Manned Orbiting Laboratory. Within two weeks, however, technical difficulties take their toll: Salyut 2 begins to tumble out of control, and its crew compartment depressurizes. (The redesigned Soyuz vehicle is not ready to fly yet, so no crew ever visits Salyut 2.) The second Soviet space station burns up in the atmosphere less than two months after launch.
The 289th episode of Doctor Who airs on BBC1. Roger Delgado guest stars as the Master.
The 65th episode of Doctor Who airs on the BBC. This is part two of the story now collectively known as The Crusade. This episode is now missing from the BBC archvies.
The 147th episode of Rod Serling’s The Twilight Zone airs on CBS. John McGiver stars in an episode written by Serling.
The 76th episode of the science fiction anthology series Tales Of Tomorrow airs on ABC, starring Boris Karloff.