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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 12th episode of Star Trek: Picard, starring Patrick Stewart, Michelle Hurd, Santiago Cabrera, Alison Pill, Evan Evagora, and Jeri Ryan. John de Lancie (Star Trek: The Next Generation), Annie Wersching (Star Trek: Enterprise) and Jon Jon Briones guest star.
Playstation Network releases the second episode of Powers, based on the comic series created by Michael Avon Oeming and Brian Michael Bendis. Sharlto Copley (District 9), Michelle Forbes, and Eddie Izzard star.
Playstation Network premieres its first original video series, releasing the first episode of Powers, based on the comic series created by Michael Avon Oeming and Brian Michael Bendis. Sharlto Copley (District 9), Michelle Forbes, and Eddie Izzard star.
The 193rd episode of Stargate SG-1 airs on the Sci-Fi Channel, starring Ben Browder, Amanda Tapping, Christopher Judge, Beau Bridges, and Michael Shanks. This is the ninth season finale.
The 192nd 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 65th episode of Stargate SG-1, introducing a new enemy in the form of the Replicators and bringing season three to an end.
Showtime airs the 115th episode of The Outer Limits, a revival of the 1960s science fiction anthology series. Joel Grey (Cabaret, Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins) guest stars.
The first (Welcome To The Hellmouth) and second episodes (The Harvest) of Joss Whedon’s trend-setting supernatural series Buffy The Vampire Slayer, starring Sarah Michelle Gellar, premieres on the WB network. The series is based loosely upon the 1992 comedy movie of the same name, also written by Whedon, but represents a major rethink of the character of vampire-killing cheerleader Buffy Summers, as well as addressing modern topics facing teenagers in the 1990s. Anthony Stewart Head, Alyson Hannigan, and David Boreanaz also star.
The 43rd episode of Chris Carter’s modern-day science fiction series The X-Files airs on Fox, starring Gillian Anderson, David Duchovny, and Mitch Pileggi. John Savage (Dark Angel) guest stars.
The first episode of the science fiction series VR.5 premieres on Fox, starring Lori Singer (Fame) and Michael Easton (Total Recall 2070). The short-lived series, dealing with advanced virtual reality, is aired out of order, with some plot-critical episodes skipped by the network altogether. David McCallum (The Man From UNCLE, The Invisible Man, NCIS), Louise Fletcher (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine), Robert Picardo (Star Trek: Voyager, Stargate Atlantis), Adam Baldwin (Firefly), and Penn Jillette guest star in the pilot.
Atari releases the arcade video game TX-1, licensed from Namco (which itself licensed the game from another Japanese manufacturer). This game is available only in a massive “cockpit” big enough to accommodate three CRT screens.
Midway releases the arcade game Discs Of Tron in American arcades. The second coin-op game based on the movie Tron, this game was originally devised as an additional “stage” of the original Tron coin-op until designers split it off into its own game. The “environmental” cabinet, allowing players to stand inside the brightly black-lit game, becomes a legend of arcade architecture.
The Stateside arm of Japanese video game maker Data East releases the arcade game Disco No. 1 in the United States, having apparently missed the memo announcing that disco is dead.
Atari releases the home version of Space Invaders as a cartridge for the Atari 2600, the first time that a video game company has licensed another company’s game for home play. (All of Atari’s arcade ports up to this point have been home versions of Atari arcade games.) It turns out to be an astute move: Space Invaders is the “killer app” of the VCS, becoming so popular that the cartridge boosts sales of the system needed to run it.
The fifth episode of the short-lived NBC series The Fantastic Journey premieres. John Saxon guest stars, and a model of the space shuttle with its external tank and solid rocket boosters is referred to as a spaceship from the distant future.
A team of MIT astronomers, flying in a plane modified to serve as an airborne high-altitude telescope, plans to observe the planet Uranus as it eclipses, or “occults”, a star. But the team observes more occultations than expected both before and after the planet itself passes in front of the star. The inevitable conclusion is that Uranus has rings, made of material too dark to be detected by existing Earthbound telescopes. Further observations are given top priority: NASA’s Voyager 2 space probe, due to lift off later in 1977, may last long enough to reach Uranus, and the newly discovered rings must be taken into account when planning its flyby trajectory.
The tenth and final 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. Oscar Quitak (Brazil) guest stars. The series was filmed in 1973, but has been held for broadcast until 1975; an entire generation of young viewers will go on to consider the short series a seminal event in UK genre TV.
The 22nd 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.) Leslie Nielsen (Police Squad, Airplane!) guest stars.
The 340th 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.
The 107th episode of Irwin Allen’s adventure series Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea airs on ABC, starring Richard Basehart and David Hedison. Skip Homeier guest stars.
The 26th episode of Irwin Allen’s science fiction series The Time Tunnel airs on ABC, starring James Darren and Robert Colbert. John Saxon, Whit Bissell, and Lee Meriwether geust star.
The 18th episode of Batman airs on ABC. Malachi Throne guest stars as False Face. (This is part two of a two-part story; each week’s story unfolds in two half-hour episodes on Monday and Tuesday.)
UK broadcaster ATV Midlands airs the 23rd episode of Gerry Anderson’s Supermarionation science fiction series Thunderbirds, featuring the voices of Shane Rimmer, David Graham, Sylvia Anderson, Ray Barrett, and Peter Dyneley.
Streaming service Paramount+ debuts the 12th episode of Star Trek: Picard, starring Patrick Stewart, Michelle Hurd, Santiago Cabrera, Alison Pill, Evan Evagora, and Jeri Ryan. John de Lancie (Star Trek: The Next Generation), Annie Wersching (Star Trek: Enterprise) and Jon Jon Briones guest star. 
The CW airs the 127th episode of The Flash, a modern-day reboot of DC Comics’ superhero starring Grant Gustin. 
The CW airs the 74th episode of Legends Of Tomorrow, starring Caity Lotz, Matt Ryan, Brandon Routh, and Tala Ashe. Neal McDonough guest stars.
Playstation Network releases the second episode of Powers, based on the comic series created by Michael Avon Oeming and Brian Michael Bendis. Sharlto Copley (District 9), Michelle Forbes, and Eddie Izzard star. 
Playstation Network premieres its first original video series, releasing the first episode of Powers, based on the comic series created by Michael Avon Oeming and Brian Michael Bendis. Sharlto Copley (District 9), Michelle Forbes, and Eddie Izzard star. 
Epic Records releases an expanded, remastered edition of the Alan Parsons Project‘s 1978 album Pyramid, with additional tracks from the original recording sessions. 
ITV premieres the fifth episode of the science fiction series Primeval. 
Sci-Fi channel airs the 33rd episode of Ronald D. Moore’s re-imagining of Battlestar Galactica. Dean Stockwell (Quantum Leap) guest stars. This episode concludes the show’s second season. 
Sci-Fi Channel airs the 40th episode of Stargate Atlantis. Brent Stait (Gene Roddenberry’s Andromeda) guest stars in the second season finale. 
The 193rd episode of Stargate SG-1 airs on the Sci-Fi Channel, starring Ben Browder, Amanda Tapping, Christopher Judge, Beau Bridges, and Michael Shanks. This is the ninth season finale. 
UPN airs the first episode of the animated video game spoof Game Over, featuring the voices of Patrick Warburton and Lucy Liu. Danica McKellar (The Wonder Years) and Jeffrey Tambor (Max Headroom) guest star in the series premiere. 
The 192nd 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 65th episode of Stargate SG-1, introducing a new enemy in the form of the Replicators and bringing season three to an end. 
Showtime airs the 115th episode of The Outer Limits, a revival of the 1960s science fiction anthology series. Joel Grey (Cabaret, Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins) guest stars.
Hollywood Records releases Fastball‘s second album, All The Pain Money Can Buy, featuring the single “The Way”. 
The first (Welcome To The Hellmouth) and second episodes (The Harvest) of Joss Whedon’s trend-setting supernatural series Buffy The Vampire Slayer, starring Sarah Michelle Gellar, premieres on the WB network. The series is based loosely upon the 1992 comedy movie of the same name, also written by Whedon, but represents a major rethink of the character of vampire-killing cheerleader Buffy Summers, as well as addressing modern topics facing teenagers in the 1990s. Anthony Stewart Head, Alyson Hannigan, and David Boreanaz also star.
Fox premieres the 17th episode of the military science fiction series Space: Above And Beyond. 
The 61st episode of Lois & Clark: The New Adventures Of Superman airs on ABC, starring Dean Cain and Teri Hatcher. Larry Poindexter guest stars.
The first episode of the science fiction series VR.5 premieres on Fox, starring Lori Singer (Fame) and Michael Easton (Total Recall 2070). The short-lived series, dealing with advanced virtual reality, is aired out of order, with some plot-critical episodes skipped by the network altogether. David McCallum (The Man From UNCLE, The Invisible Man, NCIS), Louise Fletcher (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine), Robert Picardo (Star Trek: Voyager, Stargate Atlantis), Adam Baldwin (Firefly), and Penn Jillette guest star in the pilot.
The fourth episode of Russell T. Davies’ supernatural drama Century Falls airs on CBBC. 
Atari releases the arcade video game TX-1, licensed from Namco (which itself licensed the game from another Japanese manufacturer). This game is available only in a massive “cockpit” big enough to accommodate three CRT screens. 
Midway releases the arcade game Discs Of Tron in American arcades. The second coin-op game based on the movie Tron, this game was originally devised as an additional “stage” of the original Tron coin-op until designers split it off into its own game. The “environmental” cabinet, allowing players to stand inside the brightly black-lit game, becomes a legend of arcade architecture. 
The Stateside arm of Japanese video game maker Data East releases the arcade game Disco No. 1 in the United States, having apparently missed the memo announcing that disco is dead. 
BBC1 premieres the 36th episode of Terry Nation’s science fiction series Blake’s 7. This episode is written by novelist Trevor Hoyle, who has already penned two Blake’s 7 tie-in novelizations during the series’ first season. 
Atari releases the home version of Space Invaders as a cartridge for the Atari 2600, the first time that a video game company has licensed another company’s game for home play. (All of Atari’s arcade ports up to this point have been home versions of Atari arcade games.) It turns out to be an astute move: Space Invaders is the “killer app” of the VCS, becoming so popular that the cartridge boosts sales of the system needed to run it. 
The 53rd episode of Wonder Woman airs on CBS, starring Lynda Carter and Lyle Waggoner. Donnelly Rhodes (Battlestar Galactica) guest stars.
The fourth episode of Buck Henry’s science fiction spoof Quark premieres on NBC. This episode parodies the “evil twin from an alternate universe” sci-fi chestnut. 
The third episode of the live-action series based on Marvel’s comic The Incredible Hulk premieres on CBS, starring Bill Bixby, Jack Colvin, and Lou Ferrigno. Martin Kove guest stars. Following on from the ratings success of the two TV movies before it, this is the beginning of the weekly series proper. 
The fifth episode of the short-lived NBC series The Fantastic Journey premieres. John Saxon guest stars, and a model of the space shuttle with its external tank and solid rocket boosters is referred to as a spaceship from the distant future. 
A team of MIT astronomers, flying in a plane modified to serve as an airborne high-altitude telescope, plans to observe the planet Uranus as it eclipses, or “occults”, a star. But the team observes more occultations than expected both before and after the planet itself passes in front of the star. The inevitable conclusion is that Uranus has rings, made of material too dark to be detected by existing Earthbound telescopes. Further observations are given top priority: NASA’s Voyager 2 space probe, due to lift off later in 1977, may last long enough to reach Uranus, and the newly discovered rings must be taken into account when planning its flyby trajectory.
The tenth and final 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. Oscar Quitak (Brazil) guest stars. The series was filmed in 1973, but has been held for broadcast until 1975; an entire generation of young viewers will go on to consider the short series a seminal event in UK genre TV. 
The 22nd 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.) Leslie Nielsen (Police Squad, Airplane!) guest stars.
The 340th 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.
The 107th episode of Irwin Allen’s adventure series Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea airs on ABC, starring Richard Basehart and David Hedison. Skip Homeier guest stars.
The 26th episode of Irwin Allen’s science fiction series The Time Tunnel airs on ABC, starring James Darren and Robert Colbert. John Saxon, Whit Bissell, and Lee Meriwether geust star.
The 18th episode of Batman airs on ABC. Malachi Throne guest stars as False Face. (This is part two of a two-part story; each week’s story unfolds in two half-hour episodes on Monday and Tuesday.) 
UK broadcaster ATV Midlands airs the 23rd episode of Gerry Anderson’s Supermarionation science fiction series Thunderbirds, featuring the voices of Shane Rimmer, David Graham, Sylvia Anderson, Ray Barrett, and Peter Dyneley.
The 56th episode of Rod Serling’s The Twilight Zone airs on CBS. Dean Jagger stars.
ABC airs the eighth episode of the supernatural anthology series One Step Beyond, hosted and directed by John Newland.
The 97th episode of The Adventures Of Superman airs in syndication, starring George Reeves, Noel Neill, and Jack Larson.