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. 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.
Fox airs the 21st episode of the science fiction comedy-drama The Orville, starring and created by Seth McFarlane, taking the series in a decidedly more serious direction with its first two-parter. Victor Garber (Alias, Legends Of Tomorrow) and Norm MacDonald guest star.
Streaming service CBS All Access releases the 22nd episode of Star Trek: Discovery. Michelle Yeoh, James Frain, Alan Van Sprang (Shadowhunters: The Mortal Instruments, The Tudors), and Ethan Peck (10 Things I Hate About You) guest star.
The unmanned Messenger space probe, the first spacecraft ever to orbit Mercury, completes the mapping of the tiny planet with its MDIS (Messenger Dual Imaging System), having completed full coverage of the entire planet from pole to pole in both visible and infrared light, allowing a much more accurate topographical map to be created. This represents the most complete set of mapping data available on Mercury. Messenger’s mission is slated to end in March unless it is extended a second time.
Big Finish Productions releases the fourth Doctor Who: The Lost Stories audio drama, a limited series of audio versions of scripts that were intended for, but never produced by, Doctor Who on television. Colin Baker and Nicola Bryant star in a story originally intended for the 1986 season of Doctor Who.
NASA’s New Horizons probe, on a one-way trip to become the first probe to swing past distant Pluto, picks up speed dramatically as it slingshots past Jupiter. New Horizons sensors are trained on the giant planet to get the first look at Jupiter since Galileo swan-dived into its crushing atmosphere. New Horizons gains nearly 9,000 miles per hour as it swings past Jupiter, which will put it at Pluto in July 2015. New Horizons’ camera catches an erupting volcano on Jupiter’s moon Io, spewing material 200 miles above the surface.
Big Finish Productions releases the seventh Sarah Jane Smith audio drama, a Doctor Who audio spinoff starring Elisabeth Sladen, reprising her TV role. Jacqueline Pearce and Stephen Greif (Blake’s 7) guest star.
Big Finish Productions releases the first Doctor Who: Excelis audio drama, a limited series of interconnected stories spanning several of the Doctor’s regenerations. Peter Davison, Katy Manning, and Anthony Stewart Head (Buffy: The Vampire Slayer) star.
NASA’s NEAR-Shoemaker unmanned spacecraft, still on the surface of asteroid 433 Eros, sends its final signals to Earth before shutting down. Launched in 1996, NEAR-Shoemaker swung by asteroid 253 Mathilde before making its way to Eros via an Earth gravity assist maneuver. It orbited Eros for a year, having started its operations in close proximity to the asteroid a year later due to a technical problem in 1998 that nearly destroyed the space probe. Future asteroid missions such as Hayabusa and Dawn will refine the science of traveling to and studying asteroids.
The 61st episode of Gene Roddenberry’s Earth: Final Conflict, airs in syndication, starring Robert Leeshock, Jayne Heitmeyer, Von Flores, and Richard Chevolleau.
The 131st episode of Chris Carter’s modern-day science fiction series The X-Files airs on Fox, starring Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny. Carrie Hamilton (Fame) guest stars.
Fox airs the 39th episode of Tracy Torme’s alternate-universe science fiction series Sliders, starring Jerry O’Connell, John Rhys Davies, Sabrina Lloyd, Cleavant Derricks, and Kari Wuhrer. Roger Daltrey (Highlander, Witchblade) guest stars. This is John Rhys-Davies’ final appearance as a series regular, though one episode filmed prior to his two-part exit had yet to be shown, and would appear later.
Showtime airs the 51st episode of The Outer Limits, a revival of the 1960s science fiction anthology series. Casper Van Dien (Starship Troopers) guest stars.
The long-awaited (and fan-demanded) second volume of The Carl Stalling Project is released by Warner Bros. Records. The album is another release of original soundtrack recordings from Stalling’s scoring sessions for the Warner Looney Toons and Merrie Melodies cartoons from the 1930s through the 1950s.
Space Shuttle Atlantis lifts off on a four-day Department of Defense mission, the specifics of which remain classified. The crew consists of Commander John Creighton, Pilot John Casper, and mission specialists Richard Mullane, David Hilmers and Pierre Thuot.
The 550th episode of Doctor Who airs on BBC1, continuing a trilogy of stories themed around the Doctor’s regeneration and the reintroduction of the Master. Janet Fielding joins the cast as new companion Tegan. Anthony Ainley guest stars as the Master.
The fourth episode of Supertrain airs on NBC, starring Edward Andrews and Patrick Collins. Loretta Swit (M*A*S*H), Roy Thinnes (The Invaders), Victor Buono (Batman, Man From Atlantis) and Billy Barty guest star.
NBC airs the 19th episode of Leslie Steven’s “spy-fi” series Search, starring Tony Franciosa and Burgess Meredith. Tim O’Connor (Buck Rogers) and Terry Carter (Battlestar Galactica) guest star.
The 262nd episode of Doctor Who airs on the BBC. Fulton MacKay, Paul Darrow (Blake’s 7) and Peter Miles guest star. This is the first story to feature the Silurians.
The 82nd episode of Irwin Allen’s science fiction series Lost In Space premieres on CBS, starring Guy Williams, June Lockhart, and Jonathan Harris. Stanley Adams guest stars.
The eighth episode of Larry Cohen’s science fiction series The Invaders, starring Roy Thinnes and produced by Quinn Martin’s QM Productions, premieres on ABC. William Windom (The Farmer’s Daughter, My World And Welcome To It) guest stars.
The recently-rechristened Environmental Sciences Service Administration (previously the U.S. Weather Bureau) launches, with the help of NASA, weather satellite ESSA-2, intended to be the second in a constellation of spaceborne observers of Earth’s weather. Virtually identical to ESSA-1, ESSA-2 monitors Earth’s cloud cover for over four years; it is decommissioned in 1970, not because it stops working, but because a newer satellite utilizes the same telemetry frequency.
The 60th episode of Sam Rolfe’s western series Have Gun – Will Travel is broadcast on CBS in the United States, starring Richard Boone. This episode is written by future Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry, a frequent writer in the series’ early seasons.
Absolutely no generative AI was used in the creation of the content on this website. It’s mostly just some guy named Earl.
The CW airs the 26th episode of Batwoman starring Javicia Leslie, Rachel Skarsten, and Meagan Tandy.
Fox airs the 21st episode of the science fiction comedy-drama The Orville, starring and created by Seth McFarlane, taking the series in a decidedly more serious direction with its first two-parter. Victor Garber (Alias, Legends Of Tomorrow) and Norm MacDonald guest star. 
Streaming service CBS All Access releases the 22nd episode of Star Trek: Discovery. Michelle Yeoh, James Frain, Alan Van Sprang (Shadowhunters: The Mortal Instruments, The Tudors), and Ethan Peck (10 Things I Hate About You) guest star. 
The 214th episode of Chris Carter’s modern-day science fiction series The X-Files airs on Fox, starring David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson.
The CW airs the 60th episode of The Flash, a modern-day reboot of DC Comics’ superhero starring Grant Gustin. Keith David guest stars.
The unmanned Messenger space probe, the first spacecraft ever to orbit Mercury, completes the mapping of the tiny planet with its MDIS (Messenger Dual Imaging System), having completed full coverage of the entire planet from pole to pole in both visible and infrared light, allowing a much more accurate topographical map to be created. This represents the most complete set of mapping data available on Mercury. Messenger’s mission is slated to end in March unless it is extended a second time.
Big Finish Productions, under license from B7 Media, releases the first box set of Blake’s 7: The Liberator Chronicles audiobooks, featuring the story Counterfeit, performed by original series stars Gareth Thomas and Paul Darrwo. Unlike the B7 Media releases before them, the Big Finish Blake’s 7 audio material is meant to happen within the continuity of the original television series. 
Big Finish Productions, under license from B7 Media, releases the first box set of Blake’s 7: The Liberator Chronicles audiobooks, featuring the story Solitary, performed by Michael Keating and Anthony Howell. Unlike the B7 Media releases before them, the Big Finish Blake’s 7 audio material is meant to happen within the continuity of the original television series. 
Big Finish Productions, under license from B7 Media, releases the first box set of Blake’s 7: The Liberator Chronicles audiobooks, featuring the story The Turing Test, performed by Paul Darrow and Michael Keating. Unlike the B7 Media releases before them, the Big Finish Blake’s 7 audio material is meant to happen within the continuity of the original television series. 
Big Finish Productions releases the 33rd episode of the new Eighth Doctor Who audio dramas, starring Paul McGann and Sheridan Smith. 
Big Finish Productions releases the 131st Doctor Who audio drama in its main monthly range, starring Sylvester McCoy and Tracey Childs. 
Big Finish Productions releases the fourth Doctor Who: The Lost Stories audio drama, a limited series of audio versions of scripts that were intended for, but never produced by, Doctor Who on television. Colin Baker and Nicola Bryant star in a story originally intended for the 1986 season of Doctor Who. 
Big Finish Productions releases the 118th Doctor Who audio drama in its main monthly range, starring Peter Davison. 
ABC airs the 57th episode of the J.J. Abrams-produced series Lost. Mira Furlan (Babylon 5) and Cheech Marin (of Cheech & Chong fame) guest star. 
NASA’s New Horizons probe, on a one-way trip to become the first probe to swing past distant Pluto, picks up speed dramatically as it slingshots past Jupiter. New Horizons sensors are trained on the giant planet to get the first look at Jupiter since Galileo swan-dived into its crushing atmosphere. New Horizons gains nearly 9,000 miles per hour as it swings past Jupiter, which will put it at Pluto in July 2015. New Horizons’ camera catches an erupting volcano on Jupiter’s moon Io, spewing material 200 miles above the surface.
Big Finish Productions releases the seventh Sarah Jane Smith audio drama, a Doctor Who audio spinoff starring Elisabeth Sladen, reprising her TV role. Jacqueline Pearce and Stephen Greif (Blake’s 7) guest star. 
Big Finish Productions releases the 79th Doctor Who audio drama in its main monthly range, starring Sylvester McCoy and Sophie Aldred. 
The 128th episode of Stargate SG-1 airs on the Sci-Fi Channel, starring Richard Dean Anderson, Amanda Tapping, Christopher Judge, and Corin Nemec.
Big Finish Productions releases the first Doctor Who: Excelis audio drama, a limited series of interconnected stories spanning several of the Doctor’s regenerations. Peter Davison, Katy Manning, and Anthony Stewart Head (Buffy: The Vampire Slayer) star. 
NASA’s NEAR-Shoemaker unmanned spacecraft, still on the surface of asteroid 433 Eros, sends its final signals to Earth before shutting down. Launched in 1996, NEAR-Shoemaker swung by asteroid 253 Mathilde before making its way to Eros via an Earth gravity assist maneuver. It orbited Eros for a year, having started its operations in close proximity to the asteroid a year later due to a technical problem in 1998 that nearly destroyed the space probe. Future asteroid missions such as Hayabusa and Dawn will refine the science of traveling to and studying asteroids.
The 61st episode of Gene Roddenberry’s Earth: Final Conflict, airs in syndication, starring Robert Leeshock, Jayne Heitmeyer, Von Flores, and Richard Chevolleau. 
The 43rd episode of the science fiction comedy Red Dwarf airs on BBC 2. 
Fox airs the 39th episode of Tracy Torme’s alternate-universe science fiction series Sliders, starring Jerry O’Connell, John Rhys Davies, Sabrina Lloyd, Cleavant Derricks, and Kari Wuhrer. Roger Daltrey (Highlander, Witchblade) guest stars. This is John Rhys-Davies’ final appearance as a series regular, though one episode filmed prior to his two-part exit had yet to be shown, and would appear later.
Showtime airs the 51st episode of The Outer Limits, a revival of the 1960s science fiction anthology series. Casper Van Dien (Starship Troopers) guest stars.
SuperTracks releases a “composer promo” CD of Dennis McCarthy‘s soundtrack from the TV miniseries V: The Final Battle. 
Jewel releases the album Pieces Of You, featuring the singles “You Were Meant For Me”, “Foolish Games” and “Who Will Save Your Soul?”. 
The long-awaited (and fan-demanded) second volume of The Carl Stalling Project is released by Warner Bros. Records. The album is another release of original soundtrack recordings from Stalling’s scoring sessions for the Warner Looney Toons and Merrie Melodies cartoons from the 1930s through the 1950s. 
The week-long national syndication window opens for the 169th episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation. 
The 21st episode of the science fiction comedy Red Dwarf airs on BBC 2. 
Space Shuttle Atlantis lifts off on a four-day Department of Defense mission, the specifics of which remain classified. The crew consists of Commander John Creighton, Pilot John Casper, and mission specialists Richard Mullane, David Hilmers and Pierre Thuot.
The 550th episode of Doctor Who airs on BBC1, continuing a trilogy of stories themed around the Doctor’s regeneration and the reintroduction of the Master. Janet Fielding joins the cast as new companion Tegan. Anthony Ainley guest stars as the Master. 
The fourth episode of Supertrain airs on NBC, starring Edward Andrews and Patrick Collins. Loretta Swit (M*A*S*H), Roy Thinnes (The Invaders), Victor Buono (Batman, Man From Atlantis) and Billy Barty guest star. 
The 426th episode of Doctor Who airs on BBC1. Tony Beckley and John Challis guest star.
NBC airs the 19th episode of Leslie Steven’s “spy-fi” series Search, starring Tony Franciosa and Burgess Meredith. Tim O’Connor (Buck Rogers) and Terry Carter (Battlestar Galactica) guest star.
The 262nd episode of Doctor Who airs on the BBC. Fulton MacKay, Paul Darrow (Blake’s 7) and Peter Miles guest star. This is the first story to feature the Silurians.
The 76th episode of Gene Roddenberry’s science fiction series Star Trek airs on NBC. Jeff Corey guest stars. 
The 82nd episode of Irwin Allen’s science fiction series Lost In Space premieres on CBS, starring Guy Williams, June Lockhart, and Jonathan Harris. Stanley Adams guest stars.
The eighth episode of Larry Cohen’s science fiction series The Invaders, starring Roy Thinnes and produced by Quinn Martin’s QM Productions, premieres on ABC. William Windom (The Farmer’s Daughter, My World And Welcome To It) guest stars.
The recently-rechristened Environmental Sciences Service Administration (previously the U.S. Weather Bureau) launches, with the help of NASA, weather satellite ESSA-2, intended to be the second in a constellation of spaceborne observers of Earth’s weather. Virtually identical to ESSA-1, ESSA-2 monitors Earth’s cloud cover for over four years; it is decommissioned in 1970, not because it stops working, but because a newer satellite utilizes the same telemetry frequency.
The 111th episode of Rod Serling’s The Twilight Zone airs on CBS. Robert Sterling and Burgess Meredith star.
ABC airs the 83rd episode of the supernatural anthology series One Step Beyond, hosted and directed by John Newland. 
The 60th episode of Sam Rolfe’s western series Have Gun – Will Travel is broadcast on CBS in the United States, starring Richard Boone. This episode is written by future Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry, a frequent writer in the series’ early seasons. 
