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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. It features Lee Marvin in front of a high-tech viewscreen, but this is no starship – Gene-ology opens its investigation into a very unusual foray into "true crime" with Gene Roddenberry adapting the particulars of a notorious Seattle murder case into dramatic form. It's also a career milestone for Gene: the last script he would write for a show that he didn't also create. 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 "Queen Anne Killer Unidentified: The Michael Olds Story". 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. 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.
Showtime broadcasts the third episode of The Man Who Fell To Earth, a series continuation of the 1976 David Bowie film, starring Chiwetel Ejiofor, Naomie Harris, Bill Nighy, Kate Mulgrew (Star Trek: Voyager, Star Trek: Prodigy), and Jimmi Simpson (Westworld).
The BBC announces that 29-year-old actor Ncuti Gatwa will be the fourteenth actor to take on the lead role of Doctor Who, following Jodie Whittaker’s departure in a special episode yet to air in 2022. He is best known for his role in the Netflix series Sex Education, The transition to a new Doctor also includes the transition to returning showrunner Russell T. Davies, who was largely responsible for returning Doctor Who to television in 2005 and left the series in 2009 after four seasons. The first new episodes under Davies will not be broadcast until 2023.
The CW airs the 89th episode of The Flash, a modern-day reboot of DC Comics’ superhero starring Grant Gustin. Katee Sackhoff (Battlestar Galactica) guest stars.
The 22nd episode of Arrow, a modern-day reboot of DC Comics’ Green Arrow superhero starring Stephen Amell, airs on the CW. John Barrowman (Torchwood, Doctor Who) guest stars.
The 764th episode of Doctor Who (the 66th since the series’ revival) airs on BBC1. Rory (played by actor Arthur Darvill) joins the TARDIS team full time in this episode.
The 12th episode of Joss Whedon’s futuristic “spy-fi” series Dollhouse airs on Fox, starring Eliza Dushku. Mark Sheppard (Supernatural, Battlestar Galactica) and Alan Tudyk (Firefly, Rogue One) guest star in the first season finale. A further episode, Epitaph One, is produced as a potential series finale, but upon renewal of Dollhouse, that episode does not air on broadcast TV, instead going direct to DVD via the box set release of this season.
Paramount Pictures releases J.J. Abrams’ film Star Trek, starring Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana, and Karl Urban. A reboot of the classic TV era of Star Trek, this movie is explicitly stated to be the beginning of an alternate timeline (referred to later as the “Kelvin Universe”) separate from the “prime timeline” seen in all prior movie and TV iterations of the franchise. With a marketing blitz clearing the way for its premiere, this turns out to be the most financially successful film in the Star Trek franchise.
The 19th episode of James Cameron & Charles H. Eglee’s cyberpunk series Dark Angel, starring Jessica Alba and Michael Weatherly, airs on Fox. Lisa Ann Cabasa and Nana Visitor (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine) guest star.
The 98th 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 guest stars.
The week-long national syndication window opens for the 111th episode of Xena: Warrior Princess, starring Lucy Lawless and Renee O’Connor. Adrienne Wilkinson guest stars.
The 65th episode of Gene Roddenberry’s Earth: Final Conflict, airs in syndication, starring Robert Leeshock, Jayne Heitmeyer, Von Flores, and Richard Chevolleau. Lexa Doig (Andromeda) guest stars.
The 21st episode of Lois & Clark: The New Adventures Of Superman airs on ABC, starring Dean Cain and Teri Hatcher. John Shea, Richard Belzer, James Earl Jones (Star Wars), and Phyllis Coates (The Adventures Of Superman) guest star in the first season finale.
The fifth episode of Escape From Jupiter airs on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Co-produced by ABC and Japanese network NHK, this children’s sci-fi series stars Steve Bisley (Mad Max).
The week-long national syndication window opens for the 20th episode of the fantasy series Highlander, starring Adrian Paul (War Of The Worlds), Alexandra Vandernoort, and Stan Kirsch, and based on the mythology created in the 1986 movie of the same name.
The week-long national syndication window opens for the 41st episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation. Guest starring John de Lancie and Whoopi Goldberg, this is the episode which introduces the Borg to the Star Trek universe.
BBC 1 premieres the second episode of the short-run series The Nightmare Man, written by former Doctor Who script editor Robert Holmes, directed by ’70s Doctor Who director Douglas Camfield, and starring many faces familiar to fans of that series. Not intended to be an ongoing series, this one-off four-part serial is commissioned to fill a gap in the BBC’s summer schedule.
After spending months in development, the much-publicized big-screen relaunch of Star Trek is cancelled by Paramount. Unable to find a satisfactory script, and having great difficulty negotiating with the stars of the TV series, Star Trek: Planet Of The Titans is dumped by the studio, with no other plans to revive Star Trek in the works. Mere weeks later, a record-breaking movie not originating from Paramount convinces the studio to get back into the big-budget science fiction space race.
The first episode of children’s fantasy series King Of The Castle premieres on HTV. The series is created by Bristol-based writers Bob Baker and Dave Martin (Sky, Doctor Who), and stars Philip Da Costa. Talfryn Thomas (Survivors) and Milton Johns (Doctor Who, The Empire Strikes Back) also star.
The 70th episode of Doctor Who airs on the BBC. This is part three of the story now collectively known as The Space Museum. Peter Craze and Jeremy Bulloch guest star.
The 81st episode of the science fiction anthology series Tales Of Tomorrow airs on ABC. Much of the second season is missing, including this episode, based on a story by A.E. Van Vogt.
Showtime broadcasts the third episode of The Man Who Fell To Earth, a series continuation of the 1976 David Bowie film, starring Chiwetel Ejiofor, Naomie Harris, Bill Nighy, Kate Mulgrew (Star Trek: Voyager, Star Trek: Prodigy), and Jimmi Simpson (Westworld).
The BBC announces that 29-year-old actor Ncuti Gatwa will be the fourteenth actor to take on the lead role of Doctor Who, following Jodie Whittaker’s departure in a special episode yet to air in 2022. He is best known for his role in the Netflix series Sex Education, The transition to a new Doctor also includes the transition to returning showrunner Russell T. Davies, who was largely responsible for returning Doctor Who to television in 2005 and left the series in 2009 after four seasons. The first new episodes under Davies will not be broadcast until 2023.
Silva Screen Records releases Dudley Simpson’s score from the 1977 Doctor Who story The Sun Makers digitally and on CD. Unlike the previous Pyramids Of Mars release from the 1990s, which featured synthesizer recreations of Simpson’s music, this is a rare example of a complete original Simpson score from the composer’s 1970s heyday. 
The CW airs the 89th episode of The Flash, a modern-day reboot of DC Comics’ superhero starring Grant Gustin. Katee Sackhoff (Battlestar Galactica) guest stars.
Big Finish Productions releases the 173rd Doctor Who audio drama in its main monthly range, starring Peter Davison, Janet Fielding, Sarah Sutton, and Mark Strickson. 
The 22nd episode of Arrow, a modern-day reboot of DC Comics’ Green Arrow superhero starring Stephen Amell, airs on the CW. John Barrowman (Torchwood, Doctor Who) guest stars.
Big Finish Productions releases the 11th Doctor Who audio drama in its Fourth Doctor Adventures range, starring Tom Baker and Mary Tamm. Alice Krige (Star Trek: First Contact) guest stars. 
The 764th episode of Doctor Who (the 66th since the series’ revival) airs on BBC1. Rory (played by actor Arthur Darvill) joins the TARDIS team full time in this episode. 
UK cable channel Disney XD airs the 14th episode of K-9. The Australian-made series features no Doctor Who-related characters other than K-9. 
The 12th episode of Joss Whedon’s futuristic “spy-fi” series Dollhouse airs on Fox, starring Eliza Dushku. Mark Sheppard (Supernatural, Battlestar Galactica) and Alan Tudyk (Firefly, Rogue One) guest star in the first season finale. A further episode, Epitaph One, is produced as a potential series finale, but upon renewal of Dollhouse, that episode does not air on broadcast TV, instead going direct to DVD via the box set release of this season.
Paramount Pictures releases J.J. Abrams’ film Star Trek, starring Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana, and Karl Urban. A reboot of the classic TV era of Star Trek, this movie is explicitly stated to be the beginning of an alternate timeline (referred to later as the “Kelvin Universe”) separate from the “prime timeline” seen in all prior movie and TV iterations of the franchise. With a marketing blitz clearing the way for its premiere, this turns out to be the most financially successful film in the Star Trek franchise. 
The 23nd episode of the Star Trek prequel spinoff Enterprise airs on UPN. 
The 22nd episode of the Star Trek prequel spinoff Enterprise airs on UPN. Clancy Brown (Highlander, Earth 2) guest stars. 
The 19th episode of James Cameron & Charles H. Eglee’s cyberpunk series Dark Angel, starring Jessica Alba and Michael Weatherly, airs on Fox. Lisa Ann Cabasa and Nana Visitor (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine) guest star.
The 98th 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 guest stars.
The week-long national syndication window opens for the 111th episode of Xena: Warrior Princess, starring Lucy Lawless and Renee O’Connor. Adrienne Wilkinson guest stars. 
The 65th episode of Gene Roddenberry’s Earth: Final Conflict, airs in syndication, starring Robert Leeshock, Jayne Heitmeyer, Von Flores, and Richard Chevolleau. Lexa Doig (Andromeda) guest stars.
The week-long national syndication window opens for the 67th episode of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. 
UPN airs the 13th episode of Star Trek: Voyager. 
The 21st episode of Lois & Clark: The New Adventures Of Superman airs on ABC, starring Dean Cain and Teri Hatcher. John Shea, Richard Belzer, James Earl Jones (Star Wars), and Phyllis Coates (The Adventures Of Superman) guest star in the first season finale.
The fifth episode of Escape From Jupiter airs on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Co-produced by ABC and Japanese network NHK, this children’s sci-fi series stars Steve Bisley (Mad Max).
The week-long national syndication window opens for the 20th episode of the fantasy series Highlander, starring Adrian Paul (War Of The Worlds), Alexandra Vandernoort, and Stan Kirsch, and based on the mythology created in the 1986 movie of the same name.
NBC airs the 50th episode of Donald Bellisario’s science fiction series Quantum Leap, starring Scott Bakula and Dean Stockwell.
The week-long national syndication window opens for the 41st episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation. Guest starring John de Lancie and Whoopi Goldberg, this is the episode which introduces the Borg to the Star Trek universe. 
NBC premieres the third and final part of its continuation of Kenneth Johnson’s alien invasion epic, V: The Final Battle. Now bearing little resemblance to the story Johnson originally hoped to tell with the sequel, the three-night event scores enough in the all-important Nielsen TV ratings to convince NBC to order a weekly series to be produced in time for 1984’s fall TV season. 
BBC 1 premieres the second episode of the short-run series The Nightmare Man, written by former Doctor Who script editor Robert Holmes, directed by ’70s Doctor Who director Douglas Camfield, and starring many faces familiar to fans of that series. Not intended to be an ongoing series, this one-off four-part serial is commissioned to fill a gap in the BBC’s summer schedule. 
The week-long syndication window opens for the 19th episode of The Next Step Beyond, hosted and directed by John Newland. 
After spending months in development, the much-publicized big-screen relaunch of Star Trek is cancelled by Paramount. Unable to find a satisfactory script, and having great difficulty negotiating with the stars of the TV series, Star Trek: Planet Of The Titans is dumped by the studio, with no other plans to revive Star Trek in the works. Mere weeks later, a record-breaking movie not originating from Paramount convinces the studio to get back into the big-budget science fiction space race.
The first episode of children’s fantasy series King Of The Castle premieres on HTV. The series is created by Bristol-based writers Bob Baker and Dave Martin (Sky, Doctor Who), and stars Philip Da Costa. Talfryn Thomas (Survivors) and Milton Johns (Doctor Who, The Empire Strikes Back) also star.
The 297th episode of Doctor Who airs on BBC1. Roger Delgado, John Ringham and Bernard Kay guest star.
ITV premieres the first episode of the paranoid sci-fi series Undermind, starring Jeremy Wilkin. 
The 70th episode of Doctor Who airs on the BBC. This is part three of the story now collectively known as The Space Museum. Peter Craze and Jeremy Bulloch guest star.
The 152nd episode of Rod Serling’s The Twilight Zone airs on CBS. John Dehner and Stanley Adams star.
The 81st episode of the science fiction anthology series Tales Of Tomorrow airs on ABC. Much of the second season is missing, including this episode, based on a story by A.E. Van Vogt.