The Trek Files: A Roddenberry Star Trek Podcast

David Gerrold joins The Trek Files again for a fun look behind the scenes of Deep Space Nine's 30th anniversary Star Trek episode, "Trials and Tribble-ations." Hear about the painstaking details to recreate 1960s television in the '90s and how returning to tribbles 30 years later was a career highlight. Document and additional references: Trials and Tribble-ations call sheet - August 22, 1996 The Trek Files Season 12 on Memory Alpha All episodes and documents: The Trek Files on Memory Alpha Visit the Trekland site for behind-the-scenes access and exclusive merchandise.

Phil Weyland returns to The Trek Files with more stories from the set of Star Trek III. As stand-in for DeForest Kelly and, later, William Shatner, Phil had a front-row seat for the extremes from excitement to boredom of making Trek's epic big-screen stories. Document and additional references: Star Trek III call sheet - August 31, 1983 The Trek Files Season 12 on Memory Alpha All episodes and documents: The Trek Files on Memory Alpha Visit the Trekland site for behind-the-scenes access and exclusive merchandise.

The title says it all. David Gerrold shared his parting words with Gene Roddenberry upon leaving production of Star Trek: The Next Generation. It was a bittersweet moment preceded by conflict. David joins The Trek Files to talk about the state of TNG's production at the time, his frustrations with backstage politics, and the desire to leave on a high note. Don't miss our deep look into the tumult of Star Trek's return to TV with one of the insiders who was there from the start. Document and additional references: Gerrold's Last Memo - May 22, 1987 Affective Memories: How Chance and Theater Saved My Life by Laurence Luckinbill The Trek Files Season 12 on Memory Alpha All episodes and documents: The Trek Files on Memory Alpha Visit the Trekland site for behind-the-scenes access and exclusive merchandise.

Between Star Trek the Motion Picture and The Next Generation, Gene Roddenberry was still at work crafting new TV show concepts. In 1981, he turned his attention to a melding of real world science and speculative futurism with "Breakthrough." We welcome producer/documentarian Jeff Stepp (The UnXplained: Mysteries of the Universe with William Shatner) to the Trek Files to help determine where Gene was on the right path and if his idea could breakthrough the TV landscape today. Document and additional references: Breakthrough TV Format - October 7, 1981 Affective Memories: How Chance and Theater Saved My Life by Laurence Luckinbill The Trek Files Season 12 on Memory Alpha All episodes and documents: The Trek Files on Memory Alpha Visit the Trekland site for behind-the-scenes access and exclusive merchandise.

Laurence Luckinbill continues his conversation with The Trek Files, reminiscing about Star Trek V and sharing a passage from his new book, "Affective Memories." Hear about his friendship with William Shatner and DeForest Kelley, the trouble with alien horses, and why "The Final Frontier" is one of the great Star Trek movies. Document and additional references: Star Trek V call sheets - 1988 part 2 Affective Memories: How Chance and Theater Saved My Life by Laurence Luckinbill The Trek Files Season 12 on Memory Alpha All episodes and documents: The Trek Files on Memory Alpha Visit the Trekland site for behind-the-scenes access and exclusive merchandise.

The Trek Files gets a look inside the production of Star Trek V: The Final Frontier with none other than the man who brought Sybok to life, Laurence Luckinbill. The multi-award winning actor shares his insights into his spiritual connection with Sybok, competing angles on the character, and the difference between Star Trek and Star Wars. Document and additional references: Star Trek V call sheets - 1988 part 1 Affective Memories: How Chance and Theater Saved My Life by Laurence Luckinbill The Trek Files Season 12 on Memory Alpha All episodes and documents: The Trek Files on Memory Alpha Visit the Trekland site for behind-the-scenes access and exclusive merchandise.

Celebrating 40 years since the release of "The Search for Spock," The Trek Files goes deep behind-the-scenes with someone who spent as much time on Star Trek movie sets as any of the stars. Special guest Phil Weyland was a stand-in for DeForest Kelley and William Shatner and had a front-row seat for all the challenges and triumphs of the TOS movies. Hear about everything from deflated budgets to inflated egos in this week's episode! Document and additional references: Star Trek III call sheet - October 21, 1983 The Trek Files Season 12 on Memory Alpha All episodes and documents: The Trek Files on Memory Alpha Visit the Trekland site for behind-the-scenes access and exclusive merchandise.

Kicking off the 12th season of The Trek Files, we're taking a look back at planning Star Trek's third season in 1968. Bob Justman sent a memo in February of that year to Gene Roddenberry with his suggestions of which cast members should be kept and at what rate. Joining us to discuss the memo is someone from that very cast: Walter Koenig who you know as "Chekov!" Document and additional references: Star Trek Cast Option Pickups - February 26, 1968 All episodes and documents: The Trek Files on Memory Alpha Visit the Trekland site for behind-the-scenes access and exclusive merchandise.

Wrapping up our 11th season, The Trek Files is proud to welcome Walter Koenig to the show to look back at his own involvement in Star Trek TAS as a writer. Stay tuned for the revelations about Walter's pitch (and subsequent rejection) from TNG, shared here for the first time! See the documents: facebook.com/thetrekfiles Visit the Trekland site for behind-the-scenes access and exclusive merchandise.

Ben Robinson returns to The Trek Files for another look at some of the roads not taken when Star Trek: The Next Generation was in development. This time, the complexities of bringing Wesley/Lesley Crusher to life and how TNG could have broken new ground in 1987. See the documents: facebook.com/thetrekfiles Visit the Trekland site for behind-the-scenes access and exclusive merchandise.

The Trek Files revisits an early document from Star Trek: The Next Generation's development. David Gerrold sketched out a guide to how the main characters would relate to each other, and in this excerpt, focuses on Deanna Troi's special talent as a telepath. Ben Robinson joins us to look back at the Trek that might have been! See the documents: facebook.com/thetrekfiles Visit the Trekland site for behind-the-scenes access and exclusive merchandise.

Continuing our conversation about Gene's Star Trek III memo, we are thrilled to welcome Eugene Roddenberry to share his insights into his father's notes! Examining Vulcan mysticism and how those "small feathers" make a big difference in Star Trek storytelling on a can't miss episode of The Trek Files! See the documents: facebook.com/thetrekfiles Visit the Trekland site for behind-the-scenes access and exclusive merchandise.

While developing "The Next Generation," Gene Roddenberry was also fielding notes on the next Star Trek feature film "The Final Frontier." Our featured document highlights some of the strong misgivings Gene had about the script and story, and we pick apart the areas where he may have missed the mark or was right on target. See the documents: facebook.com/thetrekfiles Visit the Trekland site for behind-the-scenes access and exclusive merchandise.

With Gene Roddenberry relegated to a consultant role on the Star Trek feature films, the "Great Bird" still had strong opinions about the shape of each sequel. In the first part of our look at a memo from 1983, Gene lays out his concerns around keeping Trek's format intact and his problems with destroying the Enterprise. See the documents: facebook.com/thetrekfiles Visit the Trekland site for behind-the-scenes access and exclusive merchandise.

The faster Star Trek: The Next Generation ramped up production for its first season, a very real crisis loomed: they didn't have enough scripts. Bob Justman wrote to Gene Roddenberry in no uncertain terms about the production's needs, and we've got Mike DeMeritt to help us pick apart the details. See the documents: facebook.com/thetrekfiles Visit the Trekland site for behind-the-scenes access and exclusive merchandise.

One year before the American bicentennial celebration, Gene Roddenberry and Wilton Dillon from the Smithsonian Institution shred a friendly correspondence. We welcome back Margaret Weitekamp - almost 50 years to the day since the "Big E" was shipped from LA to DC - to further discuss the importance of pop-culture in the country's preeminent collection of historical artifacts. See the documents: facebook.com/thetrekfiles Visit the Trekland site for behind-the-scenes access and exclusive merchandise.

We are thrilled to welcome Margaret Weitekamp, Curator and Department Chair of the Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum, to discuss science fiction's role in the story of space flight. A 1972 letter from Gene Roddenberry to Fred Durant, Assistant Director of NASM, underlines the cultural impact of shows like Star Trek and the importance of heroic stories in garnering public support. See the documents: facebook.com/thetrekfiles Visit the Trekland site for behind-the-scenes access and exclusive merchandise.

As The Trek Files continues to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Star Trek: The Animated series, we look back at a rather pointed letter from Dorothy Fontana about the draft for "Eye of the Beholder." Aaron Harvey joins us again as we reveal a newly discovered detail about the episode's development! See the documents: facebook.com/thetrekfiles Visit the Trekland site for behind-the-scenes access and exclusive merchandise.

It might seem like a given that a TV series must be written to fit a budget. In the early days of "Star Trek: The Next Generation," a serious concern between Gene Roddenberry and Bob Justman was to keep the scripts under control. Returning guest Mike DeMeritt joins The Trek Files to help parse the intersection of creativity and commerce. See the documents: facebook.com/thetrekfiles Visit the Trekland site for behind-the-scenes access and exclusive merchandise.

What exactly is the internal physiology of a Klingon, or a Horta, or a Tholian? In 1975, an enterprising undergrad wrote to Gene Roddenberry to get some answers. Today, we've got educator and Star Trek science consultant Mohamed Noor with us to talk about the intersection of fact and fiction. See the documents: facebook.com/thetrekfiles Visit the Trekland site for behind-the-scenes access and exclusive merchandise.